AP News Digest 7 a.m.

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EST. Find the AP’s top photos of the day in Today’s Photo Collection. For up-to-the-minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan in AP Newsroom.

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TOP STORIES

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MIDEAST-WARS-THE-LATEST — Palestinian medics say Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip have killed at least 20 people. One of the strikes overnight hit a tent camp in the Muwasi area, an Israel-declared humanitarian zone, killing eight people, including two children. SENT: 490 words, photos.

TRUMP-CONSERVATIVES — That Donald Trump failed to achieve central goals in the government shutdown fight alongside Elon Musk seemed unimportant to many speakers and attendees at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest. Interviews with people at AmericaFest illustrated that the new right in America is defined philosophically by anti-establishment sentiment, staunchly conservative social mores and vocal declarations of patriotism. By Bill Barrow. SENT: 1,080 words, photos. With TRUMP — Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama’s president balks at the suggestion; and TRUMP-TAKEAWAYS — Takeaways from Trump’s first rally speech as president-elect — SENT.

BIDEN-DEATH ROW COMMUTATIONS — President Joe Biden announced he is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment mere weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The move spares the lives of people convicted in killings, including the slayings of police and military officers, people on federal land and those involved in deadly bank robberies or drug deals, as well as the killings of guards or prisoners in federal facilities. By Will Weissert and Darlene Superville. SENT: 890 words, photo.

UNITEDHEALTHCARE-CEO-KILLED — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare is expected to be arraigned in a Manhattan court on state murder and terror charges. Luigi Mangione was formally charged last week by the Manhattan DA with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. SENT: 520 words, photo.

GERMANY-CHRISTMAS MARKET — Mourners are laying flowers near the scene of the deadly Christmas market attack as investigators puzzle over the motive of the suspect. At the same time there are fears that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society. SENT: 360 words, photos. With GERMANY-CHRISTMAS MARKET-EXPLAINER — What we know about the deadly Christmas market attack in Germany — SENT.

ABORTION-PILLS — The battles over abortion in the U.S. are increasingly focusing on the pills that are now the most common way pregnancies are ended. Texas sued a New York doctor this month over a prescription to a Texas resident. It could become the first test of a shield law that New York and some other Democratic-controlled states have passed to protect medical providers who make that kind of prescription via telehealth. By Geoff Mulvihill. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.

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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES

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INDIA-ETHNIC-VIOLENCE-THE-DISPLACED — Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in India’s northeast Manipur state since violence erupted last year between the majority Meitei community and minority Kuki-Zo tribes. The conflict, which has stretched to 19 months, has claimed more than 250 lives and displaced at least 60,000 people. Those who were forced from their homes are living in squalid conditions in makeshift relief centers. They say they can’t go back home because they fear for their lives. By Rishi Lekhi. SENT: 780 words, photos.

THAILAND-TSUNAMI-ANNIVERSARY — Trauma still lingers on for survivors of the deadly tsunami that hit Thailand 20 years ago, killing about 230,000 people across Asia. At least 5,400 people were killed along Thailand’s west coast on the Andaman Sea. Reminders of the tragedy abound today in Phang Nga province. The horror of what they went through, and the memories of loved ones they lost, haunt them to this day. By Jintamas Saksornchai. SENT: 820 words, photos, video. With INDIA-TSUNAMI-ANNIVERSARY-PHOTO-GALLERY — AP PHOTOS: The scars of a 9.1 earthquake and tsunami continue to haunt Indians for decades — SENT.

KENYA-CHRISTMAS-BALLET — AP PHOTOS: Ballerinas turn one of Kenya’s largest slums into a stage for a Christmas show. By Brian Inganga. SENT: 14 photos, 230 words.

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MIDEAST WARS

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LEBANON-ISRAEL-EXPLODING-DEVICES — Two recently retired senior Israeli intelligence agents are sharing details about a deadly clandestine operation that targeted Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Syria with exploding pagers and walkie-talkies. SENT: 680 words, photos.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-BETHLEHEM-CHRISTMAS — For the second year in a row, Christmas festivities in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus, are overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The thousands of tourists who normally flock there for the holidays are missing, dampening the mood and threatening the economy of the typically bustling West Bank town. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.

LEBANON-WAR-CHRISTMAS — A Christmas tree stands among the fallen stones of what remains of St. George Melkite Catholic Church in southern Lebanon. Once a vibrant community center, the 18th-century church is in ruins after an Israeli airstrike in October. SENT: 540 words, photos, video.

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MORE NEWS

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TV-SQUID-GAME — “Squid Game” returns looking for a win with season two. SENT: 720 words, photos.

HONG-KONG-PANDAS-CHRISTMAS — Pandas An An and Ke Ke celebrate their first Christmas in Hong Kong. SENT: 240 words, photos, video.

BRAZIL-SANTA-AMAZON — Santa braves the sticky heat of the Amazon jungle to bring gifts to children in a Brazilian village. SENT: 320 words, photos, video.

MEXICO-BOARD-GAME — A board game born in Mexican prisons is bringing together people from all walks of life. SENT: 1,040 words, photos, video.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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TRUMP-MASS-DEPORTATIONS — To make one deportation, a dozen immigration agents surrounded an apartment building. There is intense interest in how President-elect Donald Trump will carry out his immigration agenda and his campaign trail pledge of mass deportations of people in the country illegally, but he will run into the realities of the number of people facing orders of removal overwhelms the number of officers available to find them. UPCOMING: 1,200 words, photos by 7 a.m.

CONGRESS-BANNING-CHINESE-DRONES — The economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America. Lawmakers in Washington are seeking to ban new sales of Chinese-made drones, arguing they could be used to spy on Americans and that the low-cost models are hurting the U.S. drone industry. SENT: 1,640 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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SUBWAY-BURNING — New York City police say they have taken into custody a person of interest in the death of a woman who may have fallen asleep on a stationary subway train before being lit on fire by a man she didn’t know. SENT: 560 words, photo.

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INTERNATIONAL

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MAYOTTE-CYCLONE CHIDO — France observed a national day of mourning for the victims of Cyclone Chido, which devastated Mayotte on Dec. 14. It left 35 dead and around 2,500 injured, with the actual toll likely much higher due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and precarious living conditions. SENT: 370 words, photos.

CHINA-PHILIPPINES-MISSILES — China says a plan by the Philippines to deploy midrange missiles would be a provocative move that stokes regional tensions. A senior Philippines army official told reporters that the military plans to acquire a midrange system to defend the country’s territory amid tensions with China in the South China Sea. SENT: 290 words, photos.

BRITAIN-ECONOMY — The British economy flatlined in the third quarter of the year, according to downwardly revised official figures in another blow to the new Labour government that has made growth its number one mission. SENT: 260 words, photos.

AUSTRALIA-MARINE-EXTRADITION — Former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan will be extradited from Australia to the United States over allegations that he illegally trained Chinese aviators. SENT: 300 words, photo.

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RELIGION

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VATICAN-HOLY-YEAR-EXPLAINER — Pope Francis is formally inaugurating the 2025 Holy Year, reviving an ancient church tradition encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, amid new security fears following a Christmas market attack in Germany. SENT: 990 words, photos, videos.

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HEALTH & SCIENCE

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BE-WELL-COLD-MEDICINE — Health officials plan to phase out the leading decongestant found in Sudafed, Nyquil and other medicines, concluding that it doesn’t actually relieve nasal congestion. What should you take instead? UPCOMING: 700 words, photos by 10 a.m.

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BUSINESS

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JAPAN-NISSAN-HONDA — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses. SENT: 810 words, photos. With NISSAN-HONDA-WHAT-TO-KNOW — SENT.

FAKE-ONLINE-REVIEWS-AI — Fake reviews are rampant online, including on many consumer websites, such as Amazon, Tripadvisor and Yelp. Experts say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow bad actors to produce novel, detailed reviews without much work is bound to make fake reviews multiply and potentially harder to spot. SENT: 1,190 words, photo.

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SPORTS

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ON FOOTBALL-PLAYOFF PICTURE — The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The Falcons took control of their chances and the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals kept slim hopes alive. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a pass between Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean (35) and Christian Izien (29) in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Young dancers perform, during a Christmas ballet event in Kibera slum, one of the busiest neighborhoods of Kenya's capital, Nairobi, Kenya Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Nissan Chief Executive Makoto Uchida, left, Takao Kato, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors, center, and Honda Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe, right, leave after a joint news conference in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

People lay flowers and lit candles in front of the Johannis church close to the Christmas market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Georges Elia rings the bells after he decorated a Christmas tree inside St. George Melkite Catholic Church, that was destroyed by Israeli airstrike, in the town of Dardghaya in southern Lebanon, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Relatives and neighbors, two of them holding guns, walk during the funeral procession of a victim of an Israeli strike on a home late Saturday that killed at least eight people, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. Some families in Gaza are armed to protect their homes from thieves in the camps.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Relatives and neighbours mourn over the body of one of the victims of an Israeli strike on a hom4 late Saturday as they are prepared for the funeral outside the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. At least eight people were killed according to the hospital which received the bodies.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

A girl hold a Syrian 'revolutionary' flag during a Christmas celebration early Sunday Dec. 22, 2024 in Damascus, Syria.(AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — Mourners laid flowers near the scene of the deadly Christmas market attack on Monday as investigators puzzled over the motive of the suspect and fears swirled that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society.

The Johanniskirche, a church a short walk from the scene of the attack, has become a central place of mourning since the suspect drove a car into the busy market on Friday evening, killing five people. A carpet of flowers now covers the broad sidewalk in front of the church.

Prosecutors said the number of injured has risen to as many as 235 as more people have reported to hospitals and doctors, but it's possible there was some double-counting.

Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency. They say he does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. The man described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and in many posts on social media expressed support for the far-right.

“The Magdeburg perpetrator had repeatedly attracted attention by threatening crimes. There were also warnings about him but, according to what is known so far, his political statements were so confused that none of the security authorities' patterns fitted him," Justice Minister Volker Wissing was quoted as telling the Funke newspaper group.

He said Germany may have to “draw consequences for our security architecture” and that a serious debate about that will be needed, “but it's still too early for that" as facts and questions remain open.

The country's vice chancellor voiced fears that the attack will fuel online misinformation ahead of a national election expected in late February. He urged people to “take time for the truth” and said: “Don't let yourselves be infected by hatred.”

“There is still a lot we don't know and a lot is unexplained, including the exact motive,” Robert Habeck said in a video posted Sunday. “All the same, I fear that the distrust that was immediately propagated on the net against Muslims, foreigners and people with a history of immigration will entrench itself deeper in society”

On Sunday night, police in the port city of Bremerhaven said they detained a man who threatened crimes at a Christmas market there in a TikTok video. German news agency dpa reported that he had said he would stab any people of Arabic appearance there on Christmas Day.

Mobile vehicle barriers can be seen behind the stalls at the Christmas market on Rotkreuzplatz, early Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Munich. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Mobile vehicle barriers sit behind stalls at the Christmas market on Rotkreuzplatz, early Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Munich. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

People lay flowers and lit candles in front of the Johannis church close to the Christmas market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

People walk at the Christmas Market, where a car drove into a crowd on Friday evening, in Magdeburg, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Flowers, candles, wreaths and stuffed animals lie in front of St. John's Church, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, in Madgeburg, Germany, after a car drove into a Christmas market on Friday. (Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa via AP)