News Headlines - 01 November 2020
▽Don't Ignore the Good News On Covid-19 From Asia - Bloomberg
Yet we shouldn’t ignore the better news from Asia. The strategies pursued by South Korea, Vietnam, China and others do still seem to be paying off. While the total Covid-19 death toll is between 500-700 per million people in France, the U.K., Spain and the US, in China and South Korea it is below 10 per million. Cases are a less perfect measure, but there’s a similar observable gap. Wuhan, once the epicenter of Covid-19, is welcoming tourists again.
The perception of an Asian advantage in this pandemic often falls prey to essentialist thinking: That somehow the East is doing things the West could never do, and that it’s largely down to profound differences in values, politics and culture.
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Thailand returned to the capital’s business district on Thursday, staging something akin to a street fair to bring attention to their contention that the country’s monarchy holds too much power and influence.
Their rally on the city’s Silom Road was billed as a counterpoint to a fashion show being held the same evening by Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, a daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
The princess is a fashion designer and has several shops at malls and shopping arcades in Bangkok selling her luxury goods.
▽JR East offers test ride for ALFA-X experimental shinkansen | The Japan Times
East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, held a test-ride event for journalists Tuesday night for its experimental shinkansen named ALFA-X.
This was the first test-ride opportunity for the ALFA-X, which was completed in May 2019. The train, having a maximum speed of 400 kilometers per hour, traveled at up to 382 kph in the test. ALFA-X is short for Advanced Labs for Frontline Activity in rail eXperimentation.
The test run took place on the section between Sendai and Morioka stations on JR East’s Tohoku Shinkansen line, which links Tokyo and Aomori Prefecture.
The Japanese government announced on Monday that manga creator Rumiko Takahashi is receiving the fall 2020 Medal with Purple Ribbon. The medal is awarded to "individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments."
Since making her debut in 1978, Takahashi has created such manga as Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, Ranma 1/2, One-Pound Gospel, and Inuyasha. In her career of over four decades, many of her works have become internationally popular and inspired anime and live-action adaptations.
▽John Lydon tells 'narcissistic' Meghan Markle to get 'council flat and a job' - Mirror Online
John Lydon has slammed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for their decision to step back from their senior roles in the Royal Family.
The Sex Pistols frontman, 64, has questioned the pair's actions in an extract from his new book I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right, which was obtained by the Mail Online.
In his book, Lydon refers to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their encouragement of Americans to vote in the upcoming US presidential election, along with Meghan's recent guest appearance on America's Got Talent.
