COVID-19 Vaccines Offer Hope; World Leaders Plan for Future ‘The Escape Route Is in Sight’ from Coronavirus Crisis
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Established 1961 7 Wednesday, November 25, 2020 International COVID-19 vaccines offer hope; World leaders plan for future ‘The escape route is in sight’ from coronavirus crisis PARIS: France is expected to loosen its coronavirus taken on how to proceed when vaccines are available, restrictions as the boss of a major airline said proof of but indicated vaccination or a strict two-week quaran- News in brief vaccination will likely become the only way people can tine would be a condition for entry. “We would expect fly in a post-pandemic world. Hopes over COVID-19 that people coming to Australia whilst Covid-19 is a sig- vaccines have given a boost to virus-weary citizens nificant disease in the world will either be vaccinated or Russia hunts Jehovah Witnesses across the globe, but the disease remains rampant and they will isolate,” he said. Australia’s Victoria state world leaders are urging people to be patient. French announced its last coronavirus patient had been cleared MOSCOW: Law enforcement authorities carried President Emmanuel Macron will address the country - of COVID-19 - a major milestone for what had been the out mass raids on the Jehovah’s Witnesses across currently under lockdown - to announce a reworking of epicenter of the country’s second wave. Russia yesterday and made a number of arrests as the rules following a drop in nationwide infections. But in China, where the virus was first detected late part of a new criminal case against the group, the Macron’s televised speech comes a day after British last year, hundreds of flights at Shanghai’s Pudong Investigative Committee said. The law enforcement Prime Minister Boris Johnson said thanks to a major International Airport were cancelled after a small cluster agency said it had opened an investigation as it vaccine breakthrough, “the escape route is in sight” of cases in the city was linked to several cargo handlers. suspected the Christian denomination, which Russia from the coronavirus crisis. Johnson said that although And officials in Hong Kong ramped up already tight has labeled “extremist” and outlawed, was organiz- the “scientific cavalry” was arriving, he warned social distancing measures following a local spike in ing the activity of its national centre in Russia and An illustration picture shows a vial with COVID-19 vaccine local affiliates. Russia’s Supreme Court ordered the “Christmas cannot be normal and there’s a long road to sticker, a syringe and a globe. — AFP infections, shuttering bars, pubs, party rooms and night- spring”. The world is still engulfed in the unprecedented clubs. All live performances and dancing have also been Jehovah’s Witnesses to disband in 2017 and some of health crisis which has shattered economies, infected banned. Daily case numbers have approached three fig- its adherents have been jailed or hit with criminal almost 58.9 million people and left nearly 1.4 million to protect its people,” Tedros said. “But there is now a ures in recent days, prompting the stricter rules. charges in an ensuing crackdown. The Investigative dead. real risk that the poorest and most vulnerable will be Committee said in a statement it had identified a trampled in the stampede for vaccines.” ‘Selfish deaf ears’ number of the group’s organizers and followers in The United States - by far the worst-hit nation - cel- more than 20 regions and had taken them into cus- Qantas vaccine rule ebrates Thanksgiving on Thursday, and many Americans tody as part of its investigation.— Reuters Christmas Australia’s Qantas announced that international trav- plan to spend the holiday with extended family despite can’t be elers will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to authorities warning they risk exacerbating the disease fly, becoming the first airline to suggest rules could raging across the country. Nearly 258,000 people have normal: become common across the industry. Chief executive died nationwide and the caseload is edging towards 12.4 NY City first Black mayor dies British PM Alan Joyce said the carrier would implement the meas- million, according to Johns Hopkins University. ure once a vaccine was made available to the public. Stopping short of issuing an outright ban, the US WASHINGTON: David Dinkins, New York City’s “Certainly, for international visitors coming out (to government’s health protection agency has for the first first Black mayor, has died, US media reported late Australia) and people leaving the country, we think that time called on Americans not to travel for the annual Monday. He was 93. The Democrat served as leader AstraZeneca and Oxford University on Monday said is a necessity,” he told Channel Nine. Joyce predicted holiday, which sees families get together over turkey, of the city from 1990 to 1993 after defeating Rudy their drug had proved on average 70 percent effective the rule would likely become standard practice around yams and cranberry sauce. Last weekend was the Giuliani and Edward Koch. His tenure was marked at stopping the virus after trying it on 23,000 people, the world as governments and airlines consider the busiest since the start of the pandemic with more than by racial strife-most notably the Crown Heights days after tests of two other drugs suggested they were introduction of electronic vaccination passports. three million people passing through US airports, riots-and criticism that he was not up to the job. more than 90 percent effective. While World Health However, other major regional airlines, such as Korean according to the Transportation Security Dinkins died from natural causes at home, the New Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Air and Japan Airlines, said it was too early to comment Administration, which is responsible for security checks. York Times reported, less than two months after his Ghebreyesus hailed the latest batch of results as light at on what travel requirements might be when a vaccine “Our pleas for help have fallen on selfish deaf ears,” wife Joyce also passed away. A compromise candi- the end of the “long dark tunnel”, he cautioned that the becomes widely available. tweeted Cleavon Gilman, an emergency doctor in date who remains New York’s only Black mayor, he world had to ensure drugs were distributed fairly. Following Qantas’ announcement, Australian Health Arizona, where he said hospitals were “overwhelmed” inherited a city marked by racism, poverty and vio- “Every government rightly wants to do everything it can Minister Greg Hunt said “no final decision” had yet been with Covid patients. — AFP lence. More than a million New Yorkers were on welfare following the recession, and over 1,000 murders were being reported annually. Dinkins was elected as a stabilizing force, and famously John Kerry, who signed Australia opens up described New York as a “gorgeous mosaic,” but Paris accord for US, is more borders, he struggled to make headway. — AFP Biden’s climate envoy eyes vaccine Shanghai tackles virus outbreak SHANGHAI: Hundreds of flights at one of China’s WASHINGTON: Former secretary of state John SYDNEY: Australia will lift more internal state border busiest airports were cancelled yesterday as Kerry helped broker the landmark Paris Agreement restrictions in a boost for tourism as new coronavirus and signed it on behalf of the United States, a decision Shanghai raced to bring a local coronavirus out- infections slow to a trickle, while the first vaccines could break under control. Health officials have tested subsequently reversed by President Donald Trump. be available in March, a government minister said yester- Now, he is set to be President-elect Joe Biden’s cli- John Kerry thousands of staff at Pudong International Airport day. Queensland state, a popular holiday destination, will since a small cluster of COVID-19 cases in the city mate envoy, in a clear sign of the upcoming adminis- allow visitors next week from the country’s two most tration’s renewed commitment to fighting climate was linked to several cargo handlers. China - where Regaining trust populous states, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, the virus first emerged late last year - has largely change. “I’m returning to government to get America The Paris agreement aims to limit end-of-century after closing its borders in August. back on track to address the biggest challenge of this brought the pandemic under control through travel warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees NSW has since notched a month without any restrictions and lockdowns, but it is now battling a generation and those that will follow,” Kerry tweeted Fahrenheit), to avoid triggering a series of catastrophic COVID-19 cases where the source is unknown and shortly after his appointment. number of domestic outbreaks in different cities. climate tipping points that could confine most of restrictions on arrivals from Sydney will be eased on Dec Shanghai has reported seven local infections linked “The climate crisis demands nothing less than all humanity to the planet’s northern and southern bands. 1, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. hands on deck.” The announcement was welcomed by to the airport this month, with most cases found in Scientists have calculated that carbon neutrality - Residents of Victoria, previously the country’s coron- the past few days. The outbreak has sparked plans environmental groups such as the World Resources which would involve reducing emissions and increas- avirus hotspot, will also be welcomed if the state has no Institute, whose CEO Andrew Steer said: “There are few to give high-risk workers at the travel hub an exper- ing the amount of carbon captured from the atmos- new cases on Wednesday, which would mark 26 days imental vaccine China has already been providing to people in the world with as remarkable a track record phere - must be achieved by mid-century to reach that without community transmission.