The Economist Continental Europe Edition April 25, 2020

Politics Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has dismissed covid-19 as “sniffles”, spoke outside the army’s headquarters at a rally against lock-downs. Some of the protesters called for a shutdown of Congress and the Supreme Court and urged the army to take control of the pandemic response. Mr Bolsonaro has said: “Really, I am the constitution.” He also sacked a health minister who supported lock-downs and replaced him with one who favours a return to business-as-usual “as quickly as possible”. Sporadic protests broke out in several American state capitals against lockdown measures. Some states took steps to reopen businesses. Georgia’s governor went as far as allowing cinemas and restaurants to resume service from April 27th, subject to social-distancing rules. President Donald Trump said he disagreed with this “totally egregious” decision. Spain…

Officials in Wuhan, the Chinese city where covid-19 was first detected, raised the death toll there by 50%, to 3,869. The true extent of the outbreak in China remains unclear. Having thought it had contained the spread of the disease, Singapore reported a spike in infections, mostly among migrant workers. The port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s commercial hub, was overwhelmed with deaths from covid-19. Many corpses have been left in the streets. Chile said it would issue immunity cards to people who have recovered. Nearly 1,100 sailors aboard the Charles de Gaulle, a French aircraft-carrier, tested positive. The German state of Bavaria cancelled the Oktoberfest beer festival. The mayor of Munich supported the decision, but said it was still a bitter blow. For our latest coverage of the virus and its consequences please visit economist.com/ coronavirus…

Politics Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has dismissed covid-19 as “sniffles”, spoke outside the army’s headquarters at a rally against lock-downs. Some of the protesters called for a shutdown of Congress and the Supreme Court and urged the army to take control of the pandemic response. Mr Bolsonaro has said: “Really, I am the constitution.” He also sacked a health minister who supported lock-downs and replaced him with one who favours a return to business-as-usual “as quickly as possible”. Sporadic protests broke out in several American state capitals against lockdown measures. Some states took steps to reopen businesses. Georgia’s governor went as far as allowing cinemas and restaurants to resume service from April 27th, subject to social-distancing rules. President Donald Trump said he disagreed with this “totally egregious” decision. Spain followed France and…

Officials in Wuhan, the Chinese city where covid-19 was first detected, raised the death toll there by 50%, to 3,869. The true extent of the outbreak in China remains unclear. Having thought it had contained the spread of the disease, Singapore reported a spike in infections, mostly among migrant workers. The port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador’s commercial hub, was overwhelmed with deaths from covid-19. Many corpses have been left in the streets. Chile said it would issue immunity cards to people who have recovered. Nearly 1,100 sailors aboard the Charles de Gaulle, a French aircraft-carrier, tested positive. The German state of Bavaria cancelled the Oktoberfest beer festival. The mayor of Munich supported the decision, but said it was still a bitter blow. For our latest coverage of the virus and…

ALL THEworld’s attention is on covid-19. Perhaps it was a coincidence that China chose this moment to tighten its control around disputed reefs in the South China Sea, arrest the most prominent democrats in Hong Kong and tear a hole in Hong Kong’s Basic Law (see China section). But perhaps not. Rulers everywhere have realised that now is the perfect time to do outrageous things, safe in the knowledge that the rest of the world will barely notice. Many are taking advantage of the pandemic to grab more power for themselves (see International section). China’s actions in Hong Kong are especially troubling. Since Britain handed the territory back to China in 1997, Hong Kong has been governed under the formula of “one country, two systems”. By and large, its people…

ALL THEworld’s attention is on covid-19. Perhaps it was a coincidence that China chose this moment to tighten its control around disputed reefs in the South China Sea, arrest the most prominent democrats in Hong Kong and tear a hole in Hong Kong’s Basic Law (see China section). But perhaps not. Rulers everywhere have realised that now is the perfect time to do outrageous things, safe in the knowledge that the rest of the world will barely notice. Many are taking advantage of the pandemic to grab more power for themselves (see International section). China’s actions in Hong Kong are especially troubling. Since Britain handed the territory back to China in 1997, Hong Kong has been governed under the formula of “one country, two systems”. By and large, its people enjoy…