Stories for February 25th 2021

Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:37 UTC
Bolsonaro praises Economy minister Guedes trying to overcome the Petrobras controversy

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro praised his Economy Minister Paulo Guedes as the “anchor” of his government, in an attempt to quash speculation of a deepening division between the two after Bolsonaro last week ousted Petrobras CEO triggering a plunge in markets.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:22 UTC
Argentina: the icon of Kirchners' business friends sentenced to 12 years in jail for money laundering

Argentine justice despite its disrepute has inflicted a mighty blow to the dominant force of the country's political system since 2003, the Nestor and Cristina Kirchner couple, currently headed by the widow Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:20 UTC
Optimistic forecast in coming months for Argentina's economic activity

Argentina’s economic activity was down 10% during 2020 after falling 2.2% in December versus a year earlier, but better than the average fall analysts forecasted and that the initial government projections.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:19 UTC
The Venturer leaves Brazil and is sailing for the Falklands

Following four weeks docked in Bahia, northeast Brazil, because of a Covid 19 outbreak on board, the Red Ensign flagged trawler Venturer left on Tuesday night for the Falkland Islands.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:15 UTC
Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine proves 94% effective in a study with 1,2 million in Israel

AFP – The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has proven 94% effective in a study involving 1.2 million people in Israel, the first peer-reviewed real world research confirming the power of mass immunization campaigns to bring the pandemic to a close.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:05 UTC
Venezuela declares EU's head of delegation persona non grata and gives her 72 hours to leave the country

Venezuela announced on Wednesday that the head of the European Union's delegation in Caracas had 72 hours to leave the country and declared her persona non grata after the bloc imposed new sanctions on Venezuelan officials this week.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
German Customs seize 23 tons of cocaine (from Paraguay) in biggest ever haul

Investigators uncovered a total of 23 tons of cocaine with a street value of billions of Euros in a cross-European drugs bust, German customs said Wednesday. The cocaine was uncovered in Germany and Belgium.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Australian bill confirms Facebook and Google agreement to pay local media for content

After a last-gasp deal that watered-down binding rules Facebook and Google had fiercely opposed in return for the tech giants agreeing to pay local media companies, Australia's parliament passed landmark legislation on Thursday. The dispute was closely watched around the world.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Johnson & Johnson one shot Covid-19 vaccines considered safe and effective

Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot Covid-19 vaccine appeared safe and effective in trials, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff said in documents published on Wednesday, paving the way for its approval for emergency use.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Rescuers in New Zealand manage to refloat some 28 beached pilot whales

A group of 28 pilot whales were successfully refloated at a notorious New Zealand beach where more than a dozen of the marine mammals died this week. The long-finned pilot whales, which had re-stranded themselves once before, appeared to have finally swum out to sea, animal rescue charity Project Jonah said.