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by Dave CLARK Agence France Presse The European Union warned member states Monday to prepare for a possible complete breakdown in gas supplies from Russia, insisting it would not cede to Moscow’s demand that imports be paid for in rubles. The European Commission will on Tuesday propose to member states a new package of sanctions to punish President Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin for its invasion of Ukraine, including an embargo on Russian oil, officials said. But […]
PARIS, France (AFP) – World leaders, scientists and major companies gather in France this week to boost efforts to protect the oceans, which cover 70 percent of the planet but receive far less attention than land ecosystems. The One Ocean Summit in the northwestern port city of Brest on February 9-11 seeks to raise the international community’s ambitions to protect sealife, cut plastic pollution and tackle the impact of climate change. The world’s five connected […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) – The UK government announced plans on Wednesday to relax regulation of gene-edited crops, following the country’s departure from the European Union. Under the changes, which will apply to England, the government has said it will “cut red tape and make research and development easier”, allowing gene-edited crops to be tested in the same way as naturally occurring new varieties. The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set […]
ATHENS, Greece (AFP) – Greece is hosting a summit of southern EU leaders on Friday that will focus on climate change and “security challenges” including migration and the Afghan crisis. Greek government spokesman Yiannis Economou said the one-day meeting, with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen in attendance, will address issues “jeopardising safety and stability in the Mediterranean”. The agenda includes migration and the situation in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover but Economou said Athens was placing […]
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday nominated his longtime aide Mark Gitenstein as ambassador to the European Union as his administration looks to prioritize relations with the 27-nation bloc. Gitenstein served under former president Barack Obama as ambassador to EU member Romania, where he has ancestral ties, using his position to push against abuses of power and in favor of privatization in the young democracy. Biden has vowed to revitalize ties with allies and […]
Galvez says PHL mass vaccine program won’t be delayed (Eagle News) — The Philippines will not be affected by the recent decision of the European Union to restrict exports of the AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured inside EU, since the vaccine supplies secured by the country’s negotiators would be coming from Asia, particularly from India and Thailand. This was assured by Philippine vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez himself. He said that there will be no delays in […]
by Anne-Laure MONDESERT / Dave CLARK Agence France Presse EU chief Ursula von der Leyen faces the deepest political crisis of her mandate so far, under intense fire over delayed vaccine deliveries and the bungled roll-out of export controls. No-one expects the storm to drive her from office — she still has powerful backing in Paris and Berlin — but the attacks underline concerns about Brussels’ coronavirus strategy. In Brussels, Dublin and London criticism […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — EU export rules are preventing Japan from finalizing its coronavirus vaccination plan, a Tokyo minister said Tuesday, after the bloc introduced a controversial new mechanism for the shipment of jabs made inside its borders. With less than six months until the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics, Japan has yet to set out when it will vaccinate its population of 126 million people, although it hopes to give the first doses later in February. […]
Says EU trying to “hostage” AstraZeneca vaccines produced in European bloc (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte noted how the European Union (EU) had been pressuring Oxford-AstraZeneca on its vaccine supplies, as the European bloc threatened to block AstraZeneca vaccine exports outside EU. Duterte noted that this was just the way it is: rich countries will try to hog vaccines as supplies dwindle. Countries where the vaccines are manufactured will also naturally have the […]
PRETORIA, South Africa (AFP) — South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday lashed “vaccine nationalism,” accusing rich countries of bulk-buying coronavirus vaccines and hoarding them to the detriment of others. Addressing the all-virtual 2021 World Economic Forum (WEF), Ramaphosa said low- and middle-income countries were being shouldered aside by wealthier nations able to acquire “up to four times what their population needs”. “We are concerned about vaccine nationalism,” he warned. “Rich countries in the world are […]
by Dmitry ZAKS and Phil HAZLEWOOD Agence France-Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain and the European Union on Thursday broke up their latest round of post-Brexit talks by ruling out a quick deal but voicing hope for agreement in the coming months. Prime Minister Boris Johnson had promised to add “a bit of oomph” to the stalled negotiations when he personally joined them last month. His main goal then was to get a framework […]
EAGLE NEWS —The Republic of Guatemala and its President, Alejandro Giammattei received on June 22, 72,000 RT PCR tests for the detection and diagnosis of the virus causing their respiratory syndrome of COVID-19. This generous donation will serve to strengthen the institutional response of the government of Guatemala to this pandemic. Through this goodwill gesture, President Alejandro Giammattei said that “They’re friends we have to honor such as the European Union.” These 72,000 tests may […]
