Asia

Second lockdown forces Myanmar’s slum dwellers to hunt for rats and reptiles to stave off hunger

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

YANGON (MYANMAR) – When the first wave of the pandemic hit Myanmar in March, Ma Suu, 36, was forced to close her salad stall and pawn jewellery to buy food. It was a double whammy for her when the government ordered people to stay home, forcing her to close her stall in the capital in

Europe

Norway PM aims to tighten coronavirus restrictions next week

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

OSLO (NORWAY) – Norway will announce tighter measures next week to reduce the spread of the coronavirus following a recent spike, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Friday. Solberg said, “We see that the infection is spreading in many places.” She said, “This is worrying. Therefore we already now announce that there will be a […]

UK

Coronavirus infections rose in England last week, could be levelling off, says ONS

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

LONDON (UK) – According to an estimate of the Office for National Statistics on Friday, the number of new infections was rising by around 35,200 per day in England last week, which is up from the 27,900 the week before. However, there are tentative signs of a levelling-off around this rate. According to ONS, around […]

Sport

Coronavirus crisis hits ECB revenues, England players agree to 15% pay slash

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

LONDON (UK) – England Cricket Board said on Friday that players on central contract have agreed to a 15% pay slash for a year because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The pay slash spans match fees, win bonuses and retainers and the 12-month period starts from Oct. 1. The players agreed to the […]

Asia

Sources suggest Malaysian PM will ask king for a state of emergency

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

KUALA LUMPUR (MALAYSIA) – According to two sources, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will on Friday ask the king to declare a state of emergency. The proposed emergency would include dispelling of parliament, which was scheduled to reconvene in November, one of the them said. The sources, who on condition of anonymity said they did […]

Europe

Poland is aiming for curbs on restaurants to contain virus

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

WARSAW (POLAND) – The cabinet’s top medical adviser said on Friday that Poland’s government has plans to limit restaurant from serving only takeaway food in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Andrzej Horban, the prime minister’s adviser in charge of the fight against the pandemic, also told private Radio Zet that the government […]

Europe

Spanish regions urge for curfew at the earliest

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

MADRID (SPAIN) – The Spanish regions of Castilla and Leon and Valencia voice concerns on Friday to the government to impose night-time curfews after authorities could not reach a decision on nationwide restrictions the previous day. Alfonso Fernandez Manueco, the regional leader of Castilla and Leon, which formally requested a curfew on Thursday, said, “We […]

UK

Brexit negotiations: Britain, EU try to sort out ‘fishy’ matter

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

LONDON (UK) – In a desperate bid to strike a last-minute trade deal, the chief negotiators of Britain and the EU are meeting later on Friday to avoid a shaky exit by the end of the year. Following threats from London that it would undercut the 2020 divorce agreement and after Prime Minister Boris Johnson […]

Business

French business activity weakened in October with the return of COVID concerns

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

PARIS (FRANCE) – French business activity has weakened in October, a monthly survey showed on Friday. Data compiler IHS Markit said its flash composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) came down to a five-month low of 47.3 points in October, down from 48.5 in September. That brought the index below the 50-point threshold dividing growth in […]

Sport

Lockdown decimates party vibe in soccer-crazy Melbourne ahead of Grand Final

Editorial Bureau October 23, 2020

MELBOURNE/GEELONG (AUSTRALIA) -Ahead of Australia’s biggest weekend of sport, normally hordes of soccer fans would descend on Gina Cimarosti’s pub in Melbourne. But the prolonged lockdown has kept the beer-taps dry at her watering hole and thrown a spanner in the works of the party vibe in the city. Gina, who runs the London Tavern […]