Politics

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:50 UTC

  Turkey gives passports to a dozen members of Hamas in Istanbul, claims Israel

  

  Turkey has given passports to a dozen Hamas members in Istanbul, a senior Israeli diplomat said on Wednesday, describing the move as “a very unfriendly step” which his government would raise with Turkish officials.

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:43 UTC

  Argentina notifies IMF of a request for a new fund arrangement

  

  IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, spoke with Argentina President Alberto Fernández on Wednesday, when conversations for a new credit arrangement were launched. The Managing Director made the following statement at the conclusion of the meeting:

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:40 UTC

  Athletes across the US are boycotting matches over the police shooting of a black man in Wisconsin

  

  Athletes across the United States are boycotting matches over the police shooting of Jacob Blake - four years to the day since NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick chose to sit during the national anthem, igniting a wider protest movement in sport against racial injustice.

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:40 UTC

  City of Berlin bans demonstrations this weekend to oppose pandemic measures

  

  The city of Berlin has banned demonstrations planned for this weekend to oppose measures imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic after organizers of a rally earlier this month failed to ensure marchers wore masks and kept their distance.

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:20 UTC

  UK government U-turn, face masks mandatory at secondary schools

  

  It will be mandatory for pupils to wear face masks in communal areas of secondary schools in England in places with local lockdowns, Britain's education minister Gavin Williamson said on Wednesday after a government U-turn on enforcing their use.

• Thursday, August 27th 2020 - 08:18 UTC

  Military veterans sue the Trump administration for use of excessive force

  

  The American Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday sued the Donald Trump administration, saying it illegally detained military veterans and other protesters in Portland, Oregon, and used excessive force to try to silence supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.

• Wednesday, August 26th 2020 - 09:54 UTC

  Chilean referendum campaign to amend Pinochet constitution takes off

  

  Braving the pandemic, Chileans begin campaigning on Wednesday for a referendum on amending their dictatorship-era constitution -- for many a symbol of entrenched social and economic inequality.

• Wednesday, August 26th 2020 - 09:51 UTC

  Moody's downgrades Chilean debt outlook to negative from stable: expected to double in five years

  

  Moody's Investors Service, (“Moody's”) has changed the outlook to negative from stable on the Government of Chile and affirmed the A1 long-term local and foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured ratings, and the (P)A1 foreign currency senior unsecured shelf ratings.

• Wednesday, August 26th 2020 - 09:50 UTC

  Colombian quarantine will move to “selective” beginning September first

  

  Colombia will enter a period of “selective” quarantine when its five months of national coronavirus lockdown ends at the close of August, President Ivan Duque said on Monday, and will be part of Johnson & Johnson vaccine trials.

• Wednesday, August 26th 2020 - 09:45 UTC

  Brazilian central bank chief and Economy minister, “are fully aligned”

  

  Brazilian central bank president Roberto Campos Neto said he has not been sounded out about replacing Economy Minister Paulo Guedes when he eventually leaves his post, and said the whole notion is a “non-issue.”