AP News Digest 3:20 a.m.

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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CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION — Donald Trump hounded the Justice Department to pursue his false election fraud claims, striving in vain to enlist top law enforcement officials in his desperate bid to stay in power and relenting only when warned in the Oval Office of mass resignations, according to testimony to the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 1,290 words, photos, video. With CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION-TAKEAWAYS — Highlights of Thursday’s hearing (sent).

CONGRESS-GUNS — The Senate approves a bipartisan gun violence bill, clearing the way for expected House passage Friday of what will be Congress’ most far-reaching response in decades to the nation’s run of brutal mass shootings. By Alan Fram. SENT: 1,110 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,200 words after House vote, timing uncertain. With CONGRESS-GUNS-GLANCE — Highlights of the package. SENT: 350 words, photos. SUPREME COURT-GUNS-EXPLAINER. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

BRITAIN-POLITICS — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a double blow as voters rejected his Conservative Party in two special elections dominated by questions about his leadership and ethics. Defeats increase jitters among restive Conservatives who already worry the ebullient but erratic and divisive Johnson is no longer an electoral asset. By Jill Lawless. SENT: 700 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-REPUBLICANS-UNITY — Two days after losing a bitter primary to a rival she once deemed a “sellout” for occasionally working with Democrats, Katie Arrington appeared at a “unity rally” to urge South Carolina Republicans to come together and back Rep. Nancy Mace in the fall general election. The cordial tone is striking in a Republican Party increasingly defined by an absolutist approach to politics. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 770 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN — The death toll from a devastating earthquake in Afghanistan continued to climb days after it turned brick and stone homes into rubble, killing 1,150 people and wounding scores more, according to the latest figures carried in state media on Friday. By Ebrahim Noroozi. SENT: 630 words, photos, videos.

LEBANON-SRI-LANKA-COLLAPSE — Lebanon and Sri Lanka may be a world apart, but they share a history of political turmoil and violence that led to the collapse of once-prosperous economies bedeviled by corruption, patronage, nepotism and incompetence. The toxic combinations led to disaster for both: Currency collapse, shortages, triple-digit inflation and growing hunger. Snaking queues for gas. A decimated middle class. An exodus of professionals who might have helped rebuild. By Zeina Karam and David Rising. SENT: 1,160 words, photos.

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TRENDING

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CHEER STAR-CHILD PORNOGRAPHY — A prosecutor has asked a federal judge to sentence Jerry Harris, a former star of the Netflix documentary series “Cheer,” to 15 years in prison for coercing teenage boys to send him obscene photos and videos of themselves and soliciting sex from minors at cheerleading competitions. SENT: 480 words, photo.

NANCY PELOSI-HUSBAND CHARGED — Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, was charged with driving under the influence in connection with a crash he was in last month. SENT: 320 words, photos.

FRATERNITY-HAZING-INVESTIGATION — The family of a student who died from alcohol poisoning while pledging a fraternity sued Bowling Green State University on Thursday, alleging the Ohio school knew about but didn’t stop hazing in Greek life there and should be held responsible. SENT: 160 words.

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RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — The European Union’s leaders have agreed to make Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, setting in motion a potentially yearslong process that could draw the embattled country further away from Russia’s influence and bind it more closely to the West. The decision by the 27-nation bloc to grant Ukraine candidate status Thursday was uncharacteristically rapid. Ukraine submitted its application just a few days after Russia invaded on Feb. 24. By Samuel Petrequin and Mike Corder. SENT: 760 words, photos.

UKRAINE-WAR-ROMANIA-GRAIN — With Ukraine’s seaports blockaded or captured by Russian forces, neighboring Romania’s Black Sea port of Constanta has emerged as a main conduit for the war-torn country’s grain exports amid a growing world food crisis. SENT: 720 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS

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CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION-TRUMP JUSTICE OFFICIAL — Federal agents search a former top Justice Department official’s home and seize records from key Republicans in at least four states linked to Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, in clear signs that authorities are ramping up their investigation of associates of the former president. By Michael Balsamo, Eric Tucker and Nomaan Merchant. SENT: 860 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-BIRX — Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as the COVID response coordinator under President Trump, says the lack of a clear, concise and consistent message in the earliest months of its spread resulted in inaction across the federal government. SENT: 690 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-FAUCI — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, says his COVID-19 recovery is an “example” for the nation on the protection offered by vaccines and boosters. SENT: 170 words, photo.

HARRIS-ABORTION — Vice President Kamala Harris has met with attorneys general from seven Democratic-led states. She suggested Thursday that they might be able to lead legal challenges of any new state abortion restrictions that grow out of an upcoming Supreme Court ruling expected to weaken the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. SENT: 430 words, photo.

STUDENT DEBT — The Biden administration has agreed to cancel $6 billion in student loans for about 200,000 former students who say they were defrauded by their colleges, according to a proposed settlement in a Trump-era lawsuit. SENT: 820 words, photo.

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ELECTIONS

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ELECTION-2022-NEVADA — Facing a deadline to certify results from the recent primary election, officials in Nevada’s least populated county were planning another hand count as a way to prove to residents that their votes count and that the voting process works. SENT: 850 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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PHILIPPINES-ELECTION-ONE-FAMILY'S-STORY — Filipino Americans are expressing a range of emotions after voters in their homeland overwhelmingly elected the son of the nation’s former dictator as president. Rochelle Solanoy in Alaska says she voted for Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. because she believes he can bring a return to the country’s “golden years.” But Susan Tagle in California voted for his primary rival, outgoing Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo. She said the election makes her question if the grassroots movement that ousted Marcos’ father in the 1980s was in vain. Marcos Jr. won in a landslide, but his victory was much narrower among eligible Filipino voters in the U.S. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

TAIWAN-HONG-KONG-DIASPORA — For Lam Wing-kee, a Hong Kong bookstore owner who was detained by police in China for five months for selling sensitive books about the Communist Party, coming to Taiwan was a logical step. An island just 400 miles from Hong Kong, Taiwan is close not just geographically but also linguistically and culturally. It offered the freedoms that many Hong Kongers were used to and saw disappearing in their hometown. SENT: 930 words, photos.

KOREAS-TENSIONS — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on his nuclear arms buildup to overwhelm “hostile forces” at a key meeting where military leaders approved unspecified new operational duties for frontline army units. SENT: 840 words, photos.

BRAZIL-CHILD-ABORTION — Brazilian prosecutors say that a raped 11-year-old girl had received a legal abortion after a judge blocked her for weeks from ending her pregnancy. SENT: 490 words, photos.

MEXICO-VIOLENCE — Four police officers were shot to death after being drawn into an ambush in western Mexico, and as many as eight suspected attackers were killed in a gunbattle with other police who rushed to the site, authorities say. SENT: 430 words.

JAPAN-US-MILITARY — The U.S. Navy’s top commander in the Pacific and the Japanese defense minister says that close cooperation between their naval forces is more important than ever in the region amid rising tensions over China, North Korea and Russia. SENT: 280 words, photos.

INDIA-AFGHANISTAN — India said it sent a technical team to Kabul to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian assistance after a powerful earthquake in eastern Afghanistan that state media reported killed 1,000 people. SENT: 260 words, photo.

EQUADOR-PROTESTS — One man was killed and dozens injured during the 12th day of protests led by Indigenous people demanding that Ecuador’s government cut fuel prices, put price controls on food and spend more on education. SENT: 260 words, photos.

MOLDOVA-EU-CANDIDACY — The European Union has announced that it has granted EU candidate status to Moldova, a poor non-NATO Eastern European country bordering war-torn Ukraine, which likely won’t enjoy the perks of full bloc membership for years to come. SENT: 440 words, photo.

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NATIONAL

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GABBY-GIFFORDS-MOVIE — In the two years documentary filmmakers shadowed former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, the most jarring moment for them was in the kitchen of her Tucson, Arizona, home. As cameras were rolling, she and her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, nonchalantly opened the freezer. Kelly grabbed a plastic container and revealed it holds the piece of Giffords’ skull that had to be removed after she was shot. SENT: 1,020 words, photos, video.

CHRISTMAS-PARADE-SUV-EXPLAINER — A man accused of driving his SUV through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee last year, killing six people and injuring dozens more, this week served notice he will try to persuade a jury that he was mentally ill during the incident and if convicted should go to an institution instead of prison. SENT: 980 words, photos.

PRIDE-MARCHES — LGBTQ Pride commemorations that sometimes felt like victory parties for civil rights advances are grappling this year with a darker atmosphere, a national environment of ramped-up legislative and rhetorical battles over sexual orientation and gender identity. SENT: 760 words, photos.

NIPSEY-HUSSLE-TRIAL — A judge issued a warrant for an eyewitness to the shooting death of rapper Nipsey Hussle for failing to appear to testify at the trial of the man charged in the slaying, and in his absence a police detective testified on the reluctance of witnesses that has marked the case. SENT: 740 words, photos.

BUILDING COLLAPSE-MIAMI — A year ago in the middle of the night, a 12-story oceanfront condo building in Surfside, Florida, came down with a thunderous roar, leaving a giant pile of rubble and claiming 98 lives — one of the deadliest collapses in U.S. history. SENT: 500 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VACCINES-MODERNA — An expert panel backed a second COVID-19 vaccine option for kids ages 6 to 17. Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously Thursday to recommend Moderna’s shots as an option for school-age kids and adolescents. SENT: 280 words, photo.

UNITED STATES-HAVANA-SYNDROME — The State Department is preparing to compensate victims of mysterious brain injuries colloquially known as “Havana Syndrome” with six-figure payments, according to officials and congressional aides. Current and former State Department staff and their families who suffered from “qualifying injuries” will receive payments of between roughly $100,000 and $200,000 each, the officials and aide said. SENT: 414 words.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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CLIMATE-CHANGE-HEAT-WAVE — From the normally chilly Russian Arctic to the traditionally sweltering American South, big swaths of the Northern Hemisphere continued to sizzle with extreme heat as the start of summer more resembled the dog days of August. SENT: 670 words, photos.

NASA-MOON-ROCKET — NASA says it has finished testing its huge moon rocket. The space agency said Thursday it will move the 30-story rocket back to the launch pad in Florida in late August. SENT: 170 words, photo.

SCI—WORLD LARGEST BACTERIUM — Scientists have discovered the world’s largest bacterium in a Caribbean mangrove swamp. Most bacteria are microscopic, but this one is about one-third of an inch and can be seen with the naked eye. Scientists say it is by far the largest bacterium known to date. SENT: 360 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Shares were higher in Asia, tracking gains on Wall Street, where the market is headed for its first weekly gain after three weeks of punishing losses. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index added 0.9% to 26,411.64 and the Kospi in Seoul jumped 1.8% to 2,356.38. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 1.4% to 21,567.30 and the Shanghai Composite index added 0.4% to 3,334.67. SENT: 670 words, photo.

JAPAN-TOYOTA-RECALL — Toyota is recalling 2,700 bZ4X crossover vehicles globally for wheel bolts that could become loose, in a major setback for the Japanese automaker’s ambitions to roll out electric cars. SENT: 290 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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FILM-MARCEL-THE-SHELL-WITH-SHOES-ON — Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp were at a bit of a career crossroads when they manifested Marcel, a one-inch-tall seashell with a tiny voice and a big heart. Slate had recently been let go from “Saturday Night Live” after one season and wasn’t sure if she’d get another chance to do comedy professionally again. Fleischer-Camp, meanwhile, had dreams of directing but nothing had stuck yet and he was feeling stalled. It was in this time of uncertainty that they found themselves at a wedding, sharing a hotel room with about five other people to save money. Slate started speaking in a little, funny voice. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT: 960 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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BKN-NBA DRAFT — The Orlando Magic selected Duke freshman Paolo Banchero with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. After leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season, the 6-foot-10 forward was called first by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to begin the draft, beating out fellow first-year forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. SENT: 750 words, photos. With team separates, and other separates on merit.

BKN-NBA DRAFT-MAGIC — Paolo Banchero has been insisting for weeks that he believes he’s the best prospect in the NBA draft. The Orlando Magic agree with him. The first pick in Thursday’s draft brought the first mild surprise, when the Magic chose the Duke forward with the No. 1 selection. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 860 words, photos.

HKN-STANLEY CUP PREVIEW — The Colorado Avalanche are one win away from their third Stanley Cup title since relocating to Denver in 1995-96. Game 5 against Tampa Bay will be in front of their home fans. It won’t be easy to secure. By Pat Graham. SENT: 740 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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