AP News Digest 2 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.

—————————-

ONLY ON AP

—————————

PANDEMIC AFRICA-BURKINA FASO-WOMEN STEPPING UP — In the West African country of Burkina Faso, many feel the government has let them down during the pandemic. Tests, vaccines and messaging often miss many residents, despite a $200 million budget for virus-response efforts. In a region where women are responsible for family work and community relationships, they’ve stepped up to fill in gaps. These women provide an authoritative voice, make and deliver supplies, and support families through the economic crisis. By Sam Mednick. SENT: 1,850 words, photos, video.

FRANCE-VIOLENCE-AGAINST-WOMEN — France is launching a new process for women to formally report abuse, circumventing police stations where many victims feel uncomfortable filing such complaints. Junior Interior Minister Marlene Schiappa says alternative locations can include a friend’s home or some other place where abused women feel safe. By Masha Macpherson and Sylvie Corbet. SENT: 820 words, photos.

—————————

TOP STORIES

—————————

AHMAUD-ARBERY-MOTHER — Ahmaud Arbery’s mother says she is thankful for justice, but says the murder convictions of the men who cornered and killed her son won’t bring him back. Cooper-Jones told The Associated Press that she plans a quiet Thanksgiving just with immediate family because she is still away from home in Brunswick, Georgia, where she spent the past six weeks at the trial of her son’s killers. Cooper-Jones says they may have pork chops and butterbeans, Ahmaud Arbery’s favorite meal. The men who killed Arbery all face life sentences and a federal hate crimes trial next year. By Rodrique Ngowi and Jeffrey Collins. SENT: 740 words, photos, video.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — The second Thanksgiving of the COVID-19 pandemic comes as a resurgent virus has pushed new infections in the U.S. to 95,000 daily and caused alarming increases at hospitals in Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado and Arizona. American families are facing dilemmas over gatherings that have become burdened with the same political and coronavirus debates consuming other arenas. By Bobby Caina Calvan and Thomas Peipert. SENT: 915 words, photo.

MIGRATION-DEADLY JOURNEY — The sinking of a boat with more than 30 people on board this week is the deadliest migration tragedy to date in the English Channel. But migrant shipwrecks of that scale are not uncommon in the Mediterranean Sea where U.N. officials say about 1,600 people have died or gone missing trying to reach Europe this year. By Karl Ritter. SENT: 590 words, photos. With: MIGRATION-FRANCE-BRITAIN — France’s president is urging European neighbors to do more to stop illegal migration into France after 27 people died in a sinking in the English Channel (sent). And MIGRATION-BRITAIN-FRANCE-POLITICS — The deaths of at least 27 people in the English Channel is fueling tensions between the U.K. and France over how to stop migrants from crossing the world’s busiest waterway in small boats (sent.)

THANKSGIVING PARADE — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has returned in full, after being crimped by the coronavirus pandemic last year. The lineup of balloons, floats, marching bands, clowns, performers and Santa Claus again wended though 2 1/2 miles of Manhattan streets Thursday. Participants were confined to one block or sometimes pre-taped last year. Spectators were shut out in 2020 but are lining the route again this time. By Ted Shaffrey and Jennifer Peltz. SENT: 520 words, photos, video.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CHRISTMAS MARKETS — The holiday tree is towering over the main square in this central German city, the chestnuts and sugared almonds are roasted, and kids are clambering aboard the merry-go-round just like they did before the pandemic. But a surge in coronavirus infections has left an uneasy feeling hanging over Frankfurt’s Christmas market. By David McHugh, Emily Schultheis and Justin Spike. SENT: 1,230 words, photos.

————————————

TRENDING NEWS

————————————

ITALY-AFGHAN GIRL — National Geographic’s famed green-eyed “Afghan Girl” has arrived in Italy as part of the West’s evacuation of Afghans following the Taliban takeover of the country. SENT: 275 words, photos.

MONTGOMERY-CONFEDERATE-STREET NAME — The Alabama attorney general’s office says Montgomery owes a $25,000 for changing the name of a street that bore the name of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. SENT: 600 words, photos.

JET'S LINEMAN'S-MISSION — New York Jets offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif was far from a football field at this time last year when shoulder pads and playbooks gave way to scrubs and medical charts. SENT: 1000 words.

BIDEN-PHYSICAL — A doctor’s report says the polyp removed from President Joe Biden’s colon last week was a benign, slow-growing but potentially pre-cancerous lesion that required no further action. SENT: 175 words, photos.

————————————————————————

MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

———————————————————————

VIRUS OUTBREAK-HERO-PAY — While many workers deemed essential in their respective states have already received pandemic hazard pay or hero pay, there are thousands more still waiting for the same financial pat-on-the-back. Many work in places like Connecticut, Minnesota and cities around the country that are still trying to figure out whether and how to distribute funds to what’s become a huge pool of heroes. SENT: 1190 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VACCINATING CHILDREN — The European Union drug regulator has authorized Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for use on children from 5 to 11 years old. Thursday’s move clears the way for shots to be administered to millions of elementary school pupils amid a new wave of infections sweeping across Europe. SENT: 660 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTRBEAK-BRAZIL-TO PARTY OR NOT — Mayors across Brazil are divided on whether to maintain end-of-year festivities and February’s legendary Carnival in spite of the ongoing pandemic. Daily deaths and new infections from COVID-19 are currently low and vaccination coverage higher than in many countries, but officials fear bringing large crowds together could reignite a disease that has already killed more than 600,000 in Brazil alone. SENT: 530 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SOUTH AFRICA-NEW VARIANT — A new coronavirus variant has been detected in South Africa that scientists say is a concern because of its high number of mutations and rapid spread among young people in Gauteng, the country’s most populous province. Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced Thursday that South Africa has seen a dramatic rise in new cases, adding that the new variant appears to be driving the spike.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY — German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke of “a very sad day” as her country became the latest to surpass 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. The national disease control agency said Thursday it recorded 351 additional deaths over the past 24 hours, taking the total COVID-19 toll to 100,119. SENT: 670 words, photos. With VIRUS OUTBREAK-GERMANY-TIMELINE — Germany’s COVID timeline: from first case to 100,000 dead (sent)

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CZECH REPUBLIC — The Czech government has declared a 30-day state of emergency and imposed additional restrictions in its effort to tackle a record surge of infections. The state of emergency comes into effect on Friday and is a powerful legal tool that makes it possible to restrict people’s rights. SENT: 230 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-PORTUGAL — Portugal is bringing back some tight pandemic restrictions, less than two months after scrapping most of them when the goal of vaccinating 86% of the population against COVID-19 was reached. SENT: 290 words, photos.

—————————————————-

WASHINGTON/POLITICS

—————————————————

BIDEN — President Joe Biden is wishing Americans a happy and closer-to-normal Thanksgiving. It’s the second Thanksgiving celebrated in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 230 words, photos.

REDISTRICTING-MAJORITY-MINORITY DISTRICTS Lawmakers in several states are debating precisely how many Black voters are needed in a legislative district to ensure they can elect the representative they want. It may sound like an esoteric question, but it could have major ramifications in Congress and state legislatures. SENT: 1300 words, photos.

————————————

NATIONAL

————————————

THANKSGIVING-INDIGENOUS-MOURNING — Members of Native American tribes from around New England are gathering in the seaside town where the Pilgrims settled — not to give thanks, but to mourn Indigenous people worldwide who’ve suffered centuries of racism and mistreatment. SENT: 480 words, photos.

CHACO-CANYON-OIL-AND-GAS — A stillness enveloped Chaco Canyon in northwestern New Mexico as Native American leaders gathered under a warm sun. They made the trip to Chaco Culture National Historic Park on Monday to celebrate a recent decision by U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to begin the process of withdrawing federal mineral interests from development around the park for 20 years. SENT: 1090 words, photos.

————————————

INTERNATIONAL

————————————

MEXICO-DRUG WAR — The Mexican government is rapidly running out of tools to control the expansion of the feared Jalisco cartel on the front lines of Mexico’s narco war in the western state of Michoacan. The stalled ground effort is being supplemented by an increasing aerial conflict. Mexico’s most militarily powerful drug gang has begun organizing townspeople to act as human shields against army troops. SENT: 1360 words, photos.

RUSSIA-COAL MINE FIRE — At least 14 people have died in a fire at a coal mine in Russia’s Siberia that also has left 35 others trapped and feared dead. The authorities said 11 miners were found dead and three rescuers who tried to reach them at a remote section of the mine also died Thursday. SENT: 360 words.

SOLOMON ISLANDS PROTESTS — Australia says it is sending police, troops and diplomats to the Solomon Islands to help after antigovernmental demonstrators defied lockdown orders and took to the streets for a second day in violent protests. SENT: 800 words, photos.

SOMALIA-EXPLOSION — A large explosion outside a school in Somalia’s capital has killed at least eight people, including students, witnesses said. The extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. SENT: 260 words.

QATAR-NORWAY ARRESTS — Denmark’s Union of Journalists is urging journalists not to travel to Qatar to cover next year’s World Cup, saying the Arab country cannot be trusted. The statement came as a reaction to the detention by Qatari security forces of two journalists from the Norwegian national broadcaster. SENT: 240 words, photo.

BULGARIA-BUS-CRASH — A Bulgarian official says human error is believed to be the likeliest cause behind the fiery bus crash in Bulgaria that killed 44 people early Tuesday morning, including 12 children. The bus, which officials said had 52 people on board, mostly nationals of North Macedonia, was one of four returning from a trip to Istanbul. SENT: 660 words, photos.

LEBANON — Families of the victims of last year’s explosion in Beirut’s port have rallied outside Lebanon’s top court to denounce what they say are intentional obstructions in the probe of the devastating blast. SENT: 430 words, photo.

BANGLADESH-ROHINGYA — Bangladesh has begun relocating hundreds of Rohingya refugees to an island in the Bay of Bengal, despite concerns from rights groups over the conditions on the vulnerable low-lying island and that no refugees should be sent forcibly. SENT: 570 words, photos.

GAZA-WAR-DAMAGE — The first rainstorm of winter sent water pouring into Ghalia al-Attar’s house through cracks in the walls and tin roof, as the widow, her children and grandchildren spread buckets across the floor. SENT: 600 words, photos.

SOUTH-KOREA-DOG MEAT — South Korea says it will launch a task force to consider outlawing dog meat consumption after the country’s president offered to look into ending the centuries-old practice. The government on Thursday stopped short of saying the task force would ban dog meat. SENT: 600 words, photos.

CHINA-DIOR — A renowned Chinese fashion photographer has apologized for her past work after online critics called it insulting to the Chinese people and fashion house Dior removed one of her photos from a show in Shanghai. SENT: 580 words, photo.

————————————————-

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

————————————————

BLACK-FRIDAY-SHOPPING — Shoppers buoyed by solid hiring, healthy pay gains and substantial savings are returning to stores and splurging on all types of items. But the big question is how much will supply shortages, higher prices and staffing issues dampen shoppers’ mood this holiday season. SENT: 895 words, photos.

UNEMPLOYMENT-BENEFIT-BATTLE-VIRGNIA — A Virginia man is fighting to hang on to $9,000 in unemployment benefits that the state gave him when his compressor plant closed in 2018. The Virginia Employment Commission is trying to get those benefits back. Ernest Ray’s attorney says the case illustrates a radically dysfunctional bureaucracy at the agency, which recently has come under sharp criticism for its shaky response to the surge in jobless claims during the coronavirus pandemic. SENT: 1040 words, photos.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Global stock markets are higher after Federal Reserve officials indicated they were ready to hike interest rates sooner than expected if needed to cool U.S. inflation. SENT: 490 words, photos.

—————-

SPORTS

—————-

FBC—T25-MISSISSIPPI-MISSISSIPPI ST — No. 8 Mississippi visits rival Mississippi State in the annual Egg Bowl matchup. It pits the SEC’s top two quarterbacks in the Rebels’ Matt Corral, who will play his final regular season game, against conference passing leader Will Rogers of the Bulldogs. By Chris Burrows. UPCOMING. 600 words and photos. Game starts at 7:30 p.m. ET.

FBN—RAIDERS-COWBOYS — Dak Prescott and the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys try to get back on track in their Thanksgiving game against Las Vegas. Derek Carr and the Raiders have lost three in a row. By Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Game starts 4:30 p.m. ET.

SOC—MAN UNITED-COACH — Manchester United has turned to renowned German coach Ralf Rangnick about rescuing the team’s season by taking temporary charge. No final agreement has been reached but discussions with United are ongoing about the former Leipzig coach leaving his role as head of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. SENT: 545 words, photos.

——————————————

HOW TO REACH US

——————————————-

The Nerve Center 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.