AP News Digest 7:10 a.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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US-ECONOMY — The government is poised to deliver a double-dose of sobering numbers — on the damage the coronavirus caused the U.S. economy last quarter and the harm it continues to inflict on the job market. The pandemic is believed to have caused the economy to shrink during the April-June period at an annual rate exceeding 30%. That would easily shatter the existing record for a quarterly contraction, a 10% drop in 1958. By Martin Crutsinger. SENT: 200 words, photos. Will be updated after GDP and unemployment claims numbers are released at 8:30 a.m.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-PORTLAND — The Trump administration and Oregon leaders declare victory after it was announced that U.S. agents guarding a federal courthouse during violent demonstrations in Portland will pull back, but it wasn’t clear the agreement will reduce tensions that have led to more than two months of protests. By Gillian Flaccus and Mike Balsamo. SENT: 790 words, photos. With RACIAL INJUSTICE-PROTEST BANS — Federal court to review “protest bans" in Portland arrests. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
ELECTION 2020-TRUMP-BIDEN-POLICY – President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, both promise sweeping progress over the next four years –- via starkly different paths. Trump, like many fellow Republicans, holds out tax reductions and regulatory cuts as economic cure-alls and frames himself as a conservative champion in seemingly endless culture wars. Biden, for his part, sounds every bit the Democratic standard-bearer as he frames the federal government as the collective force to combat the coronavirus, rebuild the economy and address centuries of institutional racism and systemic inequalities. SENT: 2,000 words, photos. By Bill Barrow and Aamer Madhani.
JOHN LEWIS — When John Lewis is mourned, revered and celebrated at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, he returns to a sacred place in civil rights history. At his funeral, the arc of Lewis’ life and civil rights legacy will once again tie into the history of Ebenezer’s former pastor Martin Luther King Jr., a close ally whom Lewis called his leader. By Jeff Martin. SENT: 680 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIETNAM — For 99 days, Vietnam seemed to have defeated the coronavirus. There wasn’t a single reported case of community transmission. Not a single death. A handful of cases were caught and isolated at the border, but otherwise people were returning to their normal lives. The country of 96 million people was hailed globally as a standout success. By Hau Dinh. SENT: 900 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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SUPREME COURT-GINSBURG — Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has undergone a nonsurgical medical procedure in New York City and expects to be released from a hospital there by the end of the week, the Supreme Court says. SENT: 220 words, photo.
SINGAPORE-LEE'S NEPHEW — A Singapore court has fined the nephew of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for criticizing the judiciary in a Facebook post two years ago amid a deepening family feud. SENT: 420 words, photo.
GERMANY-BRITAIN-MISSING GIRL — German police investigating the 2007 disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann in Portugal have ended their search of a garden plot on the outskirts of Hannover, northern Germany, prosecutors say. SENT: 310 words, photos.
BULGARIA PROTESTS — Tens of thousands of people take to the streets in cities across Bulgaria for a third consecutive week to demand the resignation of the government and the chief prosecutor. SENT: 270 words, photos.
NICARAGUA-PRESS THREATS — International press organizations and the United States government have condemned intimidation and threats against Nicaraguan journalists. SENT: 400 words, photo.
HOTEL COLLAPSE-BODIES — Contractors believe they may be able to remove one of the two victims still in the debris of the partly collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans by next week, developer attorneys say. SENT: 280 words, photo.
TV-PBS-GLENDA JACKSON — Acclaimed actor Glenda Jackson will launch the 50th season of PBS’ “Masterpiece” drama showcase next year. SENT: 140 words, photo.
GERMANY-RED PANDA CUB — Red panda born in Berlin as part of global breeding program. SENT: 210 words, photo.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-GENERATIONS CLASH — A coronavirus outbreak among vacationing youths on the Brittany coast of western France is crystallizing fears that the epidemic is flaring again in the country. With 72 infections, mostly among the 18-to-25 age group, the cluster on Brittany’s Quiberon peninsula is pitting generations against each other. By John Leicester and Arno Pedramsent. SENT: 760 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — Australia’s coronavirus hot spot Victoria will make masks compulsory statewide after reporting a record 723 new cases. Masks have been mandatory in the state capital Melbourne and a neighboring semi-rural district for the past week. SENT: 490 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTHEAST ASIA — UN urges SE Asia to build back better from COVID-19 crisis (sent).
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BOSNIA-ICONIC HOTEL — The bright yellow Hotel Holiday in downtown Sarajevo has seen good times and bad times in its 37-year history. Mostly, it has been a symbol of survival in the once-turbulent Bosnian capital. Now the boxy landmark is in danger once again, with the coronavirus pandemic leaving it with few guests. SENT: 580 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA — Australia’s coronavirus hot spot, Victoria state, will make wearing masks compulsory after reporting a record 723 new cases, mostly among the vulnerable residents of aged care homes. SENT: 600 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-AIR — Can the coronavirus spread through the air? Yes, it’s possible. The World Health Organization recently acknowledged the possibility that COVID-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions. Recent COVID-19 outbreaks in crowded indoor settings — restaurants, nightclubs and choir practices — suggest the virus can hang around in the air long enough to potentially infect others if social distancing measures are not strictly enforced. SENT: 240 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-DAVID HARE — Oscar-nominated writer David Hare says he’s turned his COVID-19 illness into a stage monologue about enduring “this quite extraordinary disease.” By Television Writer Lynn Elber. SENT: 270 words, photo.
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-LUJAN GRISHAM – Michelle Lujan Grisham has not received the attention of many higher-profile candidates under consideration to be Joe Biden’s running mate, but the New Mexico governor has a resume that few of them can match. By Morgan Lee. SENT: 960 words, photos.
CONGRESS-BIG TECH-CEOS — Congressional lawmakers finally got a chance to grill the CEOs of Big Tech over their dominance and allegations of monopolistic practices that stifle competition. But it’s not clear how much they advanced their goal of bringing some of the world’s largest companies to heel. By Business Writers Michael Liedtke, Marcy Gordon and Matt O’Brien. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
ELECTION-2020-POSTAL SERVICE — The U.S. Postal Service is considering closing post offices across the country, sparking concerns ahead of an anticipated surge of mail-in ballots in the 2020 elections, U.S. Sen Joe Manchin and a union leader says. SENT: 500 words, photos.
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TROPICAL-STORM — Tropical Storm Isaias is battering Puerto Ricowith high winds and heavy rains, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Isaias was located about 100 miles west southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico, and about 160 miles southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. SENT: 570 words.
BRIBERY INVESTIGATION OHIO — Nine days after federal officials released details of a $60 million bribery probe, the Ohio House is preparing for an historic vote on whether to remove the powerful Republican speaker alleged to have led the scheme. SENT: 550 words, photo.
JEFFREY EPSTEIN-ASSOCIATE — A British socialite charged with recruiting three girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse makes a last-minute bid to stop the public release of her 2016 testimony in a civil case. sent: 460 words, photo.
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LIBYA-TURKEY-ECONOMIC GAINS — Turkey is expanding its footprint in conflict-ridden Libya, fueling the country’s civil war and deepening fault lines with Mediterranean neighbors and between international allies. For the first time, Libyan officials inside the Tripoli-based government have spoken to The Associated Press about their ally’s motivations for getting involved in a war hundreds of miles away. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
SAUDI-HAJJ — Masked pilgrims arrive at Mount Arafat, a desert hill near Islam’s holiest site, to pray and repent on the most important day of the hajj, the annual pilgrimage in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. SENT: 640 words, photos.
ISRAEL-POLITICS — Israel’s finance minister says he would bring a short-term budget up for a vote next week, setting up a showdown between the bloated government’s main two coalition partners that could spark its dissolution only months after it was formed. SENT; 590 words, photos.
BELARUS-RUSSIA — Belarusian authorities have opened a criminal case against more than 30 Russian private military contractors detained earlier this week, on the charges of plotting terrorist acts, Security Council secretary Andrei Ravkov says. SENT: 450 words, photos.
HONG KONG — At least 12 Hong Kong pro-democracy nominees including Joshua Wong were disqualified for a September legislative election, with authorities saying they failed to uphold the city’s mini-constitution and pledge allegiance to Hong Kong and Beijing. SENT: 380 words, photos.
MALAYSIA-POLITICS — An opposition-ruled state called for early elections, thwarting attempts by Malaysia’s governing alliance to take over the state through defections. SENT: 320 words.
JAPAN-EXPLOSION — A sudden explosion from a suspected gas leak blows out walls and windows in part of a northern Japanese town, killing one person and injuring 17 others. SENT: 210 words, photos.
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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Global markets and U.S. stock futures fall after the Federal Reserve warned the coronavirus pandemic might threaten the modest economic recovery and kept interest rates near zero. By Business Writer Joe McDonald. SENT: 580 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TYSON FOODS — Tyson Foods says it plans to administer thousands of coronavirus tests per week at its U.S. facilities under an expanded effort to protect workers and keep plants running. SENT: 560 words, photos.
JAPAN-NISSAN-GHOSN-KELLY — Former Nissan executive Greg Kelly, who was arrested in connection with the financial scandal of his ex-boss Carlos Ghosn, will soon face trial in a Tokyo court. Both cases had been in limbo after Ghosn fled to Lebanon. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyyama. SENT: 380 words, photos.
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FILM-REVIEW-THE-FIGHT — Working from the moment of Donald Trump’s inauguration, “The Fight” tries to keep pace with the American Civil Liberties Union in a ceaseless battle over civil rights. It’s a perpetual and frantic struggle, with workaholic lawyers always racing to court and seeking injunctions on the fly. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. SENT: 740 words, photos.
TV-PBS-LAURA-INGALLS-WILDER — A new documentary about the life and work of “Little House on the Prairie” author Laura Ingalls Wilder puts her novels’ scattered racist references in historical context, the film’s producers say. By Television Writer Lynn Elber. SENT: 290 words, photo.
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NASCAR-DRIVE FOR DIVERSITY — NASCAR has struggled with diversity in the race field throughout its history. The sport has renewed optimism that its diversity program can field a bumper crop of promising prospects. By Dan Gelston. SENT: 1,110 words, photos.
NBA RESTART-FAN EXPERIENCE — During a normal NBA season, the sights and sounds of arenas serve as both a backdrop and home court advantage for its teams. But with no fans allowed in the stands for the upcoming restart because of the ongoing pandemic, the league’s Florida bubble setup will have a different feel for both players and coaches, as well as the television audience watching from afar. By Kyle Hightower. SENT: 810 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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