AP News Digest 6 a.m.

APTOPIX Midwest Tornadoes (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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.

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TOP STORIES

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MIDWEST TORNADOES — Rescuers combed through fields of wreckage after a tornado outbreak roared across the middle of the U.S., leaving dozens dead and communities in despair. A twister carved a track that could rival the longest on record as the stormfront smashed apart a candle factory, crushed a nursing home and flattened an Amazon distribution center. By Bruce Schreiner and Jim Salter. SENT: 1,000 words, photos. WITH: MIDWEST-TORNADOES-DISASTER-RELIEF — Aid groups mobilize to help victims of Midwest tornadoes; DEADLIEST-TORNADOES-LIST — List of deadliest tornadoes in US since 1900 (both sent).

MIDWEST TORNADOES-EXPLAINER — Unusually warm temperatures and a storm system moving east linked to the La Nina weather pattern helped create the conditions necessary for the monstrous tornadoes and severe weather that tore through parts of the the Midwest and South. Tornadoes in December are unusual, but not unheard of. Scientists say figuring out how climate change is affecting the frequency of tornadoes is complicated and their understanding is still evolving. By Suman and Naishadham and Seth Borenstein. SENT: 980 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BOSNIA-WINTER TOURISM — As most European nations impose new restrictions to curb the spread of the omicron variant, Bosnia is taking a relatively laissez-faire approach to soaring COVID-19 infections in the region, much to the delight of its winter tourism industry. By Eldar Emric. SENT: 750 words, photos.

ISRAEL-UAE — Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett says he would travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, the first visit by an Israeli premier, as part of a blitz of regional diplomacy amid the backdrop of struggling nuclear talks with Iran. By Tia Goldenberg. SENT: 840 words, photos.

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TRENDING NEWS

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OBIT-ANNE-RICE — Anne Rice the gothic novelist widely known for her bestselling novel “Interview with the Vampire,” died late Saturday at the age of 80. SENT: 150 words.

F1-ABU-DHABI-FOO-FIGHTERS — The Foo Fighters rock band has called off its concert at the Formula One race in Abu Dhabi due to “unforeseen medical circumstances,” event organizers say. SENT: 150 words, photos.

HONG KONG-HARBOR-SWIM — More than a thousand men and women plunged into the cool water of Hong Kong’s Victoria Bay, competing to see who could swim the fastest across the harbor in open water. The New World Harbour Race, which was suspended the past two years due to the pandemic and the 2019 anti-government protests, was held with a limited field of 1,200 swimmers. SENT: 250 words photos.

PAUL-REVERE-AUCTION — Artifacts once owned by Paul Revere’s family are up for auction. The items were found in the attic of a home in Canton, Massachusetts believed to have been owned by the family of the legendary Revolutionary War figure. SENT: 230 words.

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MORE ON TORNADOES

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MIDWEST TORNADOES-HUMAN TOLL — Kentucky residents affected by a monstrous twister are grappling with its force and destruction and sharing harrowing stories of survival. Gov. Andy Beshear says the number of deaths from Friday night’s tornado could exceed 100 across numerous counties. SENT: 690 words, photos, video.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRAZIL — A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has ruled that all travelers arriving in Brazil must present a vaccine passport documenting they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. SENT: 250 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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GOVERNMENT-INVESTIGATING JOURNALISTS — A special unit within Customs and Border Protection used sensitive government databases intended to track terrorists to investigate as many as 20 U.S.-based journalists, including a Pulitzer Prize-winning Associated Press reporter, according to a federal investigation, and reportedly queried records of congressional staff members and perhaps members of Congress. The latest examples of federal agencies using their power to examine the contacts of journalists and others are raising alarm among news organizations and prompting demands for a full explanation from the government. By Mark Sherman. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR-ASSAULT WEAPONS — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged to empower private citizens to enforce a ban on the manufacture and sale of assault weapons in the state, citing the same authority claimed by conservative lawmakers in Texas to outlaw most abortions once a heartbeat is detected. SENT: 640 words.

CALIFORNIA-STORM — A major storm is headed toward Northern California, promising to drop up to 10 feet of snow on Sierra Nevada mountain peaks and bring much-needed rain throughout the region. SENT: 460 words, photos.

AVALANCHE-DEATH — An avalanche swept through part of a Washington state ski resort used to access backcountry skiing, killing a 60-year-old man and temporarily trapping five others. SENT: 390 words, photo.

OBIT-C-HERBERT-OLIVER — The Rev. C. Herbert Oliver, a civil rights activist who documented police brutality against African Americans in Alabama in the early 1960s and later fought for public school reform in New York City, has died. He was 96. SENT: 340 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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FRANCE-NEW-CALEDONIA — Voters in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia cast ballots on whether to break away from France, but pro-independence forces urged a boycott because of the pandemic and what they called unfair actions by the state. SENT: 500 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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PHARRELL WILLIAMS-COMMENCEMENT SPEECH — Grammy-winning musician Pharrell Williams told the newest graduates of Norfolk State University to act like “the emerging majority” and help develop the area’s businesses and culture. SENT: 350 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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BKN-WARRIORS-76ERS — Joel Embiid had 26 points and nine rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers delayed Stephen Curry’s bid to break Ray Allen’s career 3-point record in a 102-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Curry scored 18 points and shot 3 of 14 from 3-point range to move within six of matching Allen’s record. By Sports Writer Dan Gelston. SENT: 760 words, photos.

FBC--HEISMAN TROPHY — Alabama’s Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy, beating out Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to give the Crimson Tide consecutive winners of college football’s most famous individual award. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett finished third and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was fourth in the voting. By College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo. SENT: 840 words, photos.

FBC-ARMY-NAVY — Quarterback Tai Lavatai ran for two touchdowns and Navy’s defense limited Army to 55 yards in the second half in a 17-13 victory Saturday in a game played at the Meadowlands to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. By Sports Writer Tom Canavan. SENT: 780 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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