Tag: restrictions

Japan’s GDP expands in Q2 after Covid curbs lifted

  by Hiroshi HIYAMA Agence France Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s economy expanded in the three months to June, official data showed Monday, after the government lifted Covid-19 curbs on businesses. The world’s third-largest economy grew 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter due to stronger consumption and capital investment, but the rise was below market expectations of 0.7 percent. While the country never imposed strict stay-at-home orders during the pandemic, the government in March removed virus restrictions […]

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Several European countries lifted Covid measures too ‘brutally’: WHO

Several European countries, including Germany, France, Italy and Britain, lifted their Covid curbs too “brutally” and are now seeing a rise in cases likely due to the more transmissible BA2 variant, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. WHO Europe director Hans Kluge told a press conference in Moldova that he was “optimistic but vigilant” about the pandemic’s development in Europe. Covid is on the rise in 18 out of 53 countries in the WHO European […]

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Hong Kong foreign domestic workers ‘abandoned’ in virus crisis

  by Jerome TAYLOR Agence France Presse HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong’s foreign domestic workers are being “abandoned” in the current coronavirus wave sweeping the city, with some forced to sleep rough or being denied treatment after testing positive, charities said Friday. The warning came as Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam told residents to encourage helpers to stay indoors and said police would step up social distancing fines. The Chinese financial hub is […]

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Japan eases virus border rules for workers, students

  TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan will ease its strict virus border rules to allow students and businesspeople into the country from March, but tourists will still be barred, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday. The move comes with growing pressure on Japan from the business community and academics to loosen the border restrictions, which are the toughest in the G7 but have broad support from Japanese voters. Japan has barred tourists since the early […]

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Denmark unmasks to ‘live normally’ again with Omicron

Anyone with symptoms only advised to stay home by Camille BAS-WOHLERT Agence France Presse COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Denmark waved goodbye to facemasks and health passes Tuesday as it became the first European Union country to lift all of its domestic Covid curbs despite record numbers of cases of the milder Omicron variant. Only a few restrictions remain in place at the country’s borders, for unvaccinated travellers arriving from non-Schengen countries. After a first attempt […]

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Hong Kong ramps up virus controls, bans flights from eight countries including the PHL

2-week ban on flights from 8 countries to take effect starting Saturday midnight   Hong Kong announced strict new anti-coronavirus controls on Wednesday, banning flights from eight nations, shuttering bars and gyms and cancelling evening restaurant dining after the Omicron variant was detected within the city. The restrictions are the latest economic blow to an international business hub pursuing a zero-Covid strategy that has kept cases low but left residents cut off from the rest […]

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Brunei clamps down after first local virus cases in 15 months

Brunei imposed strict curbs to halt the spread of Covid-19, after finding its first locally transmitted cases in the country in over a year. Seven community infections were found, the health ministry said Saturday, leading the government to close all places of worship and postpone social events for two weeks. Mass events were also limited to groups of 30 people over this period as school classes were moved online and restaurants barred from serving dine-in. […]

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DOH advises public vs unnecessary travel, gatherings as it confirms local transmission of Delta variant in PHL

(Eagle News) — The Department of Health advised the public to refrain from unnecessary travel and gatherings as it confirmed the local transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant in the Philippines. The DOH said the local transmission was confirmed after “clusters of Delta variant cases” were found to be linked to other local cases following the phylogenetic analysis conducted by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center , and a case investigation by the […]

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England lifts Covid curbs as scientists warn of surge in cases

  by Jitendra JOSHI Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The British government on Monday lifted pandemic restrictions on daily life in England, scrapping all social distancing in a step slammed by scientists and opposition parties as a dangerous leap into the unknown. From midnight (2300 GMT Sunday), nightclubs were able to reopen and other indoor venues allowed to run at full capacity, while legal mandates covering the wearing of masks and working […]

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Allowed capacity for religious services in NCR plus areas, from 30 percent to 50 percent – Palace

Roque also details allowed capacity for other activities under a “GCQ with restrictions” protocol (Eagle News) – The allowed capacity for religious services in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal will be 30 percent, and can be increased to 50 percent of a venue’s seating capacity upon the discretion of the local government units (LGUs). This was according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque who gave additional details regarding the restrictions imposed in the so-called […]

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Panic buying in Taiwan as COVID alert level raised with spike in virus cases

  Taipei residents started panic buying as Taiwan ordered stricter social distancing measures for its capital and surrounding areas on Saturday after a sudden spike in coronavirus cases in a place that has so far weathered the pandemic comparatively unscathed. Taipei residents stocked up on instant noodles and canned food amid the new restrictions imposed by the government. Authorities raised the alert level for Taipei and New Taipei City after 180 new domestic coronavirus infections […]

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Renewed lockdowns send oil prices tumbling

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Oil prices nosedived Tuesday on lower demand prospects as Europe’s biggest economy Germany said it would reimpose strict coronavirus containment measures as it struggles, along with other EU nations, to roll out vaccines. European stocks ended the day mostly lower, as did US stocks, as renewed fears of spreading Covid-19 overtook hopes of a swift reopening to the world’s largest economy. On currency markets, the Turkish lira stabilized a […]

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