Fund managers and energy-hungry tech companies bankroll ‘solar-plus-storage’ projects

The wide variety of Covid-19 symptoms seen by doctors is confounding the scientific community

Federal Trade Commission votes 3-2 to approve tie-up between makers of Botox and Humira

Pharma and its critics agree government has a big role to play in ensuring fair access to Covid-19 remedies

The world needs to act now to avert the threat from antimicrobial resistance

As researchers race to develop a coronavirus vaccine, we look at efforts to ensure that the world’s poor are not left behind — and ask whether the pandemic will jolt policymakers into confronting the looming threat from antimicrobial resistance

Industry highlights bottlenecks in access to materials that are a possible Covid-19 treatment

Nation’s pharma industry has matured but is still a lot better at incremental innovation than major breakthroughs

Sum far exceeds $8bn fundraising target at upcoming EU-led donors’ conference

Investors have bet on Gilead’s remdesivir as solution to coronavirus crisis

US-led trial shows positive results in hastening recovery time for coronavirus patients

Biotech group’s shares have soared this year on hopes drug could be used to treat coronavirus

First country to get a vaccine could have an economic as well as a health advantage

Research paper published in journal Nature identifies number of alternative treatments

Partnership that would prioritise UK could produce 100m doses by year-end if treatment is effective

Gilead’s potential coronavirus treatment stirs investor hopes but evidence on effectiveness is mixed

US-run trial of Gilead coronavirus therapy demonstrates ‘significant positive effect’

Boss of clothing retailer deserves a premium; Astra’s eyes on big prize

Funding bodies face a choice between established manufacturers and biotech upstarts

Scientists co-operate on search for Covid-19 origins despite charges Beijing is withholding data

Start every week on the front foot with a preview of what’s on the global agenda

Severin Schwan unapologetic for outspoken criticism of state responses to coronavirus

US regulator cautions against using chloroquine outside of hospitals or clinical trials

Stimulant given as ‘likely’ reason for lower infections but authorities stress health risks

Drugs traffickers hit by coronavirus-induced slowdown and seizures, says UN agency

Venezuela’s president airs video of former US soldier accused of taking part in thwarted plot

Some officials are using Covid-19 to jump on the neoliberal-bashing bandwagon

Donald Trump denies Washington played role in alleged attempt to assassinate Maduro

Finance minister tells FT that government has rejected counter-offer from BlackRock-led group of creditors

Confidence levels plunge as growing political crisis compounds economic damage from coronavirus

Jeanine Añez settles in for long haul as pandemic adds to political uncertainty

Biggest creditors attack government’s proposal to restructure $65bn of foreign debt

Argentina’s Alberto Fernández signals country is in no state to contemplate new deals

Regime claims 8 people died in plot connected to foiled coup attempt launched from Colombia

Even before Covid-19 struck, the country’s debt trajectory was out of control

Varying efforts to stem rise in homicides across Latin America have failed

Former deputy set to take over as country faces sharpest economic contraction in decades

EY highlights significance of litigation finance company’s action against Argentine oil group

Analysts fear government’s timid fiscal response will prolong the pain

Life in Europe's coronavirus hotspots: Foreign affairs columnist Gideon Rachman discusses how the coronavirus epidemic has been handled in Italy and Spain with the local FT correspondents, Miles Johnson in Rome and Daniel Dombey in Madrid. How are citizens reacting to the lockdown and what will be the long-term political and economic impact?

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The FT News Briefing is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing.

Friday, March 20

Republicans in the US Senate have introduced legislation to inject more than $1tn of fiscal stimulus into the economy as it grapples with the coronavirus outbreak. Sir Paul Tucker, the former deputy governor of the Bank of England and current chair of the Systemic Risk Council, says it’s time for policymakers and bankers to prepare for a wartime setting if conditions deteriorate. Plus, the only US drugmaker that makes a potential treatment for the coronavirus raised the price nearly 100 per cent in January as the outbreak wreaked havoc in China. 

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The FT News Briefing is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing. 

Western governments pledged trillions of dollars in stimulus measures to limit the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday. The FT’s global business columnist Rana Foroohar explains what it could mean for Wall Street and Main Street. Plus, Impossible Foods raises $500m in a round that will help the US-plant based burger group to see through the economic upheaval caused by the current crisis, and Joe Biden solidifies his status as the frontrunner to take on Donald Trump in November.

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The FT News Briefing is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing.

Tuesday, March 17

Governments in all large western economies took drastic measures to limit public movement on Monday in an urgent effort to arrest the spreading coronavirus pandemic while US stocks plunged despite a set of emergency measures laid out by the Federal Reserve on Sunday. Plus, an analysis by the Financial Times finds that the UK and the US have key weaknesses in their healthcare systems which could trigger a collapse if put to the test by the outbreak. 

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Introducing the FT News Briefing. It is a rundown of the global business stories you need to know for the coming day, from the newsroom of the Financial Times. If you enjoy it, subscribe to the FT News Briefing wherever you get your podcasts, or listen at FT.com/newsbriefing.

Monday, March 16

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates to zero and joined forces with other central banks in a bid to prevent a severe economic downturn caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The FT’s Gillian Tett unpacks the sweeping measures. Plus, the rapid spread of the coronavirus and the ensuing travel restrictions have led to one of the worst months on record for the airport industry, and French industrials group Air Liquide is asking would-be buyers of its hand sanitiser unit to offer a higher sum in the wake of the outbreak. 

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Growing a beard, praying in public and calling someone overseas. These are some of the 'offences' for which Uighur Muslims have been sent to internment camps in the Xinjiang region of China, according to a leaked document known as the Karakax list. Adrienne Klasa talks to the FT reporters who discovered the document, Christian Shepherd and Laura Pitel. Read the FT story here

Contributors: Adrienne Klasa, creative producer, Christian Shepherd, Beijing correspondent, and Laura Pitel, Turkey correspondent. Producers: Persis Love and Fiona Symon

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As the coronavirus continues to spread, what is the risk that this will push the global economy into recession and what can central bankers and policymakers do to help avoid this? Katie Martin discusses the economic shock caused by the virus with the FT's economics editor Chris Giles.

Contributors: Katie Martin, capital markets editor, and Chris Giles, economics editor. Producers: Fiona Symon and Andrew Georgiades

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Antarctica is barely accessible to humans but the ice-covered landmass - and the oceans around it - shelter rich wildlife, including many penguins. It also holds the keys for understanding the future of our planet, which is why scientific research into the isolated continent is stepping up. But as human activity encroaches, do we need to do more to protect Antarctica? Clive Cookson, FT science editor, talks to Leslie Hook, environment correspondent, about her recent trip to the region. Read Leslie's article here

Contributors: Clive Cookson, science editor, and Leslie Hook, environment correspondent. Producer: Fiona Symon

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Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist policies have sparked protests and intercommunity violence across India. Against this backdrop, a proposed data protection bill that will allow his government free rein to spy on its citizens is causing particular concern. Madhumita Murgia discusses the bill with Benjamin Parkin in Mumbai.

Contributors: Madhumita Murgia, European technology correspondent, Benjamin Parkin, Mumbai correspondent. Producers: Persis Love and Fiona Symon

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The sentencing of Trump ally and political strategist Roger Stone was mired in controversy after the US president criticised a juror and the original prosecutors in the case. The same week, Donald Trump granted clemency to seven white collar criminals. Does the president have too much power over the judicial system? Brooke Masters discusses with Edward Luce and Kadhim Shubber.

Contributors: Brooke Masters, opinion and analysis editor, Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist and Kadhim Shubber, US Legal and enforcement correspondent. Producers: Fiona Symon and Persis Love.

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