Stories for 2019

Friday, January 18th 2019 - 10:01 UTC
EU prepares contingency plans for a UK disorderly departure

French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said a no-deal Brexit looks “less and less unlikely” and has launched a contingency plan to prepare for it. After the UK Parliament rejected the withdrawal agreement, Mr Philippe said laws had to be passed and millions invested in French ports and airports.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:39 UTC
China moves in after Hitachi and Toshiba abandon nuclear plants' plans in UK

China’s General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) will bring forward plans to build a nuclear plant in Britain, it said on Thursday, helping plug a gap left by the failure of two Japanese projects.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:30 UTC
Brazilian government meets Venezuelan opposition leaders to discuss Maduro's “illegitimacy”

Brazilian and US officials met Venezuelan opposition leaders in Brasilia on Thursday to discuss the political crisis in the oil-rich country ruled by president Nicolas Maduro, Brazil's foreign ministry reported.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:23 UTC
US investigating China's Huawei for “stealing trade secrets” from American partners

The United States is reportedly investigating Huawei for “stealing trade secrets” from American business partners in the latest action against the Chinese technology giant. The criminal inquiry was first reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:16 UTC
Spanish fishing industry faces dramatic consequences with a no-deal Brexit

Spain's Agriculture, Fisheries and Food minister Luis Planas admitted the fishing industry could suffer “dramatic consequences” with a no-deal Brexit, one of several options after this week's parliament events in London. Minister Planas had revealed that in the case of a hard-Brexit, all Spanish fishing vessels will have to immediately abandon United Kingdom waters immediately.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:03 UTC
UK and Spain agree to guarantee reciprocal suffrage at municipal level post-Brexit

Spain’s Foreign Minister Josep Borrell announced this week that Madrid and London have agreed to guarantee electoral rights in local elections for British residents in Spain and Spanish residents in the UK post-Brexit.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 09:00 UTC
WHO statement on reports of alleged misconduct

World Health Organization (WHO) is aware of a news story published today about allegations of misconduct in the organization. The allegations are being investigated according to WHO’s established procedures, having been referred to WHO’s Office of Internal Oversight Services by the Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 08:55 UTC
Border wall tit-for-tat: Trump halts Pelosi's trip to Afghanistan by denying military aircraft

President Donald Trump has postponed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's upcoming trip to Brussels and Afghanistan, asking her to stay to negotiate an end to the partial US government shutdown.
Friday, January 18th 2019 - 08:45 UTC
Speaker of UK Parliament John Bercow, next Brexit victim?

Such is the anger with the Speaker of the UK Parliament at senior levels of government, it has been suggested he could be blocked from getting a peerage when he retires. Ministers are furious at what they see as John Bercow's “bias” during Commons debates on Brexit.
Thursday, January 17th 2019 - 19:30 UTC
Nine killed and dozens injured with car-bomb in Bogotá next to police academy

At least nine people were killed and dozens more injured in a car bombing at a police academy in Colombia's capital, Bogotá on Thursday, recalling the high-profile attacks associated with bloodiest chapters of the country's drug-fueled guerrilla conflict.