AP News Digest 2 p.m.
Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All Times EST. 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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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-EUROPE-INTENSIVE-CARE — In Italy lines of ambulances park outside hospitals awaiting beds, and in France the government coronavirus tracking app prominently displays the intensive care capacity taken up by COVID-19 patients: 92.5% and rising. In the ICU in Barcelona, there is no end in sight for the doctors and nurses who endured this once already. Intensive care is the last line of defense for severely ill coronavirus patients and Europe is running out — of beds and the doctors and nurses to staff them. By Lori Hinnant. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.
2020-CENSUS FAKE ANSWERS — The U.S. Census Bureau denied any attempts to systemically falsify information during the 2020 head count used to determine the allocation of congressional seats and federal spending, even as more census takers told The Associated Press they were pressured to do so. The Census Bureau statement was issued Monday night in response to AP reports of census workers who said they were told by supervisors to enter fake answers on the head-count forms in order to close cases in the waning days of the census. By Mike Schneider. SENT: 900 words, photo.
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SUPREME COURT-HEALTH CARE — The Supreme Court seems likely to leave in place the bulk of the Affordable Care Act, including key protections for pre-existing health conditions and subsidized insurance premiums that affect tens of millions of Americans. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, among the conservative justices, appear unwilling to strike down the entire law -- a long-held Republican goal that has repeatedly failed in Congress and the courts. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 670 words. UPCOMING: 900 words by 5 p.m., photos. WITH: SUPREME COURT-HEALTH CARE-WHAT’S AT STAKE — The case’s outcome has real-world consequences for just about every American, as well as the health care industry, a major source of jobs and tax revenues. SENT: 872 words, photo.
BIDEN — President-elect Joe Biden confronts the nation’s health crisis amid intensifying concerns that the Republican Party’s fierce refusal to acknowledge his victory could threaten the new administration’s capacity to meet a series of urgent challenges Biden will inherit in just 71 days. By Steve Peoples and Will Weissert. SENT: 757 words. UPCOMING: Developing from Biden remarks expected after 2 p.m., 920 words by 5 p.m., photos, video.
ELECTION 2020-VOTING-AP EXPLAINS — The U.S. presidential election was not tainted by widespread voter fraud or irregularities in how ballots were counted, despite a huge effort by President Donald Trump to prove otherwise. A look at how the election went and why claims about voter fraud are wrong or impossible to verify. By Nomaan Merchant. SENT: 800 words, photos.
REL-VATICAN MCCARRICK-ANONYMOUS LETTERS — The Vatican’s report on the rise and fall of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick revealed the previously unknown contents of anonymous letters that were sent to U.S. church leaders alleging McCarrick was a pedophile that were forwarded to the Vatican in 1999. By Luis Andres Henao and Elana Schor. SENT: 980 words, photos.
VATICAN-MCCARRICK —A Vatican investigation into former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has found that a series of bishops, cardinals and popes downplayed or dismissed reports of sexual misconduct with seminarians, and determined that Pope Francis merely continued his predecessors’ handling of the predator until a former altar boy alleged abuse. The Vatican took the extraordinary step of publishing its two-year, 449-page internal investigation into the American prelate’s rise and fall in a bid to restore credibility to the U.S. and Vatican hierarchies, which have been shattered by the McCarrick scandal. By Nicole Winfield. SENT: 1,215 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — The latest surge in U.S. coronavirus cases appears to be much larger than the two previous ones, and it is all but certain to get worse — a lot worse. Newly confirmed infections in the U.S. are running at all-time highs of well over 100,000 per day, pushing the running total this week to more than 10 million. Deaths are climbing again, reaching an average of more than 930 a day. However, experts say medical and testing advances give them reason to believe the nation is better able to deal with the virus this time. By Mike Stobbe. SENT: 1,055 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-MISSOURI ELECTION WORKERS — Twenty-eight employees of the election board in one of Missouri’s largest counties are sick with the coronavirus. SENT: 450 words.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HONG KONG PARK — Hong Kong’s first socially distanced outdoor entertainment park opened its doors to the public in an attempt by the entertainment industry to adjust to the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 300 words, photos.
PEOPLE BRITNEY SPEARS — Britney Spears wants to be freed from her father. In a recent series of court maneuvers, Spears has sought greater say over her life and affairs. SENT: 785 words, photos.
STAND UP FOR HEROES — This year’s Stand Up for Heroes fundraiser is going virtual for the first time and The Boss will once again be there. But so will a real prince. Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Tiffany Haddish and Brad Paisley have all signed up to participate — as well as Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. SENT: 230 words, photos.
OKLAHOMA SENATOR-MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE — An Oklahoma state senator from Tulsa is facing a first-degree manslaughter charge after authorities say she was speeding and driving recklessly when her vehicle skidded off the road and crashed into a man’s disabled vehicle, killing him. SENT: 230 words.
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MORE ON ELECTION 2020
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ELECTION 2020-NOT 2000 — Twenty years ago, in a different time and under far different circumstances than today, it took five weeks of Florida recounts and court battles before Republican George W. Bush prevailed over Democrat Al Gore by 537 votes. Today’s attempts by President Trump and GOP allies to get unproven claims of fraud and voting irregularities into court in multiple states face a much steeper climb. SENT: 800 words, photos.
PRESIDENTIAL CONCESSIONS — Losing presidential candidates have conceded to their opponents in private chats, telegrams, phone calls and nationally televised speeches. Al Gore conceded twice in the same race. President Donald Trump isn’t expected to concede at all — not even with a tweet. SENT: 860 words, photos.
BIDEN-IMMIGRATION — Quick and dramatic moves are expected on immigration in the early days of the Biden administration. Joe Biden will likely use executive orders to restore protection for people brought to the U.S. illegally as minors and to stop using Pentagon funds to build a border wall. There will be a change of tone as well. But it will take time, and perhaps help from the potentially divided Congress, to undo immigration actions taken by President Donald Trump. UPCOMING: 1080 words by 4 p.m., photos.
ELECTION 2020-AGRICULTURE — The election defeat of U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, the longtime House Agriculture Committee chairman, and some key retirements mean a shakeup is coming for agriculture on Capitol Hill, with power likely to shift from the Midwest to the South and the coasts next year. That could mean priority for southern crops such as peanuts, rice and cotton over traditional Midwest concerns of corn, soybeans, sugar beets and dairy. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 4 p.m.
ELECTION 2020-CONGRESS-INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION — Internet access, health care and basic necessities like running water and electricity within Indigenous communities have long been at the center of congressional debates. But until recently, Congress hasn’t had many Indigenous members who were pushing for solutions and funding for those issues. Hope is growing as the Native delegation in the U.S. House expanded by two on Election Day. SENT: 925 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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BRAZIL-SAMBA AND COVID — In a normal year, the Unidos de Padre Miguel samba school would be a hive of preparation for Carnival. But this is not a normal year. For the first time in more than a century, Carnival is canceled. In the country with the second-highest COVID-19 death toll, there was fear that one of the world’s biggest parties — with its thronging masses of flesh pressed against sweaty flesh — would become the super-spreader event to top them all. Once again, one of Rio’s underserved communities pulled together rather than waiting for help from authorities that arrives late, if at all. SENT: 1,530 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE — Portugal and Hungary became the latest European countries to impose curfews against the resurgent tide of coronavirus infections and deaths lashing the continent and filing its emergency wards. But glimmers of hope emerged from France, Belgium and elsewhere that tough restrictions might be starting to work. SENT: 800 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRAZIL-VACCINE TEST HALTED — Brazil’s health regulator has halted clinical trials of the potential coronavirus vaccine CoronaVac, citing an “adverse, serious event.” SENT: 500 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST —Iran imposed a nightly curfew on businesses in Tehran and other cities on Tuesday while Lebanon was preparing for a two-week nationwide lockdown later this week as both countries battle a major surge in coronavirus infections. SENT: 775 words, photo.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ASIA — Authorities in China’s financial hub of Shanghai have quarantined 186 people and conducted coronavirus tests on more than 8,000 after a freight handler at the city’s main international airport tested positive for the virus. SENT: 500 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-TLINGIT MEMORIAL — When tribal elder David Katzeek died in October, Tlingit leaders in Alaska scrambled to find a way to hold a traditional memorial ceremony during a pandemic. Their task was to balance honoring him with protecting the living from the coronavirus. The Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau has been transforming its in-person programming to virtual events, and figured this was the next step in helping preserve Tlingit culture. The institute hosted a Zoom memorial gathering and livestreamed it online. The experience was such a success, it’s now the basis for guides being written for others to use technology to conduct ancient rites safely amid the pandemic. SENT: 550 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VIRAL-QUESTIONS-ANTIVIRAL-COATING — Masks made with antiviral materials are popping up, but there haven’t been enough rigorous independent studies to establish whether they’re better at protecting wearers or preventing the spread of the virus. SENT: 260 words, graphic.
Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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CONGRESS-BUDGET BATTLE - Republicans controlling the Senate unveiled a government-wide, $1.4 trillion spending bill on Tuesday, a mostly bipartisan measure that faces uncertain odds during this period of post-election tumult in Washington. SENT: 641 words, photos.
CONGRESS-LEADERSHIP — Senators chose party leaders with few changes at the top, but it’s unclear who will be the majority leader in the new Congress with no party having secured control of the Senate until a January runoff election in Georgia. SENT: 552 words, photo.
UNITED STATES-UAE — The Trump administration formally notifies Congress it plans to sell 50 stealth F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates as part of a broader arms deal worth nearly a quarter billion dollars aimed at deterring potential threats from Iran despite concern in Israel. SENT: 269 words, photo.
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ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN — More than a dozen planes carrying Russian peacekeepers headed for Nagorno-Karabakh, hours after Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to halt fighting over the separatist region and amid signs this cease-fire would hold where others hadn’t. SENT: 775 words, photos.
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TROPICAL WEATHER — Tropical Storm Eta was squatting off western Cuba after drifting away from South Florida, where it unleashed a deluge that flooded entire neighborhoods and covered the floors of some homes and businesses. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.
POLICE-SHOOTING WISCONSIN — The mother of an Illinois 17-year-old charged in the fatal shooting of two men during a protest in Wisconsin said neither her son nor the protesters should have been on the street that night and put much of the blame for what happened on police and the governor. SENT: 875 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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MED-VIRUS OUTBREAK-THANKSGIVING — Health experts say a safe Thanksgiving during a pandemic is possible, but they know their advice is as tough to swallow as dry, overcooked turkey. U.S. health officials say small household gatherings have contributed the the rise in COVID-19 cases. But there’s no need to cancel the holiday. Spending time with loved ones is important for health too. The coronavirus spreads more easily when people are crowded together inside, so experts encourage new outdoor traditions such as hiking as a family. Guest lists for indoor feasts should be small enough so people can sit six feet apart while unmasked. SENT: 895 words, photos.
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EUROPE-ANTITRUST-AMAZON — European Union regulators filed antitrust charges Tuesday against Amazon, accusing the e-commerce giant of using its access to data from companies that sell products on its platform to gain an unfair advantage over them. SENT: 615 words, photos. WITH: EUROPE-ANTITRUST-AMAZON GLANCE.
FINANCIAL MARKETS —The big rally for markets worldwide is slowing, but optimism remains high that the global economy may still be on track for a return to normal. It’s the second straight day that rising hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine have investors reordering which stocks they see winning and losing, and the rotations are leaving U.S. stock indexes mixed in afternoon trading. SENT: 875 words, photos.
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MUSIC-KEITH RICHARDS — Keith Richards says he understood how hard Mick Jagger’s job was as a frontman when the guitarist took the lead role and performed his first solo tour in 1988. A live album of that tour will be re-released on CD, on vinyl and digitally on Friday. By Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu. SENT: 860 words, photos.
FILM-THE CLIMB — Before the pandemic upended the film world, “The Climb” was one of the breakout hits of the festival circuit. The comedy’s makers and stars, Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Martin, who play cycling friends, traversed Cannes, Sundance and morning TV shows with their favorite props from the film: their bikes. By Film Writer Jake Coyle. USENT: 630 words, photos.
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GLF—MASTERS — Bryson DeChambeau rattled through the list of clubs he hit into the longer holes at Augusta National, which included short irons on par 5s some players can’t reach in two. That’s why he’s he betting favorite at the Masters. That’s why he is making purists nervous about where the game is heading. But he concluded with caution: He still has to chip and putt. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 6 p.m.
BBO—MANAGERS OF THE YEAR - The AL and NL Managers of the Year are announced. Miami’s Don Mattingly, San Diego’s Jayce Tingler and the Cubs’ David Ross are in the mix for the NL honor. The finalists on the AL side are Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash, Toronto’s Charlie Montoyo and Rick Renteria, who was let go by the White Sox after the team made the playoffs for the first time since 2008. By Jay Cohen. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos from 6:17 p.m. announcement of NL winner.
FBN-NFC HALFWAY — With the NFC East a total mess, the conference’s West Division is so strong that three teams, possibly all four, figure to challenge for the playoffs. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos, by 7 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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