Virus’ global death toll raised to 565

BEIJING — China on Thursday reported 73 more deaths from a new virus, raising its total to 563, as the World Health Organization appealed for more funds to help countries battle the spread of the disease that led health officials in Asia to quarantine two cruise ships with some 5,400 people on board. According to the latest WHO figures early Thursday, the number of confirmed cases jumped by 3,694 to 28,018. Outside mainland China, at least 230 cases have been confirmed, including two fatalities, one in Hong Kong and another in the Philippines.

Justice Dept. eyes Miss. prisons

JACKSON, Miss. — The Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the Mississippi prison system after a string of at least 15 inmate deaths in the past few months, officials said Wednesday.

Facebook complains about Clearview AI

Facebook joined YouTube, Twitter and payment service Venmo on Wednesday in demanding that a facial recognition company stop harvesting user images to identify the people in them, which the startup does as part of its work with police. Facebook said it has demanded New York-based Clearview AI stop accessing or using information from its flagship site and Instagram. “Scraping people’s information violates our policies,” a company spokesman said. Venmo on Wednesday said it is sending Clearview a cease-and-desist letter.

Principal apologizes for Bryant post

CAMAS, Wash. — A high school principal in Washington has apologized for a post on her personal Facebook page that suggested former NBA star Kobe Bryant’s death was deserved. Liza Sejkora, the principal of Camas High School, wrote on the day of Bryant’s death: “Not gonna lie. Seems to me that karma caught up with a rapist today.” She later deleted the post and apologized Monday in a statement that called her words “inappropriate and tasteless.”