Stories for December 2020

Tuesday, December 15th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
Some 47 Chinese workers in Uganda inoculated with the Sinopharm vaccine allegedly tested positive

Despite apparently being inoculated with China's vaunted coronavirus vaccines, 47 Chinese workers in Uganda have been diagnosed with the virus, raising questions about the efficacy of the China-made products.
Tuesday, December 15th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
Honduras claims two hurricanes caused damage equivalent to half its GDP

Hurricanes Eta and Iota have caused about US$10 billion in damages in Honduras and affected more than 4 million people, the Central American country's foreign minister said on Monday as he called for international support.
Tuesday, December 15th 2020 - 08:33 UTC
Google restores services after a widespread outage around the world on Monday

Services from Alphabet Inc’s Google were restored for most users on Monday after it experienced widespread outages around the world, preventing people from accessing Gmail, YouTube and other products.
Tuesday, December 15th 2020 - 08:29 UTC
Long food queues in Italy's financial capital and richest city of the country

Long queues have been forming outside food banks and help centers in Italy's financial capital Milan as the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus has deepened before Christmas.
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:39 UTC
Tax reform in Brazil stalled in the midst of political dispute and “fiscal abyss”

Brazil is heading into a “fiscal abyss” and a serious crisis next year, following the decision to postpone parliamentary debate on a bill extending emergency aid spending, lower house speaker Rodrigo Maia said on Friday
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:37 UTC
Bolsonaro remains with a 37% approval, shows Datafolha public opinion poll

Brazilian right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro’s approval rating remains at its highest level since he took office in 2019, despite the country experiencing the world’s second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak, a poll showed on Sunday.
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:31 UTC
London and Brussels agree on an “extra mile” after an elusive post-Brexit deal

London and Brussels agreed to “go the extra mile” in coming days to try to reach an elusive trade agreement despite missing their latest deadline to avert a turbulent ‘no deal’ exit for Britain from the European Union’s orbit at the end of the month.
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Bolsonaro's vaccination plan “a murderous stupidity” and a display of “lethal incompetence”

President Jair Bolsonaro faced scathing criticism on Sunday over his government's plan – or lack thereof, opponents said – to vaccinate the population against Covid-19 in Brazil, the country with the second-highest death toll worldwide.
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Four Royal Navy patrol ships ready as of January to protect UK's fishing waters

The British Ministry of Defense said four Royal Navy patrol ships will be ready on Jan 1 to help protect Britain’s fishing waters in the event of a post Brexit no deal.
Monday, December 14th 2020 - 09:14 UTC
Brazilian church plays a nativity scene in a burnt deforested Amazon and with a black baby Jesus

Instead of a manger in Bethlehem, Jesus will arrive this Christmas in a badly burned clearing in the Amazon rainforest as a black baby born to a black virgin with indigenous cherubs looking on.