Stories for 2020

Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 09:19 UTC
Some 21 million tons of micro plastic floating in the Atlantic ocean

There are 12-21 million tons of tiny plastic fragments floating in the Atlantic Ocean, scientists have found. A study, led by the UK's National Oceanography Centre, scooped through layers of the upper 200m of the ocean during a research expedition through the middle of the Atlantic.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 09:15 UTC
“We need to prevent vaccine nationalism”, WHO chief Tedros

Nations that hoard possible COVID-19 vaccines while excluding others will deepen the pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday, issuing a last-ditch call for countries to join a global vaccine pact.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 09:10 UTC
Mapuche leader on hunger strike reaches understanding with Chilean government

A Chilean indigenous leader who has spent more than 100 days on hunger strike over his detention during the coronavirus pandemic has agreed to end it after negotiations with the government, the justice minister said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 09:09 UTC
Biden becomes Democratic presidential candidate; strong support from elder statesmen and opinion polls

Joe Biden has been officially anointed the Democratic presidential candidate at the party's convention, helped over the line with some glowing testimonials from elder statesmen. Two Democratic former US presidents, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, endorsed Mr. Biden.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
Airlines prepared to accept passengers with a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours before travel

Airlines and airports have asked a United Nations-led task force meeting on Monday to recommend that countries accept a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of travel as an alternative to quarantines that have decimated demand for travel, according to a document seen by news agency Reuters.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 08:46 UTC
Citigroup with a record clerical error of US$ 900 million; a beneficiary refuses to hand back US$ 175 million

Citigroup asked a US judge on Tuesday to freeze funds it mistakenly sent Revlon Inc creditors amid a lawsuit over one of the largest clerical errors by a bank in years. Last week, Citi repaid a nearly US$900 million loan made to Revlon, a day after lenders sued the cosmetic company over its restructuring tactics, but the repayment was made in error.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 07:09 UTC
Diabetes Type 1 among children in UK almost doubled during Covid-19 peak, Imperial College

Cases of type 1 diabetes among children in a small UK study almost doubled during the peak of Britain's COVID-19 epidemic, suggesting a possible link between the two diseases that need more investigation, scientists said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, August 19th 2020 - 06:02 UTC
Kiwi Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hits back at Trump statements

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday hit back against United States President Donald Trump for saying her country is experiencing a “big surge” in Covid-19, calling the remarks “patently wrong”.
Tuesday, August 18th 2020 - 15:50 UTC
Falkland Islands and oil companies new approach to “stranded assets”

An article in World Oil by Laura Hurst refers to the term “stranded assets” and mentions the case of the Falkland Islands oil industry: the discovery a decade ago of as much as 1,7 billion barrels of crude offshore the British Overseas Territory, and rather than the next frontier, the project to extract energy risks being added to a list of what companies call “stranded assets” that could cost them huge sums to mothball.
Tuesday, August 18th 2020 - 09:55 UTC
Thousands waving national flags demonstrate across Argentina to protest against government plans

Thousands of demonstrators across Argentina's main cities defied social distancing rules to answer calls to protest against a government announcement last Friday to extend containment measures in the Buenos Aires region until Aug 30 and to condemn a controversial reform of the judicial branch.