International

• Friday, January 14th 2022 - 20:10 UTC

  MI5 says Chinese spy operated in plain sight

  

  The MI5, Britain's domestic intelligence service, has warned MPs that a Chinese agent by the name of Christine Ching Kui Lee has infiltrated Westminster to interfere in UK politics. Beijing has denied the accusations.

• Friday, January 14th 2022 - 09:21 UTC

  Bolsonaro is a “threat to democracy,” HRW says

  

  President Jair Bolsonaro represents a “threat” to Brazilian democracy, according to Lawyer Maria Laura Canineu, head of the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) local office.

• Friday, January 14th 2022 - 09:03 UTC

  Omicron could make booster doses counterproductive, EMA suggests

  

  The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has ventured this week that repeated booster doses of vaccine risked overloading people's immune systems and was not a “sustainable” strategy.

• Friday, January 14th 2022 - 08:52 UTC

  Queen's son stripped of his titles to face charges as a private citizen

  

  Queen Elizabeth has decided to strip Prince Andrew of all of the royal offices and honorary military titles to have him face charges as a private citizen in the saga of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal in New York City.

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 21:09 UTC

  Quebec announces health penalty for those unvaccinated: it worked

  

  The Canadian province of Quebec has come up with the idea of imposing an extra tax on people who willingly chose not to take a vaccine against COVID-19. The measure has reportedly led to a collapse in vaccination centers with people rushing for appointments.

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 09:49 UTC

  Bolsonaro “welcomes” Omicron – angers WHO

  

  Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Wednesday said the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 was “welcome” in Brazil, because it “may point to the end of the pandemic.”

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 09:48 UTC

  World economy is facing Covid-19, inflation and policy uncertainty, Global Economic Prospects

  

  Following a strong rebound in 2021, the global economy is entering a pronounced slowdown amid fresh threats from COVID-19 variants and a rise in inflation, debt, and income inequality that could endanger the recovery in emerging and developing economies, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Global growth is expected to decelerate markedly from 5.5% in 2021 to 4.1% in 2022 and 3.2% in 2023 as pent-up demand dissipates and as fiscal and monetary support is unwound across the world.

• Thursday, January 13th 2022 - 09:45 UTC

  ECLAC foresees growth rate in 2022 around one third of that of 2021

  

  Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean will slow down in 2022 to 2.1%, after a 6.2% increase on average last year, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) forecast Wednesday in a study.

• Wednesday, January 12th 2022 - 09:59 UTC

  Argentina claims Wallace's remarks are “inappropriate and unacceptable”

  

  The Argentine foreign ministry reacted strongly to Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's statements published on Monday in the Daily Telegraph arguing that his belligerent threats and denigratory remarks towards Argentina are not compatible with the current level of diplomatic relations.

• Wednesday, January 12th 2022 - 09:49 UTC

  On Margaret Thatcher Day, Secretary Wallace said “Britain will continue to stand up to bullies”

  

  On Monday UK Defense secretary told the Falklands 40 Margaret Thatcher Day Lecture that Britain will continue to “stand up to bullies” wherever in the world they happen to be situated. He said: “Our enemies should not doubt Britain’s determination to stand up to bullies, to defend those who cannot defend themselves and for our values.”