Canada mandates COVID-19 vaccination for federal employees and all air, rail and cruise travelers
CBSN
The government of Canada announced Friday that it will require COVID-19 vaccination as early as September for all federal employees, as well as all commercial air travelers, passengers on trains traveling between provinces, and cruise ship passengers.
"As the country's largest employer, the Government of Canada is committed to playing a leadership role by further protecting the health and safety of public servants," the government said in a press release announcing the policy, adding that it hopes to enforce the requirements by the end of October at the latest. More than 71% of eligible Canadians are fully vaccinated, and 82% have gotten at least their first shot — a higher rate than the U.S., where 59% of eligible people are fully vaccinated. However, more than 6 million eligible people in Canada are still unvaccinated. Less than 1% of COVID-19 cases in Canada have been among those who have been fully vaccinated, the government said.Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.