Here are the latest Top News stories from The Canadian Press. All times are Eastern unless otherwise stated. Coverage plans are included when available. Entries are subject to change as news develops.
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TOP HEADLINES:
Russia invasion threat to Ukraine imminent: Joly
B.C. to lift most COVID-19 restrictions
Extraordinary powers needed to end protests: order
Blockade ends at Alberta-U.S. border crossing
Feds drop mandatory PCR test for travel
First Nation says 54 potential graves discovered
Tim Hortons menu prices expected to increase
Randy Bachman's 'Vinyl Tap' returning to airwaves
Women's speedskating team gives Canada elusive second gold
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NEW TOP STORIES SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY:
Russia invasion threat to Ukraine imminent: Joly
Cda-Ukraine
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Canada's foreign affairs minister says the threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine remains high as cyberattacks undermined earlier optimism Tuesday that the Kremlin might be drawing down its military forces. By Mike Blanchfield. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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B.C. to lift most COVID-19 restrictions
COVID-BC
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia will drop capacity limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings including at sporting events, fitness centres, restaurants, bars and nightclubs starting tomorrow. Wire: National, Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Security panel finds gaps in federal cyberdefences
Cyberdefence-Gaps
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The committee of MPs and senators that oversees federal security policy has uncovered gaps in Canada's cyberdefences that could leave many agencies vulnerable to state-sponsored hackers from countries like China and Russia. By Jim Bronskill. Wire: National.
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Report examines perceptions of reconciliation
Reconciliation-Report
A study by a group gauging progress on reconciliation suggests non-Indigenous Canadians have developed a deeper understanding of the harms that were done by residential schools. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Canada claims win over U.S. in solar panel dispute
US-Cda-USMCA
Washington D. C., Washington, D.C., United States -- When it comes to trade dispute victories in the post-NAFTA era, Canada just tied it up, 1-1. By James McCarten. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Alberta premier calls March 15 byelection
Alta-Byelection
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, , -- Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has called a byelection that, in an unconventional twist, will feature his own candidate stumping on a platform to topple him as leader. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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CONVOY PROESTS AND THE EMERGENCIES ACT:
Extraordinary powers needed to end protests: order
Trucker-Protest
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The cabinet order invoking the Emergencies Act says the government needs temporary but extraordinary powers to end blockades because they are threatening Canada's supply chains, economic security and trading relationships in a bid to achieve political or ideological goals. By Mia Rabson and Marie Woolf. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Ottawa police chief quits as protest rages on
Trucker-Protest-Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Ottawa's police chief abruptly resigned Tuesday, while the Mounties and Ontario Provincial Police worked closely with the local force on a plan to end a chaotic antigovernment protest paralyzing the downtown core. Wire: National, Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1
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Convoy seeks new funds in face of Emergencies Act
Trucker-Protest-Funding
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Figures behind the protests blockading Parliament Hill and various border crossings are championing new ways to finance their movement — including through their own crypto token — as Ottawa invokes sweeping powers to crack down on their cash flow. By Stephanie Taylor. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Blockade ends at Alberta-U.S. border crossing
Trucker-Protest-Alta
Coutts, Alberta, Canada -- A blockade that paralyzed a United States border crossing for more than two weeks ended Tuesday as trucks and other vehicles with horns blaring rolled away from a southern Alberta community. By Bill Graveland. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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RCMP clear protest blocking B.C. border crossing
Trucker-Protest-BC
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- The Canada Border Services Agency says traffic is moving again south of Vancouver at the Pacific Highway border crossing leading to Washington state. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Racist symbols at N.B. COVID-19 protest: official
NB-Protest-Racism
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada -- New Brunswick's commissioner on systemic racism is calling the so-called "Freedom Convoy" protest that began Friday in Fredericton a cover for a movement that is anti-government, anti-pluralist and right-wing. Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1
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Convoy launches new fundraiser after crackdown
Trucker-Protest-Funding
OTTAWA —A lead organizing figure behind a protest blockading Parliament Hill and different border crossings is championing a new fundraiser as Ottawa ushers in sweeping powers to crack down on the movement's financing. However, the fundraising site appeared to be down on Tuesday afternoon. By Stephanie Taylor.
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New powers could harm all truckers: trade group
Trucker-Protest-Enforcement
The head of a trucking association says sweeping powers invoked by the federal government risk dropping the hammer on drivers and companies that have no direct role in blockades. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Feds go after blockade financing with new powers
Trucker-Protest-Banks
Toronto, , -- The federal government is expanding financial routes to crack down on the trucker protests in a move that some are calling heavy-handed. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Act stirs memories in Quebec
Emergencies-Act-Quebec
MONTREAL - While a prime minister named Trudeau using emergency powers may bring back memories of the October Crisis in 1970, experts in Quebec say the Emergencies Act and the War Measures Act are different laws, used in different contexts. By Jacob Serebrin.
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COVID-19 AND NEW TRAVEL RULES:
Feds ease test and isolation rules for travellers
COVID-Travel
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Vaccinated travellers will no longer need a molecular COVID-19 test to enter Canada starting Feb. 28, and can instead opt for a potentially cheaper and easier to access rapid test. By Laura Osman. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Quebec to gradually withdraw vaccine passport
COVID-Que
Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- The Quebec government says it will phase out the use of its vaccine passport, and it will no longer required anywhere as of March 14. By Sidhartha Banerjee. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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Ford says world is 'done' with COVID
COVID-Ont
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Ontario's premier says the world is "done" with COVID-19 and it's time to "move forward." Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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B.C. expected to announce COVID-19 rule changes
COVID-BC
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia's top doctor is expected to announce the plan today for gradually easing public health restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Nunavut eases restrictions in some communities
COVID-Nunavut
Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada -- Restrictions are to ease in 15 Nunavut communities starting Monday as COVID-19 cases slowly drop across the territory. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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OTHER TOP NEWS
First Nation says 54 potential graves discovered
Sask-Residential-School
Keeseekoose First Nation, , -- A First Nation in eastern Saskatchewan says 54 potential graves have been found through ground-penetrating radar at the site of two former residential schools. By Mickey Djuric. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Search continues off N.L. for missing Spanish crew
Fishing-Vessel-Search
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Weather conditions were deteriorating on Tuesday in the Atlantic Ocean east of St. John's as rescue teams searched for a Spanish fishing vessel that sank hours earlier, killing at least seven crew members, while another 14 were reported missing. Wire: Atlantic, National. Photos: 1
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Canada watches Ukraine-Russia developments
Cda-Ukraine
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Canada's allies were watching developments in the Ukraine-Russia crisis. The prospect of the West's much feared scenario of Russian troops pouring over the Europe's eastern flank in an invasion of Ukraine appeared to be easing Tuesday with new windows for diplomacy opening and unconfirmed reports that Russia was withdrawing some of the 130,000 troops it has massed on Ukraine's borders. By Mike Blanchfield. Wire: National.
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Protests a handy distraction for Putin: experts
US-Cda-Trucker-Protest
Washington D. C., Washington, D.C., United States -- Joe Biden's administration had two different and seemingly disparate international crises on its hands Friday when Jake Sullivan, the president's national security adviser, strode to the podium in the White House briefing room. By James McCarten. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Boy charged with murder in Toronto school death
Ont-Toronto-School-Shooting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- A 14-year-old boy shot and killed a student at an east-end school, then chased down another teen and pointed the gun at him, Toronto police said Tuesday. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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Vancouver police identify child victims in 'Babes in the Woods' cold case
Cold-Case-Babes
VANCOUVER -- The child victims in what police say is Vancouver's oldest unsolved murder case have been identified as two young brothers. Police say David and Derek D'Alton were six and seven when they were bludgeoned with a hatchet and left in Vancouver's Stanley Park in a case known as the "Babes in the Woods." Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Climate change doubled chance of B.C. flood: study
Floods-Climate-BC
Catastrophic floods that swamped much of southern British Columbia last fall were at least twice as likely because of climate change, suggests new research from Environment Canada. By Bob Weber. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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N.S. mass shooting inquiry facing tough criticism
NS-Mass-Shooting-Inquiry
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- The public inquiry investigating the 2020 mass shooting in Nova Scotia that claimed 22 lives is facing intense criticism from victims' relatives one week before the proceedings are to begin. By Michael MacDonald. Wire: National, Atlantic.
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Police find stolen truck, but no guns
Ont-Stolen-Firearms
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada -- Police say they've found a stolen truck, but a trailer with more than 2,000 guns remains missing. Wire: Ontario/Quebec.
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Security panel finds gaps in federal cyberdefences
Cyberdefence-Gaps
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The committee of MPs and senators which oversees federal security policy has uncovered gaps in Canada's cyberdefences that could leave many agencies vulnerable to state-sponsored hackers from countries like China and Russia. By Jim Bronskill. Wire: National. Photos: 1
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Byelection being held in northern Saskatchewan
Sask-Byelection
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada -- Voters in the northern Saskatchewan riding of Athabasca go to the polls today to decide who will fill the vacant seat at the legislature. Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1
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Tim Hortons menu prices expected to increase
RBI-Rslts
Menu prices are expected to edge up at Tim Hortons in the coming months as the coffee and doughnut shop grapples with ongoing supply chain snags and higher food and labour costs. By Brett Bundale. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Canada claims win over U.S. in solar panel dispute
US-Cda-USMCA
Washington D. C., Washington, D.C., United States -- A dispute resolution panel has agreed that tariffs on Canadian-made solar products imposed in 2018 by the former Trump administration violated the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Wire: National.
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Floods reduce home sale prices by 8.2%: study
Flood-Housing
Flooding Canada experienced in the last decade cut an average of 8.2 per cent off the sale price of homes in several markets, says a new study. By Tara Deschamps. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Home sales post second-best January: CREA
Cda-Home-Sales
Home sales fell in January from a year earlier, but still posted their second-best showing for the month as the average price climbed to a new record, the Canadian Real Estate Association said Tuesday. By Tara Deschamps. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Sustainability mindset can help save money
Your-Money
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Twenty-five-year-old Mimi Roy feels a responsibility to try and leave the planet better off than she found it and does her best to make eco-conscious choices when it comes to getting around the city, managing waste and the products she buys. By Leah Golob. Wire: Business. Photos: 1
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Randy Bachman's 'Vinyl Tap' returning to airwaves
MUSIC-Randy-Bachman-Vinyl-Tap
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Randy Bachman says his rock 'n' roll radio show hasn't tapped out after all. By David Friend. Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1
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N.S. indie pop, alt-rock acts lead ECMA nominees
ECMA-Award-Nominees
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Halifax-based Hillsburn has snagged five nominations, including for Album of the Year, Pop Recording of the Year and Song of the Year for "Get High." Wire: Atlantic, Entertainment.
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'Night Raiders,' 'Sort Of' lead screen nominations
Canadian-Screen-Nominations
Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- A topical Indigenous thriller and a groundbreaking sitcom about a gender-fluid millennial lead the nominees for this year's Canadian Screen Awards. By Sadaf Ahsan. Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1
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Women's pursuit speedskating team gives Canada elusive second gold in Beijing
OLY-Canada-Roundup
Canada's Olympians have made many trips to the podium at the Beijing Winter Games, but heading into Tuesday, only one of those included a stop on the top step. After an eight-day wait, Canada has claimed its elusive second gold medal courtesy of the women's pursuit speedskating team. Valerie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., and Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa combined forces to defeat Japan in the event's "A" final in an Olympic-record time of two minutes 53.44 seconds. 900 words. MOVED SPORTS. PHOTO
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LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE STORIES:
The LJI is a federally funded program to add coverage in under-covered areas or on under-covered issues. This content is delivered on the CP wire in the "Y" or spare news category, or you can register to access it at https://lji-ijl.ca. This content is created and submitted by participating publishers and is not edited by The Canadian Press. Please credit stories to the reporter, their media outlet and the Local Journalism Initiative. Questions should be directed to LJI supervising editor Amy Logan at amy.logan@thecanadianpress.com. Below is a sample of the dozens of stories moved daily:
National chief says Canada’s true past being exposed
LJI-Ont-National-Chief-Canada-exposed
Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald believes the path to reconciliation will continue to be a lengthy one requiring the support of countless Canadians. Archibald delivered this message during the 46th annual Elders and Traditional Peoples Gathering, under the theme Reconciliation through Restor(y)ing Our Truth. 850 words. Sam Laskaris/Windspeaker.com
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Richmond Hill MPP welcomes provincial investment to combat hate crimes
LJI-ON-grant-to-combat-hate-in-community
The Ontario government is investing $25-million in a new grant program to help faith-based and cultural organizations protect their communities against hate-motivated crime. Richmond Hill MPP Daisy Wai says it’s urgent to help ethnic communities and religious groups strengthen security measures to cope with the increasing number of hate crimes. 550 words. Scarlett Liu/Markham Economist & Sun
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An aerial project is taking Tahltan elders to revisit remote homelands in northwest B.C.
LJI-BC-tahltan-aerial-interviews
The Aerial Elder Interviews project is part of a knowledge gathering exercise conducted by the Tahltan Central Government to verify information it has in archives from the 1980s. Verna Callbreath, who now lives in Dawson Creek, was among 10 Tahltan elders treated to a helicopter ride to revisit remote locations on the traditional territory they once occupied. 550 words. PHOTO. Binny Paul/Terrace Standard
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FROM AP:
The latest AP advisory is not available. This is the previous version.
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TOP STORIES
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SCI--RISING SEAS — The seas lapping against America’s coastlines are rising ever faster and will be 10 to 12 inches higher by the year 2050, with major Eastern cities hit regularly with costly floods even on sunny days, a government report says. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and six other federal agencies issued a 111-page report Tuesday that warns of “significant consequences” from rising seas in the next few decades, with parts of Louisiana and Texas projected to see waters a foot and a half higher. By Seth Borenstein. SENT: 715 words, photos.
UKRAINE-TENSIONS — Russian President Vladimir Putin said he welcomed a security dialogue with the West as his military reported pulling back some of its troops near Ukraine — signals that may indicate the Kremlin has opted for a diplomatic path for now despite Western fears of an imminent Russian invasion of its neighbor. Putin said he doesn’t want war and would rely on negotiations as he presses his demand for the West to halt Ukraine’s bid to join NATO. At the same time, he didn’t commit to a full pullback of troops, saying Russia’s next moves in the standoff will depend on how the situation evolves. By Vladimir Isachenkov and Yuras Karmanau. SENT: 1,250 words, photos, video.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-PROTESTS —Ottawa’s police chief resigned amid criticism of his inaction against the trucker protests that have paralyzed Canada’s capital for over two weeks, while demonstrators elsewhere across the country abandoned another one of blockades at the U.S. border. Trucks with horns blaring rolled out of the southern Alberta town of Coutts, ending the siege that had disrupted trade for more than two weeks. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police earlier this week arrested 11 people at the blockaded crossing and seized a cache of guns and ammunition. By Rob Gillies and Ted Shaffrey. SENT: 890 words, photos.
CANADA-CRISIS-OF-CONFIDENCE — Canada, despite its image as a placid nation, has endured bitter divisions in its past. But the current wave of disruptive protests by aggrieved Canadians, persisting for more than two weeks, is viewed as unprecedented in the extent it has undermined the public’s trust in government leadership, starting at the top with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. By David Crary and Rob Gillies. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 5 p.m.
GU’S CHOICE — She is an exceptional athlete who has already won gold and silver in the Beijing Olympics. But the deep fascination and even obsession with Eileen Gu’s origin story has threatened to overshadow anything she does on the slopes. The frenzy to “explain” Gu’s choice may reflect biases and misunderstandings in the United States about Asian American identity. The 18-year-old athlete has genuinely strong connections to China. That aligns her with a growing trend among Chinese Americans that are taking advantage of opportunities and resources both in the Western countries where they grew up and in an increasingly wealthy mainland China. By Janie Har and Sarah DiLorenzo. SENT: 1,390 words, photos. An abridged version of 990 words is also available.
NEWTOWN-SHOOTING-GUN-MAKER — The families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have agreed to a $73 million settlement of a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first graders and six educators in 2012, their attorney said. The case was watched closely by gun control advocates, gun rights supporters and manufacturers because of its potential to provide a roadmap for victims of other shootings to sue the makers of firearms. By Dave Collins. SENT: 585 words, photos.
EPSTEIN-PRINCE-ANDREW — Britain’s Prince Andrew has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, who said she was sexually trafficked to the British royal by the financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17. The deal described in a court filing in New York avoids a trial that would have brought further embarrassment to the monarchy. It calls for the prince to make a substantial donation to his accuser’s charity while saying he never meant to malign her character. It did not specify whether Giuffre would personally receive any money as part of the settlement. By Larry Neumeister and Danica Kirka. SENT: 715 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE OLYMPICS
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OLY-OLYMPIC-ROUNDUP — Teen sensation Kamila Valieva put aside the emotional exhaustion from being at the center of a doping scandal and took the lead in the women’s figure skating competition after the short program at the Beijing Olympics. Valieva was skating despite a positive drug test. She started her pursuit of a second gold medal with a score of 82.16 points. SENT: 930 words, photos.
DOPING-THE DISTRACTION — Those first few days of the Beijing Olympics, the questions came hard and fast: Uyghurs. The closed loop. Jack Ma. Appeasing a dictatorship. Then came the Russian doping scandal. Now, the IOC is buried in details about drug tests and legal procedure. Was the dog wagged? By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 820 words, photos.
OLY-FIG-WOMEN’S SHORT PROGRAM —Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, the heavily favored 15-year-old dynamo at the center of the latest Olympic doping scandal, overcame an early mistake to lead after the women’s short program at the Beijing Games on Tuesday night. She scored 82.16 points to take first place. WITH: OLY-FIG-WOMEN’S-SHORT-PROGRAM-US —U.S. figure skaters struggle at women’s Olympic short program. SENT: 560 words, photos.
OLY-BEIJING-ATHLETE ACTIVISTS -- Around the world, athletes are throwing their support behind political and social causes, part of a wave of sports activism that has flourished in the years since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee during games to protest police brutality against Black people. SENT: 990 words, photos.
OLY-BEIJING-THE SPECTATORS — Skiing, skating and other competitions take place before a global TV audience, but few see them in person. SENT: 700 words, photos.
OLY-WHAT-TO-WATCH — This was one Olympic final you could plan ahead for. For the sixth time in seven Winter Games, the United States and Canada will play for the gold medal in women’s hockey. SENT: 545 words, photos.
OLY-BUS BLUR-PHOTO GALLERY — An AP photographer shows the view from the bus in Beijing. SENT: 280 words, photos.
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MORE ON UKRAINE
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RUSSIA WAR SKEPTICISM — While the U.S. warns that Russia could invade Ukraine any day, the drumbeat of war is all but unheard in Moscow, where pundits and ordinary people alike don’t expect President Vladimir Putin to launch an attack on its ex-Soviet neighbor. SENT: 990 words, photos.
UKRAINE-TENSIONS-INTELLIGENCE — U.S. intelligence officials allege a conservative financial website with a significant American readership is amplifying Kremlin propaganda. And the intelligence officials said Tuesday five media outlets targeting Ukrainians have taken direction from Russian spies. The officials say an English-language financial news site with more than 1.2 million Twitter followers published verbatim articles created by Moscow-controlled media. SENT: 1,030 words, photo.
UKRAINE-CYBERATTACK — Authorities in Ukraine say a cyberattack has hit the websites of government agencies and major banks in the country. The attack came after weeks of escalating fears that Russia might invade Ukraine. At least 10 Ukrainian websites stopped working due to DDOS attacks, including those of the Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Culture Ministry and Ukraine’s two largest state banks. SENT: 485 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-INDONESIA — Indonesia has reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. The country confirmed more than 57,000 new infections, more than the previous record set last July. SENT: 320 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHO-EUROPE — The head of the World Health Organization’s Europe office says that health officials are turning their attention to growing rates of COVID-19 infection in Eastern Europe, where six countries — including Russia and Ukraine — have seen a doubling in case counts over the last two weeks. SENT: 330 words, photo.
XGR-SCHOOL-MASK-MANDATE-VIRGINIA — School mask mandates in Virginia would end on March 1 if the General Assembly adopts amendments made by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to just-passed legislation on the issue. SENT: 250 words.
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TRENDING NEWS
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ALEC-BALDWIN-SET-SHOOTING — Attorneys for the family of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of the film “Rust” say they’re suing Alec Baldwin and the movie’s producers for wrongful death. SENT: 610 words, photos.
TV-SUPER-BOWL-RATINGS — The Nielsen company estimates that 101.1 million people watched the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl on NBC and Telemundo. That’s an increase over last year’s game won by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which had 92 million television viewers. SENT: 115 words, photos.
ODD-STOLEN-DINOSAUR-CLAW-ARREST — Authorities say a man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a fossilized dinosaur claw valued at $25,000 from an Arizona vendor last month and then trying to resell it. SENT: 110 words.
MAYORAL-CANDIDATE-SHOOTING — A candidate for the metro council in Louisville, Kentucky stands accused of trying to murder a candidate for mayor. Louisville police say they arrested Quintez Brown after multiple shots were fired at the campaign headquarters of Democratic mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg. SENT: 470 words, photos.
CASINO'S-BEST-YEAR — America’s commercial casinos won $53 billion in 2021, their best year ever according to figures released Tuesday. SENT: 595 words, photos.
PEOPLE-SIMONE-BILES — It’s a yes from Simone Biles to fellow elite athlete Jonathan Owens. The two posted photos of the Houston Texans safety popping the question on Valentine’s Day in a gazebo. SENT: 155 words, photos.
SPAIN-FISHING-BOAT-SINKS — A Spanish fishing boat sank in rough seas off Newfoundland in eastern Canada, killing at least seven people, an official in Spain said. SENT: 440 words, photo.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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SUPREME COURT-GENERATION Xers — As the Biden administration ponders who it will nominate for the Supreme Court, it considering Ivy versus state school, defense attorney versus prosecutor and clerkships. What is unspoken but likely in the calculus as well is age. How long might the next appointee’s tenure be? UPCOMING: 850 words, photos by 5 p.m.
TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE-EXPLAINER —The latest filing from special counsel John Durham in his investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe has been seized on by the conservative media and Donald Trump himself as vindication of the former president’s oft-repeated claims that he was “spied” on. But that’s not quite what it says. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 p.m.
IRS-JUMPING-THE-LINE — At a time when calls to the IRS have reached record levels, a private company lets those who are willing to pay jump to the front of the line to get their phone calls answered. That has attracted the attention of lawmakers who want the IRS to investigate the company’s impact on the agency’s phone capacity. The service is expected to come up on Thursday when a Senate committee holds a hearing on IRS customer service problems. SENT: 830 words, photos.
TRUMP-RECORDS-HISTORY — For historians and archivists, the discovery of boxes of White House records at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home wasn’t just a story about sloppy organization or a presidential packrat. It’s a warning that American history could be severed or obscured if rules surrounding preservation of government documents aren’t followed and enforced. SENT: 1,025 words, photos.
FDA-COMMISSIONER-SENATE — The Senate narrowly confirmed President Biden’s pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration, pushing past a thicket of political controversies that threatened to derail what was initially expected to be an easy confirmation. SENT: 750 words, photos.
CONGRESS-STOCK TRADING — Pressure is building for Congress to pass legislation that would curtail lawmakers’ ability to speculate on the stock market. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.
BIDEN-DEFENSE-MERGERS — The Defense Department has released a report that says mergers and consolidation among its contractors pose risks to the U.S. economy and national security. Senior Biden administration officials previewed the report ahead of its release. SENT: 280 words, photos.
REDISTRICTING-TENNESSEE — Voters in Nashville face the potential of congressional representation mostly at odds with their political views thanks to a new Republican-drawn map that will split the liberal city into three districts. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
HOUSE-DEMOCRAT-RETIRES — Rep. Kathleen Rice said she will not seek reelection this fall, making the New Yorker the 30th Democrat to announce they’re leaving the House before November elections when Republicans are making a strong push to win the majority. SENT: 220 words.
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NATIONAL
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EXTREMISM-KILLINGS -- Newer strains of far-right movements fueled by conspiracy theories, misogyny and anti-vaccine proponents contributed to a modest rise in killings by domestic extremists in the United States last year, according to a report released by a Jewish civil rights group. SENT: 805 words, photos.
POLICE-SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS-FUNERAL — A funeral service will be held in Minneapolis for Amir Locke, the 22-year-old Black man shot by Minneapolis police executing a search warrant earlier this month. The service will be held in the church that hosted Daunte Wright’s funeral last April, and the Rev. Al Sharpton — who also officiated Wright’s funeral — will preside. SENT: 215 words, photo.
GEORGE-FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — A former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s killing says he was relying on his fellow officers to care for Floyd’s medical needs as he controlled onlookers as police tried to arrest the Black man. SENT: 655 words, photos.
AHMAUD ARBERY-HATE CRIMES —Prosecutors have started to present their first witnesses in the federal hate crimes trial of the three white men convicted of murdering Ahmaud Arbery. Testimony began Tuesday morning. The second trial in the young Black man’s killing opened Monday with a federal prosecutor telling the jury that Arbery was chased and shot in February 2020 because of his skin color. SENT: 625 words, photos.
SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOLS-RECALL — Voters in a special election will decide whether to recall three members of the school board, after officials were criticized for focusing on renaming schools rather than trying to get children back into classrooms during the pandemic. SENT: 700 words, photos. Eds: Polls close at 11 p.m. EST.
GUNS TO GARDEN TOOLS — A Colorado-Springs-based nonprofit that draws inspiration from the Bible and turns firearms into garden tools has disabled more than 1,000 firearms across the country since its inception in 2013. SENT: 800 words, photos.
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INTERNATIONAL
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AFGHANISTAN-SIX MONTHS ON — Six months after the Afghan capital of Kabul was ceded to the Taliban with the sudden and secret departure of the country’s U.S.-backed president, residents say a calm has settled over the country. SENT: 910 words, photos.
PALESTINIANS-GENERATIONAL DIVIDE — Ramy Shaath, who was released from an Egyptian jail last month, is an outspoken opponent of Arab dictatorship and Israeli rule over the Palestinians, and is part of a generation of activists who see them as two sides of the same coin. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
ETHIOPIA-TIGRAY CRISIS — Ethiopian lawmakers have voted to end the country’s three-month state of emergency early as mediation efforts continue to end the deadly war in the north. SENT: 440 words, photo.
HONDURAS-CORRUPTION — The United States has formally requested the arrest and extradition of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández on drug and weapons charges less than three weeks after he left office. It follows years of speculation about his alleged links to drug traffickers. Honduran security forces surrounded Hernández’s neighborhood Monday night and the Supreme Court of Justice met Tuesday to select a judge to handle the extradition request. SENT: 830 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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BIRD-FLU — Farms that raise turkeys and chickens for meat and eggs are on high alert, fearing a repeat of a widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 that killed 50 million birds across 15 states and cost the federal government nearly $1 billion. The new fear is driven by the discovery announced Feb. 9 of the virus infecting a commercial turkey flock in Indiana. The 29,000 turkeys in the flock were killed to prevent spread of the virus. SENT: 805 words, photos.
BRITAIN-STONEHENGE — For a monument that has been drawing crowds for thousands of years, Stonehenge still holds many secrets. The stone circle, whose giant pillars each took 1,000 people to move, was erected between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago on a windswept plain in southwest England. Its purpose is still debated: Was it a solar calculator, a cemetery, a shrine? SENT: 750 words, photos.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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3G-SHUTDOWN-EXPLAINER — As telecom companies rev up the newest generation of mobile service, called 5G, they're shutting down old networks — a costly, years-in-the-works process that's now prompting calls for a delay because many products out there still rely on the old standard, 3G. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks rose broadly in afternoon trading on Wall Street as investors welcomed early signs that tensions appear to be easing in Ukraine. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% and the Nasdaq rose 2%. SENT: 470 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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NY FASHION WEEK-LAQUAN SMITH — Julia Fox, fresh from her breakup with the artist formerly known as Kanye West, tells The Associated Press after opening LaQuan Smith’s New York Fashion Week show: “I love Kanye. We’re still very good friends.” Fox opened Smith’s show, which showcased his latest collection of attention-grabbing looks in a show in which he also paid tribute to his mentor, the late fashion journalist Andre Leon Talley. By Leanne Italie. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.
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SPORTS
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BBO-LOCKOUT — Max Scherzer won’t be starting spring training workouts in the warmth of Mets camp in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Marcus Stroman won’t be shaking off the rest at the Cubs complex in Mesa, Arizona ahead of an opening day that may not happen on March 31. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. UPCOMING: 600 words, photo, by 7 p.m.
TEN-DJOKOVIC-VACCINATION —- Novak Djokovic says he is prepared to skip the French Open and Wimbledon if vaccination against the coronavirus is required for him to play. The 20-time Grand Slam champion was speaking in an interview with the BBC. Djokovic says missing the next two majors and other tournaments is “the price that I am willing to pay.” SENT: 890 words, photos.
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The Canadian Press
