European high-speed train service provider Eurostar said on Tuesday that it had partially resumed services in the Channel Tunnel, the only railway link between the UK and continental Europe, after a power supply issue caused the temporary closure of the route earlier in the day.
Despite service resumption, the company warned that "there may still be some delays and possible last-minute cancellations."
The video footage shot on Tuesday in London's St. Pancras International Train Station, a major transportation hub connecting the UK and continental Europe, showed halted Eurostar trains in an almost empty station hall.
Previously, passengers could reach a wide range of European countries like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands from the station through the Channel Tunnel.
Last year, approximately 19.5 million passengers departed from St. Pancras International Train Station for continental Europe.
If the station suspends operations for a day, it would affect the travel plans of over 50,000 passengers heading to continental Europe.
On Dec 16, a similar incident took place, with a great number of Eurostar trains being delayed or canceled after a power supply problem in the Channel Tunnel, causing significant disruption in a busy travel period between Christmas and New Year.
Eurostar partially resumes train services on only railway link between UK, continental Europe
China's non-manufacturing sector saw its purchasing managers' index (PMI) return to expansionary territory in December, reflecting improved optimism among service providers and construction firms, official data showed Wednesday.
Non-manufacturing PMI came in at 50.2 in December, up 0.7 percentage points from the previous month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
The sub-index for business activity in the service sector stood at 49.7 in December, edging up 0.2 percentage points from November, signaling a modest recovery in sector vitality.
By sector, industries including telecommunications and broadcasting, monetary and financial services, and capital market services all recorded readings above 60, indicating strong growth in business activity. Sectors including retail and catering remained in contraction territory.
The business expectation index for the service sector remained relatively high at 56.4 in December, up 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, pointing to growing confidence among service enterprises about future market prospects.
Meanwhile, the construction sector displayed a clear recovery. Its business activity index rose to 52.8 in December, up 3.2 percentage points from November, buoyed by factors such as warmer-than-usual temperatures in some southern regions and accelerated construction progress ahead of the New Year and Spring Festival holidays.
The business expectation index for construction stood at 57.4, remaining in high-expansion territory and reflecting continued optimism in the industry.
"This month, the business activity index for the service sector saw a slight rebound, while the business activity index for the construction sector also returned to the expansion range, indicating a noticeable recovery in business climate," said Huo Lihui, director of the Business Climate Survey Division of the NBS Service Survey Center.
Driven by favorable supply and demand, market expectations among enterprises continued to strengthen. The business activity expectations index reached 56.5 percent, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous month.
"The expectations index has risen for three consecutive months, maintaining a healthy level above 56 percent, reflecting a notable rebound in market confidence," said He Hui, vice chairman of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP).
Separately, the NBS reported that China's manufacturing PMI stood at 50.1 in December, up 0.9 percentage points from November.
China's non-manufacturing PMI at 50.2 in December amid market optimism
