International

Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 10:05 UTC
WHO defends its actions and insists it sounded the alarm on COVID-19 right from the start

The World Health Organization, WHO, on Monday said that it sounded the alarm on COVID-19 right from the start and had hidden nothing from Washington about the deadly pandemic.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 10:00 UTC
UK and EU resume a week long round of Brexit trade talks; IMF concern, urges extension of deadline

British and European Union (EU) officials restarted on Monday a week-long round of Brexit trade talks after a break because of the coronavirus, which is making an end-of-year deal look even more unlikely. After a first-round in early March negotiations were suspended for six weeks as officials focused on the deadly virus sweeping Europe.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 09:56 UTC
Spain authorizes Italian 1,800 world tour cruise passengers to disembark in Barcelona

Hundreds of passengers from an Italian cruise ship disembarked in Barcelona on Monday after five weeks without setting foot on land because of coronavirus restrictions. Since the ship left the northern Italian city of Venice on Jan 5 for a round-the-world tour, no coronavirus case has been found onboard.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 09:55 UTC
Falklands appoints new Financial Secretary, takes office 24 April: quarantine and swab test waiting for him

The Falkland Islands Government announced on Monday the appointment of Tim Waggott as the new Financial Secretary, taking up his position from the 24 April 2020.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 09:52 UTC
Germany and other EU countries cautiously taking tentative steps to ease lockdown measures

Germany and other parts of Europe took tentative steps to ease lockdown measures on Monday but officials warned the battle against the coronavirus pandemic was far from over. Some shops reopened in Germany and parents dropped their children off at nurseries in Norway as tight restrictions in place for weeks were lifted in parts of the continent.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 09:49 UTC
Germany urges China more transparency on the coronavirus outbreak and crisis management

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday urged China to be as transparent as possible about the coronavirus outbreak, as Beijing faces mounting pressure over its management of the crisis.
Tuesday, April 21st 2020 - 09:49 UTC
Merkel calls for an end of “discussion orgies” as Germany moves out of a gradual lockdown

Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her frustration in a party meeting on Monday that moves to edge Germany out of lockdown had led to “discussion orgies” in some regions that risked higher rates of coronavirus infection, German media reported.
Monday, April 20th 2020 - 08:35 UTC
Boris Johnson “on top of things”, says government; but where is he? asks the media

The British government insisted on Sunday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson was “on top of things” as he recovers from the coronavirus facing criticism of his early handling of the crisis.
Monday, April 20th 2020 - 08:32 UTC
Chile: controversy over alleged donation of Chinese ventilators to combat COVID-19

Chile is expecting China to donate ventilators to help cope with the coronavirus outbreak, a government official said on Sunday, contradicting earlier statements by China's ambassador to Chile that he was unaware of such a shipment.
Monday, April 20th 2020 - 07:39 UTC
US oil falls to below US$ 15 a barrel and Brent dropped to US$ 27

US crude fell about 20% to below US$15 a barrel on Monday, its lowest level in about two decades, as a coronavirus-triggered collapse in demand eclipsed a deal to cut output. West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, fell 18.7% to US$14.84 a barrel. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was off 1.5% at US$27.64 a barrel.