Stories for December 2020

Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 09:19 UTC
EU expected to unanimously support the massive free trade deal struck with UK

European Union ambassadors were convening to start assessing the massive free-trade deal that the bloc struck with Britain, which should begin next week when the acrimonious Brexit divorce process finally comes to an end.
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 09:17 UTC
Scotland claims the post-Brexit trade accord was “a bad deal for fishing”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has accused the UK government of breaking promises to Scotland's fishing industry over the post-Brexit trade deal. The Scottish government said the agreement announced on Thursday was ”a bad deal for fishing.”
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 09:10 UTC
Markets and the pound react positively to the post Brexit trade deal

U.S. stocks rose for a second day in holiday-shortened trading as investors monitored the latest developments on the Congressional aid package, while the British pound strengthened after a post-Brexit trade accord agreement was reached.
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 08:59 UTC
UK/EU Post Brexit deal has many aspects to be hammered out

A day after Britain and the European Union announced a narrow trade deal, Swiss media remain sceptical about its impact. The accord will preserve Britain's zero-tariff and zero-quota access to the bloc's single market of 450 million consumers but will not prevent economic pain and disruption for the UK or for EU member states.
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 08:55 UTC
Indonesia asks Brazil for data on the Chinese vaccine

With the slow development of its own phase three clinical trial of a Covid-19 vaccine candidate, Indonesia said it has asked for data from Brazil, where a similar trial is progressing smoothly.
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 08:45 UTC
Pope Francis calls on political and business leaders to make the Covid-19 vaccines available to all

Pope Francis in his Christmas message on Friday said political and business leaders must not allow market forces and patent laws to take priority over making Covid-19 vaccines available to all, condemning nationalism and ”the virus of radical individualism.”
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 08:34 UTC
Japan plans to catch some 383 large whales this season

Japanese authorities have set the catch limit for the upcoming whaling season at 383 large whales – a number identical to that set in the last catch earlier this year.
Saturday, December 26th 2020 - 07:22 UTC
Queen Elizabeth's message of hope for all those suffering because of Covid-19

All many people want for Christmas this year is a simple hug, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth said in her annual festive message, saying it would be hard for those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 pandemic or were separated by curbs on social mixing.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 09:15 UTC
A year that will go down in Falklands history

For many people, 2020 has been a year they would like to forget. But it’s a year that will go down in Falklands history for one very positive reason.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:50 UTC
Argentina authorizes Sputnik V vaccine; first batch of 300.000 doses expected on Thursday

Argentina's health ministry said on Wednesday it has given the controversial Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine “emergency” authorization, making the country the first in Latin America to do so. The first shipment of the total 25 million doses of the vaccine bought by the Argentine government is due to arrive on Thursday.