Category: World

CANBERRA, Australia (AP): International tourists and business travelers began arriving in Australia with few restrictions on Monday, bringing together families in tearful reunions after separations of two years or longer forced by some of the most draconian pandemic measures of any democracy in the world. Australia closed its borders to tourists in March 2020 in… Continue reading Australia welcomes back tourists with toy koalas, Tim Tams

(BBC): The Queen has tested positive for Covid, Buckingham Palace has said. The monarch is experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms” but expects to continue “light duties” at Windsor over the coming week, the palace said. “She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines,” it added in a statement. Her eldest… Continue reading The Queen tests positive for Covid

BEIJING (AP): China on Thursday rejected a U.S. accusation that Beijing is failing to live up to its market-opening commitments in a new round of complaints as companies wait for the two governments to restart talks on ending a tariff war. The Ministry of Commerce criticized the Biden administration for saying it is developing new… Continue reading China rejects US trade complaint, criticizes Washington

WASHINGTON (AP): U.S. intelligence officials on Tuesday accused a conservative financial news website with a significant American readership of amplifying Kremlin propaganda and alleged five media outlets targeting Ukrainians have taken direction from Russian spies. The officials said Zero Hedge, which has 1.2 million Twitter followers, published articles created by Moscow-controlled media that were then… Continue reading US accuses financial website of spreading Russian propaganda

MOSCOW (AP): Some airlines have canceled or diverted flights to Ukraine amid warnings from the West that an invasion by Russia is imminent despite intensive weekend talks between Moscow and Washington. In an hourlong call Saturday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden said an invasion of Ukraine would cause “widespread human suffering” and… Continue reading Flights to Ukraine halted or redirected as crisis brews

BEIJING (AP): A Ukrainian skeleton athlete flashed a small sign that read “ No War in Ukraine ” to the cameras as he finished a run at the Beijing Olympics on Friday night. Vladyslav Heraskevych’s sign was printed on a blue-and-yellow piece of paper, matching the colors of his country’s flag. He did not display… Continue reading Olympian displays sign calling for ‘No War in Ukraine’

WASHINGTON (AP): Inflation soared over the past year at its highest rate in four decades, hammering America’s consumers, wiping out pay raises and reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s decision to begin raising borrowing rates across the economy. The Labor Department said Thursday that consumer prices jumped 7.5% last month compared with 12 months earlier, the steepest… Continue reading US inflation jumped 7.5% in the past year, a 40-year high

BEIJING (AP): China has ordered inhabitants of the southern city of Baise to stay home and suspended transportation links amid a surge in COVID-19 cases at least partly linked to the omicron variant. Classes have been suspended, non-essential businesses closed and mass testing of residents ordered. Restaurants are only permitted to serve take-out. Traffic lights… Continue reading China locks down southern city as omicron variant surges

CANBERRA, Australia (AP): Australia will open its borders to all vaccinated tourists and business travelers from Feb. 21 in a further relaxation of pandemic restrictions announced Monday. Australia imposed some of the world’s toughest travel restrictions on its citizens and permanent residents in March 2020 to prevent them from bringing COVID-19 home. When the border… Continue reading Australia to open borders to vaccinated travelers on Feb. 21

TOKYO (AP): More than a year ago Sebastian Bressa finished his paperwork to become a language teacher in Tokyo and made plans to quit his job in Sydney. His life has been in limbo ever since. Japan has kept its door closed to most foreigners during the pandemic, and the 26-year-old Australian is one of… Continue reading Japan border policy keeps thousands of foreigners in limbo