Bloomberg Italy and Spain are preparing to extend virus restrictions this week as new cases surge in the two countries that were at the epicenter of the initial wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. In Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte approved a plan to limit opening hours for restaurants, and shut entertainment centres and gyms. Italians will also be ...

Bloomberg Two of Argentina’s largest creditor groups excoriated the government for mismanaging the economy, saying the country was headed for disaster just seven weeks after restructuring $65 billion in debt. The investors urged policy makers and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to do their part to set the stage for an economic recovery. They said in a joint statement that the ...

Bloomberg Telecom Italia SpA, Italy’s former phone monopoly, is drawing up a new plan worth between 4 billion and $5.3 billion to speed up its fiber roll-out in the country, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. Telecom Italia earlier this month launched a new tender aimed at widening the company’s fiber-to-the-home coverage to about 10 million Italian households, according ...

Bloomberg Californians are facing the largest mass blackout so far this year as the state’s biggest utility, PG&E Corp., prepares power shutoffs to prevent live wires from falling into dry brush and igniting wildfires with ferocious winds expected to sweep across the region. PG&E is planning to cut power to 386,000 homes and businesses — an estimated 1.2 million people ...

Bloomberg China’s fast-growing $157 billion market for exchange-traded funds became directly accessible to overseas investors, at least four years since the plan was first hatched. Four so-called “feeder” ETFs began trading in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the first batch in a project aimed at connecting the two markets. The Shenzhen funds track the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index and the ...

Bloomberg Philippine stocks are beating global peers this week after having spent much of the year in the company of the world’s worst-performing equity markets. The turnaround has been spurred by economic reopenings and a drop in the pace of Covid-19 cases, which saw foreign investors turning net buyers of local stocks after 28 days of selling. The Philippine Stock ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the issuance of a federal decree-law regarding the amendments of some functions of the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) and merging the Insurance Authority (IA) with the central bank. ...

Bloomberg Libya’s crude production will rise above 1 million barrels a day in the next four weeks after the nation reopened the last of its oil ports, according to the state energy firm. The National Oil Corp. (NOC) said it lifted force majeure — a clause in contracts allowing deliveries to be suspended — at the eastern ports of Es Sider, ...

Abu Dhabi / WAM The UAE welcomed the decision of brotherly Republic of Sudan to initiate relations with the State of Israel. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation praised the efforts of the United States, the Republic of Sudan and State of Israel to reach this historic agreement, expressing hope that this step will have ...

Dubai / WAM Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), invited the public to visit the virtual Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (Wetex), and Dubai Solar Show. Dewa is organising the exhibition from October 26-28 from 10am-6pm UAE time (GMT +4). The 3D exhibition is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, with 1,076 companies ...