Informing, engaging & connecting the people of the world. FEBRUARY 21, 2020

To view this newsletter online, please click here .

Among the 11 million people under lockdown in the Chinese city of Wuhan—the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak—is Kristin Xiao, who attends Veritas Collegiate Academy in Springfield, Virginia. She traveled to China to be with her family to celebrate the Lunar New Year holidays, and is now stuck there. She is trying to make the most of a difficult situation.

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On Feb. 21, 1965, African-American activist Malcolm X is assassinated by rival activists in New York City. Born Malcolm Little, his activism contrasted greatly with civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in that he called for liberation of African Americans “by any means necessary.” Malcolm X’s legacy is divided, with some seeing him as a courageous advocate for African Americans, while others accusing him of preaching hate, racism and violence.

A deal between the United States and the Taliban to de-escalate the war in Afghanistan will likely include a communication mechanism to prevent military miscalculations during that time period, a U.S. official tells VOA.

The Kremlin was scrambling Friday to reach a stopgap agreement with Ankara to halt fighting in northwest Syria amid growing fears that Russia and Turkey are on the brink of open warfare.

VIDEO: After being flown from China to San Diego , California, 160 people were quarantined on a military base for two weeks while doctors determined if they were infected with the coronavirus. VOA spoke to some of them when they were finally released.

Cameroon is commemorating International Mother Language Day, February 21, by launching what it calls an ambitious program to save its endangered national languages.