Morning Must Reads: February 4

3 minute read

7 Dead in N.Y. Train Crash

A Metro North commuter train struck an SUV that was stuck on the tracks in a suburban New York town about 30 miles north of Manhattan during rush hour Tuesday, killing the car’s driver and six passengers on board the train as well as injuring several others

Why Measles Is So Contagious

Measles is back, and it’s been tearing through the U.S. from California to 13 other states. Already, the number of cases has broken 100

Jordan Hangs al-Qaeda Prisoners

Jordan executed two al-Qaeda prisoners on Wednesday, just hours after ISIS released a video showing a Jordanian pilot being burned alive

George R.R. Martin’s Stories Get Hollywood Treatment

Fans of the Game of Thrones will soon get to see three of his early short stories on the big screen, condensed into a film that reportedly features Resident Evil and Ultraviolet star Milla Jovovich

At Least 19 Dead in Taiwan Plane Crash

A TransAsia Airways flight departing Taipei on Wednesday morning crashed into a local river after coming into contact with an elevated roadway after takeoff. The ATR-72 turboprop aircraft was bound for the offshore island of Kinmen with 58 people onboard

 

U.S. Breast Cancer Deaths See Dramatic Decline

The past 20 years have seen a sharp drop in the number of deaths from breast cancer in the U.S., the latest government statistics indicate. The decline — about 34% — represents more than 200,000 lives saved, the American Cancer Society said

 

Felicity Jones Set to Join Star Wars

The Oscar-nominated The Theory of Everything actress is in talks with Disney and Lucasfilm for the role, which hasn’t been revealed yet, according to reports. Little else is known about the project, which will be the first of multiple Star Wars standalone films

 

NFL Suspends Browns Wide Receiver Josh Gordon

The NFL confirmed on Tuesday a minimum one-year suspension of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Last month, reports indicated that Gordon was facing a yearlong ban after testing positive for alcohol

 

There’s a Growing Health Gap Between Rich and Poor Teens

Disparities in health between rich and poor teens grew during the first decade of this century. Adolescents from impoverished socioeconomic groups are more likely to suffer from poor health thanks to diminished physical activity and larger body mass indices

 

Kanye West and Paul McCartney to Perform at the Grammys

Kanye West will perform at Sunday’s Grammy Awards — twice. The rapper will both debut a “never-before-seen solo performance” at the show and appear alongside Paul McCartney and Rihanna to perform her new song “FourFiveSeonds”

 

Dead Prosecutor Had Drafted Arrest Warrant for President

The 26-page document asking for the arrest of Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was found in the garbage at prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s apartment where he was discovered dead with a gunshot wound to the head on Jan. 18, according to reports

 

U.S. Golfer and Civil Rights Pioneer Charlie Sifford Dies at 92

Dr. Charles L. “Charlie” Sifford, a man who achieved great success on the golf course but made a much larger impact off of it, died on Wednesday night at the age of 92, the PGA Tour of America confirmed

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