AP News Digest 7 a.m.

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. Find the AP’s top photos of the day in Today’s Photo Collection. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.

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TOP STORIES

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LEBANON-ISRAEL-EXPLODING-PAGERS — A Taiwanese company says that a firm based in Hungary was responsible for manufacturing the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria in an apparent Israeli operation targeting Hezbollah’s communications network. The Taiwanese company said it allowed its brand to be used on the devices. Pagers used by the militant group Hezbollah exploded near-simultaneously Tuesday in Lebanon and Syria, killing at least 12 people, including two children. Nearly 3,000 were wounded. By Johnson Lai, Justin Pike and Bassem Mroue. SENT: 1,080 words, photos, videos, audio. With EXPLODING-PAGERS-WHAT-TO-KNOW; ISRAEL-LEBANON-REMOTE-OPERATIONS — Israel has a long history of pulling off complex attacks like the exploding pagers; MIDEAST-TENSIONS-YEMEN — US military acknowledges Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down 2 MQ-9 Reaper drones; and MIDEAST-TENSIONS-THE-LATEST — SENT.

ELECTION-2024 — Former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance since Sunday’s second apparent assassination attempt against him, speaking to an crowd chanting “God bless Trump!” and “Fight, Fight, Fight” as U.S. Secret Service agents surrounded the stage to protect him. Earlier in the day, Vice President Kamala Harris struck a measured tone, even steering clear of mentioning Trump by name in an interview with Black journalists that starkly contrasted with the former president’s own highly contentious appearance before the same group. By Steve Peoples, Will Weissert, Adriana Gomez Licon. SENT: 1,110 words, photos, videos, audio. With SECRET SERVICE-TRUMP — The Secret Service again faces scrutiny after another gunman targets Trump; ELECTION-2024-HARRIS — Harris condemns Trump’s rhetoric, says voters should make sure he ‘can’t have that microphone again’; and ELECTION-2024-TRUMP-AUTO-INDUSTRY — Trump pledges tariffs and repeats false claim of Chinese automakers building big Mexican factories — SENT.

ELECTION-2024-HARRIS-ABORTION — A 22-year-old woman who became an abortion rights advocate after she was raped by her stepfather as a child tells her story in a new campaign ad for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. The ad is part of a continued push by the Harris campaign to highlight the growing consequences of the fall of Roe, including in some states where abortion restrictions have no exceptions for rape or incest. By Colleen Long. SENT: 470 words, photos.

FEDERAL-RESERVE — Having all but tamed inflation, the Federal Reserve is poised to do something it hasn’t done in more than four years: Cut its benchmark interest rate, a step that should lead to lower borrowing costs for consumers and businesses just weeks before the presidential election. And yet an unusual air of uncertainty overhangs this week’s meeting: It’s unclear just how large the Fed’s rate cut will be. By Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 750 words, photos.

SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-DIDDY — Sean “Diddy” Combs has been indicted on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy allegations. It comes after 10 months of growing allegations, lawsuits, raids of his homes and an erosion of the public image Combs sought to build since arriving as a hip-hop mogul in the 1990s. Combs pleaded not guilty and his lawyer says he’s innocent. A judge ordered him held without bail as he awaits trial. By Andrew Dalton, Michael R. Sisak, Jennifer Peltz and Larry Neumeister. SENT: 880 words, photos, videos, audio. With DIDDY-THINGS-TO-KNOW; SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-SEAN-COMBS-TIMELINE; and SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-DIDDY-THE-LATEST.

KASHMIR-INDIA-ELECTION — The three-phased election for choosing a local government in Indian-controlled Kashmir opened early in the first such vote since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government stripped the disputed region of its special status five years ago. Authorities deployed thousands of additional police and paramilitary soldiers in the region’s seven southern districts where over 2.3 million residents are eligible to cast their votes and chose 24 lawmakers out of 219 candidates in the first phase of the polling. SENT: 560 words, photos.

HAITIAN-IMMIGRANTS-SPRINGFIELD-THINGS-TO-KNOW — A small Ohio city has been inundated with hoax bomb threats since last week’s presidential debate, when former President Donald Trump falsely accused members of Springfield’s Haitian community of abducting and eating cats and dogs. More than 30 bomb threats have been made against schools, government buildings and city officials’ homes since last week, forcing evacuations and closures. Springfield also canceled its annual celebration of diversity, arts and culture in response to the threats. On Tuesday, state police were deployed to city schools. By Michael Rubinkam and Julie Carr Smyth. SENT: 730 words, photos, audio. With HAITIAN-IMMIGRANTS-SPRINGFIELD — Overseas threats hit the Ohio city where Trump and Vance lied about Haitians eating pets; HAITIAN-IMMIGRANTS-SPRINGFIELD-PHOTO-ESSAY — SENT.

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ONLY ON AP

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SENATE-THUNE — Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is competing intensely to become the next Republican leader in the Senate. He has pledged $4 million to the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, held meetings this spring with every colleague to lock in support and crisscrossed the country to boost Republicans’ bid to win a Senate majority. But Thune’s bid could ultimately hinge on whether Donald Trump gets involved in the leadership election. By Stephen Groves. SENT: 1,250 words, photos, video.

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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES

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NEW ZEALAND-MAORI — On the eve of New Zealand’s Māori language celebration week, the country’s right-wing political leaders ordered public agencies to stop affirmative action policies for Māori people, who are disadvantaged on almost every metric. The lawmakers then posted on social media about their enthusiasm for the Indigenous tongue. By Charlotte Graham-McLay. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

ZIMBABWE-TREE-OF-LIFE — The baobab tree is known as the “tree of life,” and its fruit is feeding a growing global market for natural food and beauty products. But the people picking the fruit in rural Africa say they are barely making enough money to survive. Climate change-induced drought has killed their usual crops. And the pickers accuse middlemen of paying them little for the baobab fruit they spend hours collecting each day. By Farai Mutsaka. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.

PRISON-DIPLOMAS — A top supplier of digital devices for U.S. prisons is launching a new program to help incarcerated individuals earn a high school diploma by using the company’s tablets. Advocates say the expansion in virtual education could hold promise for inmates, many of whom lack basic literacy skills. By Kate Payne. SENT: 870 words, photo.

SRI-LANKA-ELECTION-PLANTATION-WORKERS — Both leading candidates in Sri Lanka’s presidential election are promising to give land to the country’s hundreds of thousands of plantation workers, but the long-marginalized group has heard promises like these before. Sri Lanka’s plantation workers frequently live in dire poverty, but they can swing elections by voting as a bloc. By Eranga Jayawardena and Krishan Francis. SENT: 770 words, photos.

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — Ukrainian drones struck a large military depot in a town deep inside Russia overnight, causing a huge blaze and prompting the evacuation of some local residents, a Ukrainian official and Russian news reports said. Meanwhile, a senior U.S. diplomat said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recently announced, but still confidential, plan for winning the war “can work” and help end the conflict that is now in its third year. SENT: 540 words, photos.

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MORE NEWS

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JIMMY-CARTER-BIRTHDAY-CONCERT — As Jimmy Carter nears his 100th birthday, a musical gala celebrates the ‘rock-and roll president.’ SENT: 1,070 words, photos.

PEOPLE-ANNA-SOROKIN — ‘Fake heiress’ Anna Sorokin debuts on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — with a sparkly ankle monitor. SENT: 350 words, photo, video.

KING-CONGRESSIONAL-AWARD — Billie Jean King set to earn another honor with the Congressional Gold Medal. SENT: 200 words, photos.

HUMPBACK-GULPS-SEAL — A bewildered seal found itself in the mouth of a humpback whale. SENT: 310 words, photos, video, audio.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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CONGRESS-BUDGET — The House is expected to vote on Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal that links the funding of the federal government for the new budget year with a mandate that states require proof of citizenship when people register to vote. Democrats overwhelmingly oppose the measure. SENT: 600 words, photo.

ELECTION-2024-TRUMP-MODI — Former President Donald Trump says he’s meeting next week with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi is scheduled to be in the United States this weekend, along with the leaders of Australia and Japan, for a summit of the so-called Quad hosted by President Joe Biden in his Wilmington, Delaware, hometown. SENT: 200 words, photo.

ALASKA-RUSSIA-MILITARY — The U.S. military has moved about 130 soldiers along with mobile rocket launchers to a desolate island in Alaska amid a recent increase in Russian military planes and vessels approaching the state. SENT: 640 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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TYRE-NICHOLS — A former Memphis police officer testified that he punched a “helpless” Tyre Nichols at least five times while two colleagues held his arms and said, “hit him,” then lied to his supervisor about their use of force in a beating that proved fatal. SENT: 820 words, photos.

SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-HARVEY-WEINSTEIN — Harvey Weinstein is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan on a new indictment charging him with up to three additional sex offenses, his lawyer said. SENT: 390 words, photo.

TITANIC-TOURIST-SUB — A key employee who labeled a doomed experimental submersible unsafe prior to its last, fatal voyage testified that the tragedy could have been prevented if a federal safety agency had investigated his complaint. SENT: 1,060 words, photos, video, audio.

TROPICAL-WEATHER — The Carolinas braced for a storm that forecasters warned could bring heavy rain, as much as 6 to 8 inches in some spots. But one narrow band got a “firehose” that dumped as much as 20 inches in a so-called 1,000-year flood that shocked many with its intensity. SENT: 880 words, photos.

GEORGIA-HIGH-SCHOOL-SHOOTING — Students at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta will return to campus for half-days beginning next week, Barrow County school officials announced, after a Sept. 4 shooting that killed four people and injured nine others. SENT: 420 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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COLOMBIA-REBEL ATTACK — An attack on a military base in eastern Colombia killed two soldiers and injured at least 21, Colombia’s military said, as tensions escalate between Colombia’s government and one of the nation’s largest remaining rebel groups. Colombia’s military blamed the National Liberation Army for the attack, with President Gustavo Petro hinting that the attack will lead to a suspension, or a cancellation of peace talks with the rebel group. SENT: 370 words.

EUROPE-CLIMATE — The European Union’s head office is warning that devastating floods through much of Central Europe and deadly wildfires in Portugal are joint proof of a “climate breakdown” that will become the norm unless drastic action is taken. SENT: 390 words, photos. PORTUGAL-WILDFIRES — Portugal declares a state of calamity as wildfires rage out of control — sent.

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BUSINESS/ TECH

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LONGSHOREMEN-STRIKE-THREAT — Determined to thwart the automating of their jobs, about 45,000 dockworkers along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts are threatening to strike on Oct. 1, a move that would shut down ports that handle about half the nation’s cargo from ships. SENT: 1,400 words, photos. An abridged version is available.

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SPORTS

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FIFA-CONCUSSION — FIFA teamed up with the World Health Organization for a campaign to educate the soccer industry about the risks of concussion injuries. Ten years after the alarming case in the 2014 World Cup final of Germany player Christoph Kramer, world soccer governing body FIFA is sending a toolkit to each of its 211 national federations to help teach at all levels of soccer that symptoms of a head injury can take up to 72 hours to appear. SENT: 310 words, photos.

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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, 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.

Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, reacting during an unscheduled stop to make remarks at Community College of Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Hsu Ching-kuang, chairman of Apollo Gold, talks about the Taiwan company's communication products at the headquarters in New Taipei City, Taiwan Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Johnson Lai)

Civil Defense first-responders carry a man who was wounded after his handheld pager exploded, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024.(AP Photo)

CORRECTS SPELLING OF SOURCE - This photo provided by Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours shows a seal in the mouth of a humpback whale on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in the waters off of Anacortes, Wash. (Brooke Casanova/Blue Kingdom Whale and Wildlife Tours via AP)

Tampa Bay Rays' Jose Siri celebrates after hitting a solo home run off Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

The full Harvest moon rises over 'The Couple' sculpture at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, Tuesday Sept. 17, 2024. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Supporters of National People's Power cheer their leader and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a public rally in Dehiowita, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

A police officer kisses a girl outside a school where a 12-year-old boy stabbed and injured six other children in Azambuja, near Lisbon, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Ana Brigida)

Estrella Bejarano, center, the mother of two children who died after a rain-induced landslide, speaks with Mexico State Governor Delfina Gomez in Naucalpan, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Geese stand on an outdoor table in a flooded neighbourhood in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

A boy wades through a flooded road, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waves to supporters as he arrives for a town hall event at the Dort Financial Center, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Flint, Mich. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dylan Cease pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning and Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Donovan Solano hit consecutive homers in the eighth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 4-0 on Wednesday.

Machado homered twice for the Padres, who won two of three against the Astros and stayed 2 1/2 games ahead of the Diamondbacks and Mets for the first NL wild card. Houston came in with a five-game division lead over Seattle, which hosted the New York Yankees later.

Cease (14-11), who threw his first career no-hitter on July 25 at Washington, took a one-hitter into the ninth before Mauricio Dubón beat out an infield single to shortstop. Cease struck out Jake Meyers but then shortstop Xander Bogaerts booted Jose Altuve's grounder for an error that allowed Dubón to take third, and that was it for the right-hander after 103 pitches.

Cease retired the first 15 Astros batters before allowing a single to right field by Jason Heyward to open the sixth. Cease then retired the side.

Cease said it was probably the third-best start of his career, following his no-hitter and his near no-hitter against Minnesota in 2022 with the Chicago White Sox. That one was broken up with two outs in the ninth by Luis Arraez, who is now his Padres teammate.

“I remember looking up through six or seven and the pitch count was reasonable and I went up to Rueben (Niebla, the pitching coach), and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to get through the eighth and ninth today,'” Cease said. “He said, ‘Hey, just take it one at a time,’ and I said, ‘OK.’ When you get through six with a low pitch count, it's very easy to dream about going further.”

Cease struck out five and walked none. Tanner Scott got two outs for his 21st save, completing the two-hitter.

“Just attacking the strike zone, mixing it up and relying on my defense, really," Cease said.

Padres manager Mike Shildt called Cease “dominant. He was outstanding. Controlled counts, just a ton of life with everything. The ball was jumping. ... He was in control the whole way."

“Dylan Cease is a special talent,” Shildt added.

Machado, who has 29 homers, lined a leadoff shot to left-center against Framber Valdez in the sixth.

Tatis, who struck out in his first three at-bats, hit reliever Kaleb Ort's first pitch into the first row in left-center leading off the eighth. It was his 19th. Machado followed with a shot deep into the seats in left and Solano hit a liner to left, his seventh. That was it for Ort, who threw just nine pitches.

“That was awesome,” Cease said. “Talk about kind of getting some breathing room right there, it was pretty amazing.”

The Padres are closing in on their third playoff berth since 2020. Their 37-17 record since the All-Star break is the best in the majors.

“We beat a really good club out there,” Machado said. “It's fun. We're playing really good baseball. We beat a really good ballclub that we're probably going to be facing later on, so to go out there and play like we did and have Cease throw like he did, it was a good day.”

Of course, if the Astros and Padres meet again, it will be in the World Series.

“We've been playing postseason baseball for the last month,” Machado said. "Every game counts, man. I mean, it’s fun, man. ... It's a little taste of it. This is not over.

“We've always understood what the goal is all year and nothing's changed. We're going to continue to think that way."

Playing in front of three loud sellout crowds at Petco Park provided an atmosphere that was “playoff-caliber, that's for sure," Shildt said. "All three games were nip-and-tuck.”

Valdez (14-7) went seven innings, allowing one run and five hits while striking out six and walking two.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: Arraez got the day off to rest his sore left knee, which he jammed into home plate while being thrown out on Monday night. Arraez started at DH on Tuesday night.

UP NEXT

Astros: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-9, 4.29 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels, who will go with LHP José Suarez (1-2, 6.80).

Padres: Hadn't announced their starter for Friday night's home series opener against the Chicago White Sox.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Houston Astros relief pitcher Kaleb Ort looks on as San Diego Padres' Donovan Solano rounds the bases after giving up his third home run in three consecutive batters to Solano during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres catcher Elias Diaz, second from left, pats starting pitcher Dylan Cease on the chest as Cease exits and third baseman Manny Machado looks on, right, during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease is greeted in the dugout after exiting during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, right, celebrates with teammate Donovan Solano after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado, right, celebrates with third base coach Tim Leiper after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado celebrates after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres' Manny Machado tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease works against a Houston Astros batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease adjusts his hat as he works against a Houston Astros batter during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)