AP News Digest 2 p.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 6 years, 5 months AGO
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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VIRUS OUTBREAK — A staggering 16.8 million Americans have been thrown onto the unemployment rolls in just three weeks, underscoring the terrifying speed with which the coronavirus outbreak has brought world economies to their knees. Meanwhile, world leaders and health officials fervently warned that the hard-won gains against the scourge must not be jeopardized by relaxing social distancing during Easter weekend, one of the busiest travel times of the year in Europe. Authorities around the continent banned holiday travel and set up roadblocks. By Marina Villeneuve, Geir Moulson and Elena Becatoros. SENT: 1,165 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-24 HOURS — Before the pandemic swept in, America’s biggest, loudest city often lived up to its own hype. Then the coronavirus all but shut it down. Now the hush, whether at midnight or midday, is broken mostly by the wail of ambulances. Streets long ago rumored to be paved with gold are littered with disposable medical gloves. Over 24 hours, New Yorkers of all stripes join the battle for their city. For them, this will be nothing like just another Monday. Because long before the sun has risen, the clock has already begun counting down the latest, most punishing round in the fight for New York. By Adam Geller. SENT: 3,000 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP-ECONOMY — President Donald Trump has been telling voters that the U.S. economy will leap back to life “like a rocket,” stronger than ever, after its bout with the coronavirus. But there is a reason economics is called the “dismal science.” There are emerging signs that any recovery will fail to match the speed and severity of the economic collapse that occurred in just a few weeks. By Josh Boak. SENT: 969 words, photo. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL POVERTY — A report by aid group Oxfam says that around half a billion people could be pushed into poverty as a result of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic unless richer countries help them. SENT: 410 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — Senate Democrats stall President Trump’s request for $250 billion to supplement a “paycheck protection” program for businesses crippled by the coronavirus outbreak, demanding protections for minority-owned businesses and money for health care providers and state and local governments. But the measure isn’t dead. Democrats and Republicans agree it’s urgently needed. By Andrew Taylor and Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 900 words. UPCOMING: Updates likely, 900 words by 5 p.m., photos. WITH: VIRUS OUTBREAK-LONG-DISTANCE CONGRESS — “Congress” literally means to gather together. But the coronavirus pandemic and election year politics are forcing lawmakers to consider ways of governing from afar, some for the first time in U.S. history. By Laurie Kellman. SENT: 930 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EASTER SERVICES — In the holiest week for Christians, churches across the nation are grappling with how to handle Easter services amid the coronavirus outbreak that essentially requires no large gatherings like those traditionally held. By Curt Anderson. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 4 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WUHAN-NEW NORMAL — Residents of Wuhan are cautiously returning to shopping and strolling in the streets of the city where the coronavirus pandemic began. But they say they still go out very little from their apartments and keep their children at home while they wait for schools to reopen after a 2 1/2-month quarantine, A ban on leaving Wuhan ended this week, but the sprawling city’s 11 million people face a thicket of controls. By Sam McNeil and Joe McDonald. SENT: 989 words, photos.
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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MORE ON VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-DIARY-VIRTUAL SEDER — Amid all the sadness and fear, one family made a plan. Everyone cooked what they liked. A version of a Haggadah text was emailed. They’d sync up via Zoom. They wondered if it would be just a sad replica of their usual meal. After all, the participants wouldn’t all be able to hug each other hello, laugh at the squirming babies, sing the favorite songs at meal’s end. In the end, though, at least one coronavirus-era Passover Seder came together in a way that was different yet somehow very familiar. SENT: 665 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-I'M SERIOUS — A 5-year-old Alaska girl is really serious about wanting to help others keep safe during the coronavirus outbreak. Nova Knight is so serious, in fact, she made a video about it that drew the praise of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others, and it has been retweeted more than 18,000 times. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 5 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVY — Pentagon leaders anticipate that the coronavirus is likely to strike more Navy ships at sea after an outbreak aboard an aircraft carrier in the Pacific infected more than 400 sailors. SENT: 620 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-FEEDING THOSE IN NEED — Activists in Washington, D.C., are teaming up to feed the needy during the coronavirus outbreak. A collection of charities and community volunteers has taken to the streets, distributing more than 1,000 bags of groceries per day on street corners and parking lots. SENT: 950 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WILDFIRES — They are two disasters that require opposite responses: To save lives and reduce the spread of COVID-19, people are being told to remain isolated. But in a wildfire, thousands of firefighters will be summoned to work in close quarters for weeks. That’s requiring the U.S. Forest Service and others to change strategies. SENT: 980 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TORNADO SHELTERS — Each day brings the United States closer to peak severe weather season, and Tornado Alley residents are faced with a question: Is it better to take on a twister outside a community shelter or to face the possibility of contracting the new coronavirus inside one? Tornado-prone states including Alabama and Kansas are recommending that people go into shelters if dangerous weather is approaching. SENT: 844 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BAR EXAM — The summer bar exam is up in the air because of the coronavirus, and that leaves some 46,000 law students in limbo who are waiting to take the high-stakes test. The delay threatens a pipeline of young lawyers who often provide legal help for some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. The National Conference of Bar Examiners says it will decide May 5 on whether to offer the test as planned in late July. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BIRTH-CONTROL-IN-LOCKDOWN — Lockdowns imposed to curb the coronavirus’ spread have put millions of women in Africa, Asia and elsewhere out of reach of birth control and other sexual and reproductive health needs. Confined to their homes with their husbands and others, they face unwanted pregnancies and little idea of when they can reach the outside world again. By Cara Anna. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-RURAL INDIANA — The coronavirus pandemic surged into Sean Durbin’s farm-speckled Indiana county much faster than most other parts of rural America, contributing to at least 10 deaths and dozens of serious illnesses. Decatur County and two other counties in southeast Indiana have among the highest per-capita infection rates in the country, topping the Seattle area and some counties near hard-hit Detroit. SENT: 945 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CENTENARIAN SURVIVOR — To recover from the coronavirus, as she did, Ada Zanusso of Italy recommends courage and faith, the same qualities that have served her well in her nearly 104 years. SENT: 690 words, photos.
TOILET PAPER Q&A — Finding toilet paper in a global pandemic is a struggle. That’s because it’s part of a very tight supply chain. Toilet paper so bulky and cheap that stores don’t keep big inventories on hand. So as more households buy a little extra, that causes a lot of disruption. SENT: 860 words, photo, video.
A separate wire advisory has also been sent detailing AP’s complete coronavirus coverage.
GROUND GAME — AP’s coronavirus podcast, “Ground Game: Inside the Outbreak,” today is an interview with three AP reporters who worked on “24 Hours: The Fight for New York,” a multi-format package following 10 New Yorkers as they negotiate life in a city utterly transformed by the virus. Listen to the podcast after 3 p.m. at https://appodcasts.com/category/ground-game/. Embed code is available on AP Coverage Plan.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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CHILD SHOT-GUN SAFETY LESSON — Missouri man charged with accidentally shooting his 8-year-old child after giving a lesson on gun safety as he put a pistol away. SENT: 200 words.
MEXICO MINE HEIST — A heavily armed squad of men steals gold-silver alloy bars from a desert mine in Mexico. SENT: 200 words.
OIL DISCOVERY ALASKA — An oil exploration firm says it has discovered a deposit of potentially 1.8 billion barrels in Alaska’s North Slope region south of Prudhoe Bay. SENT: 365 words.
MINISTER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT — A traveling minister accused of sexual misconduct involving teenage boys has been arrested in South Carolina. SENT: 225 words.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-CULTURE WARS — A partisan fight over voting in Wisconsin was the first dispute linked to the coronavirus to make it to the Supreme Court. A fight over abortion access in Texas could be close behind. The virus outbreak has put much of American life on hold, but the culture wars continue unabated. UPCOMING: 800 words by 4 p.m., photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WISCONSIN ELECTION-MISSING ABSENTEES — The U.S. Postal Service and election officials are searching for answers about why an untold number of absentee ballots never made it to voters in Wisconsin who didn’t want to risk contracting the coronavirus by voting at the polls in the state’s presidential primary. SENT: 690 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-PROGRESSIVES — Sen. Bernie Sanders’ exit from the presidential race has left strong progressives grappling with a difficult choice: Should they side with proudly pragmatic centrist Joe Biden, or keep up the fight? UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.
ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-COMMUNICATIONS — With the launch of his live-streamed web videos, weekly podcast and a new email newsletter, Joe Biden is building an online media presence since the coronavirus outbreak essentially froze traditional campaigning. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.
Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page on APNewsroom.
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YEMEN — A cease-fire proposed by the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen went into effect, potentially paving the way for peace talks to end the more than 5-year-old conflict. SENT: 945 words, photo.
IRAQ POLITICS — Iraq’s intelligence chief was appointed the country’s third prime minister-designate in just over a month, after the resignation of the most recent candidate amid political infighting, but the path to forming a government remained uncertain. SENT: 869 words, photos.
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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS BRIBERY — Federal prosecutors denied allegations that investigators deliberately withheld and fabricated evidence to entrap actress Lori Loughlin, her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, and other prominent parents charged with cheating the college admissions process. SENT: 565 words, photos.
SEVERE WEATHER — Severe storms with high winds, hail and possible tornadoes swept across the Midwest and caused damage to dozens of homes and businesses in parts of Indiana and Arkansas. SENT: 510 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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SCI-APOLLO 13 ANNIVERSARY — Apollo 13′s astronauts still shun superstition 50 years after their harrowing moonshot. Mission commander Jim Lovell and Fred Haise say they never gave a thought to their mission number as they blasted off for the moon on April 11, 1970. Their mission was aborted when an oxygen tank ruptured two days later, on April 13. The way Lovell sees it, he’s incredibly lucky to have survived and to be around at age 92 for the golden anniversary. SENT: 1,280 words, photos, video.
RUSSIA SPACE STATION — Three astronauts flew to the International Space Station, departing the virus-plagued planet with little fanfare and no family members at the launch site to bid them farewell. SENT: 570 words.
SCI--NEANDERTHAL STRING — Scientists have found the first direct evidence that Neanderthals could make string. A white splotch on a Neanderthal stone tool turned out to be a tiny length of string, made by weaving together bundles of fiber from the inner bark of trees. SENT: 330 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ROAMING WHALES — In another sign that wild animals are roaming more freely during the coronavirus lockdown for humans, a maritime patrol has filmed remarkable images of whales powering through Mediterranean waters off the coast of southern France. SENT: 445 words.
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks rose on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve launched its latest unprecedented effort to support the economy through the coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 800 words, photos.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-BROADWAY -- Two Broadway actresses have turned their disappointment at having their musical on hold by doing what they do best — sing. Each day, Pauly and Mack make Instagram videos of themselves singing favorite songs. Many others are keeping the spirit of theater alive -- converting shows into audiobooks, teaching dance lessons and of course, singing -- since Broadway went dark. By AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. SENT: 850 words, photos.
TV-ISSA RAE — Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae has been so busy filming movies, producing TV shows and launching a record label that the project that brought her to fame, HBO’s “Insecure,” had to take a backseat. But she says being away from the show, which starts its fourth season Sunday, allowed her to fully appreciate the opportunity. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 4 p.m.
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GLF--WOODS AT HOME — Tiger Woods says he would have been ready this week to defend his title at the Masters, postponed because of COVID-19. He tells GolfTV his only competition now is the occasional putting contest with his 11-year-old son. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. SENT: 850 words, photos.
CAR--NASCAR-JOHNSON FUTURE — Jimmie Johnson wanted to retire from full-time racing. The coronavirus pandemic brought his final season to an unexpected pause. NASCAR’s seven-time champion isn’t sure what his future holds. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 2 p.m.
HKN—NO ICE — This is tough for hockey players -- finding ice to skate on during the pandemic. How to stay in shape? Roller blades don’t cut it. Players are buying Pelotons and listening to team trainers. By Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos, video by 4 p.m.
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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, Courtney Dittmar (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(at)ap.org or call 877-836-9477.