U.S. adds about 100 countries to its Do Not Travel advisory list Reuters 2 hrs ago
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has added about 100 countries this week to its Level Four: Do Not Travel advisory list, putting the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Mexico, Germany and others on the list, citing a very high level of COVID-19.
On Monday, the State Department said it would boost the number of countries receiving its highest advisory rating to about 80% of countries worldwide.
Before Tuesday, the State Department listed 34 out of about 200 countries as Do Not Travel. The State Department now lists about 131 countries at Level Four. The State Department declined to say when it would complete the updates.
U.S. will boost Do Not Travel advisories to 80% of world Reuters 4/19/2021
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Monday it will boost its Do Not Travel guidance to about 80% of countries worldwide, citing unprecedented risk to travelers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State Department already listed 34 out of about 200 countries as Level 4: Do Not Travel, including places like Chad, Kosovo, Kenya, Brazil, Argentina, Haiti, Mozambique, Russia and Tanzania. This update will result in a significant increase in the number of countries at Level 4: Do Not Travel, to approximately 80% of countries worldwide, the department said in a statement.
TSA workers now have authority to enforce mask mandates at airport security checkpoints
Nope.
That’s the message that Transportation Security Administration workers are now authorized to enforce against anyone trying to fly without a mask.
Backing up the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mask mandate issued Saturday for all public transit – planes, trains and buses – the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Sunday gave enforcement authority to TSA employees “at TSA screening checkpoints and throughout the commercial and public transportation system,” read a Determination of a National Emergency signed by the department’s acting secretary, David Pekoske.
Airlines and airports say they are stepping up security before next week’s presidential inauguration, with Delta, United and Alaska saying they will prohibit passengers flying to the Washington area from putting guns in checked bags.