AP News Digest 2:10 p.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 4 years, 9 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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AP POLL-VIRUS OUTBREAK-ECONOMY — One out of every four American adults says someone in their household has lost a job to the coronavirus pandemic, but the vast majority expect those former jobs will return once the crisis passes, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. By Josh Boak and Emily Swanson. SENT: 890 words, photo, graphics.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP — President Donald Trump’s willingness to toss out unproven and far-fetched ideas about how to fight the coronavirus -- including his latest musings about injecting disinfectants into people -- trigger an outcry from public health officials. Students of the presidency also see in Trump’s shoot-from-the-hip style a failure to recognize the unique power and responsibility that comes with speaking from the bully pulpit of the White House. By Deb Riechmann and Kevin Freking. SENT: 970 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 980 words by 5 p.m., photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-PENCE — Vice President Mike Pence has been the soothing voice in a ballistic administration during the coronavirus pandemic. He stands stoically behind President Trump during often-rambling daily press briefings and has become familiar for his displays of empathy during the deadly outbreak. His job is to instill confidence in the nation as it confronts the pandemic even as the president careens from optimism to anger. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
CONGRESS-VIRUS-DEBT — A recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a burst of government spending on testing, health care and aid to businesses and households will nearly quadruple the government’s budget deficit to $3.7 trillion. That’s according to the Congressional Budget Office. By Andrew Taylor. SENT: 140 words. UPCOMING: 900 words by 4 p.m., photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — Barber shops, nail salons, gyms and a few other businesses reopened in Georgia as the Republican governor eased a month-long shutdown despite warnings from health experts of a potential new surge of coronavirus infections. As some customers ventured back to these venues, the confirmed number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States surpassed 50,000, according to a tally compiled by John Hopkins University from government figures. By Russ Bynum and David Crary. SENT: 1,076 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST, VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHAT'S HAPPENING (both sent).
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MALARIA DRUGS — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning doctors against prescribing a malaria drug widely touted by President Trump for treating the new coronavirus outside of hospitals or research settings. In an alert Friday, regulators flagged reports of serious side effects and death among patients taking hydroxychloroquine and the related drug chloroquine. SENT: 1,196 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-MALARIA DRUGS-STATES — State and local governments across the United States have obtained 30 million doses of a malaria drug touted by President Trump to treat patients with the new coronavirus despite warnings from doctors that more research is needed. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.
MED--VIRUS OUTBREAK-ANTIBODY STUDIES -- Studies have begun to emerge that try to determine how many Americans have been infected by the new coronavirus. But are they accurate? The results depend on where and how the research is done, and it can be difficult to draw firm conclusions from the early findings, experts said. By Mike Stobbe. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos by 4 p.m.
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-AMERICA’S FAILURES — The United States spends more money on health care than any other country. But in the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not getting top results. An Associated Press review finds a system plagued with chronic shortages, spot shortages, calcified bureaucracy or some combination. How has it come to this? SENT: 1,620 words, photos. An abridged version of 900 words is also available.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NAVY SHIP — Another Navy ship at sea has reported a coronavirus outbreak and is returning to port. The Navy says at least 17 members of the crew of a destroyer, the USS Kidd, have tested positive and it expects the number to grow. SENT: 250 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — President Donald Trump signs a $484 billion bill to aid employers and hospitals under stress from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 50,000 Americans and devastated broad swaths of the economy. SENT: 690 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-DIARY-THE TRIPLETS EMERGE — One writer’s 12-year-old triplets will be stepping out of their three-bedroom apartment in Madrid for the first time in 44 days. They will have an hour of freedom each day beginning this weekend as Spain finally loosens strict lockdown measures that had kept them completely confined for nearly six weeks. SENT: 662 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-INSPIRATION MESSAGES — Inspiration is contagious, too. The coronavirus pandemic has brought an outpouring of messaging in windows, on front doors, across walls, and colored onto driveways and sidewalks around the globe. SENT: 489 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GOUGING CHARGES — Federal prosecutors say a New York retailer has been charged with hoarding disposable masks, surgical gowns and hand sanitizer in a Long Island warehouse and selling the items at huge markups. SENT: 400 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GEORGIA — Some businesses reopened cautiously in Georgia on Friday as the Republican governor eased a month-long shutdown amid experts’ warnings of a potential new surge in coronavirus infections and a potent objection from President Trump. SENT: 990 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONTRASTING GOVERNORS — Mostly Republican governors in a handful of states are racing ahead with reboots to their economy before they have met key health benchmarks recommended to control the coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-STATE LAWMAKERS — Lawmakers in some states are having to choose between risking their health and carrying out their elected duties in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIAN AMERICANS-SAFETY -- As the coronavirus that emerged in China now ravages the U.S., Asian Americans have been wrestling with a second epidemic: hate. SENT: 1,033 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SCRAMBLE FOR GEAR — As Africa braces for a surge in coronavirus cases, its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment. Outbid by richer countries, and not receiving medical gear from top aid donor the United States, African officials scramble for solutions as virus cases climb past 25,000. By Cara Anna. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRITAIN — The British government’s new online system for “essential workers” and their families to book appointments for coronavirus tests got off to an inauspicious start. Barely three hours after launching, the link stopped accepting applications for the day following “exceptional demand” and said more tests, both for drive-through sites and home delivery, will be made available Saturday. SENT: 625 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GEOPOLITICAL CURRENTS — Events from this week would suggest that pandemic or not, there seem to be some global currents whose flow are too strong to stop. Most countries in the world have been consumed with how to contain the coronavirus, including hard-hit Iran and mortal enemy Israel, while North Korea has closed the country off to foreign travel while it claims no infections. SENT: 840 words, photos.
GROUND GAME — AP’s coronavirus podcast, “Ground Game: Inside the Outbreak,” today is about the role of social media in spreading misinformation, conspiracy theories and skepticism around the COVID-19 pandemic. 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.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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MELANIA TRUMP — Melania Trump is sending blankets, caps and other gifts to hospitals in 10 states, including some hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 165 words, photos.
BRITAIN-ROYALS — A British newspaper publisher has fought back against the Duchess of Sussex during a court hearing on her civil lawsuit against the company. SENT: 613 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GOSPEL SINGER — Grammy-winning gospel singer Tye Tribbett has fused Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Alright” into a new tune to send a message to people during the coronavirus pandemic: We are going to be all right. SENT: 196 words, photos.
AMERICAN DOLL LAWSUIT — A Chicago astronomer is suing the maker of American Girl dolls, alleging the Wisconsin company stole her likeness and name to create its astronaut doll. SENT: 237 words, photo.
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CANADA-SHOOTING — Canada’s worst mass shooting erupted from an argument between the gunman and his girlfriend, who survived the attack, police confirmed. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Darren Campbell said the weekend shooting rampage started with an assault by the suspect on his girlfriend and ended with 22 people dead in communities across central and northern Nova Scotia. SENT: 970 words, photos.
CONGO-RANGERS KILLED — An ambush near the renowned Virunga Park in eastern Congo has killed 12 rangers who helped guard some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas in the wild, authorities say. SENT: 210 words.
BREXIT — The European Union’s chief negotiator says that Britain is making scant effort to negotiate a far-reaching free trade deal in the wake of Brexit that would stave off a costly transition at the end of the year. SENT: 560 words, photos.
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks were holding steady as Wall Street nears the end of its tumultuous week. SENT: 813 words, photos, developing.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIDEO CHAT WAR — With people’s social lives moved indefinitely online, a bevy of tech companies want to unseat fast-rising Zoom from its perch, given security concerns and other issues with the video-calling service. There’s Houseparty, Jitsy, along with offerings from Google and Microsoft. UPCOMING: 900 words by 4 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EGGS — Texas’ attorney general has accused the nation’s largest egg producer of price gouging during the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 270 words.
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TV-DEFENDING JACOB — Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery star as husband and wife in the new thriller “Defending Jacob.” The eight-part series follows a family near Boston as they grapple with their teen son being accused of murder. By Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 4 p.m.
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FBN—NFL DRAFT — The NFL’s virtual draft resumes with rounds two and three. The best safeties are still available, with plenty of good running backs left. By Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos. Draft resumes 7 p.m.
CRI-GOING LIVE IN VANUATU — Sports is going live in Vanuatu. A tropical island in the South Pacific is very likely to be the only venue in the world hosting a competitive cricket final as most international sport remains shuttered around the globe. SENT: 640 words, photos.
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