AP News Digest 2 p.m.
Here are the AP's latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EST. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org.
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ONLY ON AP
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RECKONING-CLERGY LICENSES-ACCOUNTABILITY — In the wake of revelations that scores of Roman Catholic priests and religious workers credibly accused of child sexual abuse are living unsupervised in communities across the country, state officials face a quandary: Should they screen former clergy members who seek licenses for jobs that put them in contact with children? And, if so, how? By Claudia Lauer and Meghan Hoyer. SENT: 1,165 words, photos.
FACTORY FARM FUROR — Factory livestock farms are spreading across rural America, raising concerns about environmental damage and health risks for people living nearby. By John Flesher. SENT: 2,085 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
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TRUMP — Exulting in his impeachment acquittal, President Donald Trump takes a scorched-earth victory lap and unleashes his fury against those who tried to remove him from office. As he looks ahead to his reelection campaign, he denounces his political foes, calls the impeachment proceedings a “disgrace” and portrays himself as a victim rather than a president accused of serious corruption. His performance at a White House event packed with supporters echoes the broadsides he had leveled hours earlier that stunned the crowd at an annual prayer breakfast. By Jill Colvin, Jonathan Lemire and Zeke Miller. SENT: 950 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,00 words, photos by 4 p.m. WITH: TRUMP-PRAYER BREAKFAST — Trump shatters the usual veneer of bipartisanship at the National Prayer Breakfast. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 4 p.m. WITH: PELOSI — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defends her speech-ripping performance. SENT: 450 words, photos. TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-GRAVITY — Trump’s acquittal leaves his political fate in the hands of voters and his place in history to be judged in the passage of time. SENT: 830 words, photos.
Find full coverage of the impeachment inquiry in AP Newsroom.
TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-MCCONNELL — Long before Trump’s impeachment landed in the Senate, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had one piece of advice for the president: focus on the House. It was the best strategy the Republican leader had to make impeachment as partisan as possible — too partisan for centrists to touch — and ensure a near party-line acquittal in the Senate. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 4 p.m.
ELECTION 2020-IOWA — The chairman of the Democratic National Committee is calling for a “recanvass” of the results of Monday's Iowa caucus, after technical problems and delays marred the leadoff contest on the 2020 election calendar. "Enough is enough," party leader Tom Perez says. By Julie Pace, Steve Peoples and Brian Slodysko. SENT: 450 words, photos. UPCOMING: 900 words by 4 p.m. WITH: —ELECTION 2020-BIDEN COMEBACK — Biden acknowledges his campaign “took a gut punch” in Iowa but says he isn't going anywhere as he tries to position himself in New Hampshire as the new "Comeback Kid.’’ SENT: 830 words, photos.
Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page on APNewsroom.
MED-CHINA-OUTBREAK- VACCINES — The flu-like virus that exploded from China has researchers worldwide once again scrambling to find a vaccine against a surprise health threat, with no guarantee one will arrive in time. Just days after Chinese scientists shared the genetic map of the culprit coronavirus, researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health had engineered a possible key ingredient for a vaccine they hope to begin testing by April. By Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 1,139 words, photos. WITH: CHINA-OUTBREAK — A hospital in China says a doctor who got in trouble with authorities in the communist country for sounding an early warning about the coronavirus outbreak is in critical condition with the illness. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
MED-TEEN VAPING — The U.S. government began enforcing restrictions on flavored electronic cigarettes aimed at curbing underage vaping. But some teenagers may be one step ahead of the rules. Parents, researchers and students warn that some young people have already moved on to a newer kind of vape that isn't covered by the flavor ban. By Matthew Perrone. SENT: 990 words, photos.
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MORE ON ELECTION 2020
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ELECTION 2020-TRUMP-BLURRING THE LINES —President Trump is making it clear that as he tries to win another term in the White House, he will have no qualms using the power of his office to try to court voters, blurring the line between public and private. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos by 4 p.m.
TRUMP-BLACK VOTERS — Trump brought African American guests to his State of the Union speech, ran a Super Bowl ad boasting how he’s making the criminal justice system more equitable for black people and portrayed himself as the champion of education and job opportunities for people of color. The overtures mean nothing to black voters who cite what they say is Trump’s penchant for using “black people as a prop.” SENT: 980 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-MONEY— The Iowa caucuses were more than just a colossal mess. They were a massive money-suck for the Democratic 2020 contenders, who poured millions of dollars into winning a contest so marred by technical vote-tabulation glitches that the results will seemingly forever include an asterisk. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 5 p.m.
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MORE ON CHINA-OUTBREAK
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CHINA OUTBREAK-UNIVERSITIES — As concerns about China's virus outbreak spread, universities are scrambling to assess the risks to their programs, and some are canceling study-abroad opportunities and prohibiting travel affecting hundreds of thousands of students. SENT: 1,160 words, photos.
CHINA OUTBREAK-US EVACUEES — At a military base in Riverside, California, the nearly 200 Americans evacuated out of a Chinese city over the viral outbreak have been jogging together, taking classes and eating pizza at a Super Bowl party. SENT: 1,025 words, photos.
CHINA-OUTBREAK-TOURISM — This should have been a good year for global tourism, with trade tensions gradually easing, certain economies growing and banner events like the Summer Olympics taking place in Tokyo. But the viral outbreak in China has thrown the travel industry into chaos, threatening billions in losses and keeping millions of would-be travelers at home. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
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TV-CBS-GAYLE-KING — In the wake of a social media backlash, CBS' Gayle King says she is embarrassed and angry with how the network promoted part of her interview with WNBA star Lisa Leslie that concerned the late Kobe Bryant. SENT: 210 words, photo.
COLOMBIA-ESCOBAR'S HIT MAN — A former hit man for the late drug lord Pablo Escobar who confessed to killing hundreds of people during one of Colombia’s most violent periods has died after a short battle with cancer. SENT: 415 words, photo.
PRESIDENTIAL ROAD DEBATE — South Carolina lawmakers kill competing bills that would have named one of the state's busiest intersections after either President Trump or former President Obama. SENT: 700 words, photos.
CROSSBOW-DEATH — Authorities in Massachusetts say a man trying to escape from two attacking pit bulls was shot and killed in his own apartment by a crossbow bolt fired by a neighbor coming to help. SENT: 200 words.
OPERA-$45 MILLION GIFT — Illinois woman gives $45 million to St. Louis Opera Theatre. SENT: 315 words.
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ELECTION SECURITY-CONGRESS-OBAMA — A bipartisan congressional report says the Obama administration wasn’t “well-postured” to counter Russian election interference in 2016 and that Russia's cyberactivities continued despite high-level warnings of potential retaliation. Hampering Washington’s ability to respond was the country’s heavily politicized environment as well as concerns that public warnings would undermine confidence in the election, the Senate Intelligence Committee said. SENT: 450 words. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 3 p.m.
TRAVELER PROGRAM SUSPENDED — The federal government is cutting off New York residents from programs that enable them to speed through passport and customs checks when returning home from outside the United States. The Trump administration cites a New York law that prevents immigration officials from accessing motor vehicle records. It’s a push back against states that, amid a federal crackdown, have tried to protect people who are in the country without legal authorization. SENT: 550 words, photo. UPCOMING: 750 words, photo.
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SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-WEINSTEIN — Prosecutors in Harvey Weinstein’s rape trial rested their case Thursday after more than two weeks of testimony punctuated by harrowing accounts from six women who say he ignored pleas of “no, no, no” and excused his behavior as a Hollywood norm. SENT: 720 words, photos.
WINTER WEATHER — A powerful winter storm raked across the Deep South, with high winds causing damage that killed one person and injured several more across a dozen states. Rescue crews also repeatedly pulled people from flooded cars, and one person was seen disappearing into a rain-swollen creek as a car sank. SENT: 820 words, photos, video.
TEXAS-EXECUTION — A North Texas man faces execution for fatally shooting five family members, including his wife and two children, at their South Dallas home during a drug-fueled rage nearly 18 years ago. Abel Ochoa, 47, is facing lethal injection for the August 2002 deaths of his wife Cecilia and his 7-year-old daughter Crystal. UPCOMING: 650 words, photo. Execution scheduled for after 8 p.m.
PUERTO RICO-OUT OF SCHOOL — Nearly a month after a string of earthquakes rocked Puerto Rico, more than 190,000 children remain out of school and the island’s government has no plan for getting them back into classes. Some are being taught by volunteers at outdoor shelters while others play in the streets as Puerto Ricans call the lack of response the government’s latest grave failure to respond to natural disaster. SENT: 1.095 words, photos.
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TURKEY-PLANE — Passengers on the Turkish airliner that crash-landed and crumpled into pieces in Istanbul, killing three people, say the plane's descent felt unusually fast and left those on board screaming and panicking. SENT: 860 words, photos.
IRAQ-US-FISSURES — Iraqi leaders scale back the furious calls for American forces to leave the country in the wake of the U.S. strikes that killed a top Iranian general and senior Iraqi militia leader, but that doesn't mean Baghdad isn't serious about rethinking the relationship. SENT: 1,340 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN-SNOWBOARDING — Afghanistan’s capital may seem an unlikely destination for snowboarders. But a group of young Afghans is looking to put the city on the winter sports map and change perceptions about their war-weary nation. SENT: 840 words, photos.
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Shares in Twitter jumped after the social media company said revenue and user numbers exceeded forecasts in the latest quarter, though profit fell as expenses rose. SENT: 490 words, photos, developing.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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SPACE STATION — NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who spent nearly 11 months in orbit to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely in Kazakhstan along with two International Space Station crewmates. SENT: 300 words.
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OSCARS-FIRST MOMENTS — Dozens of people will become Oscar winners this Sunday, and there are likely to be a few first timers. Those who have stepped on stage and looked out at an audience of the biggest names in cinema — including Nicole Kidman, Jordan Peele, Alan Arkin and Lupita Nyong’o — recount those first fateful moments after hearing their name called. By Mike Cidoni Lennox. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos, video.
TV-KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY — Keegan-Michael Key is transitioning out of over-the-top comedies to focus more on dramatic films, and for him, it’s no laughing matter. SENT: 750 words, photos.
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BKN--TRADE DEADLINE — Andre Iguodala is headed to Miami, and teams have until 3 p.m. to make deals before the NBA's trade deadline arrives. Among the players who could be on the move are Jrue Holiday, Kevin Love, D’Angelo Russell and Kyle Kuzma. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 5 p.m.
BBO--MANFRED —Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says the proposed sale of the New York Mets is off after his talks with both parties. This is Manfred’s first news conference since his discipline of the Houston Astros for electronic sign stealing cost three managers their jobs. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 4 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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