Health & Science

• Wednesday, April 7th 2021 - 09:40 UTC

  Bolsonaro and Putin discuss Sputnik-V vaccine purchase in telephone conversation

  

  Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro spoke Tuesday on the telephone with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, about the possible purchase of Sputnik V, the anti-Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Institute for Research in Epidemiology and Microbiology.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2021 - 09:11 UTC

  US, WHO top scientists not so eager about vaccination passports

  

  The US administration of President Joseph Biden shall not be requiring its citizens to use vaccination passports to prove they were immunized against coronavirus, Dr Anthony Fauci said Tuesday.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2021 - 09:01 UTC

  Rio de Janeiro lawmakers now against renaming Maracana stadium after Pele to focus on covid-19 fight

  

  The Legislative Assembly of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro (Alert) Tuesday decided to go back on its steps and drop the initiative to rename the iconic Maracana stadium after football legend Pelé.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2021 - 07:17 UTC

  Mar del Plata's Sheraton Hotel closes for… ¿two months?

  

  The Sheraton Hotel in the Argentine beach resort of Mar del Plata Tuesday decided to shut down for two months and take advantage of a Labor Law clause that allows companies to keep their staff earning 75 per cent of their salaries in crisis such as the coronavirus pandemic.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2021 - 09:10 UTC

  Chile's Parliament passes economic relief bill

  

  Chile's Congress Monday passed a bill granting economic assistance to people in need and whose situation has worsened over the past few months due to the covid-19 crisis.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2021 - 08:48 UTC

  Boris Johnson hints covid-19 vaccine passport likely also for domestic use

  

  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Monday acknowledged he entertained the idea of “the potential use of Covid-19 certificates” to access sporting and cultural events. “But people are not going to be asked to show the certificate to go to the shops or to enter the pub's garden,” said Johnson, who faces a rebellion of more than 70 voiceful MPs against the so-called “Covid passport”.

• Tuesday, April 6th 2021 - 08:14 UTC

  Paraguay to launch international public tender for medication required in covid-19 treatment

  

  Paraguay's Health Ministry Monday announced it would launch an international public tender in search of sourcing from foreign suppliers of medicines and equipment for the fight against Sars-CoV-2.

• Monday, April 5th 2021 - 10:20 UTC

  Argentina's economy can't afford another total lockdown, minister says

  

  Argentina's economy minister Martin Guzman said in a television interview on Saturday that his country could not afford a new total quarantine and made it clear that the government would have to find another way to deal with the new stage of the covid-19 pandemic.

• Monday, April 5th 2021 - 08:49 UTC

  Coronavirus restrictive measures: Costa Rica reopens land borders after over one year

  

  The Costa Rican Government is reopening its land borders Monday in a step towards the gradual return to normal life, it was announced, after their March 18, 2020 closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

• Monday, April 5th 2021 - 07:46 UTC

  Life almost back at normal in Paraguay except for curfew and crowd limits

  

  Paraguay's government Sunday issued Decree 5,071 whereby the strict measures implemented during Easter Week have been lifted, but a curfew from midnight to 5am shall remain in force, it was announced.