AP News Digest 3 a.m.
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ONLY ON AP
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CONGRESS-FIVE WOMEN — For the first time in history, the four leaders of the key congressional spending committees are all women. In a joint interview with The Associated Press, joined by Shalanda Young, the first Black woman to lead the Office of Management and Budget, they talk about camaraderie, friendship and willingness to collaborate. By Mary Clare Jalonick and Seung Min Kim. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.
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TOP STORIES
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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Palestinian militants in Gaza fired rockets and Israel carried out airstrikes early Friday as tensions soared following an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank that killed nine Palestinians, including at least seven militants and a 61-year-old woman. By Isabel Debre. SENT: 1,140 words, photos. By Isabel Debre. SENT: 1,140 words, photos.
MEMPHIS POLICE-FORCE INVESTIGATION -- Five fired Memphis police officers were charged with murder and other crimes in the killing of Tyre Nichols, a Black motorist who died three days after a confrontation with the officers during a traffic stop. By Adrian Sainz and Rebecca Reynolds. SENT: 1,170 words, photos.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russian forces fired another rash of missiles and self-exploding drones in nearly a dozen provinces of Ukraine, causing the first attack-related death of the year in Kyiv and killing at least 11 people, according to Ukrainian authorities. The attacks adhered to Russia’s recent pattern of striking power plants and other critical infrastructure about every two weeks. By Hanna Arhirova and Samya Kullab. SENT: 960 words, photos.
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — The National Archives asks former presidents and vice presidents to recheck their personal records for any classified documents following the news that President Joe Biden and former Vice President Mike Pence had documents in their possession after they left office. SENT: 630 words, photos. With CLASSIFIED DOCU-DRAMA — How classified documents became a schoolgirl’s show-and-tell (sent).
ELECTION 2024-RNC CHAIR — Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is fighting for her political survival in a bitter leadership feud that’s testing Donald Trump’s grip on his own “Make American Great Again” movement. The high-profile contest to lead the GOP through the 2024 presidential election will be decided Friday at the committee’s winter meeting. By National Political Writer Steve Peoples. SENT: 630 words, photo. UPCOMING: 900 words after general session begins at 1 p.m.
CALIFORNIA-FARM-SHOOTING — The shooting that left four dead at a California mushroom farm on Monday was at least the second time an employee tried to kill a coworker on the property, records show. By Janie Har and Ao Gao. SENT: 760 words, photos, audio. With CALIFORNIA-SHOOTINGS-EXPLAINER — A look at California’s deadly back-to-back mass shootings (sent).
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TRENDING
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OBIT-PACKER — Billy Packer, an Emmy award-winning college basketball broadcaster who covered 34 Final Fours for NBC and CBS, has died. He was 82. SENT: 780 words, photos.
MISSING-GIRL-OKLAHOMA — The body of a child found in Oklahoma earlier this month was positively identified as 4-year-old Athena Brownfield, who investigators said was beaten to death by a caregiver on Christmas. SENT: 270 words, photos.
SPEEDCUBING-VIOLINIST — A University of Michigan student is one of the world’s foremost “speedcubers,” a person capable of quickly solving a Rubik’s Cube. He also is an accomplished violinist. SENT: 430 words, photos, video.
AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-DJOKOVIC'S-FATHER — Novak Djokovic’s father decided to stay away from the 21-time Grand Slam champion’s semifinal after getting embroiled in a flap involving spectators who brought banned Russian flags to Melbourne Park, Tennis Australia says. SENT: 380 words, photos.
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MORE ON RUSSIA UKRAINE
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JAPAN-EU-RUSSIA — A senior EU official says that Russia has taken its war against Ukraine to a “a different stage” by making indiscriminate attacks on civilians and non-military targets, while criticizing Moscow for triggering recent moves by Germany and the United States to send advanced tanks to Ukraine. SENT: 370 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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CONGRESS-OIL — House Republicans are seeking to restrict presidential use of the nation’s emergency oil stockpile — a proposal that has already drawn a White House veto threat. By Matthew Daly. SENT: 950 words, photo.
SUPREME COURT-NAVY SHIPS — Chief Justice Earl Warren’s name is on the U.S. Navy’s newest fuel ship. The Navy has also awarded contracts for the construction of the Thurgood Marshall and the Ruth Bader Ginsburg. By Mark Sherman. UPCOMING: 920 words, photo by 5:15 a.m.
BIDEN-LUNAR NEW YEAR — President Joe Biden has honored 18 people killed in two California mass shootings, saying “we have to be there” with the communities that have been forever scarred by gun violence. SENT: 560 words, photos, audio.
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NATIONAL
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WOMEN-KIDNAPPED-OREGON-NEVADA — Police in southern Oregon were searching for a man accused of torturing a woman he held captive, less than two years after he was convicted in Nevada of keeping another woman in captivity for weeks before the victim managed to escape. SENT: 630 words, photos.
COLORADO-SUPERMARKET-SHOOTING — A judge is scheduled to hold a hearing to discuss whether a man charged with killing 10 people at a Colorado supermarket nearly two years ago is mentally competent to stand trial. SENT: 310 words, photo,
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INTERNATIONAL
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ISRAEL-HOLOCAUST-REMEMBRANCE-DAY — Just before Nazi Germany invaded Hungary in March 1944, Jewish youth leaders in the eastern European country jumped into action: They formed an underground network that would save tens of thousands of fellow Jews from the gas chambers. This chapter of the Holocaust heroism is scarcely remembered in Israel. Nor is it part of the official curriculum in schools. But the few remaining members of Hungary’s Jewish underground want their story told and are dismayed at the prospect of being forgotten. SENT: 920 words, photos.
POLAND-AUSCHWITZ ANNIVERSARY — Survivors of Auschwitz-Birkenau are gathering Friday to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German death camp in the final months of World War II, amid the horror of war again shattering peace in Europe. SENT: 590 words, photos.
HONG-KONG-DRUG-POLICY — Hong Kong will ban CBD starting Wednesday, categorizing it as a “dangerous drug” and mandating harsh penalties for its smuggling, production and possession, customs authorities announce. SENT: 700 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SOUTH-KOREA — South Korea says it will continue to restrict the entry of short-term travelers from China through the end of February over concerns that the spread of COVID-19 in that country may worsen following the Lunar New Year’s holidays. SENT: 310 words, photos.
MED-VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINES — The U.S. is poised to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like a yearly flu shot, a major shift in strategy despite a long list of questions about how to best protect against a still rapidly mutating virus. SENT: 750 words, photo.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares advanced Friday, tracking a rally on Wall Street following reports suggesting the economy and corporate profits may be doing better than feared. SENT: 580 words, photos.
CLEAN STEEL-BOSTON METAL — The manufacture of “green steel” moved one step closer to reality as Massachusetts-based Boston Metal announced a $120 million investment from the world’s second-largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal. SENT: 600 words, photos.
INDIA-ADANI — India’s Adani Group launched a share offering for retail investors Friday as it mulled taking legal action against U.S.-based short-selling firm Hindenburg Research for allegations of stock market manipulation and accounting fraud that caused heavy selling of its stocks this week. SENT: 440 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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FBN--ON FOOTBALL—SIRIANNI’S SWAGGER — Nick Sirianni is getting his flowers figuratively instead of thrown at his face. The chest-bumping, sideline-prancing, expletive-tossing head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles has won over a tough city that questioned his credentials and mocked his introductory news conference when he was hired two years ago. By AP Pro Football Writer. UPCOMING: 720 words, photos by 6 a.m.
FBN--OFFENSIVE COACHES — Conference championship weekend shows why so many NFL teams search for offensive gurus when looking for their head coaches. All four remaining coaches come from an offensive background, led by the innovative Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan, whose philosophies have helped set the trends for modern football. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. SENT: 850 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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