AP News Digest 3 a.m.

APTOPIX Afghanistan (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 — A Taliban official has announced a general amnesty for all in Afghanistan and urged women to join its government. Enamullah Samangani, member of Islamic Emirate’s cultural commission, made the comments Tuesday on Afghan state television, which the militants now control. By Ahmed Seir, Tameerm Akhgar, Kathy Gannon and Jon Gambrell. SENT: 500 words, photos.

UNITED STATES AFGHANISTAN — A defiant President Joe Biden rejected blame for chaotic scenes of Afghans clinging to U.S. military planes in Kabul in a desperate bid to flee their home country after the Taliban’s easy victory over an Afghan military that America and NATO allies had spent two decades trying to build. By Ellen Knickmeyer, Robert Burns and Zeke Miller. SENT: 900 words, photos.

UNITED STATES-AFGHAN MILITARY COLLAPSE — Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turned out to be the Taliban. By National Security Writer Robert Burns. SENT: 1,030 words, photos. With UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN-BY THE NUMBERS.

AFGHANISTAN-REPUBLICANS — Republicans are lining up to blister President Joe Biden’s handling of Afghanistan, trying to turn violence and chaos there into political opportunity back home. That’s despite many agreeing that it was ultimately time for U.S. forces to leave the country. By Will Weissert and Alan Fram. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.

BIDEN-AFGHANISTAN-ANALYSIS — Four presidents share responsibility for American missteps in Afghanistan ahead of the United States’ military withdrawal from the war-torn nation. But only President Joe Biden will be the face of the tumultuous U.S. evacuation and the violence left in its wake. An AP News Analysis by Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 1,140 words, photos, video. With BIDEN-FACT CHECK.

HAITI-QUAKE — Tropical Storm Grace has begun drenching Haiti just two days after a powerful earthquake struck the impoverished Caribbean nation. The storm on Monday added to the misery of the thousands of people who lost loved ones, were injured or became homeless. By Mark Stevenson and Evens Sanon. SENT: 970 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BOOSTERS — U.S. experts are expected to recommend COVID-19 vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 600 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — The worsening summer COVID-19 outbreak is disrupting the start of the school year across the country as more students get sick and end up in quarantine and school boards, governors and lawyers spar in the courts of whether to require masks. SENT: 1,150 words, photos.

LLOYD-RETIRES — U.S. forward Carli Lloyd is retiring after a decorated career that included a pair of World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals, as well as a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games. SENT: 645 words, photos.

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TRENDING NEWS

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UTAH ALLIGATOR ATTACK — A Utah reptile center employee is recovering after an alligator yanked her into its enclosure during a presentation, and a visitor leapt in after her and helped free her from its jaws. SENT: 430 Words, photos.

INDONESIA VOLCANO — Indonesia’s most active volcano has erupted with its biggest lava flow in months on the densely populated island of Java. The eruption sent a river of lava and searing gas flowing more than 2 miles down Mount Merapi and rumbling could be heard miles away.

WESTERN-WILDFIRES-ORPHANED-CUB — Firefighters are keeping an eye on a lone, emaciated bear cub that may have lost its mother to the country’s largest wildfire now burning in Northern California. SENT: 325 words, photos.

OBAMA-LIBRARY — Five years after Barack Obama chose a Chicago site for his presidential center, construction has officially begun in the historic lakefront park. SENT: 330 words, photos.

MUSIC-COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME — R&B legend Ray Charles and Grammy-winning duo The Judds will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. SENT: 620 words, photos.

NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL —- Marc Maron, Bill Maher, Michelle Wolf, Ronny Chieng and Nick Kroll will headline this year’s New York Comedy Festival, which returns for laughs after last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic. SENT: 180 words, photos.

OLY-PARALYMPICS-NO FANS — All fans will be barred from the Paralympics because of the coronavirus pandemic just as they were from the recently-completed Tokyo Olympics. SENT: 470 words, photos.

BOOKS-MEGAN RAPINOE — Megan Rapinoe is such a fan of #MeToo pioneer Tarana Burke that the soccer star chose Burke’s upcoming memoir, “Unbound,” for her new online book club before she had even read it. SENT: 210 words, photos.

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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN

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FLEEING AFGHANISTAN — A young Afghan woman stands between two worlds at Kabul’s airport, engulfed in panic as thousands of Afghans scramble desperate to get out following the Taliban takeover of the country. SENT: 920 words, photos.

RUSSIA-AFGHAN-PRESIDENT — The Russian embassy in Kabul has alleged that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled from Kabul with four cars and a helicopter stuffed with cash. SENT: 330 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN MEDIA —The Taliban’s swift takeover of the country has left some journalists and those who worked with them worried about reprisals. The Committee to Protect Journalists is dealing with hundreds of requests from journalists within the country seeking help for them and their families. SENT: 950 words, photos.

UZBEKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN PLANE — An Afghan military plane crashed in Uzbekistan on Sunday and Uzbek authorities said Monday that it was downed by the country’s air defense system over an attempt to illegally enter Uzbekistan’s air space. SENT: 440 words, photos.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK - NEVADA — Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Monday that large venues that hold ticketed events throughout the state won’t have to require people who have been inoculated against COVID-19 to wear masks. SENT: 760 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK - SRI LANKA — When a 51-year-old tutor suffered a heart attack in Sri Lanka’s capital, his friends and family were faced with a difficult problem. The father of three tested positive for COVID-19, which meant he’d need to go to a special ICU for virus patients. All of them were occupied, and he died the following day. SENT: 820 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIBLE BELT — Health officials have an unsteady partner as they try to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Bible Belt: churches and pastors. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CARDINAL — One of the Catholic church’s top officials and fiercest critics of Pope Francis has COVID-19 and is breathing through a ventilator. SENT: 480 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA — Australia’s most populous state has reported its worst day of the pandemic with 478 new infections and seven COVID-19 deaths as pandemic restrictions tightened in other parts of the country. SENT: 590 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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TROPICAL WEATHER ATLANTIC — Crews in the Florida Panhandle are working to repair downed power lines and clear fallen trees from Tropical Storm Fred, which is spreading heavy rains into the U.S. Southeast. The National Hurricane Center said Fred made landfall Monday afternoon in the Panhandle and then moved into southeast Alabama later at night. SENT: 370 words, photos.

WESTERN WILDFIRES — Firefighters battling flames in Northern California forests girded Monday for new bouts of windy weather, and a utility warned thousands of customers it might cut their electricity to prevent new fires from igniting if gusts damage power lines. SENT: 700 words, photos; developing.

DROUGHT EXPLAINER-WATER SHORTAGE — U.S. officials on Monday will declare the first-ever water shortage from a river that serves 40 million people in the West. The anticipated forecast will mean Arizona farmers will do without as much water from the Colorado River next year and increasingly will turn to groundwater. A prolonged drought, higher temperatures and climate change have dropped one of the river’s main reservoirs, Lake Mead, to record-low levels. The forecast highlights the acute challenges for a region that’s also growing in population. SENT: 1000 words, photos.

DROUGHT THIRSTY ALMONDS — A deepening drought threatens California’s $6 billion almond industry, which produces about 80% of the world’s almonds. As water becomes scarce and expensive, some growers have stopped irrigating their orchards and plan to tear them out years earlier than planned. SENT: 930 words, photos.

US MEDIA CNN CUOMO — CNN’s Chris Cuomo has told viewers that he “tried to do the right thing” when balancing his role as a journalist and brother to outgoing New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who announced his resignation following allegations of sexual harassment. SENT: 420 words, photos.

GEORGE FLOYD OFFICER TRIAL - Prosecutors have asked a judge to reject a request by media outlets to unseal the names of the jurors who convicted ex-Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin of murder in the death of George Floyd. Judge Peter Cahill had ordered earlier that the jurors’ identities be kept secret for at least 180 days. SENT: 370 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday organizations that cross “red lines” and disregard national security should disband and the government would not hesitate to cut ties with professional groups that turn political. SENT: 420 words, photos.

MALAYSIA — Malaysia’s king is set to meet the heads of political parties to find a new prime minister following the resignation of Muhyiddin Yassin. The monarch has ruled out a general election due to the raging pandemic. SENT: 580 words, photos.

CAMBODIA GENOCIDE — The defense team for the former head of state of Cambodia’s brutal Khmer Rouge regime says his genocide conviction should be overturned. During Khieu Samphan’s appeal hearing, his attorney told judges the evidence of killings of Vietnamese minorities in Cambodian border provinces was weak, and she questioned whether the slayings rose to the level of genocide. The 90-year-old defendant is the last living leader from the inner circle of leadership of the Khmer Rouge. SENT: 700 words, photos.

POLAND-MEDIA — The U.S. company Discovery Inc. says it has been granted a Dutch license that would allow it to keep broadcasting its independent news channel TVN 24 into Poland. SENT: 400 words, photos.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS - Air raid sirens have sounded in southern Israel after a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military said Monday that one rocket launch that was intercepted by aerial defense. That comes at a tense time, after Palestinian health officials said four Palestinians were killed in a shootout with Israeli troops in the West Bank. SENT: 450 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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CHINA-POP STAR SCANDAL — Chinese prosecutors say Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu has been arrested on suspicion of rape. SENT 240 words, photos.

TV-NINE PERFECT STRANGERS — Tune in to “Nine Perfect Strangers” and you’ll find drama and suspense. But underneath the hood you’ll see some heady stuff, too, says star Nicole Kidman. By Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. UPCOMING: 800 words , By 4:00 p.m. EDT, photo, video.

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BUSINESS

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TESLA-AUTOPILOT-INVESTIGATION — The U.S. government has opened a formal investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot partially automated driving system, saying it has trouble spotting parked emergency vehicles. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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FBC--T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL — Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and other traditional powerhouses are expected to be high on The Associated Press preseason Top 25. By College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo. With agate list. SENT: 850 words, photos.

SOC--SUPER LEAGUE-FALLOUT — Nine of the teams who were part of the ill-fated launch of a breakaway Super League have been welcomed back into the decision-making organization overseeing the European club game.

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HOW TO REACH US

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