BEIJING: China and South Korea pledged to boost trade and safeguard regional stability today during an official meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Lee Jae Myung.

As Mr Xi hosted Mr Lee at the Great Hall of the People, the Chinese president stressed the two countries’ “important responsibilities in maintaining regional peace and promoting global development.”

Mr Lee spoke about opening “a new chapter in the development of Korea-China relations” during “changing times.”

FRANCE: A Paris court found 10 people guilty today of cyberbullying France’s first lady, Brigitte Macron, by spreading false online claims about her gender and sexuality, including allegations that she was born a male.

One defendant was sentenced to six months in prison, while eight were handed suspended sentences between four and eight months. All 10 were ordered to attend cyberbullying awareness training.

The court pointed to “particularly degrading, insulting and malicious” comments referring to false claims suggesting that Brigitte Macron was transgender and a paedophile.

SIX COUNTIES: More than 200 schools in Northern Ireland were closed and transport disrupted following a weekend of snow and low temperatures.

Weather warnings remained in place across Ireland on Monday after many woke up to find fresh snow had fallen overnight following a cold weekend.

The lowest temperature recorded was minus 7°C in Katesbridge, Co Down.

The north appeared to have been most severely affected with some 210 schools closed according to the Education Authority, and some flights cancelled at Belfast City Airport and Belfast International Airport.

US: The Trump administration has added seven countries, including five in Africa, to the list of nations whose passport holders are required to post bonds of up to $15,000 (£11,000) to apply to enter the country.

The State Department last week quietly added Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan to the list.

Those designations took effect on January 1.