Health & Science

• Friday, April 24th 2020 - 08:28 UTC

  Swiss pharma giant warns about unreliability of blood tests to check for COVID-19 antibodies

  

  Some blood tests being marketed to tell people if they have had the new coronavirus are a “disaster”, Roche Chief Executive Severin Schwan said as he prepares to launch the drug maker's own antibody test next month.

• Friday, April 24th 2020 - 08:25 UTC

  With oil royalties plummeting, Rio state challenged by investment funds

  

  Already grappling with one of Brazil’s most severe outbreaks of the novel coronavirus and a budget deep in the red, Rio de Janeiro state faces a potential threat to its solvency at the hands of investment giants PIMCO and Dodge & Cox.

• Friday, April 24th 2020 - 08:13 UTC

  Falklands introduces significant restrictions on constitutional rights and movements for twelve months

  

  The Falkland Islands Executive Council considered this week two reports regarding further legislative proposals responding to the challenges posed by COVID-19. ExCo addressed the provisions put in place in the UK, including the Coronavirus Act 2020, and other laws.

• Friday, April 24th 2020 - 07:53 UTC

  More COVID-19 infections on board Costa Atlantica, docked in Japan for repairs

  

  Fourteen more coronavirus infections have been confirmed on the Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica docked for repairs in Japan, a local official said on Thursday, bringing the total to at least 48.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 09:25 UTC

  Trump signs immigration suspension bill; seasonal labor and health care workers exempted

  

  US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he had signed an order partially suspending immigration to the United States, arguing the drastic measure would protect jobs during the coronavirus crisis.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 09:22 UTC

  Pandemic forcing Venezuela's Maduro and Guaidó to hold exploratory talks

  

  Allies of both Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his bitter foe, opposition leader Juan Guaido, have secretly begun exploratory talks as concerns grow about the possible impact of coronavirus, according to sources on both sides.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 09:15 UTC

  Falklands should be ready next week to test swabs in the Islands

  

  A COVID-19 analyzer and related equipment are scheduled to arrive in the Falkland Islands over the weekend, which means the prospect of much faster testing of the Islands' swabs for potential virus contagion, and without having to send them to the UK.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 09:06 UTC

  Pompeo pressing China to allow inspections of sensitive laboratories

  

  United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday pressed China to allow inspectors into sensitive laboratories, voicing concern about their security amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 09:01 UTC

  WHO warns, “Make no mistake: We have a long way to go. This virus will be with us for a long time”

  

  World Health Organization on Wednesday warned that the coronavirus crisis would not end any time soon, with many countries only in the early stages of the fight, as the global death toll surpassed 180,000.

• Thursday, April 23rd 2020 - 08:59 UTC

  Falklands' government will buy unsold wool clip in support of producers

  

  The Falkland Islands government announced on Wednesday a support program for wool producers and their unsold clip in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For that purpose, it has authorized the Department of Natural Resources to develop a program to purchase the unsold wool, in a one-time offer, with the price set at March 20.