Politics

Bloomberg UK PM Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used a phone call on Saturday to plot the way forward towards a Brexit deal, but said that large differences still need to be bridged if there is to be an agreement. The prime minister and the EU’s chief official will now allow their negotiators to resume ...

Bloomberg Malaysia imposed a month-long conditional movement order in most states as the number of daily coronavirus cases hit a record. The restrictions will end on December 6, Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob told reporters. The partial lockdown in capital Kuala Lumpur, as well as the states of Selangor and Sabah will be extended when it expires on Monday, he ...

Bloomberg Close contests in five key states mean the US presidential election may not be decided for days, or longer, even as President Donald Trump’s falsely claimed victory over Democrat Joe Biden with millions of ballots still to be counted. As of 6 am New York time on Wednesday, Biden had 238 electoral votes while Trump had 213, leaving both ...

Bloomberg Italy is poised to ban people from leaving or entering cities and towns in high-risk areas, likely including the financial capital Milan, as part of the government’s latest attempt to check the rapid spread of the coronavirus. A 10 pm to 5 am curfew will also be imposed across the country, according to a draft decree seen by Bloomberg. ...

Bloomberg Ethiopia’s leader ordered the military to respond to an alleged attack on an army camp in the restive Tigray region, escalating a standoff between the federal and state governments. Military operations began in Tigray overnight and a six-month state of emergency has been declared in the northern region, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s spokeswoman Billene Seyoum said by phone on ...

Bloomberg Thai pro-democracy activists rejected a parliament-initiated plan to form a reconciliation committee, calling it a “political ploy to buy time,” and reiterated the demand for the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha. The Thai parliament is setting up a committee to discuss the demands of the protesters in a bid to ease political tensions and restart the stalled ...

Bloomberg Boris Johnson was set to push fresh coronavirus lockdown rules through the UK Parliament on Wednesday, facing down rebels in his own Conservative Party who reject the erosion of civil liberties they entail. The regulations were due to take effect from Wednesday, enforcing the closing of gyms and non-essential shops in England, and restricting social contact between households. The ...

Bloomberg Election Day 2020 was underway and for American voters the choices couldn’t be more stark. Donald Trump was a novelty four years ago, a reality television star and real estate developer with a penchant for bombast and Twitter insults. The 74-year-old president has erased any notion that the Oval Office would tame him, thrilling Republicans by cutting regulations and ...

Bloomberg Temporary extra fencing has been erected around the White House, plywood affixed to storefronts in Manhattan and the National Guard put on notice in Portland, Oregon, as US cities braced for possible unrest on election day. “We don’t see specific reports or threats at this point,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters. “We are ready for all ...

Bloomberg The European Union (EU) held off launching legal action immediately against the UK over Boris Johnson’s plan to rewrite parts of the Brexit divorce deal, saying it is still considering its next move. The bloc had given the UK until October 31 to respond to its demand to withdraw parts of the Internal Market Bill that breach the Brexit ...