Duty Editor: Karl Malakunas Tel: +852 2829 6211 -- TOP STORIES -- + Passengers leave Japan virus ship + Jury deliberates in Weinstein trail + US tightens rules on Chinese state media + Climate, poor diet threaten every child: UN + London rapper Dave wins big at the Brit Awards China-health-virus-Japan-ship,WRAP YOKOHAMA Hundreds of relieved passengers disembark a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Japan after testing negative for the disease that has now claimed more than 2,000 lives in China and spread panic worldwide. 800 words 0730 GMT by Miwa Suzuki and Hiroshi Hiyama. Live video. Video. Picture. Graphic. US-entertainment-abuse-trial-Weinstein,WRAP NEW YORK Jurors in ex-Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein's high-profile sex crimes trial end their first day of deliberations without reaching a verdict in the case seen as a watershed in the #MeToo movement. 650 words moved by Thomas Urbain. Picture. Video. Live video US-China-media-diplomacy,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States tightens rules on Chinese state media organizations as it classifies them as foreign missions, decrying what US officials described as Beijing's growing "propaganda." 600 words moved by Shaun Tandon Health-climate-children,WRAP PARIS The world is failing to protect children from the health dangers posed by climate change and poor diet, a landmark UN report says, warning that every child is under "immediate threat". 550 words moved by Patrick Galey. Graphic Entertainment-Britain-music-awards LONDON Breakthrough London rapper Dave wins the top gong at a male-dominated Brit Awards after delivering a politically charged performance at British pop's biggest night. 550 words moved. Picture. Video -- CORONAVIRUS -- China-virus-health-Japan-ship,FOCUS TOKYO Japan faces mounting criticism for its handling of a coronavirus-afflicted cruise ship, with questions over a patchy quarantine, incremental testing and the decision to let people walk away after 14 days. 800 words 0700 GMT by Sara Hussein and Hiroshi Hiyama. Picture. Video Also moved: China-virus-health-Japan-ship-numbers,FACTS HongKong-China-epidemic-virus,FOCUS China-health-virus-Canada-technology,FOCUS TORONTO On the shores of Lake Ontario, a Canadian start-up raised one of the earliest alarms about the risk posed by the mystery virus that emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan. How did it do it? Artificial intelligence. 650 words moved by Olivier Monnier. Picture. Video -- ASIA -- SKorea-social-media-gender,FOCUS SEOUL Under gleamingly bright studio lights, Lee So-jeong reads straight from a teleprompter, rehearsing her lines ahead of the primetime newscast for South Korea's national public broadcaster, KBS. 700 words moved by Kang Jin-kyu. Picture. Video India-entertainment-film-Bollywood-gay-Khurrana,FOCUS MUMBAI, India A foot-tapping sequin-doused disco number, a hot-pink wedding, and a kiss between the two male leads: Bollywood's latest release, billed as India's first gay romcom, is making no bones about its subject matter. 700 words moved by Udita Jhunjhunwala. File Picture -- AMERICAS -- US-politics-vote-Nevada-debate,FOCUS LAS VEGAS Michael Bloomberg joins fellow US presidential candidates for the first time on the Democratic debate stage Wednesday and will face incoming fire from rivals unnerved, even angered, by his increasing prominence in the race. 800 words 0530 GMT by Mark Ralston with Michael Mathes in Washington. File Picture US-Scouts-justice-bankruptcy,WRAP WASHINGTON The Boy Scouts of America files for bankruptcy in what it says is an effort to safeguard compensation payouts for sexual abuse victims. 650 words moved. File picture US-Russia-Venezuela-politics-sanction-oil,WRAP WASHINGTON The United States imposes sanctions against a subsidiary of Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosneft over its key role in Venezuela, stepping up international pressure to break leftist President Nicolas Maduro's grip on power. 600 words moved by Shaun Tandon -- EUROPE -- Turkey-rights-trial,WRAP SILIVRI, Turkey Turkish prosecutors issue a new arrest warrant against rights defender Osman Kavala a few hours after he and other leading civil society figures are acquitted in a highly contested trial over the anti-government "Gezi Park" protests of 2013. 700 words moved by Fulya Ozerkan. Picture. Video Italy-archaeology-Pompeii,SCENE POMPEII, Italy The world-famous archeological site of Pompeii has finished a massive five-year maintenance and renovation project aimed at shoring up the delicate, crumbling ruins in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. 600 words moved by Alexandria Sage. Picture. Video Germany-politics-racism-internet,WRAP BERLIN With growing dangers from far-right extremist groups and torrents of threats against politicians, Germany is set to toughen online speech laws and tighten the screws on social networks. 650 words moved by Mathieu Foulkes -- MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA -- Libya-conflict-UN-diplomacy,WRAP TRIPOLI Libya's unity government announces it will halt its participation in UN talks aimed at brokering a lasting ceasefire in the war-torn country where a fragile truce has been repeatedly violated. 500 words moved Syria-conflict,WRAP BEIRUT Syrian troops press an offensive on the last rebel enclave in the country where record displacement figures are sparking fears of an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. 800 words moved by Jean-Marc Mojon. Picture. Video Also moved: Syria-conflict-numbers,FACTS Israel-politics-trial,WRAP JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial will open on March 17, just two weeks after the embattled leader tries to secure re-election, officials say. 550 words moved. File picture Iran-vote-boycott-opposition,FOCUS PARIS Opponents of Iran's theocratic leadership are urging an outright boycott of its parliamentary elections, arguing that it is anything but democratic and that casting a ballot serves only to bolster the country's Islamic rulers. 800 words moved by Stuart Williams -- AFRICA -- Senegal-China-economy-commodities-peanuts,FOCUS SANGUIL, Senegal Large peanut orders from Chinese traders have cut Senegal's traditional selling season short this year, rewarding farmers with fat profits but leaving local buyers with slim pickings. 800 words moved by Malick Ba. Picture. Video -- BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY -- US-earnings-retail-epidemic-Walmart,WRAP NEW YORK American retail giant Walmart did not have a merry Christmas as disappointing toy and clothing sales hit the chain's bottom line, and though the epidemic in China is affecting shipments the company said it is too early to calculate the impact. 700 words moved by Luc Olinga EU-technology-AI,FACTS BRUSSELS From translation apps to facial recognition, artificial intelligence is becoming a major part of everyday life and the European Union is eager to bring order to this digital "wild west" where the US and China dominate. 650 words moved by Alex Pigman. Videographics, Picture, Video afp