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.
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NEW & DEVELOPING
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Adds: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ITALY-STRUCK AT 33, VIRUS-OUTBREAK-HAWAII-TOURISM, PANAMA-CRUISE SHIPS, SERIAL KILLER DIES, TRUMP-ROYALS.
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ONLY ON AP
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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VIRUS-FREE-COUNTIES — As the coronavirus rages across the United States, mainly in large urban areas, more than a third of U.S. counties have yet to report a single positive test result for COVID-19 infections, an analysis by The Associated Press shows. Data compiled by John Hopkins University shows that 1,297 counties have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 out of 3,142 counties nationwide. By Morgan Lee and Nicky Forster. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
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VIRUS OUTBREAK — The coronavirus outbreak could kill 100,000 to 200,000 Americans, the U.S. government's top infectious-disease expert warned as authorities urged people in and around the nation's deadliest hot spot, New York City, to limit their travel to contain the scourge. Around the world, doctors were forced to make tough choices about which patients to save with their limited breathing machines, and Spain and Italy demanded more European help as they fight still-surging coronavirus infections in the continent’s worst crisis since World War II. By Matt Sedensky and Michael Sisak. SENT: 1,320 words, photos. WITH: VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHAT CASH WON'T HELP — The billions of tax dollars headed for hospitals and states as part of the $2.2 trillion coronavirus response bill won't fix the problem facing doctors and nurses: a critical shortage of protective gowns, gloves and masks. The problem isn’t a lack of money, experts say. It’s that there’s not enough of those supplies available to buy. What’s more, the crisis has revealed a fragmented procurement system now descending into chaos just as demand soars, The Associated Press has found. Hospitals, state governments and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are left bidding against each other and driving up prices. By Martha Mendoza and Juliet Linderman. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
MED-VIRUS OUTBREAK-MOST AT RISK — Older people remain most at risk of dying as the new coronavirus continues its rampage around the globe, but they’re far from the only ones vulnerable. One of many mysteries: Men seem to be faring worse than women. And as cases skyrocket in the U.S. and Europe, it’s becoming more clear that how healthy you were before the pandemic began plays a key role in how you fare regardless of how old you are. By AP Medical Writer Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOMALIA STAGGERS — At first, the coronavirus was just a fairy tale, a rumor along the dusty lanes of the displaced persons’ camp that Habiba Ali calls home. It seemed fantastical: an illness sweeping the world far beyond Somalia’s borders, killing thousands of people and sending some of the richest countries into panic. Then Somalia's first virus case was announced on March 16, and one of the world’s most fragile nations staggered even more. Nearly three decades of conflict, extremist attacks, drought, disease and a devastating outbreak of locusts have taken a vast toll. Already vulnerable, millions of Somalis now contemplate a new way to die. By Abdi Guled and Mohamed Sheikh Nor. SENT: 840 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-A SHARED EXPERIENCE? — Leaders and influential people are saying to Americans that they're all in this together. And even when at odds, Americans crave shared experiences. It's an understandable yearning for a nation assembled from a patchwork of backgrounds, traditions and beliefs. And shared adversity, after all, can be a force to unite people. But as it unfolds before us, is this period actually a genuinely shared American experience, a touchpoint that touches all? In an age of fragmentation, what might that mean? By AP National Writer Ted Anthony. SENT: 1,150 words, photos. This story is this week's Monday Spotlight.
Find more all-format coverage on the Virus Outbreak featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
TRACKING A BOY — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Warden Austin Schumacher is being hailed for using old-school backwoods skills to rescue a boy lost in a freezing swamp. The boy fled his middle school in Edgerton in November and quickly vanished into the marsh, triggering a massive search. Alone, hungry and exhausted, Schumacher used his tracking skills to pick up the boy's trail while the rest of the search team headed off in the wrong direction. He carried the boy for a mile piggyback to safety as darkness fell and a looming snowstorm finally struck. By Todd Richmond. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
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MORE ON VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-WASHINGTON — As President Trump looks for ways to restore normalcy in parts of the United States, his foremost infection disease expert says the country could experience more than 100,000 deaths and millions of infections from the coronavirus pandemic. That prognosis comes as the federal government considers rolling back guidelines on social distancing in areas that have not been as hard-hit by the outbreak at the conclusion of the nationwide 15-day effort to slow the spread of the virus. By Zeke Miller. SENT: 780 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing from White House briefing now underway.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPEAN DISUNION — Europe’s fractured union came under new pressure this weekend, as Italy and Spain pleaded for urgent European help to withstand the virus ordeal but Germany showed reluctance to plunge into any radical new solutions. The north-south divide that has dogged the European Union for years has resurfaced as the virus has galloped across the continent, claiming more deaths than any other region in the world. SENT: 710 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY-MERKEL — Chancellor Angela Merkel has run Germany for more than 14 years and has over a decade's experience of managing crises. She reassured her compatriots in the 2008 financial crisis that their savings were safe and led a hard-nosed but domestically popular response to the eurozone debt crisis. In 2015, she took responsibility for welcoming an influx of migrants from war-torn Syria — a stance that caused divisions among Germans. Now, in the twilight of her time in power, Merkel is rising to the occasion as she faces her biggest crisis yet — the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SWEDEN'S-APPROACH — The coronavirus is not keeping people in Sweden at home even while citizens in many parts of the world are sheltering in place. Swedes still sit at outdoor cafes in the center of Stockholm. Teenagers still chat in groups in the parks of the capital. Some still greet each other with hugs and handshakes. SENT: 770 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST — Iran's president lashed out at criticism of authorities' lagging response to the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, saying the government has to weigh economic concerns as it takes measures to contain the pandemic. Syria meanwhile reported the first fatality from the virus in the war-torn country, which has five confirmed infections. SENT: 820 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ITALY-STRUCK AT 33 — Andrea Napoli didn’t fit the usual profile of a coronavirus patient. At 33, he was in perfect health, with no history of respiratory disease. Still, Napoli, a lawyer, was diagnosed with COVID-19 a week after Italy locked down the country and ended up spending time in intensive care. SENT: 500 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-INDIA — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologized to the public for imposing a three-week national lockdown, calling it harsh but saying the country “needed to win” the battle against the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 700 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-NEW YORK — New York state's coronavirus death toll is nearing 1,000. The state accounts for more than 40% of coronavirus deaths in the U.S. The number of disease-related deaths in the state jumped Sunday to 965 from 728 the day before, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. SENT: 740 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-STATE LEGISLATURES — Concerns about the coronavirus are changing the way democracy works in the U.S. In state capitols across the country, lawmakers have ditched decorum and sidestepped traditional public meeting requirements to abide by “social distancing" directives. More states have begun allowing lawmakers to send in their votes from home instead of showing up in House or Senate chambers to pass legislation responding to the virus outbreak. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHILD CARE — With schools and many day care centers closed, states, local governments and philanthropists are scrambling to free up parents who are medical workers, emergency responders and others needed on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 1,110 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SALVAGED CEREMONIES — College students who were sent home because of the coronavirus took advantage of their last days on campus to forge a few more memories of their time in school. For some, it was the tradition of a senior sunrise or lake swim. Others squeezed out a dining hall performance they had been rehearsing for a canceled concert or opera. For seniors poised to graduate, it was an abrupt end to what wasn’t quite four years of late-night bonding and all-night studying. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-LOUISIANA-CHURCH SERVICE — Hundreds of people flouted Louisiana's ban on gatherings because of COVID-19, coming on buses and in personal vehicles for the first of three worship services at the Life Tabernacle church. SENT: 560 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-GREAT OUTDOORS — Whether it's hiking, fishing or back-country skiing, the great outdoors provides a breath of fresh air in these turbulent times due to the coronavirus pandemic. Just make sure to check before retreating to a wilderness spot as more and more parks are closing. SENT: 1,140 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-HAWAII-TOURISM — Like many cities across the world, Honolulu came to an eerie standstill this weekend as officials implemented measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the islands. SENT: 520 words, photos.
PANAMA-CRUISE SHIPS — More than 1,800 passengers and crew stranded off Panama are getting mixed signals about the chance for finally reaching port in Florida. SENT: 450 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-NJ PIZZERIA — This is a story about bosses and their workers, in the dark days of COVID-19. It’s also a story about how one good turn deserves another and yet another. And this being New Jersey, it’s also a story about pizza. SENT: 540 words, photos, video.
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WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
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TRUMP-ROYALS — U.S. President Donald Trump has offered his opinion on the future of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, insisting the United States government won’t pay for the couple’s security if they live in the United States. SENT: 310 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-UGANDA-POP STAR — Uganda's Bobi Wine sings against virus, criticizes leaders. SENT: 630 words, photos.
OBIT-JAN HOWARD — Singer-songwriter Jan Howard dies at 91, the Grand Ole Opry announced. SENT: 260 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HOOCH TURNED HAND SANITIZER — Several alcohol distilleries in Nevada unable to make liquor under current coronavirus shutdowns are turning their attention to another product to help soothe customers. SENT: 560 words.
SERIAL KILLER DIES — Lonnie Franklin, the convicted serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper" who preyed on the women of South Los Angeles for more than two decades, has died in a California prison at 67. At trial, Franklin was linked to 14 slayings. SENT: 400 words, photos.
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ELECTION 2020-MONEY — White House candidates aren't usually bashful about asking supporters for money. But as the coronavirus upends everyday life, President Donald Trump and his likely Democratic rival, Joe Biden, suddenly find themselves navigating perilous terrain. What used to be a routine request for political cash could now come across as tone-deaf or tacky. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.
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DEMOLISHING THE DAMS — Plans to tear down four hydroelectric dams in rugged country along the Oregon-California border to save salmon are generating excitement from environmentalists and tribes, and fear and anger among those who want the dams to stay. SENT: 1,500 words, photos, 830-word abridged version.
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PHILIPPINES-PLANE CATCHES FIRE — A plane carrying eight people, including an American and a Canadian, burst into flames while attempting to take off from Manila’s airport on a flight bound for Japan, killing all those on board, officials said. SENT: 420 words, photos.
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BUSINESS __________________
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BUSINESS FALLOUT — An executive at New York-based investment firm Jefferies Financial Group has died from complications of the coronavirus, the company says. Jefferies announced the death of Peregrine “Peg” Broadbent, the chief financial officer of the investment bank Jefferies Group. SENT: 700 words, photos.
EMIRATES-EARNS-DAMAC — Dubai's largest, fully private real estate developer posts its first yearly loss since becoming a publicly traded company, a worrying sign for the sheikhdom's already-reeling vital property market that's been hit with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 410 words, photos.
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POLAND-OBIT-PENDERECKI — Krzysztof Penderecki, an award-winning conductor and one of the world’s most popular contemporary classical music composers whose works have featured in Hollywood films like “The Shining” and “Shutter Island,” has died at age 86. SENT: 1,300 words, photo.
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OLY-VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPONSORSHIP — Visa has told its global roster of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls their sponsorships will be extended into 2021 after the Tokyo Games were postponed, providing some financial certainty amid the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 500 words, photo.
WOMEN OF BASEBALL — Rachel Folden figured something out early on during her first spring training with the Chicago Cubs — long before the coronavirus pandemic wiped out team activities. None of the players care all that much that one of their coaches is a woman. As for the girls she encounters, they care very much that one of the coaches is a woman. Major League Baseball is pushing the same message. Recognizing the importance of representation when it comes to growing the game, the commissioner's office continues to look at ways to bring more women and minorities into the sport. SENT: 970 words, photos.
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HOW TO REACH US
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