The Pigeon Express
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said unvaccinated people will be excluded from non-essential shops, and cultural and recreational venues in Germany, and parliament will consider imposing a general vaccine mandate. Speaking on Thursday after a meeting with federal and state leaders, Merkel said the measures were necessary in light of concerns that hospitals in Germany could […]
Thousands of protesters gathered in Vienna on Saturday after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown to contain the quickly rising coronavirus infections in the country. The far-right opposition Freedom Party was among those who have called for the protest and vowed to combat the new restrictions. The Austrian lockdown will start early Monday and […]
Shops, restaurants and schools have shut in Moscow in a partial lockdown, as Russia battles record Covid deaths and infections. Only essential shops like supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to open in the capital, while food outlets are only providing takeaways. Authorities have also given workers across Russia nine days off from Saturday in a […]
New Zealand’s government acknowledged what most other countries did long ago: It can no longer completely get rid of the coronavirus. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a cautious plan to ease lockdown restrictions in Auckland, despite an outbreak there that continues to simmer. Since early in the pandemic, New Zealand had pursued an unusual zero-tolerance […]
New Zealand police caught two individuals trying to enter Auckland with a boot full of KFC chicken and tens of thousands of dollars. The men were charged with breaching the country’s tough Covid-19 rules. Under Auckland’s strict Level 4 lockdown, all restaurants, including take-away services, remain closed. Police said the men, aged 23 and 30, had […]
A 64-year-old fugitive walked into a Sydney police station to give himself up almost 30 years after he used a hacksaw blade and bolt cutters to escape from prison, police said on Wednesday. Darko Desic decided to go back to prison because Sydney’s COVID-19 lockdown made him jobless and homeless, media reported. Desic surrendered at […]
Vietnam’s covid restrictions have added concerns to global supplies of coffee. The exporting hub of Ho Chi Minh has been kept under tough travel restrictions after a surge in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. Vietnam is a major producer of robusta, the bitter tasting bean used in instant coffee and some espresso […]
A one-person anti-lockdown protest in central Auckland was shut down, after the police were alerted to discussions of a potential gathering on social media. New Zealand police officers said on Friday after hearing a protest was being planned, but only one person arrived with the intention of protesting, “Police have been in the area and […]
Qantas says it will stand down 2,500 staff — affecting pilots, crew and airport workers — as a lockdown in Sydney impacts air travel across Australia. The furlough will last for at least two months, the airline said. Qantas said it would pay staff until mid-August, after which they could apply for government support payments. […]
Australia has deployed hundreds of soldiers to Sydney to help enforce a Covid lockdown. A Delta outbreak which began in June has produced nearly 3,000 infections and led to nine deaths. Australian Defence Force soldiers will undergo training on the weekend before beginning unarmed patrols on Monday. But many have questioned whether military intervention is […]
Protests have been taking place in multiple cities of Australia against restrictions imposed to tackle rising coronavirus infections. Thousands gathered in Sydney, in Melbourne and Brisbane. People chanted “freedom” as they marched through the centre of Sydney. Officers said they had made 57 arrests. Australian governments have re-imposed lockdowns across the country amid a surge […]
The Australian state of Victoria entered into a snap lockdown from late Thursday, after it recorded two more local cases of the virus. The latest outbreak brings the total number of virus cases there to 18. This is the fifth lockdown Victoria has experienced since the pandemic began last year. New restrictions will last until Tuesday. […]