AP News Summary at 12:14 a.m. EST

Rubio says El Salvador offers to accept deportees from US of any nationality, including Americans

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says El Salvador’s president has offered to accept deportees from the U.S. of any nationality, including violent American criminals now imprisoned in the United States. Rubio says President Nayib Bukele “has agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world." Rubio adds, “He’s also offered to do the same for dangerous criminals currently in custody and serving their sentence in the United States even though they’re U.S. citizens or legal residents.” A U.S. official said after Rubio spoke that the Trump administration had no plans to try to deport American citizens but that the offer was significant. The U.S. government cannot deport American citizens.

Trump’s foreign aid freeze could prove to be a boon for the world’s authoritarian strongmen

MIAMI (AP) — When President Donald Trump froze foreign assistance for 90 days, he argued that such a drastic step was needed to eliminate waste and block what he derides as “woke” spending that doesn’t align with American interests. Experts say the suspension has a serious consequence: It could prove to be a boon to authoritarian leaders and their regimes. The billions that the U.S. spends annually on foreign aid — more than any other nation — include hundreds of grants for grassroots groups dedicated to fighting for democracy and against corruption.

Salvage crews recover engine, large portion of jet from river after deadly air collision near DC

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Salvage crews have recovered an engine and large pieces of fuselage and are working to retrieve a wing from wreckage of last week’s midair collision near Washington’s Reagan National Airport. Officials say they have also recovered more human remains from the Potomac River, but did not give specifics. Instead, they are reiterating that 55 of the 67 victims have been identified. Authorities say the operation to remove the plane will take several days and they will then work to remove the military helicopter involved. The crash between the American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter over Washington, D.C. on Wednesday is the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001.

Trump and Netanyahu hold talks as US president warns 'no guarantees' fragile peace in Gaza will hold

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are set to meet for talks in Washington. Tuesday's White House meeting comes as the Israeli prime minister faces competing pressure from his right-wing coalition to end a temporary truce and resume the war against Hamas militants in Gaza and from war-weary Israelis who want to see remaining hostages come home and the 15-month war brought to an end. Trump is guarded about the long-term prospects for the truce, even as he takes credit for pressuring Hamas and Israel into the hostage and ceasefire agreement that went into effect on the day before he returned to power last month.

Aid is surging into Gaza under the ceasefire. Is it helping?

JERUSALEM (AP) — Two weeks after the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect, aid is flooding into the Gaza Strip. The supplies offer relief to a territory suffering from hunger, mass displacement and devastation following 15 months of war. But Palestinians and aid workers say it’s still an uphill battle to ensure the assistance reaches everyone. And looming large is the possibility that fighting will resume if the ceasefire breaks down after the six-week first phase. Humanitarian groups say aid distribution is complicated by destroyed or damaged roads, Israeli inspections and the threat of unexploded bombs.

Russian attacks near Ukrainian nuclear infrastructure heighten scrutiny of Kyiv's preparedness

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Despite more than a year of warnings that critical Ukrainian nuclear energy infrastructure sites are vulnerable to potential Russian attacks, Ukraine's Energy Ministry has failed to act swiftly to protect them, government officials have told The Associated Press. Only in the fall, after Ukrainian intelligence agencies warned of potential strikes targeting nuclear transmission facilities, was action taken to begin building protection, the officials said — far too late in the event of an attack.  Russia's renewed attacks this winter have heightened scrutiny over these failures. Two years of punishing Russian strikes on its power grid have left Ukraine reliant on nuclear power for more than half of its electricity generation.

The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized a major Congo city declare a unilateral ceasefire

GOMA, Congo (AP) — The Rwanda-backed rebels who seized eastern Congo’s key city of Goma have announced a unilateral ceasefire in the region for humanitarian reasons. Monday's announcement by the M23 followed calls for a safe corridor for aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people. The rebels said the ceasefire would start Tuesday. The U.N. health agency says at least 900 people were killed in last week’s fighting in Goma between the rebels and Congolese forces. The city is at the heart of a region home to trillions of dollars in mineral wealth, and it remains in rebel hands. There is no immediate comment from Congo's government.

Senate confirms fossil fuel CEO Chris Wright as energy secretary. He vows to 'unleash' US resources

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President Donald Trump’s efforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty and has promised to help Trump “unleash energy security and prosperity.” The Senate on Monday approved his nomination, 59-38. Trump has promised to “drill, baby, drill,” boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal that emit planet-warming greenhouse gases.

Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar led one of the best Grammys in years. Has the awards show transformed?

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For years the Grammy Awards have been criticized over a lack of diversity. But the Sunday's edition suggests something may have shifted. Already the most awarded and nominated artist in the show’s history, Beyoncé finally won album of the year. Kendrick Lamar took home two of the top four prizes of the night spotlighting hip-hop on a televised program that has historically neglected the genre. Young pop performers were placed in the spotlight at the moment of their ascent. It might be that the Recording Academy’s concerted efforts to diversify are the reason the Grammys seemed to correct course. Or it could've been a great one-off.