AP News Digest 2 p.m.

Sunday 10 October 2021 19:04 BST

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. 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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CHINA-POSTCARD FROM XINJIANG — Four years after Beijing launched a brutal crackdown that swept up to a million or more Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities into detention camps and prisons, its control of China’s far west Xinjiang region has entered a new era. Chinese authorities have scaled back many of most visible aspects of the far northwestern region’s high-tech police state, and a sense of normality has crept back in. But there is no doubt about who rules, and evidence of the terror of the last four years is everywhere. By Dake Kang. SENT: 2,330 words, photos. An abridged version of 1,140 words is available.

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TOP STORIES

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IRAQ ELECTION — Iraqis voted in parliamentary elections held months ahead of schedule as a concession to a youth-led popular uprising against corruption and mismanagement. But the voting was marked by widespread apathy and a boycott by many of the young activists who thronged the streets of Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces in late 2019. By By Qassim Abdul-Zahra. SENT: 1,010 words, photos.

NAVY ENGINEER-NUCLEAR SECRETS — The Justice Department says a Navy nuclear engineer with access to military secrets has been charged with trying to pass information about the design of American nuclear-powered submarines to someone he thought was a representative of a foreign government but who turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 200 words, photo. UPCOMING: 600 words, photo by 3 p.m.

FACEBOOK-THE WHISTLEBLOWER'S TALE — When a 37-year-old data scientist went before Congress to accuse Facebook of pursuing profit over safety, it was likely the most consequential choice of her life. Frances Haugen concluded that the harm Facebook and Instagram were doing to users was rivaled only by the company’s resistance to change, and the world needed to know. Haugen’s testimony spotlights a rising threat to an industry that has mushroomed into one of society’s most powerful forces: The era of the Big Tech whistleblower has most definitely arrived. By Adam Geller and Matt O’Brien. SENT: 1,490 words, photo.

FACEBOOK-NEW SAFETY CONTROLS — Facebook will be introducing several features including prompting teens using its photo sharing app Instagram to take a break, and nudging them if they repeatedly look at the same content that’s not conducive to their well-being. The controls, unveiled Sunday, come in the aftermath of damning Congressional testimony that its platforms harm children. By Anne D'Innocenzio. UPCOMING: 600 words by 3 p.m.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BRAZIL HOSPITAL CONTROVERSY — A Brazilian medical chain has been accused of enlisting participants to test unproven drugs without proper consent and forcing doctors to toe the line on prescribing unproven drugs touted by President Jair Bolsonaro. It offered patients a so-called “COVID kit” that includes drugs shown to be ineffective. The case underscores the rift in Brazil over proper treatment of COVID-19. The unvaccinated president and many others are bucking global scientific recommendations. By Débora Álvares. SENT: 2,030 words, photos. An abridged version of 990 words is available.

ARMY-BODY ARMOR — Army Capt. Kim Pierre-Zamora remembers the protective vest she was issued when she went to basic training. It was a size medium that hung too low, making it difficult for her to even bend over. When she tried to shoulder her weapon, she had to move the vest. It’s a common complaint from female soldiers and small-stature men who have struggled with the bulky armor they’ve worn over two decades of war. The Army for the first time is handing out armor in three additional sizes and can be adjusted to fit better and allow soldiers to move faster and more freely. By Lolita C. Baldor. Sent: 930 words, photos.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES-COLUMBUS HOLIDAYS — Monday’s federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus is highlighting the ongoing divide between those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian American history and others horrified by an annual tribute that ignores native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism. Spurred by national calls for racial equity, communities across the U.S. took a deeper look at Columbus’ legacy in recent years — pairing or replacing it with Indigenous Peoples Day. By Kathleen Foody and Wilson Ring. SENT: 990 words, photos.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK--ITALY-FASCISM — Left-leaning Italian lawmakers and politicians on Sunday called for measures to outlaw pro-fascism groups a day after anti-vaccine protesters, incited by extreme-right leaders, stormed a union office in Rome. SENT: 480 words, photos.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-ALLEN-WEST — Tea party firebrand Allen West a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Texas, was hospitalized with COVID-19 but said he’s “doing great.” SENT: 360 words, photo.

SMALL BUSINESS-RETURN OF RESTRICTIONS — For a brief moment this summer, it seemed like small businesses might be getting a break from the relentless onslaught of the pandemic. More Americans, many of them vaccinated, flocked to restaurants and stores without needing to mask up or socially distance. But then came a surge in cases due to the delta variant, a push for vaccine mandates and a reluctant return to more COVID-19 precautions. Now, small business owners are left trying to strike a balance between staying safe and getting back to being fully open. SENT: 910 words, photo.

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WASHINGTON

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REPUBLICANS-TRUMP — The second-ranking House Republican repeatedly refuses in a national television interview to say the 2020 presidential election wasn’t stolen, standing by Donald Trump’s lie that Democrat Joe Biden won the White House because of mass voter fraud. UPCOMING: 500 words, photo by 3 p.m.

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NATIONAL

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ABORTION-TEXAS-PUSHBACK — Foes of Texas’ strict abortion ban are taking aim at companies that donated money to the bill’s sponsors, hoping consumers will pressure corporate America to join the fight against a surge of restrictions. SENT: 800 words, photos.

MEDICAL BILLS-HOSPITAL HELP — Patient advocates and some state governments say hospitals must do more to help patients deal with medical bills before the debt winds up in collections. They say many people miss out on assistance because they didn’t know about the help or hospitals didn’t do enough to work with patients. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

PANDORA PAPERS-STATES-EXPLAINER — A mention of “tax havens” typically conjures images of sun-soaked Caribbean escapes like the Cayman Islands or the buttoned-down banks of Switzerland. Not South Dakota. But a report detailing how world leaders and some of the planet’s wealthiest people hide their riches has drawn new scrutiny to the growth of tax havens in the United States. SENT: 1,080 words, photo.

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INTERNATIONAL

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POLAND-EUROPE — Large protests were held across Poland in a show of support for the European Union after the nation’s constitutional court ruled this week that the Polish constitution overrides some EU laws. SENT: 430 words, photos.

BELGIUM-CLIMATE — Dressed as endangered fish or tigers or wearing toy polar bears on their heads, demonstrators marched through Brussels to push world leaders to take bolder action to fight climate change at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow starting this month. SENT: 340 words, photos.

HUNGARY-PRIMARY ELECTION — Opposition voters in Hungary will have the chance to cast their ballots in a primary to decide between two politicians with different platforms but one important thing in common: they each want to bring an end to the 12-year rule of right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban. SENT: 510 words, photo.

CZECH ELECTIONS REACTIONS — Czech President Milos Zeman was rushed to the hospital a day after the country held parliamentary election in which populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis’ party surprisingly came in second and Zeman has a key role in establishing a new government. SENT: 670 words, photos.

SPAIN-VOLCANO — Three weeks since its eruption upended the lives of thousands, the volcano on Spain’s La Palma island is still spewing out endless streams of lava with no signs of ceasing. SENT: 400 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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FILM-BOX OFFICE — After over 18 months of pandemic delays, “No Time to Die” opened on target. The final James Bond film of the Daniel Craig era grossed $56 million from 4,407 North American theaters, according to studio estimates, to easily take the first-place spot. SENT: 450 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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FBC--T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL — There will be a new No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll after top-ranked Alabama was upset. By College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo. UPCOMING: 700 words, with photos. Poll released at 2 p.m.

SOC--WREXHAM’S HOLLYWOOD TAKEOVER — It is nearly a year since Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney completed their out-of-nowhere $2.5 million takeover of beleaguered Welsh soccer club Wrexham. The transformation in that time has been stunning as the famous new owners look to get Wrexham out of the fifth tier of the English game and turn the team into a “global force.” SENT: 1,090 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Dave Clark can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, ext. 1900. For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from http://newsroom.ap.org. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006.

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