Peru seemed to do everything right. So how did it become a Covid-19 hotspot?
Updated 0729 GMT (1529 HKT) May 26, 2020
Peru was one of the first nations in the Americas to take strict preventative coronavirus measures, like stay-at-home orders, curfews and border closings. So how did it become one of the hardest hit?
As of Monday, Peru had more than 123,900 confirmed coronavirus cases and 3,600 deaths -- putting it second only to Brazil both in number of cases and deaths in Latin America.
The two countries had handled the epidemic entirely differently: While Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro downplayed the dangers posed by the coronavirus, Peru's President Martin Vizcarra declared on March 15 a nationwide state of emergency that included mandatory self-quarantine, and shuttered the country's borders.
'A political gale': world's press on Dominic Cummings' self-defence
Papers say storm may irreparably damage Boris Johnson’s credibility
World media have reacted with disbelief to Dominic Cummings’ defence of his trip to Durham, saying that what the “machiavellian” adviser saw as reasonable behaviour did not appear so to many and risked damaging not just Boris Johnson’s government but democracy.
“No regrets, no excuses, no resignations … Il ne regrette rien,” said Libération, telling the story of “an extraordinary press conference during which Dominic Cummings confirmed that he had rewritten for himself the rules of the lockdown laid down by the government for which he works”.
Only once did the prime minister’s chief adviser appear confused, the French paper said, “almost taken aback by the question. Why no, he had not ‘offered his resignation, or even thought of offering it’, because he had absolutely no idea why he should have. Over and over again he repeated: ‘I acted reasonably’.”
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam dismisses freedom concerns and backs China security law
Chief executive insists Hong Kongers don't 'need to worry' about law that will ban 'sedition' and allow Chinese intelligence agencies to set up shop in the cityAdam WithnallAsia Editor
Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam has spoken publicly for the first time defending China’s controversial proposed new security law, saying there is “no need to worry” about preserving the city’s freedoms.
Five days after it emerged that Beijing planned to impose the legislation upon the city, Ms Lam dismissed international concerns as the “untrue opinions” of “some foreign politicians”. She said other countries had "no place in interfering with this arrangement".
The city’s chief executive did not provide details to explain why citizens should not be concerned by the new law, instead urging them to wait for the full draft legislation to be released.
Vladimir Putin's coronavirus support plan goes off the rails
By Andrew Higgins
Assailed by critics as an absentee leader at the start of the coronavirus crisis in Russia, President Vladimir Putin reemerged with a splash on state television last month to show that he cared and was taking charge.
He promised cash bonuses of up to $US1100 ($1680) a month for each doctor, nurse and other frontline health worker involved in fighting the virus.
But for an all-powerful leader whose every word must be taken as a command, Putin has had a surprisingly hard time making his voice heard.
Where market forces don’t work
Walmart’s planned economy
The mighty global chain operates according to highly efficient, constantly reactive, yet long-term plans, which leftwing governments can only envy.by Leigh Phillips & Michal Rozworski
Could Walmart be a secret socialist plot? Fredric Jameson, the Marxist political theorist, asks this question in his 2005 book Archaeologies of the Future (1). He suggests that when the revolution comes, Walmart should not be seen as being left over from the old society but as something anticipating the new society yet to be born.
Jameson is well aware of Walmart’s business model, which is based on squeezing wages, and the part it has played in increasing the numbers of working poor in the US. But in asking ‘Is Walmart socialist?’ he is looking at something else, its logistical organisation.
SpaceX counts down to historic Crew Dragon astronaut launch
Weather permitting, Elon Musk's rocket company is set to snatch the prize from rival Boeing, at half the price.by Laura Winter
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk's rocket company, SpaceX, is just hours away from becoming the first-ever commercial entity to launch humans into orbit and then take them to the International Space Station (ISS).
"We're continuing to tick off our pre-flight readiness checklist," said Kathryn Lueders, program manager for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, at a news conference on Monday. "All the teams are 'go'."
"And we're continuing to make progress towards our mission. And now, the only thing we need to do is figure out how to control the weather," Lueders said.
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