US to lift travel restrictions imposed on eight southern African nations
December 24, 2021, 4:53 pm

US to lift travel restrictions imposed on eight southern African nations

United States-Virginia-Airport building/Pixabay

The BBC reported that the US is to lift travel restrictions it imposed on eight southern African nations over a new coronavirus strain.

It mentioned that the White House said the 29 November measure, affecting South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini and Malawi, would be lifted by New Year's Eve.

The official said the curbs were no longer necessary amid a US explosion of cases of the Omicron variant.

The variant now makes up most of all new US cases.

White House assistant press secretary Kevin Munoz tweeted: "The restrictions gave us time to understand Omicron and we know our existing vaccines work against Omicron, esp boosted."

According to the BBC, the move was roundly criticised, with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres calling it "travel apartheid".

Justifying the move, the White House's chief coronavirus adviser, Dr Anthony Fauci, said earlier this month it was "done at a time when we were really in the dark" about Omicron.

South Korea sees deadliest day of COVID-19 deaths as Omicron looms

UK Health Security Agency: People with Omicron less likely to have severe symptoms

Joe Biden announces stricter Covid-19 travel rules amid Omicron cases

He said: "We all feel very badly about the hardship that might have been put upon not only South Africa, but the other African countries."

The strain has spread faster than any previous variant in the US but has not yet resulted in a significant spike in hospitalisations.

Only one US death so far has been linked to Omicron: a Texas man in his 50s who was unvaccinated and had underlying health conditions.

Source: BBC

British citizen arrested by Taliban in Kabul UK government to offer visas for care workers for 12 months period

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”