Generate an appropriate single-sentence summary for the given text such that it includes the main topic of the text.

[Q]: The US has been infected by a "political virus" that compels some politicians to repeatedly attack China, Wang Yi told reporters on Sunday. He urged the US to "stop wasting time and stop wasting precious lives" in its response to the Covid-19 outbreak. Tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated as the virus has spread. US President Donald Trump, who faces re-election this year and has been criticised for his handling of the pandemic, has blamed China for trying to cover up the outbreak. But on Sunday, Mr Wang repeated China's assertions that it had acted responsibly to safeguard global public health since the virus first emerged in December. What else did China say? Speaking at an annual news conference during China's parliamentary session, Mr Wang said that "some political forces in the US are taking China-US relations hostage". He did not specify what those forces were, but said they were trying to "push our two countries to the brink of a new Cold War". "Aside from the devastation caused by the novel coronavirus, there is also a political virus spreading through the US," he continued. "This political virus is the use of every opportunity to attack and smear China," he said. "Some politicians completely disregard basic facts and have fabricated too many lies targeting China, and plotted too many conspiracies." But he called for co-operation between Washington and Beijing in tackling the outbreak. "Both of us bear a major responsibility for world peace and development," he said. "China and the United States stand to gain from co-operation, and lose from confrontation." What's the bigger picture here? President Trump and Beijing have traded repeated barbs in recent weeks, on issues from the World Health Organization (WHO) to potential lawsuits against China over its alleged cover-up of the outbreak. The two world powers have experienced longstanding friction over issues such as trade and human rights, but tensions have risen dramatically amid the pandemic. On Sunday, Mr Wang said the suggestion that US states could bring legal action against China was "a daydream" and lacked any precedent. He also defended the WHO and its head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has been the target of recent US criticism. Last week, President Trump accused the WHO of being a "puppet of China" that had let Covid-19 spin "out of control" at the cost of "many lives". He then shared a letter he had sent to Dr Tedros, which outlined specific issues the US had regarding the WHO's Covid-19 response. Dr Tedros has agreed to a review over the agency's handling of the pandemic. But Mr Wang told reporters on Sunday that China fully backed the organisation. "To support the WHO is to support saving lives. This is the choice any country with a conscience should make," he said. He did not say whether international scientists would be permitted to enter China to investigate the outbreak. The WHO has called on Beijing to allow it access to investigate the source. What are the accusations against China? The coronavirus outbreak first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year and was widely reported to have originated in a food market. Since then, however, some senior US politicians have suggested that the source was a research facility in Wuhan that had been carrying out research on bat coronaviruses. China has dismissed the idea. Mr Pompeo said earlier this month that there was "a significant amount of evidence" that the virus came from a laboratory in Wuhan. He later appeared to step back, saying "we know it began in Wuhan, but we don't know from where or from whom". And on Saturday, the director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology told state media that claims that the virus could have leaked from the facility were "pure fabrication". Wang Yanyi said the centre had "isolated and obtained some coronaviruses from bats" but stressed that these were sufficiently different to Covid-19. Last month, senior Chinese diplomat Chen Wen told the BBC that demands for an investigation into the source of the outbreak were politically motivated and that such a move would only divert attention and resources away from fighting the virus.
[A]: China's foreign minister has accused the US of spreading "conspiracies and lies" about the coronavirus, ratcheting up tensions between the two nations.


[Q]: Billy Griffin, 28, was one of eight people, mostly from Manchester, who admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin at a hearing last month. Griffin's sentencing was delayed after he and his sister Lauren Griffin absconded from Hull Crown Court. The pair were later arrested in the Greater Manchester area. Griffin was jailed for four years and 10 months. His sister will be sentenced on Tuesday. The rest of the gang were jailed on 17 December. Their sentences ranged from two years and four months, to nine years and nine months imprisonment. The court heard the gang, from Manchester and one from Louth, Lincolnshire, ran the drugs plot from various addresses across Grimsby between October 2015 and October 2016. More than 1.4kg of Class A drugs were recovered. County lines is the name given to urban drug dealers expanding their activities into smaller towns and rural areas, primarily to supply crack cocaine and heroin to addicts in those locations. According to the National Crime Agency there are currently more than 1,500 lines in operation in the UK. The convicted drugs gang
[A]: A member of a "county lines" gang who fled court before being sentenced has been jailed for dealing drugs on the streets of Grimsby.


[Q]: By Rory ClaydonWake up to Money Rugby Union is played in 119 countries, but only four - England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia - have won the World Cup since it started in 1987. Andy Gomarsall, who played in two World Cups for England, thinks it is hard for newcomers to compete with the funding. He told BBC 5 live that there needs to be a better balance of the money, "When England play to a full house at Twickenham, the expense, the money they make - it doesn't sit well with current and former players that you could be playing Fiji, who are struggling to pay the bills just to get players to the game," he told the Wake Up To Money Business of Sport programme. "It just seems extraordinary that in this day and age this could ever be a possibility." Rugby has a rich pool to pick new host nations from and, according to Deloitte, a potential television reach of four billion. Mick Hogan, executive director of Newcastle Falcons, says: "None of this exists without money and with World Rugby 85% of the money generates comes from the World Cup, and you have to have big games and big showpiece events that fund the game. "What we should be doing is looking longer term and not looking at how much money we need to pay the bills next year. How do we get a tier one nation to actually go and play in Fiji, Tonga or Samoa? It just never, ever happens." One method of promoting the sport in new rugby playing areas includes World Rugby's Beyond Legacy programme, which is aiming to grow broadcast audiences for rugby in Asia, and to get one million new Asian players participating in rugby by 2020. They aim to do this through schemes such as holding rugby lessons in Japanese schools in the host cities of the World Cup and investing in the growth of local teams. Japan pulled off a shock victory over Ireland in their World Cup Pool A game, defeating them 19-12. Su Carty, who sits on the World Rugby council and the committee of the Irish Rugby Football Union, reflected on the defeat, saying: "It was a tough day for the Irish, but an amazing day for Japan and an incredible day for the tournament. "You want teams like Japan coming through and making a statement on the world stage. Their day in the sun isn't done, and they'll be committed to build on that great day against us." In a major change, this year also marks the first time an Asian nation has ever hosted the World Cup, and there is speculation that the United States could bid for the 2027 World Cup, which would be the first time it has ever been hosted in North America. Mr Hogan added: "It proves the value that bringing major tournaments to new areas can do. It really can ignite a passion for the sport in that area - and hopefully we see that in the legacy in five, 10, 20 years' time in Japan and Asia." Hosting the Rugby World Cup could also be a wise investment for a nation new to the sport - with EY estimating that the six-week tournament could bring in £1.5bn to Japan's economy and support 25,000 jobs across the 12 cities hosting matches. Japan has also invested 40bn yen (£290m) on infrastructure. This has included boosting transport links between the cities, and enhancing the stadiums and team camps with the aim of using them for Japan's growing domestic rugby scene after the World Cup has ended. Developing the domestic rugby scene is an important step, especially for Japan as it seeks to capitalise on its continued success. According to Statista, Japan has almost 3,000 recognised clubs with 95,000 active players. Akira Shimazu, head of Japan's rugby organising committee, said that the tournament was "on track to deliver a significant economic legacy for our nation". Japan's continued success could lay the framework for other nations in future tournaments - and with the support of the top tier nations, the Rugby World Cup finals could start seeing other teams making their way to the semi-finals and finals of the World Cup.
[A]:
Too much money is focused on the big nations in rugby union, making it harder for others to reach the top tier, an ex-England international says.


