The essential news in 8 stories: from Xi's Davos speech to Gambia's state of emergency

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Xi urges world to reject protectionism in Davos

Chinese President Xi Jinping (3rd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (4th R) sit next to Swiss President Doris Leuthard (2nd R) prior to delivering a speech during the first day of the World Economic Forum, on January 17, 2017 in Davos. /AFP Photo

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the world to reject protectionism and work together to adapt to economic globalization in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday. Xi acknowledged that economic globalization was a double-edged sword but stressed that blaming it for the world’s problems is inconsistent with reality and unhelpful to solving the problems. “Many of the problems faced by the world are not caused by economic globalization,” he said, adding “Say no to protectionism... No one will emerge as a winner in a trade war.”

Nigeria air strike hits camp by mistake, kills 50

People walk at the site after a bombing attack of an internally displaced persons camp in Rann, Nigeria January 17, 2017. /CFP Photo

At least 50 people were killed and 120 injured on Tuesday when a Nigerian air force strike hit a displaced persons’ camp near the border with Cameroon, according to aid organization Medecins sans Frontieres. The Nigerian military said the camp, in the northeastern city of Rann, was bombed by mistake and the strike was actually targeting Boko Haram extremists. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari expressed regret over the bombing. Among the dead were several aid workers.

US would win trade war with China, says Trump adviser

‍Assistant to the US President-elect Donald Trump Anthony Scaramucci on the opening day of the World Economic Forum, on January 17, 2017 in Davos. /CFP Photo

The war of words between China and the US continues ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Friday. One of his closest advisers Anthony Scaramucci told the BBC on Tuesday that the US would win any trade war between the two countries. If Beijing hits back at US tariffs on imports, it will “cost them way more” than it would Washington, Scaramucci said. This came as Xi warned against protectionism in Davos. Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs of up to 45 percent on China after he takes office. Outgoing US Vice-President Joe Biden meanwhile said it was in the interests of the US and China to have a stable cooperative relationship, in a meeting with Xi in Davos.

May vows UK will leave EU single market

British Prime Minister Theresa May delivers a speech on the government's plans for Brexit at Lancaster House in London on January 17, 2017. /CFP Photo

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said Tuesday for the first time that Britain will leave the European single market, and warned the EU not to impose harsh terms on the country as it negotiates its exit. This was the first time she was so explicit about the UK’s plans for leaving the bloc. May said Britain needed to control immigration from Europe and her plans “cannot mean membership of the single market.” After the Brexit referendum last summer, there was much speculation about what it actually meant, with some arguing the UK could leave the European Union but still have access to the single market, which allows the free movement of goods and services.

Obama commutes Manning’s sentence

This file photo taken on July 30, 2013 shows US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning leaving a military court facility after hearing his verdict in the trial at Fort Meade, Maryland. /CFP Photo

US President Barack Obama commuted on Tuesday the 35-year sentence of transgender soldier Chelsea Manning for leaking classified documents, as one of his last acts in office. Manning – born as Bradley Manning - was convicted in 2013 on espionage and other charges for handing some 700,000 classified US military and diplomatic documents to Wikileaks. The 29-year-old will now be released in May. Wikileaks welcomed the news. In all, Obama commuted 209 sentences and granted 64 pardons on Tuesday.

China to deploy earthquake monitoring satellite

A NASA satellite image of eastern China. /CFP Photo

China plans to launch a satellite later this year to help better monitor earthquakes, the country’s earthquake administrative agency said Tuesday. The satellite, to be launched in the second half of the year, will gather electromagnetic data used in monitoring and predicting seismic activity, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the earthquake administration. It will be China’s first space-based earthquake research platform and should remain in orbit for five years, the report said.

State of emergency in Gambia as Jammeh refuses to step down

This file photo taken on November 24, 2016 in Brikama shows Gambia's incumbent President Yahya Jammeh (C) greeted by supporters as he arrives at a campaign rally ahead of the December 1 presidential election. /CFP Photo

Gambia’s outgoing president Yahya Jammeh declared a state of the emergency on Tuesday, just days before he was to step down. Jammeh, who has ruled the African state for 22 years, initially accepted the results of December elections that saw his opponent Adama Barrow win, but later filed an appeal with the Supreme Court. The UN, African Union and Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS have all called for Jammeh to go peacefully. Several of his ministers have also resigned, according to reports. Barrow, who was due to be inaugurated on Thursday, is currently in Senegal. The state of emergency is expected to last for 90 days.

Diabetes cuts 9 years out of people’s lives in China: study

A doctor in a district hospital in Rizhao, Shandong Province, examines a diabetes patient on January 12, 2017. /CFP Photo

People with diabetes in China live on average nine years less than those without the disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. This was mostly due to poor treatment, the study, which followed 500,000 people over seven years, found. Urban populations were more affected than rural ones and the mortality rate from various diseases was also twice as high for those with diabetes than those without it. Diabetes has quadrupled in China over the past few decades, with some 100 million people now believed to be affected.