Huawei row: Australian MPs cancel UK trip amid tensions over leak - BBC News

Senior Australian MPs have cancelled a planned trip to the UK as tensions heighten over the role of Huawei in building Britain's 5G network.

Lawmakers from the intelligence and security committee had been expected to travel to the UK next month.

But the trip has been postponed amid reports of a diplomatic rift.

The decision follows a reported complaint from the UK over leaked details of a high-level meeting where Huawei was discussed.

Australia has banned the Chinese telecommunications giant from building its next-generation 5G mobile internet networks but Britain last month decided the company could continue to play a role in its system, despite pressure and warnings from Washington.

Last week, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visited Australia, where he met members of the parliament's intelligence committee.

Details of the meeting were later leaked to the Sydeny Morning Herald, which said an MP had rebuked Mr Raab in the meeting over Britain's Huawei decision, saying Australia was very disappointed.

According to Australian media that report prompted a formal complaint from Vicki Treadell, the UK's High Commissioner to Australia, to the heads of two Australian parliamentary committees.

Australia and the UK are both part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which also includes the US, New Zealand and Canada.

Australia's parliament on Saturday confirmed the trip to the UK had been delayed but said it was due to the fact that the counterpart parliamentary committee in the UK was yet to be appointed following December's election.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, in the meeting with Mr Raab, Anthony Byrne, the deputy chair of Australia's intelligence committee, said that allowing China to build the UK's 5G telecoms infrastructure was equivalent to letting Russia construct it.

"How would you feel if the Russians laid down infrastructure in your own networks? That's how we feel about Huawei," Mr Byrne was quoted as telling Mr Raab.

In a Twitter post at the time, he said the meeting had involved a "full and frank discussion" over 5G and strategic challenges. Ms Treadell was present.

There's been no official response to the reports from the British and Australian governments. The BBC has contacted the UK High Commission in Australia and the Foreign Office in London for comment.

In her letter to Australian MPs, Ms Treadell expressed her disapproval of the leak, ABC News reported.

One unnamed committee member was quoted by the Australian broadcaster as describing Ms Treadell's intervention as "foolish".

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg however sought to scotch suggestions of a rift, saying "our relationship with the United Kingdom couldn't be stronger".

Why is there a row over Huawei?

Australia and other intelligence allies of the UK are concerned about its decision to give the Chinese firm access to communication networks.

Washington has pressured allies to exclude Huawei from 5G networks, arguing that its equipment could allow the Chinese state to spy via "back-doors". The firm strongly rejects that it poses any security threat.

On a visit to the UK last month after Britain's decision, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the Five Eyes partnership would remain in place despite previous warnings from Washington that it could be affected.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

The UK has only given Huawei partial access to its 5G network, banning it from supplying kit to "sensitive parts", known as the core.

Last week, China's ambassador to the UK, Liu Xiaoming, said those opposed to Huawei playing a role in the UK's 5G network were conducting "a witch-hunt".

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2020-02-15 12:33:29Z
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No rest for the 93-year-old. With the royals in turmoil, Britain needs its Queen more than ever - CNN

For the British royal family, that has meant slimming down to reflect more austere times -- as demonstrated by the ever-decreasing numbers appearing on the palace balcony during national celebrations.

The Queen's thinking was that those in the direct line of succession -- Princes Charles, William and George -- would retain the support of their siblings in carrying out their public duties, but not the many cousins that Elizabeth II and her predecessors were able to count on too.

The issue for William is that he is one of only two siblings. Which is why his brother, Prince Harry, was always seen as integral to the monarchy -- the key burden-sharer of his generation.

You can imagine the shock then, when earlier this year Harry announced, apparently without notice, that he and his wife Meghan would be stepping back from public duties and setting up a new life in North America.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement wasn't just a personal loss for the family; it disrupted the entire structure, strategy and brand of the Crown, which is a key pillar of British democracy.

All this at a time when the ageing head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, had been hoping to step back herself at the age of 93, allowing the next generation to pick up more of her duties.

Ultimately, the departure of the Sussexes capped off a seismic 12 months that proved the British monarchy needed its Queen more than ever, firmly dispelling any suggestion that she might soon retire.

A year of royal scandal

The first royal scandal of 2019 came in January when the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was involved in a car crash near Sandringham, the family's estate in Norfolk, eastern England. Prince Philip was unhurt when his Land Rover flipped onto its side, though a woman in the other car was injured.

But when the 98-year-old duke -- who is rarely seen these days following his retirement in 2017 -- was spotted back behind the wheel the following day, there was a media furore.

The situation went from bad to worse when it emerged that the victim had not been immediately contacted by Prince Philip in the days after the crash. An announcement that the elderly royal would give up his driving license followed swiftly -- no doubt following discussions with his wife.

The Queen is mostly based at London's Buckingham Palace during the week. As royal commentator Richard Fitzpatrick explained: "The Queen has been without her 'strength and stay' as [the duke] is based at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate [in Norfolk, 100 miles north of London], even though they reportedly speak every day by telephone."

Fitzpatrick added that the absence of the long-time patriarch -- who previously assumed the roles of "modernizer" and "pragmatist" -- had been keenly felt this year.

In the duke's absence, Prince Charles and his son Prince William -- also known by their official titles of the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge -- started accompanying the Queen more to engagements.

It's all part of the inevitable transition to a new monarch. But abdication is dismissed out of hand by aides who point to the Queen's repeated commitments to "life-long service."

Even the idea of a regency -- where she retains the Crown but hands over all official responsibilities to Charles -- appears to be off the agenda.

Sussexes dominate headlines

Meanwhile, another royal clash with the press was brewing.

In March, a CNN investigation revealed the palace had beefed up its social media operation amid a rise in racist online abuse targeting the Duchess of Sussex. It has been devoting more resources to deleting comments targeting the duchess, blocking abusive accounts and filtering out use of the n-word along with gun and knife emojis.

At the extreme end, a far-right teenager who reportedly branded Prince Harry a "race traitor" and suggested he should be shot after his marriage to Meghan. The teen was jailed for more than four years.

Against this backdrop, the couple's battle with the British media escalated.

When the palace revealed that millions of pounds of public money had been used to renovate Frogmore Cottage, the Sussexes' family home near Windsor Castle, newspapers complained they weren't getting fair access to the family, particularly after baby Archie's christening was closed to the media.

The couple was also accused of hypocrisy for using private jets to fly off on holiday, while campaigning on environmental issues.

In response, the pair went on the offensive over what Harry described as a tabloid campaign against Meghan that mirrored the treatment meted out to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The duchess sued the Mail on Sunday, alleging the tabloid had illegally published a private letter to her father, Thomas Markle. And the duke launched his own legal proceedings against the Daily Mirror and the Sun, over alleged phone-hacking.

All publications deny the couple's claims and have vowed to fight them vigorously.

When the Queen came to the throne in the 1950s, the media was more limited and reverential in tone. Since then, the media landscape has changed dramatically, and the intensified scrutiny on her family has taken a toll on its younger generations -- particularly the Sussexes.

"I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought that it would be fair," the duchess said of her treatment by the media, in a documentary for CNN affiliate ITV News, which aired in October.

"I've really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip," she said. "I tried, but I think what that does internally is probably really damaging."

Asked how she was feeling, Meghan responded, "Thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I'm okay, but it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

That comment was seen by some columnists as a slight directed at other royal family members that they haven't offered support. And was compounded by Prince Harry's acknowledgment of tensions with his older brother Prince William, saying they are on "different paths."

After the program aired, a source at Kensington Palace told the BBC that the Duke of Cambridge was "worried" about his brother.

That was followed up by a source close to the Sussexes telling CNN the couple are "single-handedly modernising the monarchy," despite officials around them being "afraid" to harness their power.

Rifts in the family

This flood of leaks and counter-leaks fueled the tabloid narrative of a rift in the family. The rumours appeared to be confirmed when the Sussexes in January announced that they would be stepping back from their senior roles, splitting their time between the UK and North America with the intention of becoming financially independent.

A source told CNN that the Queen had expressly asked Harry to hold off releasing any statements regarding the couple's future. Instead, her grandson blindsided the family by taking the somewhat nuclear option of going public, a move that reportedly "upset" Her Majesty.

There followed a crisis meeting at The Queen's Sandringham Estate, involving the monarch and Princes Charles, William and Harry.

In a statement issued after their talks, the Queen took on the tone of a grandmother, saying "these are complex matters for my family to resolve."

But she also had the firmness of a leader, making clear that while the Sussexes were still much-loved members of the family, they were no longer part of "the firm," as it is known.

Prince Andrew's disastrous interview

Just months earlier, the Queen's second son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, also stepped back from public duties -- though this was more an act of damage control, than a lifestyle choice.

It followed a disastrous extended interview with the BBC in November that was designed to clear up speculation about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but had precisely the opposite effect.

Epstein had allegedly trafficked Virginia Giuffre -- previously known as Virginia Roberts -- when she was 17 years old, forcing her to have sex with his friends, including Prince Andrew.

While the duke denied having any sexual contact with Giuffre, he didn't appear to regret his relationship with Epstein -- who died by apparent suicide in August -- and failed to express any sympathy for the disgraced banker's victims.

The fallout from the widely criticized interview dominated the tabloids for days, with reporters digging out inconsistencies in the duke's story. The situation descended into farce as pictures of a sweating Prince Andrew were dug out of the archives to undermine his claim that he didn't sweat at the time of the alleged offenses due to a medical condition.

Days later, Prince Andrew said in a statement that he did regret his association with Epstein and sympathize with his victims. But the damage had already been done, and he stepped back from his royal role, following a meeting with the Queen.

Multiple sources have made it clear to CNN that the Queen led on the issue of how to handle Andrew, just as she did during the Sussex crisis.

Despite the duke saying he was willing to help US law enforcement officials with their investigation, authorities later claimed they had received "zero" cooperation from the royal.

Political pressure

Amid all her family woes, the Queen was also tested professionally when Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked her to suspend Parliament for five weeks at the height of the Brexit political deadlock.

She rubber-stamped the request in line with her duty to stay out of politics and to act only on the advice of ministers.

But when the Supreme Court found the prorogation was illegal, it raised the uncomfortable question of whether the Queen had broken the law.

The ruling led to accusations that Johnson's government had deliberately misled the monarch as part of its strategy to secure Brexit -- but regardless, any political manoeuvre involving the Queen is the ultimate faux pas.

Johnson was forced to personally apologize for embarrassing the monarch, according to the Sunday Times. The paper's royal sources revealed that "there was huge disquiet in the Queen's household about Johnson's decision to prorogue parliament."

The Queen famously described 1992 as her "Annus Horribilis," when three of her children endured marital strife and Windsor Castle almost burned down.

If that was the year she was tested personally, then the last 12 months are when she has been tested professionally.

The monarchy is still intact but it needs time to recalibrate. Elizabeth will be hoping that it's allowed the time to do that, without any further disruption.

She remains firmly at the helm. But part of that recalibration continues to be transitioning her heirs into their new roles.

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2020-02-15 10:23:00Z
CAIiEK1kRkGC-8QZkLxN6IrMMKIqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU

No rest for the 93-year-old. With the royals in turmoil, Britain needs its Queen more than ever - CNN

For the British royal family, that has meant slimming down to reflect more austere times -- as demonstrated by the ever-decreasing numbers appearing on the palace balcony during national celebrations.

The Queen's thinking was that those in the direct line of succession -- Princes Charles, William and George -- would retain the support of their siblings in carrying out their public duties, but not the many cousins that Elizabeth II and her predecessors were able to count on too.

The issue for William is that he is one of only two siblings. Which is why his brother, Prince Harry, was always seen as integral to the monarchy -- the key burden-sharer of his generation.

You can imagine the shock then, when earlier this year Harry announced, apparently without notice, that he and his wife Meghan would be stepping back from public duties and setting up a new life in North America.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's announcement wasn't just a personal loss for the family; it disrupted the entire structure, strategy and brand of the Crown, which is a key pillar of British democracy.

All this at a time when the ageing head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, had been hoping to step back herself at the age of 93, allowing the next generation to pick up more of her duties.

Ultimately, the departure of the Sussexes capped off a seismic 12 months that proved the British monarchy needed its Queen more than ever, firmly dispelling any suggestion that she might soon retire.

A year of royal scandal

The first royal scandal of 2019 came in January when the Queen's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was involved in a car crash near Sandringham, the family's estate in Norfolk, eastern England. Prince Philip was unhurt when his Land Rover flipped onto its side, though a woman in the other car was injured.

But when the 98-year-old duke -- who is rarely seen these days following his retirement in 2017 -- was spotted back behind the wheel the following day, there was a media furore.

The situation went from bad to worse when it emerged that the victim had not been immediately contacted by Prince Philip in the days after the crash. An announcement that the elderly royal would give up his driving license followed swiftly -- no doubt following discussions with his wife.

The Queen is mostly based at London's Buckingham Palace during the week. As royal commentator Richard Fitzpatrick explained: "The Queen has been without her 'strength and stay' as [the duke] is based at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate [in Norfolk, 100 miles north of London], even though they reportedly speak every day by telephone."

Fitzpatrick added that the absence of the long-time patriarch -- who previously assumed the roles of "modernizer" and "pragmatist" -- had been keenly felt this year.

In the duke's absence, Prince Charles and his son Prince William -- also known by their official titles of the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge -- started accompanying the Queen more to engagements.

It's all part of the inevitable transition to a new monarch. But abdication is dismissed out of hand by aides who point to the Queen's repeated commitments to "life-long service."

Even the idea of a regency -- where she retains the Crown but hands over all official responsibilities to Charles -- appears to be off the agenda.

Sussexes dominate headlines

Meanwhile, another royal clash with the press was brewing.

In March, a CNN investigation revealed the palace had beefed up its social media operation amid a rise in racist online abuse targeting the Duchess of Sussex. It has been devoting more resources to deleting comments targeting the duchess, blocking abusive accounts and filtering out use of the n-word along with gun and knife emojis.

At the extreme end, a far-right teenager who reportedly branded Prince Harry a "race traitor" and suggested he should be shot after his marriage to Meghan. The teen was jailed for more than four years.

Against this backdrop, the couple's battle with the British media escalated.

When the palace revealed that millions of pounds of public money had been used to renovate Frogmore Cottage, the Sussexes' family home near Windsor Castle, newspapers complained they weren't getting fair access to the family, particularly after baby Archie's christening was closed to the media.

The couple was also accused of hypocrisy for using private jets to fly off on holiday, while campaigning on environmental issues.

In response, the pair went on the offensive over what Harry described as a tabloid campaign against Meghan that mirrored the treatment meted out to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The duchess sued the Mail on Sunday, alleging the tabloid had illegally published a private letter to her father, Thomas Markle. And the duke launched his own legal proceedings against the Daily Mirror and the Sun, over alleged phone-hacking.

All publications deny the couple's claims and have vowed to fight them vigorously.

When the Queen came to the throne in the 1950s, the media was more limited and reverential in tone. Since then, the media landscape has changed dramatically, and the intensified scrutiny on her family has taken a toll on its younger generations -- particularly the Sussexes.

"I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought that it would be fair," the duchess said of her treatment by the media, in a documentary for CNN affiliate ITV News, which aired in October.

"I've really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip," she said. "I tried, but I think what that does internally is probably really damaging."

Asked how she was feeling, Meghan responded, "Thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I'm okay, but it's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

That comment was seen by some columnists as a slight directed at other royal family members that they haven't offered support. And was compounded by Prince Harry's acknowledgment of tensions with his older brother Prince William, saying they are on "different paths."

After the program aired, a source at Kensington Palace told the BBC that the Duke of Cambridge was "worried" about his brother.

That was followed up by a source close to the Sussexes telling CNN the couple are "single-handedly modernising the monarchy," despite officials around them being "afraid" to harness their power.

Rifts in the family

This flood of leaks and counter-leaks fueled the tabloid narrative of a rift in the family. The rumours appeared to be confirmed when the Sussexes in January announced that they would be stepping back from their senior roles, splitting their time between the UK and North America with the intention of becoming financially independent.

A source told CNN that the Queen had expressly asked Harry to hold off releasing any statements regarding the couple's future. Instead, her grandson blindsided the family by taking the somewhat nuclear option of going public, a move that reportedly "upset" Her Majesty.

There followed a crisis meeting at The Queen's Sandringham Estate, involving the monarch and Princes Charles, William and Harry.

In a statement issued after their talks, the Queen took on the tone of a grandmother, saying "these are complex matters for my family to resolve."

But she also had the firmness of a leader, making clear that while the Sussexes were still much-loved members of the family, they were no longer part of "the firm," as it is known.

Prince Andrew's disastrous interview

Just months earlier, the Queen's second son Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, also stepped back from public duties -- though this was more an act of damage control, than a lifestyle choice.

It followed a disastrous extended interview with the BBC in November that was designed to clear up speculation about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but had precisely the opposite effect.

Epstein had allegedly trafficked Virginia Giuffre -- previously known as Virginia Roberts -- when she was 17 years old, forcing her to have sex with his friends, including Prince Andrew.

While the duke denied having any sexual contact with Giuffre, he didn't appear to regret his relationship with Epstein -- who died by apparent suicide in August -- and failed to express any sympathy for the disgraced banker's victims.

The fallout from the widely criticized interview dominated the tabloids for days, with reporters digging out inconsistencies in the duke's story. The situation descended into farce as pictures of a sweating Prince Andrew were dug out of the archives to undermine his claim that he didn't sweat at the time of the alleged offenses due to a medical condition.

Days later, Prince Andrew said in a statement that he did regret his association with Epstein and sympathize with his victims. But the damage had already been done, and he stepped back from his royal role, following a meeting with the Queen.

Multiple sources have made it clear to CNN that the Queen led on the issue of how to handle Andrew, just as she did during the Sussex crisis.

Despite the duke saying he was willing to help US law enforcement officials with their investigation, authorities later claimed they had received "zero" cooperation from the royal.

Political pressure

Amid all her family woes, the Queen was also tested professionally when Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked her to suspend Parliament for five weeks at the height of the Brexit political deadlock.

She rubber-stamped the request in line with her duty to stay out of politics and to act only on the advice of ministers.

But when the Supreme Court found the prorogation was illegal, it raised the uncomfortable question of whether the Queen had broken the law.

The ruling led to accusations that Johnson's government had deliberately misled the monarch as part of its strategy to secure Brexit -- but regardless, any political manoeuvre involving the Queen is the ultimate faux pas.

Johnson was forced to personally apologize for embarrassing the monarch, according to the Sunday Times. The paper's royal sources revealed that "there was huge disquiet in the Queen's household about Johnson's decision to prorogue parliament."

The Queen famously described 1992 as her "Annus Horribilis," when three of her children endured marital strife and Windsor Castle almost burned down.

If that was the year she was tested personally, then the last 12 months are when she has been tested professionally.

The monarchy is still intact but it needs time to recalibrate. Elizabeth will be hoping that it's allowed the time to do that, without any further disruption.

She remains firmly at the helm. But part of that recalibration continues to be transitioning her heirs into their new roles.

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2020-02-15 10:03:00Z
CAIiEK1kRkGC-8QZkLxN6IrMMKIqGQgEKhAIACoHCAowocv1CjCSptoCMPrTpgU

Storm Dennis will be a menace for the UK - CNN

Storm Dennis is now taking shape in the Western Atlantic and will become more menacing over the next day.

A separate but powerful low-pressure system is already in the Atlantic, which will bring damaging winds and blowing snow to Iceland Friday.

Coastal areas of Iceland could see hurricane-force winds Friday, with gusts over 124 mph (200 kph) warned the Icelandic met office.

These two systems will dance around each other Friday before Dennis moves east.

The most substantial part of the storm will move to the north of Ireland on Saturday, then on to the UK on Sunday, though the center of Dennis will not get as close to the UK as storm Ciara did last week. Which means the winds likely won't be as intense.

Read more weather news from around the world

Winds will not likely reach the 90+ mph gusts seen last weekend. But widespread gusts of 50 mph are likely across the UK Saturday and Sunday, causing another wildly windy weekend.

The winds won't be the only concern. Already saturated ground presents the risk for further flooding.
50 to 80 mm of rain is likely across a widespread areas of the country and isolated amounts of 120 to 140 mm are possible.

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2020-02-14 15:21:00Z
52780606533146

Coronavirus: UK conference attendees warned over case - BBC News

Health officials have contacted hundreds of conference attendees in London, after it emerged one of them was later diagnosed with coronavirus.

The person, who has not been identified, was at the UK Bus Summit at the QEII Conference Centre last week.

Two Labour MPs who were also at the conference said they were well but cancelling public engagements until 20 February as a precaution.

So far, nine people in the UK have tested positive for the virus.

MP Lilian Greenwood - a former chair of the transport select committee - spoke at the 6 February conference in Westminster, which was attended by about 250 people from the bus and transport industry.

She said on Twitter she was "feeling completely well" but to be "extra-cautious" she was cancelling her public engagements for two weeks from the date of the conference, in line with advice from Public Health England.

Her colleague Alex Sobel, MP for Leeds North West, said he has been told he was "very low risk" but called NHS non-emergency telephone service 111 to be "formally assessed". He said he was not exhibiting any symptoms.

Mr Sobel's office said he was avoiding contact with others while waiting to hear back from 111.

He had cancelled all events and appointments until next Thursday as a precaution and would likely be staying at home with his family for most of the time.

Transport Times, the organiser of the conference, sent an email on Thursday afternoon to attendees informing them that a person confirmed to have coronavirus - which causes an illness now named Covid-19 - had been at the event.

The email included advice from PHE urging delegates that no action was needed if they felt well, but if they developed symptoms such as a fever or cough they should stay indoors, avoid contact with others and call NHS 111.

The letter told people to follow the advice until 20 February, "even if your symptoms are minor".

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Dr Chow, a PHE consultant in health protection, said: "One of our main priorities has been to identify any people who we think have been in close contact with confirmed cases of Covid-19 to provide public health advice, as they may be at slightly increased risk of catching the virus.

"While the degree of contact conference delegates may have had with the case is unlikely to have been significant, we have taken a precautionary approach and informed them of the situation."

Nine cases

According to the latest figures, more than 1,300 people are now known to have died from the virus, the majority in China.

According to the Press Association news agency, the conference case is not linked to the latest person in the UK to test positive for the virus earlier this week, a Chinese woman.

The woman, who caught the virus in China before flying to the UK, went to hospital in an Uber but PHE said the driver is not at "high risk". It was the first case to be identified in London.

As of 14:00 on Friday, tests for the virus have been carried out on 2,964 people in the UK - with all but nine being negative.

In addition to the patient being treated at St Thomas' Hospital in London, the UK's coronavirus cases include two Chinese nationals who tested positive in York.

Another cluster of cases began with British businessman Steve Walsh, who contracted the virus in Singapore and passed it to 11 people at a ski resort in France. Five of these returned to the UK. Mr Walsh has now recovered.

Meanwhile, more than 80 people who stayed in accommodation at Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral for two weeks have left after testing negative for the new strain of coronavirus.

They are one of two groups of British nationals evacuated from Wuhan, with the second quarantined near Milton Keynes.

On Thursday, the head of NHS England Sir Simon Stevens warned that many more people may be forced to self-isolate as part of efforts to stop the coronavirus spreading in Britain.

What are the symptoms of coronavirus and what can help stop its spread?

The main signs of infection are fever (high temperature) and a cough as well as shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Frequent hand washing with soap or gel, avoiding close contact with people who are ill and not touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, can help cut the risk of infection.

Catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue, binning it and washing your hands can minimise the risk of spreading disease.

Anyone experiencing symptoms, even if mild, after travelling from mainland China, Thailand, Japan, Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau, is advised to stay indoors and call the NHS 111 phone service.

Read more about the coronavirus

SHOULD WE WORRY? Our health correspondent explains

YOUR QUESTIONS: Can you get it more than once?

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Do masks really help?

UNDERSTANDING THE SPREAD: A visual guide to the outbreak

LIFE UNDER LOCKDOWN: A Wuhan diary

ECONOMIC IMPACT: Why much of 'the world's factory' remains closed

Have you been affected by the issues raised in this article? If so get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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2020-02-14 11:38:45Z
52780608732371

Storm Dennis will be a menace for the UK - CNN

Storm Dennis is now taking shape in the Western Atlantic and will become more menacing over the next day.

A separate but powerful low-pressure system is already in the Atlantic, which will bring damaging winds and blowing snow to Iceland Friday.

Coastal areas of Iceland could see hurricane-force winds Friday, with gusts over 124 mph (200 kph) warned the Icelandic met office.

These two systems will dance around each other Friday before Dennis moves east.

The most substantial part of the storm will move to the north of Ireland on Saturday, then on to the UK on Sunday, though the center of Dennis will not get as close to the UK as storm Ciara did last week. Which means the winds likely won't be as intense.

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Winds will not likely reach the 90+ mph gusts seen last weekend. But widespread gusts of 50 mph are likely across the UK Saturday and Sunday, causing another wildly windy weekend.

The winds won't be the only concern. Already saturated ground presents the risk for further flooding.
50 to 80 mm of rain is likely across a widespread areas of the country and isolated amounts of 120 to 140 mm are possible.

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2020-02-14 14:21:00Z
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British Finance Minister Sajid Javid resigns in surprise move - CNBC

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid attends a session during the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Sajid Javid has resigned as the head of the U.K.'s finance ministry, surprising financial markets and political pundits in the country.

He has served as finance minister (known as the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the U.K.) since July, when Boris Johnson was first appointed prime minister.

Javid was due to present Britain's budget in March, the U.K.'s first after its departure from the EU last month. The resignation comes as Johnson was making changes to his Cabinet on Thursday. The U.K.'s attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, has also resigned.

Media reports suggest that Javid was offered the chance to remain finance minister on the condition that he fires all of his advisors. He reportedly said no and opted to resign himself.

The U.K. left the European Union on January 31 and it is set to embark on intense trade negotiations with the other 27 EU countries over the coming months.

U.K. debt markets were under pressure following the resignation. Market players are concerned that the move follows additional spending pressure from the prime minister and his top advisors. 

Sterling, meanwhile, rose against the U.S. dollar by 0.4% following the surprise move. Rishi Sunak, who has served as chief secretary to the Treasury since July 2019, is set to step into the role.

—CNBC's Willem Marx contributed to this report.

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2020-02-13 11:56:00Z
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