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Hong Kong reopens venues, extends dining hours as Corona cases wane
The US News reported, citing Reuters, Hong Kong reopened gyms, beauty parlours, theme parks, and cinemas for the first time in more than four months on Thursday, as authorities relax some of the world's most stringent COVID restrictions that have weighed on residents and businesses.
Also, restaurant dining has been extended until 10 p.m. (1400 GMT) from 6 p.m. and group gatherings have been expanded to four people, from two previously. Many schools have also resumed in-person learning after months of online classes.
The easing comes as the number of daily COVID-19 infections in the global financial hub dropped below 1,000 for the past six days from a peak of more than 70,000 on March 3.
While many residents are relieved at the relaxation of rules, scores of businesses have already shuttered and tens of thousands of people have fled the city as authorities re-imposed measures in January that were first implemented in 2020.
Hong Kong has grappled to impose a "dynamic zero" COVID policy similar to mainland China, which aims to quash all outbreaks versus living with the virus as many countries are doing.
Hong Kong will resume to lift ban on international flights from nine countries in April
Hong Kong's borders have been effectively sealed since 2020 with few flights able to land and hardly any passengers allowed to transit, isolating a city that had built a reputation as a global hub.
Swimming pools and beaches remain shut, frustrating many athletes and residents. Bars, nightclubs and saunas are also still closed, with many unable to stay afloat and others on borrowed time.
Hong Kong suspends transit flights from most of the world due to COVID-19
While Hong Kong managed to keep the coronavirus at bay for much of 2021, a surge of the highly contagious Omicron variant brought the former British colony to its knees in February, swamping its world-class medical system as cases ripped through the densely packed city.
Hong Kong has recorded more than 1.1 million infections and 8,963 deaths.
Source: usnews
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Amid growing anxiety among several European countries participating in NATO over Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated he looks forward to sitting down with Trump.
Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.
On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.
Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.
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