Stories for March 4th 2021

Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 18:21 UTC
Uruguay: Pepe Mujica says the pandemic helped Lacalle Pou’s government

The former Uruguayan president José “Pepe” Mujica criticized the government of Luis Lacalle Pou and assured that the Covid-19 pandemic “helped” to improve his image. ”The pandemic is white (in reference to the color of the ruling party)“ and ”brought a big help“ to the government, said the former president in a radial interview on Wednesday. ”He has no responsibility, but he positioned himself well in the situation and knew how to take advantage of it”, he assured.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 09:24 UTC
Argentina's banks face a tough year: bad loans, inflation and regulations

Rising inflation plus bad loans and government regulations anticipate a tough 2021 according to the CEO of Argentina's biggest private bank by market capitalization. “If inflation is high, there is a risk that bank results will fall to very low or negative levels in real terms,” Fabian Kon said in an interview in Buenos Aires.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:54 UTC
US Capitol locked down after intelligence identifies a potential attack

US intelligence have identified a militant group planning a potential attack on the US Capitol. The finding comes nearly two months after Trump supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:47 UTC
White House financial support for Merck and Johnson & Johnson to speed vaccine production

White House senior adviser Andy Slavitt told reporters on Tuesday that the federal government is planning to spend US$100 million to help the joint partnership between Merck & Co and rival Johnson & Johnson accelerate vaccine production.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:41 UTC
Venezuela's Guaidó willing to support an independent new electoral council

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Wednesday that he would support naming a new electoral council but cautioned its members should not be chosen unilaterally by the National Assembly currently held by the ruling socialist party of President Nicolas Maduro.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:34 UTC
Elimination of masks, “Neanderthal thinking”, Biden tell state governors

US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that decisions to end the required wearing of masks, as is happening in several states, including Texas, amounted to “Neanderthal thinking” given the rising death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 08:00 UTC
France bans extreme right group which incited hatred, violence and attacks immigrants

France agreed on Wednesday to ban the far-right group Generation Identity. Interior minister Gerald Darmanin said it took into account the group's “structure and military organization,” adding that GI can be regarded “as having the character of a private militia.”
Thursday, March 4th 2021 - 07:07 UTC
Argentina and the IMF: Another Default in the Works?

By Arturo Porzecanski (*) The following was published in the Americas Quarterly, a contribution from a leading emerging-market economist writes. The seeds for the latest chapter in Argentina’s long history of confrontations with the International Monetary Fund were planted about a year ago, on the eve of the global pandemic.