Impeachment trial rules approved, oral arguments up next

Lawmakers approve McConnell’s resolution paving the way for oral arguments [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( The Senate has approved the rules for US President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, paving the way for oral arguments today. And, a coronavirus outbreak is spreading, with 17 people dead and more than 400 cases confirmed in Asia and now in the US. Also, Terry Jones, the Monty Python star, has died. He was 77. --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Lawmakers approve resolution paving the way for oral arguments [Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks to his office from the Senate Chamber during a break in the opening arguments of US President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial, Jan. 21, 2020.]( Credit: Tom Brenner /Reuters The US Senate voted early this morning [to approve the rules for Trump's impeachment trial](, blocking efforts over the course of 12 hours by Democrats to subpoena records and witnesses. In just the third presidential impeachment trial in US history, lawmakers voted along party lines, 53 to 47, to ratify a resolution that sets out the trial rules — there will be 48 hours of opening arguments, 24 hours for each side over six days — and paves the way for oral arguments today starting at 1 p.m. ET. Timeline: [What’s happening in the impeachment trial in the Senate]( Also: [Senate Democrats privately mull witness trade in impeachment trial]( Watch live The World will be [streaming the impeachment proceedings live here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a smart speaker? Listen to The World's new show called [The Number in the News](! We produce The Number in the News daily from our studio in Boston. Host Bianca Hillier will tell you one number you won’t forget and why it’s the news today. Add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google news briefing. 17 deaths confirmed in China coronavirus outbreak With [17 people now confirmed dead](, health authorities in China and around the world are stepping up efforts to control an outbreak of a new flu-like coronavirus. There are more than 400 confirmed cases that have spread from China to Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, and yesterday a case was reported in [Washington State in the US](. The World Health Organization is expected to hold an emergency meeting to determine whether the outbreak constitutes a global health emergency. Also: [What is coronavirus and how worried should we be?]( US psychologist who used torture testifies for first time in open court Psychologist James Mitchell first met Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a secret, overseas CIA prison in 2003, where Mitchell was part of a team that tortured him. Mohammed was waterboarded more than 180 times. Yesterday, Mitchell walked into a military courtroom in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to testify about his work. Julia Hall, a human rights attorney with Amnesty International, was in the courtroom yesterday. She [told The World]( that Mitchell was asked about his book called "Enhanced Interrogation." “From a human rights lawyer's point of view, [the book] is an admission that they developed the program,” Hall said. “The program included waterboarding, confinement in small boxes and walling, which is a form of feeding. And those are all torture techniques. Dr. Mitchell has never testified in open court before. This is the first time that is happening down here at Guantánamo.” Also: [5 things to know about Guantanamo Bay on its 115th birthday]( Remembering Monty Python star Terry Jones Terry Jones, one of the British Monty Python comedy team,[has died at the age of 77](. Jones was one of the creators of Monty Python's Flying Circus and he co-directed the group’s first film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" with fellow Python Terry Gilliam. He also directed the subsequent films "Life of Brian" and "The Meaning of Life." Jones had long suffered from a rare form of dementia, FTD. Growing Food, Sowing Trouble [A field of young corn with a plant in the background.]( Credit: Joe Wertz/Center for Public Integrity Today we’re launching a series called “[Growing Food, Sowing Trouble](” with two other newsrooms, the Center for Public Integrity and Grist. We’re investigating how the world’s [overuse of fertilizer harms the climate]( and endangers the public, even as farmers in some countries — [largely in Africa]( — struggle with fertilizer access and low crop yields. You’ll see more stories over the next week. If you like supporting ambitious joint reporting on projects like this, sign up for the Center for Public Integrity’s newsletter [here]( and Grist's newsletters [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's meme There is growing outrage in Suzhou, a city of six million people west of Shanghai in China after authorities there used facial recognition technology to crack down on "uncivilized behavior." Their alleged infraction? — [wearing pajamas in public](. Reuters contributed to this newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Impeachment summary]( - [Huawei executive’s extradition trial]( - [What’s a WUMAO anyway?]( - [Climate refugees]( - [World Economic Forum]( - [UK-Africa investment summit]( - [Psychologist who designed CIA torture program testifies]( - [‘Earth sandwich’ made by two men on opposite ends of the world]( - [Iranian student deported against federal judges’ orders]( - [Impeachment]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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