Nation and world news — at a glance — for November 7
US milk to be tested for bird flu virus
(NYTimes) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin testing the nation’s milk supply for the bird flu virus known as H5N1, nearly a year after it began circulating through dairy cattle, the department announced Friday. Under the new strategy, officials will test samples of unpasteurized milk from large storage tanks at dairy processing facilities across the country. Farmers and dairy processors will be required to provide samples of raw milk on request. And farm owners with infected herds will be required to provide details that might help officials identify more cases and contacts. The first round of testing is scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 16.
Woman who fell into sinkhole found dead
(NYTimes) — A 64-year-old woman who fell into a sinkhole in western Pennsylvania Monday evening while looking for her missing cat has been found dead, authorities said Friday. They found the body of Elizabeth Pollard about 30 feet below the surface Friday morning after they used an excavator to dig into the sinkhole in Unity Township, Pennsylvania, said Trooper Steve Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police. There was no sign of her cat, Pepper, he said. The discovery ended about four days of intensive searching that at one point involved more than 140 people, including firefighters from 25 fire departments.
As Syrian rebels advance, Iran grows nervous and neighbors close their borders
(NYTimes) — The collection of rebel groups fighting to depose President Bashar Assad of Syria pushed farther south Friday toward a major city en route to the capital, as the government’s chief patron, Iran, moved to evacuate personnel from the country. The rebels’ rapid gains spread alarm to neighboring countries, prompting border closures as Assad’s authoritarian government lost more of its grip over swaths of the country. And a Kurdish-led force backed by the United States, which is separate from the rebels advancing on Homs, said it had deployed in the eastern city of Deir el-Zour, which the government had previously held.
Romanian court annuls presidential election results and orders a new vote
(NYTimes) — Europe’s efforts to contain a resurgence of nationalism and Russian interference entered dangerous new territory Friday when Romania canceled a high-stakes presidential election, just two days before a runoff vote that an ultranationalist candidate had been well positioned to win. The decision to call off Sunday’s election and annul a first round of voting, which was Nov. 24, was taken by Romania’s constitutional court, which said it had acted “to ensure the correctness and legality of the electoral process.” Calin Georgescu, the front-runner, in a video statement swiftly denounced the court’s ruling as “a legalized coup d’état.” The court ordered a redo of the entire election.
Iran makes dramatic leap to produce near-bomb-grade fuel
(NYTimes) — The United Nations’ chief nuclear inspector said Friday that Iran was quadrupling its production of near-bomb-grade material, a move likely to intensify the challenge it will pose to the incoming Trump administration. In a text message, Rafael M. Grossi said that his inspectors had seen a quadrupling of production of uranium enriched to 60% purity, just shy of the levels needed to produce a weapon. Iran already has enough of a stockpile to make the fuel for four weapons in a matter of weeks or days. It would take an additional year or 18 months to produce a weapon.
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