News - Smartencyclopedia

March 21, 2020

What is coronavirus – and what is the mortality rate?

Covid-19 essential guide: how is it different from the seasonal flu, can you pick it up from public transport and how sick will I get? What do we know about the virus now? The Covid-19 virus is a member of the coronavirus family that made the jump from animals to

February 23, 2020

Bernie Sanders cements front-runner status with Nevada caucuses win

Bernie Sanders has cemented his status as the Democratic front-runner to take on Donald Trump in November’s US presidential election. He has a decisive lead over his rivals in the Nevada caucus, with results from half the precincts counted. But there is a long way to go until a Democratic

February 23, 2020

Coronavirus: How to avoid catching and spreading COVID-19

Both the NHS and World Health Organisation are advising on how to protect yourself and others from getting coronavirus. The risk to the UK public posed by the new coronavirus has been raised from low to moderate by chief medical officers, although they stress the risk to individuals remains low.

February 23, 2020

Coronavirus: Towns in lockdown as Italy races to contain Europe’s biggest outbreak

The number of people infected with COVID-19 has jumped above 130 in Italy and two people have died in the past 48 hours. Around a dozen towns in Italy are in lockdown as the country races to contain the biggest outbreak of coronavirus in Europe after a surge in cases.

October 24, 2019

Brexit: UK will choose to rejoin EU after making ‘colossal mistake’ of leaving, says John Major

Ex- Conservative prime minister believes young people will overturn Brexit Leaving the EU would be a “colossal mistake” but the UK will one day decide to rejoin the bloc, Sir John Major has said. The former Conservative prime minister said he believed young people would overturn Brexit and form a new alliance with European countries in the

October 24, 2019

Franco exhumation: Spanish dictator’s remains being moved

The remains of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco are being moved from a vast mausoleum to a low-key grave, 44 years after his elaborate funeral. Thursday’s long-awaited relocation fulfils a key pledge of the socialist government, which said Spain should not continue to glorify a fascist who ruled the country for

October 19, 2019

MPs put brakes on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal with rebel amendment

MPs have inflicted a humiliating defeat on Boris Johnson by passing a backbench amendment withholding their support from his Brexit deal. Instead of backing Johnson’s agreement in a “meaningful vote”, MPs passed an amendment tabled by a cross-party group of MPs led by Oliver Letwin by 322 votes to 306 – a majority of

October 12, 2019

Typhoon Hagibis: millions across Japan advised to evacuate

Tokyo braces for arrival of storm and up to 60cm of rain as flights and trains cancelled. More than 1 million people in Japan have been ordered to leave their homes as Typhoon Hagibis bears down on Tokyo, having already caused power outages, flooding and widespread travel disruption. The storm is 870

October 10, 2019

Turkey Syria offensive: Heavy fighting on second day of assault

Turkish forces are stepping up air strikes and a ground offensive, as their incursion into Kurdish-held areas of northern Syria enters a second day. Turkey’s military said it had seized designated targets. There are reports of heavy fighting in the central border region, and seven civilian deaths. Tens of thousands

October 2, 2019

Hurricane Lorenzo lashes Azores with high waves, heavy rain as storm takes aim at British Isles

Hurricane Lorenzo lashed the Azores Islands with heavy rains, powerful winds and high waves Wednesday, before transitioning to a strong post-tropical system that is taking aim at Ireland and the United Kingdom for the end of the week. The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued its last advisory on the storm at 11 a.m. as it transitioned to a post-tropical