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National News – ABC News RadioTropical Storm Gamma makes landfall in Mexico after gaining strengthCoronavirus live updates: House passes $2.2 trillion COVID-19 stimulus billBreonna Taylor grand jury recordings released and filedMissing pregnant postal worker’s disappearance still a mystery two years laterKentucky governor takes action as state fights becoming next COVID-19 hot spotGoogle pledges $1 billion over 3 years to pay news publishers for contentCoronavirus live updates: NFL postpones first game again as more people test positive

http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/National News and Headlines From ABC News RadioSat, 03 Oct 2020 20:39:41 +0000(c) 2012 ABC News Radioen-USSquarespace V5 Site Server v5.13.594-SNAPSHOT-1 (http://www.squarespace.com)ABC AudioSat, 03 Oct 2020 20:39:34 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/tropical-storm-gamma-makes-landfall-in-mexico-after-gaining.html360296:6227645:36316505
ABC NewsBY: DANIEL MANZO, ABC NEWS

(NEW YORK) — Gamma made landfall near Tulum, Mexico around 11:45 a.m. CT as a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph.

The storm is now moving inland over the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the area. Hurricane and tropical storm warnings remain in effect along parts of the Peninsula this afternoon. Locally 6 to 12 inches or more of rain is expected and this could trigger dangerous flash flooding and mudslides.

The main threat right now for Gamma in Mexico will be the 15 inches of rain that will be possible in some areas, which could produce life-threatening flash flooding near where the storm makes landfall. A separate area of heavy rain, far away from the center of Gamma, could bring up to 20 inches of rain over the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas. This could produce major flash flooding and mudslides.

After impacting the Yucatan Peninsula, Gamma will emerge in the Gulf of Mexico. However, steering currents will become quite weak and it does not appear Gamma will have much opportunity to strengthen as it meanders for the better part of the upcoming week. Another Tropical system will try to sneak in behind Gamma, likely reaching the Gulf of Mexico by the middle of next week.

It remains unclear how some of this will play out, including whether this second tropical disturbance will have any opportunity for strengthening and how it steers through the Gulf of Mexico. Currently, the system has a 40% chance of development in the next five days. It’s too early to tell whether any of this tropical activity is a threat to the U.S.

In California, there were a couple of new daily record high temperatures on Friday, including Escondido, which hit 105 degrees, Palmdale, which hit 101 degrees and Sandberg, which hit 93 degrees. Anaheim tied its record of 101 degrees. In Arizona, Tucson hit 103 degrees, which tied its all-time October record that was previously set just this past Thursday.

There will be a brief period of elevated fire conditions due to gusty, dry winds Saturday morning in parts of Southern California. It will also be another hot day across California and the desert southwest, where temperature records will be possible again.

However, there is some good news for the western U.S., which has been plagued by record heat and dry weather. A major pattern change is in sight for the region in the upcoming week.

Temperatures will drop some 10 to15 degrees over the course of the upcoming week, from the 90s down into the 80s and even 70s. This is quite a welcome relief for the region. It even looks like some beneficial rain will arrive in Northern California by next weekend.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316505.xmlABC AudioFri, 02 Oct 2020 21:43:14 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/coronavirus-live-updates-house-passes-22-trillion-covid-19-s.html360296:6227645:36316193
narvikk/iStockBy WILLIAM MANSELL, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1 million people worldwide.

Over 34.2 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The criteria for diagnosis — through clinical means or a lab test — has varied from country-to-country. Still, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks.

Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica.

The United States is the worst-affected country, with more than 7.2 million diagnosed cases and at least 207,789 deaths.

California has the most cases of any U.S. state, with more than 822,000 people diagnosed, according to Johns Hopkins data. California is followed by Texas and Florida, with over 776,000 cases and over 709,000 cases, respectively.

Nearly 190 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least nine of which are in crucial phase three trials.

Here is how the news is developing Friday. All times Eastern:

Oct 02, 3:45 pm
Updates from federal agencies on cabinet members’ last contact with the president and the status of their latest coronavirus test results:


Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar:
Ahead of appearing before a House panel on Capitol Hill, he tweeted that “Out of an abundance of caution I was tested for COVID-19 this morning and the result was negative.”

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson:
The secretary traveled with Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday and has tested negative for COVID-19. “The good doctor notes that the first family is as strong and resilient as a bull market, which should aid a speedy recovery,” Carson’s chief of staff Andrew Hughes said in a statement.

Attorney General William Barr: 
He was last in the same room with the president on Saturday for the reception held for Supreme Court nominee, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, according to Department of Justice spokesperson Kerri Kupec. He is not experiencing any symptoms, but out of an abundance of caution was tested Friday morning.  Kupec said he tested negative.

Interior Department Secretary David Bernhardt:
The secretary was last with the president on Sept. 17 for a tribal repatriation event at the White House. He is regularly tested in accordance with CDC guidelines. In a tweet, he said he looks forward to seeing the president and first lady “engaged in their regular, incredible schedule of travel once they and their medical professionals determine that’s appropriate.”

Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley:
The two last met with the president on Saturday at the White House during the Gold Star families event, according to Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. In preparation for international travel, Esper was tested on Monday and Wednesday – his results were negative. He was going to be tested again on Friday as part of his continuing travel plans and was not planning to return to the U.S. early. Milley was tested Friday morning and the results were negative.

Adm. Brett Giroir, the Health and Human Services testing czar:
Staff said he was tested Wednesday and was going to be tested again on Friday.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin:
“As part of regular protocols, Secretary @stevenmnuchin1 has been tested daily for COVID-19. He tested negative for COVID-19 this morning and will continue to be tested daily,” the Treasury Department spokesperson tweeted Friday morning.

A person familiar told ABC News that Mnuchin had spoken to the White House Medical Office and was advised that based on his “very limited contact” with the president that he does not need to quarantine, but that he will continue to be tested daily.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo:
The secretary told journalists traveling with him that he and his wife Susan were tested Friday morning and both were negative for COVID-19. Pompeo said he has not interacted with the president since the Abraham Accords on Sept. 15.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross:
He was reportedly tested Friday morning and the result was negative.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler:
He has had no recent in-person contact with the president and has no symptoms, according to EPA spokesperson James Hewitt.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf:
The acting secretary is praying for a quick recovery for the first family and White House staff this morning,” DHS press secretary Chase Jennings said. “Acting Secretary Wolf has tested negative three times in the past seven days for COVID-19. He has not been in close contact with President Trump or the First Lady recently. Acting Secretary Wolf consulted with the White House physician this week after a DHS employee tested positive for COVID-19 and has been cleared for duty.”

— ABC News’ Stephanie Ebbs, Quinn Owen, Sophie Tatum, Anne Flaherty, Ben Gittleson, Alexander Mallin, Conor Finnegan and Matt Seyler

Oct 02, 2:53 pm
CDC forecasts up to 232K deaths by Oct. 24

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that the U.S. death toll could climb to between 219,000 and 232,000 deaths by Oct. 24.
 
Previous forecasts have been on target, but on the lower end. One recent estimate forecast 206,000 to 217,000 deaths by this weekend and the CDC count is 207,000 deaths as of Friday.
 
— ABC News’ Anne Flaherty

Oct 02, 2:29 pm
House gaveled out until after Election Day

The House of Representatives now officially gaveled out and is not set to return until well after Election Day.

The move comes despite Speaker Nancy Pelosi having said earlier in the day that the House could potentially pass a standalone bill to extend the Payroll Support Program to help airline workers.

Tens of thousands of airline employees have lost their jobs and many are on furlough.

American Airlines, one of the hardest-hit airlines, told ABC News that “if the Payroll Support Program is extended in the next few days … we will reverse our furlough process and recall any impacted members.”

In her statement, Pelosi urged airlines to hold off on planned furloughs and layoffs because absent a comprehensive stimulus package agreement, the House would move forward to pass a standalone bill to extend PPP another six months, which would keep airline employees on the payroll.

Before the chamber adjourned, House Transportation Chair Peter DeFazio asked unanimous consent on the House floor for the House to pass his standalone airline relief legislation, but the request was denied by the chair.

Members are officially on their way home to campaign for the next month and are not set to return to Washington until Nov. 16.

However, the lawmakers have been given instructions to return to Washington within 24 hours if a coronavirus relief deal is reached.

– ABC News’ Mariam Khan and Mina Kaji

Oct 02, 1:28 pm
HHS secretary appears before House committee

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar appeared on Capitol Hill Friday morning after testing negative for the coronavirus.

He tweeted that out of an abundance of caution he was tested and would testify before Congress as scheduled. He also wished the Trumps and “all those with COVID-19 a swift and complete recovery.”

Azar repeated that sentiment in his opening statement before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.

He also said the U.S. is making progress on the health crisis and encouraged people to “wear a face covering when you can’t watch your distance.”

Chairman James Clyburn, D-S.C., sent along his well wishes to the Trumps, but then quickly blamed the president for his response to the virus as “a failure of historic proportions.”

“We wish for all of them a speedy and complete recovery. As Americans, we pride ourselves on being the most scientifically advanced nation in the world with the best doctors and public health experts,” Clyburn said. “That is why it has been so heartbreaking to watch the administration squander this legacy by refusing to lead, ignoring our scientists and putting politics over the health of the American people.”

He later said it was a mistake that Trump refused to coordinate a national strategy and left up the response to the states.

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., had a tense exchange with Azar when she pressed him about whether the president’s rallies have contributed to a rise in coronavirus cases and whether the HHS secretary has ever privately advised the president to stop or to wear a mask.

Azar said he wouldn’t discuss his conversations with the president.

“Are you proud of the job you have done?” Waters asked.

“I don’t like to speak in those terms,” Azar responded, “206,000 people have died.”

— ABC News’ Anne Flaherty and Mariam Khan

Oct 02, 4:46 am
House passes symbolic COVID-19 stimulus bill

The House passed a $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus relief bill late Thursday night, with a close 214-207 vote.

In some last-minute drama, 18 Democrats voted no on the bill. Many who were against the bill are moderates who are very unhappy with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and leadership for staging what they call a “show” vote on a bill that will never become law.

The Republican-led Senate is not expected to take up the measure.

The House bill is largely symbolic and puts on the record what Democrats have been calling for for months: economic relief for those impacted by the pandemic.

The bill would restore the $600 federal unemployment benefits that expired in July and would include another round of direct checks to Americans at $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent.

It would also extend the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses, a benefit that expired in early August.

A bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill is still possible. Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are still having discussions. Pelosi announced late Thursday that she and Mnuchin have exchanged paper and are still deep in negotiations.

“We made a lot of progress over the last few days, we still don’t have an agreement, but we have more work to do. And we’re going to see where we end up,” Mnuchin told reporters Wednesday.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316193.xmlABC AudioFri, 02 Oct 2020 17:51:44 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/breonna-taylor-grand-jury-recordings-released-and-filed.html360296:6227645:36316275
Breonna Taylor FamilyBy KARMA ALLEN, EMILY SHAPIRO and SABINA GHEBREMEDHIN, ABC News

(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) — Audio recordings from the three-day grand jury hearings in the Breonna Taylor case were filed with the court on Friday following orders from a Kentucky judge.

The recordings were filed just before the judge’s noon deadline. This comes after a judge, during former police officer Brett Hankison’s hearing, ordered the recordings be filed as part of the discovery.

The attorney general’s office also filed an un-redacted copy of the grand jury recordings under seal with the court so that the Judge could compare the redacted and un-redacted copies of the recordings, the Kentucky attorney general’s Office said in a statement Friday. The redactions comprise about three minutes and fifty seconds of the entire proceedings, the office said, noting that personal witness information, addresses and the names of minors had been removed for privacy reasons, according to the office.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron said he was “confident” that the recordings would show that his office presented a through case.

“I’m confident that once the public listens to the recordings, they will see that our team presented a thorough case to the Jefferson County Grand Jury,” Cameron said in a statement. “Our presentation followed the facts and the evidence, and the Grand Jury was given a complete picture of the events surrounding Ms. Taylor’s death on March 13th.”

He added: “While it is unusual for a court to require the release of the recordings from Grand Jury proceedings, we complied with the order, rather than challenging it, so that the full truth can be heard.”

Taylor’s family, her boyfriend and activists have also called for transparency and demanded the grand jury transcript be released. Taylor’s boyfriend’s attorney filed a successful motion over the weekend to have the evidence collected by the police department’s Professional Integrity Unit released to the public.

An anonymous member of the grand jury also filed a motion asking that the transcripts and 20 hours of recordings be released. The grand juror requested the judge allow members of the panel to speak publicly about the evidence presented and the decision reached.

Cameron filed a motion to delay the release of the audio recordings to redact the names and personal information of witnesses and private citizens.

Cameron argued Monday that prosecutors presented “all of the evidence” to the grand jury, even though the evidence supported that the two Louisville police officers who were not indicted “were justified in their use of force” after having been fired upon by Taylor’s boyfriend.

Citing the secrecy of the hearing, Cameron declined to say if the grand jury was presented, beyond the recommended wanton endangerment counts, with options to consider homicide charges, including manslaughter and reckless homicide.

The high-profile case began on March 13, when 26-year-old Taylor was shot dead by police in her Louisville home.

Taylor and her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, were asleep when three Louisville officers, including Brett Hankison, tried to execute a “no-knock” search warrant. The officers were investigating a suspected drug operation linked to Taylor’s ex-boyfriend; no drugs were found in the apartment.

Walker contends he asked the officers to identify themselves as they tried to break open the door, but got no response, which prompted him to open fire with his licensed gun. One officer was shot in the leg.

The grand jury last week indicted Hankison on three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment for firing into the apartment directly behind Taylor’s. The neighboring apartment had three people inside, thus the three charges against Hankison, said Cameron. Hankison pleaded not guilty this week.

The other officers involved in Taylor’s death were not charged and have been placed on administrative duty.

Hankinson was fired.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316275.xmlABC AudioFri, 02 Oct 2020 10:51:40 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/missing-pregnant-postal-workers-disappearance-still-a-myster.html360296:6227645:36316203
National Missing and Unidentified Persons SystemBy EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Friday marks two years since Kierra Coles, a young, pregnant U.S. postal worker, disappeared from her Chicago neighborhood without a trace.

There’s still no sign of her, with the mysterious case classified by Chicago police as “a high-risk missing person investigation with potential foul play suspected.”

Each day brings more pain and frustration for Coles’ mother, Karen Phillips, who is “begging for anybody to come forward” with information.

On Oct. 2, 2018, Coles, who was 26 years old and about three months pregnant, vanished on Chicago’s South Side. Her car was found in front of her apartment with her phone and packed lunch still inside.

Phillips said she has no idea what happened to her daughter. She said she tries not to overthink the possibilities because the first few months of the disappearance, the stress made her physically sick.

“That’s a big thing that I struggle with every day. What really happened? I don’t know if she’s being tortured or if she’s safe or what,” Phillips told ABC News last week. “Sometimes I just have to completely put it out of my mind because it’ll wreck you.”

Her mind also drifts to thoughts of the grandchild her daughter was carrying.

“He or she will almost be 2. And not knowing if she’s out there, the baby’s out there, if they’re together — it’s hurting,” she said.

Coles was the last of Phillips’ children to have a baby, and the entire family was excited to see her as a new mother — especially Coles herself. Phillips said Coles seemed happy in their last conversation; Coles asked her mother for advice on what milk to drink during pregnancy.

In that last conversation, Coles also told her mother that her boyfriend was planning to come over the night of Oct. 2, Phillips said.

Phillips said the last time she saw the boyfriend was when she filed the missing person report, and after that, he “vanished.” Coles’ boyfriend could not be reached by ABC News and the Chicago police declined to comment about him, citing the ongoing investigation.

When it comes to the investigation, Phillips said she feels “the police just put it [the case] to the side because they’re frustrated with it.”

“It’s already frustrating that it’s gonna be two years, and for y’all [the Chicago Police Department] to say y’all don’t have enough to go on, it’s really disappointing,” she said.

Chicago police told ABC News, “At this point, anybody with knowledge of her last whereabouts is asked to contact the Chicago Police Department as we are seeking any and all information in an attempt to locate her and we won’t stop until we do.”

However, Coles’ case is considered suspended, added police spokeswoman Sally Bown.

“Suspended means the case cannot be continued further at this time,” Bown told ABC News. “There are many possibilities such as having exhausted all the available evidence. A suspended case can always be re-opened if more evidence becomes available.”

The United States Postal Inspection Service, which is involved in the investigation because Coles was a postal worker, did not immediately comment to ABC News. The FBI, also part of the case, deferred comment to the Chicago Police.

With no leads, Natalie Wilson, co-founder of Black and Missing Foundation, Inc., is urging “the community to get involved.”

“People forget these cases because as time goes on they believe the individual may have been found or that they are deceased. But we hold onto hope,” Wilson told ABC News.

This year, “other competing priorities” — like the pandemic and the presidential election — are “definitely hampering the awareness” of missing persons cases, Wilson noted.

“We are not seeing as many missing persons reported in the media, however our caseload has increased dramatically,” she said. “You would think with the pandemic, people are home. But no, it has increased. We receive calls from family members many times during the day asking for assistance finding their missing loved ones.”

“Share Kierra’s profile, because we believe someone knows something,” Wilson urged. “If it were your family member you would want someone to come forward with information.”

Wilson added, “If you don’t feel comfortable reporting it to law enforcement, please come to our website and report the tip anonymously. We promise you we will not in any way disclose your identity. But her family deserves answers.”

For Coles’ mother, as each day passes, she’s “looking for leads, just hoping somebody will come forward.”

“Somebody knows something other than the person that did whatever happened,” she said. “For you to just sit there and not say nothing … I just wish somebody would have a heart to say, ‘I’m gonna give this family some justice.'”

“Any small lead can lead to what really happened,” Phillips said. “That’s all I’m really praying for.”

Wilson asks anyone with information to submit an anonymous tip to the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc at 1-877-97BAMFI or at bamfi.org.

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316203.xmlABC AudioFri, 02 Oct 2020 10:48:21 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/kentucky-governor-takes-action-as-state-fights-becoming-next.html360296:6227645:36316195
AndreyKrav/iStockBy KARMA ALLEN, ABC News

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vowed to halt a recent escalation of COVID-19 cases after reporting 17 more coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, marking one of the state’s highest one-day death tolls since the outbreak began earlier this year.

“What that shows is we are — in our total case count — in an escalation, meaning last week was more; this week will be more than that, it appears,” Beshear told reporters at a press conference Thursday.

State health officials reported 910 new coronavirus cases on Thursday after shattering records earlier this week, with rural and urban areas seeing massive spikes in new infections. Of the newly reported cases, 146 were children under the age of 18 with the youngest victim being 3 months old.

Last week the state saw its highest total of new infections reported over a seven-day period, but the governor said the state was on track to top that figure this week.

“When we have a lot of cases, sadly a lot of death follows,” Beshear warned.

The 17 coronavirus-related fatalities reported on Thursday followed four COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday.

The new deaths meant that as of Thursday, a total of 1,191 people had died from the coronavirus in Kentucky since the start of the pandemic. Seniors above the age of 80 account for more than half of those deaths.

Residents between the ages of 20 and 49 account for the bulk of statewide cases, but health officials are urging residents of all ages to take the virus seriously. People in the 20-29 age group appear to have the highest rates of diagnosis, according to state data.

To help combat the spread of the virus during Halloween, Beshear asked parents keep their children away from crowds and to use another approach to traditional trick-or-treating. He and state health commissioner Dr. Steven Stack asked residents to place individually wrapped candy outside on their porches, driveways or tables in lieu of the usual door-to-door trick-or-treating.

“We have put together the best guidance we can for Halloween to be safe. But we can’t do things exactly like we did them before, and we all ought to know that,” Beshear said. “Having a big party right now during COVID puts everybody at risk. Let’s not ruin Halloween for our kids by it spreading a virus that can harm people they love.”

The governor also doubled down on the state’s “Mask Up” campaign, encouraging other leaders to post to social media using the #MaskUpKY and #MaskUpKentucky hashtags.

State officials have also announced several initiatives to keep residents engaged via social media throughout the pandemic. Most recently, the state offered residents a chance to win a a #TeamKY mask if they posted with Mask Up campaign hashtags.

“Masking up has been important, but it’s more important than ever right now,” Beshear said Thursday. “Masking up is critical to stopping that escalation of cases.”

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316195.xmlABC AudioThu, 01 Oct 2020 20:30:41 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/google-pledges-1-billion-over-3-years-to-pay-news-publishers.html360296:6227645:36316097
courtneyk/iStockBy CATHERINE THORBECKE, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Google has announced a $1 billion investment over three years to start paying news publishers for content and to support the launch of a new product dubbed the “Google News Showcase.”

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google parent company Alphabet Inc., announced the move Thursday in a blog post, opening up about “enduring” memories of his father reading the newspaper each morning.

“I have always valued quality journalism and believed that a vibrant news industry is critical to a functioning democratic society,” Pichai wrote.

The chief executive said the $1 billion investment in news publishers is their biggest financial commitment to journalism to date. He said the company is aiming to create a “different kind of online news experience” through the Google News Showcase.

The showcase, which will initially appear in Google News on Android devices, will feature curated news stories on the platform. Pichai said he hopes the service will “give readers more insight on the stories that matter” as well as help publishers “develop deeper relationships with their audiences.”

It will soon launch on the Google News app on Apple iOS devices and be available through Google’s search function in the future.

“This approach is distinct from our other news products because it leans on the editorial choices individual publishers make about which stories to show readers and how to present them,” Pichai said.

The service is rolling out in Germany and Brazil on Thursday and other countries around the world soon after. Publications that will be featured in Thursday’s launch include Germany’s Der Spiegel and Bazil’s Folha de S.Paulo.

Google and other tech giants have faced international scrutiny in recent years for their siphoning of news content. The matter is embroiled in a legal battle in Australia, where lawmakers are trying to force digital giants to compensate commercial news organizations more fairly for their original content, the Associated Press reported.

In the ever-evolving digital news landscape, tech giants have also courted controversy over their online ad revenue models that experts say have had a devastating impact on a beleaguered journalism industry, a topic that came up during a recent Congressional hearing featuring Pichai and other big tech CEOs.

The announcement of the Google News Showcase was met with cautious optimism by U.S. news organization leaders, including Robert Thomson, the CEO of News Corp, whose publications include The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

“We applaud Google’s recognition of a premium for premium journalism and the understanding that the editorial eco-system has been dysfunctional, verging on dystopian,” Thomson said in a statement. “There are complex negotiations ahead but the principle and the precedent are now established.”

Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/rss-comments-entry-36316097.xmlABC AudioThu, 01 Oct 2020 20:22:46 +0000http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/coronavirus-live-updates-nfl-postpones-first-game-again-as-m.html360296:6227645:36315940