Wednesday morning news, February 12, 2020

Sanders wins New Hampshire » SANDERS: Thank you New Hampshire!

The first in the nation primary in the books and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders appears to be the winner.  

SANDERS: Let me take this opportunity to thank the people of New Hampshire for a great victory tonight! 

As of 1 a.m. this morning, with close to 90 percent of the votes counted, Sanders had won 25.8 percent of the vote. Former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was a close second with 24.4 percent. 

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar enjoyed a strong third place finish with about 20 percent. She rallied her supporters as the votes were still being tallied. 

KLOBUCHAR: My heart is full tonight. While there are still ballots left to count, we have beaten the odds every step of the way. 

But a very disappointing night for Senator Elizabeth Warren, who won less than 10 percent of the vote, and for Joe Biden, who finished between 8 and 9 percent. 

Also on Tuesday, Andrew Yang announced he’s dropping out of the Democratic presidential race.

Justice Department reverses prosecutors, seeks lighter sentence for Stone » The Justice Department said Tuesday it will reduce the amount of prison time it is seeking for Roger Stone. WORLD Radio’s Anna Johansen reports. 

ANNA JOHANSEN, REPORTER: Stone, a longtime ally of President Trump, was convicted last year of lying to Congress and obstructing the Russia probe. And on Monday night, prosecutors recommended Stone serve seven to nine years behind bars. 

But on Tuesday, the Department of Justice took the unusual step of reversing the prosecutors’ recommendation—asking instead for a lighter sentence. 

Democrats lambasted the push for a lighter sentence. They noted that President Trump, just hours earlier, had tweeted that the case against Stone was a “miscarriage of justice.” They suggested the DOJ is submitting to President Trump’s wishes. 

But the Justice Department said it made the decision Monday night—before Trump’s tweet—and that prosecutors had not spoken to the White House about it.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Anna Johansen. 

WHO announces new name for the deadly coronavirus » The World Health Organization has chosen a name for the coronavirus: It is COVID-19.

WHO director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus said the virus is testing the world in many ways. 

GHEBREYESUS: It’s a test of political solidarity, whether the world can come together to fight a common enemy that does not respect borders or ideologies. 

That virus has now infected more than 43,000 people. It has killed more than a thousand people, almost all of them in China.  

In Southern California, nearly 200 Americans who were evacuated from China went home Tuesday—ending their quarantine at a military base.

All those who flew into March Air Reserve Base appear healthy. However, one evacuee at another base tested positive for COVID-19 and is now hospitalized in isolation. 

Guaido returns to Venezuela » Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido received a raucous welcome home inside an airport in Caracas Tuesday. 

He returned after a risky 23-day international tour in which he defied a travel ban imposed by the government of disputed President Nicolas Maduro. Gaudio traveled to stops in South America and Europe. He later met with President Trump at the White House, and was an honored guest at Trump’s State of the Union address last week. 

There was some question as to whether Maduro would try to block his return, but he cruised through the airport without incident. 

Commenting on Twitter, Guaido said of his return—quote—”I’m bringing with me the commitment of the free world willing to help us recover democracy and Freedom,”

al-Bashir to stand trial for war crimes at International Criminal Court » Former Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir could soon stand trial before the International Criminal Court. World Radio’s Kristen Flavin has more. 

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: Mohammed Hassan al-Taishi, a member of Sudan’s transitional government, made the announcement Tuesday. He did not mention al-Bashir by name. But he said the country’s Sovereign Council agreed with rebel groups in Darfur to hand over those wanted by the ICC. He did not say when that will happen. 

The International Criminal Court wants al-Bashir to face charges of crimes against humanity and genocide.

The country’s military overthrew al-Bashir last year amid a public uprising. Since then, he has been jailed in Khartoum on charges of corruption and killing protesters.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Kristen Flavin. 

Judge clears path for T-Mobile takeover of Sprint » Two national cell phone carriers may soon merge to create a new wireless giant. 

COMMERCIAL: Now’s the time to start fresh and switch to Sprint. 

A federal judge has cleared a major path to T-Mobile’s $26-and-a-half billion takeover of Sprint. 

The merger would shrink the number of major U.S. wireless companies from four to three. States had sued to stop the takeover, saying it would mean less competition and higher phone bills.

T-Mobile successfully argued that the deal would benefit consumers as it becomes a fiercer competitor to the larger Verizon and AT&T. 

The merger still needs a few more approvals, but T-Mobile expects to close the deal as early as April 1st.

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) In this Jan. 29, 2019 file photo, former campaign adviser for President Donald Trump, Roger Stone arrives at Federal Court in Washington. 

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