Nov 14, 2017 - Politics & Policy

UCLA players flying home from China after Trump talked to Xi

UCLA freshmen Jalen Hill (left), Cody Riley (center) and LiAngelo Ball were allegedly involved in a shoplifting incident in China. Photo: AP

Three UCLA basketball players, who were arrested in China on suspicion of shoplifting last week, are headed back home today, hours after President Trump said he asked Chinese President Xi to help their case, per Reuters.

Staff for Delta Airlines confirmed that the players had boarded a flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles.

What Trump told Xi over dinner in Beijing, per a pool report: "What they did was unfortunate. When I heard about [what happened] two days ago, I had a great conversation with President Xi... He was terrific, and they're working on it right now."

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Axios

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2 p.m. ET: 19,451,097 — Total deaths: 722,835 — Total recoveries — 11,788,665 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 2. p.m. ET: 4,968,413 — Total deaths: 161,858 — Total recoveries: 1,623,870 — Total tests: 60,415,558 — Map.
Public health: Fauci says chances are "not great" that COVID-19 vaccine will be 98% effective.
Science: Indoor air is the next coronavirus frontline.
Schools: How back-to-school is playing out in the South as coronavirus rages on — Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Howard to hold fall classes online.

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Rashaan Ayesh

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What's next for Lebanon after the Beirut explosion

Photo: Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Beirut residents are still clearing rubble from streets that appear war-torn, days after a blast that shocked the country and horrified the world.

Why it matters: The explosion is likely to accelerate a painful cycle Lebanon was already living through — discontent, economic distress, and emigration.

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Mike Allen

4 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Wolf Blitzer marks 15 years in "The Situation Room"

Wolf Blitzer on the White House beat in 1993, along with NBC's Brian Williams, CBS' Rita Braver and ABC's Brit Hume. Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images H

Aug. 8, 2005 — "The Situation Room's" debut on CNN wherein the host first said: "I'm Wolf Blitzer and you're in The Situation Room, where news and information from around the world arrive in one place simultaneously!"

The state of play: When the pandemic took off in the U.S. in March, Blitzer started working 7 days a week for 60+ days, until he took a Sunday off. Then he continued 7 days a week until he took a few days off.