AP News Digest 7 a.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 6 years, 2 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/DEVELOPING
—————————-
UKRAINE-ABDUCTION — Criminal suspect takes police chief hostage in Ukraine. SENT: 150 words, photos.
CT VIVIAN FUNERAL — Civil rights trailblazer C.T. Vivian to be laid to rest. SENT: 250 words, photos.
---------------—--
---------------—-—
RACIAL-INJUSTICE-PORTLAND — The mayor of Portland, Oregon, was tear gassed by the U.S. government as he stood at a fence guarding a federal courthouse during another night of protest against the presence of federal agents sent by President Donald Trump to quell unrest in the city. By Gillian Flaccus. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, videos. With TRUMP-LAW ENFORCEMENT — Trump deploys more federal agents under “law and order" push.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-FEDERAL RESPONSE — When armed protesters took over a remote wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon four years ago to oppose federal control of public lands, U.S. agents negotiated with the conservative occupiers for weeks while some state leaders begged for stronger action. This month, federal officers sent to Portland to quell chaotic protests against racial injustice took swift and, some say, harsh action. State leaders are imploring federal forces to leave the progressive city, saying they’re escalating a volatile situation. By Rebecca Boone and Michael Kunzelman. SENT: 1,250 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE POPULISM FACTOR — The countries that top the rankings of COVID-19 deaths globally are not the necessarily the poorest, the richest or even the most densely populated. But they do have one thing in common: They are led by populist, mold-breaking leaders. By John Daniszewski. SENT: 1,270 words, photos. An abridged version of 940 words has also been sent.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — Laboratories across the U.S. are buckling under a surge of coronavirus tests, creating long processing delays that experts say are undercutting the pandemic response. With the U.S. tally of confirmed infections at nearly 4 million and new cases surging, the bottlenecks are creating problems for workers kept off the job while awaiting results, nursing homes struggling to keep the virus out and for the labs themselves as they deal with a crushing workload. By Matthew Perrone, Tammy Webber and Matt Sedensky. SENT: 1,300 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SENDING MONEY HOME — For as long as Mexicans have gone north to find work, money has gone in the opposite direction. Remittances from expatriates have been the life blood of many Mexican villages. But these days, fear accompanies the money that crosses the border. And it travels both ways. By Claudia Torrens and María Verza. SENT: 2,100 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,000 words has also been sent.
MARS-CHINA — China launches its most ambitious Mars mission yet in a bold attempt to join the United States in successfully landing a spacecraft on the red planet. A Long March-5 carrier rocket took off under clear skies from Hainan Island, south of China’s mainland. Hundreds of space enthusiasts cried out excitedly on a beach across the bay from the launch site. By Samuel McNeil and Aniruddha Ghosal. SENT: 1,120 words, photos.
---------------------------------------------—-
MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
----------------------------------------------—-
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — Senate Republicans and the White House have reached tentative agreement for more testing funds in the next COVID-19 relief package, but deep disagreements over the scope of the $1 trillion in federal aid remain. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 910 words, photos, video. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-OUTLOOK — Flashpoints emerge as lawmakers negotiate new virus aid.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TWO SMALL SHEIKHDOMS — The small, neighboring sheikhdoms of Bahrain and Qatar have the world’s highest per capita rates of coronavirus infections. SENT: 1,000 words, photo. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST — U.N.: Arab economies to shrink by 5.7% amid virus fallout.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA-MASKS — There were few bare faces among rush-hour commuters in Australia’s second-largest city as Melbourne residents were largely complying with a new law making face coverings compulsory. SENT: 800 words, photo. With AUSTRALIA-ECONOMY — Pandemic to cost Australia government $131 billion this year.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AFRICA — The South African Medical Research Council is reporting a “huge discrepancy” between the country’s confirmed COVID-19 deaths and the number of excess deaths from natural causes, while Africa’s top health official says the virus is spreading there “like wildfire.” SENT: 570 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — Tokyo announces a record 366 new daily coronavirus cases, exceeding 300 for the first time as Japan begins a four-day weekend with many people joining a tourism promotion campaign that the government is pushing despite concerns of a new wave of infections nationwide. SENT: 800 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WOMEN JOURNALISTS — Gender inequalities in newsrooms have increased during the coronavirus pandemic according to a survey published by the International Federation of Journalists. SENT: 250 words.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA-MASKS — California will spend $315 million more to buy hundreds of millions of protective masks as the coronavirus continues to ravage the state. SENT: 720 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-PHILIPPINES BICYCLES — A year after he passed away at age 17, Benjamin Canlas is still making the world a better place — one bike at a time. SENT: 620 words, photos, videos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-COINS — The Federal Reserve has seen a significant decline of coins in circulation because businesses have either closed or are not accepting cash. SENT: 280 words, photo.
A separate wire advisory has been sent outlining the AP's complete coronavirus coverage.
Find more coverage of the Virus Outbreak in AP Newsroom.
------------------------------------------—
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
------------------------------------------—
BRITAIN-AMBASSADOR — U.S. ambassador to Britain defends reputation amid racist remark claims. SENT: 150 words, photo.
TWITTER-HACK — Twitter says hackers accessed Dutch politician’s inbox. SENT: 390 words, photo.
NAVAL ACADEMY-SEXUAL ASSAULT — Naval Academy midshipman guilty of sexual assault. SENT: 190 words.
TROPICAL WEATHER — Hurricane Douglas may bring strong winds, rain to Hawaii. SENT: 450 words.
OBIT-ANNIE-ROSS — Annie Ross, jazz singer turned actor, dies at 89 in New York. SENT: 300 words, photo.
ISLANDERS-ARENA-NAME — UBS reaches 20-year deal for New York Islanders’ arena naming rights. SENT: 370 words, photos.
—————————————————-
——————————————————
CONGRESS-TRUMP PARDONS — House Democrats are trying to rein in one of Trump’s biggest powers: the ability to pardon. SENT: 520 words, photo. UPCOMING: 800 words after 10 a.m. committee meeting.
ELECTION 2020-HOUSE-MICHIGAN — Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s approach to governing as an unapologetic fighter, taking aim at the status quo alongside three other first-term congresswomen of color who make up the “squad,” has made her a target of the GOP and her own party. SENT: 980 words, photo.
—————————
—————————
CHICAGO VIOLENCE — Amid a surge in gun violence and protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, the nation’s third-largest city is on edge, awaiting possible greater tension in the form of a plan by Trump to dispatch dozens of federal agents to Chicago. SENT: 950 words, photos, video.
CONFEDERATE-MONUMENTS-RICHMOND — Attorneys will be back in court for a hearing in a lawsuit challenging Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s plan to remove a giant Confederate statue in Virginia’s capital city. SENT: 620 words, photo.
————————————
———————————-
GERMANY-NAZI TRIAL — A German court convicts a 93-year-old former SS private of being an accessory to murder at the Stutthof concentration camp, where he served as a guard in the final months of World War II. SENT: 890 words, photos.
CHINA-US — China says “malicious slander” is behind an order by the U.S. government to close its consulate in Houston and maintains that its officials have never operated outside ordinary diplomatic norms. SENT: 380 words, photos.
THAILAND-CONTROVERSIAL CORPSE — The mummified corpse of Si Ouey, who had a reputation as Thailand’s first serial killer, is given a Buddhist funeral six decades after his execution. SENT: 700 words, photos.
AP EXPLAINS-TURKEY-HAGIA SOPHIA — Turkey’s president is scheduled to join hundreds of worshippers Friday for the first Muslim prayers at the Hagia Sophia in 86 years, after a controversial high court ruling paved the way for the landmark monument to be turned back into a mosque. SENT: 650 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN — A government airstrike killed at least 14 people in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, many of them women and children, witnesses say. SENT: 520 words.
NORTH KOREA-CHICKEN FARM — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has inspected a new chicken farm being built in a county south of capital Pyongyang and called for improvements to what he described as an outdated poultry industry, state media says. SENT: 350 words, photos.
KUWAIT — Kuwait’s 91-year-old ruling emir leaves for the United States with the help of the U.S. government to seek further medical care after recently undergoing surgery. SENT: 730 words, photo.
——————————————
——————————————
FINANCIAL-MARKETS — European shares opened higher and U.S. futures also advanced after a mixed day of trading in Asia. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 670 words, photos.
GERMANY-EARNS-DAIMLER — Daimler, the maker of Mercedes-Benz luxury cars and Freightliner trucks, lost $2.21 billion in the second quarter as the coronavirus outbreak slashed sales of the company’s cars, vans, buses and trucks by about a third. By Business Writer David McHugh. SENT: 410 words, photo.
—————-
—————-
GIANTS-NAAKEN’S CHANCE — Alyssa Nakken used baseball’s long layoff to become even better prepared to coach the San Francisco Giants after realizing in spring training how much more work she had to do. By Baseball Writer Janie McCauley. SENT: 900 words, photos.
TOKYO-ONE-YEAR-TO-GO — The Tokyo Olympics have hit the one-year-to-go mark — again — but few are in a mood to celebrate. By Sports Writer Stephen Wade. SENT: 970 words, photos.
————————————
————————————-
BRITAIN-JOHNNY DEPP — Amber Heard is wrapping up her evidence in Johnny Depp’s libel case against a British tabloid over allegations of domestic violence, further accusing her ex-husband of abusing her when he was high on drugs or was drunk. SENT: 520 words, photos.
CLINT EASTWOOD-CBD LAWSUITS — Clint Eastwood sues several companies that sell CBD supplements, alleging that they are falsely using his name and image to push products he would never agree to endorse. By Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton. SENT: 370 words, photo.
——————————————
HOW TO REACH US
——————————————
At the Nerve Center, Richard A. Somma 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.