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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ONLY ON AP
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VOICES OF PROTEST — They are nurses and doctors, artists, students, construction workers, government employees; black, brown and white; young and old. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in big cities and tiny towns in every U.S. state to protest the killing of George Floyd. AP journalists talked to protesters across the U.S., and beyond, about why they are protesting. By Claire Galofaro. SENT: 4,700 words, photos, video by 8 a.m. With AMERICA PROTESTS-THE LATEST.
AP POLL-RACE AND POLICING — A dramatic shift has taken place in the nation’s opinions on policing and race, as a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that more Americans today than five years ago believe police brutality is a very serious problem that too often goes undisciplined and unequally targets black Americans. By Kat Stafford and Noreen Nasir. SENT: 960 words, photos, graphic
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AMERICA PROTESTS — Atlanta awaited a decision from prosecutors on whether to bring charges against two white police officers in the killing of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot in the back in a case that has unfolded as the U.S. grapples with widespread protests over the treatment of black people. By Kate Bumback. SENT: 530 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing from 3 p.m. news conference.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — When the coronavirus flared up again in China this week, the country canceled flights, suspended reopenings and dubbed it “extremely grave.” With cases rising in some U.S. states, local officials are defying urgent pleas from doctors to require people to wear masks. The coronavirus is stubbornly tearing through places around the world where it was thought to have been tamed, and the spikes have been especially harsh in places throughout the U.S. that are reluctant to require masks. By Curt Anderson, Ken Moritsugu and Lisa Marie Pane. SENT: 950 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST (sent)
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
AMERICA PROTESTS-CONGRESS — Senate Republicans unveil proposed changes to police procedures and accountability, countering Democratic policing legislation with a bill that is less sweeping but underscores how swiftly the national debate has been transformed since the death of George Floyd and just five months before the 2020 election. The GOP bill would establish a use-of-force database, place restrictions on chokeholds and create new commissions to study law enforcement and race. By Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 780 words, photos, videos. UPCOMING: 890 words by 5 p.m. With AMERICA PROTESTS-POLICING BILLS-WHAT’S DIFFERENT — A look at how the Democrat and Republican policing bills differ. By Michael Balsamo. UPCOMING: 690 words, photo by 4 p.m.
AMERICA PROTESTS-WASHINGTON-ANALYSIS — The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the nationwide demonstrations that followed have roused once-reluctant lawmakers and even the president who preaches law and order to now push for police reforms. By Colleen Long. UPCOMING: 980 words, photos by 5 p.m.
For coverage of the death of Racial Injustice on AP News.
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TRUMP RALLY-RACIAL TENSION — A two-day celebration of Juneteenth is planned in a section of Tulsa that was burned to the ground by a white mob during a massacre of black residents nearly 100 years ago, and while black city leaders expect the event to be peaceful, they also fear the arrival of thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump for his first rally in months could spark violence in a city with strained race relations. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos, by 5 p.m.
AUNT JEMIMA — Quaker Oats is retiring the 131-year-old Aunt Jemima brand, saying the company recognizes the character’s origins are “based on a racial stereotype.” Just hours later, the owner of the Uncle Ben’s brand of rice says the brand will “evolve” in response to concerns about racial stereotyping. SENT: 420 words, photos.
HUMAN RIGHTS-US-RACISM — The brother of George Floyd made a heartfelt plea to the U.N.’s top human rights body, urging it to launch intense international scrutiny of systemic racism, the killing of black people by police and violence against peaceful protesters in the United States. SENT: 910 words, photos.
PROTECTED MONUMENTS-SOUTH CAROLINA - Five years ago, after eight black church members and their pastor were shot and killed in a racist attack, South Carolina came together and took down the Confederate flag from the Capitol lawn. Today, as more shocking killings of African Americans roil the country, bringing a wave of pulled down statues and the removal of names of historical figures who repressed or oppressed other people, South Carolina leaders appear to be sitting out. Some black lawmakers are urging colleges and local governments to defy state law and act on their own. SENT: 830 words, photos.
AMERICA PROTESTS-ANTI-COLUMBUS ITALIANS — Generations of Italian Americans embraced Christopher Columbus with little thought to the dark side of his legacy. But as the nation grapples with racial injustice, some Italian Americans in Massachusetts are publicly casting the explorer as a symbol of white supremacy who touched off centuries of European oppression and the decimation of indigenous peoples. SENT: 700 words, photo.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY — Regional officials in western Germany said Wednesday that the number of new COVID-19 cases linked to a large meatpacking plant has risen to 657, a higher figure than many recent daily increases for the entire country. SENT: 530 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MILITARY DEPLOYMENT — For Fort Bragg soldiers deploying to the Middle East, the usual predeparture fanfare has been replaced with a mandatory two-week quarantine amid the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 710 words, photos, video.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ZIMBABWE-SEX WORKERS — Forced to stay home for weeks without any source of income, Zimbabwe’s sex workers, like many other informal traders, are beginning to defy the country’s lockdown and return to the streets. SENT: 430 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-WOODEN MONEY — A small city in Washington state is taking an unusual approach to helping residents and businesses in need during the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic: It’s printing its own money. The wooden currency in Tenino is modeled on a program the city used to help its people get through the Great Depression, and it’s even printed on the same 1890s-era printing press. Residents who qualify get up to $300 per month, and businesses can redeem them for real money at City Hall. SENT: 590 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-DIARY-BEYOND-THE-MICROWAVE — When you’ve worked the night shift for 25 years, staying home because of the coronavirus can present a few unexpected challenges — like cooking. Especially when you don’t have many options as far as what to cook with, and in. For one writer, the pandemic gave him a nudge forward in his cooking — a small one. SENT: 570 words, photo.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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JUNETEENTH-HOLIDAY-NEW-YORK — New York declares Juneteenth a holiday for state employees. SENT: 130 words.
PASTOR COMMENTS-WHITE BLESSING — A white pastor for an Atlanta megachurch has tearfully apologized for referring to the “blessing of slavery” and for suggesting that the phrase “white privilege” could be better understood as a “white blessing.” SENT: 410 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-RUSSIA-PUTIN — Kremlin installs special antiseptic tunnels to protect Putin. SENT: 310 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS-MASKS — Speaker Nancy Pelosi is requiring that House members were masks when attending committee hearings. SENT: 480 words, photo.
BRITAIN-PRIME MINISTER-CAR CRASH — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been involved in a minor car crash after a protester ran in front of the vehicle as it left Parliament. SENT: 190 words, photos.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-OVERSIGHT — A new oversight board warns about the strain of the coronavirus pandemic on the U.S. government and calls into question Washington’s ability to effectively manage trillions of dollars in aid and keep federal workers safe. By Matthew Daly and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 770 words, photo.
ELECTION 2020-IOWA — In 2016, President Donald Trump carried Iowa by a larger margin than he won Texas. Iowa’s status as a swing state seemed questionable. But now, there are signs that Iowa may be competitive again as the president’s popularity there has waned. And that sentiment has spread to other races, with Sen. Joni Ernst facing a surprisingly strong challenge as she makes a bid for a second term. By Thomas Beaumont. UPCOMIING: 890 words, photos by 4 p.m.
ELECTION 2020-BIDEN — Joe Biden is returning to the battleground state of Pennsylvania as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee intensifies his criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak. By Will Weissert and Alexandra Jaffe. SENT: 510 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing, 790 words by 5 p.m.
CONGRESS-PUBLIC LANDS — The Senate approves an election-year deal to double spending on a popular conservation program and devote nearly $2 billion a year to improve and maintain national parks. If approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump, the Great American Outdoors Act would be the most significant conservation legislation enacted in nearly half a century. By Matthew Daly. SENT: 490 words. UPCOMING: 790 words by 5 p.m., photos.
TRUMP-VETERANS-SUICIDE — President Donald Trump is unveiling a long-awaited national plan aimed at stemming the persistently high number of veteran suicides, including wide-ranging initiatives from firearm safety and wellness programs at workplaces to added barriers near railroads and bridges. The $53 million, two-year effort also will include a public messaging campaign to raise awareness about suicide at a time of increased social distancing and isolation during a pandemic. By Hope Yen. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos, video by 4 p.m.
UNITED STATES-SYRIA — The Trump administration ramps up pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad and his inner circle with a raft of new economic and travel sanctions for human rights abuses and blocking a settlement of the country’s conflict. By Matthew Lee. SENT: 900 words, photo.
DRUG PRICES-TV ADS — In a major legal setback for President Donald Trump on a high-profile consumer issue, a federal appeals court has ruled that his administration lacks the legal authority to force drug companies to disclose prices in their TV ads. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar. SENT: 500 words.
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KOREAS-TENSIONS-ANALYSIS — Only two years ago the leaders of North and South Korea shared drinks, laughs and vows for peace during three highly orchestrated summits that lowered fears of war that had risen as Pyongyang pursued an arsenal of nuclear missiles. That’s all gone, for now, and it ended this week with a bang. By Kim Tong-Hyung. SENT: 920 words, photos. With KOREAS-TENSIONS — North Korea says it’s sending soldiers to joint border sites.
INDIA-CHINA-HIMALAYAN STANDOFF — China and India accused each other Wednesday of instigating deadly border clashes between their forces along the disputed Himalayan frontier, pledging to safeguard their territory but also to try to end a standoff that has dramatically raised the stakes between the nuclear-armed Asian giants. SENT: 870 words, photos.
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MUSIC-JOHN-LEGEND-COLLABORATORS — John Legend has formed a musical version of The Avengers to help him with his new album “Bigger Love.” His all-star team of collaborators include Grammy-winning songwriters and producers, as well as lead artists in their own right, including Raphael Saadiq, Anderson.Paak, Charlie Puth, Ryan Tedder, Ester Dean, Julia Michaels, Ricky Reed, Tayla Parx, Teddy Geiger and more. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 1,170 words, photos, video.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BRITAIN-THEATER — Some of London’s biggest West End shows, including “Hamilton” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” won’t reopen until next year, producers announced as arts bodies warned that Britain faces a “cultural catastrophe” because of the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 560 words, photos.
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COLEMAN-SUSPENDED — The fastest man in the world has been sidelined for a string of missed doping tests. Christian Coleman, an American sprinter who won the 100-meter title at last year’s world championships and had been the early favorite for the Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games, was temporarily banned from competition by the Athletics Integrity Unit.. By Sports Writer James Ellingworth. SENT: 700 words, photo.
SOC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-ARGENTINA — Soccer in Argentina has been cancelled for more than 80 days now, with no restart in sight. That has cut off thousands of young players in the poorest neighborhoods from what many felt was their only shot at a better life. SENT: 990 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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