AP News Digest 6 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.
———————————————
NEW & DEVELOPING
———————————————
KENNEDY CENTER HONORS — Developing from 7 p.m. event.
Adds: SCHOOL-SHOOTING-MICHIGAN, VIRUS-OUTBREAK, VIRUS-OUTBREAK-RUSSIA, CONFEDERATE-MONUMENT-RICHMOND.
—————————-
—————————-
OBIT-BOB DOLE — Bob Dole, who overcame disabling war wounds to become a sharp-tongued Senate leader from Kansas, a Republican presidential candidate and then a symbol and celebrant of his dwindling generation of World War II veterans, has died. He was 98. By John Hanna and Cal Woodward. SENT: 1,440 words, photos. WITH: OBIT-BOB DOLE-A LIFE — Bob Dole willed himself to walk again after paralyzing war wounds, ran for Congress with a right arm too damaged to shake hands, and rose through the Senate ranks to become a long-serving Republican leader and tough and tireless champion of his party. He embodied flinty determination to succeed. Yet Dole was most famous for the times he came up short. By Connie Cass and Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,430 words, photos; OBIT-BOB DOLE-MOMENTS IN A LIFE — A look at some of the moments from Bob Dole's life in politics. By John Hanna and Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,600 words, photos; OBIT-BOB DOLE-REACTION — Reaction to Bob Dole’s death from across American politics. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
ABORTION-GROUPS-WHAT’S-NEXT — As the Supreme Court court weighs the future of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, a resurgent anti-abortion movement is looking to press its advantage in state-by-state battles while abortion-rights supporters prepare to play defense. By Ashraf Khalil. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.
IRAN-NUCLEAR — The long-delayed resumption of nuclear talks with Iran has gotten off to a rough start — with Iran digging in and its negotiating partners openly voicing frustration and pessimism. By Josef Federman. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.
JUSSIE-SMOLLETT-TRIAL-EXPLAINER-TESTIFY — After two brothers spent hours telling a jury how Jussie Smollett paid them to carry out a fake racist and anti-gay attack on himself in downtown Chicago, the big question when the actor’s trial resumes Monday will be whether or not he will tell his side of the story. By Don Babwin. SENT: 710 words, photos.
DOMINICAN-REPUBLIC-HAITI-MIGRANT-CRACKDOWN — More than 31,000 people have been deported by the Dominican Republic to Haiti this year, more than 12,000 of them in just the past three months -- a huge spike, observers say. As the rest of the world closes its doors to Haitian migrants, the country that shares an island with Haiti also is cracking down in a way that human rights activists say hasn’t been seen in decades. By Dánica Coto. SENT: 2,060 words, photos. An abridged version of 980 words is available. This is the Monday Spotlight.
—————————————-
TRENDING NEWS
—————————————-
VIRUS-OUTBREAK — U.S. health officials said that while the omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly spreading throughout the country, early indications suggest it may be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations. SENT: 510 words, photos.
CONFEDERATE-MONUMENT-RICHMOND — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has announced that his administration will remove an enormous pedestal that until earlier this year held a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond. SENT: 780 words, photo.
CUOMO-SEXUAL HARASSMENT — Chris Cuomo was hit with allegations of sexual harassment days before CNN announced it was firing the prime-time anchor as it investigated his role in defending his brother from similar accusations. SENT: 390 words, photos.
AUSTRIA-AVALANCHE — Three skiers have been killed and two injured in an avalanche in central Austria, authorities say. SENT: 190 words.
MAN JUMPS FROM PLANE — Authorities have identified a man who jumped out of a jetliner’s galley door to the tarmac as the plane was taxiing to a gate at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. SENT: 330 words.
————————-————————-————————-
————————-————————-————————-
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BELGIUM — Belgian police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse some rowdy protesters in Brussels after most demonstrators marched peacefully to protest tightened COVID-19 restrictions that aim to counter a surge of coronavirus infections. SENT: 340 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-GERMANY — Germany’s incoming transport minister is advising people against traveling over Christmas as the country tries to stem a wave of coronavirus infections. SENT: 280 words, photos.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-RUSSIA — Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced hope for a quick approval of the country’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine by the World Health Organization, saying the move is essential to expand its global supplies. SENT: 540 words.
VIRUS-OUTBREAK-CRUISE-SHIP-NEW-ORLEANS — A Norwegian Cruise Line ship with at least 10 passengers and crew members infected with has COVID-19 docked in New Orleans, where health officials said they were trying to disembark people without worsening the spread of the coronavirus illness. SENT: 430 words, photo.
—————————————————-
—————————————————-
KENNEDY CENTER HONORS — The Kennedy Center Honors is returning to tradition this year. The lifetime achievement awards for artistic excellence will be presented in a gala at the Kennedy Center’s main opera house after the coronavirus pandemic forced delays and major changes to last year’s plans. Honorees include Motown Records creator Berry Gordy, “Saturday Night Live” mastermind Lorne Michaels, actress-singer Bette Midler, opera singer Justino Diaz and folk music legend Joni Mitchell. SENT: 270 words, photos. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 9 p.m. White House reception at 5 p.m.; event begins after 7 p.m.
————————-
————————-
TEEN SHOOTINGS-COLORADO — A string of shootings involving teenagers has placed renewed attention on a long-running problem of gun violence and gangs in Aurora just outside Denver. Activists and officials say easy access to guns is contributing to the problem in Colorado’s third largest city. But they also say it’s been exacerbated by the pandemic and its effect particularly on the mental health of minority teens in the city. SENT: 860 words, photos.
LOUISIANA-HURRICANES-INSURANCE FAILURES — Insurance companies operating in Louisiana will be charged at least $100 million to pay the claims of two failed property insurers who went belly up in Hurricane Ida’s aftermath. But the cost of dealing with the insolvent insurers ultimately will fall on the state after companies recoup the dollars through a series of tax credits. SENT: 400 words, photo.
SCHOOL-SHOOTING-MICHIGAN — A Detroit-area artist whose studio was where the parents of the Oxford High School student charged in a deadly shooting were found by police is cooperating with authorities and didn’t know the couple had stayed overnight, his attorney said. SENT: 540 words, photos. With SCHOOL SHOOTING-MICHIGAN-SCHOOL’S HANDLING — A third party will investigate events at Oxford High School that occurred before a school shooting that left four students dead and six other students and a teacher wounded, the Michigan district’s superintendent said. SENT: 950 words, photos.
———————————-
————————————-
GREECE-POPE — Pope Francis returned to the Greek island of Lesbos to offer comfort to migrants at a refugee camp and blast what he said was Europe’s indifference and self-interest “that condemns to death those on the fringes.” SENT: 1,020 words, photos.
MYANMAR-PROTEST — An army vehicle barreled into a peaceful march of anti-government protesters in military-ruled Myanmar’s biggest city, reportedly killing at least three people, witnesses and a protest organizer said. SENT: 700 words, photo.
AFGHANISTAN-WOMEN’S-RIGHTS — Women’s rights activists in the Afghan capital of Kabul insisted they would continue fighting for their right to education, employment and participation in Afghan political and social life, and said a recent Taliban decree banning forced marriage was not enough to address the issue of women’s rights. SENT: 370 words, photos.
INDONESIA-VOLCANO — Rescuers were sifting through smoldering debris and thick mud in search of survivors a day after the highest volcano on Java island erupted with fury, killing at least 14 people with searing gas and ash. SENT: 560 words, photos.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS —Israeli authorities freed a prominent Palestinian prisoner two weeks after striking a release deal that ended his marathon 131-day hunger strike, said a prisoner rights group.. SENT: 300 words, photos.
INDIA-ARMY-KILLINGS — Angry villagers burned army vehicles in protest after more than a dozen people were killed by soldiers who mistakenly believed some of them were militants in India’s remote northeast region along the border with Myanmar, officials said. SENT: 370 words, photos.
FRANCE-PRESIDENTIAL-RACE — Anti-racism activists were beaten up as far-right former French TV pundit Eric Zemmour held his first presidential campaign rally near Paris, a few days after he formally declared his candidacy in a video highlighting his anti-migrant and anti-Islam views. SENT: 670 words, photos.
GERMANY-NEW-GOVERNMENT — Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats approved a deal to form a new government with two center-left parties, moving Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz a step closer to taking office as the country’s new leader this week. SENT: 370 words, photos.
YEMEN — A Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen accelerated airstrikes on the capital and elsewhere in the conflict-stricken country in recent weeks, as government forces advanced in the west coast and the key province of Marib, officials say. SENT: 710 words.
MIGRATION-SERBIA-AFGHAN-BOXERS — They practiced in secret and struggled to get to an international tournament in Europe. Now, members of the Afghan national boxing team are seeking refuge in the West, hoping to continue both their careers and their lives without danger or fear. SENT: 690 words, photos.
GERMANY-JORDAN-TV PARTNERSHIP — German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle says it is suspending cooperation with a Jordanian partner, Roya TV, because of concerns about anti-Israeli and antisemitic content and caricatures on its social media. SENT: 280 words.
———————————————-
———————————————-
FILM-BOX OFFICE — Leftovers were on the menu for moviegoers in North America this weekend. “Encanto,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “House of Gucci” repeated in the top three spots, according to studio estimates on Sunday. All three films are playing exclusively in theaters. SENT: 580 words, photos.
MIAMI ART WEEK-CELEB-WRAP-UP — The over-the-top parties and star-studded shows surrounding Miami’s Art Basel wrapped up this weekend with performances by Rosalia, Lizzo, Cardi B and rocker Lenny Kravitz. SENT: 860 words, photos.
OBIT-STONEWALL JACKSON-COUNTRY SINGER — Country musician Stonewall Jackson, who sang on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years, died Saturday after a long battle with vascular dementia. He was 89. SENT: 300 words, photos.
———————
——————-
FBC--COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF — Cincinnati will play Alabama and Michigan will face Georgia on New Year’s Eve after being selected to the College Football Playoff as a surprise-free field of four was set. SENT: 360 words, photos.
FBC--T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL — Alabama will head into the postseason the same way it started the regular season: No. 1 in the nation. SENT: 400 words, photos.
————————-————-
HOW TO REACH US
————————-————-
At the Nerve Center, Rob Jagodzinski can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.
