8.35°C Vancouver

Jan 29, 2020 9:40 PM -

Expat family expecting baby soon hopes Britain can get them out of China

Share On
plane-arranged-to-fly-160-canadians-out-of-wuhan
Tom Williams along with his wife Lauren and son James are seen in this undated handout photo. Tom Williams is a British expat who has been living and working for about five years in Wuhan, which is the capital of Hubei province in China. His wife Lauren, who is from Langley, B.C., is about 35 weeks pregnant, he said in a telephone interview from Wuhan. He also has a two-and-a-half-year-old son, James, who was born in White Rock, B.C. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Tom Williams *MANDATORY CREDIT*

A pregnant Canadian woman, her young Canadian son and Tom Williams, the child's British father, are the latest to share their concerns about getting out of Wuhan, the Chinese epicentre of an outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus.

Williams says his wife is 35-weeks pregnant and his son is under three years of age, and the whole family is waiting for word about whether they will be allowed to depart Wuhan later today on a flight organized by the British government.

As they were waiting, the Canadian government announced it has arranged a plane to fly 160 Canadians out of Wuhan -- but details are still being worked out and there's no word if Williams and his family will be on it.

An outbreak of the novel flu-like respiratory illness began in Wuhan late last year, infecting more than six-thousand people and spreading to other countries, including Canada, although health officials here say the risk of transmission remains low.

Latest news

anand-heads-to-washington-for-talks-on-securing-critical-minerals-supply-chains
CanadaFeb 04, 2026

Anand heads to Washington for talks on securing critical minerals supply chains

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is set to meet with international counterparts in Washington on Wednesday as the United States pushes for deeper cooperation to reduce global reliance on China for critical minerals. The meeting, hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department, will bring together representatives from Europe, Africa and Asia to discuss investment and coordination across critical mineral supply chains. U.S. officials say the talks are aimed at building momentum for collective action to secure access to rare earth elements that are essential for modern m
vancouver-police-probe-stabbing-after-fight-at-high-school-basketball-game
BCFeb 03, 2026

Vancouver police probe stabbing after fight at high school basketball game

Vancouver police are investigating a stabbing that left a teenager seriously injured following a high school basketball game at Eric Hamber Secondary School on Monday night. Police say the incident happened shortly after 9 p.m. as a game between Eric Hamber Secondary and Killarney Secondary was ending. Investigators believe several fights broke out among spectators, during which an 18-year-old boy was stabbed in the arm. The injured teen was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries. Police say his condition is serious but non-life-threatening. No arrests have been made, and the investiga
liberals-tap-ontario-ndp-mpp-doly-begum-as-candidate-in-scarborough-southwest
CanadaFeb 03, 2026

Liberals tap Ontario NDP MPP Doly Begum as candidate in Scarborough Southwest

The federal Liberal Party has announced Ontario New Democratic Party MPP Doly Begum will run as its candidate in Scarborough Southwest, following the resignation of longtime Liberal MP Bill Blair. Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed earlier this week that Blair, who has represented the Scarborough riding at the federal level for nearly a decade, will take on the role of Canada’s high commissioner to the United Kingdom later this spring. Blair previously served as Toronto’s police chief before entering federal politics in 2015. Begum has represented Scarborough Southwest at Queen’s Park
vancouver-airport-reports-record-passenger-traffic-and-cargo-volumes-in-2025
BCFeb 03, 2026

Vancouver airport reports record passenger traffic and cargo volumes in 2025

Vancouver International Airport says it reached new highs for both passenger travel and cargo movement in 2025, reflecting continued recovery and growth in the region’s transportation and trade sectors. The airport recorded more than 26.9 million passengers last year, a 2.7 per cent increase compared with 2024. That figure surpasses the previous record of 26.3 million travellers set in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global air travel. Airport officials say domestic travel remained a key driver of growth, rising 3.8 per cent year over year. Passenger traffic between Vancouver an
WorldFeb 03, 2026

Iran signals conditional openness to talks with U.S. amid diplomatic uncertainty

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says he has directed the country’s foreign minister to explore negotiations with the United States, provided talks take place under what he described as fair and respectful conditions. In a message posted Tuesday on social media platform X, Pezeshkian said discussions would only proceed if the diplomatic environment is free of threats or what he called unreasonable demands. He said any engagement must be guided by national dignity, prudence, and Iran’s broader interests. The remarks mark the clearest public indication so far that Iran’s new reformist a

Related News