खबरनामा – Page 314 – आवारा मुसाफिर

Air Chernobyl! Tourists get chance to fly over nuclear disaster zone

April 25, 20211240 Views

Ukraine eyes UNESCO World Heritage tag for abandoned plant and wasteland Ukrainian nuclear agency worker Viktor Kozlov received an unusual birthday gift from his wife Maryna: tickets for a 90 minute flight over Chernobyl, site of the world's worst nuclear disaster. The trip gives passengers a bird's eye view of the abandoned buildings in the ghost town of Pripyat that once housed nuclear workers, and the massive domed structure now covering the reactor that exploded on April 26, 1986. On the flight, run by Ukraine International Airlines, passengers craned their necks, pointed and took pictures on their phones of the site that has become one of the country's major tourist destinations. An aerial view from a plane shows a New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure over the old sarcoph...

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Hungarians drink spritzer by the Danube as COVID rules ease

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April 25, 2021978 Views

Budapest residents and a few tourists flocked to cafes lining the River Danube on Saturday for a drink outside in the sun, after the government decided that having vaccinated more than a third of the population it was time to lift some restrictions. “We have been waiting for this moment when we can sit out again on a nice sunny day and have a drink for more than six months,” said local woman Bernadett. “This is fantastic.” Guests enjoy the sunny weather as they sit in front of a restaurant after the Hungarian government allowed to reopen outdoor terraces, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues in Budapest, Hungary, April 24, 2021. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo Next week restaurants are set to reopen indoors. Some remain worried however, as Hungary has racked u...

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Eerily empty, Thai tourist island Phuket desperate to reopen

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

April 25, 2021434 Views

A year after one of Southeast Asia's most popular fun-and-sun destinations became an eerily quiet shell of empty resorts, shops and nightclubs, residents of the Thai island of Phuket are hoping to save their economy with an inoculation programme. For now, beach umbrellas rest rolled up on vacant hotel verandas, overlooking empty stretches of sand, while mannequins languish in dust-covered windows of shuttered shops. The entrance of a closed hotel is seen at Kata beach in Karon, Phuket Island, Thailand March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva "We are taking the opportunity to put our system to a test", said vice governor of Phuket province, Piyapong Choowong, adding that more than 70% of Phuket's population of about 650,000 would be vaccinated by July 1, when foreign vaccinated visitor...

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Iran, Indonesia restrict travellers from India

AWARA MUSAFIR BUREAU

April 25, 20211174 Views

Germany also lists India as coronavirus "high incidence area" Iran said on Saturday that it would bar travellers from India over a COVID-19 variant to avert its spread in the already stricken country. Officials, however, did not say if any cases of the variant first identified in India in late March had been detected in Iran, the epicentre of the pandemic in the Middle East. “The Indian coronavirus is a new threat we face,” President Hassan Rouhani said in remarks broadcast on state TV. “The Indian virus is more dangerous than the English and Brazilian variants,” he added. People are seen at a crowded marketplace in a slum area, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, April 23, 2021. REUTERS/Niharika Kulkarni “All the eastern provinces ...

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Thrissur Pooram low-key yet full of cultural fervour

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April 24, 20211168 Views

Thrissur Pooram, one of the most popular temple festivals in Kerala, was held here on Friday without losing its cultural fervour amid restrictions imposed by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The colourful events, associated with the over 200- year- old festival, were held symbolically as spectators, who were denied entry at the pooram venue --the Thekkinkadu Maidan - enjoyed the parade of richly caparisoned elephants and performance by percussionists through virtual platforms. Less number of elephants were paraded this time as nine out of 10 temples participating in the pooram toned down the celebrations in the wake of the pandemic. FILE PHOTO: Thrissur Pooram Besides the main poorams of the two temples-- Paramekkavu and Thiruvambady -- small poorams from near...

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IATA welcomes WHO emergency committee risk management recommendations

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April 23, 2021898 Views

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged states to comply with recommendations on international travel from the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on testing and risk management during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, IATA highlighted the following recommendations for states: “Do not require proof of vaccination as a condition of entry.” IATA believes that the freedom to travel across borders should not be limited to those who are able to be vaccinated. It does, however, support governments opening borders to those who have been vaccinated and that testing should also play a key role where vaccination is not possible. Together—testing and vaccination—are key measures for states to safely reopen their borders a...

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UNWTO and IATA collaborate on destination tracker to restore confidence in travel

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April 23, 2021691 Views

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announce a Destination Tracker in preparation for the restart of international travel. It is the result of both organizations joining efforts to boost confidence and accelerate recovery of the tourism sector when borders reopen. The UNWTO-IATA Destination Tracker is a new free online tool for governments to provide information on COVID-19 requirements for travel and the measures in place at the destination. The tool is available through the websites of both organizations and will provide information on: -COVID-19 Indicators including infection rates, positivity rates, and vaccination roll out by destination/country.-Air Travel Regulations, including test and quarantine requirements, pro...

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Israel targets tourism boost after rapid COVID-19 vaccine roll-out

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April 23, 2021901 Views

Israel’s struggling tourism sector hopes to reap quick benefits when the country reopens next month after a rapid COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Airlines are racing to add flights to Tel Aviv as groups of foreign tourists who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed into Israel from May 23. "As we look to the world reopening and travel resuming, the Italies and Frances are a little behind Israel in terms of when we anticipate travel will reopen. And that's due to vaccines," said Brian Znotins, vice president of network and schedule planning at American Airlines, referring to two other tourist destinations. Israel, which has vaccinated more than half its population, sees its main challenge as ensuring its reopening does not allow another increase in COVID-19 infec...

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COVID-free Greek ‘secluded paradise’ waits for tourists to return

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April 23, 2021914 Views

Greece, looking to tourist season, makes islands vaccination priority Alekos Sfyriou untangles his fishing line and counts the days until ferries bring visitors back to his sleepy Greek isle. “All the small islands are waiting for tourists,” the 62-year-old fisherman says, slouched beneath a tree on the harbour. “They’ll eat the fish I catch.” There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 on Halki, a tiny island closer to Turkey than Athens, where the only sound piercing a quiet April morning was the crowing of a rooster. Nearly all of its 250 residents have been vaccinated against the virus, local authorities said, anticipating a resurgence of tourism, the economy’s lifeblood. View of the town of Halki, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on the island of Hal...

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Excitement builds in Icelandic fishing town vying for Oscars glory

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April 23, 2021697 Views

The tiny Icelandic town of Husavik, which was propelled to global fame by a hit Netflix comedy, has rolled out a red carpet on its main street in anticipation of even greater glory on Oscars night. The power ballad “Husavik (My Hometown)”, which featured as the climactic moment in the movie about a couple bumbling their way through the Eurovision Song Contest, is nominated for Best Original Song, and residents are fired up. A view of the harbour in Husavik, a small fishing town in northern Iceland, August 16, 2020. Ales Mucha/Visit Husavik/Handout via REUTERS The Oscar nomination came after a locally produced video extolling the song, presented by fictional Husavik resident Oskar Oskarsson, went viral, adding to the small fishing town’s emotional investment in the song’s success....