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Do You Now Need ETA To Travel To The UK?!

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Do you now need ETA – Electronic Travel Authorisation – to travel to the UK?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

 

Claim : You Need ETA To Travel To The UK!

A video clip called New UK travel requirements has gone viral on WhatsApp and social media. It warns that people who travel to the UK on or after 15 November 2023, must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

This has led some people who already booked their flights to the UK to panic, as they were not aware of such requirements.

Recommended : New Study Proves Pfizer Vaccine Causes Turbo Cancer?!

 

Truth : UK ETA Only Required For Some Countries At The Moment

Here is what you need to know about the UK ETA programme, and what countries are affected.

Fact #1 : Video Is Genuine

First, I would like to point out that the video is genuine, and was originally posted by the UK Home Office on 9 March 2023.

It appears to have been edited and shared by Homely Stay UK on WhatsApp and social media, where it was shared without context, leading to mass panic.

Fact #2 : UK Will Soon Require ETA For Non-Visa Travellers

The warning is, of course, true – the United Kingdom will soon require non-visa travellers to apply and pay for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

The ETA scheme is part of the UK’s plan to fully digitise its borders by 2025. But note that the ETA only applies to travellers who currently do NOT require a visa to travel to the UK.

An Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) will soon be a requirement for people who do not need a visa to come to the UK. It will give you permission to travel to the UK, and it will be electronically linked to your passport.

You’ll need an ETA to:

  • come to the UK for up to 6 months for tourism, visiting family and friends, business or study
  • come to the UK for up to 3 months on the Creative Worker visa concession
  • transit through the UK – including if you’re not going through UK border control

Once it is fully implemented, these travellers will not require an ETA to travel to the UK:

  • a British or Irish passport
  • permission to live, work, or study in the UK
  • a visa to enter the UK

Recommended : Did Moderna Try To Cover Up Vaccine Deaths?!

Fact #3 : Only Qatar Affected In November 2023

What the video does not reveal is that only travellers from Qatar must have an ETA to travel to the UK from 15 November 2023 onwards.

No other country is affected by this 15 November 2023 deadline, only Qatar. So stop panicking!

If you’re from another country : You do not need to apply for an ETA now. More nationalities will be added to the scheme later.

Even if you are a resident of Qatar, there is no need to panic – you can only apply for an ETA from 25 October 2023 onwards.

Fact #4 : UK Will Rollout ETA Through 2024

The United Kingdom will slowly roll out its ETA programme throughout 2024.

From 22 February 2024 onwards, travellers from these six countries in the Middle East will need an ETA to travel to the UK:

  • Bahrain
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Oman
  • Saudi Arabia
  • United Arab Emirates

Even travellers from these countries do not need to apply until 1 February 2024 onwards.

The UK Home Office has not mentioned what countries will be affected next, but non-visa travellers from all other countries will need an ETA by 2025.

Recommended : Is Joe Biden Reinstating Face Mask + Lockdowns?!

Fact #5 : How Much Does ETA Cost?

Each traveller will require his or her own ETA, including children and babies. Each ETA will cost £10 per applicant.

Fact #6 : How Long Does Each ETA Last?

Your ETA will last for 2 years, and can use it to make multiple visits to the UK. However, you should know that having an ETA does not guarantee entry to the UK.

In addition, the ETA is not transferrable to a new / renewed passport. If your passport expires in less than 2 years, you will need to get a new ETA for your new / renewed passport.

Fact #7 : How To Apply For UK ETA

You can apply for yourself, or on the behalf of other travellers. There are two ways to apply for the UK ETA:

  • using the UK ETA app (not available yet)
  • apply online on GOV.UK (not available yet)

Note : Neither options are available yet, because the first day anyone can apply for a UK ETA is on 25 October 2023.

You will usually get a decision within 3 working days, but there may be delays if the UK government needs to make further checks. Once your ETA is approved, you will receive an email confirmation.

There is no ETA to print or bring with you. The ETA is linked electronically to the passport you applied with. You must therefore travel to the UK using the same passport.

 

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Name : Adrian Wong
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!

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Take a look at the scene that got the Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, banned in 14 countries, and likely China too!

 

Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

Lightyear – the long-awaited Toy Story prequel from Disney-Pixar – has been banned in  14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and quite likely China too!

The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that Lightyear was banned from screening in all cinemas for “its violation of the country’s media content standards“.

A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.

That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :

  • United Arab Emirates
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Egypt
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • Lebanon
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Kuwait
  • Bahrain

Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.

Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.

I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.

We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut

 

The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!

The reasons why Lightyear has been banned in at least 14 countries, and possibly China too, is over a brief kissing scene.

In the first 30 minutes of Lightyear, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) – a female space ranger and a close friend of Buzz Lightyear – shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.

That kiss was part of a scene showing milestones in the couple’s relationship. It also shows the couple’s son, although it is not known if he was adopted or conceived through assisted reproduction.

But it was the brief kiss between two fictional characters that broke the camel’s back for censors in those countries. They demanded that the scene be cut from the film.

Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a controversial scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.

However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.

We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.

Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.

Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.

Read more : Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

 

Lightyear Stars On Why Lightyear Was Banned…

Chris Evans, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in this prequel, labelled such objections as “frustrating”.

It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity.

But it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be.

He also told Variety magazine that he was frustrated that news coverage of the movie would be focused on such an issue :

It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’

The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is.

Taika Waititi, who voices the character of Mo Morrison in the film, added :

We’re hoping for a time when we don’t even have to have this conversation. We can watch a movie and we don’t even have to bat an eyelid.

We don’t have to think ‘Oh wow, weird’. It’s not weird, it’s normal and it should be normalised.

Whenever you have these small steps that studios are making – sometimes they may feel small but also, they are steps – and it’s steps towards normalising humanity and love. I really feel sorry for countries who don’t want this film because of a tiny, weird little thing like that

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

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The Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, has been banned in 14 countries, and quite possibly China too!

Here is what we know so far…

 

Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!

Lightyear – the long-awaited animated feature film from Disney-Pixar – has reportedly been banned in 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that :

The Media Regulatory Office announced that the animated film Lightyear, which is scheduled for release on 16th June, is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards.

A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.

That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :

  • United Arab Emirates
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Egypt
  • Indonesia
  • Malaysia
  • Singapore
  • Lebanon
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Kuwait
  • Bahrain

Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.

Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.

I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.

We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut

 

Why Lightyear Was Banned In Those Countries…

In Lightyear, the character of Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.

That’s it – a little kiss between two fictional characters. Unfortunately, it was a kiss too far for those countries.

Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a “controversial” scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.

However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.

We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.

Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.

Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.

Read more : The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!

 

Lightyear Stars On The Movie Ban By 14+ Countries

Chris Evans, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in this prequel, labelled such objections as “frustrating”.

It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity.

But it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be.

He also told Variety magazine that he was frustrated that news coverage of the movie would be focused on such an issue :

It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’

The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is.

Taika Waititi, who voices the character of Mo Morrison in the film, added :

We’re hoping for a time when we don’t even have to have this conversation. We can watch a movie and we don’t even have to bat an eyelid.

We don’t have to think ‘Oh wow, weird’. It’s not weird, it’s normal and it should be normalised.

Whenever you have these small steps that studios are making – sometimes they may feel small but also, they are steps – and it’s steps towards normalising humanity and love. I really feel sorry for countries who don’t want this film because of a tiny, weird little thing like that

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Health Advocates Against Pfizer mRNA Vaccine : A Fact Check

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According to health advocates backed by PPIM, PATRIOT, AHM Group and GNI, we need to stop using the Pfizer vaccine right away!

Let’s take a look at their claims, and find out what the FACTS really are!

 

Health Advocates Against Pfizer mRNA Vaccine : A Fact Check

Writers calling themselves Health Advocates penned a letter that appears to be gaining traction on WhatsApp, after being posted on two websites.

Let’s go through the various claims on the Pfizer vaccine, and see what the facts really are!

PFIZER is probably the worst serial corporate criminal in the world, considering the several published news reports on Pfizer’s involvement in fraud, bribery, corruption and illegal tests on children.

Can we trust such a corrupt company on the safety of their experimental mRNA chemical vaccine when their own top management have refused to take it so far?

We will not comment on legal claims, which are the purview of the courts.

But it is categorically false that Pfizer’s top management refused to take their mRNA vaccine so far.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in mid February 2021, and his second shot on 10 March 2021.

Yet, we are the only hot-weather developing country in the world to have ordered this very temperature sensitive chemical vaccine.

Seriously? Never heard of the country called Singapore, just south of Johor Bahru? Yes, Singapore is still considered as a developing country (according to WTO).

How about Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and even Saudi Arabia in the Middle East?

The ultra-low temperature storage requirement is troublesome all over the world. It requires special ultra-low temperature freezers like these.

But if you have them, it really doesn’t matter if you are in the tropics or the North Pole.

Total order so far of 32 million doses (for half the population) of highly risky (as stated by the US Govt NIH website), ineffective (in preventing COVID-19 infection and transmission as it has been proven now) & possibly very harmful chemical vaccine.

The US NIH did NOT call the Pfizer vaccine as “highly risky” or “ineffective” or “possibly very harmful”.

In his 9 March 2021 post on the Pfizer vaccine, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins noted that the real world study showed that “the vaccine works remarkably well” and offered “essentially the same very high level of protection that was seen in the data gathered in the earlier U.S. clinical trial“.

Why does the US Govt National Institutes of Health (NIH), after stating that synthetic mRNA is gene therapy, said that this approach can have “very serious health risks such as toxicity, inflammation, and cancer”?

The US National Institutes of Health did NOT label the mRNA vaccine as “gene therapy”.

It would not be possible to modify our genes using mRNA technology because mRNA cannot enter the cell nucleus, and therefore cannot modify our DNA.

In his 16 March 2021 post on the CRISPR-based anti-viral therapy for HIV and COVID-19, NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins wrote about a team that used mRNA technology to create a bacterial enzyme called Cas13a that is capable of “cutting up” the viral RNA, stopping the infection.

In that article, he also pointed out that “Because mRNA doesn’t enter the cell’s nucleus, it doesn’t interact with DNA and raise potential concerns about causing unwanted genetic changes.”

Our procurement for vaccines should not be political but based on merit, especially safety. But we should be mindful about the principles of justice, ethics and human rights.

Indeed, it should be based on merit and safety. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was the first out with its Phase 3 trial results.

Based on its excellent safety and efficacy results, it was the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive an Emergency Utilisation Authority from the US FDA.

Our procurement must also not go against our policies to oppose Zionism (we do not recognize the state of Israel) and the oppression of the Palestinian people in Israel and the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.

Didn’t you just say that vaccine procurement should not be political?

Even so, how is buying the Pfizer vaccine related to Zionism, or the oppression of the Palestinian people?

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is a prominent Greek Jew and there is nothing wrong in being a Jew.

On Jan 15, 2021, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, announced that it would award an honorary doctorate to Albert Bourla. No problem with that.

But instead of rejecting the offer, Albert Bourla immediately responded that “I am moved by the news and honored to receive a degree from such an important and historical institution as the Technion. In my youth, I considered studying at Technion; this is an emotional closure for me”.

Wow, such passionate support for Technion.

So you have no problem with Albert Bourla being a Jew or receiving an honorary doctorate, but you have a problem with the fact he didn’t reject the honorary doctorate that you just said you had no problem with?

Wow.. such logic. Such impeccable logic.

How can the government justify such a huge order (largest order for our country so far, for any vaccine) for such a risky experimental vaccine from such a corrupt corporation (Pfizer)?

The same reasons why Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the UAE and even Saudi Arabia had no issue purchasing the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

  1. The Pfizer COMIRNATY vaccine has been proven to be very safe and efficacious.
  2. They were able to handle its ultra-low temperature storage issues.
  3. Pfizer is a public-listed American company, not an Israeli company.

Incidentally, Pfizer is merely the US manufacturing partner for BioNTech – the German company that actually created the vaccine. In China, BioNTech is working  with Fosun Pharma to make the vaccine.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and the mRNA technology it’s based on were actually created by Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci – Germans of Turkish descent!

 

To Health Advocates Against Pfizer Vaccine : Put People’s Lives First

I agree with you completely that vaccine procurement should not be political, but based on merit and safety.

Scientifically, the Pfizer-BioNTech COMIRNATY vaccine has been proven to be both safe and effective. Period.

LET US PUT PEOPLE’S LIVES FIRST. We need to vaccinate everyone as quickly as possible – the COVID-19 pandemic has already killed more than 3 million people globally!

 

Help Support My Work!

If you would like to support my work, you can do so via bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card.

Name : Adrian Wong

Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)

Thank you in advanced! ❤️

 

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iflix Middle East & North Africa Goes Live!

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April 27, 2017 – iflix today announced the launch of its revolutionary service in eight territories across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

 

iflix Middle East & North Africa Goes Live!

Consumers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Egypt and Sudan can now sign up for a 30-day free trial, giving them unlimited access to thousands of the world’s best TV shows, movies and more on every device they own, with no credit card required.

The announcement follows just one month after the iflix launch in Myanmar, its tenth market in Asia, solidifying iflix’s dominance over the region with over six billion minutes streamed across ten countries since first launching in Malaysia and the Philippines in mid-2015.

With the launch of iflix Middle East & North Africa, iflix has established itself as the only international SVoD service with full-scale localized operations in each of its territories and a total global headcount of 700 staff across 24 offices worldwide, including new regional headquarters for MENA based in Dubai, UAE.

Each iflix subscription includes:

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  • Unlimited access to iflix’s vast library of thousands of first-run exclusive shows, award-winning TV series, blockbuster movies, popular local and regional Arabic and Asian content, children’s programs and much more;
  • Access to iflix on up to five devices at once, including phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, TVs and other connected devices;
  • The ability to download TV shows and movies to any phone, tablet or mobile device to binge-watch offline, when not connected to the Internet;
  • The ability to share the iflix subscription with family or friends and watch shows on two different devices at the same time.

iflix Group Co-founder and CEO, Mark Britt commented: “Our launch in the Middle East and North Africa represents the incredible vision, hard work and sacrifice by everyone in the iflix team. To have grown from a small, but ambitious 20-person operation without a live service to launching a global business, in now our second region with eight new markets and 80 staff in MENA alone in less than two years, is a testament to that commitment. MENA is one of the fastest growing and most exciting online markets in the world with data savvy consumers who share a passion for entertainment. We are thrilled to make iflix’s world class service, premier digital experience and the most comprehensive selection of content available to them, as part of our mission to redefine entertainment in emerging markets.”

Now available in 18 markets across Asia and MENA, iflix offers consumers, a vast library of top Hollywood, Asian regional, and local TV shows and movies including many first run exclusives and award-winning programs, each subscription allows users to access the service on up to five devices, including phones, laptops, tablets, and television sets, for viewing wherever, whenever.

For new subscribers, iflix offers a complimentary one-month trial with full access to its service, features and content.

 

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