Politics

Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 08:54 UTC
Some of the things Covid 19 can be expected to change

By Gwynne Dyer – They teach you in journalism school never to use the phrase “…X has changed the world forever”. Or at least they should. Covid-19 is certainly not going to change the world forever, but it is going to change quite a few things, in some cases for a long time. Here’s eight of them, in no particular order.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 08:37 UTC
Announced US stimulus plan helps a slight recovery of oil prices

Oil rose over 3% on Tuesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve said it would take steps to bolster the economy and on growing hopes the United States will soon reach a deal on a US$ 2 trillion coronavirus economic package.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 08:35 UTC
Cruise vessel Zaandam prevented from disembarking in Chilean ports

A cruise ship with more than 1,800 people aboard - including 42 complaining of flu-like symptoms - was prevented from docking in Chile due to fears over the coronavirus.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 08:30 UTC
Bolsonaro calls Xi and defuses spat; Beijing pledges to help Brazil combat Covid 19

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro laid to rest a diplomatic spat with China in a call with President Xi Jinping on Tuesday, with the two agreeing to work together to fight coronavirus as Brazil’s largest city went into lockdown.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 08:24 UTC
On request from Trump, South Korean medical equipment and expertise to fight coronavirus

South Korea said it will send medical equipment to the United States to fight the coronavirus if it has any spare after an urgent request from US President Donald Trump in which he promised to help Korean firms gain US government approval.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 07:55 UTC
Drug gangs impose a strict curfew in Rio do Janeiro's favelas to combat “the disease of the rich”

The “baile funk” dance parties have been called off. Some open-air drug markets are closed for business. Gangs and militias have imposed strict curfews. Coronavirus is coming, and Rio de Janeiro's lawless favelas are gearing up for the onslaught.
Wednesday, March 25th 2020 - 07:52 UTC
Trump wants to loosen the economy's lockdown by Easter: “US is not built to shut down”

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday he wants to loosen the coronavirus lockdown in the United States and restart the economy within three weeks, calling social distancing measures too disruptive.
Tuesday, March 24th 2020 - 10:03 UTC
With the pandemic, Argentina has “a thousand more reasons” to delay debt payments

Argentina does not plan to resume debt payments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for five years, buying time to pull the economy out of a worsening recession after the coronavirus outbreak led the government to impose a stay-at-home order until the end of March which also put the brakes- on activity
Tuesday, March 24th 2020 - 09:51 UTC
Coronavirus: UK government’s new emergency powers explained, balancing liberty and necessity

By Nicholas Clapham (*) – The UK government has introduced legislation as part of attempts to manage the coronavirus outbreak, handing the government wide-ranging powers to respond to a variety of emergency situations.
Tuesday, March 24th 2020 - 08:55 UTC
Covid 19 testing: Argentina offers to help Falklands, which has no identified cases yet

Argentina on Monday said it had reached out to Britain`s ambassador in Buenos Aires to offer material support to the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands hit by the coronavirus outbreak.