Category: ESTA News

Many travelers choose Hawaii as their vacation destination for its traditional pacific culture, rugged volcano landscapes, sandy beaches, and spectacular surf breaks.
As COVID-19 cases remain high across the world, the US is working towards removing restrictions and implementing the “New Normal”.

Hawaii last week made changes to their restrictions which included removing the state-wide mask mandate from March 25 and the expiration of Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program.

Hawaii’s entry policy for international arrivals is now in line with the federal rules for air travel which came into effect on 8 November 2021. These requirements are that all travelers aged 18 and above must be fully vaccinated and supply a negative COVID-19 test result prior to entry.

US citizens are allowed to enter Hawaii regardless of their vaccination status.

Gov. David Ige announced that booster shots are not required to be eligible as ‘fully vaccinated’ however it is highly recommended.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has begun issuing licenses with enhanced security features.

DMV Director Mark Schröder said on the 10th that “DMV is issuing new licenses to new or renewed applicants with a focus on theft prevention.”

DMV, which will introduce a newly designed driver’s license for the first time in 9 years, has embossed photos and text so that authenticity can be read when touched with the naked eye and hand.

In addition, the exposure structure of the embedded chip and the New York State pattern were produced by laser printing in several layers, preventing theft from being stolen.
The newly security-enhanced license can also be used as ID at airports for domestic travel.

NATO has defended their decision not to establish a ‘no fly zone’ over Ukraine stating that it has a responsibility to ensure that the war does not escalate beyond Ukraine’s borders, as the consequences would be even more dangerous, destructive and deadly.

“It is a painful decision taken by the NATO allies, but we must ensure that this conflict ends and we must prevent it from spreading, degenerating”, affirmed the number one of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In defence of NATO’s decisions Secretary General J Stoltenberg has made a statement in an attempted to explain the refusal to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
“What everyone needs to understand is that it’s not just about declaring a no-fly zone,” he explained. It must be imposed, and the only way to impose it is to attack Russian air defence systems massively. We cannot operate a no-fly zone with all air defence systems intact.”
It is therefore impossible to apply it without participating in the war. This would imply that NATO forces “massively attack” these air defence systems that the Russian defence has placed in Ukraine, Belarus and on its own territory.

The establishment of a no-fly zone would also mean that NATO would be ready to “directly confront Russian planes. Such a scenario would contribute to more suffering, loss of life and destruction, in addition to being “extremely dangerous”, warned Stoltenberg.

While the LA City Council proposed to lift the mandatory presentation of vaccination certificates when using indoor establishments (reported on the 7th), there is a difference in safety guidelines between LA City and LA County authorities, causing confusion among residents.

First, starting on the 4th, LA County lifted the requirement to wear a mask indoors regardless of whether or not people have been vaccinated throughout the county. Accordingly, there is no need to present the vaccination certificate when entering indoor facilities such as shops, bars, restaurants, gyms, and movie theatres, and wearing a mask at indoor facilities is left to the individual’s discretion.

However, in LA, it is still mandatory to present a vaccination certificate to enter indoor establishments. According to the ‘Safe Pass LA’ program, which came into effect on November 8, last year, the City of LA must present a vaccination certificate or a negative result within 3 days when entering indoor establishments.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County authorities have lifted the requirement to wear a mask indoors, but some places still require wearing a mask and presenting proof of vaccination.
In the case of school facilities, the mandatory wearing of indoor masks will remain until the 11th, and each school district can set its own guidelines after that. The Los Angeles Unified School District is in a position to maintain it until this semester. In addition, you must present your vaccination certificate to enter the indoor large-scale event halls and medical facilities that can accommodate more than 1,000 people.

Instead of a certificate of vaccination, a negative confirmation of COVID-19 can be presented. Employers are still required to provide medical-grade masks for voluntary use to employees who have close contact with other employees or customers indoors.

Governor David Ige announced on March 1 that the Hawaii Safe Travel Program for Domestic Travelers will end on Friday, March 25.
Beginning Saturday, March 26, 2022, travelers arriving from the continental United States will not need to create a Safe Travel account, show COVID-19 vaccination status, or undergo pre-screening when traveling to Hawaii.

However, passengers arriving in Hawaii on direct international flights must comply with federal entry requirements, which include proof of up-to-date vaccinations and a negative COVID-19 test before travel within one day of travel.

For more information visit www.havaiicovid19.com/travel.

However, the indoor mask requirement in Hawaii remains in effect until further notice.
At the county level, the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii have lifted their state of emergency rules due to COVID-19.

Alaska Airlines has launched a new service they have called “Flight Pass’. Flight Pass has been described as a monthly subscription service that will allow subscribers to redeem up to 24 nonstop eligible trips a year. Not all destinations are eligible for the subscription service booking.

Subscribers will be able to choose from two annual plans starting at $49 per month. The standard “Flight Pass” for $49 per month requires members to book their flights 14 days in advance while the ‘Flight Pass Pro” will start at $199 per month and will allow for same-day booking up to 2 hours before departure.

Alaska Airlines states that subscribers will still be required to pay airport fees and government taxes upon booking in addition to the monthly subscription fee. The subscription has been reported as an auto-renew service and will automatically renew for a further 12 months if not canceled by the subscriber.

CEO for Delta Air Lines Ed Bastian submitted a written request to Attorney General Merrick Garland last week again urging the Justice Department to prosecute and ban unruly passengers.
The short answer response was posted on Tuesday.
“The Department of Justice continues to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of those involved in criminal activity that threatens the safety of passengers, crew and crew,” Justice Department spokeswoman Joshua Steve said in a statement.

“We are committed to bringing those who violate federal law to justice. We will send Delta’s letter to the appropriate department.”
Bastian previously requested a no-fly list in 2021 and has called for urgent action on Friday, February 4th 2022.

“With the welcome strengthening of law enforcement and prosecutors, we call on you to support our efforts to take much-needed action to create a national, complex and unruly man who disrupts passenger boarding.” According to CNN The copy of the letter seen has a list of flights that prohibit this person from traveling on a commercial aircraft carrier,” Bastian wrote to Garland.
“These measures will help prevent future accidents and will serve as a strong symbol of the consequences of commercial airliners not complying with crew instructions,” Bastian’s letter read. – The letter was initially reported by Reuters.

President Joe Biden stated in October that he had directed the Justice Department to respond to the growing violence on planes after reports of passengers threatening airline workers in protest of the face-mask mandate.

In late October 2021 Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that the passenger list for a federal ban on jets “must be on the table.” An existing list of federal bans is used to combat terrorism.

“Bullying, insulting or even disrespecting flight attendants is absolutely unacceptable,” Buttigieg told CNN’s Dane Bash.
On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines removed two rude and unruly passengers from Flight 1582 departing from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta.
“Delta will not tolerate rude behavior at the airport and during flight because nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew,” the airline said in a statement related to the accident.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration 2021 was the worst year on record for aggressive passenger on aircraft behavior in the U.S.
As of 31st December 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration had filed as many as 5,981 reports of insurgent passengers. Of these 4,290 were mask-related incidents.
It has been just over a year since the Federal Aviation Administration issued a zero-tolerance policy for unruly passenger behavior which bypassed warnings or consultations and led directly to penalties that include hefty fines and jail time.

The policy, sparked by the mask incident and violence on Capitol Hill, was due to expire in late March 2021. It extends at least until the federal mask order is lifted.
As of February 1st this year there were 323 reports of unruly behavior by passengers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Of these 205 were related to the use of masks. This year, 73 investigations and 26 enforcement proceedings were launched.
“While unruly passenger accidents have fallen by about 50% from their record levels in early 2021, there is still a lot of work to be done,” the FAA wrote on its accident-tracking website.

The crisis in New York’s Broadway theater district, which has resumed performances after a year and half shut down due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), continues. The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 17th that Broadway theaters were experiencing a record decline. According to the New York Times, in the first week of January, Broadway theaters occupied only 62% of the seats. This is the lowest figure since theater artists went on strike in 2003.

Before the COVID-19 outbreak in January 2020 Broadway theater audience share reached 94%. The season’s year-end box office was also confirmed to have halved. It was estimated that at Christmas, the year-end and New Year’s holidays, the most visited by the public of the year, Broadway theaters earned $40 million (about 47.7 billion won) in revenue. This is less than half of the $99 million (about 118 billion won) recorded in the same period before COVID-19. There are popular musicals that fill the audience, but the NYT explains that the box office is no longer what it used to be.

In the case of Hamilton, which is currently the most popular on Broadway, the price of premium seats before Corona 19 was as high as $847 (about 1,010,000 won) but has recently dropped to $299 (about 350,000 won). The price is said to have been adjusted to reflect audience demand. As a result, more and more theaters are offering a medicinal prescription for shortened performance schedules. A significant portion of the production cost, including remuneration of actors, performers and staff, is invested every time a play is staged, but due to shrinking audiences, it is impossible to make ends meet. Recently, performances of six pieces, including “Don’t Be Proud,” “Diana,” and “Jagged Little Feel,” ended ahead of schedule.

In addition, it was decided to resume performances from June after the temporary suspension of performances of three works, including “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “A Girl from the North”. Accordingly, by the end of this month, the number of theaters with lights on the stage will be reduced to 19 of the 41 theaters on Broadway. “This is the worst box office I’ve ever seen,” said Jack Birtle, president of the Zoo Jamson Theatre, which operates five theaters on Broadway.

The US Department of Commerce has identified and declared export controls that threaten national security. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the Department of Commerce announced on the 24th that it has finally selected 27 foreign companies, including 12 Chinese companies, as well as Japanese, Pakistani, Singaporean and Russian companies, as companies in breach of US law. national security or foreign policy. Commerce Minister Gina Lamondo said in a statement that “trade should promote peace, prosperity and decent jobs and should not pose a security threat.” It can prevent them from contributing. ” “The Department of Commerce will effectively use export controls in the interests of national security,” Lamondo said.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, eight Chinese companies subject to the restrictions have been placed on a checklist to protect quantum computing and encryption technologies to develop anti-stealth and anti-submarine weapons. The companies were involved in modernizing the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) and in securing weapons for which the United States acquired the original technology, the Commerce Department said. 16 companies have been chosen to regulate ballistic and nuclear missile activity developments. The Chinese company Korrad Technology has been named on charges of selling cutting-edge technology to Iran, including a North Korean ghost company. Companies subject to this regulation are prohibited from exporting or re-exporting all goods subject to the Export Control Regulations (EAR) and are required to obtain permission to handle these goods. As expected, China reacted sharply. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) said at a regular briefing on the 25th, “The United States has generalized its national security concept and has abused its national capacity to put pressure on Chinese companies.” It is a ruthless destruction of the international order and economic and trade order and seriously threatens the global industrial supply chain. ”

“China is strongly opposed to the measures taken by the United States and demands that the United States immediately correct its mistakes,” he said. “The announcement of the new sanctions list by the US Department of Commerce is incompatible with the general perception of the leaders of China and the US,” said Suh Ting, spokeswoman for the Chinese Department of Commerce in a weekly briefing. This is not conducive to the recovery of the global economy” he said.

Since the inauguration of the Biden administration, the United States has stepped up comprehensive pressure on China, with a focus on international cybersecurity cooperation such as Russia. The Commerce Department is currently drafting separate regulations requiring US companies, or companies that sell US-made products, to obtain Bureau of Industry and Security approval when exporting technology and products that can be used for cyber-related malicious activities, such as hacking and surveillance of citizens.

US President Joe Biden expressed concern regarding the ongoing rising oil prices. As the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries refuse to increase production, they even tinker with the map to release the Strategic Oil Reserve (SPR). The situation is so urgent. According to the Financial Times (FT) on the 11th, the likelihood that the Biden administration will supply SPR supplies to the market has increased. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) price climbed above $ 80 in more than a month after hitting $ 80.52 on the 11th of last month for the first time in seven years. Bank of America (BoA) warned that “if a cold wave hits this winter, global oil demand could rise to 2 million barrels a day, pushing the price of oil to $ 100 a barrel.” The FT analyzed that the US government has few ways to lower oil prices other than issuing SPRs.

In fact, in a recent letter to President Biden, Democratic senators called for “using everything, including using the SPR, to lower gasoline prices.” US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm also said: “About 613 million barrels of SPR is a tool to use.” 2011 was the last time the US-supplied SPRs to the market. When the civil war broke out in Libya, the oil price surpassed $ 100 a barrel due to supply disruptions. Former President Barack Obama has partnered with the International Energy Agency (IAEA) to release 60 million barrels of oil through the United States. However, the problem is that even if the SPR is released, the effect is likely to be short-lived. In 2011, the price of oil fell again, surpassing $100 for the first time in three months.