Italy lets passengers off cruise ship after Wuhan virus scare

The Costa Smeralda cruise ship docked in the Civitavecchia port 70km north of Rome CIVITAVECCHIA (Italy), Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thousands of stranded tourists were free to disembark from a cruise ship at an Italian port after authorities said two Chinese passengers feared to have the coronavirus tested negative on…

Air India special plane flying to Wuhan to airlift Indians

NEW DELHI, Jan 31 (NNN-BSS) — An Air India special flight is ready to depart for Wuhan city in China’s Hubei province for airlifting the Indians trapped in the region amid a raging coronavirus outbreak, official sources said. The Boeing 747 will start from Mumbai and make a brief halt…

Ex-US President Carter says Trump Mideast plan violates international law

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Former US Pres Jimmy Carter said that President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan would violate international law and urged the United Nations to stop Israel from annexing Palestinian land. “The new US plan undercuts prospects for a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians,” the former…

China to bring home overseas citizens from virus-hit province: official

BEIJING, Jan 31, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The Chinese government has decided to send charter planes to bring citizens from virus-hit Hubei province who are overseas back “as soon as possible”, the foreign ministry said Friday. This is in view of “practical difficulties that Hubei citizens, especially those from Wuhan, have…

Russian strikes kill 10 civilians in Syria’s Idlib: Monitor

The town of Ariha in Idlib has come under attack various times IDLIB (Syria), Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian air strikes near a bakery and a medical clinic in Syria’s rebel-held Idlib region killed 10 civilians on Thursday as government forces kept up a ground offensive.The government and its allies…

State of emergency declared in Canberra amid threatening bushfire

A bush fire burns behind a ridge near the town of Tharwa, 30km south of Canberra, SYDNEY, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Australian officials declared a state of emergency for the capital city of Canberra and surrounding regions on Friday, as soaring temperatures and strong winds threatened to propel a large…

US economic growth slowed in 2019, hit by trade wars

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US economy in 2019 expanded by the slowest rate since President Donald Trump took office as worsening trade friction undermined investment and exports, according to new government data released Thursday. The $21 trillion economy grew by 2.3 percent compared to 2018, according to the…

Despite pressure, US renews exemptions for Iran nuclear deal

WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States extended exemptions to let an internationally backed nuclear deal with Iran go forward, even as it announced new sanctions to step up pressure. President Donald Trump in 2018 pulled out of the accord negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama, sending tensions soaring…

About 20 killed in fresh DR Congo attack: official, monitor

BENI (DR Congo), Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Up to 24 people were killed Thursday in a fresh attack in DR Congo’s east attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces militia, taking the number of civilians killed over two days to more than 60, officials and a monitor said. Twenty-four bodies were…

Update: China virus death toll hits 213 – govt

BEIJING, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The nationwide death toll in China’s coronavirus outbreak has risen to 213, with nearly 2,000 new cases confirmed, the National Health Commission said on Friday. In its daily update, the commission said 43 new deaths had occurred as a result of the virus, all but…