AP News Digest 3 a.m.
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ONLY ON AP
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IMMIGRATION-SEPARATING FAMILIES — The Justice Department rescinds a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations. By Michael Balsamo and Colleen Long. SENT: 630 words, photos
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TOP STORIES
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VIRUS OUTBREAK — President Joe Biden is dispatching the nation’s top scientists and public health experts to regularly brief the American public about the pandemic that has claimed more than 425,000 U.S. lives. Beginning Wednesday, the experts will host briefings three times a week. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 950 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,100 words after 11 a.m. briefing. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-US SURGE — U.S. boosting vaccine deliveries amid complaints of shortages.
REPUBLICANS — Donald Trump has lost his social media megaphone, the power of government and the unequivocal support of his party’s elected leaders. But a week after he left the White House in disgrace, a large-scale Republican defection that would ultimately purge him from the party appears unlikely. By Steve Peoples and Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.
BIDEN-OIL MORATORIUM — Biden is set to announce a wide-ranging moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on U.S. lands, as the administration moves quickly to reverse Trump administration policies on energy and the environment and address climate change. By Matthew Daly. SENT: 990 words, photo. UPCOMING: 900 words after 1:30 p.m. event. With BIDEN-KERRY-CLIMATE — Kerry aims to talk U.S. back into a lead role in climate fight.
INDIA-FARMERS-PROTEST — Tens of thousands of farmers who stormed the historic Red Fort on India’s Republic Day were again camped outside the capital after the most volatile day of their two-month standoff left one protester dead and more than 300 police officers injured. By Ashok Sharma. SENT: 810 words, photos.
LEBANON-HEZBOLLAH’S BANK — When Lebanon’s financial meltdown began in late 2019, Hassan Shoumar was locked out of his dollar savings like everyone else in the country as banks clamped down with capital controls. But the young engineer had an alternative. He could still pull out the dollars in his account at the al-Qard al-Hasan Association, the financial arm of the militant Hezbollah group. By Bassem Mroue. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-PARADELESS-MARDI-GRAS — You just can’t keep a good city down, especially when Mardi Gras is coming. All around New Orleans, thousands of houses are being decorated as floats because the coronavirus outbreak canceled the elaborate parades mobbed by crowds during the Carnival season and on Fat Tuesday. By Janet McConnaughey. SENT: 660 words, photos, video.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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INDONESIA-VOLCANO — Indonesian volcano unleashes river of lava in new eruption. SENT: 190 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ASIA — South Korea has reported 599 new coronavirus cases, the highest in 10 days, as health workers scramble to slow infections at religious facilities, which have been a major source throughout the pandemic. SENT: 480 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CHICAGO-SCHOOLS — Chicago ditched plans for thousands of teachers to report to schools this week ahead of students after the teachers union said its members wouldn’t comply and were prepared to picket over coronavirus safety concerns. SENT: 750 words, photo.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NEPAL — Thousands of health workers lined up across Nepal to get the coronavirus vaccine as the Himalayan nation began a three-month vaccination campaign. SENT: 210 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-MEXICO-VACCINE — Mexico says it is close to granting approval for Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, with lots of spy drama but little public data available. SENT: 500 words, photo.
Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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INTERNATIONAL
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FRANCE-RACIAL-INJUSTICE-POLICE — Six nongovernmental organizations say they are launching the first class-action lawsuit against France for alleged systemic discrimination by police carrying out identity checks. SENT: 820 words.
JAPAN-NUCLEAR-FUKUSHIMA — A draft investigation report into the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown, adopted by Japanese nuclear regulators, says it has detected dangerously high levels of radioactive contamination at two of the three reactors, adding to concerns about decommissioning challenges. SENT: 480 words, photo.
UNITED NATIONS-YEMEN — Economic profiteering is fueling the catastrophe in Yemen, where a six-year war has involved attacks on civilians, forced disappearances and other violations of human rights and international law, U.N. experts say. SENT: 400 words.
ETHIOPIA-ERITREA’S-DEADLY-PRESENCE — The United States says all soldiers from Eritrea should leave Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region “immediately.” SENT: 380 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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WINTER WEATHER-ALABAMA TORNADO — A nighttime tornado that devastated an Alabama community and killed a teenager surprised even storm-savvy residents in an area prone to violent weather. SENT: 810 words, photos, videos.
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BUSINESS/TECH
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WALGREENS-NEW-CEO — Walgreens taps Starbucks executive Roz Brewer as its new CEO, which will make her the only Black woman leading a Fortune 500 company. By Dee-Ann Durbin. SENT: 330 words, photo.
NKOREA-CYBERATTACKS — Google says it believes hackers backed by the North Korean government have been posing as computer security bloggers and using fake accounts on social media while attempting to steal information from researchers in the field. SENT: 590 words.
FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks are mixed in Asia as investors focus on the Federal Reserve policy meeting that is wrapping up. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 710 words, photos.
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HEALTH
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BIDEN-HEALTH-CARE-SIGN-UPS — Fulfilling a campaign promise, Biden plans to reopen the HealthCare.gov insurance markets for a special sign-up opportunity geared to people needing coverage in the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 540 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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HALL-OF-FAME — The baseball Hall of Fame won’t have any new players in the class of 2021 after voters decided no one had the merits — on the field or off — for enshrinement in Cooperstown. By Sports Writer Jake Seiner. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.
AROUND THE NHL — Jumping right into the regular season with no exhibition games has led to plenty of sloppy — albeit entertaining — play around the NHL. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. SENT: 910 words, photos.
TOKYO-PLAYBOOK — The IOC and Tokyo organizers will roll out a rule book next week to explain how 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes and tens of thousands of others will try to safely enter Japan when the Olympics open in just under six months. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 680 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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NBC-DWAYNE JOHNSON — Dwayne Johnson’s new NBC comedy “Young Rock” has him campaigning for president in 2032, but the actor and producer sidestepped the possibility of a real-life run someday. By Television Writer Lynn Elber. SENT: 420 words, photos.
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