AP News Digest 2 p.m.

APTOPIX Election 2020 Protests Oregon (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

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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TOP STORIES

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ELECTION 2020 — Democrat Joe Biden pushes closer to the 270 Electoral College votes he needs to win the White House while President Donald Trump pursues legal strategies as his path to reelection narrows. By Zeke Miller, Jill Colvin and Jonathan Lemire. SENT: 1220 words UPCOMING: Developing, 1190 words by 6 p.m., photos, video, audio. With: ELECTION 2020-THE LATEST, developing.

EXPLAINING-ELECTION-2020-STATES-OF-PLAY — A handful of pivotal states remained in play in the tightly contested U.S. presidential race. Here, The Associated Press reviews them and examines the reasons why they could still go to either Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Joe Biden. SENT: 700 words, photos.

ELECTION 2020-LEGAL CHALLENGES — As Democrat Joe Biden inches closer to the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House, President Donald Trump’s campaign puts into action the legal strategy the president had signaled for weeks: attacking the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean his defeat. By Mark Sherman and Jessica Gresko. SENT: 970 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 1050 words by 5 p.m., photos.

ELECTION 2020-DIVIDED AMERICA — U.S. elections often serve as clarifying moments that express the wishes of the American people. The only thing the 2020 election seems to have clarified is the extent of the divisions shaping the nation, no matter which candidate ultimately wins. By Steve Peoples. UPCOMING: 1000 words by 5 p.m., photos.

For more on legal challenges, click here.

Find more coverage below and on the 2020 U.S. Elections featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — U.S. voters went to the polls starkly divided on how they see President Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, with a surprising twist: In places where the virus is most rampant now, Trump enjoyed enormous support. An Associated Press analysis reveals that in 376 counties with the highest number of new cases per capita, the overwhelming majority — 93% — went for Trump, a rate above other less severely hit areas. By AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos by 3:30 p.m.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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RUSSIA-US-ESPIONAGE — American imprisoned in Russia complains of sleep deprivation. SENT: 190 words, photos.

CAR-F1-SAUDI-ARABIA — Saudi Arabia to host Formula One race in 2021 in Jiddah. SENT: 700 words, photos.

TOY-HALL-OF-FAME — Pioneering Black doll Baby Nancy enters Toy Hall of Fame. SENT: 390 words, photo.

TRAYVON MARTIN ROAD — A section of road that leads to the South Florida high school that Trayvon Martin attended now bears the name of the Black teenager whose 2012 death sparked a movement for social justice. SENT 160 words, photos.

ONE-GOOD-THING-TWO-BLIND-BROTHERS — How two blind brothers became Two Blind Brothers for a cause. SENT: 750 words, photos.

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MORE ON ELECTION 2020

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ELECTION-2020-PROTESTS — Dozens of angry supporters of President Donald Trump converged on vote-counting centers in Detroit and Phoenix as the returns went against him Wednesday in the two key states, while thousands of anti-Trump protesters demanding a complete tally of the ballots in the still-undecided election took to the streets in cities across the U.S. SENT: 800 words, photos. WITH: EXPLAINING-ELECTION-2020-PROTESTS. SENT: 350 words, photos.

ELECTION 2020-TRUMP — President Donald Trump spends a second day in the White House residence stewing over an election result that seems to be slipping further from his grasp, even as his campaign projects confidence. By Jill Colvin and Zeke Miller. UPCOMING: 800 words by 5 p.m., photos.

ELECTION 2020-SENATE — Control of the Senate hangs in the balance, a cliffhanger after Republicans trounced Democratic challengers in crucial states but failed to lock down the seats needed to retain their majority. By Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 690 words. UPCOMING: Developing, 790 words by 5 p.m., photos.

ELECTION 2020-HOUSE DEMOCRATS — Their majority shrunk, House Democrats are casting blame on their election message, ground game and leadership under Speaker Nancy Pelosi after expectations for big wins came crashing down with a stark reversal of gains in Trump country. By Lisa Mascaro. UPCOMING: 800 words. by 4:30 p.m., photos.

ELECTION 2020-FLORIDA — The presidential election postmortem underway in Florida is especially wrenching for Democrats. The soul searching and second-guessing has begun amid another high-profile loss at the ballot box. SENT: 940 words, photos.

EXPLAINING 2020-RACE CALLS — Donald Trump and Joe Biden need 270 electoral votes to win. Several key states are too early to call — Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Nevada. SENT: 8,700 words, photos, video.

ELECTION 2020-POLL WATCHERS — Election officials in key battleground states dispute claims by the Trump campaign that Republican poll watchers were being denied access to observe the counting of ballots, saying all rules were being followed. By Christina A. Cassidy. UPCOMING: 800 words by 4:30 p.m., photos.

A separate wire advisory has moved outlining our complete Election 2020 coverage.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to 751,000, a still-historically high level that shows that many employers keep cutting jobs in the face of the accelerating pandemic. SENT: 830 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE — With a surge in coronavirus cases straining hospitals in many European countries, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a nationwide lockdown in the hopes of stemming a rising tide of patients before its hospitals come under “unbearable” pressure. SENT: 850 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-SWEDEN — Sweden’s leader has gone into protective self-isolation even after a person close to him tested negative for COVID-19, as Sweden experiences its own fall surge of coronavirus cases. SENT: 440 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MUSIC VENUES — The New Orleans funk band Galactic bought the decades-old music club Tipitina’s late in 2018 and appeared to be making a success of the venerable live music venue. Then came the shutdowns forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tipitina’s is one of hundreds of iconic clubs across the U.S. in danger of shutting down for good. SENT: 800 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-MISSOURI-POLL-WORKER — A suburban St. Louis election official who worked at a polling place on Election Day despite a positive test for the coronavirus has now died, raising concerns for the nearly 2,000 people who voted there. SENT: 450 words, photos.

Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

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INTERNATIONAL

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TROPICAL WEATHER — The rain-heavy remains of Hurricane Eta flooded homes in Honduras as the death toll across Central America rose to at least 13. Forecasters said the once-mighty storm was expected to regather form and head toward Cuba and possibly the Gulf of Mexico by early next week. SENT: 670 words, photos.

ETHIOPIA-MILITARY CONFRONTATION — Ethiopia’s army said Thursday the country has been forced into an “unexpected and aimless war” with its powerful Tigray region, while Tigray asserted that fighter jets had bombed areas around its capital — a marked escalation with little sign of the two sides willing to talk to calm the crisis. SENT: 800 words, photos.

AUSTRIA-VIENNA ATTACK — Austrian leaders call for more legal options to fight extremism and for an overhaul of the country’s domestic intelligence agency in the wake of this week’s deadly attack blamed on a known Islamic radical who Austrian authorities had been warned had tried to buy ammunition in neighboring Slovakia. SENT: 590 words, photos.

FRANCE-ATTACKS-BORDER CONTROLS — French President Emmanuel Macron says France is reinforcing its border controls after a series of attacks that hit the country in recent weeks. SENT: 380 words, photos.

KOSOVO-WAR-CRIMES — Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci, a guerrilla leader during Kosovo’s war for independence from Serbia in the 1990s, resigns in order to face charges for war crimes and crimes against humanity at a special court based in The Hague. SENT: 400 words, photo.

VATICAN-SCANDAL — Pope Francis has given the Vatican secretariat of state three months to transfer all of its financial holdings to another Vatican office following its bungled management of investments that are now the subject of a corruption investigation. SENT: 540 words, photos.

TANZANIA-ELECTION — Tanzania’s populist President John Magufuli has taken the oath of office for a second five-year term amid tight security after the opposition called for a fresh election, the disbandment of the electoral commission and an “endless peaceful demonstration” over the Oct. 28 vote. SENT: 230 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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GEORGE-FLOYD-INVESTIGATION — A Minnesota judge has declined defense requests to move the trial of four Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death, and also ruled that all four would be tried in a single proceeding. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill ruled after defense attorneys argued that pretrial publicity had made it impossible for the four men to get a fair trial. SENT: 600 words, photos.

OHIO-SHOOTING-GUNMAN'S RECORD — The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a request by news media groups seeking school records of the man who gunned down nine people in Dayton last year before being killed by police. Media groups including The Associated Press argued the records could provide information on whether authorities properly handled warning signs from gunman Connor Betts. SENT: 430 words, photos.

MOTHER'S TRIAL-BABIES-DEATHS — A South Carolina mother who skipped the trial where she was convicted of homicide by child abuse for throwing two of her newborns away in trash bags moments after they born will spend 40 years in prison. SENT: 620 words, phot500

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Stocks are still riding Wall Street’s post-election wave, and the S&P 500 is rallying 2% in early trading. Tuesday’s election still hasn’t made clear who will run the White House next year, though Joe Biden is pushing closer toward the needed mark. SENT: 700 words, photos.

BRITAIN-ECONOMY — The British government and the Bank of England are providing more support to the economy, which is set for a difficult winter following the imposition of new coronavirus lockdown measures. SENT: 820 words, photos.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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CLIMATE FOOD — A new study says how we grow, eat and waste food is a big climate change problem that may keep the world from reaching its temperature-limiting goals, but we don’t all have to go vegan. SENT: 700 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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VOL--OREGON ST-ABUSE ALLEGATIONS — More Oregon State players reach out to describe abusive practices by the volleyball team’s coaching staff. One player, Kyla Waiters, is the second to tell the AP she contemplated suicide because of her experience on the team. By National Writer Eddie Pells. SENT: 1,600 words, photos. With abridged version.

PACKERS-49ERS — Nick Mullens is at quarterback for the banged-up San Francisco 49ers (4-4) when they face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (5-2) in a rematch of last season’s NFC title game. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Game starts 8:20 p.m.

NASCAR-PHOENIX FINALE — NASCAR’s four championship contenders discuss Sunday’s winner-take-all finale. Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski will race Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. UPCOMING: 700 words by 6 p.m.

ESPN-LAYOFFS — ESPN lays off about 300 employees and cuts about 500 jobs from its global workforce. The cuts amount to about 10% of the employees at the sports network. The company cites the pandemic and the “tremendous disruption in how fans consume sports.” By Pat Eaton-Robb. SENT: 300 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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