Travelore News: Haiti President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated At Home

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Gunmen assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and wounded his wife in their home early Wednesday, inflicting more chaos on the unstable Caribbean country that was already enduring an escalation of gang violence, anti-government protests and a recent surge in coronavirus infections.

Claude Joseph, the interim prime minister, confirmed the killing and said the police and military were in control of security in Haiti, where a history of dictatorship and political upheaval have long stymied the consolidation of democratic rule.

While the streets of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, were quiet Wednesday morning, some people ransacked businesses in one area. The country appeared to be heading for fresh uncertainty ahead of planned general elections later this year. Moïse, 53, had been ruling by decree for more than a year after the country failed to hold elections and the opposition demanded he step down in recent months.

Former President Michel Martelly, whom Moïse succeeded, said he was praying for first lady Martine Moïse, calling the assassination “a hard blow for our country and for Haitian democracy, which is struggling to find its way.”

Joseph said Martine Moïse, 47, was shot and in a hospital. He condemned the president’s killing as a “hateful, inhumane and barbaric act.”

“The country’s security situation is under the control of the National Police of Haiti and the Armed Forces of Haiti,” Joseph said in a statement from his office. “Democracy and the republic will win.”

In the statement, Joseph said some of the attackers spoke in Spanish but offered no further explanation. He later said in a radio address that they spoke Spanish or English.

A resident who lives near the president’s home said she heard the attack.

“I thought there was an earthquake, there was so much shooting,” said the woman who spoke on condition of anonymity because she fears for her life. “The president had problems with many people, but this is not how we expected him to die. This is something I wouldn’t wish on any Haitian.”

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti said it was restricting U.S. staff to its compounds and that the embassy would be closed Wednesday because of ’’an ongoing security situation.″

The White House described the attack as “horrific” and “tragic” and said it was still gathering information on what happened. U.S. President Joe Biden will be briefed later Wednesday by his national security team, spokesperson Jen Psaki said during an interview on MSNBC.

“The message to the people of Haiti is this is a tragic tragedy,” she during a previously scheduled interview on CNN. “And we stand ready and stand by them to provide any assistance that’s needed.”

Haiti’s economic, political and social woes have deepened recently, with gang violence spiking heavily in Port-au-Prince, inflation spiraling and food and fuel becoming scarcer at times in a country where 60% of the population makes less than $2 a day. These troubles come as Haiti still tries to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew that struck in 2016.

Opposition leaders accused Moïse of seeking to increase his power, including by approving a decree that limited the powers of a court that audits government contracts and another that created an intelligence agency that answers only to the president.

In recent months, opposition leaders demanded the he step down, arguing that his term legally ended in February 2021. Moïse and supporters maintained that his term began when he took office in early 2017, following a chaotic election that forced the appointment of a provisional president to serve during a year-long gap.

Canada, US Are Easing Pandemic Border-Crossing Restrictions

TORONTO (AP) — Pandemic restrictions on travel between Canada and the U.S. began to loosen Monday for some Canadians, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said plans to totally reopen the border would be announced over the next few weeks.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents who have had a full dose of a coronavirus vaccine approved for use in Canada can skip a 14-day quarantine that has been a requirement since March 2020. Eligible air travelers also no longer have to spend their first three days in the country at a government-approved hotel.

Restrictions barring all non-essential trips between Canada and the United States, including tourism, will remain in place until at least July 21.

Trudeau said the easing of the rules marks a ``big step″ toward re-opening the border.

“We’re very hopeful that we’re going to see new steps on reopening announced in the coming weeks,” he said at a news conference in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. “We’re going to make sure that we’re not seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases because nobody wants to go back to further restrictions, after having done so much and sacrificed so much to get to this point.”

Julia Dunn, who landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport from the United States while on her way to Halifax, said she was glad the restrictions had eased.

``It’s very freeing being able to get home to family without having to spend those two weeks alone,″ she said.

Dunn, who is originally from Cape Breton but now lives in Houston, said she booked her trip to Canada after learning about the planned easing of quarantine rules a few weeks ago.

said he understands how eager people are to see the border reopen but noted that the pandemic continues and ``things aren’t normal yet.″

Nobody wants us to move too fast and have to reimpose restrictions as case numbers rise like we’re seeing elsewhere in the world,″ he said. ``We need to do this right.

Cannes Reawakens, Pins Hopes On Film Festival’s Return

CANNES, France (AP) — Cannes is back.

The lights are in position, the stars en route to the French Riviera. And Spike Lee’s face is peering out onto the Croisette from a huge banner announcing Tuesday’s debut of the world’s premier film festival.

The show is running 14 months late, thanks to the pandemic. And it’s about time for the city’s merchants, hoteliers and restaurateurs, who hope the return of the festival’s glamour and revenues heralds a broader renaissance for the region and France’s cultural world after an exceptionally damaging year.

“We lost all of the international conventions, congress, large events like the film festival. So we lost millions,” Charles Richez, director of the Majestic Hotel, told The Associated Press. “We’re very happy now to have the film festival again. It’s the beginning of the return of all the international events.”

Cannes organizers are attempting the first full-scale film festival in the coronavirus era, despite worries about the delta variant which is spreading fast across Europe.

Virus infections in the Cannes area have been slightly lower than the national per capita average in recent weeks, and vaccinations are going slightly faster. But local officials have expressed concern that the opening up to foreigners puts tourist destinations like Cannes at new risk of outbreaks.

Masks are required at festival events, and attendees are required to test every 48 hours. But moviegoers can sit next to each other, and the festival has no virtual component.

Thierry Frémaux, artist director of the festival, addressed the press on the eve of opening day and described protocols that were evolving.

“We always said last year that if the festival was canceled, it was because the situation was more serious than the existence of a film festival also the biggest festival in the world,” said Fremaux. “And the situation, as you know, was serious. It is not over. The epidemic is not conquered. But this year, we will have to be careful — be reasonable and be very careful. ”

Visitors are trickling back to the city’s shoreline and families are frolicking on Cannes beaches as France’s summer vacation season kicks off this week. Tourists took selfies in front of the festival banner, unfurled Sunday and adorned with palm trees, seagulls and jury president Spike Lee’s trademark cap and glasses.

As workers give a final polish to the windows of the Palais de Festivals, there’s no sign that this temple of world cinema was lined with hospital beds early in the pandemic, or used as a “vaccinodrome” earlier this year.

But it’s still not quite a normal year. Cannes crowds are small so far, and restaurants have more empty tables. Some shopfronts remained boarded up.

A successful festival would be a boost for Cannes’ conservative mayor, who just won a re-election and earns outsized national attention for hosting the world’s cinema elite in his city of 75,000 that he calls a “global village.”

It would also be a big relief for President Emmanuel Macron’s government, which flung open France’s doors to American and other foreign tourists just in time for the Cannes festival, after repeated surges of the virus took more than 111,000 lives and hammered the economy and health care system.

With infections France starting to tick up again after weeks of decline, authorities are urging more people to get vaccinated to avert a summer lockdown.

For 12 days at Cannes, though, the virus will take a back seat to glamour, intrigue and drama onscreen and off. Leos Carax’s musical “Annette” opens the event Tuesday, followed by films by Wes Anderson, Sean Penn and filmmakers from around the world. Some were official selections last year for a festival that never happened.

“We just want to work,” said Enzo Comme, manager of a Cannes cafe called New. “We don’t want aid from the government ... we just need to open, to work and then afterward, if it’s possible, we want to take off these masks.”

By NICOLAS GARRIGA and ADAM EGAN

___

Louise Dixon in Cannes and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

Travelore Health Alert: South Africa’s New Coronavirus Cases Surge To Record Levels

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s resurgence of COVID-19 is setting record numbers of new daily cases, centered in Johannesburg and driven by the delta variant, health officials said Sunday.

More than 26,000 new cases were reported on Saturday, up from 24,000 the previous day, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, surpassing the highest number of new cases in previous waves and quickly bringing many hospitals to capacity. More than 13,800 COVID-19 patients are currently in South African hospitals where some facilities are canceling elective surgeries to free up beds and health care workers.

South Africa’s official death toll has risen above 63,000, although statistics on excess deaths suggest the country’s actual number of virus fatalities may be more than 170,000.

South Africa’s 2 million cases account for more than 30% of the cases reported by Africa’s 54 countries, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President Cyril Ramaphosa last week increased restrictions to try to reduce the spread of the virus, including extending a nighttime curfew, banning the sale of alcohol, closing many schools and stopping travel into and out of Gauteng, the country’s most populous province that includes Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria. Gauteng accounts for more than 60% of the new cases and officials fear other provinces and cities will soon follow.

After a slow start, South Africa’s vaccination drive is picking up pace but is still far behind developed nations. To date, more than 3.3 million of South Africa’s 60 million people have received at least one jab of the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The inoculation campaign started with health care workers, those aged 60 and over and schoolteachers. On Monday police can get a jab and soon those 50 and over can too.

The nation’s Health Products Regulatory Authority on Saturday authorized the vaccine manufactured by China’s Sinovac, providing that it submits final results of ongoing clinical studies.

Neighboring southern African countries including Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also struggling to cope with a surge of infections.

Four Major New Attractions Coming To Ireland

The exciting new best-in-class experiences are planned for counties Cavan, Donegal, Dublin and Mayo, following the most significant investment in tourist attractions ever undertaken by the Irish Government.

The €73 million investment from Fáilte Ireland and public and private partners will deliver four large-scale, diverse and engaging projects that, when complete, will bring Ireland’s vibrant culture, heritage and people to life in exciting new ways.

Catering for all tastes, the new attractions are located in a UNESCO Global Geopark in County Cavan, a high fort on a hilltop in County Donegal, the centre of Dublin and a vast estate in County Mayo.

A brand new world-class experience in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands will comprise of a flagship attraction located at the source of the River Shannon, the Shannon Pot, and the enhancement of the existing Cavan Burren Park.

The Shannon Pot Discovery Centre will reveal the waterway’s rich heritage, culture and influence on Irish life from the earliest settlers to the modern day and allow visitors to begin a journey of the mighty Shannon at its source. Cavan Burren Park, located under the shadow of Cuilcagh Mountain, is widely recognised as one of the finest prehistoric relict landscapes in Ireland. Among the enhancement plans here is the installation of an elevated forest viewing walkway.

Fort Dunree and Head in County Donegal will feature Ireland’s first funicular cable railway. The one-of-a-kind attraction will offer travellers a thrilling ascent to the high fort amid incredible 360-degree vistas of the Wild Atlantic Way. A dramatic glass walkway at the site will jut over the waters of Lough Swilly, providing spectacular views of the natural environment.

‘This Is Ireland’ in Dublin will be an immersive experience consisting of multiple shows, with its principal feature being a simulated flight experience based on similar attractions in Amsterdam and Vancouver. The ‘edutainment’ attraction will feature a breath-taking and engaging experience of Irish history, the Ireland of today, and the ultimate finale – a flight using state-of-the-art flight simulation and audio-visual technology.

The largest investment in the picture above will be at the wonderful 300-acre Westport House and Gardens Estate in County Mayo, which will be re-imagined to provide a multi-layered, multi-day experience. The new attraction will allow visitors to explore ancient Irish rituals and Ireland’s connections to the land as told through a series of accessible wild and natural spaces.

Westport House and Gardens will also be restored. Visitors will be able to enjoy the enhanced experience of the grand house with its formal gardens while learning about the trail-blazing pirate queen and chieftain Grace O'Malley and the Browne family who have lived there for centuries.

Fáilte Ireland intends to launch further investment schemes in the coming years as it continues to invest significantly in Irish tourism in the wake of the pandemic.

www.ireland.com

US Plans To Make Airlines Refund Fees If Bags Are Delayed

The Transportation Department will propose that airlines be required to refund fees on checked baggage if the bags aren’t delivered to passengers quickly enough.

The proposal, if made final after a lengthy regulation-writing process, would also require prompt refunds for fees on extras such as internet access if the airline fails to provide the service during the flight.

A department official said the agency will issue the proposal in the next several days, and it could take effect by next summer.

The proposal will require refunds if airlines fail to deliver a bag within 12 hours of the passenger’s U.S. flight touching down or within 25 hours after an international flight.

Current regulations require refunds only if bags are lost, although airlines must compensate passengers for “reasonable” incidental expenses incurred while their bags are delayed. The government does not know how often airlines keep fees even when bags are significantly delayed.

The bag-fee proposal is the first of several airline-consumer regulations coming from the Biden administration, according to a senior Transportation Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a proposal that hasn’t been made public.

Last year, more than 100,000 consumers complained to the government about airline service. Refunds were the biggest gripe, although most claimed airlines refused to give refunds to consumers who canceled trips because of the pandemic. The Transportation Department is seeking a $25.5 million fine against Air Canada, but has not taken action against other carriers over refunds for canceled flights.

In 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, passengers paid U.S. airlines $5.76 billion in fees on checked bags, according to the Transportation Department. That dropped to $2.84 billion last year, when travel slumped because of the pandemic. The figures do not include fees for carry-on bags.

For many years, customers could check one or two bags on almost any airline without paying a fee. That began to change during a travel slump caused by the financial crisis of 2008. Now, most U.S. airlines other than Southwest charge even for a single bag, although fees are usually waived for customers who buy high-fare tickets or carry the airline’s credit card.

American Airlines generated $2 billion from checked-bag fees over the past two years, followed by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, each around $1.5 billion. Because of their smaller size, discount airlines including Spirit and Frontier reap less money but get a higher percentage of revenue from the fees.

A Traveler’s Checklist For Thailand’s Phuket Sandbox Program

PHUKET, Thailand (AP) — Starting July 1, Thailand will welcome back international visitors — as long as they are vaccinated — to its famous southern resort island of Phuket without having to be cooped up in a hotel room for a 14-day quarantine.

Those planning to see the rest of Thailand must stay a minimum of two weeks during which they will be free to roam the island, where preparations include having a major proportion of the local population inoculated for COVID-19. Those passing through en route to other countries can book shorter stays.

After a stay of 14 days or more, visitors will be able to travel relatively freely elsewhere in Thailand — subject to the same health restrictions as Thai travelers.

The “Phuket sandbox” program is open to visitors from 63 countries and three territories rated by Thailand as low or medium risk for COVID-19. Requirements beyond nationality are more complicated and involve a fair amount of paperwork, in addition to being subject to changes.

The most up-to-date and detailed information will generally be available from the website of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, at www.tatnews.org, or from the nearest Thai Embassy.

Visas for stays of up to 30 days are not necessary for many nationalities. Airlines with direct flights to Phuket include Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, El Al and Singapore Airlines.

The basic requirements before departure for Phuket include:

— Must have been staying in approved home country for at least 21 days before departure.

— Must obtain a Certificate of Entry from a Thai embassy or consulate.

— Must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before departure. (Travelers under 18 years old accompanied by a parent or guardian are exempted from the need to be vaccinated.)

— Must have a negative RT-PCR test for COVID-19 within 72 hours of departure. (Also required for travelers under 18 years old)

— Must have a minimum $100,000 medical insurance policy covering COVID-19 treatment.

Upon arrival:

— Must have an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 at their own expense on the day of arrival, the sixth or seventh day of stay and the 12th or 13th day.

— Must stay for 14 days at approved “SHA+” hotels in order to travel onwards in Thailand. The booking must be confirmed before arrival. SHA+ certifies safety and health standards including having at least 70% of staff vaccinated for COVID-19.

— Must install Thailand Plus and Morchana apps, to track health and location, respectively.

— Must have evidence of negative COVID-19 test results over the 14-day stay for onward travel to other parts of Thailand.