Parts of China to deny access to hospitals and schools for the unvaccinated

Jul 16 2021

As the country targets an inoculation rate of at least 80% against COVID-19, parts of China will be banning access to hospitals, schools and nursing homes to unvaccinated individuals. Dozens of county-level governments in at least eight provinces have published notices, giving citizens until late July or early August to receive their jab. After this deadline, everyday life public services will be restricted to anyone who does not comply. The push by local governments comes as the ruling party outlined its goal to achieve herd immunity by December of this year.

Epidemiologist with the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Shao Yiming stated that given the protection rate of Chinese vaccines is below 100%, China needs to fully vaccinate 80-85% of residents. This is equivalent to 1 billion of the country’s 1.4 total population. China largely contained the spread, with many residents seeing little need to receive the jab. However, recent outbreaks in localities have pushed fear of infection and prompted a rush to get vaccinated.

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Photo Source: South China Morning Post

Eiffel Tower to welcome back guests following nine month closure

Jul 16 2021

Following its longest closure since World War II, the iconic Paris wonder the Eiffel Tower is set for reopening on Friday. The tower has been closed for nine months, caused by the ever-persistent COVID-19 pandemic. The 300-metre summit of the ‘Iron Lady’ is set to welcome tourists back, albeit with a 13,000 people daily capacity. This is half of the normal level in order to abide with social distancing rules and regulations.

France has also just imposed new requirements which state that visitors will need to show proof of vaccination or negative PCR test starting Wednesday next week. Early reservations for tickets during the summer holidays show how Paris’ tourism industry was impacted due to travel restrictions. British ticket holders were almost totally absent, with Americans making only 15%. Half of the visitors are expected to be French, with Italians and Spanish making up higher proportions than usual. The tower’s operating company Sete is set to seek additional governmental aid to stay afloat after having its revenues fall by 75% in 2020.

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Photo Source: Engoo

Woman who attempted to smuggle drugs hidden in bra to prisoner given jail sentence

Jul 16 2021

A 40-year-old woman resident of Sliema was handed an eight month jail sentence and €2,000 fine for attempting to smuggle drugs into prison. Graziella Francalanza was charged that on the 5th November and weeks before, she was trafficking and possessed heroin. She attempted to smuggle the drug into the Corradino Correctional Facility. After police conducted investigations following reports that she was going to smuggle drugs to a prisoner when he was set to appear in court, the woman was arrested upon her entrance in court.

Francalanza was taken to the Valletta police station where she gave them the packet of drugs which she hid in her bra. The drugs racked up to 0.81 grams and was 32% pure. Around 11 hours of telephone calls had also been recorded, in which the prisoner for whom the drugs were intended, was heard speaking and suggesting that some things be passed on to him. It also resulted that two weeks prior to the case the same accused had passed something on to the prisoner via a kiss.

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Photo Source: Kamra tal-Periti

A possible end to internal combustion engines by 2035

Jul 16 2021

Proposals tabled by the European Commission (EU) revealed on Wednesday 14th July signal the ban of sales of new cars and vans that produce carbon emissions as of 2035. The era of internal combustion engines (ICE) is moving towards an end in the EU, with the new rules resulting in the bloc making the shift to electric vehicles towards having almost 100% of cars on roads in 2050 emission free. A package of climate and energy laws have been released by the EU executive, aiming to reduce the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, with net zero the target for 2050.

EU transport commissioner Adina Vălean stated that transport is ‘today the source of 29% of the EU total greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050 we need to cut it by 90%.’ To ward off potential criticism by the industry, a senior EU official stated that the move is in line with the principle of technology neutrality. EU produced cars are allowed at present to emit 95g of carbon per kilometre driven.

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Photo Source: Financial Times