International

World News.  2^nd November
There are 90 million people in the US election who have already voted.   They expect that a total of 160 million people will vote by the time of the elections itself.  Biden is still in the lead in most places but Trump is travelling around all the key States and having rallies with no masks or distancing.  Biden is giving fewer speeches but is making sure that masks are worn and people are kept apart.  The votes will take several days to be counted – some States will not finish until November 13^th.  However, the computers will predict the results very quickly.
Germany goes into partial lockdown – schools and shops are staying open. But schoolchildren wear masks in class.  Churches can have services.  Bars and restaurants are closed.  In Slovakia they tested 2.8 million people (that is half of the population) over the weekend.  They have around 1% positive tests from this. Spain has violent protests in many cities against the lockdown and the curfews.  Trouble is that the funeral homes are going on strike because they do not have enough staff.  Naples in Italy has many cases and is probably going to lockdown.  But Naples has a very high number of poor people who depend on jobs.  Now there are protests against plans for lockdown.  Queensland in Australia keeps the borders closed so that people from Victoria and New South Wales are not allowed in.
Good place to be?  Switzerland – they just raised the minimum wage to £19 an hour.  That is over £3,000 per month.  Only problem is that it is a very rich country and everything is very expensive.  In order to support the rich organisations based there, there are thousands of low paid workers who do the cleaning jobs etc.  They need this higher rate just to afford the food.