Israel Allows Commercial Shipment Of Goods Into Gaza (afp)

NEW YORK — New York Police announced Tuesday they’ve identified the woman who died on Dec. 22 after being set on fire while inside a New York subway train as a 61-year-old from New Jersey. The woman, Debrina Kawam, had a Toms River, New Jersey, address, according to NYPD. Authorities previously said they were using forensics and video surveillance to identify the victim, who burned to death on a subway car in Brooklyn.

Uinta oil transport threatens Colorado River Re: “Communities opposing proposed railroad,” Dec. 8 news story Utah oil and mining barons, along with the state of Utah, want the U. S. Supreme Court to rubber-stamp their plot to make millions at the expense of us in Colorado. They want to build the Uinta Basin Railway from the Uinta shale oil Basin in Utah to allow tanker car rail transport of heavy waxy crude oil through our state.

JoJo Nworie grew up playing soccer in the streets of Nigeria. But she’s come into her own in America with a basketball in her hands. CU’s 6-foot-5 sophomore center didn’t even start hooping until she was 17, the same year she arrived in the U. S. She moved from Lagos to California as a sophomore.

Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data. The most recent numbers from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5, up from 69 outbreaks the last week of November. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Numbers from the past few years show a maximum of 65 outbreaks reported during that first week of December. A norovirus infection is characterized by sudden vomiting and diarrhea.

NEW YORK — There’s a chance solar storms may bring northern lights to several northern U. S states just in time for the new year. The sun expelled two bursts of plasma that are hurtling toward Earth and are expected to arrive early this week, according to the U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Once they arrive, they may spark colorful auroras Monday and Tuesday nights in Alaska, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

WASHINGTON — When the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on Friday, it will be the year’s first chance to see fireballs in the sky. A waning crescent moon means good visibility under clear and dark conditions. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Most meteor showers are named for the constellations where they appear to originate from in the night sky.