Health & Science

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:30 UTC

  Rio Gallegos in complete lockdown, all activities suspended until August 2nd

  

  Santa Cruz province in the extreme south of Argentina imposed strict circulation and reunion restrictions plus a suspension of all activities in Rio Gallegos following an outbreak of coronavirus in the provincial capital, according to local media reports.

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:28 UTC

  Foreign Office claims Russian hackers trying to steal information on Covid-19 vaccine

  

  British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday he was “absolutely confident” in allegations by the UK and its allies that Russia targeted labs conducting COVID-19 research, branding the behavior “outrageous and reprehensible”.

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:25 UTC

  JBS installs “ultraviolet germicidal” ventilation to combat Covid-19 in slaughterhouses

  

  One of the world's largest meatpackers said they have installed ultraviolet air cleaning equipment in some US plants, as pressure mounts on food companies to protect workers amid growing concerns about airborne transmission of the coronavirus.

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:14 UTC

  Half of UK's biggest companies estimate business recovery in the second half of 2021, Deloitte

  

  Nearly half of Britain's biggest companies think it will take until the second half of 2021 before business recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey on Monday that cast doubt on hopes for a speedier rebound.

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 09:00 UTC

  Arab Emirates launches its first mission to Mars from Japan

  

  The United Arab Emirates launched its first mission to Mars early on Monday as it strives to develop its scientific and technology capabilities and move away from its reliance on oil.

• Monday, July 20th 2020 - 08:24 UTC

  Brazilian meat plants perfect “coronavirus breeding centers”, according to Labor Ministry

  

  Meat plants have been a major factor in the spread of coronavirus in at least three different regions of Brazil, according to the country’s experts. According to the new study conducted by the federal prosecution department the Public Ministry of Labour (MPT), the conditions at the meat plants have directly contributed towards the rapid transmission of the virus.

• Saturday, July 18th 2020 - 09:31 UTC

  Coronavirus “stabilized” in Brazil (at 1,300 deaths per day), but “is not heading down from the mountain”

  

  Coronavirus infections in Brazil no longer appear to be rising exponentially but the country is “still in the middle of this fight” as new cases and deaths grow by thousands every day, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

• Saturday, July 18th 2020 - 09:16 UTC

  Argentina extends quarantine to August 2, while trying to gradually return to normal life

  

  The Argentine government announced on Friday that it has extended the national quarantine aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 to August 2.

• Saturday, July 18th 2020 - 08:17 UTC

  Spain has ordered the culling of 93,000 minks, many carrying coronavirus

  

  Spain has ordered the culling of nearly 100,000 mink on a farm in the north-east after confirming many were carrying coronavirus, a regional minister said. Speaking to reporters, Joaquin Olona, agriculture minister for the Aragon region, said the cull would involve the slaughter of some 92,700 mink who are prized for their pelt.

• Saturday, July 18th 2020 - 08:05 UTC

  British scientists analyzing Covid-19 symptoms, found six distinct types of the disease

  

  British scientists analyzing data from a widely-used COVID-19 symptom-tracking app have found there are six distinct types of the disease, each distinguished by a cluster of symptoms.