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headline

Tropical cyclone forms in Coral Sea off Queensland coast

A tropical cyclone has formed off the Queensland coast in the Coral Sea in the dying hours of 2021.

The storm system, dubbed Cyclone Seth, is swirling northeast of Mackay and is not expected to make landfall.

However, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has warned Cyclone Seth will generate large waves along much of the coastline.

READ MORE: Sydney Harbour lights up to farewell rollercoaster 2021

https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1476772110366388228

"Deteriorating conditions over southeast coastal waters over New Year long weekend. Strong winds continuing and large surf developing thanks to a tropical low over the Coral Sea," the BoM tweeted.

Here's what the weather is doing around the capital cities.

Brisbane

It will be a wet and cloudy start to the year in Brisbane. The BoM forecasts a 95 chance of showers, and the chance of a thunderstorm in the west during this afternoon and evening.

A low of 20C and a high of 27C degrees are predicted.

Winds will tend southeasterly with a strength of 15 to 20 km/h before blowing southerly in the late evening.

Around the same time, worries were emerging about a new COVID-19 variant, Alpha, which had taken hold in the UK and was 50 percent more infectious. The strain would pop up in Brisbane, where a hotel quarantine worker was infected. A three-day lockdown in Brisbane beginning on January 8 was the fallout.

Sydney

After a dazzling display of fireworks, Sydneysiders will wake to a mostly sunny day with a high of 29C predicted.

There is a slight chance of a shower in the early morning and a possible thunderstorm in the west this afternoon and early evening.

Melbourne

Melburnians will sweat through another hot day, with a high of 37C forecast.

Conditions will be hot and sunny in the morning with a slight chance of a thunderstorm with little or no rainfall during this afternoon and early evening with gusty winds up to 25 to 35 km/h throughout the day.

A three-day heatwave was issued for Victoria; Avalon yesterday recorded the state's highest temperature of 40.2C.

https://twitter.com/BOM_Vic/status/1476789551821692928

ACT

It will also be hot and sunny in the nation's capital. Temperatures will climb to 31C, with a low of just 13C.

Winds will become northerly and measure up to 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then become light in the late afternoon.

Hobart

It will be sunny in Hobart with temperatures ranging from 14C to 26C.

The BoM predicts a slight chance of a shower during this afternoon and evening.

Winds of 15 to 20 km/h will blow northwest to northeasterly before tending east to southeasterly early in the morning then tending south to southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning.

scenery of hobart harbor in tasmania, australia

Adelaide

Another hot and partly cloudy day is on the cards in Adelaide with temperatures ranging from 22C to 34C.

Darwin

There's a slight chance of an inland afternoon storm in Darwin as temperatures move between a low of 28C and a high of 33C.

Westerly winds of 15 to 20 km/h will also blow through the city before becoming light in the evening.

Aerial shots of Darwin city

Perth

It will be clear, hot, windy and sunny in Perth with a high of 30C and a low of 17C forecast.

Winds of 25 to 40 km/h will tend south to southwesterly through much of the day.

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Ikea to jack up prices as global supply chain problems bite

Ikea says its customers will pay more when they shop at its stores in 2022.

Like many companies with tight profit margins, the world's biggest furniture seller is struggling to absorb higher costs because of ongoing global supply chain problems.

Ikea said prices at its stores would increase by an average of 9 per cent around the world to help offset significant transportation and raw material costs incurred by Ingka Group, which owns and operates most of Ikea stores worldwide.

READ MORE: Cabinet papers from 2001 reveal Howard government was concerned by length of Afghanistan war

With its do-it-yourself philosophy embodied from its virtually staff-free showrooms to its flat-packed furniture, Ikea has become synonymous with low prices and value.

Despite surging costs during the pandemic, Ikea stores had largely kept prices stable.

But, as commodity and shipping prices continued to surge, the company said it was no longer able to absorb that damage to its bottom line.

"Unfortunately, now, for the first time since higher costs have begun to affect the global economy, we have to pass parts of those increased costs onto our customers," Tolga Öncü, retail operations manager at IKEA Retail, said in a statement.

READ MORE: Police officers forced out of Queensland cafe during COVID-19 checks

Mr Öncü said this move would ensure IKEA's "competitiveness and the resilience," but adds that "affordability will always be a cornerstone for us".

The retailer said it had seen unprecedented demand for home-related products, such as furniture, storage products and home office-related items during the pandemic, so much so that it has not always been able to meet all the needs of its customers.

The company said it was trying to mitigate the ongoing impact from supply chain issues such as shipping delays by using charting extra ships and loaders.

"Our intention is to give back to the customer any decrease in purchase prices we get," Mr Öncü said.

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King Astro national monarch for the third time

Oscar Browne, known in the calypso arena as the King Astro, is the new Senior Calypso King of St. Kitts & Nevis.

He won the title for the third time when he defeated seven other calypsonians, including the reigning Monarch, Queeny G.

Appearing fifth on stage in both rounds, Astro accumulated a total of 710 points from his winning selections called Resilience and Pay to Live.

Astro first won the national title back in 2014, when he became the first Nevisian to capture the crown. He successfully defended that title the following year, 2015, but was defeated in 2016, by Craig, who secured his first victory.

Expectations for a good performance from Astro were high, recognizing that he topped the score card during the Elimination stages.

His victory was by a margin of 12 points, leaving the First Runner-up position to the sixth time crowned former king, Socrates, who amassed 698 points.

The Second Runner-up slot went to Lady Diva, who scored 696 points or just two points less than Socrates, and 14 less than Astro. The other calypsonians in the finals were Queeny G, Queen Kibi, Murray, King Hollywood and Takeover.

As special appearance was made by the first National Senior Calypso Monarch, King Entertainer, who distributed the participation trophies to the finalists. Entertainer won the crown in 1971 and 1972.

The show, which was held on Thursday night, 30th December, 2021, at Carnival Village in Basseterre, was sponsored by the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.

This was also the final competition for the 50th Anniversary of Sugar Mas.

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PR: San Juan’s 500th Anniversary Celebrations Kick Off With New Year’s Eve TV Special

Forbes- This year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations will be a little more sober than anticipated on what marks a momentous year for the party-loving people of Puerto Rico.

To coincide with the 500th anniversary of its capital city in 2022, Puerto Rico is making its official debut on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” by hosting the iconic TV show’s first Spanish-language countdown to midnight. Though the global audience will still be able to watch the televised version, the virulent Omicron strain of COVID-19 has muted the excitement by keeping the public from participating in person.

“In an effort to ensure the safety of both residents and visitors, the governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, has announced scaling back the planned New Year’s Eve celebration at DISTRITO T-Mobile,” emails Discover Puerto Rico’s chief marketing officer, Leah Chandler, of the festive countdown and live music performances scheduled for the brand-new Distrito drinking, dining and entertainment complex in San Juan. 

Before the unfortunate announcement, the stars had lined up perfectly for Puerto Rico to spectacularly showcase its fun-loving culture to thousands of attendees and approximately 20 million viewers. Not only is it San Juan’s quincentennial, the telecast – now hosted by Ryan Seacrest – turns 50 this year. Beyond that, the commonwealth welcomed an unprecedented number of tourists in 2021 and just opened Distrito, whose many superlative descriptors have PR’s stakeholders calling it a game-changer for events and marketing. 

“Discover Puerto Rico, alongside our public relations agency Ketchum, identified this as a  dream moment for Puerto Rico and thus approached Dick Clark productions to pitch the idea (three) years ago,” says Chandler. “DISTRITO T-Mobile is our newest state-of-the-art entertainment and nightlife complex. It opened in August, and it’s truly the perfect location and backdrop for such a historic celebration.”

Televised performances by headliners like Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee and actor and singer Roselyn Sanchez will go on on ABC, as will the Spanish countdown, starting just before 11pm EST (midnight in San Juan). And though the crowds will be kept from Distrito, a record-breaking number of them will presumably be partying elsewhere.

With Puerto Rico emerging out of a bleak decade marred by a deep recession and two devastating hurricanes, the pandemic has boosted some key economic indicators in the tourism sector. Hotel bookings for this week beat those of 2019 by 41%, with combined hotel and rental demand for 2021 beating the record set that year by 16%. Lodging revenue surpassed $1 billion for the first time this year, and the busiest US airline route during COVID-19 has been Orlando to San Juan. 

At a time when international travel has largely shut down, this tropical American territory has beckoned mainland travelers with its many charms, not least of which may be the emotional security it offers as one of the most COVID-cautious places in the country.

The governor has long required visitors arriving by air to show a negative test result or risk quarantine, and bars and restaurants currently require patrons to show a vaccination card or a negative test result no greater than 48 hours old. Large events require a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours in addition to proof of vaccination. 

With 89% of the eligible population receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, and an 80% full vaccination rate, Puerto Rico boasts one of the highest vaccination rates in the US.

Chandler says, “While the New Year’s celebrations will be virtual, the Island is beyond prepared and rather excited to continue welcoming travelers. Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022 validates our Island’s stature as a must-visit destination more than capable of hosting  events of this magnitude, all while continuing to keep the public’s health and safety in  mind every step of the way. This event rockets Puerto Rico into a new  realm of entertainment events, unlike ever before.”

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REUTERS WORLD NEWS: Muted New Year Celebrations, Omicron Optimism, Russia Tests New Cruise Missile, More

The Reuters Daily Briefing

Friday, December 31, 2021

by Linda Noakes

Here’s what you need to know.

South Africa says its COVID fourth wave has peaked, Russia test-fires new hypersonic missiles, and stocks see in the New Year near record highs after a banner 2021

Today’s biggest stories

A barber colors the digits of the number 2022 after cutting a man’s hair to welcome the upcoming new year, in Ahmedabad, India, December 31, 2021. REUTERS/Amit Dave

  • Twenty twenty-one is slinking off with farewell celebrations mostly muffled by the pandemic.
  • But good news from South Africa – the first country to pronounce itself past its Omicron wave – has brought new hope for a joyous New Year.
  • As the New Year moves from East to West, with New Zealand already into 2022 without the official fireworks in Auckland, Australia is promising to open the global celebration in vintage style, with its usual spectacular pyrotechnics reflected in the harbor below the Sydney Opera House.
  • Fireworks were also called off over Paris’s Arc de Triomphe, London’s Big Ben and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
  • The golden ball is due to drop at New York’s Times Square, but the crowd shouting out the countdown of the year’s exit will be a quarter the usual size, masked up, socially distanced and with vaccine papers in hand.
  • U.S. health experts urged Americans to prepare for severe disruptions in coming weeks as the rising wave of COVID-19 cases led by the Omicron variant threatens hospitals, schools and other sectors impacting their daily lives.
  • Hong Kong’s health officials said the Omicron variant has made its way past some of the world’s toughest COVID 19 restrictions, with the city reporting its first cases outside its strict quarantine system.
  • South Africa has lifted a midnight to 4 a.m. curfew on people’s movement with immediate effect, believing the country has passed the peak of its fourth COVID-19 wave driven by Omicron.

Rohingya refugees arrive by boat at a port in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, Indonesia, December 31, 2021. REUTERS/Hidayatullah Tahjuddin

WORLD NEWS
MARKETS

Stock markets dipped in thin trading but are set to see in the New Year with double-digit gains for 2021 while oil prices hovered near $80 a barrel following their biggest annual rise since 2009.

Oil analysts have lowered their price forecasts for 2022 as the Omicron coronavirus variant poses headwinds to recovering fuel demand and risks a supply glut as producers pump more oil, a Reuters poll shows.

Global dealmaking is set to maintain its scorching pace next year, after a historic year for merger and acquisition activity that was fueled largely by easy availability of cheap financing and booming stock markets. Global M&A volumes topped $5 trillion for the first time ever, comfortably eclipsing the previous record of $4.55 trillion set in 2007, Dealogic data showed.

A U.S. appeals court revived litigation accusing a slew of large banks of conspiring to rig the Libor interest rate benchmark, including during the 2008 financial crisis, to boost profits at investors’ expense and make the banks appear healthier than they were.

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New York Governor Frees Convicted Jamaican Drug Dealer Serving Life Sentence

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has granted clemency to a convicted Jamaican-born drug dealer among 10 immigrants who have “showed remorse and exemplified rehabilitation”.

In commuting the sentence of Roger Cole, 55, Hochul noted that he was originally sentenced to 125 years to life in prison, “having been put on trial during the Rockefeller Drug Law era during which extremely lengthy prison sentences were handed down for drug-related convictions”.

In 1989 and 1992, Cole was convicted of five counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, and one count each of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree.

His sentence was subsequently reduced on appeal to 85 to 100 years, of which Cole has now served more than 30 years.

“If he were sentenced today, he likely would not have faced such a lengthy sentence,” Governor Hochul said.

While incarcerated, she said, Cole earned his General Educational Diploma (GED) and an associate degree, and completed numerous vocational training and certification programs, including legal research and law library management. He also earned a certificate for completing a three-year business course while incarcerated.

“Upon his release, Mr. Cole will be reunited with his mother and other family members in his home country of Jamaica, who will provide housing and help him find employment,” Hochul said.

She said the immigrants selected for clemency have “shown a commitment to bettering their communities and themselves, and were carefully selected after a thorough review process”.

The Governor also announced several steps to reform the executive clemency program, including announcing that she has directed the Counsel to the Governor to select an advisory panel to assist in advising the governor on clemency applications.

Hochul said the panel will consist of impartial experts from the fields of law enforcement, public defense, the judiciary and clergy, as well as formerly incarcerated people.

“As governor, I have a unique and solemn responsibility to carefully use the power of clemency to address individuals in the criminal justice system who have made mistakes and have taken extraordinary steps to rehabilitate themselves,” she said.

Other immigrants pardoned, whose nationalities were not disclosed, were: Ana Sanchez Ventura, 64; Juan Vinas, 56; Faustino Reyes, 60; Sandra Williams, 65; Francisco Vargas, 53; Orlando Fernandez Taveras, 46; Hanley Gomez, 41; Juan Suazo, 54; and Edilberta Reyes Canales, 56.

“I am granting clemency to these deserving individuals who have exemplified rehabilitation, and I am committed to increased transparency and accountability in this process going forward. No one should be defined by their worst mistake, and these individuals have worked tirelessly to atone for theirs,” Hochul said.

/CMC

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Tourism Blow: US CDC Warns Against Cruises, Regardless of Vaccination Status

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people on Thursday not to go on cruises, regardless of their vaccination status, because of onboard outbreaks fuelled by the omicron variant.

The CDC said it has more than 90 cruise ships under investigation or observation as a result of COVID-19 cases. The agency did not disclose the number of infections.

“The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high,” even if people are fully vaccinated and have received a booster, the CDC said.

The CDC also recommended that cruise passengers get tested and quarantine for five days after docking, regardless of their vaccination status and even if they have no symptoms.

The omicron variant has sent case levels soaring across the US, including Florida, the hub of the nation’s cruise industry. The state set another record this week for new daily cases, with more than 58,000 recorded Wednesday.

US cruise lines have not announced any plans to halt trips, though vessels have been denied entry at some foreign ports.

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Brazil’s Bolsonaro Refuses Flood Aid from Argentina, Drawing Bahia Rebuke

By
Valfredo Alcantara Pereira, 55, uses a canoe to reach his partially submerged house in a flooded street, in Ilheus, Bahia state, Brazil December 30, 2021. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo

Sergio da Silva dos Santos hands clothes to other residents in front of a flooded house accessed by canoe at Sambaituba in Ilheus, Bahia state, Brazil December 29, 2021. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli/File Photo

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 30 (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro rejected an offer of aid from Argentina, saying on Thursday that his country did not need the assistance dealing with deadly floods that have affected broad swaths of the country’s northeast and killed dozens.

His comments drew a quick rebuke from the governor of hard-hit Bahia state, who said local authorities would welcome help from any nation and that foreign countries should feel free to contact the state directly.

So far, at least 24 people have died and tens of thousands have been left homeless as record rains pound parts of the northeast, in some cases causing dams to fail and rivers to rise meters above their normal levels. Bahia Governor Rui Costa has called it the “worst disaster” in the state’s history and said large parts of Bahia looked as if they had been “bombarded.”

Bolsonaro, meanwhile, has faced criticism for continuing with his beach holiday in the southern state of Santa Catarina, thousands of miles from the affected zone.

In a Twitter post on Thursday, the president said the Argentine government had offered to send 10 people to help set up temporary shelter, provide psychological assistance and to otherwise aid with the logistics of the rescue effort.

However, the aid offer was “very expensive for Brazil,” he wrote, adding that Brazilian authorities were already providing the services offered. He added that Brazil had already accepted donations from Japan’s foreign aid agency and might accept Argentina’s assistance should it become needed.

“The Brazilian government is open to aid and international donations,” he wrote.

Far-right Bolsonaro’s Brazil has had chilly relations with Argentina since the election of center-left President Alberto Fernandez in 2019. Bolsonaro had previously called Fernandez a “red bandit.”

Costa, governor of left-leaning Bahia and a political critic of Bolsonaro, shot back in his own Twitter post, saying that the nation would accept help from any foreign power directly.

“I’m speaking to all the countries of the world: Bahia will directly accept, without needing to pass through Brazil’s diplomats, any type of help in this moment,” he wrote.

Argentina’s foreign ministry declined to comment on the statements from Bolsonaro and Costa.

Reporting by Gram Slattery in Rio de Janeiro; Additional reporting by Nicolas Misculin in Buenos Aires; Editing by Aurora Ellis

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Panama Records Massive Jump of Unlawful Migration in 2021

PANAMA CITY, Dec 30 (Reuters) – A record wave of unauthorized migrants entered Panama this year from Colombia, according to government data provided to Reuters on Thursday, as a surge of mostly Haitians entered the Central American country in route to the United States.

Through mid-December, 126,675 unlawful migrants had entered Panama after crossing the Darien Gap, a remote stretch of jungle on the border between Panama and Colombia, according to the latest security ministry data.

The 2021 figure marks a massive jump compared to the previous year, when less than 9,000 migrants crossed into Panama from Colombia without legal authorization.

In fact, the 2021 wave of migrants is greater that the combined figure of the previous 11 years, when a total of around 118,000 unlawful migrants crossed into Panama from Colombia, according to official data.

Record numbers of migrants have been apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border this year, largely comprised of Central Americans as well as Haitians who fled extreme poverty, gangland violence and natural disasters in their home countries.

Panamanian Security Minister Juan Pino said earlier this week that he expects to trend to continue, due in large part to pandemic-related economic hardships.

Reporting by Milagro Vallecillos; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Sandra Maler

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