Acknowledging
US eases China travel warning, citing virus progress
The United States on Monday eased its warning against travel to China, acknowledging that the nation had made progress against Covid-19 despite frequent US criticism of its pandemic role. The State Department still urges Americans to reconsider travel to China, but it upgraded its advice from a blanket warning not to go to the country. The People’s Republic of China “has resumed most business operations (including day cares and schools),” the State Department said. “Other improved conditions have been reported within the PRC,” it said. The State Department separately still cautioned US citizens about the risk of arbitrary arrest in China, including in Hong Kong as Beijing enforces a tough new security law. The updated travel advice comes a week after China declared victory over the virus a...
Apple announces September 15 date for online iPhone 12 reveal event
Despite acknowledging that this year’s iPhone launches will be delayed by a few weeks relative to their traditional late September street dates, Apple isn’t stopping the hype train from leaving the station this month. The company announced today that a media event will indeed take place on September 15, roughly a week after its typical iPhone and Apple Watch debuts, setting the stage for new devices to arrive in October. Like the company’s WWDC20 developers’ conference, this event will be virtual rather than in-person, and livestreamed online for immediate viewing across the globe. The stream will start at 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern) on Apple.com for viewing through browsers, as well as the TV apps on iOS, iPadOS, and tvOS devices. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 12 fami...
Yoruba monarchs warn Nigerians to stop making inflammatory comments
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Akanbi, yesterday, cautioned Nigerians against making inflammatory statements that could ignite ethnoreligious crisis in the country. The monarchs gave the warning during the visit of Oba Akanbi to the Alaafin’s palace, in Oyo. Asking those stoking ethno-religious crises to have a retrospective look at the past, the monarchs advised that anything that could fan the embers of discord should be avoided. They said: “Nigerians must exercise restraints; they must bear in mind Nigeria’s long history of ethno-religious conflicts, as people use this type of deep-seated animosity in their speech precisely because of the culture of impunity which reigns in the country.” “What is more, hate speech is an agent provocateur ...