International

Saturday, October 3rd 2020 - 08:36 UTC
Boris Johnson’s Cunning Plan; If PM Johnson is Blackadder, who is his Baldrick?

By Gwynne Dyer – “I’ve got a plan so cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel,” said Blackadder’s sidekick Baldrick in the BBC’s brilliant historical comedy series ‘Blackadder.’ In fact, he said, “I have a cunning plan” in almost every episode, but the plans hardly ever worked, and it became a popular catch-phrase.
Saturday, October 3rd 2020 - 08:36 UTC
Merkel and UK remain optimistic on a post Brexit-deal, but “the fisheries gap is unfortunately very large”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had no breakthrough to announce on Friday as a week of EU talks with Britain ended, but remained optimistic that sealing a deal on a post-Brexit trade relationship was still possible before the end of the year.
Saturday, October 3rd 2020 - 08:19 UTC
French Overseas Territory New Caledonia votes independence referendum on Sunday

Voters in New Caledonia, a French archipelago in the South Pacific, will choose whether they want independence from France in a referendum that marks a milestone in a three-decade decolonization effort.
Saturday, October 3rd 2020 - 08:15 UTC
Gibraltar leaders hold virtual meeting with the All Party Group on post Brexit talks with EU

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Joseph Garcia held a virtual meeting with members of the All-Party Group on Gibraltar on Thursday, which included Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords with Group Chair Sir Bob Neil MP.
Friday, October 2nd 2020 - 09:17 UTC
Azerbaijan/Armenia clash: waiting for Russia to impose a cease fire

By Gwynne Dyer – It’s probably Azerbaijan that started the shooting in this latest round of fighting with neighboring Armenia. Which is not to say that it’s all Azerbaijan’s fault.
Friday, October 2nd 2020 - 09:01 UTC
China suspends beef imports from a Brazilian meatpacker Minerva plant

China said it would temporarily suspend imports from a beef plant owned by Brazilian meatpacker Minerva SA for a week, in the latest suspension amid concerns over coronavirus contamination in Brazilian meat plants.
Friday, October 2nd 2020 - 09:01 UTC
Argentine central bank will promote Chinese Yuan for foreign trade negotiations

Argentina's central bank said on Thursday that it would allow a managed float of the peso currency and abandon its current “uniform daily devaluation” strategy as it seeks to adapt its monetary policy amid sharpening economic turmoil.
Friday, October 2nd 2020 - 09:00 UTC
IAATO Antarctic fellowship for a scientist to research micro-plastic in aquatic systems

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP), have announced one of the recipients of the Antarctic Fellowship 2020.
Friday, October 2nd 2020 - 09:00 UTC
Wales demanding UK government replace the promised EU after Brexit funds

“Negligible” progress has been made by the UK government to replace EU funds in Wales after Brexit, according to a committee of cross-party MPs. Former Welsh Secretary and senior Conservative MP Stephen Crabb said the situation was “simply unacceptable.”
Thursday, October 1st 2020 - 09:15 UTC
Privatization policy in Bolivia divides the cabinet and triggers several ministerial resignations

Internal splits in Bolivia’s interim government led to the departure of the country’s economy minister and two other cabinet ministers Monday, stoking uncertainty about the Andean country’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.