International

• Wednesday, March 14th 2018 - 08:56 UTC

  Francis fifth year as Pope: a fearless reformer overwhelmed by the Church's sex abuse scandals

  

  As Pope Francis marks the fifth year of his papacy next week, the pontiff once hailed as a fearless reformer is under fire for his handling of the sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Roman Catholic Church. Since taking over in March 2013, the 81-year-old Argentine has championed the cause of the marginalized, saying he wanted a “poor church for the poor” and shunning papal palaces and ostentatious displays of wealth.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2018 - 08:48 UTC

  Stephen Hawking, a brilliant mind across time and space, has died

  

  Stephen Hawking, whose brilliant mind ranged across time and space though his body was paralyzed by disease, died early Wednesday, a University of Cambridge spokesman said. He was 76 years old. Hawking died peacefully at his home in Cambridge, England.

• Wednesday, March 14th 2018 - 07:59 UTC

  Di Tella old hand back at the Argentine foreign ministry

  

  Argentine former deputy foreign minister and ambassador before the United Nations, Fernando Enrique Petrella has been appointed head of the country's Foreign Service Institute, ISEN, according to Decree 176/2018.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 20:44 UTC

  Falkland Islanders mark Commonwealth Day with a range of events

  

  On six continents around the globe, the currently 53 countries of the Commonwealth marked Commonwealth Day earlier in the week. The day included messages to the Commonwealth from Her Majesty the Queen as well as the UK Prime Minister, both of which have been covered by MercoPress. However, the Falkland Islands also reaffirmed its ties to the Commonwealth over recent days both within the Islands and elsewhere in the world.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 15:28 UTC

  Tillerson fired, Trump names CIA chief Pompeo new Secretary of State

  

  Rex Tillerson was fired as secretary of State on Tuesday, ending a tumultuous tenure as America's top diplomat that was marked by a series of public disagreements with his boss — President Donald Trump.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:11 UTC

  Gibraltar lowers the EU flag and flies the Commonwealth colors

  

  The flag of the European Union at different points in Gibraltar was lowered over the weekend and replaced by the flag of the Commonwealth, marking Commonwealth Day. It has been traditional for the Commonwealth flag to fly on that day over No.6 Convent Place, the seat of Government in Gibraltar.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 09:03 UTC

  Canadian company develops all-natural calamari oil from squid

  

  Canadian company Dr. Dobias Natural Healing has acquired Friend of the Sea Certification for its FeelGood Omega-3 product, an all-natural calamari oil sourced from Japanese flying squid, jumbo flying squid and South Atlantic short-fin squid, fished in South East Pacific Ocean (FAO Area 87).

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 07:20 UTC

  Commonwealth has key role to play in the bright future for Britain

  

  By Boris Johnson - Writing in The Sunday Express, the Foreign Secretary celebrates shared values with Commonwealth members and looks ahead to opportunities at the London Commonwealth Summit in April. Commonwealth Day is a celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations, and is held on the second Monday in March each year.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 07:12 UTC

  White House confirms Trump will visit Peru and Colombia in April

  

  United States president Donald Trump will make his Latin America debut next month, visiting Peru and Colombia after harsh rhetoric towards Hispanic migrants and neighbors to the south. Trump will travel to Peru to attend the Summit of the Americas in Lima on April 13-14, a gathering of leaders from across the Western Hemisphere, and from there he will visit Colombia.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 06:52 UTC

  “Highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack: demands “credible response” from Moscow

  

  Former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia, Theresa May has told MPs. The PM said it was “highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack.