Ybor City named one of America’s most haunted: take a tour

By in Hotel Tour

TAMPA, FL – It’s season for witches – and ghosts, zombies and everything that happens in the night.

To add an extra dose of scare to the Halloween season, the Official Ybor Ghost Tour, named the # 1 ghost tour in the United States by City Traveler, added additional tours in October to meet continued high demand. during the Halloween season, including special tours at 10:30 p.m. October 25-31.

“This whole place has a unique character that you really can’t find in any other city,” said Lonnie Herman, founder of the Official Ybor Ghost Tour, adding that the city’s infamous past makes it ubiquitous.

“This town in 1885 was nothing but a lost hell in a swamp,” said tour guide Greg Milton. “There were 700 people here in 1885. The largest population was snakes, mosquitoes and alligators.”

Ybor City was built on the backs of Cuban and Italian immigrants who came to America in search of a better life. Many ended up working in one of the city’s many thriving cigar factories, settling in shotgun-style homes and hastily-built and overcrowded wood-frame buildings, where they perished in settlements. fires and the yellow fever epidemic in the 1900s.

At the height of the cigar industry, Ybor City produced around half a billion cigars a year for which immigrants were paid literally pennies to roll while wealthy factory owners built mansions on Davis and Bayshore Islands. Boulevard, according to Jeff “El Jefe” Hartzog, who works for the management company that runs the Cuban Club.

The largest fire in Tampa history occurred on March 1, 1908, at 1914 12th Ave., according to Tampa Fire Rescue. The fire started in the shingled roof of a boarding house and quickly spread to more than 17 blocks. Countless adults and children died in the blaze. Store owners swear they can still hear the laughter of the youngest victims of the fire.

During Prohibition in the 1920s, Ybor City became a notorious haunt for gangsters. Gaming Czar Charles Wall used political connections to set up a bolita gaming racket in Ybor City and opened the lavish sports hall, El Dorado Lounge, on 8th Avenue and 14th Street. It has become a haven for underworld figures and the scene of drive-by shootouts of Wall’s rival, Salvatore Trafficante Sr.

Plus, the top floors of El Dorado are said to be the “biggest bad name house outside of New Orleans.”

Between 1930 and 1959, Tampa witnessed more than 25 gang murders, most of them in Ybor City. Among them, on November 10, 1936, George “Saturday” Zarate, a drug dealer working for New York gangster Charles “Lucky” Luciano, was shot dead in front of El Dorado. A year later, Joe Vaglichi, whose brother was Al Capone’s bodyguard, died in a hail of bullets from another car driving past the playhouse.

The former Don Vicente Hotel in Ybor City, now the Casa Ybor residential and office building, has been called one of the most haunted buildings in America by Haunted Rooms and has been featured in one of the top rated episodes of The Travel Channel’s show, “The Dead Files”, in 2011.

Built in 1895, the structure served as a hotel, meeting place (El Bien Publico) and hospital.

Dr Jose Luis Avellena Jr. and his disembodied nurse are said to haunt Don Vicente’s basement. There are also reports of an appearance of a mad doctor who experimented on patients and then burned the bodies in the basement incinerator.

When the hotel was operating, room 305, in particular, was a reported hot spot for paranormal activity. A number of guests have reported seeing the appearance of a man at the foot of the bed. Other spooky events in the Don Vicente include flickering lights, squeaky footsteps, doors opening and closing, and faucets opening and closing.

Another infamous haunted place is the Cuban Club, built in 1917. The official Ybor City Ghost Tour is the only tour allowed in the building.

Among the hauntings of the historic club, one is attributed to Dr Cooley, chairman of the club’s board of directors, who was murdered by a club rival during a heated argument.

Visitors have also reported seeing a ghost named Jamie or Jimmy, an 8 or 9-year-old boy who allegedly drowned while swimming unsupervised in the Cuban Club’s indoor pool in the basement.

In 2009, the TV show “Ghost Hunters” visited the Cuban Club and claimed to have made contact with the boy.

“With a building that has been around for so long, there will always be intrigue, and that is the case here,” Hertzog said. “I heard elevators running on their own, footsteps, doors opening and closing, or pushing against me as I tried to close them, and many other strange and interesting things.”

“When I first started touring, I didn’t think much of it,” Milton said. “But after four years, I can tell you it’s real. I know ghosts are real.”

Among the stories Milton tells on his tour is that of a young actor playing a play he himself wrote on the Cuban Club stage when he forgot his lines.

Out of embarrassment or shame, he returned to the club after hours, draped a rope over the stage catwalk, put it around his neck, and jumped to his death.

During his tours, Milton said visitors saw flashes of light and orbs floating around the theater. He himself saw a faceless man sitting in the front row of the empty theater and an ethereal woman in period clothing with strange glowing orange eyes.

He said the club’s fourth floor is also haunted by a famous dancer who rejected the advances of an infatuated fan. One night, the man got drunk and pushed the dancer over the balcony to her death.

Another site that has reportedly been haunted is the former Florida Brewing Company at 1234 E. 5th Ave.

In 1896, Vicente Martinez-Ybor decided to try his hand at brewing beer and built his brewery on the site of the government source. Discovered in 1824, the spring supplied water to Fort Brooke. Later, a swimming pool and an ice factory were built on the site.

A ghost story dates back to the opening of the brewery. To celebrate, the brewery offered free beer and a fight broke out between two men who drank a little too much. A man of Cuban descent suffered serious head injuries during the scuffle and died. Visitors now claim to see a drunken man with a Hispanic accent hanging out around the building.

In 1999, law firm Swope Rodante spent millions to restore the old brewery, but the renovations have failed to deter the spirits that continue to haunt the building. Those who work in the building continue to report strange sightings.

The tour also stops at places like Rock Brothers Brewing at 1901 N. 15th St., and Cerealholic Cafe & Bar and Afterholic Speakeasy at 1909 N. 15th St., both of which have reported close encounters with the dead.

Cerealholic is located in a former church where owner Lisa Lawson claims she heard windows slam and things went missing and then mysteriously returned.

It allows visitors to have their own ghostly encounters every Thursday through Sunday at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in October when the upstairs breakfast cereal-themed cafe bar and 1920s-style sweatshop downstairs host “The Haunted Tavern: A Dark Pop-Up Cocktail Experience.” Tickets cost $ 55 and include four cocktails. Click here.

Like Milton, Herman said he started out as a skeptic.

“Eventually I really became a believer in how haunted these buildings really are,” he said. “I have come face to face with some of these entities. I have talked with them, I have conversed with them, I have even sometimes made them laugh. I have also made them mad from time to time.”

While Herman does not guarantee that visitors will spot a ghost on tours, he said they will be entertained by interesting stories about Ybor City’s colorful history.

“People ask me all the time if they’re going to see a ghost. I can’t guarantee that. It’s up to the ghosts to decide,” Herman said.

But more than a few who have taken the tour say they have seen restless souls dressed in immigrant clothes or zoot and fedora costumes.

“There are no smoke and mirrors on my tour,” Herman said. “The ghosts seem to come out on their own.”

Since COVID-19 restrictions remain in effect and tour sizes are limited, early bookings are encouraged by visiting the website or calling 813-386-3905 24 hours a day.

Tours cost $ 25 for adults and $ 10 for children 8 to 12 years old. Special rates are available on Tuesdays. The tour is not open to children under 5 and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

For schedules and reservations, click here.


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The Marines reluctantly let a Sikh officer wear a turban. He says it’s not enough.

By in Airport Service

“It got pretty routine and there were very few problems. This is what makes the response of the Marines in this case so surprising, ”said Giselle Klapper, a civil rights lawyer with a rights group, the Sikh Coalition, which has helped Sikh troops demand exceptions.

But the Marine Corps doesn’t like to retreat and has never given much weight to what other branches of the military do. It is the smallest branch and considers itself the most elitist. It often resisted change for years after the rest of the army left. The Corps was the last branch to allow black men to enlist, and he balked at a 2015 mandate to allow women to serve in combat.

The Corps’ argument, time and time again, has been that the change could hamper its ability to fight.

“In order to build squads that will advance in a combat environment where people are dying, a strong team bond is necessary,” said Col. Kelly Frushour, spokesperson for Navy Headquarters, in written responses to New York Times questions on The Lieutenant Toor Affair. “Uniformity is one of the tools the Corps uses to forge that bond. What the Corps protects is its ability to win on the battlefield, so that the Constitution can remain the law of the land. “

Requests for accommodation have been rare in the Corps. Among approximately 180,000 active-duty Marines, there have been only 33 requests in recent years for exceptions to uniform regulations on religious grounds, including requests for long hair, beards, or physical training clothing. more modest. About two-thirds of the requests were approved, but prior to Lt. Toor, no one had been allowed to wear a visible religious beard or head covering.

Lieutenant Toor grew up in Washington and Ohio, the son of Indian immigrants. Her father wore a beard, turban, and other symbols of Sikh religious devotion, including a simple steel bracelet and small blade meant to remind Sikh worshipers that they are meant to act as righteous defenders – and if necessary armed – innocent people. and oppressed.

Growing up in the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks, Lieutenant Toor knew that many Americans mistakenly associated Sikhs with dangerous religious fanatics. He hoped his military service would help change that.


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Australia plans to reopen international borders by Christmas, but details are clear

By in Airport Hotel

International travel is a priority for many Australians, but much is unknown about how it works, which has prompted passengers and the aviation industry to seek clarification from the federal government.

Gill Harris is one of many Australian residents who have been separated from their families abroad for almost two years due to travel bans.

Meanwhile, Ms Harris and her partner have missed out on celebrating important birthdays with their British family, twice postponed their wedding and had a baby.

“We would have liked them to meet our son. We talk to Grandma every day. She doesn’t want to miss anything and she is in desperate need of a hug if we can get home for Christmas,” he said. she declared.

Ms Harris booked tickets to London with Qantas on December 20. But if the airlines sell tickets, there is no guarantee that Australia’s international borders will be opened in time.

“It’s quite stressful, really. We would just like some certainty from the government,” she said.

Airlines call for answers

According to the national plan, when 80% of Australians are doubly vaccinated, there will be a “gradual reopening of inbound and outbound international travel with safe countries,” as well as “proportionate quarantine and reduced requirements for fully vaccinated inbound travelers. “.

Last week Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said he hoped international borders would reopen by Christmas “at the latest”.

But while airlines like Qantas have been optimistic about selling tickets to London, the United States, Singapore, Japan and Canada starting in mid-December, others in the aviation industry are on the move. worried about the timing and the lack of clarity on its operation.

The Board of Airlines Representatives Australia (BARA) said airports currently lack the resources to handle additional international flights and that there has been limited engagement with industry on the part of governments at all levels on how to plan for an increase in services.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 82 percent of the world’s airlines, has warned that some carriers may choose to fly elsewhere if uncertainty persists.

Before the pandemic, 52 airlines flew to Australia, but there are now only 18.

Singapore Airlines canceled additional flights in December to Australia due to lingering uncertainty around the Australia travel bubble mentioned in the national plan.

Karl Schubert of Singapore Airlines says the aviation industry needs more certainty from the federal government on how international borders will be reopened. (

ABC News: Adam Wyatt

)

“It is not clear whether international arrival caps will continue to be in place in December, and whether or not, or how, incoming passengers will be treated and classified by the government,” said Karl Schubert, of the South Pacific -Where is. public relations manager at Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines is operating at 9% capacity due to passenger caps. Like other airlines, it covered the cost of flying nearly empty planes with air freight.

“We have around 600 empty places per day [to Sydney] which can be refilled with the push of a switch. So at the end of the day, we’re certainly looking forward to getting that clarity from the government so that we can bring more Australians home and be able to reconnect families much sooner. “

Sunset behind a jet plane
Cathay Pacific says it’s impossible to measure demand when the federal government has not confirmed which countries Australia can travel to.(

Provided: Wellcamp Airport

)

Cathay Pacific chief executive in the South West Pacific, Rakesh Raicar, said Australia is an important market for the airline, but added more clarity is needed to measure demand and plan for services. additional.

Mr. Raicar also wants a coherent approach of all states to be necessary when reopening international borders.

It’s unlikely. Western Australia, Queensland and Tasmania all suggest they will not open their borders until a 90% vaccination target is met.

Quarantine measures likely to slow down demand

Gill harris
Gill Harris says her family will postpone their trip to the UK if they have to quarantine themselves in a hotel upon their return to Australia.(

ABC News: John Gunn

)

Quarantine is another big issue that will affect the demand for overseas travel. So far, only South Australia and New South Wales have committed to testing the home quarantine.

Although she is sadly missed by her family, Ms Harris will cancel her family’s trip to the UK if she has to quarantine herself at a hotel on her return.

“We just don’t think having Harry, who will then be 10 months old, in a hotel for two weeks work,” she said.

Europe, the United States and the United Kingdom do not require fully vaccinated travelers to be quarantined. Instead, passengers must have tested negative for COVID-19 72 hours before arrival.

Mr Goh said any requirement for passengers to self-quarantine upon arrival would deter tourists from visiting Australia.

“Being in midlife is the one thing that keeps many people from thinking about traveling especially for leisure but also for business,” he said.

“Parts of Europe and the United States are already taking off quite well because no quarantine is required. “

Qantas planes are parked at Sydney Airport, with the city in the background.
Qantas planes are parked at Sydney Airport, with the city skyline in the background, on August 3, 2021.(

ABC News: John Gunn

)

Passengers suffer a “brutal shock”

Aviation commentator Geoff Thomas, of Airlineseratings.com, criticizes the federal government’s handling of reopening international borders.

“Because right now there is confusion, it is very worrying, especially when you look at the record of the vaccine deployment, which has been a complete mess. I am afraid that the opening of the international border not be a similar mess, ”he said. noted.

Mr Thomas expects only a few travel lanes to reopen – such as New Zealand, the UK and the US.

Then there is the issue of verification of vaccine certification. The federal government is paying Accenture about $ 75 million to develop a digital passport declaration (DBD). IATA is also working on an application for a vaccination passport that would provide verification throughout the trip.

Some vaccines may not be recognized by different countries. For example, at the moment, the United States does not recognize AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria). Rather, passengers must have had Pfizer or Moderna.

In addition to these considerations, aviation analyst Neil Hansford said passengers should be wary of stopovers in countries with questionable COVID-19 vaccination standards.

Mr Hansford is currently a consultant on the launch of a North Pacific airline and expects new travel destinations in the region to open up to Australians.

“No Australian is going to want to go to a country where people are not already doubly vaxxed, and which had a good record in COVID with only a minimal count. You have Pacific island nations that have had zero or two deaths, ” he said.

International travel far for many

Mingming Chen
Mingming Chen wants to return to China so that his family can meet his newborn baby.(

ABC News: Andrew Willisee

)

It’s also unclear whether Australia will recognize vaccines like Sinovac, which has been used extensively in countries like China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brazil.

Mingming Chen, an academic at Curtin University, said blocking Chinese tourism would hurt Australia’s tourism sector.

Before the pandemic, the majority of our inbound international tourists came from China, spending $ 12.4 billion in 2019.

The closure of Australia’s borders means Mr Chen, his wife and their newborn daughter have been prevented from seeing their families in China.

Like Ms. Harris, they used video calls to keep in touch with their parents overseas.

“It actually created emotional stress for our whole family,” he said.

Analysts expect air fares to remain competitive

Among the good news, analysts don’t expect airfares to stay at inflated prices.

The cheapest round-trip ticket from Sydney to London in mid-January is $ 2,066, while Sydney to Los Angeles will cost $ 1,420 and Sydney to Singapore will cost you just $ 1,068, according to the comparison site. of Skyscanner prices.

Mr Thomas said that with so many unknowns, airlines have no choice but to entice travelers with great fares.

“This has been the experience abroad. And I think it will be the experience in Australia,” he said.

The ABC has contacted the office of Tourism Minister Dan Tehan to request an interview.


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Covid rapid test pricing: how a law allows labs to charge any price

By in Airport Price

At the pharmacy, a quick Covid test usually costs less than $ 20.

Across the country, more than a dozen test sites owned by start-up GS Labs regularly charge $ 380.

There is a reason they can. When Congress tried to make sure Americans didn’t have to pay for coronavirus tests, it forced insurers to pay certain labs regardless of the “spot price” they were listing online for them. tests, no limit on what it could be.

The high prices and growing presence of GS Labs – it has performed half a million rapid tests since the start of the pandemic and still performs thousands a day – show how the government’s long-standing reluctance to play a role in health care prices hampered its attempt to protect consumers. As a result, Americans could ultimately pay part of the cost of expensive coronavirus tests in the form of higher insurance premiums.

Many health insurers have refused to pay GS Labs fees, with some claiming the lab is raising prices during a public health crisis. A Blue Cross plan in Missouri has sued GS Labs over its awards, asking for a ruling that would overturn $ 10.9 million in outstanding claims.

In court last month, the insurer claimed the charges were “disaster profiteers” and violated public order.

Omaha-based GS Labs argues the exact opposite: that it has public policy on its side, highlighting the CARES law passed in 2020. “Insurers are forced to pay the price in cash, unless we get there. at a negotiated rate, ”said Christopher Erickson, a partner at GS Labs.

The requirement that insurers pay the cash price only applies to off-grid labs, that is, those that have not negotiated a price with the insurer. There are signs that other labs may act like GS Labs: A study released this summer by America’s Health Insurance Plans, the trade association that represents insurers, found that the share of coronavirus testing performed at facilities outside network increased from 27% to 21% between April 2020 and March 2021.

He revealed that the average price for a coronavirus test at a network facility was $ 130, a figure that includes both the most widely used and expensive rapid tests and PCR tests. About half of the off-grid providers charge at least $ 50 more than that.

The cash price of $ 380 is posted on the GS Labs website. In legal documents, he said he was paying “around $ 20” for the rapid test himself. Erickson says the high price reflects the “premium service” they provide to patients, as well as the $ 37 million in start-up costs associated with building their lab network in less than a year.

“You can book 15 minutes with us any day and get your results in 15 to 20 minutes,” Erickson said, noting the scarcity of testing at many pharmacies. “We have a nursing hotline where you can have your results interpreted. Our pricing is one of the most expensive in the country because we have the best service in the country. “

Health policy experts who examined GS Labs’ pricing said that, even with the company’s investment in its service, it was difficult to understand why their tests should cost eight times Medicare’s rate of 41. $.

“It’s not like neurosurgery where you might want to pay a premium so that someone has years of experience,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown who has studied the prices of coronavirus tests.

Even though she felt it was being priced exceptionally high, Ms Corlette and other experts said GS Labs had strong legal grounds to continue billing it due to the way Congress drafted the CARES Act. “Whatever price the lab puts on its public website, that’s what has to be paid,” she said. “I don’t read a lot of leeway there.”

GS Labs is owned by City + Ventures, a real estate and investment company. It launched its first test site last October and, at its peak, operated 30 sites across the country.

As he started ramping up testing last year, he inquired about the possibility of becoming a network provider, offering what he described as “substantial discounts” in exchange for reliable and prompt payments. The company declined to specify the exact amount of its rebate, but said insurers generally rejected its proposals.

GS Labs said it believes insurers are hostile to its new operation. Some have sent their members explanation of benefits documents, showing that the claim has been denied and the patient may have to pay the full amount.

GS Labs says it is not claiming fees directly from patients, which would violate federal law, and says such mailings were a turnaround tactic clients against his business.

“They’re trying to portray us in a bad light when they’re the ones breaking federal law,” said Kirk Thompson, another GS Labs partner. “Insurers have made the decision to ignore their obligations or to justify non-compliance with the CARES law.

Insurers describe interactions differently. They say they are doing their best, within federal law, to protect patients from unnecessary high fees that will eventually drive up premiums.

The UPMC Pittsburgh Health Plan first took notice of GS Labs when it saw an unusual pattern in its claims: the vast majority included a rapid antigen test alongside a test for Covid antibody. Of all the complaints the health plan has received from any lab with this combination of billing codes, it said 91% were from GS Labs.

“There is very little reason to order these two tests on the same day,” said Stephen Perkins, chief medical officer of the Health Plan. “They serve very different purposes, and they would not routinely be ordered due to suspected exposure to Covid. “

The health plan saw this as proof that GS Labs was playing with the CARES law: insurers are required to fully cover antigen and antibody testing. “The CARES law governs what we can and cannot do, and we cannot refuse to pay for double billing,” he said.

GS Labs says it offers patients a “menu of tests” and the patient chooses which ones they want.

The UPMC health plan has, however, decided to question the pricing of GS Labs by other means. At one point, the plan’s legal staff noticed that the lab had announced a 70% coupon available to patients paying cash, which would reduce the price to $ 114. The coupon has since been removed from the GS Labs website.

“We told GS Labs that we thought it was their cash price, and that’s what we’re paying them now,” said Sheryl Kashuba, legal lead for the plan.

Evan White, general counsel for City + Ventures, said his company is still evaluating “next steps” with the health plan. “We are by no means satisfied with what they have self-imposed as a rate,” he said.

What actually counts as GS Labs’ cash price – and whether insurers will ultimately have to pay it – can be settled by Congress or the courts.

In July, Blue Cross Blue Shield Kansas City argued in a lawsuit against GS Labs that the reduced price sometimes offered to patients who cover the test themselves – the $ 114 fee that the UPMC Health Plan also discovered – is the price. real cash of the business.

“GS Labs knowingly and willfully performed a scheme or contrivance to defraud insurers and plans by posting a fictitious cash prize,” the health plan said in its legal file, “and then requiring that health plans to group and insurers pay these same prices in fictitious cash. . “

GS Labs replied that just because it offered discounts to certain patients, insurers “are only allowed to pay a small fraction of the published spot price.” He counterattacked the Blue Cross plan, saying the plan must pay nearly $ 10 million for 34,621 outstanding claims.

Congress, legislating quickly in the midst of a health crisis in 2020 and stopping on policies that would be easy to deploy, did not use the formula it recently adopted to pass legislation against surprise billing: mandate that insurers and medical providers settle price differences through an external arbitrator.

Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from Minnesota, proposed a bill in July that would cap reimbursement for coronavirus tests at twice the Medicare reimbursement rate. For quick tests, it would cost around $ 80.

In introducing her bill, Senator Smith cited the Times report on costly testing as evidence of the need for such a change.

“If these laboratories are going to take advantage of this situation and charge what the market will bear, it pushes us to put a limit on the spot price to stop the price increase which is hurting consumers,” she said in an interview. .

It is not clear whether this legislation could be part of the reconciliation agenda being debated by Congress. There may be a reluctance to act: Lawmakers tackle larger healthcare proposals, and they can expect the issue of testing fees to resolve on their own at the end of the trial. pandemic.

“Everyone continues to think we’re almost done, and this provision of the CARES Act only lasts for the time of the public health emergency,” said Loren Adler, associate director of the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy.

GS Labs plans to continue expanding as demand for rapid testing remains robust. He doesn’t view the Biden administration’s plan to make rapid home testing a barrier to his growth. It now operates 16 test sites and plans to open two more soon. When these open, its spot price will remain the same.

“We’re very reasonable people, but our spot price is a real spot price for any insurer that doesn’t want to negotiate,” said Mr. Thompson of GS Labs.

Business park in sight at Sibulan airport?

By in Airport Transfer


Amid the hubbub of reclamation, another sane idea raised by Vice Governor Macias is the development of the 2 km x 4 km Sibulan Airport into a modern business park after five years when the new airport Bacong International will have been opened.

This is an idea inspired by the development of the 174 hectare shoreline reclamation in Dumaguete which, if the documents are approved and the requirements met, will begin in a year or two.

But two are better than one. What comes first will benefit future generations with the influx of modern environmental technological interventions.

The development of the airport is not even at the planning stage yet, just an idea. And the Bacong airport where he will be transferred is now buying rights of way for the roads while the plan is now approved by the DOTC. This was confirmed by DOTC Sec Arthur Tugade in a recent CHRONICLE interview here during Pres Duterte’s last visit.

WHO WILL BUILD?

The next question is who will build the idea of ​​the airport business park? We have models like Iloilo and Cebu where Lahug airport is now the site of Cebu Business Park.

Do you want the Whites to build, or the Asian Chinese? Maybe Japanese, take your pick. They are yours to ask. So, interested people can now start contacting their friends.

METRO DGTE

Which brings us now to the idea of ​​forging the long idea of ​​a METRO DUMAGUETE which will be composed of Sibulan, Bacong and Valencia because development is inevitable.

Please, environmentalists, join us in this dream of a lifetime. Do not be an obstacle but a contributor to its total development. Find solutions and effective mitigation and intervention measures. See not the destruction, but the exploration and the accumulation.

Metro Dumaguete needs a law, a law of the Republic, so we need a sponsor of the Congress. Next, we need a constitution and corporate statutes for this new public company.

Then we have the political ramifications as to who will be the chief administrator of Metro Dumaguete, like Mayor Abalos of Metro Manila.

Then we increased the internal IRA income allocations for each LGU, which of course means an increase in property and business taxes. Will the people approve of this massive increase?

These more political, financial and geographic border problems will surely arise.

We estimate it will take a generation. Unless we have supermen LGU officials who have support and contacts in the powers of Manila.

It seems like another impossible dream, but without the destructive obstructionists it could come true.


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Climb into the driver’s seat – and step out of the comfort zone – on the popular Greek island of Mykonos

By in Hotel Tour

“Are you sure you can drive a shift lever?” Aldo asked as we sat on the veranda outside the lobby of my hotel in Mykonos. A tall, mustached Albanian who understood cars perfectly, Aldo gave me the keys to a tiny Fiat Panda in fireman red. He looked at me as if he had handed over a gun instead and asked if I knew how to engage the safety.

“I learned about a Triumph,” I assured him, remembering the sporty British convertible of my youth.

He carefully handed the key to my rental car to Assimomitis, a local company, adding, “Turn off the air conditioning before going up a steep hill. “

My hotel, the new and spacious five-star Amazon Mykonos Resort & Spa, stretched out on a hill on the southwest coast of the island, right next to Agios Ioannis beach. The only way out of the steep driveway was at the top, and I approached the summit at Panda Red before turning off the A / C and trying again. This time I succeeded.

This was my third visit to the Greek island of Mykonos. Although long recognized as the queen of the Cycladic island group, during my last visits in the 1980s, a capricious and disorganized hotel infrastructure demonstrated that Mykonos had not yet taken the wheel of the international express of the luxury travel. My introduction to the island had been arriving at the modest four star hotel that I had been told was the first place, only to find out that it had lost my reservation. I was exiled to a simple bed and breakfast nearby.

I came back six years later to see things still pretty much the same; indeed, half the fun on both trips was trying to find a restaurant or tavern meal that wasn’t criminally awful.

At that time, to reach one of the popular beaches on the southern end of the island, one had to take a weathered boat inevitably led by a grizzled and aging sailor. Following bad advice, the first time I tried it, the skipper dropped me off at Super Paradise Beach, at the time the island’s gay nudist beach. Swimming without panties has been Greek since before the start of the Olympics, in 776 BC.

How times have changed. All the buildings on the island have the same white stucco block appearance, offering both charm and wonderful architectural uniformity. White boulders rise out of the barren-brown landscape, punctuating the hillsides like milestones along narrow, rolling roads.

Mykonos Town now looked like it used to be, with narrow pedestrianized main streets for the streets. The difference was that they were now filled with good restaurants serving good Greek wines. There were still some modest local boutiques, but there was also a Gucci, a Kiton and many other luxury names that you know. New white buildings, some quite large and elegant, populated the rear hills previously inhabited by goats.

For my first trip, I took Panda Red to the center of the island, to see the Monastery of Panagia Tourliani. Tourist buses circled the square outside, and cruise ship trippers piled into its narrow church in relays. It was like trying to get spiritual revelation in a mall on Christmas Eve.

From there, Panda Red and I reached the lighthouse at the northwestern tip of the island. Isolated, desolate, and motionless, it looked like an artifact from a disused missile base, but the promontory it stood on offered a brilliant view of the city and its harbors in the distance.

I then made my way to what the GPS said was the entrance to a northern beach, Panormos, but found myself in such a steep fern path, even with the air conditioning turned off Panda Red struggled to climb to freedom, only succeeding on the second attempt. Finally arriving at my destination and avoiding the valet parking to protect Panda Red from damage, I arrived at the entrance to the beach, which was effectively blocked off by the Principote Beach Club. Full of chic young people in designer labels, I could have sworn it was Saint-Barth during a Vogue cover shoot.

Even if I had wanted to pay dearly to rent a “transat” (lounge chair), it was not possible because I had not made a reservation in time. I followed the directions through a desolate path to the free side of the strand, resulting in a low-end version of what I remembered from my previous visits.

Dinner was at the Amazon, at an outdoor table in his Flavor restaurant, above the long infinity pool, served, by chance, by another conscientious Albanian named Aldo. The food at the hotel was always good and good value for money.

Overnight someone had discovered a utility access panel in front of Panda Red’s right front wheel – which fell into the hole the moment I released the parking brake. A huge man from the car rental company has now appeared, only to say sullenly that I was wrong: it was not possible to free the car. I asked him to get into the driver’s seat. After summoning three copious men from the hotel staff, with one in front, two on the right side and me in front, the driver backed the car back as I shouted, “Push, men, push!” until Panda Red is released, with no signs of damage.

I told a young man at the hotel that from now on I would be grateful if they parked the vehicle. Another asked gently, “Do you want to keep your parking space, sir?” “

After checking out the Oracle of Delphi (it now has an app), I made a commitment to limit my driving to very short trips, which would result in a surprisingly delicious day of luxury, Mykonos new way. The Amazon prepared me with a delicious breakfast by the sea. From there I drove a few minutes across the beach, to arrive at the small and very exclusive Bill & Coo Coast Suites, where refined minimalism was a calming motif throughout.

I was finally able to rest on a beach lounger, conscientiously assisted by the staff. I only interrupted this for lunch at the open-air Beefbar Mykonos restaurant, which offered a Mediterranean version of the steakhouse, like my sophisticated al Kobe beef pasta – meat ravioli topped with black truffles.

Dinner was at Katikies Mykonos, across the street. The chef of his restaurant Mikrasia, Aggelos Bakopoulos, served a special signature menu (literally: as a souvenir, I received a signed copy) at outdoor tables set in the sands of the beach. I particularly enjoyed his bar à la polita; surprisingly sweet, the fish fillet was served in a foamy vegetable sauce. I could watch the sun set in the sea, the island turning blue and falling into royal darkness for the night.

Even a short overnight drive was a challenge. The roads twisted like confetti in a windstorm, and local drivers passed me with inches to spare if I used the wrong way to obey the speed limits.

The southern beaches were close enough that I could hazard a return visit. New roads were reaching them now, and they swayed beneath Panda Red like roller coaster tracks. I braked for a carefree goat and came back to Super Paradise Beach, which only resembled its old self in name. Opulent and well-attended, with lounge chairs and champagne available at your leisure, it was both sophisticated and suitable for family visits.

The same was true for Agrari, the nearby beach, where I got a lounger in a peripheral group for 15 euros ($ 18) – by far the cheapest I had seen. A diligent and somewhat abandoned man served inexpensive comfort food.

I set out on foot for the opposite end of the beach, climbing a hill bristling with jagged rocks, facing Elia Beach, just to the east. Below the ridge, however, was a small sandy alcove. Although it was not listed on my tourist map, it contained more than three dozen men, almost all naked, crammed into beach towels. Many were young and fairly well built; I thought to myself: I’m older and bald lately, but I’ve kept my abs soaking wet – surely that’s a visa for entry into Poseidon’s domain.

Since my last visits, haven’t I learned that to travel well you have to go beyond your comfort zone? I took the narrow, single path to the beach, without saying exactly “Sorry, straight dude coming”, but obviously giving that impression I was once again politely ignored by all.

To complete the circle of my first experience at Super Paradise Beach so long ago, I joined the other guys for a good Greek dip. The water was perfect – the right temperature and the smooth ride that made it feel more like an outdoor bath than a trip to the beach.

When leaving Mykonos, Aldo came to pick up Panda Red. He quietly and carefully documented four areas of slight damage, likely caused in parking lots or by roadside ferns, handing me a bill for 600 euros (around $ 700). (I was told later that my Mykonos driving experience was not uncommon.)

Aldo offered to drive me to the ferry in a company SUV. When dropping me off, he left me a good tip: “Next time, please take taxis.”


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Beyond flavors, traditions | Business Seeker

By in Airport Hotel

Today, Pampanga is a thriving culinary capital that boasts of progressive industries.

Centuries have shaped the colorful history of Pampanga – considered the first province and the “richest booty” created by the Spaniards in 1571 – resulting in a rich cultural heritage evident in its people, arts, crafts, cuisine and its traditions.

Its local economy would also grow in importance, especially in recent decades, as one of the most attractive investment destinations today, recovering from the devastating eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and becoming a resilient economy model.

Economic power

Today, Pampanga is a thriving culinary capital that boasts of progressive industries, such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail, auto repair, accommodation and food services, among others.

This first-class province has also seen the completion of modern infrastructure that has further enhanced its competitiveness as a destination – from its highways and highways that have improved access and connectivity, to its five existing municipal ports that operate as fish landing centers and two airstrips, namely Basa Air Base in Floridablanca and Clark International Airport in the Clark Freeport area.

The new terminal at Clark International Airport

The new terminal at Clark International Airport

In addition to its strategic location and proximity to Metro Manila, the province’s pool of skilled workers and improved infrastructure, Pampanga is also home to special economic zones and industrial parks like the Clark Freeport Zone and the Special Economic Zone, Clark IT Park and Pampanga Economic Zone, among others. These ecozones and industrial parks help create employment opportunities for communities, thereby strengthening the region’s economic potential.

The government also plans to build the country’s first “agro-industrial trade corridor” (ABC) in Pampanga to provide more opportunities for the countryside. The site will include modern agro-industrial facilities and a national seed technology park. ABC is expected to complement the planned Clark Fresh Market, which will be at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex.

Balance between modernity, tradition

But while the province of Pampanga has become a vision of continuous progress, its cities offer a distinct charm, as it has managed to maintain a balance between modernity and tradition.

Take the case of its capital, the city of San Fernando, considered the center of commerce and trade in the region. It has become an “agro-industrial-commercial metropolis” which is economically competitive given its strategic location in the Manila Clark-Subic economic triangle.

Big business continues to flock to San Fernando, which is currently home to convention centers, shopping malls, banking institutions, bottling companies, and manufacturing businesses. According to its local government, San Fernando is broadly classified as a service and retail economy, with these industries accounting for about 75 percent of the total registered businesses in the city.

At the same time, however, it has maintained its cultural richness, whether for its culinary expertise, festivities, traditions or distinct craftsmanship. After all, this 6,930 ha city has claimed titles such as “Christmas capital of the Philippines” and “the house of giant lanterns”. His “Via Crucis”, which depicts the passion and death of Jesus Christ during Holy Week, drew crowds before the pandemic.

Angeles City, too, presents an ideal mix of old and new.

Home of sisig, Angeles City has experienced a construction boom over the past few decades with businesses setting up malls and retail spaces, hotels, residential condominiums, restaurants, and other recreational complexes.

What makes this area much more exciting is the fact that it will benefit from the upcoming Malolos-Clark railway project. The 53.1 km railway line, which will connect Bulacan to the Clark Economic Zone and Clark International Airport, will be the Philippines’ first airport express rail service. One of its seven stations will be in Angeles City.

Vibrant and prosperous, this highly urbanized city has however managed to preserve its cultural character as it features some of the most interesting Filipino heritage structures of the 19th and 20th centuries; museums; Clark Air Base, a US-led military fort, among others.

Sources: Inquirer Archives, Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Pampanga.gov.ph

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Trump invites Marine who shot a baby over the Kabul wall on stage at a rally urging “USA!” »Sing

By in Airport Service

Former president Donald trump praised a US serviceman who was pictured pulling an Afghan baby through the wall at Kabul airport during the Afghanistan withdrawal and brought him on stage at a rally on Saturday.

“We are also honored to be joined by one of the Marines who courageously served in Kabul during the withdrawal and helped evacuate the children over the airport and the airport wall,” Trump said. to a crowd of thousands gathered in Perry, Georgia. “You saw him, he did a great job Lance Corporal Hunter Ian Clark. Lance Corporal, come up here!

AFGHAN REFUGEES ASSAULT ON WOMAN US SERVICE MEMBER IN FORT BLISS UNDER FBI INVESTIGATION

Lance Corporal Clark approached the scene with cheers, and Trump called him a “handsome guy” as he approached.

“Hey, my name is Lance Corporal Hunter Clark, and I’m from Warner Robbins, Ga.,” Clark told the crowd. “I’m the guy who pulled the baby over the wall, and it’s probably one of the greatest things I’ve done in my whole life.”

This image from video provided by Omar Haidari and taken on Thursday, August 19, 2021, shows a baby being lifted by US soldiers through a wall at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The image showed the baby being pushed towards the soldiers by people in the crowd gathered outside the airport, amid the chaos of those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country. (Omar Haidari via AP)

Clark looked stifled, adding, “I just want to thank all the support from all of you. It really means a lot and I’m happy to be home now.”

THE BIDEN EFFECT: THE GOP BEGINS TO ASSOCIATE THE DEMOCRATS OF THE BULLETINS WITH AN INCREASINGLY ACCOUNTABLE PRESIDENT

Clark then shook hands with the former president and left the stage chanting “USA! USA! USA!”

During his speech, Trump repeatedly criticized the way President Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it “the most appalling manifestation of incompetence.”

In the front row, Trump left 13 empty seats topped with roses to pay tribute to the 13 U.S. servicemen who lost their lives in an ISIS-K suicide bombing as the military attempted to evacuate.

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“In their memory tonight, we have 13 empty seats of honor right here in the front row,” Trump told the cheering crowd. “Our hearts go out to the families of all the service members we have lost, and I have spoken to many of them. They are great people.”


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Old Coach Road: Explore the Forgotten North Island Rail Trail

By in Airport Transfer

In the heart of the North Central Island you will find one of the most mysteriously beautiful places in the country. It is a cycle and walking trail through the Jurassic rainforest with an incredible history. This is a special slice of New Zealand that has been brewing for over a century, with a story that involves massive deaths, snowstorms, guns, and remarkable Kiwi ingenuity. Let me take you back to the early 1900s when the story of the Old Coach Road began.

We are in 1907 in the brutal bush of the Central Plateau. Here, a large group of men are working to join the main line of trucks. This connection means that a train can go from Wellington to Auckland and vice versa.

The Hāpuawhenua Viaduct is an incredible structure built over 100 years ago.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

The Hāpuawhenua Viaduct is an incredible structure built over 100 years ago.

Until now, getting from the capital to Auckland has involved an arduous three-day journey. And there was a 39 kilometer problem in the middle.

The train line stopped and was replaced by a bush road. Up to 100 passengers would get off at Ohakune, then hop on a horse-drawn coach to join the northern section of the line. It was difficult terrain and the road was often wet and dirty.

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But hundreds of men are working day and night to solve the problem, on a route planned by John Rochfort. The Pioneer Planeswalker used an ax to fight his way through the thick bush of the Central Plateau to find the best path. But the task was arduous; Aside from the rugged terrain, it encountered fierce resistance from the local Maori. He was arrested at gunpoint three times, and one of them was held for three days. But he persisted, and hundreds of men are now busy finishing the road he has mapped out.

The bush looks like something straight out of a movie set.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

The bush looks like something straight out of a movie set.

Much of the workforce comes directly from England and faces brutal integration into the central plateau hinterland. Locals greet fresh imports with the “welcome to the front” line. The battle is against the elements.

The conditions are often atrocious; the workers sleep in tents with bunk beds made of bush lianas. One snowstorm in particular was so severe that several tents collapsed, killing 20 men. Additionally, much of their work is done with pickaxes and shovels, with wheelbarrows to move soil and rocks.

One newspaper describes how workers feel: “By the time we have eaten and cleaned up, we are usually on the verge of passing out.”

But times are about to get a little more difficult. The last part of the trail is a big valley – and the only way to cross it is to build a huge viaduct, which some think (at the time) would be the largest curved wooden bridge in the world.

The Taonui Viaduct is still visible, but not accessible.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

The Taonui Viaduct is still visible, but not accessible.

Late and on schedule, the team has just a few months – with primitive machinery – to pull off one of the country’s greatest engineering feats and complete the bridge, known as the Hāpuawhenua Viaduct.

The materials, including 688 tons of steel, arrive by pack horse and are transported to a specially constructed tramway to be then lifted precariously by a steam engine or even by hand.

Parliament’s time is running out, so the men have started working nights to complete the bridge, which they do just before the first train full of parliamentarians used it in 1908.

Fast forwarding 114 years to the present day, as I stand on the viaduct, it’s amazing to think that part of this was created under a headlamp at night.

Today, the Old Coach Road is a cycle path (or bush walk) through a section of the old road that once connected the railways. The 15 km trip takes less than five hours of walking, or two and a half of one-way cycling.

We started our trip in Okahune. It may be jokingly called the Carrot Capital of New Zealand, but in reality it is now the beating heart of the Ruapehu region. It offers delicious cafes, luxury accommodation and plenty of activities, like Old Coach Road.

The local operator TCB makes it easy for you. They provide bikes, safety gear, briefed us on the trail, then took us to the start at Horopito. You then take the road back to Ohakune.

The trail is easy for all skill levels, but caution is advised if it is very wet.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

The trail is easy for all skill levels, but caution is advised if it is very wet.

The trail begins along soft farmland before sharply entering Tongariro National Park. We soon find out that it’s far from your regular bush bike.

The Jurassic Forest is stunningly beautiful, with a jungle feel that makes you realize what New Zealand was like before humans started. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing the importance to Maori alongside “outstanding natural phenomena and natural beauty”.

Traveling by bike is much easier if you go electric.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

Traveling by bike is much easier if you go electric.

The bush path quickly turns into a paved path, which was the original road connecting the two heads of the line. A word of warning: the bumps can be a bit rough on your butt if you go too fast.

You will then reach the Taonui Viaduct, a smaller bridge that has fallen into disrepair and is today a metallic monument in the history of the region.

Continue through the bush path until you reach the Hāpuawhenua Viaduct, which still stands 114 years after it was built. Trains no longer use it; there is an even bigger new viaduct a few hundred yards away which was completed in the 1980s meaning the original is only for walkers and cyclists.

The Hāpuawhenua Viaduct was originally used by trains, but is now open to walkers and cyclists. A new Hāpuawhenua viaduct is nearby.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

The Hāpuawhenua Viaduct was originally used by trains, but is now open to walkers and cyclists. A new Hāpuawhenua viaduct is nearby.

The center of the bridge is lined with railroad ties, with a small gap in between. It may make your heart beat if you’re sensitive to heights, but it’s perfectly safe for everyone except mice. You can alternatively walk on the paths on either side of the sleepers to avoid the gap.

On the other side of the curved bridge there is a picnic table which is a perfect place to have lunch and marvel at the architecture. But the excitement doesn’t end there, with an abandoned rail tunnel to explore as well.

Crossing the Hāpuawhenua viaduct is the best way to appreciate its magnitude.

Brook Sabin / Stuff

Crossing the Hāpuawhenua viaduct is the best way to appreciate its magnitude.

This remarkable journey could easily have never happened. After the railroads were connected in 1908, the connecting road was abandoned for almost 100 years. When it was rediscovered in 2002, the bush was so thick that people had to crawl to follow the path. It took years to restore everything, before finally reopening in 2009.

Since then the trail has steadily grown in popularity making it one of the best short trips and walks in New Zealand.

More information:

Accessibility: The track is not suitable for wheelchairs

Getting There : Ohakune is a four hour drive from Wellington and Auckland. Flying: Whanganui Airport is an hour and a half away, with Air Chathams serving Auckland. Taupō Airport is an hour and forty minutes’ drive away, with Air New Zealand serving Auckland and Sounds Air serving Wellington. See: airnz.co.nz or soundair.com

Play it: Old carriage route The self-guided bike ride, including rental and transfers to the start of the trail, is $ 50 per person. Electric bikes cost $ 99, including safety equipment and transfers. Visit tcb.nz.

Stay there: Poudrière castle hotel in Ohakune from $ 222. Visit powderhorn.co.nz.

STUFF TRAVEL EXCLUSIVE: Stuff Travel offers an exclusive offer to discover Ohakune during a three-day getaway. The offer includes two nights’ accommodation at the iconic Powderhorn Castle with daily breakfast and a 3-course dinner, bicycle rental and shuttle transfer. From $ 479 per person.

Visit travel.stuff.co.nz/oldcoach for more details.

Carbon footprint: Flying generates carbon emissions. To offset your carbon emissions, visit airnewzealand.co.nz/sustainability-customer-carbon-offset

The Writer’s Journey was supported by Visit Ruapehu.

Stay Safe: New Zealand is currently subject to restrictions related to Covid-19. For the latest travel tips in your area, see: covid19.govt.nz.


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Politics This Week | The Economist

By in Airport Price

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France reacted with fury to American, Australian and British training plans a new defense pact in the Pacific. France was not invited to join. Australia is also canceling a contract for French diesel-powered submarines in favor of American (or possibly British) nuclear-powered submarines. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, called it a “stab in the back”, and withdrew his ambassadors from Washington and Canberra, although the French Ambassador to America is now fired following a catch-up call between Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron.

Germans was preparing to vote in the legislative elections of September 26 which will mark the end of 16 years in power for Angela Merkel, who is stepping down. The polls have tightened slightly, but the Social Democrats are still ahead of Merkel’s Christian Democrats.

In Russia, the Duma elections produced another qualified majority for United Russia, the pro-Putin party through which the Kremlin exercises legislative power. The election was widely viewed as rigged. But few Russians took to the streets to protest, unlike 2011, when thousands did.

from China President Xi Jinping has said he will stop supporting new coal-fired power plant projects abroad. By some estimates, 70% of all coal-fired power plants under construction today involve Chinese government funding, but China’s interest in dirty electricity has cooled as the price of the renewable type has fallen.

China asked to join 11-country Asia-Pacific region commercial agreement known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Taiwan has also asked to join.

Hong Kong held a vote for a new 1,500-member electoral committee, which will choose the city’s next leader. It was the first after the reforms which require candidates to be “patriotic”, that is to say friendly with the Chinese Communist Party. The electorate was limited to less than 5,000 people. Only one critic of the government won a seat.

The results of an early election in Canada disappointing for Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister. Although Mr. Trudeau won enough votes to govern for a third term, he remains at the head of a minority government, with about the same number of seats as when he called the election.

Another Trumpian turn

Speaking at the UN General Assembly Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, affirmed to represent “a new Brazil, with its newfound credibility in the eyes of the world ”. He also spent part of the speech touting the unproven cures for covid-19 and denouncing the lockdown measures.

The U.S. Border Patrol began to withdraw the 15,000 Haitian migrants who had gathered on a bridge in Texas after crossing the Mexican border. Hundreds of people were immediately deported to Haiti. The migrants had come from South America.

The State Department said the annual cap of refugees licenses in the United States will drop from 62,500 to 125,000, in accordance with a campaign pledge from President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden has doubled the number of covid-19s vaccines that America gives developing countries to the tune of a billion, which Pfizer provides without any profit. Prior to the António Guterres announcement, the UN secretary general, described as “obscenity” the unequal distribution of vaccines between rich and poor countries. U.S. drug regulator approved booster injections Pfizer vaccine for those over 65.

India said it would resume exporting vaccines. The Serum Institute of India is a major manufacturer of AstraZeneca shot which is used in many poor countries. India had halted exports when it was hit by a devastating wave of infections in April.

Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, said people would be held responsible for any unlawful killings in the country’s war on drugs. His detractors say he encouraged such killings. The International Criminal Court has opened an investigation into his drug campaign. Mr. Duterte did not mention the CPI by name, but he appeared to reject his jurisdiction over his country.

Paul Rusesabagina, whose bravery in saving more than 1,200 people during the genocide of Rwanda inspired by the film “Hotel Rwanda”, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for terrorism. Observers called the trial a sham. Mr. Rusesabagina is a critic of Paul Kagame, the president of Rwanda.

Authorities in Sudan foiled a coup attempt against a transitional government that was itself installed in a coup in 2019. Forces loyal to the overthrown Sudanese dictator, Omar al-Bashir, have been blamed.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019, died at the age of 84. He pulled the country out of a ruinous civil war, but was ousted in 2019 amid mass protests against his decision to run for a fifth term.

Take out the welcome mat

The White House said restrictions on travelers entering the United States that was introduced at the start of the pandemic would be waived in November, for those who were fully vaccinated. The restrictions, which in fact banned most passengers from Europe, China, India and a handful of other countries, had been criticized as irrational. A negative covid test will always be required, as is the norm everywhere.

Australia is also ready to reopen its international borders in December, if its national vaccination rate reaches 80%. It sealed its border 18 months ago, more tightly than almost any other country. Australians will again be allowed to leave without special permission and visitors will be allowed entry. Thailand, which reopened tourist hot spots, aims to reopen Bangkok and other cities in November.

Protests against vaccination warrants turned into three days of riots in Melbourne. The Australian city has been subject to varying degrees of lockdown since the outbreak began and subject to labyrinthine rules. He also suffered an earthquake this week.

This article appeared in the The World This Week section of the print edition under the headline “Politics This Week”

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