Ruble’s Strength in Face of Sanctions May Be Illusory
After a sharp plunge in value at the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Russian ruble has recovered much of its value against other world currencies, a change made possible by aggressive capital controls put in place by the government in Moscow and a…
Hong Kong COVID-19 Tracking App Spurs Opposition
A new Hong Kong mandate that restaurants and other establishments require use of an app aimed at recording people’s locations and telling them if they have been near a COVID-19 patient has spurred opposition from the city’s pro-democracy voices.The Lea…
New Zealand’s Plan to End Smoking: A Lifetime Ban for Youth
New Zealand’s government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end tobacco smoking — a lifetime ban for those 14 or younger.Under a new law the government announced Thursday and plans to pass next year, the minimum age to buy cigarettes would k…
For Millions in Brazil, Rising Poverty and Fuel Prices Mean a Return to the Past
María Ribeiro da Silva, 64, spent a hot afternoon hawking a new contraption to acquaintances and friends who passed by her small grocery store on the outskirts of São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city and home to more than 12 million people.Everyone who pas…
South Korea Showed How to Contain COVID, Now It Will Try to Live With It
Seats are once again packed at professional baseball games in South Korea. Just as in pre-pandemic times, fans can drink beer and eat fried chicken. They can clap their hands, stomp their feet, and wave inflatable noisemakers to support their team.What…
Climate Research Vessel Sails Into London
A new British research ship, named for British broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, has arrived in London to call attention to climate change ahead of next week’s Glasgow climate summit.The 129-meter RSS Sir David Attenborough has completed sea trials a…
Former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi Will Not Oppose Armed Rebellion in Myanmar
Detained ex-State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi will not stand in the way of an armed rebellion against Myanmar’s junta, her legal team said Monday, as her trial on nearly a dozen charges resumed in the capital Naypyidaw.The former head of state, whose N…