The coronavirus outbreak has continued to dominate the news this week, with more than 100,000 infections reported worldwide and almost 3,500 deaths.
Governments are stepping up efforts to contain the epidemic, with scores of high-profile events cancelled and travel restrictions and lockdowns put in place. The authorities in Italy, the worst-hit country outside of Asia, have taken the “prudent decision” to close all schools and universities until mid March, Education Minister Lucia Azzolina announced on Wednesday.
To find out how closely you’ve been paying attention to the unfolding crisis and other global events, put your knowledge to the test with our Quiz of The Week.
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Need a reminder about the other big stories over the past seven days?
In the US, former vice-president Joe Biden stormed ahead in the race to decide the next Democratic presidential nominee, claiming ten of the 14 states up for grabs on so-called Super Tuesday.
Biden and and left-wing Vermont senator Bernie Sanders are now the only two remaining candidates vying to take on Donald Trump in the presidential election in November, after Mike Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren dropped out of the contest.
Meanwhile, political analysts have given a caution welcome to a new ceasefire in the northwest Syrian province of Idlib, under a deal struck by Russia and Turkey following more than six hours of talks in Moscow.
In UK news, Brexit negotiations with the EU began in Brussels, with the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier warning of “serious divergences” between the two side over the contents of a future trade deal.
The National Audit Office revealed that the UK government had spent more than £4bn on Brexit preparations.
