Stories for 2020

Monday, May 25th 2020 - 20:52 UTC
China open to the identification of the source of coronavirus, but “free of political interference”

China is “open” to international cooperation to identify the source of the novel coronavirus but any investigation must be “free of political interference”, China's foreign minister said on Sunday. Wang Yi blasted what he called efforts by US politicians to “fabricate rumors” about the pathogen's origins and “stigmatize China”.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 20:48 UTC
British government ready to rescue companies considered strategically important

British Finance Minister Rishi Sunak has authorized a bailout plan to rescue companies that are seen as strategically important, with the state expected to buy stakes in crucial businesses that are facing acute financial problems, the Financial Times newspaper reported.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 08:57 UTC
Mother of all scandals: “King” Bolsonaro and cabinet caught with their pants down

On Apr 22, Brazil was fast becoming a new coronavirus flashpoint, but President Jair Bolsonaro and his cabinet barely mentioned the pandemic in a videotaped meeting that has triggered outrage and fuelled a potentially explosive investigation.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 08:55 UTC
Argentina extends mandatory lockdown in metropolitan Buenos Aires until 7 June

Argentina extended until June 7 a mandatory lockdown in metropolitan Buenos Aires on Saturday and tightened some movement restrictions, after a steady increase in the city's confirmed coronavirus cases in recent days.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 08:53 UTC
Non US passenger traveling from Brazil banned from entering United States

The White House on Sunday (May 24) said it was prohibiting most non-US citizens from traveling to the United States if they had been in Brazil in the last two weeks, two days after the South American nation became the world No. 2 hot spot for coronavirus cases.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 07:54 UTC
Iranian petrol reaches Venezuela, despite US warnings

The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel for gasoline-starved Venezuela entered the country's exclusive economic zone on Saturday, despite a US official's warning that Washington was considering a response to the shipment. The tanker, named Fortune, reached the country’s waters at around 7:40 pm local time (1140 GMT) after passing north of the neighboring dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, according to vessel-tracking data from Refinitiv Eikon.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 07:52 UTC
Pierre Andurand, French 'wonder boy' who predicted the sub zero oil market collapse

French oil trader Pierre Andurand was catapulted into the spotlight this year after correctly betting that the deadly novel coronavirus would spark a sub-zero oil market collapse. Andurand, the 43-year-old founder of London-based Andurand Capital who runs two multi-million-dollar funds, bet in February that the deadly COVID-19 outbreak could represent a rare “black swan” event that would send prices into reverse.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 07:50 UTC
Piñera admits Chile's health system in close to the very limit

Chile's healthcare system is under strain and “very close to the limit,” President Sebastian Piñera admitted on Sunday, as the number of confirmed novel coronavirus infections approaches 70,000 after a rapid increase in recent days.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 07:46 UTC
Virology institute in Wuhan admits having live strains of bat coronavirus but “do not match with the current outbreaks”

The Chinese virology institute in the city where COVID-19 first emerged has three live strains of bat coronavirus on-site, but none match the new contagion wreaking chaos across the world, its director has said.
Monday, May 25th 2020 - 07:16 UTC
South Georgia's new £11million wharf facilities completed in 108 days

Surrounded by spectacular scenery, dominated by mountains and glaciers, construction has completed on a new £11million wharf, dolphin, and slipway to serve the King Edward Point Research Station (KEP), in South Georgia Island.