The World

The US Senate heard arguments Friday over whether to consider hearing from witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. And, it's Brexit time. At midnight Friday (Brussels time), Britain officially ends its membership in the European Union. Plus, immigrants and refugees in Iowa discuss how they see both opportunities — and obstacles — to their participation in Iowa caucus and in American political life.

People in China would normally be getting back to work, or school, now that the Lunar New Year holiday is coming to an end. But the coronavirus outbreak means that things are far from normal in the country right now. And, at midnight on Friday night after years of debate and turmoil, Britain will leave the European Union. What will that mean for foreign workers from EU countries who currently live and work in Britain? Plus, a scientist in Sydney, Australia, been researching how cows communicate their emotions to each other.

Flights are canceled, quarantines are going into effect and foreign governments are trying to evacuate their citizens as the health authorities around the world work to contain a deadly coronavirus outbreak first detected in China. And, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to London on Wednesday to urge UK officials to rethink the government's move in allowing Chinese tech giant Huawei limited access to the UK's development of 5G wireless networks. Also, we report on one Irishman's quest to raise awareness about global climate change through ice swimming.

US President Donald Trump unveiled a peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday. A White House ceremony was attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said it was a "historic day." Palestinian leaders had rejected Trump's long-delayed plan even before its official release, saying his administration was biased toward Israel. And, Chinese leader Xi Jinping vowed to defeat the coronavirus, which has killed more than 100 people. But as The World's Patrick Winn reports, the government's efforts to contain the epidemic are hampered by the public's lack of trust. Also, the US Supreme Court is giving the Trump administration greater leeway to refuse green card applicants.

From The World and PRX, this is The Number in the News. Today’s number: 2. A man in New Zealand and another man in Spain created an “Earth sandwich” by placing slices of bread on precise points on either side of the planet. Nineteen-year-old Etienne Naude of Auckland, New Zealand, explains why he has been wanting to do this for years. The Number in the News is a daily flash briefing for your smart speaker that we’re featuring as a special segment here in The World’s podcast feed. Listen to the Number in the News every morning to hear a shareable story in just two minutes. It’s one number you won’t forget, and why it’s in the news today.

President Donald Trump's former national security advisor, John Bolton, makes his presence felt at the Senate impeachment trial after a leak of his book manuscript suggests there was a quid pro quo with Ukraine. Also, we look back on the life of NBA star Kobe Bryant and his formative years growing up in Italy. Plus, what is life like today in Auschwitz on the 75th anniversary of the death camp's liberation by Soviet troops?

Lawmakers finish making their case in the US Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. We take a look back at the first week of the impeachment trial. And, health officials across China are stepping up their response to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Air and train travel have been suspended in several cities, and the government has closed the Forbidden City and parts of the Great Wall as the country heads into a holiday weekend. Also, what does a Gullah expression of West African culture sound like? We hear from Clay Ross and Kevin Hamilton of the Grammy-nominated Ranky Tanky, a quintet from South Carolina whose soulful Gullah music draws from jazz and from the sounds of the descendants of enslaved Africans in the American South.

Impeachment managers continue pressing their case Thursday in the US Senate, making arguments on the constitutional basis for removing President Donald Trump from office. Plus, it was a year ago when Juan Guaidó declared himself the rightful president of Venezuela amid the country's constitutional and financial crisis. Yet, the regime of Nicolás Maduro has persisted, despite mass protests and a near collapse of Venezuela's economy. And, the deaths of three American crew members in the crash of a firefighting plane in Australia are a reminder of the danger they face, and of the effort to allocate global firefighting resources based on seasons.

The rules are set and the opening arguments began today in the impeachment trial of US President Donal Trump in the Senate. Also, did the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman, hack into Amazon chief Jeff Bezos's smartphone? Two UN officials say that's exactly what happened. Saudi Arabia calls the allegation against its crown prince, "absurd." And, as world leaders prepare for a commemoration in Israel on Thursday to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, the president of Poland is refusing to participate.

It's day one of US President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate. Trump faces charges of abusing power and obstructing Congress. And, an Iranian student attending Northeastern University has been deported against a federal judge's orders from Boston's Logan Airport. Also, a man from New Zealand and another man in Spain have created an Earth sandwich. Literally — two pieces of bread, placed precisely on opposite sides of the globe.