AP News Digest 4 a.m.
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ONLY ON AP
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AP-INVESTIGATION-TRACKED — Michael Williams a 65-year-old grandfather from Chicago, sat behind bars for nearly a year accused of murder. But the key evidence against Williams didn’t come from an eyewitness or an informant; instead prosecutors focused on a loud bang picked up by a network of surveillance microphones. Prosecutors said technology powered by a secret algorithm that analyzed noises detected by the sensors indicated Williams shot and killed a man. Last month, a judge dismissed the case against him at the request of prosecutors, who said they had insufficient evidence. By Garance Burke, Martha Mendoza, Juliet Linderman and Michael Tarm. SENT: 3,880 words, photos, video. An abridged version is also available.
JAPAN-NISSAN-KELLY — Nearly three years later, former Nissan executive Greg Kelly is still wondering why the questions that led to his arrest and trial in Japan weren’t simply taken up in the automaker’s corporate boardroom. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 1,240 words, photos, video.
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TOP STORIES
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AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban celebrated Afghanistan’s Independence Day on Thursday by declaring it had beaten the United States but challenges to their rule ranging from running the country’s frozen government to potentially facing armed opposition began to emerge. By Ahmad Seir, Rahim Faiez, Kathy Gannon and Jon Gambrell. SENT: 770 words, photos.
CONGRESS-AFGHANISTAN — Democratic-led congressional committees are vowing to press President Joe Biden’s administration on what went wrong as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan The anger from members of both parties is palpable. By Kevin Freking. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN-DOHA TRAP — President Biden and his national security team say former President Donald Trump’s February 2020 deal with the Taliban set the stage for the chaos that unfolded in Kabul. The claim has some merit, but it’s far from the full story. By Matthew Lee and Eric Tucker. SENT: 990 words, photos.
HAITI-QUAKE — Tensions have been growing over the slow pace of aid reaching victims of a powerful weekend earthquake that killed more than 2,100 people in Haiti and was trailed by a drenching tropical depression. By Mark Stevenson and Evens Sanon. SENT: 820 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GULF-COAST — The U.S. Gulf Coast is glowing like a bad sunburn on maps that show COVID-19 trouble spots in red. Alabama’s coastal counties lead the state in new cases, and some events have been canceled in Florida and Louisiana because of the latest surge. Health officials believe the spike is due to a combination of some of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates, unabated tourism, a disregard for basic health precautions and the region’s carefree lifestyle. By Jay Reeves. SENT: 920 word, photos, video.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-MYANMAR — Independent ethnic organizations that have been providing health care in Myanmar after the collapse of the country’s central health system are now facing serious challenges of their own. Among them: A fierce new wave of COVID-19 cases, a crackdown by the military government, and shrinking support from international donors. By Victoria Milko. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
2020 CENSUS-COLORADO WATER — The northern Colorado city of Greeley is in one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States. But that growth may not be sustainable as the city encounters a problem common in the drought-ravaged West: There may not be enough water to meet future needs. By Matthew Daly. SENT: 1,310 words, photos.
RUSSIA-COUP ANNIVERSARY — The world held its breath 30 years ago when a group of top Communist officials ousted Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and flooded Moscow with tanks. But instead of bringing a rollback of liberal reforms and a return to Cold War confrontations, the August 1991 coup collapsed in just three days and precipitated the breakup of the Soviet Union a few months later. By Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 1,130 words, photos. With AP-WAS-THERE-SOVIET COUP — AP WAS THERE: 1991 Soviet Coup; RUSSIA-C;RONICLING SOVIET COUP — As tanks rolled in 1991, AP photographer sprang into action (both sent).
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MORE ON AFGHANISTAN
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BIDEN-AFGHANISTAN — The speed of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan was a surprise, calling into question President Biden’s fateful decision to delay the emergency evacuation of Americans and allies in an ultimately fruitless effort to buck up the morale of Afghanistan’s fighting force. By Nomaan Merchant and Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN — President Biden says he’s committed to keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means maintaining a military presence there beyond his Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal. SENT: 930 words, photos, video.
UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN-AIRPORT CHAOS — Educated young women, former U.S. military translators and other Afghans most at risk from the Taliban appeal to the Biden administration to get them on evacuation flights. SENT: 900 words, photos.
RUSSIA-BEFRIENDING THE TALIBAN — When the Taliban swept over Afghanistan, Russia was ready for the rapid developments after working methodically for years to lay the groundwork for relations with the group that it still officially considers a terrorist organization. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
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TRENDING NEWS
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ABORTION-RESTRICTION-TEXAS — Appeals court upholds Texas law to ban abortion procedure. SENT: 510 words.
WITCH-PARDON — 8th-graders lead effort to pardon wrongly convicted ‘witch’. SENT: 530 words, photo.
BANGLADESH-HUMAN-RIGHTS — Bangladesh disputes study into alleged forced disappearances. SENT: 340 words, photo.
CHINA-TIBET — China pushes adoption of language, cultural symbols in Tibet. SENT: 410 words, photos.
GREECE-WILDFIRES — Greek wildfire burns through pine forest for 4th day. SENT: 270 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-VACCINE DISTRIBUTION — Several groups are working to get COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries, but the efforts are falling short of what’s needed to curb outbreaks globally. SENT: 390 words.
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NATIONAL
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POLICE-SHOOTING-HAWAII-TEEN-KILLED — A Hawaii judge has rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial. SENT: 790 words, photos.
WESTERN WILDFIRES — A small wildfire swept through a mobile home park, leaving dozens of homes in ashes, the latest in a series of explosive blazes propelled by gusts that have torn through Northern California mountains and forests. SENT: 770 words, photos, video.
JIMMY CARTER-RENAISSANCE — Jimmy Carter is sometimes called a better former president than he was president. The backhanded compliment has always rankled Carter allies and, they say, the former president himself. Yet now, 40 years removed from the White House, the most famous resident of Plains, Georgia, is riding a new wave of attention as biographers, filmmakers, climate activists and Carter’s fellow Democrats push for a recasting of his presidential legacy. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
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INTERNATIONAL
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GREECE-CAVE-ROBOT — Persephone is not your ordinary robot. Billed as the world’s first robot used as a tour guide inside a cave, Persephone has been welcoming visitors to the Alistrati cave in northern Greece since mid-July. The multilingual robot covers the first 150 meters (500 feet) of the tour and a human guide takes over for the rest. SENT: 780 words, photos.
TROPICAL-WEATHER-MEXICO — Hurricane Grace pelted Mexico’s Caribbean coast with heavy rain and strong winds overnight, threatening to keep tourists off the white sand beaches until it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula. SENT: 660 words, photos.
MALAYSIA-POLITICS — Malaysia’s longest-governing political party appeared set to reclaim the premiership it lost in a shock 2018 election result, with its lawmakers summoned to the palace to verify their candidate has enough support to take office. SENT: 620 words, photos.
HONG KONG — Two Hong Kongers pleaded guilty to conspiring to collude with foreign forces as well as Next Digital founder Jimmy Lai to endanger national security, local media reported. SENT: 450 words, photos.
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BUSINESS
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian stock markets retreated after U.S. central bank policymakers made no firm decision on when to unwind their support measures for the economy. SENT: 510 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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US-FALL BOOKS — The fall book season will be packed with new works by such high-profile authors as Jonathan Franzen, Sally Rooney and Colson Whitehead. It will also include novels and stories that refer to or center on the coronavirus. SENT: 1450 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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BBA--ANGELS-TIGERS — Shohei Ohtani hit his 40th homer and pitched eight sharp innings, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers 3-1. SENT: 540 words, photos.
FBN--NFL-ROOKIE QBs — The five QBs selected in the first round made good first impressions in their preseason opener. Only Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson are expected to open the season as starters, though Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Mac Jones could see action sooner than later. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. SENT: 660 words, photos. With FBN--Dolphins-Tagovailoa; stories from select other training camps (sent).
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HOW TO REACH US
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