AP News Digest 2 p.m.
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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TOP STORIES
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SUPREME COURT-TRUMP TAXES — The Supreme Court issues a mixed verdict on demands for President Donald Trump’s financial records that will keep his tax returns, banking and other documents out of the public eye for the time being. But the court also rejects broad arguments by Trump’s lawyers and the Justice Department that the president is immune from investigation while he holds office. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 990 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 990 words by 5 p.m., photos, video. WITH: SUPREME COURT-AP EXPLAINS — A look at the Supreme Court decisions in the two cases involving access to President Donald Trump’s financial records. By Jessica Gresko. SENT: 400 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS -- More than 1.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, a historically high pace that shows that many employers are still laying people off in the face of a resurgent coronavirus. The persistently elevated level of layoffs is occurring as a spike in virus cases has forced six states to reverse their move to reopen businesses. By Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 965 words, photos. WITH: FINANCIAL MARKETS — Wall Street is slumping amid worries that recent improvements in the economy may be set to stall as coronavirus cases continue to climb. SENT: 830 words, photos, developing.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK — President Trump insists that schools reopen this fall. Many parents, educators, doctors and economists want the same thing. But getting children back to school safely could mean keeping high-risk spots like bars and gyms closed. A growing chorus of public health experts is urging federal, state and local officials to reconsider how they are reopening the broader economy, and to prioritize K-12 schools. By Michelle R. Smith and Carla K. Johnson. SENT: 980 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST.
CONGRESS-PENTAGON LEADERS — Speaking to a congressional panel, Defense Secretary Mark Esper defends using National Guard soldiers to support law enforcement agencies in handling civil unrest triggered by the killing of George Floyd in police hands, saying it was a better alternative than using active-duty forces as President Donald Trump had threatened. By Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor. SENT: 870 words. UPCOMING: Developing from 1 p.m., hearing, 900 words by 5 p.m., photos, video.
GEORGE FLOYD-CAN’T BREATHE -- Before George Floyd’s death, the officers who arrested him brushed off his complaints that he couldn’t breathe by noting that he didn’t seem to have any trouble talking. “Stop talking, stop yelling,” lead officer Derek Chauvin told Floyd, according to police body-camera transcripts. But medical experts say the assumption that people who can talk are not in distress -- made by police in other cases -- is dangerously false. UPCOMING: 700 words by 4 p.m.
JEFFREY EPSTEIN-ASSOCIATE -- Federal officials were so worried Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime confidante Ghislaine Maxwell might take her own life in federal custody after her arrest earlier this month that they took away her clothes and sheets and made her wear paper attire, an official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. By Michael Balsamo. SENT: 580 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 750 words by 4 p.m., photos.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-THEME PARKS -- “The Most Magical Place on Earth” will look different to visitors who have previously visited Walt Disney World. Some major changes aimed at preventing the spread of the new coronavirus will be in place when two of Disney’s four parks open this weekend. There will be no firework shows or parades, and visitors will be getting temperature checks when they enter. SENT: 900 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-STATE LOTTERIES — The coronavirus has rattled state lotteries across the country. Some, like Oregon and Massachusetts, are scrambling to address expected shortfalls in revenue. Others, like Arkansas and Texas, have seen revenues soar and now have more money for targeted programs like education. The trends, though likely to be short-term, are to some degree tied to how much a state shut its economy down during the coronavirus and how quickly it reopened. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-REOPENING SCHOOLS — Despite President Trump’s sharp criticism, federal guidelines for reopening schools are not being revised, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Dr. Robert Redfield says the agency would be issuing “additional reference documents” for parents and schools to facilitate the reopening during the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 415 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-FOOD TECH PIVOT -- When it launched in 2017, the catering tech platform HUNGRY had one sort of customer in mind, well-heeled office workers. The company’s current customers are far different than the original targets. Now it’s feeding the stuck-at-home elderly and low-income kids. And business is even better than ever. Other food tech sites also have pivoted during these trying times. SENT: 860 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BOLSONARO — After months of touting an unproven anti-malaria drug as a treatment for the new coronavirus, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is turning himself into a test case live before millions of people as he swallows hydroxychloroquine pills on social media and encourages others to do the same. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SERBIA -- Serbia’s authorities have banned gatherings of more than 10 people in the capital, Belgrade, after two nights of violent clashes between police and thousands of demonstrators protesting coronavirus lockdown measures. SENT: 690 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL — Asian and European officials pleaded with their citizens to respect modest precautions as several countries saw coronavirus outbreaks accelerate or sought to prevent new flare-ups, while the virus showed no signs of slowing its initial advance in Africa and the Americas. SENT: 910 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EMIRATES-SURVEILLANCE — Efforts by the United Arab Emirates to fight the coronavirus renews questions about mass surveillance in this U.S.-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-AFRICA — The coronavirus pandemic in Africa is reaching “full speed” and it’s good to prepare for the worst-case scenario, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief says, after a South African official says a single province is preparing 1.5 million gravesites. SENT: 560 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-INDONESIA-BURIAL RITUALS — As Indonesia’s death toll from the coronavirus continues to rise, the world’s most populous Muslim country finds itself at odds with protocols put in place by the government to handle the bodies of victims of the pandemic. SENT: 930 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-DIARY-GILDED CAGE -- One Associated Press photographer moved to Saudi Arabia to document a national awakening. Movie theaters and concerts were happening. Women were allowed to dine alongside men and drive without fear of arrest. Things were changing. Then the virus came. And just as quickly as the country had opened, it closed off. Suddenly he was photographing scenes of sterility and calls to prayer without worshippers. SENT: 600 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-AMAZON FRUITS --Two siblings are providing farmers in Colombia’s Amazon jungle with food and hygiene products in exchange for some of the fruits that they harvest and that would otherwise go to waste because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Harvest: Amazonian Barter then delivers the fruits in boxes to people who subscribe to the service in the Colombian capital. SENT: 545 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-DENTISTS — Dentists can’t eliminate all risk, but they are taking steps to minimize the chances of spreading the coronavirus. SENT: 300 words, photo.
Find more coverage of the Virus Outbreak in AP Newsroom.
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REL--RACIAL INJUSTICE-CHURCH OF PRESIDENTS --St. John’s, the Episcopal church at the epicenter of protests in Washington, has a long legacy on civil rights dating to its embrace of the 1963 March on Washington. The yellow-walled, Greek Revival house of worship is just steps from the White House but is famous for eschewing partisan politics. Indeed, it’s hosted every president since James Madison, Republicans and Democrats alike, for at least one service. That and other core principles such as support for equal rights and community engagement have guided St. John’s for decades and continue today as the church again finds itself amid an American awakening over racial injustice following George Floyd’s killing. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-INDIANA ATTACK - An Indiana woman was arrested in a hit-and-run crash that sent one woman to the hospital and caused minor injuries to a man during a southern Indiana protest over the assault of a Black man by a group of white men, sheriff’s officials said. SENT: 400 words, photos.
RACIAL JUSTICE-NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio grabbed a roller Thursday to paint “Black Lives Matter” in front of the namesake Manhattan tower of President Donald Trump. SENT: 310 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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MUSIC-ROLLING STONES -- The Rolling Stones will release a new version of their 1973 album “Goats Head Soup” featuring three unheard tracks, including one featuring Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page. SENT: 90 words, photos.
MUSIC-CANNONBALL ADDERLEY-RECORDING —A rare collection of previously unissued recordings by legendary jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley is becoming more accessible thanks to two small jazz labels. SENT: 425 words, photos.
MEDIA-MSNBC-REID -- MSNBC has named weekend anchor Joy Reid to the 7 p.m. time slot vacated in March when former ‘Hardball’ host Chris Matthews retired on the air. SENT: 160 words, photos.
CHILD SHOT-ATLANTA -- Authorities said three people were shot and wounded in Atlanta, including a 9-year-old boy. SENT: 150 words.
SEVERE WEATHER -- Authorities say at least one powerful tornado damaged farms and left one person dead in Minnesota as severe storms moved across parts of the Midwest. SENT: 270 words, video.
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SUPREME COURT-INDIAN COUNTRY — The Supreme Court has ruled that Oklahoma prosecutors lack the authority to pursue criminal cases in a large chunk of eastern Oklahoma that remains an American Indian reservation. SENT: 850 words, photos.
MANHATTAN-FEDERAL PROSECUTOR — The ousted U.S. attorney who was leading investigations into President Trump’s allies is summoned for a closed door interview at the House Judiciary Committee as the panel deepens its probe of politicization at the Justice Department. Geoffrey Berman engaged in an extraordinary standoff last month when Attorney General William Barr sought to have him leave office. By Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 480 words. UPCOMING: Developing from noon closed session, 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.
US-ELECTION 2020-TRUMP-ASIAN VOTERS -- The Pew Research Center recently declared Asian Americans to be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the U.S. electorate, but they are also arguably the least competitive voter block for President Trump when considering where they live and how they relate to the Republican party. SENT: 825 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-BIDEN ECONOMY — Launching an economic pitch expected to anchor his fall presidential campaign, Democratic candidate Joe Biden proposes using the federal government’s regulatory and spending power to bolster U.S. manufacturing and technology firms. SENT: 844 words. UPCOMING: Developing from 2:30 p.m. event, 890 words by 5 p.m., photos.
UNITED STATES-CHINA — The United States imposes sanctions on three senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, including a member of the country’s ruling Politburo, for alleged human rights abuses targeting ethnic and religious minorities that China has detained in the western part of the country. SENT: 725 words, photos.
WISCONSIN LAME-DUCK-LAWSUIT -- The conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld Republican-authored lame-duck laws that stripped power from the incoming Democratic attorney general just before he took office in 2019. SENT: 745 words, photo.
WOMEN IN COMBAT-GREEN BERET — A female soldier has graduated from the Army’s elite Special Forces course and will for the first time join one of the all-male Green Beret teams. SENT: 310 words, photo.
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SKOREA-SEOUL MAYOR MISSING -- The missing mayor of South Korea’s capital, reportedly embroiled in sexual harassment allegations, was found dead more than half a day after giving his daughter a will-like message and then leaving home, police said. Police said they located Park Won-soon’s body near a traditional restaurant in wooded hills in northern Seoul, more than seven hours after they launched a massive search for him. SENT: 715 words, photos. WITH: SKOREA-OBIT-PARK WON-SOON —Park Won-soon, outspoken liberal mayor of Seoul, found dead. SENT: 540 words, photos.
BOSNIA-SREBRENICA ANNIVERSARY — A quarter of a century after they were killed in Europe’s worst massacre since World War II, eight Bosnian men and boys will be laid to rest Saturday in a cemetery just outside of Srebrenica — their marble gravestones joining thousands more, each with the same month and year of death. By Sabina Niksic and Eldar Emric. SENT: 750 words, photos.
BRITAIN-FACIAL RECOGNITION — Privacy watchdogs in Britain and Australia have opened a joint investigation into facial recognition company Clearview AI over its use of personal data “scraped” off social media platforms and other websites. SENT: 260 words.
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NATIONAL
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TODDLER STARVED — Police say a Maryland woman accused of starving her 15-month-old daughter for more than three weeks has been charged with first-degree murder. SENT: 200 words.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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MED--VIRUS OUTBREAK-PREGNANCY -- A small study strengthens evidence that a pregnant woman infected with the coronavirus might be able to spread it to her fetus. Researchers from Italy said that they studied 31 women with COVID-19 who delivered babies in March and April. They found signs of the virus in several samples of umbilical cord blood, the placenta and, in one case, breast milk. Doctors say women shouldn’t panic. SENT: 560 words, photos.
SWITZERLAND-ENDANGERED SPECIES -- Nearly all of Madagascar’s much-loved lemurs are under threat, and almost one-third are just one step away from extinction, largely due to deforestation and hunting on the giant island off eastern Africa, conservationists said. SENT: 500 words.
CLIMATE-GLOBAL TEMPERATURES — The world could see annual global temperatures break a key threshold for the first time in the coming five years, the U.N. weather agency said. The World Meteorological Organization said forecasts suggest there’s a 20% chance that global temperatures will be 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the pre-industrial average in at least one year between 2020 and 2024. SENT: 330 words, photos.
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PEOPLE-NAYA RIVERA — A Southern California lake will be closed while they search its waters for “Glee” star Naya Rivera, authorities said. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Rivera, 33, is the person missing in the waters of Lake Piru, which is approximately 55 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The department said that divers from other agencies in the region will join the search. SENT: 345 words, photos.
RAPPER KILLING-ARRESTS — Authorities in Los Angeles say three men and two juveniles have been arrested in connection with the February home-invasion death of rising rapper Pop Smoke. SENT: 290 words, photo.
BRITAIN-JOHNNY DEPP — Johnny Depp denied assaulting ex-wife Amber Heard on a private Caribbean island and during a furious rampage in Australia in a third day of evidence in his libel suit against a tabloid newspaper that called him a “wife-beater.” SENT: 720 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TV-GETTING CLOSE — Soap operas are very carefully resuming production amid the pandemic, accepting a new normal that includes real-life partners standing in for fictional romantic partners. UPCOMING: 950 words, photos, by 4 p.m.
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BKN-NBA RESTART — The NBA’s bubble fills up and gets put into action, with the final eight teams scheduled to arrive and the first six teams set to take the practice floors for the first time. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 6:30 p.m.
BBO—EXTRA-INNING RULE — Baseball has its answer to World Cup soccer’s penalty kicks, NFL overtimes or NHL shootouts. And it figures to stir just as much debate as all those other forms of tiebreakers. Major League Baseball will start each extra inning this season by putting a runner on second base. The minor leagues have used this extra-inning format since 2018. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 7 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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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.