CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The regional bureau of The Associated Press shares 10 things you need to know Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items and much more in West Virginia newspapers.
1. IRAN ATTACKS US BASES IN IRAQ WITH MISSILES It was Iran’s most brazen assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and Iranian state TV says it was in revenge for the U.S. killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
2. HIGH-STAKES DECISION LOOMS FOR TRUMP The president huddled with his national security advisers to weigh a response to Iran’s missile attack and says he will address the nation this morning.
3. UKRAINIAN AIRPLANE CRASHES NEAR IRAN’S CAPITAL Both Iranian and Ukrainian officials suspect a mechanical issue brought down the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, killing all 176 on board.
4. COLORADO SENATOR CAUGHT IN MIDDLE OF IMPEACHMENT FIGHT But there are no signs that Republican Cory Gardner wants to anger his conservative base on impeachment, even in a Democratic-trending state.
5. DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT WARY OF SANDERS’ SURGE The warnings come as the Vermont senator shows new signs of strength in the first two states on the presidential primary calendar, backed by a dominant fundraising performance.
6. GHOSN SET FOR 1st PUBLIC APPEARANCE AFTER ESCAPE The disgraced former chairman of Nissan is expected to speak to reporters in Beirut, more than a week after his dramatic escape from Japan ahead of his trial for alleged financial misconduct.
7. FIREPROOF HOMES NO MATCH FOR AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES Some homes built with quarter-inch-thick reinforced glass, steel framing and rock retaining walls succumbed to flames that climbed as high as a 15-story building.
8. ‘A CRISIS WORSE THAN HURRICANE MARIA’ Hundreds of Puerto Ricans are homeless in the southwestern part of the U.S. territory after a flurry of earthquakes — one of them the strongest in a century.
9. INVITATION TO IVANKA TRUMP DRAWS BACKLASH AT BIG TECH SHOW The nation’s largest consumer electronics show hosted the U.S. president’s daughter as a keynote speaker — a choice that drew scorn from many women in technology.
10. NUMBERS GRIM FOR BLACK COACHES IN NFL Despite the Rooney Rule that encourages the hiring of minority candidates, just three head coaches are black, down from a peak