International

Wednesday, February 24th 2021 - 08:49 UTC
Statue of Franco removed from the African enclave of Melilla

Spanish dictator Francisco Franco no longer “guards” the city gates of Melilla, a Spanish enclave and autonomous city on the northwest African coast. Without much fanfare, a group of workmen operated a mechanical digger and heavy drills to chip away at the brick platform on which the statue stood, lifted it off by a chain around its neck, and carted it away in bubble wrap on a pickup truck.
Wednesday, February 24th 2021 - 08:33 UTC
US bishops call on Biden to sponsor a boost of IMF resources to support poor countries

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and an alliance of faith groups urged President Joe Biden on Tuesday to back a big boost in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) emergency reserve funds to help poor countries devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Wednesday, February 24th 2021 - 08:33 UTC
UK planning to spend billions to prop the economy over the next four months

The United Kingdom is set to spend billions of pounds in extra support for the economy over the next four months, as pandemic curbs pushed unemployment to its highest level of almost five years. The chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak will set out the details in his Mar 3 budget.
Wednesday, February 24th 2021 - 08:20 UTC
Warsaw claims to have the tallest skyscraper in the European Union

Warsaw claims to have the tallest skyscraper in the European Union after workers mounted an 80-meter needle bringing the total height of the building to over 310 meters, developer HB Reavis said.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 13:29 UTC
Halal chicken dispute blocks Brazil/Indonesia free trade talks

Brazil should only begin free trade talks with Indonesia if it adopts recommendations made by a World Trade Organization panel in 2017 after a dispute over halal chicken, Brazil's meat lobby ABPA said in a letter sent to three government ministries.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 09:32 UTC
Argentina's Antarctica Day celebrates 117 years of Orcadas Station, formally Omond House met station

Argentina on 22 February celebrates Antarctica Day, which commemorates the inauguration of the Meteorology and Magnetic Observatory on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, in 1904, which would later become Orcadas Station, a historic milestone which marked the beginning of Argentina's uninterrupted presence in Antarctica.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 09:25 UTC
Maduro complains sanctions are hurting Venezuela's ability to fight the pandemic and consequences

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Monday denounced international sanctions against his country, saying they have limited the government’s ability to fight the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. European Union foreign ministers on Monday imposed new sanctions on 19 leading Venezuelan officials.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 09:14 UTC
Pfizer plans to deliver 13 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine per week to US

Drug maker Pfizer announced it expects to deliver more than 13 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine per week to the United States by the middle of March, more than doubling its shipments from early February, a top Pfizer executive said in prepared testimony ahead of a Tuesday congressional hearing.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 08:45 UTC
“No chance at the moment for ratification of trade deal with Mercosur”, France

There is no chance at the moment that France will ratify a free-trade deal between the European Union and the Mercosur group, an official at the presidential palace in Paris said on Monday.
Tuesday, February 23rd 2021 - 08:37 UTC
European Union adds 19 senior Venezuelan officials to its list of sanctions

The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on 19 senior Venezuelan officials, lawmakers and members of the security forces in response to December's legislative election that the bloc said was rigged in favor of President Nicolas Maduro.