International

• Friday, January 27th 2023 - 09:54 UTC

  WHO Committee to declare end of Covid-19 emergency?

  

  An Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization convening Friday might decide to declare the end of the “public health emergency” stemming from Covid-19. The committee's decision is to be announced on Jan. 30.

• Friday, January 27th 2023 - 09:51 UTC

  Presidents Lula and Macron discuss democracy and the environment

  

  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva Thursday discussed the future of democracy and the current environmental crisis over the telephone with his French colleague Emmanuel Macron in a conversation that lasted more than one hour, Agencia Brasil reported.

• Thursday, January 26th 2023 - 10:15 UTC

  UN High Commissioner due in Venezuela to address the human rights crisis

  

  United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights Volker Türk is arriving Thursday in Caracas from Colombia for talks with the Nicolás Maduro administration about human rights, where the latest reports have been anything but favorable.

• Thursday, January 26th 2023 - 10:11 UTC

  Celebrating “Burns supper” at BAS Rothera Research Station Antarctica

  

  Some 140 people, including 50 Scots, have gathered for the biggest-ever Burns supper held in Antarctica. Workers at the British Antarctic Survey’s Rothera Research Station in Antarctica celebrated the life of Robert Burns at what is believed to be the world’s most southerly knees-up on Saturday 21 January.

• Thursday, January 26th 2023 - 10:06 UTC

  Falklands Veterinary Service reports Avian pox amongst Gentoo penguins

  

  The Veterinary Service section from the Falkland Islands Department of Agriculture has announced that it has received a reported outbreak of avian pox amongst Gentoo penguins in the Falklands.

• Thursday, January 26th 2023 - 09:58 UTC

  UK Prime Minister celebrates Scottish culture in Burns Night Downing Street reception

  

  British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to celebrate Scottish culture this evening by hosting a reception in Downing Street to celebrate Burns Night. Guests, including faith group leaders, will be welcomed to the event with sounds of traditional bagpipes and drums, and will be able to enjoy Scottish cuisine from stalls in an indoor-street market.

• Thursday, January 26th 2023 - 09:44 UTC

  Alberto Fernández meets with European Council President

  

  Alberto Fernández Wednesday met European Council President Charles Michel at Casa Rosada to discuss the importance of strengthening the bilateral agenda European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

• Wednesday, January 25th 2023 - 18:58 UTC

  Lula in favor of Mercosur-China FTA

  

  Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva said Wednesday in Montevideo that he agreed to open up Mercosur and pursue a free trade agreement (FTA) with China.

• Wednesday, January 25th 2023 - 09:35 UTC

  “Comrade” Ralph Gonsalves becomes new Celac pro tempore president

  

  Upon closing the VII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) in Buenos Aires, Argentine President Alberto Fernández Tuesday handed over the pro tempore presidency of the forum to the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Everard Gonsalves, who is notorious for his closeness to the governments of Cuba, Venezuela and also Nicaragua.

• Wednesday, January 25th 2023 - 09:30 UTC

  First steel cut on second Type 31 Frigate, HMS Active

  

  Construction is underway on the second Type 31 frigate being built for the Royal Navy. The first steel has been cut on HMS Active at the Babcock shipyard in Fife, by Defense Minister Alex Chalk.