World News: It's time to pay attention to the coronavirus

Thursday, February 27

It's time to pay attention to the coronavirus

Dow plunges 1,191 points as coronavirus fears escalate. The Milwaukee shooter had a dispute with a co-worker. It's Thursday's news.

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.

•	In the U.S., President Donald Trump tapped Vice President Mike Pence to lead America's response to the coronavirus and requested $2.5 billion in emergency funding to combat the outbreak. Democrats say the amount is "insufficient."
•	As for the stock market, fear of the outbreak extended a recent rout, with the Dow plunging nearly 1,200 points, its biggest one-day point drop in history.
•	In Japan, schools are shutting down until April to help curb the spread of the coronavirus blamed for three deaths there. Japan's containment efforts also could decide the fate of the Summer Olympics, set for Tokyo in July.
•	What does this all mean? The risk remains low for most Americans, but the CDC warns the public should expect more cases and prepare for disruptions to daily life.

A worker wearing protective gears sprays disinfectant as a precaution against the coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. The new illness persists in the worst-hit areas and spreads beyond borders. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

The Associated Press

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.

•	Workplace mass shootings are rare. The Milwaukee rampage was the first of 2020.
•	Hours before Molson Coors shooting, Wisconsin lawmakers said state's gun laws won't change.

Susan Ullenberg, a screen printer for Brew City Brand, holds up a "Miller Strong" T-shirt printed at the company in Milwaukee's Third Ward on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. Brew City Brand was making the T-shirts for Molson Coors employees. On Wednesday, a Molson Coors employee shot and killed five workers and then killed himself.

MIKE DE SISTI / MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL

What everyone's talking about

•	You wouldn't believe this "man" is actually Taylor Swift in her new video that takes on gender roles.
•	What to give up for Lent? Pope Francis wants you to stop being an internet troll.
•	A hearse with body still inside (you read that right) was stolen outside a church in California.
•	The Boy Scouts of America is bankrupt. Should the nonprofit sell its prized Norman Rockwell art to pay sexual abuse victims?

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.

Lori Loughlin poses with her two daughters Bella and Olivia Loughlin at the Teen Choice Awards at the Galen Center on Aug. 13, 2017 in Los Angeles.

Jordan Strauss, Invision/AP

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.

•	Speaking of Obama, he demanded television stations and a pro-Trump group to stop airing a "despicable" ad that misuses his voice to attack Biden.

Real quick

•	Not-so-fun fact: Nearly as many pedestrians died in the last 10 years as Americans killed in the Vietnam War.
•	Is watching Netflix bad for the environment? This might be some good news on the climate front.
•	The disgraced former mayor of Baltimore was sentenced to three years in prison for a children's book fraud scheme.
•	Poll: Joe Biden has a 20-point lead in the South Carolina primary.

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

•	Treat yourself to great sleep: 10 genius sleep products you can buy on Amazon.
•	Or treat yourself to some great TV: The best new shows of 2020, so far, from "Cheer" to "Star Trek: Picard."
•	Alternatively, you can do your taxes: Four reasons your tax refund won't reach your bank account.