10 things you need to know today: February 3, 2020

1. Democrats make final pitches before Iowa caucuses

Democratic presidential candidates on Sunday made last minute appeals for support in Iowa ahead of the state's Monday caucuses, which kick off the primaries leading up to the 2020 election. "This is going to go right down to the last second," said Symone Sanders, a senior adviser to former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign. The Democratic field has narrowed recently but remains large, with Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) leading the pack in Iowa followed closely by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and entrepreneur Andrew Yang.

The Associated Press The New York Times

2. Trump administration imposes travel restrictions as coronavirus spreads

The Trump administration said Sunday it was imposing strict travel restrictions to help limit further spread of the coronavirus outbreak that originated in central China. The flu-like virus has killed at least 360 people in China and infected more than 17,000 people around the world, with the death toll now exceeding that of China's severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002 and 2003. Under the travel restrictions, the United States will temporarily deny entry to foreign nationals who visited China within two weeks of their arrival in the U.S. American citizens who have traveled to China's Hubei province, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, also face travel restrictions, although administration officials said the virus still posed a "low risk" in the U.S.

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3. Key Republicans justify opposing witnesses ahead of final impeachment vote

Several key Republicans on Sunday said they believed that President Trump was wrong to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, but they defended their decision to vote against new witnesses and evidence in his impeachment trial. "I think he shouldn't have done it — I think it was wrong," Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press. But Alexander said voters should decide what to do about it. Trump's Senate trial resumes Monday with closing arguments by House impeachment managers and Trump's defense team ahead of a final vote expected to acquit Trump on Wednesday. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), a leading House impeachment manager, said the Senate needs to remove Trump because he could "cheat in the next election by soliciting foreign interference."

The New York Times The Washington Post

4. Trump plans 'positive' State of the Union Address

President Trump plans to go ahead with his State of the Union address on Tuesday, on the eve of the Senate vote in his impeachment trial. Trump aides said he plans to say that the state of the union is strong, despite bitter divisions over the impeachment process. Senior administration officials did not say whether Trump would mention the impeachment trial, which Trump has dismissed as a "witch hunt." Trump reportedly plans to use his State of the Union address to focus on moving the country forward and touting what he will describe as his administration's achievements. Trump told reporters at a Super Bowl watch party he would deliver a "very, very positive message."

The Associated Press The Hill

5. London police fatally shoot stabbing suspect

Police in London shot and killed a man on Sunday afternoon after he allegedly stabbed two people, authorities said. The man was wearing a fake bomb, and stabbed the victims outside of a pharmacy in the south London neighborhood of Streatham; they are both expected to survive. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D'Orsi said police are "confident" the suspect is 20-year-old Sudesh Amman, who was "recently released from prison where he had been serving a sentence for Islamist-related terrorism offenses." Amman was found guilty of publishing graphic terrorist videos online. "Terrorists seek to divide us and to destroy our way of life," London Mayor Sadiq Kahn said. "Here in London we will never let them succeed."

The Associated Press Reuters

6. Trump, Bloomberg trade insults

President Trump and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg exchanged insults on Sunday ahead of the release of their dueling Super Bowl commercials. Trump described Bloomberg as "very little," and said, without evidence, that Bloomberg was pressing the Democratic Party to let him stand on a box during its next presidential primary debate. "Why should he get a box to stand on," Trump said. "Does that mean everyone else gets a box?" Bloomberg's campaign responded by saying that "the president is lying." "He is a pathological liar who lies about everything: his fake hair, his obesity, and his spray-on tan," Bloomberg campaign spokesperson Julie Wood said in a statement.

NBC News The Associated Press

7. British government vows to set agenda in post-Brexit talks

The government of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday that it would set its own course instead of following the European Union's rules as it heads into talks on its future relationship with the trading bloc. The U.K. officially exited the EU on Friday, and entered a transition period during which it will negotiate a new trade relationship with the EU. The EU has told the U.K. that its access to the 28-nation trading bloc would depend on Britain's willingness to accept a "level playing field," suggesting that it would have to adhere to EU rules on environmental protections, labor regulations, and other issues.

Reuters

8. Apple closes China stores due to coronavirus

Apple said over the weekend that it was closing its 42 stores in mainland China "out of an abundance of caution" due to the rapidly expanding coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 360 people. The iPhone maker also is closing its corporate offices and other facilities in China until Feb. 9. "Our thoughts are with the people most immediately affected by the coronavirus and with those working around the clock to study and contain it," Apple said in a statement. China is Apple's third biggest market, after the United States and Europe.

The Associated Press

9. World War I drama 1917 leads BAFTA winners

Sam Mendes' World War I drama 1917 won big at the 2020 British Academy Film Awards on Sunday, taking home seven prizes, including best film and best director. The BAFTAs are the British equivalent of the Oscars. Last month, 1917 was the surprise winner of several Golden Globes, including best drama motion picture. Joaquin Phoenix won best actor for Joker, while Renée Zellweger won best actress for Judy, her third BAFTA award. Parasite, the first Korean film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, won BAFTAs for best film not in the English language and best original screenplay.

The Guardian

10. Chiefs defeat 49ers for team's 1st Super Bowl championship in 50 years

The Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 31-20 to win Super Bowl LIV in Miami on Sunday. The 49ers led for most of the game and were up by 10 in the third quarter. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to lead the Chiefs to a comeback win and their first championship since the 1969 season. Mahomes received the Super Bowl MVP award. It was the first title for Kansas City Coach Andy Reid, who has spent 21 years with the NFL and won 221 games. It was the 49ers' second straight Super Bowl loss after winning in their first five appearances in the championship game.

USA Today