Stories for 2021

Thursday, January 28th 2021 - 09:11 UTC
Colombian defense minister and respected politician dies of Covid-19

Colombia's defense minister has died in hospital after contracting coronavirus, the government announced. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, 69, was taken to hospital with Covid-19 earlier this month and had developed viral pneumonia.
Thursday, January 28th 2021 - 08:55 UTC
China has begun using anal swabs for high risk population

AFP – Anal swabs are being used in China to test those it considers at high risk of contracting Covid-19, state TV reported. According to doctors, the invasive procedure is said to be more effective in detecting the virus.
Thursday, January 28th 2021 - 08:33 UTC
Climate change becomes a national security issue for the Pentagon

Reuters – The risk of climate change in military theatre simulations and war games was confirmed by the Pentagon following a raft of executive actions signed by US president Joe Biden to tackle the climate issue.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 20:39 UTC
Director of Sinovac's intermediary institute said it did not close a deal with Uruguay for vaccine

The Director of the Butantan Institute on Tuesday contradicted the words of Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou, assuring that there is not yet a closed agreement between the Uruguayan government and the Chinese laboratory Sinovac for the purchase of the vaccine against Covid-19. However, the institute affirmed that there is a pre-agreement and talks are still ongoing. Lacalle Pou announced on Saturday at a press conference the purchase of 1.75 million doses from this laboratory.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:45 UTC
Chilean president ratifies support for Argentina claims in the Falklands' dispute

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera ratified his administration's support for “Argentina's sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas and other South Atlantic islands,” and called for Argentina and UK to resume talks to find a peaceful solution to the controversy in the framework of UN resolutions on the issue.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:31 UTC
Argentina and Chile “indissolubly twinned countries”, underlines president Fernandez

Argentina and Chile are “indissolubly twinned countries”, said Argentine president Alberto Fernandez during the ceremony at the Palacio de la Moneda in Santiago where, next to his peer Sebastián Piñera, and members of their cabinets, they signed several accords and a joint declaration.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:27 UTC
Global Covid-19 reaches 100 million cases and 2,155.00 deaths, John Hopkins Center

The world has reached 100 million COVID-19 infections, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center statistics. More than 2,155.00 people have died from the virus.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:20 UTC
China recovers pre-pandemic growth and is expected to expand 8,1% in 2021 and 5,6% in 2022, IMF

IMF projects China's economy will grow 8.1% in 2021 and 5.6% in 2022. The global growth is expected to be 5.5% in 2021 and 4.2% in 2022 after an estimated 3.5% contraction in 2020, according to the latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) released on Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:15 UTC
Europe calls on Venezuela for broad talks and new elections, warns of more sanctions

AP – The European Union called for broad political talks in Venezuela to set up new elections and warned that it stands ready to slap sanctions on more senior Venezuelan officials in the country if they undermine democracy or take part in human rights violations.
Wednesday, January 27th 2021 - 09:06 UTC
New Zealand and China upgraded their free trade agreement: Bad news for Mercosur

China and New Zealand signed the upgrading protocol of their free trade agreement (FTA) via video link on Tuesday with new commitments in trade market entry, investment, and other key aspects.