Source: The National
Security & Justice
37 Killed in Two Days of Lebanon Exploding Devices
Lebanon’s Health Minister Firass Abiad said 37 people were killed and more than 3,500 wounded in a new toll after hand-held devices used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon, in attacks blamed on Israel.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Investigation Links Bulgarian Firm to Hezbollah Pager Explosions
Preliminary findings have identified the Bulgarian company Norta Global Ltd. in connection with the sale of pagers used by Hezbollah, which later exploded in Lebanon, LBCI channel reported.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Opinion
Lebanon Should Not Be a Puppet Controlled by Hezbollah
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati this week expressed, during a meeting with ambassadors and acting representatives of the UN Security Council’s member states, Lebanon’s readiness to engage in indirect negotiations with Israel to achieve a ceasefire and end the ongoing war in the south of the country between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, amid escalating exchanges of fire and Israeli threats to expand the conflict.
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Why Riad Salameh's Arrest Is a Test for Lebanon's Judiciary
The arrest of former Central Bank of Lebanon chief Riad Salameh last week has triggered a slew of speculation both within and beyond Lebanon's borders.
Monday, September 9, 2024
Sports
Man City's Hearing for 115 Charges Begins
The hearing into Manchester City's 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules begins on Monday.
Monday, September 16, 2024
Piastri Wins as Norris Gains on Verstappen in Azerbaijan
Lando Norris drove an extraordinary race to catch and pass title rival Max Verstappen as his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri won an engrossing Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Sunday, September 15, 2024
Saturday 17 July 2021 12:07:00
Bali to Offer Travellers Vaccines in Bid to Boost Tourism
Famed for its volcanic mountains, Instagram-worthy beaches and rice terraces, the resort island of Bali in Indonesia is keen to boost tourism by offering Covid-19 vaccinations to travellers.
The South-East Asian nation’s government said that vaccines would be available to both domestic and international tourists.
Plans include free access to AstraZeneca and Sinovac for domestic travellers, and paid access to Sinopharm and other jabs for foreign travellers, reported the Financial Times.
The initiative was announced by Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and the Cultural Economy.
No launch date has been set for the plan which remains subject to approval by President Joko Widodo.
The global pandemic has devastated the economy of Bali, which relies heavily on tourism.
The paradisiacal island surrounded by the Java Sea has been a prime holiday destination for decades thanks to its stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and thriving coral reefs and seas.
Bali to Delay Reopening Plans
Plans to reopen the island to international holidaymakers are also set to be delayed.
"We were targeting end of July, beginning of August, but we just have to be mindful of where we are in this recent spike [in coronavirus cases]," Uno told Reuters.
Case numbers have surged across Indonesia in recent weeks, including in Bali.
Uno told journalists he wanted Bali's daily coronavirus infections to drop to 30 or 40 per day before reopening the country to visitors.
Domestic travellers can continue to visit Bali from across the country, but they must now have a negative PCR test before entering the island.
Visa-free travel to international visitors is suspended and only those with pre-approved visas who are willing to quarantine for five days in Jakarta can enter as a tourist.
Bali also has plans to attract more digital nomads to the island with a five-year visa and zero tax on earnings from overseas initiatives, according to Reuters.
More than six million travellers visited the island in 2019. In 2020, the island welcomed around 1 million tourists before the Covid-19 pandemic halted visits.
