AP News Digest 6:30 p.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 4 years, 6 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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NEW/DEVELOPING
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Adds RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONFEDERATE STATUES, VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA PRISONS, VIRUS OUTBREAK-ISRAEL, RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONFEDERATE FLAG-MISSISSIPPI, UNITED STATES-VOA, ELECTION 2020-SPORTS VENUES, RECORD GUN SALES, FELONS VOTING-FLORIDA, MISSING SOLDIER-TEXAS, FACEBOOK-AD BOYCOTT, NBA RESTART-ASTERISK.
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ONLY ON AP
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AP POLL-RACIAL INJUSTICE-WHITE POLITICS — As a national reckoning over racism and policing grips the nation, white Democrats are far more likely now than they were a few years ago to think police brutality is a serious issue — a dramatic shift in public opinion that some say could shape the November presidential election. By Kat Stafford and Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 980 words, photos, graphics.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK — Arizona records more coronavirus deaths, infections, hospitalizations and emergency-room visits in a single day than ever before as the deepening crisis across the Sunbelt sends a shudder through other parts of the country and led distant states to put their own reopening plans on hold. States hit hard by the growing COVID-19 outbreaks across the South and West continue rolling back their reopenings, with California ordering the closure of many bars, movie theaters and indoor areas in restaurants. By Jake Coyle and Jonathan J. Cooper. SENT: 930 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP — President Trump says he supports a fresh round of government payments to individuals to help them weather the pandemic but “it has to be done properly.” SENT: 480 words, photo.
UNITED STATES-RUSSIA — The Trump administration defends its response to intelligence assessments that suggested Russia had offered bounties for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan, with the president’s national security adviser saying he had prepared a list of retaliatory options if the intelligence had been corroborated. By Mary Clare Jalonick and Matthew Lee. SENT: 990 words, photos, video.
TRUMP-ANALYSIS — President Donald Trump is asking Americans to let him keep his job. His critics are asking how much of that job he’s actually doing. Those questions have gotten louder in recent days following revelations that Trump didn’t read at least two written intelligence briefings detailing concerns that Russia was paying bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans in Afghanistan. An AP News Analysis. By Washington Bureau Chief Julie Pace. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONFEDERATE STATUES — Richmond's mayor orders the immediate removal of all Confederate statues on city land, saying he is using his emergency powers to speed up the healing process for the former capital of the Confederacy amid weeks of protests over police brutality and racial injustice. Work crews immediately removing a statue of Gen. Stonewall Jackson along Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue. By Denise Lavoie and Alan Suderman. SENT: 600 words, photos. With CONGRESS-CONFEDERATE SYMBOLS — Trump: I’ll veto defense bill to keep Confederate base names. SENT: 650 words, photos.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-BLM CONVENTION — Spurred by broad public support for the Black Lives Matter movement, thousands of Black activists from across the U.S. will hold a virtual convention in August to produce a new political agenda that seeks to build on the success of the protests that followed George Floyd’s death. The 2020 Black National Convention will take place Aug. 28 via a live broadcast. By Aaron Morrison. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
RUSSIA-CONSTITUTIONAL VOTE — A majority of Russians approve amendments to Russia’s constitution in a weeklong vote, allowing President Vladimir Putin to hold power until 2036, although the balloting is tarnished by widespread reports of pressure on voters and other irregularities. By Vladimir Isachenko. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
BASEBALL RETURNS — Call it what you want — summer camp, spring training 2.0 — but the return of Major League Baseball players to workouts Wednesday is the first big step toward starting a 60-game sprint of a season fraught with uncertainty. By Sports Writer Dave Skretta. UPCOMING: 700 words by 7 p.m., photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP-MASKS — After long resisting wearing a mask in public, President Donald Trump says he thinks it makes him look like the Lone Ranger — and he likes it. SENT: 540 words, photos.
MEDIA FOX HENRY — Fox News fires news anchor Ed Henry after it received a complaint about workplace sexual misconduct by him. SENT: 280 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-REPUBLICANS FOR BIDEN — Former George W. Bush administration and campaign officials launch a super PAC supporting Democrat Joe Biden for president. SENT: 400 words, photo.
FORCED LABOR-HUMAN HAIR — U.S. authorities seize a shipment of weaves and beauty accessories suspected to be made out of human hair taken from people locked inside a Chinese internment camp. SENT: 820 words, photo.
MEDIA-CNN’S RISE — A busy stretch of news with the pandemic and racial demonstrations in the United States has led CNN to its best ratings in the network’s 40-year history. SENT: 600 words, photo.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-US-HOARDING — Some public health experts are criticizing the U.S. for securing a large supply of the only drug licensed so far to treat COVID-19. By Medical Writer Maria Cheng. SENT: 800 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NURSING HOMES — A coming report from Senate Democrats finds that the Trump administration was slow to comprehend the scale of COVID-19′s impact on nursing homes. SENT: 740 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-PROTEST CASES — Public health experts say there is little evidence that the protests that erupted after George Floyd’s death caused a significant increase in coronavirus infections. SENT: 730 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA PRISONS — California officials blasted for prison coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 710 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-AFRICA-VACCINE PROTEST — Protesters against Africa’s first COVID-19 vaccine trial have burned their face masks as experts note a worrying level of resistance and misinformation around testing on the continent. SENT: 870 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-DIARY-PAPA IN EXILE — Enjoying grandchildren is supposed to be one of the sweetest seasons of life. Enter the pandemic, which separated one writer and his immuno-compromised wife from the grandsons they’d just moved across state lines to live closer to. By William J. Cole. SENT: 610 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ISRAEL — Israel’s parliament approves a law granting the country’s internal security agency limited authority to use phone surveillance to track coronavirus cases. SENT: 310 words, photo.
Find more coverage of the Virus Outbreak in AP Newsroom.
A separate wire advisory has moved detailing the AP's complete coronavirus coverage.
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MORE ON RACIAL INJUSTICE
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RACIAL INJUSTICE-SEATTLE — Seattle police show up in force at the city’s “occupied” protest zone, tear down demonstrators’ tents and use bicycles to herd the protesters after the mayor ordered the area cleared following two fatal shootings. SENT: 550 words, photos, developing.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONFEDERATE FLAG-MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi retires its rebel-themed former flag to a museum. SENT: 600 words, photos.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-MUGSHOTS — San Francisco police say they will stop making public the mugshots of people who have been arrested unless they pose a threat to the public. SENT: 510 words, photos.
Find more coverage of Racial Injustice in AP Newsroom.
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TRUMP-JULY 4TH — President Trump’s July Fourth celebration on the National Mall will feature one of the largest fireworks displays ever and as many as 300,000 face masks will be given away — but despite health concerns from D.C.’s mayor, no one apparently will be required to wear them. SENT: 560 words, photos.
CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE — The Democratic-controlled House approves a $1.5 trillion plan to rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. The bill faces an uncertain future in the GOP-led Senate. SENT: 830 words, photo.
ELECTION 2020-REPUBLICANS — A small but growing number of Republican congressional candidates have links to the paranoid conspiracy theory known as QAnon. UPCOMING: 740 words by 7 p.m., photos.
Find more coverage of the 2020 U.S. Elections in AP Newsroom.
SUPREME COURT-SCHOOL CHOICE — A Supreme Court decision that says states can’t cut religious schools out of programs that send public money to private education could breathe new life into efforts to force Maine and Vermont to help fund religious educations. SENT: 610 words, photos.
UNITED STATES-VOA — Seven senators, including two strong allies of President Trump, harshly criticize the new chief of U.S.-funded global media for firing the heads of several international broadcasters without consulting Congress. SENT: 600 words, photo.
ELECTION 2020-SPORTS VENUES — Basketball icon LeBron James’ voting rights group pushes for NBA arenas and other sports venues to be turned into mega polling sites for the November election. SENT: 670 words, photo.
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RECORD GUN SALES — Historic numbers of background checks to purchase or possess a firearm were done in June, a trend in a year marked by uncertainty over the pandemic and protests over racial injustice. SENT: 600 words, photos.
FELONS VOTING-FLORIDA — A federal appellate court blocks a lower court ruling that gave impoverished Florida felons the right to vote. SENT: 440 words.
MISSING SOLDIER-TEXAS — The family of a soldier who has been missing since April believes partial remains that were found in Texas are her remains, the lawyer for her family says. The Army says it has identified two suspects in her disappearance. SENT: 340 words.
PREGNANT WOMAN MURDERED-LAWSUIT — A man is suing several retired state police investigators and officials alleging wrongful prosecution after he spent most of his childhood in prison before the state Supreme Court overturned his murder conviction. SENT: 900 words.
JULY 4-ROBERT HEMINGS — Countless words have been written about the Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson, but few about Robert Hemings, the slave who was on hand as Jefferson famously declared that “All men are created equal.” By National Writer Hillel Italie. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.
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HONG-KONG CHINA — Hong Kong police make the first arrests under a new national security law imposed by China’s central government. SENT: 1,270 words, photos. With BRITAIN-CHINA-HONG KONG — UK extends immigration rights for 3 million eligible Hong Kongers. SENT: 650 words, photos.
GERMANY-OBIT-GEORG RATZINGER — The Rev. Georg Ratzinger, the older brother of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, has died at 96. SENT: 1,090 words, photos.
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HEALTH/SCIENCE
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SPACE STATION — Astronauts complete their second spacewalk in under a week to replace old batteries outside the International Space Station. By Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn. SENT: 450 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINE RACE — The first of four experimental COVID-19 vaccines being tested by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech show encouraging results in very early testing of 45 people. SENT: 270 words.
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ECONOMY-JOBS REPORT-5 THINGS TO WATCH FOR — The government on Thursday will issue what will almost surely be another remarkable jobs report. Hiring in June might have reached the highest monthly total on record — 3 million. By Economics Writer Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 1,000 words, photo.
FACEBOOK-AD BOYCOTT — More than 500 companies kick off an advertising boycott intended to pressure Facebook into taking a stronger stand against hate speech. By Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay. SENT: 740 words, photo. With FACEBOOK-ADS-HOUSING LAWSUIT — Lawsuit accuses property managers of ageist Facebook ads. SENT: 520 words.
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TV-BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD — Beavis and Butt-Head are coming back to TV in a reimagined version of the animated series about a pair of Gen X slackers. By Television Writer Lynn Elber. SENT: 220 words, photo.
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NBA RESTART-ASTERISK — Sometime in October, if all goes according to plan, an NBA team will get to celebrate a championship in a season unlike any other. NBA coaches believe it might be the toughest championship ever won. UPCOMING: 750 words by 7 p.m., photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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