AP News Digest 3 a.m.

APTOPIX Massage Parlor-Shootings (Crisp County Sheriff's Office)

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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RACIAL INJUSTICE-GEORGIA SHOOTING-REACTION — Asian Americans were already worn down by a year of pandemic-fueled racist attacks when a white gunman was charged with attacking three Atlanta-area massage parlors and killing eight people, most of them Asian women. Hundreds of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders turned to social media to air their anger, sadness, fear and hopelessness. The hashtag #StopAsianHate was a top trending topic on Twitter hours after the shootings that happened Tuesday evening. By Terry Tang. SENT: 820 words, photos; WITH MASSAGE PARLOR-SHOOTING — A white gunman is charged with killing eight people at three Atlanta-area massage parlors in an attack that sent terror through the Asian American community that’s increasingly been targeted during the coronavirus pandemic. Robert Aaron Long, 21, tells police that Tuesday’s attack was not racially motivated and claims to have a “sex addiction,” with authorities saying he apparently lashed out at what he saw as sources of temptation. Six of the victims were of Asian descent and seven were women. By Kate Brumback and Angie Wang. SENT: 980 words, video, photos; WITH RACIAL INJUSTICE-GEORGIA SHOOTING-EXPLAINER — Why Georgia attack spurs fears in Asian Americans. SENT; 870 words, photos; and

PANDEMIC POLITICS — In President Joe Biden’s war against the coronavirus, former President Donald Trump does not exist. Biden is describing the expanding vaccination rate, the economic recovery and the hope slowly spreading across the nation as direct results of action taken by his administration and his party alone. By Steve Peoples and Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,250 words after 3:15 p.m. event.

MYANMAR — A Myanmar construction magnate with links to military rulers has claimed he personally gave more than half a million dollars in cash to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a broadcast on state television aimed at discrediting the ousted civilian government. The statement could pave the way for more serious charges against Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the Feb. 1 military takeover while security forces increasingly use lethal force against a popular uprising demanding the restoration of democratically elected leaders. SENT: 440 words, photos.

YEMEN-FRONT-LINE — An offensive by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Marib province is threatening hundreds of thousands of people who have sought safety in the region that previously was a place of relative peace and stability in the grinding civil war. The fighting is also sparking violence elsewhere in Yemen and endangering peace efforts. By SAM MAGDI. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.

TANZANIA-OBIT-PRESIDENT JOHN MAGUFULI — President John Magufuli of Tanzania, a prominent COVID-19 skeptic, has died at age 61. The country’s vice president says Magufuli died of heart failure. He had not been seen in public in weeks and top government officials had denied that he was ill. SENT: 1,519 words, photos.

CONGRESS-IMMIGRATION — Democrats seem poised to claim victory in the House’s first votes this year on immigration, but moving legislation on the divisive issue all the way through Congress to President Biden will be an uphill fight. By Alan Fram. SENT: 810 words, photo. With IMMIGRATION-REPUBLICANS — Republicans seize Donald Trump’s signature campaign issue, turning their focus to immigration as they use it to try to reunite their fractured party. SENT: 750 words, photos.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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AUSTRALIA-CONSENT-APP — A senior Australian policeman has suggested a phone app be developed to document sexual consent in a bid to improve conviction rates in sex crime cases. SENT: 450 words, photos.

INTERSTELLAR VISITOR — A study says our solar system’s first known interstellar visitor is likely a remnant of a Pluto-like world and shaped like a cookie. By Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn. SENT: 670 words.

MURDER HORNETS — Scientists in the U.S. and Canada are opening new fronts in the war against so-called murder hornets as the giant insects begin establishing nests this spring. SENT: 725 words, photo.

IRS-TAX DAY DELAY — The Internal Revenue Service is delaying the traditional tax filing deadline from April 15 until May 17, according to the House Ways and Means Committee. SENT: 480 words.

TESLA-CRASH-PATROL-CAR — For the second time this week, the U.S. government’s road safety agency is sending a team to investigate a Tesla crash in Michigan. This time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is sending a special crash investigation team because a Tesla using the company’s Autopilot partially automated driving system crashed into a State Police cruiser along a freeway. SENT: 630 words, photo.

STUNTMAN DEATH — An appeals court throws out an $8 million jury verdict awarded to the family of a stuntman who was fatally injured while filming an episode of “The Walking Dead.” SENT: 200 words.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-CAUTIOUS-KAUAI — As the coronavirus ravaged other parts of the U.S., residents on Kauai watched safely from afar. The rural Hawaiian island is one of the world’s most sought-after vacation destinations. But it has been nearly impossible to visit for most of the past year because of quarantine and other coronavirus restrictions. As a result, Kauai has been one of the safest places to be. But the economy has suffered greatly. By Caleb Jones. SENT: 990 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-STATE TAXES — The U.S. Treasury Department says states can cut taxes without penalty from a federal pandemic relief law — so long as they use their own funds to offset those cuts. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE — European governments that rushed to suspend use of AstraZeneca vaccines after reports of blood clotting are realizing the far-reaching impact of the move. They suddenly seem eager for any signal that allows them to resume the shots. SENT: 970 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK — Health experts say the surge in coronavirus cases in Europe should serve as a warning to the U.S. not to drop its safeguards too early. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LUNG TRANSPLANT — A suburban Detroit woman who was infected with COVID-19 gave birth early then underwent a double lung transplant just weeks later to save her life. SENT: 300 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-REOPENING SCHOOLS — Pushing forward with its plan to reopen schools, the Biden administration is expanding coronavirus testing for teachers, staff and students. SENT: 940 words, photos, video.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-PARAGUAY-PRESIDENT — Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benítez has survived an opposition attempt to impeach him over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds protested against Abdo outside the legislature where the vote was held Wednesday. Outside, hundreds of protesters threw stones at police who responded with water cannons and rubber bullets. By Pedro Servín. SENT: 260 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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CAPITOL BREACH-COMMISSION — Legislation creating a bipartisan panel to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol is stalled, at least for now. Democrats and Republicans are split over the scope and structure of a review that could force Congress and the American people to reckon again with the violent attack. By Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 880 words, photo.

UNITED STATES-CHINA — The United States and China face a new test in their increasingly troubled relations when top officials from both countries meet in Alaska. The Biden administration has yet to signal it’s ready or willing to back down on hard-line stances taken by the Trump administration. Nor have the Chinese shown any sign the battle is over. By Matthew Lee. SENT: 750 words, photo.

SUPREME COURT-BREYER — Progressives are hoping 82-year-old Justice Stephen Breyer retires soon to allow President Biden to appoint a like-minded successor while Democrats control the White House and Senate. They fear a repeat of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s decision to stay on the court in her early 80s. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 900 words, photo.

BIDEN-CUOMO — The growing scandals surrounding New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo test the White House’s mantra to avoid day-to-day distractions as it tries to govern. President Biden has been peppered with questions and Cuomo still plays a prominent role in the pandemic response, potentially pressuring the president to intervene. By Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.

VIOLENT EXTREMISM — Violent extremists motivated by political grievances and racial biases pose an “elevated threat” to the U.S. homeland, according to an unclassified intelligence report. SENT: 380 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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SEVERE WEATHER-SOUTH — The prospect of more tornadoes overnight and into Thursday across the Deep South had forecasters advising residents to take extra precautions after a wave of storms pounded the region throughout the day Wednesday, leaving a trail of splintered trees and damaged buildings. The weather service says roughly 16 million people in the Southeast could see powerful storms through early Thursday. By Jay Reeves. SENT: 830 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA BAR SHOOTING REPORT — A new report says an overwhelmed 911 system, chaos and delays hampered the law enforcement response to a Southern California bar during a 2018 attack that killed a dozen people. The after-action report released Wednesday cites a series of problems that created confusion after a Marine veteran opened fire inside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. SENT: 830 words, photo.

GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL — A judge dismisses two jurors who had been seated for the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer in George Floyd’s death. SENT: 750 words, photos. With GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL-MEDIA — Judge warns media at ex-cop’s trial of possible removal. SENT: 200 words, photos; and EXPLAINING GEORGE FLOYD-ALTERNATIVE-JURORS — Role of alternate jurors in ex-officer’s trial. SENT: 520 words, photos.

TRUMP-LEGAL-TROUBLES — New York prosecutors are asking new questions about former President Donald Trump’s Seven Springs estate. Among other things, they’re trying to determine whether the value of the century-old mansion was improperly inflated to reduce the former president’s taxes. That’s according to a person who wasn’t authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. By Jim Mustian and Michael R. Sisak. SENT: 830 words, photos.

KOBE-BRYANT-CRASH-PHOTOS — Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, has posted the names of four Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies she alleges shared graphic photos from the site of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband, their daughter, Gianna, and seven others. SENT: 530 words, photo.

TEXAS-HIGHWAY-CRASH — A Texas man who drove a pickup truck involved in a deadly head-on crash near a Texas border city following a police chase that left eight migrants dead has been named in a criminal complaint. Federal authorities said two people in the car that 24-year-old Sebastian Tovar hit remain hospitalized in stable condition. The collision happened weeks after one of the deadliest highway crashes involving migrants entering the U.S. without permission. By Acacia Coronado. SENT: 310 words, photo.

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INTERNATIONAL

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ASIA-US — America’s top diplomat has pressed China to use its tremendous influence to convince North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, calling it a source of instability and danger. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at the end of security talks in Seoul, hours after North Korea said it will ignore a U.S. offer to resume negotiations because of its hostile policy. The talks came as President Joe Biden is pushing to restore America’s alliances in Asia in the face of growing challenges from China and North Korea. By Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung. SENT: 790 words, photos.

JAPAN-NUCLEAR — Japanese nuclear regulators have said the world’s largest nuclear power plant will not restart anytime soon due to serious holes in the anti-terrorism measures found at the facility on the northern Japanese coast. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 390 words, photo.

VATICAN-SEX ABUSE — A former Vatican altar boy testifies that an older seminarian would come into his bed at night to perform a sexual act on him in the Vatican’s youth seminary. It’s the the first-ever case to go to trial alleging sexual abuse within the Vatican walls. SENT: 550 words, photo.

NETHERLANDS-ELECTION An exit poll in the Dutch general election suggests that voters have pushed Prime Minister Mark Rutte towards a fourth term in office, bolstering his conservative party’s position as the biggest in parliament and boosting a key ally into second place. SENT: 770 words, photos.

UNITED-NATIONS-CHILDREN-IN-CONFLICT — A panel of child rights experts is sharply criticizing the U.N. secretary-general’s decisions on a global blacklist of parties responsible for harming children during conflicts. The say government forces including from Israel, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia and the Saudi-led coalition fighting rebels in Yemen should not have been excluded from the list. By Edith M. Lederer. SENT: 690 words.

CANADA CHINA DETAINED CANADIANS — The Canadian government says China will soon begin trials for two Canadians who were arrested two years ago in apparent retaliation for Canada’s detention of a senior executive for Chinese communications giant Huawei Technologies. By Rob Gillies. SENT: 490 words, photos.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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MARS ROVER — NASA’s newest Mars rover has sent back the first-ever sounds of driving on the red planet. The grinding, clanking, banging noises are part of a 16-minute raw audio feed released Wednesday by Jet Propulsion Laboratory. By Marcia Dunn. SENT: 280 words, photo.

EARLY EMBRYOS RESEARCH — For the first time, scientists have used human cells to make structures that mimic the earliest stages of fetal development. The work potentially opens up new avenues for research — and new ethical questions. The scientists stress their work is only for research, not reproduction. By Science Writer Christina Larson. SENT: 650 words, photos.

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BUSINESS

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FEDERAL RESERVE — The Federal Reserve foresees the economy accelerating quickly this year but still expects to keep its benchmark interest rate pinned near zero through 2023. By Economics Writers Christopher Rugaber and Martin Crutsinger. SENT: 945 words, photo.

PHILANTHROPY-CORPORATIONS-RACIAL INJUSTICE — In the months since the police killing of George Floyd sparked a racial reckoning in the U.S., American corporations have emerged as an unexpected leading source of funding for social justice. Corporate giving to racial equity causes has far outpaced donations from foundations and individual philanthropists since Floyd’s killing in May. By Business Writer Haleluya Hadero. SENT: 1,400 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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OBIT-JAMES LEVINE — Conductor James Levine, who ruled over the Metropolitan Opera for more than four decades before being eased aside when his health declined and then was fired for sexual improprieties, has died. He was 77. SENT: 1,590 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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OLY-TOKYO-SEXIST-COMMENT — Tokyo Olympics director Hiroshi Sasaki is resigning after making demeaning comments about a well-known female celebrity. It is yet another setback for the postponed games and another involving comments about women. By Stephen Wade and Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 400 words, photos.

NCAA-PANDEMIC TOURNAMENT — Mostly empty gyms. Mostly empty city. The joy of March Madness will be limited, as everything seems to be, by the pandemic. A look at what’s different in and around Indianapolis for both teams and fans alike. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 950 words, photos. With NCAA-FIRST FOUR PREVIEW — Michigan St, Izzo in new spot as First Four participants. SENT: 1,170 words, photos.

SHAWN BRADLEY-ACCIDENT — Former NBA player Shawn Bradley discloses he was paralyzed two months ago when he was struck from behind by a vehicle while riding a bike near his Utah home. SENT: 380 words, photos.

NCAA-PLAYER-POWER — Some of the top players at the March Madness tournament in Indiana are speaking out against the NCAA. Isaiah Livers of Michigan, Geo Baker of Rutgers and Jordan Bohannon of Iowa were among the players who took to social media demanding equal rights. By Ralph D. Russo. SENT: 990 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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