International

Friday, February 26th 2021 - 12:01 UTC
EU declares Venezuela ambassador persona non grata and expels her

The European Union has declared Venezuela's ambassador in Brussels as a “persona non grata” in a tit-for-tat diplomatic move. A EU statement said member states had agreed that Venezuela's ambassador would no longer be welcome as an envoy to the bloc.
Friday, February 26th 2021 - 11:46 UTC
WTO new chief admits reforming the dispute resolution body “won't be easy”

Reforming the World Trade Organization’s paralyzed dispute-resolution body will be a key priority for the institution, but the process won’t be easy, incoming Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said.
Friday, February 26th 2021 - 09:30 UTC
President Xi announces end of poverty in China, on Communist Party's 100th anniversary

China's President Xi Jinping officially declared Thursday that the country has completed its “arduous task” of eradicating extreme poverty, saying 98.99 million people have been lifted out of poverty over the past eight years.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:19 UTC
The Venturer leaves Brazil and is sailing for the Falklands

Following four weeks docked in Bahia, northeast Brazil, because of a Covid 19 outbreak on board, the Red Ensign flagged trawler Venturer left on Tuesday night for the Falkland Islands.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:15 UTC
Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine proves 94% effective in a study with 1,2 million in Israel

AFP – The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has proven 94% effective in a study involving 1.2 million people in Israel, the first peer-reviewed real world research confirming the power of mass immunization campaigns to bring the pandemic to a close.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 10:05 UTC
Venezuela declares EU's head of delegation persona non grata and gives her 72 hours to leave the country

Venezuela announced on Wednesday that the head of the European Union's delegation in Caracas had 72 hours to leave the country and declared her persona non grata after the bloc imposed new sanctions on Venezuelan officials this week.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
German Customs seize 23 tons of cocaine (from Paraguay) in biggest ever haul

Investigators uncovered a total of 23 tons of cocaine with a street value of billions of Euros in a cross-European drugs bust, German customs said Wednesday. The cocaine was uncovered in Germany and Belgium.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Australian bill confirms Facebook and Google agreement to pay local media for content

After a last-gasp deal that watered-down binding rules Facebook and Google had fiercely opposed in return for the tech giants agreeing to pay local media companies, Australia's parliament passed landmark legislation on Thursday. The dispute was closely watched around the world.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Johnson & Johnson one shot Covid-19 vaccines considered safe and effective

Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot Covid-19 vaccine appeared safe and effective in trials, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) staff said in documents published on Wednesday, paving the way for its approval for emergency use.
Thursday, February 25th 2021 - 09:37 UTC
Rescuers in New Zealand manage to refloat some 28 beached pilot whales

A group of 28 pilot whales were successfully refloated at a notorious New Zealand beach where more than a dozen of the marine mammals died this week. The long-finned pilot whales, which had re-stranded themselves once before, appeared to have finally swum out to sea, animal rescue charity Project Jonah said.