Stories for March 2019

Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 10:07 UTC
Angela Merkel to the rescue of an “orderly Brexit”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she will fight for an “orderly Brexit” until “the very last hour”. Mrs Merkel said that current events were in a “state of flux”, adding that European Union leaders would try to react to whatever the UK proposed. The UK is due to leave the EU in 10 days' time, with or without a deal.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 10:04 UTC
Robust action against Islamphobia in the Conservative party, claims chairman Brandon Lewis

The Conservative Party's complaints process is “robust”, the party chairman has said, after a campaign group wrote to him about claims of Islamophobia. Hope Not Hate's Nick Lowles asked for Brandon Lewis to clarify his claim that all complaints of Islamophobia by party members had been dealt with.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 10:01 UTC
Boeing's commercial division makes major reshuffle in top positions; US$ 500bn in 737Max orders on hold

 Boeing Co's commercial airplane division, facing its biggest crisis in years following deadly crashes of its flagship 737Max, has brought in a new vice president of engineering while dedicating another top executive to the aircraft investigations, a company email showed on Tuesday.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:57 UTC
Venezuelan opposition makes new offer to the military hoping they will switch sides

Members of the Venezuelan armed forces that abandon President Nicolas Maduro will keep their rank and be reinstated once a new government is in place, the opposition-controlled legislature said on Tuesday. The announcement marked the latest offer from the National Assembly, headed by opposition leader and self-declared interim president Juan Guaido, to try to convince more military personnel to switch sides.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:53 UTC
Hundreds killed by cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi

Cyclone Idai has triggered a “massive disaster” in southern Africa affecting hundreds of thousands if not millions of people, the UN says. The region has been hit by widespread flooding and devastation affecting Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:49 UTC
Mrs. May, with a divided cabinet, writes to EU requesting postponing Brexit; she flies to Brussels on Thursday

Prime Minister Theresa May is writing to the EU to formally ask for Brexit to be postponed. One ministerial source told the BBC the longer delay could be up to two years, amid reports of a cabinet row, but No 10 said no decision had been made.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:47 UTC
Bolivia will host the World Travel Awards Latin American ceremony in June

World Travel Awards (WTA) has revealed that its Latin American Ceremony 2019 will be hosted in La Paz, Bolivia on 13th July 2019. The leading figureheads, decision-makers and influencers of Latin America’s travel and tourism industry are scheduled to attend the ceremony, which will mark WTA’s first visit to Bolivia.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:43 UTC
Armando, a Belgian star racing pigeon, auctioned for 1.25 million Euros

A star racing pigeon named Armando has fetched a record 1.25 million Euros in an online auction, Belgian media reported. The prized bird -- Belgian's best long-distance racer of all time according to those in the know -- was snapped up by a Chinese buyer for a princely sum that caused a flutter of excitement among fanciers.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:35 UTC
Dead whale with 40 kilos of plastic in its stomach found off the Philippines coast

A dead whale with 40 kilograms of plastic in its stomach has been discovered off the coast of the Philippines. Marine biologist Darrell Blatchley was called to recover the 4.7m Cuvier’s beaked whale, which was trapped in the shores of the Mabini Compostela Valley.
Wednesday, March 20th 2019 - 09:29 UTC
US and Brazil agree to lower barriers to agricultural trade, mainly wheat and beef

The United States and Brazil have agreed to steps aimed at lowering barriers to agricultural trade, focusing on wheat, pork and beef, the presidents of the two nations said in a joint statement on Tuesday.