Australia will begin to reopen its borders in November, 18 months after citizens were banned from travelling overseas without permission.
The country's prime minister, Scott Morrison, on Friday said vaccinated Australians would be able to return home and travel overseas "within weeks" as 80 per cent vaccination targets are met.
An estimated 30,000 expatriate Australians have been separated from their families since borders closed on March 20 last year and many more waited months to gain entry under strict border restrictions.
Foreign residents were also trapped in Australia, knowing they were unlikely to regain entry if they left the country. More than 100,000 requests to enter or leave the country were denied in the first five months of 2021 alone, according to Department of Home Affairs data.
"The time has come to give Australians their life back. We're getting ready for that, and Australia will be ready for take-off, very soon," Mr Morrison said.
He also announced that vaccinated residents would be able to home quarantine for seven days on their return, avoiding the current mandatory and costly 14-day hotel quarantine.
The exact timing of the border reopenings will depend on when Australian states reach their 80 per cent vaccination targets and, crucially, on local political approval.
The most populous state, New South Wales, currently has 64 per cent of those aged over 16 fully vaccinated and has indicated it will hit 70 per cent and 80 per cent targets this month.
But most Australian states – most notably West Australia and Queensland – still have no widespread community transmission while pursuing a strategy of "Covid-zero" and are closed to other parts of the country.
Friday's announcements could mean that within a month it will be easier for those in Sydney or Melbourne to travel to London or New York than to go to Perth or Brisbane.
Australian national airline Qantas welcomed the decision, announcing it would restart flights to London and Los Angeles on November 14.
"We welcome the federal government's decision and the work by the New South Wales government to facilitate the home quarantine approach that makes this feasible," Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said. "We look forward to other states and territories getting on board."
Expatriates and foreign residents gave the news a cautious welcome on social media forums. But experts say many Australians will be cautious about booking travel for fear of snap lockdowns or other disruptions.
Australia has been a fortress nation with the drawbridge pulled up to the rest of the world
Tim Soutphommasane,
academic
And the effects of this extraordinary period in the country's history could be felt for years to come.
"Australia has been a fortress nation with the drawbridge pulled up to the rest of the world," Tim Soutphommasane, an academic and former Australian race discrimination commissioner, told AFP.
"What we're seeing now with this announcement of borders being reopened is akin to Australia re-entering the world, and it's long overdue," he said.
A Lowy Institute poll in May showed that a plurality of Australians backed the tough border measures, with 41 per cent of those in support.
Only 18 per cent said fellow citizens should be free to leave.
Australia has registered 107,128 cases of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, and 1,309 deaths. On Thursday the country recorded its highest number of new cases per day, with 2,400.
A Delta variant-fuelled outbreak that has locked down the major cities, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, for weeks has divided state and territory leaders.
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
AIR
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Shubh Mangal Saavdhan
Directed by: RS Prasanna
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
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