AP News Digest 6 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.
—————————————-
NEW/DEVELOPING
—————————————-
JAPAN-UAE-MARS — A United Arab Emirates spacecraft blasted off to Mars from Japan, starting the Arab world’s first interplanetary trip. SENT: 500 words, photos. Developing.
Adds: SYRIA; VIRUS OUTBREAK-TEXAS; JUVENILE CAR THIEF; SURGERY DEATH-KIDS,HFR; TWITTER-HACK UPDATE; MEMORIAL-NICKLAUS
---------------—--
---------------—-—
TRUMP — President Donald Trump is refusing to publicly commit to accepting the results of the upcoming White House election, recalling a similar threat he made weeks before the 2016 vote, as he scoffs at polls showing him lagging behind Democrat Joe Biden. Trump says it’s too early to make such an ironclad guarantee. By Aamer Madhani, Colleen Long and Will Weissert. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — School districts around the U.S. are grappling with whether to bring students back to classrooms in the fall, and how to keep them and their teachers safe from the coronavirus if they do. Pressure is strong in many areas to reopen classrooms. President Donald Trump has urged schools to return children to classes in the fall, threatening to withhold federal funding if they do not. By Jim Salter and Holly Ramer. SENT: 700 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST (sent).
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ICE FACILITY — Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego was the site of the first big outbreak at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 221 detention centers. The origins of the outbreak are uncertain, but in interviews with The Associated Press, workers and detainees reveal shortcomings in how the private company that manages the center handled the disease: There was an early absence of facial coverings, and a lack of cleaning supplies. By Elliot Spagat. SENT: 1,630 words, photos. An abridged version of 970 words is also available.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-POLICE CONTRACTS — Experts say collective bargaining agreements between police unions and cities can stand in the way of accountability. That can happen even when the federal government is overseeing an agency through a consent decree. George Floyd’s death ignited protests and calls for change, but experts say police contracts threaten to undermine those efforts. By Martha Bellisle. SENT: 980 words, photos.
JOHN LEWIS-BLACK LIVES ACTIVISTS — Of all the ways that John Lewis influenced American life and politics, his indelible impact on young people may be among the most enduring. From student activist to elder statesman, Lewis continually encouraged the nation’s youth to start “good trouble.” And he modeled just how to do that. For the Black Lives Matter generation, the connection to Lewis, who died Friday, is deep. Several Black activists tell The Associated Press that Lewis was generous with his time, taking meetings and sharing stages with younger movement figures. One activist said: “He didn’t have to stand with us, he chose to.” By Aaron Morrison. SENT: 1,190 words, photos. With JOHN LEWIS-OPEN SEAT — Georgia Democrats will gather Monday to decide a replacement on November’s ballot for Lewis. SENT: 320 words, photo.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS — Even with a fresh victory on behalf of international student access, U.S. universities fear they’re losing a broader battle over the nation’s reputation as place that embraces and fosters the world’s best scholars. University leaders say the administration’s attempts to curb immigration have sent students a message that they aren’t welcome here. By Education Writer Collin Binkley. SENT: 960 words, photos. This story is the Monday Spotlight.
----------------------------------------------—-
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
----------------------------------------------—-
ROGER STONE-SLUR — Roger Stone, a political operative whose 40-month prison sentence was commuted this month by President Donald Trump, his longtime friend, called a Los Angeles-based Black radio host a “Negro” on the air during a contentious interview.. SENT: 500 words, photo.
MEMORIAL-NICKLAUS — Jack Nicklaus says he and his wife tested positive for the coronavirus at the onset of the pandemic and have recovered. SENT: 400 words.
JUVENILE CAR THIEF — Police in Delaware say a 12-year-old boy stole a pickup truck from a gas station then led officers on a high-speed chase before crashing and trying to escape on foot. SENT: 150 words.
ITALY-TRAPPED WHALE — Italian coast guard works to free sperm whale from fish net. SENT: 170 words, photos.
----------------------------------------------—-
MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
----------------------------------------------—-
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL — The coronavirus pandemic has found fresh legs around the world, as confirmed deaths pass 600,000 and countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India struggle to contain a surge of new infections. Hong Kong issued tougher new rules on wearing face masks, Spain closed overcrowded beaches and Germany reported another outbreak at a slaughterhouse. SENT: 820 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ARIZONA-NO MASKS — As Arizona faces a surge in COVID-19 cases, orders to wear masks have met opposition in some quarters from a sentiment as old as the state. A visceral opposition to government mandates and a fierce individualism has endured among some in Arizona since the days of the Wild West. The buzz-off attitude is taking on new importance as the state has become one of the world’s top hot spots for the spread of the coronavirus. SENT: 1,150 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-WORKER-SLEUTHS — Major companies are keeping their employees in the dark on just how prevalent the virus is in their warehouses, stores and meatpacking plants. That has forced workers to become amateur sleuths in their spare time, trying to figure out how many people in their workplaces have tested positive for COVID-19. Unions and advocate groups have taken up the cause, too, creating lists or building online maps of stores where workers can self-report cases they know about. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-FRENCH GUIANA — France’s most worrisome coronavirus hot spot is on the South American continent, in its former colony of French Guiana. The territory of about 300,000 people, which is still administered by France, has rampant poverty and scarce health care resources. More than 6,500 cases have been recorded in the territory, although officials fear the number of infections is actually much higher. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TEXAS — A health official says most of the 85 young children in a South Texas county who are known to have contracted the coronavirus tested positive this month amid a surge in the state. SENT: 660 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-FDA-SAMPLE POOLING — The Food and Drug Administration has issued emergency approval for a new approach to coronavirus testing in which several people’s samples are tested together in batches instead of individually, speeding up the process. SENT: 350 words.
CYPRUS-VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIGRANTS — Asylum-seekers infected with coronavirus could be seeping through the porous cease-fire line in the ethnically divided Mediterranean island of Cyprus, the country’s health minister warned. SENT: 290 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — After a one-day respite, coronavirus cases in the Australian state of Victoria have risen again, prompting a move to make masks mandatory in metropolitan Melbourne and the nearby shire of Mitchell. SENT: 640 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MEXICAN STORYTELLER — Percibald Garcia recognized that confinement during the coronavirus lockdown is especially tedious for children. So the young Mexican architect decided to read them stories. Almost every day since the beginning of May, the 27-year-old has gone out in an enormous Mexico City apartment complex with his “wandering microphone” to broadcast stories to children who gather at their windows to listen. SENT: 740 words, photos.
Find more coverage of the Virus Outbreak in AP Newsroom.
—————————————————-
——————————————————
ELECTION 2020-VOTING-POLL WORKERS — State and local election officials across the country are trying to recruit younger workers to staff polling places on Election Day in November. The effort is driven by concern that many traditional poll workers will be too worried about catching the coronavirus to show up. About two-thirds of poll workers across the U.S. are over age 61. SENT: 890 words, photos.
TRUMP-FACT CHECK — President Donald Trump clung to the false notion that the coronavirus will just disappear and he again insisted that Americans are getting all the COVID-19 tests they need. A look at where his remarks in a television interview fell short on the facts. By Hope Yen. SENT: 2,000 words, photos by 3:30 p.m.
Find more coverage on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page on AP Newsroom.
----------------------—-
----------------------—-
BRITAIN-CHINA — Britain and China issued new salvos of criticism against each other, with the U.K. foreign secretary hinting that he may suspend the U.K.’s extradition arrangements with Hong Kong over China’s moves against the city-state. SENT: 460 words, photo.
EUROPE SUMMIT — European Union leaders remained fundamentally divided for a third day over an unprecedented 1.85 trillion-euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that they might not reach a deal despite the urgency imposed by the pandemic. SENT: 610 words, photos.
ISRAEL-NETANYAHU TRIAL — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial will resume in earnest in January, with thrice-weekly evidentiary hearings set to begin then, a Jerusalem court has decided. SENT: 640 words, photos.
SYRIA-ELECTIONS — Syrians headed to polling stations in government-held parts of the war-torn country to elect a new parliament amid strict health measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. SENT: 720 words, photos. With: SYRIA — An explosion rocked a rebel-held area in northern Syria across the border from Turkey, killing at least five people and wounding dozens, opposition activists and Turkish state media report. SENT: 300 words.
BELARUS-POLITICS — Belarus saw its largest opposition demonstration in years as about 5,000 people rallied to support a candidate challenging Belarus’ longtime authoritarian leader in next month’s presidential vote. SENT: 320 words, photos.
KUWAIT — Kuwait’s 91-year-old ruler underwent a “successful” surgery that required the oil-rich nation’s crown prince to be temporarily empowered to serve in his place, its state-run news agency reported. SENT: 370 words, photos.
CHINA-FLOODS — Authorities in central China blasted a dam to release surging waters behind it amid widespread flooding across the country that has claimed scores of lives. SENT 310 words, photos.
———————-
———————-
RACIAL INJUSTICE-PORTLAND — Top leaders in the U.S. House said they were “alarmed” by the Trump administration’s tactics against protesters in Portland, Oregon, and other cities, including Washington, D.C., and called on federal inspectors general investigate. SENT: 930 words, photos.
ELECTRIC TRUCKS — A coalition of states is following California’s lead in setting goals to jump-start a transition to electric-powered trucks, vans and buses. SENT: 650 words.
PEORIA SHOOTING — Police say 13 people were shot and wounded after a fight broke out along the riverfront in the central Illinois city of Peoria. SENT: 140 words.
——————————————
HEALTH & SCIENCE
——————————————
SURGERY DEATH-KIDS, HFR -- Black children were more likely than whites to die after common surgeries, a study found, echoing evidence seen in adults. UPCOMING: 300 words, photo for release at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Monday.
———————
———————
GLF--MEMORIAL — Jon Rahm has a four-shot lead at the Memorial, where a victory is likely to move him to No. 1 in the world. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 7 p.m.
———————————
BUSINESS
———————————-
TWITTER-HACK UPDATE — Twitter says the hack that compromised the accounts of some of its most high-profile users targeted 130 people. The hackers were able to reset the passwords of 45 of those accounts. SENT: 380 words.
——————————————
HOW TO REACH US
——————————————
At the Nerve Center, Dave Clark can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, 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.