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APTOPIX Haiti Earthquake (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

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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AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban have vowed to respect women’s rights, forgive those who resisted them and ensure a secure Afghanistan The promises Tuesday are part of a publicity blitz aimed at convincing world powers and a fearful population that they have changed. By Ahmed Seir, Tameerm Akhgar, Kathy Gannon and Jon Gambrell. SENT: 1190 words, photos. DEVELOPING.

UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban have agreed to allow “safe passage” from Afghanistan for civilians struggling to join a U.S.-directed airlift from the capital, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser says, although a timetable for completing the evacuation of Americans, Afghan allies and others has yet to be worked out. By Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns and Zeke Miller. SENT: 960 words, photos, video.

AFGHANISTAN-THEN AND NOW — The Taliban fighters who rolled into Afghanistan’s capital and other cities in recent days appear awestruck by the towering apartment blocks, modern office buildings and shopping malls. When the Taliban last seized power, in 1996, the country had been ravaged by civil war and the capital was in ruins. Afghanistan has been transformed in the two decades since the U.S.-led invasion drove the militants from power. By Kathy Gannon. SENT: 725 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN-HELPING REFUGEES - Across the U.S., the agencies that resettle refugees and volunteers are scrambling to help the Afghan citizens who are fleeing their country after helping the U.S. during the 20-year war there. U.S. officials said Monday that they’re working to make room for as many as 22,000 such refugees. By Jamie Stengle and Julie Watson. UPCOMING: 930 words, photos by 7 p.m. WITH: UZBEKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-REFUGEES - Uzbekistan not keen to admit Afghan refugees fleeing Taliban. SENT: 1000 words, photos.

HAITI-QUAKE — The problems in Haiti may be summed up by the public hospital in L’Asile, deep in a remote stretch of countryside in the nation’s southwest area. There, a full four days after a powerful earthquake hit the region the hardest, people are still showing up from isolated villages with broken arms and legs. By Mark Stevenson and Evens Sanon. SENT: 900 words, photos. DEVELOPING. With: HAITI QUAKE FLORIDA DIASPORA — A South Florida suburb holds deep ties to the town in southwestern Haiti that was hard hit by Saturday’s 7.2 magnitude earthquake. SENT: 680 words, photo, video.

TEXAS GOVERNOR-VIRUS — Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive for COVID-19, according to his office, who said he is in good health and experiencing no symptoms. SENT: 620 words, photo.

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TRENDING NEWS

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WILD HORSES ROUNDUPS — Tens of thousands of wild horses roam the American West, their power and beauty a potent symbol of rugged freedom central to the mythology of the range. But the region is also in the clutches of a megadrought worsened by climate change, fueling debate over their fate. The Biden administration is planning to sharply increase roundups this year. SENT: 960 words.

R-KELLY — R&B star R. Kelly will be back in a criminal court on Wednesday, this time for opening statements in his long-anticipated federal trial arising from years of allegations that he sexually abused women and girls while pursuing fame and fortune. SENT: 440 words, photos.

JAPAN-OBIT MAKI KAJI — Sudoku creator Maki Kaji, whose life’s work was spreading the joy of puzzles, has died at age 69 of cancer. Known as the “Godfather of Sudoku,” Kaji created the numbers puzzle to be easy for children and others who didn’t want to think too hard. SENT: 430 words, photos.

ITALY-POMPEII DISCOVERY — Archaeologists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved skeleton during excavations in the ancient city of Pompeii. The discovery of the tomb also sheds light on the cultural life of the city before it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in AD 79. SENT: 250 words, photos.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN

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AFGHANISTAN BEFORE THE FALL — Just a week before Afghanistan’s collapse, things looked staggeringly different, but even for a country scarred by generations of war, the weeklong string of victories by the Taliban stood out as a remarkable turn of events. A stunning rout, in just days, seemed to declare two decades of American occupation a failure. SENT: 1600 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN EVACUATIONS-ADOPTIONS - After five frustrating years of mire and bureaucratic delays, Bahaudin Mujtaba and wife Lisa had hoped this year to finally bring the 10-year-old Afghan boy they’re adopting to their home in Florida. But with the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan over the past week, the American couple’s hope has dimmed, knowing the militant group is almost certain not to uphold the adoption agreements. SENT 1050 words, photos.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLORIDA-GOVERNOR — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been criticized for efforts to ban mask mandates and vaccine passports. Meanwhie, he’s touting a COVID-19 antibody treatment in which a top donor’s company has invested millions of dollars. SENT: 700 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ARIZONA — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey is upping the pressure on the growing number of public school districts defying a state ban on mask mandates as they try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The Republican governor announced Tuesday that schools won’t get any cash from a $163 million pot of federal virus relief funds if they don’t drop mask rules within 10 days. SENT: 1100 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MISSISSIPPI FIELD HOSPITAL — Mississippi, one of the nation’s least vaccinated states, has opened its second field hospital in days to treat a surge of coronavirus patients. A Christian charity relief group has brought in more than 50 medical professionals and set up tents with 32 beds in a garage at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. SENT: 800 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLORIDA-RURAL SURGE — A surge in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations that’s pounding Florida is scaring some skeptics into rethinking their opposition to the vaccines. Florida is one of the epicenters of a nationwide spike in infections driven by the highly contagious delta variant. SENT: 900 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON / POLITICS

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CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE — Top Democrats are planning House votes next week on a budget resolution that would clear a path for future passage of the party’s ambitious plans for social and environment programs. SENT: 600 words, photo.

CONGRESS-VOTING BILLS — House Democrats are offering a new proposal to update the landmark Voting Rights Act, which was weakened dramatically by a Supreme Court ruling in 2013. SENT: 690 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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WESTERN WILDFIRES — Northern California wildfires that incinerated two mountain communities continue to march through the Sierra Nevada and PG&E is blacking out some 51,000 customers to prevent new blazes. SENT: 550 words, photos.

TROPICAL WEATHER ATLANTIC — Fred weakened from a tropical storm to a depression as it trekked inland, spreading heavy rains over the U.S. Southeast, while earthquake-damaged Haiti reeled under a drenching from Grace, a depression that regained tropical storm status overnight. No deaths have been reported from Fred, though thousands were reported without power after its landfall. SENT: 350 words, photos.

CUOMO CLEMENCY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has granted clemency to 10 people in his last days in office. Cuomo has issued pardons and clemencies on several occasions in recent years, with many of the pardons going to immigrants facing deportation, where a pardon could be beneficial to their attempts to be allowed to remain in the country. SENT: 480 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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HONG KONG — Police say four members of a Hong Kong university student union have been arrested on accusations of advocating terrorism. The arrests are the latest use of a strict national security law that Beijing imposed on semiautonomous Hong Kong last year after months of antigovernment protests. SENT: 320 words, photos.

RUSSIA COUP ANNIVERSARY - The world held its breath 30 years ago when a group of top Communist officials ousted Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and flooded Moscow with tanks. But instead of bringing a rollback of liberal reforms and a return to Cold War confrontations, the August 1991 coup collapsed in just three days and precipitated the breakup of the Soviet Union a few months later. By Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

CHINA ONLINE CENSORSHIP — China’s ruling Communist Party has expelled a leading internet censor and accused him of a range of crimes and rule breaking from corruption to failing to properly guide public opinion. SENT: 320 words.

MALAYSIA POLITICS — The race to become Malaysia’s next prime minister has intensified ahead of the king’s deadline for lawmakers to name their preferred candidate. King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has ruled out a new general election because of the pandemic. SENT: 560 words, photos.

COLOMBIA DISPLACED VILLAGE — Colombian officials say at least 1,150 people fled their homes in the country’s Choco province over the weekend to escape fighting between leftist insurgents and a paramilitary group that is expanding its influence in the region. SENT: 240 words.

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BUSINESS

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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian stock markets rebounded Wednesday after Wall Street fell on weak retail sales as investors awaited an update from the Federal Reserve on possible plans to reduce U.S. stimulus. SENT: 420 words, photos.

OPIOID CRISIS-PURDUE-BANKRUPTCY — A member of the family that owns Purdue Pharma has told a court that the family will not contribute billions to abate the U.S. opioid crisis unless it is granted protection from current and future lawsuits. SENT: 780 words, photos.

RETAIL SALES — Americans cut back on their spending last month as a surge in COVID-19 cases kept people away from stores. Retail sales fell a seasonal adjusted 1.1% in July from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. SENT: 325 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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GLF-ON THE FRINGE-POST SEASON — The idea behind the FedEx Cup playoffs was to play the best golf in the final few weeks of the year to cash in. For the Americans, it’s about more than just a big bonus. The other goal is a chance to play for no money at all in the Ryder Cup. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. SENT: 940 words, photos. WITH: GLF-GOLF NOTES (upcoming) and GLF-GOLF GLANCE (upcoming).

JAGUARS-TEBOW CUT — Tim Tebow’s comeback and NFL career are over. The Jacksonville Jaguars waived him Tuesday, parting with the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner who switched from quarterback to tight end in hopes of rejuvenating his pro football career. SENT: 910 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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