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AP News Digest 7 a.m.

| October 21, 2020 4:30 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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ONLY ON AP

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SUPREME COURT-BARRETT-GAY RIGHTS — Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett served for nearly three years on the board of private Christian schools that effectively barred admission to children of same-sex parents and made it plain openly gay and lesbian teachers weren’t welcome in the classroom. By Michelle R. Smith and Michael Biesecker. SENT: 3,050 words, photos. An abridged version of 990 words is also available.

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TOP STORIES

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ELECTION 2020 — President Donald Trump hops from one must-win stop on his electoral map to the next in the leadup to a final presidential debate that may be his last, best chance to alter the trajectory of the 2020 campaign. Democrat Joe Biden is taking the opposite approach, holing up for debate prep in advance of Thursday’s faceoff in Nashville. By Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller and Will Weissert. SENT: 880 words, photos, video.

ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-TRANSITION — If Biden defeats Trump next month, he’ll quickly face a new challenge: standing up a new administration to lead a divided nation through a series of historic crises. By Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: 960 words, photo.

ELECTION 2020-OPIOIDS — The coronavirus outbreak and the Trump administration’s response to the pandemic have been a dominating theme in this year’s presidential race. That has overshadowed debate over how to handle the nation’s drug overdose crisis, which has contributed to the deaths of more than 470,000 Americans over the last two decades. The overdose death toll is only getting worse. It reached a new high of 71,000 in 2019, the vast majority related to opioids. By Farnoush Amiri and Geoff Mulvihill. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.

Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

GOOGLE-ANTITRUST — The Trump administration’s legal assault on Google feels like a blast from the past. The U.S. Justice Department filed an equally high-profile case against a technology giant in 1998, accusing it of leveraging a monopoly position to lock customers into its products so they wouldn’t be tempted by potentially superior options from smaller rivals. By Business Writers Michael Liedtke and Marcy Gordon. SENT: 920 words, photos, videos. With GOOGLE-ANTITRUST-5-TAKEAWAYS; GOOGLE-ANTITRUST-EUROPE — U.S. antitrust crackdown on Google echoes Europe’s moves; AUSTRALIA-US-GOOGLE-ANTITRUST — Australian watchdog considers its own Google antitrust case.

NIGERIA-POLICE-PROTESTS — Nigeria’s anti-police protesters stayed on the streets in Lagos, breaking the government curfew following a night of chaotic violence in which demonstrators were fired upon, sparking global outrage. Shots were fired as young demonstrators set up barricades by the Lekki toll plaza in Lagos, where protesters were fired upon the night before, causing injuries and an unknown number of deaths. By Sam Olukoya and Lekan Oyekanmi. SENT: 880 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-URBAN-RENEWAL — Downtown Detroit was returning to its roots as a vibrant city center, motoring away from its past as the model of urban ruin. Then the pandemic showed up, emptying once-bustling streets and forcing many office workers to flee to their suburban homes. By Business Writers Tom Krisher and Michael Liedtke. SENT: 1,200 words, photos, video.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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TROPICAL-WEATHER — Epsilon strengthens to a hurricane as it approaches Bermuda. SENT: 190 words.

AFGHANISTAN — Stampede kills 11 Afghans seeking visas to leave country. SENT: 340 words, photos.

GERMANY-MUSEUM DAMAGE — Report: Exhibits damaged at Berlin museums, unclear by whom. SENT: 310 words.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SKOREA-EDUCATION-GAP — When South Korea began its delayed school year with remote learning in April, that spelled trouble for low-income students who rely on public education, get easily distracted and cannot afford cram schools or tutors used by many in this education-obsessed country. SENT: 900 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — Washington negotiations on a huge COVID-19 relief bill have taken a modest step forward, though time is running out and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pressing the White House against going forward. SENT: 840 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BRITAIN — The South Yorkshire region of northern England is being placed under the country’s tightest restrictions to curb the coronavirus — joining a densely populated swathe of the country where the measures have been imposed despite protests from local politicians. SENT: 410 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BELGIUM — Authorities in Belgium fear another deadly wave of coronavirus cases could soon hit care homes as the country confronts the risk of seeing its hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients, leading them to restrict nursing home visits. SENT: 460 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VATICAN — A day after donning a face mask for the first time during a liturgical service, Pope Francis was back to his mask-less old ways despite surging coronavirus infections across Europe and growing criticism of his behavior and the example he is setting. SENT: 750 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ASIA-GARMENT-WORKERS — The coronavirus pandemic has slammed the apparel industry, leaving many of the 65 million Asian garment factory workers struggling as factories close or cut back on wages. By Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 500 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — The Philippines lift a ban on non-essential foreign trips by Filipinos, but the immigration bureau says the move did not immediately spark large numbers of departures for tourism and leisure. SENT: 440 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LIVES LOST-YOUTH COACH — Lives Lost: Hawaii football coach who prepped kids for life. SENT: 860 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ONE-GOOD-THING-SHABBAT-CAKES — With cakes, solitary Sabbaths sweetened for older Israelis. SENT: 420 words, photos.

Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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SUPREME COURT-ELECTION DISPUTE — With Barrett poised to join the Supreme Court as early as next week, the court’s action in a Pennsylvania voting case has heightened fears among Democrats about the court being asked to decide a post-election dispute and, with it, the winner of the White House. SENT: 630 words, photo.

ELECTION 2020-TRUMP-CHINA — Trump spent a decade unsuccessfully pursuing projects in China, operating an office there during his first run for president and forging a partnership with a major government-controlled company, The New York Times reported. SENT: 500 words, photo.

ELECTION 2020-FLORIDA — Florida’s Pinellas County, with its mixed electorate, is one to watch on election night. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.

ELECTION 2020-OBAMA — Former President Barack Obama is returning to Philadelphia for his first in-person 2020 campaign event for Biden. SENT: 580 words, photo.

UNITED STATES-NORTH KOREA — Trump is defending his North Korea policy at campaign rallies even though he’s joined a list of U.S. presidents unable to eliminate the nuclear threat from Kim Jong Un. SENT: 900 words, photo.

ELECTION-2020-NORTH-CAROLINA-BALLOTS — Time is dwindling for thousands of North Carolina voters to fix absentee voting errors as elections officials hustle out an updated process for handling mail-in ballot problems two weeks before Election Day. SENT: 880 words, photos.

A separate wire advisory has been sent detailing AP's complete Election 2020 coverage.

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INTERNATIONAL

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ELECTION-2020-GLOBAL-PRESSURE-POINTS — Four years after Trump’s election reframed how many nations interacted with the United States, the way that the world’s foremost superpower moves forward after its presidential election stands to impact many geopolitical pressure points — whether the victor turns out to be Trump or Biden. By Tamer Fakahany. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

THAILAND-PROTESTS — Student activists apply to a court to try to revoke a state of emergency that Thailand’s government declared last week in an effort to rein in the country’s growing anti-government protests. SENT: 530 words, photos.

BREXIT — The European Union takes a defiant tone as the standoff over resuming post-Brexit trade negotiations with the United Kingdom intensifies, telling London that “you cannot have your cake and eat it too.” SENT: 800 words, photos.

LIBYA — The U.N. envoy for Libya says the two warring factions have agreed on issues that “directly impact the lives and welfare of the Libyan people,” noting that the thorny work to cement a cease-fire in the restive North African country will continue. SENT: 480 words, photos.

INDONESIA-JAPAN — Japan’s new prime minister pledges to help Southeast Asian nations increase their maritime security capabilities, as he used his first overseas trip as leader to push his country’s vision for greater international cooperation to counter China’s influence in the region. SENT: 530 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-SAHEL CRISIS MEETING — More than 20 donors pledge nearly $1 billion for the three countries at the epicenter of a humanitarian crisis in Africa’s Sahel region for this year and over $700 million for 2021 and beyond, the U.N. announced. SENT: 560 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-PERSIAN GULF SECURITY — Russia’s foreign minister calls for collective efforts to prevent a large-scale war in the Persian Gulf and gets strong support from all Security Council members except the United States, which called Iran the major culprit and urges that it be held accountable for supporting terrorists and destabilizing the region. SENT: 870 words, photo.

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NATIONAL

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IMMIGRATION-SEPARATED-FAMILIES — Court-appointed lawyers say that they have been unable to find parents of 545 children who were separated at the U.S. border with Mexico early in the Trump administration. SENT: 320 words, photo.

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SCIENCE

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ASTEROID GRAB — A NASA spacecraft descended to an asteroid and, dodging boulders the size of buildings, momentarily touched the surface to collect a handful of cosmic rubble for return to Earth. By Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn. SENT: 980 words, photos, videos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL MARKETS — European shares fell after Asian shares advanced as investors welcomed a batch of solid earnings reports from U.S. companies. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 540 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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WORLD SERIES — Clayton Kershaw, Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers leave the Tampa Bay Rays stuck in neutral to open a surreal World Series. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 1,280 words, photos. With WORLD SERIES-SIGHTS AND SOUNDS — Pandemic World Series draws smallest crowd in over century.

TOKYO-COVID-COUNTERMEASURES — Tokyo Olympic officials want the world to know they are working on measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic at next year’s games, even if they don’t know exactly what they will be. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 560 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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MUSIC-CMT-MUSIC-AWARDS — A trio of new hosts will lead fans through a new look at this year’s CMT Music Awards, which replaced the live arena audience with performances in scenic outdoor locations around Nashville, Tennessee. By Entertainment Writer Kristin M. Hall. SENT: 250 words, photo. UPCOMING: Show begins at 8 p.m.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Richard A. Somma can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Courtney Dittmar (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, Phil Holm (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.