AP News Digest 5:40 a.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. And get a heads-up on top stories coming this weekend in the Weekend Lookahead Digest. ——————————— TOP STORIES ———————————- ELECTION 2024-TRUMP — Former President Donald Trump has blasted his historic federal indictment as “ridiculous” and “baseless” during his first public appearances since the charges were unsealed, painting the 37 felony counts as an attack on his supporters as he tried to turn dire legal peril to political advantage and project a sense of normalcy. By Bill Barrow, Jeff Amy, Jill Colvin, and Meg Kinnard. SENT: 1,230 words, photos, audio. With TRUMP-CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS-LIVE UPDATES. RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-ENVIRONMENTAL-IMPACT — The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea. The short-term dangers can be seen from outer space — tens of thousands of parcels of land flooded, and more to come. Experts say the long-term consequences will be generational. By Lori Hinnant, Sam McNeil and Illia Novikov. SENT: 1,040 words, photos. UNITED STATES-CHINA-CUBA — China has been operating a spy base in Cuba since at least 2019, part of a global effort by Beijing to upgrade its intelligence-gathering capabilities, according to a Biden administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the U.S. intelligence community has been aware of China’s spying from Cuba and a larger effort to set up intelligence-gathering operations around the globe for some time. By Aamer Madhani. SENT: 690 words, photo. OBIT-TED-KACZYNSKI — Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, the Harvard-educated mathematician who retreated to a dingy shack in the Montana wilderness and ran a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others, has died. He was 81. Years before the Sept. 11 attacks and the anthrax mailing, the Unabomber’s deadly homemade bombs changed the way Americans mailed packages and boarded airplanes By Michael Balsamo and Lindsay Whitehurst. SENT: 1,220 words, photos, audio. YOUTH-CLIMATE-LAWSUIT-MONTANA — Whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable climate is protected by state law is at the center of a lawsuit going to trial Monday in Montana, where 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys hope to set an important legal precedent. By Matthew Brown and Amy Beth Hanson. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. HUNGARY-POLICE-DOG — After a rocket attack in eastern Ukraine, half of Rambo’s face was mangled and bloody. Shrapnel had ravaged the right side of his head, and it was uncertain if he would survive. The 3-year-old German shepherd, who had accompanied Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines of the war, received emergency surgery that saved his life. Now, Rambo is training with the Budapest police department in neighboring Hungary and serving as a reminder that dogs — and people — with disabilities can do great things. By Justin Spike. SENT: 510 words, photos. —————————— MORE NEWS —————————— BKL-MERCURY-GRINER-AIRPORT — The WNBA says Brittney Griner and her Phoenix Mercury teammates were confronted by a “provocateur” at a Dallas airport. The league said in a statement it was looking into the team’s run-in with a “social media figure” whose “actions were inappropriate and unfortunate.” SENT: 640 words, photos. RUSSIA-AMERICAN ARRESTED — An American musician who has lived in Russia for more than a decade has been arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking, Russian news media reports. SENT: 240 words. ARGENTINA-JAMES CAMERON-LITHIUM — Movie director James Cameron says he feels he “walked into an ambush” this week during a visit to Argentina in which he believes there was an attempt to use his image as an environmentalist to give a positive spin to lithium mining operations despite opposition from Indigenous communities. SENT: 570 words, photos. BKN-HEAT-MASCOT-MCGREGOR — Former UFC champion Conor McGregor knocked out the Miami Heat mascot in a midgame bit that went wrong. Burnie — more specifically, the man who occupies Burnie’s costume — briefly sought medical attention Friday night after taking two punches from McGregor during a third-quarter stoppage of Game 4 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and the Denver Nuggets. SENT: 200 words, photo. ——————————————————— WASHINGTON/POLITICS —————-—————————————- ELECTION 2024-DeSANTIS — Republican White House candidate Ron DeSantis has plowed ahead with efforts to portray himself as his party’s staunchest national conservative leader, even as the 2024 GOP race has been disrupted by drama surrounding the 37-count felony federal indictment for mishandling classified documents against former President Donald Trump. SENT: 850 words, photos. TRUMP-ENDOREMENT-NORTH-CAROLINA — Former President Donald Trump says in North Carolina that he would endorse Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson for governor in a move many delegates expect will cement Robinson’s place as the front-runner in a competitive GOP primary and propel him to the governor’s office. SENT: 810 words, photos. TILLIS-CENSURE-NORTH CAROLINA — Republican delegates in North Carolina have voted at their annual convention to censure Thom Tillis, the state’s senior U.S. senator, for backing LGBTQ+ rights, immigration and gun violence policies. SENT: 560 words, photo. BIDEN-PRIDE-MONTH — President Joe Biden has welcomed hundreds to the White House for a delayed Pride Month celebration. The event is aimed at showing LGBTQ+ people that his administration has their back at a time when advocates are warning of a spike in discriminatory legislation. SENT: 510 words, photos. ———————— NATIONAL ———————— RAILROAD-SAFETY — The Federal Railroad Administration have recently completed a review of Norfolk Southern’s safety culture in the wake of the February’s fiery derailment in Ohio, and officials plan to follow up with similar investigations of all the major freight railroads over the next year. SENT: 420 words, photos. SMOKESTACK-IMPLOSION-DETROIT — The looming smokestack of a shuttered trash incinerator whose stench sickened and angered Detroit residents for decades is coming down in a controlled implosion. SENT: 390 words, photos. CATHOLIC MASS-LGBTQ — A Roman Catholic Mass to be held in western Pennsylvania this weekend in solidarity with LGBTQ Catholics has been canceled at the request of the diocese after protesting emails and calls, some of them threatening, officials say. SENT: 360 words. —————————————- INTERNATIONAL ————————————— MIGRATION-TUNISIA-EUROPE — Tunisia is hosting the leaders of Italy, the Netherlands and the European Union for talks aimed at smoothing the way for an international bailout and restoring stability to a country that has become a major source of migration to Europe. SENT: 640 words, photos. MONTENEGRO-PARLIAMENTARY-ELECTION — Montenegro was holding an early parliamentary election, a vote that could put an end to deep political divisions and years of instability that have hampered the small NATO-member country on its route to joining the European Union. SENT: 390 words, photos. MEXICO-MILITARY KILLINGS — Mexico’s Defense Department says 16 soldiers will be tried on military charges in the killings of five men in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo last month. SENT: 460 words. CHINA-HONDURAS — Honduras has opened an embassy in Beijing, Chinese state media reported, months after the Central American nation broke off relations with Taiwan to form diplomatic ties with China. SENT: 310 words, photo. CHINA-SOUTH-KOREA — A Chinese official lodged a complaint with South Korea’s ambassador to China, in a tit-for-tat move after Beijing’s envoy to South Korea was summoned last week over his comments accusing Seoul of tilting toward the United States. SENT: 290 words, photo. PAKISTAN — Militants have attacked a security checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, along the border with Afghanistan, triggering a shootout that left three soldiers and three militants dead, the army says. SENT: 210 words. ———————— SPORTS ———————— SOC-CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL — Billions of dollars have been spent and many tears shed on Manchester City’s journey to the summit of European soccer. The mission was completed in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olimpiyat Stadium as the Abu Dhabi-backed club won the Champions League title for the first time and perhaps heralded the start of a new era of dominance in the competition. SENT: 900 words, photos. TEN-FRENCH-OPEN — Iga Swiatek has defeated Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to collect her third championship at Roland Garros and fourth Grand Slam title. The No. 1-ranked Swiatek raced to a 3-0 lead after just 10 minutes in Court Philippe Chatrier. And then she was ahead 3-0 in the second set, too, before Muchova made things more intriguing. SENT: 890 words, photos, audio. RAC-BELMONT-STAKES — Jena Antonucci turned a Triple Crown marred by thoroughbred deaths on the track and threatened by bad air quality from wildfires in Canada into a celebration for racing and women. Arcangelo took the lead at the top of the stretch and won the Belmont Stakes, making the 47-year-old Antonucci the first female trainer to win a Triple Crown race. SENT: 890 words, photos. HKN-STANLEY-CUP — The Vegas Golden Knights are on the verge of winning their first Stanley Cup title after holding on to beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in Game 4 of the final. Vegas leads the series 3-1 and can win the NHL championship on home ice Tuesday. Chandler Stephenson scored twice for the Golden Knights and William Karlsson ended his series-long goal drought. SENT: 770 words, photos. ————————- HOW TO REACH US ———————— At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (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. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide China complains to South Korean ambassador in tit-for-tat move after Seoul summoned Beijing's envoy Montenegro holds snap parliamentary election that could determine EU path European leaders hope to restore stability in Tunisia, a major source of migration