When Amazon, which is often blamed for single-handedly ruining the High Street, opened its first physical bookshops in 2015 it sparked fury in some quarters. But after branching out into grocery and gadget shops, the e-commerce giant now reportedly plans to go much further – opening several large bricks-and-mortar retail sites akin to department stores. Amazon declined to comment on the claims, made by the Wall Street Journal, calling them “rumours and speculation”. But the newspaper said Ohio and California had already been earmarked as probable locations. Quoting people familiar with the plans, it said the new retail spaces will be around 30,000 square feet, smaller than most department stores, which typically occupy about 100,000 square feet, and will offer items from top consumer brands.(BBC)…[+]

A woman has been found clinging to an upturned inflatable dinghy about 138 miles (220km) off the Canary Islands – the only survivor of a migrant tragedy feared to have claimed 52 lives. She was spotted in a poor state by a passing merchant ship and emergency services flew her to safety. Two bodies were found by the coastguard and the woman told officials that more than 50 other people were on board. More than 8,000 migrants have reached Spain’s Canary Islands this year. Many of them set off from a stretch of coastline between Tarfaya in Morocco and Laayoune in Western Sahara, a disputed territory claimed by Morocco. The route has become increasingly popular as migrant passages to Europe through the Mediterranean have become harder to take. However, human rights group Walking Borders has described it as the world’s most dangerous migration route. (BBC)…[+]

Mining giant BHP says it has fired at least 48 workers for sexual assaults and harassment at its Western Australia mining camps since 2019. Australia’s richest mining companies are facing intense scrutiny over the treatment of women at their isolated sites. Recent court cases have prompted a state government inquiry into sexual harassment at mining locations. Several companies have admitted the problem and pledged to make changes. Other miners, including Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals, also reported allegations but did not disclose if they had sacked workers.(BBC)…[+]