AP News Digest 3:30 am
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ONLY ON AP
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AP POLL-INTELLIGENCE — The American public is broadly skeptical of common intelligence practices and of the need to sacrifice civil liberties for security, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It shows that Democrats and Republicans are opposed at similar levels to many common surveillance tactics. By Nomaan Merchant and Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 1,080 words, photo.
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TOP STORIES
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CANADA-WILDFIRES — With weather systems expected to hardly budge, the smoky blanket billowing across the U.S. and Canada from wildfires in Quebec and Nova Scotia should persist into Thursday and possibly the weekend. That means at least another day, or more, of a dystopian-style detour that’s chased players from ballfields, actors from Broadway stages, delayed thousands of flights, and sparked a resurgence in mask wearing and remote work. By Jennifer Peltz, Rob Gillies and Michael R. Sisak. SENT: 750 words, photos, videos. With CANADA WILDFIRES-EXPLAINER; CANADA-WILDFIRES-STAYING HEALTHY How to stay healthy as smoke spreads from Canada wildfires; CANADA WILDFIRES-PHOTO GALLERY.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Authorities rushed to rescue hundreds of people stranded on rooftops and supply drinking water to areas flooded by a collapsed dam in southern Ukraine, in a growing humanitarian and ecological disaster along a river that forms part of the front line in the 15-month war. The collapse of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam and emptying of its reservoir on the Dnieper River added to the misery the region has suffered for more than a year from artillery and missile attacks. By Vasilisa Stepanenko. SENT: 1,240 words, photos, video.
TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS — A federal grand jury investigating Donald Trump in Florida heard from at least one additional witness amid signs that the Justice Department was moving toward a possible indictment over the former president’s mishandling of classified documents. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 760 words, photos.
VATICAN-POPE — Pope Francis awoke Thursday after a good first night in the hospital following a three-hour operation to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, problems that developed following previous surgeries. SENT: 600 words, photos.
HAITI-DYING INMATES — Haiti’s inmates are thirsty and starving in severely overcrowded jails, many forced to sleep standing up. The United Nations says 185 inmates died in Haiti last year — many of malnutrition-related diseases — and more than 20 have passed away so far this year. Human rights experts and attorneys expect the number to rise given gang violence leading to severe fuel and food shortages. By Dánica Coto. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
DECRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TEST STRIPS — A growing number of states are decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, seeking to protect people who use drugs from unwitting exposure to the highly potent synthetic opioid ravaging the U.S. with overdose deaths. By Samantha Hendrickson. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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BIDEN-PRIDE MONTH — Biden hosts hundreds of LGBTQ+ individuals for a Pride Month celebration in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack. SENT: 860 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after 7 p.m. event.
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MORE NEWS
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TUPAC SHAKUR-WALK OF FAME — Tupac Shakur receives Walk of Fame star honor. SENT: 530 words, photos.
HAWAII VOLCANO — Hawaii's Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, begins erupting. SENT: 650 words, photos, video.
MALAYSIA-SINGAPORE-MH370 JOKE — Comedian slammed for “offensive” joke over MH370 plane disappearance. SENT: 390 words, photo.
INDIA-FLIGHT DIVERTED — Replacement Air India flight from Russia lands in San Francisco. SENT: 230 words, photos, video.
SPACE COMMAND-TUBERVILLE — Sen. Tuberville says Space Command prefers Alabama for headquarters. SENT: 450 words, photo.
AUSTRALIA-SWASTIKAS — Australia plans to ban swastikas and other Nazi symbols. SENT: 260 words, photo.
CAPITOL RIOT-ACTOR ARRESTED — Actor known for “Bob’s Burgers” character arrested on Capitol riot charges. SENT: 490 words, photo.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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ELECTION 2024-TAKEAWAYS — The Republican 2024 presidential field is all but set, with at least 10 high-profile candidates officially seeking their party’s nomination. By National Political Writer Steve Peoples. SENT: 1,450 words, photos.
BIDEN-SUNAK — President Joe Biden meets with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the talks are expected to cover the war in Ukraine, China, economic security, international cooperation on regulating the growing field of artificial intelligence, and more. SENT: 930 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,100 words after 11:30 a.m. meeting.
ELECTION 2024-PENCE — Former Vice President Mike Pence opened his bid for the Republican nomination for president with a firm denunciation of former President Donald Trump, accusing his two-time running mate of abandoning conservative principles and being guilty of dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021. SENT: 1,260 words, photos, video.
CONGRESS-OVERSIGHT-FBI — The Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee has called off a vote that would move forward with holding FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress. SENT: 790 words, photo.
HOUSE-MCCARTHY — In fallout from the debt ceiling deal, Speaker Kevin McCarthy is suddenly confronting a new threat to his power as angry hard-right conservatives bring the House chamber to a halt, reviving their displeasure over the compromise struck with Biden and demanding deeper spending cuts ahead. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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PERU-VAN DER SLOOT — Joran van der Sloot, the main suspect in the 2005 disappearance of U.S. student Natalee Holloway, is expected to be handed over to U.S. officials in Peru and flown to the United States, roughly a month after both countries agreed on his extradition. SENT: 450 words, photo.
BEN CRUMP-PROFILE ATTORNEY — Ben Crump has become a powerful figure in the movement seeking equality for Black Americans and justice for those killed by police. SENT: 1,460 words, photos. With NEIGHBOR SHOOTING FLORIDA — Feud ends with a Black mom dead and her white neighbor arrested.
COLORADO WILDFIRE — Authorities say they have wrapped up their investigation into what started the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history and will announce their findings. SENT: 570 words, photos.
ELECTION 2024-DESANTIS-BORDER — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his state’s decision to fly migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border to California, arguing that the state had essentially invited the migrants with its welcoming policies toward immigrants. SENT: 720 words, photo.
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INTERNATIONAL
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ISRAEL-SECULAR-RELIGIOUS DIVIDE — Tensions have been rising between Israel’s religious and secular Jews since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government took office last December. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
AUSTRALIA-GAY-HATE — An Australian man who admitted to killing a gay American by punching him off a cliff top in Sydney in 1988 was sentenced to nine years in prison. SENT: 380 words, photos.
SOUTH KOREA-ADOPTIONS PROBE — South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission said it will investigate 237 more cases of South Korean adoptees who suspect their family origins were manipulated to facilitate their adoptions in Europe and the United States. SENT: 500 words, photo.
SUDAN-ORPHANAGE — About 300 infants, toddlers and older children have been rescued from an orphanage in Sudan’s capital after being trapped there while fighting raged outside, aid officials said. SENT: 700 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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CLIMATE-WARMER WINTER CROPS — Farmers dealing with warmer winters in the Deep South have adapted by using new or improved agricultural techniques, trying new crop varieties and even growing crops that were previously less common in their regions. SENT: 730 words, photos.
MEXICO-ENDANGERED PORPOISES — Against all odds, the remaining handful of Mexico’s endangered vaquita porpoises are holding on in their only habitat in the Gulf of California, according to a new research expedition report. SENT: 690 words, photo.
HEART-TRANSPLANTS — Most transplanted hearts are from donors who are brain dead, but new research shows a different approach can be just as successful and boost the number of available organs. By Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 640 words, photos.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares fell after heavy selling of big-name tech stocks pushed benchmarks lower on Wall Street. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 640 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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MEDIA-CNN-CHRIS LICHT — The chief executive CNN pushed out of a job faced mounting problems in his first year leading the struggling network: viewership and profits were declining, programming blunders were growing and the network’s journalists were losing confidence by the day. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 890 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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NBA FINALS — Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray became the first teammates in NBA Finals history to both record triple-doubles, and Denver’s two stars made sure the Nuggets reclaimed the lead in the series by beating the Miami Heat 109-94 in Game 3. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
MESSI-FUTURE — Lionel Messi has pulled off his latest stunning feat: He is headed to Major League Soccer and joining Inter Miami. By Sports Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 1,420 words, photos.
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