
The Falkland Islands Executive Council last Friday agreed in principle that construction activity on the Islands can resume this Wednesday, 22 April. However, Chief Executive Barry Rowland said the final decision would be subject to COVID-19 test swab results from the United Kingdom expected to be received this Tuesday 21 April.

The Falkland Islands government said that in light of the announcement by Her Majesty the Queen and following consultations between Governor Nigel Phillips CBE and Buckingham Palace, it has been decided to cancel the Queen's Birthday Parade on 21 April.

Facebook Inc said on Monday that it has removed events in Nebraska, New Jersey and California promoting protests against stay-at-home measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus.

British and European Union (EU) officials restarted on Monday a week-long round of Brexit trade talks after a break because of the coronavirus, which is making an end-of-year deal look even more unlikely. After a first-round in early March negotiations were suspended for six weeks as officials focused on the deadly virus sweeping Europe.

The Falkland Islands Government announced on Monday the appointment of Tim Waggott as the new Financial Secretary, taking up his position from the 24 April 2020.

Germany and other parts of Europe took tentative steps to ease lockdown measures on Monday but officials warned the battle against the coronavirus pandemic was far from over. Some shops reopened in Germany and parents dropped their children off at nurseries in Norway as tight restrictions in place for weeks were lifted in parts of the continent.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday urged China to be as transparent as possible about the coronavirus outbreak, as Beijing faces mounting pressure over its management of the crisis.

Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her frustration in a party meeting on Monday that moves to edge Germany out of lockdown had led to discussion orgies in some regions that risked higher rates of coronavirus infection, German media reported.

Ecuador received a temporary reprieve over the weekend when the government announced that a sufficient number of investors had agreed to a consent solicitation to defer interest payments.

Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday again attended a public rally and attacked lockdown measures meant to fight the coronavirus, as supporters of the right-wing leader joined political motorcades around the country.