Biden wants COVID-19 testing for air travelers 24 hours before overseas flights

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Biden wants COVID-19 testing for air travelers 24 hours before international flights
President Biden's planned requirement for incoming international travelers to have a negative COVID-19 test within 24 hours of departing is set to begin next week.

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A senior administration official confirmed to Fox News on Thursday that the 24-hour testing requirement, which Biden officially announced earlier in the day, will take effect Monday. All travelers, regardless of vaccination or citizenship status, will be subject to the changed regulation.

Previously, only the unvaccinated were required to show a negative test 24 hours prior to departure, while those that were vaccinated had to show a negative test within 72 hours.

The changes come as part of Biden's winter plan to combat COVID-19 as cases of the omicron variant were detected in the U.S. this week. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.

In other developments:
- Ingraham: Biden focused on pleasing the media, not Americans
- Hannity blasts Biden for ‘blindly’ following Fauci
- NJ GOP lawmakers defy new Statehouse COVID vaccine mandate, refuse to leave floor
- New York confirms 5 cases of the omicron coronavirus variant
- ‘Long’ COVID causes bad smells and tastes, depression for some survivors: ‘Hot water smells like rotting meat’

PROGRAMMING ALERT: Dr. Anthony Fauci will appear TODAY at noon ET on Fox Business’ "Cavuto Coast-to-Coast."

Senate OKs bill to fund government until Feb. 18, likely averting shutdown
Senate lawmakers voted Thursday night to approve a bill that funds the government through Feb. 18, avoiding a government shutdown with roughly 24 hours to spare despite a partisan clash regarding President Biden's federal vaccine mandate.

The Senate voted 69-28 in favor of the continuing resolution, which approves government funding at the prior year’s levels until a new bipartisan agreement is reached. The resolution includes $7 billion in new funding to support Afghan refugees.

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The bill now proceeds to Biden’s desk for final approval. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Mitch McConnell on ‘America’s Newsroom': We're not going to shut down government
- Pelosi says House won't pass funding bill blocking vaccine mandates: ‘Not going to go for their anti-vaxxing’
- Congress barrels toward government shutdown as handful of GOP senators hold out over vaccine mandates
- House members discuss partisan division and agreement
- Republican senators consider threatening government shutdown to defend Biden vaccine mandates

Alec Baldwin TV interview has fellow actor calling ‘bulls—t’
Former "Dukes of Hazzard" star John Schneider shared his thoughts Thursday night on Alec Baldwin's TV interview with ABC News regarding the "Rust" movie set shooting.

In a conversation with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Baldwin claimed that despite holding a gun at a New Mexico movie set on Oct. 21, he "didn't pull the trigger." A shot fired from the firearm ended up killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

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Schneider questioned the conversation, asking whether viewers were supposed to "believe that a gun went off by itself."

"This is a wonderful business we all work in. We are honored and privileged to be part of it," Schneider continued. "So when someone takes a crap – which obviously George and Alec have done here and obviously this woman is still deceased. Her family is still without a mother, without a wife. This is absurd."

Schneider said he believes "the propaganda machine" is responsible for perpetuating the idea that Baldwin "is a victim." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

In other developments:
- Alec Baldwin slammed for tell-all interview about ‘Rust’ shooting: ‘A clout chasing performance’
- Emotional Alec Baldwin recalls ‘Rust’ shooting: ‘If I felt that I was responsible, I might have killed myself’
- ‘Rust’ assistant director maintains Alec Baldwin's claim he didn't pull trigger in fatal shooting: attorney
- Alec Baldwin's claim he didn't pull trigger on ‘Rust’ questioned by sheriff: ‘Guns don’t just go off'
- Baldwin interview was done to influence jury pool: Terrell

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TODAY’S MUST-READS:
- Waukesha parade aftermath: Jackson Sparks, 8, remembered at memorial service
- Fairfax County parents demand school board resign after ‘doubling down’ on ‘porn in schools’
- Jon Gruden’s email scandal was ‘a professional hit job,’ Brent Musberger says
- Washington woman found ‘beaten to death’ in Cancun hotel room; boyfriend arrested
- Ghislaine Maxwell trial: Housekeeper found sex toys, leather costume after Epstein massages
- LeBron James: ‘Zero sense’ for high school basketball players to have masks under chins

THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Dem group blasted after praising Biden for lowering gas prices
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- China’s Didi to leave US stock market amid tech crackdown
- Michael Avenatti requesting new trial in Nike case
- Kudlow: American would have been better off if Biden had done nothing
- Certain grocery items are bearing brunt of inflation, says major chain

SOME PARTING WORDS

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Karl Rove appeared Thursday night on "Fox News Primetime," where he addressed reports of turmoil in the office of Vice President Kamala Harris.

"Two of her top staffers left. … She got a 28 percent approval rating," Rove said. "She’s bollocksed every major operation that she’s been put in charge of, starting with the border. And so what could go wrong after all that? C’mon!"

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Today’s edition of Fox News First was compiled by Fox News’ Dom Calicchio. Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Have a great weekend and we’ll see you in your inbox first thing Monday morning.