AP News Digest 6 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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NEW/DEVELOPING

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Adds: VIRUS OUTBREAK-ARKANSAS; VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN; TEXAS -OFFICER ARRESTED; BURKINO FASO-JIHADI KILLINGS; KENTUCKY-ATTORNEY-GENERAL-BREONNA-TAYLOR; APPLE-IPHONE-CHILD ABUSE; JUSTICE DEPARTMENT-POLICE PROBE; VIRUS OUTBREAK-NOVOVAX; CUOMO-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-ACCUSERS’-WORDS; US CENSUS; SOC-BARCELONA-MESSI

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TOP STORIES

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-YUS -- Coronavirus hospitalizations are once again surging as the virus’ more potent delta variant cuts across the U.S. The swift rise is forcing hospitals to pivot back to COVID-19 readiness just weeks after many shuttered coronavirus wards, field hospitals and other emergency pandemic measures. SENT: 1,085 words, photos.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT-POLICING PROBE — The Justice Department is launching a widespread probe into the police force in Phoenix to examine whether officers have been using excessive force and abusing people experiencing homelessness. By Michael Balsamo and Bob Christie. SENT: 890 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN-DESANTIS — The surge of coronavirus cases in Florida this week set off an unusually direct exchange between the White House and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Behind the public charges about endangering constituents and impeding “freedom” is a political feud certain to play out in next year’s midterms and beyond. By Will Weissert and Brendan Farrington. UPCOMING: 1,100 words by 8 p.m., photos.

CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE — Senators are wrapping up work on the bipartisan infrastructure plan, with talks underway to expedite consideration of the nearly $1 trillion proposal. By Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 740 words, photos. With CONGRESS-DEBT LIMIT — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans will oppose raising the federal debt limit if Democrats pursue their $3.5 trillion plan to strengthen social and environment programs. SENT: 630 words, photos.

CUOMO-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT — State lawmakers told Gov. Andrew Cuomo that their ongoing impeachment investigation is almost done and gave him a deadline of Aug. 13 to provide additional evidence. Since March, the Assembly’s judiciary committee has been investigating whether there are grounds to impeach the Democratic governor over sexual harassment allegations, misleading the public about COVID-19 outbreaks at nursing homes and using state resources and staff for his $5 million book deal. By Marina Villeneuve. SENT: 585 words, photos. WITH: EXPLAINER-CUOMO-IMPEACHMENT — How Cuomo might be impeached, removed from office, SENT: 895 words, photos. WITH: CUOMO-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-RESPONSE — Cuomo’s apology, defense criticized. SENT: 960 words, photos. WITH: CUOMO-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-ACCUSERS’-WORDS. SENT: 1,500 words, photo.

OLY-BELARUS-RUNNER — A Belarusian Olympic sprinter who feared reprisals back home after publicly criticizing her coaches at the Tokyo Games used quick thinking to get help. She used her phone to translate a plea and show it to Japanese police as she tried to avoid being forced onto a plane. On Thursday, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya described a dramatic series of events at the Olympics that led her to decide not to return to Belarus, where an authoritarian government has relentlessly pursued its critics. By Monika Scislowska and Daria Litvinova. SENT: 820 words, photos.

US-NORTHWEST HEAT WAVE-THE VULNERABLE — The unprecedented heat wave that swept the Pacific Northwest this summer killed scores of the region’s most vulnerable who couldn’t leave their homes, afford air conditioning or get a ride to public cooling centers. Experts say the disaster should be a wake-up call as climate change raises the temperature in the historically temperate region and a harsh lesson in how unprepared cities and states are. By Gillian Flaccus. SENT: 1,085 words, photos. WITH: WESTERN WILDFIRES — A fast-moving wildfire has engulfed a Northern California town, leveling much of the downtown and several homes. SENT: 695 words, photos.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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SOC-BARCELONA-MESSI — Barcelona say Lionel Messi will not stay with the club. Barcelona said in a statement that a deal between the club and the player had been reached but financial “obstacles” made it impossible for the player to remain with the club. SENT: 50 words. Developing.

APPLE-IPHONE-CHILD ABUSE — Apple to scan U.S. iPhones for images of child sexual abuse. SENT: 643 words, photo.

HERMIT-EVICTED-FIRE -- The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office said it has opened an investigation into a fire that destroyed a small cabin where an off-the-grid hermit had lived for almost three decades. SENT: 250 words, photos.

QATAR-AIRBUS — Qatar Airways said it grounded 13 Airbus A350s over what it described as fuselages “degrading at an accelerated rate” in the long-range aircraft. SENT: 370 words, photos.

MUSIC-ACM-AWARDS -- Country stars Keith Urban, Toby Keith and Carly Pearce will perform at the Academy of Country Music Honors this month, to honor Loretta Lynn, Dan + Shay and Luke Combs among others. SENT: 165 words.

WATER-PARK-CHEMICAL-LEAK — A Texas water park says a chemical exposure that sent dozens of people to hospitals was caused by “improper installation” of a water filtration system. SENT: 160 words, photo.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-FRANCE-HEALTH-PASS -- A special French court is set to decide whether a new law that takes effect next week and would only allow access to cafes, restaurants, long-distance travel — and in some cases hospitals — for those with a COVID-19 health pass is in line with the country’s constitution. SENT: 500 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-GRAHAM — As he recovers from a breakthrough infection of the coronavirus, Sen. Lindsey Graham says he has urged former President Donald Trump to press his supporters to get the COVID-19 vaccine. SENT: 520 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-NORMAN — Rep. Ralph Norman, one of the three congressional Republicans suing Speaker Nancy Pelosi over fines for not wearing masks during a U.S. House vote, has contracted a breakthrough case of COVID-19. SENT: 440 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ARKANSAS — Arkansas’ ban on mask mandates faces a new legal challenge and defiance from the mayor of the state capital as the state’s coronavirus cases continue to spiral. SENT: 300 words, photo.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK- JAPAN — Tokyo reported 5,042 new coronavirus cases, its most since the pandemic began as infections surge in the Japanese capital hosting the Olympics. SENT: 585 words, photos, video.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SUMMER-LEARNING — Even before the pandemic, student experiences over the summer divided heavily on socioeconomic lines. As school districts and community organizations respond to increased demand and need for summer programming, part of that work is focused on overcoming persistent barriers to access for families. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA — Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, is going into a sixth lockdown, with a state government leader blaming the nation’s slow COVID-19 vaccination rollout. Melbourne joins Sydney and Brisbane, Australia’s most populous and third-most populous cities respectively, in locking down due to the spread of the delta variant. SENT: 500 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-LONG COVID — Can I get ‘long COVID’ if I’m infected after vaccination? Researchers are studying the chances of “long COVID” developing in anyone who might get infected after vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing severe illness from the virus, but it’s still possible to get infected after the shots. SENT: 280 words, photo.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NOVOVAX — Vaccine maker Novavax is asking regulators in India, Indonesia and the Philippines to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 shot. SENT: 360 words, photos.

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MORE ON THE OLYMPICS

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OLY-ATH-TRACK-AND-FIELD — A five-minute burst of action near the backstretch of the Olympic track served up the perfect snapshot of what is going right and all that is going wrong for the U.S. track and field team in Tokyo. Katie Nageotte went running up to the stands to celebrate a gold medal at one moment in the pole vault pit. SENT: 940 words, photos.

OLY-BKO-AUSTRALIA-US — Kevin Durant and the Americans still have their grip on gold and it’s going to take more than a few bad minutes for anyone to take it away from them. Durant scored 23 points, Devin Booker had 20 and the U.S. blew past and eventually blew away Australia 97-78 on in the Olympic men’s basketball semifinals after falling into a 15-point hole. SENT: 770 words, photos.

OLY-SRF-CARISSA-MOORE — The first Olympic gold medalist for surfing, Carissa Moore, is the only Native Hawaiian surfer at the Games. Her legacy has now become that of modern surfing godfather Duke Kahanamoku’s realized dream. She’s at once the symbol of the sport’s very best and also a validating force for an Indigenous community that still struggles with its complex history. SENT: 875 words, photos.

OLY--SOCIAL MEDIA GAMES — The made-for-television Tokyo Games have become a digital affair. Spectators aren’t permitted as a pandemic precaution at the Olympics so athletes have taken to social media and NBC used streaming to reach the public in record-smashing and trailblazing ways. Several Olympians from niche sports introduced themselves to America through viral videos, with TikTok the preferred platform. SENT: 1,150 words, photos.

OLY-SWM-WHAT’S IN A NAME — Marathon swimming or open water? Artistic swimming or synchronized? There’s a bit of aquatic confusion at the Olympics, where two disciplines are referred to by conflicting names. SENT: 670 words, photos.

OLY--SOC--INFANTINO'S PLANS — It's been a busy few weeks of globe-trotting to soccer finals for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Now he's in Japan to see the Olympic medal matches. All that's missing in this congested summer of soccer is a tournament with FIFA's name on it. Infantino wants that to change -- with every year featuring a men's or women's World Cup. There are already concerns about the workload placed on players, highlighted by some doing double-duty over the last month at the European Championship or Copa America before flying to the Olympics. By Rob Harris. SENT: 700 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS

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BIDEN-MILEAGE STANDARDS — Declaring the U.S. must “move fast” to win the carmaking future, President Joe Biden touts a commitment from the auto industry to make electric vehicles up to half of U.S. sales by the end of the decade. By Tom Krisher and Aamer Madhani. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

OBIT-RICHARD TRUMKA — Richard Trumka, the powerful president of the AFL-CIO who rose from the coal mines of Pennsylvania to preside over one of the largest labor organizations in the world, has died at 72. By Brian Slodysko and Thomas Beaumont. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, video.

IMMIGRATION-ICE DETENTIONS — The number of people in federal immigration detention has risen markedly under President Joe Biden. Since the end of February, the number of detainees has more than doubled, to nearly 27,000. That’s higher than the total detained last July under then-President Donald Trump. The rising detentions are a sore point for Biden’s pro-immigration allies, who had hoped he would turn the page on Trump’s hardline immigration policies. SENT: 1,190 words, photos, video.

VOTING BILLS-TEXAS — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered another special legislative session to again try passing a GOP voting bill after Democrats left the state in protest to again prevent Republicans from changing the state’s elections laws. SENT: 155 words, photos, developing.

CAPITOL BREACH-CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL —President Biden signs legislation to award Congressional Gold Medals to police who responded to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol. SENT: 580 words, photos.

CLINTON-EMAILS-GIULIANI — The Justice Department’s inspector general says it did not find evidence that FBI agents shared inside information about the Hillary Clinton email investigation with Rudy Giuliani. SENT: 360 words, photo.

BIDEN-FEDERAL-JUDGES — President Biden is nominating a Vermont judge who played a critical role in paving the way for the legalization of same-sex marriage to become the first openly LGBT woman to serve on any federal circuit court. SENT: 260 words, photo.

UNITED STATES-CHINA-HONG KONG — The Biden administration grants temporary refuge to people fleeing China’s crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong. SENT: 540 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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IRAN — The protégé of Iran’s supreme leader, Ebrahim Raisi, was sworn in as the country’s new president during a ceremony in parliament, an inauguration that completes hard-liners’ dominance of all branches of government in the Islamic Republic. SENT: 645 words, photos.

ISRAEL-LEBANON —Israel escalated its response to rocket attacks the previous day from Lebanon by launching rare airstrikes on its northern neighbor, the army and Lebanese officials said. SENT: 600 words, photos.

PALESTINIANS-GRIEVING FAMILY — The father of a 12-year-old Palestinian boy killed by Israeli soldiers last week says he has little faith in an Israeli military investigation into the shooting. SENT: 770 words, photos.

GREECE-FIRES -- Forest fires fueled by a protracted heat wave in Greece continue to rage, forcing the evacuation of dozens of villages as firefighters have managed to prevent the flames from reaching the archaeological site at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics. SENT: 785 words, photos. WITH: TURKEY-WILDFIRES — A wildfire that reached the compound of a coal-fueled power plant in southwest Turkey and forced nearby residents to flee in boats and cars was contained after raging for some 11 hours. SENT: 680 words, photos.

KASHMIR-STATEHOOD-REVOCATION -- Government forces patrolled much of Indian-controlled Kashmir and ordered shops and businesses to remain open to foil a planned strike by separatists on the second anniversary of India’s revocation of the disputed region’s semi-autonomy. SENT: 720 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN — The Afghan air force carried out more airstrikes against Taliban positions in southern Afghanistan, as the insurgent force made additional gains in the country’s north. SENT: 450 words.

BURKINO FASO-JIHADI KILLINGS — At least 30 people, including members of the military, were killed by jihadi rebels in northern Burkina Faso, the government said Thursday. SENT: 300 words.

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NATIONAL

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U.S. CENSUS — The U.S. Census Bureau says data from the 2020 census used for drawing congressional and legislative districts will be released next week. The data was supposed to be released at the end of March but was pushed back to August to give bureau statisticians more time to crunch the numbers. SENT: 230 words.

KENTUCKY-ATTORNEY-GENERAL-BREONNA-TAYLOR — The Kentucky attorney general who investigated the Breonna Taylor case says the decision not to charge any police officers in her death was “ultimately” in a grand jury’s hands. But some grand jurors have disputed that, saying they were limited in the crimes they could consider. SENT: 710 words, photos.

NEWPORT HEIR-DEATH WITNESS — When Doris Duke, a fabulously wealthy tobacco and power company heiress, ran over and killed a longtime employee and confidant at her Newport, Rhode Island, mansion in 1966, police took her at her word that it was an accident. But the story of the killing at Duke’s Rough Point estate, which has resonated in the seaside tourist mecca, is being challenged by a witness: the paperboy. SENT: 715 words, photos.

TEXAS -OFFICER ARRESTED — A murder suspect who was wielding a knife posed no immediate safety threat when a Texas police officer fatally shot him from as far as 20 feet away, state investigators said in charging the officer with assault. SENT: 340 words.

ABORTION-LAWSUIT-WAITING PERIOD — A federal appeals court has upheld Tennessee’s 48-hour waiting period for women seeking abortions. Justices on Thursday argued that opponents had failed to identify instances where a woman had been significantly burdened by the requirement. SENT: 520 words.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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ECONOMY-SHIPPING SNAGS — U.S. businesses that import goods made in China are contending with a perfect storm of supply trouble — rising prices, overwhelmed ports and a shortage of ships — that is expected to last into 2022. Many now think it might make sense to bring manufacturing back across the Pacific — at least to Mexico, if not the United States — to protect themselves from the risks of relying on factories an ocean away. SENT: 1,895 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week by 14,000 to 385,000, more evidence that the economy and the job market are rebounding briskly from the coronavirus recession. The Labor Department reported Thursday that unemployment claims — a proxy for layoffs — dropped last week from a revised 399,000 the week before. SENT: 375 words, photos.

EARNS-MODERNA — Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine brought in more than $4 billion in second-quarter sales, pushing the vaccine developer into a profit. The company also said an analysis showed that its vaccine remains 93% effective as much as six months after the second dose. SENT: 330 words, photo.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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MUSIC-HALL & OATES — John Oates of Hall & Oates, the multi-platinum soul-pop duo behind hits like ″Private Eyes,” ″Rich Girl” and “Maneater,” is eager to return to concert stages again and prepared for an extra loud reaction when he does. By Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT: 520 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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SOC-BARCELONA-MESSI — Barcelona say Lionel Messi will not stay with the club. Barcelona said in a statement that a deal between the club and the player had been reached but financial “obstacles” made it impossible for the player to remain with the club. SENT: 760 words, photos.

FBC-CFP-EXPANSION-WEAR-AND-TEAR — Few college football coaches know the mental and physical grind that comes with navigating an extended playoff better than Kansas State’s Chris Klieman, formerly of FCS juggernaut North Dakota State. Some FBS teams could find out first-hand the challenge of a 16- of 17-game season if the playoffs expand. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

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