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AP News Digest 3:30 a.m.

Via AP news wire
Friday 15 July 2022 03:34 EDT

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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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SRI-LANKA — Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s interim president until Parliament elects a successor to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who resigned after mass protests over the country’s economic collapse forced him from office. By Krutika Pathi, Krishan Francis and Bharatha Mallawarachi. SENT: 910 words, photos, video.

BIDEN-MIDEAST-SAUDIS-HUMAN-RIGHTS — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reputation as a brazen leader who has ruthlessly silenced critics and dissent will cast a shadow over his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden. By Aya Batrawy. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.

BIDEN-MIDEAST — When President Joe Biden heads to the occupied West Bank for talks with Palestinian leaders, he will have little to offer beyond U.S. money aimed at buying calm. He’s expected to announce $316 million in financial assistance and a commitment from Israel to modernize wireless access for Palestinians. But although Biden will reiterate his support for an independent Palestinian state, there’s no clear path to one. By Aamer Madhani, Joseph Krauss and Chris Megerian. SENT: 1,150 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,200 words after 3:20 a.m. joint statements.

ELECTION 2022-SENATE-PENNSYLVANIA — Democrat John Fetterman, who’s in in one of the most competitive U.S. Senate races, has been fundraising, advertising on TV and grabbing attention with snarky social media posts. But he’s yet to return to Pennsylvania’s campaign trail in a significant way since a May 13 stroke. By Marc Levy. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.

CLIMATE-DIRECT ACTION — Climate activists in Germany and across Europe are escalating their tactics in a bid to prompt more government action on climate change. In Germany, protesters are gluing themselves to roads, severely inconveniencing motorists and causing uproar among some local politicians and tabloid media. The number participating in more radical demonstrations is also growing. By Frank Jordans. SENT: 930 words, photos.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-DEVELOPMENTS — Russian missiles struck a city in central Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others far from the front lines, Ukrainian authorities said. Ukraine’s president accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians in locations without military value. By Maria Grazia Murru and Hanna Arhirova. SENT: 1,230 words, photos.

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TRENDING

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ABORTION-CHILD-RAPE-ARREST — The lawyer for an Indiana doctor at the center of a political firestorm after speaking out about a 10-year-old child abuse victim who traveled from Ohio for an abortion has said that her client provided proper treatment and did not violate any patient privacy laws in discussing the unidentified girl’s case. SENT: 640 words, photos.

CANADA-AIR INDIA BOMBING — A man acquitted in a terrorist bombing that killed 329 people aboard an Air India flight in 1985 was slain Thursday in a possible targeted shooting, Canadian authorities say. SENT: 400 words, photos.

ECUADOR-EARTHQUAKE — An earthquake of preliminary magnitude 5.7 shook Ecuador’s coast Thursday, causing one death when a teenager was electrocuted by a fallen power line, authorities say. SENT: 110 words.

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MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR — Never in the history of warfare have drones been used as intensively as in Ukraine, where they often play an outsized role in who lives and dies. Russians and Ukrainians alike depend heavily on unmanned aerial vehicles to pinpoint enemy positions and guide their hellish artillery strikes. But after months of fighting, the drone fleets of both sides are depleted. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.

ATH-WORLDS-COE — The leader of the global track and field said it would have been “inconceivable” to have allowed Russians into this week’s world championships given the country’s war against Ukraine. At his news conference on the eve of the championships, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said there was no budging from the position the federation took shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 450 words, photos. With ATH--Worlds-Omanyala’s Race; ATH—Worlds-Felix’s Footprint.

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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS

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CONGRESS-ABORTION — The House is expected to vote on two bills that would restore and guarantee abortion access nationwide as Democrats make their first attempt at responding legislatively to the Supreme Court’s seismic decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The legislation stands almost no chance of becoming law, with support lacking in the 50-50 Senate. By Farnoush Amiri. SENT: 870 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after House votes, timing uncertain.

CONGRESS-BUDGET — Sen. Joe Manchin will oppose an economic measure he’s been negotiating with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer if it includes climate or energy provisions or boosts taxes on the rich or corporations, a Democrat briefed on the conversations says, delivering a stunning blow to one of the party’s top election-year priorities. By Alan Fram. SENT: 520 words, photo.

OBIT-IVANA TRUMP — Ivana Trump, a skier-turned-businesswoman who formed half of a publicity power couple in the 1980s as the first wife of former President Donald Trump and mother of his oldest children, has died in New York City, her family has announced. She was 73. By Jill Colvin and Jennifer Peltz. SENT: 1,030 words, photos, video.

CONGRESS-COMPUTER CHIPS — A bill that would provide grants, tax credits and other incentives for computer chip manufacturing may soon see action in the Senate. SENT: 350 words, photo.

ELECTION 2024-GOP GOVERNORS ABORTION — Gov. Kristi Noem had pledged to “immediately” call a special legislative session to restrict abortion rights in South Dakota if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, but nearly three weeks after that ruling the first-term Republican remains unusually quiet about exactly what she wants lawmakers to pass. Noem, widely considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate, isn’t the only GOP governor with national ambitions who followed up calls for swift action with hesitancy. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-MICHIGAN GOVERNOR — A lawsuit has been filed in Michigan to try to disqualify a Republican candidate from the governor’s race. The lawsuit says Ryan Kelley should be declared an insurrectionist whose votes won’t count because of his role in the U.S. Capitol riot in 2021. SENT: 350 words, photo.

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NATIONAL

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EMMETT-TILL — The white woman who accused Black teenager Emmett Till of making improper advances before he was lynched in Mississippi in 1955 says she neither identified him to the killers nor wanted him murdered. SENT: 980 words, photos, video.

SCHOOL-GUNS-GEORGIA — Georgia’s second-largest school district has approved a policy allowing some employees who aren’t certified police officers carry guns in schools, but excluded teachers from those who can be armed. SENT: 690 words, photos.

BUFFALO-SUPERMARKET-SHOOTING — The names of the 10 Black people massacred by a white gunman were read aloud Thursday outside the Buffalo supermarket where they died, two months after the racist attack. A bell tolled after each name at a ceremony marking the store’s reopening. SENT: 780 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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JAPAN-ABE-UNIFICATION-CHURCH-EXPLAINER — The assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has unearthed long-suspected, little-talked-of links between him and a religious group that started in South Korea but has spread its influence around the world. By Mari Yamaguchi. SENT: 1,150 words, photos.

G20-FINANCE — Top financial officials from the Group of 20 leading rich and developing nations met on the Indonesian island of Bali seeking strategies to counter the economic fallout from the war in Ukraine, inflation and other global crises. SENT: 720 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-HAITI — The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote Friday on a resolution that calls on all countries to stop the transfer of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to any party supporting gang violence and criminal activity in Haiti, which has seen an upsurge in bloodshed and kidnappings. SENT: 660 words, photos.

PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA-ELECTION — Papua New Guinea police shot a young mother dead at a polling station in the capital, Port Moresby, in the latest violence to mar national elections, according to a news report. SENT: 480 words, photo.

PAKISTAN-SOLDIER-KILLED — Pakistani forces backed by helicopters killed at least nine separatists after the outlawed group abducted and executed an army officer, government and security officials say. SENT: 390 words, photos.

CHINA-XINJIANG — Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited the northwestern Xinjiang region this week amid concerns over China’s detention of a million or more members of primarily Muslim ethnic native minorities. SENT: 210 words, photos.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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ABORTION-EXPLAINER-GESTATIONAL AGE — The abortion bans taking effect after the nation’s highest court overturned Roe v. Wade vary greatly in how they define when a pregnancy can be ended. Here’s a look at how gestational age is determined and how states use that metric to ban abortion. SENT: 480 Wwords, photo.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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ARGENTINA-IMPORTS — Business leaders across Argentina are scrambling as they try to deal with a fresh rash of import restrictions that many say are the most stringent in recent history as the government tries to shore up diminishing Central Bank reserves. Some are warning that the situation could lead to widespread shortages if companies are unable to import goods that are essential to keep factory lines operating. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Share prices were mixed in Asia on Friday after China reported its economy contracted by 2.6% in the last quarter as virus shutdowns kept businesses closed and people at home. U.S. futures and oil prices edged higher. SENT: 680 words, photos.

CHINA-ECONOMY — China’s economy contracted in the three months ending in June compared with the previous quarter after Shanghai and other cities shut down to fight coronavirus outbreaks, but the government said a “stable recovery” is under way after businesses reopened. SENT: 660 words, photos

MUSK-TWITTER-CHANCERY COURT-EXPLAINER — Twitter Inc.’s lawsuit to force billionaire Elon Musk to make good on his promise to buy the social media giant will be resolved in a small but powerful Delaware court that specializes in high-stakes business disputes. Twitter has sued Musk in Delaware’s Court of Chancery in an effort to force him to complete a $44 billion takeover deal reached in April. SENT: 920 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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PEOPLE-KARDASHIAN BABY — A representative for Khloe Kardashian confirms she and ex Tristan Thompson have conceived a sibling for daughter True via surrogate. SENT: 160 words, photo.

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SPORTS

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GLF--BRITISH OPEN — Cameron Young carries a two-shot lead over Rory McIlroy into the second round of the British Open at St. Andrews after an opening 8-under 64. Tiger Woods has plenty of work to do to make the cut after a first-round 78, his second-worst score in his Open career. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos (2nd round underway). With GLF--British Open-The Latest, GLF--British Open-Notebook, GLF—British Open-Glance, GLF—British Open-Key Hole; GLF—British Open-Young; GLF-British-Open-Slow Play; GLF-British-Open-Woods; GLF—British Open-Mickelson (sent).

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Daniel P. Derella (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.

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