International

• Friday, July 31st 2020 - 10:30 UTC

  Ian Duddy arrives to lead the British Embassy team in Chile

  

  Mr. Ian Duddy has been appointed Ambassador to the Republic of Chile in succession to Mr Jamie Bowden. Mr Duddy’s priorities will be focused on UK-Chile co-operation in response to the Coronavirus crisis, including efforts for a clean, resilient global economic recovery and promoting meaningful action to tackle climate change in the lead-up to the COP26 UN climate conference hosted in Glasgow in November 2021 by the UK in partnership with Italy.

• Friday, July 31st 2020 - 10:20 UTC

  Lack of political stability in Guyana is delaying expected oil output

  

  Guyana’s crude production has reached 100,000 b/d, 25% up on June, energy department director Mark Bynoe revealed even as the country continues to see an announcement on the 2 March, 2020 election results pushed further and further into the year.

• Friday, July 31st 2020 - 10:04 UTC

  London based Cuban government bank blacklisted by US administration

  

  The United States announced sanctions on Thursday against Havin Bank LTD, a London-based Cuban entity also known as Havana International Bank, dealing a blow to the Cuban financial system.

• Friday, July 31st 2020 - 09:57 UTC

  Kiwi fishermen back from Falklands, must complete 28 days quarantine before landing

  

  The mission to retrieve 15 Kiwi fishermen from the South Atlantic Ocean is almost at an end, with the San Aotea II anchoring off the coast of Timaru, in New Zealand's southern island, a day ahead of schedule.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 09:44 UTC

  Big Tech CEOs grilled in US congress, Google and Facebook accused of abusing market power

  

  Google and Facebook took particularly sharp jabs for alleged abuse of their market power from Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday in a much-anticipated congressional hearing that put four of America’s most prominent tech CEOs in the hot seat.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 09:40 UTC

  US ambassador warns of “consequences” if Brazil chooses China's Huawei 5G network

  

  The US ambassador in Brasilia warned of “consequences” if Brazil chooses Chinese telecoms company Huawei to develop its 5G network, in an interview published Wednesday.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 09:30 UTC

  Brazil optimistic about a Mercosur free trade accord with Canada

  

  An estimate by Brazil´s Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA) points out that the conclusion of a free trade agreement between Mercosur and Canada has the potential to increase Brazilian export revenues of agricultural products by US$7.8 billion.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 09:05 UTC

  Ecuador fishery resources threatened by a fleet of 260 Chinese vessels

  

  Ecuador is on alert due to the appearance of a huge fleet of mostly Chinese-flagged fishing vessels off its Galapagos Islands. Patrols are trying to ensure the fleet - which is made up of around 260 vessels - does not enter the delicate eco-system from international waters.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 09:02 UTC

  South Brazil state signs with Chinese drug company a Covid-19 vaccine trial

  

  Chinese drug company Sinopharm and Parana state have agreed to launch the fourth major COVID-19 vaccine trial in Brazil and will seek regulatory approval in the next two weeks, the Brazilian partners said on Wednesday.

• Thursday, July 30th 2020 - 07:52 UTC

  One in three children in the world with high levels of lead, Unicef report

  

  Nearly one in three children around the world have high levels of lead in their bloodstream, according to a new study, as widespread lead pollution puts millions of young people at risk of irreversible mental and physical damage.