Stories for July 2020

Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:38 UTC
Trump not interested “right now” on Phase 2 of trade negotiations with China

United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday shut the door on Phase 2 trade negotiations with China, saying he does not want to talk to Beijing about trade because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:32 UTC
Nestlé and Cargill face demands from slave descendants of Ivory Coast cocoa farms

The US Supreme Court will decide whether American corporations can be sued for alleged human rights abuses occurring abroad under a 1789 law, agreeing to hear appeals by two companies: Cargill Inc and a Nestle SA subsidiary: accused of knowingly helping perpetuate slavery at Ivory Coast cocoa farms.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:28 UTC
Europe opens consultation sessions on how to combat fake news and ensure free and fair elections

The European Commission will this Wednesday seek input from the public and civic bodies on how to combat fake news and ensure free and fair elections, a move that could lead to new rules targeting social platforms such as Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:24 UTC
Boeing customers cancelled order for 355 of 737 MAX jets in first half of 2020

Boeing customers cancelled orders for 355 of its 737 MAX jets in the first half of 2020, the US planemaker said on Tuesday, as the damage done by the jet's grounding and the coronavirus crisis to the airline industry continued to mount.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:20 UTC
United Arab Emirates postpones to Friday launching of its mission to Mars

The United Arab Emirates has postponed to Jul 17 the launch of its mission to Mars due to weather conditions at the launch site in Japan, the UAE government communications office said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:15 UTC
Suriname elects new president replacing four decades of dictator Bouterse

Mercosur associate, Suriname elected a new president Monday, ending the dictatorial rule of Desi Bouterse. Chan Santokhi, an Indian-origin former police chief, won a landslide victory in the general elections conducted in the country in May.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:03 UTC
Earth will be home to 8.8 billion people in 2100, two billion less than current UN projections

The Earth will be home to 8.8 billion people in 2100, two billion fewer than current United Nations projections, according to a major study published on Wednesday that foresees new global power alignments shaped by declining fertility rates and graying populations.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:00 UTC
A teen ager dies of bubonic plague in Mongolia; allegedly he hunted and ate a marmot

A 15-year-old boy has died from the bubonic plague in Mongolia, health authorities said on Tuesday, one of a handful of cases that recently emerged in the country and neighboring China.
Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:00 UTC
Hagia Sophia will be open to visitors outside prayer times, and Christian icons will remain, pledges Turkey

Turkey's Hagia Sophia will open to visitors outside prayer times and its Christian icons will remain, religious officials said on Tuesday, after a court ruling paved the way for it to become a mosque. The sixth-century Istanbul landmark's museum status - in place for nearly a century - was revoked on Friday, with control handed to the religious authority Diyanet.
Tuesday, July 14th 2020 - 09:59 UTC
Latin America death toll from coronavirus now exceeds North America

The number of deaths from the coronavirus in Latin America has exceeded the figure for North America for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Latin America had by Monday seen at least 144,680 deaths so far, compared to 143,847 deaths in North America - comprising Canada and the United States - according to official counts.