Health & Science

Saturday, May 30th 2020 - 08:40 UTC
Argentine scientists developing a fast, inexpensive coronavirus test

Argentine scientists are producing what they call a fast and inexpensive coronavirus test, which according to the government has captured the interest of other countries. The new test, called “NEOKIT-COVID-19”, allows detection of the virus in less than two hours, developers say.
Saturday, May 30th 2020 - 08:22 UTC
Trump cuts relations with the World Health Organization, “a puppet organization of China”

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he is terminating the US relationship with the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus, saying the WHO had essentially become a puppet organization of China.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 08:50 UTC
Foreigners reduced holdings of Brazilian bonds: market turmoil and political uncertainty

Foreigners reduced their holdings of Brazilian bonds in April to the lowest since 2009, figures on Wednesday showed, against the backdrop of rising financial market turmoil fueled by the coronavirus crisis and domestic political uncertainty.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 08:40 UTC
Colombian families abandoned at Sao Paulo airport; no humanitarian flights from Bogotá

More than two months after the coronavirus pandemic triggered worldwide lockdowns, much of the world is gradually reopening. But Latin America remains highly isolated by travel restrictions across the region.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 08:31 UTC
Spread of coronavirus threatening Brazilian slaughterhouses

Brazilian food company BRF SA said the potential closure of slaughterhouses due the spread of the novel coronavirus at meat production sites would make it impossible to keep output at current levels.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 08:29 UTC
Spain will open gradually to tourism, beginning with European countries

Spain will open gradually to tourism this summer, starting with European countries, and will ensure visitors only go to areas that have the coronavirus under control, Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya said.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 08:18 UTC
WHO alerts on tobacco industry exploitation of children and young people

The World Health Organization is launching on Friday a new kit for school students aged 13-17 to alert them to the tobacco industry tactics used to hook them to addictive products. Every year the tobacco industry invests more than US$ 9 billion to advertise its products.
Friday, May 29th 2020 - 07:25 UTC
Johnson, under growing pressure over Cummings issue, announces easing of lockdown conditions

The coronavirus lockdown will ease next week for most of Britain's population, Boris Johnson announced on Thursday, as a row persisted over the prime minister's closest adviser taking a long-distance journey during lockdown.
Thursday, May 28th 2020 - 09:29 UTC
IDB US$ 1,7bn loan for Uruguay to address the Covid-19 pandemic

Uruguay's Economy minister Azucena Arbeleche confirmed that the Inter American Development Bank had awarded the country a 1,7bn dollars soft loan to address the sanitary, social and economic emergency as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thursday, May 28th 2020 - 08:39 UTC
Chile, once the darling of foreign investors, struggling with coronavirus, inequality and poor public services

Chile's government is struggling to control a coronavirus outbreak that could revive mass social unrest as its hospital system comes under increasing pressure. With a population of 18 million, Chile is reporting new Covid-19 cases at a pace comparable to that of Spain at the peak of the virus' spread in March, on a per capita basis, and resources are close to maxed out in Latin America's wealthiest economy.