Lebanon’s new government held its first meeting on Wednesday, a day after it was formed following a three-month-long political vacuum. But even as the government convened, protesters briefly closed off major roads in and around Beirut, denouncing it as a rubber stamp for the same political parties they blame for widespread corruption.

Olympic qualifying games for the women?s soccer tournament were moved Wednesday from Wuhan, China, because of an outbreak of a viral illness.

Britain officially leaves the European Union on Jan. 31 after a debilitating political period that has bitterly divided the nation since the 2016 Brexit referendum.

About 450 cases of a new viral respiratory illness have been confirmed in China and elsewhere since an outbreak began last month in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Nine people have died. Scientists have identified the illness as a new kind of coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which cause the common cold. Others have evolved into more severe illnesses, such as SARS and MERS, although so far the new virus does not appear to be nearly as deadly or contagious.

High court judge Katerina Sakellaropoulou has been elected as Greece’s first female president with an overwhelming majority in a parliamentary vote.

Local residents, business owners and officials have launched a day of protest on the Greek islands hardest hit by migration, demanding that the Greek government ease the severe overcrowding at refugee camps.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen urged China on Wednesday to release all information about the outbreak of a new virus and work with Taiwan on curbing its spread.

Masked gunmen on Wednesday ambushed and killed the local commander of a paramilitary security force in southwestern Iran, an associate of Iran’s top general recently killed in an American drone strike in Baghdad, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Tennys Sandgren was looking in great shape for a big upset at the Australian Open after building a massive lead against No. 8 seed Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday.

DAVOS, Switzerland ? Hopes are rising that a breakthrough in discussions on how to tax digital companies will emerge at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.