BioNTech, the German biotech company that pioneered the messenger RNA technology behind the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, has teamed up with London-based A.I. company InstaDeep to create what the two firms say is an effective “early warning system” for spotting potentially dangerous new coronavirus variants. In tests, the two companies said that their early warning system was able to…

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Covid-19 guidance will soon become optional for many cruise ships. When the CDC’s extended conditional sailing order expires on Saturday, the agency is transitioning to a voluntary program for foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in US waters. The transition comes about two weeks after the agency bumped cruise travel up to…

As the Caribbean aviation industry limps back to normalcy, InterCaribbean Airways looks set to replace its bankrupt rival LIAT. The Turks and Caicos Islands-based InterCaribbean hit the headlines throughout the region last month when it launched weekly flights between Barbados and Guyana, a route traditionally served by LIAT. Not just Guyana, InterCaribbean now operates twice-weekly…

JetBlue is cancelling 17 of its routes in 2022 including several to the Caribbean. The airline is mostly cutting routes that it added during the pandemic in the hopes of luring in more passengers even as the number of flights taken dropped. Between January 6, 2020, and January 4, 2021, there was a 43.5% decrease in scheduled…

The pandemic proved a prophylactic for condom profits. The world’s largest condom manufacturer claims that business has gone financially flaccid amid the coronavirus pandemic, with sales declining as much as 40% over the past two years. “A large portion [of condoms] is distributed by governments around the world, which have reduced [distribution] significantly during COVID-19,”…

FORT WORTH, Texas — Traveling between the United States and Ireland, also known as the Emerald Isle, will be simple, easy and more convenient for customers as American Airlines and Aer Lingus launch their codeshare agreement this week. To increase connectivity between the U.S and Europe for customers, American will place its code on Aer…

For a second year, the Republic Group has been named as the Best Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Institution in the Caribbean by Ethical Boardroom. Republic Financial Holdings Limited (RFHL) received this award for the first time in 2019, demonstrating that the Group continues to set the tone of good governance by adopting measures that raise the…

Transat A.T. is cancelling nearly 30 per cent of its winter flights as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on air industry plans and profits. The tour operator says the ongoing impact of the Omicron variant and the federal government’s Dec. 15 recommendation against non-essential travel abroad have triggered a wave of trip cancellations. The slimmed-down flight…

KFC locations across the U.S. will begin offering Beyond fried chicken, the fast-food giant announced. The plant-based fried chicken, which was developed by Beyond Meat, will only be available for a limited time, while supplies last. Customers will be able to get the new menu item as a combo meal with fries, a medium drink…

Canada – Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra has asked Transport Canada to investigate reports of “unacceptable” behaviour on a recent Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Cancun, Mexico. Videos of the Dec. 30 flight shared on social media appear to show passengers not wearing masks as they gather in close proximity, singing and dancing in…