AP News Digest 3:30 am

APTOPIX Nigeria Protest Anniversary (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.

—————————

ONLY ON AP

—————————

POLICE-REFORM-BRADY-LISTS — The murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer has sparked a national conversation on police reform, ranging from defunding departments to enhancing training. But reform activists and civil rights advocates say prosecutors already have powerful tools at their disposal to curb bad behavior by police — using Brady Lists, which stem from a 1963 Supreme Court ruling mandating prosecutors turn over exculpatory evidence to defense attorneys, to shine a light on officers whose names are shrouded in secrecy by their departments and refusing to put forward cases from officers with tarnished histories. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 2,170 words, photos, video. An abridged version of 1,000 words is also available.

—————————

TOP STORIES

—————————

CAPITOL BREACH-SUBPOENAS — The House votes on whether to hold Steve Bannon a longtime ally and aide to former President Donald Trump in contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena from a committee investigating the violent Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. By Mary Clare Jalonick, Michael Balsamo and Eric Tucker. SENT: 1,020 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,100 words after House vote, timing uncertain.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BOOSTER SHOTS — U.S. regulators signed off on extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially. By Matthew Perrone and Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 860 words, photo.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-INDIA-VACCINATION — India has administered 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine, officials say, passing a milestone for the South Asian country where the delta variant fueled its first crushing surge earlier this year. About 75% of India’s total eligible adult population have received at least one dose, while around 30% are fully immunized. The country of nearly 1.4 billion people is the second to exceed a billion cumulative doses after the most populous country China did so in June. By Krutika Pathi. SENT: 670 words, photos.

CONGRESS-BUDGET — In an abrupt change, the White House floats new plans to pay for parts of President Joe Biden’s $2 trillion social services and climate change plan, shelving a proposed big increase in corporate tax rates while adding a new billionaires’ tax on the investment gains of the very richest Americans. By Lisa Mascaro, Darlene Superville and Alan Fram. SENT: 1,170 words, photos. With CONGRESS-BUDGET-HIGHLIGHTS — What the plan looks like now.

WESTERN SAHARA FORGOTTEN CONFLICT — For nearly 30 years, the vast territory of Western Sahara in the North African desert has existed in limbo, awaiting a referendum that was supposed to let the local Saharawi people decide their future. On one side, the Polisario Front wants the territory to be independent, while Morocco claims the area for itself. Fighting has now erupted between the two sides, fueled by frustration among younger Saharawis who are tired of waiting for the U.N.-promised referendum. By Aritz Parra. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.

CLIMATE-ISRAEL — Israel’s new environmental protection minister has set some ambitious goals: She believes she can use her office to play an important role in the global battle against climate change while also promoting peace in the volatile Middle East. Tamar Zandberg tells AP that Israel, despite its small size and own inability to reach the global goal of zero net emissions by 2050, has the potential to be a key player. By Josef Federman. SENT: 980 words, photos.

—————————

TRENDING NEWS

—————————

TRUMP-SOCIAL-MEDIA — Trump announces launch of his very own social media site. SENT: 650 words, photo.

MISSING-TRAVELER — FBI: Items linked to Brian Laundrie, potential human remains found. SENT: 530 words, photos, video.

COLONIAL COIN-BRITAIN — Rare coin made in Colonial New England could fetch $300,000. SENT: 390 words, photos.

HONG-KONG-SNOOZE-BUS — For sleepy Hong Kong residents, 5-hour bus tour is a snooze. SENT: 400 words, photos.

—————————

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

—————————

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINE DONATIONS — The White House says the U.S. has donated its 200 millionth COVID-19 shot to help vaccinate the rest of the world. SENT: 340 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-VARIANTS — The coronavirus can keep evolving as long as people are still getting infected, but that doesn’t mean new variants will emerge as regularly or that they’ll be more dangerous. By Science Writer Christina Larson. SENT: 380 words, graphic.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BELGIUM — Belgium’s government warned that the country could well be on the cusp of another major surge in COVID-19 cases despite its high vaccination rate. SENT: 170 words, photos.

—————————

NATIONAL

—————————

CALIFORNIA-OIL-SPILL — The Coast Guard received multiple reports of a possible fuel spill off the Southern California coast earlier than previously disclosed and asked local authorities to investigate about 15 hours before its own personnel confirmed a large oil slick, which came from a leaking undersea pipeline, records show. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

POLICE SHOOTING-MINNEAPOLIS — The former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot a woman minutes after she had called 911 to report a possible rape behind her home goes before a judge for re-sentencing. SENT: 640 words, photo. UPCOMING: Court begins at 10 a.m.

VIRGINIA GOVERNOR-BLACK VOTERS — Polls show about 8 in 10 Black voters supporting Democrat Terry McAuliffe over Republican Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia gubernatorial race, but it’s not yet clear whether Black voters will cast enough ballots to put McAuliffe over the top. SENT: 1,260 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA-DROUGHT — Californians rejoiced this week when big drops of water started falling from the sky for the first time in any measurable way since the spring, but as the rain was beginning to fall, Gov. Gavin Newsom did a curious thing: He issued a statewide drought emergency. SENT: 690 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-MINNESOTA-GOVERNOR-JENSEN — A small-town family doctor angling to become Minnesota’s next governor is tapping conservative anger at the Democratic strategy of trying to vaccinate, mask and social-distance America out of the COVID-19 pandemic. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.

ALABAMA-EXECUTION — An Alabama man who avoided execution in February is scheduled to be put to death for the 1991 killing of a woman taken at gunpoint from an ATM location and shot in a cemetery. SENT: 460 words, photos. UPCOMING: Execution scheduled for 7 p.m.

—————————

INTERNATIONAL

—————————

NIGERIA PROTESTS-LASTING GRIEVANCES — More than 100 Nigerians are awaiting rulings on their petitions seeking compensation and justice for what they allege are abuses by police after 38 people were killed during protests a year ago. UPCOMING: 880 words by 4 a.m., photos.

KOREAS-TENSIONS — North Korea hit back at U.S. criticism over its test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile this week, saying it was rightfully exercising its rights for self-defense and that the weapon doesn’t specifically target the United States. SENT: 570 words, photos.

—————————

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

—————————

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — The Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. UPCOMING: 130 words after release of report at 8:30 a.m. and then expanded, photo.

FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Shares are mixed in Asia after major Chinese property developer Evergrande says a plan to sell its property management arm to a smaller rival had fallen through. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 680 words, photos.

—————————

HEALTH/SCIENCE

—————————

SKOREA SATELLITE LAUNCHER — South Korea is preparing to test-launch its first domestically produced space rocket in what officials describe as an important step in its pursuit of a satellite launch program. SENT: 520 words, photos.

——————

SPORTS

——————

TIM DAHLBERG-SPORTS BETTING — Sports betting is expanding faster than anyone imagined when the Supreme Court opened the floodgates and allowed states to legalize what had long been an illicit back room activity in most parts of the country. By Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg. SENT: 770 words, photos.

————————————————

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

————————————————

TV-GWYNETH-PALTROW — Gwyneth Paltrow, the Oscar-winning actor and entrepreneur behind the goop beauty and wellness brand, has helped develop a new unscripted Netflix series “Sex, Love & goop,” aimed at improving the relationships and sex lives of six couples. SENT: 900 words, photos.

—————————

HOW TO REACH US

—————————

At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Shuji Kajiyama (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.