The Latest: New Orleans schools go back to distance learning

NEW ORLEANS -- Public schools in New Orleans will go back to “distance learning” this week because of rising COVID-19 cases in the city.

AP News Digest 6:15 p.m.

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Mexico's point-man on coronavirus seen vacationing, maskless

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government official in charge of efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic has been spotted at a Pacific coast beach, apparently sitting at sea-side restaurant without a face mask…

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Pence, Biden warn of high stakes of Georgia Senate runoffs

ATLANTA, Ga. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden on Monday told Georgia Democrats they had the power to “chart the course” for a generation and Vice President Mike Pence urged Republicans to vote for “the last line of…

Study: Warming already baked in will blow past climate goals

The amount of baked-in global warming, from carbon pollution already in the air, is enough to blow past international agreed upon goals to limit climate change, a new study finds.

DC mayor calls in National Guard ahead of pro-Trump protests

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bracing for possible violence, the nation's capital has mobilized the National Guard ahead of planned protests by President Donald Trump's supporters in connection with the congressional vote expe…

Aquarium agrees to delay beluga whale delivery amid lawsuit

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut aquarium has agreed to delay its acquisition of five beluga whales for research amid a lawsuit by an animal rights group trying to stop the delivery.

Vaccination drive enters new phase in US and Britain

The first Americans inoculated against COVID-19 began rolling up their sleeves for their second and final dose Monday, while Britain introduced another vaccine on the same day it imposed a new nationwide lockdown a…

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US-SENATE-GEORGIA-VOTECAST — Interactive chart. AP VoteCast is a wide ranging survey of the American electorate, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press. The survey of more than 2,70…

Boat with more than a dozen migrants sinks off Colombia

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Rescue workers in Colombia were searching for five migrants missing after their boat carrying 16 people sank as it tried to reach Panama. Two bodies have been found.

Saudi Arabia to lift Qatar embargo, easing the Gulf crisis

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia will open its airspace and land border to Qatar in the first step toward ending a years-long diplomatic crisis that deeply divided U.S. defense partners, frayed socie…

EXPLAINER: Vaccine dosing debates add to public confusion

The first Americans vaccinated against COVID-19 are getting their second dose, while Britain has decided to postpone boosters and focus instead on giving more people a first shot — international differences that ar…

Sheriff: 2 dead in small plane crash in northeast Arkansas

HARRISBURG, Ark. (AP) — Two people have died after a small plane crashed in rural northeast Arkansas, a local sheriff said.

Trump, allies in desperate bid to undo Biden win at Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — With mounting desperation, President Donald Trump called on Republican lawmakers Monday to reverse his election loss to Joe Biden when Congress convenes for a joint session this week to confirm th…