AP News Digest 3 a.m.
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TOP STORIES
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TROPICAL WEATHER-ATLANTIC — The tropical depression Henri appears to be lingering in the Northeast, raising the prospect it will bring sustained rains and cause major flooding inland. The National Weather Service says the system is expected to stall Monday near the Connecticut-New York state line before moving east across New England.. By David Klepper, Michael Kunzelman and David Porter. SENT: 1,280 words, photos, video. With TROPICAL WEATHER-ATLANTIC-THE LATEST; TROPICAL
UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN -- President Joe Biden says the “hard and painful” airlift of Americans and tens of thousands of others from Afghanistan’s capital is accelerating, but he would not rule out extending it beyond the Aug. 31 deadline he set before the Taliban’s swift takeover. By Robert Burns and Darlene Superville. SENT: 970 words, photos.
SUICIDE SOCIAL MEDIA-POLICE -- Police departments, desperate for positive press and grasping at any way to show their communities that they care, at times post graphic “rescue” photos or videos of a suicide intervention on social media. But it’s often done without the permission of the person in crisis or a trigger or content warning. Experts and advocates say the consequences of such social media posts can be dangerous. By Stefanie Dazio. SENT: 1,400 words, photos, video. This is the Tuesday Spotlight
CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE -- Outnumbered and with their party’s most powerful leaders arrayed against them, nine moderate Democrats trying to upend plans for enacting President Joe Biden’s multitrillion-dollar domestic program face a House showdown. By Alan Fram. SENT: 810 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN — The German military says a firefight at one of the gates of Kabul’s international airport killed at least one Afghan security officer and wounded three others. The gunfire broke out near the airport’s northern gate early on Monday — the same scene of chaos where on Saturday a crush of a panicked crowd kill seven Afghan civilians. By Ahmad Seir, Tameem Akhgar and Jon Gambrell.
INDIA-AFGHANISTAN-REFUGESS IN LIMBO — When the Taliban shot policewoman Khatira Hashmi and gouged out her eyes, she knew Afghanistan was no longer safe. Along with her husband, she fled to India last year. Akbar Farhad, an artist, has been living in New Delhi since 2018. He left Kabul after facing threats from insurgents demanding he close his studio. Like thousands of other Afghan refugees in India, their plans to someday return home have been dashed by the Taliban’s swift takeover of the country. By Sheikh Saaliq. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
See AP’s full Afghanistan coverage here.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — Japan, Australia and New Zealand all got through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic in relatively good shape — but now are taking diverging paths in dealing with new outbreaks of the fast-spreading delta variant. The difference in emphasis on lockdowns and vaccines could have far-reaching consequences for the economies of those nations and the health of their citizens. By Nick Perry, Mari Yamaguchi and Rod McGuirk. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
NEW YORK GOVERNOR — Gov. Andrew Cuomo is set to end his decade as New York’s governor Monday when Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul takes over in a transfer that will break another glass ceiling for women in state politics. The transition between Democrats comes just under two weeks after Cuomo announced he would resign rather than face a likely impeachment battle over sexual harassment allegations. By Marina Villenueve. SENT: 770 word, photos.
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TRENDING NEWS
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CHINA-RAIN — China’s government says torrential rains caused landslides, knocked out power and damaged houses in central China. SENT: 190 words.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-TAWAIN PRESIDENT — Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has received her first dose of the island’s domestically developed coronavirus vaccine on Monday, launching its rollout to the public. The vaccine, made by Medigen Vaccine Biologics Corp., was given emergency approval by regulators using a shortcut that prompted fierce opposition from parts of Taiwan’s medical and scientific community. SENT: 460 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TEXAS CONGRESSMAN — U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas says that he’s tested positive for COVID-19 and has moderate symptoms. SENT: 190 words.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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HARRIS -- Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Singapore’s president and prime minister as she kicks off a visit to Southeast Asia focused on strengthening ties with key allies in the region, a task complicated by the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. By Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: xxx words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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TENNESSEE FLOODING — A sheriff in Tennessee says at least 22 people are dead and many are missing after record-setting rain caused devastating flooding that swept away homes. A Facebook page from officials in Waverly listed about 40 missing people Sunday afternoon. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said many of the missing were from neighborhoods hit hardest by Saturday’s flash flood. The dead ranged in age from young children to elderly people and included the foreman at country star Loretta Lynn’s ranch. By Jonathan Mattise and Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.
PORTLAND-PROTESTS — Opposing rallies that drew hundreds of people in Portland, Oregon, are sparking clashes Sunday. The two groups had gathered in different parts of the city after a far-right group changed the location of its event. SENT: 290 words. UPCOMING: Developing.
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INTERNATIONAL
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AFGHANISTAN MUSIC — Ahmad Sarmast left his home in Melborne, Australia, on a mission to revive music in the country of his birth, Afghanistan. The school he founded was a unique experiment in inclusivity for the war-ravaged nation. It enrolled orphans and street kids, and sought to bring a measure of joy back to Kabul after the Taliban had notoriously banned music. But last week he watched in horror from his home as the Taliban marched into the Afghan capital, capping a lightning offensive that restored the religious militia to power and stunned the world. SENT: 910 words, photos.
ISRAEL GAZA-WAR CRIMES — A leading international human rights group says Israeli airstrikes that demolished four high-rise buildings in the Gaza Strip during a May war apparently violated international laws of war. Human Rights Watch on Monday called on the Israeli military to produce evidence justifying the attacks. The New York-based group noted that although no one was harmed in the airstrikes, the attacks damaged neighboring buildings, left dozens of people homeless and destroyed scores of businesses. SENT: 700 words, photos.
LEBANON-HEALTH CRISIS — Lebanon’s health sector is a casualty of the multiple crises that have plunged the country into a downward spiral. A financial and economic meltdown has been compounded by a complete failure of the government, runaway corruption and a pandemic that isn’t going away. The collapse is all the more dramatic since only a few years ago, Lebanon was a leader in medical care in the Arab world. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
NORTH KOREA-US — U.S. President Joe Biden’s special envoy for North Korea has said he’s ready to meet his North Korean counterparts “anywhere and at anytime” as he held discussions with South Korean officials over stalled nuclear talks with the North. SENT: 590 words, photos.
JAPAN POLITICS — A close ally of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has been defeated in a high-profile mayoral election in Yokohama, Suga’s home turf, in a sharp setback for the already unpopular leader ahead of general elections later this year. SENT: 500 words, photos.
HAITI QUAKE — One of Haiti’s most powerful crime bosses says his gangs have reached a truce and he is offering to assist in relief efforts in the southwestern region devastated by an earthquake. If that proves to be true, it might allow an acceleration of relief efforts, which have been disrupted by the looting of aid trucks and other disorder. SENT: 730 words, photos.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares are rising as investor sentiment receives a big boost from the rally last week on Wall Street, despite worries about the more contagious coronavirus delta variant not only in the region but across the world. Benchmarks in Japan, China, South Korean and Australia are all higher in afternoon trading. Escalating coronavirus infections remain a major concern for traders. SENT: 560 words, photos.
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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-BOX OFFICE — Four new films with major stars from Hugh Jackman to Michael Keaton opened in North American movie theaters this weekend and only the one with animated puppies fared well. But it wasn’t enough to beat out Ryan Reynolds’ action-comedy “Free Guy,” which topped the charts for the second weekend running. SENT: 750 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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