AP News Digest 2 p.m.

Here are the AP's latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EST. 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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AP POLL-ELECTION SECURITY — Americans have widespread concerns about the security and integrity of elections, with few saying they have high confidence that votes in the 2020 presidential election will be counted accurately. A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds skepticism about the democratic process in the U.S. While a third of Americans say they have high confidence in an accurate count, roughly another third are only moderately confident and a remaining third say they have little confidence. By Mary Clare Jalonick and Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 1045 words, photo.

AP POLL-DESCRIBING THE CANDIDATES — What word or phrase comes to Americans’ minds when they think of top presidential candidates, including Donald Trump? A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that for several of the candidates, certain concepts stand out. A look at how Americans characterized the contenders. By Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 920 words, photos.

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TOP STORIES _______________

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TESTING — Health officials confront tough questions and doubts about testing to intercept the fast-spreading virus, with scrutiny focused on a four-day delay in screening an infected California patient despite doctors’ calls to do so. The questions are global: not just who, when and how to test for the illness, but how to make sure test kits get to the labs that need them. All those issues were at play in the treatment of the patient in northern California, who officials say may be the nation’s first community-spread case of the disease. By Mike Stobbe and Adam Geller. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 4 p.m. WITH: VIRUS OUTBREAK — Saudi Arabia cut travel to Islam’s holiest sites. SENT: 850 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHAT'S HAPPENING — The world is scrambling to get on top of the new coronavirus outbreak that has spread from its epicenter in China to most corners of the planet. SENT: 700 words, photo.

ELECTION 2020-VIRUS OUTBREAK-DEMOCRATS — Democratic White House hopefuls are seizing on the coronavirus to paint President Trump as inept and unprepared for a crisis. They’re releasing their own plans for dealing with pandemics, they hammered him on the debate stage, and Mike Bloomberg even released an ad on the issue. But some warn that politicizing the issue is unwise when the nation may soon have a public health crisis on its hands. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.

Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PENCE-INDIANA — President Donald Trump's putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of overseeing the nation's response to the new coronavirus threat is bringing renewed scrutiny to the former governor's response to an HIV crisis in southern Indiana. By Thomas Davies and Rick Callahan. UPCOMING: 800 words by 4:30 p.m., photos.

ELECTION 2020-SUPER TUESDAY —For more than 30 years, Super Tuesday has been the biggest day in the presidential nominating contest. It’s when campaigns move from wholesale to retail and force the contenders to prove they can compete on a national scale. By Kathleen Ronayne. UPCOMING: 1030 words by 3:30 p.m., photos.

For featured coverage of the South Carolina primary and Super Tuesday.

INDIA-VIOLENCE — India's hard-line Hindu nationalists watched anti-government protests centered in Muslim communities for months in anger that finally boiled over in the worst communal rioting in New Delhi in decades, leaving 32 people dead and the Indian capital shell-shocked. By Emily Schmall and Sheikh Saaliq. SENT: 780 words, photos.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Stocks took a bumpy ride on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing as many as 960 points before recovering much of the ground and then falling back 600 points. Investors are struggling to anticipate how wide the economic damage from the coronavirus outbreak will be. By Damian J. Troise and Stan Choe. SENT: 740 words, photo. UPCOMING: Will be updated through 5 p.m.

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VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-FACE MASK SHORTAGES — Fear of the spreading coronavirus is causing a global run on sales of face masks despite medical experts' advice that people who aren't sick don't need to wear them. By Dee-Ann Durbin, Anne D'Innocenzio and Joseph Pisani. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos, video, by 2 p.m.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST-POLITICS — In the Middle East, even virus outbreaks are political. The coronavirus has killed 26 people in Iran -- the highest toll outside of China where it originated. Many of the over 240 confirmed cases in the region have links to Iran, including dozens in Kuwait and Bahrain, six in Iraq and two in Lebanon.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PILGRIMS' PAIN — Saudi Arabia's suspension of the umrah pilgrimage over the global virus outbreak could eventually force millions of Muslims around the world to postpone or cancel their journey. Many have eagerly awaited the trip for years. SENT: 830 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SAUDI PILGRIMAGE Q&A — A look at the umrah pilgrimage and the implications of the decision to halt it. SENT: 960 words, photo.

SOC—VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIAN CANCELLATIONS -- Baseball and basketball are played in empty stadiums. Soccer leagues delay play, and clubs left out of Asian competitions postpone or relocate games. The virus that has infected more than 81,000 people globally and left more than 2,800 dead threatens the Tokyo Olympics. SENT: 700 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/ POLITICS

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ELECTION 2020-STEYER-SOUTH CAROLINA — Joe Biden's political future depends on persuading South Carolina's black voters to rally behind his flagging campaign. But Tom Steyer has spent millions trying to win these same voters – raising concerns among Biden supporters that Steyer could be a spoiler blunting a decisive victory Biden needs to keep his campaign afloat. By Meg Kinnard. SENT: 780 words, photos.

TRUMP-BLACK HISTORY — President Donald Trump hosts a White House reception marking African American history month. By Kevin Freking. UPCOMING: Developing from 6 p.m. event, 250 words by 7 p.m., photos, video.

ELECTION 2020-BUTTIGIEG — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg returns to the campaign trail on Thursday after being temporarily sidelined by illness.By Thomas Beaumont. SENT: 700 words. UPCOMING: 500 words with new approach by 5 p.m., photos.

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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

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SCI--BLACK HOLE EXPLOSION — Astronomers have discovered the biggest explosion seen in the universe, originating from a super-massive black hole. SENT: 339 words.

STOLEN MORTUARY VEHICLE — Authorities say they have recovered a stolen mortuary vehicle that had a body inside it following a police pursuit on a Los Angeles freeway SENT: 119 words.

KIA ENGINE FIRES — Kia is recalling more than 193,000 cars and minvans in yet another move to fix nagging problems that could cause engine fires. SENT: 440 words, photo.

KOBE BRYANT AUCTION — Some key Kobe Bryant memorabilia, including two of his Los Angeles Lakers uniforms and handprints he left outside a Hollywood landmark, are going up for sale in April. SENT: 300 words, photo.

RESCUED SEA LIONS — Two sea lions rescued off the coast of California are making their debut at a new home in a Hawaii aquatic park. SENT: 315 words, photos.

REL--VATICAN-POPE SICK —Officials say Pope Francis is sick and he skipped a planned Mass with Rome clergy across town. SENT: 280 words, photos.

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FORMER BALTIMORE MAYOR-SENTENCE — The disgraced former mayor of Baltimore was sentenced to three years in federal prison Thursday for arranging fraudulent sales of her self-published children’s books to nonprofits and foundations to promote her political career and fund her run for the city’s highest office. SENT: 750 words, photos.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-DOCTOR — A University of Michigan wrestler from the 1970s says he was kicked off the team and lost financial aid after complaining of his physical abuse by a sports doctor. Tad Deluca says he was motivated to speak out by a similar case at Michigan State. SENT: 330 words, photos. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 5 p.m.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS-BRIBERY — TV actress Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, will go on trial in October on charges that they bribed their daughters’ way into the University of Southern California, a federal judge said. SENT: 570 words, photo.

GUAM WAR SURVIVORS-COMPENSATION — More than 3,000 people in the U.S. territory of Guam are expecting to get long-awaited compensation from the U.S. government for their suffering at the hands of imperial Japan during World War II. SENT: 1,150 words, photos.

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SYRIA — Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters retook a strategic northwestern town from government forces on Thursday, opposition activists said, cutting a key highway just days after the government reopened it for the first time since 2012. SENT: 765 words, photo.

BRITAIN-HEATHROW — Heathrow Airport's plans to increase capacity of Europe's biggest travel hub by over 50% were stalled Thursday when a British court said the government failed to consider its commitment to combat climate change when it approved the project. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

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ECONOMY

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ECONOMY-GDP — The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.1% in the final quarter of last year, but damage from the spreading virus is likely depressing growth in the current quarter and for 2020 as a whole. SENT: 935 words, photo.

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TV-NAZISM ON SCREEN - Nazi Germany and its crimes against humanity are back on TV and movie screens, prompted both by history and current politics and with one drama series, “Hunters,” getting a mixed reception. By AP Television Writer Lynn Elber. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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BBO--FLOOD-HALL OF FAME -- Members of Congress and union leaders from the four major U.S. team sports are calling for the late Curt Flood to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His refusal to accept a trade from St. Louis to Philadelphia in 1969 ultimately ushered in baseball free agency. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 7 p.m.

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