JUDY WOODRUFF: The government of China is facing heavy criticism from its own people
tonight linked to the coronavirus outbreak.
A social media storm erupted after the death of a doctor who was punished for his warnings.
In all, China has now reported nearly 720 deaths and well over 34,000 cases.
Meanwhile, more Americans were flown from China to a military base outside San Antonio
today. Another flight arrived at a base near San Diego. Federal officials again urged calm.
DR. ROBERT REDFIELD, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: It's understandable
that Americans are concerned. But again,, the immediate risk to the American public
is low, and we are vigilant in our efforts to confront the challenges that this new virus
presents.
JUDY WOODRUFF: We will return to the situation in China after the news summary.
New numbers on the U.S. economy showed job growth jumped in January. The Labor Department
reports that employers added a net of 225,000 positions last month. Unemployment rate -- the
rate ticked up a 10th, to 3.6 percent, as more people entered the labor market.
We will take a closer look at this report later in the program.
Seven Democratic presidential candidates will debate tonight in New Hampshire, ahead of
next Tuesday's primary. It comes as final Iowa caucus results show Pete Buttigieg and
Bernie Sanders finished in a virtual tie.
The Iowa state Democratic Party asked candidates today for any evidence of mistakes in the
results. They have until Monday to ask for a recanvass.
Among Republicans, former Congressman Joe Walsh ended his long-shot campaign for president
today.
We will return to the campaign later with a live report from New Hampshire.
A key impeachment witness against President Trump has been removed from his White House
job. His lawyer says army Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman was fired today from the
National Security Council staff, along with his twin brother. Both were escorted from
the building.
But Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the pair will be welcomed back to the Pentagon.
MARK ESPER, U.S. Defense Secretary: We protect all of our persons, service members from retribution
or anything, anything like that. So, we have already addressed that in policy and other
means.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Vindman had testified that President Trump improperly pressed Ukraine's
president to investigate potential Democratic opponent Joe Biden.
A federal appeals court today killed a lawsuit alleging that the president violated the Constitution's
Emoluments Clause; 200 Democratic lawmakers had charged that his businesses have illegally
accepted benefits from foreign governments. The court said that the lawmakers lacked legal
standing to sue.
The president hailed the ruling as he left for a speech in North Carolina.
DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: I will be reading it on the helicopter, but
it was a total win. This was brought by 230 Democrats in Congress on emoluments. It was
another phony case, and we won it 3-0. We won it unanimously.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Other lawsuits over the emoluments issue are still pending in the federal courts.
New York state sued the Trump administration today, in an escalating fight over immigration.
The suit targets a decision to bar New Yorkers from quick passage through airport security.
Federal officials say they responded to a state law that blocks immigration agents from
access to driver's license records.
A deadly storm system has moved into the Northeastern U.S., with extreme winds, ice and snow. It
already killed at least five people across the South, and knocked out power to more than
400,000 customers. Strong winds uprooted trees and tore though mobile homes from Florida
to Mississippi. In South Carolina, downpours left people stranded by flooding.
In the Pacific Northwest, heavy rain and melting snow are causing severe flooding and landslides.
Roads are closed in parts of Western Washington state. Workers have been struggling to clear
culverts and drain the rushing water.
Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives voted for the passage of $20 billion in emergency
aid for Puerto Rico today. It follows earthquakes that set back the recovery from Hurricane
Maria. The bill has little chance in the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House has promised a
veto, citing mismanagement by the island's government.
And on Wall Street, stocks pulled back after a four-day rally. The Dow Jones industrial
average lost 277 points to close at 29102. The Nasdaq fell 51 points, and the S&P 500
slipped 18.
Still to come on the "NewsHour": outrage and alarm in China, after the doctor who blew
the whistle on coronavirus dies; what today's jobs report says about the health of the economy
under President Trump; a conversation with the former top U.S. diplomat to Ukraine, William
Taylor, now that the impeachment trial has come to an end; and much more.