International

Wednesday, December 8th 2021 - 09:28 UTC
Australia joins US in diplomatic boycott of China's Winter Olympic Games

Australia will not be sending government officials to attend the Winter Olympics Games in China, joining the United States diplomatic boycott. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that Beijing had not addressed concerns raised by Canberra on several fronts, particularly human rights abuses.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 20:08 UTC
German families seek shelter in Paraguay from vaccines and lockdowns

German citizens who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or put up to harsh mobility restrictions have fled their country and sought shelter in a community within Paraguay, it was reported.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 15:21 UTC
With mind set in self sufficiency, China announces new record grain production in 2021

In 2021, China's total grain production reached 1.37 trillion jin (685 billion kg), hitting a new record high, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Monday. A Jin is equivalent to 500 grams or half a kilo.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:45 UTC
Expedition cruise Ultramarine anchored in Ushuaia bay finally cleared to sail

The expedition cruise Ultramarine from Quark Expeditions, anchored in Ushuaia Bay, extreme south of Argentina, finally was liberated after Covid-19 testing among the crew proved negative. The crew was never allowed ashore and had to wait until the Covid-19 outbreak was considered under control.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:30 UTC
WTO urges members to end fisheries subsidies discussions by next February/March

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged delegation heads to redouble their efforts to bridge differences on the ongoing discussions on curbing harmful fisheries subsidies by the end of February 2022. Discussions were suspended because of the Covid-19 Omicron variant
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:20 UTC
Omicron variant dilemma, “nobody is safe until everybody is safe”.

By Gwynne Dyer – The new Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus was discovered last week by scientists in South Africa and Botswana, the only countries in southern Africa that have the skills and resources to detect a new variant.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:13 UTC
Foreign travellers will need Health Pass to enter Colombia

Colombia is to require foreign travellers to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 attesting to a full treatment, President Iván Duque announced Monday.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:06 UTC
Argentina to head UN Human Rights Council throughout 2022

Argentina has been voted unanimously to preside over the United Nations Human Rights Council, in what has been perceived as a diplomatic achievement of President Alberto Fernández's administration.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 09:00 UTC
World Bank-UNESCO-UNICEF report lays out the magnitude of the education crisis and costs for future generations

This generation of students now risks losing US$ 17 trillion in lifetime earnings in present value, or about 14% of today’s global GDP, as a result of COVID-19 pandemic-related school closures, according to a new report published today by the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF. The new projection reveals that the impact is more severe than previously thought, and far exceeds the US$ 10 trillion estimates released in 2020.
Tuesday, December 7th 2021 - 08:43 UTC
WHO advises against use of convalescent plasma for Covid-19

Convalescent plasma (a transfusion of blood plasma from someone who has recovered from covid-19) is not recommended for patients with covid-19, says a WHO Guideline Development Group of international experts in The BMJ today.