Dorothy Abernathy, regional media director of The Associated Press, shares 10 things you need to know Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items and much more in West Virginia newspapers.
1. WHO’S UP NEXT IN PICKING A DEMOCRAT
Oregon and Kentucky line up to vote in the Democratic presidential nominating contest, while the pall of a divisive state party convention in Nevada hangs over the race.
2. WHAT’S AT STAKE IN SYRIAN TALKS
The NTSB announces its findings in the investigation into the May 2015 crash in Philadelphia that killed eight people.
4. SENATE SLATED TO VOTE ON COMPETING PLANS TO BATTLE ZIKA
A bipartisan, anti-virus plan that cuts Obama’s $1.9 billion request down to $1.1 billion is seen as having the greatest chance of advancing.
5. STARTUP WANTS TO PUT SELF-DRIVING BIG RIGS ON US HIGHWAYS
Otto is planning to equip semis with software, sensors, lasers and cameras so they eventually will be able to navigate more than 220,000 miles of road on their own.
6. THE ‘UNTOUCHABLES’ OF YEMEN CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF WAR
Shunned by other Yemenis, the dark-skinned ethnic group has been particularly hard hit by the country’s civil war, driven from their homes with no one to take them in.
7. ONLINE SITE RELEASES NSA NEWSLETTERS
The in-house articles reveal efforts to eavesdrop on a Russian crime boss, the search in Iraq for possible weapons of mass destruction and help with interrogations at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. NSA-
8. PASTOR DROPS WHOLE FOODS LAWSUIT
Jordan Brown, a gay clergyman from Texas, apologized to the grocer after he bought a cake that he alleged had a slur written on it in icing.
9. ‘HARRY POTTER’ AUTHOR TAKES VERBAL SHOT AT TRUMP
Britain’s J.K. Rowling says the likely GOP presidential nominee “has my full support to come to my country and be offensive and bigoted there.”
10. WARRIORS THUNDERSTRUCK IN WEST FINALS OPENER
Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City rally from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat Golden State 108-102 in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
