Travel groups call to stop pre-flight Covid tests for vaccinated passengers on February 3, 2022San Francisco: An international coalition of travel-related organizations called on the US government Wednesday to stop requiring vaccinated passengers to present a negative Covid test before boarding US-bound flights. “Travel and aviation’s recovery is dependent on the government taking steps to remove travel restrictions that are no longer justified by current circumstances,” the group argued […]
Canada Conservatives dump leader Erin O’Toole on February 3, 2022Ottawa: Canada’s Conservative MPs voted by secret ballot Wednesday to oust their leader, Erin O’Toole, amid infighting over the party’s future direction and loss to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals in snap elections last year. Forty-five Tory members of parliament endorsed O’Toole’s leadership while 73 voted to replace him in the caucus vote, the main […]
Biden, Macron pledge coordination in response to Russia on Ukraine on February 3, 2022Washington: US President Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron pledged Wednesday to coordinate their response to Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border, the White House said. In a call made shortly after Macron said he might visit Russia to seek a diplomatic solution, the French leader and Biden “affirmed their support for […]
Brazil hikes key interest rate to double digits on February 3, 2022Brasília: Brazil’s central bank hiked its benchmark interest rate by 1.5 points Wednesday to 10.75 percent, bringing it into double digits for the first time in nearly five years to fight rampant inflation. The eighth straight increase to the Selic rate, which was in line with forecasts, comes as Latin America’s biggest economy struggles through […]
America’s alarming crime statistics on February 3, 2022Washington: US President Joe Biden will travel to New York City Thursday for discussions on how to address a nationwide crime wave, which has exploded during the pandemic. Here are some interesting figures about the state of crime in the United States: – 59 homicides per day – According to the most recent data released […]
Low-key Beijing 2022 Olympic torch relay kicks off on February 2, 2022Beijing: The Winter Olympics torch relay kicked off in Beijing on Wednesday as China’s capital gears up to host the global sporting event against a backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 1,000 torchbearers will carry the flame through competition areas in Beijing and the neighbouring city of Zhangjiakou — hosting events such as cross-country […]
Pfizer seeks US approval of Covid vaccine for children under 5 on February 2, 2022Washington: Pfizer and BioNTech said Tuesday they began submitting a formal request to US health regulators for emergency use of their Covid vaccine for children aged over six months and under five years. The request is currently for two doses of a three-microgram shot, which will give parents “the opportunity to begin a Covid-19 vaccination […]
Top oil producers eye modest output boost as prices surge on February 2, 2022London: The 23 members of the OPEC+ oil cartel, who meet on Wednesday, are expected to stick to their guns and increase output modestly as the price of crude surges. As in January, analysts expect the taps to be opened slightly, to the tune of an additional 400,000 barrels per day, Tamas Varga, an analyst […]
Perth suburbs threatened as Australia bushfires rage on February 2, 2022Perth, Australia: Two out-of-control bushfires threatened lives and homes in Western Australia on Wednesday, with blistering temperatures set to intensify in the coming days. An emergency warning for the outskirts of Perth, the country’s fourth-largest city, was issued after a blaze that has now burned through about 100 hectares began Tuesday. Authorities are concerned about […]
Nine killed in Colombia army raid on Gulf Clan drug cartel on February 2, 2022Bogota: At least nine people were killed Tuesday in northwestern Colombia in an army raid on the Gulf Clan drug cartel, whose commander was captured last October. The operation began early Tuesday and was still underway in the evening when Defense Minister Diego Molano announced that “so far nine deaths have been identified in operations” […]