International

Friday, December 28th 2018 - 08:35 UTC
Indonesia volcano activity on the rise: exclusion area expanded and flights rerouted

The alert level for Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano has been raised to the second-highest level possible, after a series of eruptions, while all flights around the volcano have been rerouted and a 5km (three-mile) exclusion zone has also been imposed.
Friday, December 28th 2018 - 08:27 UTC
French operator purchases majority stake in Gatwick Airport, UK’s second busiest

A majority stake in Gatwick Airport is to be sold to French operator Vinci Airports for £2.9bn. Vinci Airports, part of infrastructure group Vinci, will buy 50.01% of the UK's second-busiest airport. The other 49.99% will be managed by current owners Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP).
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 13:21 UTC
Russia announces successful test of unbeatable Avangard hypersonic missile

Russian President Vladimir Putin Wednesday announced his country had successfully tested a new hypersonic missile named Avangard, which he claimed is impossible to intercept. Putin made the announcement from the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow where he watched a live feed of the missile tests.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 09:01 UTC
Venezuela invites Russia to join in gold mining

Venezuelan authorities have offered Russian companies to take part in gold exploration and gold mining in the country, according to Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Vladimir Zaemsky.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 08:56 UTC
US citizen becomes first person to cross Antarctica alone and unassisted

A 33-year-old American man has become the first person to cross Antarctica alone and unassisted. Explorer Colin O'Brady finished in 53 days, ahead of British Army Captain Louis Rudd, 49, after an epic race across the ice. Both men set out on 3 November to complete the journey, which killed a British ex-Army officer two years ago.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 08:53 UTC
Mount Etna in Sicily hit by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake: 30 people injured

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 hit an area north of Catania on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily early on Wednesday, damaging buildings and injuring about 30 people, officials said.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 05:27 UTC
Cuba and Venezuela default on Brazilian development loans

After defaults in Mozambique, Venezuela, and Cuba the Brazilian government froze credit lines for new exports, a measure that will affect mostly small and medium-sized businesses. The Brazilian Treasury Department will spend US$ 6 million to reimburse BNDES (National Bank For Economic and Social Development) for Cuba's default
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 05:19 UTC
Natanyahu will not be attending Bolsonaro's inauguration, reports O'Globo

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will cut a visit to Brazil short, skipping incoming President Jair Bolsonaro’s inauguration.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 05:11 UTC
“Harmony of the Seas” crew member lost in the Atlantic; US Coast Guard on the search

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it was searching for a British crew member who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Arron Hough, 20, went overboard 430 km off the northwest of Puerto Rico on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Coast Guard 7th District revealed in a telephone interview.
Thursday, December 27th 2018 - 04:22 UTC
Sea Shepherd celebrates Japan will cease whaling around Antarctica

Marine conservationists Sea Shepherd are claiming Japan's decision to abandon whaling around Antarctica as a victory, though their battle will go on with the Asian nation moving to resume hunting elsewhere. On Boxing Day, Japan announced it was leaving the International Whaling Commission so it could resume commercial hunting of the marine mammals in their territorial waters.