Reading Time: < 1 minute The UK government has for the first time today exposed details of the SVR’s cyber program The SVR is Russia’s civilian foreign intelligence service and is the successor organization to the KGB’s First Chief Directorate. It predominantly targets overseas governmental, diplomatic, think-tank, healthcare and energy targets for intelligence purposes. It is technologically advanced, developing capabilities Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway cited National Security for blocking the sale to of Bergen Engines to Russia TDS News – In a royal decree issued on Friday 26 March, the government of Norway has ordered that Rolls Royce stop the sale of Norwegian company Bergen Engines AS to companies within the Transmash Holding Group. Additionally, a block has Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes 1.8 million people in Ethiopia remain displaced across some 1,350 sites TDS News – Ethiopia faces one of the world’s most complex human mobility environments, with myriad social, economic, political and climatic factors driving the movement of people within and beyond its borders. According to the latest National Displacement report prepared by the International Organization Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes More than 3 million Canadian adults – or 1 in 11 adults – were living with diabetes. TDS News – Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of people across the world. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common type, making up nearly 90% of all diabetes cases. T2D can result from a Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Sanctions are in response to deteriorating human rights situation in Russia TDS News – Effective March 24, 2021, Canada is imposing sanctions against Russian officials in response to gross and systematic human rights violations that have been committed in Russia. Today’s announcement serves to highlight the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia and the shrinking Read More…
Reading Time: < 1 minute UK Government takes further steps to deliver on its legal obligations and uphold the rights of women and girls in Northern Ireland TDS News – Today, the UK Government has taken a further step to ensure women and girls have access to high-quality service provision for abortion and post-abortion care locally in Northern Ireland. Secretary Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Special Envoy congratulates the Prime-Minister Abdlehamid AlDabaiba and his cabinet as well as the new Presidency Council TDS News – The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Libya, and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ján Kubiš welcomes the swearing-in of the Government of National Unity (GNU) today before the House Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Britain’s Bilingual Education Program with Spain has been crucial to the increase in Bilingual students TDS New – More than 40,000 students are enrolled this year in the Bilingual Education Program (Spanish acronym: PEB) – a pioneering learning project in Spain of an integrated curriculum that is a benchmark in methodological innovation in language teaching. “Teaching and Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Greater efforts needed to equip all Europeans with basic digital skills In today’s world, digital skills are increasingly important. However, within the EU, little progress has been made in recent years in improving basic digital competence among adult Europeans. The Commission has issued guidance and supported Member States, but there have been relativelyfew EU-funded projects Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The UK will remain at the forefront of international efforts to end Russia’s illegitimate control of the Crimean peninsula The UK has reaffirmed its unwavering support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its support for Ukrainians whose lives have been impacted by Russian aggression, seven years after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and began its Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes IOM Helps Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 among Brazilian Indigenous and Riverside Communities TDS News– Indigenous, rural, and riverside communities in northern Brazil comprise the most vulnerable populations to the spread of COVID-19. Due to economic and transportation restrictions in place across such communities, locals’ access to health, hygiene and cleaning products is limited, making it Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes No indication of causal relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and death The elderly in nursing homes and residential care homes are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccine in Norway. The majority of those vaccinated are elderly people, often with severe underlying diseases. “We have to bear in mind that most of those living in nursing homes have severe Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Residents and healthcare professionals of care homes begin to receive the second dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 Araceli Rosario Hidalgo, a resident of the Los Olmos care home in Guadalajara since 2013, born in 1924, and Mónica Tapias, born in 1972, an auxiliary nursing care technician (Spanish acronym: TCAE), have now received both doses Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canada is a long standing member of NATO Commodore Bradley Peats of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) officially assumed command of Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) during a change of command ceremony held in Lisbon, Portugal today. Commodore Peats assumed command from Commodore José António Mirones of the Portuguese Navy. “I am honoured to Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Now is the time to ensure artificial intelligence works for Europeans From tracking the spread of COVID-19 to deciding who will receive social benefits, artificial intelligence (AI) affects the lives of millions of Europeans. Automation can improve decision-making. But AI can lead to mistakes, discrimination and be hard to challenge. A new EU Agency for Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The suspect was part of the so-called Islamic State in the Iraqi-Syrian conflict zone. Europol supported an operation of the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) leading to the arrest of a member of the so-called Islamic State. The suspect had recently returned from the conflict zone on the border of Iraq and Syria. Two other individuals Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Iran claimed the jet was accidentally shot down by the Iranian Military On January 8th, 2020, US Government and Pentagon officials reporting Iran accidentally shot down Ukrainian Flight 752 based on analysis of satellites, radar and electronic data collected from the US military and intelligence. At first, Iranian officials refuted the claims by US President Read More…
Reading Time: 7 minutes A little more than a year ago, in November 2019, the European Investment Bank (EIB) declared its intention to phase out funding for fossil fuels A little more than a year ago, in November 2019, the European Investment Bank (EIB) declared its intention to phase out funding for fossil fuels. Specifically, it said that it Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Balkan countries will now have access to vital COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate their citizens. As countries around the world begin to vaccinate their citizens, the European Commission made €70 million available to help fund the access of Western Balkans partners to COVID-19 vaccines procured by EU Member States. “Throughout the pandemic, the EU has Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Russia’s Sputnik V was the first confirmed COVID-19 vaccine approved for distribution BUENOS AIRES, Argentina- The first batch of the Sputnik V vaccine developed by Russian scientists from the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology with the support of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) has been delivered to Argentina. The issues related to Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Conflict in Ethiopia has increased calls for massive humanitarian help The European Union is closely following the crisis in Ethiopia. The EU remains concerned by the humanitarian situation, as well as allegations of human rights violations and ethnic targeting. Ongoing reports of non-Ethiopian involvement raise additional worries. The conflict and its regional impact are of Read More…
Reading Time: 5 minutes Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a statement on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations with the European Union. It is four and a half years since the British people voted to take back control of their money, their borders, their laws, and their waters and to leave the European Union. And earlier this year we Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes The EU approves Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine for emergency authorization of use. Germany – Pfizer and BioNTech announced Monday that the European Commission (EC) has granted a conditional authorization of use for immunization to prevent the COVID-19 virus in individuals 16 years of age and older. This follows the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes New housing measures come into force today in England, Scotland and Wales as more cases of Bird Flu are being reported. The Chief Veterinary Officers for England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to bring in new measures to help protect poultry and captive birds, following an increased number of cases of avian influenza (Bird Flu) Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes AUEOM arrives to ensure Ghana’s election is held without corruption H.E. Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe, Former President of South Africa and the Head of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), has arrived in Accra for the up-coming Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in the country. The objective of the AUEOM is to make an independent, objective Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes British Ambassador to Egypt signs agreement with Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Europe, to strengthen political and trade ties between the two countries. The British Ambassador to Egypt, Sir Geoffrey Adams, today signed an agreement with Egypt’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Europe, Badr Abdelatty to strengthen political and trade ties between the two countries. The Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Asylum: MEPs call for more solidarity among EU member states In a draft resolution to assess the functioning of the law that determines the member state which has to deal with an asylum application, the committee notes that the 2013 Dublin III Regulation puts a “disproportionate responsibility on a minority of member states, in particular when high Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes An assessment has been conducted in compliance with international COVID-19 safety guidelines ahead of the group’s deployment LONDON, United Kingdom, The Commonwealth is deploying a team to observe the general election in Ghana scheduled for 7 December. Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, constituted the group following an invitation from the Electoral Commission of Ghana. Members of Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Diego Maradona was an Argentine professional footballer and football manager and a national hero. Diego Armando Maradona Franco He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, and by many as the greatest ever. He was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award. Maradona’s vision, passing, Read More…
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canada has played a pivotal roll in the security and training of Iraqi security services and is a key member of NATO Major-General Jennie Carignan of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), transferred command of NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) to Lieutenant-General Per Pugholm Olsen of the Danish Armed Forces, during a ceremony held in Baghdad, Iraq. Major-General Carignan Read More…
Reading Time: < 1 minute Von Der Leyen calls for a system that manages migration in the long term, fully grounded in European values Today, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, gave a keynote speech at the Interparliamentary Conference on Migration and Asylum, hosted by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, and the President of Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vaccination Transport and Storage System To Help The World Return To Normal GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, – British engineering firm The Progreso Group has utilized their expertise to create a modular vaccination transport and storage system to assist in the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. The system will enable the effective transportation and storage of up to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sputnik V, Moves to Phase III Clinical Trials in the Russian Federation and around the world MOSCOW- The National Research Center for Epidemiology (N.F. Gamaleya) and the (RDIF, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund), announce that the Sputnik V vaccine, the world’s first registered vaccine against coronavirus (registered on the 11th of August under the emergency use authorization Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing +25: the fifth review of the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action in the EU Member States While all EU Member States are bound by the Beijing Declaration and its requirement to provide access to safe and high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare, this continues to be an area of concern. EIGE has noted Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes EU members urged to back the deal with China that would protect 200 European and Chinese products In a resolution approved by 38 votes, with one vote against and three abstentions, the Trade Committee backed the EU’s agreement with China, signed in September 2020. It will ensure that one hundred European products bearing Geographical Indications (GIs) such as Cava, Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes From January 2021, EU criminals could be barred from entering the UK under tougher border rules. The Home Office has today (22 October 2020) confirmed that EU criminals could be barred from entering the UK under tougher border rules designed to make the country safer. The rules for EU criminals will come into force from Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and re-united East and West Germany On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR, or East Germany) began to build a barbed wire and concrete antifascist wall between East and West Berlin. On October 3, 1990, within a year of the fall Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Fair and equitable vaccine distribution is the primary goal of the COVAX initiative While no country has approved a Covid-19 vaccine to date, intense research and development efforts are underway. In order to secure a fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines across the globe, nations across the world have formed the COVAX initiative (COVID-19 Vaccine Global Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes British paratroopers made history this week when they jumped into southern Ukraine for the first time Flying straight from the UK, 250 soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade dropped into the Ternivsky training area, where they teamed up with thousands of Ukrainian troops ahead of Exercise Joint Endeavour. Building on the strong relationship developed between Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Swiss government facilitates Georgia Election Code of Conduct On 14 September 2020, several political parties in Georgia have signed a code of conduct to promote peaceful elections and a fair election campaign. Switzerland encourages all political parties to sign this document. The code was facilitated by Georgia’s Central Election Commission with Switzerland’s support. The Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Internal Markets Bill is seen by Scotland Parliament to unfair and controlling Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has written to the UK Government voicing concern at its plans for a post-Brexit internal market, saying it represents a threat to the Scottish economy. Ms Hyslop said the proposed Internal Markets Bill will jeopardise Scotland’s food and Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes 80 buildings inspected, numerous schools and hospitals repaired by the Swiss Over the past month, 38 experts deployed by the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA) have been working in the Lebanese capital to assist in the immediate aftermath of the explosion on 4 August 2020. They have examined the stability of damaged buildings, supported maternal Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Switzerland’s changes travel criteria for countries with high COVID-19 cases As of 31 August, it will no longer be possible to enter Switzerland from a high-risk country on a transit flight via a non-high-risk country. However, passengers travelling from a non-high-risk country will be able to enter Switzerland even if they have a stopover in Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Germany’s Aida cruise line to be first cruise lines to sail amidst the coronavirus AIDA Cruises, the leading cruise line in Germany and a part of the Carnival Cruise family, today announced that it will offer cruises this fall and winter that combine the fascination of a cruise trip with an unforgettable holiday experience to several popular destinations. Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Lowest rates of teenage pregnancy since 1994 In 2018, there were 29.6 teenage pregnancies per 1,000 women, down from 30.2 in 2017 and 54.7 in 1994. The gap in teenage pregnancy rates between the most and least deprived areas has also reduced, with the rate for those living in the most deprived areas decreasing from Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Black Ribbon Day is Day of remembrance for the lives lost from Nazism and Stalinism Black Ribbon Day, officially known in the European Union as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, is an international day of remembrance for victims of totalitarian regimes, specifically Stalinist, communist, Nazi and fascist regimes. It is observed on 23 August to coincide with the date of Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes £10 million fund announced to help UK distilleries go green and cut emissions by switching to low carbon fuels such as hydrogen Whisky and spirit lovers the world over will soon be able to enjoy their favourite alcohol beverage knowing that they are helping to cut carbon emissions and support new green jobs, thanks to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Trump’s trade wars are text book distractions from his embattled presidency Following the decision by the Trump Administration to maintain the additional tariffs on the export of Spanish and European products – as a result of the Airbus panel of the World Trade Organization – which primarily affect the agri-food sector. Spain’s Government rejects Trump’s Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Facebook has become the number one platform used to spread misinformation Disinformation and misinformation proliferated around the world including in the Western Balkans as the COVID-19 pandemic started. Western Balkans’ fact-checking organisations intensified their work on exposing and countering disinformation, raising the awareness and contributing to local public debates about the problem. As of 30 Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Spain’s King Felipe VI welcomes Spain’s President President Pedro Sánchez to the Royal Palace Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez, early Wednesday morning met with King Felipe VI at Marivent Palace in Palma (Majorca) Spain, where they held the traditional summer meeting about the health emergency, the evolution of COVID-19 in Spain and in the rest of Read More…
Reading Time: < 1 minute Russia’s vaccine Sputnik V has not undergone human trials “We must be grateful to those who made that first step very important for our country and the entire world. I know the vaccine has proven efficient and forms a stable immunity. My own daughter and has been given the vaccine. ” Said Russian President Putin Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Switzerland becomes the latest country to secure vaccines from Moderna Therapeutics The global pandemic has seen countries jockeying for position to be first in line to receive the vital vaccine to inoculate themselves from the deadly coronavirus. The Swiss Government is now the latest country to secure vaccines for one forth of its population. The Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Polish laws have no Respect Freedom of Expression, Equality for LGBT people The Mermaid of Warsaw statue is seen holding the LGBT rainbow flag and wearing a pink mask with the anarcha-queer symbol in Warsaw, Poland July 29, 2020 in this image taken from social media. © Marta Bogdanowicz/@spacerowiczka via REUTERS (Brussels) – Polish authorities should stop trying Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Spain’s commitment to climate change will create thousands of jobs The European Investment Bank (EIB) will finance around 40 projects in Barcelona that aim to support climate change mitigation and adaptation in the city. To this end, the EU bank will provide €95 million to promote urban regeneration, with a focus on the environment but also on social inclusion Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Following yesterday’s explosion at Beirut Port, the UK has today announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon Following yesterday’s explosion at Beirut Port, which has left thousands injured and caused widespread destruction, the UK government announced a package of emergency support to Lebanon. The UK has offered to immediately deploy search and rescue experts Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Swiss recovery can be credited to a strong economy prior to COVID-19 Consumer sentiment in Switzerland has largely recovered from its slump in April. Expectations regarding general economic development have improved, but those regarding the labour market remain very negative. Accordingly, respondents believe that now is not a good time to make major purchases. In Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Eat Out to Help Out launches today – with government paying half on restaurant bills As of today customers will get up to 50% off on bills when visiting participating restaurants, pubs and cafes across the UK. Half price discount will run through August and applies to all food and non-alcoholic drinks consumed on the Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes 500,000 Roma citizens murdered in Nazi-occupied Europe Today’s rising hate crime and persistent discrimination towards Roma, Sinti and Travellers across Europe underlines the need to learn from the past to build a better future for Roma, as we commemorate Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on 2 August pays tribute to the Roma Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Extra £2m to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 Scotland’s four science centres are being offered an extra £2 million in emergency funding to help weather the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The money is on top of annual funding of £2.67 million from the Scottish Government, and means they will be able to start Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Northvolt’s battery gigafactory marks the first of its kind in Europe The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a $350 million loan agreement to support the financing of Europe’s first home-grown gigafactory for lithium-ion battery cells, Northvolt Ett, in Sweden. The financing is supported by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), the main pillar of the Investment Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes The EU has committed over €750 billion to COVID-19 the stimulus plan Find out what the EU is doing to help Europe get back on its feet following the devastating economic effects brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. Read our timeline of EU measures to tackle Covid-19 for an overview of everything the EU is doing to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Pay rises for doctors, police and more in the public sector Public sector workers, including doctors, teachers and police officers, will see above inflation pay rises this year, the Chancellor has announced today Reflecting the vital contributions public sector workers make to the United Kingdom, these pay rises cover the Armed Forces, teachers, police Officers, Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Approximately 7 million litres of diesel fuel were The Hague, 17 July 2020 Eurojust supported the Italian national authorities in cracking down on an organised crime group involved in large-scale tax fraud concerning diesel fuel and other financial crimes. 7 people were arrested in Italy and several assets were seized. The estimated damage caused by Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Minimum staffing levels in care homes has been detriment to seniors In future, provisions on a minimum staffing level in units for service housing with 24-hour assistance and for long-term institutional care for older people will be laid down by law. Until now, quality recommendations have been used to determine the staffing levels. After the Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Can the FAA under Trump be trusted The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA and the US Federal Aviation Administration FAA have signed a declaration of intent to strengthen collaboration in the area of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Collaboration will focus on research and development and on the exchange of ideas, personnel and information Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Scotland’s economy is tied to that of the UK Finance Ministers from the devolved administrations are urging the UK Government to ease the financial restrictions imposed on devolved governments so they can better respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Ahead of the Chancellor’s Summer Statement, Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy are calling for Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway commits 190 million to fight against modern slavery. 40 million people currently subjected to modern ‘Civil society has a vital role to play in achieving our goal of ending modern slavery. As part of the development programme, we are therefore allocating NOK 190 million over a period of four years to support the work Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Fighting terrorism: Indictment filed against two suspects. Major terrorist attacked by Turkish Police The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has filed an indictment in the Federal Criminal Court against a Swiss-Tunisian dual national and a Swiss national resident in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. The suspects are alleged to have attempted to Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Over €100 Billion has already been allocated to economic relief The Spaniard Government and social stakeholders have signed an Agreement for Economic Reactivation and Employment, a new agreement that lays the foundations to speed up the economic recovery and create quality jobs following the crisis caused by COVID-19. This agreement comes from a vocation to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Pub setting is an ideal environment for infection The UK Chancellor visited a pub in London to see how they’re planning to reopen safely at the weekend. the measured reopening of hospitality will allow the 1.4 million workers in this sector who have been furloughed to return to work safely the pub is one of Read More…
Reading Time: 6 minutes Dismantling of an encrypted network sends shockwaves through organised crime groups across Europe At a joint press conference today, French and Dutch law enforcement and judicial authorities, Europol and Eurojust presented the impressive results of a joint investigation team to dismantle EncroChat, an encrypted phone network widely used by criminal networks. Over the last months, Read More…
Reading Time: < 1 minute 84 out of 85 regions back changing Russia’s Constitution President Putin visited polling station No. 2151 located on the premises of the Russian Academy of Sciences and took part in the nationwide vote on amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation. The Kremlin said nearly 78% of voters backed amending about 60% of the constitution because they Trusted Putin. The move will essentially put Putin in power Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes EUR 2 million to support Iraq’s medical units Finland has committed EUR 2 million to support Iraq’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The support is part of Finland’s development cooperation carried out in Iraq. The funds will be channelled to Iraq via the Funding Facility for Stabilization (FFS), administered by UNDP. The main part of Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Germany ups their support for Sudan amidst political crisis. Germany is bringing international representation Following the peaceful revolution in 2019, the Sudan is now at a historic crossroads. After the peaceful revolution, what Comes next? In 2019 the peaceful protests by the courageous and resolute Sudanese people led to the fall of President Bashir’s regime. Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes £100 million rescue package for England’s zoos and aquariums. England is still far away from opening up Zoos and aquariums in England set to receive up to £100 million in additional support to help them continue to care for their animals through coronavirus pandemic. Zoos and aquariums in England are set to receive up to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Sexual violence survivors cannot be forgotten. The voices of survivors cannot be silenced On the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the UN and the EU join their voices to call on the international community to accelerate its action to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence: “We re-commit to working together to Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes EU Donates 72,000 CONVID-19 Detection Kits to Guatemala. EU playing major humanitarian role in USA absents Today Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei received seventy two thousand (72,000) RT-PCR tests for the detection and diagnosis of the virus causing the respiratory syndrome of COVID-19 as part of a donation of the European Union (EU). This support will serve Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes UNHCR refugees and displaced persons – all-time high. Germany playing a major role in refugee support Sad state of affairs: Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, published annual figures today (18 June 2020) on displacement and forced migration. According to these figures, a total of 79.5 million people were displaced at the end of 2019 – 8.7 million Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Norway elected to the UN Security Council. Ireland and Canada were the other countries vying for a seat Norway was elected as a member of the UN Security Council for the period 2021–2022. “We would like to thank the UN member states for the confidence they have shown in us. The world needs more international Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway Supports Quantum Leap for the UN Secretary General’s Peacebuilding Fund. Norway has committed 500M NOK The scale of violent conflicts the world is facing today requires a concerted international effort. The Norwegian Government has decided to provide 500 million NOK (approximately 52 million USD) for the next strategic phase of the UN Peacebuilding Fund Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Switzerland regrets sanctions against International Criminal Court. America continues to act unilaterally Switzerland regrets the more severe measures that the USA decided on 11 June 2020 against the International Criminal Court (ICC). It reaffirms its support for the ICC as an independent institution that prosecutes the most serious crimes and thereby contributes to lasting peace Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Finnish Government injects €100M Euros into universities. Finland universities are among the best worldwide The Finnish Government will make a one-off investment in the future by providing universities with capital. On the basis of research impact criteria, EUR 33 million will be allocated to universities in the fall of 2020 and, on the basis of Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes The French Embassy goes GREEN. The embassy’s electricity consumption decreased by 27% between 2009 and 2014 The “Green Embassy” project takes significant steps to make the French Embassy greener by targeting transportation, energy usage, waste management, water, consumption, shipping, and more. AN AMBITIOUS PROGRAM The French Embassy in the U.S. has undergone extensive renovations and Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway ratifies agreement regulating fishing in the Arctic Ocean. Canada among the five nations involved After the Norwegian Parliament approved a new agreement that aims to prevent unregulated fishing in the central Arctic Ocean and promote scientific research in the region, Norway now ratifies the Agreement. This agreement is an important part of the global Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Places of worship to re-open for individual prayer in the UK. Spiritual and mental health remains imperative Places of worship across England will be permitted to reopen for individual prayer from Monday 15 June, the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick confirmed today (Sunday 7 June). This decision follows discussions between the Government and representatives of major faiths through the Places of Worship Taskforce which Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes 76th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Tuesday, 6 June 1944 Allies invaded of Normandy “Today, on the 76th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, we remember and honour the brave Canadians and Newfoundlanders who fought, and those who gave their lives, alongside Allied forces in a battle that became a Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway host donor group for Palestine facing a $1.4B Deficit. Peace with Palestine and Israel is unlikely Norway Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide led a video meeting of donor countries in the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) for Palestine. EU High Representative Josep Borrell co-hosted the meeting. For the Palestinians, Prime Minister Mohammad Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Coronavirus shrinks Switzerland’s first-quarter GDP by 2.6 %. Food & Service sector hit hardest, 23.4% fall Switzerland’s GDP fell by –2.6 % in the 1st quarter of 2020, after rising by +0.3% in the previous quarter*. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the measures to contain it, economic activity in March was severely restricted. The Read More…
Reading Time: 5 minutes The Government of Spain approves Minimum Living Income. A living wage can lift families out of poverty. Spain seeks to eradicate poverty and encourage participation in the labour market and the social inclusion of people in situations of vulnerability. The Spanish Government estimates a minimum living income will benefit some 850,000 households and 2.3 million Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Supporting Ethiopia & Somalia in the fight against COVID-19. Germany provides millions in aid to Africa Millions of people in the Horn of Africa depend on humanitarian aid. COVID-19 is making the situation worse. In Ethiopia and Somalia, cooperation with the German Red Cross has made it possible to respond quickly and flexibly to the Read More…
Reading Time: 3 minutes COVID-19 reduced the number of Swiss Francs exiting country. Less money being sent back home to families Large numbers of migrants living and working abroad send part of their wages to their families back home on a regular basis. Because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, low-income countries have seen a dramatic fall in these remittances Read More…
Reading Time: 5 minutes Yemen: Displaced at Heightened Covid-19 Risk. The armed conflict that began in Yemen in March 2015 Over 500,000 Vulnerable in Renewed Fighting in North A displaced family in their tent in al-Sowida camp for internally displaced people in Marib governorate, north Yemen, February 2020. The family had been displaced twice, the second time after fleeing Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes In Germany, Anti-Semitism Creeps into Covid-19 Protests. Attacks Against Jewsis Institutions Rose 13 Percent Across German cities last weekend, thousands of people from many walks of life protested German government measures taken to control the spread of Covid-19. Yet some people used the protests as a pretext for displays of anti-Semitism, or open or thinly Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Spain Set To Tackle COVID-19 And Re-Open Country. Museums, Libraries, Film Sets and Cultural Shows Opening Up Museums can open their doors to the public to visit permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, but cultural and educational activities will remain suspended. The adaptation of the facilities at museums to guarantee compliance with the Ministry of Health Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Italy Will Resume Public Mass On May 18. Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti signed the Protocol May 7 In Italy, Masses, weddings, funerals and baptisms are set to resume in Italy on 18 May, with the provision that those attending abide by a strict set of social distancing and sanitation measures. After two months of live-streamed Masses Read More…
Reading Time: 7 minutes Reopening In The COVID-19 Era: How To Adapt To A New Normal. Maintain that 6-foot distance, even in the water Carter Vu, owner of an Atlanta hair salon bearing his name, checks the hair color treatment on Ann Walsh on April 24, the first day such businesses were allowed to open in Georgia after a Read More…
Reading Time: 8 minutes Daily Life In Italy During The CoViD-19 Pandemic. Italy may never recover for decades and decades For more than a month, Italians had heard of the ‘Corona Virus’ in China, having seen the stories on the news about how the Chinese Government was handling the epidemic. This news seemed like something that was from a Read More…
Reading Time: 4 minutes Will Greece Rise To The Fore From The Covid-19 Ashes? Greece May Never Recover For Decades The Corona virus has been a shock to the world and continues to be so. There can be no doubt that the economies of most major countries will be decimated as a result, and life as we have known Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Hungary Kicks Patients Out Of Hospitals To Prep For Covid-19. The order aimed to free up 36,000 beds A nurse in protective gear works at the Szent Laszlo Hospital in Budapest, Hungary, during the Covid-19 pandemic, April 27, 2020. © 2020 Balogh Zoltán/MTI via AP Covid-19 Evacuations Leave Some Without Access to Proper Health Care Like other Read More…
Reading Time: 2 minutes Norway To Play Leading Role In International COVID-19 Summit. The Goal Is To Raise As Much Money As Possible The European Commission, under its President, Ursula von der Leyen, is to hold a virtual donor conference to mobilise political and financial support for efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The Coronavirus Global Response Summit will be held Read More…