BC-AP News Digest 2 pm

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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MISSING WRITER-FEARFUL DISSIDENTS — The disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist raises a dark question for anyone who dares criticize governments or speak out against those in power: Will the world have their back? Dictators and autocrats have always sought to silence dissenters, but they seem to only get bolder in an age of impunity where violations get only muted reproaches. A look at the fears among dissidents and other similar recent cases. By Sarah El Deeb and Lee Keath. SENT: 1,610 words, photos.

TOXIC JEWELRY — New testing shows jewelry loaded with the toxic metal cadmium is being sold by national retailers including Ross, Nordstrom Rack and Papaya. The testing done for the Center for Environmental Health showed some jewelry sold with women's apparel was nearly pure cadmium. Extended exposure to cadmium can cause cancer and reproductive harm. The tests were done on jewelry sold in the San Francisco Bay Area. Papaya says it has recalled the jewelry from all its stores nationwide. By Ariel Tu. SENT: 840 words, photos, video.

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TOP STORIES

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TROPICAL WEATHER — Daylight is yielding scenes of rows upon rows of homes smashed to pieces by Hurricane Michael in Florida. It was the third-most powerful hurricane on record to hit the continental United States. Search-and-rescue teams are fanning out across the Florida Panhandle to reach trapped people. At least two people are dead. By Jay Reeves and Brendan Farrington. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, video. With TROPICAL WEATHER-WHAT'S HAPPENING; TROPICAL WEATHER-THE LATEST. For comprehensive hurricane coverage: https://www.apnews.com/tag/Hurricanes

UNITED STATES-SAUDI-MISSING WRITER — President Donald Trump defends arms sales to Saudi Arabia as lawmakers increase pressure on his administration to punish the kingdom over the disappearance in Turkey of a Saudi writer who had been living in the United States. Trump asserts the U.S. has "investigators over there" but provides no details. Turkish officials say they fear Saudi Arabia killed and dismembered Jamal Khashoggi. Saudia Arabia denies involvement. By Matthew Pennington. SENT: 600 words. UPCOMING: 720 words by 4 p.m., photos, video. With SAUDI ARABIA-MISSING WRITER — Saudi team after Post writer included soldiers, royal guards (sent).

SAUDI ARABIA-THE PRINCE — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stands out as the youthful face of a youthful nation, and is next in line to the throne now held by his octogenarian father. But behind the careful public-relations campaign pushing images of the smiling prince meeting with the world's top leaders lurks a darker side. As the disappearance and feared death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi may show, the young prince will brook no dissent in reshaping the world's largest oil exporter in his image. By Jon Gambrell. UPCOMING: 1,500 words by 3 p.m., photos, abridged version.

SPACE STATION — The problem came less than 2 minutes into the flight: The rocket carrying an American and a Russian to the International Space Station failed, triggering an emergency that sent their capsule into a steep, harrowing fall back to Earth. The crew landed safely but the aborted mission dealt another blow to the troubled Russian space program that currently serves as the only link to deliver astronauts to the orbiting outpost. By Dmitry Lovetsky and Vladimir Isachenkov. SENT: 900 words, photos. UPCOMING: New approach of 900 words, photos by 3 p.m. With RUSSIA-SPACE FAILURES — The failed launch of two astronauts to the International Space Station on Thursday was the first launch accident for Russia's manned-space program in 35 years (sent).

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT-WEINSTEIN — Manhattan's district attorney drops part of the criminal sexual assault case against Harvey Weinstein after evidence emerged that a police detective had coached a witness to stay silent about evidence that cast doubt on the account one of his three accusers. By Michael R. Sisak. SENT: 900 words, photos, video. UPCOMING: Developing.

FINANCIAL MARKETS-TECH TUMBLE — Technology and internet stocks have led the way for much of Wall Street's bull market run, propelling the stocks of big names like Apple, Amazon and Google's parent company sharply higher along the way. Now those high-flying stocks are at the forefront of a wave of selling as investors fret about the possible impact of a recent surge in interest rates. By Alex Veiga. SENT: 730 words, photo. UPCOMING: Will be updated. With FINANCIAL MARKETS — U.S. stocks are sinking again a day after their biggest drop since February. Some early relief over a tame report on inflation gave way to renewed selling. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. UPCOMING: Will be updated through 5 p.m.

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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

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TRUMP-KANYE WEST —Declaring that his Make America Great Again hat makes him "feel like Superman," rapper Kanye West made a free-styling appearance in the Oval Office. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 300 words by 2 p.m., photos.

MELANIA TRUMP — First lady Melania Trump says she could be "the most bullied person" in the world, judging by "what people are saying about me." SENT: 350 words, photos.

TRUMP-MUSICIANS — President Donald Trump welcomes musicians including Kid Rock and country star John Rich to the White House as he signs legislation overhauling the way music is licensed and songwriters compensated. SENT: 130 words, photos.

MICHELLE OBAMA — Michelle Obama launches Global Girls Alliance for education. SENT: 130 words, photos.

RONALDO-REAL MADRID — Madrid sues newspaper that said it forced Ronaldo to settle. SENT: 225 words, photos.

FYRE FESTIVAL-PROMOTER ARRESTED —Promoter of failed Fyre Festival gets 6 years in prison. SENT: 130 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTION 2018-MOB RULE — Republicans are flipping the script in 2018, casting Democrats and their liberal allies as condoning "mob rule" and on the brink of meltdown. That's after years in which Republicans and the tea party movement were the ones being called unruly and out of control. SENT: 500 words. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos. With CIVILITY AND SMACK TALK — Politicians decry incivility, practice it, too, especially in campaign season. SENT: 850 words, photos.

SOCIAL SECURITY-COLA — Tens of millions of Social Security recipients and other retirees will get a 2.8 percent boost in benefits next year as inflation edges higher. It's the biggest increase most retired baby boomers have gotten. SENT: 900 words, photo.

ELECTION 2018-SENATE-O'ROURKE-LATINOS — Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke of Texas still has work when it comes to Hispanic outreach in his race against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. SENT: 780 words, photo.

ELECTION 2018-HOUSE-WASHINGTON — Democrats are trying to flip an open U.S. House seat in Washington state that's been in GOP hands since it was created nearly three decades ago, running a political newcomer and national party favorite against a well-known Republican in a race that could be critical to controlling the chamber. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 3 p.m.

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NATIONAL

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BORDER-ABANDONED MIGRANT FAMILIES — Smugglers in recent weeks have been abandoning large groups of Guatemalan and other Central American migrants in the desert near Arizona's boundary with Mexico, alarming Border Patrol officials who say the trend is putting hundreds of children and adults at risk. By Anita Snow. SENT: 780 words, photos.

DEATH PENALTY-WASHINGTON — The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty violates the state's Constitution. SENT: 300 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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CUBA-PUBLIC OPINION — In a country with no opinion polls, campaigns or independent mass media, a series of meetings on reforming Cuba's constitution spawns a highly unusual debate on the island's political system and values. At a half-dozen public forums attended by Associated Press journalists this month, Cubans repeatedly called for direct election of the president and other officials. And many objected to a constitutional amendment that would allow gays and lesbians to marry, a project promoted by the highly influential daughter of Communist Party head Raul Castro. SENT: 770 words, photos.

INDIA-ME TOO — A complaint by a retired Bollywood actress living in the United States alleging sexual harassment on a 2008 movie set has galvanized women in India, but for the country's burgeoning #MeToo movement to reach broader swaths of society, a little-known labor law must be more aggressively implemented, lawyers and activists said. SENT: 980 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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ECONOMY-INTEREST RATES — The global economy has a new foe that threatens to choke off growth: rising interest rates. Financial markets around the world have engaged in a massive sell-off as the U.S. government's cost of borrowing has steadily increased amid stronger economic growth, slightly higher inflation and the Federal Reserve's unwinding of the unprecedented support it provided global markets after the financial meltdown a decade ago. By Josh Boak. UPCOMING: 800 words by 4 p.m. With MORTGAGE RATES — Long-term U.S. mortgage rates leaped this week to their highest levels in seven years amid global anxiety over rising interest rates that has gripped financial markets (sent); TRUMP-FEDERAL RESERVE — President Trump escalates his attack on the Federal Reserve's interest rate increases, asserting that "the Fed is out of control." His continuing criticism of the Fed, which is led by his hand-picked chairman, has raised concerns that it threatens the Fed's need to operate free of political pressure to properly manage rates. UPCOMING: 700 words by 3:30 p.m.

SOCIAL SECURITY-COLA — Tens of millions of Social Security beneficiaries and other retirees can expect an increase in benefits next year as inflation edges higher. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar. SENT: 920 words, photo.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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DNA WEBSITES — A new study estimates that about 60 percent of the U.S. population with European heritage can be identified from their DNA by searching consumer websites, even if they've never made their own genetic information available. SENT: 800 words, photos.

VACCINATIONS-TODDLERS — Worried health officials say a small but growing proportion of the youngest children in the U.S. have not been vaccinated against any disease. SENT: 350 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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FILM-Q&A-PAUL GREENGRASS — Director Paul Greengrass discusses how he sees the 2011 terrorist attacks in Norway as a microcosm of the larger battle between far-right ideology and democracy. The film is one of Netflix's most high-profile films yet. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. UPCOMING: 850 words by 2 p.m., photos.

MUSIC-CMT-ARTISTS OF THE YEAR — It's about time, says Loretta Lynn, of CMT's decision to honor all female artists at its annual Artists of the Year show. Kelsea Ballerini says women support each other, even as they struggle for equal representation on country radio. SENT: 600 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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BBN--NLCS-PREVIEW — Build an early lead, get five innings from the starter and go to the bullpen. The Milwaukee Brewers used that formula to cruise into the NLCS on an 11-game winning streak. The Dodgers and their strong rotation will try to disrupt such plans when the series begins Friday. By Genaro C. Armas. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 7 p.m. EDT.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Ron DePasquale can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Alyssa Goodman (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@ap.org or call 877-836-9477.