The US President Donald Trump announced early Friday that he and the First Lady, Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19.

“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER,” Trump announced.

The thrilling announcement came as COVID-19 pandemic takes center stage among the issues trailing the US presidential election.

Trump’s physician, Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley, wrote in a memo in early morning hours of Friday, that the President and First Lady’s results were confirmed positive.

“The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.

“The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions.

“Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any further developments,” Conley wrote without giving details of the kind of assistance that will be given.

The development came after Trump announced that White House counselor Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus. Hicks, who has frequently traveled with Trump became one among several persons from the White House to test positive for COVID-19.

“Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for COVID-19,” Trump said shortly before announcing that he is positive.

Trump and Hicks have been notably indignant about COVID-19 safety measures, including mask wearing. The President has also denounced the recommendations by his own medical advisers and go about rallies and fundraising without taking cautionary measures. The president has also repeatedly mocked Democratic presidential election nominee, Joe Biden for putting on a mask.

Trump has also touted hydroxychloroquine and bleach as possible cure for the virus, pushing a widely publicized notion that questioned medical studies and experts’ findings. The President who continues to question the handling of the pandemic by health authorities, including the WHO, also downplayed the impact, insisting the US is “rounding the corner” on the disease even though the reality tells a different tragic story.

Over 7 million Americans have been infected and more than 200,000 have died of the virus so far.

However, the development has changed the election schedule and the White House has made changes to reflect the reality, including the cancellation of a fundraising event billed to take place in Washington on Friday and a campaign rally in Florida.

The presidential election is barely 30 days away and as political events are rapping up for D-Day, the development has ushered in unprecedented chaos. Trump will be quarantined for 15 days, which means he will miss among other political events, the second presidential debate scheduled for October 15.

The news also came with reverberating concern that the election may be further disrupted. Trump 74, falls in the category of ‘high risk’ as being in the old-age bracket makes him more vulnerable to the virus.

His getting infected also undermines his efforts to reopen the schools. Earlier, Trump had expressed concern that his aides getting infected would discredit his push for the reopening of the economy. With the number of packed rallies and events he has been to so far, there is concern that more White House staff have been exposed to the virus.

On the other side of the chaos is the stock market. US stock futures fell on the news and the Treasury yield dipped as a wave of risk aversion swept markets following the development. Though experts said the initial risk-off moves were a knee-jerk reaction, the development could result in a new wave of market volatility as investors ready for the November election.

The impact of Trump’s exposure on the stock market will be determined in the coming weeks, based mainly on how the virus spreads around the White House.

The European Union is taking legal action against the UK for breaching the Brexit agreement they both reached last year.

Early last month, Brandon Lewis, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, hinted that the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government are preparing a legislation that will “break international law in a very specific and limited way” and alter some of the contents of the Brexit deal.

Part of the move involves altering the Northern Ireland protocol, which includes keeping the border open between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which was part of the agreement reached between Johnson’s government and Brussels last year.

The move by the UK government has tension flaring between London and Brussels and drew international condemnation, with the United States’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warning that it could impact the US’ trade relationship with the UK. One EU diplomat, who spoke on anonymity told CNN last month: “If the UK chose not to respect it, then theoretically the EU would have to take legal measures.”

Now the EU is living up to that statement by taking legal steps to address the matter. The President of EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said part of the steps the EU has taken to address the matter is inviting the UK to “remove the problematic arts of their draft internal market bill by the end of September.”

She added that “the draft bill is by its very nature a breach of the obligation of good faith laid down in the Withdrawal Agreement, and will be in full contradiction of the Northern Ireland Protocol.”

The Northern Protocol means that the only land border between the UK and EU on the island of Ireland will remain open and there’ll be no need for border checks. The UK legislation will mean border checks that could rekindle the past history of violence between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The explanation given by the UK said the legislation is geared toward fostering seamless trade between four UK nations in case they reach a no deal Brexit at the end of the year. That means, it may not have to use the legislation if a deal is reached.

However, the legislation, being a breach of existing agreement couldn’t be ignored by the EU. The Commission therefore, writes a letter of formal notice to the UK, a standing procedure for the body in any case of infringement, to notify them of its stand.

“The letter invites the UK government to send its observations within a month and besides this the Commission will continue to work hard towards full and timely implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement. We stand by our commitment,” von der Leyen concluded.

While the EU awaits response, the trade talks between London and Brussels are entering its final phase. CNN reported that the last formal round of talks are taking place right now and an EU summit will take place on October 15, where negotiators hope a deal will be on the table for EU leaders to approve.

The two sides are more likely to reach a deal, though there are disagreements over key issues that revolve around ‘UK’s ability to use state aid in order to prop up British businesses.’ According to the report, the EU says this could give British companies an unfair advantage over EU companies.

Among many other issues of dispute are fishing rights and governance. As the conflict of interest grows, both sides are also preparing for a no deal which will mean the UK sticking to its legislation and the EU proceeding with legal action.

As the UK nears its one-month deadline for response, the barrage of conflicting issues from both sides of the negotiation forays uncertainties. CNN reported that the timeline for the UK’s response to the EU’s letter means a deal could be reached in the meantime. But there is a danger, the report noted. There is increasing concern over what each side could concede on, and only a few people know exactly what either side could let go of.

So the negotiation could swirl unprecedentedly from a deal to a no deal by default, and getting a deal will mean that one side will have to yield, which means moving the dial to favor one side.