Stories for December 2020

Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:40 UTC
Weather and ports' strike in Argentina boosting soy and cereals prices

United States soybeans climbed to six-year highs this week as weather and export troubles in Argentina outweighed concerns of a new coronavirus strain hitting Britain. Corn and wheat futures traded near even as soybeans supported the grains complex.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:37 UTC
Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust website features historic shipwrecks

A website has been launched to celebrate historic shipwrecks around the Falkland Islands, including underwater footage of the German WW1 cruiser SMS Scharnhorst, sunk in December 1914 and located only in 2019.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:35 UTC
Brazilian financial analysts upgrade growth forecast for 2020

Brazilian financial analysts slightly upgraded their growth forecast for 2020, from a 4.41% drop in gross domestic product (GDP) to a 4.4% drop, the Central Bank of Brazil reported.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Brexit “final push”: EU prepared to yield in fisheries issue but UK proposal “totally unacceptable”

The European Union is making a “final push” to strike a Brexit trade deal with Britain, although there are still deep rifts over fishing rights, the bloc’s chief negotiator said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Peruvian agriculture export companies workers take to highways to renew protests

Workers from agricultural export companies in Peru renewed protests this week after Congress failed to reach an agreement to reform the sector and address their complaints about poor pay.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:29 UTC
In the US last week someone died every 33 seconds from Covid-19

In the United States last week someone died from COVID-19 every 33 seconds.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 09:22 UTC
Widowed penguins comforting each other, winner of Ocean Photograph awards

The year 2020 has produced many poignant and powerful photographs. But a shot of two widowed penguins appearing to comfort one another in Australia has been picked out as a winner in Oceanographic magazine's Ocean Photograph Awards.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 08:34 UTC
Kashmir's saffron “red gold” harvest depleted by climate change

On sweeping fields once blanketed in lush purple, a thin and bedraggled crop of flowers was all farmers in Indian-administered Kashmir’s saffron-growing region Pampore had to show for this year’s harvest.
Wednesday, December 23rd 2020 - 08:16 UTC
FAO report on the lanternfish in the deep Atlantic Ocean

Deep below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface, glowing objects glide through the inky black depths. On closer inspection, it is clear that they are actually a special group of fish, lanternfish, who get their name from their incredible ability to produce light.
Tuesday, December 22nd 2020 - 08:46 UTC
Chilean army base in Antarctica detects 36 positive Covid-19 cases; Navy support vessel blamed

A coronavirus outbreak with 36 positive tests was reported on Monday at a Chilean Army base in Antarctica, the only continent, up to now, free of the virus. The army's Monday release said that at the Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme base, following suspicions, swabbing testing was practiced in all personnel resulting in 36 positive cases, of which 26 belonging to the Army and ten to members of a contractor, doing maintenance work at the base.