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AP News Digest 7 a.m.

Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 4 years AGO
| January 11, 2021 4:09 AM

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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NEW/DEVELOPING

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BIDEN-CIA-DIRECTOR-BURNS — President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday he has chosen veteran diplomat William Burns to be his CIA director. By AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee. SENT: 190 words, photo.

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TOP STORIES

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CAPITOL BREACH-THE ASSAULT — Under battle flags bearing Donald Trump’s name, the Capitol’s attackers pinned a bloodied police officer in a doorway, his twisted face and screams captured on video. They mortally wounded another officer with a blunt weapon and body-slammed a third over a railing into the crowd. The full extent of the assault on the U.S. Capitol is coming into sharper focus, with scenes of violence so vast they are difficult to grasp. By Jay Reeves, Lisa Mascaro and Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,380 words, photos. With CAPITOL BREACH-LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE. Despite ample warnings about pro-Trump demonstrations in Washington, U.S. Capitol Police did not bolster staffing on Wednesday and made no preparations for the possibility that the planned protests could escalate into massive violent riots. SENT: 1,260 words, photos.

TRUMP’S FUTURE — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will proceed with legislation to impeach President Donald Trump as she pushes the vice president and the Cabinet to invoke constitutional authority force him out, warning that Trump is a threat to democracy after the deadly assault on the Capitol. By Lisa Mascaro, Darlene Superville and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 1,010 words, photos. With TRUMP — President Donald Trump enters the last days of his presidency isolated and shunned by former allies and members of his own party as he faces a second impeachment and growing calls for his resignation. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.

CAPITOL BREACH-WHO WAS THERE — The violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol last week was overwhelmingly made up of longtime Trump supporters. The Associated Press reviewed social media posts, voter registrations, court files and other public records for more than 120 people connected to the rioting. The evidence gives lie to claims that the violence at the Capitol was perpetrated by left-wing antifa thugs. By Michael Biesecker, Michael Kunzelman, Gillian Flaccus and Jim Mustian. SENT: 3,010 words, photos. An abridged version is also available.

BIDEN-TRUMP — The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has sharpened the debate among Democrats over how to break with the Trump era, many saying the best way for President-elect Joe Biden to unify the nation and restore faith in government is to achieve tangible results on issues that matter to all Americans, including the coronavirus pandemic and the economy. By Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: 1,110 words, photos.

TRUMP-REPUBLICANS-ANALYSIS — At the heart of the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a lie, one that was allowed to fester and flourish by many of the same Republicans now condemning President Donald Trump for whipping his supporters into a frenzy with his false attacks on the integrity of the 2020 election. The response from some of those GOP officials now? We didn’t think it would come to this. By Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace. SENT: 950 words, photos.

ISRAEL-POLITICS-NETANYAHU’S NEMESIS — For years, Gideon Saar was one of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s most loyal and vocal supporters, serving as Cabinet secretary and government minister. Now, the telegenic Saar, armed with extraordinary political savvy and a searing grudge against his former boss, could prove to be Netanyahu’s greatest challenge. By Tia Goldenberg. SENT: 990 words, photos. With ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Israel announces new settlements, risking Biden’s anger (sent).

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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CAPITOL-RIOT-ARMY-OFFICER — Army investigating officer who led group to Washington rally. SENT: 520 words.

INAUGURATION-NATION'S-CAPITAL — DC mayor pushes for increased security around inauguration. SENT: 400 words, photo.

TRUMP-BELICHICK — Trump to honor Belichick with Presidential Medal of Freedom. SENT: 200 words, photos.

POLICE OFFICER-KIDNAP-SLAYING — Tennessee police officer charged in kidnap-slaying. SENT: 160 words, photos.

WINTER-WEATHER — Winter storm coats Southern states with blanket of snow. SENT: 280 words, photos.

CHINA-XINJIANG — China denies coercive birth control measures in Xinjiang. SENT:590 words, photos.

KAZAKHSTAN-ELECTION — Newly-elected Kyrgyzstan president to boost his powers. SENT: 360 words, photos.

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VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-INDIA-VACCINE — India took a regulatory shortcut for their homegrown vaccine, a move touted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a success in India’s self-reliance. But several groups and unions representing scientists and doctors have expressed their concerns over scant evidence of effectiveness for the vaccine by Indian drugmaker Bharat Biotech. SENT: 960 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-INDONESIA — Indonesia’s Food and Drug Authority has green-lighted emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by China-based Sinovac Biotech Ltd., with vaccinations of high-risk groups expected to start later this week. SENT: 560 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CHINA-WHO — China says a group of experts from the World Health Organization are due to arrive Thursday for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 690 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — Chinese health authorities say scores more people have tested positive for coronavirus in Hebei province bordering on the capital Beijing. The outbreak focused on the Hebei cities of Shijiazhuang and Xingtai is one of China’s most serious in recent months and comes amid measures to curb the further spread during next month’s Lunar New Year holiday. SENT: 880 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-UKRAINE-VILLAGE DOCTOR — Riding a horse-drawn cart, Dr. Viktoria Mahnych trots along country roads to attend to her patients in several villages nestled in the Carpathian Mountains in western Ukraine. The country of 42 million has recorded more than 1.1 million confirmed COVID-19 infections and nearly 20,000 deaths. Mahnych, 30, now fears that the long holidays, during which Ukrainians frequented restaurants and other entertainment venues, attended festive parties and crowded church services, will trigger a surge in new coronavirus infections and make her job even more difficult. SENT: 450 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-MIDEAST — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister says the country has entered a “very critical zone” in the battle against coronavirus as his government mulls tightening nationwide lockdown announced last week. SENT: 370 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRITAIN — England’s chief medical officer warned Monday that the coming weeks would be the worst of the pandemic for the National Health Service as he appealed to the public to strictly follow guidelines meant to prevent the spread of the disease. SENT: 350 words, photos,

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-MEXICO — The spokesman for Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has tested positive for coronavirus, he said on Sunday, the same day the country reported its first case of a potentially more contagious COVID-19 variant that is spreading in the United Kingdom. SENT: 360 words, photo.

Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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US-POMPEO — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced that he will designate Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels as a “foreign terrorist organization” as time runs down on the Trump administration. The designation will take effect on Jan. 19, one day before president-elect Joe Biden takes office. By Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee. SENT: 670 words, photos.

BIDEN INAUGURATION — The theme for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration will be “America United,” an issue that’s long been a central focus for Biden but one that’s taken on added weight in the wake of the violence at the U.S. Capitol last week. By Alexandra Jaffe. WIRE EMBAGOED for 9 a.m. EST; UPCOMING: 490 words, photos.

TRUMP-SOCIAL MEDIA BANS — President Donald Trump has been kicked off of most mainstream social media platforms following his supporters’ siege on the U.S. Capitol. But it remains to be seen how fast or where — if anywhere — on the internet he will be able to reach his followers. SENT: 660 words, photo.

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INTERNATIONAL

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INDONESIA PLANE — Indonesian navy divers scour the floor of the Java Sea as they hunted for the black boxes of a Sriwijaya Air jet that nosedived into the waters at high velocity with 62 people aboard. SENT: 930 words, photos. With INDONESIA-PLANE-CRASH-EXPLAINER — Why Indonesia’s plane safety record is a concern (sent).

YEMEN — Yemen’s Iran-backed rebels has dismissed the U.S. move to designate them a terrorist organization in the final days of the Trump administration while a leading aid agency warned such a designation would deal another “devastating blow” to the impoverished and war-torn nation. SENT: 780 words, photos.

NKOREA-PARTY C0NGRESS — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was given the new title of general secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party, a designation formerly held by his late father and grandfather, state media reports, in a move apparently aimed at bolstering his authority amid growing economic challenges. SENT: 820 words, photos.

VATICAN-WOMEN —Pope Francis changes church law to explicitly allow women to do more things during Mass, while continuing to affirm that they cannot be priests. SENT: 390 words, photo.

FRANCE-UN-CLIMATE-BIODIVERSITY — Protecting the world’s biodiversity was on the agenda for world leaders at the One Planet Summit, which was being held by videoconference due to the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 410 words, photos.

PAKISTAN-POLIO — Despite a steady rise in coronavirus cases, Pakistan has launched a five-day vaccination campaign against polio amid tight security, hoping to eradicate the crippling children’s disease this year. SENT: 370 words, photo.

MIDEAST-PEACE-TALKS — Egypt has hosted the foreign ministers of Germany, France and Jordan to discuss ways to revive peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a week before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. SENT: 370 words, photos.

SPAIN-STORM AFTERMATH — The Spanish capital is trying to get back on its feet after a 50-year record snowfall that paralyzed large parts of central Spain over the weekend. It has now led to icy weather that is hampering the rollout of the much-needed vaccination against the coronavirus. SENT: 370 words, photos.

HONG KONG-JUDICIARY — Hong Kong’s new top judge warns that the semiautonomous Chinese territory’s courts need to show they are impartial amid a flurry of politically charged cases or risk losing public trust. SENT: 370 words, photos.

NEPAL-PROTESTS — Riot police in Nepal clashed for hours with thousands of protesters demanding a return of the monarchy that was abolished more than a decade ago and the reinstatement of a Hindu state. SENT: 370 words, photos.

SWITZERLAND-ISRAEL-TRIAL — Israeli diamond and minerals magnate Beny Steinmetz went on trial in Switzerland on charges of corruption and forging documents in an alleged bid to win lavish iron ore mining concessions in Guinea by paying millions to a former wife of late President Lansana Conte. SENT: 300 words.

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BUSINESS

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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Global shares and U.S. futures were mostly lower as hopes for more U.S. economic aid were countered by fears over spreading damage from the pandemic. France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.5% in early trading to 5,677.99, while Germany’s DAX slipped 0.8% to 13,943.02. Britain’s FTSE 100 shed 0.4% to 6,843.12. U.S. shares were poised for a weak start with Dow futures down nearly 0.7% at 30,793.00. S&P 500 futures fell 0.6% to 3,794.00. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 500 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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FBN--BROWNS-STEELERS -- Baker Mayfield threw for three touchdowns and the Cleveland Browns got their first playoff victory in 26 years with a 48-37 romp over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Kareem Hunt added two touchdowns rushing for the Browns. Cleveland was playing without several high-profile players and head coach Kevin Stefanski due to COVID-19. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger passed for 501 yards and four touchdowns but also threw four interceptions. By Sports Writer Will Graves. SENT: 990 words, photos.

FBN—BEARS-SAINTS — Drew Brees gets to celebrate his 42nd birthday by preparing for a playoff game that will also feature the one active NFL quarterback older than him. Brees passed for 265 yards, connecting with Michael Thomas and Latavius Murray for touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Chicago Bears 21-9 in an NFC wild-card playoff game. The victory for the Saints sets up a divisional-round meeting with Tampa Bay and 43-year-old QB Tom Brady. By Sports Writer Brett Martel. SENT: 875 words, photos.

FBN--RAVENS-TITANS — Lamar Jackson finally has his first postseason victory and coming away from Baltimore makes it even more impressive. Jackson ran for 136 yards and a 48-yard touchdown while throwing for 179 more as the Ravens rallied from 10 points down and beat the Tennessee Titans 20-13 in their AFC wild-card game. The Titans (11-6) had the ball and a chance to tie when Marcus Peters intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass intended for Kalif Raymond with 1:50 left. By Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker. SENT: 900 words, photos.

TOKYO-PUBLIC-OPINION — More than 80% of people in Japan who were surveyed in two polls in the last few days say the Tokyo Olympics should be canceled or postponed, or say they believe the Olympics will not take place. The polls were conducted by the Japanese news agency Kyodo and TBS — the Tokyo Broadcasting System. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 370 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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