AP News Digest 3:55 a.m.
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TOP STORIES
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIDEN — President Joe Biden and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky make impassioned pleas to Americans not to let their guard down in the fight against COVID-19. Walensky speaks of a “recurring feeling ... of impending doom,” while Biden says the virus will get worse “if we let our guard down now.” By Zeke Miller. SENT: 870 words, photos, video.
GEORGE-FLOYD-OFFICER-TRIAL — A man who was among onlookers shouting at a Minneapolis police officer to get off George Floyd last May was to continue testifying, a day after he described seeing Floyd struggle for air and his eyes rolling back into his head, saying he saw Floyd “slowly fade away ... like a fish in a bag.” By Steve Karnowski and Amy Forliti. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WASTE WORKER VACCINES — An estimated 20 million people around the world help keep cities clean by scavenging through landfills and dumps. Experts say these trash pickers, who sometimes toil alongside paid municipal sanitation workers, provide a vital service, yet they usually are not on a priority list for vaccines against the coronavirus. By Aniruddha Ghosal. SENT: 840 words, photos, video.
EGYPT-SUEZ-CANAL — Experts boarded a colossal container ship that had been stuck sideways for nearly a week in the Suez Canal before it was dislodged as questions swirled about the grounding that had shaken the global shipping industry and clogged one of the world’s most vital waterways. By Samy Magdy. SENT: 750 words, photos.
CHINA-HONG-KONG — China has sharply reduced the number of directly elected seats in Hong Kong’s legislature in a setback for the territory’s already beleaguered democracy movement. By Zen Soo and Ken Moritsugu. SENT: 590 words, photos.
PENCE — When former President Donald Trump was asked to list the people he considers the future leaders of the Republican Party, he left off Mike Pence. Still, the former vice president is steadily reentering public life as he eyes a potential run for the White House in 2024. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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ASIAN-AMERICAN-WOMAN-ASSAULTED — NYPD: Elderly Asian American woman assaulted, suspect sought. SENT: 190 words.
SINGAPORE-ONE-GOOD-THING-FREE-RIDE — A Singapore skyline view for migrant workers. SENT: 500 words, photos.
BLACK HILLS WILDFIRES — Hundreds of homes evacuated, Rushmore closed amid South Dakota fires. SENT: 230 words, photos.
DOG-SHOW-NO-SPECTATORS — Westminster dog show won’t have spectators due to virus. SENT: 220 words, photo.
MURDER SUSPECT-MISTAKEN RELEASE — Murder suspect recaptured after mistaken release from jail. SENT: 240 words, photo.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-GERMANY-ECONOMY — Germany’s biggest industrial union and employers on reach a deal that will give workers a one-time “corona bonus” and envisions an extra annual payment starting next year. SENT: 300 words, photo.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SYRIA — Syrian President Bashar Assad and his wife have recovered from COVID-19 and returned to their regular duties, three weeks after they had tested positive for the coronavirus, the president’s office says. SENT: 360 words, photos.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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BIDEN-INFRASTRUCTURE — Biden is aiming for summer passage of an infrastructure plan that is expected to cost more than $3 trillion, and the White House hopes to take a more deliberate and collaborative approach with the contentious Congress than it did on the COVID-19 rescue package. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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JEFFREY EPSTEIN-ASSOCIATE — Sex trafficking charges were added to the indictment against financier Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend as prosecutors alleged that she groomed a 14-year-old girl to recruit other young females in the early 2000s to provide “sexualized massages” to Epstein in return for cash. SENT: 490 words, photo.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian shares were mostly higher as investors focused on causes for optimism despite a weak close on Wall Street. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 740 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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TIM DAHLBERG-OLD FIGHTERS — Boxing is becoming a sport for the geriatric and anyone with a few million followers on social media who can throw a punch. By Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg. SENT: 900 words, photos.
TOKYO-CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS — The Tokyo Olympics open in under four months and organizers say they are mitigating the risks, but some medical experts aren’t convinced. SENT: 750 words, photo.
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HOW TO REACH US
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At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Hiro Komae (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(at)ap.org or call 877-836-9477.