AP News Digest 3 am
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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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR- DEVELOPMENTS — Turkey’s defense ministry says the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain has left the port of Odesa. The ministry says the Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship, Razoni, loaded with corn, departed Odesa heading for Lebanon. A statement from the ministry said other ships would also depart Ukraine’s ports through the safe corridors in line with deals signed in Istanbul last month, but did not provide further details. SENT: 300 words, photo. UPCOMING: Developing, will be updated. Also see MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR below.
ASIA-PELOSI — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Singapore, kicking off her Asian tour as questions swirled over a possible stop in Taiwan that has fueled tension with Beijing. Pelosi said she will also visit Malaysia, South Korea and Japan to discuss trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, security and “democratic governance.” She didn’t confirm news reports that she might visit Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing as its own territory. By Eileen Ng and Zen Soo. SENT: 520 words, photo.
ELECTION 2022-SECRETARIES OF STATE – An Arizona lawmaker endorsed by former President Donald Trump who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally that preceded the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol and another lawmaker who also believes the 2020 presidential election results should be overturned are among four Republicans vying for the top elections post in the presidential battleground. By Bob Christie. SENT: 1,360 words, photos. Also see ELECTION 2022 BELOW.
LEBANON PORT BLAST — In the two years since his 3-year-old daughter Alexandra was killed in Beirut's port blast, Paul Naggear has lost hope that national outrage over the massive explosion would put the country on track for change. The investigation has been blocked by an entrenched political class that has driven the economy to ruins. Even the shredded grain silos at the center of the port have been burning for weeks, due to fermenting wheat and grains still trapped inside the building. By Bassem Mroue. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.
SEVERE WEATHER-APPALACHIA-CULTURAL CENTER — A cultural center known for chronicling Appalachian life is cleaning up and assessing its losses. Like much of its stricken region, Appalshop has been swamped by historic flooding. The water inundated downtown Whitesburg in southeastern Kentucky, causing extensive damage to the renowned repository of Appalachian history and culture. By Bruce Schreiner, Anita Snow and Timothy D. Easley. SENT: 730 words, photos.
RECOVERED SPECIES-NEW PROBLEMS — Recovery of some vulnerable species through restoration efforts has made comebacks more difficult for others in peril. Once-endangered animals, including the iconic bald eagle, sometimes jeopardize rarer species such as the great cormorant by eating them or outcompeting them for food and living space. By John Flesher, Christina Larson and Patrick Whittle. SENT: 1,440 words, photos, video.
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MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Even as Moscow’s war machine crawls across Ukraine’s east, trying to achieve the Kremlin’s goal of securing full control over the country’s industrial heartland, Ukrainian forces are scaling up attacks to reclaim territory in the Russian-occupied south. SENT: 870 words, photos.
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ELECTION 2022
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ELECTION 2022-WHAT TO WATCH — In Missouri, scandal-ridden former Gov. Eric Greitens is attempting a political comeback. In Michigan, a crowded field of Republican gubernatorial candidates includes a man charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. In Arizona, a prominent figure in the QAnon conspiracy movement is running for Congress. SENT: 1,290 words, photos.
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TRENDING
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PAST-LOTTERY-WINNERS — Winning lottery jackpot is lucky for some, tragic for others. SENT: 700 words, photo.
OBIT-PAT CARROLL — Pat Carroll, Emmy winner and voice of Ursula, dies at 95. SENT: 470 words, photos.
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NATIONAL
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SHRINKING SCHOOLS — Across the U.S., COVID-19 relief money is helping subsidize big-city schools with shrinking enrollments. When the money runs out in a few years, officials will face a difficult choice: Keep the schools open despite the financial strain, or close them, upsetting communities looking for stability for their children. UPCOMING: 1,230 words, photos by 7 a.m. This is the Tuesday Spotlight.
WESTERN WILDFIRES — Crews battling the largest wildfire so far this year in California braced for thunderstorms and hot, windy conditions that created the potential for additional fire growth as they sought to protect remote communities. SENT: 900 words, photos.
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BUSINESS/ECONOMY
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BOOK PUBLISHERS-ANTITRUST — The government and publishing titan Penguin Random House are set to exchange opening salvos in a federal antitrust trial as the U.S. seeks to block the biggest U.S. book publisher from absorbing rival Simon & Schuster. By Business Writer Marcy Gordon. UPCOMING: 550 words, photos by 6:30 a.m.; trial begins at 9 a.m. With BOOK PUBLISHERS-ANTITRUST-EXPLAINER.
FINANCIAL MARKETS — Shares were mostly higher in Asia after a strong close on Wall Street last week, though the latest manufacturing surveys showed weakening factory activity in the region’s biggest economies. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 570 words, photos.
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SPORTS
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WATSON-DECISION — A decision on discipline for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson following accusations of sexual misconduct is set to be announced. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. SENT: 770 words, photos.
OBIT-BILL RUSSELL — Bill Russell, the centerpiece of the Boston Celtics dynasty and most prolific winner in NBA history, has died at the age of 88. By Sports Writer Jimmy Golen. SENT: 1,510 words, photos. With BILL RUSSELL-APPRECIATION — Bill Russell lived a life like very few others.
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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
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OBIT-NICHELLE NICHOLS — Nichelle Nichols, who broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood when she played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, has died at the age of 89. By Film Writer Lindsey Bahr. SENT: 1,260 words, photos, video. With OBIT-NICHELLE NICHOLS-REACTIONS — “Star Trek” alums, more react to death of Nichelle Nichols.
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HOW TO REACH US
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