Stories for December 24th 2020

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.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:46 UTC
Argentina lockdown until 8 January

Argentina established new requirements for entering and leaving the country, starting on Friday through January 8, the Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on Wednesday, in a bid to rein in the coronavirus.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:45 UTC
Chinese vaccine 50% effective, reports Sao Paulo lab, but half of Brazilians reject inoculation

Brazilian researchers said on Wednesday the COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech is more than 50% effective based on trial data, but again withheld full results at the company's request, raising questions about transparency.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:33 UTC
Sao Paulo state doubles lockdown measures over Xmas and New Year

Brazil's southeast state of Sao Paulo, the epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, said this week it will double down on lockdown measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus over the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:31 UTC
China forecast to grow 2% this year and rebound 7,9% in 2021: exports' boom

Economic growth in China is expected to slow to 2% this year, before rebounding to 7.9% in 2021 as private investment and consumption heat up, a World Bank report released on Wednesday projected.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:30 UTC
Two weeks of industrial action in Argentina's soy crushers and export ports

Soymeal manufacturers in Argentina presented late on Tuesday a proposal aimed at ending a two-week strike by oil and port workers unions that has thrown a wrench in the flow of agricultural exports from one of the world’s main bread baskets.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:25 UTC
Coronavirus sniffer dogs at Santiago de Chile international airport

The task of sniffing out passengers infected with COVID-19 at Chile's Santiago international airport is going to the dogs. A team of Golden Retrievers and Labradors sit when they smell the virus and get a treat. The canines sport green “biodetector” jackets with a red cross.
Thursday, December 24th 2020 - 08:20 UTC
Canada approves Moderna coronavirus vaccine: first batch of doses expected before the end of the year

Canada approved Moderna Inc's coronavirus vaccine on Wednesday, the second country to do so, paving the way for health authorities to step up an inoculation campaign against a worsening second wave.