News Digest 6 p.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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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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FILM-BLAKE LIVELY-JUSTIN BALDONI; DEAD BODY-AIRPLANE-HAWAII; KOSOVO-ELECTION-SERBS; FINLAND-ESTONIA CABLE;

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TOP STORIES

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WORLD-CHRISTMAS — Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Wednesday urged “all people of all nations” to find courage during this Holy Year “to silence the sounds of arms and overcome divisions” plaguing the world, from the Middle East to Ukraine, Africa to Asia. The pontiff’s “Urbi et Orbi” — “To the City and the World” — address serves as a summary of the woes facing the world this year. As Christmas coincided with the start of the 2025 Holy Year celebration that he dedicated to hope, Francis called for broad reconciliation, “even (with) our enemies.” By Silvia Stellacci and Colleen Barry. SENT: 1,260 words, photos, videos.

AZERBAIJAN-AIRLINER-CRASH — An Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, a Kazakh official said. The Embraer 190 was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus when it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau, Azerbaijan Airlines said. Speaking at a news conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course. By Katie Marie Davies and Dasha Litvinova. SENT: 690 words, photos, video, audio.

MIDEAST WARS — A baby girl froze to death overnight in Gaza, while Israel and Hamas accused each other of complicating ceasefire efforts that could wind down the 14-month war. The 3-week old baby was the third to die from the cold in Gaza’s tent camps in recent days, said doctors. Meanwhile hopes of a ceasefire looked complicated Wednesday with Israel and Hamas trading accusations of delaying an agreement. In recent weeks, the two sides appeared to be inching toward a deal that would bring home dozens of hostages being held in Gaza, but differences have emerged. By Sam Mednick, Tia Goldenberg and Fatma Khaled. SENT: 1,100 words, photos, videos. Also SENT: MIDEAST WARS-SYRIA — Clashes between Islamists who took over Syria and supporters of ousted President Bashar Assad’s government have killed six Islamic fighters and wounded others.

PALESTINIANS-WEST-BANK-RAID-EXPLAINER — Palestinian Authority forces are clashing with armed groups in the occupied West Bank in a rare crackdown aimed at restoring order in a militant stronghold. The deadly violence is some of the worst internal fighting Palestinians have seen in years. The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority says it wants to bring security to a restive built-up refugee camp. But many Palestinians see it as a subcontractor for Israel. By Majdi Mohammed and Tia Goldenberg. SENT: 940 words, photos.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Ukrainian officials say Russia launched a massive missile barrage targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 70 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and over 100 attack drones were used to strike Ukraine’s power sources. The energy minister said power operators were taking the necessary measures to limit consumption after the Christmas Day attack. By Illia Novikov. SENT: 520 words, photo.

PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-STRIKES — A Taliban government official says Pakistan’s airstrikes on eastern Afghanistan killed 46 people, mostly women and children. Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan government, said Wednesday that six people were also wounded in the Paktika province bordering Pakistan. This comes a day after Pakistani security officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with regulations, told The Associated Press that Tuesday’s operation was to dismantle a training facility and kill insurgents in the province of Paktika in Afghanistan. By Riaz Khan and Munir Ahmed. SENT: 560 words, locator map.

BRITAIN-ROYALS-CHRISTMAS-MESSAGE — King Charles III used his annual Christmas message Wednesday to hail the selflessness of those who have cared for him and the Princess of Wales this year, after both were diagnosed with cancer. The broadcast came several hours after the monarch waved to a large crowd of onlookers who traditionally gather to see the royal family attend Christmas Day services at a church on Sandringham, the estate on the windswept North Sea coast that has served as a family retreat for generations. By Pan Pylas and Danica Kirka. SENT: 990 words, photos, video, audio.

FILM-BLAKE LIVELY-JUSTIN BALDONI — Blake Lively’s claims that “It Ends With Us” director and co-star Justin Baldoni unleashed a smear campaign against her have gained support from a new lawsuit that Baldoni’s former publicist filed against him. The lawsuit was lodged Tuesday in New York state court in Manhattan by Stephanie Jones, who began representing Baldoni in 2017. It said the actor and his movie production company, Wayfarer, expanded their contract in 2020, agreeing to pay a $25,000 monthly fee. Jones sought unspecified damages from the defendants, including Jennifer Abel, a former employee who she says carried out the campaign to damage Lively and muddy the reputation of Jones. SENT: 590 words, photos.

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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES

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TURKEY-CHILDHOOD-POVERTY — One-third of Turkey’s children live in poverty, with many forced to work to support their struggling families. Persistently high inflation, exacerbated by economic policies and currency depreciation, has left families unable to afford basic needs such as rent, food and an education. Experts warn of a lost generation as children drop out of school or enter low-wage vocational programs. By Robert Badendieck. SENT: 1,190 words, photos, video.

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MIDEAST WARS

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MIDEAST-WARS-ISRAEL-FALLEN-SOLDIER — An Israeli soldier who died more than 400 days after being wounded in the attack that sparked the war in Gaza now symbolizes the sacrifice of fallen fighters. Yona Brief was a combat medic when his unit was ordered to join the fight against insurgents on Oct. 7, 2023. He was shot 13 times but dragged himself and a fellow soldier to safety. SENT: 700 words, photos, video.

MIDEAST-WARS-ISRAEL-YEMEN — A missile launched from Yemen triggered air raid sirens across central Israel sending millions of residents looking for cover for the second night in a row. The military said the missile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory. SENT: 160 words.

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MORE NEWS

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CENSUS-RACE-ETHNICITY — As the U.S. Census Bureau gets public feedback about how it should tally people into new race and ethnicity groups, the agency has released new research reflecting how U.S. residents from different backgrounds regard their racial and ethnic identities. SENT 660 words, photos.

DEAD BODY-AIRPLANE-HAWAII — Maui police are investigating the discovery of a dead body in the wheel well of a United Airlines plane after it landed in Maui, the airline and police department said in statements on Wednesday. SENT: 170 words, photo.

FINLAND-ESTONIA CABLE — Undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia hit by outage, prompting investigation. SENT: 200 words, photo.

RESCUED OWLS — Snowy owl rescued from car grille by Minnesota woman who saved another bird hours earlier. SENT: 440 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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TRUMP-SENATE — The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard’s 2017 meeting with then-President Bashar Assad of Syria. While some GOP senators have indicated they are all-in for Trump’s picks, others have withheld support. The dynamic is injecting uncertainty into the process as Republicans prepare to take the Senate majority in January with a four-seat margin. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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TRUMP SHOOTING ATTEMPT — A man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida won’t be tried until September 2025, a federal judge ruled this week. Ryan Routh’s trial will begin Sept. 8 instead of the previously scheduled Feb. 10, 2025 start date, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said in an order released on Monday. Routh, 58, a Hawaii resident, has pleaded not guilty. Routh’s attorneys had asked the judge to delay the trial until no earlier than next December, saying they needed more time to review the evidence against him and decide whether to mount an insanity defense. SENT: 410 words, photos.

MEGA MILLIONS — Hang onto those stocking-stuffer lottery tickets. The Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Christmas Eve. That means the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing is $1.15 billion, potentially the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history. SENT: 230 words, photo, video, audio.

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INTERNATIONAL

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SURINAME-OBIT-BOUTERSE — Desi Bouterse, a military strongman who led a 1980 coup in the former Dutch colony of Suriname then returned to power by election three decades later despite charges of drug smuggling and murder, has died. He was 79. SENT: 1,360 words, photo.

KOSOVO-ELECTION-SERBS — Kosovo’s election appeals authority on Wednesday cancelled a ban on the main party of the ethnic Serb minority, allowing it to field candidates in the upcoming parliamentary election. SENT: 270 words.

CHINA-JAPAN — Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya has met with top Chinese leaders during his visit to Beijing, the first since the heads of the two countries met at a summit in Peru last month. The two neighbors have had a tense relationship in recent years. SENT: 570 words, photos.

JAPAN ENERGY — A government-commissioned panel of experts on Wednesday largely supported Japan’s new energy policy for the next few years that calls for bolstering renewables up to half of electricity needs by 2040 while maximizing the use of nuclear power as the country seeks to accommodate the growing power demand in the era of AI while meeting decarbonization targets. SENT: 480 words, photo.

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SPORTS

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FBN-NFL-NETFLIX DEBUT — Netflix’s NFL debut kicked off on Christmas Day without a glitch. Netflix agreed to a three-year contract in May to broadcast Christmas Day games. The streaming giant is expecting one of its biggest days since the site launched in 1998. Netflix’s 282.3 million subscribers in more than 190 countries can stream the games, marking the first time one outlet has distributed an NFL game globally. SENT 300 words.

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HOW TO REACH US

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A statue of the Saint Charbel stands on the top of a cliff in Maaloula, a village where Aramaic is still spoken, located some 60 km northern Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Military chaplain Yurii of the 24th Mechanized Brigade holds a church service for an infantry unit during Christmas near the frontline town of Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Wednesday Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Swiss Guards march in front of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis waves before delivering the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for 'to the city and to the world' ) Christmas' day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Fireworks burst over Saydnaya Convent during the lighting of the Christmas tree, in Saydnaya town on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Zane Castello, 6, whispers his Christmas wish to Santa Claus during the Winter Day Camp holiday party at the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA in Johnstown, Pa. on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (Thomas Slusser/The Tribune-Democrat via AP)

People celebrate Christmas Day at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via AP)

The wife of a journalist, who was shot during an armed gang attack on the General Hospital, cries as an ambulance arrives with his body, at a different hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)

An explosive devise planted by Palestinian militants explodes after being detonated by Israeli soldiers during a military raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp near the West Bank city of Tulkarem, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)

Pope Francis presides over the Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024, after opening the basilica's holy door marking the start of the Catholic jubilar year 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

A worshipper prays in the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas day, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Murals cover Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — If anybody can slow down Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, it's Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

He did it before when both were rookies in 2021 and Surtain held Chase to a single catch for 3 yards on four targets on a day Joe Burrow threw for just 157 yards.

“That was early in my career. Rookie year? Yeah, it was a good game,” Surtain said. “They came in with a high-striking offense and we knew that we had to eliminate the explosives, eliminate their top threat. Ja’Marr, he’s a great player, one of, if not the best, receivers in the league."

Surtain and Denver's defense gets some help this weekend with the expected return of second-year cornerback Riley Moss, who has been out for a month with a sprained MCL.

Moss's return to the lineup would allow defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to go back to playing primarily man coverage instead of zone, meaning Surtain could stick to Chase (108 catches for 1,510 yards and 16 TDs) while Moss defends Tee Higgins (58 receptions for 727 yards and seven TDs).

“They got a lot going on with themselves on the offensive side of the ball, so it’s gonna be a good challenge,” Surtain said. "Trying to eliminate them like how we did that time would be great.”

Eliminating Chase as a game-breaking threat could go a long way toward the Broncos (9-6) eliminating the Bengals (7-8) from the AFC playoff chase. Cincinnati needs to beat Denver to stay alive and the Broncos can clinch their first playoff berth since 2015 with a win or a tie Saturday.

Although ...

Back in '21, the Bengals and Broncos were both 7-6 when Surtain and Chase squared off for the first time. Despite Chase having the worst statistical day of his career, the Bengals escaped Denver with a 15-10 triumph that they parlayed into a Super Bowl run.

The Broncos lost their last three to finish on a four-game slide and a 7-10 record, one in a string of seven straight losing seasons, a skid they only snapped this year.

The Broncos missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot last Thursday when they frittered away a double-digit second-half lead in a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Although coach Sean Payton had written “Run It!!” in thick letters across the top of his play sheet, he only called for 14 hand-offs after the Broncos drove down the field for a TD on their opening drive in which four running backs carried seven times for 43 yards, capped by Audric Estime's 3-yard TD.

The Broncos likely will look to run it more Sunday with rain in the forecast and Chase and Burrow waiting on the opposite sideline.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrates with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) after making a touchdown catch during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II reacts after breaking up a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)