International

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 08:38 UTC

  Lover's visit to top UK scientist, breaking social distancing, forces his resignation

  

  A top scientist who advised British leaders on COVID-19 lockdown measures said on Tuesday he had resigned from a key government panel after admitting to breaking the country's rules on social distancing.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 07:25 UTC

  UK overtakes Italy reporting the highest official death toll from coronavirus

  

  The United Kingdom has overtaken Italy to report the highest official death toll from the new coronavirus in Europe, figures released on Tuesday showed, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson over his response to the crisis.

• Wednesday, May 6th 2020 - 07:00 UTC

  British new car sales slumped to its lowest level since February 1946

  

  British new car sales slumped by an annual 97% in April to the lowest level of any month since February 1946 as factories and dealerships shut due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:14 UTC

  Argentine patrol arrests Chinese jigger illegally fishing in the county's EEZ

  

  The Argentine Navy sighted and arrested early Monday a Chinese jigger which was illegally operating in the country's EEZ. The report says that the ocean patrol vessel ARA Bouchard detected the Hong Pu 16, fishing with its Automatic Identification System turned off, but full lights on to catch squid.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 07:02 UTC

  Half of the world's workers in danger of losing livelihoods, ILO report

  

  Half of the world's workers are in danger of having their livelihoods destroyed by the coronavirus pandemic, a United Nations agency has warned. The International Labour Organisation's updated analysis emphasizes its severe impact on people in informal work.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:58 UTC

  US prepared to borrow a record US$ 3 trillion in second quarter; national debt soared above 100% of GDP

  

  United States has said it wants to borrow a record US$ 3 trillion in the second quarter, as coronavirus-related rescue packages blow up the budget. The sum is more than five times the previous quarterly record, set at the height of the 2008 financial crisis.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:55 UTC

  China official media calls “Evil Pompeo” a lying clown

  

  China's state broadcaster CCTV on Monday attacked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's “insane and evasive remarks” over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, further fuelling Sino-US tensions.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:46 UTC

  Dramatic boom of flour sales by lockdown baking

  

  A mill is producing a month's worth of flour every week to keep up with demand during the coronavirus pandemic. Supermarket shelves have been stripped of flour by shoppers either panic-buying or taking to lockdown baking.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:44 UTC

  A quarter of UK employees furloughed, and companies claiming £8 billion to pay wages

  

  Around a quarter of employees in Britain have been furloughed and companies have claimed £8 billion from the government to sustain their wage bills during the coronavirus lockdown, tax authorities said on Monday.

• Tuesday, May 5th 2020 - 06:41 UTC

  Australia and New Zealand considering a “travel bubble” between the two countries

  

  New Zealand and Australia are discussing the potential creation of a “travel bubble” between the two countries, sources said on Monday, even as Australia reported its highest number of coronavirus cases in two weeks.