Court Challenge of Newfoundland and Labrador’s COVID-19 Travel Ban Begins
ST. JOHN’S, N.L.鈥擜 legal challenge of Newfoundland and Labrador’s COVID-19 travel ban was before the courts Tuesday, with a Supreme Court judge asked to consider the intervention of a Canadian civil rights group in the case. Halifax resident Kim Taylor and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed a claim in May, claiming the restrictions violate the charter and fall outside provincial jurisdiction. The case is scheduled to be heard through Friday. A special measures order in May from the province’s chief medical officer of health banned anyone but permanent residents and asymptomatic workers in key sectors from entering the province. The province has defended the measure, saying it was necessary to slow the spread and importation of COVID-19 cases. Since it was introduced, the Atlantic provinces have agreed to allow…
Villagers in the rural area of China’s Hangzhou city located in Zhejiang province, protested after they found out their tap water was contaminated by a wastewater treatment plant. Residents have noticed a foul odor emitting from their tap water since July 26, and many had diarrhea, allergies, enteritis from drinking the water.
Instead of arranging free water treatment for the residents, local authorities sent a large number of special police to quell those who went to protest at the wastewater treatment company. Six villagers were arrested, and one of them was knocked unconscious.
Some of the villagers told The Epoch Times that the police justified their actions with the excuse that the residents had “blocked traffic.”
Focus News: Chinese Villagers Arrested for Protesting Over Contaminated Tap Water
Australian PM Offers Pandemic Leave Pay to All States
The Morrison government will allow other states and territories to join Victoria in accessing $1500 pandemic payments for workers without sick leave. Victorian workers will be able to access the payment designed to give workers the financial capability to stay home while isolating. Unions and Labor have called for a national scheme to prevent outbreaks driven by people going to work when sick or waiting for test results. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there was an option for other states to receive the money. “If other states or territories want to enter into a similar arrangement, then I’ll be making that offer to the states and territories if they wish to do that,” he told Seven’s Sunrise program on Aug 5. “Of course, they are not facing the same level…