Politics

• Thursday, December 31st 2020 - 08:07 UTC

  Brussels and Beijing agreement to open the Chinese market to EU investors

  

  The European Union and China on Wednesday announced the political approval of a long-sought agreement to open the Chinese market further to EU investors, marking an economic victory for both sides.

• Thursday, December 31st 2020 - 08:01 UTC

  Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan had most probably ten times more cases, China public health report

  

  The scale of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan early this year may have been nearly 10 times the recorded tally, a study conducted by China's public health authorities indicates, leaving the city where the coronavirus first took hold still well short of the immunity required to protect against a potential resurgence.

• Thursday, December 31st 2020 - 08:00 UTC

  Australia's Antarctic Program MPV Everest scheduled to leave Hobart next 9 January

  

  MPV Everest arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, on Wednesday to commence work for the Australian Antarctic Program, resupplying Australian stations and changing over personnel this summer.

• Thursday, December 31st 2020 - 07:19 UTC

  Labour supported Brexit accord, “a thin deal better than a chaotic no-deal rupture”, Keir Starmer

  

  The House of Commons on Wednesday approved by an ample majority the EU/UK post Brexit deal, but this did not impede some lawmakers complain about being given only five hours in Parliament to scrutinize a deal that will mean profound changes for Britain’s economy and society.

• Thursday, December 31st 2020 - 07:04 UTC

  French truckers warn about red tape and “smart borders” as UK/EU deal customs becomes effective

  

  Red tape, new “smart borders” that don't talk to one another and ill-prepared traders threaten border chaos, French truckers warned a day before Britain restores a hard frontier with Europe.

• Wednesday, December 30th 2020 - 09:10 UTC

  Argentina approves bill to legalize the voluntary interruption of pregnancy

  

  Argentina's Senate voted to legalize elective abortion early Wednesday, marking a historic political shift in the heavily Catholic country and larger region.

• Wednesday, December 30th 2020 - 08:50 UTC

  Brazil's industry confidence index in December reaches the highest level in ten years

  

  Brazil's industry confidence rose 1.8 points in December to 114.9 points, reaching the highest level in more than 10 years, an economic research center said on Monday.

• Wednesday, December 30th 2020 - 08:10 UTC

  Boris Johnson considering tougher measures extending tier 4 restrictions

  

  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has approved placing more parts of the country into tier 4 restrictions, as the country battles a new variant of Covid-19 which scientists say can spread more rapidly, The Times reported.

• Wednesday, December 30th 2020 - 08:00 UTC

  Ireland's most liberal Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Dublin, retires

  

  Ireland's most liberal Roman Catholic prelate, the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, is to step aside having reached the normal retirement age for bishops of 75, the Vatican said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, December 29th 2020 - 09:35 UTC

  Oxford/Astra Zeneca will apply for full approval of its vaccine from Brazil's regulator on 15 January

  

  Brazil's Fiocruz biomedical institute will seek approval for the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 with federal health regulator Anvisa on Jan. 15, one of the center's senior officials said on Monday.