AP News Digest 2 p.m.
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org.
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TOP STORIES
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VIRUS OUTBREAK — Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson has hit the road, meeting face-to-face with residents to try to overcome vaccine hesitancy — in many cases, hostility — in Arkansas which has the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. but is near the very bottom in dispensing shots. By Andrew DeMillo. SENT: 850 words, photos.
UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN-ANALYSIS — It took only two months for U.S. invaders to topple the Taliban in 2001, a seemingly tidy success against a government that had given refuge to 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. Twenty years later, the United States is withdrawing — visions of victory long vanished and an ascendant Taliban arguably within reach of restoring its rule. Afghanistan proved to be a lesson in the limits of America’s military power. A News Analysis by National Security Writer Robert Burns SENT: 980 words, photos.
TEXAS-REPUBLICANS — In Republicans’ bid to retake control of Congress, a traditionally Democratic stretch of south Texas has quietly become a top battleground. After making unexpected gains last November, the GOP is zeroing in on a trio of House seats in the region as key targets heading into next year’s midterm elections. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,290 words, photos.
EUROPE-FLOODS — Rescue workers labored to deal with damage laid bare by receding water as the death toll from disastrous flooding in Western Europe rose above 160 and thoughts turned to the lengthy job of rebuilding communities devastated in minutes. By Geir Moulson. SENT: 610 words, photos. With EUROPE-FLOODS-CLIMATE-CHANGE — Experts say Europe floods shows need to curb emissions, adapt; SENT: 690 words, photos. EUROPE-FLOODS-PHOTO-GALLERY — Swollen rivers smash through parts of Europe (sent).
OLY-TOKYO-SECURITY-BALANCE — Japan’s massive security apparatus for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics is raising complaints that the nation will look more like authoritarian North Korea or China than one of the world’s most powerful, vibrant democracies. The worry for many Japanese, however, isn’t too much Big Brother. It’s that all the increased precautions won’t be nearly enough to stop the estimated 85,000 athletes, officials, journalists and other workers coming into Japan from introducing fast-spreading coronavirus variants to a largely unvaccinated population struggling with mounting cases. By Foster Klug and Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 1,230 words, photos.
For more on Europe flooding, visit AP's Newsroom here.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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BIDEN-BUCANEERS — Biden to host Super Bowl champ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tuesday. SENT: 100 words, photos.
OLY-GERMANY-RACISM — Germany’s Olympic soccer team has walked off the field during a preparation match for the Tokyo Games in response to alleged racist abuse from an opposing Honduras player toward German defender Jordan Torunarigha. SENT: 350 words, photo.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-FRANCE — Thousands of people marched around France to protest mandatory vaccinations for health care workers and COVID-19 passes that will be required to enter restaurants and other venues.. SENT: 415 words, photo.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ARMENIA-IRAN-VACCINE-TOURISM — In Iran, the urgency of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is growing by the day. A crush of new cases fueled by the fast-spreading delta variant has threatened to overwhelm Iranian hospitals with breathless patients too numerous to handle. But as deaths mount, and the sense swells that protection for most citizens remains far-off, thousands of desperate Iranians are taking matters into their own hands: They’re flocking to neighboring Armenia. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-EUROPE-VACCINATIONS — European nations are scrambling to ramp up vaccination drives, using a carrot-and-stick approach to persuade the reluctant to get their shots as the more transmissible delta variant drives a surge in infections. SENT: 800 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BRITAIN — Tourists and the travel industry vented frustration and anger after Britain reversed a plan to ease travel restrictions on France just two days after they were due to start, citing concerns about a variant of the coronavirus. SENT: 560 words, photo.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THAILAND — Thailand has tightened coronavirus restrictions further as daily cases surpassed 10,000 and the death toll hit a record 141 despite an overnight curfew in Bangkok and several other provinces. SENT: 400 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON & POLITICS
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BIDEN-IMMIGRATION — President Joe Biden says the Justice Department intends to appeal a federal judge’s ruling deeming illegal an Obama-era program that’s protected hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation. Biden also is renewing his calls for Congress to create a permanent solution. SENT: 330 words, photos.
TRUMP-FACT CHECK — Former President Donald Trump is falsely claiming voting fraud and irregularities in Arizona cost him the state’s electorate votes. UPCOMING: 700 words by 5 p.m., photos.
REPUBLICANS-COMBATIVE-NOEM — More than 18 months away from the first presidential primary of 2024, most potential Republican candidates are just getting a sense of the political landscape, tiptoeing through early-voting states and trying to make friends in key places. Not Kristi Noem. As the South Dakota governor tries to carve out a niche, she’s come out swinging, and some of her targets are possible GOP rivals for the White House. Her combative style, no surprise to those who follow her, is evidence of how competitive the nomination race will be if Donald Trump stays on the sidelines. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 p.m.
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INTERNATIONAL
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HAITI-PRESIDENT-ASSASSINATED — A key group of international diplomats appeared to snub the man currently running Haiti by urging another politician, the designated prime minister, to form a government following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. SENT: 330 words, photos.
BURKINA-FASO-EXPANDING-EXTREMISM — An increase in attacks by extremist groups in Burkina Faso’s west has put the military on edge. Violence linked to Islamic extremists in Burkina Faso has been largely centered in the country’s north and east. But signs have emerged over the last two years that the conflict is shifting to the calmer west and southwest regions near the borders with Mali and Ivory Coast. SENT: 910 words, photo.
OLY—SKOREA-BANNER-CONTROVERSY — South Korea’s Olympic committee says it has removed banners at the Olympic athletes’ village in Tokyo that referred to a 16th-century war between Korea and Japan after the International Olympic Committee ruled it was provocative. SENT: 540 words, photos.
SYRIA —Syrian President Bashar Assad was sworn in for a fourth seven-year term in the war-torn country, pledging to overcome the impact of Western economic sanctions and retake territory still out of his control after 10 years of fighting. SENT: 725 words, photos.
RUSSIA-NEW FIGHTER JET — Russian aircraft makers say they will present a prospective new fighter jet at a Moscow air show that opens next week. SENT: 400 words, photos.
RUSSIA-WILDFIRES — The Russian military has used its heavy-lift transport planes to help douse wildfires in Siberia. SENT: 150 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN —The daughter of Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan was abducted in the middle of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, held for several hours and brutally attacked, officials in both countries said. SENT: 460 words.
PALESTINIANS-ACTIVIST DEATH — The family of a political activist who died in the custody of Palestinian security forces last month has accused the Palestinian Authority of trying to cover up his death. SENT: 490 words, photos.
CUBA-PROTESTS — Cuban officials have rallied tens of thousands of supporters in the streets nearly a week after they were stunned by the most widespread protests in decades. SENT: 860 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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WESTERN-WILDFIRES — A rapidly growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe forced evacuations of a mountain town and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada, leaving thousands of riders and spectators stranded. SENT: 600 words, photos, video.
INTERIOR-LAND DONATION — U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visited her home state to celebrate what marks the largest wilderness land donation in the agency’s history and another addition to the nation’s landholdings as the Biden administration aims to conserve nearly one-third of America’s lands and waters by 2030. SENT: 450 words, photo.
INDIGENOUS-SCHOOL-BURIAL — The remains of nine Native American children who died more than a century ago while attending a government-run school in Pennsylvania meant to assimilate them into white culture have been returned to their South Dakota tribe for burial on its reservation. SENT: 490 words, photos.
BALLOON INTERNET-CUBA-EXPLAINER — Is a balloon-powered internet network for Cubans possible? Technically, it’s been done. A former division of Google owner Alphabet, Loon, developed balloons that provided internet service in the aftermath of natural disasters in Puerto Rico and Peru and had a commercial contract to provide service in hard-to-reach areas of Kenya. SENT: 760 words, photos.
BUILDING COLLAPSE-MIAMI — Another victim was identified in the collapse of a 12-story Florida condominium that killed at least 97 people, authorities said. The Miami-Dade Police Department said in a news release that Theresa Velasquez, 36, was a confirmed fatality in the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo. Her body was recovered July 8.. SENT: 180 words, photos.
CALIFORNIA-RITE-AID-EMPLOYEE-KILLING — A Rite Aid employee was fatally shot while confronting two shoplifters in Los Angeles, according to police and the union that represents workers at the store. SENT: 190 words.
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BUSINESS/TECH
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VOICES-CLONES-ANTHONY-BOURDAIN — The revelation that a documentary filmmaker used voice-cloning software to make the late chef Anthony Bourdain say words he never spoke has drawn criticism amid ethical concerns about use of the powerful technology. SENT: 840 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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OBIT-FLOYD-COOPER — An award-winning illustrator and author of children’s books whose mission to offer candid and positive images of Black history included subjects ranging from Frederick Douglass and the civil rights movement to Venus and Serena Williams has died. SENT: 500 words.
OBIT-BIZ-MARKIE — Biz Markie, a hip-hop staple known for his beatboxing prowess, turntable mastery and the 1989 classic “Just a Friend,” has died. He was 57. Markie’s representative, Jenni Izumi, said the rapper-DJ died peacefully Friday evening with his wife by his side. The cause of death has not been released. SENT: 580 words, photos.
BRITAIN-NEWSCHANNEL — A British news channel that launched as a right-leaning alternative to the BBC and Sky News has recruited populist politician Nigel Farage as a presenter. SENT: 380 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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BKN—NBA FINALS -- A tied NBA Finals returns to Phoenix for Game 5, with the dynamic very much changed after two straight home wins by the Bucks. Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo gave Milwaukee a big lift in Game 4. The Suns need revived play from Chris Paul and Devin Booker. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Game starts 9 p.m.
GLF--BRITISH OPEN -- Jordan Spieth pulls into a tie with Louis Oosthuizen for the early lead in the third round of the British Open while Collin Morikawa falls off. Spieth, a three-time major champion, won the British Open in 2017. Oosthuizen was runner-up at the last two majors. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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At the Nerve Center, Rob Jagodzinski can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, (ext. 7636). Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport(at)ap.org or call 844-777-2006.
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