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Cuba reopens borders to international tourism as threat of protests looms

Cuba reopened schools and its borders to international tourism on Monday as opposition groups urged supporters to protest for greater political freedoms, setting up a tense showdown between the government and its critics on the Caribbean island. Dissidents have for months called on social media for a "Civic March for Change" following street protests in July, the largest on the island in decades. Cuba's communist government has banned Monday's planned demonstrations, saying they are part of a destabilization campaign by the United States, which maintains a Cold War-era embargo on Cuba. U.S. officials have denied that. Residents across the island reported no major rallies as of midday local time, but dissidents continued calls on social media to launch protests at 3 p.m. (2000 GMT) in 10 cities across Cuba, from the capital Havana to Pinar del Rio and Guantanamo. In Havana there was a notable increase of plain-clothed and uniformed police, though streets appeared quieter than normal as some parents kept their kids home. "I decided to keep my 6-year-old home from his first day at school because I was worried that something might happen," state worker Jennifer Puyol Vendesia said. Demonstrations planned on Sunday by a Facebook group called Archipielago, which has led the call for protests, fizzled out. Government supporters on Sunday surrounded the home in Havana of Yunior Garcia, a playwright and Archipielago leader. That prevented him from marching alone, as he had planned, to draw support for peaceful marches. Neither Garcia nor his wife answered their phones on Monday. Garcia's neighborhood was quiet, and his building was still draped with Cuban flags that government supporters had hung from the rooftop the day before, according to a Reuters witness. Garcia and others had asked Cubans to clap in support of their movement Sunday afternoon, and to bang pots in the evening, but residents of Havana and several provincial cities said their neighborhoods remained quiet. Dissidents are again calling on Cubans to bang pots on Monday at 8 p.m. The timing of the protests - the same day tourism and schools are set to reopen following the pandemic - touched a nerve with the government. State security and groups of pro-government supporters staked out the homes of high-profile dissidents from early Monday, according to rights groups and reports on social media. On Monday morning, Saily Gonzalez, another Archipielago leaders, posted on Facebook a video that appeared to show government supporters gathering outside her Santa Clara home. In the video, the group, some dressed in red in support of the government, called her a traitor and warned her against marching. Gonzalez yelled back, telling them she would march despite their threats. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday condemned "intimidation tactics" by Cuba's government ahead of the planned march and vowed Washington would seek "accountability" for the crackdown. "We call on the Cuban government to respect Cubans' rights, by allowing them to peacefully assemble... and by keeping Internet and telecommunication lines open," Blinken said in the statement. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez responded on Twitter, telling the United States to stay out of Cuban affairs. Eunice Pulles, dressed in a white shirt on a Havana street to show her support for the dissident movement, said she thought most would be too intimidated by police and government supporters to join her in protest. "There will be no protests because the people are scared that we will be repressed," she said.

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Indian Railways introduces new MEMU trains between Ujjain and Indore; Check timings, halts & other details

These train services will run on a daily basis on the newly gauge converted as well as the electrified railway section between Ujjain - Fatehabad Chandrawatiganj. Ujjain-Indore MEMU Train service: From now, travelling between Ujjain and Indore in Madhya Pradesh will get a lot easier for regular commuters. Indian Railways recently introduced new MEMU trains between the cities of Ujjain and Indore via Fatehabad Chandrawatiganj. These train services will run on a daily basis on the newly gauge converted as well as the electrified railway section between Ujjain – Fatehabad Chandrawatiganj. The train was flagged off by PM Modi and made its inaugural run on 15 November 2021. The train is commencing regular services with effect from 16 November 2021. Here is the full schedule of Ujjain – Indore MEMU Trains along with their halts, timings & other details: From 16 November 2021, Train Number 09351 Ujjain – Indore Unreserved (Daily) MEMU service will depart from Ujjain railway station at 6:20 AM and it will reach Indore railway station the same day 7:55 AM. Similarly, Train Number 09352 Indore – Ujjain Unreserved (Daily) MEMU service will depart from Indore railway station at 8:05 AM ad it will reach Ujjain the same day at 9:40 AM. Train Number 09353 Ujjain – Indore Unreserved (Daily) MEMU will depart from Ujjain railway station at 4:00 PM and will reach Indore the same day at 5:40 PM. Similarly, Train Number 09354 Indore – Ujjain Unreserved (Daily) MEMU service will depart from Indore railway station at 11:10 AM and will reach Ujjain the same day at 12:45 PM. These Ujjain – Indore MEMU Train services, in both directions, will halt at Chintaman Ganesh, Lekoda, Fatehabad Chandrawatiganj, Ajnod, Palia, Balauda Takun, and Laxmibai Nagar railway stations. Besides flagging off of MEMU services, the Prime Minister also inaugurated Gauge Converted as well as Electrified Ujjain – Fatehabad Chandrawatiganj section, Third line in Bhopal – Barkhera stretch, Gauge Converted and Electrified Mathela – Nimar Kheri section and Electrified Guna – Gwalior section.

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Philippines: India, Oman, Pakistan, and Japan added to the ‘Green List’

The Philippines has recently updated its list of ‘red, green, and yellow’ countries. As per the reports, the Philippines’ Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) announced that now around 45 new countries have been added to the ‘green’ list, which means no facility-based quarantine will be required for travellers arriving from these countries. India has also been added in the updated green list now. However, reports have it that passengers will be required to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day. Further, as per the authorities, any other territory or country that has not been mentioned under the green list, will now be listed under the yellow list. Reportedly, Latvia is the only country which has still been placed under the Philippines’ red list. Countries that have been newly placed on the green list are India, Oman, Pakistan, and Japan. Further, other countries that are included in the green list are Bhutan, American Samoa, Chad, China (Mainland), Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Comoros, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The IATF has also approved recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs for the national COVID-19 vaccination certificates of India, Australia, Georgia, Czech Republic, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Turkey, and Samoa to be accepted or recognized for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols, as well as for inter zonal/intrazonal movement.

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US declares India safe for its citizens

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a 'Level One' Covid-19 notice for Americans travelling to India, saying the risk of contracting the infection and developing severe symptoms may be lower if one is fully vaccinated. The travel health notice has also been issued for Pakistan. However, the US State Department issued level two and three travel advisories for India and Pakistan, saying while citizens are urged to reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and sectarian violence, those going to India must exercise increased caution due to crime and terrorism. The CDC in its health travel notice 'Level One' said, "Your risk of contracting Covid-19 and developing severe symptoms may be lower if you are fully vaccinated with an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) authorised vaccine." In its advisory for India, the State Department urged US citizens not to travel to Jammu and Kashmir due to terrorism and civil unrest, and also within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border due to the potential for armed conflict. "Indian authorities report rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crimes, such as sexual assault, has occurred at tourist sites and in other locations," it said. The department in its advisory for Pakistan urged US citizens not to travel to Balochistan province and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, including the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), due to terrorism and kidnapping, and also in the immediate vicinity of the Line of Control due to terrorism and the potential for armed conflict. "Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Pakistan. A local history of terrorism and ongoing ideological aspirations of violence by extremist elements have led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian as well as local military and police targets," it said. "Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, military installations, airports, universities, tourist locations, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and government facilities," it said. Terrorists have targetted US diplomats and diplomatic facilities in the past, the advisory on Pakistan said.

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Indian remains largest tourist source market for Maldives so far this year too

Despite the deadly second wave that saw travel restrictions imposed on visitors from India for months, India has remained the top tourist source market for the Maldives this year. According to the Maldives tourism ministry, Indians accounted for 23% oftourist arrivals in the Maldives with 2.1 lakh visitors as of October 13, 2021. At 1.8 lakh, visitors from Russia (19 %) were the second largest nationality of inbound tourists for Maldives. Ever since Maldives opened up for international tourists last summer, Indians have been flocking there in large numbers. During the deadly second wave, Maldives like many other countries had imposed restrictions on travellers from India. But with the second wave waning and those restrictions beginning to be lifted, Indians have started travelling again.

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Telangana Village Selected As One Of 'Best Tourism Villages' By UN

Telangana's Pochampally village was selected as one of the best tourism villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on Tuesday. The prestigious award will be given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on December 2, 2021, in Madrid, Spain. The Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy congratulated the people of the village and said, "Pochampally's unique weaving styles and patterns received special focus through Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra of 'Vocal for Local' as a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat." "On behalf of the people of Pochampally in particular and the people of Telangana, I am grateful that this award has been bestowed on the village of Pochampally. I am also grateful to the ministry officials for presenting the case for Pochampally and other entries effectively," added the minister. The 'Best Tourism Villages' by UNWTO pilot initiative aims to award those villages which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase good practices in line with its specified nine evaluation areas. It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement. The Ministry of Tourism recommended three villages for the UNWTO Best Tourism Village entry from India. These were Kongthong in Meghalaya, Ladhpura Khas in Madhya Pradesh, and Pochampally in Telangana. Pochampally was awarded by the UNWTO. Pochampally, 50 Kms from Hyderabad, is a town in Nalgonda district of Telangana and is often referred to as the 'Silk City of India' for the exquisite sarees that are woven through a unique style called Ikat. This style, Pochampally Ikat, received a Geographical Indicator (GI Status) in 2004.

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