
'Even prisoners get fresh air': Inside Australia's 'lucky dip' hotel quarantine system
CNN
On top of high airplane fares, Australians trying to return home during Covid restrictions must pay $2,330 to cover the cost of their hotel quarantine. But what they get for their money can vary hugely.
Sydney (CNN) — When my plane finally touched down in Sydney, I was overwhelmed by a sense of disbelief. After learning two of my family members had become seriously ill, I spent over six months planning what seemed like an impossible journey from Europe home to Australia. A series of flight cancellations and hours spent reading horror stories from stranded citizens abroad who had lost jobs, visas and homes while waiting for a flight had left me convinced I would never make it.More Related News

Cuba is going dark under US pressure. How the crisis unfolded and why its troubles are far from over
Almost three months after the US effectively imposed an oil blockade on Cuba that worsened its energy crunch, nearly every aspect of Cuban society has been feeling the strain.

The Department of Homeland Security has been ensnared by a partial government shutdown as Congress did not act to fund the agency by the end of Friday. But nearly all DHS workers will remain on the job — even if many won’t get paid until the lapse ends — and the public probably won’t notice much of a change.











