AP News Digest 3:30 a.m.

Virus Outbreak Russia (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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VIRUS OUTBREAK — Millions of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 could nevertheless find themselves barred from entering certain countries in Europe and elsewhere. The reason is that some nations do not consider the AstraZeneca vaccine sufficient if it was manufactured in India. Some health officials say the move is unnecessary and unscientific. They warn that it won’t only complicate travel but also undermine vaccine confidence by appearing to label some shots substandard. By AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng. SENT: 950 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.

AFGHANISTAN-FLEEING THE TALIBAN — Thousands of people have fled Taliban insurgents sweeping across northern Afghanistan, fearful of their harsh rule. Dozens of families are living in a makeshift tent camp on a rocky patch of land on the edge of the city of Mazar-e-Sharif. Men women and children roast in plastic tents under scorching summer heat. There is little food or water, no medical care. With no lights, they stumble in pitch blackness at night. By Kathy Gannon. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.

CAPITOL BREACH-SEDITION — Key figures in the Jan. 6 riot on U.S. Capitol spoke about their desire to overthrow the government, but to date, U.S prosecutors have charged no one with sedition. Prosecutors may be reluctant to bring such charges because of their legal complexity and the difficulty in securing convictions. By Michael Tarm. SENT: 1,307 words, photos. With CAPITOL BREACH-SEDITION-CASES — Notable sedition and treason cases in U.S. history. SENT: 820 words, photos.

CUBA-PROTEST — Cuban police are out in force as the president is accusing Cuban Americans of using social media to spur a rare outpouring of weekend protests over high prices and food shortages. The demonstrations in several cities and towns were some of the biggest displays of antigovernment sentiment seen in years in tightly controlled Cuba, which is facing a surge of coronavirus cases as it struggles with its worst economic crisis in decades. SENT: 720 words, photos. WITH: BIDEN-CUBA — President Biden calls protests in Cuba “remarkable” and a “clarion call for freedom” as he praises thousands of Cubans who took the streets to protest food shortages and high prices amid the coronavirus crisis. By Aamer Madhani and Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 570 words, photos, video.

HAITI PRESDENT ASSASSINATED — The arrest of a failed Haitian businessman living in Florida who authorities say was a key player in the killing of Haiti’s president has deepened the mystery into an already convoluted plot surrounding the assassination. Haitian authorities identified the suspect as Christian Emmanuel Sanon, 62, who once expressed a desire to lead his country. By Danica Coto, Ben Fox and Terry Spencer. SENT: 1,470 words, photos.

WORLD WAR II-BLACK BATTALION — An Army battalion that made history as the only all-female, Black unit to serve in Europe during World War II is set to be honored by Congress. The Senate has passed legislation that would award members of the 6888th Central Directory Postal Battalion with the Congressional Gold Medal. By Michael Casey. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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CHINA-HOTEL-COLLAPSE — Authorities say at least eight people have died and nine remained missing in a hotel collapse in Suzhou city in eastern China. The city government said the building collapsed Monday afternoon.. SENT: 210 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing.

IRAQ-HOSPITAL-FIRE — A fire swept through a coronavirus ward in southern Iraq, killing at least 50 people and injuring dozens more, Iraqi medical officials said. SENT: 280 words, photos.

TOKYO 2020-ARREST — Officials in Tokyo say four U.S. and British men working for a power company contracted for the Olympics were arrested on suspicion of using cocaine. SENT: 200 words, photos

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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MED-WHO-VACCINE BOOSTERS — Top officials at the World Health Organization say there’s not enough evidence to show that third doses of coronavirus vaccines are needed. They appealed Monday for the scarce shots to be shared with poor countries who have yet to immunize their people instead of being used by rich countries as boosters SENT: 740 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-J&J-VACCINE — U.S. regulators on Monday added a new warning to Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine about links to a rare and potentially dangerous neurological reaction, but said it’s not entirely clear the shot caused the problem. SENT: 520 words.

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WASHINGTON & POLITICS

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BIDEN-VOTING —Dozens of left-leaning organizations are asking Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to schedule a new vote this month on Democrats’ sweeping voting and elections bill. SENT: 680 words, photo.

VOTING BILLS-TEXAS — Democrats in the Texas Legislature have bolted for Washington, D.C., to try to stop Republicans from enacting new voting restrictions. They say they’re ready to remain there for weeks in a second revolt against a GOP overhaul of election laws. By Paul J. Weber. SENT: 1,170 words, photos, video. WITH: VOTING BILLS-TEXAS-EXPLAINER — What are Texas Democrats trying to do? SENT: 830 words, photos.

CONGRESS-IMMIGRATION — Congressional Democrats and immigration advocates are facing their best chance in years to overcome Republican opposition and give millions of people in the U.S. without legal authorization a way to become citizens. But they still face serious obstacles and success is uncertain. By Alan Fram. SENT: 1,070 words, photo.

CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE — Sen. Bernie Sanders says he and President Biden are on the same page as Democrats draft a “transformative” infrastructure package unleashing more than $3.5 trillion in domestic investments on par with the New Deal of the 1930s. By Lisa Mascaro and Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 540 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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VENEZUELA-US-SANCTIONS — The U.S. government has moved to ease a crippling sanction imposed by the Trump administration against Venezuela by allowing companies to export propane to the troubled South American country, a step that could mitigate a shortage that has pushed people to cook on charcoal or wood grills. SENT: 830 words, photos.

JAPAN-DEFENSE-TAIWAN — Japan believes rising tension surrounding Taiwan requires its attention “with a sense of crisis” as China intensifies military activities in the area and the United States steps up support for the self-governing island. SENT: 530 words, photos.

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s leader says elected district councilors will still need to take an oath pledging allegiance to Hong Kong despite the resignation of dozens of councilors who are refusing to do so. Some 170 district councilors, most of them supporters of the semiautonomous Chinese territory’s beleaguered pro-democracy movement have resigned in the past week rather than take the oath. SENT: 390 words, photos.

MEXICO-ACTIVISTS KILLED — The Mexican government reported that 68 human rights and environmental activists have been killed during the current administration, and 43 journalists have been murdered. SENT: 140 words.

TURKEY-OIL WRESTLING-PHOTO GALLERY — After a year-long, pandemic-induced hiatus, the sounds of the zurna flute and beating drums again greeted thousands of Turkish wrestling fans who returned to the country’s northwest for a 600-year-old oil wrestling championship. SENT: 370 words, photos

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NATIONAL

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WESTERN WILDFIRES — Wildfires that have torched homes and forced thousands to evacuate are burning across 10 parched Western states, and the largest, in Oregon, is threatening California’s power supply. SENT: 660 words, photos.

NORTHWEST-HEAT-WAVE — People in Oregon struggled to get rides to cooling centers during the recent heat wave that is believed to have killed hundreds across the Pacific Northwest, officials said, and staffing shortages prevented callers from reaching operators at an information line. State authorities are examining their response to scorching temperatures that broke all-time records across the region late last month. By Sara Cline. SENT: 790 words, photos.

BUILDING COLLAPSE-RETRIEVING KEEPSAKES — Recovery crews at the Florida condominium collapse are cataloging all personal possessions found in the rubble in hopes of returning them to families of the dead or survivors. Each time they find items, they take photos and record the location using a grid. Crews know approximately where each families’ condo unit should be. SENT: 650 words, photos.

IMMIGRATION-DEPORTATION NOTICES — A recent Supreme Court ruling has given some immigrants renewed hope that they can have their deportation cancelled because they didn’t receive proper notice of the court proceedings. The high court ruled in April that federal immigration officials have not been providing all the required information in their deportation hearing notices. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.

CHINESE DISSIDENT-US CITIZEN — A blind Chinese dissident who escaped to the United States in 2012 is now an American citizen and says the human rights situation in China is getting “worse and worse.” Chen Guangcheng, speaking through a translator, told The Associated Press last week in New Hampshire he’s very happy and grateful that America has welcomed him. SENT: 430 words, photos.

DEMOCRATIC DONOR-DRUG DEATHS — A wealthy donor to Democrats is going on trial in Los Angeles on charges he injected gay men with methamphetamine that led to two deaths and other overdoses. Ed Buck faces nine felony counts in federal court that could lead to a life sentence if convicted at the trial starting Tuesday. SENT: 780 words, photos.

SPACE TOURISM-NEW MEXICO — Virgin Galactic has made its highest profile test flight to date with boss Richard Branson aboard. Now, it’s only a matter of time before paying customers get their chance and New Mexico realizes a dream that has been decades in the making. SENT: 970 words, photos.

BICYCLISTS-STRUCK-DRIVER-CHARGED — Authorities say a cyclist has died after he was struck last month by an Arizona driver who plowed his pickup truck into a group of people participating in a bike race. SENT: 520 words, photos.

SAN -FRANCISCO-CRIME — San Francisco saw an increase in shootings in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. The city also saw a slight uptick in aggravated assaults like those seen in viral videos that have drawn national attention. SENT: 950 words, photos.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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MEDICARE-ALZHEIMER’S DRUG — Medicare launches a formal process to set its policy for covering an expensive new Alzheimer’s drug. SENT: 700 words, photos.

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BUSINESS

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CHINA-TRADE — China’s exports surged in June while import growth slowed to a still-robust level as its economic rebound from the coronavirus leveled off. Customs data show exports rose 32% to $281.4 billion, up from May’s 28% growth. Imports increased 37% to $229.9 billion, but that was down from the previous month’s explosive 51% rise. SENT: 670 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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EMMY NOMINATIONS — TV shows that helped distract America during the pandemic are in the hunt for Emmy nominations. Among them: the British royal drama “The Crown” and “Ted Lasso,” a fish-out-of-water comedy about an American football coach put in charge of a British soccer team. The nominations for the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced Tuesday by father-and-daughter actors Ron Cephas Jones and Jasmine Cephas Jones. Contenders in the miniseries category include “The Queen’s Gambit,” with breakout star Anya Taylor-Jones as a troubled chess prodigy. By AP Television Writer Lynn Elber. SENT: 460 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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TOKYO-BACH — IOC President Thomas Bach has appeared in public for the first time since arriving in Tokyo last week with the pandemic-postponed Olympics opening in just 10 days. His first stop was the headquarters of the organizing committee to deliver a pep talk with the beleaguered games set to go ahead without fans in almost all venues. SENT: 610 words, photos.

BBO-LEADING OFF — Shohei Ohtani will be the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game and will bat leadoff, too, as the designated hitter in another landmark for the two-way Japanese sensation. A 27-year-old in his fourth major league season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani is the first two-way starter in the history of the All-Star Game, which began in 1933. SENT: 450 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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