AP News Digest 3:40 am

APTOPIX Biden (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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HURRICANE IDA-BIDEN — President Joe Biden declared climate change has become “everybody’s crisis” as he toured neighborhoods flooded by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, warning it’s time for America to get serious about the “code red” danger or face ever worse loss of life and property. By Aamer Madhani and Darlene Superville. SENT: 880 words, photos, videos.

AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban announced an all-male interim government for Afghanistan stacked with veterans of their hard-line rule from the 1990s and the 20-year battle against the U.S.-led coalition, a move that seems unlikely to win the international support the new leaders desperately need to avoid an economic meltdown. By Kathy Gannon. SENT: 1,090 words, photos. With AFGHANISTAN-THE-LATEST.

FRANCE TERROR ATTACKS TRIAL — France is putting on trial 20 men accused in the Islamic State group’s 2015 attacks on Paris that left 130 people dead and hundreds injured. The proceedings will take place in an enormous custom-designed chamber. By Lori Hinnant and Nicolas Vaux-Montagny. SENT: 460 words, photos. UPCOMING: Trial begins at 6:30 a.m. With FRANCE-ATTACKS-TRIAL-EXPLAINER — What’s at stake in the 2015 Paris attacks trial? FRANCE-ATTACKS-TRIAL-TIMELINE.

CHINA-CRACKDOWN — An avalanche of changes launched by China’s ruling Communist Party has jolted everyone from tech billionaires to school kids. Behind them: President Xi Jinping’s vision of making a more powerful, prosperous country by reviving revolutionary ideals, with more economic equality and tighter party control over society and entrepreneurs. By Joe McDonald. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.

CHANGING ECONOMY-SILICON VALLEY — Remote work during the pandemic is challenging one of Silicon Valley’s most cherished myths — that open offices and employee perks are necessary to spark innovation. A new model is emerging, and it may involve much less office work than people once expected. By Technology Writers Michael Liedtke and Barbara Ortutay. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

SEPT 11-WHERE ARE THEY NOW — What has happened to the cast of global characters that 9/11 produced and have the ways they changed the world held up? By Jerry Schwartz. SENT: 1,640 words, photos. Also see SEPT 11-ARTIFACTS below.

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TRENDING NEWS

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MEXICO-EARTHQUAKE — Powerful earthquake strikes near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco. SENT: 610 words, photos.

PEOPLE-BRITNEY-SPEARS — Britney Spears’ father files to end court conservatorship. SENT: 760 words, photo.

MEXICO-ABORTION — Mexico’s Supreme Court rules that abortion is not a crime. SENT: 1,000 words, photo.

AMAZON-CASHIER-LESS-WHOLE-FOODS — Amazon to open two cashier-less Whole Foods stores next year. SENT: 260 words, photo.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-BULGARIA-LOWEST VACCINATION RATE — Standing outside a rundown public hospital in northern Bulgaria, the chief vaccination nurse voices a sad reality about her fellow Bulgarians: “They don’t believe in vaccines.” SENT: 770 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON

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CALIFORNIA RECALL-BIDEN — The White House is diving into the California gubernatorial recall election, coming to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s aid with visits from Vice President Kamala Harris and then Biden to try to alleviate lingering concerns about Democratic turnout in the unusual September vote. SENT: 1,160 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,200 words after 3:40 p.m. event. With CALIFORNIA-RECALL-HOW-IT-BEGAN — Newsom’s nightmare: How one November day fueled the recall.

UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN-STUCK PLANES — The Americans trying to evacuate hundreds of Afghans and American citizens plead for action from the Biden administration to get the would-be evacuees aboard charter flights that are standing by to fly them from Afghanistan. SENT: 970 words, photos.

TEXAS REPUBLICANS — A more apt rallying cry for Republicans in Texas, America’s largest conservative state, might be “Make Texas Even Redder.” SENT: 1,180 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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SEPT 11-ARTIFACTS — Over the years, the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum has collected 22,000 personal artifacts to help tell the stories of people who died in the terror attacks and those lucky to survive. SENT: 800 words, photos, video.

WESTERN-WILDFIRES — California could be on track for one of its worst fire seasons ever as hotter, drier conditions across the north raise the threat of new fires or existing ones flaring into dangerous life, officials say. SENT: 620 words, photos.

ROBERT-DURST-MURDER-TRIAL — To prove that New York real estate scion Robert Durst killed one person, prosecutors introduced evidence that he killed three people. SENT: 950 words, photo.

CONFEDERATE MONUMENT-RICHMOND — Crews are set to remove one of the country’s largest remaining monuments to the Confederacy, a towering statute of Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Virginia. SENT: 550 words, photos.

TEXAS EXECUTION — A Texas death row inmate set to be executed has sued state prison officials to allow his pastor to lay hands on him as he dies from a lethal injection. SENT: 630 words, photos. UPCOMING: Execution scheduled for after 7 p.m.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS-BRIBERY — More than two years after the “Operation Varsity Blues” case exploded into the headlines, the first parents are set to face jurors over accusations that they paid hefty bribes to get their kids into college as bogus athletic recruits. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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INDONESIA-PRISON-FIRE — A massive fire raged through an overcrowded prison near Indonesia’s capital, killing at least 41 inmates, two of them foreigners serving drug sentences, and injuring 80 others. SENT: 420 words, photos.

HONG-KONG — Hong Kong police arrested four leaders of the group that organized the city’s annual Tiananmen Square commemorations after they refused to cooperate in a national security investigation, the group says. SENT: 750 words, photos.

AUSTRALIA-DEFAMATION — Australia’s highest court has made a landmark ruling that media outlets are “publishers” of allegedly defamatory comments posted by third parties on their official Facebook pages. SENT: 530 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks were mostly lower in Asia after a lackluster session on Wall Street, where weak jobs data and pandemic concerns weighed on sentiment. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 550 words, photos.

FEDERAL RESERVE-BEIGE BOOK — The Federal Reserve releases its latest “Beige Book" survey of economic conditions. By Economics Writer Martin Crutsinger. UPCOMING: 130 words, photo, after 2 p.m. release, then expanded.

JOB OPENINGS — The Labor Department reports on job openings and labor turnover for July. By Economics Writer Paul Wiseman. UPCOMING: 130 words, photo, after 10 a.m. release, then expanded.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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FASHION-CHRISTIAN-SIRIANO — With Katie Holmes and Lil’ Kim on his front row and singer Marina on the mic high above his runway, Christian Siriano helped kicked off New York Fashion Week’s first big pandemic round of in-person shows with a flurry of neon and lace inspired in part by all the Italian women in his life. SENT: 530 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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BEIJING-BROADCASTER PRESSURE — Some of the world’s largest broadcasters including U.S. network NBC are being asked by human rights groups to cancel plans to cover next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 660 words, photo.

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