Politics

Bloomberg Malaysia announced a two-week nationwide lockdown to curb a relentless surge in Covid cases. Only essential economic and service sectors will be allowed to operate from June 1-14, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, days after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had ruled out a repeat of last year’s lockdown. The government will soon announce an aid package ...

Bloomberg Germany’s Green party declined for a second consecutive week and Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc clawed back support, four months before the country goes to the polls. Support for the Greens fell to 22% while Merkel’s Christian Democratic-led bloc rose 1 percentage point to 25% in the weekly Insa poll for Bild am Sonntag. It was the second 1-point ...

Bloomberg The Biden administration announced it would re-impose sanctions against nine Belarusian state-owned enterprises and is developing additional penalties to target officials in the administration of President Alexander Lukashenko over the forced landing of a Ryanair Holdings Plc jetliner and the arrest of a dissident journalist. The administration has also issued a “Do Not Travel” warning to American citizens urging ...

Bloomberg A Hong Kong appeal board endorsed a decision by the city’s police to ban a candlelight vigil for victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. In a hearing, the Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions upheld the police decision to prohibit a public meeting and procession on May 30, and the assembly on June 4, according to a ...

Bloomberg The European Union is becoming increasingly frustrated with the UK’s unwillingness to meet its obligations on Northern Ireland and has set its sights on a proposed meeting in the week of June 7 to settle differences, Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic told the Financial Times. Sefcovic said that he wants both sides to agree on a joint “road map” ...

Bloomberg Military Vice President Assimi Goita was appointed president of Mali’s interim government despite widespread calls for a return to civilian rule. Goita will resume the functions of president for the duration of the transition period and until elections are held, the Constitutional Court said in a statement. The decision came ahead of a high-level meeting of West African heads ...

Bloomberg The Philippines protested China’s “incessant deployment, prolonged presence and illegal activities” around Thitu Island in the South China Sea, the latest manifestation of lingering tensions between the nations. The Southeast Asian country is demanding China withdraw maritime assets and fishing vessels, the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a Twitter post. The island it refers to as Pag-asa “is ...

Bloomberg Hong Kong’s opposition-free legislature is expected to approve sweeping changes to the city’s electoral system ordered by the Chinese leadership, dramatically curtailing the ability of dissenting voices to participate in government. The amendments poised to be approved on Wednesday by the Legislative Council would create a review committee to vet candidates for elected office to ensure they are patriotic ...

Bloomberg India has evacuated almost 2 million people from the east coast to safer places as a powerful cyclone hit the nation at a time when authorities are also battling the world’s worst outbreak of Covid-19. The eastern state of West Bengal has shifted about 1.1 million people to various relief centres, while neighbouring Odisha has so far moved more ...

Bloomberg French President Emmanuel Macron has begun working to rally the left to his side as he gears up for a tough fight to keep his job in less than a year. Over the past few days, Macron appeared in a 30-minute game show with popular YouTubers clearly aimed at countering an impression of arrogance and aloofness that shows up ...