International

Friday, April 13th 2018 - 08:50 UTC
UK can still reverse its Brexit decision until 2021, says Michel Barnier

The EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said the UK can reverse its position on leaving the single market and customs union up until the end of the Brexit transition period. The EU official gave Theresa May until December 31 2020 to change her mind on Britain exiting the pair as it withdraws from the EU, saying: “So long as they have not left, during the transition period, everything is still possible.”
Friday, April 13th 2018 - 08:44 UTC
New Zealand bans new offshore exploration and targets a clean energy future

Permits for offshore oil and gas exploration will no longer be issued by the New Zealand Government as part of its commitment to a clean energy future. The move will not affect existing permits for exploration or extraction, meaning the industry is likely to continue in the nation for several more decades.
Thursday, April 12th 2018 - 09:04 UTC
WHO and UNICEF issue new guidance to promote breastfeeding in health facilities

WHO and UNICEF today issued new ten-step guidance to increase support for breastfeeding in health facilities that provide maternity and newborn services. Breastfeeding all babies for the first 2 years would save the lives of more than 820 000 children under age 5 annually.
Thursday, April 12th 2018 - 08:42 UTC
Global shipping industry discussing in London a cap to emissions

Countries are meeting in an attempt to agree cuts to greenhouse gases from the global shipping industry, amid pressure on the sector to help tackle climate change. Shipping, like aviation, is not directly included in the Paris Agreement, the international deal on global warming which was secured in the French capital in 2015 and commits countries to avoiding “dangerous” climate change.
Thursday, April 12th 2018 - 07:32 UTC
UK Chief Secretary in Brazil to build relationships and promote investments

UK Chief Secretary Elizabeth Truss is this week visiting Brasilia and Sao Paulo for bilateral meetings with authorities and will follow-up on the second UK-Brazil Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD), particularly on infrastructure. Latest figures show that bilateral trade between UK and Brazil is worth £5.4 billion a year.
Thursday, April 12th 2018 - 07:20 UTC
EC president furious with Brexit: “only a united Europe can be a sovereign Europe”

European Council President Donald Tusk has said Brexit makes him furious, and called on Europe to unite during a speech in Dublin. The statesman warned it would take very little time to demolish the structures of peace and unity built up in the continent.
Wednesday, April 11th 2018 - 08:57 UTC
The paperwork challenge for British business after Brexit

Diverging from European Union rules after Brexit will mean more costs than benefits for British business, a report by the CBI employers' group says. In a survey of 23 industry sectors, the vast majority preferred continued close alignment with EU regulations.
Tuesday, April 10th 2018 - 14:40 UTC
Trump cancels trip to Americas' summit because of Syrian situation; Pence will represent him in Lima

After threatening a military strike against Syria, President Donald Trump on Tuesday canceled plans to travel to Peru later this week, choosing to stay in the United States to manage the response to an apparent chemical weapons attack.
Tuesday, April 10th 2018 - 09:09 UTC
Sharing cash for farmers, one of the biggest post Brexit challenge, say experts

Quitting the European Union means the UK will have to go back to the drawing board over devolution, constitutional experts have warned. Wrangles over sharing out cash for farmers will be one of the biggest challenges ministers face, according to the Institute for Government (IfG).
Tuesday, April 10th 2018 - 09:02 UTC
Plastic crisis: divert foreign aid to dumpsites in developing countries

By Christine Cole (*) - Plastic pollution in the oceans is a major problem that is finally getting the attention it deserves, thanks to Blue Plan II. It makes headline news almost every week – and famous figures such as the Pope, Prince Charles, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Sir David Attenborough have all joined the debate.