Stories for 2021

Tuesday, March 9th 2021 - 09:25 UTC
A third of world travel destinations remain closed to international tourism, UNWTO report

Around a third of 217 world travel destinations’ borders surveyed remain completely closed to international tourists, as concerns grow over the impact of new coronavirus variants, and some governments reverse efforts to ease restrictions, a new report released on Monday by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) revealed.
Tuesday, March 9th 2021 - 09:15 UTC
New Zealanders happy with Queen Elizabeth as head of state

Queen Elizabeth, as constitutional monarch of New Zealand, is unlikely to stop being the head of state anytime soon, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, in comments following Oprah Winfrey's interview with Prince Harry and Meghan.
Tuesday, March 9th 2021 - 09:04 UTC
British regulators fined Chinese state CGTN €260,000 for breaching UK broadcast code

British regulators on Monday fined Chinese state broadcast CGTN €260,000, a month after having revoked its license. Peter Humphrey complained to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom about the channel's airing of a criminal confession that he says he was forced to make.
Tuesday, March 9th 2021 - 09:00 UTC
Greek 37 day old baby dies from Covid-19

Greece on Monday mourned a 37-day-old baby, the youngest among the country's nearly 6,800 COVID-19 victims. “Sadly today we had the pandemic's youngest victim in our country, an infant that spent 17 of its 37 days fighting the coronavirus,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:55 UTC
Names of women victimized by violence painted on metal barriers protecting Mexico's National Palace

Reuters – The names of women victimized by violence were painted late on Saturday on metal barriers erected around Mexico's national palace ahead of a major women's march as activists turned the fencing into a makeshift billboard for their movement.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:55 UTC
Brazilian state of Mato Grosso admits its hospital network has collapsed

Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, the largest grain producer in the country, announced on Sunday that its hospital network has begun to collapse, as there is a lack of intensive care beds due to the increasing number of patients suffering from COVID-19.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:35 UTC
Maduro and wife Cilia Flores receive first doses of Sputnik vaccine, as shown by state television

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores have received their first doses of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, Venezuelan state television reported, while the country received a second shipment of the vaccine.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:25 UTC
EU medicines' regulator calls for refrain in approving Russia's Sputnik V vaccine

A senior European Medicines Agency (EMA) official urged European Union members on Sunday to refrain from granting national approvals for Russian Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V while the agency reviews its safety and effectiveness.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:00 UTC
Ex-wife of Jeff Bezos marries a science teacher; couple pledges to continue giving to charity

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos and one of the world's richest women, has married a Seattle science teacher, who promptly declared he plans to help give away most of their wealth to charity.
Monday, March 8th 2021 - 08:00 UTC
Ululations of joy during the Pope's four day visit to Irak

Pope Francis met Christians on Sunday in an ancient church torched by the ISIS terror group when it swept into the northern Iraqi town of Qaraqosh in 2014. After the militants were ousted from the town in 2016, the Al-Tahera (Immaculate Conception) Church’s imposing marble floors and columns were restored and the faithful gathered there on Sunday to welcome the pontiff.