A new procurement framework focuses on speed and expertise to help scientists fight public health emergencies such as an outbreak of Ebola or Zika. The new public health microbiology diagnostic framework will enable flexibility, speed and innovation in the development of cutting edge diagnostics and treatment tools, according to Public Health England (PHE), the statutory body that exists to improve the nation's health. PHE also expects it to generate savings on regular spend.

U.S. durable goods orders rebounded strongly in October, surging past expectations amid increased demand for aircraft and other transportation machinery. The Commerce Department said orders for items meant to last three years increased $11bn, or 4.8 percent, to $239.4bn last month, following a downwardly revised 0.4 percent drop in September. Economists had predicted a 1.7 percent gain.

A federal judge last week ordered pilots for a cargo airline that delivers Amazon packages to go back to work. The judge in Cincinnati said it was in the public's interest to end the strike because holiday shoppers expect to receive their packages on time.

The growing adoption of hybrid electric powertrain systems and the projected growth in the number of vessels burning liquefied natural gas as fuel, could lead to wider adoption of fuel cells with LNG-fuelled engines becoming the stepping stone for the wide adoption of LNG-fuelled fuel cells as prime movers.

Even before Donald Trump enters the White House and formally abandons a U.S.-led trade deal that represented a cornerstone of his country's economic policy in Asia, Chinese President Xi Jinping will get a chance to prove his willingness to step into the leadership vacuum.

Emirates, the world's biggest long-haul airline, said it's unhappy with performance shortfalls afflicting $6.1bn worth of Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc engines ordered to power a batch of 50 Airbus Group SE A380 superjumbos.