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.
—————————
TOP STORIES
—————————-
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Emergency crews pulled the body of a toddler from the rubble in a pre-dawn search for survivors on Saturday of a Russian missile strike that tore through an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih. The missile was one of what Ukrainian authorities said were 16 that got through air defenses among the 76 missiles fired Friday in the latest Russian attack targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, part of Moscow’s strategy to leave Ukrainian civilians and soldiers in the dark and cold this winter. SENT: 360 words, photos.
BIDEN-ECONOMY — Donald Trump pledged to fix U.S. infrastructure as president. He vowed to take on China and bulk up American manufacturing. He said he would reduce the budget deficit and make the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes. Yet after two years as president, it’s Joe Biden who is acting on these promises. By Josh Boak. SENT: 1,270 words, photos.
JAPAN-NATIONAL-SECURITY-EXPLAINER — Japan this week adopted a new national security strategy that includes determination to possess “counterstrike” capability to preempt enemy attacks and double its spending to gain a more offensive footing and improve its resilience to protect itself from growing risks from China, North Korea and Russia. The new strategy marks a historic change to Japan’s exclusively self-defense policy since the end of World War II. Here is a look at Japan’s new security and defense strategies and how they will change the country’s defense posture. SENT: 840 words, photos.
PERU-PRESIDENT’S-PLIGHT — It might be the world’s shortest political honeymoon. Almost since the moment last week when Dina Boluarte took over from the ousted leader Pedro Castillo to become Peru’s first female president, she has appealed for calm and a chance to govern. She insists the caretaker job came to her out of circumstance, not personal ambition. In impoverished rural areas, though, fierce protests are showing no signs of abating amid anger over the removal of Castillo, who was Peru’s first president with Indigenous heritage. SENT: 810 words, photo
——————————
WORLD CUP
——————————-
WCUP-US-RATINGS — Victories by Argentina and France in the World Cup semifinals were each seen by nine million people in the U.S. Argentina’s 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday was seen by 9.3 million. The match was viewed by 6.47 million on Fox, according to Nielsen. Fox said the figure included 677,000 streaming the match on its digital services. The game was viewed by 2.83 million on Spanish-language Telemundo. SENT: 120 words, photos.
————————-
TRENDING
—————————
TORY-LANEZ-MEGAN-THEE-STALLION — Megan Thee Stallion’s former close friend and assistant said in a recorded interview played for jurors that she saw rapper Tory Lanez fire a gun at Megan’s feet. SENT: 660 words, photos.
MUSK-TWITTER-JOURNALISTS — Elon Musk’s abrupt suspension of several journalists who cover Twitter widens a growing rift between the social media site and media organizations that have used the platform to build their audiences. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.
TEXAS-EARTHQUAKE — One of the strongest earthquakes in Texas history struck Friday evening in a western region of the state that’s home to oil and fracking activity. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. SENT: 250 words, photos.
TIKTOK-BAN-VIRGINIA — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin banned the use of several Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok and WeChat, on state government devices and wireless networks, calling them a threat to national security. SENT: 290 words, photos.
PENTAGON-UFOS — A new Pentagon office set up to track reports of unidentified flying objects has received “several hundreds” of new reports, but no evidence so far of alien life. SENT: 510 words, photo.
————————————————————-
MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE
—————————————————————
RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-DEVELOPMENTS — Ukraine’s capital came under one of the biggest attacks of the war as Russia’s invading forces fired dozens of missiles across the country, Ukrainian officials said. Strikes were reported in at least four cities, triggering widespread emergency power outages. By Hanna Arhirova, Vasilisa Stepanenko and Jamey Keaton. SENT: 850 words, photos.
———————————————————
WASHINGTON/POLITICS
———————————————————
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT-COCAINE SENTENCING — Attorney General Merrick Garland has moved to end sentencing disparities that have imposed harsher penalties for different forms of cocaine and worsened racial inequity in the U.S. justice system. SENT: 540 words, photo.
BIDEN-OIL — The Biden administration says it is buying 3 million barrels of oil to begin to replenish U.S. strategic reserves. SENT: 330 words, photos.
FTX-DEMOCRATS — The three primary committees charged with electing Democrats set aside more than $1 million in donations from disgraced crypto mogul Samuel Bankman-Fried. SENT: 410 words, photo.
CONGRESS-BUDGET — President Biden signs legislation to fund the government for an additional week as lawmakers finish work on a full-year spending package before heading home for the holidays. SENT: 440 words, photos.
————————
NATIONAL
————————
COLORADO-RIVER-USERS-WESTERN-DROUGHT — The first weeks of 2023 will be crucial for Southwest U.S. states and water entities to agree how to use less water from the drought-stricken and fast-shrinking Colorado River, a top federal water manager says. SENT: 710 words, photos.
DEATH-ROW-INMATE-MENTAL-HEALTH — A Tennessee judge has promised to rule quickly on a request for public access to records that detail the treatment of a death row prisoner who cut off his penis while on suicide watch in October. SENT: 630 words, photos.
CALIFORNIA-UNIVERSITY-OF-CALIFORNIA-STRIKE — The University of California reached an agreement Friday with some 36,000 graduate student teaching assistants and other academic workers for increased pay and benefits that could potentially end a monthlong strike — the largest of its kind in the nation — at the prestigious state system. SENT: 630 words, photos.
SHOOTING-JULY-FOURTH-PARADE — The father of an Illinois man charged with killing seven people in a mass shooting at a July 4 parade in a Chicago suburb has been charged with seven felony counts of reckless conduct, prosecutors announce. SENT: 690 words, photos.
UNIVERSITY-OF-IDAHO-STUDENTS-KILLED — Investigators have yet to name a suspect in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students who were found dead in a home near campus last month. But would-be armchair detectives and internet sleuths have come up with several of their own, the conclusions often based on conjecture and rumor. SENT: 940 words, photos.
————————————-
INTERNATIONAL
—————————————-
MALAYSIA-LANDSLIDE — Rescue workers using tracker dogs and excavators scoured through rubble and mud on Saturday in search of a dozen people believed buried in a landslide in Malaysia that killed 21 others, including five children. SENT: 380 words, photos.
PUERTO-RICO-POWER-COMPANY — Puerto Rico’s power company appears destined for an even longer bankruptcy than expected after several creditors rejected a new debt restructuring plan filed late Friday following years of failed negotiations. SENT: 440 words, photos.
UNITED NATIONS-MALI — Two U.N. peacekeepers from Nigeria were killed and four others wounded in an attack Friday on a peace patrol in the town of Timbuktu in northern Mali, the United Nations said. SENT: 190 words.
SOUTH-SUDAN-DEATHS — Police say at least five people were killed in a gun battle with security forces outside South Sudan’s central bank in the capital, Juba. SENT: 110 words, photos.
——————————————————-
BUSINESS/ TECHNOLOGY
———————————————————
FRUSTRATED-RAIL-WORKERS — The longtime head of the second-largest rail union announced Friday that he will clear the way for the upstart candidate who beat him by retiring instead of fighting to keep his office in a second election. SENT: 700 words, photos.
AMAZON-OSHA-CITATIONS — Amazon failed to properly record work-related injuries at warehouses located in five states, a federal agency says while announcing it issued more than a dozen citations during the course of its ongoing investigation of the company. SENT: 390 words, photos.
—————————
SPORTS
—————————
BKN--MAGIC-CELTICS — Moritz Wagner scored 25 points and Paolo Banchero added 20 as the Orlando Magic beat the NBA-leading Boston Celtics 117-109. Franz Wagner scored 19 points as Orlando won its fifth straight game. The Magic outrebounded the Celtics 53-38 and held the lead for the final 37 minutes of the game. Jayson Tatum scored 31 points and Jaylen Brown 26 as Boston lost for the third time in four games. SENT: 600 words, photos.
BKN--NUGGETS-LAKERS — LeBron James scored 30 points, Russell Westbrook had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers smoothly overcame Anthony Davis’ latest injury in a 126-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Davis missed the second half with a right foot injury, but the Lakers still produced some of their prettiest team basketball of the season down the stretch of their second win in six games. James and Westbrook took charge on both ends, while Thomas Bryant scored 21 points and Austin Reaves got 16. By Greg Beacham. SENT: 600 words, photos.
————————————————-
HOW TO REACH US
————————————————
At the Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis 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.
