AP News Digest 6:40 a.m.

Sunday 16 January 2022 11:44 GMT

APTOPIX Australian Open Tennis Djokovic (Channel 9)

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ONLY ON AP

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-PUBLIC-HEALTH-STRAINS — A World Health Organization official warned last week of a “closing window of opportunity” for European countries to prevent their health care systems from being overwhelmed as the omicron variant produces near-vertical growth in coronavirus infections. By Lori Hinnant. SENT: 1,270 words, photos.

ETHIOPIA-TIGRAY WAR-DIVIDED DIASPORA — Thousands of miles away from the Tigray war a lawsuit between trustees and clergy over the language of services is tearing apart an Ethiopian church in Ohio. The ethnic tensions in the church reflect how the war in Ethiopia has fueled divides across the more than 3 million members of the Ethiopian diaspora. The situation is splintering families, friends and communities. The war has already killed an estimated tens of thousands of people. And Tigrayans are now starving under a government blockade. By Helena Selemon. SENT: 1,070 words, photos.

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TOP STORIES

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TEXAS SYNAGOGUE-STANDOFF — Authorities say a man apparently has taken at least four hostages during services at a synagogue near Fort Worth, Texas. The Colleyville Police Department tweeted that it was conducting SWAT operations at the address of Congregation Beth Israel. By Jake Bleiberg, Eric Tucker and Michael Balsamo. SENT: 1,190 words, photos, video. With TEXAS SYNAGOGUE-STANDOFF-SIDDIQUI — A closer look at the case of Aafia Siddiqui, jailed in Texas (sent).

AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-DJOKOVIC — Novak Djokovic’s final bid to avoid deportation and play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated for COVID-19 ended Sunday when a court unanimously dismissed the No. 1-ranked tennis player’s challenge of a government minister’s decision to cancel his visa. By Rod McGuirk. SENT: 1,020 words, photos. With AUSTRALIAN-OPEN — Djokovic facing deportation, no title defense in Australia; AUSTRALIAN-OPEN-DJOKOVIC-TIMELINE — Djokovic’s failed bid to play in Australian Open (both sent).

TONGA VOLCANO-ERUPTION — The tsunami threat around the Pacific from a huge undersea volcanic eruption began to recede, but the massive ash cloud covering the tiny island nation of Tonga prevented surveillance flights from New Zealand to assess the extent of damage. By Nick Perry. SENT: 900 words, photos.

UKRAINE-CYBERATTACK — Microsoft said late Saturday that dozens of computer systems at an unspecified number of Ukrainian government agencies have been infected with destructive malware disguised as ransomware, a disclosure suggesting an attention-grabbing defacement attack on official websites was a diversion. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear. By Frank Bajak. SENT: 640 words, photos.

TEEN'S-ROUND-THE-WORLD-FLIGHT — The 19-year-old Belgian-British pilot Zara Rutherford is set to land her ultralight plane in Belgium on Monday. It will be more than 150 days after setting out to become the youngest woman to fly round the world solo. She hopes to infuse young women and girls worldwide with the spirit of aviation and love for science. Yet lofty thoughts of global outreach receded once the canopy closed over her cockpit and another long flight began as she concentrated on herself. Rutherford told The Associated Press that “when you’re fearing for your life it puts things into perspective a little bit more.” By Raf Casert. SENT: 920 words, photos.

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AP News Digest 6:40 a.m.

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