AP News Digest 6 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.
NEW: VIRUS OUTBREAK-SMALL BUSINESS-PUBLIC COMPANIES, LIVES LOST-BROTHER TO BROTHER, ELECTION 2020-DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, VIRUS OUTBREAK-GEORGIA
————————-
ONLY ON AP
————————-
AP POLL-VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP — Only about a quarter of Americans say they regularly seek out or trust information they get from President Donald Trump about the coronavirus outbreak, a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds. Confidence in Trump is higher among his supporters, though only about half of Republicans say they have a lot of trust in Trump’s information on the pandemic. By Julie Pace and Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 940 words, photos, graphic.
------------------
------------------
VIRUS OUTBREAK — Unemployment in the U.S. is swelling to levels last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s, with 1 in 6 American workers thrown out of a job by the coronavirus. More than 4.4 million laid-off Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, the government said Thursday. In all, roughly 26 million people — the population of the 10 biggest U.S. cities combined — have now filed for jobless aid in five weeks, an epic collapse that has raised the stakes in the debate over how and when to ease the shutdowns of factories and other businesses.By David Crary, Regina GArcia Cano and Angela Charlton. SENT: 1,025 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — There are many more filings for jobless aid to come, including millions of independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed. By Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — Congress delivers an almost $500 billion infusion of coronavirus spending, rushing new relief to employers and hospitals buckling under the strain of a pandemic that has claimed almost 50,000 American lives and one in six U.S. jobs. By Andrew Taylor and Alan Fram. SENT: 920 words, photos, video. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-SCENE — House members choose overwhelmingly to wear masks at their first meeting in a month, creating the defining visual of a Congress in the throes of a historic pandemic. SENT: 620 words, photos, video; VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-OVERSIGHT — The House votes to create a new subcommittee to track coronavirus aid. SENT: 580 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NURSING HOME TESTING: After two months and 10,000 deaths that have made the nation’s nursing homes the worst places to be during the coronavirus crisis, most of them still don’t have access to enough tests to help control outbreaks among their frail, elderly residents. SENT: 1200 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-STATE STOCKPILES -- Before the coronavirus outbreak, many states had only a modest supply of protective medical equipment. An Associated Press review of more than 20 states found that many were still storing items that were left over from an influenza pandemic a decade ago and long since expired. Many states had not freshened their supplies because of a decline in public health funding and a growing dependence on just-in-time delivery in the health care industry. By David A. Lieb and Cuneyt Dil. SENT: 1,370 words, photos.
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
ELECTION 2020-VIRUS FALLOUT — With legions out of work, Republicans in critical battleground states are increasingly blaming the economic wreckage of the coronavirus outbreak on Democratic governors, ramping up a political strategy that is likely to shape the debate in the run-up to the presidential election. By Marc Levy. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page on APNewsroom.
FBN-NFL DRAFT — When Commissioner Roger Goodell begins the NFL draft, look for him to mention the names Joe Burrow and Chase Young with the first two selections. After that, it’s game on in this most unusual of drafts. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos. Draft begins 8 p.m. WITH: FBN--DRAFT-PROSPECTS AT HOME -- Fifty-eight prospects will take part remotely in the NFL draft, which has gone virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 830 words, photos.
---------------------------------———————
MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
---------------------------------————————
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VETERANS AFFAIRS — The Veterans Affairs Department, responsible for 9 million military veterans, says it was prepared for an onslaught of patients from the coronavirus. But interviews with nurses at facilities around the country, internal memos and a report for the agency’s inspector general tell another story. SENT: 1,380 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,030 words has also been sent.
VIRUS OUTBREAK NURSING HOME VISITS — France has started to break the seals on its locked-down nursing homes, allowing limited visitation rights for the families of elderly residents. The visits are proving bittersweet for some, too short and restricted to make up for weeks of isolation and loneliness. But they are shedding light on the immense emotional toll caused by locking down care homes. SENT: 870 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP-DOCTORS — It’s becoming a kind of daily ritual: President Trump and a phalanx of doctors file into the White House briefing room each evening to discuss the coronavirus, producing a display of rhetorical contortions as the medical officials try to stay true to the science without crossing the president. The result is some bewildering scenes for Americans trying to understand how best to protect themselves from the virus. By Deb Riechmann and Aamer Madhani. UPCOMING: 990 words, photos by 7 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SMALL BUSINESS-PUBLIC COMPANIES: The federal government is making it tougher for public companies to tap a small business relief program, and seeking refunds in some cases from companies that already did. SENT: 475 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GEORGIA: President Donald Trump’s blunt disapproval of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to let some businesses reopen is only making decisions tougher for many owners, workers and customers. SENT: 750 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-STUDENTS’ MASKS — A private school student in the nation’s capital wanted to help address the suffering created by the coronavirus pandemic. So Jonah Docter-Loeb decided to tap into the online community of 3D printer enthusiasts and found an open-source design for a welder’s mask-style face shield that he could print at home and provide to area hospitals. The project has printed 3,000 face shields and hopes to complete 10,000 in April. SENT: 540 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONTRASTING GOVERNORS —Governors in a handful of states are racing ahead with reboots to their economy even before they meet the key markers set by recently released federal guidelines. Those decisions stand in stark contrast to other governors who continue to maintain a cautious approach to reopening and have said they will base their decision only on the public health data and their ability to keep the virus outbreak in check. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 4 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MEAT PROCESSING-SAFETY -- Dozens of U.S. meat-processing plants have been forced to close temporarily as the industry struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus among employees who often stand side-by-side while cutting and packaging beef, pork and poultry. Giant slaughterhouses that employ thousands of people are designed to have workers close together, making it difficult to adhere to social distancing guidelines that advise people to stay 6 feet apart. SENT: 880 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HAITI DEPORTEES RETURN — The United States has been returning Haitian migrants and prisoners back to the island for years. But now COVID-19 has many locals worried. A planeload of deportees arrives on Thursday amid growing calls to halt deportations after officials said three migrants sent home last week by the U.S. tested positive for coronavirus. SENT: 400 words, photos.
LIVES LOST-BROTHER TO BROTHER: Brothers who journeyed from rural Mexico to a life in the U.S. die one day apart from the coronavirus. SENT: 740 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-PETS— Can I get the coronavirus from my pet? There’s no evidence pets are spreading the virus to people. And there have been very few cases worldwide where animals likely got the virus from people, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SENT: 175 words, photo.
GROUND GAME — AP’s coronavirus podcast, “Ground Game: Inside the Outbreak,” today looks at a dilemma amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic: How will societies strike a balance between public health and individual privacy. Listen to the podcast after 3 p.m. at https://appodcasts.com/category/ground-game/. Embed code is available on AP Coverage Plan.
A separate advisory has been sent detailing AP's complete pandemic coverage.
---------------------————————————
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
——————————————————————
VIRUS OUTBREAK-DIFFIE-DEATH-MISINFORMATION: Conspiracy theorists are twisting facts online about country singer Joe Diffie’s death from COVID-19 complications. SENT: 300 words.
ROLLING STONES NEW SONG — The Rolling Stones reveal a new song the band thinks is perfect for these coronavirus times. The legendary band released the four-minute slow-burning bluesy and harmonica-driven “Living in a Ghost Town.” SENT: 185 words, photo.
VIRUS RELIEF-BEYONCE: Beyoncé is focusing her coronavirus relief efforts on organizations that are helping communities of color that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 155 words.
ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL ARREST — A man who was arrested for carrying gasoline and lighters into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York died by suicide after he was released from a secure psychiatric hospital where the coronavirus was spreading, his lawyer said. SENT: 300 words, photo.
—————————————————-
——————————————————
ELECTION 2020-DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION: Democratic Party chairman Tom Perez says he expects to hold an in-person convention in Milwaukee to nominate Joe Biden for president, though he didn’t rule out the potential that portions of the event would be conducted virtually. SENT: 550 words, photos.
TRUMP-NUCLEAR — A Trump administration panel is urging government intervention to rescue U.S. uranium mining and nuclear power industries in a tough global marketplace, from making it easier to mine public lands out West to blockading some imports of foreign-mined uranium. SENT; 577 words, photo.
SUPREME COURT-CLEAN WATER ACT — The Supreme Court rules that sewage plants and other industries cannot avoid environmental requirements under landmark clean-water protections when they send dirty water on an indirect route to rivers, oceans and other navigable waterways. SENT: 430 words, photo.
——————
——————-
SEVERE WEATHER — Severe weather blew through the South after killing at least seven people in Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, including a worker at a factory hit by an apparent tornado, a man whose car was blown off the road and a man who went outside to grab a trash can and was swept away in a flood. SENT: 577 words, photos, video.
NATION'S REPORT CARD — The latest Nation’s Report Card shows eighth-graders’ scores in U.S. history and geography declining since 2014, results Education Secretary Betsy DeVos called “stark and inexcusable.” Civics scores on the 2018 assessments were the same as in the last round of tests four years earlier, the newly released results show. SENT: 600 words, photo.
————————————-
INTERNATIONAL
—————————————
PERSIAN GULF TENSIONS — The leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned that he has ordered his forces to potentially target the U.S. Navy after President Trump’s tweet the previous day threatening to sink Iranian vessels. SENT: 775 words, photos.
——————————————
HEALTH & SCIENCE
——————————————-
INSECT DECLINE — The world has lost more than one quarter of its land-dwelling insects in the past 30 years as the first big picture study of global bug decline showed an alarming feared so-called insect apocalypse is more nuanced, varying from place to place. UPCOMING: 685 words by 3 p.m.
———————————————-
------------——————————
FINANCIAL MARKETS: The stock market ended another turbulent day more or less where it started after an early rally got washed away. SENT: 900 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-BUSINESS FALLOUT.
------------------------
HOW TO REACH US
------------------------
At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva 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.