Month: January 2020
Wilbur Ross says Coronavirus could boost US jobs
Image copyright Getty Images US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross has said the deadly coronavirus outbreak in China could be positive for the American economy.During a TV interview Mr Ross said: “I think it will help to accelerate the return of jobs to North America”.The rapid spread of the disease has raised fears about its impact…
Australia fires: State of emergency declared for Canberra region
Image copyright MARTIN OLLMAN Image caption A massive blaze has been burning south of Canberra all week Authorities in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have declared a state of emergency as massive bushfires rage south of Canberra.It is the worst fire threat to the territory in nearly two decades, officials said.The main blaze, in the…
Coronavirus: Britons on evacuation flight home from Wuhan
Image copyright Getty Images Eighty-three Britons and 27 foreign nationals who were trapped in Wuhan – the Chinese city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak – are on a flight back to the UK. The Foreign Office said medics are also on the flight, which is due to land at RAF Brize Norton at…
Hostage-taker in India shot dead at fake children’s party
Image copyright Deepak Kumar Srivastava Image caption Subhash Batham was accused of murder but was out on bail An Indian man who arranged a fake birthday party for his one-year-old daughter, then held more than 20 children hostage, has been shot dead by police.Local media identified the man as Subhash Batham – saying he was…
Vaping crackdown costs Juul investor more than $ 8bn
Image copyright AFP A major investor in leading e-cigarette-maker Juul has seen its stake in the company drop by more than two-thirds.Tobacco giant Altria Group has blamed the $8.5bn (£6.5bn) fall in value on rising legal and regulatory threats. Having paid $12.8bn for a 35% stake in Juul in 2018, it revealed a huge write-down…
Trump impeachment: All eyes on moderate Republicans in witnesses battl
Image copyright EPA Image caption Republican Senator Lamar Alexander said he would vote against calling more witnesses US Democrats have been dealt a major blow in their efforts to call witnesses at President Trump’s impeachment trial.They needed four Republicans to vote with them to allow witness testimony, but one of the few wavering senators said…