Stories for August 14th 2020

Friday, August 14th 2020 - 10:53 UTC
Ecuadorean popular ex president under house arrest

A judge in Ecuador on Thursday placed former president Abdala Bucaram under house arrest over his alleged involvement in a corruption scandal blamed in the murder of an Israeli prison inmate, the public prosecutor said.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 10:32 UTC
Conservative party will hold its spring conference in Newport, Wales

The Conservative Party will hold its UK spring conference in Newport, during the run-up to May's Senedd election. The party said up to 8,000 people will attend the event, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales, and inject £20m into the local economy.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 10:14 UTC
More pressure on Cuba: all private charter flights with the US suspended

The US administration has suspended all private charter flights between the United States and Cuba, to increase economic pressure on Havana. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that “the Castro regime uses tourism and travel funds to finance its abuses and interference in Venezuela”.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:40 UTC
Peru with half a million coronavirus contagions and the highest death toll in the region

Peru surpassed half a million coronavirus cases and has the highest death toll in Latin America, according to Health Ministry data released on Thursday, as the government struggles to contain a recent surge in infections.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:38 UTC
Argentina inflation in July was 1,9% and the 12-month rate 42,4%

Argentina's July inflation rate was 1.9%, the government's Indec statistics agency reported on Thursday, bringing the seven-month rate to 15,8% and the 12-month rate to 42.4%. During July the items which showed the main increase were Housing maintenance, 3,9% and Leisure and Culture, 3,3%, with a special emphasis in electronics and home appliances.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:34 UTC
WHO and USDA downplay risks of contracting coronavirus from food and food packaging

Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in cargoes of imported frozen food, local authorities said on Thursday, although the World Health Organization downplayed the risk of the virus entering the food chain.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Mexican prosecution opens corruption investigation against ex-president Peña Nieto and ex minister Luis Videgaray

Prosecutors in Mexico have opened a corruption investigation against former President Enrique Peña Nieto. It comes after Emilio Lozoya, the ex-head of the state energy firm, accused Peña Nieto of taking millions of dollars in bribes and bribing MPs.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 09:16 UTC
Virus resurfaces in NZ: Auckland lockdown extended for at least 12 days

New Zealand on Friday extended a lockdown of its largest city Auckland by at least 12 days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced, as authorities struggled with a growing new COVID-19 outbreak.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
Trump brokers a deal between Israel and United Arab Emirates: full diplomatic relations in exchange for an end to West Bank annexations

President Donald Trump on Thursday managed to pull off a rare victory for US diplomacy in the Middle East ahead of his Nov 3 re-election bid by helping to broker a deal between American allies Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Friday, August 14th 2020 - 08:56 UTC
UK imposes 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France, Netherlands, Spain, Malta and Belgium

The United Kingdom will impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from France on Saturday because COVID-19 infection rates there are too high, transport minister Grant Shapps said on Thursday.