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Australia will reopen its borders to tourists from February 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Monday, ending some of the world’s strictest and longest-running pandemic travel restrictions. “It’s almost two years since we took the decision to close the borders to Australia,” Morrison said after a meeting of the national security cabinet. He announced the borders will reopen to all visa holders “on the 21st of February of this year,” adding, “if you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia.” Australia’s borders slammed shut in March 2020 in the hope of protecting the island continent against a surging global pandemic. For most of the time since then, Australians have been barred from leaving and only a handful of visitors have been granted exemptions to enter. The rules have stranded nationals overseas, split families, hammered the country’s multi-billion-dollar tourist industry, and prompted often bitter debates about Australia’s sta...

South Korean boy band BTS was named artist of the year at the American Music Awards show in Los Angeles on Sunday - the top prize at the world's largest fan-voted ceremony. The K-Pop band beat rival nominees Ariana Grande, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. K-Pop band BTS was the big winner at the American Music Awards on Sunday just four years after making their first appearance on the fan-voted show. The seven member band from South Korea beat veteran Taylor Swift, rapper Drake, pop singer Ariana Grande, teen phenomenon Olivia Rodrigo and Canadian The Weeknd for the night's biggest prize - artist of the year. Adored by an army of fervent fans, they also were named favorite pop group and won best pop song for their summer hit "Butter." The band, known for its positive uplifting music, called the artist of the year win a miracle. "We're truly honored to be on this stage with such amazing, tremendous artists," said Kim Nam-Joo...

The dress singer Amy Winehouse wore for her final performance sold Sunday for $243,200, 16 times its estimated value, as part of a trove of memorabilia from the late diva’s life auctioned in California. Winehouse wore the green and black bamboo print dress at a concert in Belgrade in 2011. A month later, on July 23, she died from acute alcohol poisoning. She was 27. Her death was the culmination of a lengthy — and often very public — struggle with alcohol and drugs. Watch the video The dress was the highlight of an 800-item collection of personal effects, ranging from bras and DVDs to books and make-up that were sold by Winehouse’s parents, Mitch and Janis. The entire collection brought in $4 million, twice the original forecast, according to auction house Julien’s, which managed the sale that ran from Saturday to Sunday. “Of course, there are fans and museums and collectors all over the world that will want to own some of these items, care for them, show them at museums, k...