Iowa caucuses: A guide to the first US state to vote

The 2020 election is about to begin so here’s an unconventional guide to the first US state to vote.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3aVAqWJ

News Quiz: Kobe Bryant, Middle East Peace Plan, Grammy Awards

By Compiled by CHRIS STANFORD, WILL DUDDING and ANNA SCHAVERIEN from NYT Briefing https://nyti.ms/2tjz1Z5

¿Cómo viven con tantos virus los murciélagos?

By JAMES GORMAN from NYT en Español https://nyti.ms/2GHN1yL

U.K. Leaves E.U., Embarking On an Uncertain Future

By THE NEW YORK TIMES from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2S92uNB

What Does It Mean to Have a Serious Drinking Problem?

By NANCY WARTIK from NYT Sunday Review https://nyti.ms/2OfnLEo

I Am 35 and Running Faster Than I Ever Thought Possible

By LINDSAY CROUSE from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/398Xvnd

Teens Find a Big Loophole in the New Flavored Vaping Ban

By SHEILA KAPLAN from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/2GKo8Ta

Christopher Hasson: White supremacist Coast Guard officer jailed for 13 years

Christopher Hasson, a former lieutenant, was arrested last year after stockpiling weapons.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S7IvPp

How Democrats and Republicans Voted on Witnesses in the Trump Impeachment Trial

By ALICIA PARLAPIANO, WEIYI CAI, LAUREN LEATHERBY, BLACKI MIGLIOZZI, JUGAL K. PATEL, JOE WARD, JEREMY WHITE and KAREN YOURISH from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/37OmD1Y

Leila Janah, Entrepreneur Who Hired the Poor, Dies at 37

By RICHARD SANDOMIR from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2GMdYRK

Black and in the police: 'I've been called a traitor'

Here's how black police officers are dealing with the stigma, like Love Island's Mike Boateng.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S5Qz3i

Kashmir avalanche: 'My baby's toy torch saved me from death'

Shakila was buried for hours under deep snow in Kashmir, hoping her daughter was alive.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/31d4LeV

Lina Ben Mhenni: The woman who blogged Tunisia's revolution

"Freedom, better education and health: that's all we wanted," one of Lina Ben Mhenni's friends says.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/31iD3NY

Australia fires: How a unique slug species survived

The bright pink species is only found in a small habitat in Australia, experts say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Oxgq3d

Amazon rainforest: The 90-year-old trying to stop destruction

Newsnight was given rare access to a once-in-a-generation meeting of indigenous groups trying to save the Amazon.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GKkXuy

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Senate votes to approve final framework for Trump impeachment trial, scheduling final verdict vote for Wednesday of next week.

01/31/20 4:58 PM

Kobe Bryant helicopter firm was not allowed to fly in fog

Island Express Helicopters was restricted to flying in clear conditions, officials say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37LsS6J

Could you handle the most remote campsite on earth?

Take a look inside an Antarctic campsite and find out how they survive.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/38UzFLF

Brexit: Europeans look to uncertain future as UK leaves EU

Europeans from across the EU share their thoughts about what will change in their relationship with the UK.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36Iqk8n

New world news from Time: American Evacuated from Wuhan Ordered Into Quarantine After Trying to Leave California Military Base

(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) — Jarred Evans, a professional football player in China, is used to wearing a helmet and shoulder pads. But in the wake of a deadly viral outbreak, he’s switched to a mask and medical gloves.

“When you’re dealing with life and death, it’s a whole different ball game,” he said in a telephone interview Thursday.

Evans, 27, was one of 195 Americans evacuated from the city of Wuhan and flown to March Air Reserve Base in Southern California until authorities confirm they don’t have the coronavirus that has sickened thousands and killed more than 170 people.

Most cases are in China, but the outbreak has spread to more than a dozen countries, and the World Health Organization declared a global emergency Thursday.

The U.S. on Thursday confirmed the country’s first case of person-to-person spread of the virus, a man who is married to a Chicago woman in her 60s who got sick after she returned from a trip to Wuhan.

Evans and the other evacuees, including children ranging from around a year old to about 13, are staying at the sprawling base where they received a battery of blood tests and were given nose, throat and mouth swabs, Evans said. Some test results won’t be back for a week, he added.

While the surroundings are fairly comfortable, Evans said Thursday that he and others are still being cautious about mingling.

“I’m still wearing my mask and I’m still wearing my gloves,” he said in a telephone interview. “We’re still not knowing who has it. I’m still taking major precautions. You don’t know whether you’re in the clear.”

“Today a lot of kids were enjoying the weather,” he said, and the base provided scooters, bikes, footballs and soccer balls for them to play with.

But at dinnertime, Evans added, “everyone’s getting their food and going right back to their rooms.”

Those being held at the base 60 miles (96 kilometers) east of Los Angeles arrived Wednesday morning. They aren’t required to stay but had agreed to remain for at least 72 hours. Officials also can quarantine any of those evacuated on a case-by-case basis.

That happened to another American who tried to leave Wednesday night.

Officials in Riverside County ordered the person quarantined for two weeks unless medically cleared sooner, said Jose Arballo Jr., a spokesman for the county’s public health agency.

The order was issued “as a result of the unknown risk to the public” because the person had not undergone a complete health evaluation, the agency said.

It can take up to 14 days for someone who is infected to develop symptoms, health officials believe. None of the Americans housed at base have shown symptoms of the virus since their arrival, Arballo said.

Evans said he would remain until testing shows he is free of the virus.

He is a professional quarterback who moved to Wuhan several years ago to play in a Chinese football league.

The city of 11 million people felt joyful, he said, with residents getting ready for the Lunar New Year.

Then, in a matter of days, “it turned into chaos” as news broke of the rapidly expanding coronavirus outbreak. Suddenly, Evans said, people were swarming pharmacies and stores to get masks and disinfectant spray.

Friends translated the news for Evans, who speaks no Chinese.

“I stocked up on rice, noodles, water, anything that could help me survive for a week or two,” Evans said.

The Chinese government shut down the city. Buses, trains, taxis, and personal cars were banned. The military patrolled some streets.

“That’s when people, honestly, stayed locked in their homes,” Evans said.

He compared the deserted city to an Old West ghost town.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he said. “Imagine new York city being shut down. I was completely scared at first, because I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen. I don’t speak the language, and my family is so far away.”

Evans holed up in his home for a week and a half until he received the news that the U.S. Embassy was evacuating its diplomats and their families and other U.S. citizens.

He was notified that a chartered flight was carrying some of the 1,000 or so Americans in Wuhan back to the United States. The flight was coming in the next day.

Evans said he was told, “If you can make it there, you’re on the flight.”

“It was a race against time,” he said.

Evans found an acquaintance who drove him to the airport. The embassy notified Chinese authorities of the license plate number so he could pass through the guarded streets.

Evans said he was No. 171 out of 195 people permitted on board.

On the plane were two men in full hazardous material suits, who warned them about the seriousness of the outbreak. Nobody appeared sick but all of the passengers decided to wear masks throughout the flight, Evans said.

The plane flew to Anchorage, where the passengers had health screenings, and then landed at March Reserve Air Base on Wednesday morning. The U.S. arrival was joyful, Evans said.

“We were clapping, smiling, laughing … there were cheers,” he said.

Once he is cleared, Evans intends to visit his family. Then it’s on to Switzerland, where is signed to play with the Bern Grizzlies this year. But he would like to return to Wuhan when the coronavirus outbreak recedes.

“The community is amazing, the people in Wuhan are amazing. China is a beautiful place,” he said.

But the threat of the deadly disease has left its mark.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” Evans said. “The weirdest thing is the threat of man. You can actually get this virus by shaking hands.”

“I’m a very hands-on person,” he said, “And for me to be quiet and not to interact with others has been one of the hurtful things that I have to do. But to protect myself, I have to do it.”

They Wanted a Multigenerational Home in Brooklyn. Which Apartment Did They Choose?

By JOYCE COHEN from NYT Real Estate https://nyti.ms/3aWz4uB

As Coronavirus Spreads, So Does Anti-Chinese Sentiment

By MOTOKO RICH from NYT World https://nyti.ms/36HU3hB

Bernie Sanders, and How Indian Food Can Predict Vote Choice

By LYNN VAVRECK from NYT The Upshot https://nyti.ms/2RIS48D

To Understand the Wuhan Coronavirus, Look to the Epidemic Triangle

By DAN WERB from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/38RqJGQ

Trump Administration Moves to Relax Rules Against Killing Birds

By LISA FRIEDMAN from NYT Climate https://nyti.ms/37My5ew

Mask Hoarders May Raise Risk of a Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S.

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/38SZITn

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Key senator comes out against impeachment trial witnesses

01/30/20 8:11 PM

Wilbur Ross says Coronavirus could boost US jobs

US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross says firms may bring production back to the US in response to the virus.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UdxAX0

New world news from Time: Mexican Activist Who Devoted His Life to Protecting Monarch Butterflies Found Dead Near Forest Preserve

(OCAMPO, Mexico) — Relatives of an anti-logging activist who was found dead don’t know whether he was slain or died accidentally, but they said Thursday that they are sure of one thing: Something bad is happening to human rights and environmental activists in Mexico, and people are afraid.

The body of Homero Gómez González was discovered Wednesday in a holding pond near the mountain forest reserve that he long protected, where monarch butterflies spend the winter. Authorities in Michoacan state are conducting tests to determine the cause of death, though a prosecutor said there was no initial sign of trauma.

“Something strange is happening, because they’re finishing off all the activists, the people who are doing something for society,” said Amado Gomez, the dead man’s brother.

The threadbare clothes of the mourners and the few candles and simple floral arrangements at Gómez Gonzalez’ funeral underlined the tough background of the struggle being played out in the butterflies’ winter nesting grounds, where the creatures shelter in the tall pine and fir forests.

Grinding poverty and gang violence fuel twin threats to the butterfly reserve — illegal logging and encroaching plantations of avocados. The latter is the only legal crop that provides a decent income in this region.

For the last decade, Gomez Gonzàlez fought to keep loggers out of the reserve, leading marches, demonstrations and anti-logging patrols. He tried to persuade the government to increase the meager stipend that local farmers receive for preserving trees.

He also worked to convince about 260 fellow communal land owners that they should replant trees on land cleared for corn plots. By local accounts, he managed to reforest about 150 hectares (370 acres) of previously cleared land.

Like other places in the world, increasingly scarce water also plays a role in the conflict. Gomez Gonzàlez and other communal land owners had asked the nearby town of Angangueo for payments in return for water they receive from clear mountain streams that survive only because the forests are protected.

His death has sparked fears among fellow activists who didn’t have his education and public speaking skills.

“A lot of the communal land owners fear that with his death, the forests are finished,” said Amado Gómez.

“I would like to ask the authorities to do their job and do more to protect activists like my brother, because lately in Mexico a lot of activists have died,” he said. “With his death, not only my family lost a loved one; but the whole world, and the monarch butterfly and the forests lost, too.”

International organizations have drawn attention to attacks on environmental activists and conservationists in Mexico in recent years.

London-based Global Witness counted 15 killings of environmental activists in Mexico in 2017 and 14 in 2018. In an October 2019 report, Amnesty International said that 12 had been killed in the first nine months of that year.

On Thursday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador described Gomez Gonzàlez’s death as “regrettable” and “painful.”

“It’s part of what leads us to apply ourselves more every day to guarantee peace and tranquility in the country,” López Obrador said. There were 35,588 homicides in Mexico in 2019, a new record, but a total that rose at a lower annual rate than recent years.

The activist’s relatives had reported him missing Jan. 14, after not seeing him since the previous evening at a traditional celebration.

His body was found in a small agricultural reservoir in Ocampo, state prosecutor Adrián López Solís said. The pond is approximately 32 feet square and 20 feet deep, but only about half full of water, and is on land adjoining property where Gómez González attended the party.

An initial review of Gómez’s body showed no signs of trauma, López Solís said at a news conference Wednesday. An autopsy was being performed to determine the cause of death.

The prosecutor said Gómez’s relatives had received a ransom call demanding money, but an investigation determined it was not credible and just an attempt to extort money.

While the circumstances of the death remain unclear, Greenpeace Mexico issued a statement calling it a “murder.”

“We condemn the fact that defending the land, natural resources and biodiversity converts activists into targets for threats, persecution and the cowardly act of taking their lives,” the group said.

Activists in Mexico said the death could be related to disputes over illegal logging, water or income from visitors’ fees to the El Rosario butterfly reserve. Gómez González was the head of the reserve’s management council.

López Obrador raised criminality surrounding illegal logging. “It’s tied to criminal organizations and we’re working on this,” he said.

Millions of monarchs come to the forests of Michoacan and other nearby areas after making the 3,400-mile (5,500-kilometer) migration from the United States and Canada. They need healthy tree cover to protect them from rain and cold weather.

Mexico has clamped down on illegal logging, which was once a major threat to the reserves but which has fallen to about one-third last year’s level. But there have been reports of increased “salvage” logging of supposedly sick trees.

Orley Taylor, an ecology professor at the University of Kansas and director of Monarch Watch, said it wasn’t immediately clear what impact Gómez González’s death would have on conservation efforts in the reserve.

“There are increasing pressures on the forest from both the illegal loggers and the avocado growers and possibly the gangs that extort protection from various parties in the region,” Taylor said. “This dynamic is widely known, but how to deal with these threats to the forests, residents and monarchs will be a challenge for the (Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve), its residents and local and regional authorities.

Hostage-taker in India shot dead at fake children’s party

Indian police kill a man who arranged a birthday party for his daughter, then took 20 hostages.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36KFZns

Australia fires: State of emergency declared for Canberra region

Huge bushfires are raging near Canberra in the worst threat to the region since 2003, officials say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3aQ8xPE

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

State Department: 'Do not travel' to China as coronavirus outbreak spreads

01/30/20 6:12 PM

Trump impeachment: All eyes on moderate Republicans in witnesses battle

Moderate Republican senators are expected to announce their decisions in key witnesses debate.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2UdcuIi

Shane Fitzsimmons: 'Tireless' fire chief steering Australians through disaster

Fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons has worked tirelessly and "masterfully" to save lives, close observers say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GDs0VZ

Claudia Andujar: A glimpse of Yanomami life in the jungle

A gallery of Claudia Andujar's photographs of Yanomami tribespeople

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37Hzjbb

Iowa caucuses: Nine unusual things about the Democratic race

Democrats are deciding who they want to take on Trump - and it can be a noisy, chaotic process.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37IyLSm

Censorship claims emerge as TikTok gets political in India

A TikTok influencer says his videos on Hindu-Muslim unity have triggered censorship on the app.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Oc03c7

Making beautiful colours without toxic chemicals

Dyeing clothes uses a lot of water and chemicals, but new tech is drawing on nature for colours.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2O9OBxu

Coronavirus: Why are we catching more diseases from animals?

Climate change is shifting our relationship with the animal kingdom and helping diseases evolve.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3aYCygc

W.H.O. Declares Global Emergency as Wuhan Coronavirus Spreads

By SUI-LEE WEE, DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. and JAVIER C. HERNÁNDEZ from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/2RGhJ1t

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

PROGRAMMING ALERT: Sen. Rand Paul talks impeachment fight on 'The Story,' 7 pm ET

01/30/20 3:52 PM

US-Mexico border: 'Longest ever' smuggling tunnel discovered

The tunnel had rail track, drainage and air ventilation systems, and stretched for 4,309ft (1,313m).

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RTZd4w

You Remember Jessica Simpson, Right? Wrong

By LINDSAY MANNERING from NYT Style https://nyti.ms/36DSYrd

‘There Aren’t Enough Words to Describe Our Pain,’ Kobe Bryant’s Wife Says

By SARAH MERVOSH, NICHOLAS BOGEL-BURROUGHS and SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports https://nyti.ms/2U66S2A

Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan Exposes the Ugly Truth

By NATHAN THRALL from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2S5dAmG

As Coronavirus Explodes in China, Countries Struggle to Control Its Spread

By DENISE GRADY from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/2O7UmvO

Temperatures at a Florida-Size Glacier in Antarctica Alarm Scientists

By SHOLA LAWAL from NYT Climate https://nyti.ms/38NAoOE

Trump Just Signed the U.S.M.C.A. Here’s What’s in the New NAFTA.

By ANA SWANSON and JIM TANKERSLEY from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/37ExsUr

Mother of ‘Success Kid’ Demands Steve King Stop Using His Meme

By ALAN YUHAS from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/37FH94S

John Bolton Gets the Last Laugh

By FRANK BRUNI from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/31bXBYf

How to Avoid the Coronavirus? Wash Your Hands

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2RZrw1M

A Classic Midwestern Dish Becomes a Talking Point in Iowa

By KIM SEVERSON from NYT Food https://nyti.ms/3aUiknW

Washington Post Says Reporter’s Kobe Bryant Tweets Did Not Break Rules

By RACHEL ABRAMS and MARC TRACY from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2S0iYYf

Я/МЫ: Why are Russians using this symbol?

The phrase means "it's all of us" and is being used to rally support against the Russian government.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RWCxki

Venezuela crisis forced José abroad to access HIV drugs

José Tovar is an HIV-positive refugee, forced to choose between staying in Venezuela or leaving home.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36Ci7Cx

New world news from Time: Trump Administration Hits Russian Railway With Sanctions Over Passenger Service to Crimea

(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a Moscow-based private railway company that last month opened passenger service between Russia and Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.

The sanctions target Grand Service Express, its CEO and seven people who were slapped with European Union sanctions earlier in the week for their role in organizing Russian local elections on Crimea in September. The EU and the U.S. imposed economic sanctions on Russia after the annexation and refuse to recognize Moscow’s authority over the region.

The Treasury Department handed down the new sanctions two days before Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due in Kyiv to meet with the Ukrainian president and other officials. They may be intended to send a message of support from the Trump administration during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump over his dealings with Ukraine.

“Treasury’s action, taken in close coordination with our international allies and partners, reiterates our unwavering support for restoring free and fair democratic processes in Crimea,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The sanctions may also serve to reduce the sting of Pompeo’s recent disparaging comment about Ukraine. Following an interview last week with NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly, she said he shouted obscenities at her for asking about Ukraine and asked whether she thought Americans really cared about the country.

The railway connection to Crimea was inaugurated in late December by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who rode a train across the 12-mile (19-kilometer) bridge. The project is intended to bolster links between Russia and Crimea by increasing the transport of cargo and encouraging the flow of tourists.

Coronavirus: Death toll rises as virus spreads to every Chinese region

With one of the 7,711 confirmed cases reported in Tibet, the virus is now in every region of China.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/38Nrvog

Sun's surface seen in remarkable new detail

A telescope positioned atop a Hawaiian volcano acquires remarkable pictures of our convulsing star.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2uIjpPa

‘The Traitor’ Review: Turning the Tables on La Cosa Nostra

By A.O. Scott

The Traitor (R)

Opening January 31, 2020

from NYT Critics' Pick https://nyti.ms/2Ua23VY

Homero Gómez: Missing Mexican butterfly activist found dead

Activists fear that Homero Gómez may have been targeted because of his fight against illegal logging.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Ue02Z3

Is visiting a strip club anti-feminist?

Videos of pop star Dua Lipa at a strip club provoked a question: can a feminist go to a strip joint?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37FwWW2

A holiday camp for India's captive elephants

Once a year, captive elephants get pampered at the camp in India which has become a popular event.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/3911FgT

Britons give Brexit boost to idyllic French village

The share of property held by Britons may be falling in France, but the opposite is happening in Eymet.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GvZc1H

African diaspora: Did Ghana's Year of Return attract foreign visitors?

Ghana's president has declared the Year of Return targeting the African diaspora a great success - but is he right?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2vz7gfN

Eminem Earns His 10th Straight No. 1 Album

By JOE COSCARELLI from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/3aQMiJk

How worried should we be about 'Big Brother' technology?

Why do we fear government surveillance, but voluntarily use technology which monitors our lives?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Gvi8gK

Snotsicles and snowdrifts: Extreme climate science

The BBC's Justin Rowlatt explains some of the challenges of doing science in the Antarctic.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2u21B1c

Trump Releases Mideast Peace Plan That Strongly Favors Israel

By MICHAEL CROWLEY and DAVID M. HALBFINGER from NYT World https://nyti.ms/2Rz7RXe

How People of Color Inside the Buttigieg Campaign Sought to Be Heard

By REID J. EPSTEIN from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2uDEgmC

U.S. Accuses Harvard Scientist of Concealing Chinese Funding

By ELLEN BARRY from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/3aRmc9e

Pompeo Called Me a ‘Liar.’ That’s Not What Bothers Me.

By MARY LOUISE KELLY from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/2RzQtl8

The Method in John Bolton’s Madness

By JONATHAN STEVENSON from NYT Opinion https://nyti.ms/38O1Rj8

Trump’s N.J. Rally: Frigid Wait Is Worth It for President’s Fans

By TRACEY TULLY from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/38RqThh

Bolton Revelations Anger Republicans, Fueling Push for Impeachment Witnesses

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR and NICHOLAS FANDOS from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2U4kLyd

Peru's opposition leader Keiko Fujimori in custody again

Keiko Fujimori says the accusations of corruption and money laundering are politically motivated.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2U1R2pH

New world news from Time: Americans Evacuated by Plane From the Epicenter of China’s Coronavirus Outbreak

(SANTA ANA, Calif.) — An airplane evacuating as many as 240 Americans from a Chinese city at the center of a virus outbreak departed Wednesday before dawn, and is en route to the U.S., a U.S. State Department official has told The Associated Press.

The U.S. government chartered the plane to fly out diplomats from the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan, where the latest coronavirus outbreak started, and other U.S. citizens. The plane will make a refueling stop in Alaska before flying on to Ontario, California, the U.S. Embassy in China has said.

Wuhan is the epicenter of a new virus that has sickened thousands and killed more than 100 and the official said Tuesday that the plane left the city before dawn Wednesday, China time. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly.

During the refueling stop in Anchorage, the travelers will be re-screened for the virus. Hospitals have been notified and are prepared to treat or quarantine people who may be infected.

Officials at the California airport 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Los Angeles have been readying facilities to receive and screen the repatriates and temporarily house them for up to two weeks — if the Centers for Disease Control determines that is necessary, said David Wert, spokesman for the county of San Bernardino.

“We’re preparing for that eventuality just in case,” Wert said.

The virus has sickened more than 4,500 people in China, and more than 100 people have died. Symptoms include fever, cough, and in more severe cases shortness of breath or pneumonia.
China has cut off access to Wuhan and 16 other cities in Hubei province to prevent people from leaving and spreading the virus further. In addition to the United States, countries including Japan and South Korea have also planned evacuations.

Ontario International Airport was designated about a decade ago by the U.S. government to receive repatriated Americans in case of an emergency overseas, Wert said.

Airport personnel have trained for such an occasion but the repatriation from China would be the first time the airport is used for this purpose, he said.

Passengers will be examined by CDC personnel upon reaching Alaska and no one with symptoms of illness will be allowed to travel onward, the county of San Bernardino said in a statement.

Passengers will be screened again once they arrive in Ontario, California. The area where passengers will be taken is removed from passenger terminals and other public areas at the airport, the county said.

Australia fires: Firefighters dance on TikTok to 'raise spirits'

The videos from the front line of Australia’s bushfire crisis also have a serious purpose.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2U09IWS

Haunting image of trapped sea turtle wins underwater photo award

Shane Gross captured the haunting photo while diving near the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2S14dVh

Playing basketball with Kobe

Kyle Helton grew up with the late basketball legend and remembers his dedication on and off the court.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2Gybw1m

Australia fires: Blaze 'sparked by helicopter lights' rages near Canberra

The bushfire crisis continues as a national park burns south of Canberra.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2uG6JYW

Coronavirus: Foreigners evacuated from Wuhan as China death toll rises

Hundreds of people fly out of Wuhan as the death toll from the coronavirus outbreak rises to 132.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37Dpriv

Putin's Russia: Do Russians care what president does next?

Russia's president plans to change things at the top but most Russians have little time for Moscow politics.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2vwMvkX

Shaheen Bagh: The 'traitors' targeted by hardliners in poll battle

Protesters in a Muslim-dominated part of Delhi have become the focus of a bitter battle for votes.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2O72qNf

Neelam Krishnamoorthy: The film tickets that destroyed a family

Neelam Krishnamoorthy got film tickets for her kids. She now calls them "tickets to death".

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RX1FY3

Brexit: French petition launched for Briton denied citizenship

Carpenter Mark Lawrence has lived in France for 27 years but authorities say he does not earn enough.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/38L2p9r

Coronavirus: Australian scientists first to recreate virus outside China

Australian scientists say it is a "significant breakthrough" in efforts to contain the new coronavirus.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GsLpJd

Trump's Middle East peace plan: Smiles and sorrow on the ground

President Donald Trump calls the strategy a win-win opportunity for both sides - but is it?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36D55EG

Jeffrey Epstein accusers outraged by Prince Andrew's 'lack of co-operation'

A US lawyer, who represents some of the late Jeffrey Epstein's accusers, urges the duke to assist the probe.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37tMdJD

Bride Price: 'My husband can't afford me'

Some cultures exchange money before a marriage, but should we continue the Bride Price tradition?

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/37yegYd

Huawei 5G verdict is a decision 'with few good options'

The government is due to decide later whether to ban Huawei from the UK's 5G networks.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36xoDdB

'It's astounding to find out she died violently'

A team of experts appear to have solved a mystery that has confounded academics - and the public - for decades.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2GsKg4r

The silenced YouTube stars of Indian-administered Kashmir

Kashmiri Kalkharabs, a popular Kashmiri YouTube channel, has been forced into silence since August.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2vsHxpi

NPR reporter barred from Mike Pompeo trip after tense interview

The ban comes days after another NPR journalist had a tense interview with the secretary of state.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2tNrTV8

Jason Polan, Fast-Drawing Artist of the Offbeat, Dies at 37

By NEIL GENZLINGER from NYT Arts https://nyti.ms/2U8BosN

What We Know About the Helicopter in Kobe Bryant’s Death

By PATRICK J. LYONS from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2RSpQHj

New world news from Time: New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern Faces Tough Campaign as She Picks Date for New Election

(WELLINGTON, New Zealand) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern may be lauded around the world as a liberal icon but whether she can translate that into a reelection victory in September remains uncertain.

Ardern on Tuesday announced the general elections would be held on Sept. 19. She is seeking a second term in office and is expected to face tough competition from conservative challenger Simon Bridges.

Voters will also decide on two contentious social issues in referendums on the same date: whether to legalize euthanasia, and whether to legalize recreational marijuana.

Ardern promised to run “a positive, a factual and a robust” election campaign.

“New Zealanders deserve freedom from misinformation and some of the negative style of campaigning that we have seen take place overseas,” she said.

She said her government was responsible for overseeing a strong economy and making crucial investments in health, education and reducing child poverty.

Ardern is seen by many of her supporters globally as the antithesis of President Donald Trump. She was widely lauded for her empathy after a white supremacist gunman attacked two mosques in March, killing 51 Muslim worshippers. She is also seen as a role model of a high-profile working mother after giving birth to a daughter while in office.

But her international acclaim has sometimes been regarded with suspicion at home, where she and her Labour Party remain locked in a tight struggle for support with Bridges’ National Party. Polls indicate the election will be a close contest.

“Bring it on,” Bridges said in a statement, saying that while Ardern and her Labour Party had promised much, they had delivered little.

“New Zealanders know we will get things done, whether it’s more money in your pocket, a stronger economy, less tax, building infrastructure and roads or keeping families safer from increasing gang violence,” Bridges said.

Under New Zealand’s proportional voting system, which is similar to the model used in Germany, political parties must generally form alliances to govern. That makes the votes won by smaller parties crucial to the outcome. That was the case in the last election, with mercurial politician Winston Peters and his small New Zealand First party choosing to side with Ardern, allowing her to govern.

The scramble for votes appears to be already underway, with Ardern due Wednesday to announce billions of dollars in extra infrastructure spending.

New Zealand holds its elections every three years, with the government deciding the exact date.

Bolton Was Concerned That Trump Did Favors for Autocratic Leaders, Book Says

By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT and MAGGIE HABERMAN from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2RUuzrN

Bernie Sanders and His Internet Army

By MATT FLEGENHEIMER, REBECCA R. RUIZ and NELLIE BOWLES from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2tMrd2k

As Virus Spreads, Anger Floods Chinese Social Media

By RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2GxxT6Q

Prince Andrew Offers ‘Zero Cooperation’ in Epstein Case, Prosecutor Says

By NICOLE HONG from NYT New York https://nyti.ms/38MDl1M

A Notorious Sandy Hook Tormentor Is Arrested in Florida

By ELIZABETH WILLIAMSON from NYT U.S. https://nyti.ms/2uD6Nc5

Washington Post Suspends a Reporter After Her Tweets on Kobe Bryant

By RACHEL ABRAMS from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/36zuxLe

Coronavirus: Death toll climbs to 106 as China tightens measures

Transport restrictions have been further tightened, with some cities suspending public transport.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2RT1Bsl

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Dershowitz, speaking in Trump's Senate trial, tells House Dems they chose the 'wrong' impeachment criteria

01/27/20 6:10 PM

Franklin Graham Event Canceled Because He Views Gay Marriage a 'Sin'

The Rev. Franklin Graham, an evangelist and the son of the late preacher Billy Graham, was slated to speak this summer at a venue in Liverpool. That stop, though, will no longer take place.

from CBNNews.com http://bit.ly/2tZgjGr

Twitter and Facebook accounts for 15 NFL teams hacked

The American football teams were targeted by a group that said the accounts had lax security.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2uEzvci

Alabama fire: Eight killed as blaze engulfs 35 boats in marina

The aluminium roof of the wooden dock in a marina in Arizona collapsed, and some of the boats sank.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/38J7f7d

Visit Nepal's yeti: How mythical creature divided Himalayan nation

An idea to bring more tourists to Nepal has ended in a row over what a yeti actually looks like.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30Y1dwZ

Letter from Africa: The 'leopard unit', vigilantes and Nigeria's kidnap crisis

A plan by Nigeria's south-western states to start a new security unit divides the country.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/30XBRz6

How Under Armour Lost Its Edge

By JULIE CRESWELL and KEVIN DRAPER from NYT Business https://nyti.ms/2GtLRXA

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Grammy Awards: Complete winner’s list

01/26/20 9:00 PM

Democrats call for Bolton to testify in impeachment trial

The ex-national security advisor's evidence could undermine Donald Trump's trial defence, reports say.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/2TZ6jHD

Billie Eilish is the big winner at the Grammys

The 18-year-old wins multiple awards, including best new artist and song of the year.

from BBC News - World https://bbc.in/36vOK4O

As Coronavirus Fears Intensify, Effectiveness of Quarantines Is Questioned

By CHRIS BUCKLEY, RAYMOND ZHONG, DENISE GRADY and RONI CARYN RABIN from NYT World https://nyti.ms/37vGpzm