Hong Kong bans flights from India, 7 other nations

Hong Kong, January 5

Hong Kong on Wednesday reimposed some of its toughest Covid restrictions, banning flights from eight countries, including India, until January 21 in a bid to arrest the rising number of Omicron cases.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced that travellers from eight countries —Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK and the US, including via transit — are banned from returning to the city for two weeks starting Saturday, a Hong Kong-based newspaper reported. Hong Kong is reimposing some of its toughest Covid restrictions across the board covering social activities and international travel, setting a 6-pm curfew on all dine-in services and banning flights from eight countries as it braces for a fifth wave of infection amid Omicron fears, the daily report. — PTI

UK to lift pre-arrival test rule for travellers

London: British PM Boris Johnson on Wednesday announced that compulsory tests required by overseas travellers no earlier than 48 hours before arriving in England would be scrapped from Friday. PTI