April 22, 2020
On Wednesday, officials from the G20 major economies agreed to freeze debt owed by the world’s poorest countries (Reuters). The measure is aimed to help developing nations focus their spending on healthcare and protecting their vulnerable citizens from the pandemic (AP). An estimated 76 nations will be eligible for the debt deferment, with 40 being […]
April 12, 2020
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced it will implement a two-week ceasefire in support of the UN’s efforts to end the five-year war (Reuters). In addition, the ceasefire aimed to alleviate the threat of coronavirus in impoverished Yemen (Reuters). Although there have been no reported cases, Yemen’s “barely functioning” health system would leave millions vulnerable […]
March 31, 2020
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a decision to slash U.S. aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion (Reuters). Pompeo stated that Washington was “disappointed” with the rival Afghan leaders who have failed to form a government following last year’s disputed presidential elections (NPR). In September’s election, incumbent Ashraf Ghani was declared the […]
March 20, 2020
On Wednesday, the United States and Canada agreed to close its 5,500-mile border to nonessential travel in response to the rapid spread of the coronavirus (WP). The border closure will effectively halt tourism and family visits but will remain open for trade and trucking (AP).The two countries rely heavily on each other, with nearly 200,000 […]
