Stories for January 2020

Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:55 UTC
UK and EU will remain the “best of friends”, but it is impossible to reach a trade deal by the end of 2020, EC president

UK and the EU will remain the “best of friends” but they will “not be as close as before” after Brexit, the new European Commission president has said. Speaking ahead of talks with the PM, Ursula von der Leyen warned it would be “impossible” to reach a comprehensive trade deal by the end of 2020.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:54 UTC
Western intelligence believe the Ukrainian airliner that crashed in Iran was not a missile target

The initial assessment of Western intelligence agencies is that a Ukrainian airliner which crashed in Iran on Wednesday was not brought down by a missile, said a Canadian security source. The source said the agencies believed the Boeing 737 plane had suffered a technical malfunction.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:51 UTC
Twitter suspended accounts associated with Venezuela's regime and military

Twitter Inc has suspended more than a dozen accounts associated with Venezuela's government and military, including the OPEC nation's oil ministry and the armed forces' operational command.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:50 UTC
Italian cities combat harmful emissions and smog by curbing traffic

More than a dozen cities and towns across Italy introduced traffic curbs on Wednesday in a bid to cut harmful emissions following a spike in pollution. A prolonged period of sunny weather with little rain or wind has pushed up air pollution across the country, triggering smog alerts in more than 60 municipalities.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:50 UTC
Lebanese prosecution summons fugitive auto tycoon Ghosn; a visit to Israel could complicate his status

A Lebanese prosecutor said on Wednesday he was summoning former auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn regarding an Interpol “red notice” over financial misconduct charges in Japan, state media reported.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:49 UTC
Brazil after other markets if US and China agree on farm deal, mainly soybeans

Brazil could lose some recent gains it made in the global soy market during the US-China trade war if those two countries reach a deal to end their dispute, a Brazilian Agriculture Ministry official said on Wednesday.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:45 UTC
Walmart confirms it is the largest retailer in Mexico; last year it opened 134 new stores

Walmart last year launched its biggest expansion in Mexico since 2013, opening 134 new stores in its top foreign market and boosting its presence by nearly five percent, the retailer said on Wednesday.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:30 UTC
Pope Francis kisses nun, as long “as you stay calm and don't bite”

Pope Francis, who last month angrily slapped the hand of a woman who yanked him towards her, gave a light-hearted reaction more typical of his papacy on Wednesday when a nun asked him for a kiss. He said yes, although only after she promised not to bite him.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:22 UTC
WHO growing concern with a possible new coronavirus outbreak in China

A cluster of more than 50 pneumonia cases in the central Chinese city of Wuhan may be due to a newly emerging member of the family of viruses that caused the deadly SARS and MERS outbreaks, World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.
Thursday, January 9th 2020 - 09:17 UTC
US has reestablished some deterrence toward Iran, Pentagon chief

United States Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Wednesday that the United States has reestablished some deterrence toward Iran in the wake of the Jan 3 drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.