Stories for February 2021

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.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:36 UTC
EU divided over travel certificates of vaccination; southern countries want to recover the summer season

European Union leaders will agree on Thursday to work on certificates of vaccination for EU citizens who have had an anti-COVID shot, with southern EU countries that depend heavily on tourism desperate to rescue this summer's holiday season.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:05 UTC
Lost sheep found in Australia delivered more than 35 kilograms of wool

Imagine a stray sheep yielding a fleece weighing more than 35 kilograms: it happened in Australia where Baarack was found by rescuers and was shorn for the first time in who knows how many years.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:05 UTC
Gangs' war in Ecuadorian jails death toll climbs to 79, and remains out of control

Ecuador raised the death toll from riots in four jails to 79, including 18 prisoners who were found dismembered at one site, one of the bloodiest outbreaks of prison violence in the country’s history.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:05 UTC
LBGT+ cruise to Antarctica from Ushuaia in December 2022 sold out in ten days

Argentina announced that it will port the first-ever LGBT+ cruise to Antarctica in December of 2022. The ten-night cruise will be organized by the LGBT+ travel company Vacaya on the ship Ponant Le Boréal. Guests will enjoy a one-night stay in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital city, before setting sail in Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 08:44 UTC
Brazilian border state of Acre chastised by the spell of several plagues

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday visited the state of Acre, in the Amazon rainforest, where several cities have been submerged in floodwaters, adding yet another challenge for the beleaguered state.