State of emergency declared for Ottawa trucker protest
The mayor of Ottawa declared a state of emergency after a convoy of truckers shut down the city center on Feb. 6. The convoy, called the “Freedom Convoy” by protesters, is in response to a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for truckers in Canada, according to NBC News. The protest has become about more than just the virus, howeverNow flags and banners with messages that are critical of Justin Trudeau’s government and even U.S. President Joe Biden. The protests had effectively shut down the city and the Ottawa police service said that since Feb. 6, 60 criminal investigations have been opened for participants of the protest. The investigations are for alleged hate crimes, thefts and property damage. Trudeau has condemned the protests as coming from a “small fringe minority.”
Australia plans to open borders to vaccinated travelers
Australia will open its borders to travelers this month who have received the full dosage of a vaccine. The decision will be the first time that the country has opened its borders to the general vaccinated public since March 2020, according to NBC News. Australia made headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic for having strict mask mandates and travel restrictions. Most notably, Australia deported tennis star Novak Djokovic who was unvaccinated on Jan. 14. Australia relaxed travel restrictions for New Zealand, a country in close proximity to Australia. The recent decision will include every country in the world and is considered a full-scale reopening of the country for vaccinated people and the Australian tourism industry, which has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
15-year-old Olympic Russian skater test positive for prohibited drug
Kamila Valieva, a Russian Olympic Committee team figure skater, made history at the free skate event on Feb. 7. The 15-year-old skater is the first woman to land a quadruple jump–a jump known for its difficulty–at an Olympic event. This victory was short-lived, after her victory it was discovered that Valieva was doping on command of her coach. The 2022 Bejing Winter Olympics marked her debut on the stage, one that brought high expectations for the young skater, according to NBC News. On her third attempt, Valieva tripped and fell, marking the first time she had fallen all season. Regardless of the trip, Valieva finished in first place, earning the ROC gold. The U.S. earned silver and Japan earned bronze. The gold for the ROC comes from Valieva’s first place contribution and men’s team skater Mark Kondratuik, who placed second in the previous free skate event. According to the New York Times, “The skater, Kamila Valieva, was cleared to continue competing in the Games by a panel of arbitrators even though a drug found in her system, trimetazidine, is on the list of drugs banned by global antidoping officials.” An investigation is still pending into whether the positive test was a mistake and what measures will be taken moving forward.
