Politics

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 09:48 UTC

  Brazilian major city begins “lockdown” on fears the virus could collapse the health service

  

  Brazil's Sao Luis became the nation's first major city to begin a coronavirus “lockdown” on Tuesday, a measure that underscores widespread fears that health services across Brazil could soon collapse under the pressure of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 09:47 UTC

  Trump denies any US involvement in an alleged failed armed incursion in Venezuela

  

  President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied any involvement by the US government in what Venezuelan officials have called a failed armed incursion in the South American country that led to the capture of two American “mercenaries”.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 09:44 UTC

  IATA contrary to leaving aircraft middle seats empty: suggests wearing masks

  

  The body representing global airlines came out against leaving middle seats empty on aircraft on Tuesday, as debate intensifies over how to get airlines flying while respecting social-distancing rules in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 09:35 UTC

  Five year old caught by troopers driving a SUV in a Utah highway

  

  As the driver of the SUV swerved on the freeway at 51kmh when a trooper for the Utah Highway Patrol pulled him over. The trooper could not see the head above the seat's headrest and thought the driver might have been impaired.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:15 UTC

  COVID-19 collapses Ecuador: 30,000 confirmed cases and no certainty on death toll

  

  Ecuador on Monday exceeded 30,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, while the government launched a plan to start gradually relaxing quarantine measures that have been in place since mid-March. Ecuador has confirmed 31,881 cases of COVID-19, with 1,569 reported deaths and a further 1,336 deaths likely as a result of the virus.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:14 UTC

  Argentine patrol arrests Chinese jigger illegally fishing in the county's EEZ

  

  The Argentine Navy sighted and arrested early Monday a Chinese jigger which was illegally operating in the country's EEZ. The report says that the ocean patrol vessel ARA Bouchard detected the Hong Pu 16, fishing with its Automatic Identification System turned off, but full lights on to catch squid.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:13 UTC

  Brazil indigenous leaders call on WHO to set an emergency fund to protect their communities

  

  Indigenous leaders in Brazil have asked the World Health Organization (WHO) to set up an emergency fund to help protect their communities from the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:02 UTC

  Half of the world's workers in danger of losing livelihoods, ILO report

  

  Half of the world's workers are in danger of having their livelihoods destroyed by the coronavirus pandemic, a United Nations agency has warned. The International Labour Organisation's updated analysis emphasizes its severe impact on people in informal work.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:58 UTC

  US prepared to borrow a record US$ 3 trillion in second quarter; national debt soared above 100% of GDP

  

  United States has said it wants to borrow a record US$ 3 trillion in the second quarter, as coronavirus-related rescue packages blow up the budget. The sum is more than five times the previous quarterly record, set at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:55 UTC

  China official media calls “Evil Pompeo” a lying clown

  

  China's state broadcaster CCTV on Monday attacked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's “insane and evasive remarks” over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, further fuelling Sino-US tensions.