AP News Digest 2 p.m.
Columbia Basin Herald | UPDATED 6 years, 6 months AGO
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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VIRUS-OUTBREAK — Coronavirus cases surged in Italy, and France closed the Louvre Museum on Sunday as the deadly outbreak that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe. The number of countries hit by the virus climbed past 60, and the death toll worldwide reached at least 3,000. By John Leicester and Colleen Barry. SENT: 720 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-US -- Vice President Mike Pence sought to reassure the American public that the federal government is working to make sure state and local authorities are able to test for coronavirus, as the number of U.S. cases grew following reports of the first infections in Illinois and Rhode Island. By Darlene Superville. SENT: 870 words, photos. And: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AT A GLANCE — New virus: Over 88,000 infected globally, 3,000 deaths (sent).
ELECTION 2020 -- Joe Biden says he can "unite this country, the whole country” after scoring a comeback victory in South Carolina’s Democratic primary that could force moderate rivals out of the race and blunt the rise of progressive leader Bernie Sanders. By Steve Peoples, Meg Kinnard, Bill Barrow and Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 1,275 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-ANALYSIS — Joe Biden bought himself time. It’s unclear how much. Biden’s victory in South Carolina on Saturday was emphatic enough to let him make the claim that it had reordered the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. He can now credibly argue he is the overwhelming favorite of black voters who are the backbone of the Democratic Party. And he is positioning himself as moderates’ best alternative to blocking Bernie Sanders' path to the nomination. By Julie Pace. SENT: 960 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-COLLEGE CRACKDOWN — Democrats' efforts to engage young voters this year are being made more difficult in some states that have made it harder for college students to register and vote. SENT: 1000 words, photos.
Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
TURKEY-SYRIA — Thousands of migrants and refugees massed at Turkey's western frontier, trying to enter Greece by land and sea after Turkey said its borders were open to those hoping to head to Europe. In Syria, Turkish troops shot down two Syrian warplanes after the Syrian military downed a Turkish drone, a major escalation in the direct conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces. By Costas Kantouris and Andrew Wilks. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
REL-YESHIVA-BASKETBALL FAITH — Yeshiva University’s basketball team can’t play over the Sabbath on Jewish holidays or fast days. They’ve also faced anti-Semitic slurs on and off the court from opponents and spectators. But they continue to beat their rivals wearing the skullcap that identifies them as Jewish. The school won its first ever conference title in 2018 and reached the final in 2019. The current squad is the best team in the Jewish Orthodox college’s history, now on a 25-game winning streak, and on track to win the conference again and qualify for the NCAA Division III tournament. By Luis Henao. UPCOMING: 1,250 words, photos by 4 p.m. This is the Monday spotlight.
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MORE ON VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST — Iran's Health Ministry raised the nationwide death toll from the new coronavirus to 54 as the number of infected cases jumped overnight to 978 people. SENT: 870 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE — British health authorities confirmed 12 more cases of the new coronavirus, bringing the country's overall tally to 35, and the Czech Republic announced its first three infections. SENT: 300 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ITALY — Italian authorities announced that the number of people infected with the new coronavirus in Italy has risen 40% to 1,576 in 24 hours, while another five people have died. SENT: 500 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE KISS — When French President Emmanuel Macron leaned in to give Premier Giuseppe Conte the Italian double-cheek kiss on two separate occasions during a Franco-Italian summit this week, it was much more than a greeting. It was a signal to citizens not to fear their neighbors as a new virus spreads from China, with Italy established as Europe’s hotspot. SENT: 830 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-LATIN AMERICA — Health officials in the Dominican Republic have reported the first confirmed case of the new coronavirus in the tourist-rich Caribbean, a 62-year-old Italian citizen. SENT: 270 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ENERGY CONFERENCE — The organizers of a high-profile energy summit in Houston have canceled this year’s gathering due to concerns over a new coronavirus that has killed thousands of people worldwide. SENT: 300 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-JAPAN — The last group of about 130 crew members has left the Diamond Princess, vacating the contaminated cruise ship and ending Japan's much criticized quarantine. SENT: 340 words, photo.
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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-FRANCE — Virus fears close down France's Louvre Museum. SENT: 400 words, photos.
TRUMP SUPPORT BACKLASH-ARIZONA — The owners of a Mexican restaurant in the Tucson area are fending off social media attacks after appearing in the VIP area at President Donald Trump's Phoenix campaign rally last week. SENT: 300 words.
BEACH BOOZE BAN — No beach booze in March in Florida spring break town. SENT: 100 words.
GERMANY-ICE-WINE — A warm winter means this is the first time in years that German winemakers can't make their prized ice wine from frozen grapes. SENT: 320 words, photos.
NICKY-MINAJ-CREW-STABBINGS — Man convicted of murder in Nicky Minaj crew member slaying. SENT: 240 words, photos.
KOBE BRYANT WIDOW PHOTOS — Bryant's widow 'devastated' by report deputies shared photos SENT: 330 words, photo.
PRISON UNREST-MISSISSIPPI — Authorities have identified one of two inmates who died recently at a Mississippi prison that's under U.S. Justice Department investigation. SENT: 290 words, photo.
SPIELBERG DAUGHTER-ARREST — Police in Tennessee say a daughter of film director Steven Spielberg has been arrested in a domestic incident involving her boyfriend. SENT: 120 words.
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UNITED STATES-BEYOND AFGHANISTAN -- The Trump administration's peace deal with the Taliban opens the door for an initial American troop withdrawal that Defense Secretary Mark Esper sees as a step toward the broader goal of preparing for potential future war with China. By National Security Writer Robert Burns. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-SANDERS-FUNDRAISING -- Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign says it raised more than $46.5 million in February, a show of financial strength after the Vermont senator finished a distant second behind Joe Biden in South Carolina’s primary. By Will Weissert. SENT: 760 words.
ELECTION 2020-SANDERS-RED STATES -- It isn't easy being a Bernie Sanders supporter in a conservative state like Oklahoma. Travis Wyman, a 40-year-old construction worker and online “social justice warrior,” says he and other Sanders fans can hear “fear-mongering words” like socialist and communist thrown at them many times a day. By Sean Murphy and Sara Burnett. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-BUTTIGIEG -- The window is closing for Pete Buttigieg's longshot presidential campaign. His fourth-place finish in South Carolina exposed a core vulnerability, namely the inability to attract the support of black voters who are vital to any winning Democratic coalition. By Thomas Beaumont. SENT: 800 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-MINNESOTA — Bernie Sanders has a shot at delivering an embarrassing blow to Amy Klobuchar in the moderate senator's home state on Super Tuesday. SENT: 670 words.
ELECTION 2020-BLOOMBERG-FLORIDA – Mike Bloomberg has showered Florida with attention, both in advertising and campaign infrastructure, but it’s possible he will no longer be in the race when Florida votes if he does not do well in next week’s Super Tuesday primaries. By Tamara Lush. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-SELMA – Democratic candidates gather in Selma, Alabama, to appeal for black support in the town where 55 years ago demonstrators were beaten for marching for the right to vote. By Jay Reeves. SENT: 475 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing.
SUPREME COURT-CONSUMER AGENCY -- In considering a case touching on the status of the heads of independent federal agencies, the Supreme Court is preparing to tell President Donald Trump whether he has more power to use a favorite phrase: “You're fired.” By Jessica Gresko. SENT: 680 words, photos.
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VATICAN-POPE — A coughing Pope Francis told pilgrims gathered for the traditional Sunday blessing that he is canceling his participation at a week-long spiritual retreat in the Roman countryside because of a cold. SENT: 370 words, photos.
AFRICA-CAR DUMPING — In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa new wheels often mean a used car from Japan. Banning them, or trying to put restrictions on their importation, is often a divisive affair as governments consider the revenue they bring in by raising taxes while environmental activists and others complain that the vehicles, unable to meet stringent pollution tests elsewhere, are simply being dumped in the world's poorest continent. By Rodney Muhumuza and Farai Mutsaka. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
AFGHANISTAN PEACE-DEAL — Afghanistan's president says he will not free thousands of Taliban prisoners ahead of all-Afghan power-sharing talks set for next week, publicly disagreeing with a timetable laid out just a day earlier in a U.S.-Taliban peace deal. SENT: 600 words, photos.
ISRAEL-ELECTION — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking re-election for the third time in under a year and once again the Israeli leader is on the ropes. After two inconclusive elections last year, opinion polls forecast another stalemate. That's a troubling scenario for Netanyahu, who will go on trial on corruption charges just two weeks after the vote. By Josef Federman. SENT: 1,090 words, photos. WITH: ISRAEL-ELECTION PARTIES — Israelis head to the polls for the third time in less than a year, after the two previous elections ended inconclusively. Twenty-nine parties are running, but no more than eight are likely to break the 3.25% electoral threshold needed to enter the Knesset, Israel's parliament. By Ilan Ben Zion. SENT: 1,030 words, photo. WITH ISRAEL-ELECTION SCENARIOS — A look at how Israel's 3rd election in a year could play out. By Aron Heller. SENT: 930 words, photos.
INDIA VIOLENCE-JOURNALISTS — Reporting in India has never been without its risks, but journalists say attacks on the press during last week's deadly communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in New Delhi show the situation is deteriorating. SENT: 990 words, photos.
LEBANON-SYRIA-HEZBOLLAH — Thousands of mourners have thronged the coffins of five Hezbollah fighters whose funeral was held in southern Beirut. SENT: 340 words, photos.
SLOVAKIA-ELECTION — Slovakia's center-right populist opposition claimed victory in the country's parliamentary election, ending the reign of the long-dominant but scandal-tainted leftist party in a move that analysts said showed a strong desire by voters to end corruption. SENT: 640 words, photos.
QATAR-AFGHANISTAN-GCC — The tiny nation of Qatar is expressing disappointment that its Gulf neighbors snubbed invitations to attend the peace signing ceremony between the U.S. and the Taliban. SENT: 700 words, photo.
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BUSINESS
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CAN-CENTRAL-BANKS-HELP? — As stocks tumble on worries about a fast-spreading virus, investors have been clamoring for the superheroes of the financial world to ride to the rescue once again. Yet this time, there are doubts. Can central banks really fix this crisis as they have so many others? SENT: 1100 words, photos.
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ENTERTAINMENT
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FILM-BOX OFFICE — The Elisabeth Moss thriller “The Invisible Man” topped the box office over the weekend with an estimated $29 million from North American theaters. The film from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse cost under $10 million to produce. SENT: 500 words, photos.
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SOC-SPANISH ROUNDUP — Separated by two points at the top of the Spanish league standings, Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in a “clásico” at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Leader Barcelona has won four league games in a row against Madrid at the Bernabéu. By Tales Azzoni. UPCOMING: 600 words by 5 p.m., photos.
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