International

• Friday, February 4th 2022 - 09:41 UTC

  “Partygate”, pressure mounting on Boris Johnson: four close aides step down

  

  As pressure continues to mount against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson following reports of numerous parties at his residence despite the rest of the country was in a strict lockdown, four close aides of the leader, including his chief of staff, resigned London media reported.

• Friday, February 4th 2022 - 09:37 UTC

  Bank of England increases rate to 0,5% and begins reduction of bond purchases

  

  The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) this week voted by a majority of 5-4 to increase Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 0.5%. Those members in the minority preferred to increase Bank Rate by 0.5 percentage points, to 0.75%.

• Friday, February 4th 2022 - 09:27 UTC

  Brexit trade protocol leads to Northern Ireland First Minister resignation

  

  Northern Ireland's First Minister Paul Givan Thursday handed in his resignation citing discrepancies regarding Brexit protocols. As a consequence of his decision, Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill also leaves her position as Deputy First Minister, due to the existing power-sharing arrangements dating back to 1998.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 23:00 UTC

  Argentina's dependency on US needs to stop, President Fernández tells Putin

  

  President Alberto Fernández Thursday told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow that “Argentina has to stop having such a great dependency on the IMF and the United States.”

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 21:16 UTC

  Chile: Puerto Montt lender priest defrocked for canonical offenses

  

  The Catholic Church has stripped Tulio Soto Manquemilla off his priesthood after an inquiry showed he had committed a number of actions held as offenses according to Canonic Law, it was announced Thursday.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 14:13 UTC

  Biden announces ISIS leader dead following US attack

  

  US President Joseph Biden Thursday confirmed Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi had been killed following in a two-hour battle at a house in Syria's rebel-held province of Idlib.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 09:51 UTC

  OPEC+ confirms March output increase; oil remains bullish at US$ 90 since several members can't deliver

  

  By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com – In the shortest meeting so far in its history, OPEC+ decided on Wednesday to increase the collective production by 400,000 barrels per day (BPD) in March, keeping unchanged the plan to boost output and pushing Brent above US$ 90 per barrel again with the per-usual modest production hike.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 09:42 UTC

  Polar Preet, loves the South Pole, now wants to trek across the Antarctic continent

  

  A British Army officer – the first woman of color to cross Antarctica and reach the South Pole unsupported – has set her eyes on a new challenge. Captain Preet Chandi, best known as 'Polar Preet', says she now wants to trek across the continent from one end to the other.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 09:40 UTC

  Gas and nuclear energies and the green economy: furious debate in Europe

  

  Are gas and nuclear clean energies in the drive to a green economy? The controversy has triggered a furious debate in the European Commission following proposed rules that, in effect under certain conditions, the two energies can be labeled “green investments”.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2022 - 09:37 UTC

  World Wetlands Day, 2 February, the Ramsar Convention

  

  On 30 August 2021, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2 February as World Wetlands Day to raise awareness of the urgency of reversing the accelerating loss of wetlands and to promote their conservation and restoration.