Friday, October 02, 2026
54.0°F

AP News Digest 6:15 p.m.

Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 6 years, 5 months AGO
| April 15, 2020 3:27 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

———————————————-

NEW/DEVELOPING

———————————————-

Adds VIRUS OUTBREAK-NURSING HOMES, VIRUS OUTBREAK-US CASE COUNTING, VIRUS OUTBREAK-FEDERAL PRISONS, VIRUS OUTBREAK-HEARING AWRY, PAPER MILL EXPLOSION, HALLADAY-CRASH REPORT.

——————-

ONLY ON AP

——————

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHINA DELAY — In the six days after the Chinese government realized it likely was facing a pandemic from a novel coronavirus, the city of Wuhan hosted a mass banquet for tens of thousands of people, millions traveled through for Lunar New Year celebrations and an estimated 3,000 people were infected, documents obtained by the AP show. The Chinese government’s delay in warning the public only a week later was not its first mistake nor the longest lag, as governments around the world have dragged their feet for weeks and even months. SENT: 2,320 words, photos. Abridged version also available.

----------------

TOP STORIES

----------------

VIRUS OUTBREAK-REPUBLICANS — Behind President Donald Trump’s effort to accelerate the U.S. economic re-opening amid the health crisis is a contingent of GOP allies eager to have his back. It’s a potent alliance of big-money business interests, religious freedom conservatives and small-government activists. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 950 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-WASHINGTON — CEOs urge caution as Trump looks to reopen economy. SENT: 450 words, photos, video. UPCOMING: Developing from White House briefing now underway, 900 words by 8 p.m.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — Government relief checks begin arriving in Americans’ bank accounts as the economic damage to the U.S. from the coronavirus piles up and the reopening of businesses in Europe and China makes it clear that things won’t necessarily bounce right back when the crisis eases. By Christopher Rugaber, Paul Wiseman and Jan M. Olsen. SENT: 1,200 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-EXTRA UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — More states are finally paying $600 extra in unemployment aid. SENT: 1,000 words, photos; VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP-STIMULUS CHECKS — Trump’s name will be printed on stimulus checks IRS is sending to tens of millions. SENT: 600 words, photos.

ELECTION 2020-PROGRESSIVES — Leaders of the progressive movement say many Americans who supported Bernie Sanders may not be likely to settle for Joe Biden, despite endorsements by Sanders and former President Barack Obama. By Will Weissert and Sara Burnett. SENT: 900 words, photos. With ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-WARREN — Former presidential rival Elizabeth Warren endorses Biden as the Democratic Party moves to project unity going into the November election. SENT: 590 words, photo.

Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page on APNewsroom.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NURSING HOMES — Federal officials are coming under increasing pressure to start publicly tracking coronavirus infections and deaths in nursing homes amid criticism they have not been transparent. Publicizing outbreaks as they happen could not only alert nearby communities but also help officials see where to focus testing and other safety measures. By Candace Choi and Jim Mustian. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVARRO — Peter Navarro’s eagerness to confront, attack and be, as one former associate put it, “a real jerk to people” didn’t serve him well as a political candidate in the 1990s. But it fits what President Trump was looking for to muscle companies to make critical supplies needed to fight the coronavirus. By Kevin Freking. SENT: 990 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FAITH VS SCIENCE — Most leaders of major religions around the world have supported governments’ efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic by limiting gatherings. But a minority of the faithful — in both religious and secular institutions — have not. By Elana Schor and Mariam Fam. SENT: 1,160 words, photos.

Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

------------------———————————————

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

------------------———————————————

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SAT EXAMS — A home version of the SAT college entrance exam is being prepared in case schools remain closed into the fall. SENT: 310 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA IMMIGRANTS — California will give cash payments to immigrants living in the country illegally who have been hurt by the coronavirus. SENT: 760 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRAIN HORNS — Trains across the U.S. will sound their horns to honor the transportation employees who are considered essential workers during the coronavirus crisis. SENT: 130 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FAUCI DOLL — The nation’s top infectious disease specialist is getting a plush doll made in his likeness. SENT: 200 words.

OBIT-WILLIE DAVIS — Willie Davis, a Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive lineman who helped the Green Bay Packers win each of the first two Super Bowls, has died. He was 85. SENT: 970 words, photos.

--------------------—————————————-

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

--------------------——————————————

WHO-TRUMP-PANDEMIC — Nations around the world react with alarm after President Trump announced a halt to the sizable funding the United States sends to the World Health Organization. SENT: 1,020 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-US CASE COUNTING — The U.S. tally of coronavirus cases and deaths might jump, because federal health officials will now count illnesses that are not confirmed by lab testing. SENT: 260 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW YORK — New York to require face coverings in busy public places. SENT: 690 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MEAT PLANT WORKERS — A cluster of coronavirus cases at a South Dakota pork plant has highlighted the susceptibility of meat processing workers, who stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the line and congregate in crowded spaces. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PUERTO RICO — Puerto Rico officials say data that show COVID-19 cases on the island are much lower than in some U.S. states constitute proof that they are containing the new coronavirus, but a series of missteps is raising concerns it could be more widespread than believed. SENT: 950 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST — Iran’s parliament says the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic is likely nearly double the officially reported figures. SENT: 800 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TECH VS MISINFORMATION — Facebook, Google and other platforms are taking unprecedented steps to rid their platforms of potentially dangerous coronavirus misinformation. SENT: 750 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FEDERAL PRISONS — The Justice Department’s inspector general will conduct remote inspections of Bureau of Prisons facilities after hundreds of federal inmates tested positive for coronavirus. SENT: 460 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-HEARING AWRY — It's a court hearing gone awry in the time of the coronavirus: Legal arguments are repeatedly interrupted by hold music, background noise and failures of the mute button. SENT: 500 words.

GROUND GAME — AP’s coronavirus podcast, “Ground Game: Inside the Outbreak,” today focuses on an AP interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, and the daily press briefings at the White House. Listen to the podcast at https://appodcasts.com/category/ground-game/. Embed code is available on AP Coverage Plan.

A separate wire advisory has been sent outlining the AP’s complete coronavirus coverage.

—————————————————-

WASHINGTON/POLITICS

——————————————————

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — With a key coronavirus fund nearly exhausted, negotiations are accelerating in Washington over President Trump’s $250 billion emergency request to help smaller employers across the country keep workers on their payroll. SENT: 840 words, photos.

PENTAGON-CLOUD COMPUTING — A government watchdog agency says the Defense Department’s decision-making process in awarding a major cloud computing contract to Microsoft was in line with legal and government purchasing standards. SENT: 600 words, photos.

____________

NATIONAL

____________

FBI BOMB SUSPECT-DEATH — A Missouri man who investigators say was planning to bomb a Kansas City-area hospital was distressed by the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis and motivated by racial and religious animus, court documents say. SENT: 480 words, photo.

CHICAGO EXPRESSWAY-PILEUP — A Chicago expressway left icy by a wintry blast leads to a pileup involving of dozens of vehicles and sends 14 people to hospitals. SENT: 190 words, photo.

PAPER MILL EXPLOSION — An explosion at a paper mill in Maine shakes the ground and produces a plume of black smoke that is visible for miles. SENT: 500 words, photos.

-------------------

INTERNATIONAL

-------------------

ISRAEL-POLITICS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his chief rival are in last-ditch talks to form an emergency government to tackle the coronavirus threat and prevent another costly and divisive election. SENT: 620 words, photo.

———————————————

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

———————————————-

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Selling sweeps Wall Street after a dismal lineup of reports makes clear how historic the coronavirus crunch has been for the economy. SENT: 840 words, photos. With RETAIL SALES — U.S. retail sales plummeted 8.7% in March, an unprecedented decline. SENT: 480 words, photo; INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION — American industry collapsed in March amid the pandemic. SENT: 250 words, photo.

CHEAPER IPHONE — Apple is releasing a new iPhone that will be vastly cheaper than the models it rolled out last fall before the pandemic forced people to rethink their spending. By Technology Writer Anick Jesdanun.

-------------------

SPORTS

-------------------

HALLADAY-CRASH REPORT — A federal report says baseball Hall of Famer Roy Halladay had drugs in his system and was doing extreme acrobatics in his small plane when it crashed into Tampa Bay in 2017, killing him. SENT: 500 words, photo.

——————————

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

——————————

FILM-KIDS MOVIES TO STREAM — After weeks of quarantine, are your kids tired of “Frozen"? Stream these less-obvious kids movies instead. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT: 890 words, photos.

-------------------

HOW TO REACH US

---------------------

At the Nerve Center, Mike Stewart 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 http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport(at)ap.org or call 877-836-9477.