AP News Digest 3 a.m.

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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GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL — The Minneapolis police chief testifies that now-fired Officer Derek Chauvin violated departmental policy in pinning his knee on George Floyd’s neck and keeping him down after Floyd had stopped resisting and was in distress. By Amy Forliti and Tammy Webber. SENT: 1,000 words, video, photos. With EXPLAINING GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL-MINNEAPOLIS CHIEF — Chief has sought to reform department. SENT: 620 words, photos; EXPLAINING GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL-DOCTOR — Doctor testifies about Floyd’s heart activity. SENT: 320 words, photo.

EXPLAINING GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICER TRIAL-CHOKEHOLDS — Whether Derek Chauvin performed a technique authorized by his department when he was on top of George Floyd for more than 9 minutes and whether he did it per his training will be key to assessing his guilt on murder and manslaughter charges. By Michael Tarm. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

BIDEN-INFRASTRUCTURE — With an appeal to think big, President Joe Biden is promoting his $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan directly to Americans, summoning public support to push past the Republicans lining up against the massive effort they sum up as big taxes, big spending and big government. By Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. With UNITED-STATES-CHINA-INFRASTRUCTURE — President Joe Biden and Democratic lawmakers are pointing to a booming, ambitious China as they push for trillions of dollars in development spending. By Ellen Knickmeyer and Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 950 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-HESITANT EVANGELICALS — Vaccine skepticism is more widespread among white evangelicals than almost any other major bloc of Americans, recent surveys show. The findings amid the pandemic have aroused concern even within evangelicals, some of whom want to change the dynamic. By National Writer David Crary. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-HAITI — Haiti does not have a single vaccine to offer its more than 11 million people over a year after the pandemic began, raising concerns among health experts that the well-being of Haitians is being pushed aside as violence and political instability across the country deepen. By Evens Sanon and Dánica Coto. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP — The fresh-as-can-be Baylor Bears obliterated wobbly-legged Gonzaga’s march to perfection in an 86-70 runaway in the national title game. It brought this once-downtrodden program’s first national title back home to Waco, Texas. Jared Butler scored 22 points and MaCio Teague had 19 for the Bears, who were ranked second or third in the AP poll all year long — but never first, all because of Gonzaga. The Bulldogs finish the season at 31-1. Indiana’s 1975-76 squad remains the last team to run the table. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 965 words, photos. See more on NCAA Championship below under SPORTS.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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NORTH KOREA-OLYMPICS — North Korea says it will not participate in the Tokyo Olympics because of the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 660 words, photos.

BIG TREE-NO MORE — A sugar maple tree in New Hampshire that is considered one of the largest in the country has been cut down for safety reasons. SENT: 800 words, photos.

PEOPLE-DMX — Supporters and family of the rapper DMX have chanted his name and offered up prayers outside the hospital where he remains on life support. SENT: 200 words, photos.

VOTING RIGHTS-TEXAS — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he won’t throw the ceremonial first pitch as planned at the Texas Rangers’ home opener — the latest jab in a fight that’s pushing corporate America into the political battle over voting rights. SENT: 600 words, photo.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK — European countries scramble to tamp down a surge in COVID-19 cases and ramp up vaccinations. By Rafal Niedzielski and Angela Charlton. SENT: 910 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRITAIN — Britain’s steady march out of lockdown remains on track even as coronavirus cases surge elsewhere in Europe. SENT: 800 words, photos; POLAND-VIRUS-HOSPITAL — Polish hospitals struggled over the Easter weekend with a massive number of people infected with COVID-19. SENT: 470 words, photos.

FRANCE-SECRET RESTAURANTS — French authorities investigate accusations that government ministers and others dined in secret restaurants in violation of pandemic restrictions. SENT: 590 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW YORK’S FIGHT — For seven New Yorkers, a pandemic year’s fight for the future. SENT: 2,470 words, photos, video.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SMALL BUSINESSES-MASKS — Some businesses want masks on, even as states drop mandates. SENT: 850 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOCIAL MEDIA MEMORIES — Memories from earlier in the COVID-19 crisis are popping back up in people’s social media feeds as throwback reminders, reposts and anniversary stories crack open the digital time capsule of the pandemic before it’s even over. That can bring up lots of emotions and complicate the coping. But experts say it also provides opportunities to realize connection and frame how people move forward. By Kantele Franko. SENT: 900 words.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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CAPITOL LOCKDOWN-OFFICER KILLED — A Capitol Police officer killed when a man armed with a knife rammed his car into two officers at a barricade outside the Capitol does not appear to have been stabbed, slashed or shot. SENT: 390 words, photos.

GAETZ-INVESTIGATION — Embattled Rep. Matt Gaetz says he will not leave Congress and denies he “slept with” an underage girl, suggesting that accusations against him by political foes stem from anger that he “loathes the swamp.” SENT: 500 words, photos.

HOUSING-GRANTS — A pandemic-fueled mortgage boom is prompting states to receive nearly $700 million in federal grants from a special program for low-income housing, more than double the amount distributed last year. It’s a boost that the Department of Housing and Urban Development says should produce a tangible leap forward in government low-income housing plans across the country. By Ashraf Khalil. SENT: 500 words, photo.

MCCONNELL-VOTING LAW — Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says it’s a “big lie” to call the new voting law in Georgia restrictive, and he is warning big business to “stay out of politics.” By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 530 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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FRANCE-RWANDA-GENOCIDE — The lead author of a report commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron said France’s role before and during the 1994 Rwandan genocide was a “monumental failure” that the country must acknowledge. His remarks come just days before France will open its archives from the period to the public. Macron’s decision to commission the report and open the archives are part of his efforts to more fully confront the French role in the genocide and to improve relations with Rwanda. By Sylvie Corbet. SENT: 950 words, photos.

JAPAN-NORTH-KOREA-SANCTIONS — Japan extended its own sanctions against North Korea for another two years as Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear weapons without any progress in resolving the abductions of Japanese nationals. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 300 words.

CHINA-TAIWAN — China is holding naval drills involving an aircraft carrier battlegroup near Taiwan it said were aimed at safeguarding Chinese sovereignty, an apparent allusion to Beijing’s claim to the self-governed island. China has been steadily upping its threat to take control of the island militarily with exercises and routine incursions into the island’s air defense identification zone by Chinese warplanes. SENT: 300 words, photo.

MYANMAR — Myanmar’s ruling junta has stepped up its campaign against celebrities who support nationwide protests against its seizure of power, publishing illustrated wanted lists in the state press and warning against using their work. The move follows weeks of escalating violence by security forces in breaking up street protests against the Feb. 1 coup that ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. SENT: 470 words, photos. With MYANMAR-SOLIDARITY-SALES — Myanmar’s online pop-up markets raise funds for protest. By Jerry Harmer. SENT: 470 words, photos.

RUSSIA-PUTIN — Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a law allowing him to potentially hold power until 2036, a move that formalizes constitutional changes endorsed in last year’s popular vote. SENT: 520 words, photos.

JORDAN-STATEMENTS — A lawyer for Jordan’s outspoken Prince Hamzah says mediation in the royal family has been successful and that a resolution of an unprecedented public feud shaking the key Western ally is expected. SENT: 590 words, photo.

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NATIONAL

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2020-CENSUS-PRIVACY — A report from two civil rights groups says a method being used for the first time by the U.S. Census Bureau to protect people’s privacy in 2020 census data could make voting rights enforcement more difficult. The report says the method known as “differential privacy” also could make it harder to ensure congressional and legislative districts have equal populations. By Mike Schneider. SENT: 780 words, photo.

RACIAL-INJUSTICE-MISCONDUCT-INTERVENTION — When a police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd in Minneapolis, other officers at the scene didn’t intervene, even while he said he couldn’t breathe and then stopped moving. That lack of action, seen in videos being replayed in former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice. It has also led several states to compel police to intervene in misconduct. Since Floyd’s death, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Jersey have passed laws requiring police to intervene when they see a fellow officer engaged in misconduct. By Andrew Selsky. SENT: 665 words, photo.

CHICAGO POLICE-SHOOTING — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says she has ordered the police department to capture and bring to justice whoever provided the 13-year-old boy the handgun he was carrying last week when he was fatally shot by a police officer. By Don Babwin. SENT: 740 words, photo.

SUPERMARKET SHOOTING — Police say they have finished collecting evidence at a Colorado supermarket where a gunman killed 10 people two weeks ago, but the store is still closed. A police spokesperson said Monday that the overall investigation into the March 22 shooting is continuing. SENT: 300 words, photos.

TRANSGENDER YOUTH-ARKANSAS — Arkansas’ governor vetoes legislation that would have made his state the first to ban gender confirming treatments for transgender youth. SENT: 700 words, photos.

TEXAS-SIX DEAD — Six people are found dead in a suburban Dallas home after police say two brothers apparently killed four family members and then themselves. SENT: 560 words, photo.

HIV OUTBREAK-WEST VIRGINIA — U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has submitted a congressional inquiry with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding an HIV outbreak in West Virginia’s largest county. The West Virginia Democrat on Monday asked for the inquiry on behalf of the Kanawha County Commission. It comes two months after a CDC official warned that the county’s outbreak was the most concerning in the United States. By John Raby. SENT: 570 words.

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BUSINESS/TECH

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FORECLOSURE-PREVENTION-RULES — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed rules aimed at averting a wave of foreclosures later this year when millions of homeowners are no longer allowed to put off making their mortgage payments. By Alexa Vega. SENT: 250 words.

AMAZON-FIRED-WORKERS — The National Labor Relations Board has found that two outspoken Amazon workers were illegally fired last year. Both employees, Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa, worked at Amazon offices in Seattle and publicly criticized the company, pushing it to do more to reduce its impact on climate change and to better protect warehouse workers from the coronavirus. By Joseph Pisani. SENT: 460 words, photo.

SUPREME COURT-GOOGLE-ORACLE — The Supreme Court says Google did nothing wrong when it copied code owned by Oracle to develop the Android operating system. SENT: 780 words, photos. With SUPREME COURT-TRUMP-TWITTER — Court dismisses case over ex-President Trump’s efforts to block critics from Twitter account. SENT: 800 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-WEINSTEIN — Harvey Weinstein’s lawyers are demanding a new trial more than a year after his rape conviction. SENT: 730 words.

TV-KUNG FU — A reboot of the 1972 series “Kung Fu” debuts this week on The CW at a crucial time for Asian Americans. SENT: 760 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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NCAA Championship-Gonzaga — Gonzaga’s pursuit of a perfect season ended with an out-of-synch showing in an 86-70 loss to Baylor in the NCAA championship game. The Bulldogs had a chance to become the first unbeaten national champion since Indiana in 1976. They never found the same seamless execution that had led them to a 31-0 record. By Aaron Beard. SENT: 670 words, photos. With NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP-PERFECTION DERAILED — Gonzaga joins long list of unbeaten teams to fall in tourney. By Michael Marot. SENT: 580 words, photos. With NCAA-TOURNAMENT-ANALYSIS — Baylor bullied the Bulldogs to win national title. By John Marshall. SENT: 780 words, photos.

STANFORD-BACK ON TOP — With the championship trophy in tow, the Stanford women return to California with the school’s first basketball title since 1992. SENT: 750 words, photos.

RANGERS-PANDEMIC CROWD — The Texas Rangers are set to have the closest thing to a full stadium in pro sports since the coronavirus shutdown. All seats are available for sale for their home opener against Toronto. SENT: 750 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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