AP News Digest 6:30 p.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 5 years, 11 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: HATE-SPEECH-ONLINE-ADS, VIRUS OUTBREAK-LOAN TRANSPARENCY, RACIAL INJUSTICE-TRUMP-MONUMENTS, VIRUS OUTBREAK-RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS, TRUMP-STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS, NOT-REAL-NEWS, BORDER WALL-LAWSUITS, MEDIA-LOCAL-NEWS, WAREHOUSE-SHOOTING-SPRINGFIELD, HAND-SANITIZER-DEATHS-NEW-MEXICO.
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ONLY ON AP
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-CARE HOME RECKONING — In France, a reckoning is beginning for 14,000 deaths among care home residents, a cataclysm that scythed through the generation that endured World War II. Families whose elders died behind the closed doors of homes in lockdown are filing wrongful death lawsuits, triggering police investigations. They are hiring lawyers and banding together to bust through walls of silence erected by homes that failed to keep families updated about COVID-19 deaths and infections. By John Leicester. SENT: 1,550 words, photos, video. An abridged version of 1,040 words is available.
HOUTHIS-FLOATING BOMB — The U.N. says an abandoned oil tanker moored off the coast of Yemen loaded with more than 1 million barrels of crude oil is at risk of rupture or exploding, causing massive environmental damage to Red Sea marine life, desalination factories and international shipping routes. Meanwhile, Houthi rebels who control the area where the ship is moored have denied U.N. inspectors access to the vessel. Documents obtained by the AP show that seawater has entered the engine compartment of the tanker, which hasn’t been maintained for over five years, causing damage to the pipelines and increasing the risk of sinking. By Maggie Michael. SENT: 1,880 words, photos. An abridged version of 940 words is available.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL —Texas and Florida clamped down on bars again in the nation’s biggest retreat yet as a surge across the South and West sent the number of confirmed new coronavirus infections per day in the U.S. to an all-time high of 40,000. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered all bars closed, while Florida banned alcohol consumption at all such establishments. The two states joined the small but growing list of those that are either backtracking or putting any further reopenings of their economies on hold because of a comeback by the virus. By Michelle R. Smith and Frances D'Emilio. WITH: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHITE HOUSE — The White House coronavirus task force has briefed the public for the first time since late April — this time without President Donald Trump or the presidential podium. The briefing was a sign of the administration’s effort to show it’s got a handle on the virus but the nation no longer needs to be on a wartime footing that would prevent reopening the economy. By Deb Riechmann and Darlene Superville. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.
Find more coverage of the Virus Outbreak in AP Newsroom.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-CONGRESS — Passage of the House Democrats’ far-reaching police overhaul after George Floyd’s death shifts attention back to the Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signals she’s willing to negotiate with the Senate, where a Republican bill collapsed this week. By Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 870 words, photos. (Replaces RACIAL INJUSTICE-DEADLOCKED CONGRESS from 2 p.m. Digest.) With RACIAL INJUSTICE-POLICE MISCONDUCT — Without major changes in almost every state, a national police misconduct database like what the White House and Congress have proposed would fail to account for thousands of problem officers. SENT: 960 words, photos.
GEORGE FLOYD-MINNEAPOLIS POLICE -- The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a proposal to change the city charter to allow the police department to be dismantled, following widespread criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd. The 12-0 vote is just the first step in a process that faces significant bureaucratic obstacles to make the November ballot, where the city’s voters would have the final say. By Amy Forliti and Steve Karnowski. SENT: 870 words, photos.
Find more coverage of Racial Injustice in AP Newsroom.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-RAYSHARD BROOKS — Rayshard Brooks didn’t hide his history. About five months before he was killed by Atlanta police in a Wendy’s parking lot — before his name and case would become the latest rallying point in a massive call for racial justice and equality nationwide — Brooks gave an interview to an advocacy group about his years of struggle in the criminal justice system. By Sudhin Thanawala and John Seewer. SENT: 1,470 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,020 words is available.
BRITAIN-SCOTLAND-POLICE INCIDENT — Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the multiple stabbings in Glasgow that ended with the suspect being shot dead by police weren’t being treated as terrorism. The male suspect was shot dead by police at a Glasgow hotel that appeared to be largely housing asylum-seekers and refugees. Six other men, including a 42-year-old police officer, have been hospitalized and are being treated for injuries. The five other men were aged between 17 and 53. By Pan Pylas and Danica Kirka. SENT: 425 words, photos, developing.
HATE-SPEECH-ONLINE-ADS — Facebook says it will flag all “newsworthy” posts from politicians that break its rules, including those from President Trump. CEO Mark Zuckerberg had previously refused to take action against Trump posts suggesting that mail-in ballots will lead to voter fraud. Twitter, by contrast, slapped a “get the facts” label on them. By AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay. SENT: 400 words photo. UPCOMING: Developing.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-RELIGIOUS GATHERINGS — A federal judge has blocked New York state from enforcing coronavirus restrictions limiting indoor religious gatherings to 25% capacity when other types of gatherings are limited to 50%. SENT: 360 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-LOAN TRANSPARENCY — After prodding from Democratic lawmakers, the Trump administration agrees to give Congress — but not the public — complete data on the millions of small businesses that received loans from a $600 billion-plus coronavirus aid program. SENT: 520 words, photo. WITH: TRUMP-STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS — House Democrats fail to override President Trump’s veto of a measure that would have reversed the Education Department’s tough policy on loan forgiveness for students misled by for-profit colleges. SENT: 670 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HOSPITALIZATIONS — Governors in states seeing huge spikes in the coronavirus often downplay the outbreak by citing statewide data to assure the public they have plenty of hospital capacity to survive the onslaught of cases. But experts say those numbers are often misleading, and call promoting them “irresponsible.” SENT: 900 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRAVEL QUARANTINE -- New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are the latest states to enact 14-day visitor quarantines to try to check the spread of the coronavirus. After being slammed by the outbreak this spring, the states’ governors hope they can preserve their tenuous recovery by making travelers from more than a half-dozen struggling states isolate themselves. There are few details on how the quarantine enacted Thursday will be enforced, but the playbooks from other states include everything from making new arrivals fill out forms to having National Guard members knock on doors. SENT: 900 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ITALY HOTSPOTS — The governor of a southern Italian region insisted that residents of an apartment complex quarantine inside for 15 days, not even venturing out to buy food, after dozens of COVID-19 cases among Bulgarian seasonal farm workers and Italians who live there were confirmed. SENT: 760 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-LATIN AMERICAN MARKETS — As the coronavirus pandemic swamps countries from Mexico to Argentina, public health officials are struggling to limit the damage caused by Latin America’s iconic covered food markets, a beloved, essential feature of life in the region and a nearly perfect setting for the spread of the disease. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-PORTUGAL — At a housing project on the outskirts of Lisbon, the behavior of residents offers clues to why this part of Portugal has become a hot spot for new COVID-19 cases and how government efforts to stamp out the new coronavirus are being frustrated. SENT: 950 words, photos.
A separate advisory has moved outlining the AP's complete coronavirus coverage.
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MORE ON RACIAL INJUSTICE
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RACIAL INJUSTICE-MARINA CONFRONTATION -- A social media video showing a white man calling the police on a group of Black and Hispanic men in Connecticut has prompted a police investigation and is drawing comparisons to a similar incident in New York’s Central Park last month. SENT: 430 words.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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NOT-REAL-NEWS — As the number of daily confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hit all-time highs, false posts surfaced questioning the safety of wearing face masks, including the claim that mask wearing can lead to pneumonia. There is no evidence of this. SENT: 2,580 words, photos.
HAND-SANITIZER-DEATHS-NEW-MEXICO — Three people have died, three others are in critical condition and one person is permanently blind after apparently drinking hand sanitizer that contained methanol, New Mexico health officials said. SENT: 200 words, photo.
GAP-KANYE WEST — Kanye West is bringing his Yeezy brand to Gap. The rap superstar will design adult and kids clothing that will be sold at Gap next year. SENT: 125 words, photo.
OBIT-MR MARDI GRAS -- Blaine Kern Sr., a float builder who was often credited with helping expand New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration into a giant event known worldwide, has died. He was 93. SENT: 300 words.
LIGHTER FLUID ATTACK — A biracial Wisconsin woman who says a group of white men set her on fire wants her attackers to know they hurt her but she hopes they will improve themselves. SENT: 425 words, photos.
CAGED-TODDLER - Three people are facing a multitude of charges after police found a caged toddler in a filthy Tennessee mobile home that also contained dogs, rodents and snakes. SENT: 200 words.
RAPPER KILLED-MISSOURI - A St. Louis rapper who went by the stage name Huey was killed in a shooting that also wounded another man, authorities say. SENT: 150 words, photos.
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CONGRESS-DC STATEHOOD — The Democratic-controlled House approves a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st state, but action in the GOP-controlled Senate is unlikely. By Matthew Daly. SENT: 850 words, photos, video.
ELECTION 2020-HEALTH CARE — Democrats are again going after Republicans on the issue of healthcare, hoping a line of attack that proved potent for the party during last year’s midterms will help deliver them sweeping wins again this fall. By Alexandra Jaffe and Alan Fram. SENT: 980 words, photos. With HEALTH OVERHAUL-Q&A — President Donald Trump asks the Supreme Court to overturn “Obamacare.” Some questions and answers as the case unfolds. SENT: 800 words, photos.
SUPREME COURT-RETIREMENT UNLIKELY — The last time a Supreme Court justice announced his retirement in a presidential election year, most of the current justices were too young to vote. The pattern is not likely to be broken in 2020, despite persistent chatter that Justice Clarence Thomas could give President Trump a seat to fill before the election. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 850 words, photos.
BORDER WALL-LAWSUITS — A federal appeals court has ruled against the Trump administration in its transfer of military money to build sections of the U.S. border wall with Mexico. SENT: 710 words, photos.
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MEXICO-VIOLENCE — A high-sided construction truck and a white SUV pulled into the path of Mexico City’s police chief just as dawn was breaking on the capital’s most iconic boulevard and assailants opened fire with .50-caliber sniper rifles and grenades on his armored vehicle. The chief was wounded and three people were killed. SENT: 800 words, photos.
IRAQ-MILITIAS — Iraqi security forces arrested over a dozen men suspected of a spate of rocket attacks against the U.S. presence in Iraq, the Iraqi military said — the strongest action to date by the new government in Baghdad against perpetrators suspected of ties to Iran. SENT: 685 words, photo.
VENEZUELA-WATER SHORTAGE — Water service in Venezuela has gotten so bad that poor neighborhoods have started to rig private water systems or hand dig shallow wells. SENT: 600 words, photos.
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WAREHOUSE-SHOOTING-SPRINGFIELD — Two employees have been killed at a warehouse in central Illinois and another was critically injured, all apparently shot by another employee who was found fatally shot in his car later in the day, police said. SENT: 190 words, photos.
MEDIA-LOCAL-NEWS — A new report on the state of local news has the same grim litany of dismal statistics, but its author takes some solace that the problem of “news deserts” is now being noticed. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 690 words.
BUSINESSMAN-CHILD PORN — A Lebanese American businessman who was a key witness in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report and who helped broker the release of American hostages was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison sentence on child sex charges. George Nader pleaded guilty in January to bringing a 14-year-old boy from the Czech Republic to the U.S. 20 years ago to engage in sexual activity. He also acknowledged possessing child pornography. SENT: 660 words, photo.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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SCI-SPACE STATION — A spacewalking astronaut has added to the pieces of junk orbiting the Earth. The commander of the International Space Station, Chris Cassidy, had barely exited the hatch when he reported that his left wrist mirror had floated away. Mission Control says the lost mirror poses no risk to either the spacewalk or station. SENT: 400 words, photo.
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Financial companies led a sharp slide for stocks on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve ordered many of the nation’s biggest banks to suspend buybacks of their stock and cap dividend payments for several months. SENT: 800 words, photos, developing.
CONSUMER SPENDING — American consumers increased their spending by a record 8.2% in May, partly erasing record plunges the previous two months, against the backdrop of an economy that’s likely shrinking by its steepest pace on record this quarter. SENT: 825 words, photos.
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RACIAL INJUSTICE-COUNTRY MUSIC — Country music has a long, complicated history with race dating back to its roots. But the rallies over racial injustice this year have become too important for the genre to ignore. SENT: 1,400 words, photos, video. Eds: An abridged version of 885 words is also available.
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BBO--BASEBALL’S RETURN-SUMMER CAMP — Once they arrive, major leaguers will have about three weeks to get ready for the season. They will not have the luxury of a spacious spring training complex. How teams approach their summer camp is one of the intriguing questions heading into the shortened season. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 7 p.m.
BBO--VIRUS OUTBREAK-MLB-NO PAYCHECKS - Grant Dayton says it will be “weird” to resume spring training with the Atlanta Braves knowing he won’t be getting another paycheck. The pitcher is among 11 players who received $286,500 in advances that are higher than their prorated pay. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos, by 7 p.m.
HKN--VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRAINING CAMPS - Eleven NHL players tested positive for COVID-19 during the first two weeks of voluntary workouts, and veteran forward Jason Spezza expects more such results. Training camps are set to open July 10, with quarantining not in effect. SENT: 800 words, photos.
SOC--WOMEN’S-WORLD CUP-REACTION — The Women’s World Cup is heading to Australia and New Zealand in 2023, the first time the soccer showcase will be in the Southern Hemisphere. The two nations have strong commitments from their governments. SENT: 800 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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