These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, January 23, 2020:
- CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE: As of this morning, an area the size of the New York metropolitan region is essentially under quarantine in China. Residents in Wuhan and two nearby cities — total population 20 million — are closed off from public transportation. Planes and trains out of the area have been cancelled and subway, bus and ferries within the zone aren’t moving. Authorities say the move is temporary and is needed to cut off the epidemic at its epicenter. At least 17 people have died and nearly 600 are now infected. NPR
- IMPEACHMENT TRIAL: House Democrats began presenting their case to the Senate, with Rep. Adam Schiff taking the lead in laying out the case against President Trump. Schiff quoted Alexander Hamilton, who famously warned that in a democracy, a public official unfit for office might try to get elected to “pursue his own interests.” Senate Democrats also said that the idea of trading witness testimony — John Bolton for Joe Biden — is “off the table.” Democrats continue their case today. New York Times
- WEINSTEIN TRIAL: The Harvey Weinstein trial is officially underway in Manhattan, with seven men and five women hearing the case. Prosecutors gave a “lengthy and graphic” opening statement detailing his alleged sexual abuse against two women. The defense, which was denied a last-minute request to move the trial out of New York City, plans to introduce what it calls “loving” emails sent by accusers to Weinstein after the alleged attacks took place. NBC News
- BEZOS PHONE HACK: UN human rights experts say they believe a WhatsApp account used by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia may have been used to plant malware on the phone of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. In a report, the experts call for an investigation into the hacking. They say Mohammad bin Salman appeared at one point to taunt Bezos over his extramarital affair — before it was publicly known but after the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered. Bezos owns the Post and the paper had been increasingly critical of the Saudi regime in its reporting. Cheddar
- SPOTTED... Mr. Peanut, the 104-year-old Planters mascot, dying a hero’s death in a commercial to air during the Super Bowl. Watch
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