Jan 31, 2020

Movin' on up: Bloomberg glides past Warren to No.3 in Democratic race - Reuters/Ipsos

Movin' on up: Bloomberg glides past Warren to No.3 in Democratic race - Reuters/IpsosAfter steadily rising in popularity over the last several weeks, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg appears to have surpassed U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren among registered voters for the 2020 Democratic nomination, according to a Reuters/Ipsos national public opinion poll released on Thursday. The Jan. 29-30 poll found that 12% of registered Democrats and independents said they would vote for Bloomberg in the state nominating contests that begin next week in Iowa. Bloomberg appears to have won over a broad coalition of potential voters, including Baby Boomers, high-income earners, rural Americans and Democrats without a college degree, according to an analysis of the last two months of Reuters/Ipsos polling.




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US hits Iran with new sanctions, keeps some waivers in place

US hits Iran with new sanctions, keeps some waivers in placeThe Trump administration said Thursday that it will continue — at least for now — its policy of not sanctioning foreign companies that work with Iran's civilian nuclear program. Brian Hook, U.S. envoy to Iran, said the U.S. would renew for 60 days sanctions waivers that permit Russian, European and Chinese companies to continue to work on Iran's civilian nuclear facilities without running afoul of U.S. sanctions.




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Senators' questions at Trump impeachment trial show most minds are made up

Senators' questions at Trump impeachment trial show most minds are made upQuestions from senators represented a new phase in the impeachment trial. On Friday, the central issue of witnesses and documents will be addressed.




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Rick Scott: Adam Schiff is a complete liar, he didn't present all facts - Fox News

Rick Scott: Adam Schiff is a complete liar, he didn't present all facts  Fox NewsView full coverage on Google News

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House of Representatives passes two measures limiting Trump's ability to go to war with Iran - CNBC

House of Representatives passes two measures limiting Trump's ability to go to war with Iran  CNBCView full coverage on Google News

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Document shows Bernie Sanders’s team preparing dozens of potential executive orders - The Washington Post

  1. Document shows Bernie Sanders’s team preparing dozens of potential executive orders  The Washington Post
  2. What I learned watching Bernie and Biden for hours on end  POLITICO
  3. Some 2020 Democrats face off in Iowa while others are stuck in D.C.  CBS This Morning
  4. Can Bernie Sanders tackle the question of electability?  Washington Examiner
  5. Why Having Hunter Biden Testify Would Be Bad for Trump  The New York Times
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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American Airlines sued over coronavirus by pilot union seeking to cancel US-China flights - Fox News

  1. American Airlines sued over coronavirus by pilot union seeking to cancel US-China flights  Fox News
  2. American Airlines pilots sue to halt US-China flights amid coronavirus epidemic  CNN International
  3. Coronavirus: death toll reaches 212 after WHO declares global emergency – live news  The Guardian
  4. Airlines remove hot food, blankets, magazines and more amid coronavirus outbreak  Fox News
  5. Here are the 20 U.S. airports where health officials are screening for coronavirus  The Washington Post
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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You can now reserve your spot to pay for a Samsung Galaxy S20 - The Verge

  1. You can now reserve your spot to pay for a Samsung Galaxy S20  The Verge
  2. It's Time to Reserve Your Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra  Droid Life
  3. UK Daily Deals: Register Your Interest for the Galaxy S20 and Get £50 Cashback - IGN  IGN
  4. The Galaxy S20 will be released on March 6th, reservations now live on Samsung's site  Android Police
  5. Samsung's crazy light Galaxy S book is finally available for pre-order  Mashable
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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Jennifer Lopez sports 'Bronx Girl Magic' T-shirt while Alex Rodriguez gives back to Miami community - Daily Mail

  1. Jennifer Lopez sports 'Bronx Girl Magic' T-shirt while Alex Rodriguez gives back to Miami community  Daily Mail
  2. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira on preparations for Super Bowl halftime show performance  WDAF FOX4 Kansas City
  3. Jennifer Lopez Gets Emotional While Remembering Kobe Bryant At Super Bowl LIV Presser | FULL PRESSER  ET Canada
  4. Super Bowl Music Headed to Digital Services in Real Time as 'Visual Album'  Billboard
  5. Jennifer Lopez, Shakira hope Super Bowl LIV halftime performance serves as Latina showcase  WPLG Local 10
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NBA changes All-Star Game format, adds Kobe Bryant tribute - ESPN

  1. NBA changes All-Star Game format, adds Kobe Bryant tribute  ESPN
  2. NBA pays tribute to Kobe Bryant with All-Star Game changes  YESNetwork
  3. NBA changing All-Star Game format, adding a Kobe tribute  The Associated Press
  4. NBA All-Star Game Format Changes To Honor Kobe Bryant  NESN
  5. The 2020 NBA All-Star Game’s new format, and tribute to Kobe Bryant, explained  SB Nation
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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FAA Threatening $30,000 Fines For Flying Drones At Super Bowl LIV - TMZ

  1. FAA Threatening $30,000 Fines For Flying Drones At Super Bowl LIV  TMZ
  2. A running list of must-watch Super Bowl 2020 commercials  Boston.com
  3. Super Bowl LIV Prop Bet Guide: MVP, Puppy Bowl Odds, and Bernie Sanders  The Ringer
  4. Those two signs on Super Bowl stadium’s roof are illegal — and county officials know it | Opinion  Miami Herald
  5. How to Bring the Food and Flavors of Miami to Your Super Bowl Party  Sports Illustrated
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Amazon Christmas sales soar as rivals struggle

Sales were up 20% over the festive season in sharp contrast to weakness at other retailers.

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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

'It's utter bulls--t': Navy SEAL was promoted despite allegations he choked a Green Beret to death

'It's utter bulls--t': Navy SEAL was promoted despite allegations he choked a Green Beret to deathThe Navy SEAL has been charged in the death. His defense attorneys previously said the incident was merely a "prank" that "went bad."




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A Costco sample-stand worker turned away a kid wearing a face mask because she thought he was from China and could give her the coronavirus

A Costco sample-stand worker turned away a kid wearing a face mask because she thought he was from China and could give her the coronavirus"One thing that is in the back of my mind is that someone Asian is being judged in public right now," Cabanilla said.




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Return of the Imperial Presidency? Why the Impeachment Fight Is About More Than Donald Trump

Return of the Imperial Presidency? Why the Impeachment Fight Is About More Than Donald TrumpAs the Senate considers whether to remove Donald Trump from office, there's more at stake in his trial than one man's political fate.




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WHO declares China virus outbreak an international emergency

WHO declares China virus outbreak an international emergencyThe World Health Organization declared on Thursday that the coronavirus epidemic in China now constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, announced the decision after a meeting of its Emergency Committee, an independent panel of experts, amid mounting evidence of the virus spreading to some 18 countries. Tedros told a news conference in Geneva that recent weeks have witnessed an unprecedented outbreak which has been met by an unprecedented response.




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Bernie Sanders is starting to get slammed on how he would finance Medicare for All

Bernie Sanders is starting to get slammed on how he would finance Medicare for AllThe attacks on Medicare for All echo what Sen. Elizabeth Warren faced last year as she surged ahead in national polls.




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UAE confirms 4 Chinese tourists have virus, first in Mideast

UAE confirms 4 Chinese tourists have virus, first in MideastA family of four Chinese tourists in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday became the first cases in the Mideast of a new Chinese virus that causes flu-like symptoms, with an Emirati doctor saying the first to fall ill only showed symptoms after over a week on vacation. Dr. Hussein al-Rand, an assistant undersecretary at the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention, told The Associated Press that there was no reason to panic over virus.




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Erdogan Warns Russia Risks Split With Turkey on Syria Attack

Erdogan Warns Russia Risks Split With Turkey on Syria Attack(Bloomberg) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced rare recent criticism of Russia for its conduct in Syria, saying his “patience is running out” over the ongoing bombing of opposition Islamist forces in Idlib province.“As of now, Russia is loyal to neither Astana nor Sochi” agreements, Erdogan told reporters on his way back from a visit to African countries, according to Anadolu Agency.He was referring to accords struck by the two countries in recent years to curtail fighting in northern Syria. Russia and Turkey have stepped up their cooperation in the Syrian conflict while finding themselves on opposite sides of other Middle Eastern conflicts, such as the one in Libya.“If we are loyal partners, Russia will make its position clear,” Erdogan said. “Either it will have a different process with Syria, or it will have a different process with Turkey. There’s no other way.”The comments follow reports that Syrian government forces, backed by Russia, have taken control of Ma’arrat al-Nu’man, the biggest town in Idlib province. The strategically important area last changed hands in 2012, Anadolu reported on Wednesday.Russia responded to Erdogan’s comments by saying it’s committed to strictly implementing its obligations on Syria, the state-run Tass news service reported, citing the Foreign Ministry in Moscow.Millions of Syrians fleeing fighting in Syria over the years have headed for Turkey, and officials there have long warned of another major exodus as combat escalates in Idlib.(Updates with Russian Foreign Ministry in sixth paragraph)To contact the reporter on this story: Firat Kozok in Ankara at fkozok@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Onur Ant at oant@bloomberg.net, Mark Williams, Paul AbelskyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.




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Roberts reportedly blocked Rand Paul's questions mentioning alleged whistleblower's name

Roberts reportedly blocked Rand Paul's questions mentioning alleged whistleblower's nameChief Justice John Roberts on Wednesday thwarted several attempts by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to submit a question naming the alleged whistleblower whose complaint about President Trump's interactions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spurred the impeachment inquiry, three people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Senators were given the opportunity to submit questions to the House impeachment managers and Trump's legal team, with Roberts screening the questions before reading them out loud. Paul drafted a query that included the alleged whistleblower's name, but Roberts declined to read it, two officials told the Post. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters there are Republicans "who have an interest in questions related to the whistleblower. But I suspect that won't happen. I don't think that happens. And I guess I would hope it doesn't."For months, Paul — who is one of the loudest voices during discussions about Americans' privacy rights — has been trying to get people to publicly say the name of the whistleblower. He hinted on Wednesday that he's not giving up, telling reporters, "it may happen tomorrow."More stories from theweek.com Mitch McConnell's rare blunder John Bolton just vindicated Nancy Pelosi 7 witheringly funny cartoons about the GOP's John Bolton problem




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Remain in Mexico: 80% of migrants in Trump policy are victims of violence

Remain in Mexico: 80% of migrants in Trump policy are victims of violenceAsylum seekers sent to Mexico to wait US court hearings under Trump scheme routinely targeted for abduction, survey findsA staggering 80% of asylum seekers sent to Mexico to await US court hearings report being victims of violence, according a survey by Doctors Without Borders (MSF).In one month – October – three-quarters of asylum seekers seen by MSF physicians in Nuevo Laredo reported having been kidnapped for ransom, according to the figures released on Wednesday.Some 44% of MSF patients also reported having been victims of violence in the week leading up to their consultations.Wednesday marked the first anniversary of a scheme officially known as Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), under which migrants seeking asylum in the United States are sent to Mexico to wait as their cases wind their way through US courts.Under the scheme, also known as “remain in Mexico”, more than 57,000 non-Mexican asylum seekers have been sent to wait in cities along the border – many of which have been plagued by drug-war violence for years.Migrants – who stand out because of their appearance and accents – are routinely targeted for abduction outside migration offices and bus terminals, and held until relatives back home wire ransom payments to the kidnappers.“The US continues to send asylum seekers back into danger and into the hands of the cartels that control the migration routes in Mexico,” said Sergio Martín, MSF general coordinator in Mexico.“The Mexican government lacks the ability to provide the most minimum of conditions for thousands of people who are being sent to its territory,” he said.Migrants are at risk along the entire border, “but mainly in places like Nuevo Laredo, where there is serious violence – and migrants are ‘merchandise’ for organised crime,” Martín said.Nuevo Laredo is considered so insecure that the US government has issued a Level 4: “Do not travel” alert to its citizens for the city and surrounding state of Tamaulipas – the same as war-torn countries like Syria and Afghanistan.The Cartel del Noreste – an offshoot of the blood thirsty Zetas cartel – “operates a sophisticated kidnapping business that targets asylum seekers – many of whom are women and children – who enter the city,” said Stephanie Leutert, director of the Mexico Security Initiative at the Strauss Center at the University of Texas.“The kidnappers charge several thousand dollars for each kidnapped asylum seeker and operate with almost complete impunity.”The Mexican government promised to provide asylum seekers with shelter, work permits and access to health services, but observers say many of the migrants have been left to fend for themselves.On Wednesday, the US department of homeland security announced that the scheme would be expanded to include Brazilians. Brazilian arrivals at the border have tripled in the past year.




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Iraq says joint operations with US-led coalition resume

Iraq says joint operations with US-led coalition resumeJoint military operations with the U.S.-led coalition to counter the Islamic State group have resumed after a nearly three-week pause, an Iraqi military statement said Thursday. Meanwhile, anti-government protesters called for 1 million Iraqis to take to the streets Friday in what they said was a “last chance” for the protest movement to build on momentum gained after followers of influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr packed up and left last week. The pause in joint anti-IS operations came amid heightened tensions after a Washington-led airstrike killed a top Iranian general in Baghdad.




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Jan 30, 2020

Fire erupts on Panama-flagged oil tanker off UAE coast

Fire erupts on Panama-flagged oil tanker off UAE coastAuthorities in the United Arab Emirates are trying to extinguish a fire on a Panama-flagged oil tanker off the coast of the emirate of Sharjah, the Federal Transport Authority said on Wednesday. The tanker, which the FTA said was not carrying an oil cargo at the time, was undergoing maintenance when the fire broke out. "A proper investigation is in progress", an official at the UAE National Media Council said.




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This Picture Is North Korea, China, Iran and Russia's Worst Military Nightmare

This Picture Is North Korea, China, Iran and Russia's Worst Military NightmareImagine 52 F-35s coming at you.




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Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is open to calling Hunter Biden as an impeachment witness

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is open to calling Hunter Biden as an impeachment witnessSen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) isn't scared, and he doesn't think his fellow Democrats should be either.Manchin on Wednesday suggested he's open to calling Hunter Biden as a witness in the impeachment trial. "Being afraid to put anybody that might have pertinent information is wrong, no matter if you're a Democrat or a Republican," he said during in an interview with MSNBC's Willie Geist. "If it's relevant then it should be there."> Senator Manchin says he’s open to calling Hunter Biden... https://t.co/gmJyr6GbFX> > — Robert Costa (@costareports) January 29, 2020Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, has been present in President Trump's impeachment saga since the beginning. It was, after all, the Ukrainian gas company upon whose board he sat that Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate. Recently, there's been some theorizing that if former National Security Adviser John Bolton is brought into testify during the Senate trial, Republicans could counter by bringing in the younger Biden.Democrats have largely decried the idea, but Manchin doesn't appear to share the majority of his party's perspective. He did, however, say he thinks Hunter Biden would be able to "clear himself" if he does testify.More stories from theweek.com It's 2020 and women are exhausted Did John Bolton actually do Trump a favor? The 3 kinds of Republicans that Bolton's testimony would reveal




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US forces recover two bodies from jet crash site in Afghanistan

US forces recover two bodies from jet crash site in AfghanistanUS forces on Tuesday recovered two bodies near the wreckage of a military jet that crashed in a Taliban-controlled area of eastern Afghanistan, after Afghan forces trying to reach the scene clashed with insurgents. "The remains were found near the crash site, treated with dignity and respect by the local Afghan community, in accordance with their culture," the statement said. Ghazni police chief Khaled Wardak said US helicopters landed at the site in the late afternoon and were reinforced by Afghan security forces on the ground during the operation.




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Authorities find longest Southwest border smuggling tunnel

Authorities find longest Southwest border smuggling tunnelU.S. authorities on Wednesday announced the discovery of the longest smuggling tunnel ever found on the Southwest border, stretching more than three-quarters of a mile from an industrial site in Tijuana, Mexico, to the San Diego area. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it featured an extensive rail/cart system, forced air ventilation, high voltage electrical cables and panels, an elevator at the tunnel entrance, and a complex drainage system. “This one blows past (the second-longest),” said Lance LeNoir, a Border Patrol operations supervisor.




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Kobe Bryant death: Nearby door cams capture noise of fatal helicopter crash

Kobe Bryant death: Nearby door cams capture noise of fatal helicopter crashDoor cams from the neighbourhood adjacent to the site of the crash that killed NBA legend Kobe Bryant have captured audio of the helicopter’s final seconds.Google Nest devices on the doors of homes in the Los Angeles suburb of Calabasas recorded the sound of the rotor blades of the twin-engine Sikorsky S-76B.




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I thought Bernie's Iowa numbers seemed unrealistically high. Then I saw his rallies

I thought Bernie's Iowa numbers seemed unrealistically high. Then I saw his ralliesPundits keep warning about a Sanders ‘ceiling’ – but here in the midwest he looks strong and getting stronger Three political rallies in a small north-west Iowa town over the weekend convinced me that the polls showing Bernie Sanders leading among likely caucus-goers have it about right.Some 400 people packed into a ballroom in Storm Lake, Iowa, on Sunday to hear Michael Moore, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the disheveled senator from Vermont raise the roof for a political revolution.Polls going into the weekend showed Sanders with 25% of the likely crowd at the caucuses on 3 February. Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Elizabeth Warren trail closely, while Amy Klobuchar is building support late and Andrew Yang is getting some interest.Bernie had momentum on Sunday. People were hooting and hollering and clapping for Moore, the documentarian, when he said the rich will have a harder time getting to heaven than a camel through the eye of a needle. He cited Paul’s letter to the Corinthians urging unity over factionalism. The revival meeting lapped it up.The night before, Buttigieg appeared at Buena Vista University to a crowd of 220 with half the enthusiasm of the Sanders affair. He spoke about healing wounds, too, but nobody was going wild. His biggest applause line came when he complained that “everybody needs a second job”.After Sanders’s rally in the afternoon, Yang made his first appearance in Storm Lake to a crowd of about 100. He had them laughing, and got them worrying about artificial intelligence eliminating 40,000 manufacturing jobs in Iowa. Truckers may be a thing of the past. It got everyone’s attention. The New York businessman has his facts and figures – that Amazon wiped out 30% of our state’s retail business, and that the erosion of local news is undermining democracy – down into a compelling narrative about how capital and technology conspire to leave huge swaths of America behind.Yang’s solution, as articulated, is to give everyone $1,000 per month, and to take back democracy. He thinks he can “rewire the economy” to bring something back to those lost places in the swing states where jobs, people and prospects keep getting drained to the coasts.“We are in the midst of the greatest economic transformation in our nation’s history,” Yang said to his largest applause.In fact, that may explain why Sanders is leading.“We’re going to win because working people are tired of being ignored, working two or three jobs,” Sanders proclaimed to heads nodding and amens.The ballroom echoed in boos when Sanders detailed how 12 years ago “Congress bailed out crooks on Wall Street, and then Trump gave them a trillion dollars in tax breaks”. And Amazon pays no tax. Boo!A man up front said his health insurance premiums are $1,400 per month.Sanders said that the average $60,000 household in Iowa would pay that much per year on healthcare taxes with Medicare for All. No premiums. No deductibles. They cheered harder.Healthcare is the top issue cited by likely caucus-goers in a state where you can choose Wellmark Blue Cross or Wellmark Blue Cross.Climate change is the number two issue.“It is real, and it is underestimated in its speed and severity. Australia, a beautiful country, is on fire,” Sanders thundered as the crowd roared back. “Crop production will decline. Climate refugees are around the world in the millions, leading to more war. And we have a president who denies it all.”The Smith sisters, Paula and Lou, buried their mother with a Hillary Clinton sticker a few years ago. They fell into the Bernie bandwagon at that rally. Their brother Rob was waffling among Sanders, Buttigieg, Biden and Yang.Dan Berglund said he probably will be “a banker for Bernie” as he was four years ago, but he will walk into the caucus as a Yang supporter. If Yang is not viable with the necessary 15%, he will bail to Bernie.Tim Gallagher, who works for Buena Vista University, says he might vote for any one of them, and will decide on caucus day. “A lot can happen in a week,” he said.Such as: Warren was endorsed by the largest newspaper in Iowa, the Des Moines Register, on Sunday. She danced a jig on hearing the news Saturday night in Muscatine in eastern Iowa, after taking selfies with hundreds. She has an elaborate, well-tuned organization apparatus in all parts of the state that she is banking will deliver for her.So does Sanders, obviously. The front rows on Sunday were impressive in their relative diversity: people of color. Young people, old people. Conservative-looking farmers who came out to listen to a democratic socialist.Sanders said his Berniecrats knocked on an Iowa door every two seconds on Saturday – over 100,000 homes.“There’s nobody in the state with a stronger grassroots volunteer movement,” Sanders said. “Our agenda speaks to the questions and pain that people have in their lives […] I’ve talked to too many people in Iowa who are making 10 to 12 bucks an hour.”He lit them up again.That’s what this caucus cycle is about. Sanders has tapped into a vein of frustration that elected Trump, and is getting people of all stripes to give him a look. Pundits’ warnings about a Sanders “ceiling” have begun to sound like the products of people who fear his potential strength. * Art Cullen is the editor of the Storm Lake Times in north-west Iowa, where he won the Pulitzer prize for editorial writing. He is a columnist for Guardian US and is author of the book Storm Lake: Change, Resilience, and Hope in America’s Heartland, out this month in paperback




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Lev Parnas arrives on the Hill to listen to Senate impeachment trial - CNN

  1. Lev Parnas arrives on the Hill to listen to Senate impeachment trial  CNN
  2. Lev Parnas makes a scene at impeachment trial, telling senators: 'Call me'  Fox News
  3. LIVE: Trump Impeachment Trial & Hearings (Day 8) | NBC News  NBC News
  4. Lev Parnas, ex-Giuliani associate, swarmed by media at impeachment trial  New York Post
  5. Lev Parnas' plan to show up at Trump's Senate impeachment trial prompts even more confusion  Fox News
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Energy Department releases more than 100 pages of Ukraine documents - CNN

Energy Department releases more than 100 pages of Ukraine documents  CNN

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LIVE: Facebook stock drops 7.5% as its growth slows - Business Insider - Business Insider

  1. LIVE: Facebook stock drops 7.5% as its growth slows - Business Insider  Business Insider
  2. Facebook hits 2.5B users in Q4 but shares sink from slow profits  TechCrunch
  3. Here’s what to expect from Facebook’s Q4 2019 earnings report  Yahoo Finance
  4. Facebook Earnings, Revenue Beat Estimates But Stock Falls  Investor's Business Daily
  5. Major analysts predict for Facebook's earnings report  CNBC
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New “Off-Facebook Activity” portal lets you know where you’re being followed - Ars Technica

New “Off-Facebook Activity” portal lets you know where you’re being followed  Ars Technica

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The Rhythm Section Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying - CinemaBlend

  1. The Rhythm Section Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying  CinemaBlend
  2. Blake Lively Wears 6.3-Inch Louboutins With Sparkly Toes for ‘GMA’ Appearance  Yahoo Lifestyle
  3. The Rhythm Section Review  Den of Geek US
  4. Blake Lively Is Terrific In Reed Morano’s ‘Rhythm Section’ (Review)  Forbes
  5. Blake Lively Says Her Kids Know She and Ryan Reynolds Are 'Actors' but Don't Know What It Means  Yahoo Entertainment
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Roman Polanski 'French Oscar' nomination sparks outrage

The 86-year-old has been wanted in the US for decades over the statutory rape of a 13-year-old.

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Dylann Roof appeals death sentence for massacre at South Carolina black church

Dylann Roof appeals death sentence for massacre at South Carolina black church"Roof's crime was tragic, but this Court can have no confidence in the jury's verdict," says his appeal, filed with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. A jury found Roof guilty of 33 federal charges, including hate crimes resulting in death, for the shocking mass shooting at the landmark Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston in June 2015. Roof dismissed his defense attorneys just before trial and represented himself during jury selection.




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Prince Andrew: I’m Ready to Talk. The FBI Never Asked. Feds: Oh Yes, We Did

Prince Andrew: I’m Ready to Talk. The FBI Never Asked. Feds: Oh Yes, We DidIf you love The Daily Beast’s royal coverage, then we hope you’ll enjoy The Royalist, a members-only series for Beast Inside. Become a member to get The Royalist in your inbox every Sunday.Prince Andrew and the FBI were involved in a furious war of words Tuesday, after he denied claims made by the U.S. attorney for Manhattan, Geoffrey Berman, that he has refused to cooperate with American authorities investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sexual abuse.Andrew said no request had been received, and he was ready to talk. However a spokesperson for Berman’s office told The Daily Beast they stood by the prosecutor’s comments, specifically the claim that they had “made several attempts to contact” Andrew’s representatives.Andrew, 59, however, was said to be “angry and bewildered,” according to The Daily Telegraph, at allegations made by Berman.On Monday, Berman called out Andrew for giving “zero co-operation” to the investigation into Epstein at a press conference held outside Epstein's infamous front door.“Nothing could be further from the truth,” a source described as “close to” Andrew told The Telegraph, “The Duke is more than happy to talk to the FBI but he hasn’t been approached by them yet.“He is angry about the way this is being portrayed and bewildered as to why this was said in New York. It seems certain people are jumping the gun.”However law-enforcement sources were adamant that they “stood by” Berman’s remarks.Berman said he was taking the rare step of calling Andrew out by name because Andrew himself, in his disastrous Newsnight interview, had said: “I am willing to help any appropriate law-enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”While many observers saw Berman’s remarks as a desperate (and likely unsuccessful) attempt to shame Prince Andrew into living up to his earlier vow, Duncan Levin, a former federal and New York state prosecutor in the Manhattan DA’s office, saw something else: evidence of the authorities’ determination to leave no stone unturned as they go after the rich and powerful global network which Epstein cultivated.Levin, who is now a managing partner at Tucker Levin, PLLC, told The Daily Beast that while it was “highly unusual for a prosecutor to make a public statement about a witness’s reluctance to cooperate with law enforcement” there is “nothing usual about this case, in any way. Prince Andrew is not your typical witness, by any stretch of the imagination.”Levin says that while U.S. law enforcement “have no way of forcing Prince Andrew to testify, or to co-operate in their probe” to read Berman’s actions as only an expression of frustration would be a mistake.It is that, to be sure, but he also saw it as evidence of a steely determination to collar some of Epstein’s powerful pals.“They are doggedly pursuing every angle in this case. Now, why is that unusual? Because the defendant is dead. Usually that is the end of a case. But they clearly are digging in to this case and not letting go.“This is a case that is going to be investigated until there is no investigation left to be done. They are turning over every single rock. They are trying to do everything they can to bring some measure of justice to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. I think this signals how serious U.S. law enforcement is. They will pursue every single angle and put as much pressure on witnesses as possible—including members of the Royal Family.”But what can this pressure really achieve?“A lot of hinges on what Prince Andrew knows. He may know just enough to land himself in some trouble.“I think the clear hunch of U.S. law enforcement, is that he knows more than he is letting on. Maybe he was involved. But I don’t expect to see a Rolls Royce turning up [at the prosecutor’s office] any time soon.”In the U.K., Berman’s shocking statement was initially greeted with a stony silence from official Palace channels. Even Andrea’s wife and stalwart defender, Sarah Ferguson, fell silent on Twitter,  and sources at the Palace would only tell The Daily Beast two things—that Prince Andrew’s legal team were looking at the claims and that they wouldn’t be saying anything more about the issue, ever.Mark Stephens, an international law expert at law firm Howard Kennedy, said that Andrew has little to fear other than public opprobrium if he keeps his mouth shut and chooses his vacation spots with care.  As a simple matter of legal fact, Andrew is not legally compelled to do anything, Stephens says. “If he is a suspect, then he is entitled to the right to silence. If they want to talk to him as a witness, that’s voluntary. If you witness a crime you don’t have to report it to the police and you don’t have to give evidence.”Stephens says that while the Americans could try, through a procedure called mutual legal assistance, to remotely subpoena him, he could simply ignore the request. “Layer on top of that, that he also has the benefit of immunity, which applies to all princes, potentates and prime ministers,” adds Stephens. “As a consequence of that, both the civil lawyers and the DA know they can’t get him other than voluntarily. So, what we saw yesterday, was a piece of high drama, one might even say high theatre.“If you were his lawyer, you would say ‘You have done one car crash interview with Emily Maitlis—it would be even more ill-advised to do another car crash interview with the Feds under oath.’”So is this a legal problem or a PR problem for the beleaguered prince?“Oh, it is clearly both,” says Stephens. “There are two swords of Damocles hanging above his head, but the question is which sword of Damocles is more dangerous, and I suspect it is the legal one.”Andrew’s fightback on Tuesday suggests that maybe he feels the opposite to be the case. Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.




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Bernie Sanders Surges to Lead in California, Propelled by Liberals

Bernie Sanders Surges to Lead in California, Propelled by Liberals(Bloomberg) -- Bernie Sanders has not only taken the lead in several recent surveys of voters in Iowa, which holds the first in the nation caucuses on Monday, but he has also pushed to the head of the Democratic field in delegate-rich California.The Vermont senator, who has had strong support from Latinos and young voters, has been propelled into the top spot by voters who self-identify as “very liberal,” according to the latest UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies poll, conducted for the Los Angeles Times.Sanders has support from 26% of voters likely to cast ballots in the state’s March 3 Democratic primary, drawing support from liberals largely at the expense of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Warren is now backed by 20% of likely voters, which is down from earlier surveys showing she had 22% in November and 29% in September in the state.The rest of California’s likely primary voters remain divided among several candidates, which has left the party’s front-runner nationally, Vice President Joe Biden, with only 15% in the most populous state.That cut-off is important in California because, under the state Democratic Party rules, delegates are awarded only to those candidates with at least 15% of the vote statewide or in individual congressional districts. The remaining candidates in the poll are all below that, with former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 7%, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 6%, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota at 5%, businessman Andrew Yang at 4% and billionaire Tom Steyer at 2%.Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.The UC Berkeley IGS poll was conducted online in English and Spanish from Jan. 15-21. The estimated margin of error for likely Democratic voters is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.This post is part of Campaign Update, our live coverage from the 2020 campaign trail.To contact the author of this story: Elizabeth Wasserman in Washington at ewasserman2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.




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UAE confirms 4 Chinese tourists have virus, first in Mideast

UAE confirms 4 Chinese tourists have virus, first in MideastA family of four Chinese tourists in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday became the first cases in the Mideast of a new Chinese virus that causes flu-like symptoms, with an Emirati doctor saying the first to fall ill only showed symptoms after over a week on vacation. Dr. Hussein al-Rand, an assistant undersecretary at the UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention, told The Associated Press that there was no reason to panic over virus.




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Stunning drone video shows devastation from helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, 8 others

Stunning drone video shows devastation from helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, 8 othersStunning NTSB drone footage shows a swath of devastation from the California helicopter crash that killed NBA star Kobe Bryant and eight others.




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More airlines drop flights to China as virus spreads

More airlines drop flights to China as virus spreadsBritish Airways halted all flights to China and American Airlines suspended Los Angeles flights to and from Shanghai and Beijing as efforts to contain a new virus intensifies. The coronavirus has now infected more people in China than were sickened in the country by the SARS outbreak in 2002-2003. Air India and South Korean budget carrier Seoul Air are also halting all flights to the country, and Indonesia’s Lion Air plans to do the same.




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Bolton, who may hold impeachment bombshell, has a history of settling scores

Bolton, who may hold impeachment bombshell, has a history of settling scoresJohn Bolton has many times before been at the center of a maelstrom that is in good part of his own making. And each time, he has somehow emerged eager for more. 




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Sinkholes appear in Cayman Islands after massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake

Sinkholes appear in Cayman Islands after massive 7.7-magnitude earthquakeViral footage appears to show sinkholes swallowing large chunks of roads following a string of earthquakes off the coasts of Jamaica and Cuba.A major 7.7 magnitude quake prompted tsunami warnings and building evacuations as far as Miami, several hundred miles from the quake's centre.




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Pentagon identifies 2 Air Force airmen killed in Afghanistan

Pentagon identifies 2 Air Force airmen killed in AfghanistanThe Pentagon on Wednesday released the names of two Air Force officers killed in the crash of their Bombardier E-11A electronic surveillance plane in Afghanistan. Voss was assigned to Air Combat Command headquarters at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. Phaneuf was assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.




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Joe Biden has half the young voters Bernie Sanders does because of his 'anti-millennial' stance, but the boomer candidate says he cares 'like the devil' about them

Joe Biden has half the young voters Bernie Sanders does because of his 'anti-millennial' stance, but the boomer candidate says he cares 'like the devil' about themIn a New York Times interview, Joe Biden said that if millennials want to see a change in their economic situation, they need to get more involved.




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Jan 29, 2020

Shunned by the West and China, Zimbabwe Turns to U.A.E.

Shunned by the West and China, Zimbabwe Turns to U.A.E.(Bloomberg) -- Sign up to our Next Africa newsletter and follow Bloomberg Africa on TwitterSanctioned by the West and spurned by China, Zimbabwe has turned to the United Arab Emirates in its latest bid to find a savior that can arrest the collapse of its economy.Zimbabwe’s government has approached the U.A.E. in hopes of selling a stake in its national oil company, according to three company and government officials familiar with the plan. It also wants companies in the U.A.E. to buy more of its gold, they said.President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said U.A.E. investors will build solar plants in Zimbabwe, and U.A.E. President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan a year ago issued a decree to open an embassy in Zimbabwe. Dubai also contributed to relief efforts when Zimbabwe was hit by a cyclone last year.Zimbabwe’s economy is in free-fall: It likely contracted by more than 6% last year, according to government estimates. Half the population is in need of food aid, inflation is running at over 500% and its currency has depreciated by more than 90% against the dollar since a 1:1 peg was abolished in February last year.“They need investment desperately,” said Jee-A van der Linde, an economic analyst at NKC African Economics in Paarl, South Africa. “It’s been snowballing. I don’t know where it’s going to end up. I don’t know how that would be appealing for the U.A.E.”Oil companies in the U.A.E. said they were unaware of the interest.Belarusian BusesThe U.A.E.’s foreign ministry didn’t respond to requests for comment.The U.A.E. is not the only country Mnangagwa has targeted for potential investment. Since taking power from Robert Mugabe in a November 2017 coup, he has crisscrossed the globe and attended gatherings such as the World Economic Forum in Davos, repeating the mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business.’ Two trips to Russia and former Soviet republics revived interest in a platinum project and a fleet of second-hand Belarusian buses now ply the streets of the capital, Harare, and the second-biggest city, Bulawayo.By May 2019, investment pledges worth $27 billion had been announced in projects ranging from steel mills to abattoirs. There’s little evidence that they are being developed.A visit by Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister in January ended with only pledges of further infrastructural projects being carried out by China. There was no mention by the “all-weather-friend” as Zimbabwe likes to describe China, extending any financial bailout.Zimbabwe wants to sell a stake of as much as 25% in the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe, the people said, declining to be identified as the plans haven’t been disclosed.NOIC owns storage depots at the port of Beira in neighboring Mozambique as well as five locations in Zimbabwe. It also owns gas stations and the pipeline that brings oil products from Beira to Mutare for companies including Puma Energy BV, in eastern Zimbabwe.Fuel ShortagesZimbabwe is prone to frequent shortages of motor fuel and sees a relationship with the U.A.E., possibly through the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, as a way of securing supply, one of the people said. The southern African nation consumes 1.4 million liters of gasoline and 2.5 million liters of diesel daily, according to the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority.“We are working toward establishing a permanent arrangement with friendly countries and that also includes the U.A.E.,” said Fortune Chasi, Zimbabwe’s energy minister, declining to comment directly on whether Zimbabwe had approached the U.A.E.(Adds Davos in eighth paragraph)\--With assistance from Zainab Fattah and Mahmoud Habboush.To contact the reporters on this story: Antony Sguazzin in Johannesburg at asguazzin@bloomberg.net;Ray Ndlovu in Johannesburg at rndlovu1@bloomberg.net;Godfrey Marawanyika in Harare at gmarawanyika@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: John McCorry at jmccorry@bloomberg.net, Pauline Bax, Gordon BellFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.




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United cancels flights to and from China as CDC steps up coronavirus screenings - NBC News

United cancels flights to and from China as CDC steps up coronavirus screenings  NBC NewsView full coverage on Google News

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Trump Impeachment Hearings: Day 7 LIVE | NBC News (Live Stream Recording) - NBC News

  1. Trump Impeachment Hearings: Day 7 LIVE | NBC News (Live Stream Recording)  NBC News
  2. Nadler floats John Kelly as potential impeachment witness | TheHill  The Hill
  3. ANALYSIS: Philbin acknowledges limits on Trump's power  NBCNews.com
  4. View full coverage on Google News


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Wisconsin hospital pledges 'honest and transparent' probe of its handling of child abuse cases - NBC News

  1. Wisconsin hospital pledges 'honest and transparent' probe of its handling of child abuse cases  NBC News
  2. Former Children's Wisconsin ER doctor charged with abusing his daughter after fellow doctors raised concerns  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  3. An ER doctor was charged with abusing his baby. But 15 medical experts say there's no proof.  NBC News
  4. Wauwatosa man, former ER physician, charged with physical abuse of a child  WITI FOX 6 Milwaukee
  5. Milwaukee ER doctor charged with child abuse, claims system is 'out of control': NBC News report  WTMJ-TV
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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U.S. weighs ban on all flights from China over virus outbreak: report - MarketWatch

  1. U.S. weighs ban on all flights from China over virus outbreak: report  MarketWatch
  2. United Airlines suspends some flights between US and China as coronavirus spreads  CNN
  3. United Airlines suspending flights to China as coronavirus outbreak continues  Fox News
  4. Emirates and Etihad Tell Cabin Crew Headed to China to Wear Face Masks and to Stay in Their Hotel Rooms  Paddle Your Own Kanoo
  5. United Airlines suspends many China flights as coronavirus crisis worsens  Chicago Business Journal
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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Facebook’s new tool will tell you how it knows so much about you - Vox.com

  1. Facebook’s new tool will tell you how it knows so much about you  Vox.com
  2. Facebook’s New Privacy Tool Is a Data Landfill  The Atlantic
  3. Facebook privacy tool gives you more control on how you're being watched online  USA TODAY
  4. Facebook's Off-Facebook Activity tool is now available to everyone  Ghacks Technology News
  5. Find Out How Facebook Tracks You Even When You're Not Using It  Lifehacker
  6. View full coverage on Google News


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Kristen Bell Details "Incredible Fight" With Dax Shepard - E! NEWS

Kristen Bell Details "Incredible Fight" With Dax Shepard  E! NEWSView full coverage on Google News

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Coronavirus: Australian scientists first to recreate virus outside China

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

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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?

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In wake of Bolton book news, White House allies say Trump lawyers bungled defense

In wake of Bolton book news, White House allies say Trump lawyers bungled defenseReports that John Bolton had written a firsthand account of President Trump’s direct involvement in withholding aid to Ukraine has left some Republicans confused and angry over the legal strategy by the president’s defense team.




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'My alarm bells went off': One witness offers his account of Kobe Bryant's helicopter crash

'My alarm bells went off': One witness offers his account of Kobe Bryant's helicopter crashScott Daehlin, who witnessed Kobe Bryant's fatal crash, said he heard the helicopter hovering in low cloud cover seconds before it crashed.




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Trump impeachment team fights against explosive Bolton revelations amid fears of Republican senators betraying president

Trump impeachment team fights against explosive Bolton revelations amid fears of Republican senators betraying presidentFor Republican senators jolted by a former White House official's shocking revelations about military aid to Ukraine and Donald Trump who are looking for a reason to acquit the president, his made-for-television legal team has them covered.A half dozen GOP senators responding to former national security adviser John Bolton's bombshell revelations about what Mr Trump said about a military aid package for Ukraine and investigations of US Democrats, there is no evidence any one is mulling a vote to remove the president.




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Iranian general warns of retaliation if US threats continue

Iranian general warns of retaliation if US threats continueThe chief of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard warned Monday that it will retaliate against American and Israeli commanders if the U.S. continues to threaten top Iranian generals. The U.S. killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who headed the expeditionary Quds force, in a drone strike outside of Baghdad's airport in Iraq on Jan. 3. Five days later, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at two bases in Iraq housing American troops, causing injuries but no fatalities among soldiers there.




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Venezuelan police capture fugitive Colombian senator who fled via dentist's office

Venezuelan police capture fugitive Colombian senator who fled via dentist's officeVenezuelan special police detained a fugitive Colombian former senator who had illegally crossed the border, the force's chief said, four months after she escaped custody by climbing out of her dentist's office in Bogota. Aida Merlano, a former Conservative senator who was imprisoned last year for vote buying, made her theatrical escape in October, lowering herself with a rope and fleeing on the back of a delivery motorcycle. Jose Dominguez, head of Venezuela's FAES Special Action Force, wrote on his Instagram account late on Monday that officers detained her in the city of Maracaibo, capital of western Zulia state by the Colombian border.




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CDC Splits With China on Coronavirus Spread as Possible U.S. Cases Hit 110

CDC Splits With China on Coronavirus Spread as Possible U.S. Cases Hit 110As authorities in China scrambled to handle a coronavirus that has killed at least 81 people, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday described a surging potential crisis even as they pushed back on the latest thinking from Beijing about just how easily it spreads.Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters that the number of confirmed cases stateside had reached five—and that there had been a total of 110 “persons under investigation” for the virus in 26 states over the past week.Thirty-two of those people tested negative, and there had been no confirmed person-to-person transmissions inside the country, Messonnier said on Monday. The confirmed cases in the U.S. include patients in Orange County, California; a man in his 30s in Washington state; a woman in her 60s in Chicago; a passenger who felt ill after flying into Los Angeles International Airport; and a student at Arizona State University who does not live in university housing, the CDC said on Sunday. All of the U.S. cases appeared to involve patients who had recently traveled from Wuhan, China—the epicenter of the deadly virus. Seventy-three people were still being evaluated for the virus as of Monday.Fifth U.S. Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Patient Who Traveled From Wuhan, China“We understand that many people in the United States are worried about this virus and how it will affect Americans,” Messonnier said, adding that “risk depends on exposure,” which for Americans remained “low” on Monday.In each U.S. case, health officials have said they will trace the patient’s contacts and identify anyone who may have had prolonged exposure, then monitor those individuals for symptoms. In the U.S., anyone who has had close contact with confirmed patients has not been quarantined unless and until they display symptoms.That policy came into question over the weekend, when China’s health minister Ma Xiaowei said “the ability of the virus to spread is getting stronger” and that authorities in that country now believe the virus can spread during the incubation period—even before infected patients become symptomatic. A study published last week in the journal Lancet appeared to bolster that contention.But Messonnier said the CDC had not seen “any clear evidence of patients being infectious before symptom onset” as of Monday, even if authorities in the U.S. “are being very aggressive and very cautious in tracking close contacts” of infected individuals.“This outbreak is unfolding rapidly, and we are rapidly looking at how that impacts our posture at the border,” said Messonnier. “I expect that in the coming days, our travel recommendations will change.”Experts said that even as statements from Chinese health officials had to be viewed through a political lens, outright dismissal of asymptomatic transmission was premature.Eric Toner, a senior scientist with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the University’s School of Public Health, called the question “nuanced.” “It’s hard to know why the [Chinese] minister was so sure,” said Toner. “The evidence we have seen is quite suggestive of pre-symptomatic transmission, at least in some people, but not conclusive. He may have information that we do not.”For now, officials were still screening passengers at five American airports: Los Angeles International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Of course, fewer travelers are coming out of Wuhan in the wake of a travel lockdown late last week; Messonnier said the CDC had screened approximately 2,400 people in those airports so far but that “the number of people coming from Wuhan is declining.”Though Chinese authorities halted travel from Wuhan to stop the spread of the virus, the U.S. is among several countries—including France and Russia—that were given special permission to evacuate diplomats and private citizens. In addition to the 81 dead in China—76 of whom reportedly lived in Wuhan—nearly 3,000 people across the world, including a 9-month-old baby girl in Beijing, had confirmed cases of the virus as of Monday morning. Aside from the five cases in the U.S., more have been reported in Thailand, Taiwan, Australia, Macau, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, France, Canada, Vietnam, and Nepal. There had been no deaths from the virus reported outside of China as of Monday morning. But the new fatalities in that country over the weekend, including an 88-year-old man in Shanghai, stoked fears that the government had failed to contain the infection’s spread. Beijing announced Monday morning that it would push back the official end of the Lunar New Year holiday to Thursday from Sunday in order to “reduce mass gatherings” and “block the spread of the epidemic,” according to a statement from China’s cabinet.Meanwhile, Wuhan’s mayor, Zhou Xianwang, on Monday offered to step down, along with the city’s party secretary, Ma Guoqiang, in order to “appease public indignation.” He said the pair were prepared to take responsibility for the crisis after days of public outcries from citizens, on social media and elsewhere.“Our names will live in infamy, but as long as it is conducive to the control of the disease and to the people’s lives and safety, Comrade Ma Guoqiang and I will bear any responsibility,” Zhou reportedly said Monday.Dr. Adrian Hyzler, chief medical officer for Healix International, which provides medical information to travelers, told The Daily Beast the CDC will know much more about how easily the virus spreads once the incubation period—estimated at a maximum of 14 days—has passed in the five U.S. cases. “If, as the Chinese are saying, patients are contagious before symptoms develop, then it is much harder to control,” he said.Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that the CDC cleared 32 people who tested negative for the virus out of 110 potential cases.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.




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