International

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 10:00 UTC

  Falklands updates its Travel Advisory concerning COVID-19

  

  The Government of the Falklands updated its advice on travelling to the Islands, in response to a further change in the global COVID-19 situation. The Italian Government this week announced emergency measures across the entire country in response to the virus.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 08:55 UTC

  Brazil downplays the threat of coronavirus: “it is overstated”

  

  Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro minimized the threat of the new coronavirus - which has killed nearly 4,000 people in more than 60 countries and tanked global financial markets, saying its destructive power has been “overstated”.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 08:49 UTC

  Oil prices with slight recovery on Tuesday but market volatility remains

  

  Oil, which plunged about 25% on Monday, rebounded on Tuesday along with equities and other financial markets. Brent futures rose US$2.69, or 7.8%, to US$37.05 a barrel by 2:24 p.m. EDT (1824 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose US$2.73, or 8.8 percent, to US$33.86.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 08:45 UTC

  Corporate America rushes to borrow money in anticipation of a major economic downturn

  

  From Exxon Mobil Corp to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, companies rushed to borrow more money and boost their cash coffers on Tuesday, as the market turmoil fueled by a plunge in oil prices and the global coronavirus outbreak raised the prospect of an economic downturn.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 08:41 UTC

  Poachers in Kenya kill the only female white giraffe and her calf

  

  Kenya's only female white giraffe and her calf have been killed by poachers, conservationists said on Tuesday, in a major blow for the rare animals found nowhere else in the world.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 08:39 UTC

  UK junior health minister tests positive for Covid 19, and is self isolated at home

  

  British Member of Parliament (MP) Nadine Dorries, a junior health minister, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, she said in a statement on Tuesday. “I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus ... and have been self-isolating at home,” said the Conservative MP.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 06:54 UTC

  Prince Andrew “shuts the door” on cooperating with FBI in Epstein investigation

  

  Britain's Prince Andrew has “completely shut the door” on cooperating with the FBI in its investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a US prosecutor said. Despite publicly offering his assistance, “Prince Andrew has now completely shut the door on voluntary cooperation,” said New York attorney Geoffrey Berman, who had already accused the prince in late January of failing to cooperate.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 06:39 UTC

  Airfreight in Asia skyrockets as Chinese industry restarts with passenger flights grounded

  

  Airfreight rates are skyrocketing after the grounding of many passenger flights in Asia has left shippers scrambling to book limited spots on cargo planes as Chinese industrial production restarts, according to industry insiders.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2020 - 06:30 UTC

  Coin to mark 250th anniversary of the launching of James Cook HMS Resolution

  

  Pobjoy Mint has issued the first 50-penny coin on behalf of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands government. The new coin features the HMS Resolution, the ship that was captained by James Cook.

• Tuesday, March 10th 2020 - 18:35 UTC

  LATAM offers Coronavirus waivers for International Flights

  

  People heading to Latin America with the LATAM group can now receive a coronavirus fare waiver on bookings until March 22 for travel to the end of 2020.