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.
—————————-
TOP STORIES
—————————
UKRAINE-THE-RESISTANCE — Some people in Ukraine’s second-largest city are preparing to fight back if Russia invades. Kharkiv is just 25 miles from some of the tens of thousands of Russian troops massed at the border. It is also one of the country’s industrial centers and includes two facilities that restore old Soviet-era tanks or build new ones. Some of the city’s 1 million-plus people say they are prepared to abandon their ordinary civilian lives and wage a guerrilla campaign against one of the world’s greatest military powers if Russia invades. By Mstyslav Chernov and Lori Hinnant. SENT: 1,260 words, photos. For full coverage of Ukraine.
SUPREME COURT-VACANCY — President Joe Biden meets with Senate Judiciary Committee leaders to discuss the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy and the president’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the high court. By Colleen Long and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 690 words, photos. UPCOMING: 900 words after 1:45 p.m. meeting.
AFGHANISTAN-HEAVY HANDED TALIBAN — The Taliban are trying to keep discipline over thousands of young fighters who bring heavy-handed methods of war into their new roles as security forces in Afghanistan Those young men have known only war, most have no schooling and cannot read or write. In Kabul, many are afraid of them. On a recent night, a Taliban security guard at a checkpoint in the capital opened fire on a car carrying a family home from a wedding, killing 25-year-old Zainab Abdullahi. The Taliban say it was a mix-up between guards. But the shooting highlights a dilemma facing Afghanistan’s new rulers. By Kathy Gannon. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
CHINA-XINJIANG-TEXTBOOKS — As the Chinese government tightened its grip over its ethnic Uyghur population, it sentenced one man to death and three others to life in prison last year for textbooks drawn in part from historical resistance movements that had once been sanctioned by the ruling Communist Party. An AP review of images and stories presented as problematic in a state media documentary, and interviews with people involved in editing the textbooks, found they were rooted in previously accepted narratives. By Huizhong Wu. SENT: 1,320 words, photos.
BREONNA TAYLOR-EX-OFFICER’S TRIAL — Questioning of potential jurors begins for the trial of a former Kentucky police officer involved in a botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Louisville emergency medical technician. By Piper Hudspeth Blackburn. SENT: 450 words, photos.
MYANMAR — Opponents of military rule in Myanmar marked the one-year anniversary of the army’s seizure of power with a nationwide strike to show their strength and solidarity amid concern about what has become an increasingly violent contention for power. By Grant Peck. SENT: 800 words, photos. With UNITED NATIONS-MYANMAR-NEW ENVOY — U.N. envoy: Year of violence has hardened positions in Myanmar.
———————-
OLYMPICS
———————-
WINTER GAMES-EXPLAINER — From 1924 through 1992, the Winter and Summer Olympics were held in the same year. Then change came. Since 1994, an Olympic Games have been held every two years. That pattern was broken by the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Summer Games in 2020. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 590 words, photos.
EXPECTATIONS FROM EVERYWHERE — Two-time Alpine skiing gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin has been thinking a lot about the stress and pressure that gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Caeleb Dressel discussed during last year’s Tokyo Olympics. By National Writer Howard Fendrich. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos by 4 a.m.
WHITE’S FAREWELL — One last time, Shaun White will stand atop the Olympic halfpipe, slap his hands together, give a high-five to his coach and take his snowboard, and snowboarding, on the sort of ride that only he can dream up. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
CANADA-POULIN — Canadian hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin blushes at the mention of her “Captain Clutch” nickname. By Hockey Writer John Wawrow. SENT: 940 words, photos.
AUSTRALIA’S-FIRST-CURLERS — In a sunburned country, with no ice to call their own, Australian curlers Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt were left to practice their sport’s legendary sweeping in the most ironic of places: Their kitchens. SENT: 1,230 words, photos.
—————————
TRENDING NEWS
—————————
PEOPLE-RIHANNA — Rihanna is pregnant, debuts bump on stroll with A$AP Rocky. SENT: 310 words, photo.
NEW-YORK-TIMES-WORDLE — New York Times buys viral word game Wordle. SENT: 310 words, photo.
JAPAN-TOYOTA SUICIDE SETTLEMENT — Toyota apologizes for suicide after overwork, harassment. SENT: 290 words, photo.
—————————
MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
—————————
VIRUS OUTBREAK-KID VACCINES — U.S. regulators are urging drugmaker Pfizer to apply for emergency authorization for a two-dose regimen of its COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 and under while awaiting data on a three-dose course, aiming to clear the way for the shots as soon as late February. SENT: 600 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-INDIA-MASKS-PHOTO GALLERY — It’s mandatory to wear a mask in India. And police are out on the streets, watching people to make sure they are in place. SENT: 210 words, photos.
—————————
WASHINGTON
—————————
FBI DIRECTOR-CHINA — FBI Director Christopher Wray says the threat to the West from the Chinese government is “more brazen” and damaging than ever before. SENT: 610 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN — Biden’s staff is taking extraordinary efforts to keep him from getting COVID-19, even though he’s been vaccinated three times over and the virus is unlikely to make him seriously ill. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
———————
NATIONAL
———————
GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — The chief medical examiner who ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide will return to the stand at the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating Floyd’s civil rights. SENT: 700 words, photos, video. UPCOMING: Trial resumes at 10:30 a.m.
FEDERAL PRISONS — The federal prison system has been placed on a nationwide lockdown after two inmates were killed and two others were injured during a gang altercation at a federal penitentiary in Texas. SENT: 600 words, photo.
—————————
INTERNATIONAL
—————————
ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN DETAINEE DEATH — The Israeli military says it would reprimand a senior officer and remove two others from leadership roles over the death of a 78-year-old Palestinian who was dragged from a car, bound and blindfolded after being stopped at a checkpoint. SENT: 970 words, photos.
NEW ZEALAND-AFGHANISTAN — A pregnant New Zealand journalist who was stranded in Afghanistan says she will return home after her government finally offered her a pathway back. SENT: 600 words, photo.
—————————
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
—————————
FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares gained, mirroring broad overnight gains on Wall Street, while trading in China and most other regional markets was closed for Lunar New Year holidays. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 620 words, photos.
JOB OPENINGS — The Labor Department reports on job openings and labor turnover for December. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. UPCOMING: 130 words after 10 a.m. release, then expanded, photo.
—————————
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
—————————
MEDIA-MSNBC-MADDOW — Rachel Maddow MSNBC’s most popular personality, says she will be taking a hiatus from her prime time show until April to work on a new podcast and that a movie is being made of her first book and podcast about former Vice President Spiro Agnew. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 290 words, photo.
MUSIC-SPOTIFY-EXPLAINER — Neil Young’s protest against Spotify over podcaster Joe Rogan is rocking the world’s most popular streaming service, and it’s putting a spotlight on its business priorities. SENT: 870 words, photos.
—————————
HOW TO REACH US
—————————
At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Wally Santana (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.
