Here are the latest Top News stories from The Canadian Press. All times are Eastern unless otherwise stated. Coverage plans are included when available. Entries are subject to change as news develops.

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TOP HEADLINES:

COVID-19 vaccine benefits society: B.C. health minister

Edmonton doctors form opioid response committee

Royal Conservatory School renamed for Peterson

Leaders gird for round two ahead of English debate

Canadians on Qatari flight out of Kabul

Alberta health system at 'boiling point': doctors

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NEW TOP STORIES SINCE THE LAST ADVISORY:

COVID-19 vaccine benefits society: B.C. minister

COVID-BC

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia's health minister admonished on Thursday those who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and have staged protests against the province's vaccine passport outside hospitals.  Wire: Prairies/BC.

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Edmonton doctors form opioid response committee

Alta-Opioid-Panel

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada -- Spiking overdose deaths and inaction by the Alberta government have prompted a group of Edmonton physicians to form an opioid poisoning committee to address the escalating crisis.  Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1

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Royal Conservatory School renamed for Peterson

MUSIC-Oscar-Peterson-School

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- The Royal Conservatory of Music is honouring Canadian jazz pianist Oscar Peterson by renaming its community school after the late alumnus.  Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1

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UPDATED TOP NEWS STORIES:

Leaders gird for round two ahead of English debate

FedElxn-Campaign

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- Five federal party leaders are licking their wounds and prepping their zingers after an occasionally testy debate yesterday that came ahead of tonight's first and only one in English.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Canadians on Qatari flight out of Kabul

Cda-Afghanistan

Ottawa, ,  -- Senior government officials say an unknown number of Canadians are among around 200 foreigners who flew out of Afghanistan on a commercial flight today.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Alberta health system at 'boiling point': doctors

COVID-Alta-Hospitals

Calgary, Alberta, Canada -- Alberta's health-care system is on the verge of collapse, warns a group of physicians who are pleading with the government to strengthen public health measures to fend off a relentless fourth wave of COVID-19. By Alanna Smith.  Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1

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Many students in Ontario head back to school

COVID-Back-to-School

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Parents said they were excited but nervous as they dropped kids back at the first day of classes in Ontario's largest school boards, which began Thursday amid a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections. By Liam Casey and Holly McKenzie-Sutter.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

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Supreme Court won't hear Nygard bail appeal

Fashion-Nygard-Arrest

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The Supreme Court of Canada won't hear a bail appeal from a Canadian fashion mogul who is facing trafficking and racketeering charges in the United States.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Off-reserve Indigenous group takes case to UN

Indigenous-UN-Complaint

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada -- The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is filing a legal complaint against the Canadian government with the United Nations Human Rights Committee, alleging discrimination against off-reserve and non-status Indigenous People.  Wire: National.

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Mass shooting inquiry in N.S. submits subpoenas

NS-Mass-Shooting-Inquiry

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- The inquiry investigating the mass killing in Nova Scotia that claimed 22 lives last year has filed almost 50 subpoenas to compel the release of information from several organizations, including the RCMP.  Wire: Atlantic, National. Photos: 1

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N.S. won't initially police proof of vaccination

COVID-NS

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada -- Nova Scotia's premier says the province won't initially set up an enforcement team to ensure compliance with rules requiring people to show proof of vaccination documents for many non-essential activities.  Wire: Atlantic.

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Bank of Canada outlines rate hike plan

BOC-Speech-Macklem

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank plans to increase interest rates before it reduces the size of its government bond holdings, although its timing on the rate hike will depend on the economic recovery. By Salmaan Farooqui.  Wire: Business. Photos: 1

See also:

Canadian banks look to U.S. for growth

Bank-CEO-Summit

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Canadian bank CEOs say they are looking to grow their U.S. operations as the country shows a strong economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. By Ian Bickis.  Wire: Business. Photos: 1

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9/11 day of 'so much misery' but new bonds forged

Sept11-Anniversary-Newfoundland

Gambo, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada -- Every Friday evening, Steve Badcock pours himself a drink and flips open his laptop to video chat with a close friend he met because of a terrorist attack in New York City and its ripple effect across the skies. By Sarah Smellie.  Wire: Atlantic, National. Photos: 1

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Hurricane Larry to bring waves, heavy rain to N.L.

Wea-Hurricane-Larry-Cda

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada -- Hurricane Larry is on track to sweep across eastern Newfoundland tomorrow, bringing waves, rain and possibly coastal flooding.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

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Coroner hears of awful state of Quebec care home

Mtl-Coroner-Investigation

Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- A coroner's inquest into deaths at a suburban Montreal long-term care home is hearing from a former manager who acted as an intermediary between the local health authority and the owners of the facility.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Strategies needed for Ontario opioid crisis

Ont-Opioids

Ontario's science table says a wide variety of strategies must be implemented to help tackle the opioid crisis, which has worsened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec.

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45 complaints filed against Montreal archdiocese

Mtl-Diocese-Ombudswoman

Montreal, ,  -- The independent ombudswoman hired by the Montreal Roman Catholic archdiocese to investigate allegations of abuse and other inappropriate behaviour says 45 complaints have been filed against the church since her mandate began in May. By Morgan Lowrie.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Advocate for Indigenous women, Diem Saunders, dies

NL-Diem-Saunders

Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada -- Police in Labrador are investigating the death Tuesday of Inuk writer and advocate for Indigenous women Diem Saunders, formerly known as Delilah Saunders.  Wire: Atlantic. Photos: 1

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U.S. prosecutors may offer plea deal in ricin case

Ricin-White-House-CDA

Washington, Washington, D.C., United States -- A United States federal prosecutor says his office is working on a plea deal that could be offered to a Quebec woman accused last year of sending poison to former president Donald Trump.  Wire: National. Photos: 1

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Mexican wildfire fighters set to leave B.C.

Wildfires-BC

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada -- British Columbia's wildfire service says firefighters from Mexico will begin heading home this weekend after battling blazes since late July.  Wire: Prairies/BC. Photos: 1

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Quebec reports 703 new COVID-19 cases, one death

COVID-Que

Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Quebec is reporting 703 new cases of COVID-19 today and one additional death linked to the disease.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec. Photos: 1

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Ontario reports 798 new cases of COVID-19

COVID-Ont

Ontario is reporting 798 new cases of COVID-19 today and three more deaths linked to the virus.  Wire: Ontario/Quebec.

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Tree on your property? Check your insurance policy

Money-Monitor

Calgary, Alberta, Canada -- When a severe storm ripped through parts of southern Ontario on Aug. 26, the old maple tree in Valerie Falcone's front yard was one of the casualties. By Amanda Stephenson.  Wire: Business. Photos: 1

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TIFF shines a spotlight on 'Scarborough'

FILM-TIFF-Scarborough

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Author and screenwriter Catherine Hernandez is excited to introduce audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival to a different side of the city. By Adina Bresge.  Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1

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TIFF kicks off another hybrid edition

FILM-TIFF-Opens

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off Thursday with an emphasis on the big screen and big pandemic precautions. By Victoria Ahearn.  Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1

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'Moonshine' creator mines N.S. roots for series

TV-Moonshine

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Driving onto the set of her new Nova Scotia series "Moonshine," creator Sheri Elwood can see her mother's house and her family's campground. Sometimes her dad zips by in a golf cart. By Victoria Ahearn.  Wire: Entertainment. Photos: 1

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COMING LATER:

 NEW YORK -- Coverage of Canada's Leylah Fernandez vs. Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the semifinals at the U.S. Open. Reporter James McCarten is staffing.

WHITEHORSE – Yukon’s acting chief medical officer of health, Dr. Catherine Elliott, and deputy education minister of Nicole Morgan answer questions on COVID-19 and schools in the territory. 3 p.m. (PDT) (Reporter Amy Smart is covering.) (edited) 

EDMONTON - Minister of Health Tyler Shandro and Alberta chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw will announce steps to help reduce pressure on hospitals and provide an update on COVID-19 and the ongoing work to protect public health. 3:30 p.m. (Reporter Dean Bennett is covering.)

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LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE STORIES:

The LJI is a federally funded program to add coverage in under-covered areas or on under-covered issues. This content is delivered on the CP wire in the "Y" or spare news category, or you can register to access it at https://lji-ijl.ca. This content is created and submitted by participating publishers and is not edited by The Canadian Press. Please credit stories to the reporter, their media outlet and the Local Journalism Initiative. Questions should be directed to LJI supervising editor Amy Logan at amy.logan@thecanadianpress.com. Below is a sample of the dozens of stories moved daily:

COVID-19 left Brampton’s essential workers exposed, and one NDP candidate says pharmacare is the solution

LJI-ON-Teneshia Samuel NDP

It’s Tejinder Singh’s first time running for any political position. She says the decision was spurred, at least in part, by the NDP’s 2021 platform promises to introduce universal dental treatment and pharmacare across Canada. 1,200 words. Isaac Callan/The Pointer

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Nurse who mocked Echaquan appears in front of professional tribunal

LJI-QC-indigenous

The nurse who mocked Joyce Echaquan as the Manawan woman lay dying on a hospital bed last year appeared in front of a professional tribunal last week in an attempt to keep her nursing license. 350 words. Marc Lalonde/Iori:wase

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Fire destroys warehouse of new non-profit grocery delivery service

LJI-ONT-HURON

A fledgling local grocery delivery service in Huron County is without a home after a $100,000 fire at its warehouse Tuesday. 400 words. Calvi Leon/London Free Press

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UPDATED FROM AP:

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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NEW & DEVELOPING

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ADDS:

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BIDEN-GLANCE; JUSTICE-DEPARTMENT-TEXAS-ABORTIONS; TEXAS-ABORTIONS-EXPLAINER; VIRUS OUTBREAK-MASKS-TRANSPORTATION; FLORIDA-PROTESTS; OBIT-MICHAEL-CONSTANTINE; OBIT-CIVIL-RIGHTS LEADER; COUNTRY SINGER-BEAR ENCOUNTER; SCHOOL-CROSSING GUARD KILLED; R-KELLY; McDONALD’S-VEGAN-BURGER; VIRUS-OUTBREAK-IDAHO SCHOOLS; AIR FORCE-BIAS; MEXICO-ABORTION; MED-VAPING-DECISION-JUUL; FBC-HBCU-PRO-COACHES-IMPACT

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ONLY ON AP

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LOUISIANA POLICE DEATH-FEDERAL PROBE — As the Louisiana State Police reel from the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene — a case blown open this year by long-withheld video of troopers stunning, punching and dragging the Black motorist — an Associated Press investigation has revealed it is part of a pattern of violence shrouded in secrecy. An AP review of investigative records and newly obtained videos identified at least a dozen cases in which troopers or bosses ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, deflected blame and impeded efforts to root out misconduct. By Jim Mustian and Jake Bleiberg. SENT: 1,950 words, photos, video. An abridged version of 970 words is also available.

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TOP STORIES

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK — President Joe Biden announces sweeping new federal vaccine requirements affecting as many as 100 million Americans in an all-out effort to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant. The government’s expansive new rules, announced Thursday, mandate that all employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or test for the virus weekly, affecting about 80 million Americans. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,300 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BIDEN-GLANCE — we break down Biden’s new strategy to confront the COVID-19 surge being driven by the delta variant. SENT: 360 words, photos.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT-TEXAS-ABORTIONS — The Justice Department sues Texas over a new state law that bans most abortions, arguing it was enacted “in open defiance of the Constitution.” The lawsuit asks a federal judge to declare the law is invalid, “to enjoin its enforcement, and to protect the rights that Texas has violated.” By Michael Balsamo and Paul Weber. SENT: 790 words, photos. With TEXAS-ABORTIONS-EXPLAINER - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said someone seeking an abortion has “at least six weeks” to terminate the pregnancy under the state’s new abortion law. But that’s not how pregnancy works. SENT: 915 words, photos.

AFGHANISTAN — Some 200 foreigners, including Americans, leave Afghanistan on a commercial flight out of Kabul, the first such large-scale departure since U.S. and other forces completed their frantic withdrawal over a week ago. The Qatar Airways flight to Doha marked a breakthrough in the bumpy coordination between the U.S. and Afghanistan’s new Taliban rulers. A dayslong standoff over charter planes at another airport has left dozens of passengers stranded. By Kathy Gannon. SENT: 1,430 words, photos. WITH: AFGHANISTAN-TALIBAN-ANALYSIS — The Taliban have already begun to wipe out some of Afghanistan’s gains of 20 years — reminiscent of their previous harsh rule in the 1990s. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

BIDEN-BUDGET — House Democrats begin work on plans for providing paid family and medical leave, easing climate change and bolstering education as they battle Republicans and among themselves over President Biden’s $3.5 trillion vision for reshaping federal priorities. By Alan Fram. SENT: 790 words, photos.

SEPT 11-THE CONSPIRACY CONUNDRUM — There were, of course, conspiracy theories before 9/11 happened – the Kennedy assassination being the most prominent in recent American history. And the focus on conspiracy theories was on the rise in the years before 9/11, as exemplified by the intense popularity of "The X-Files" in the 1990s. But it was 9/11 — perhaps the biggest global conspiracy that has ever come into the public eye — that heralded the coming of age of an era in which suspicion became a reigning sentiment in mainstream American life. By David Klepper. SENT: 1,430 words, photos, graphic, video. An abridged version of 940 words is also available. WITH: SEPT-11-EDUCATION — Navigating misinformation is among the challenges educators today face in teaching about Sept. 11 to students born since then. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.

For more 9/11 anniversary coverage click here.

SEPT 11-BOOK EXCERPT-FALLING MAN — Twenty years on, Associated Press photographer Richard Drew still gets asked about the “Falling Man” photograph he took on 9/11. He has been invited on national talk shows, interviewed by foreign TV crews and asked to speak about it at universities across the country. Esquire magazine published a 7,000-word essay that hailed it as a masterpiece and a touching work of art. By Richard Drew. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

FBN--COWBOYS-BUCCANEERS — Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers open the NFL with a prime-time matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, who welcome the return of Dak Prescott from a severe ankle injury that sidelined the quarterback most of last season. By Fred Goodall. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts 8:20 p.m. WITH: FBN--NFL-OPENER — As COVID-19 surges in the U.S., the NFL is welcoming fans back just as other leagues already did this year. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 3 p.m.

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TRENDING NEWS

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FLORIDA-PROTESTS — A federal judge has ruled that Florida’s new “anti-riot” law championed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as a way to quell violent protests is unconstitutional and cannot be enforced. SENT: 615 words, photos.

OBIT-MICHAEL-CONSTANTINE — Michael Constantine, an Emmy Award-winning character actor who reached worldwide fame playing the Windex bottle-toting father of the bride in the 2002 film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” has died. SENT: 480 words, photos.

COUNTRY SINGER-BEAR ENCOUNTER — Country singer Brett Eldredge had an encounter with a bear in a garage at a North Carolina home. SENT: 200 words, photos.

SCHOOL-CROSSING GUARD KILLED — A volunteer crossing guard at a middle school in the San Francisco Bay Area pushed children from the path of a vehicle that ended up striking and killing him. SENT: 320 words.

R-KELLY — A former radio station intern says R&B singer R. Kelly kept her locked in a darkened room for days before sexually assaulting her while she was unconscious in 2003. SENT: 675 words, photo.

McDONALD'S-VEGAN-BURGER — McDonald’s will begin selling a vegan burger - the McPlant burger - in the United Kingdom and Ireland this month. SENT: 210 words, photo.

TRUMP-CHENEY — Former President Donald Trump has endorsed a Wyoming attorney in his bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, one of his most vocal Republican critics. 400 words, photos.

FUGITIVE-FOUND-DEAD — Sheriff’s officials say a man accused of killing four people in Missouri, including a mother and her 11-year-old daughter, has been found dead in South Dakota. SENT: 190 words.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-LOS-ANGELES-SCHOOLS — The Los Angeles board of education has scheduled a vote on whether to require all students 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to participate in on-campus instruction in the nation’s second-largest school district. The proposal to would be one of the most aggressive measures taken by a major U.S. school district to protect children from infections. SENT: 355 words.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-IDAHO SCHOOLS — Roughly 11,000 kids in Coeur d’Alene were getting ready for their first day of school when Idaho public health officials announced this week that northern hospitals were so crowded with coronavirus patients that they would be allowed to ration health care. SENT: 1065 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ITALY-NO-VAX-RAIDS -- Italian authorities say anti-terrorism police have raided the homes of eight people allegedly advocating violence, particularly against journalists, in upcoming protests against the government’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements. The raids were carried out in Rome and five northern cities, including Bergamo, which has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. SENT: 375 words.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-NORTH-MACEDONIA-HOSPITAL-FIRE — North Macedonia’s government was holding an emergency meeting over an overnight fire that ripped through a field hospital set up to treat COVID-19 patients, leaving 14 people dead. SENT: 590 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK JAPAN — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced an extension of a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and 18 other areas until the end of September, saying healthcare systems remain under severe strain, and that the continuing challenges of fighting the virus had led to his decision not to seek another term. SENT: 665 words, photo.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AIRLINES — The leading U.S. airlines say that the rise in COVID-19 cases is hurting ticket sales and pushing back the recovery of the travel industry. SENT: 570 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MASKS-TRANSPORTATION — The Transportation Security Administration is increasing the penalty for people who violate the mandate to wear masks on planes, trains and other forms of transportation to help stop the spread of COVID-19. SENT: 200 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-LONG COVID-KIDS — Symptoms that persist, recur or begin a month or more after a COVID-19 infection can affect children and teens as well as adults. SENT: 330 words, graphic.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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SEPT 11-BIDEN — The Sept. 11 attacks led then-Sen. Joe Biden to devote even more energy to international affairs. He would point to that experience during his successful White House bid to portray himself as a seasoned statesman who could restore American stability and prestige. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

AIR FORCE-BIAS — A new study finds that about a third of the female service members in the Air Force and Space Force say they’ve experienced sexual harassment and many can describe accounts of sexism and a negative stigma associated with pregnancy and maternity leave. SENT: 840 words, photo.

BIDEN-ATF NOMINEE — The White House withdraws the nomination of a gun-control advocate to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives after David Chipman ran into bipartisan opposition in the Senate. SENT: 450 words, photos.

CALIFORNIA-RECALL-BIDEN — President Joe Biden is set to campaign for California Gov. Gavin Newsom in the final days of a recall campaign. Biden will join the Democratic governor in the Southern California city of Long Beach on Monday, the day before voting ends. SENT: 550 words, photos.

SENATE-KLOBUCHAR-CANCER — Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she has been treated for breast cancer and the treatment “went well.” The 61-year-old says that the cancer was found in February during a routine mammogram, and she had a lumpectomy to remove it. She says she completed radiation treatment in May, and a checkup in August found she was doing well. SENT: 475 words, photos.

ELECTION-2022-WISCONSIN-GOVERNOR — Republican Rebecca Kleefisch, who spent eight years as lieutenant governor under Scott Walker, has launched her campaign for governor. SENT: 730 words, photos.

UNITED STATES-MEXICO — The United States and Mexico restart high-level economic talks as top advisers to presidents Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador try to make headway on issues such as infrastructure, trade and migration. SENT: 470 words, photos.

CAPITOL BREACH-ALABAMA MAN — A Vietnam veteran charged with bringing 11 Molotov cocktails and other weapons to Washington on the day of the U.S. Capitol riot has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. SENT: 320 words.

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NATIONAL

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SEPT-11-GROUND-ZERO — Even after two decades, the work to rebuild the World Trade Center complex after its destruction in the Sept. 11 attacks is still incomplete. While the memorial plaza and several towers at the site have been finished for years, construction is ongoing at a planned performing arts center and at a church being built to replace the only house of worship destroyed on Sept. 11, 2001. Work has barely begun on two planned skyscrapers, including one that will be among the city’s tallest buildings. SENT: 925 words, photos.

SEPT 11-BOSTON'S SCARS — Twenty years after the Sept. 11 attacks, Boston has never truly come to terms with its supporting role in the transcendent events of that day. SENT: 825 words, photos.

CONFEDERATE-MONUMENT-TIME-CAPSULE — Work crews searching for a time capsule they believed was buried inside the pedestal under a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that had towered over Richmond, Virginia, hit a snag. Crews were having difficulty finding the capsule’s precise location. Then late Thursday morning, a crane they were using to lift heavy pieces of a cornerstone broke down, stalling work indefinitely. SENT: 635 words, photos.

TROPICAL WEATHER-ATLANTIC — Rain was pouring down on southeast Georgia and coastal South Carolina as Mindy, now a tropical depression, made its way across the state. SENT: 425 words, photo.

ROBERT-DURST-MURDER TRIAL — A prosecutor says New York real estate heir Robert Durst would have gotten away with murder if documentary filmmakers had not unearthed damning evidence against him. SENT: 795 words, photos.

GAMBLING-ARIZONA — Arizona's first sports betting operations officially open for business in time for the start of the NFL season, with live wagers being taken on college and professional sports at the FanDuel Sportsbook. SENT: 600 words, photo.

ABORTION-RESTRICTIONS-INDIANA — Indiana’s ban on telemedicine consultations between doctors and women seeking abortions and several other abortion restrictions are back in force after a federal appeals court set aside a judge’s ruling that they were unconstitutional. SENT: 480 words.

ABORTION-SOUTH-CAROLINA — Twenty Democratic attorneys general have voiced their support for a lawsuit challenging South Carolina’s new abortion law, arguing that the restrictive measure could harm their states by taxing resources if women cross borders to seek care. SENT: 595 words, photo.

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INTERNATIONAL

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MEXICO-ABORTION — Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that parts of a law in the northern border state of Coahuila criminalizing abortion were unconstitutional. The decision immediately compels judges across the nation to consider cases with that ruling in mind. And there are thousands of open cases in Mexico against women accused of illegal abortions. SENT: 705 words, photo.

TROPICAL-WEATHER-PACIFIC — New Hurricane Olaf is heading toward a strike on the Los Cabos resort region at the tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. As the storm approached, authorities closed ports in the area, prepared temporary shelters and urged people to monitor public announcements. SENT: 230 words, photo.

NKOREA-KIM’S WEIGHT — In an unusual North Korean parade that showcased military animals and virus workers in hazmat suits in place of ballistic missiles, leader Kim Jong Un still managed to seize the spotlight by looking thinner and more energetic than he has in years. Experts say Kim’s weight loss is more likely a result of an effort to improve his shape than an indicator of health problems. It may also have a political purpose. SENT: 595 words, photos.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-FAMED-MILITANT — For nearly two decades, Israelis and Palestinians have watched Zakaria Zubeidi’s progression from a child actor to a swaggering militant, to the scarred face of a West Bank theater promoting “cultural resistance” to Israeli occupation. Now Zubeidi has emerged as one of Israel’s most wanted fugitives after tunneling out of a high-security prison on Monday with five other Palestinian militants. SENT: 1,095 words, photos.

BRAZIL-TRUCKERS PROTEST -- Truckers have snarled traffic on several Brazilian highways in a show of support for President Jair Bolsonaro even as he pleaded for them to let cars pass. SENT: 410 words, photos.

NEW ZEALAND-SUPERMARKET TERROR ATTACK — Court records, interviews, and agency accounts show years of red flags weren’t enough to stop an extremist inspired by the Islamic State group who grabbed a knife at a New Zealand supermarket and began stabbing shoppers, injuring seven in a frenzied attack. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.

BREXIT — The leader of Northern Ireland’s largest British unionist party heightened post-Brexit political tensions, saying the U.K.’s divorce deal with the European Union could collapse the Belfast government and trigger a new era of violence and instability. SENT: 570 words, photo.

HONG KONG — A dozen Hong Kong pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty to participating in an unauthorized candlelight vigil to mark Beijing’s bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square. SENT: 460 words, photo.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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MED-VAPING-DECISION-JUUL — Federal health officials have delayed a high-stakes decision on whether to permit bestselling vaping brand Juul to stay on the market. At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of thousands of other, lesser-known electronic cigarettes and related products. SENT: 855 words, photo.

AQUIFER-DEPLETION-DUST-BOWL — To avoid Dust Bowl conditions, more farmers are restoring native grasslands in areas where the nation’s largest aquifer is drying up and rainfall is often scarce. Groundwater from the Ogallala aquifer has sustained farming for generations in the Plains states, even through droughts. SENT: 1,850 words, photos. An abridged version of 955 words is also available.

EUROPE-NUCLEAR-FUSION — Teams working on two continents have marked similar milestones in their respective efforts to tap an energy source key to the fight against climate change: They’ve each produced very impressive magnets. SENT: 770 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT-BENEFITS -- The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 310,000, a pandemic low and a sign that the surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant has yet to lead to widespread layoffs. The report from the Labor Department showed that jobless claims dropped from a revised total of 345,000 the week before. SENT: 575 words, photos.

CHANGING ECONOMY-CONVENTIONS — More than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered large-scale business gatherings, conventions are seeing a cautious rebound. SENT: 1,160 words, photos, video.

FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks gave up an early gain and ended lower on Wall Street Thursday, keeping the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq on track for their first weekly losses in three weeks. SENT: 515 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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MUSIC-CMA-AWARDS-NOMINEES — Country stars Chris Stapleton and Eric Church will go toe-to-toe with each other at this year’s Country Music Association Awards, vying in the same top five categories. They both join Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs in the entertainer of the year category. Gabby Barrett had a good year with her hit song “The Good Ones” and earned four nominations, including female artist of the year. SENT: 440 words, photos.

TV-JUDY-JUSTICE — Judge Judy Sheindlin will return to television on on November 1 with “Judy Justice,” a new show where she will arbitrate cases on the little-known IMDb TV, a free streaming service offered by Amazon. SENT: 440 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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TEN--US OPEN — Teenagers Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez make their Grand Slam semifinal debuts at the U.S. Open. Fernandez, 19, takes on second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, and Raducanu, 18, plays 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Play starts 7 p.m.

FBC-HBCU-PRO-COACHES-IMPACT Eddie George picked a good time for a career change. He’s one of several high-profile former pro athletes to take on athletic programs at historically Black colleges and universities at a time when the country seems ready to embrace social change. SENT: 1,075 words, photos.

The Canadian Press