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 TENSIONS — French President Emmanuel Macron is set to hold talks in Moscow in a bid to to help de-escalate the tense situation around Ukraine. The concentration of an estimated 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine has fueled Western worries that it heralds a possible offensive. Russia has denied any plans to attack its neighbor, but is urging the U.S. and its allies to bar Ukraine and other ex-Soviet nations from joining NATO, halt weapons deployments there and roll back NATO forces from Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO have rejected the demands. By Sylvie Corbet and Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 530 words, photos, video. For full coverage of Ukraine.
CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION-IVANKA TRUMP — The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol wants to know what White House adviser and presidential daughter Ivanka Trump heard and saw that day as they try to stitch together the narrative of the riots and Donald Trump’s role in instigating them. By Farnoush Amiri. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
ISRAEL PALESTINIANS CONFEDERATION PLAN — Israeli and Palestinian public figures have drawn up a new proposal for a two-state confederation that they hope will offer a way forward after a decade-long stalemate in Mideast peace efforts. The plan includes several controversial proposals, and it’s unclear if it has any support among leaders on either side. But it could help shape the debate over the conflict and will be presented to a senior U.S. official and the U.N. secretary general this week. By Joseph Krauss. SENT: 990 words, photos.
INSIDE THE BUBBLE — Officially, the Beijing Olympics are taking place inside what organizers are calling “the enclosed compound activity area.” That’s the fancy way of saying “the bubble.” With hotels surrounded by chain-link fences, entrances and exits blocked off and no way of mingling with non-Olympic personnel, these games are taking place inside their own little world. By Sports Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 4 a.m. With BEIJING-OLYMPICS-THE LATEST.
MUSIC-SPOTIFY — Spotify’s CEO says in a note to employees that while he condemned podcaster Joe Rogan’s use of racist language, he does not believe that cutting ties with the popular personality was the answer. Daniel Ek writes in the letter that he does not “believe that silencing Joe is the answer.” Ek's message comes a day after Rogan apologized for using racist slurs on his podcast and removing some older episodes. By Tom Krisher and Lindsey Bahr. SENT: 940 words, photos.
PENG SHUAI-SPEAKS — Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai has given a controlled interview to French newspaper about the social media posting that sparked a storm of international concern over her well-being. Peng told L’Equipe she never accused a Chinese official of sexual assault. Peng also said that her post in November had been taken out of context and led to “an enormous misunderstanding.” By John Leicester. SENT: 720 words, photo.
——————————
MORE ON THE OLYMPICS
——————————
WOMEN’S GIANT SLALOM — Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin missed a gate early in the first run of the giant slalom at the Beijing Games, the first time she failed to finish a giant slalom since just before she won that race at the 2018 Olympics. By Sports Writer Andrew Dampf. SENT: 840 words, photos.
BIG-AIR — Eileen Gu the American-born freestyle skier who spurned Team USA for China ahead of the Beijing Games, risked missing the finals in women’s big air when she lost a ski on her second run and crashed into do-or-die position entering Round 3. By Sports Writer Jake Seiner. SENT: 480 words, photos. With GLIMPSES-BIG AIR VIEWS — The vibe’s industrial chic at Olympics Big Air run; DAY 2-PHOTO GALLERY — Joy on a sunny Day 2 at the Beijing Olympics.
SUPER BOWL-NBC-SUPER GOLD SUNDAY — Next Sunday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will mark the first time a Super Bowl and Winter Olympics are taking place at the same time. By Sports Writer Joe Reedy. SENT: 740 words, photos. With NBC-TIRICO — NBC’s Mike Tirico coming back from Beijing earlier than planned.
BEIJING SNAPSHOT-SOUVENIRS — The race is on to snap up scarce 2022 Winter Olympics souvenirs. SENT: 230 words, photos.
——————————
MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
——————————
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTH KOREA — South Korea will no longer use GPS monitoring to enforce quarantines and will also end daily checkup calls to low-risk coronavirus patients as a fast-developing omicron surge overwhelms health and government workers. SENT: 540 words, photos.
AUSTRALIA-BORDER — Australia will open its borders to all vaccinated tourists and business travelers from Feb. 21 in a further relaxation of pandemic restrictions. SENT: 420 words, photos.
——————————
TRENDING NEWS
——————————
SAINTS-KAMARA ARRESTED — New Orleans Saints’ Alvin Kamara arrested on battery charge in Las Vegas. SENT: 180 words, photos.
PEOPLE-KYLIE JENNER-TRAVIS SCOTT-BABY — Kylie Jenner announces birth of second child with Travis Scott. SENT: 170 words, photo.
AGELESS SLATER — Nearly 50, surfing icon Kelly Slater still catching winning waves. SENT: 680 words, photos.
NASCAR-THE-CLASH — NASCAR scores win with successful race inside L.A. Coliseum. SENT: 800 words, photos.
——————————
WASHINGTON
——————————
ELECTION 2022-GREENE — As Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene seeks reelection in her Georgia district, a small group of challengers in the party primary argue they can deliver Republican values without the sideshow. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
——————————
NATIONAL
——————————
DREW PETERSON-EXPLAINER — A decade after a jury convicted Drew Peterson in the slaying of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, the former suburban Chicago police sergeant has been given another day in court. SENT: 790 words, photo. UPCOMING: Developing from 10 a.m. hearing. With DREW PETERSON — Peterson asks judge to vacate murder conviction.
GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — The federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s rights is expected to resume, after it was abruptly suspended last week because one of the defendants tested positive for COVID-19. SENT: 630 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing from 11 a.m. trial.
——————————
INTERNATIONAL
——————————
QUEEN-JUBILEE — Gun salutes in London and Edinburgh to mark Queen Elizabeth II becoming the first British monarch to mark a Platinum Jubilee. UPCOMING: 400 words, photo, video by 7 a.m.
COSTA RICA-ELECTIONS — A former Costa Rican president took an early lead in a national election that seemed likely to head to a runoff between the top candidates. SENT: 470 words, photos.
UNITED NATIONS-NORTH KOREA-REPORT — North Korea is continuing to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from financial institutions and cryptocurrency firms and exchanges, illicit money that is an important source of funding for its nuclear and missile programs, U.N. experts say in a report quoting cyber specialists. SENT: 700 words, photos.
———————————————
BUSINESS/ECONOMY
——————————————
FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares mostly fell, though Shanghai’s benchmark jumped after markets reopened from the Lunar New Year holidays. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 460 words, photos.
—————-
SPORTS
—————-
SUPER BOWL-4TH DOWNS — The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals got to the Super Bowl with help from a couple of coaching decisions by their conference title game opponents that backfired — specifically fourth-down tries. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. SENT: 780 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.
