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WORLD VIEW: Hard Rocker Dies, Boris Johnson’s ‘Partygate,’ Putin’s Next Move, Tonga Aid, More

Jan 21, 2022

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The Rundown

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NEW YORK (AP) — Meat Loaf, the heavyweight rock superstar loved by millions for his “Bat Out of Hell” album and for such theatrical, dark-hearted anthems as “Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” and “I’d Do Anything for…Read More

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LONDON (AP) — For Boris Johnson, facts have always been flexible. The British prime minister’s career is littered with doctored quotes, tall tales, exaggerations and mistruths. When called out, he has generally offered an apologetic shrug or a gu…Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection is asking Ivanka Trump, daughter of former President Donald Trump, to voluntarily cooperate with its investigation. …Read More

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Short of an all-out invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin could take less dramatic action in Ukraine that would vastly complicate a U.S. and allied response. He might carry out what President Joe Biden called a “minor incur…Read More

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The tranquil resort in Tonga sat behind a lagoon and reef break that was perfect for snorkelers and surfers alike. Guests who had never met before would sit together to eat delicious communal meals cooked by owner M…Read More

OTHER TOP STORIES

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A jury of 18 people who appeared mostly white was picked Thursday for the federal trial of three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s…Read More

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The endangered Sumatran orangutan infant at New Orleans’ zoo is being bottle-fed because his mother wasn’t producing enough milk. The still unnamed baby …Read More

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — As he starts his second term as U.N. secretary-general, Antonio Guterres said Thursday the world is worse in many ways than it was five years ago becau…Read More

Deep in the South Pacific, scientists have explored a rare stretch of pristine corals shaped like roses off the coast of Tahiti. The reef is thought to be one of the largest…Read More

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Police Officer Injured in Latest Pandemic Unrest on Guadeloupe

PARIS, Jan 21 (Reuters) – Further civil unrest broke out overnight on Friday in the French overseas territory of Guadeloupe and at least one police officer was injured, the Caribbean island’s prefect said.

Police officers came under attack from gunfire, stones and petrol bombs, the prefect – the chief representative of the central French state – said in a statement.

Guadeloupe and the nearby French island of Martinique have been hit by violent protests over the past few months, due partly to public anger over COVID-19 restrictions.

“The prefect condemns the unspeakable actions and offers its support to the injured person,” the statement said.

A curfew was put in place in Guadeloupe at the end of last year in an effort to curb the sometimes violent protests.

The French government said in November that it was open to discussing autonomy for Guadeloupe if it were in the interest of the people who live there. read more

In Guadeloupe there has been mistrust of the French government’s handling of health crises since the 1970s when many islanders were exposed to toxic pesticides used in banana plantations.

Reporting by Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Mark Heinrich

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Elza Soares: Tributes as Brazilian Samba Legend Dies at 91

Elza Soares, one of the greatest Brazilian singers of all time, has died aged 91 at her home in Rio de Janeiro, her publicist says.

Often called the queen of Brazilian samba, she released more than 30 albums in a career that spanned six decades.

Soares also used her music to campaign against racism and other forms of discrimination.

Her family said she died of natural causes and called her a musical icon who moved people with her voice.

“The beloved and eternal Elza has gone to rest but she will remain in musical history and in our hearts and those of thousands of fans all around the world,” their statement said. “As Elza Soares wanted, she sung until the end.”

Born into poverty in the favelas of Rio De Janeiro in 1930, much of Soares life was scarred by tragedy.

Her father forced her to marry at the age of 12 and within a year she had given birth to her first child.

She had seven children with her first husband, at whose hands she suffered frequent abuse, but the first two were born prematurely and died young.

Her husband died when she was 21 and she later confessed to stealing food to feed her young family.

She later married the Brazilian footballer Garrincha, with whom she had a son who died aged nine. The marriage lasted 17 years and she supported him during his battle with injuries and alcoholism at the end of his career.

But despite her personal hardship, her success as a musician spanned decades and her talent was appreciated by figures including the Queen, whom Soares met during a 1968 visit to Brazil.

The British Embassy in Brazil celebrated the meeting on Twitter, saying Soares had impressed the British monarch with her voice and presence and calling it “a meeting of Queens”.

An outspoken figure, she never forgot the racism she faced performing in bars and saloons during her early career, and has been celebrated for her work championing social and racial justice in Brazil.

“Racism still continues, but we are going to fight it and we will make progress. Racism is a sickness,” she said in an interview last year to mark her 90th birthday.

Her life and achievements have been celebrated by a host of figures across Brazilian society.

Brazil’s former president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said the country had lost not only one of its most potent voices “but also a great woman, who always defended democracy and good causes”.

The former Brazilian footballer Pelé, a teammate of her late husband, called Soares a “legend of our music, historic, genuine, unique and unparalleled. Today she leaves us, but in the heart, she will always be eternal”.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio, said that he will declare “an official 3-day mourning period in Rio for the loss of this great carioca! Woman! Warrior! Elza Live!”

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NIA Announces 2022 Turkey Undergrad & Postgrad Scholarships

The Ministry of Human Resources in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), is pleased to share information regarding the 2022 Turkey Scholarship. This scholarship programme is available to individuals interested in pursuing studies at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral levels.

Kindly note that applicants must be under the age of:

·         Twenty-one (21) for Bachelor’s degree level;

·         Thirty (30) for the Master’s degree level; and

·         Thirty-five (35) for the Doctoral degree level.

The scholarship covers:

·         Turkish language course for one (1) year

·         University and programme placement

·         Accommodation

·         Tuition fee

·         Monthly stipend

·         One-way flight ticket; and

·         Health insurance

Applications and supporting documents must be submitted to the Ministry of Human Resources by Wednesday 26 January, 2022 for onward processing.

For more information on this scholarship offer, application procedures, evaluation and selection process, and more, please visit: https://turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/announcements/turkiye-scholarships-2022-applications-1

 

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Meat Loaf, ‘Bat Out of Hell’ Rock Superstar, Dies at 74

By Associated Press

 

NEW YORK (AP) – Meat Loaf, the heavyweight rock superstar loved by millions for his “Bat Out of Hell” album and for such theatrical, dark-hearted anthems as “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” “Two Out of Three Ain´t Bad,” and “I´d Do Anything for Love (But I Won´t Do That),” has died. He was 74.

The singer born Marvin Lee Aday died Thursday, according to a family statement provided by his longtime agent Michael Greene.

“Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight,” the statement said. “We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man… From his heart to your souls…don´t ever stop rocking!”

No cause or other details were given, but Aday had numerous health scares over the years.

“Bat Out of Hell,” his mega-selling collaboration with songwriter Jim Steinman and producer Todd Rundgren, came out in 1977 and made him one of the most recognizable performers in rock. Fans fell hard for the roaring vocals of the long-haired, 250-plus pound singer and for the comic non-romance of the title track, “You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth,” “Two Out of Three Ain´t Bad” and “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” an operatic cautionary tale about going all the way.

“Paradise” was a duet with Ellen Foley that featured play by play from New York Yankees broadcaster Phil Rizzuto, who alleged – to much skepticism – that he was unaware of any alternate meanings to reaching third base and heading for home.

After a slow start and mixed reviews, “Bat Out of Hell” became one of the top-selling albums in history, with worldwide sales of more than 40 million copies. Meat Loaf wasn´t a consistent hit maker, especially after falling out for years with Steinman. But he maintained close ties with his fans through his manic live shows, social media and his many television, radio and film appearances, including “Fight Club” and cameos on “Glee” and “South Park.”

FILE - Singer Meat Loaf performs in support of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the football stadium at Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Meat Loaf, whose "Bat Out Of Hell" album is one of the all time bestsellers, has died, family said on Facebook, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

FILE – Singer Meat Loaf performs in support of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the football stadium at Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012. Meat Loaf, whose “Bat Out Of Hell” album is one of the all time bestsellers, has died, family said on Facebook, Friday, Jan. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

Friends and fans reacted to the death on social media.

“I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf,” actor Stephen Fry said on Twitter.

Meat Loaf’s biggest musical success after “Bat Out of Hell” was “Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell,” a 1993 reunion with Steinman that sold more than 15 million copies and featured the Grammy-winning single “I´d Do Anything for Love (But I Won´t Do That).”

Steinman died in April.

Aday’s other albums included “Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose,” “Hell in a Handbasket” and “Braver Than We Are.”

A native of Dallas, Aday was the son of a school teacher who raised him on her own after divorcing his alcoholic father, a police officer. Aday was singing and acting in high school (Mick Jagger was an early favorite, so was Ethel Merman) and attended Lubbock Christian College and what is now the University of North Texas. Among his more notable childhood memories: Seeing John F. Kennedy arrive at Love Field in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, then learning the president had been assassinated and driving to Parkland Hospital and watching a bloodied Jackie Kennedy step out of a car.

He was still a teenager when his mother died and when he acquired the nickname Meat Loaf, the alleged origins of which range from his weight to a favorite recipe of his mother´s. He left for Los Angeles after college and was soon fronting the band Meat Loaf Soul. For years, he alternated between music and the stage, recording briefly for Motown, opening for such acts as the Who and the Grateful Dead and appearing in the Broadway production of “Hair.”

By the mid-1970s, he was playing the lobotomized biker Eddie in the theater and film versions of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” had served as an understudy for his friend John Belushi for the stage production of National Lampoon and had begun working with Steinman on “Bat Out of Hell.” The dense, pounding production was openly influenced by Wagner, Phil Spector and Bruce Springsteen, whose bandmates Roy Bittan and Max Weinberg played on the record. Rundgren initially thought of the album as a parody of Springsteen´s grandiose style.

Steinman had known Meat Loaf since the singer appeared in his 1973 musical “More Than You Deserve” and some of the songs on “Bat Out of Hell,” including “All Revved Up With No Place to Go,” were initially written for a planned stage show based on the story of Peter Pan.

“Bat Out of Hell” took more than two years to find a taker as numerous record executives turned it down, including RCA´s Clive Davis, who disparaged Steinman´s songs and acknowledged that he had misjudged the singer: “The songs were coming over as very theatrical, and Meat Loaf, despite a powerful voice, just didn´t look like a star,” Davis wrote in his memoir, “The Soundtrack of My Life.”

With the help of another Springsteen sideman, Steve Van Zandt, “Bat Out of Hell” was acquired by Cleveland International, a subsidiary of Epic Records. The album made little impact until months after its release, when a concert video of the title track was aired on the British program the Old Grey Whistle Test. In the U.S., his connection to “Rocky Horror” helped when he convinced producer Lou Adler to use a video for “Paradise By the Dashboard Light” as a trailer for the cult movie. But Meat Loaf was so little known at first that he began his “Bat Out of Hell” tour in Chicago as the opening act for Cheap Trick, then one of the world´s hottest groups.

“I remember pulling up at the theater and it says, `TONIGHT: CHEAP TRICK, WITH MEAT LOAF.´ And I said to myself, `These people think we´re serving dinner,´” Meat Loaf explained in 2013 on the syndicated radio show “In the Studio.”

“And we walk out on stage and these people were such Cheap Trick fans they booed us from the start. They were getting up and giving us the finger. The first six rows stood up and screamed. … When we finished, most of the boos had stopped and we were almost getting applause.”

He is survived by Deborah Gillespie, his wife since 2007, and by daughters Pearl and Amanda Aday.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton contributed from Los Angeles.

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Wish Fulfillment-Devon Liburd Named New NTA Chief
As he prepares to take on his new role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) on Monday January 24, 2022, Mr. Devon Liburd of Gingerland says he has always aspired to hold that position.

Mr. Liburd’s comment came in response to an invited comment on January 20, 2022, on the heels of the announcement of his new appointment one day before.

“I’ve always aspired to one day be able to lead the charge of the promotion of Nevis as a Prime Destination. Nothing happens before its time and I accept and embrace the opportunity at this time…

“It’s an honour to help continue sharing our culture with visitors from all over the world. I’m thrilled to take on this role during this exciting next chapter for Nevis and help further elevate our island as travellers increasingly seek premium travel experiences,” he said.

Mr. Liburd who will take on the leadership role from Ms. Jadine Yarde whose tenure ends on January 21, 2022, used the opportunity to extend his gratitude to all for supporting him over the years.

“I would like to thank everyone for their support over the years and ask for their continued support as we continue to work together to promote the destination. I will endeavour to continue the thrust began and continued by my predecessors,” he said.

Mr Liburd has been working with the NTA for more than 20 years, and at the time of his appointment was serving as Director of Sales and Marketing since 2008.

Prior to joining the NTA he worked with the Department of Tourism for 1 ½ years. He has worked in every area of tourism and contributed to the overall development of the industry on the island.

In his role as Director of Sales and Marketing, he has been responsible for overseeing the promotion of Nevis in all of its source markets, and also responsible for the cruise sector.

Mr. Liburd has also led the delivery of the annual Nevis Mango and Food Festival, and coordinated the Nothing like a Nevisian Holiday event.

He helped implement the Caribbean Tourism Organisation Management Information Systems for Tourism (CTO MIST), a tourism statistics programme introduced for the turn of the new millennium.

In addition, Mr. Liburd coordinated the Small Tourism Enterprise Programme (STEP), a project from the Organisation of the American States (OAS) designed to develop small tourism enterprises to become more competitive in the tourism industry.

He holds a BSC in Tourism Management from The University of the West Indies in the Bahamas, and an MSC in Strategic Tourism Management from CERAM European School of Business in France.

Mrs. Pamela Martin, Chairperson of the NTA Board of Directors speaking on behalf her colleagues said “We warmly welcome Devon to this role and have every confidence he will succeed.”

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US: Surge in Covid Among Kids, Austria Backs Vaccination Mandate, World Stats, More

Child COVID-19 infections spike

© Getty Images

Nearly 1 million children were infected with COVID-19 in the last week according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, four times the rate of the peak of last winters’ surge.

For the week ending Jan. 13, over 981,000 child COVID-19 cases were reported, a 69 percent increase over the 580,000 cases reported the week ending Jan. 6, and a tripling of case counts from the two weeks prior.

Nearly 9.5 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, and 10 percent of all cases have been added just in the past week.

Children under 5 are particularly vulnerable right now because they are the only age group that is not currently eligible for vaccination.

Hospitalizations were up sharply the week of Jan. 8, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention but dropped the week ending Jan. 15.

The AAP said it relies on state reporting for hospitalizations, and only 24 states and New York City break down hospitalizations by age.

But among states reporting, the numbers were lower than those of adults. Children ranged from 1.7 percent to 4.4 percent of total hospitalizations, and 0.1 percent to 1.5 percent of all child COVID-19 cases across those reporting states resulted in hospitalization.

Read more here.

MICHIGAN NURSING HOMES MUST OFFER BOOSTERS ON-SITE

Michigan’s state health department is requiring nursing homes to provide on-site COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots to residents.

The order, issued on Thursday by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), says nursing homes must begin offering the shots within 30 days.

It does not require nursing home residents to be vaccinated but orders nursing homes to document whether each resident offered a vaccine accepted or refused their dose.

Should a resident be unable to make their own medical decisions, nursing home staff must contact the person legally responsible for their care and make them aware of the option to receive the shot on-site, MDHHS said.

About three-quarters of eligible nursing home residents have gotten a booster dose. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in December set a goal of getting 95 percent of eligible nursing home residents a booster by the end of January.

UK retail sales fall in December amid Omicron spread

Shop front in CardiffImage source, Getty Images

UK retail sales sank 3.7% in December from the month before as the spread of Omicron deterred shoppers from visiting the High Street.

Data from the Office for National Statistics also showed a 7.1% fall in clothing and other non-food sales.

However, last month’s figures followed a strong November amid reports there would be some shortages in the run-up to Christmas.

And while food sales fell by 1%, volumes were above pre-pandemic levels.

“After strong pre-Christmas trading in November, retail sales fell across the board in December, with feedback from retailers suggesting Omicron impacted on footfall,” said Office for National Statistics (ONS) deputy director for surveys and economic indicators Heather Bovill.

“As Plan B restrictions in England meant more people working from home, there was a notable fall for fuel sales.

“However, despite the fall in December, retail sales are still stronger than before the pandemic, with over a quarter of sales now made online.”

Fuel volumes fell by 4.7% in December on the previous month as more people worked from home, and were 6.6% below their pre-pandemic levels in February 2020.

Gavin Peck, chief executive of retailer The Works, told the BBC there were definite signs that consumers did their Christmas shopping earlier than usual last year.

Mr Peck, whose firm on Friday reported a strong rise in sales, said it was noticeable that some shoppers were starting festive purchases as early as September.

As the UK economy emerged from lockdown last year retail sales recovered quickly from their 2020 pandemic slump.

But analysts say that a combination of fast-rising inflation led by surging energy prices, the prospect of higher interest rates, and planned tax rises in April may dent the appetite of consumers to keep on spending in 2022.

Diners in a Wagamama restaurant.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The restaurant chain saw a sharp fall in customers in December.

Bethany Beckett, economist at Capital Economics, said December’s fall was much bigger than expected and could drag UK growth figures lower.

However, she said: “With encouraging signs that the Omicron outbreak may have turned a corner and the government’s Plan B restrictions due to be lifted next week, retail sales may recoup a bit of this fall in January and probably all of it in February and March.

“That said, with the UK’s cost of living crisis looming, we expect a weakening in the consumer recovery to dampen retail sales further ahead.”

Ms Beckett said that, despite weaker economic data, the Bank of England will remain focused on accelerating inflation, and she still expects interest rates to be raised to 0.50% in early February.

On Friday, The Restaurant Group, whose operations include Wagamama, Frankie & Benny’s, and food kiosks, said that despite the lifting of Plan B restrictions “consumer confidence may take longer to recover”.

The company’s sales figures underlined the impact of December’s Covid restrictions on trading.

At Wagamama, sales in October and November were up 11% and 8% respectively on the same months in 2019, before the pandemic hit, as people returned to eating out in larger numbers.

But in December, Wagamama sales were just 1% up on 2019, and there were even sharper falls at Restaurant Group’s other divisions.

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Austrian parliament backs mandatory jabs

Austria has moved closer to introducing compulsory vaccination after parliament’s lower house voted in favour of new government proposals. The law, due to come into effect on 1 February, would make Austria the first European country to introduce a mandatory jab for all adults. From mid-March the law would see adults unvaccinated against Covid-19 subjected to fines of up to €3,600 (£2,994). So far, 72% of Austrians have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

Scrap Covid travel tests, says Covid travel test firm

Covid tests for travellers arriving in the UK should be scrapped, one of the big testing firms has said. Simon Worrell, global medical director of Collinson – which also runs airport lounges – said: “As soon as we can drop it, we will be delighted.” At present, people aged five and over arriving in England must take a test within 48 hours. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday the government was reviewing testing rules. “Airport testing was only ever supposed to be a band-aid,” Mr Worrell added.

 
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WORLD STATS

Coronavirus Cases:

343,396,564

Deaths:

5,594,010

Recovered:

275,075,542
Highlighted in green
= all cases have recovered from the infection
Highlighted in grey
= all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases)

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Latest News

January 21 (GMT)

Updates

  • 1,700 new cases and 18 new deaths in Libya [source]
  • 44,638 new cases and 12 new deaths in Japan [source]
  • 759 new cases and 4 new deat

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Cuba: Crackdown Against July 11 Protesters Continues Despite Popular Outcry

By Nora Gámez Torres

Miami Herald- The mass trials against July 11 protesters continue this week in Cuba despite the outcry of family members, local activists and international organizations, as the communist government has signaled it won’t budge on its intention to snuff other attempts at a popular rebellion. ~

At least 45 protesters will be tried this week in Havana and nearby Mayabeque province, according to information verified by the activist group Justicia 11J. They have been charged with several crimes, including causing “public disorder,” resisting the police, assault and disrespecting the flag.

Some, including nine young Cubans under 20, are accused of inciting sedition, a crime against the government that is punished with decades-long sentences. Sentences are still pending for 66 protesters tried last week and others who went to trial in December.

Government judges already sentenced five protesters, including one with a mental disability, to 15 to 30 years in prison. The harsh sentences are meant to send the message that the government will not tolerate the kind of public demonstrations that erupted around the island on Jully 11, activists say.

As the trials go ahead, relatives and activists trying to rally attention over the issue have also become a target of Cuban security forces. Last Friday, state security briefly detained Roxana García and other family members of Andy García Lorenzo, a young man that was tried in Santa Clara last week, for speaking of his case with foreign media outlets, including the Miami Herald.

Activist Saily González was also dragged into a car by several state security officials and detained for several hours, as she recounted in a post on Facebook. They faced combined fines of 66,000 Cuban pesos ($2,750 at the official exchange rate), but they quickly crowdfunded the money, an example of the growing solidarity with the families of the protesters imprisoned, González told the Herald.

The police also arrested and released art curator Carolina Barrero, actor Daniel Triana and activist Arian Cruz Álvarez, who protested in front of the Supreme Court building in Havana on Monday demanding justice for the jailed protesters.

On Sunday, Barrero and legal aid organization Cubalex published a damning letter allegedly written by Mailene Noguera Santiesteban, a member of a dissident group arrested since July for joining the protests, who described beatings and tortures in prison.

The Herald could not independently verify the letter’s authenticity. Some of the families affected have been criticizing the legal process and seeking help on social media. Luis Wilber Aguilar, the father of 21-year old Walnier Luis Aguilar Rivera, who was sentenced to 23 years despite his mental disability, asked government leaders to “stop the abuse” in a video published on Facebook.

“This video is for the top government officials,” he said. “The country is in turmoil; everything is a lie. Everyone in Cuba has a family member in prison. They are touching the most sensitive part of the people, the children. I cannot sleep thinking about anything else; I feel too much pain. What do I do as a parent if I remain silent, letting my son take 23 years? A 21-year-old boy who has two little girls?

“Up there, there must be a commander of the revolution, a colonel who says, ‘Enough of the abuse,’ ” he continued. “I am making this video for you,” he said referring to the government leaders, “so that you can see what is happening with the people so that you can solve the problem and help.

Top government officials, however, have voiced their support to the legal proceedings linked to the July 11 street protests, including on Sunday, when the country’s prime minister congratulated judges, prosecutors and police investigators during an event marking the beginning of “the judicial year 2022.”

“The responsibility, the professionalism, the seriousness, the success with which the judicial bodies, in general, have been carrying out their work are a guarantee of society’s confidence in the administration of justice,” Prime Minister Manuel Marrero said before congratulating the gathered officials on behalf of retired Gen. Raúl Castro and Cuba’s handpicked president, Miguel Díaz-Canel.

González said family members should stop hoping for a reduced sentence for their relatives and fight instead for their release through a campaign demanding an amnesty, with the support of other members of civil society.

“The government has all the will in the world to keep them imprisoned and keep them for future exchange,” González said. “Relatives still hope that their sentences will be lowered or that they will be released. Many do not realize that their relatives are innocent.”

 

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Australia scraps PCR testing requirement for overseas arrivals

People coming to Australia from overseas will no longer be required to produce a negative PCR test result to enter the country, and can instead do so with a negative RAT test within 24 hours of departure.

The Federal Government announced the new rules on Friday evening, saying they will come into effect at 1am on Sunday, January 23.

In a statement, Health Minister Greg Hunt and Home Affairs counterpart Karen Andrews said the changed requirements would allow greater flexibility for travellers.

READ MORE: NSW records deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic

"While PCR tests remain the gold standard test, a RAT within 24 hours is an acceptable indicator of whether a traveller has COVID-19 before flying to Australia," the statement read.

"This is consistent with moves within Australia to accept RATs for diagnostic purposes."

For those who test positive to COVID-19 overseas, the required time to wait before travelling has been halved.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about WA's hard border

Rather than wait two weeks from their positive test result, travellers to Australia must now wait seven days pre-departure.

"This will reduce wait times for travellers who contract COVID-19 overseas to return to Australia in line with the new domestic isolation requirements," the statement read.

"The pre-departure testing requirements will continue to be reviewed regularly, taking into account the domestic and international epidemiology."

Travellers to Australia must continue to wear a mask in airports and on aircraft, and obey each state's regulations for testing and isolation.

READ MORE: Man survived 28-hour swim after tsunami

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Meat Loaf dies aged 74

Iconic rockstar Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74.

The Grammy winner died on Thursday night with his wife Deborah by his side, according to a statement on the singer's official Facebook page.

"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side.

"Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours.

"His amazing career spanned 6 decades that saw him sell over 100 Million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies, including Fight Club, Focus, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Wayne's World.

"Bat Out of Hell remains one of the top 10 selling albums of all time.

https://twitter.com/stephenfry/status/1484442598311960576https://twitter.com/thehorrorchick/status/1484436348173897729

"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man.

"We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time. From his heart to your souls…don't ever stop rocking!"

More to come.