Residents of China’s Wuhan rush to stock up as transport links severed
Guards have blocked routes out of China’s Wuhan as part of efforts to seal the city and bottle up a new coronavirus as residents scrambled for supplies on Thursday, clearing out supermarket shelves and queuing up for petrol.
Aircraft fighting Australia bushfires loses contact, may have crashed
An aircraft fighting bushfires in Australia lost contact with ground control and may have crashed, officials said on Thursday, as soaring temperatures and strong winds fanned blazes in the country’s southeast including one on the capital’s doorstep.
Singapore’s Scoot cancels flight to China’s Wuhan over virus outbreak
Singapore Airlines’ budget carrier Scoot said on Thursday it had suspended its daily flights to China’s Wuhan after authorities locked down the city at the center of a fast-spreading virus outbreak.
World leaders gather in Jerusalem for Auschwitz forum, without Poland
Dozens of world leaders will convene in Jerusalem on Thursday to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, amid a backdrop of rising anti-Semitism in Europe and the United States.
Toll rises to 20 from New Zealand volcano eruption as two declared dead
The death toll rose to 20 on Thursday from a volcanic eruption on New Zealand’s White Island last month, as two people still missing were officially confirmed dead.
Hong Kong rail operator to suspend some ticket sales to China’s Wuhan
Hong Kong rail operator MTR Corp Ltd said on Thursday it would suspend sales of high speed tickets to and from China’s Wuhan city, the source of an outbreak of a new flu-like virus.
Taiwan’s China Airlines suspends flights to Wuhan
Taiwan’s China Airlines on Thursday said it would suspend flights to the central Chinese city of Wuhan from Jan. 23 to Feb. 29, after the city shut its airport as part of moves to tackle a new flu-like virus.
Australia authorities lose contact with air tanker fighting fires
Australian authorities have lost contact with a large air tanker fighting bush fires in alpine areas of the southeastern state of New South Wales, they said on Thursday.
New Zealand PM commits to ‘positive’ election campaign, warns of fake news
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday she would wage a “positive” 2020 election campaign, announcing her party had signed up to Facebook’s advertising transparency tool to fight misinformation.
China locks down epicenter of virus outbreak; nearly 600 infected
China is putting on lockdown a city of 11 million people considered the epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak that has killed 17 and infected nearly 600 people, as health authorities around the world work to prevent a global pandemic.
