Cold snaps are normal this time of the year, but the national weather service says this steep freeze is unusual. It is especially trembling for California’s nearly 4,000 citrus growers, most of whom are family farmers. They are turning on wind machines to circulate warm air and soaking grows with water to raise the ground temperature. Farmers are 8 weeks into the season and 85 percent of the harvest has yet to be plucked. There is a billion dollars’ worth of oranges, lemons, tangerines and grape fruit still hanging on the trees, but the next few nights could change all that. Seven years ago, they lost more than half of their crops to freezes. By the middle of next week, the arctic airs are expected to move out and temperatures will warm up.

 

And the American veteran held prisoner in North Korea since late October is back in the US. Merrill Newman is one of the several Americans detained by North Korea over the last few years.

85 years old Newman was visiting North Korea as a tourist when he was pulled off a plane in Pyongyang on October 26. Newman was detained for over a month. According to a state news agency, he was released after apologizing for crimes committed as member of US Special Forces during the Korean War. When Newman arrived at San Francisco International Airport, he expressed his gratitude.

 

I am very glad to be on my way home. I appreciated the tolerance that DPRK government has given to me to be on my way. North Korea continued to detain an American Christian Missionary who’s been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor by North Korea for crimes against the State. 

Secretory of United Status John Kerry told a forum of US and Israeli leaders today the Obama Administration is well aware of Israel’s concerns about the interim nuclear agreement with Iran. The United State fully understands that Israel perceives the nuclear Iran as an existential thread, why, because it is. President Obama told the same gathering the deal is the best strategy for preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapon because it prevents Iran from advancing its nuclear program for 6 months. He said during that time, the world will test Tehran to find out if the crisis can be resolved diplomatically. 

The World Trade Organization today approved a global trade agreement its first. Trade Ministers from all 159 nations agree to a plan aimed at adding a trillion dollars to the world economy by lowering barriers.

This is NPR.

In Ukraine’s capital, opposition organizers are planning a massive rally tomorrow against president Name. Thousands are already braving the cold and wind in Kiev to continue demonstrations against police violence and protest name’s refusal to sign an agreement with European Union that would deepen the economic ties.

 

Two patients in Boston have suffered the set back after being cleared of the virus that causes AIDS. HIV has reappeared in their blood. NPR’s Name reports the patients and AIDS researchers have been hoping they have been cured. 

 

Doctor thought two patients who have bone-marrow transplants for cancer may have been cured of HIV because the transplants give the new immune system from the people who are HIV negative. The patients were free of detectable HIV 7 and 15 weeks after they stopped taking anti-virus drugs earlier this year, but over the past few months, the virus reappeared in both. The news was disclosed at an AIDS meeting in Florida and reported by Boston Globe. The patients who have not been named were back on anti-HIV drugs. Only one person has been cured of HIV, an American who had a bone-marrow transplant in Berlin 6 years ago. Researchers believe a Mississippi toddler may be a second. On Monday, President Obama announced a one hundred Million dollar effort to find the cure for HIV.

NPR news.

In Pearl Harbor Hawaii today, more than 2,000 people gathered for this 72 anniversary of Japan’s deadly attack that thrust the US into World War II. They commemorated the nearly 2500 Americans killed that day.