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The Chinese government condemned the political crackdown on the American offices of Chinese media stationed in the U.S.
The U.S. State Department announced that the government will cap the number of Chinese citizens permitted to work for the five Chinese media groups designated as "foreign missions," and the move will take effect on March 13th.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian says the action is baseless since Chinese journalists have been abiding by U, S, laws and rules reporting news in the country.
He warns that the move will damage ties with China.
The spokesperson also refutes to U.S. claims that the purpose of the move is to seek reciprocity, as China never institutes caps on the number of offices and employees of U.S. media in the country.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has congratulated Chinese authorities on the speedy sharing of information on the novel coronavirus.
He made the remark while launching his government's action plan to tackle the spread of the virus, alongside Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Government Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance.
Whitty says Chinese authorities have "very helpfully" laid out valuable information such as mortality rates.
The new action plan sets out how government ministers will take every reasonable step to confront the virus, guided by scientific evidence, and ensuring the government is able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
Britain has 51 confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far.
Wall Street tumbled in a volatile session after the Federal Reserve surprised investors with a half percentage-point cut in interest rates, amplifying fears about the magnitude of the coronavirus impact on the economy.
Chairman Jerome Powell noted that the virus "poses evolving risks to economic activity."
Powell says the move is to help bolster the economy amid uncertainties.
"Against this background, the committee judged that the risks to the U.S. outlook have changed materially. In response, we have eased the stance of monetary policy to provide some more support to the economy. Of course, the ultimate solutions to this challenge will come from others, particularly health professionals. We can and will do our part, however, to keep the U.S. economy strong as we meet this challenge."
The head of the World Health Organization says about 3.4 % of confirmed COVID-19 cases have resulted in death, which is far above the seasonal flu's fatality rate of under 1%.
However, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasizes that the coronavirus can be contained.
"COVID-19 spreads less efficiently than flu, transmission does not appear to be driven by people who are not sick, it causes more severe illness than flu, there are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics, and it can be contained."
Ghebreyesus also expressed concern over the risk faced by doctors, nurses and other frontline health workers due to the severe and increasing shortage of protective equipment.
He urged governments to offer incentives to manufacturers and boost the global supplies of such goods by at least 40 percent.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has voiced support for Greece's efforts to safeguard its borders amidst a build-up of thousands of migrants and refugees after Turkey opened its borders to let them through to Europe.
"Those who seek to test Europe's unity will be disappointed. We will hold the line, and our unity will prevail. Now is the time for concerted action and cool heads, and acting based on our values."
Von der Leyen says the EU will provide 700 million euros to Greece and deploy more Frontex guards, sea vessels, aircraft and vehicles to the borders of Greece.
European Council President Charles Michel has called on Turkey to respect a 2016 deal with the European Union in which it agreed to contain the flow of migrants to Europe in exchange for billions of euros in aid.
He also says it's important for Europe to protect its border while showing respect for international law and human rights.
Leaders of the United States and Egypt have discussed ways to resolve the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
The phone call came days after Egypt said it signed a U.S.-brokered deal regarding the rules of filling and operating the dam, and called on Ethiopia and Sudan to follow suit.
U.S. President Donald Trump says his administration will continue to coordinate with the three African countries on the issue until they sign the deal.
