Health & Science

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:58 UTC

  Coronavirus: Mercosur members coordinate actions and frontier movements

  

  Mercosur country members agreed on Wednesday to share information and statistics on the coronavirus evolution as part of a common strategy destined to combat the pandemic, which included facilitating the return of ex-pats and ensuring the movement of goods among the block.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:57 UTC

  Pots and pans protest against Bolsonaro; Brazilian markets crash and Congress approves national emergency

  

  The coronavirus outbreak hammered Brazil on Wednesday, crushing local markets, infecting more members of the country’s political elite and prompting loud protests against President Jair Bolsonaro, whose son waded into a diplomatic spat with China.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:47 UTC

  Chile declares a 90-day “state of catastrophe” beginning this Thursday

  

  Chilean President Sebastian Piñera on Wednesday declared a 90-day state of catastrophe as cases of the new coronavirus mounted in the nation, giving the government extraordinary powers to restrict freedom of movement and assure food supply and basic services.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:40 UTC

  Brazilian government security advisor, a minister and the head of the Senate, self isolated with coronavirus

  

  Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has so far escaped coronavirus contagion but his national security advisor, his mines and energy minister plus the Senate chief haven't been so lucky.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:25 UTC

  Brazil central bank cuts benchmark rate 50 points to a record low of 3.75%

  

  Brazil’s central bank on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to a record-low 3.75% to cushion the economic blow of the coronavirus pandemic but signaled no rush to cut again and emphasized the need for more economic reforms.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:23 UTC

  Mnuchin denies potential US unemployment of 20% but considers a US$ 2.000 stimulus check to every American

  

  Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday vowed that unemployment would not reach 20%, seeking to clarify comments he made a day earlier on a worst-case economic scenario resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

• Thursday, March 19th 2020 - 08:20 UTC

  Russian economy battered by the oil price war with Saudi Arabia

  

  Russia, hit by falling oil prices and the coronavirus outbreak, has announced the formation of a US$4 billion fund as part of a package of measures to support the economy.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 08:59 UTC

  Falklands updates air and cruise ship advisory; recommends foreign nationals in the Islands to take Wednesday's Latam flight

  

  The Falkland Islands Government has announced a new air travel advisory and outlined the terms on which it may assist cruise ships seeking to repatriate passengers. Likewise, it strongly recommends foreign nationals seeking to leave the Falklands to do so on Wednesday, March 18, LATAM flight.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 08:58 UTC

  Covid 19: Mercosur countries isolated from the world and among themselves

  

  The number of Coronavirus cases tested positive are increasing significantly, in the exponential leg of the process, in Mercosur country members and in Chile. Brazil reported the first death, a 62 year old man in Sao Paulo with a medical record of high pressure and diabetes.

• Wednesday, March 18th 2020 - 07:30 UTC

  Bolsonaro asks Congress to declare state of emergency to free federal funds from spending caps

  

  Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday his second coronavirus test was negative and his government asked Congress to authorize a state of emergency that would allow it to scrap fiscal targets and free up funds to combat the virus’ spread.