The regional bureau of The Associated Press, shares 10 things you need to know Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items and much more in West Virginia newspapers.
1. TRUMP, LAWMAKERS STILL AT LOGGERHEADS
No one budges at the president’s closed-door meeting with congressional leaders, so the partial government shutdown persists over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
2. WHAT’S UNIQUE ABOUT NEW CONGRESS
The 116th U.S. Congress is making history for seating a record number of women and becoming the most racially and ethnically diverse.
3. THE “DARK” SIDE OF THE MOON
Venturing into a largely unexplored terrain, a Chinese spacecraft Chang’e 4 has made the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon and sent back a photo showing a small crater and a barren surface.
4. PUBLIC RECKONING UNDERWAY IN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Since the release of a shocking grand jury report in Pennsylvania four months ago, nearly 50 dioceses and religious orders across the U.S. have publicly named more than 1,000 predator priests.
5. PYONGYANG’S TOP DIPLOMAT IN ITALY SAID TO BE IN HIDING
A high-profile defection by one of North Korea’s elite would be a huge embarrassment for leader Kim Jong Un as he pursues diplomacy with Seoul and Washington and seeks to portray himself as a player in international geopolitics.
6. WHY WALL STREET HAS THAT SINKING FEELING
Apple acknowledges that demand for iPhones — the company’s most profitable product — is waning as China’s economy slows and trade tensions grow.
7. NASA UNVEILS SNAPSHOT FROM SPACE
A spacecraft 4 billion miles from Earth yields its first close-up pictures of the most distant celestial object ever explored — depicting what looks like a reddish snowman.
8. WHO WAS FREQUENT VISITOR TO RUSSIA
As a Marine stationed in Iraq, Paul Whelan enjoyed fine cigars and showed an affinity for Russia, even spending two weeks of military leave in the country where he’s now being held on spying charges.
9. ESPORT LEAGUES EAGER TO ADD WOMEN
Most professional esports are devoid of female players at their highest levels, even though 45 percent of U.S. gamers are women or girls.
10. ‘CAPTAIN’ OF CAPTAIN & TENNILLE DIES AT 76
Daryl Dragon teamed with then-wife Toni Tennille on such easy listening hits as “Love Will Keep Us Together” and “Muskrat Love.”
