Australia welcomes drought-easing drenching, even as it brings floods
The east coast of Australia welcomed the heaviest drenching in years on Friday, dousing some of the country’s most damaging and long-running wildfires and easing a drought that has crippled farming across two states.
Factbox: Countries evacuating nationals from China coronavirus areas
A growing number of countries around the world are evacuating or planning to evacuate diplomatic staff and citizens from parts of China hit by the new coronavirus.
China’s Hubei province reports 69 new coronavirus deaths on February 6: state TV
The number of deaths in China’s central Hubei province from a coronavirus outbreak had risen by 69 to 618 as of Thursday, Chinese state television reported on Friday.
Canada to impose speed limits on trains carrying dangerous goods after crash
Canada said on Thursday it would impose temporary speed limits on trains hauling dangerous goods after a Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd crude oil train derailed and caught fire.
Brazilian judge holds off indicting U.S. journalist Greenwald
A federal judge indicted a group of Brazilians accused of hacking the phones of prosecutors in the country’s biggest corruption case on Thursday, but held off accepting charges against U.S. journalist Glenn Greenwald, who published leaked information.
Russian foreign minister says efforts to remove Venezuela’s Maduro not ‘useful’
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during a visit to Mexico City on Thursday criticized attempts to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as not “useful” and denounced U.S. foreign policy in the region.
U.S. condemns detention of Citgo executives in Venezuela; hints sanctions on Russia
The United States on Thursday condemned the “cruel and indefensible” detention of executives from U.S. refiner Citgo in Caracas, said the top U.S. envoy for Venezuela said, who also warned Russia over its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro…
Chinese whistleblowing doctor dies of coronavirus
A whistleblowing Chinese doctor who was reprimanded for “spreading rumours” about the coronavirus before it was officially recognised died on Friday after testing positive for the virus, the hospital where he worked said.
Exclusive: Lebanon approves financial rescue plan with ‘painful steps’
Lebanon’s government on Thursday approved a rescue plan to pull the country’s from its worst financial crisis in decades, including interest rate cuts, recapitalization of banks and other “painful steps”, according to a copy seen by Reuters.
Britain urges doctors to step up vigilance after third citizen infected with coronavirus
Britain said on Thursday a British national was confirmed to have contracted coronavirus after traveling to an Asian country other than China and told doctors to be vigilant to those showing symptoms from a wider range of countries.
