AP News Digest 3 am

Thursday 13 January 2022 01:09 EST

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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.

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ONLY ON AP

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BRAZIL-TARNISHED GOLD-ILLEGAL MINING — An investigation by The Associated Press has found that a Sao Paulo-based company Marsam, known for its commitment to the responsible sourcing of precious metals, processes gold for, and shared ownership links to, an intermediary accused by prosecutors of buying gold mined illegally on Indigenous lands and other areas deep in the Amazon rainforest. Critics say an international certification program used by manufacturers to show they aren’t using minerals that come from conflict zones is an exercise in greenwashing. By David Biller and Joshua Goodman. SENT: 3,010 words, photos.

AP POLL-DEMOCRATS-ABORTION — Democrats increasingly view protecting abortion rights as a high priority as Roe v. Wade faces its strongest threat in decades. In a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 13% of Democrats mention abortion or reproductive rights as one of the issues they want the federal government to address in 2022. Less than 1% of Democrats named it as a priority for 2021. By Hannah Fingerhut. SENT: 850 words, photo.

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TOP STORIES

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VIRUS OUTBREAK CHINA — Just weeks before the Winter Olympics, China is battling multiple COVID-19 outbreaks in half a dozen cities with the one closest to Beijing driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. With the success of the games and China’s national dignity at stake, Beijing is doubling-down on its “zero-COVID” policy by imposing sometimes draconian restrictions to snuff out new cases. And to safeguard the games, participants at the Beijing Olympics will not be allowed to leave what’s called the closed loop between hotels and competition venues. By Huizhong Wu. SENT: 800 words, photos.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN-DJOKOVIC — Australia’s prime minister says his government’s tough policy toward visitors who were not vaccinated for COVID-19 had not changed, as it nears a decision on whether to deport Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic Despite the cloud hanging over Djokovic’s ability to compete, Australian Open organizers included the top seed in the draw. By John Pye and Rod McGuirk. SENT: 830 words, photos.

CAPITOL RIOT-INVESTIGATION — The House panel investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection has requested an interview and records from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy He says he will not cooperate, claiming the investigation is not legitimate and accusing the panel of “abuse of power.” By Farnoush Amiri and Eric Tucker. SENT: 880 words, photos.

EUROPE-GAS CRUNCH — Europe’s natural gas crisis isn’t letting up. Reserves are low. Prices are high. Utility customers are getting hit with higher bills. It raises the question: how exactly is Europe, which imports most of its energy, going to make it through the winter without a gas disaster, especially if the season turns out to be colder or longer than usual? By Business Writer David McHugh. UPCOMING: 870 words, photos by 3:30 a.m.

GAZA-RECYCLING RUBBLE — The Gaza Strip has few jobs, little electricity and almost no natural resources. But after four bruising wars with Israel in just over a decade, it has lots of rubble. Local businesses are now finding ways to cash in on the chunks of smashed concrete, bricks and debris left behind by years of conflict. In a territory suffering from a chronic shortage of construction materials, a bustling recycling industry has sprouted up, providing a welcome income to a lucky few but raising concerns that the refurbished building materials are substandard and unsafe. By Fares Akram. SENT: 990 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VARIANT HUNTERS — British scientists hunting down coronavirus variants have a new mission: sharing their expertise with others around the world. At the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, high-tech sequencing machines analyze the genetic material of COVID-19 cases. The lab shows how British scientists have industrialized the process of genomic sequencing, making them a world leader in helping public health authorities track the spread of new variants. Experts say the omicron variant now fueling infection spikes around the world shows the need for global cooperation. By Danica Kirka. SENT: 1,020 words, photos.

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AP News Digest 3 am

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