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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TRUMP-REPUBLICANS — The most powerful Republicans on Capitol Hill are standing firmly behind President Donald Trump and his wild claims of voter fraud, but small cracks are beginning to emerge among GOP leaders from Ohio to Georgia to Oklahoma who believe it’s time to acknowledge the reality that Democrat Joe Biden has won the election. By Steve Peoples. UPCOMING: 900 words by 5 p.m., photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRUMP — President Donald Trump has publicly disengaged from the battle against the coronavirus at a moment when the disease is tearing across the United States at an alarming pace. By Aamer Madhani. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-US SURGE - School systems in Detroit, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and suburban Minneapolis are giving up on in-person classes, and some governors are reimposing restrictions on bars and restaurants or getting more serious about masks, as the coast-to-coast resurgence of the coronavirus sends deaths, hospitalizations and new infections soaring. By Michelle R. Smith. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 4 p.m.
VIRUS OUTBREAK — With a COVID-19 vaccine drawing closer, public health officials across the country are gearing up for the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history. It will be a monumental undertaking to distribute hundreds of millions of doses, prioritize who’s first in line and ensure that people who get the initial shot return for the necessary second one. The push could begin as early as next month. By Candice Choi and Michelle R. Smith. SENT: 1,160 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL VACCINES — European governments and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have pledged to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funds for a global effort aimed at ensuring eventual virus vaccines are quickly available to poor countries. SENT: 640 words, photos; VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINE-PHARMACIES — Federal health officials have reached an agreement with pharmacies across the U.S. to distribute free coronavirus vaccines after they are approved and become available to the public. SENT: 460 words, photo.
WHITE HOUSE-PRESS SECRETARY — A White House press secretary who refers questions to the White House? Kayleigh McEnany is juggling two hats -- one as a Trump 2020 campaign adviser and the other as the presidential spokesperson, setting off alarms with ethics experts. By Kevin Freking. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 709,000, the fourth straight drop and a sign that the job market is slowly healing. By Christopher Rugaber. SENT: 770 words, photo. WITH: CONSUMER-PRICES — U.S. consumer prices were unchanged in October, the lowest reading in five months. SENT: 380 words, photos.
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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
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SUPER BOWL-THE WEEKND — The Weeknd will bring his popular falsetto vocals to the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. The NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced that the three-time Grammy winner will perform Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. SENT: 390 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-BELGIUM-EXEMPT SAINT — To ensure the merriment of millions of Belgian children, the government is offering a special exemption from the stringent coronavirus measures to beloved St. Nicholas. SENT: 370 words, photos.
ODD-PUERTO RICO-CAR STOLEN — Police in Puerto Rico say a man who was in a traffic accident stole the car of a good Samaritan who had stopped to help him. SENT: 80 words.
RUSSIA RAZE THE ROBOT — A hulking, never-occupied building sardonically likened to a robot’s head that has loomed over the Russian city of Kaliningrad for decades is to be demolished next year, the region’s governor says. SENT: 170 words, photos.
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MORE ON ELECTION 2020
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ELECTION 2020-GEORGIA — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is planning to get tested and self-quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus. The news comes just as the state is preparing for a hand tally of the presidential race. SENT: 170 words, photo. Developing.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS — President-elect Joe Biden’s top allies on Capitol Hill adopt a combative posture on the COVID-19 relief as they accuse Republicans of dragging their feet in acknowledging Biden’s victory. Democrats are doubling down on a $2 trillion-plus relief bill that’s a nonstarter with congressional Republicans. By Andrew Taylor. SENT: 460 words, photos
BIDEN-TRANSITION STAFFERS— Black policy leaders will play a pivotal role in President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team, marking one of the most diverse presidential agency review teams in the nation’s history. By Kat Stafford. SENT: 600 words, photos.
SENATE-CALIFORNIA-HARRIS-REPLACEMENT — Sen. Kamala Harris’ ascendancy to the vice presidency next year has left California with a tantalizing question: Who will replace her in the Senate? The pick falls to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is widely expected to make a choice that highlights the state’s diversity. SENT: 1.045 words, photos.
ELECTION-2020 MAINE SENATE — Sara Gideon shattered fundraising records in Maine, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Susan Collins’ decades-long status as a ubiquitous figure in Maine politics. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 3 p.m.
ELECTION-2020 HOUSE-1-IOWA - A Republican congresswoman-elect who flipped an Iowa seat in last week’s election says she has tested positive for the coronavirus. Ashley Hinson, a state representative and former television news anchor, said Thursday that she learned of her positive test Wednesday night. SENT: 300 words, photos.
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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
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VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA-1 MILLION CASES — California is reaching an unwelcome coronavirus milestone: its 1 millionth confirmed infection. The state’s early action to order people to stay at home was successful in curtailing the spread, but each time it has relaxed restrictions, cases have risen. With cases increasing quickly in the state and nationwide, health officials are warning people to limit travel during the holidays and rethink their annual gatherings. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE — The surge of new coronavirus cases appears to be slowing in Germany and France, generating hopes that the two European heavyweights are beginning to regain control over the pandemic. But authorities said that hospitals are crowded and are likely to face further strain in the coming weeks. SENT: 825 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-ITALY-HOSPITALS — During Italy’s autumn resurgence of the pandemic, concern is falling less on intensive care wards and more on regular medical wards. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VIRUS-FREE — A few places in the world, mostly small island nations in the South Pacific, have yet to report even a single case of coronavirus. SENT: 950 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-GREECE — Dozens of hospital workers have held protests at hospitals in Greece, demanding more medical staff be hired as the country struggles to contain a resurgence of the coronavirus that has led to a new lockdown being imposed. SENT: 360 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-LIVES LOST-SMILING TEEN — A smiling teenager from Louisiana was ready to meet the future until he succumbed to the coronavirus. SENT: 830 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-WORK FROM HOME — White collar staff reaping the financial benefits of working from home should be taxed to help other workers who aren’t getting the same advantages, experts at Deutsche Bank said in a new report. SENT: 405 words, photo.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-CARIBBEAN — Officials say one of the first cruise ships to ply through Caribbean waters since the pandemic began ended its trip early after one passenger fell ill and is believed to have COVID-19. SENT: 270 words.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ONE-GOOD-THING-SOUP-KITCHEN -- An award-winning South Bronx Mexican restaurant also became a soup kitchen during the pandemic. SENT: 615 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-VIRAL-QUESTIONS-FLYING — Anyone thinking about flying for the holidays should know that flights are getting more crowded and that more airlines plan to stop blocking seats. SENT: 300 words, graphic.
Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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JEFFREY EPSTEIN -- A Justice Department report has found former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta exercised “poor judgment” in handling an investigation into wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein when he was a top federal prosecutor in Florida. SENT: 130 words, photos, developing.
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SYRIA-50-YEARS-OF-ASSAD — On Nov. 13, 1970, a young air force officer from the coastal hills of Syria launched a bloodless coup. It was the latest in a succession of military takeovers since independence from France in 1946, and there was no reason to think it would be the last. Yet 50 years later, Hafez Assad’s family still rules Syria. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.
VATICAN-MCCARRICK-NOW-WHAT? — The Vatican’s report into ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick has raised uncomfortable questions the Holy See will have to confront going forward, chief among them what it’s going to do about current and future clergy who abuse their power to sexually abuse adults. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.
EGYPT-HELICOPTER CRASH — The international force that monitors the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement said Thursday that eight peacekeepers, including six Americans, were killed when one of its helicopters crashed during a routine mission in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. A ninth peacekeeper was badly injured. SENT: 400 words.
ETHIOPIA-MILITARY CONFRONTATION — The first witness accounts are emerging from the thousands of Ethiopian refugees who are streaming over the border into Sudan by the thousands, while the deadly fighting in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region shows no sign of easing. SENT: 930 words, photos.
BRITAIN-STONEHENGE — The British government went against the recommendations of planning officials when it approved controversial plans for a road tunnel to be built near the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge in southern England. SENT: 600 words, photos.
GHANA-OBIT RAWLINGS — Ghana’s former president Jerry Rawlings, who staged two coups and later helped transition Ghana to a stable democracy, has died, according to the state’s Radio Ghana and the president. Rawlings was 73. SENT: 300 words, photos.
LIBYA-MIGRANTS — At least 74 migrants drowned after their Europe-bound ship capsized off the coast of Libya, the U.N. migration agency said, in the latest in a series of at least eight shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean since last month. SENT: 300 words, photos.
AP INTERVIEW-IRAN-US ENVOY — The U.S. special representative for Iran insisted that a pressure campaign of sanctions targeting Iran would persist into the administration of Joe Biden, even as the president-elect has pledged to potentially return America to Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. SENT: 825 words, photos.
BRITAIN BABY DEATHS — A nurse accused of killing eight babies and trying to kill another 10 at a hospital in northwest England has been remanded into custody. SENT: 170 words, photo.
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TROPICAL WEATHER — Tropical Storm Eta dumped torrents of blustery rain on Florida’s west coast after it made landfall north of the heavily populated Tampa Bay area, triggering some flooding but no major damage. SENT: 725 words, photos.
HARVARD ADMISSIONS LAWSUIT — A federal appeals court has upheld a district court decision clearing Harvard University of intentional discrimination against Asian American applicants. SENT: 590 words, photos.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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GLOBAL MEASLES — The number of children sickened by measles in 2019 was the highest in 23 years, according to new data from the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SENT: 290 words, photo.
MED-CORONAVIRUS MINKS — The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has issued new guidance to curb the spread of the coronavirus between minks and humans, warning that the transmission of COVID-19 among animals could speed up the number of mutations in the virus before it potentially jumps back into people. SENT: 450 words, photo.
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TEC-SOUNDBEAMING — Imagine a world where you move around in your own personal sound bubble. You listen to your favorite tunes, play loud computer games, watch a movie or get navigation directions in your car — all without disturbing those around you. SENT: 670 words, photos.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-HOLIDAY SHIPPING CRUNCH — Retailers and carriers are preparing for an online holiday shopping surge that could tax shipping networks and lead to delivery delays. SENT: 900 words, photos, video.
FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks were lower on Wall Street amid worries about worsening coronavirus counts across the country. SENT: 725 words, photos, developing.
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MUSIC-AC/DC — AC/DC reflects on the release of “Power Up,” their first album in six years and first since the death of essential member Malcolm Young, whose spirit and songwriting are as present as ever. By Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton. UPCOMING: 850 words, photos.
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FBN-COLTS TITANS — Taking a big step toward winning the AFC South for the first time since 2008 means the Tennessee Titans must beat the Indianapolis Colts starting Thursday night in the first of two games between the divisional rivals. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Game kicks off at 8:20 p.m.
BBO-MVP —The AL and NL MVP award winners are announced. José Abreu of the Chicago White Sox and Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves are considered the favorites. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos from 6:17 p.m. announcement of AL winner.
GLF-MASTERS —Tiger Woods is the defending champion and beef-up Bryson DeChambeau is talk of the Masters as the April major begins in its pandemic-delayed November date. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 6 p.m.
FBC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-SHRINKING SEASON — As the number of major college football games postponed or canceled by COVID-19 surges, the possibility that conference championships, the Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff participants could be determined by the virus grows. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 5 p.m.
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HOW TO REACH US
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At the Nerve Center, Richard A. Somma can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Donald E. King (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, Phil Holm (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.