Beijing

The death toll from a mysterious flu-like virus in China climbed to six on Jan. 21 as new cases surged beyond 300 and authorities fretted about the added risk from millions of Chinese travelling for the Lunar New Year holiday.    

Round the world, airports tightened screening of travellers from China as officials confirmed the coronavirus strain is contagious between humans.    

With millions of Asians traveling on Jan. 21 for the Lunar New Year holiday, authorities in China confirmed that a new virus could be spread through human contact, reporting 15 medical staff had been infected and a fourth person had died.    

At that meeting on Wednesday, the World Health Organization said, their International Health Regulations Emergency Committee will determine whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

Australia has confirmed the first case of infection from the new coronavirus that been reported in China, Japan and South Korea.

A Queensland Health spokesperson said the man was being tested because he had visited Wuhan.

"The man will remain in isolation until his symptoms have resolved. We are closely monitoring the coronavirus outbreak in China.

China on Jan. 20 reported 139 new cases of pneumonia over the weekend, caused by the outbreak of a new coronavirus strain that medical experts are still struggling to understand.

China committed to buy around $52 billion worth of energy goods from the U.S. in 2020 and 2021 amid the phase-one trade deal signed by the countries.

After 21 months of imposing reciprocal tariffs, the world's two biggest economies finally reached a trade agreement and signed a phase-one deal on Jan. 15 in Washington, D.C.

Joshua Wong (Demosisto) is one of the most prominent faces of Hong Kong's democracy movement and a leading figure in the "Umbrella Movement" which came into being in 2014. Together with hundreds of thousands of Hongkongers, the now 23-year-old is campaigning for free elections, reform of the voting system and democratization of the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.

A third patient who is believed to be infected with the new coronavirus has been hospitalized in Singapore, TASS reported.

The Ministry of Health stated that the 69-year-old man had been hospitalized and quarantined. He is in stable condition.

The US and China have signed an agreement that should ease the trade war between them, shaking the world markets.

This is the first phase of a Beijing-Washington deal to settle a trade dispute.

China has pledged to boost US imports by $200bn above 2017 levels and strengthen intellectual property rules.

US Deputy Prime Minister and Head of Chinese Delegation for Trade and Economic Negotiations with US, Liu He met in Washington yesterday with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva.