Super Tuesday Drama; The Legal Meaning Of ‘Sex’; Vatican Opens Secret Archives

Plus, Hong Kong suffers in shutdown mode. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, left, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar are throwing their support behind former Vice President Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential race.]( Joshua Lott/AFP via Getty Images Here's what we're following today. Presidential hopeful Joe Biden won critical endorsements from three former rivals as he looks to build a firewall against Bernie Sanders. Biden spoke in Texas on Monday night after [Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg]( ended their campaigns and flew to Dallas to throw their support behind the former vice president. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has spent $500 million on his race to the White House, says even if he doesn't win in upcoming primaries [he has another path to the nomination]( – a contested convention. At least two tornadoes tore through the Nashville area Monday night. Authorities say at least eight people are dead and dozens of buildings have been destroyed. ([CNN.com]( Voters in 14 states could transform the Democratic race today. [NPR’s live Super Tuesday blog]( will have state-by-state numbers all day. The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed coronavirus cases in 12 states. Health officials say [six people have now died of COVID-19]( the latest deaths are all in the Seattle area and several patients lived at a skilled nursing facility. There are new coronavirus cases reported in Georgia, Florida and New York. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Hong Kong residents have been wearing increasingly more dramatic protective gear in response to the coronavirus outbreak.]( Vernon Yuen for NPR The suppression of the coronavirus in Hong Kong has come at a steep cost to the city. Schools are closed. Many businesses are shuttered. All train, bus and ferry service to mainland China is suspended, and the border with China is essentially shut down. Almost everyone on the street wears a surgical mask and some even wear gas masks. ([Listening time, 4:30]( or [read the story]( Emmy Award-winning television interviewer James Lipton died in his New York home on Monday from bladder cancer. He was 93 years old. While best known for the long-running Bravo show, Inside the Actors Studio, reporter Jeff Lunden says Lipton had a multifaceted career. ([Listening time, 2:02]( [Roman Catholic Church officials have always insisted that Pope Pius XII, shown here in an undated photo, did everything possible to save Jewish lives. But he remained publicly silent while some 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.]( AP After decades of pressure from historians and Jewish groups, the Vatican is allowing scholars access to the archives of Pope Pius XII, the controversial World War II-era pontiff. Roman Catholic Church officials have always insisted that Pius did everything possible to save Jewish lives, but he remained publicly silent while some 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. ([Listening time, 3:56]( or [read the story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Picture Show [Supporters of LGBTQ rights took to the street in a demonstration in front of the U.S. Supreme Court last October.]( Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP At the heart of a story now playing out in schools, workplaces and courts across the United States is a disagreement over the legal meaning of the word "sex" — and whether discrimination against gay and transgender people is sex discrimination. [Here's a rundown on what has changed]( for LGBTQ rights in the U.S. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Flavor Flav, left, and Chuck D, photographed on May 1, 1987.]( Jack Mitchell/Getty Images - Public Enemy’s Flava Flav has essentially [been fired from the group]( over either a political falling out or renumeration, depending on who’s telling the story. - Chris Matthews, the veteran political commentator and longtime host of MSNBC’s Hardball, abruptly resigned Monday night. Matthews’ surprise move comes after a number of embarrassing on-air mistakes and recent accusations of inappropriate comments made to female staffers. ([The New York Times]( - Jack Welch, the larger-than-life chief executive who grew General Electric into an industrial powerhouse, died on Sunday in New York City. [He was 84](. During his reign, G. E.’s market value skyrocketed to $410 billion from $12 billion. - Mortgage rates are falling to an all-time low. Here’s [how to tell if homeownership is right]( for you. Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to today’s newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](