- 'Windmill love' sees Dutch artist become mill operator
- US defends law forcing sale of TikTok app
- Messi out for defending champ Miami as Leagues Cup begins
- Australia bans uranium mining at Indigenous site
- Divers attempt to reach sunken Philippine oil tanker
- Trump accuses Harris of anti-Semitism in overblown speech
- Coughlin clings to lead at LPGA Canadian Women's Open
- Trump offers tech sector policy flips ahead of election
- Spacecraft to swing by Earth, Moon on path to Jupiter
- What's the fallout of Mexican drug lords' capture?
- Video game makers see actors as AI 'data,' says union on strike
- Chinese qualifier Shang to face Thompson in ATP Atlanta semis
- 'Massive attack' on French rail threatens more chaos
- 'We did it!': France breathes sigh of relief after Olympics ceremony
- Regional concern grows as Venezuela blocks vote observers
- Historic river parade, Dion show-stopper ignite Paris Olympics
- Rainy Paris Olympic parade dampens many spectators' spirits
- The one of a kind Paris opening ceremony: five memorable moments
- Justin Timberlake seeks to dismiss DUI case
- Warner Brothers Discovery sues NBA over Amazon rights deal
- Kobe Bryant locker, Maradona jersey up for auction in New York
- Historic river parade launches Paris Olympics
- New York family of Holocaust victim reclaims Nazi-looted art
- NASA Mars rover captures rock that could hold fossilized microbes
- Thousands evacuate season's biggest wildfire in northern California
- Ethiopia mourns victims of landslide tragedy
- Lady Gaga adds sparkle to star-studded Olympic show
- Airbus and Boeing supremacy secure despite turbulence
- Teams sail down Seine in rain-soaked Olympics opening ceremony
- West Indies' treble strike rocks England in third Test
- Olympic opening ceremony under way on River Seine
- Mott's England future uncertain as ECB chief fails to offer support
- Trump meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in Florida
- S.African police say 95 Libyans detained at suspected military camp
- Blinken set for talks with Chinese counterpart in Laos
- Norris heads Piastri in McLaren one-two at Belgian GP practice
- G20 seeks common ground on taxing super-rich
- European medicines watchdog rejects new Alzheimer's drug
- Habib, Ebden eye Alcaraz and Djokovic shocks at Olympics tennis
- Long queues, ticketing problems ahead of Paris opening ceremony
- Two Sinaloa Cartel leaders face US charges after stunning capture
- Spain train driver jailed for 2.5 years over deadly 2013 crash
- Paris poised for Olympic opening ceremony spectacular
- Judoka fails doping test in first case at Paris Olympics
- Holder and Da Silva keep England at bay after West Indies collapse
- Alpine F1 boss Bruno Famin to leave in August
- Ethiopia declares three days of mourning after landslide tragedy
- Brazilian dunes dotted with dazzling pools make UNESCO heritage list
- Rain, cooling slow huge blaze in Canada's Jasper park
- French Rugby's Jaminet suspended 34 weeks after racist video: Federation
Canadian province scraps tax on Covid unvaccinated
Canada's Quebec province announced Tuesday it was scrapping plans for a health tax on those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19, following a public backlash over the proposal.
Francois Legault, the premier of the French-speaking province, told a news conference the controversial measure has deeply divided Quebecers.
"To move Quebec forward in a calm social climate, I am announcing that the government will not introduce this bill on the health contribution," he said.
The idea for the tax had been unveiled on January 11, and was intended to incentivize 10 percent of the local population who have not received a Covid jab to get vaccinated.
Legault had lamented that half of all Covid patients in hospital intensive care wards in the province were unvaccinated and that it was straining health care resources.
The announcement Monday marked the second time the Quebec government has walked back public health measures meant to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
It also nixed compulsory inoculations for all health care workers last year fearing it would lead to thousands of nurses quitting their jobs, worsening an already severe worker shortage in the sector.
Quebec also announced Tuesday an easing of public health restrictions on sports and cultural activities starting mid-February, after joining on Monday neighboring Ontario province's reopening of restaurants for indoor dining -- with capacity limits.
More than 80 percent of Canadians five years or older are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and almost 40 percent have additionally received a booster, according to government data.
"It's not enough," Legault commented, adding that he hopes to see vaccination rates jump over the coming weeks.
A.Magalhes--PC