US will require negative Covid tests for air passengers from China - Financial Times

The US said it would require negative Covid-19 tests for air passengers travelling from China as countries rushed to impose restrictions after the abrupt end of Beijing’s zero-Covid containment policy resulted in a surge in cases.

Washington’s move on Wednesday came just hours after Italy announced it will test all air passengers arriving from China for the virus, becoming the first western country to set new rules in response to the jump in infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that from January 5, travellers boarding flights to the US from China, Hong Kong and Macau would need a negative Covid test or proof they had recovered from a previous infection. The requirements also apply to passengers arriving in the US via a third country and to those connecting to other destinations through the US.

The measures are intended to “slow the spread” of the virus in the US following the surge in China and are being implemented because of “the lack of adequate and transparent epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data being reported from” Beijing, the CDC said in a statement.

The Chinese embassy in the US did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Orazio Schillaci, Italy’s health minister, on Wednesday said Rome’s restrictions were “essential to ensure surveillance and detection of possible variants of the virus in order to protect the Italian population”.

Orazio Schillaci, Italy’s health minister © Alessia Pierdomenico/Bloomberg

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Schillaci urged the EU to impose a bloc-wide testing requirement, which he said Italy had written to the European Commission to request.

“Many Chinese passengers come to Italy from Schengen countries,” he said, referring to the bloc’s free travel area. “It is obvious and important to involve European countries in the initiative.” 

Italy’s decision to require testing on all passengers arriving from China followed the detection of high rates of Covid infections among passengers on two post-Christmas flights that landed at Milan’s Malpensa airport from China.

On one flight of 92 passengers, 38 per cent tested positive, while on the second flight of 120 passengers, 52 per cent tested positive, a health official from the Lombardy region told reporters.

Italy is desperate to avoid a repeat of March 2020, when it became the first European country to face a serious outbreak of the virus that went on to sweep across the world and kill millions of people.

Some Asian countries, including Japan, India and Taiwan, have also imposed testing requirements for Chinese arrivals, in anticipation of a wave of visitors after President Xi Jinping’s government scrapped what was left of the zero-Covid regime that closed it off from the world for almost three years. Japan will limit arrivals from China, Hong Kong and Macau to four designated airports, in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, from Friday.

China is in the grip of an unprecedented wave of the virus, with tens of millions of people being infected daily. At the same time, the end of zero- Covid has prompted an increase in demand for international travel since Beijing said on Boxing Day it would lift many measures from January 8. Travel booking site Trip.com said Chinese outbound bookings were up more than 250 per cent on Tuesday compared with a day earlier.

There have been calls for other countries to impose restrictions. Jürgen Hardt, foreign affairs spokesperson for Germany’s opposition Christian Democrats, on Wednesday demanded a suspension of all flights from China to Germany.

The “exploding Covid numbers in China threaten the whole world with a new wave of infections”, he told media group RND. “Only when we’re sure that there’s no threat of a new, dangerous mutation out of China should we resume flight connections.”

Sebastian Gülde, spokesperson for the German health ministry, said authorities were “keeping a very close eye on the situation in China”. “But so far we have no indication that a more dangerous mutation is emerging from this outbreak.” That meant there was no reason to declare China a virus variant area, which would trigger travel restrictions on those arriving from the country.

The UK also said it was not considering restrictions for travellers arriving from China.

Additional reporting by Giuliana Ricozzi in Rome, Guy Chazan in Berlin and Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe in London

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2022-12-28 22:11:36Z
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Rohingya mother and daughter rescued after being adrift on boat for almost a month - Sky News

A Rohingya mother and her five-year-old daughter have been found among 200 people rescued in Indonesia after being adrift on a boat for almost a month.

Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, a Rohingya refugee living in a camp in Bangladesh, told Sky News his sister Hatemonnesa and his niece Umme Salima were rescued by Indonesian authorities on Monday.

They were among around 160 Rohingyas that left Bangladesh for Malaysia on board a large boat at the end of November, which ended up stranded after its engine failed.

The men, women and children were rescued from the rickety wooden vessel on Boxing Day after it washed up on Ujong Pie beach in Aceh province, in the northwest tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Indonesian fishermen and local authorities rescued more than 200 people in total between Sunday and Monday, with the majority being women and children.

Left without supplies and in the middle of the sea, a number of people reportedly died from starvation during the perilous trip, but Hatemonnesa and her young child were among those that survived.

Mr Rezuwan Khan said he was crying when he managed to speak with his family on a video call, having not been able to contact them for a month.

Read more:
Myanmar soldiers admit raping and killing Rohingya people
Angelina Jolie visits refugees in Bangladesh
'They killed my son in front of me – then they all raped me'

"We felt like we got a new world today", he said, adding that the mother and daughter both looked exhausted.

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He explained that his sister decided to embark on the risky journey because of the dire conditions in the refugee camp in Bangladesh, and hoped to find better opportunities for her daughter in Malaysia.

Image: Mohammed Rezuwan Khan and Umme Salima

Exhausted and dehydrated

In a phone call on 18 December, a person on the vessel was heard saying "we are dying here" and "we are starving", adding that some had already lost their lives.

Those rescued over the last couple of days were exhausted and dehydrated, and told the UNHRC that some 26 people died due to the dire conditions onboard.

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1:19

Rohingya refugees stranded at sea

According to the UN, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people attempting to cross the Andaman Sea from Bangladesh and Myanmar this year, with more than 1,900 people dying since January.

Most of those risking their lives are Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar in their hundreds of thousands in 2017 to escape military persecution.

Security forces in Myanmar have been accused of mass rapes and killings of Rohingya people and the burning of thousands of their homes.

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2022-12-27 22:12:21Z
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Putin imposes oil ban on buyers complying with G7 price cap - Financial Times

Russia has hit back at the G7’s attempts to cap gains from the country’s oil revenues, after Vladimir Putin signed a decree banning sales under contracts that comply with the $60 price ceiling imposed by Ukraine’s western allies.

The decree, signed by Russia’s president and published on Tuesday, said the Kremlin would ban the sale of the country’s crude and crude-related products under contracts that “directly or indirectly imply a price cap mechanism”.

However, the decree says Putin “may grant special permission” to sell oil and oil products in certain circumstances even if purchasers comply with the cap — a wording that potentially paves the way for Russia to continue to sell crude to producers in markets such as India and China.

The price cap, imposed in early December, aims to sap funding for the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine by targeting the oil and gas revenues that make up nearly half of Russia’s budget. In practice, the cap is yet to apply, with Urals, Russia’s main crude blend, selling at prices below $60 a barrel.

Russia has shrugged off the G7’s move, which primarily targets insurance for the oil shipments, and has assembled a “shadow fleet” of vessels that continues to ship its oil in response.

Ten days after the cap took effect the Financial Times reported that at least seven crude oil tankers were sailing from Russia to India with western insurance, in what appeared to be trades executed under the terms of the G7 price cap. 

Putin’s move is less stringent than harsher options for retaliation floated in the Russian media, such as a “bottom” oil price or a minimum discount level for its sales.

The Kremlin’s decree comes into force on February 1 and will remain effective for five months, while the date for the similar measure on oil products is yet to be determined.

Putin labelled the G7’s move “stupid and premature” in December, noting that Urals was already being sold at a discount to Brent, the global benchmark.

After western nations moved to wind down their purchases of Russian oil and gas following the invasion of Ukraine in early February, Urals has commonly sold at levels below the cap. Russia has offered generous discounts for the main importers of its oil, India and China.

At present, Russia sells almost 80 per cent of its crude to Asia and only 17 per cent to Europe, two-thirds of which is transported through the Druzhba pipeline, according to figures from Kpler, a data provider.

In the 10 months since Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine, the spread of Urals crude against Brent has widened from the prewar standard of between $1 and $2 to the current level of between $20 and $30 a barrel.

Even at $60, the cap is close to the $70-a-barrel price on which Russia’s 2023 budget is based, raising doubts about the cap’s effectiveness in limiting the Kremlin’s fossil fuel revenues.

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2022-12-27 21:20:20Z
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Deadly blizzard leaves more than 60 dead across US - BBC

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By Bernd Debusmann Jr

BBC News, Washington

The death toll in the New York city of Buffalo has risen to 28, with thousands still without power amid a monster winter storm that has battered North America.

Across the US, at least 62 people have died in weather-related incidents.

In Buffalo, a state official said that military police are being brought in to help manage traffic in the city, where a driving ban remains in place.

Looting has been reported in parts of the city during the emergency.

The winter storm has also forced the cancellation of thousands of flights, including about 4,800 on Tuesday morning alone. Thousands of passengers have been left stranded at airports across the country.

Conditions are now expected to improve, with very little snowfall on Tuesday and slightly warmer weather on the way.

At a news conference on Tuesday, officials in New York's Erie County - which includes Buffalo - said that the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue. The 28 confirmed dead were all in Buffalo.

"All of the numbers have not caught up at this time," Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said. "We know that the [Erie] county number is larger."

More than 4,000 people in the area remain without power after the storm, which Mr Brown said was "probably" the worst of most residents' lifetimes. At the peak of the storm, about 20,000 people were without power.

Mr Brown added that there had been an "improvement" in the city, with very little snowfall and an absence of whiteout conditions allowing officials "significant progress" as they clear vehicles and restore power.

Officials warned that the warming temperatures in the region might lead to additional problems, including flooding as snow thaws.

In Erie County, city authorities on Tuesday were removing ice and blockages from storm drains ahead of what officials referred to as a "rapid melt".

Mark Poloncarz, executive of Erie County where Buffalo is located, said that 100 military police officers and additional state police were being brought in to help control traffic in the area, where conditions remained "ugly" on many local roads.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gragmalia said that looting is "still going on". Four people have so far been arrested.

"This isn't people stealing food and medicine and diapers," he said. "They're destroying stores. They're stealing televisions, couches, whatever else they can get their hands on. They're opportunists."

On Monday, US President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration allowing federal support for New York State. "My heart is with those who lost loved ones this holiday weekend," he tweeted.

Neighbouring state New Jersey also sent emergency services to New York state to provide further assistance.

State Governor Kathy Hochul, a native of Buffalo, described the storm as "the blizzard of the century".

"It is [like] going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking."

Officials in New York have said that emergency personnel were forced to go from car to car searching for survivors of the storm, sometimes finding bodies in cars and snow banks.

• They fled south to escape winter. The storm still found them
• How to stay safe in a winter storm

Mr Poloncarz said that some of the fatalities died from cardiac arrest while ploughing snow, with Buffalo state issuing a "Shovel Smart" warning, notifying people that over-exertion from shovelling snow can cause heart attacks or back injuries. While three additional deaths were confirmed by Tuesday morning, two deaths that had been reported earlier were deemed a "non-storm related", he added.

EPA

Harrowing tales

Some local residents recounted harrowing escapes from the storm over the last several days.

One local family with young children - aged two to six - had to wait for 11 hours before being rescued in the early hours of Christmas Day (Sunday).

"I was basically just hopeless," the father, Zila Santiago, told CBS News. He said he managed to stay warm by keeping the engine running, and kept distress at bay by playing games with the children.

Ditjak Ilunga from Gaithersburg, Maryland, told CBS News he was on his way to visit relatives in Hamilton, Ontario, with his daughters when their SUV was trapped in Buffalo.

After spending hours with the engine running he made the desperate choice to risk the howling storm to reach a nearby shelter.

He carried six-year-old Destiny on his back while 16-year-old Cindy clutched their Pomeranian puppy, and followed his footprints in the snow drifts.

"If I stay in this car I'm going to die here with my kids," Mr Ilunga recalled thinking.

He said he cried when the family walked through the shelter doors. "It's something I will never forget in my life," he said.

While the largest death toll has been reported in New York, storm-related deaths have been reported across the US, including Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado.

Over the weekend, an estimated 250,000 homes and businesses experienced blackouts, although power has steadily been restored. Still, tens of thousands of people remained without power on Tuesday.

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In Canada, the central province of Ontario and Quebec, in the north-east, bore the brunt of the storm.

Ontario's Prince Edward County, along Lake Ontario, declared a state of emergency and had to take snow ploughs off the streets because they were in danger of getting stuck, Mayor Steve Ferguson told CBC News.

Four fatalities earlier occurred when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.

Have you been affected by the severe weather in the US and Canada? Please email us: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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2022-12-27 20:27:55Z
1711824583

Buffalo blizzard: Storm turns city into 'war zone' - BBC

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By Henri Astier

BBC News

A severe winter storm that has swept across North America has left the city of Buffalo, New York, looking like a war zone, the state governor has said.

Western New York State has recorded 28 weather-related deaths.

"This is a war with mother nature and she has been hitting us with everything she has" since Thursday, state governor Kathy Hochul said.

Blizzard conditions stretching from Canada to the Mexican border have now killed at least 56 people in total.

The region around Buffalo has been worst affected, with 27 deaths reported there.

Governor Hochul, a native of Buffalo, said: "It is [like] going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking."

She said residents were facing a "life-threatening situation", as many emergency vehicles were unable to reach worst-hit areas or got stuck in snow themselves.

• They fled south to escape winter. The storm still found them
• How to stay safe in a winter storm

One family with young children - aged 2 to 6 - had to wait for 11 hours before being rescued in the early hours of Christmas Day.

"I was basically just hopeless," the father, Zila Santiago, told CBS News. He said he had managed to stay warm by keeping the engine running and kept distress at bay by playing games with the children.

More victims are expected to be discovered once melting snowdrifts reveal trapped vehicles and allow access to remote homes.

Getty Images

Governor Hochul, who spoke to Joe Biden on Monday, said the US president had offered "the full force of the federal government" to support New York state.

The "bomb cyclone" winter storm - which occurs when atmospheric pressure plummets, causing heavy snow and winds - has disrupted travel across the US.

Forecasters say it will ease off in the next few days, but the advice remains to avoid travelling unless essential.

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Over the weekend an estimated 250,000 homes and businesses experienced blackouts - although power has been steadily restored.

Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado. South Florida's temperatures dropped so low, that iguanas froze and fell from trees.

The western US state of Montana was the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).

In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are bearing the brunt of the storm.

Four fatalities occurred when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.

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2022-12-27 01:43:58Z
1711824583

Buffalo blizzard: Storm turns city into 'war zone' - BBC

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By Henri Astier

BBC News

A severe winter storm that has swept across North America has left the city of Buffalo, New York, looking like a war zone, the state governor has said.

On Monday the city recorded 25 weather-related deaths, up from 13 on Sunday.

"This is a war with mother nature and she has been hitting us with everything she has" since Thursday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul said.

Blizzard conditions, which stretched from Canada to the Mexican border, have killed at least 50 people nationwide.

The region around Buffalo, in upstate New York, has been worst affected.

Governor Hochul, a native of Buffalo, said: "It is (like) going to a war zone, and the vehicles along the sides of the roads are shocking."

She said residents were facing a "life-threatening situation", as many emergency vehicles were unable to reach worst-hit areas or got stuck in snow themselves.

• They fled south to escape winter. The storm still found them
• How to stay safe in a winter storm

One family with young children - aged 2 to 6 - had to wait for 11 hours before being rescued in the early hours of Christmas Day.

"I was basically just hopeless," the father, Zila Santiago, told CBS News. He said he had managed to stay warm by keeping the engine running and kept distress at bay by playing games with the children.

More victims are expected to be discovered once melting snowdrifts reveal trapped vehicles and allow access to remote homes.

Getty Images

Governor Hochul, who spoke to Joe Biden on Monday, said the US president had offered "the full force of the federal government" to support New York state.

The "bomb cyclone" winter storm - which occurs when atmospheric pressure plummets, causing heavy snow and winds - has disrupted travel across the US.

Forecasters say it will ease off in the next few days, but the advice remains to avoid travelling unless essential.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Over the weekend an estimated 250,000 homes and businesses experienced blackouts - although power has been steadily restored.

Storm-related deaths were also reported in Vermont, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kansas, and Colorado. South Florida's temperatures dropped so low, that iguanas froze and fell from trees.

The western US state of Montana was the worst hit by the cold, with temperatures dropping to -50F (-45C).

In Canada, the provinces of Ontario and Quebec are bearing the brunt of the storm.

Four fatalities occurred when a bus rolled over on an icy road near the town of Merritt, in the western province of British Columbia.

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2022-12-26 21:37:53Z
1711824583

Winter storm leaves 17 dead in Japan - including elderly woman found buried under heavy snow - Sky News

A powerful winter storm in Japan has killed 17, including a woman found buried under a heavy pile of snowfall, officials have said.

The storm has been dumping snow in northern regions since before Christmas, stranding hundreds of vehicles on highways and delaying delivery services. It has injured more than 90 people and left hundreds of homes without power.

Further bad weather over the Christmas weekend raised the death toll from 11 as of Saturday to 17 on Monday, according to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

Many of those who died had fallen while removing snow from roofs or were buried underneath thick piles of snow sliding off rooftops.

Image: Pic: AP

The disaster management agency said a woman in her 70s was found dead buried underneath a thick pile of rooftop snow that suddenly fell on her in Yamagata prefecture's Nagai City, about 180 miles north of Tokyo, where snow piled up higher than 2.6ft on Saturday.

Municipal offices in the snow-hit regions urged residents to use caution during snow removal activity and not to work alone.

Many northeastern parts of the country reported three times their average snowfall for the season.

Read more from Sky News:
North Korean drones 'violate airspace'
50 dead in devastating US winter storm
Life on the road amid US 'monster storm'

Image: Pic: AP

Heavy snow knocked down an electric power transmission tower in Japan's northernmost main island, leaving about 20,000 homes without power on Christmas morning before electricity was restored in most areas later that day, according to Japan's economy and industry ministry.

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Dozens of trains and flights were also suspended in northern Japan on Sunday, but services have since mostly resumed, according to the transportation ministry.

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2022-12-26 11:17:00Z
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