The Democrats layed out their case against President Trump for abuse of power as the Senate impeachment trial continues. Trump is charged with obstruction of Congress. However, Trump has denied these charges.

Donald Trump's Impeachment: Democrats lay out abuse of power case

The United States wants India to buy at least another $5-6 billion worth of American poultry and farm goods if New Delhi wants to win reinstatement of a key US&nbsp;trade concession, four sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump cited trade barriers last year when removing India from its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme that allowed zero tariffs on $5.6 billion of exports to the United States. In retaliation, India slapped higher tariffs on more than two dozens US&nbsp;products.

Ahead of a Trump visit to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month, negotiators on both sides are hammering out terms for a trade deal that would include New Delhi rolling back higher tariffs on some farm goods such as almonds, walnuts and apples, one of the sources said.

Both governments had hoped to work out a limited trade deal last year, but struggled to reach an agreement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/us-china-trade-deal-what-were-the-key-issues-and-are-they-resolved-275073">US-China trade deal - What were the key issues and are they resolved?</a>

India's commerce ministry and the US&nbsp;Embassy in New Delhi did not respond to a request for comment. The office of the US&nbsp;Trade Representative did not immediately respond outside regular business hours.

While India has offered a partial relief on medical device price caps that have hurt American pharma giants and a rollback in tariffs on some US&nbsp;goods, Trump's team wants a sweetener of $5-6 billion in additional trade for US&nbsp;goods to restore GSP privileges, three of the sources said.

That demand was conveyed by the United States to India in late December, said two sources.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-markets-scale-a-new-high-after-us-china-phase-one-trade-deal-274665">US-China trade deal - Hits and misses for India</a>

As part of the negotiation, the US&nbsp;wants India to increase imports of frozen poultry products, the first source said. The US&nbsp;has already been pushing India to cut the high import taxes on poultry products.

"The deal has to be agriculture-focused, the US&nbsp;is putting a number on everything (if India wants GSP back)," said one of the sources.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

Other than the agriculture sector, the United States could be swayed if some of that additional revenue goes to its energy sector, said one of the sources.

Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan this week said India was looking forward to extending its energy cooperation with the United States and other countries but didn't disclose any planned deals.

Trump is likely to visit India in late February, in what would be his first visit to the South Asian nation since he took office three years ago.

The United States wants India to buy at least another $5-6 billion worth of American poultry and farm goods if New Delhi wants to win reinstatement of a key US trade concession, four sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.

The United States wants India to buy at least another $5-6 billion worth of American poultry and farm goods if New Delhi wants to win reinstatement of a key US trade concession, four sources familiar with the talks told Reuters. US President Donald Trump cited trade barriers last year when removing India from its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme that allowed zero tariffs on $5.6 billion of exports to the United States. In retaliation, India slapped higher tariffs on more than two dozens US products. Ahead of a Trump visit to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi next month, negotiators on both sides are hammering out terms for a trade deal that would include New Delhi rolling back higher tariffs on some farm goods such as almonds, walnuts and apples, one of the sources said. Both governments had hoped to work out a limited trade deal last year, but struggled to reach an agreement. Also read: US-China trade deal - What were the key issues and are they resolved? India's commerce ministry and the US Embassy in New Delhi did not respond to a request for comment. The office of the US Trade Representative did not immediately respond outside regular business hours. While India has offered a partial relief on medical device price caps that have hurt American pharma giants and a rollback in tariffs on some US goods, Trump's team wants a sweetener of $5-6 billion in additional trade for US goods to restore GSP privileges, three of the sources said. That demand was conveyed by the United States to India in late December, said two sources. Also read: US-China trade deal - Hits and misses for India As part of the negotiation, the US wants India to increase imports of frozen poultry products, the first source said. The US has already been pushing India to cut the high import taxes on poultry products. "The deal has to be agriculture-focused, the US is putting a number on everything (if India wants GSP back)," said one of the sources. The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the discussions. Other than the agriculture sector, the United States could be swayed if some of that additional revenue goes to its energy sector, said one of the sources. Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan this week said India was looking forward to extending its energy cooperation with the United States and other countries but didn't disclose any planned deals. Trump is likely to visit India in late February, in what would be his first visit to the South Asian nation since he took office three years ago.

US pushes India to buy $5-6 billion more farm goods to seal trade deal: Report

Today is the day 2 of Donald Trump's impeachment proceedings in the Senate and the Democrats are making the opening arguments against the President. Watch what is happened at the Senate:

Donald Trump's impeachment: Democrats present opening arguments at Senate

US President Donald Trump has slammed the Democrats on the impeachment trial just before leaving from World Economic Forum 2020 in Davos. Trump called the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee corrupt and dismissed Jerrold Nadler as a sleazebag.

Donald Trump blasts at Democrats on impeachment trial, calls it a 'hoax'

&nbsp;The&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;cautioned&nbsp;Britain&nbsp;ahead of a decision by Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-rejects-calls-for-no-deal-brexit-in-election-pitch-259559">Boris Johnson</a> on what role&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth.

In the first big test of Brexit&nbsp;Britain's foreign policy, Johnson has so far resisted intense pressure from President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kem-chho-trump-us-president-to-visit-ahmedabad-delhi-in-february-275056">Donald Trump</a>'s administration to block&nbsp;Huawei, which the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;fears could compromise British secrets.

Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, denies it is a vehicle for Chinese intelligence and says the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;wants to ban it because no US&nbsp;company can offer the same range of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-use-of-huawei-5g-would-hamper-its-access-to-us-intelligence-us-official-264310">5G technology</a> at a competitive price.

After a public disagreement between US&nbsp;and British ministers in Davos&nbsp;over&nbsp;taxes on digital services, US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he would be meeting with British finance minister on Saturday on&nbsp;Huawei.

"Let me just say again, it’s a complicated issue," Mnuchin said. "We’ve made very clear that it relates to all of the critical areas that we have significant concerns. But again, there’s an ongoing discussion on these issues."

Britain&nbsp;is expected to make a final call on how to deploy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/some-huawei-suppliers-get-us-approval-to-restart-sales-to-blacklisted-firm-263525">Huawei</a>&nbsp;equipment in its 5G networks later this month.

In what some have compared to the Cold War arms race, the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;is worried that 5G dominance would give any global competitor such as China an advantage Washington is not ready to accept.

That puts Johnson on the spot with the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Kingdom's closest security ally just as he seeks to negotiate post-Brexit trade deals with both the European Union and the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;and juggle conflicting EU and US&nbsp;policy on Iran.

&nbsp;

Britain&nbsp;wants a trade deal with the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;but will still impose a digital service tax on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday.

Leadsom said that&nbsp;Britain&nbsp;will soon decide what role&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;will have but there are only a limited number of alternative providers, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday.

"Well there are other providers but they are limited, ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work that&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;does but the UK is looking very carefully at this issue and we will be making a final decision soon," Leadsom told Sky.

"It is an ongoing process and there are all sorts of factors to take into consideration, as you say, like the availability of other providers, like the work that&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;has already done in the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Kingdom,&nbsp;so these discussions are ongoing," she said.

"I share the concerns of many citizens about protecting our national security interest," Leadsom said.

The United States cautioned Britain ahead of a decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on what role Huawei will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth.

The United States cautioned Britain ahead of a decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on what role Huawei will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth. In the first big test of Brexit Britain's foreign policy, Johnson has so far resisted intense pressure from President Donald Trump's administration to block Huawei, which the United States fears could compromise British secrets. Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, denies it is a vehicle for Chinese intelligence and says the United States wants to ban it because no US company can offer the same range of 5G technology at a competitive price. After a public disagreement between US and British ministers in Davos over taxes on digital services, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he would be meeting with British finance minister on Saturday on Huawei. "Let me just say again, it’s a complicated issue," Mnuchin said. "We’ve made very clear that it relates to all of the critical areas that we have significant concerns. But again, there’s an ongoing discussion on these issues." Britain is expected to make a final call on how to deploy Huawei equipment in its 5G networks later this month. In what some have compared to the Cold War arms race, the United States is worried that 5G dominance would give any global competitor such as China an advantage Washington is not ready to accept. That puts Johnson on the spot with the United Kingdom's closest security ally just as he seeks to negotiate post-Brexit trade deals with both the European Union and the United States and juggle conflicting EU and US policy on Iran. Britain wants a trade deal with the United States but will still impose a digital service tax on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday. Leadsom said that Britain will soon decide what role Huawei will have but there are only a limited number of alternative providers, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday. "Well there are other providers but they are limited, ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work that Huawei does but the UK is looking very carefully at this issue and we will be making a final decision soon," Leadsom told Sky. "It is an ongoing process and there are all sorts of factors to take into consideration, as you say, like the availability of other providers, like the work that Huawei has already done in the United Kingdom, so these discussions are ongoing," she said. "I share the concerns of many citizens about protecting our national security interest," Leadsom said.

United States cautions Britain over Huawei's role in 5G

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/oil-prices-jump-to-61-over-opec-supply-cut-reports-265782">Oil prices</a> fell to their lowest in seven weeks on Thursday, sliding more than 1 per cent&nbsp;on concern that the spread of a respiratory virus from China may lower fuel demand if it stunts economic growth in an echo of the SARS epidemic nearly 20 years ago.

Brent crude futures were down 87 cents, or 1.4 per cent, to $62.34 a barrel by 0733 GMT, and earlier dropped to the lowest since Dec. 4 after falling 2.1&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;the previous session.

US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate futures fell 94 cents, or 1.6 per cent, to $55.80 a barrel after earlier falling to the lowest since December&nbsp;3. The contract declined 2.7&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;on Wednesday.

The new coronavirus has killed 17 people through respiratory illness since it emerged late last year in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in central China.

Nearly 600 cases have been confirmed, with cases detected as far as away as the United States, and city authorities have shut transport networks, urging residents not to leave to prevent the contagion spreading.

The potential for a pandemic has stirred memories of the Sudden<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mysterious-viral-pneumonia-infects-several-in-china-272495"> Acute Respiratory Syndrome</a> epidemic in 2002-2003, which also started in China, denting economic growth and causing a slump in travel.

"Downside demand risks due to the Wuhan virus appear to be a growing concern for the market, and understandably so, with any clampdown on travel likely to weigh on fuel demand," ING Research said.

Overseas airlines, along with rail operators from Hong Kong and elsewhere have also started shutting down connections to Wuhan, essentially now in lockdown as guards blocked routes out of the city.

"We estimate a price shock of up to $5 (a barrel) if the crisis develops into a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sars-like-virus-spreading-across-china-amid-140-new-cases-third-death-275342">SARS-style</a> epidemic based on historical oil price movements," JPM Commodities Research said in a note.

The US&nbsp;bank maintained its forecasts for Brent to average $67 a barrel in the first quarter and $64.50 a barrel throughout 2020.

Elsewhere, amid all the concern about hits to demand, supply remains plentiful.

US&nbsp;crude stockpiles rose last week by 1.6 million barrels, against expectations of a drop, the American Petroleum Institute said late on Tuesday.

Brazil also produced more than a billion barrels of oil in 2019, a first for the South American nation, the national oil regulator said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile China released data on Thursday showing its gasoline exports are surging, rising nearly a third last year as more new refineries are opened.

Oil prices fell to their lowest in seven weeks on Thursday, sliding more than 1 per cent on concern that the spread of a respiratory virus from China may lower fuel demand if it stunts economic growth in an echo of the SARS epidemic nearly 20 years ago.

Oil prices fell to their lowest in seven weeks on Thursday, sliding more than 1 per cent on concern that the spread of a respiratory virus from China may lower fuel demand if it stunts economic growth in an echo of the SARS epidemic nearly 20 years ago. Brent crude futures were down 87 cents, or 1.4 per cent, to $62.34 a barrel by 0733 GMT, and earlier dropped to the lowest since Dec. 4 after falling 2.1 per cent the previous session. US West Texas Intermediate futures fell 94 cents, or 1.6 per cent, to $55.80 a barrel after earlier falling to the lowest since December 3. The contract declined 2.7 per cent on Wednesday. The new coronavirus has killed 17 people through respiratory illness since it emerged late last year in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in central China. Nearly 600 cases have been confirmed, with cases detected as far as away as the United States, and city authorities have shut transport networks, urging residents not to leave to prevent the contagion spreading. The potential for a pandemic has stirred memories of the Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic in 2002-2003, which also started in China, denting economic growth and causing a slump in travel. "Downside demand risks due to the Wuhan virus appear to be a growing concern for the market, and understandably so, with any clampdown on travel likely to weigh on fuel demand," ING Research said. Overseas airlines, along with rail operators from Hong Kong and elsewhere have also started shutting down connections to Wuhan, essentially now in lockdown as guards blocked routes out of the city. "We estimate a price shock of up to $5 (a barrel) if the crisis develops into a SARS-style epidemic based on historical oil price movements," JPM Commodities Research said in a note. The US bank maintained its forecasts for Brent to average $67 a barrel in the first quarter and $64.50 a barrel throughout 2020. Elsewhere, amid all the concern about hits to demand, supply remains plentiful. US crude stockpiles rose last week by 1.6 million barrels, against expectations of a drop, the American Petroleum Institute said late on Tuesday. Brazil also produced more than a billion barrels of oil in 2019, a first for the South American nation, the national oil regulator said on Wednesday. Meanwhile China released data on Thursday showing its gasoline exports are surging, rising nearly a third last year as more new refineries are opened.

Oil skids as spectre of China virus looms over fuel demand, economy

The trial of ex-movie mogul Harvey Weinstein has begun in New York with graphic prosecution statements on his alleged crimes. Prosecutor Meghan Hast has said that he was a "seasoned" sexual predator with vulnerable actresses as his prey. His defence team defending him said that his actions were "consensual", including in one "loving" relationship.

Harvey Weinstein rape trial begins in New York

The authorities have confirmed that a woman was killed and seven people were hurt, including a 9-year-old boy, after gunfire rang out in the heart of downtown Seattle, the second shooting in that part of the central business district in about 24 hours. The one killed was a woman between 40 and 50 years old. All of the patients were rushed for treatment to Harborview Medical Center.

Shooting In Downtown Seattle ,1 dead, 7 injured

General Motors Co's self-driving car unit, Cruise, on Tuesday (January 21) unveiled a prototype electric vehicle with no steering wheel or pedals for use in its planned autonomous ride-sharing service.

GM's Cruise unit unveils driverless prototype vehicle for ride-sharing service

Immigration officials and National Guard officers on January 20 rounded up dozens of migrants who crossed the border from Guatemala to Mexico, in a new challenge for President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's efforts to contain migration at the bidding of the United States. The mostly Honduran migrants appeared to grow impatient on the bridge over the Suchiate River that connects the two countries after some were denied permission to cross by assembled Mexican migration officials.

Migrants scuffle with Mexican troops while trying to cross river into Mexico

The United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment charges against him and called for their immediate dismissal by the Senate, where the case is due very soon.&nbsp;

The Democratic-led House of Representatives' had charged Trump with the abuse of power and the obstruction of Congress.

Trump's 116-page-long Trial Memorandum is his first official defence against the charges.

Watch:&nbsp;Senate begins trial on Donald Trump's impeachment

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/senate-begins-trial-on-donald-trumps-impeachment-274877/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The Senate should reject the Articles of Impeachment and acquit the president immediately," the memo mentioned.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnel had recently put forward rules to facilitate a quick impeachment trial, and offered no guarantee of admission of new witnesses and evidence.

<h6><img alt="oooo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf4364d8-99c5-47fd-b3a9-bfcd2730cc3d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_52.jpg" /> 
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (C) is handed a document while signing the articles of impeachment of US President Donald Trump during an engrossment ceremony on Capitol Hill January 15, 2020, in Washington, DC. The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to transmit articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate, opening the way for the historic trial of the 45th president for abuse of power | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The resolution could face a vote today, with Trump's lawyers intending to seek dismissal of all charges.

According to the proposal put forth by the Republicans, the Senate is expected to vote on whether the material collected by the House would be valid in the trial.

Trump is the fourth of 45 American presidents to face an impeachment hearing. Allegedly, Trump had approached Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, and stopping an enquiry into his whataboutery.

The Democrats claim that by withholding US military aid to Ukraine, Trump abused his power. 
 
Additionally, he allegedly obstructed Congress by denying access to documents and withholding testimonies from administration officials, and this was after the House had already issued a subpoena.&nbsp;

<h6><img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6d6cb370-1219-4c8b-ad02-3d5b7dd1a69d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_59.jpg" /> 
US President Donald Trump departs the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2020 to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Trump's defence has reiterated that neither of the charges constitutes a crime or an impeachable offence, and that, as president, Trump has the rights to make foreign policy decisions as well as for deciding what information he gives to Congress. Additionally, his team called it a one-sided process.

Based on the defence memo, the theory of the abuse of power&nbsp;is not an impeachable offence and needs supplementary support from the US constitution's stature pertaining to ''Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanours''.

The memo also referred to the obstruction of Congress charge as ''frivolous and dangerous''.

The discourse of Trump's innocence and a rigged process was the memo's highlight, which suggested that this was an attempt to overturn Trump's 2016 victory and undemocratic. 
 
It's imperative to note that the Senate is highly unlikely to remove Trump office.

Read more: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-73-donald-trump-says-he-is-physically-strong-and-gets-more-exercise-than-people-think-275326">At 73, Donald Trump says he is 'physically strong' and gets 'more exercise than people think'</a>

(With inputs from Reuters) 
&nbsp;

The United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment charges against him and called for their immediate dismissal by the Senate, where the case is due very soon.

The United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment charges against him and called for their immediate dismissal by the Senate, where the case is due very soon. The Democratic-led House of Representatives' had charged Trump with the abuse of power and the obstruction of Congress. Trump's 116-page-long Trial Memorandum is his first official defence against the charges. Watch: Senate begins trial on Donald Trump's impeachment "The Senate should reject the Articles of Impeachment and acquit the president immediately," the memo mentioned. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnel had recently put forward rules to facilitate a quick impeachment trial, and offered no guarantee of admission of new witnesses and evidence. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (C) is handed a document while signing the articles of impeachment of US President Donald Trump during an engrossment ceremony on Capitol Hill January 15, 2020, in Washington, DC. The US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to transmit articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate, opening the way for the historic trial of the 45th president for abuse of power | AFP The resolution could face a vote today, with Trump's lawyers intending to seek dismissal of all charges. According to the proposal put forth by the Republicans, the Senate is expected to vote on whether the material collected by the House would be valid in the trial. Trump is the fourth of 45 American presidents to face an impeachment hearing. Allegedly, Trump had approached Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky to investigate his political rival Joe Biden, and stopping an enquiry into his whataboutery. The Democrats claim that by withholding US military aid to Ukraine, Trump abused his power. Additionally, he allegedly obstructed Congress by denying access to documents and withholding testimonies from administration officials, and this was after the House had already issued a subpoena. US President Donald Trump departs the White House in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2020 to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos | AFP Trump's defence has reiterated that neither of the charges constitutes a crime or an impeachable offence, and that, as president, Trump has the rights to make foreign policy decisions as well as for deciding what information he gives to Congress. Additionally, his team called it a one-sided process. Based on the defence memo, the theory of the abuse of power is not an impeachable offence and needs supplementary support from the US constitution's stature pertaining to ''Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanours''. The memo also referred to the obstruction of Congress charge as ''frivolous and dangerous''. The discourse of Trump's innocence and a rigged process was the memo's highlight, which suggested that this was an attempt to overturn Trump's 2016 victory and undemocratic. It's imperative to note that the Senate is highly unlikely to remove Trump office. Read more: At 73, Donald Trump says he is 'physically strong' and gets 'more exercise than people think' (With inputs from Reuters)

Trump's impeachment trial to begin in US Senate, his defence team calls for immediate acquittal

The Chinese official investigating a pneumonia outbreak stemming from a new coronavirus said the disease can spread from person to person but can be halted with increased vigilance, as authorities on Tuesday confirmed the fourth death.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sars-like-virus-spreading-across-china-amid-140-new-cases-third-death-275342">Also read: SARS-like virus spreading across China amid 140 new cases, third death</a>

Zhong Nanshan said there was no danger of a repeat of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic that killed nearly 800 people globally during a 2002-2003 outbreak, which started in China, as long as precautions were taken. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-school-teacher-first-foreign-national-in-china-to-contracts-sars-like-virus-275467">Also read: Responding actively, made strict prevention plan — China on spread of SARS-like coronavirus</a> 
&nbsp;

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"It took only two weeks to identify the novel coronavirus," state news agency Xinhua quoted Zhong as saying late on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/tracking-chinas-sars-like-coronavirus-275537">In Pics:&nbsp;Tracking China's SARS-like coronavirus</a>

The outbreak was still in its early stages and China had good surveillance and quarantine systems to help control it, he added.

The outbreak has spread from the central city of Wuhan to cities including Beijing and Shanghai, with more than 200 cases reported so far. Four cases have been reported outside China - in South Korea, Thailand and Japan.

Australia on Tuesday said it would screen passengers on flights from Wuhan amid rising concerns that the virus will spread globally as Chinese travellers take flights abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday starting this week.

Authorities around the globe, including in the United States and many Asian countries, have stepped up screening of travellers from Wuhan.

Chinese authorities confirmed a total of 217 cases of the virus in China as of 6 pm&nbsp;(1000 GMT) on Monday, state television reported 198 of which were in Wuhan.

A fourth person died on Jan. 19, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. The 89-year-old man, who had underlying health diseases including coronary heart disease, developed symptoms on Jan. 13 and was admitted to hospital five days later, it added.

Zhong, who is renowned in China for his work fighting SARS in 2003, confirmed that the virus can pass from person-to-person.

Fifteen medical workers in Wuhan had been diagnosed with pneumonia, with one other suspected case, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. Of the infected staff, one was in critical condition.

In Shanghai, officials on Tuesday confirmed a second case involving a 35-year-man who had visited Wuhan in early January and said they were monitoring four other suspected cases.

The virus causes a type of pneumonia and belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as SARS. Symptoms include fever and difficulty in breathing, which is similar to many other respiratory diseases and poses complications for screening efforts.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday an animal source appeared most likely to be the primary origin of the outbreak and that some "limited human-to-human transmission" occurred between close contacts.

The Geneva-based UN agency convened an emergency committee for Wednesday to assess whether the outbreak constitutes an international health emergency and what measures should be taken to manage it.

So far, the WHO has not recommended trade or travel restrictions, but a panel of independent experts could do so or make other recommendations to limit spread.

The Chinese official investigating a pneumonia outbreak stemming from a new coronavirus said the disease can spread from person to person but can be halted with increased vigilance, as authorities on Tuesday confirmed the fourth death.

The Chinese official investigating a pneumonia outbreak stemming from a new coronavirus said the disease can spread from person to person but can be halted with increased vigilance, as authorities on Tuesday confirmed the fourth death. Also read: SARS-like virus spreading across China amid 140 new cases, third death Zhong Nanshan said there was no danger of a repeat of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic that killed nearly 800 people globally during a 2002-2003 outbreak, which started in China, as long as precautions were taken. Also read: Responding actively, made strict prevention plan — China on spread of SARS-like coronavirus "It took only two weeks to identify the novel coronavirus," state news agency Xinhua quoted Zhong as saying late on Monday. In Pics: Tracking China's SARS-like coronavirus The outbreak was still in its early stages and China had good surveillance and quarantine systems to help control it, he added. The outbreak has spread from the central city of Wuhan to cities including Beijing and Shanghai, with more than 200 cases reported so far. Four cases have been reported outside China - in South Korea, Thailand and Japan. Australia on Tuesday said it would screen passengers on flights from Wuhan amid rising concerns that the virus will spread globally as Chinese travellers take flights abroad for the Lunar New Year holiday starting this week. Authorities around the globe, including in the United States and many Asian countries, have stepped up screening of travellers from Wuhan. Chinese authorities confirmed a total of 217 cases of the virus in China as of 6 pm (1000 GMT) on Monday, state television reported 198 of which were in Wuhan. A fourth person died on Jan. 19, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. The 89-year-old man, who had underlying health diseases including coronary heart disease, developed symptoms on Jan. 13 and was admitted to hospital five days later, it added. Zhong, who is renowned in China for his work fighting SARS in 2003, confirmed that the virus can pass from person-to-person. Fifteen medical workers in Wuhan had been diagnosed with pneumonia, with one other suspected case, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said. Of the infected staff, one was in critical condition. In Shanghai, officials on Tuesday confirmed a second case involving a 35-year-man who had visited Wuhan in early January and said they were monitoring four other suspected cases. The virus causes a type of pneumonia and belongs to the same family of coronaviruses as SARS. Symptoms include fever and difficulty in breathing, which is similar to many other respiratory diseases and poses complications for screening efforts. The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday an animal source appeared most likely to be the primary origin of the outbreak and that some "limited human-to-human transmission" occurred between close contacts. The Geneva-based UN agency convened an emergency committee for Wednesday to assess whether the outbreak constitutes an international health emergency and what measures should be taken to manage it. So far, the WHO has not recommended trade or travel restrictions, but a panel of independent experts could do so or make other recommendations to limit spread.

China confirms person-to-person spread of the new virus as fourth death reported

Oscar-winners Renee Zellweger, Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones were among Hollywood A-listers who walked the silver carpet at the Screen Actors Guild awards (SAG) on Sunday (January 19) evening in Los Angeles.

Hollywood superstars arrive for the SAG awards in Los Angeles

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-warns-will-not-allow-us-military-operations-against-cartels-265319">Mexico</a>&nbsp;suffered its worst year for homicides in 2019, with a&nbsp;record&nbsp;34,582 victims, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the challenge President Andres Manuel&nbsp;Lopez&nbsp;Obrador&nbsp;faces while waging war on drug cartels.

Lopez&nbsp;Obrador&nbsp;assumed the presidency in December 2018 pledging to pacify the country with a less confrontational approach to security, but violence has continued rising, with the number of homicide victims 2.5 per cent&nbsp;higher in 2019 than a year earlier, according to the security ministry data.

<img alt="Mexico Police " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d443d6b-7f0c-4413-bc9b-9a98c20247a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2829%29_3.jpg" />

Separate security ministry figures using an older methodology that refers to the number of homicide investigations showed an increase to 29,401 last year from 29,100 in 2018.

Mexico&nbsp;has used its military in a war on drug cartels since late 2006. But, despite the arrest or killing of leading capos, the campaign has not succeeded in reducing drug violence and has led to more killings as criminal groups fight among themselves.

To tackle the problem, Mexican officials last week presented lawmakers a proposal to overhaul the criminal&nbsp;justice&nbsp;system, paving the way for the Senate to take up the plan next month that could ease security cooperation with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-china-trade-deal-may-not-be-signed-this-year-263497">United States</a>.

Concern has grown over the president's strategy, which he says still needs time, after two major crises in recent months.

Critics blasted the government as weak in October when it ordered security forces to release the captured son of convicted kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman under pressure from marauding cartel henchmen in the northern city of Culiacan.

Then, in early November, three mothers and six children were massacred by suspected cartel gunmen in northern&nbsp;Mexico, sparking outrage and revulsion at home and abroad.

According to a draft of the criminal&nbsp;justice&nbsp;reform&nbsp;reviewed by Reuters, the plan would allow private communications to be used as evidence and limit legal challenges to avoid extradition delays for criminal suspects, many of whom are US.-bound.

Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz told senators the plan would attack entrenched corruption and impunity as well as the roots of criminal activity.

Mexico suffered its worst year for homicides in 2019, with a record 34,582 victims, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the challenge President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces while waging war on drug cartels.

Mexico suffered its worst year for homicides in 2019, with a record 34,582 victims, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the challenge President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador faces while waging war on drug cartels. Lopez Obrador assumed the presidency in December 2018 pledging to pacify the country with a less confrontational approach to security, but violence has continued rising, with the number of homicide victims 2.5 per cent higher in 2019 than a year earlier, according to the security ministry data. Separate security ministry figures using an older methodology that refers to the number of homicide investigations showed an increase to 29,401 last year from 29,100 in 2018. Mexico has used its military in a war on drug cartels since late 2006. But, despite the arrest or killing of leading capos, the campaign has not succeeded in reducing drug violence and has led to more killings as criminal groups fight among themselves. To tackle the problem, Mexican officials last week presented lawmakers a proposal to overhaul the criminal justice system, paving the way for the Senate to take up the plan next month that could ease security cooperation with the United States. Concern has grown over the president's strategy, which he says still needs time, after two major crises in recent months. Critics blasted the government as weak in October when it ordered security forces to release the captured son of convicted kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman under pressure from marauding cartel henchmen in the northern city of Culiacan. Then, in early November, three mothers and six children were massacred by suspected cartel gunmen in northern Mexico, sparking outrage and revulsion at home and abroad. According to a draft of the criminal justice reform reviewed by Reuters, the plan would allow private communications to be used as evidence and limit legal challenges to avoid extradition delays for criminal suspects, many of whom are US.-bound. Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz told senators the plan would attack entrenched corruption and impunity as well as the roots of criminal activity.

Murders in Mexico hit record as Lopez Obrador seeks justice system reform

More than 22,000&nbsp;armed&nbsp;gun-rights&nbsp;activists&nbsp;peacefully filled the streets around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/35-people-injured-in-63-vehicle-pileup-on-virginia-highway-269739">Virginia</a>'s capitol building on Monday to protest&nbsp;gun-control legislation making its way through the newly Democratic-controlled state legislature.

Despite fears that neo-Nazis or other extremists would piggyback on the Richmond&nbsp;rally&nbsp;to stoke unrest like the violence at a 2017 demonstration by white nationalists in Charlottesville that killed a counter-protester, the Capitol Police reported just one arrest, a 21-year-old woman taken into custody for wearing a bandana over her face after twice being warned that masks were not allowed.

<img alt="Gun-rights activists" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a526d4f0-70cb-4cbb-baad-c79b5c208c08" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2824%29_2.jpg" />

Chants of "USA! USA! USA!" and others praising President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazen-and-unlawful-donald-trumps-legal-team-rejects-impeachment-charges-275143">Donald Trump</a> reverberated as men and women carrying handguns&nbsp;and rifles squeezed into the streets around the&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;state capitol, standing shoulder-to-shoulder for three blocks in all directions.

There was a heavy security presence after Governor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virginia-governor-ralph-northam-now-denies-appearance-in-racist-photo-refuses-to-resign-194668">Ralph Northam</a> banned carrying weapons onto the capitol grounds and the FBI earlier last week arrested three alleged neo-Nazis who it said intended to use the event to spark a race war.

But by 1 pm&nbsp;ET, nearly all&nbsp;rally-goers had left the area, with volunteers picking up trash left behind. The Capitol Police estimated the crowd at 22,000 people.

<img alt="Gun-rights activists" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="78b4bf46-73a6-42f6-9341-75126cf766b0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2822%29_4.jpg" />

Activists&nbsp;at the&nbsp;rally&nbsp;organized by the&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;Citizens Defense League argued that&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;was trying to infringe on their right to bear arms, which is protected by the Second Amendment of the&nbsp;US&nbsp;Constitution.

"What's going on here, if not stopped, will spread to other states," said Teri Horne, who had traveled to&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;from her home in Texas with her Smith &amp; Wesson rifle and .40-caliber handgun. "They will come for our guns&nbsp;in other states if we don't stop them in&nbsp;Virginia."

Northam, a Democrat, has vowed to push through new&nbsp;gun&nbsp;control laws and is backing a package of eight bills, including universal background checks, a "red flag" law, a ban on assault-style rifles and a limit of one handgun-a-month purchase. It does not call for confiscating guns&nbsp;currently legally owned.

It is not his first attempt. He called a special legislative session last year after the massacre of 12 people in&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;Beach, but the Republicans who then controlled the legislature ended that meeting without a vote.

<img alt="Gun-rights activists" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="07f49a66-ba1e-4995-8000-898408355064" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2820%29_6.jpg" />

State Democratic leaders and&nbsp;activists&nbsp;believe that move contributed to the November victories that gave them control of both chambers.

A group of 13 student&nbsp;activists&nbsp;from March For Our Lives, a&nbsp;gun-control group, slept inside the capitol building on Sunday night ahead of impromptu meetings with lawmakers to encourage them to pass the legislation.

"A lot of the protesters outside have a really extreme reading of the Second Amendment," Eve Levenson, a 20-year-old political science student at George Washington University, said in a telephone interview. "What we're fighting for is common-sense laws that are proven to work and are already effective in other states."

Many in the crowds dressed in camouflage or tactical gear. Some browsed vendors' pro-gun&nbsp;T-shirts and other merchandise, much of it carrying slogans supporting Trump, who has sharply criticized the&nbsp;gun-control proposals.

The president weighed in again on the&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;situation on Monday.

"The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;is working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment&nbsp;rights," Trump wrote on Twitter. "This is just the beginning. Don't let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!"

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The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights. This is just the beginning. Don’t let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1219284434635100162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2020</a></blockquote>
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People across the United States were focused on the&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;gun&nbsp;issue, said Philip Van Cleave, leader of the&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;Citizens Defense League.

"They don't want us to fail in stopping this," Van Cleave said on Sunday. "We've gotten huge donations from other states."

"The&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;election last November was an indictment of guns, and it was not an outlier," said Christian Heyne, who leads legislative efforts at the&nbsp;gun&nbsp;violence prevention group Brady. "Virginia&nbsp;candidates flipped things on their head when they won because of the&nbsp;gun&nbsp;issue, not despite it."

The state's&nbsp;gun&nbsp;owners responded with a movement to create "sanctuary cities" for&nbsp;gun&nbsp;rights, with local government bodies in nearly all 95 counties passing declarations not to enforce new&nbsp;gun&nbsp;laws.

Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan, who is from a sanctuary county, held aloft a banner supporting the Second Amendment on a street in front of the capitol.

"Some of these bills being proposed are just unconstitutional and we will not enforce them," Vaughan said. "As a sheriff, I am the last line of defense between law-abiding&nbsp;gun&nbsp;owners and the politicians who want to take away their&nbsp;rights."

The sanctuary idea has quickly spread across the United States, with over 200 local governments in 16 states passing such measures.

More than 22,000 armed gun-rights activists peacefully filled the streets around Virginia's capitol building on Monday to protest gun-control legislation making its way through the newly Democratic-controlled state legislature.

More than 22,000 armed gun-rights activists peacefully filled the streets around Virginia's capitol building on Monday to protest gun-control legislation making its way through the newly Democratic-controlled state legislature. Despite fears that neo-Nazis or other extremists would piggyback on the Richmond rally to stoke unrest like the violence at a 2017 demonstration by white nationalists in Charlottesville that killed a counter-protester, the Capitol Police reported just one arrest, a 21-year-old woman taken into custody for wearing a bandana over her face after twice being warned that masks were not allowed. Chants of "USA! USA! USA!" and others praising President Donald Trump reverberated as men and women carrying handguns and rifles squeezed into the streets around the Virginia state capitol, standing shoulder-to-shoulder for three blocks in all directions. There was a heavy security presence after Governor Ralph Northam banned carrying weapons onto the capitol grounds and the FBI earlier last week arrested three alleged neo-Nazis who it said intended to use the event to spark a race war. But by 1 pm ET, nearly all rally-goers had left the area, with volunteers picking up trash left behind. The Capitol Police estimated the crowd at 22,000 people. Activists at the rally organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League argued that Virginia was trying to infringe on their right to bear arms, which is protected by the Second Amendment of the US Constitution. "What's going on here, if not stopped, will spread to other states," said Teri Horne, who had traveled to Virginia from her home in Texas with her Smith & Wesson rifle and .40-caliber handgun. "They will come for our guns in other states if we don't stop them in Virginia." Northam, a Democrat, has vowed to push through new gun control laws and is backing a package of eight bills, including universal background checks, a "red flag" law, a ban on assault-style rifles and a limit of one handgun-a-month purchase. It does not call for confiscating guns currently legally owned. It is not his first attempt. He called a special legislative session last year after the massacre of 12 people in Virginia Beach, but the Republicans who then controlled the legislature ended that meeting without a vote. State Democratic leaders and activists believe that move contributed to the November victories that gave them control of both chambers. A group of 13 student activists from March For Our Lives, a gun-control group, slept inside the capitol building on Sunday night ahead of impromptu meetings with lawmakers to encourage them to pass the legislation. "A lot of the protesters outside have a really extreme reading of the Second Amendment," Eve Levenson, a 20-year-old political science student at George Washington University, said in a telephone interview. "What we're fighting for is common-sense laws that are proven to work and are already effective in other states." Many in the crowds dressed in camouflage or tactical gear. Some browsed vendors' pro-gun T-shirts and other merchandise, much of it carrying slogans supporting Trump, who has sharply criticized the gun-control proposals. The president weighed in again on the Virginia situation on Monday. "The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia is working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights," Trump wrote on Twitter. "This is just the beginning. Don't let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020!" The Democrat Party in the Great Commonwealth of Virginia are working hard to take away your 2nd Amendment rights. This is just the beginning. Don’t let it happen, VOTE REPUBLICAN in 2020! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020 × People across the United States were focused on the Virginia gun issue, said Philip Van Cleave, leader of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. "They don't want us to fail in stopping this," Van Cleave said on Sunday. "We've gotten huge donations from other states." "The Virginia election last November was an indictment of guns, and it was not an outlier," said Christian Heyne, who leads legislative efforts at the gun violence prevention group Brady. "Virginia candidates flipped things on their head when they won because of the gun issue, not despite it." The state's gun owners responded with a movement to create "sanctuary cities" for gun rights, with local government bodies in nearly all 95 counties passing declarations not to enforce new gun laws. Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan, who is from a sanctuary county, held aloft a banner supporting the Second Amendment on a street in front of the capitol. "Some of these bills being proposed are just unconstitutional and we will not enforce them," Vaughan said. "As a sheriff, I am the last line of defense between law-abiding gun owners and the politicians who want to take away their rights." The sanctuary idea has quickly spread across the United States, with over 200 local governments in 16 states passing such measures.

Thousands of armed US gun rights activists join peaceful Virginia rally

South Korean thriller "Parasite" was the upset winner at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards on Sunday, while Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger were named best actors, cementing their roles as frontrunners at the Oscars next month.

"The momentum is building," "Parasite" director Bong Joon Ho says after SAG win

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards kicked off on Sunday (January 19) with a celebrity-filled silver carpet at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium. Once again, sustainability was a key factor at the awards show with plant-based food being served to the stars.

Success, speeches, sustainability and Meghan and Harry the talk of SAG silver carpet

A mysterious SARS-like virus has spread around China — including to Beijing — authorities said Monday, fuelling fears of a major outbreak as millions begin travelling for the Lunar New Year in humanity's biggest migration.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/what-we-know-about-new-coronavirus-outbreak-in-chinese-city-of-wuhan-275295">In pictures: What we know about new coronavirus outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan</a> 
 
The new coronavirus strain, first discovered in the central city of Wuhan, has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reports-new-cases-in-wuhan-virus-outbreak-275016">Also read: China reports new cases in Wuhan virus outbreak</a>

Wuhan has 11 million inhabitants and serves as a major transport hub, including during the annual Lunar New Year holiday which begins later this week and sees hundreds of millions of Chinese people travel across the country to visit family.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-warns-hospitals-worldwide-as-new-china-coronavirus-may-spread-further-274255">Also read: WHO warns hospitals worldwide over further spread of China's coronavirus</a> 
 
No human-to-human transmission has been confirmed so far, but authorities have previously said the possibility "cannot be excluded".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/who-issues-alert-on-sars-coronavirus-emerged-from-china-275276/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A third person was confirmed to have died, and in Wuhan, 136 new cases were found over the weekend, the local health commission said.

Three cases have been reported overseas -- two in Thailand and one in Japan.

Health authorities in Beijing's Daxing district said two people who had travelled to Wuhan were treated for pneumonia linked to the virus and are in stable condition.

In Guangdong, a 66-year-old Shenzhen man was quarantined on January 11 after contracting a fever and showing other symptoms following a trip to visit relatives in Wuhan, the provincial health commission said in a statement. He is also in stable condition.

"Experts believe that the current epidemic situation is still preventable and controllable," the Guangdong health commission said.

A total of 201 people have now been diagnosed with the virus in China.

Detection measures

A seafood market is believed to be the centre of the outbreak in the city, but health officials have reported that some patients had no history of contact with the facility.

Scientists with the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London warned in a paper published Friday that the number of cases in the city was likely to be closer to 1,700, much higher than the number officially identified.

Wuhan deputy mayor Chen Xiexin said on state broadcaster CCTV at the weekend that infrared thermometers had been installed at airports, railway stations and coach stations across the city.

Chen said passengers with fevers were being registered, given masks and taken to medical institutions. Nearly 300,000 body temperature tests had been carried out, according to CCTV.

Authorities in Hong Kong have stepped up detection measures, including rigorous temperature checkpoints for inbound travellers from the Chinese mainland.

The United States said from Friday it would begin screening direct flights arriving from Wuhan at San Francisco airport and New York's JFK, as well as Los Angeles, where many flights connect.

Thailand said it was already screening passengers arriving in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, and would soon introduce similar controls in the beach resort of Krabi.

In Wuhan, 170 people are still being treated at the hospital, including nine in critical condition, the city health commission said. The new patients are between 25 and 89 years old and their symptoms included fever, coughing and chest pain.

Guangdong's health authority said it was taking measures including intensifying its triage of fever at clinics and banning illegal wildlife sales.

A mysterious SARS-like virus has spread around China — including to Beijing — authorities said Monday, fuelling fears of a major outbreak as millions begin travelling for the Lunar New Year in humanity's biggest migration.

A mysterious SARS-like virus has spread around China — including to Beijing — authorities said Monday, fuelling fears of a major outbreak as millions begin travelling for the Lunar New Year in humanity's biggest migration. In pictures: What we know about new coronavirus outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan The new coronavirus strain, first discovered in the central city of Wuhan, has caused alarm because of its connection to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 650 people across mainland China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003. Also read: China reports new cases in Wuhan virus outbreak Wuhan has 11 million inhabitants and serves as a major transport hub, including during the annual Lunar New Year holiday which begins later this week and sees hundreds of millions of Chinese people travel across the country to visit family. Also read: WHO warns hospitals worldwide over further spread of China's coronavirus No human-to-human transmission has been confirmed so far, but authorities have previously said the possibility "cannot be excluded". A third person was confirmed to have died, and in Wuhan, 136 new cases were found over the weekend, the local health commission said. Three cases have been reported overseas -- two in Thailand and one in Japan. Health authorities in Beijing's Daxing district said two people who had travelled to Wuhan were treated for pneumonia linked to the virus and are in stable condition. In Guangdong, a 66-year-old Shenzhen man was quarantined on January 11 after contracting a fever and showing other symptoms following a trip to visit relatives in Wuhan, the provincial health commission said in a statement. He is also in stable condition. "Experts believe that the current epidemic situation is still preventable and controllable," the Guangdong health commission said. A total of 201 people have now been diagnosed with the virus in China. Detection measures A seafood market is believed to be the centre of the outbreak in the city, but health officials have reported that some patients had no history of contact with the facility. Scientists with the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College in London warned in a paper published Friday that the number of cases in the city was likely to be closer to 1,700, much higher than the number officially identified. Wuhan deputy mayor Chen Xiexin said on state broadcaster CCTV at the weekend that infrared thermometers had been installed at airports, railway stations and coach stations across the city. Chen said passengers with fevers were being registered, given masks and taken to medical institutions. Nearly 300,000 body temperature tests had been carried out, according to CCTV. Authorities in Hong Kong have stepped up detection measures, including rigorous temperature checkpoints for inbound travellers from the Chinese mainland. The United States said from Friday it would begin screening direct flights arriving from Wuhan at San Francisco airport and New York's JFK, as well as Los Angeles, where many flights connect. Thailand said it was already screening passengers arriving in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, and would soon introduce similar controls in the beach resort of Krabi. In Wuhan, 170 people are still being treated at the hospital, including nine in critical condition, the city health commission said. The new patients are between 25 and 89 years old and their symptoms included fever, coughing and chest pain. Guangdong's health authority said it was taking measures including intensifying its triage of fever at clinics and banning illegal wildlife sales.

SARS-like virus spreading across China amid 140 new cases, third death

The legal team of United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment hearings against their client. In the six-page document, his lawyers refer to the House of Representatives' impeachment efforts as a ''dangerous attack'' on Americans and their intrinsic right to vote.

Trump was recently impeached on account of&nbsp;two articles: ''abuse of power'' and the ''obstruction of Congress'', which was approved by the Democratic-led House last year.

The trial against Trump will begin on Tuesday in the Senate, which is mostly under the control of Republicans.

<h6><img alt="trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="16734523-9fc5-43a9-9b9d-11aa985d4ad9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_44.jpg" /> 
Image: Screenshot from the statement of Trump's legal team | Reuters 
&nbsp;</h6>

Trump has repeatedly denied any involvement in the wrongdoings he's been accused of. He refers to the impeachment drive as an effort to undo his presidential victory.

In the Senate, Trump is expected not to get impeached, for no Republican senators yet have voiced support for the same.

The White House counsel is led by Pat Cipollone, who will get the support of Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow. Ken Starr, the star-lawyer involved in Bill Clinton's impeachment in the 1990s has also joined the team. Celebrity lawyer Alan Dershowitz is also in Trump's dream-team.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/impeachment-dream-team-meet-us-president-trumps-star-studded-legal-team-274978">Impeachment dream team: Meet US President Trump's star-studded legal team</a>

In their response, Cipollone and Sekulow referred to the articles of impeachment as ''a dangerous attack on the right of the American people to freely choose their president''.

Further, in the six-page document, the team called the impeachment hearings "a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election".

Watch:&nbsp;Senate begins trial on Donald Trump's impeachment

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/senate-begins-trial-on-donald-trumps-impeachment-274877/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Trump is facing impeachment on the charges of abusing office especially in relation to the Ukraine scandal. He was accused of coercing Ukrainian authorities into investigating Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate. He allegedly withheld aid worth $400 million to Ukraine. &nbsp;

Ukrainian counterpart President Volodymyr Zelensky has also denied the claims.

<h6><img alt="trump" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77351d0c-8a38-4cd5-a98b-c33b5031ddee" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_41.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump make their way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on January 17, 2020 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

"The articles of impeachment are constitutionally invalid on their face. They fail to allege any crime or violation of law whatsoever," the defence team said.

On the other hand, the House managers, ie, the prosecutors called Trump's conduct ''the worst nightmare'' of those who framed the US constitution.

''President Trump abused the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal political gain, thereby jeopardizing our national security, the integrity of our elections, and our democracy'', the managers said in a statement.

(With inputs from AFP and Reuters)

The legal team of United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment hearings against their client. In the six-page document, his lawyers refer to the House of Representatives' impeachment efforts as a ''dangerous attack'' on Americans and their intrinsic right to vote.

The legal team of United States President Donald Trump yesterday rejected the impeachment hearings against their client. In the six-page document, his lawyers refer to the House of Representatives' impeachment efforts as a ''dangerous attack'' on Americans and their intrinsic right to vote. Trump was recently impeached on account of two articles: ''abuse of power'' and the ''obstruction of Congress'', which was approved by the Democratic-led House last year. The trial against Trump will begin on Tuesday in the Senate, which is mostly under the control of Republicans. Image: Screenshot from the statement of Trump's legal team | Reuters Trump has repeatedly denied any involvement in the wrongdoings he's been accused of. He refers to the impeachment drive as an effort to undo his presidential victory. In the Senate, Trump is expected not to get impeached, for no Republican senators yet have voiced support for the same. The White House counsel is led by Pat Cipollone, who will get the support of Trump's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow. Ken Starr, the star-lawyer involved in Bill Clinton's impeachment in the 1990s has also joined the team. Celebrity lawyer Alan Dershowitz is also in Trump's dream-team. Also read: Impeachment dream team: Meet US President Trump's star-studded legal team In their response, Cipollone and Sekulow referred to the articles of impeachment as ''a dangerous attack on the right of the American people to freely choose their president''. Further, in the six-page document, the team called the impeachment hearings "a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election". Watch: Senate begins trial on Donald Trump's impeachment Trump is facing impeachment on the charges of abusing office especially in relation to the Ukraine scandal. He was accused of coercing Ukrainian authorities into investigating Joe Biden, a Democratic presidential candidate. He allegedly withheld aid worth $400 million to Ukraine. Ukrainian counterpart President Volodymyr Zelensky has also denied the claims. Image: US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump make their way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on January 17, 2020 | AFP "The articles of impeachment are constitutionally invalid on their face. They fail to allege any crime or violation of law whatsoever," the defence team said. On the other hand, the House managers, ie, the prosecutors called Trump's conduct ''the worst nightmare'' of those who framed the US constitution. ''President Trump abused the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal political gain, thereby jeopardizing our national security, the integrity of our elections, and our democracy'', the managers said in a statement. (With inputs from AFP and Reuters)

'Brazen and unlawful': Donald Trump's legal team rejects impeachment charges

What we know about new coronavirus outbreak in Chinese city of Wuhan

The newly founded United States Space Force recently unveiled its uniform. The colour of choice has stirred a debacle on social media, BBC reported.

<h6><img alt="ooo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bf7fb912-96dd-4181-96d0-3cbd1ca3230a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_36.jpg" /> 
Image: The uniform of United States Space Force | Courtesy: Twitter handle @SpaceForceDoD 
&nbsp;</h6>

As apparent in the image, the uniform has a camouflage design with badges embroidered on the arm and chest.

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The first <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpaceForce?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpaceForce</a> utility uniform nametapes have touched down in the 
Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/EsperDoD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EsperDoD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SecAFOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecAFOfficial</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceForceCSO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceForceCSO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GenDaveGoldfein?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GenDaveGoldfein</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofDefense</a><a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jvzt5bvNl7">pic.twitter.com/Jvzt5bvNl7</a>
— United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1218335200964464650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The most common reaction to the uniform went along the lines of ''camo in space?'' 
 
A user on Twitter went as far as asking, "Have they never seen space before?"

Camouflage is usually chosen by ground military operations to help them blend into their surroundings without being accosted by their enemies, another user implied.

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Really disappointed with the green. 
 
Surely a pattern like this would have given more camouflage in space. <a href="https://t.co/A1eAJkSk1e">https://t.co/A1eAJkSk1e</a> <a href="https://t.co/7lUGAyRqTD">pic.twitter.com/7lUGAyRqTD</a>
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) <a href="https://twitter.com/newschambers/status/1218455671189970944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The Force responded to the critique and said that it was "utilising current Army/Air Force uniforms" and "saving costs of designing/producing a new one".

"Members will look like the joint counterparts they'll be working with, on the ground," the force added.

However, this affirmation did little to calm down the Twitterati.

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Donald Trump has unveiled the US Space Force camouflage uniform. Spot the problem. <a href="https://t.co/2YJgfoZF4n">pic.twitter.com/2YJgfoZF4n</a>
— James Melville (@JamesMelville) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/1218809681377972225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trump had officially launched the US Space Force at an army base near Washington in December 2019.

Referring to space as ''the world's newest war-fighting domain'', Trump said the force would help ''deter aggression''.

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I know this is hard to understand, but on the left there is a picture of camouflage and on the right there is a picture of space. Study these carefully until you can see the difference. <a href="https://t.co/7HhAeHRyrm">pic.twitter.com/7HhAeHRyrm</a>
— JRehling (@JRehling) <a href="https://twitter.com/JRehling/status/1218387128465256448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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However, the title of the force is misleading, for it is not envisaged to put troops into orbit. Instead, the force is expected to protect United States assets like satellites which facilitate communication and surveillance.

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USSF is utilizing current Army/Air Force uniforms, saving costs of designing/producing a new one. 
 
Members will look like their joint counterparts they’ll be working with, on the ground.
— United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1218431457154088960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The force's first secretary Barbara Barrett had earlier claimed that the newly orchestrated Space Force would have 16,000 air force and civilian personnel.&nbsp;

Donald Trump's administration has allotted $40 million to maintain and fund the force in its pilot year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-space-force-donald-trump-creates-new-warfare-service-branch-of-pentagon-269433">United States Space Force: Donald Trump creates new warfare service branch of Pentagon</a>

The newly founded United States Space Force recently unveiled its uniform. The colour of choice has stirred a debacle on social media, BBC reported. Image: The uniform of United States Space Force | Courtesy: Twitter handle @SpaceForceDoD As apparent in the image, the uniform has a camouflage design with badges embroidered on the arm and chest.

The newly founded United States Space Force recently unveiled its uniform. The colour of choice has stirred a debacle on social media, BBC reported. Image: The uniform of United States Space Force | Courtesy: Twitter handle @SpaceForceDoD As apparent in the image, the uniform has a camouflage design with badges embroidered on the arm and chest. The first #SpaceForce utility uniform nametapes have touched down in the Pentagon. @EsperDoD @SecAFOfficial @SpaceForceCSO @GenDaveGoldfein @DeptofDefense@usairforce pic.twitter.com/Jvzt5bvNl7 — United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) January 18, 2020 × The most common reaction to the uniform went along the lines of ''camo in space?'' A user on Twitter went as far as asking, "Have they never seen space before?" Camouflage is usually chosen by ground military operations to help them blend into their surroundings without being accosted by their enemies, another user implied. Really disappointed with the green. Surely a pattern like this would have given more camouflage in space. https://t.co/A1eAJkSk1e pic.twitter.com/7lUGAyRqTD — Richard Chambers (@newschambers) January 18, 2020 × The Force responded to the critique and said that it was "utilising current Army/Air Force uniforms" and "saving costs of designing/producing a new one". "Members will look like the joint counterparts they'll be working with, on the ground," the force added. However, this affirmation did little to calm down the Twitterati. Donald Trump has unveiled the US Space Force camouflage uniform. Spot the problem. pic.twitter.com/2YJgfoZF4n — James Melville (@JamesMelville) January 19, 2020 × Donald Trump had officially launched the US Space Force at an army base near Washington in December 2019. Referring to space as ''the world's newest war-fighting domain'', Trump said the force would help ''deter aggression''. I know this is hard to understand, but on the left there is a picture of camouflage and on the right there is a picture of space. Study these carefully until you can see the difference. pic.twitter.com/7HhAeHRyrm — JRehling (@JRehling) January 18, 2020 × However, the title of the force is misleading, for it is not envisaged to put troops into orbit. Instead, the force is expected to protect United States assets like satellites which facilitate communication and surveillance. USSF is utilizing current Army/Air Force uniforms, saving costs of designing/producing a new one. Members will look like their joint counterparts they’ll be working with, on the ground. — United States Space Force (@SpaceForceDoD) January 18, 2020 × The force's first secretary Barbara Barrett had earlier claimed that the newly orchestrated Space Force would have 16,000 air force and civilian personnel. Donald Trump's administration has allotted $40 million to maintain and fund the force in its pilot year. Also read: United States Space Force: Donald Trump creates new warfare service branch of Pentagon

US Space Force unveils camouflage uniform, gets trolled on Twitter

As the Donald Trump impeachment saga continues, all eyes are now fixated on the United States Senate as the trial is set to begin next week.

Meanwhile, the White House has now revealed Trump's all-star legal team for the Senate, which includes big names.

Trump’s defence team will include Alan Dershowitz, who is known for defending convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His team will also include Kenneth Starr, who paved the way for former United States President Bill Clinton's impeachment.

As the trial inches near, here's a look at this star-studded legal team who will now defend President Trump.

Alan Dershowitz, the famed constitutional expert is not unfamiliar with controversies.

<h6><img alt="impeachment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="12f571ac-3aaf-4210-ab33-8ed14643de02" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_13.jpg" /> 
Image: In this file photo taken on December 11, 2019, Professor Alan Dershowitz listens to US President Donald Trump speak during a Hanukkah Reception in the East Room of the White House | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

He first gained fame as a member of OJ Simpson's defence team in the star's criminal trial in the mid-1990s. He has since defended many notable clients including the boxer Mike Tyson.

But his most famous case was that of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein where he defended him during the 2008 trial.

Another figure who was part of Epstein's legal team in 2008 is also on the panel. 
&nbsp; 
Kenneth Star, a former independent counsel, became a household name in the late 1990s.

Starr overlooked the investigation that finally led to Bill Clinton's impeachment in 1998.

Trump's ''dream team'' will be led by the White House counsel Pat Cipollone.

<h6><img alt="US" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7da08f5-fadb-4b1e-a2e9-2cb83cf47b3b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%287%29_12.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Lawyer Pat Cipollone, White House Press Secretary Sarah H. Sanders and White House Social Media Director Dan Scavino listen during an event to celebrate the one year anniversary of the "Be Best" initiative in the Rose Garden of the White House May 7, 2019, in Washington, DC | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Jay Sekulow, a longtime personal lawyer to Trump will lead the president’s impeachment defence team along with Pat.

Trump adviser Pam Bondi and former independent counsel Robert Ray will also be on this team.

One person who was not added to this team that will defend Trump is his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who played a key role in the Ukraine investigation.

Trump was impeached last month in the US House of Representatives on charges of ''abuse of power'' and the ''obstruction of Congress''.

But as the trial now moves to the Senate, the fear remains that the controversies attached to both Starr and Dershowitz could now loom over the impeachment trial.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-trumps-impeachment-trial-officialy-gets-underway-274778">US President Trump's impeachment trial officialy gets underway in Senate</a>

As the Donald Trump impeachment saga continues, all eyes are now fixated on the United States Senate as the trial is set to begin next week. Meanwhile, the White House has now revealed Trump's all-star legal team for the Senate, which includes big names.

As the Donald Trump impeachment saga continues, all eyes are now fixated on the United States Senate as the trial is set to begin next week. Meanwhile, the White House has now revealed Trump's all-star legal team for the Senate, which includes big names. Trump’s defence team will include Alan Dershowitz, who is known for defending convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. His team will also include Kenneth Starr, who paved the way for former United States President Bill Clinton's impeachment. As the trial inches near, here's a look at this star-studded legal team who will now defend President Trump. Alan Dershowitz, the famed constitutional expert is not unfamiliar with controversies. Image: In this file photo taken on December 11, 2019, Professor Alan Dershowitz listens to US President Donald Trump speak during a Hanukkah Reception in the East Room of the White House | AFP He first gained fame as a member of OJ Simpson's defence team in the star's criminal trial in the mid-1990s. He has since defended many notable clients including the boxer Mike Tyson. But his most famous case was that of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein where he defended him during the 2008 trial. Another figure who was part of Epstein's legal team in 2008 is also on the panel. Kenneth Star, a former independent counsel, became a household name in the late 1990s. Starr overlooked the investigation that finally led to Bill Clinton's impeachment in 1998. Trump's ''dream team'' will be led by the White House counsel Pat Cipollone. Image: Lawyer Pat Cipollone, White House Press Secretary Sarah H. Sanders and White House Social Media Director Dan Scavino listen during an event to celebrate the one year anniversary of the "Be Best" initiative in the Rose Garden of the White House May 7, 2019, in Washington, DC | AFP Jay Sekulow, a longtime personal lawyer to Trump will lead the president’s impeachment defence team along with Pat. Trump adviser Pam Bondi and former independent counsel Robert Ray will also be on this team. One person who was not added to this team that will defend Trump is his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani who played a key role in the Ukraine investigation. Trump was impeached last month in the US House of Representatives on charges of ''abuse of power'' and the ''obstruction of Congress''. But as the trial now moves to the Senate, the fear remains that the controversies attached to both Starr and Dershowitz could now loom over the impeachment trial. Also read: US President Trump's impeachment trial officialy gets underway in Senate

Impeachment dream team: Meet US President Trump's star-studded legal team

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases.

This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. 
 
"Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement.

<h6><img alt="naval" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dafe4ee-d01a-459e-b8be-40b7c0c721bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_18.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff.

In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up.

<h6><img alt="Pensacola" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f74135e4-4463-431b-bc6b-681f78a7b572" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_35.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station&nbsp;Pensacola, in&nbsp;Pensacola, Florida, US&nbsp;December 6, 2019 | Reuters 
 
Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place.&nbsp;</h6>

The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month.

The Pentagon announced today that it would enforce new restrictions on international military students in terms of access to guns on United States bases. This news came in after a Saudi officer killed three American sailors at a naval base in Florida last month. "Getting back to work does not mean getting back to business as usual. Going forward we will put several new policies and security procedures in place," Garry Reid, a senior Pentagon intelligence official, said in a statement. Image: This handout photo released on December 7, 2019 by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shows FBI Evidence Response Team after a shooting incident at a naval base in Pensacola, Florida on December 6, 2019 | AFP Besides the three sailors who were killed, eight others were injured in the attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. The gunman, Saudi Air Force Second Lieutenant Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was later shot dead by a deputy sheriff. In the aftermath of the attack, the US retaliated by grounding all Saudi pilots and restricting the 850 Saudi military personnel by limiting them to classroom training as part of a ''safety stand-down''. New vetting procedures may also show up. Image: Traffic on and off base is restricted after a member of the Saudi Air Force visiting the United States for military training was the suspect in a shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in Pensacola, Florida, US December 6, 2019 | Reuters Reid further added that normal functioning and training across military departments would resume soon once new procedures are put in place. The US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will visit the base in Pensacola in Florida next week. Esper is expected to brief the base leadership. (With inputs from Reuters)

Pentagon restricts access to guns for foreign trainees

The United States will begin screening efforts at three US&nbsp;airports to detect travellers from the central Chinese city of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reports-new-cases-in-wuhan-virus-outbreak-275016">Wuhan</a> who may have symptoms of a new respiratory virus that so far has killed two people and infected 45 more, public health officials said on Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/instances-of-binge-drinking-increasing-among-us-adults-study-275080">CDC</a>) said the screening at the San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles airports would begin on Friday and focus on travellers to the United States via direct or connecting flights from Wuhan.

So far, the new virus has spread outside of China to Japan and Thailand, and CDC officials said in a conference call with reporters that they expect more cases will be reported outside of China. The risk to Americans is deemed to be low, the CDC said.

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Health screenings of travelers arriving from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wuhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wuhan</a>, China is part of a layered approach used with other public health measures already in place to slow and reduce possible spread of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/2019nCOV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#2019nCOV</a> into the United States. <a href="https://t.co/Ovg4CTFJWf">https://t.co/Ovg4CTFJWf</a>
— CDC (@CDCgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov/status/1218252302647287808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, said the CDC will be sending about 100 additional staff to the three airports, Los Angeles International, San Francisco International, and New York's John F. Kennedy International to supplement existing staff at quarantine stations located at those airports.

Under the screening procedures, travellers from Wuhan will be taken to a separate area in the airport, where they will complete a questionnaire and be checked for fever. Those with symptoms will be asked additional health and exposure-related questions and those needing more follow-up will be referred to a designated healthcare facility for more testing.

The CDC said it may adjust screening procedures as the outbreak investigation continues.

The Chinese virus is a coronavirus, a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome, or <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mysterious-sars-like-virus-in-china-has-affected-hundreds-report-274962">SARS</a>, a highly infectious virus that originated in China in 2002 and eventually traveled to 37 countries, killing 774 people.

So far, health officials do not consider the new virus from China to be as lethal as SARS, but the investigation is evolving and much is still not known about whether the virus can spread easily from person to person.

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According to the latest predictions from <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCFlu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCflu</a> forecasting experts, flu activity is likely to remain elevated through late January. A <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fluvaccine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fluvaccine</a> can be beneficial any time flu viruses are circulating, including after January: <a href="https://t.co/CeAX6Br1Xg">https://t.co/CeAX6Br1Xg</a>
— Dr. Nancy Messonnier (@DrNancyM_CDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrNancyM_CDC/status/1215036631020900353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"This is the stage of the investigation where we need to proceed cautiously and be prepared for any eventuality," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a CDC expert in respiratory diseases, said on the conference call.

"It's highly plausible" that there will be a case in the United States, Messonnier said. "That is why we are moving forward with this screening."

China health officials report that most of the patients infected with the virus have had exposure to a large market where live animals were present, suggesting the virus is new and has jumped from animals to humans.

It is still not clear how well the virus can be transmitted, but there are indications of some limited spread from person-to-person, CDC officials said.

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Q: What is a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a>? 
 
A: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) <a href="https://t.co/PKzKaO2yfK">https://t.co/PKzKaO2yfK</a> <a href="https://t.co/mhEa7LFVhx">pic.twitter.com/mhEa7LFVhx</a>
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1218229883484155913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-reports-new-cases-in-wuhan-virus-outbreak-275016">World Health Organization</a> this week provided guidance to hospitals worldwide about infection prevention and control in case the new virus spreads. There is no specific treatment for the new virus, but antivirals are being considered.

The United States will begin screening efforts at three US airports to detect travellers from the central Chinese city of Wuhan who may have symptoms of a new respiratory virus that so far has killed two people and infected 45 more, public health officials said on Friday.

The United States will begin screening efforts at three US airports to detect travellers from the central Chinese city of Wuhan who may have symptoms of a new respiratory virus that so far has killed two people and infected 45 more, public health officials said on Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the screening at the San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles airports would begin on Friday and focus on travellers to the United States via direct or connecting flights from Wuhan. So far, the new virus has spread outside of China to Japan and Thailand, and CDC officials said in a conference call with reporters that they expect more cases will be reported outside of China. The risk to Americans is deemed to be low, the CDC said. Health screenings of travelers arriving from #Wuhan, China is part of a layered approach used with other public health measures already in place to slow and reduce possible spread of #2019nCOV into the United States. https://t.co/Ovg4CTFJWf — CDC (@CDCgov) January 17, 2020 × Dr. Martin Cetron, director of the CDC's Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, said the CDC will be sending about 100 additional staff to the three airports, Los Angeles International, San Francisco International, and New York's John F. Kennedy International to supplement existing staff at quarantine stations located at those airports. Under the screening procedures, travellers from Wuhan will be taken to a separate area in the airport, where they will complete a questionnaire and be checked for fever. Those with symptoms will be asked additional health and exposure-related questions and those needing more follow-up will be referred to a designated healthcare facility for more testing. The CDC said it may adjust screening procedures as the outbreak investigation continues. The Chinese virus is a coronavirus, a large family of viruses that can cause infections ranging from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, a highly infectious virus that originated in China in 2002 and eventually traveled to 37 countries, killing 774 people. So far, health officials do not consider the new virus from China to be as lethal as SARS, but the investigation is evolving and much is still not known about whether the virus can spread easily from person to person. According to the latest predictions from @CDCflu forecasting experts, flu activity is likely to remain elevated through late January. A #fluvaccine can be beneficial any time flu viruses are circulating, including after January: https://t.co/CeAX6Br1Xg — Dr. Nancy Messonnier (@DrNancyM_CDC) January 8, 2020 × "This is the stage of the investigation where we need to proceed cautiously and be prepared for any eventuality," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, a CDC expert in respiratory diseases, said on the conference call. "It's highly plausible" that there will be a case in the United States, Messonnier said. "That is why we are moving forward with this screening." China health officials report that most of the patients infected with the virus have had exposure to a large market where live animals were present, suggesting the virus is new and has jumped from animals to humans. It is still not clear how well the virus can be transmitted, but there are indications of some limited spread from person-to-person, CDC officials said. Q: What is a #coronavirus? A: Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) https://t.co/PKzKaO2yfK pic.twitter.com/mhEa7LFVhx — World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 17, 2020 × The World Health Organization this week provided guidance to hospitals worldwide about infection prevention and control in case the new virus spreads. There is no specific treatment for the new virus, but antivirals are being considered.

US to screen passengers for new China coronavirus at three airports

The Taliban will implement a 10-day ceasefire with US&nbsp;troops, a reduction in violence with Afghan forces and discussions with Afghan government officials if it reaches a deal with US&nbsp;negotiators in talks in Doha, two sources have said.

If an agreement is sealed, it could revive hopes for a long-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

Taliban and US&nbsp;negotiators met on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the signing of a peace deal, according to a spokesman for the Taliban office in Qatar. The talks were "useful" and would continue for a few days, the spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said on Twitter early on Friday.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump had called off the stop-start talks to end the 18-year war in September after an US&nbsp;soldier was killed in an attack by the militant group.

They resumed but were interrupted again in December after the Taliban launched a suicide attack on a US&nbsp;base outside Kabul killing two civilians.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-says-taliban-show-willingness-to-reduce-afghan-violence-274717">Taliban showing willingness to reduce Afghan violence - Pakistan</a>

Two sources close to the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the Taliban's top leadership had now agreed to implement a 10-day ceasefire with US troops once a deal was signed in Doha, and to "reduce" attacks against the Afghan government.

A senior Taliban commander said: "The US&nbsp;wanted us to announce a ceasefire during the peace talks which we had rejected. Our shura (council) has agreed to a ceasefire the day the peace accord is signed."

Once an agreement is in place, the Taliban and Afghan government could meet face to face in Germany, said the commander. Previously, the Taliban had refused to engage in talks with the Afghan government.

The US&nbsp;team in Doha had demanded a ceasefire "which we had declined due to some issues," the Taliban commander said. "Now most of our reservations have been addressed." Another source close to the talks confirmed the commander's version of events.

A signing date has not been fixed, but the Taliban commander said he expected it to be "very soon."

Both sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.

A US&nbsp;State Department spokeswoman declined to comment and the Pentagon referred queries to the State Department.

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Pakistan warns on withdrawal

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was visiting top US&nbsp;officials in Washington, said Islamabad had been facilitating the dialogue and had played its role in helping get the negotiations getting this far.

Qureshi noted that the Taliban ultimately sought the withdrawal of the roughly 13,000 American troops from Afghanistan in any agreement.

Qureshi stressed that Pakistan, which fears greater instability in neighbouring Afghanistan, did not want a precipitous US&nbsp;withdrawal.

"The Taliban want withdrawal of foreign forces. What we are saying is, yes, they should be withdrawn, but the withdrawal should be a responsible one," Qureshi said. "Let's not forget that there are forces, there are elements in Afghanistan that can take advantage if there is anarchy ... if there is some kind of civil war."

An Afghan presidency spokesman said a ceasefire was the only way to achieve sustainable and dignified peace. "Any plan which proposes a ceasefire as a basic step will be acceptable for the government," Sediqi Sediqqi tweeted on Friday.

Violence in Afghanistan rose after the breakdown of talks in September.

The Taliban's readiness to reduce violence revives odds of the peace process moving forward before the militant group launches what is usually an annual spring offensive around early April.

The Taliban will implement a 10-day ceasefire with US troops, a reduction in violence with Afghan forces and discussions with Afghan government officials if it reaches a deal with US negotiators in talks in Doha, two sources have said.

The Taliban will implement a 10-day ceasefire with US troops, a reduction in violence with Afghan forces and discussions with Afghan government officials if it reaches a deal with US negotiators in talks in Doha, two sources have said. If an agreement is sealed, it could revive hopes for a long-term solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. Taliban and US negotiators met on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the signing of a peace deal, according to a spokesman for the Taliban office in Qatar. The talks were "useful" and would continue for a few days, the spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said on Twitter early on Friday. US President Donald Trump had called off the stop-start talks to end the 18-year war in September after an US soldier was killed in an attack by the militant group. They resumed but were interrupted again in December after the Taliban launched a suicide attack on a US base outside Kabul killing two civilians. Also read: Taliban showing willingness to reduce Afghan violence - Pakistan Two sources close to the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the Taliban's top leadership had now agreed to implement a 10-day ceasefire with US troops once a deal was signed in Doha, and to "reduce" attacks against the Afghan government. A senior Taliban commander said: "The US wanted us to announce a ceasefire during the peace talks which we had rejected. Our shura (council) has agreed to a ceasefire the day the peace accord is signed." Once an agreement is in place, the Taliban and Afghan government could meet face to face in Germany, said the commander. Previously, the Taliban had refused to engage in talks with the Afghan government. The US team in Doha had demanded a ceasefire "which we had declined due to some issues," the Taliban commander said. "Now most of our reservations have been addressed." Another source close to the talks confirmed the commander's version of events. A signing date has not been fixed, but the Taliban commander said he expected it to be "very soon." Both sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. A US State Department spokeswoman declined to comment and the Pentagon referred queries to the State Department. × Pakistan warns on withdrawal Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who was visiting top US officials in Washington, said Islamabad had been facilitating the dialogue and had played its role in helping get the negotiations getting this far. Qureshi noted that the Taliban ultimately sought the withdrawal of the roughly 13,000 American troops from Afghanistan in any agreement. Qureshi stressed that Pakistan, which fears greater instability in neighbouring Afghanistan, did not want a precipitous US withdrawal. "The Taliban want withdrawal of foreign forces. What we are saying is, yes, they should be withdrawn, but the withdrawal should be a responsible one," Qureshi said. "Let's not forget that there are forces, there are elements in Afghanistan that can take advantage if there is anarchy ... if there is some kind of civil war." An Afghan presidency spokesman said a ceasefire was the only way to achieve sustainable and dignified peace. "Any plan which proposes a ceasefire as a basic step will be acceptable for the government," Sediqi Sediqqi tweeted on Friday. Violence in Afghanistan rose after the breakdown of talks in September. The Taliban's readiness to reduce violence revives odds of the peace process moving forward before the militant group launches what is usually an annual spring offensive around early April.

Taliban open to 10-day ceasefire with US, talks with Afghan government: Report

After the ''Howdy, Modi!'' event in Houston in September last year, a grand reception is now being planned for United States President Donald Trump for his possible visit to India next month.

According to reports, the event dubbed as ''Kem chho, Mr President'' will be held in Gujarat's Ahmedabad.

The event is slated to take place during one of the three days stipulated for Trump's visit.

Trump will most likely attend the event in Ahmedabad after visiting New Delhi, the Indian capital.

Meanwhile, Americans of Gujarati origin are likely to join the ''Howdy Trump''&nbsp;show.

The sheer number of Indian-origin voters in the US, especially Gujaratis is politically significant.

<h6><img alt="gggg" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="98637496-8bb2-48d4-927c-03c19be55301" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_20.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, September 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

According to sources, Trump and PM Modi are also expected to sign a short-term trade deal that could grant the US companies more access to Indian markets and restore benefits to India that were withdrawn last summer.

Besides that, they will also discuss a longer-term trade pact that could include a free trade agreement.

Reports further suggested that the trade deal was moving in a positive direction, with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal constantly staying in touch with his American counterparts. 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 
However, it's imperative to remember that days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his second term, the Trump administration terminated India’s eligibility for the preferential trade system.

The US president has also routinely railed against India alleging it of high tariffs and trade imbalance.

<h6><img alt="iii" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fcda8d60-cafd-44de-b850-f33c1c9c3966" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_43.jpg" /> 
Image:&nbsp;US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, September 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

However, ties between the two nations have improved considerably on the security front. Especially when the United States warned Pakistan on issues of terrorism and extended its support on Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council.

The joint appearance of Trump and Modi at the 'Howdy Modi!' outreach to the Indian diaspora was seen as a testament to the chemistry shared by the two world leaders.

Trump's visit to India is aimed at solidifying existing ties and taking partnership between the two nations to the next level.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-isnt-like-youve-got-china-on-your-border-when-trump-shocked-modi-with-his-remark-274653">It isn't like you've got China on your border: When Trump shocked Modi with his remark</a>

After the ''Howdy, Modi!'' event in Houston in September last year, a grand reception is now being planned for United States President Donald Trump for his possible visit to India next month.

After the ''Howdy, Modi!'' event in Houston in September last year, a grand reception is now being planned for United States President Donald Trump for his possible visit to India next month. According to reports, the event dubbed as ''Kem chho, Mr President'' will be held in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. The event is slated to take place during one of the three days stipulated for Trump's visit. Trump will most likely attend the event in Ahmedabad after visiting New Delhi, the Indian capital. Meanwhile, Americans of Gujarati origin are likely to join the ''Howdy Trump'' show. The sheer number of Indian-origin voters in the US, especially Gujaratis is politically significant. Image: US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, September 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly | AFP According to sources, Trump and PM Modi are also expected to sign a short-term trade deal that could grant the US companies more access to Indian markets and restore benefits to India that were withdrawn last summer. Besides that, they will also discuss a longer-term trade pact that could include a free trade agreement. Reports further suggested that the trade deal was moving in a positive direction, with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal constantly staying in touch with his American counterparts. However, it's imperative to remember that days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his second term, the Trump administration terminated India’s eligibility for the preferential trade system. The US president has also routinely railed against India alleging it of high tariffs and trade imbalance. Image: US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hold a meeting at UN Headquarters in New York, September 24, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly | AFP However, ties between the two nations have improved considerably on the security front. Especially when the United States warned Pakistan on issues of terrorism and extended its support on Kashmir at the United Nations Security Council. The joint appearance of Trump and Modi at the 'Howdy Modi!' outreach to the Indian diaspora was seen as a testament to the chemistry shared by the two world leaders. Trump's visit to India is aimed at solidifying existing ties and taking partnership between the two nations to the next level. Also read: It isn't like you've got China on your border: When Trump shocked Modi with his remark

'Howdy Trump'? US President to visit Ahmedabad, Delhi in February

Russia's acting foreign minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/our-ties-with-new-delhi-second-to-none-russian-envoy-to-india-273759">Sergei Lavrov</a>&nbsp;has made shocking revelations on the downing of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/irans-supreme-leader-khamenei-to-lead-prayers-amid-outrage-over-ukrainian-plane-crash-274821">Ukranian passenger plane</a> by Iran which has brought a twist to the whole narrative.

Lavrov has said that at least six F-35 US aircraft were in the air right after the US attack on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eleven-us-troops-injured-in-january-8-iran-missile-attack-in-iraq-274776">Qasem Soleimani</a>. He claimed that the F-35 jets were spotted on the Iranian border after its response attack on America's military bases.

However, the information is yet to be verified.

"We have information that after the attack (on Qasem Soleimani), Iranians were anticipating another US Strike. They did not know of what kind. But there were at least six F-35 jets in air near the Iran border. This information still has to be double-checked. But I'd like to underline the edginess that always accompanies such situations."

This sensational disclosure has raised many questions such as are Iran's claims of misidentifying the plane as a cruise missile true?

Was the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/myanmar-china-ink-deals-to-accelerate-belt-and-road-as-xi-courts-an-isolated-suu-kyi-275025">United States</a> planning a counter-strike on Iran shortly after an attack on its bases?

While Iran’s military has blamed human error for the downing of the Ukrainian plane that killed 176 passengers.

However, &nbsp;videos that have surfaced show the plane’s flight path and suggest otherwise.&nbsp;

Russia's acting foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has made shocking revelations on the downing of the Ukranian passenger plane by Iran which has brought a twist to the whole narrative.

Russia's acting foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has made shocking revelations on the downing of the Ukranian passenger plane by Iran which has brought a twist to the whole narrative. Lavrov has said that at least six F-35 US aircraft were in the air right after the US attack on Qasem Soleimani. He claimed that the F-35 jets were spotted on the Iranian border after its response attack on America's military bases. However, the information is yet to be verified. "We have information that after the attack (on Qasem Soleimani), Iranians were anticipating another US Strike. They did not know of what kind. But there were at least six F-35 jets in air near the Iran border. This information still has to be double-checked. But I'd like to underline the edginess that always accompanies such situations." This sensational disclosure has raised many questions such as are Iran's claims of misidentifying the plane as a cruise missile true? Was the United States planning a counter-strike on Iran shortly after an attack on its bases? While Iran’s military has blamed human error for the downing of the Ukrainian plane that killed 176 passengers. However, videos that have surfaced show the plane’s flight path and suggest otherwise.

Russia: Iran shot down Ukranian passenger plane after US jets were seen at its borders

The world's population is slowing down. From China to Japan to the United States, Russia and even South Korea - they all are struggling with low birth rates. The population crisis is hitting their economies.

Gravitas: Several Nations struggle with low birth rates

There is a sense of optimism across the world after the U.S. and China signed the Phase 1 of the trade deal. While the conflict is far from over, this is a welcome development. So how will impact India and the world? WION's Palki Sharma explains.

Gravitas: Phase 1 Of U.S.-China trade deal: Impact on India & world

The European Union will check to see whether a major <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/indian-markets-scale-a-new-high-after-us-china-phase-one-trade-deal-274665">deal struck by the United States and China</a> complies with global trade rules, the EU's trade chief said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Washington and Beijing scaled back their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/key-elements-of-the-us-china-trade-deal-a-pact-to-pause-the-economic-conflict-274516">18-month trade row</a> that has hit global economic growth by signing an initial agreement under which China will boost its buying of US&nbsp;goods and services.

"The devil is in the detail," EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan told a conference in London, speaking by video link from Washington where he is meeting US&nbsp;officials this week. He added the details were, so far, "a bit sketchy".

"They have stepped outside the usual framework for doing deals ... and they are dealing directly on a bilateral basis and we will have to assess whether it is WTO compliant."

In pics: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-china-trade-deal-biggest-winners-losers-in-phase-1-274683">US-China trade deal - Biggest winners &amp; losers in phase 1</a>

Hogan said "structural reforms" in China the EU and the United States wanted were not addressed in the agreement and the EU wanted to see what was on the table in the second phase of negotiations between the United States and China.

He also said the United States and the EU urgently needed to resolve a dispute over aircraft subsidies. Only Beijing and the Chinese aerospace industry, he said, would ultimately benefit from a tit-for-tat transatlantic tariff dispute.

Asked about a US-French row over a digital tax which has seen Washington threaten to impose duties of up to 100% on French goods, Hogan said he thought eventually a way of implementing a global tax on technology giants such as Amazon and Google would be found.

"At the end of the day I think everybody accepts, including the United States, that there will be a global tax to deal with technology companies," he said, adding that it might take until 2021 or 2022 for talks to deepen.

On long-delayed reform of the World Trade Organization, Hogan said he expected the United States to move forward only in 2021 after the presidential election in November this year.

He also reiterated comments by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week who said it will be impossible for Britain to negotiate all aspects of its future relationship with the EU by the end of 2020, the deadline set by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and both sides would have to prioritise.

"We need to wake up to this reality that gamesmanship and brinkmanship are not going to work on this occasion," Hogan said at the CSIS think tank in Washington.

The European Union will check to see whether a major deal struck by the United States and China complies with global trade rules, the EU's trade chief said on Thursday.

The European Union will check to see whether a major deal struck by the United States and China complies with global trade rules, the EU's trade chief said on Thursday. On Wednesday, Washington and Beijing scaled back their 18-month trade row that has hit global economic growth by signing an initial agreement under which China will boost its buying of US goods and services. "The devil is in the detail," EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan told a conference in London, speaking by video link from Washington where he is meeting US officials this week. He added the details were, so far, "a bit sketchy". "They have stepped outside the usual framework for doing deals ... and they are dealing directly on a bilateral basis and we will have to assess whether it is WTO compliant." In pics: US-China trade deal - Biggest winners & losers in phase 1 Hogan said "structural reforms" in China the EU and the United States wanted were not addressed in the agreement and the EU wanted to see what was on the table in the second phase of negotiations between the United States and China. He also said the United States and the EU urgently needed to resolve a dispute over aircraft subsidies. Only Beijing and the Chinese aerospace industry, he said, would ultimately benefit from a tit-for-tat transatlantic tariff dispute. Asked about a US-French row over a digital tax which has seen Washington threaten to impose duties of up to 100% on French goods, Hogan said he thought eventually a way of implementing a global tax on technology giants such as Amazon and Google would be found. "At the end of the day I think everybody accepts, including the United States, that there will be a global tax to deal with technology companies," he said, adding that it might take until 2021 or 2022 for talks to deepen. On long-delayed reform of the World Trade Organization, Hogan said he expected the United States to move forward only in 2021 after the presidential election in November this year. He also reiterated comments by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week who said it will be impossible for Britain to negotiate all aspects of its future relationship with the EU by the end of 2020, the deadline set by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and both sides would have to prioritise. "We need to wake up to this reality that gamesmanship and brinkmanship are not going to work on this occasion," Hogan said at the CSIS think tank in Washington.

'Devil is in the detail': EU says will check US-China deal

United States-based NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report on China. This happened after the organisation global head Kenneth Roth was barred from entering Hong Kong. Watch report:

China a threat to global human rights, Says Human Rights Watch

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