AP News Digest 3:20 a.m.

APTOPIX US 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.

————————-

TOP STORIES

————————-

AFGHANISTAN — By Sayed Ziarmal Hashemi, Tameem Akhgar, Kathy Gannon and Cara Anna. SENT: 950 words, photos, videos.

UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN — The United States military strikes back at the Islamic State in Afghanistan acting on President Joe Biden’s vow to hit the extremists in retaliation for the suicide bombing at Kabul airport. The Pentagon says a drone strike targeted an IS planner in the eastern province of Nangahar, and initial indications were that the target was killed. By Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns. SENT: 1,110 words, photos, video.

AFGHANISTAN-REPUBLICANS-REFUGEES — As the U.S. rushes to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan, a growing number of Republicans are questioning why the U.S. should take in Afghan citizens who worked side by side with Americans. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,260 words, photos.

SIRHAN-SIRHAN-PAROLE-HEARING — For 15 years, Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin was denied parole by a California parole board that maintained Sirhan Sirhan did not show adequate remorse or understand the enormity of his crime that rocked the nation and the world in 1968.But on Friday, the two-person panel said he appeared to be a different man, even from his last hearing in 2016, and granted the 77-year-old prisoner parole. By Julie Watson and Brian Melley. SENT: 1,340 words, photos.

TROPICAL-WEATHER-ATLANTIC — Residents across Louisiana’s coast Saturday were taking one last day to prepare for what is being described as a “life-altering” Hurricane Ida which is expected to bring winds as high as 140 mph (225 kph) when it slams ashore. By Rebecca Santana and Kevin McGill. SENT: 840 words, photos. With TROPICAL-WEATHER-NEW ORLEANS-EXPLAINER — Is New Orleans protected from a hurricane? (sent).

—————————————————-

MORE ON AFGHANISTAN

——————————————————

AFGHANISTAN-GALVANIZING MILITANTS — A few days after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, a convoy of militants in Syria’s Idlib paraded through the streets of the city, bearing the group’s white flags, honking horns and firing their guns in the air. The celebrations by an al-Qaida affiliate in a remote corner of war-torn Syria were an overt expression of the triumph felt by many radical Islamic groups around the globe who see in America’s humiliating exit from Afghanistan an opportunity to regroup and reassert their ideology. By Zeina Karam. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN-BOMBING-US-TROOPS — A young husband with a child on the way who wanted to teach history one day and another man who always wanted to serve in the military were among the 13 U.S. troops killed in a horrific suicide bombing at Afghanistan’s Kabul airport, which also claimed the lives of more than 100 Afghans. SENT: 840 words, photos.

—————————————————————————-

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

—————————————————————————-

VIRUS-OUTBREAK — Officials offered new hope for the safety of U.S. schoolchildren threatened by COVID-19 as Gulf Coast hospitals already full of unvaccinated patients braced for the nightmare scenario of a major hurricane causing a wave of fractures, cuts and heart attacks without enough staff to treat the injured. SENT: 860 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ASIA-TOURISM — From the Great Wall to the picturesque Kashmir valley, Asia’s tourist destinations are looking to domestic visitors to get them through the COVID-19 pandemic’s second year. With international travel heavily restricted, foreign tourists can’t enter many countries and locals can’t get out. SENT: 860 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MEXICO-CHILD VACCINES — Hundreds of parents in Mexico have resorted to filing for court injunctions to get coronavirus vaccines for their children after the government refused to consider vaccinating those under 18. SENT: 570 words, photos.

————————

TRENDING

————————

BANGLADESH-BOAT-SINKING — Boat sinks in Bangladesh pond, 21 dead, others missing. SENT: 180 words, photos.

CHINA-US-TAIWAN — China protests U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in Taiwan Strait. SENT: 340 words, photos.

TROPICAL-WEATHER-PACIFIC — Tropical Storm Nora a hurricane threat to Mexico’s coast. SENT: 260 words.

POLICE-SHOOTING-AUSTIN — Indictment accuses 2 officers of murdering Austin scientist. SENT: 410 words.

DETOX-VAN-DEATH — Jury convicts Colorado deputies in detox van death. SENT: 290 words.

FRANCE-PARIS-CHRISTO — Paris’ iconic Arc de Triomphe is set to be wrapped for posthumous work by Christo. SENT: 360 words, photos.

COW-DRIVE-THROUGH — Spotted: Cow at a McDonald’s drive-through in Wisconsin. SENT: 240 words.

————————————————-

WASHINGTON/POLITICS

————————————————-

HARRIS — Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Singapore and Vietnam was overshadowed by global events, including the disastrous U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the surging coronavirus pandemic, which is surging in the region. But analysts say those complications contributed to the success of a trip meant to strengthen U.S. relations in Southeast Asia and counter China’s influence. By Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: 900 words.

CONGRESS-AFGHANISTAN — Across the county, the offices of members of Congress have become makeshift crisis centers. The lawmakers are being flooded with requests for help getting people onto one of the last flights coming out of the Kabul airport. By Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 970 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-INTELLIGENCE — U.S. intelligence agencies are still divided on the origins of the coronavirus, but believe China’s leaders did not know about the virus before the start of the global pandemic, according to a review ordered by President Biden. SENT: 490 words, photos.

————————

NATIONAL

———————-

WESTERN-WILDFIRES — Firefighters battling a stubborn California wildfire Friday near the Lake Tahoe resort region faced gusty winds and dry conditions that made vegetation ready to burn. SENT: 840 words, photos.

EVICTION-MORATORIUM-ENDS — Tenant advocates and court officials were gearing up Friday for what some fear will be a wave of evictions and others predict will be just a growing trickle after a U.S. Supreme Court action allowing lockouts to resume. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.

BKN—PELICANS-JAXSON-HAYES-ARREST-VIDEO — A Los Angeles police officer briefly pressed a knee to the neck of NBA player Jaxson Hayes as the New Orleans Pelicans center gasped “I can’t breathe” seconds before another officer used a Taser on him during a struggle, according to body camera video released Friday. SENT: 880 words, photos.

SEATTLE-HOMELESSNESS — A Washington state judge struck a Seattle measure on homelessness from the November ballot even as the city remains mired in a long-term humanitarian crisis. SENT: 520 words, photo.

OFF-DUTY-OFFICER-SLAIN — Two men have been arrested in the fatal shooting of an off-duty New Orleans police officer during a holdup while he was dining at a Houston restaurant, police say. SENT: 500 words, photos.

PRISON-ALTERCATION-INMATE DEATH — Ohio’s correctional agency terminated seven employees Friday after officials say prison guards used excessive and unjustified force against a Black inmate before he died in custody in February. SENT: 610 words, photo.

FELONS-VOTING-NORTH-CAROLINA — A panel of state trial judges refused on Friday to halt its order restoring voting rights for tens of thousands of North Carolina residents convicted of felonies whose current punishments don’t include prison time. SENT: 480 words.

———————————-

INTERNATIONAL

———————————-

IRAQ-REGIONAL-MEETING — Iraq hosts a regional conference aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East and emphasizing the Arab country’s new role as mediator. SENT: 590 words, photos.

—————-——————

BUSINESS/TECH

———————————-

MICROSOFT-CLOUD-FLAW — Microsoft says it has fixed a flaw in its cloud computing platform that cybersecurity researchers warned could have enabled hackers to take over a cloud-based database product used by many big companies. SENT: 290 words, photo.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks are returning to records on Wall Street after the head of the Federal Reserve said it’s still likely a ways away from raising interest rates, even if it does begin dialing back its support for the economy later this year. SENT: 815 words, photos.

————————

SPORTS

————————

BBA--YANKEES-ATHLETICS — Night after night during this memorable winning streak, Aaron Boone is asked about what’s going so well for his Yankees. He keeps coming back to the balance of production from everybody. New York provided another impressive example of exactly that. By Baseball Writer Janie McCauley. SENT: 880 words, photos.

BBN--GIANTS-BRAVES — Joc Pederson felt like an elite NFL wide receiver when he made a game-saving catch for the Atlanta Braves. By Charles Odum. SENT: 820 words, photos.

TEN--US OPEN PREVIEW — All eyes will be on Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open, which starts Monday. Djokovic is going for the first men’s calendar-year Grand Slam in more than a half-century and a record 21st major title. Osaka is back at the Grand Slams after pulling out of the French Open for a mental health break. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 820 words, photos. With TEN--US Open Glance (sent).

FBN--FAMILIAR FACES-NEW PLACES — Lots of new addresses for familiar NFL faces this season. Matthew Stafford was traded from the Lions to the Rams for Jared Goff. Carson Wentz is now with the Colts and Sam Darnold with the Panthers. Teddy Bridgewater is in Denver and well-traveled Ryan Fitzpatrick in Washington. And that’s just the quarterbacks. By Pro Football writer By Dennis Waszak Jr. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

——————————————-

HOW TO REACH US

----------------------------—

At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (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.