Politics

Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 18:20 UTC
Thousands of women with green scarves rally in Argentina in support of bill to legalize abortion

Thousands of women, many sporting the green scarves that have become the symbol of Argentina's abortion rights movement, rallied in Buenos Aires and other cities on Wednesday to campaign for a new bill to legalize abortion.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 18:10 UTC
IMF: Argentine debt is not sustainable, a meaningful contribution from private creditors is required

An IMF team, led by Julie Kozack Deputy Director of the Western Hemisphere Department and Luis Cubeddu Mission chief for Argentina, visited Buenos Aires from February 12 to 19, 2020 to discuss the recent macroeconomic developments and learn more about the Argentine authorities’ economic plans and policies. At the conclusion of the staff visit, Ms Kozack and Mr Cubeddu issued the following statement:
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 18:10 UTC
Oil workers on strike against Petrobras privatization plans

Brazilian oil workers and oil giant Petrobras were locked in a power struggle over the company’s privatization plans, with the union saying thousands of employees are on an indefinite strike.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 08:39 UTC
Montreal joins France and Germany “In 2020 there will be no more scooters on the street”

Montreal on Wednesday called a halt to its electric scooter scheme, saying that riders broke rules and almost always parked illegally. The Canadian city launched a pilot project in June with 680 scooters and electric bikes, but authorities judged that the test period had been a “failure.”
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 08:25 UTC
Beijing/US media war: three WSJ newsroom journalists expelled over an OPED column

China on Wednesday ordered three reporters from The Wall Street Journal to leave the country over what Beijing deemed a racist headline, in one of the harshest moves against foreign media in years.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 08:14 UTC
China back in the market for US agricultural commodities

China is back in the market for US agricultural commodities after issuing a list of products that will be eligible for tariff waivers, according to market sources. US exporters sold at least two sorghum cargoes to China after buyers bid for supplies to be shipped in the first half of the year. Importers also inquired about soybeans on Wednesday, a day after asking about wheat prices in a move that sent Chicago futures rallying.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 07:53 UTC
US considers five China state run media entities as “foreign missions” and must register with the State Department

The United States will begin treating five major Chinese state-run media entities with U.S. operations as “foreign missions” and operatives of Beijing’s government, requiring them to register their employees and U.S. properties with the State Department.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 07:50 UTC
Cayman Islands, Panama, Palau and Seychelles in the EU tax havens blacklist

The European Union has added the Cayman Islands, a UK overseas territory, to its tax havens blacklist. It joins Oman, Fiji and Vanuatu, which have also been accused of failing to crack down on tax abuse.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 07:35 UTC
Utah Senate unanimously approves decriminalizing polygamy among consenting adults

$The bill, which would treat the offense of plural marriage as a simple infraction on par with a parking ticket, now moves to the Utah House of Representatives$

The Utah State Senate voted unanimously on Tuesday effectively to decriminalize polygamy among consenting adults, reducing penalties for practice with deep religious roots in the predominantly Mormon state.
Thursday, February 20th 2020 - 07:20 UTC
Assange said Trump offered to pardon him if he let Russia off Wikileaks disclosures

U.S. President Donald Trump offered to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange if he said that Russia had nothing to do with WikiLeaks’ publication of Democratic Party emails in 2016, a London court heard on Wednesday. Assange appeared by videolink from prison as lawyers discussed the management of his hearing next week to decide whether he should be extradited to the United States.