Stories about International Relations from March, 2020
India stays home for 14 hours in the fight against COVID-19
Millions of Indians confined themselves to their homes between 7 am and 9 pm on March 22, 2020, in response to a government-imposed curfew to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Quarantine woes in Bangladesh amid coronavirus fears
The government has ordered Bangladeshis who are returning from affected COVID-19 countries to home-quarantine. But a lack of monitoring has led to concerns that the disease may spread rapidly.
Pakistan claims COVID-19 under control amidst rising figures
People on social media are wondering if measures taken by the government are adequate and whether there is a proper infrastructure to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Pakistan.
COVID-19 in Africa: ‘Unprecedented levels of mobilization’ as nations brace for pandemic
With at least 19 African countries facing COVID-19, several African governments have taken critical steps toward managing the outbreak, including travel restrictions, health screenings, rapid testing and social distancing measures.
China government spokesperson suggests on Twitter that COVID-19 may have originated in the United States
Chinese Communist Party-affiliated media have framed the incident as part of the US information war against China.
Media coverage of Delhi riots muzzled in India
On March 6, the Indian government banned two Malayalam news channels for 48 hours for their coverage of the violence in North East Delhi; the decision was reversed the following day.
A ‘sweet’ deal: Sugar war ends between Tanzania and Uganda after years-long embargo
After a years-long ban on sugar imports from Uganda, Tanzania announced that it would open up trade on a government-to-government basis, strengthening ties within the East African Community.
How Chinese social media platforms control information on COVID-19
At the initial stage of the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, censors curbed public alerts on the threat. Later, censorship was broadened to include criticism of leaders and policies.
Kosovo politicians falsely claim Jamaica recognition. Why didn't media verify?
On February 19, Kosovar officials' tweets about Jamaica recognizing their country as a sovereign state received wide media coverage. And then Jamaica denied everything.
Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs obliged by court to publish finances of US-based foundation
Documents revealed the involvement of acting U.S. Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell in a Hungarian foundation, a fact that had not been lawfully disclosed to the Justice Department.
Bhutan deals with its first COVID-19 case by temporarily shutting down borders
Bhutan's first positive case of COVID-19, an American tourist who travelled from India, prompted the government to impose a two-weeks-long restriction on all incoming tourists.
From Sweden to Mexico, indigenous people explain why their languages are disappearing
The Nordic regions of Europe are thousands of kilometres away from Mexico or Peru, but both witness the destruction of their native peoples' identities
Internet shutdowns in 2019: India continued to top list of worst offenders
In 2019, access to the internet was disrupted 121 times in India alone, says Access Now in a new report.
