MANILA: The Philippines will relax travel curbs on foreigners coming from more than 30 countries that have detected cases of the more contagious British variant of the coronavirus starting from next month, the presidential spokesman said on Friday.
The move covers foreigners previously allowed to enter the Philippines, including those holding work visas and spouses of Filipinos, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement, adding that tourists would remain banned.
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte last year barred foreigners coming or transiting from countries with confirmed cases of the British coronavirus variant.
The list, which includes the United States, China, Japan and Australia, has expanded to more than 30 countries, and the ban is due to be in effect until the end of January.
The Philippines this week confirmed domestic transmission of the British variant, which has infected 17 so far, including a dozen in a mountainous northern province.
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Philippines to relax ban on visitors from countries with UK COVID-19 variant
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Philippines to relax ban on visitors from countries with UK COVID-19 variant
- The Philippines this week confirmed domestic transmission of the British variant
Trump says US seized ‘very large’ tanker near Venezuela
- Donald Trump: ‘We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually’
- Trump: ‘And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people’
WASHINGTON: The United States has seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, further escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump said at the start of a roundtable with business leaders at the White House.
“And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”
Trump did not immediately give further details on the incident.
His announcement came a day before Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was set to address the world from Oslo after coming out of hiding.
Trump’s administration has piled pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, deploying a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The United States has also carried out deadly strikes on more than 20 alleged drug boats in the region, killing at least 87 people.
Washington has accused Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” which it declared a terrorist organization last month.
Trump told Politico on Monday that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.
Maduro says the US is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 soldiers on Saturday after Maduro called for stepped-up military recruitment.
“We’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large — the largest one ever seized, actually,” Trump said at the start of a roundtable with business leaders at the White House.
“And other things are happening, so you’ll be seeing that later and you’ll be talking about that later with some other people.”
Trump did not immediately give further details on the incident.
His announcement came a day before Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was set to address the world from Oslo after coming out of hiding.
Trump’s administration has piled pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, deploying a fleet of warships and the world’s largest aircraft under the pretext of combating drug trafficking.
The United States has also carried out deadly strikes on more than 20 alleged drug boats in the region, killing at least 87 people.
Washington has accused Maduro of leading the alleged “Cartel of the Suns,” which it declared a terrorist organization last month.
Trump told Politico on Monday that Maduro’s “days are numbered” and declined to rule out a US ground invasion against Venezuela.
Maduro says the US is bent on regime change and wants to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.
The Venezuelan army swore in 5,600 soldiers on Saturday after Maduro called for stepped-up military recruitment.
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