The photo above says it all: While coronavirus fears spread across the globe (possibly faster than the virus itself), a nurse helping to fight the virus in China was finally able to kiss her son after nearly a month apart — through a glass window.
It’s Ashley with today’s top news.
But first, say hello to my little moon: A “mini-moon” the size of a car was discovered orbiting Earth. But it won’t be there for long.
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Does the coronavirus have your attention yet?
The new coronavirus — which has killed thousands and is on the verge of becoming a pandemic — has sparked global panic. More than 82,500 COVID-19 (the formal name for the virus) cases have been confirmed across dozens of countries, according to Johns Hopkins. So far, the U.S. has confirmed 60 coronavirus patients, including one case from “unknown” exposure. The case is troubling because the patient hadn’t traveled to a foreign country recently, and investigators don’t have proof the person came in contact with a patient known to have the virus, the CDC said. How the virus was transmitted remains unclear.
The Milwaukee gunman had a long-running dispute with a co-worker
The man who opened fire at Molson Coors in Milwaukee on Wednesday had been involved in a long-running dispute with a co-worker that boiled over before he started shooting, according to sources. The gunman, who killed five co-workers and himself (this is an update from yesterday’s victim count), had worked as an electrician with the multinational brewing company for more than 20 years, according to sources and online employment records. A co-worker who asked not to be identified said the gunman believed he was being discriminated against because he was African American, and that he frequently argued with at least one of the victims, a fellow electrician.
What everyone’s talking about
Is Aunt Becky innocent?
Attorneys for actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer husband Mossimo Giannulli said newly released evidence exonerates the couple and other parents still fighting charges in the nation’s college admissions scandal. Remember: The celebrity couple is accused of paying $500,000 to get their two daughters admitted into USC as fake crew recruits. Loughlin’s attorneys said notes written by the mastermind of the admissions scheme, Rick Singer, prove their underlying argument — that parents thought they were making “legitimate donations” to a nonprofit that would help universities, not bribing college officials. Despite all this, a judge on Thursday set trial dates in the blockbuster case.
Obama’s not playing favorites
As the race for the Democratic presidential nomination cruises toward a potentially decisive Super Tuesday, one Democratic superstar with the power to alter the course of the contest is clinging steadfastly to the sidelines: Barack Obama. Those close to the former president expect Obama not to endorse Joe Biden — or anyone else — for president. But why? Obama feels “voters themselves must pick our nominee,” according to a source familiar with the former president’s thinking.
Real quick
Fake colleges, DeVos is coming for you
The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation after a USA TODAY report showed an accredited college apparently had no faculty or students. The college investigated by USA TODAY, Reagan National University, was approved by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges & Schools. It has a history of approving several for-profit universities that suddenly closed. On Thursday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told a congressional committee she was “troubled” by USA TODAY’s report and she has launched an investigation as a result.
A break from the news
This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coronavirus outbreak, Milwaukee shooting, Lori Loughlin: Thursday’s news