US to test travelers from China for Covid
As Covid cases rise in China, the US said all travelers from China should show a negative Covid test, as well as those from Hong Kong and Macau.
The move came as China prepared to scrap its quarantine requirement for inbound travelers on Jan. 8 and amid growing concerns over a surge in cases in China and the country’s lack of transparency about the outbreak there.
Other countries are also concerned about the possible influx of travelers from China.
Japan said it would limit flights from China and require those who traveled there recently to be tested for the coronavirus upon arrival. If they tested positive, they would be quarantined for a week.
India has also mandated Covid testing for travelers from China, and Taiwan plans to take similar steps, Reuters reports. Italy said all travelers from China would be required to undergo Covid antigen testing on arrival so that the virus can be sequenced if it is detected.
Peace talks in Ukraine seem a long way off
Ukrainian and Russian officials have submitted peace proposals and insisted they are ready to hold talks about ending the war, now in its 11th month. But the demands of either side are unacceptable to the other, leading US and European officials to conclude that serious negotiations on a peace deal are unlikely to take place in the near future.
This week, Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, proposed holding a “peace summit” at the end of February, but told The Associated Press the country would only negotiate with Russia if Moscow first appeared before a war crimes tribunal.
Russia responded by saying that Kiev would have to give up the four regions that Moscow annexed this fall, which is flatly unacceptable for Ukraine.
“There can be no peace plan for Ukraine that does not take into account the current reality with Russian territory,” the Kremlin spokesman said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that if Ukraine does not give up the regions, “the Russian army will deal with this issue”.
Understand the situation in China
The Communist Party rejected the restrictive ‘zero Covid’ policy, which sparked mass protests that posed a rare challenge to the Communist leadership.
More battles to come: The hard stances suggest that both sides believe they have more to gain militarily. Ukraine maintains momentum on the battlefield, but Moscow’s troops still occupy large parts of the east and south.
Other Updates:
A Russian tycoon who had criticized the war has been found dead after apparently falling from a hotel terrace in India.
President Vladimir Putin said Russia will ban oil exports to countries that have agreed to a Western price cap. It probably has a limited impact.
The US is trying to prevent Iran from supplying drones to Russia.
Pope Benedict is very ill
Pope Francis asked the faithful to pray for retired Pope Benedict XVI, his 95-year-old predecessor. Francis said Benedict was “very ill” and the Vatican said his health had “deteriorated in recent hours due to aging”.
Benedict, the first pope to resign in six centuries, has become increasingly vulnerable. In recent years, he has rarely appeared in public. Francis called on people to “support him in this witness of love for the Church, to the end.”
When he retired nearly 10 years ago, Benedict mentioned his declining health. Since then he has lived in a monastery on the grounds of the Vatican City.
Unknown territory: Normally after the death of a pope, a highly ritualized set of traditions is set in motion, culminating in a conclave to choose a successor. But it’s not clear if steps from that process would apply in the case of a retired pope.
legacy: Born in Germany, Benedict is considered conservative in his views. His tenure was marred by the unresolved church sex abuse scandal. After a report earlier this year said he mishandled four cases of child sexual abuse in Germany decades ago, Benedict asked for forgiveness.
THE LAST NEWS
Asia Pacific
The Père-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris draws many visitors to the graves of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust and other celebrated artists who are buried there. In recent years it has also become a haven for the city’s wildlife.
The greening of the cemetery is part of a climate-first redesign of Paris’ urban landscape. “Nature is taking back its rights,” said the cemetery’s curator.
lives lived: Nélida Piñon, one of Brazil’s greatest contemporary writers, whimsically explored religious symbolism and eroticism. She died at the age of 85.
ART AND IDEAS
The digital nomads of Mexico
Mexico City is a popular destination for remote work: it is affordable for Americans and Europeans and offers a vibrant mix of gastronomy, history and bustling street life.
But the influx of remote workers is driving housing costs up as landlords take advantage of record demand for long-term stays on platforms like Airbnb. Local residents are being forced out of their apartments, turning the structure of neighborhoods upside down.
Housing activists say they are experiencing a modern “colonization.” Average monthly rents in Mexico City increased from $880 in January 2020 to $1,080 in November, according to a real estate website. (The median monthly salary in Mexico City is $220.)
Cities around the world, including Barcelona, London and New York, have targeted Airbnb by imposing stricter rules on rentals, but in Mexico City the company is working with government officials “to be part of the solution.” said an Airbnb spokesperson.
The city’s left-wing mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum, is partnering with Airbnb on a campaign that encourages foreigners to spend money in poorer neighborhoods. The campaign will be fully rolled out on the platform’s website early next year.
