AP News Digest 6 p.m.

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 in AP Newsroom.

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WEEKEND COVERAGE

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For weekend stories, please click here for the Weekend Lookahead digest.

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NEW AND DEVELOPING: US-WILDFIRES, BOLIVIA-ARMY, GREECE-GAY-PRIDE, ELECTION-2024-JILL BIDEN, NFL-SUNDAY-TICKET-VERDICT-REACTION,US-CAR RAMS SALON, CALIFORNIA-MAILING BANNED LGBTQ+ BOOKS

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TOP STORIES

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ELECTION-2024-AIR-OF-DESPAIR — The sound you might have heard after the presidential debate was of voters falling between a rock and a hard place. Apart from the sizable and pumped-up universe of Donald Trump’s supporters, the debate suddenly crystalized the worries of many Americans, a portion of President Joe Biden’s supporters among them, that neither man is fit to lead the nation. By Calvin Woodward. SENT: 980 words, photos, video.

ELECTION-2024-BIDEN — President Biden is looking to recapture his mojo and reassure donors he’s fully up to the challenge of beating Donald Trump after a troubling performance at their debate. He’s raising money on Long Island and in New Jersey. By Josh Boak and Steve Peoples. SENT: 420 words, photos. Afternoon and evening events scheduled.

SUPREME-COURT – In the last 10 days of June, on a frenetic pace of its own making, the Supreme Court has touched a wide swath of American society in a torrent of decisions on abortion, guns, the environment, health, the opioid crisis, securities fraud and homelessness. And, with the court meeting for the final time this term on Monday, an unusual push into July, the most anticipated decision of the term awaits: whether former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. By Mark Sherman.

UNITED-STATES-ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH — U.S., European and Arab mediators are pressing to keep stepped-up cross-border attacks between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants from spiraling into a wider Middle East war that the world has feared for months. Officials are warning that Hezbollah shouldn’t count on the United States or anyone else being able to hold off Israeli leaders if they decide to execute battle-ready plans for an offensive into Lebanon. And Hezbollah shouldn’t count on its fighters’ ability to handle whatever would come next. By Ellen Knickmeyer and Aamer Madhani. SENT: 1,180 words, photos.

JULIAN-ASSANGE-WIKILEAKS — The abrupt guilty plea by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was the culmination of negotiations that began a year and a half ago and accelerated in recent months. A look at how delicate and secretive talks led to the end, in a Pacific island courthouse, of his 12-year saga. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 1,880 words, photos, video. WITH: JULIAN-ASSANGE-WIKILEAKS-TAKEAWAYS — Things to know about how Assange and U.S. prosecutors arrived at a plea deal. (sent).

REL-DAGESTAN-JEWISH COMMUNITY — Jews in the predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan in southern Russia say they are determined to regroup and rebuild following a deadly attack by Islamic militants on Christian and Jewish houses of worship in two cities last weekend. By Deepa Bharath. SENT: 1.090 words, photos. Eds: This is the Sunday Spotlight.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTION-2024-VICE-PRESIDENT-FLORIDA — Two politicians known to be on Donald Trump’s vice president list are from Florida, as is Trump, and that leaves open a scenario where his running mate would have to move if the Republican ticket wins. Why is that and how might it unfold? SENT: 680 words, photos.

ELECTION-2024-TRUMP-CAPITOL-RIOT — In the first presidential debate, Donald Trump skimmed over the Capitol riot, shifted blame for the violent siege and declined to state unequivocally that he will accept the results of this year’s White House election. President Biden, who has said the work of his presidency is to restore the soul of the nation, flubbed and floundered, failing to forcefully confront, contradict and hold Trump, the indicted former president, accountable for the attack on the election — and democracy. SENT: 850 words, photos.

US-ELECTION-2024-BURGUM — For most of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s two terms in office, he has approached the job like the business CEO he once was and mostly steered clear of social issues that animated many fellow Republicans. Now that he is on a shortlist to be Donald Trump’s running mate, critics say Burgum’s focus has shifted, especially on LGBTQ issues. SENT: 1,480 words, photos. WITH: ELECTION-2024-BURGUM-TAKEAWAYS.

ELECTION-2024-JILL BIDEN - Jill Biden has long been her husband’s chief confidant and public defender. But her role looms larger this year and some Trump supporters question whether she’s the one doing the steering these days. SENT: 830 words, photos.

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ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR

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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — Humanitarian workers have started moving tons of aid that piled up at a United States-built pier off the Gaza coast to warehouses in the besieged territory, the United Nations said Saturday, an important step as the U.S. considers whether to resume pier operations after yet another pause due to heavy seas. SENT: 960 words, photos.

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR

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RUSSIA-SUMMER OFFENSIVE — Slowly but steadily this summer, Russian troops are forging through Ukraine’s outgunned and undermanned defenses along the front line of the battlefield in a relentless onslaught, prompting the West to push for new weapons and strategies to shore up Kyiv. That, in turn, has brought new political demands by President Vladimir Putin of Ukraine’s leadership and threats of retaliation against the West, either directly or by indirect methods. SENT: 1,190 words, photos. WITH: RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-CIVILIAN-CAPTIVES — Ten Ukrainians held prisoner for years have been released from Russian captivity with the Vatican’s mediation. (sent).

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine killed at least 11 people, while rescuers in the city of Dnipro dug through rubble after a Russian strike ripped through a nine-story residential building, leaving one dead, officials said. SENT: 490 words, photos.

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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES

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CUBA-TRANSGENDER-ATHLETE — Ely Malik Reyes stepped onto the platform and began delivering powerful punches and spectacular flying kicks against his combatant. He lost the fight, but won a major victory by becoming the first transgender athlete to officially compete in a Cuban sports league. Reyes, a 26-year-old transgender man, competed for the first time in the male 60/65-kilogram category of sanda, a contact sport that blends martial arts like kung fu with kickboxing. By Andrea Rodriguez. SENT: 640 words, photos, video.

RACIAL-INJUSTICE-VINCENT-CHIN-ACTIVISM — In 1982, Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death with a baseball bat by two white Detroiters, who received no jail time. His story inspired a generation of activists who united across ethnic and cultural lines and still holds resonance for Asian Americans. Law students reenact his trial and Hollywood has adapted his case. Memorial vigils were held nationwide last Sunday, the 42nd anniversary of Chin’s death. By Ryan Doan-Nguyen. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.

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MORE NEWS

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STRANDED-DOLPHINS — Animal rescuers were trying to keep dozens of dolphins away from shallow waters around Cape Cod after 125 of the creatures earlier stranded themselves. SENT: 280 words, photos.

HOAX-BOSTON-EXPLOSION — A former lab manager at Northeastern University has been convicted of staging a hoax explosion at the Boston campus and then lying about what happened to a federal agent. SENT: 410 words, photo.

BBN-METS-JOSE-INGLESIAS — OMG! Mets infielder Jose Iglesias performs his song after win. SENT: 570 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA-MAILING BANNED LGBTQ+ BOOKS - A bookstore in San Francisco is sending boxes of LGBTQ+ books to parts of the country where they are banned. The effort at Fabulosa Books seeks to counter increasing attempts by conservative advocacy groups and lawmakers to get the materials out of public schools and libraries. SENT: 670 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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U.S.-WEATHER — The summer doldrums have set in across much of the United States, with heat advisories being issued from Texas to South Florida. In South Florida, the temperature reached the low 90s before noon on Saturday, largely due to the lack of clouds and rain. Meantime, parts of the southern Plains and many southern states Saturday and excessive heat warnings were issued by the National Weather Service for northeastern Texas, the eastern half of Oklahoma, northern Louisiana and most of Arkansas. SENT: 620 words.

REL-US-TEN-COMMANDMENTS-LAW-LOUISIANA — Christians and Jews believe in the Ten Commandments — just not necessarily the version that will hang in every public school and state-funded college classroom in Louisiana. The required text prescribed in the new law and used on many monuments around the country is a condensed version of the Scripture passage in Exodus containing the commandments. It has ties to The Ten Commandments movie from 1956, and it’s a variation of a version commonly associated with Protestants. SENT: 1,180 words, photo.

UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING-TAKEAWAYS — Two indictments against former Uvalde, Texas, schools police officers were the first charges brought against law enforcement for the botched response that saw hundreds of officers wait more than an hour to confront an 18-year-old gun who killed 21 at an elementary school. But the welcome news for families also brought new frustration that more officers have not been charged. SENT: 760 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA-HOMELESS-FAMILIES — Eight San Francisco women are part of a pilot program to engage more homeless parents in advocacy. The mothers spent six months with a nonprofit learning about the city’s budget process and the homeless services system. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

US-WILDFIRES - More than 200 firefighters were battling a wildfire northeast of Phoenix on Saturday that threatened scores of homes and has forced dozens of residents to evacuate. SENTL 360 words, photos.

US-CAR RAMS SALON - A Long Island man has been arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated after authorities say he crashed his SUV into a nail salon, killing four people and injuring nine others, police said Saturday. SENT: 320 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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IRAN ELECTION — Iran will hold a runoff presidential election pitting a little-known reformist against a hard-line former nuclear negotiator after results released Saturday showed the lowest-ever poll turnout in the Islamic Republic’s history. SENT: 990 words, photos, video.

TROPICAL-WEATHER — Beryl has strengthened into a hurricane in the Atlantic and is forecast to become a major storm as it nears Caribbean. Hurricane watches were in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. SENT: 780 words, photos, audio.

SERBIA-ISRAEL-EMBASSY-SHOOTING — Humanitarian workers have started moving tons of aid that piled up at a United States-built pier off the Gaza coast to warehouses in the besieged territory, the United Nations said, an important step as the U.S. considers whether to resume pier operations after yet another pause due to heavy seas. SENT: 420 words, photos.

BOLIVIA-ARMY- The Bolivian general accused of leading a failed coup was sent Saturday to a maximum-security prison as he faces charges of terrorism and starting an armed uprising. SENT: 240 words, photos.

GREECE-GAY-PRIDE- About 15,000 people have attended the annual EuroPride parade, police say, most of them in support of the LGBTQ+ community in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki amid a heavy police presence. SENT: 510 words, photos.

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BUSINESS

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AI-WORKER EDUCATION — States are trying to help workers beef up their tech skills before they become outdated and get outfoxed by machines that are becoming increasingly smarter. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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NFL-SUNDAY-TICKET-VERDICT-REACTION - Sports leagues have 4.8 billion reasons to review how they distribute out-of-market broadcasts after the judgement against the NFL in the “Sunday Ticket” case in U.S. District Court. SENT: 770 words, photos.

T20-WORLD CUP FINAL - India pulled off a sensational seven-run win against South Africa in a gripping final of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday. SENT: 660 words, photos.

HOW TO REACH US

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The Nerve Center can be reached at 800-845-8450, ext. 1600. For photos, Donald E. King ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.

A man walks on the inside of barricades set up along the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup Celebration parade route on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Amy Beth Bennett /South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

People take photos of rainwater pouring from the roof of the stadium as the match is suspended due to adverse weather during the round of sixteen match between Germany and Denmark at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

President Joe Biden, center right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, arrive on Marine One with granddaughters Natalie Biden, from left, and Finnegan Biden, at East Hampton Airport, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in East Hampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Supporters cheer as President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign rally in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, June. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)

Soldiers return to the government palace after lowering the Bolivian national flag at Murillo square in La Paz, Bolivia, Friday, June 28, 2024, two days after Army troops stormed the government palace in what Bolivia's President Luis Arce called a coup attempt. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Italy's goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in action during a round of sixteen match between Switzerland and Italy at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin, Germany, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A reveller takes part in EuroPride, a pan-European international LGBTI event featuring a Pride parade which is hosted in a different European city each year, in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Greece, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

Brody Malone competes in the floor exercise at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials on Saturday, June 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip walk through a street market in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

India's players celebrate with the winners' trophy after winning against South Africa in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final cricket match at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Saturday, June 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's reset after his disastrous debate performance is looking more like a return to business as usual.

Even as his campaign works to quell Democratic anxiety and reassure spooked donors, Biden has been putting the focus on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump as a threat to the nation, and trying to get back to doing the job of president.

The president's schedule this week includes a briefing on extreme weather, a campaign reception, a Medal of Honor ceremony and the traditional July 4th White House barbecue. Then he's off for a weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware.

Nothing out of the ordinary, it all telegraphed.

But Vice President Kamala Harris, in a Sunday night fundraiser, gave a nod to what she called “the elephant in the room.” The debate, she allowed, wasn't Biden's “finest hour.”

Still, "if we put aside the style points, there was a clear contrast,” she argued, going on to call out Trump as “a threat to our democracy” and “a liar.”

For all of the public efforts to shift the focus back to Trump, though, there have been private discussions on what more Biden could do to counteract what Americans saw during the debate, when he gave convoluted answers, trailed off at times, occasionally stared blankly and sounded raspy-voiced.

There has been talk about whether he should be seen more in public through town-hall style events or interviews and press conferences, which he has generally avoided during his time in office.

But most in his orbit are waiting on more substantial polling to come back in order to assess how bad the damage was before altering course in any substantial way. That's according to four Biden advisers who were not authorized to speak publicly about internal discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Biden's team may not alter anything at all. Many think — or hope — the fraught moment will pass, particularly after Biden's family encouraged him to stay in the race and keep fighting during a huddle at Camp David on Sunday.

Campaign officials said Monday they had nothing to announce on new events. They said Biden would be campaigning as he has been, hitting battleground states as he has already been doing for months.

An ad released Monday was called “I Know” using clips from Biden's post-debate North Carolina rally, where he said, “When you get knocked down, you get back up.”

Quentin Fulks, Biden’s principal deputy campaign manager, put the focus on Trump in a call with reporters, saying, “When you do see President Biden out on the trail, he will be talking about the reasons why Americans should be scared of Donald Trump, as he has been for months.”

Even before the debate, the age of the 81-year-old Democratic president had been a liability with voters, and the prime-time faceoff put the issue front-and-center before perhaps the largest audience he will have in the four months until Election Day. CNN, which held the debate, said more than 51 million people watched.

“I think his age was baked in, to a large degree, and I know he can do better than he did on Thursday night. I expected to see better. I’m not sure other voters did,” said Jennifer Palmieri, a White House communications director during the Obama administration and a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

She added that, tactically, the campaign has responded by promoting Biden’s strong speech in North Carolina on Friday and by continuing to post strong fundraising numbers. Palmieri also said Biden might also want to sit for more interviews to continue to show that the debate was an anomaly.

“Their focus needs to be on getting him in front of voters that matter the most, and more interviews should be part of that. Don’t be like Trump in your own little universe,” she said. “For now, we’re early, but what they’re doing is working."

There's a sense that voters may now be watching Biden more closely for signs that show one way or another whether his debate debacle was a blip — whether he is, as he says, capable of doing the job.

Alan Kessler, a lawyer and member of the Biden campaign’s national finance team, has spent days calming jittery donors, telling them what he says he has personally witnessed when he's seen the president — that he's “lucid, strong as he's always been.”

“To the extent it’s necessary, I’m reassuring people,” Kessler said.

Rebecca Katz, a strategist who worked with Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman’s winning campaign in 2022, saw potential parallels in Fetterman's comeback from a shaky debate performance after he had a stroke.

Fetterman's team highlighted especially bombastic comments his opponent made about abortion during that debate, and also had the candidate travel extensively afterward. He did lots of local television interviews to ensure voters in key markets saw him outside of clips from the debate.

“It’s not a perfect comparison but there is a blueprint for the Biden campaign,” Katz said. “You can have a rough debate night and still win.”

Biden expressed interest in doing at least one interview. At a Saturday fundraiser in East Hampton, New York, Biden said he had spoken with the broadcaster Howard Stern, who had interviewed him in April, where he answered open-ended questions mostly about his early years.

The president told the crowd he was ready for another sit-down with Stern, saying: “I had a great time on his show. And I’m actually going to take a chance in going back.”

The Democratic National Committee and Biden’s campaign, meanwhile, kept up damage control, holding an evening finance call. Over the weekend, they held calls with donors and one with dozens of committee members across the country — some of the most influential members of the party. They offered a rosy assessment of the path forward and gave no opportunity for others on the call to ask questions.

Multiple committee members on the weekend call, most granted anonymity to talk about the private discussion, described feeling like they were being asked to ignore a serious predicament.

Campaign officials have said there was no discussion “whatsoever” of Biden exiting the race nor of any staff shakeups following the debate.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said he thought voters were more concerned with the issues at stake, anyway. “I’ve been at this a while, and I know his work,” Casey said.

The window of opportunity for that is shrinking anyway. The Democratic National Committee has announced that it will use a virtual roll call to formally make him the nominee before the convention begins in Chicago on Aug. 19. But when that will happen and what it will look like is still unclear.

Associated Press Writers Josh Boak, Michael Rubinkam in Scranton, Pa., and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moinse, Iowa contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden, center right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, arrive on Marine One with granddaughters Natalie Biden, from left, and Finnegan Biden, at East Hampton Airport, Saturday, June 29, 2024, in East Hampton, N.Y. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)