International

Saturday, March 13th 2021 - 08:00 UTC
German ruling coalition lawmakers resign for brokering face mask procurement deal

Lawmakers from Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling party and coalition had to declare by writing that they hadn't received money for consulting or procurement related to the Covid 19 situation, following claims several of them were involved in face mask purchases. Party officials said that all 240 conservative lawmakers had sent back their declaration as requested.
Friday, March 12th 2021 - 18:06 UTC
Argentina: Terrorized pregnant indigenous women hide in forest fearful of police raids that snatch their babies

Some eighty pregnant women from the Argentine indigenous Wichi people in the northern province of Formosa, ruled by Kirchnerite governor, Gines Insfran, hide in the forest fearful of having their babies snatched or forcefully taken to provincial hospitals where they are submitted to cesarean surgery.
Friday, March 12th 2021 - 17:58 UTC
ECB keeps interest rates at historic low and pledges to step up bond buying

The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday kept interest rates at historic lows and said it was stepping up its bond-buying stimulus in the coming months. The steps are aimed at halting what is regarded as a premature rise in borrowing costs in the 19 countries that use the Euro currency.
Friday, March 12th 2021 - 13:43 UTC
April 30, a critical date for when Falklands first squid catches are landed in Spain

April 30 is a critical date for when the South Atlantic squid catches reach Vigo in Spain. It will also be a Brexit test since tariffs involving third countries such as the UK do not apply to catches from British waters, except for increased customs paperwork, but do apply for fish produce from British territories overseas.
Friday, March 12th 2021 - 09:03 UTC
Europe approves J&J single shot Covid-19 vaccine; some 200 million doses pledged by end of year

Europe approved Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday and is expected to be delivered in a month. The COVID-19 shot is the fourth to be endorsed for use in the European Union after vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford University, and Moderna, and is recommended for those over 18 years of age, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said.
Thursday, March 11th 2021 - 09:51 UTC
UN human rights investigating the “La Vega massacre” in Caracas by Maduro police forces

United Nations human rights are looking into allegations that Venezuelan police forces from president Nicolas Maduro's regime had killed 200 people this year and investigators raised concerns about possible summary executions in a neighborhood of Caracas.
Thursday, March 11th 2021 - 09:44 UTC
Rich countries block a Covid-19 vaccines patent rights waiver

The rich members of the World Trade Organization blocked a push by over 80 developing countries on Wednesday to waive patent rights in an effort to boost the production of Covid-19 vaccines for poor nations.
Thursday, March 11th 2021 - 09:40 UTC
IATA expects a return to personal and leisure travel from the second half of 2021

Personal and leisure travel will return from the second half of this year as borders reopen to tourists hungry to be free again and to reunite with families and friends, Alexandre de Juniac, director of the International Air Transport Association (Iata) said in an interview with The Straits Times from Singapore.
Thursday, March 11th 2021 - 09:36 UTC
Spain expects to roll out vaccine “Digital Green Pass” by May 19 for FITUR tourism fair

Spain could be ready to start rolling out coronavirus vaccine ‘passports’ by the end of May, paving the way to welcome back holidaymakers, Minister of tourism, María Reyes Maroto, said on Wednesday.
Thursday, March 11th 2021 - 09:18 UTC
Pacific small islands fear rising seas will distort their claims to EEZs

Small island states in the Pacific are opening a new front in the fight against rising seas, to secure rights to an ocean area bigger than the moon that is home to billion-dollar fish stocks.