Victor Simpson, longtime AP Rome bureau chief, dies at 84

Victor L. Simpson, the longtime Rome bureau chief for The Associated Press, has died at the age of 84. His death was caused by cancer, according to his children.

Over a 46-year career with the AP, Simpson covered significant global events, including the 1967 Newark race riots, wars in the Middle East, and the papacies of five different popes. He notably accompanied Pope John Paul II on dozens of trips. His journalistic career also included a high-profile interview with Svetlana Alliluyeva, the daughter of Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

A native New Yorker, Simpson joined the AP in Newark in 1967 before moving to the Foreign Desk in 1970. He was assigned to Rome in 1972 and eventually became the Rome bureau chief in 2005. AP Executive Editor Julie Pace noted his lasting legacy and the impact he had on generations of journalists.