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BC-ML-IRAN-ESMAIL-GHAANI
Iran general steps out of Soleimani's shadow to lead proxies
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A new Iranian general is stepping out of the shadows to lead the country's elite Quds Force after the U.S. killed its previous head, Qassem Soleimani. Esmail Ghaani is now responsible for Tehran's proxies across the Mideast as the Islamic Republic threatens the U.S. with “harsh revenge” for killing Soleimani. While much still remains unknown about the 62-year-old Ghaani, Western sanctions suggest he's long been in a position of power in the organization. Likely one of the new leader's first duties will be to oversee whatever retaliation Iran intends to seek for the U.S. airstrike early Friday that killed his longtime friend Soleimani.
UNITED STATES-IRAN
Trump says 52 targets already lined up if Iran retaliates
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening to hit dozens of targets in the Islamic Republic “very fast and very hard” if it retaliates for the targeted killing of the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. The series of tweets came Saturday evening as the White House sent to Congress a formal notification under the War Powers Act of the drone strike on Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The notification is classified and it isn’t known if a public version will be released. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the classified document “suggests Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security.”
UNITED STATES-IRAN-TROOPS
With hours' notice, US fast-response force flies to Mideast
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) — Hundreds of U.S. soldiers have deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Kuwait to serve as reinforcements in the Middle East amid rising tensions following the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general. Lt. Col. Mike Burns is a spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division. He told The Associated Press that 3,500 members of the division’s quick-deployment brigade will have deployed within a few days. The wife of one soldier who recently deployed said that his departure was so abrupt she didn’t have the chance to say goodbye in person or by phone.
WEINSTEIN-HOLLYWOOD ACCUSERS
McGowan and Arquette reflect as Weinstein trial approaches
NEW YORK (AP) — Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette are among the more prominent women to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Now the two actresses are gearing up for the fallen mogul's criminal sex assault trial, which is scheduled to begin on Monday. McGowan has accused Weinstein of rape, which he denies. She says she won't be in the courtroom because the pain would be too great. But Arquette plans to be there to support his accusers. Arquette had accused Weinstein of derailing her career after she spurned his advances. Weinstein has denied allegations of sexual assault and harassment.
AP-AS-HONG-KONG-CHINA-MYSTERY-ILLNESS
Hong Kong steps up response to mystery disease from China
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities have activated a newly created “serious response" level as fears spread about a mysterious infectious disease that may have been brought back by visitors to a mainland Chinese city. The government launched a new response plan for infectious diseases of unknown cause. It had earlier stepped up temperature checks at border crossings. At least 44 people have been infected in the city of Wuhan, and eight possible cases have been reported in Hong Kong. The outbreak has revived memories of the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic, which killed more than 700 people in mainland China, Hong Kong and elsewhere.
CHILDREN DEAD-HIGH-RISE PLUNGE
No bail for Chicago mom charged with killing 2 sons
CHICAGO (AP) — A 20-year-old Chicago woman has been ordered held without bail on murder charges after police say she killed her two young sons, leaving one in a bathtub and throwing another from an 11th-floor apartment window before jumping herself. Aleah Newell of Chicago is charged with two counts of murder for the death of the boys, ages 2 years and 7 months. She's also charged with attempted murder for stabbing her grandfather before she jumped from the building on Chicago's South Side. Newell, who along with her grandfather is still hospitalized, didn't appear at Saturday's bail hearing.
PLANE CRASH-LOUISIANA-FUNERAL
Funerals held for reporter, pilot from Louisiana plane crash
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Funeral services have been held for a Louisiana sports reporter and a pilot who died a week ago in a plane crash in Lafayette. The 30-year-old Carley McCord and 51-year-old Ian Biggs were among five who were killed in the crash as they headed to the Peach Bowl to see Louisiana State University play Oklahoma in Atlanta. McCord was a local sports reporter and the daughter-in-law of the LSU offensive coordinator, Steve Ensminger. Her funeral service was held in Baton Rouge while Biggs' service was held in Lafayette. Services for the other three people killed on the plane have already been held.
AP-US-TV-BILL-O'REILLY-DISCOVERY
Bill O'Reilly guest spot on TV show not a part of Discovery
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Discovery Channel says a television show featuring Bill O’Reilly is not an official program on their network after receiving backlash for the former Fox News host's appearance on the show amid sexual harassment allegations against him. A Discovery Channel spokesman told The Associated Press that the one-hour episode of “Pet Tales with Greta” appeared on the cable network through paid advertisement Saturday morning. The show is hosted and co-executive produced by Greta Van Susteren, a cable news veteran and former Fox News anchor. The cable channel would not say who paid for the episode, but said there are no plans for another one to appear on the network at this time.
MISSISSIPPI-INMATES MISSING
Mississippi says two inmates escaped from troubled prison
Mississippi authorities are searching for two prisoners believed to have escaped from one of several prisons in the state rocked by violence in the past week. Corrections officials said on Facebook on Saturday that David May, 42, and Dillion Williams, 27, were discovered missing from the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman early Saturday. May is serving a life sentence for two aggravated assault convictions and Williams is serving a 40-year sentence for residential burglary and aggravated assault. Detention facilities across the state are on lockdown following a week of violence that has resulted in five inmate deaths.
BC-LAKE TAHOE MANHUNT
Accused son reveals father's grave to California detectives
JACKSON, Calif. (AP) — A 20-year-old man arrested on suspicion of killing his father following a manhunt near Lake Tahoe confessed to the killing and revealed to detectives the location of his father's body. The Amador County Sheriff's Office says Sean Purdy's confession late Friday led detectives to search an area in Pioneer, California where they located a body in a shallow grave. Detectives identified the body as that of 52-year-old Lance Purdy. Authorities launched a search for the younger Purdy on Thursday after his mother told deputies her husband flew home to check on their son but she never heard back from him.
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