TOP HEADLINES provided by UPI©

• Vatican defrocks ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick over sex abuse allegations
  The Vatican said Saturday it defrocked former cardinal of Washington, D.C., Theodore McCarrick, after finding him guilty of sex abuse.
• Aurora, Ill., gunman faced being fired before deadly shooting
  The accused gunman who opened fire at an Aurora, Ill., workplace, killing five people and injuring several others, was due to be fired from his job.
• Sept. 11 victims fund to slash payments by at least 50%
  After a surge in claims over the past year, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund is reducing payments by at least 50 percent.
• Judge issues gag order in Roger Stone case
  A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a gag order Friday in the case of political consultant Roger Stone.
• Robert Mueller interviewed Sarah Sanders in Russia probe
  White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday that special counsel Robert Mueller interviewed as part of his Russia investigation.
• Shooting at Illinois industrial park leaves five dead
  A gunman opened fire in an industrial area of Aurora, Ill., killing five people and injuring multiple people, including police officers, local officials said.
• Scholars: Trump's emergency border order on shaky constitutional grounds
  Constitutional scholars say President Donald Trump's emergency declaration to fund a border wall stands on shaky legal authority -- but he might win in court.
• Philadelphia City Council votes to ban cashless stores, businesses
  Philadelphia's City Council passed a bill to require businesses accept cash, a pushback against stores and restaurants requiring use of credit or debit cards.
• 2020 race for president: Who's running so far
  Some 2020 presidential campaigns are off and running, with a diverse slate of Democrats -- and one Republican -- vying to challenge President Donald Trump.
• Honda Ridgelines recalled due to fire danger from car wash soap
  More than 107,000 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks are being recalled due to a flaw that can spark fire after exposure to corrosive soap found in car washes.
• CDC: Flu has sickened nearly 18M in U.S. this season
  Nearly 18 million people have been sickened by flu this season, with 2 million reported in the past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
• Supreme Court will hear arguments over citizenship question on 2020 census
  The U.S. Supreme Court decided Friday to hear a case that will determine whether a question about citizenship will be on the 2020 Census.
• FCC: Nearly half of phone calls you get in 2019 will be 'robocalls'
  Robocalls will account for half of all phone calls Americans get this year, federal regulators said while promising to crack down on the annoying practice.
• Electric truck maker Rivian gets $700M investment, led by Amazon
  Startup company Rivian, whose electric trucks debuted three months ago, said on Friday it raised $700 million in an investment round, led by Amazon.
• Crude oil prices trade higher on supply disruptions
  Crude oil traded higher Friday morning in what looked like a potential fourth consecutive winning session fueled by reports of supply disruptions.
• Former Mass. Gov. Weld exploring 2020 GOP primary bid vs. Trump
  Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld said he took the first steps toward running for the Republican nomination for president against Donald Trump in 2020.
• Major rain storms pummel California; at least 2 dead
  At least two people died in storm-related incidents in Southern California as major rains washed through the area Thursday.
• Donald Trump declares emergency to fund border wall; will avoid shutdown
  President Donald Trump signed a bill to avert a government shutdown after declaring a national emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border to secure wall funding.
• New Orleans man sentenced in last major legal action stemming from Hurricane Katrina
  A federal judge sentenced a New Orleans man to prison Thursday, bringing an end to high-profile legal actions that stem from the violent aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
• Man dead after Bay Area standoff with hijacked UPS truck
  What started as a police chase through San Jose, Calif., quickly escalated to a hostage situation, as a package delivery driver was held at gunpoint.
• Combatant Command chiefs warn of ongoing threats from Russia, Islamic State
  The heads of U.S. Cyber Command and Special Operations Command warned lawmakers Thursday about growing threats and declaring victory in Syria.
• Hawaii lawmakers move to ban cigarettes -- eventually
  Hawaii could become the first state in the nation to ban cigarettes entirely -- an idea bolstered this year by a plan to raise the legal smoking age to 100.
• Federal Student Aid audit: Oversight of student loans lacking
  The U.S. Department of Education's student loans unit failed to oversee and hold accountable the companies it pays to manage the nation's student loan debt.
• Chicago police arrest 2 in Jussie Smollett investigation
  Chicago police arrested two suspects Friday after they were questioned in relation to the attack last month against actor Jussie Smollett.
• State department issues Haiti travel warning as protests turn violent
  The U.S. State Department issued a travel warning Thursday ordering all non-emergency U.S. personnel and their family members home.

CBS©

• Mark Kelly could join a small club of congressmen who have gone to space
  The retired astronaut announced he is running for the Arizona Senate seat once held by John McCain
• Tomato tuna anyone? Plant-based meat has moved into the seafood aisle
  "When we serve these upstairs a lot of people don't know the difference between this and tuna," one New York City chef said
• Aurora shooter was 15-year employee who was being fired, police say
  Five employees of the company were killed and five police officers were shot, police said
• Neighbor on gunman in workplace shooting: “He always kept to himself”
  "He seemed perfectly fine," said Jennifer White. "I've seen him out there ... with his drones"
• Academy, reversing plans, will now air all awards live at Oscars
  All 24 categories will be shown live, after all, at the 91st Academy Awards on February 24
• Fatal disease in animals across U.S. found in wild deer in new county
  Chronic wasting disease has been reported in at least 24 states, the CDC says
• Trump's emergency declaration is already facing legal challenges
  The coming legal fights seem likely to hinge on two main issues
• Saturday Sessions: Emily King performs "Look At Me Now"
  Singer-songwriter Emily King has long won acclaim for her intricate blend of R&B and soul, but the release of her third album this month, “Scenery,” has earned her special praise.
• Payless ShoeSource is closing all of its 2,100 remaining U.S. stores
  The chain joins a list of iconic names like Toys R Us​ and Bon-Ton that have closed down in the last year
• Why vegan seafood products are having a moment
  Seafood is a staple of diets in this country and around the world, but getting it is problematic. Overfishing is a serious issue in our oceans and fish farms bring a host of health and environmental hazards. Now, some innovative food companies are finding success with a creative substitute for seafood: fish filets and other products made entirely from plants. Michelle Miller reports.
• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand backs third gender classification at federal level
  Gillibrand is on a campaign swing through New Hampshire this weekend
• Pope defrocks ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick over sexual abuse
  The Catholic Church took the extraordinary step Friday night of defrocking Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop and cardinal of Washington, after the church found him guilty of widespread sex abuse. It's the pope's most serious punishment yet in the clerical sex abuse scandal. Seth Doane reports.
• Eye Opener: Deadly shooting at an Illinois factory
  A mass shooting at a suburban Chicago business leaves five people dead and five police officers wounded. Also, President Trump declares a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border. All that and all that matters in today's Eye Opener. Your world in 90 seconds. Get the Eye Opener delivered straight to your inbox.
• Chaos, mass panic at San Francisco performance of "Hamilton"
  Three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the chaos, and a woman who suffered a medical emergency is in critical condition
• NBA shows off concept jersey that lets fans change its name and number
  Adam Silver said he changed the name and number on the jersey via an app, and many fans were skeptical
• Gold Star organization gets donation to help co-founder's family
  Allie Emond​ said earlier this week how important it was to her and their three young children to stay in Raleigh, North Carolina, after her husband's death
• 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund is running out of money
  Nearly $5 billion in benefits have been awarded out of the $7.3 billion fund
• Colin Kaepernick and NFL reach settlement in collusion lawsuit
  Kaepernick filed a grievance claiming NFL team owners were colluding to keep him out of the league
• Community learns sign language to engage with 2-year-old girl
  A two-year-old girl who is deaf loves to chat with anyone. When her neighbors found out, they came together to learn how to communicate with her. Steve Hartman reports from Newton, Massachusetts, for "On the Road."
• She loves people, so her neighborhood is learing sign language
  On their own, Sam's neighbors got together, hired an instructor, and are now fully immersed in an American Sign Language class

BBC America©

• Mexico border wall: Trump faces fight in the courts
  California and New York vow to challenge his plan to bypass Congress and build the wall.
• Texas detention centre stops force-feeding migrants
  A judge has told officials to stop feeding hunger striking migrants in El Paso through nasal tubes.
• Paul Manafort should be jailed for 19-24 years - Mueller
  US special counsel says Paul Manafort should be jailed for 19-24 years after breaching a plea deal.
• Aurora shooting: Five killed by sacked man at Illinois firm
  Police said the gunman, who was shot dead, was an employee who had reportedly just been fired.
• John Legend: Grammys boycott 'doesn't fix the problem'
  The star, whose new single is a plea for gun reform, wants to see more efforts to represent hip hop at the Grammys.
• Colin Kaepernick: Former NFL quarterback settles 'collusion' case
  Colin Kaepernick and former team-mate Eric Reid reach settlements with the NFL over 'collusion' cases against team owners.
• Jussie Smollett: Suspects held over attack on actor released
  Police release without charge two men arrested in connection with the alleged attack on the actor.
• General Joseph Votel breaks rank with Trump over Syria
  The US general leading the fight against the Islamic State group has warned against withdrawing troops.
• Vodka firm loses valuable iceberg water in apparent heist
  Canadian police are investigating who took 30,000 of litres of iceberg water from the distiller.
• US border agency sued for detaining two Spanish speakers
  US citizens Ana Suda and Martha Hernandez were detained in Montana last May for speaking Spanish.
• Trump in good health despite weight in obese range - doctor
  The president is a few pounds heavier and taking a higher dose of cholesterol medicine, his doctor says.
• US-China trade talks break up without deal
  The US says "very difficult issues" remain unresolved with talks due to resume in the US next week.
• The community that rejected Amazon
  Amazon's plans for a campus in Long Island City bitterly divided a community grappling with rapid change.
• The story of historically black colleges in the US
  Senator Kamala Harris has shone a spotlight on historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
• Real-life trolling: When a 'roast' becomes harassment
  People are trying to recreate comedy roasts online and getting it horribly wrong. What are the rules?
• Ilhan Omar: Who is Minnesota's Somalia-born congresswoman?
  The first Somali-American in Congress has shaken up Washington DC since her election in 2018.
• Jody Wilson-Raybould: Three ways this could be a problem for Trudeau
  Allegations of political interference have turned into a major headache for the Canadian PM.
• Valentine's Day: How do you say 'I love you' to a buttoned-up Victorian?
  The University of Toronto has a collection of Valentines dating back 200 years.
• Free clinics: The little-known safety net of US healthcare
  "Without us, people would have to quit their job to get poor enough to be on Medicaid."
• Noor Tagouri on Vogue misidentification: 'It was so upsetting'
  Journalist Noor Tagouri was misidentified as a Pakistani actress in Vogue magazine's February issue.
• El Chapo guilty: Will his jailing change anything?
  The trial and conviction of the notorious Joaquín Guzmán tells us much about the multi-billion drugs trade.
• Green New Deal : Can this plan pushed by some Democrats really work?
  A radical plan to tackle climate change pushed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may now come to the Senate for a vote.
• Parkland anniversary: Students around the world on US school shootings and their own fears
  Students in Australia, India, Lebanon and the UK reveal their feelings on gun violence and their biggest fears.
• Catherine Wreford: The dancer with an 'invisible disease'
  Catherine Wreford, 39, has a malignant brain tumour - but that isn't stopping her from performing.
• What happens when you take a genealogy test
  Two BBC journalists succumbed to the trend and took at-home genealogy tests. This is what they found.
• Amazon cancels New York City campus plan
  The internet giant hit local opposition over the roughly $3bn in subsidies it had been promised.
• JP Morgan creates first US bank-backed crypto-currency
  The US investment bank has created the JPM Coin to handle wholesale payments for some clients.
• Former Apple lawyer charged with insider trading
  Gene Levoff is accused of engaging in insider trading on several occasions between 2011 and 2016.
• Hiker speaks after taking on mountain lion... and winning
  Travis Kauffman was hiking in Colorado when he came toe-to-toe with a young mountain lion.
• How 'Parkland tourism' led to this floral memorial
  A teacher and a pupil at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School gave people a focal point for their grief and curiosity.
• McConnell: 'Trump will declare a national emergency'
  Top Democrats react after Senator Mitch McConnell says Mr Trump will declare an emergency on border.
• California mudslides: Buildings collapse after severe weather
  Buildings have collapsed and roads have been left impassable after mudslides and flooding.
• Eagle rescued after huge ice ball grows on its tail
  A bald eagle had to be rescued after a 20cm ice ball grew on its tail.
• Trump installs $50,000 golf simulator in the White House
  Unable to play as often as he'd like, the president has installed a simulator in his private quarters.
• Seven-year-old ‘Blaze’ may be the fastest in the world
  Rudolph ‘Blaze’ Ingram has his sights set on smashing Usain Bolt’s 100m world record.
• Why this dog was sworn in at court
  Instead of giving evidence, Kora the courtroom dog is there to give support to child witnesses.
• President Trump and Beto O'Rourke's rival rallies in El Paso
  President Trump and Democrat Beto O'Rourke held events at the same time, but said very different things.
• El Chapo trial: Five facts about Mexican drug lord Joaquín Guzmán
  The Mexican drug lord has been found guilty on all 10 counts at his drug trafficking trial in New York.

NPR©

• Vatican Defrocks Former Cardinal McCarrick, Finds Him Guilty Of Sex Abuse
  Theodore McCarrick rose to power as a cardinal and archbishop of Washington, D.C. He became the most senior Catholic Church official in modern times to lose clerical status.
• U.S. Masses Aid Along Venezuelan Border As Some Humanitarian Groups Warn Of Risks
  Some aid workers are being denounced as opposition activists and there are fears that all aid could be blocked. The situation could soon resemble a "medieval siege," warns an analyst in Caracas.
• As More Electric Cars Arrive, What's The Future For Gas-Powered Engines?
  The vast majority of American cars run on gasoline. But analysts say that's poised to change as electric vehicles take over the market — albeit not as quickly as environmental activists might like.
• Trump's National Emergency Sets Up Legal Fight Over Spending Authority
  Does Trump have the constitutional power to ignore a congressional vote that did not provide him all the money he wanted for a Southern border wall? That issue could be decided by the Supreme Court.
• Denver Teacher Strike Ends; Chicago Designer Revamps School Uniforms
  Also in this week's education roundup, a new study suggest that a high-crime neighborhood can have an effect on student attendance.
• Virginia Democrats Now Look To Women Of Color For Leadership
  The recent controversies embroiling some of Virginia's top Democratic officials have the party reconsidering their leadership.
• Academy Awards Live Broadcast To Include 4 Cinematography Categories After All
  In its latest reversal, the Academy Awards restores four awards to its live broadcast. It had tried to shorten the program by handing them out during commercial breaks.
• Tribune Publishing Recognizes 'Hartford Courant' Newsroom Union
  The parent company of the Hartford, Conn., newspaper has agreed to recognize a new union representing nearly 60 journalists. The move comes just four days after they petitioned to unionize.
• U.S. Agency Tightens Immigration Rules To Spotlight Child Marriage
  The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released new rules for officers to identify visa petitions in which spouses are minors. No minimum age requirement for such requests currently exists.
• Senate Panel Launches Bipartisan Probe Into Think Tank Linked To Butina, Torshin
  Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee sent letters to the Center for Public Interest, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department asking for information about meetings with Russians in 2015.
• Federal Judge Imposes Gag Order In Roger Stone Case
  Judge Amy Berman Jackson said that lawyers and others in the case must refrain from statements that risk creating "material prejudice" but neither they nor Stone must keep completely silent.
• Gunman Kills 5, Wounds At Least 5 More At Industrial Facility In Aurora, Ill.
  Five civilians and the shooter were killed, officials said Friday. The incident occurred at the Henry Pratt Co., about 40 miles outside Chicago, where the man apparently was fired.
• Behind The Border 'Crisis': More Migrant Families Risk Dangerous Remote Crossings
  Large groups of migrants are crossing isolated parts of the Southwest border. Border Patrol agents call it a crisis, and advocates say immigration officials underestimate the migrants' desperation.
• This City Told Amazon And Google: No Incentives For You
  Amazon canceled plans for a New York City HQ after meeting stiff opposition over big tax breaks and other incentives. A California mayor refused to offer similar incentives but landed Google anyway.
• Many Presidents Have Declared Emergencies — But Not Like Trump Has
  When President Trump declared a national emergency on the Southern border on Friday, he claimed the move was routine — even as he acknowledged the administration is likely to face legal challenges.

Reuters Video©

• Trump waxes lyrical over coming legal battle
  President Trump launched into a lengthy explanation of the legal challenges he expects over his national emergency order to fund his border wall. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Reporter to Trump: "What do you base your facts on?"
  President Trump spars with a reporter who presses him on his immigration facts after Trump declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Trump declares national emergency over border wall
  U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, a move that Democrats vowed to challenge as an unconstitutional attempt to fund his proposed border wall without approval from Congress. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Trump's first GOP presidential challenger emerges
  Bill Weld, the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, says he will challenge U.S. President Donald Trump for the Republican Party's presidential nomination in 2020. Linda So reports.
• Trump to sign border bill, declare emergency
  President Donald Trump will sign a border security bill to avert another government shutdown, but also declare a national emergency to try to obtain funds for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, a White House spokeswoman said on Thursday. Nathan Frandino has more.
• Ocasio-Cortez celebrates Amazon's NYC pullout
  U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheered the decision by Amazon.com Inc to scrap its plans to build an outpost in New York that could have created 25,000 jobs. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Pelosi to review 'options' on expected nat'l emergency
  U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday said she might file a legal challenge if President Donald Trump declares a national emergency to secure funds to build a wall along the U.S. southern border, as the White House has said he would. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• McCabe says he ordered investigation into Trump
  In an interview on '60 Minutes,' former FBI Acting Director Andrew McCabe said he began an obstruction of justice and counterintelligence investigation involving U.S. President Donald Trump and his ties to Russia shortly after Trump fired bureau Director James Comey in May 2017. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Itta Bena: the U.S. recovery's forgotten town
  Rural areas of the U.S., especially in the South, are lagging far behind more developed parts of the country, despite the nearly decade-long economic recovery. It’s a problem Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell hopes to tackle on his watch.
• Notable no-shows at U.S.-hosted Mid East summit
  Who's attending the U.S.-hosted summit on the Middle East in Poland? The question, more to the point, may be who isn't.
• U.S. judge rules Manafort broke plea deal
  A U.S. federal judge says President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort lied to prosecutors, and so breached his plea deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office.
• Sparks fly as Omar takes on U.S. Venezuela envoy
  Newly-elected Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, during a hearing on Venezuela on Wednesday, said she "failed to understand" why the American people should believe Special Envoy Elliott Abrams' statements on Venezuela, given his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. In the testy exchange, Abrams responded saying, "I am not going to respond to that kind of personal attack." Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Border security deal "win" for Americans: Pelosi
  Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday the bipartisan border security deal is a compromise and a win for the American people. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Schumer to Trump: Sign this agreement
  Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer urges President Trump to sign a bipartisan border security deal that would avert another partial government shutdown. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Trump awaits funding bill, will look for 'land mines'
  U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will look for "land mines" in a government funding bill aimed at border security, but added that he does not want to close the government for the second time this winter. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
• Biden pays tribute to John Dingell
  Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said in his eulogy to the late congressman John Dingell in Dearborn, Michigan on Tuesday that even if he had "five days" to speak, it wouldn't be enough to "do justice" to Dingell. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

CNN©

• Witnesses describe confusion, chaos at Aurora shooting
  John Probst says he recognized the gunman.
• Couple finds message in a bottle from NOAA scientists sent in early '60s
  In 1962, US government scientists at a lab in Galveston, Texas wrote messages in bottles and deployed 7,863 of them into the sea. This week, about 56 years later, a couple combing the beach more than 200 miles away picked one up.
• Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid resolve pending grievances with NFL
  Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid have resolved their pending grievance cases against the NFL.
• He fought in the D-Day invasion. With no family left when he passed away, hundreds gathered to honor him.
  When 97-year-old veteran James McCue passed away, he had no surviving members in his family. But he had hundreds of guests honor him in his funeral Thursday.
• Family files lawsuit in death of fraternity pledge at Ohio University
  The parents of a dead fraternity pledge have filed a lawsuit against the fraternity, alleging their son died last fall as a result of extensive hazing.
• Atmospheric rivers are pulling California out of drought and piling on the snow
  When 2019 started, California's snowpack was at 67%. Now it's at over 136% and rising, thanks to atmospheric rivers of water vapor dumping snow in the Sierra Nevada.
• Schultz's claim he doesn't 'see color' at odds with Starbucks' 2018 anti-bias training videos
  Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz faced a swift backlash on Tuesday night when he said, in response to a question about race during a CNN town hall, that he doesn't "see color."
• Fact-checking Trump's claims about fact-checkers
  CNN's Jake Tapper, in partnership with FactCheck.org, looks at President Trump's suggestion that fact checkers didn't cover President Obama's claims about Obamacare.
• FCC: Nearly half the calls you receive this year will be spam
  Nearly half the calls made to US cell phones in 2019 will be spam, according to a study by First Orion referenced in a Federal Communications Commission report Thursday.
• Do Americans really want outsider politicians?
  More than half of Americans said that all things being equal, they would be more likely to support a candidate for Congress who is seen as a political outsider over a political insider, according to a Monmouth University poll from August 2018.
• Top general disagrees with Trump on Syria pullout
• JPMorgan is creating its own cryptocurrency
  JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank, is launching its own cryptocurrency.
• Traveling for work? Bring a taste of home with you
  Narrow plane seats, weird smells, unfamiliar food, and disrupted routines -- frequent business travel can be uncomfortable for very real reasons. But with a little prep, you can bring a piece of home with you wherever you go and make your trips less stressful and more effective.
• 6 easy ways to beat jet lag
  Most jobs don't require attending meetings at 1 a.m., giving presentations at 2 a.m or dialing into conference calls at 3 a.m.
• Orange gators are turning heads in the Lowcountry
• Dog tied to pole and set on fire has died
• Bear spotted hanging from moving garbage truck
• 'My KKK friends will burn your family,' woman to cop
• Man says victim in serial killer's sketch is his mom
• Man slams toddler's head through sheetrock
• Ice flies off truck, injures 6-year old girl
• Man hailed a 'hero' for rescuing dog from icy water
• Trooper hit by out-of-control car along highway
• Students sickened after eating Valentine's treats
• Dog bound with duct tape, tossed into freezing ditch
• School boys buy flowers for every girl at school
• Teacher surprises student with matching haircut
• Woman pistol-whipped, ordered to strip naked
• 2 days before man dies, longtime couple weds