Madrid voters queue at polls in COVID-influenced crunch election
Voters formed long queues at polling stations in Madrid on Tuesday to maintain social distancing in a regional election centred around unorthodox COVID-19 policies that could shake the nation’s political landscape. The unusual mid-week vote in Spain’s wealthiest region is poised to return Isabel Diaz Ayuso, from the conservative Popular Party (PP), to power as […]
English music-lovers party like it’s 2019 at COVID pilot festival
Live music returned to the birthplace of The Beatles after a long coronavirus-enforced silence on Sunday when the English city of Liverpool hosted a one-off music festival to test whether such events spread the virus. Around 5,000 people ditched face coverings and social distancing rules in the name of science and music. They attended the […]
Apple to help workers get COVID-19 shots at its offices
Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said on Friday that it is starting a program to help employees get voluntary COVID-19 vaccinations at the iPhone maker’s offices. The company is working with drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) as its vendor and will open a website for its workers to sign up for appointments, an Apple spokeswoman said. Apple is one […]
Ontario enters harder lockdown, police get more powers as COVID cases soar
The Canadian province of Ontario expanded and extended a stay at home order on Friday and said police will be given new powers to stop and question people who leave home as expert advisors warned that new cases of COVID-19 will continue to soar, overwhelming hospitals.
France to impose 10-day quarantine for travellers coming from Brazil
France will order a strict 10-day quarantine for all travellers coming from Brazil starting April 24, the prime minister’s office said on Saturday, in a bid to prevent the spread of a coronavirus variant first found in the South American county.
Africa CDC says cannot predict when second COVID-19 shots will arrive
NAIROBI (Reuters) – Many Africans who have received their first COVID-19 vaccine do not know when they will get a second shot because deliveries are delayed, the continent’s top public health official said on Thursday.
Merck plans large outpatient trial of COVID-19 pill, stops study in hospitalized patients
(Reuters) – Merck & Co Inc on Thursday said it plans a large study of what could become the first pill to target the coronavirus in people at risk of severe COVID-19, but will no longer pursue use of the experimental antiviral drug in hospitalized patients.
Ramadan decorations up in Jerusalem as Palestinians prepare for Muslim holy month
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Colourful lanterns and ornate Ramadan decorations filled the streets of Jerusalem on Monday as Palestinians prepared for a holy month freer of COVID-19 restrictions than at the height of the pandemic.
Dollar bounce loses steam; AstraZeneca worries dent sterling
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar advanced slightly on Friday but was headed for its softest week of the year as strong data in Europe, surprisingly weak U.S. jobs figures and a determinedly accommodative Federal Reserve have prompted investors to trim bets on the greenback. The euro and yen are also poised for their largest weekly […]
Does good governance matter for post-pandemic economic growth recovery?
Post-COVID economic recovery could be delayed in countries with poor track records on governance. Many researchers have examined the effects of good governance on economic growth using different methodologies and data sets, and the findings have been contradictory. In our research, we added a new dimension by asking the question: does good governance matter for recovery in growth after a mega external shock like the pandemic?
