The global scene is constantly changing, with new opportunities and challenges every day. You’ll want to stay in the know and we’re here to help.
Globig’s Weekly World Wrap-up is a curation of important or thought provoking news and insights from the international business, privacy, global HR, AI, cybersecurity, legal, trade, regulatory, investment, startup, and technology sectors around the globe – all in one place.
This Week, In A Nutshell: As we continue to contend with these crazy times, we can also reflect on how life has changed, for better and for worse, around the globe. We’re celebrating the 2-year anniversary of the GDPR and reflecting on the many changes it has brought about, even as Grandmas are sometimes caught in its cross-hairs. As many countries are ending lockdown and restrictions, such as Vietnam and most of Europe, India is feeling the wrath of quarantine as its 1.3 billion deal with cramped quarters, faulty internet, and blackouts. In the US, every state is in the process of opening up – even as the information from the CDC is not completely accurate – at best.
GLOBAL
How COVID-19 Turned Us Into Digital Societies
Via The Forum Network: Technology and cooperation, through telecommunications infrastructure and the Internet, have become our most powerful weapons in fighting the coronavirus and joining us as a society.
Read More
The Most Popular Candies In 20 Countries
Via Mental Floss: Here’s how people around the world indulge their sweet tooths. Read More
Amid Coronavirus Crisis, A Regimen For Re-entry
Via The New Yorker: A four-part strategy of hygiene, distancing, screening, and masks will not return us to normal life. But, when signs indicate that the virus is under control, it could get people out of their homes and moving again. Read More
The Psychology of Wearing a Face Mask
Via Psychology Today: We are programmed to lock on to faces in our environment, and to process the mental state of people around us, by analyzing their facial expressions. How do protective face masks impact these fundamental psychological processes? Read More
DATA PRIVACY + GDPR
[Podcast] Gobal Law and Business Podcast: Artificial Intelligence
Via China Law Blog: AI and privacy expert discusses what world business and government leaders should be considering when crafting AI policies, laws, and regulations. Listen Now
GDPR: Two Years In
Via The European Commission: The joint statement from the Eurpoean comission on the GDPR ahead of it’s 2-year anniversary highlights the way the GDPR has also become a reference point at global level on privacy. Read More
GDPR Orders Grandmother To Delete Facebook Photos
Via The BBC: Privacy laws mean a grandmother needs her daughter’s permission to post photos of her grandchildren. Read More
ASIA PACIFIC
Work From Home Tensions Run High In World’s Biggest Quarantine
Via Bloomberg: The country is grappling with what is essentially, the world’s largest quarantine – meanwhile, most of the 1.3 billion people contained at home have to work out of modest, crowded houses, and deal with unreliable internet and power outages. Read More
‘This Is The End Of Hong Kong’: China Pushes Controversial Security Laws
Via The Guardian: Proposed legislation would effectively end one country, two systems status, say critics. Read More
Visitors To Japan Slumped 99.9% Last Month
Via Bloomberg: Only 2,900 foreign visitors entered Japan during the month of April, a drop of more than 99.9% versus the year earlier, as the extent to which the coronavirus pandemic has frozen a once-booming tourism sector became clear. Read More
Vietnam Offering Paradise On-The-Cheap To Lure Local Travelers
Via Bangkok Post: Vietnam recorded a 98% fall in visitors this April compared to 2019 because of the coronavirus pandemic, but its success in fighting the virus now sees it set to breathe life back into its tourism industry. Read More
EUROPE + UK
[Podcast]: Gobal Law and Business: EU and Brexit
Via China Law Blog: We discuss current developments in the EU with an international politics and law specialist and American attorney based in Belgium. Listen Now
Because Of COVID-19, France And Germany Just Made EU History
Via Quartz: The leaders of Germany and France took a step this week toward a form of integration that has long eluded the EU. It may well save the bloc, and its common currency, from an untimely demise – and it’s all thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
Which European Countries Are Easing Travel Restrictions?
Via The Guardian: As several European countries reopen restaurants, bars, shops and some attractions, we round up lockdown easing measures and travel restrictions country-by-country. Read More
NORTH AMERICA
US-Canada Border Will Remain Closed To Nonessential Travel For At Least Another Month
Via CNN: Calling the border with the United States a clear point of “vulnerability” for Canada in terms of COVID-19 infections, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday that by mutual agreement, the border will remain closed to nonessential travel until at least June 21.
Read More
‘How Could the CDC Make That Mistake?’
Via The Atlantic: The US government’s disease-fighting agency is conflating viral and antibody tests, compromising a few crucial metrics that governors depend on to reopen their economies. Pennsylvania, Georgia, Texas, and other states are doing the same. Read More
Depending On Where They Live, A COVID Diagnosis Can Cost Americans Thousands
Via Quartz: Depending on where they live or on their insurance, patients may have to pay thousands of dollars – or nothing. Read More
As Of Wednesday, Every US State Will Be Somewhere Along The Road Toward A Full Reopening
Via CNN: Experts have said it may take weeks to begin seeing the effects of more people being out and about. And public health officials warned those effects may translate to thousands more deaths across the country and a second spike of cases. Read More
Like our content? The vetted experts at Globig are here to help you grow your business around the world, even the US. Sign up today for a free consultation, and through our Marketplace, get access to our partners around the world.
