The Prime Minister of India is all set to embark on a five-day visit to the United States in a few hours. These five days will be packed with multiple engagements, meetings, summit, and an address to the United Nations general assembly.

WION-USA Direct: Ahead of Quad summit, Biden to host PM Modi for a bilateral

An unconventional yet cryptic advertisement drew the attention of thousands who were thronging to the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina’s Charlotte city, US, to witness a football game.

“Don’t get vaccinated,” read the digital billboards on a black truck’s side and rear panels.

Below the message on the billboard was the name and website of Wilmore Funeral Home. However, the advertisement contained a hidden message.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-cases-in-us-16-times-too-high-to-end-pandemic-says-fauci-412124">Covid cases in US 16 times too high to end pandemic, says Fauci</a>

While visiting the website, people found that the funeral home mentioned on the truck did not exist and were instead greeted with this message: “Get vaccinated now. If not, see you soon.”

The whole idea was the brainchild of an advertising firm, BooneOakley, who decided to tackle the vaccine hesitancy and scepticism among the Americans with a novel approach.

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It was us. Get vaccinated. <a href="https://t.co/WFQ1h6sLwn">pic.twitter.com/WFQ1h6sLwn</a>
— BooneOakley (@booneoakley) <a href="https://twitter.com/booneoakley/status/1440308729413464064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Charlotte city has less than half its population is fully vaccinated. The ad agency director, David Oakley, said he needed something “out of the box” to persuade the people to get vaccinated.

“I just feel like conventional advertising is not working. Like, just regular messages that say 'Get the Shot' or 'Go Get Vaccinated' ... they just kind of blend in with everything else,” Oakley told CNN.

“We wanted to do something that saw it from a different perspective and kind of shocks people into thinking, ‘Holy moly, man’.”

“I believe even if just one person gets vaccinated because of that billboard, I give it a grand success. Just one person, it will be worth it to me,” Oakley added.

The advertisement received wide applause from the netizens in the US, with a Twitter user calling it “God-tier marketing”.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/CorpEccentric?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CorpEccentric</a> this is some God-tier marketing. Look at the website <a href="https://t.co/XhUI9Ia7X0">https://t.co/XhUI9Ia7X0</a>. <a href="https://t.co/qRkMbYmiLF">https://t.co/qRkMbYmiLF</a>
— Christopher J. Nurse (@ChrisJNurse) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisJNurse/status/1439726966752567296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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“Brilliant!,” one woman, Imelda March, wrote, while another said: “Nicely done, y’all.

(With inputs from agencies)

An unconventional yet cryptic advertisement drew the attention of thousands who were thronging to the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina’s Charlotte city, US, to witness a football game.

An unconventional yet cryptic advertisement drew the attention of thousands who were thronging to the Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina’s Charlotte city, US, to witness a football game. “Don’t get vaccinated,” read the digital billboards on a black truck’s side and rear panels. Below the message on the billboard was the name and website of Wilmore Funeral Home. However, the advertisement contained a hidden message. Also read | Covid cases in US 16 times too high to end pandemic, says Fauci While visiting the website, people found that the funeral home mentioned on the truck did not exist and were instead greeted with this message: “Get vaccinated now. If not, see you soon.” The whole idea was the brainchild of an advertising firm, BooneOakley, who decided to tackle the vaccine hesitancy and scepticism among the Americans with a novel approach. It was us. Get vaccinated. pic.twitter.com/WFQ1h6sLwn — BooneOakley (@booneoakley) September 21, 2021 × Charlotte city has less than half its population is fully vaccinated. The ad agency director, David Oakley, said he needed something “out of the box” to persuade the people to get vaccinated. “I just feel like conventional advertising is not working. Like, just regular messages that say 'Get the Shot' or 'Go Get Vaccinated' ... they just kind of blend in with everything else,” Oakley told CNN. “We wanted to do something that saw it from a different perspective and kind of shocks people into thinking, ‘Holy moly, man’.” “I believe even if just one person gets vaccinated because of that billboard, I give it a grand success. Just one person, it will be worth it to me,” Oakley added. The advertisement received wide applause from the netizens in the US, with a Twitter user calling it “God-tier marketing”. @CorpEccentric this is some God-tier marketing. Look at the website https://t.co/XhUI9Ia7X0. https://t.co/qRkMbYmiLF — Christopher J. Nurse (@ChrisJNurse) September 19, 2021 × “Brilliant!,” one woman, Imelda March, wrote, while another said: “Nicely done, y’all. (With inputs from agencies)

'Don’t get vaccinated': Ad agency comes up with cryptic message to boost vaccination in US city

In a break from over a decade-long practice, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to make a stopover at Frankfurt en-route to US. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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A brief stopover at Frankfurt. <a href="http://t.co/0FXquqfS89">pic.twitter.com/0FXquqfS89</a>
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia/status/648775161584287744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2015</a></blockquote>
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The prime minister's plane, Air India One, will not have to make the stopover in Frankfurt, as was the case in the past due to the advanced aircrafts. The Indian leader is reaching the US for the Quad summit in Washington and United Nations General Assembly address in New York. &nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;

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Air India One, the VVIP aircrafts used for ferrying president, vice president and PMs arrived from the US last year in October. The state-of-the-art aircrafts were bought at the cost over Rs 4,500 crore. The aircrafts have the capacity to fly long distances without making the refueling stopover, which was the practice in the past. &nbsp;

His plane left Delhi on Wednesday and used Pakistani airspace in its journey. Earlier, Pakistani PM Khan used airspace over Indian exclusive economic zone when he was on a visit to Sri Lanka. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/look-forward-to-working-with-nepals-new-foreign-minister-narayan-khadka-jaishankar-414942" hreflang="en">Look forward to working with Nepal’s new Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka: Jaishankar</a>

This is the second time, new Air India One is ferrying PM Modi. The first trip in the aircraft was to Bangladesh in March this year, which was a visit for a short duration of time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In the past, regularly, Indian PMs’ planes have made stopover in Frankfurt, Germany. PM Modi's last visit to US was in 2019, remembered majorly because of the mega diaspora event, Howdy Modi in Houston. During that visit as well, PM Modi's plane had made a stopover in Frankfurt. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/india-kashmirs-pulwama-to-get-its-first-astroturf-hockey-stadium-414938" hreflang="en">India: Kashmir's Pulwama to get its first astroturf hockey stadium</a>&nbsp;

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's plane had also made regular stopovers in Frankfurt, which provided much needed break from the long journey. It takes over 12 hours to reach the United States. &nbsp;

In a break from over a decade-long practice, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to make a stopover at Frankfurt en-route to US. A brief stopover at Frankfurt.

In a break from over a decade-long practice, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not going to make a stopover at Frankfurt en-route to US. A brief stopover at Frankfurt. pic.twitter.com/0FXquqfS89 — PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 29, 2015 × The prime minister's plane, Air India One, will not have to make the stopover in Frankfurt, as was the case in the past due to the advanced aircrafts. The Indian leader is reaching the US for the Quad summit in Washington and United Nations General Assembly address in New York. Watch: × Air India One, the VVIP aircrafts used for ferrying president, vice president and PMs arrived from the US last year in October. The state-of-the-art aircrafts were bought at the cost over Rs 4,500 crore. The aircrafts have the capacity to fly long distances without making the refueling stopover, which was the practice in the past. His plane left Delhi on Wednesday and used Pakistani airspace in its journey. Earlier, Pakistani PM Khan used airspace over Indian exclusive economic zone when he was on a visit to Sri Lanka. Also Read | Look forward to working with Nepal’s new Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka: Jaishankar This is the second time, new Air India One is ferrying PM Modi. The first trip in the aircraft was to Bangladesh in March this year, which was a visit for a short duration of time. In the past, regularly, Indian PMs’ planes have made stopover in Frankfurt, Germany. PM Modi's last visit to US was in 2019, remembered majorly because of the mega diaspora event, Howdy Modi in Houston. During that visit as well, PM Modi's plane had made a stopover in Frankfurt. Also Read | India: Kashmir's Pulwama to get its first astroturf hockey stadium Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's plane had also made regular stopovers in Frankfurt, which provided much needed break from the long journey. It takes over 12 hours to reach the United States.

Indian PM Narendra Modi's flight to US skips Frankfurt stopover, courtesy advanced aircraft  

"We are going to have to work that through," said Biden, standing next to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in answer to a question about a free trade agreement that Britain is pushing hard for.

No commitment on US-UK free trade agreement says US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their first in-person bilateral meeting at the White House on September 24. WION brings you a quick recap of the friendship that the two leaders share.

The Modi-Biden Friendship: Biden will host Modi at the White House on September 24

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for a visit to the United States on Wednesday. During his trip from September 22-25, PM Modi will be meeting US President Joe Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and Japanese Premier Yoshihide Suga.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his US visit

US President Joe Biden refrained from making any commitment to a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, only saying the issue was under discussion while receiving the British premier at the White House.

US President Joe Biden non-committal on US-UK free trade deal

Even as US president Joe Biden says he is not seeking a new cold war at UN General Assembly 2021, a majority of Europeans think it is already underway between the US and its main rivals, China and Russia, a report said. Some Europeans also view their own country as a direct participant to the conflict. &nbsp;

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A study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) made the revelation after conducting poll in 12 member states. However, more Europeans believe the EU leadership in Brussels was a party too. &nbsp;

In the survey, 62% respondents believed a new cold war is happening between the US and China, and 59% saw the same occurring between the US and Russia. Around 15% Europeans felt their own country was in a new cold war with China, rising to 25% with Russia.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/changing-a-lot-of-nappies-uk-pm-boris-johnson-admits-he-has-6-children-414871" hreflang="en">'Changing a lot of nappies': UK PM Boris Johnson admits he has 6 children</a>

Around 31% Europeans felt the EU was now in a conflict with China, while 35% said that it was not the case. Around 44% said they thought the EU was in a new cold war with Russia. &nbsp;

The polling data suggests there was a clear danger of a gap between European public opinion and that in the US, said the authors of the report.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germanys-far-right-is-nowhere-in-the-election-but-its-here-to-stay-414856" hreflang="en">Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’</a>&nbsp;

The responses also show a 'disconnect' between the EU and its member states, the report said.&nbsp;In the event of escalating tensions with China or Russia, it could undermine an effective response from Europe. &nbsp;

Mark Leonard, ECFR director and co-author of the study, said, “The European public thinks there is a new cold war but they don’t want to have anything to do with it. Our polling reveals that a ‘cold war’ framing risks alienating European voters.” &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Even as US president Joe Biden says he is not seeking a new cold war at UN General Assembly 2021, a majority of Europeans think it is already underway between the US and its main rivals, China and Russia, a report said.

Even as US president Joe Biden says he is not seeking a new cold war at UN General Assembly 2021, a majority of Europeans think it is already underway between the US and its main rivals, China and Russia, a report said. Some Europeans also view their own country as a direct participant to the conflict. Watch: × A study by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) made the revelation after conducting poll in 12 member states. However, more Europeans believe the EU leadership in Brussels was a party too. In the survey, 62% respondents believed a new cold war is happening between the US and China, and 59% saw the same occurring between the US and Russia. Around 15% Europeans felt their own country was in a new cold war with China, rising to 25% with Russia. Also Read | 'Changing a lot of nappies': UK PM Boris Johnson admits he has 6 children Around 31% Europeans felt the EU was now in a conflict with China, while 35% said that it was not the case. Around 44% said they thought the EU was in a new cold war with Russia. The polling data suggests there was a clear danger of a gap between European public opinion and that in the US, said the authors of the report. Also Read: Germany’s far-right is nowhere in the election. But it’s ‘here to stay.’ The responses also show a 'disconnect' between the EU and its member states, the report said. In the event of escalating tensions with China or Russia, it could undermine an effective response from Europe. Mark Leonard, ECFR director and co-author of the study, said, “The European public thinks there is a new cold war but they don’t want to have anything to do with it. Our polling reveals that a ‘cold war’ framing risks alienating European voters.” (With inputs from agencies)

US engaged in new cold war with rivals China and Russia, say most Europeans in poll  

On the sidelines of the UNGA, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held key bilateral meetings with the leaders of various countries.

WION-USA Direct: Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New York

In United States House of Representatives, the democrats prevented a shutdown of the US government by voting to fund the government into early December suspend federal debt limit and provide disaster and refugees setting up high-stakes showdown with Republicans who post the package despite the prospects of a looming fiscal crisis.

United States House passes bill to prevent govt shutdown

UN Chief Antonio Guterres opened the UNGA week with a five-point Sustainable development agenda for 2030.

WION-USA Direct: UNGA President talks about sustainable development goals

The Biden administration will lift travel restrictions starting in November on foreigners who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, reopening the country to thousands of people, including those who have been separated from family in the United States during the pandemic.

The foreign travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative test for the coronavirus within three days before coming to the United States, Jeff Zients, the White House pandemic coordinator, said Monday.

“International travel is critical to connecting families and friends, to fueling small and large businesses, to promoting the open exchange" of ideas and culture, Zients said. “That’s why, with science and public health as our guide, we have developed a new international air travel system that both enhances the safety of Americans here at home and enhances the safety of international air travel.”

The administration has restricted travel for foreigners looking to fly to the United States from a group of European countries, Iran and China for more than a year.

Unvaccinated Americans overseas aiming to travel home will have to clear stricter testing requirements. They will need to test negative for the coronavirus one day before traveling to the United States and show proof that they have bought a test to take after arriving in the United States, Zients said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will also soon issue an order directing airlines to collect phone numbers and email addresses of travelers for a new contact-tracing system. Authorities will then follow up with the travelers after arrival to ask whether they are experiencing symptoms of the virus.

The changes announced Monday only apply to air travel and do not affect restrictions along the land border, Zients said.

The Trump administration began implementing the travel bans against foreign travelers in January 2020 in the hopes of preventing the spread of disease. The effort was largely unsuccessful. The prior administration’s mangled announcements over the restrictions also led to exoduses of American citizens, with packed, chaotic airports that had porous screenings.

President Joe Biden has kept the restrictions against potential travelers from the European Union, Britain, India and others, despite pleas from business leaders in need of profits from tourism, immigrant workers who traveled overseas to renew work visas to work in the United States only to be left stranded and citizens left separated from their romantic partners abroad.

The White House maintained the restrictions were necessary, particularly after the spread of the contagious delta variant this summer fueled a rise of coronavirus cases and undermined the central theme of Biden’s presidency — vaccinating Americans and getting the pandemic under control.

Zients cited the pace of vaccinations administered globally as a reason for the administration’s pivot. The decision also comes on the eve of a visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was expected to press Biden to lift the ban. British officials had hoped the president would announce a relaxation of restrictions when he came to Cornwall, England, in June for the Group of 7 summit and were disappointed when he did not. Their frustration has only deepened since then.

The easing of the travel restrictions also comes as the administration has sought to reduce tensions with another ally in France after the United States kept Paris in the dark as it secretly negotiated an agreement with Australia to build nuclear submarines.

British officials note that the United States had not imposed a similar ban on people from Caribbean nations, which had a higher rate of infection than Britain, or from Argentina, which had lower percentage of its population vaccinated. About 82% of people in Britain older than 16 have had two shots.

Britain and several European Union countries allow fully vaccinated people from the United States to travel without quarantining, and officials there were annoyed when the United States did not reciprocate.

The ban, European officials point out, has kept families separated since early 2020, as the coronavirus was erupting across Europe. European countries have weathered a third wave of infections propelled by the delta variant. But in several countries, including Britain, infection rates have begun to level off and even decline.

After the announcement, Giovanni Vincenti, 42, an Italian professor who lives in Baltimore, thought about how his grandparents abroad would finally get to meet his daughter, who was born last May.

“I am trying not to cry because it’s such a beautiful day,” Vincenti said. On Monday, Vincenti’s wife, who is a Polish researcher on vaccines, was already on her computer trying to book a flight for her mother.

The Biden administration will lift travel restrictions starting in November on foreigners who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, reopening the country to thousands of people, including those who have been separated from family in the United States during the pandemic.

The Biden administration will lift travel restrictions starting in November on foreigners who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, reopening the country to thousands of people, including those who have been separated from family in the United States during the pandemic. The foreign travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative test for the coronavirus within three days before coming to the United States, Jeff Zients, the White House pandemic coordinator, said Monday. “International travel is critical to connecting families and friends, to fueling small and large businesses, to promoting the open exchange" of ideas and culture, Zients said. “That’s why, with science and public health as our guide, we have developed a new international air travel system that both enhances the safety of Americans here at home and enhances the safety of international air travel.” The administration has restricted travel for foreigners looking to fly to the United States from a group of European countries, Iran and China for more than a year. Unvaccinated Americans overseas aiming to travel home will have to clear stricter testing requirements. They will need to test negative for the coronavirus one day before traveling to the United States and show proof that they have bought a test to take after arriving in the United States, Zients said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will also soon issue an order directing airlines to collect phone numbers and email addresses of travelers for a new contact-tracing system. Authorities will then follow up with the travelers after arrival to ask whether they are experiencing symptoms of the virus. The changes announced Monday only apply to air travel and do not affect restrictions along the land border, Zients said. The Trump administration began implementing the travel bans against foreign travelers in January 2020 in the hopes of preventing the spread of disease. The effort was largely unsuccessful. The prior administration’s mangled announcements over the restrictions also led to exoduses of American citizens, with packed, chaotic airports that had porous screenings. President Joe Biden has kept the restrictions against potential travelers from the European Union, Britain, India and others, despite pleas from business leaders in need of profits from tourism, immigrant workers who traveled overseas to renew work visas to work in the United States only to be left stranded and citizens left separated from their romantic partners abroad. The White House maintained the restrictions were necessary, particularly after the spread of the contagious delta variant this summer fueled a rise of coronavirus cases and undermined the central theme of Biden’s presidency — vaccinating Americans and getting the pandemic under control. Zients cited the pace of vaccinations administered globally as a reason for the administration’s pivot. The decision also comes on the eve of a visit by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was expected to press Biden to lift the ban. British officials had hoped the president would announce a relaxation of restrictions when he came to Cornwall, England, in June for the Group of 7 summit and were disappointed when he did not. Their frustration has only deepened since then. The easing of the travel restrictions also comes as the administration has sought to reduce tensions with another ally in France after the United States kept Paris in the dark as it secretly negotiated an agreement with Australia to build nuclear submarines. British officials note that the United States had not imposed a similar ban on people from Caribbean nations, which had a higher rate of infection than Britain, or from Argentina, which had lower percentage of its population vaccinated. About 82% of people in Britain older than 16 have had two shots. Britain and several European Union countries allow fully vaccinated people from the United States to travel without quarantining, and officials there were annoyed when the United States did not reciprocate. The ban, European officials point out, has kept families separated since early 2020, as the coronavirus was erupting across Europe. European countries have weathered a third wave of infections propelled by the delta variant. But in several countries, including Britain, infection rates have begun to level off and even decline. After the announcement, Giovanni Vincenti, 42, an Italian professor who lives in Baltimore, thought about how his grandparents abroad would finally get to meet his daughter, who was born last May. “I am trying not to cry because it’s such a beautiful day,” Vincenti said. On Monday, Vincenti’s wife, who is a Polish researcher on vaccines, was already on her computer trying to book a flight for her mother.

US to lift restrictions on vaccinated international travelers

The US on Monday briefed India on its new trilateral AUKUS military pact with the UK and Australia to take on the challenges posed by China in the Indo-Pacific, stressing it will not detract from either the bilateral cooperation with New Delhi or multilateral ones like the `Quad’.Watch this report for more details.

United States tells India: AUKUS won't impact QUAD

EU chief Charles Michel accused the United States of a lack of loyalty after Australia canceled a mega-contract with France to buy US nuclear submarines.

EU chief Charles Michel denounces 'lack of loyalty' by US

For Katie Wait, the coronavirus pandemic has been more than just a year and a half of uncertainty. It has also meant months separated from her parents, brother and extended family in Florida.

Birthdays missed. Milestones celebrated apart. Time together lost.

“It’s just been mentally and emotionally the most challenging year, when you really want your family around,” Wait said, suddenly overcome by tears. “It’s been hard.”

So Monday, she was one of many across Europe and the world who rejoiced when the Biden administration announced that an 18-month ban on travel from 33 countries, including Britain, member states of the European Union, Brazil, China, India, Iran and South Africa, would be lifted.

The travel ban had not been a mere inconvenience for Wait and countless others: It crushed jobs and dashed opportunities and put an immovable wall between them and families or partners.

The United States began to implement travel bans at the start of the pandemic in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The bans extended to other nations as outbreaks continued. But they rankled Britain and nations in the European Union, particularly after those countries scrapped quarantine rules earlier this summer and welcomed fully vaccinated travelers from the United States.

When the United States did not immediately reciprocate, officials were annoyed. (As the delta variant spread over the summer, the European Union reversed course and recommended that member states once again restrict travel from the United States.)

As the months wore on, thousands who had been separated from family members and partners gathered online to share their experiences with the hashtag #LoveIsNotTourism to call attention to their plight.

Wait, who had to cancel a trip to catch up with family in March 2020 and has not seen her parents since 2019, found the support there vital. She, her husband and her 9-year-old daughter are British, but Wait’s parents and brother have lived in St. Augustine, Florida, for the past 17 years and are U.S. citizens.

“You never expected that if they went to live in America, you wouldn’t be able to get to them,” she said. “You never think in a million years things like this will happen, that the border would be closed.”

Some people found ways — often expensive or arduous — around the ban, by traveling to a third country to circumvent the rule.

When his ex-wife died in Italy in June 2020, Francesco Sacca, 44, an Italian entrepreneur who lives in Florida, immediately flew back to the country. But he and his children, who are 15 and 17, were caught up in the travel ban.

They managed to fly to Costa Rica, spend two weeks there, and then enter the United States, but in the following months Sacca had to travel repeatedly to Italy for paperwork related to the death. Every time, in order to return to the United States, he had to spend two weeks in Colombia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, at a total expense of 80,000 euros, or $93,000.

But what worried him most was leaving his children alone in Florida.

“Every morning, I think of my 15-year-old who goes to the bus stop alone with her bike in the dark,” he said by telephone from Doha, the capital of Qatar. “All because of this travel ban.”

For most people, such an expensive workaround was not an option.

The search for news of when the ban would be lifted became a daily ritual for some.

“It’s been very hard to not think about it,” Wait said.

Now, with the uncertainty finally over, Wait has booked flights to see her parents in November.

For Lucrezia Tassi, 24, it was not family but professional plans that were put out of reach by the ban. Tassi is an Italian from Caravaggio, a town near the northern city of Bergamo, where some of the most deadly moments of the pandemic’s early days unfolded.

She paused plans to become an au pair for a family in Seattle for more than a year because of the ban. She said the uncertainty had also prevented her from moving on with her life.

“I couldn’t look for a small job or even book a concert ticket because I didn’t know if in one month I would be here,” she said.

Alejandro Gaebelt, a Spanish sales manager who lives in Madrid, said the Biden administration’s decision to change the travel rules was a positive shift but came too late.

Gaebelt’s sister lives in the United States, and he had plans to travel with his wife and two children to visit her this summer, but the ban made their plans impossible.

“We lost out on what was going to be a great family trip,” he said.

Lucia Vidal lost her job after being stuck in Italy because of the travel ban. Vidal, 33, an Italian who had worked as a nanny in Washington for seven years, was home renewing her visa when the Trump administration announced the ban and has been unable to return.

After she was stuck in Italy for more than a year, her employer fired her. She has been unable to return to the United States even to gather her things.

“It’s 10 years of life in America,” she said. “I have always paid taxes, my friends are there. Now that I lost my job I feel lost.”

Elide Vincenti, 30, was unable to begin a job in Miami as she was also back in Italy getting a visa when the ban was announced. She was blocked from visiting her boyfriend in New York for more than a year. Her friends in Miami moved her belongings into a storage unit, but as she did not collect them for months, they were eventually thrown away.

“I don’t have anything anymore,” she said.

For Katie Wait, the coronavirus pandemic has been more than just a year and a half of uncertainty. It has also meant months separated from her parents, brother and extended family in Florida.

For Katie Wait, the coronavirus pandemic has been more than just a year and a half of uncertainty. It has also meant months separated from her parents, brother and extended family in Florida. Birthdays missed. Milestones celebrated apart. Time together lost. “It’s just been mentally and emotionally the most challenging year, when you really want your family around,” Wait said, suddenly overcome by tears. “It’s been hard.” So Monday, she was one of many across Europe and the world who rejoiced when the Biden administration announced that an 18-month ban on travel from 33 countries, including Britain, member states of the European Union, Brazil, China, India, Iran and South Africa, would be lifted. The travel ban had not been a mere inconvenience for Wait and countless others: It crushed jobs and dashed opportunities and put an immovable wall between them and families or partners. The United States began to implement travel bans at the start of the pandemic in an attempt to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The bans extended to other nations as outbreaks continued. But they rankled Britain and nations in the European Union, particularly after those countries scrapped quarantine rules earlier this summer and welcomed fully vaccinated travelers from the United States. When the United States did not immediately reciprocate, officials were annoyed. (As the delta variant spread over the summer, the European Union reversed course and recommended that member states once again restrict travel from the United States.) As the months wore on, thousands who had been separated from family members and partners gathered online to share their experiences with the hashtag #LoveIsNotTourism to call attention to their plight. Wait, who had to cancel a trip to catch up with family in March 2020 and has not seen her parents since 2019, found the support there vital. She, her husband and her 9-year-old daughter are British, but Wait’s parents and brother have lived in St. Augustine, Florida, for the past 17 years and are U.S. citizens. “You never expected that if they went to live in America, you wouldn’t be able to get to them,” she said. “You never think in a million years things like this will happen, that the border would be closed.” Some people found ways — often expensive or arduous — around the ban, by traveling to a third country to circumvent the rule. When his ex-wife died in Italy in June 2020, Francesco Sacca, 44, an Italian entrepreneur who lives in Florida, immediately flew back to the country. But he and his children, who are 15 and 17, were caught up in the travel ban. They managed to fly to Costa Rica, spend two weeks there, and then enter the United States, but in the following months Sacca had to travel repeatedly to Italy for paperwork related to the death. Every time, in order to return to the United States, he had to spend two weeks in Colombia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar, at a total expense of 80,000 euros, or $93,000. But what worried him most was leaving his children alone in Florida. “Every morning, I think of my 15-year-old who goes to the bus stop alone with her bike in the dark,” he said by telephone from Doha, the capital of Qatar. “All because of this travel ban.” For most people, such an expensive workaround was not an option. The search for news of when the ban would be lifted became a daily ritual for some. “It’s been very hard to not think about it,” Wait said. Now, with the uncertainty finally over, Wait has booked flights to see her parents in November. For Lucrezia Tassi, 24, it was not family but professional plans that were put out of reach by the ban. Tassi is an Italian from Caravaggio, a town near the northern city of Bergamo, where some of the most deadly moments of the pandemic’s early days unfolded. She paused plans to become an au pair for a family in Seattle for more than a year because of the ban. She said the uncertainty had also prevented her from moving on with her life. “I couldn’t look for a small job or even book a concert ticket because I didn’t know if in one month I would be here,” she said. Alejandro Gaebelt, a Spanish sales manager who lives in Madrid, said the Biden administration’s decision to change the travel rules was a positive shift but came too late. Gaebelt’s sister lives in the United States, and he had plans to travel with his wife and two children to visit her this summer, but the ban made their plans impossible. “We lost out on what was going to be a great family trip,” he said. Lucia Vidal lost her job after being stuck in Italy because of the travel ban. Vidal, 33, an Italian who had worked as a nanny in Washington for seven years, was home renewing her visa when the Trump administration announced the ban and has been unable to return. After she was stuck in Italy for more than a year, her employer fired her. She has been unable to return to the United States even to gather her things. “It’s 10 years of life in America,” she said. “I have always paid taxes, my friends are there. Now that I lost my job I feel lost.” Elide Vincenti, 30, was unable to begin a job in Miami as she was also back in Italy getting a visa when the ban was announced. She was blocked from visiting her boyfriend in New York for more than a year. Her friends in Miami moved her belongings into a storage unit, but as she did not collect them for months, they were eventually thrown away. “I don’t have anything anymore,” she said.

For families in Europe, US travel ban’s end is a new beginning

US President Joe Biden delivered his first address to the United Nations General Assembly, declaring that the world is at an "inflection point in history" and that the world must act quickly and cooperatively to address the lingering issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and human rights violations. In the midst of rising tensions with China, Biden also stated that the US is “not seeking a new Cold War.”

We are not seeking a new cold war says US President Joe Biden at UNGA

While addressing the 76th UNGA session US President Joe Biden said that countries must work together to face important challenges such as climate change and COVID-19, he said, "even if we have a great disagreement in other areas." Biden said that countries must now address climate change and prepare for the next pandemic, which he predicts will occur.

Countries must work together to face climate change and COVID-19 says Joe Biden at UNGA

While addressing the 76th UNGA session US President Joe Biden emphasised his decision to end America's longest war, in Afghanistan, last month, and set the stage for his administration to shift its focus to intensive diplomacy. He also advocated for the rights of Afghan women and girls.

US President Joe Biden advocates for rights of Afghan women and girls at UNGA

India is trying to determine its place in the new world order. But, if India has to play the role of an influencer on the world stage, it will have to reinvent its approach. For that, India needs to define its allies and adversaries. Palki Sharma brings you a special report from Washington DC.

Gravitas US Edition: Is India ready to define its allies and adversaries?

Washington D.C. has served as the capital of the United States for more than 200 years. It has witnessed countless conflicts & revolutions. The city also features memorials of the most significant figures in history including Mahatma Gandhi. Palki Sharma brings you this ground report.

Gravitas US Edition: WION Ground Report on the story of Washington D.C.

A massive rise in Wuhan Virus deaths. Thousands of migrants amassing at the Texas border. Allies second-guessing his leadership. Joe Biden begins UNGA week as an embattled host. Can he turn it around with a good show in New York? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas US Edition: Embattled Biden set to welcome world leaders

US President Joe Biden used his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly to describe a world where American civic leadership, rather than military power, acts as the driving force to resolve persistent problems like coronavirus, climate change, and cyberwar. WION's Sidhant Sibal & Giles Gibson brings you more on this.

US is back at the international level says Biden while addressing the 76th UNGA session

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The 3,500-year-old Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, which is one of the oldest surviving literary works in history, is to be returned to Iraq by the United States later this week, the UN agency for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) said on Monday.

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The Gilgamesh Tablet, which is made of clay, is priceless. It features inscriptions in Sumerian, a civilisation of ancient Mesopotamia. After the start of the Gulf War in August 1990, the treasure was taken from a museum in Iraq.

In 2007, it was introduced fraudulently into the US art market. In 2014, the artefact was acquired by the craft retail chain, Hobby Lobby, for display at the Museum of the Bible, in Washington DC, which is funded by the family of Hobby Lobby’s owner, as per news reports. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-sex-worker-group-gets-unionised-in-canada-414677" hreflang="en">In a first, sex worker group gets unionised in Canada</a>

In July, the US Department of Justice announced that it was ordering the official handing over of the tablet, as it had entered the US “contrary to federal law”, noting that federal agents had seized the tablet from the museum, in September 2019. &nbsp;&nbsp;

At a ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC on this Thursday, it will now be formally returned to Iraq.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/guinness-certifies-107-year-old-siblings-from-japan-as-worlds-oldest-twins-414652" hreflang="en">Guinness certifies 107-year-old siblings from Japan as world's oldest twins</a>

In a celebratory message, UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, said, “By returning these illegally acquired objects, the authorities here in the United States and in Iraq are allowing the Iraqi people to reconnect with a page in their history. This exceptional restitution is a major victory over those who mutilate heritage and then traffic it to finance violence and terrorism.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The 3,500-year-old Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, which is one of the oldest surviving literary works in history, is to be returned to Iraq by the United States later this week, the UN agency for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) said on Monday.

The 3,500-year-old Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, which is one of the oldest surviving literary works in history, is to be returned to Iraq by the United States later this week, the UN agency for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) said on Monday. Watch: × The Gilgamesh Tablet, which is made of clay, is priceless. It features inscriptions in Sumerian, a civilisation of ancient Mesopotamia. After the start of the Gulf War in August 1990, the treasure was taken from a museum in Iraq. In 2007, it was introduced fraudulently into the US art market. In 2014, the artefact was acquired by the craft retail chain, Hobby Lobby, for display at the Museum of the Bible, in Washington DC, which is funded by the family of Hobby Lobby’s owner, as per news reports. Also Read: In a first, sex worker group gets unionised in Canada In July, the US Department of Justice announced that it was ordering the official handing over of the tablet, as it had entered the US “contrary to federal law”, noting that federal agents had seized the tablet from the museum, in September 2019. At a ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC on this Thursday, it will now be formally returned to Iraq. Also Read: Guinness certifies 107-year-old siblings from Japan as world's oldest twins In a celebratory message, UNESCO’s Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, said, “By returning these illegally acquired objects, the authorities here in the United States and in Iraq are allowing the Iraqi people to reconnect with a page in their history. This exceptional restitution is a major victory over those who mutilate heritage and then traffic it to finance violence and terrorism.” (With inputs from agencies)

Looted ancient Gilgamesh tablet to be returned to Iraq by US this week

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