IATA Head Hits Out At Expensive PCR Tests For Travel, Questions Necessity

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April 20, 2021

The head of global airline industry body IATA has hit out at the high cost of COVID-19 testing, accusing providers of profiteering from travel, and calling for the industry to challenge whether PCR tests are necessary.

European airlines are counting on a travel rebound this summer after months of COVID-19 restrictions left them struggling with minimal revenues and huge new debts taken on to survive the pandemic.

But any demand for PCR tests that can cost more than the short flights themselves threatens the recovery.

“We’re clearly seeing evidence of profiteering by people who have jumped on the testing bandwagon,” Willie Walsh, IATA’s new director general, said at a virtual industry conference on Tuesday.

He said that governments had mandated PCR tests and were then charging value added tax on the cost of the testing, a scenario which he said needed to be challenged.

Laschet Wins Battle To Lead Merkel’s Party Into German Election

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Zoe Maven

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April 20, 2021

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Chairman of the German Christian Democratic party (CDU), Armin Laschet, on Tuesday won a bruising power struggle to become the candidate of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right bloc for chancellor in the September election.

The race turned into a heated duel after both Laschet, the leader of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, and Soeder, who leads its smaller Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, declared their interest in succeeding Merkel.

According to reports, at a stormy meeting of the CDU leadership that lasted until after midnight, 31 of its members voted for Laschet, nine for Soeder and six abstained, That prompted Soeder to concede.

Governor of Germany’s most populous state, Armin Laschet, now faces another hurdle which is to connect with voters and win over frustrated fellow conservatives who backed his more popular rival, Markus Soeder.

Their Union bloc is the last major political force to nominate a candidate for chancellor in the Sept. 26 parliamentary election, in which Merkel is not seeking a fifth term after nearly 16 years in power.

Parts of the CDU favored Soeder, while others strongly opposed his bid to push Laschet aside for the top job.

Although Soeder has much better poll ratings, Laschet was elected in January as the leader of by far the bigger of the sister parties which was primarily a conflict of personality and style rather than policy.

The Union leads polls ahead of the environmentalist Greens, who on Monday nominated Annalena Baerbock as their first candidate to be chancellor.

Libya Halts Oil Exports From Key Terminal

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Angel Gimalo

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April 20, 2021

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Libya’s National Oil Corporation said crude exports have been suspended from one of the country’s top terminals following the central bank’s “refusal” to release budget funds.

Strife-torn Libya’s energy sector has sprung back to life since a ceasefire deal between warring parties in October.

Oil production has stabilised at about 1.2 million barrels per day since December, but remains below pre-war levels of around 1.6 million bpd.

“The National Oil Corporation announces a state of force majeure as of April 19, 2021 for the interruption of producing and exporting of crude oil shipments through the port of Hariga,” the NOC said in a statement issued on Monday.

“This announcement comes as a result of the Central Bank of Libya’s refusal to liquidate the oil sector budget for long months,” it added.

The state of force majeure allows the NOC to be exonerated from responsibility in the event of non-compliance with delivery contracts.

The NOC said the situation had led to the “exacerbation of the indebtedness of some companies” that have been unable to meet financial and technical commitments.

The funds received to date represented “less than two percent of the needs of NOC and its companies to achieve the targets set for the year 2021”, it added.

The Arabian Gulf Oil Company, which like other NOC subsidiaries relies on state finances to operate, was among those forced to reduce production.

The NOC alleged that the central bank “with such actions seeks to politicise the national oil sector”.

Libya, which has Africa’s largest proven crude oil reserves, has struggled to emerge from violence and political turmoil since its descent into chaos in the aftermath of the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

A unity government was installed last month to oversee the transition to December elections.

Last week, the NOC announced a record increase in revenues generated by the sale of hydrocarbons, which exceeded $2 billion in March.

Madrid Court Bans UEFA, FIFA From Moves Against Super League

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Angel Gimalo

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April 20, 2021

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A court in Madrid on Tuesday banned UEFA and FIFA from taking any moves to block plans for a controversial private Super League that has sparked a battle within European football.

In its ruling, the court ordered that both bodies refrain “from any measure or action or issuing any statement or announcement that directly or indirectly impedes the implementation of the European Super League”.

A metal figure of a football player with a ball is seen in front of the words “European Super League” and the UEFA logo in this illustration taken April 20, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

It also ordered them to refrain from “preparing, inciting or adopting” any disciplinary measures against clubs, players or officials involved in the planned private league.

Canadian Court Strikes Down Part Of Controversial Quebec law

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Zoe Maven

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April 20, 2021

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A Canadian court on Tuesday struck down part of a controversial Quebec law banning public employees from wearing religious symbols, removing limits on some teachers but maintaining the ban for police officers, judges and other civil servants.

The 2019 law, prohibits many civil servants, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols such as hijabs and turbans on the job.

The decision by Quebec Superior Court Justice Marc-André Blanchard says the ban is invalid for minority English-language school boards in the province since they have special standing under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Chair of the English Montreal School Board (EMBS) Joe Ortona, expressed gladness saying the decision means they can now hire any qualified teacher to work in the system regardless of whether they choose to wear a religious symbol.

The law was passed by Quebec’s current centre-right government, which took office in 2018, although provincial governments have been trying for years to impose such restrictions.

Like France, which passed a ban on veils, crosses and other religious symbols in schools in 2004, Quebec has struggled at times to reconcile its secular identity with a growing Muslim population, many of them North African emigrants.

Multiple lawsuits have challenged the law for being discriminatory and unconstitutional, with civil liberties arguing it triggered politics of fear against religious minorities.

Russia Soon To Have Over 120,000 Troops On Its Borders – Ukraine

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Zoe Maven

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April 20, 2021

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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says Russia will soon have more than 120,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, and called for new Western economic sanctions to deter Moscow from further escalation.

Addressing an online news conference, Kuleba said Russian troops have continued to arrive in close proximity to their borders in the northeast, in the east and in the south.

He said that In about a week, they are expected to reach a combined force of over 120,000 troops, warning of what he said was Moscow’s unpredictability although he said Ukraine did not want conflict with Russia.

The figure given by Kuleba is higher than Ukraine’s previous estimate of 80,000 Russian troops, of which 50,000 were new deployments and Western officials say the concentration of forces is now larger than during that annexation.

Washington and NATO have been alarmed by the large build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine and in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

Kuleba also called for Moscow to re-commit to a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed forces have fought Ukrainian troops in a conflict that has reportedly claimed 14,000 lives since 2014.

Russia has said its troop build-up is a three-week snap military drill to test combat readiness in response to what it calls threatening behaviour from NATO.

Moscow on Tuesday also accused the U.S. and NATO of “provocative activity” in the waters and airspace of the Black Sea.

U.S. Enoy Refuses To Leave Russia Despite Kremlin Warning

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Zoe Maven

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April 20, 2021

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United States ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan, is refusing to leave the country after the Kremlin advised him to return home following new Biden administration sanctions.

On Friday, Russia’s foreign ministry announced it would expel 10 American diplomats and bar current officials, such as Attorney General Merrick Garland, from visiting Russia.

But the Kremlin only summoned Sullivan to meet with a top foreign policy official, Yuri Ushakov, who recommended he go back to Washington for consultations with Biden officials.

Last week, in response to Russian cyber-espionage and interference into U.S. elections, Biden unveiled a series of sanctions targeting the Russian economy.

Biden spoke with President Putin last Tuesday, telling him that sanctions were coming while also exploring the possibility of a summit between the two later this year.

In announcing the sanctions, Biden called them “proportionate,” and was careful to note he did not want to kick off a cycle of escalation with Putin.

On Mondy, National security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with Nikolay Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, to discuss a possible presidential summit.

40,000 Displaced In North Mozambique After Assault On Palma

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Zoe Maven

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April 20, 2021

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At least 40,000 people have been displaced in north Mozambique and urgently needing food after fleeing attacks in Palma in Northern Mozambique.

Four weeks after the rebels launched a 5-day attack, Mozambican police and relief agencies are working to help the thousands uprooted by the violence and restore the town to daily life.

The damage caused by Mozambique’s extremist rebels in their deadly assault on the northeastern town of Palma continues to be assessed and scores of dead still being counted.

Thousands of families are continuing to flee Palma by trekking on foot or seeking evacuation by sea or air and analysts say even though fighting has ended, Palma does not appear to be completely secure.

Meanwhile, the Mozambican military claims to have killed at least 36 attackers and local reports say one of the group’s leaders, named as Ayub, was killed when security forces bombed the town’s main mosque where the attackers were thought to be hiding.

According to the U.N, the aftermath of the siege of Palma is adding to the humanitarian crisis in northern Mozambique in which an estimated 700,000 people have been displaced and more than 2,600 killed in the conflict against the extremist rebels,.

Also, according to relief agencies, thousands of those who fled Palma are in danger of dying of thirst or starvation.

Dame Floella Benjamin’s Youth To Become Uplifting Stage Musical

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Koko Lawrence

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April 20, 2021

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Children’s TV legend Dame Floella Benjamin has said she’s “thrilled” that a new stage musical is to tell the story of her arrival in 1960s Britain.

Coming To England is based on her 1997 book about her journey from Trinidad and how she overcame the racism she encountered when she arrived.

It is being adapted by David Wood, one of her former co-presenters on classic children’s TV show Play Away.

“It’s about overcoming adversity, this story, and it’s uplifting,” she said.

Dame Floella moved to England with her family in 1960 at the age of 10, but was met by hostility and prejudice from classmates and neighbours.

The story is about “determination, never giving up, standing up to bullies, and standing up for what you believe in”, she explained after the musical was announced.

The theatre version will receive its premiere at the Birmingham Rep next February as part of the venue’s 50th anniversary season, and will be aimed at family audiences.

Dame Floella started her career on the stage before becoming a household name in the 1980s as the host of TV shows like Play School and Play Away. She was made a dame last year for her services to charity.

She will now help choose the young actress who will play her younger self on stage. “I’m excited to find that Floella and try to find my brothers and sisters,” she said.

“I started off in showbusiness 50 years ago in the theatre, and so I know that feeling of auditioning and trying to persuade people that the part’s for you.

“I’ll be the producer now in the audience, watching people come on and telling me that they want the part. I think we’ve come full circle. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Coming To England will run from 19 February to 6 March 2022, and Dame Floella has also been appointed the Birmingham Rep’s patron of youth and education.

Vanessa Bryant Reveals Kobe Bryant’s Partnership With Nike Is Over

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Koko Lawrence

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April 20, 2021

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The Kobe Bryant estate has decided to not renew their partnership with Nike, the late NBA star’s widow Vanessa confirmed on Monday night.

Kobe Bryant’s five-year post-retirement deal with the sporting apparel giant had expired earlier this month and there had been reports that Vanessa Bryant and the estate had grown frustrated with Nike’s limited production runs for his signature shoes and the chronic lack of kids sizes.

In a statement to ESPN, Vanessa Bryant said:

Kobe’s Nike contract expired on 4/13/21. Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe. It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband’s product than any other signature shoe.

My hope will always be to allow Kobe’s fans to get and wear his products,” Vanessa Bryant said. “I will continue to fight for that. Kobe’s products sell out in seconds. That says everything.”

ESPN reports that on top of issues over availability, Nike, in renewal talks, did not offer the Bryant estate a “lifetime” contract structure similar to deals the company has with Michael Jordan and LeBron James. “I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband’s legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacies. That will never change,” Vanessa Bryant said.

The end of Bryant’s Nike deal means the estate, which owns the rights “Mamba” logo, is now free to negotiate a new deal with other brands.

Bryant’s sneaker line is one of the most popular basketball shoes ever especially when his fourth signature shoe, the Zoom Kobe IV, with Nike, which started a series of low tops, was introduced in 2008.

In early 2019, Nike re-released the Kobe IV’s as a “Protro” or a performance retro albeit in a limited quantity.