AP News Digest 7:15 a.m.

APTOPIX Iraq Election (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.

——————————————

NEW/DEVELOPING

——————————————-

AFGHANISTAN — A powerful explosion in a mosque in northern Afghanistan on Friday has left several casualties, witnesses say. SENT: 90 words.

—————————-

ONLY ON AP

——————————

AP POLL-MISINFORMATION — Nearly all Americans agree that the rampant spread of misinformation is a problem. Most also think individual users, along with social media companies, bear a good deal of blame for the situation. But relatively few are very concerned that they themselves might be responsible. That’s according to a new poll from The Pearson Institute and the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. By Amanda Seitz and Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 840 words, photos.

THE AP INTERVIEW-JAYAPAL — Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, tells The Associated Press she has pushed President Joe Biden to hold the line and keep his ambitious social spending plan closer to $3 trillion instead of the $2 trillion range that he has floated to Democrats in recent days. By Padmananda Rama and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 910 words, photos, video.

——————————

TOP STORIES

——————————

NOBEL-PEACE-PRIZE — The 2021 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia. The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited their fight for freedom of expression, stressing that it is vital in promoting peace. SENT: 670 words, photos.

CONGRESS-DEBT — The Senate dodges a U.S. debt disaster by approving legislation to lift the federal limit on new borrowing by nearly a half-trillion dollars. The bill, likely to be approved by the House as well, should temporarily avert an unprecedented default that experts say would have devastated the economy. By Kevin Freking, Alan Fram and Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: 1,030 words, photos, video.

CALIFORNIA-OIL-SPILL — Investigators searching for the cause of an oil pipeline break off the Southern California coast have pointed to the possibility that a ship anchor dragged the line across the seabed and cracked it, but two videos released so far provide only tantalizing clues about what might have happenea 100 feet (30 meters) below the ocean surface. By Matthew Brown, Brian Melley and Stefanie Dazio. SENT: 1,130 words, photos. With CALIFORNIA-OIL-SPILL-EXPLAINER — What’s happening with the California oil spill? (sent)

ASIA-TENSIONS-EXPLAINER — A recent spate of Chinese military flights off southwestern Taiwan has prompted alarm from the island, which Beijing claims as its own, and is increasing tensions in a region already on edge. By David Rising. SENT: 1,400 words, photos.

TRUMP-ENDORSEMENTS — As former President Donald Trump has waded into contested primaries across the country, trying to exact revenge and remake the Republican Party in his image, he has endorsed a series of candidates facing serious allegations, especially concerning their treatment of women. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,240 words, photo.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-HOLDING-BODIES — More than a year after his son was killed by Israeli forces under disputed circumstances in the occupied West Bank, Mustafa Erekat is still seeking his remains. It is one of dozens of cases in which Israel is holding the remains of Palestinians killed in conflict, citing the need to deter attacks and potentially exchange them for the remains of two Israeli soldiers held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. By Jack Jeffery. SENT: 890 words, photos.

—————————————

TRENDING NEWS

—————————————

IRAQ-ELECTION — Security forces vote in Iraq’s general election. SENT: 170 words, photos.

MOROCCO-NEW-GOVERNMENT — Moroccan king appoints new government, including 7 women. SENT: 180 words, photos.

CHINA-HOLIDAY-TRAVEL — Less travel, more moviegoing over China National Day break. SENT: 320 words, photos.

JAPAN-TWIN PANDAS — Panda cubs at Tokyo zoo get their names, to debut in January. SENT: 270 words, photos.

————————————————————————

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

————————————————————————

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-FINLAND — Finland has joined other Nordic countries in suspending or discouraging the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in certain age groups because of an increased risk of heart inflammation, a rare side effect associated with the shot. SENT: 210 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-KIDNEY-TRANSPLANT — A Colorado woman has been denied a kidney transplant because she won’t be vaccinated against COVID-19 due to her religious views. Leilani Lutali faces the possibility of dying without a new kidney. However, the born-again Christian objects to the role that stem cells have played in the development of vaccines. SENT: 770 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BAY AREA-MASKS — Indoor masking requirements in the San Francisco Bay Area will be eased for certain indoor public settings, including offices, gyms, college classrooms and churches, once counties reach low COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates and at least 80% of the total population is fully vaccinated, officials said. SENT: 640 words, photo.

—————————————————-

WASHINGTON/POLITICS

—————————————————-

STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS-EXPLAINER — A student debt forgiveness program with notoriously complex eligibility rules is getting an overhaul, with the intent of extending debt relief to thousands of public workers. Some questions and answers about the program. By Collin Binkley. SENT: 840 words, photo.

ABORTION-TEXAS-LEGAL — Abortions in Texas can resume under a federal judge’s ruling, but for how long? A conservative federal appeals court and ultimately the Supreme Court might take a more skeptical look at the Biden administration’s lawsuit over Texas’ six-week abortion ban. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 890 words, photos. With ABORTION-TEXAS — Abortions resume in some Texas clinics after judge halts law (sent).

CAPITOL BREACH-SUBPOENAS — Former President Donald Trump intends to assert executive privilege to prevent the testimony of former aides in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection. By Eric Tucker and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 760 words, photos.

————————-

NATIONAL

————————-

CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRES — Northern California wildfires may have killed hundreds of giant sequoias as they swept through groves of the majestic monarchs in the Sierra Nevada, an official say. SENT: 660 words, photos.

JUNETEENTH-OPAL LEE — Opal Lee’s dream of seeing Juneteenth become a federal holiday was finally realized over the summer, but the energetic woman who spent years rallying people to join her push for the day commemorating the end of slavery is hardly letting up on a lifetime of work teaching and helping others. SENT: 670 words, photos, video.

AP-WAS-THERE-GREAT-CHICAGO-FIRE — It was 150 years ago that the Great Chicago Fire ignited, eventually killing about 300 people and consuming a major portion of the city over three days. The Associated Press, just 25 years old then, sent dispatches first from its office in the Chicago Tribune building before staff fled to a Western Union office. They filed from there before fleeing again because of the approaching fire. The accounts vividly showed the fire’s chaos and destruction. SENT: 1,410 words, photo. With GREAT CHICAGO FIRE-MRS. O’LEARY’S COW — Don’t blame Mrs. O’Leary’s cow for the Great Chicago Fire (sent).

—————————————

INTERNATIONAL

—————————————

PAKISTAN-US-AFGHANISTAN — United States and Pakistani officials are meeting amid a worsening relationship between the two countries as each nation searches for a way forward in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. SENT: 560 words, photos.

JAPAN-POLITICS — In his first policy speech, Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to strengthen pandemic management and health care in case of another coronavirus resurgence, and turn around the battered economy while bolstering the country’s defenses against threats from China and North Korea. SENT: 590 words photos.

TAIWAN-AUSTRALIA-ABBOTT — A former Australian prime minister has accused China of being a bully and expressed enthusiastic support for Taiwan while visiting the democratically ruled island. SENT: 590 words, photos.

INDIA-POWER-CRISIS — An energy crisis is looming over India as coal supplies grow perilously low, adding to challenges for a recovery in Asia’s third largest economy after it was wracked by the pandemic. SENT: 540 words photos.

CZECH-ELECTIONS — Czechs begin voting in a parliamentary election with polls showing Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a populist billionaire, has a good chance of keeping his job despite a new scandal over his financial dealings. SENT: 550 words, photos.

TURKEYPHILANTHROPIST-TRIAL — A Turkish court has resumed the trial against a leading philanthropist who has been behind bars for nearly four years despite repeated calls by Europe’s top human rights organization and its judiciary arm for his release. SENT: 490 words, photos.

NIGERIA-HOSTAGES FREED — In one of the largest liberations of kidnap victims, at least 187 people including babies have been freed in the country’s troubled north, police announce. SENT: 390 words, photos.

THAILAND-FLOODED-RESTAURANT — A flood-hit riverside restaurant in Thailand has become an unlikely dining hotspot after fun-loving foodies began flocking to its waterlogged deck to eat amid the lapping tide. SENT: 390 words, photos.

———————————————-

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

———————————————-

FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Global stock markets rose as investors waited for U.S. jobs data that might influence a Federal Reserve decision on when to roll back stimulus after lawmakers averted a possible government debt default. By Business Writer Joe McDonald. SENT: 460 words, photos.

GLOBAL-MINIMUM-TAX — Ireland has agreed to join an international agreement establishing a minimum corporate tax of 15% around the world, ditching the low-tax policy that has led companies like Google and Facebook to base their European operations in the country. SENT: 320 words.

GOOGLE-ADS-CLIMATE — Google is taking action to stop climate change deniers from spreading misinformation or making money by blocking digital ads promoting false climate change claims from appearing alongside content on its platforms. SENT: 220 words, photo.

———————

HEALTH

——————-

FDA-CHIEF-CHALLENGES — Straining under a pandemic workload and battered by a string of public controversies, one of the leading agencies in the government’s fight against COVID-19 is finally on the verge of getting a new commissioner. By Health Writer Matthew Perrone. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.

——————

SPORTS

——————-

FBN--RAMS-SEAHAWKS — Matthew Stafford threw for 365 yards and a touchdown and the Los Angeles Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks 26-17 in a game Russell Wilson left in the second half with a finger injury on his throwing hand. By Tim Booth. SENT: 800 words, photos. With FBN—Seahawks-Wilson’s Injury (sent).

BBA--ALDS-RED SOX-RAYS — Randy Arozarena is off and running in October again. The do-it-all rookie became the first player to hit a home run and steal home in a postseason game, propelling the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener. By Fred Goodall. SENT: 880 words, photos.

——————————————

HOW TO REACH US

——————————————-

At the Nerve Center, Richard A. Somma 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.