AP News Digest 7 a.m.

APTOPIX Trump Impeachment (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

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 _____________

REPUBLICANS’ FUTURE — The Republican Party still belongs to Donald Trump After he incited a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last month, the GOP considered purging the norm-shattering former president. But in the end, only seven of 50 Senate Republicans voted to convict Trump in his historic second impeachment trial on Saturday. By Steve Peoples. SENT: 1,100 words photos. With TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-McCONNELL — The nation’s most powerful Republican votes to acquit Donald Trump but then castigates for his actions. By Alan Fram. SENT: 860 words photos.

TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-TWO IMPEACHMENTS — Donald Trump’s impeachment trials a year apart spoke to one president’s singular capacity to get into, and out of, trouble — the story of his life. The only president to be impeached twice has once again evaded consequences, though this time as an election loser shunted off the field of play to the jeering section, at least for now. By Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.

RUSSIA-NALVANY-PROTEST — When the team of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny urged people to come out to their residential courtyards and shine their cellphone flashlights in a display of unity, many responded with jokes and skepticism. After two weekends of nationwide demonstrations, the new protest format looked to some like a retreat. But not to Russian authorities, who moved vigorously to extinguish the illuminated protests planned for Sunday. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

BIDEN — While President Joe Biden and his team are eager to move past Donald Trump’s impeachment, the bitterly partisan tone of the proceedings underscores the deep challenges ahead as the president and his party try to push forward their agenda and address historic crises. By Alexandra Jaffe and Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.

EXPLAINER-BROADCAST STANDARDS — During President Trump’s impeachment trial, listeners heard the sort of explicit language you almost never hear on broadcast television, particularly when House managers showed an arresting 13-minute film of rioters descending on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. But, despite Federal Communications Commission regulations, broadcasters are unlikely to be punished for what they aired. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 680 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VALENTINES — On this Valentine’s Day, Americans are searching for ways to celebrate love amid so much sickness and isolation as the coronavirus pandemic stretches past its year anniversary. Some are clinging to hope, seen in the most vulnerable and frontline workers getting vaccinated, in restaurants in the hardest hit places like New York City beginning to reopen, in case numbers starting to wane. But the death toll is still climbing toward a half-million dead in the United States and many remain shuttered in their homes. By Claire Galoforo and Don Babwin. SENT: 760 words, photos, videos.

______________________________

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ______________________________

EGYPT-ANTIQUITIES — Archaeologists have unearthed what could be the oldest known beer factory at one of the most prominent archaeological sites of ancient Egypt. SENT: 340 words, photos.

JAPA -EARTHQUAKE — Residents in northeastern Japan cleaned up clutter and debris in stores and homes after a strong earthquake set off a landslide on a highway, damaged buildings and parts of bullet train lines and caused power blackouts for thousands of people. SENT: 470 words, photos.

RIGHT WHALE DEATH — Endangered baby right whale found dead on Florida beach. SENT: 510 words, photos.

________________________________

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK ________________________________

VIRUS OUTBREAK-JAPAN — Japan has formally approved its first COVID-19 vaccine and said it would start nationwide inoculations within days, but months behind the U.S. and many other countries. SENT: 400 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY — Germany implemented tighter border controls on its frontiers with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol province in an effort to stem the spread of more contagious coronavirus variants. SENT: 400 words, photos.

CHINA-US-WHO — China fired back at the U.S. over allegations from the White House that Beijing withheld some information about the coronavirus outbreak from World Health Organization investigators. SENT: 750 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LEBANON — Lebanon has administered its first jabs of COVID-19 vaccine, with an intensive care unit physician and a well-known 93-year-old comedian becoming the first to receive Pfizer-BioNTech doses. SENT: 620 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland will go into a three-day lockdown beginning just before midnight Sunday following the discovery of three unexplained coronavirus cases in the community. SENT: 560 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CARNIVAL CANCELED-PHOTO GALLERY — In normal times, the small town of Binche in southern Belgium would be bursting with excitement. But not this year, as the coronavirus has brought to a sudden halt one of Europe’s oldest surviving street carnivals. SENT: 365 words, photo gallery.

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

________________________

WASHINGTON/POLITICS ________________________

TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-ANALYSIS — With the outcome never in doubt, the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump laid bare the deep imperfections in the Constitution’s only process for holding a president accountable, for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” An AP News Analysis by Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace. SENT: 1,020 words. photos. WITH: TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT: Donald Trump was acquitted of inciting the horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol after a trial that spared him the first-ever conviction of a current or former U.S. president but exposed the fragility of America’s democratic traditions. SENT: 1,320 words, photos.

TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-REPUBLICANS — Seven Republicans voted Saturday to convict former President Donald Trump in his Senate trial, easily the largest number of lawmakers to ever vote to find a president of their own party guilty at impeachment proceedings. SENT: 810 words, photos.

Find complete coverage of the impeachment in the AP Newsroom hub.

_________________

INTERNATIONAL

_________________

MYANMAR — Vast numbers of people all over Myanmar flouted orders against demonstrations to march again in protest against the military takeover that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. SENT: 730 words, photos. With JAPAN-MYANMAR PROTEST — Thousands of people from Myanmar living in Japan marched in downtown Tokyo to protest the military coup back home. SENT: 360 words, photos.

SPAIN-CATALONIA ELECTIONS — The strength of the separatist movement in Spain’s northeastern Catalonia is being tested as 5.3 million voters are called to cast ballots in a regional election held under tight restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. SENT: 460 words, photos.

KOSOVO-ELECTION — Kosovo’s voters defied freezing weather to take part in an early parliamentary election Sunday to form a new government amid the coronavirus pandemic, an economic downturn and stalled negotiations with wartime foe Serbia.. SENT: 440 words, photos.

INDIA-GLACIER FLOODING — Rescuers searching muck-filled ravines and valleys for survivors after the sudden collapse of a Himalayan glacier triggered massive flooding in northern India a week ago found 11 more bodies on Sunday, raising the death toll to 49. SENT: 235 words, photos.

TURKEY-CITIZENS-KILLED — Troops have found the bodies of 13 Turkish citizens abducted by Kurdish insurgents in a cave complex in northern Iraq, the Turkish defense minister says. SENT: 420 words, photos.

___________

NATIONAL ___________

SUBWAY-STABBINGS-NEW-YORK — An unidentified man could be responsible for four separate stabbings that occurred within a few hours in the New York City subways, leaving two people dead, authorities said. SENT: 210 words, photos.

CLINIC SHOOTING-MINNESOTA — The fifth person who was shot when a Minnesota man opened fire inside a medical clinic — killing one staff member and wounding four others — has been identified. SENT: 370 words.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR-RECALL — The California Republican Party announced Saturday it is giving $125,000 to the campaign aimed at recalling Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. By Political Writer Michael R. Blood. SENT: 400 words, photos.

GEORGE FLOYD-MINNEAPOLIS-POLICE — Minneapolis is planning to spend $6.4 million to hire dozens of police officers, at a time when some City Council members and activist groups have been advocating to replace the police department following George Floyd’s death. SENT: 475 words, photo.

_________________

ENTERTAINMENT

_________________

TV-THE-BACHELOR — Chris Harrison, host of “The Bachelor,” says he is stepping down from his TV role and is “ashamed” for his handling of a swirling racial controversy at the ABC dating show. SENT: 210 words, photos.

PEOPLE-ASHLEY-JUDD — Ashley Judd has recounted a painful ordeal she believes almost cost her leg after tripping in a Congolese rainforest and having to be evacuated. SENT: 190 words, photos.

OBIT-LYNN STALMASTER — Lynn Stalmaster, an Oscar-winning casting director whose eye for talent helped launch the careers of John Travolta, Christopher Reeve and many other actors, has died. He was 93. Stalmaster became the first person to receive an Academy Award for casting when he accepted an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2016. By Michelle Monroe. SENT: 480 words, photos.

________

SPORTS

________

CAR-NASCAR-DAYTONA-SOCIAL-JUSTICE — As a new NASCAR season begins Sunday with the Daytona 500, a new era of social consciousness has enveloped the sport. There’s not a Confederate flag to be found at the speedway. By AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. SENT: 980 words, photos.

ENGLAND-SOCIAL MEDIA ABUSE — Death threats. Racist abuse. Sexist slurs. And social media accounts allowed to stay active even after spreading bile. English football has reached breaking point with players, coaches, referees and officials aghast at the ongoing proliferation of hate aimed at them on Instagram and Twitter. SENT: 1,080 words, photo.

_______________________

HOW TO REACH US _______________________

At the Nerve Center, Dave Clark can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (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(at)ap.org or call 877-836-9477.