promoearn: ☀️ Daily Briefing: Your 5 things to know today

Thursday, January 30, 2020

☀️ Daily Briefing: Your 5 things to know today

Thursday, January 30

The Inouye Solar Telescope is located on the top of Mount Haleakala on Maui in Hawaii.

Thursday's Daily Briefing: Trump Iowa rally, coronavirus outbreak

President Trump plans a show of GOP strength in Iowa, the World Health Organization discusses the coronavirus outbreak and more things to start your Thursday.

It's Thursday, Jan. 30. Rise and shine, Daily Briefing readers. Speaking of shine, have you heard about these amazing photos of the sun? They are the most detailed ever taken, thanks to a fancy new telescope in Hawaii.

"It is literally the greatest leap in humanity's ability to study the sun from the ground since Galileo's time. It's a big deal," said Jeff Kuhn of the University of Hawaii at Mānoa's Institute for Astronomy.

Thanks for letting us geek out. Now for the rest of today's news: We've got updates on coronavirus, President Trump heads to Iowa, and we say goodbye to "The Good Place." The impeachment trial also resumes; you can follow our updates here.

Here's what you need to know.

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1. World Health Organization to convene over coronavirus outbreak

The director general of the World Health Organization announced that he would reconvene the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Thursday to advise him on whether the deadly coronavirus outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern . Last week, the committee found it was too soon to make such a declaration. A flight carrying 195 passengers fleeing the source of the outbreak – the Chinese city of Wuhan – landed in California on Wednesday after an emotional stopover in Alaska. All those passengers had voluntarily agreed to remain at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California, for monitoring. The death toll in China rose to at least 170 on Thursday.

•	'We do not want to risk our lives': Amid coronavirus scares, colleges try to keep healthy, calm
•	Americans stuck in Wuhan bored, hungry for coronavirus info
•	Fleeing Wuhan: Coronavirus deaths, infections boom in China
•	United becomes first US airline to cancel some China flights amid coronavirus

2. President Trump plans show of GOP strength in Iowa

President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday night on the eve of a key vote in the Senate impeachment trial . The Trump campaign sees the event as a show of the president's power over the GOP as Senate Republicans prepare to vote Friday on whether to end his impeachment trial or extend it by hearing from witnesses. The rally is also designed to steal Democrats' thunder as they prepare to select a presidential candidate in the Iowa causes Monday. Trump's campaign plans to follow up his visit by sending an armada of Republican heavyweights to the state.

•	Iowa power: Do winners of the Iowa caucus typically become president?
•	Bolton stirs GOP fury for Trump revelations but friends say he's used to knife fights. Meanwhile, the White House is still mad about his book.
•	Catch up real quick: Here are questions senators asked during Trump's impeachment trial.

3. Lakers 'forever changed by sudden loss' of Kobe Bryant and his daughter

The death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash Sunday sent shockwaves through the sports world, and obviously particularly hit Los Angeles and the Lakers hard. The team released its first significant statement Wednesday night, hours after coach Frank Vogel spoke to the media about how the team was handling the loss: "Words cannot express what Kobe means to the Los Angeles Lakers, our fans, and our city. More than a basketball player, he was a beloved father, husband, and teammate. Their love and light will remain in our hearts forever." The team also promoted the MambaOnThree Fund, which Vanessa Bryant announced earlier Wednesday , to help the families of the other seven people killed in the tragedy.

•	The first sporting event at Staples Center since Kobe's death was the L.A. Kings. Fans chanted, "Kobe, Kobe."
•	Kobe's widow, Vanessa Bryant, changed her Instagram profile pic to Kobe and Gianna

4. Pompeo to begin overseas trip amid impeachment trial, controversy

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to arrive in Ukraine — the country at the center of President Donald Trump's impeachment — on Thursday. Last week, Pompeo unloaded on National Public Radio host Mary Louise Kelly after an interview in which she questioned him on Ukraine and Iran, among other issues. According to NPR, Pompeo used the "F-word" and other expletives— Pompeo responded by calling Kelly a liar and suggesting she was unable to point out Ukraine on an unmarked map. The State Department, which barred an NPR reporter from the trip, said Pompeo is going to Kyiv to "highlight U.S. support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

•	NPR host Kelly writes op-ed after Pompeo interview, saying journalists aren't out to 'score political points'
•	What's it like to be a woman in journalism? F-bombs and death threats are not unheard of.
•	'I think you did a good job on her'; Trump praises Pompeo for blasting NPR host

5. Final episode of NBC's 'The Good Place' to air

It's time to say goodbye to "The Good Place." The show will round its goofy and creative exploration into some of life's most complex questions with a one-hour season finale Thursday at 8:30 EST/PST. For many the show has been a "unique half-hour of American network television." Namely because "The Good Place" has never shied away from making shocking, genre-defying story choices and stayed true to the message that anyone can be good, and nobody is broken beyond repair. The finale will be followed by a Seth Meyers-hosted special featuring the cast and creator Michael Schur.