World News: Word of the day: Pandemic

Tuesday, February 25

Workers wearing protective gears spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 25, 2020.

Is it too late to fend off the coronavirus outbreak? And who will win the Democratic debate? It's Tuesday's news.

While the world scrambles to contain the coronavirus, presidential hopefuls are gearing up for an evening of fierce debate.

It's Ashley with the news you'll want to know.

But first, let's set the GIF-JIF record straight: How do you pronounce "GIF"? OK, now how do you pronounce "Jif"? The answer to the decadelong debate is here.

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Can a coronavirus pandemic be stopped?

First thing's first: What's a pandemic? It's the worldwide spread of a new disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Now that that's out of the way: The deadly coronavirus could cause "severe" disruptions in the U.S., a federal health official warned Tuesday as global experts struggled to fend off the outbreak and avoid a pandemic.

But is it too late? The coronavirus already has caused sickness and death, and it has sustained person-to-person transmission. That's two of the three factors for a pandemic, said Nancy Messonnier, the CDC's immunization chief. Other experts are also warning that avoiding a pandemic is "very unlikely" at this point.

President Donald Trump downplayed coronavirus concerns on Tuesday, saying it was "very well under control in our country," despite a sharp rise in cases globally that prompted the biggest one-day drop in the Dow Jones Industrial average in two years.

People wearing protective face masks walk through a market in the wan chai district of Hong Kong on February 25, 2020. The new coronavirus has peaked in China but could still grow into a pandemic, the World Health Organization warned, as infections mushroom in other countries.

ISAAC LAWRENCE, AFP via Getty Images

Get your popcorn ready, the Democratic debate is upon us

It's showtime (again) for the Democrats. Seven Democratic presidential hopefuls take the stage Tuesday night ahead of the South Carolina primary on Saturday. The debate will reunite six contenders from last week's heated match-up in Nevada and will welcome billionaire Tom Steyer back to the stage. Which candidates could come out on top? Former Vice President Joe Biden still leads the South Carolina primary race, according to polls, while the clear frontrunner nationally is Bernie Sanders, who won the popular vote in the first three nominating contests. The debate is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EST.

From left, Tom Steyer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, at the Democratic presidential primary debate on Jan. 14, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

What everyone's talking about

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Tom Brady shared an emotional tribute to Kobe Bryant

A day after thousands mourned Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna at Staples Center in LA, future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady shared an emotional tribute reflecting on the NBA star's legacy. Brady, an NFL free agent for the first time in his career with the New England Patriots, called Bryant a "real-life superhero" and said he's been "deeply affected" by Kobe's passing. In his tribute, he tried to put into words exactly why.

A parasite with no DNA that doesn't need oxygen? Creepy

Scientists have discovered the only known animal that does not need oxygen to survive, a tiny little parasite that largely preys on salmon. The study, published Tuesday, found that the critter doesn't require "aerobic respiration" to survive – a revelation that may change how we understand life on Earth and beyond. Another fun fact about the parasite: It's the first multicellular animal found in the wild to not have the DNA, which contains the genes responsible for respiration.

Real quick

•	The world's oldest man, who had said that the secret to a long life was smiling, has died at 112.
•	The Walt Disney Co. has named a new CEO. Bob Chapek is replacing Bob Iger.
•	Exclusive: Lara Trump has a message for women: It's OK to like Donald Trump even if you don't love his style.
•	Millions await snow and bitter cold as a winter storm moves from the Midwest to the Northeast.
•	An injured hiker crawled eight hours on trail looking for a cell signal to call 911.

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A break from the news

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•	This is weird: She didn't drink, but her urine was full of alcohol. Turns out, her bladder was its own brewery.
•	The overlooked Social Security benefit hardly anyone knows about.