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AP News Digest 3:25 am

Via AP news wire
Wednesday 03 August 2022 06:35 BST

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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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ASIA-PELOSI — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meeting leaders in Taiwan despite warnings from China, said that she and other members of Congress in a visiting delegation are showing they will not abandon their commitment to the self-governing island. China, which claims Taiwan as its territory and opposes any engagement by Taiwanese officials with foreign governments, announced multiple military exercises around the island. By Huizhong Wu. SENT: 660 words, photos. With INDONESIA-US-MILITARY-EXERCISES — U.S., Indonesia hold joint military drills amid China concerns; CHINA-TAIWAN-ECONOMIC FALLOUT — China blocks some Taiwan imports but avoids chip disruption.

ABORTION-KANSAS — Kansas voters sent a resounding message about their desire to protect abortion rights, rejecting a ballot measure in a conservative state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement that would have allowed the Republican-controlled Legislature to tighten restrictions or ban the procedure outright. By John Hanna and Margaret Stafford. SENT: 1,160 words, photos. Also see ABORTION below.

ELECTION 2022-TAKEAWAYS — In one of the biggest days of this year’s primary campaign season, red-state Kansas rejects a measure that would have made it easier to restrict abortion, and voters in Missouri repudiate a scandal-tarred former governor seeking a Senate seat. By Brian Slodysko. SENT: 1,370 words, photos. With ELECTION 2022 — Arizona GOP primary tests power of Donald Trump’s election lies.

BIDEN-AFGHANISTAN-HELLFIRE MISSILES-EXPLAINER — Last weekend, the U.S. killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri with a CIA drone strike. Other high-profile airstrikes in the past have inadvertently killed innocent civilians. To minimize that possibility, officials may have used the highly secretive Hellfire R9X, which attacks the target with a half-dozen rotating blades. By Nomaan Merchant and Lolita C. Baldor. SENT: 870 words, photo.

RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR — Energy saving is all the rage in Europe as the continent rushes to wean itself off natural gas and oil from Russia. Governments are urging Europeans to take shorter showers, switch off power sockets and otherwise do what they can to economize. By John Leicester and Nicolas Garriga. SENT: 970 words, photos. With RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR DEVELOPMENTS — Ship with Ukrainian corn anchored off Turkey for inspection.

ATLANTA'S RACE MASSACRE — In downtown Atlanta in 1906, a mob of 10,000 white men randomly attacked innocent Black men and women, killing more than 25 people. The massacre shaped Atlanta's geography and politics, but it doesn't fit with the city's positive civil rights image. Activists are working to change the narrative with memorials, tours, performances and dinners for 5,000 people where the massacre will be discussed. By Michael Warren. SENT: 990 words, photos, video.

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MORE ON ELECTION 2022

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ELECTION 2022-HOUSE — Michigan Republican Rep. Peter Meijer lost to a primary challenger backed by former President Donald Trump as he and two other Republican U.S. House members who voted to impeach Trump fought to hang onto their seats. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-SECRETARY OF STATE — Republican primary voters in Kansas choose the incumbent secretary of state over a challenger who peddled election conspiracies in one of several races for top state election officials. SENT: 830 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-SENATE-MISSOURI — Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt won the Republican primary for U.S. Senate with surprising ease, ending months of worry among GOP leaders that scandal-scarred former Gov. Eric Greitens might win the primary and jeopardize what should be a reliably red seat in November. SENT: 940 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-MICHIGAN — Businesswoman and conservative commentator Tudor Dixon won the Republican primary for Michigan governor, setting up a tough race against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as anger and division within the state GOP threaten the party’s efforts in the battleground state this fall. SENT: 880 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-ARIZONA-LEGISLATURE — Republican Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers was trailing in his bid for a state Senate seat after refusing Trump’s pleas to help overturn the 2020 election results and testifying before Congress about the efforts. SENT: 710 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-ARIZONA-MAYOR-ARPAIO — Joe Arpaio trails opponent in small town mayor’s race. SENT: 540 words, photos.

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MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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SENATE-FINLAND-SWEDEN-NATO — The Senate is expected to approve Finland and Sweden’s request to join NATO, giving U.S. support to an expansion of the Western military alliance months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. SENT: 450 words, photo. UPCOMING: 700 words after vote, expected around 3:30 p.m.

UNITED NATIONS-NUCLEAR CHIEF-INTERVIEW — The U.N. nuclear chief warned that Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine “is completely out of control” and issued an urgent plea to Russia and Ukraine to quickly allow experts to visit the sprawling complex to stabilize the situation and avoid a nuclear accident. By Edith M. Lederer. SENT: 960 words, photo.

MYANMAR-RUSSIA — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Myanmar for an official visit that Moscow said will include discussions with the military government on security and economic issues, the Russian news agency TASS reported. SENT: 380 words, photo. With UNITED NATIONS-NUCLEAR TREATY-CONFERENCE — Russia repeats Putin’s new message against a nuclear war.

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TRENDING

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SOUTH KOREA-GARLIC VIDEO — South Korean garlic video ad roasted over purported obscenity. SENT: 450 words, photos.

NEWTOWN SHOOTING-INFOWARS — Sandy Hook parents: Alex Jones claims created “living hell.” SENT: 1,120 words, photos.

BOOK PUBLISHERS-ANTITRUST-STEPHEN KING — Stephen King testifies for government in books merger trial. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.

HAWAII-HIGH SCHOOL NAME BATTLE — Hawaii school named for U.S. leader muddles alumni identity. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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ABORTION — It’s likely that virtually all abortions will be banned eventually in deeply conservative Idaho, along with most other Republican-dominated states, but there are still battles to play out in court and maybe the legislature before it happens. SENT: 900 words, photos.

WESTERN WILDFIRES — Firefighters say they’re making progress as they battle California’s largest and deadliest wildfire of the year. SENT: 670 words, photos.

SHOOTING-JULY FOURTH PARADE — The man accused of opening fire at an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago is due back in court, a week after prosecutors announced he faces 117 felony counts in the attack that killed seven people and wounded dozens more. SENT: 250 words, photo. UPCOMING: Developing from noon hearing.

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INTERNATIONAL

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KENYA-ELECTION-PREVIEW — Kenya’s upcoming election is ripping open the scars of inequality and corruption as East Africa’s economic hub chooses a successor to President Uhuru Kenyatta. SENT: 960 words, photos.

CAMBODIA-ASEAN — Top Southeast Asian diplomats meeting in Cambodia’s capital intensified efforts to stop the escalating violence in Myanmar, and to address other pressing — and often divisive — regional issues. SENT: 990 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL-INFLATION — This back-to-school shopping season, parents are focusing on the basics while also trading down to cheaper stores as surging inflation takes a toll on their household budgets. UPCOMING: 890 words, photos by 6 a.m.

OPEC-OIL PRICES — OPEC and allied oil-producing countries will decide how much crude to pump to the world as soaring energy prices ramp up inflation around the world and high gasoline prices at the pump pose political problems for U.S. President Joe Biden and other leaders. By Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz. UPCOMING: 400 words, photo by 4 a.m.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian stock markets were mostly higher as traders watched for signs trade might be disrupted by U.S.-Chinese tensions over an American lawmaker’s visit to Taiwan. By Business Writer Joe McDonald. SENT: 460 words, photos.

CONSUMER PRICES — The Labor Department reports on U.S. consumer prices for July. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. UPCOMING: 130 words, photo, after 8:30 a.m. report, then updated.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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NEW ZEALAND-CLIMATE PLAN — New Zealand's government released its first-ever climate adaptation plan, which includes the possibility of moving some communities to higher ground. SENT: 450 words, photos. With AUSTRALIA-CLIMATE — Australian government confident of emissions reduction law.

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SPORTS

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OBIT-SCULLY — Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, whose dulcet tones provided the soundtrack of summer while entertaining and informing Dodgers fans in Brooklyn and Los Angeles for 67 years, has died at age 94. By Sports Writer Beth Harris. SENT: 1,390 words, photos. With OBIT-SCULLY-TOP CALLS — Scully’s top calls; OBIT-SCULLY-QUOTEBOX — Reaction to Scully’s death.

ANALYZING-THE-DEADLINE — The San Diego Padres landed the biggest prize of this year’s trade deadline when they acquired outfielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals. By Baseball Writer Noah Trister. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.

HALL OF FAME-SEYMOUR — Richard Seymour’s winning start in New England is a good starting point for how the defensive lineman ended up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. By Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon. SENT: 800 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Hiro Komae (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@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.

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