AP News Digest 3:10 a.m.

APTOPIX Senate Georgia (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

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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TOP STORIES

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SENATE-GEORGIA — Democrat Raphael Warnock wins one of Georgia’s two Senate runoffs, becoming the first Black senator in his state’s history and putting the Senate majority within the party’s reach. The focus now shifts to the second race between Republican David Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff, which remains too early to call. By Steve Peoples, Bill Barrow and Russ Bynum. SENT: 980 words, photos, video. With EXPLAINING-ELECTION-2020-GEORGIA-RUNOFFS — How Warnock won Georgia’s runoff; EXPLAINING-ELECTION-2020-TRUMP-TWEET — Why Trump’s ballot “dump” tweet is misleading; SENATE-GEORGIA-VOTECAST — A clash of two closely matched coalitions; SENATE-GEORGIA-TAKEAWAYS — Black voters tip the scales; SENATE-GEORGIA-THE-LATEST.

Find complete coverage of the Georgia runoff election here.

CONGRESS-ELECTORAL COLLEGE — President Donald Trump’s extraordinary effort to overturn the presidential election goes before Congress. Lawmakers are set to convene for a joint session to confirm the Electoral College vote won by Joe Biden. The typically routine proceeding will be anything but. By Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 1,070 words, photos. UPCOMING: 1,150 words after Senate convenes at 1 p.m. With CONGRESS-ELECTORAL COLLEGE-MCCONNELL — GOP’s Biden vote revolt is atypical challenge for McConnell; CONGRESS-EXPLAINING ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE — How Congress will count Electoral College votes. Also see ELECTORAL COLLEGE-PROTESTS below.

Find full coverage plan on Congress’ electoral count here.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-BALKANS-NO VACCINES — When thousands of people in the European Union rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, one corner of the continent felt isolated and abandoned: the Balkans. Serbia, Bosnia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro — the home to some 20 million people — are lagging far behind in the World Health Organization’s massive global vaccination plan. By Sabina Niksic and Dusan Stojanovic. UPCOMING: 1,030 words by 5 a.m., photos.

ISRAEL-POLITICS-NETANYAHU’S-LIFELINE — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has placed his world-leading coronavirus vaccination drive at the center of his March re-election campaign, apparently seeking to distract voters from his corruption trial and economic woes. By Josef Federman. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

HONG KONG-CRACKDOWN — Hong Kong police arrested about 50 former lawmakers and pro-democracy activists for allegedly violating the new national security law by participating in unofficial election primaries for the territory’s legislature last year. By Zen Soo. SENT: 960 words, photos.

EXPLOSION-NASHVILLE — The FBI investigation into whether the Nashville bombing was a terrorist act has sparked criticism about a possible racial double standard and drawn questions from downtown business owners whose insurance coverage could be affected by the bureau’s assessment. By Kimberlee Kruesi and Eric Tucker. SENT: 830 words, photos.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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DR-DRE-HOSPITALIZED — Dr. Dre recovering well after being admitted into hospital. SENT: 250 words, photos.

AUSTRALIA-NAKED FUGITIVE — Fishermen rescue naked fugitive from Australian tree. SENT: 360 words.

SENATE-GEORGIA-MEDIA — For media following Georgia, nail-biting and lots of numbers. SENT: 590 words, photos.

BUNDY SON-ARREST — Rancher Cliven Bundy’s son arrested in Nevada. SENT: 140 words.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-EUROPE-VACCINES — The European Union’s medicines agency is meeting to consider giving the green light to Moderna Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine, a decision that would give the 27-nation bloc a second vaccine to use in the desperate battle to tame the virus rampaging across the continent. SENT: 440 words, photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-THAILAND — Except for the early months of the pandemic, Thailand had the coronavirus under control. A new outbreak discovered in mid-December has new tough measures back in place and threatens to put the country back where it was early last year. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CALIFORNIA — Hospitals in California are so swamped by the coronavirus pandemic that the state has ordered those with room to accept patients from others that are out of intensive care beds. SENT: 800 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NETHERLANDS-VACCINATIONS — Nearly two weeks after most other European Union nations, the Netherlands begins its COVID-19 vaccination program, with nursing home staff and frontline workers in hospitals first in line for the shot. SENT: 320 words, photo.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-WHO — The head of the World Health Organization says that he is “disappointed” Chinese officials haven’t finalized the permissions to allow a team of experts into China to examine the origins of COVID-19. SENT: 390 words, photo.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ASIA — Tokyo reported a daily record of 1,591 coronavirus cases as the national government prepares to declare a state of emergency this week to cope with a new wave of infections. SENT: 530 words, photos.

Find more coverage on the Virus Outbreak on the featured topic page in AP Newsroom.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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ELECTORAL COLLEGE-PROTESTS — As Congress prepares to affirm Biden’s victory, hundreds of supporters of Trump are in Washington to cheer on his baseless claims of election fraud. SENT: 930 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after Trump speech at 11 a.m.

TRUMP-REPUBLICANS — The move to certify the Electoral College for Biden has split the GOP, leading to a schism between those wanting to honor democratic norms and turn the page on Trump and those staying in lockstep with him and hoping to inherit Trump’s supporters for 2024. SENT: 890 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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NKOREA-PARTY CONGRESS — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un admitted that his economic development plans have failed as he opened the nation’s first full ruling party congress in five years, state media reported. SENT: 1,110 words, photos.

SYRIA-CHEMICAL-WEAPONS — Syria and close ally Russia clashed with the U.S. and other nations over a Western initiative to suspend Syria’s voting rights in the global chemical weapons watchdog for failing to provide details of three chemical attacks in 2017 that investigators blamed on President Bashar Assad’s government. SENT: 880 words.

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NATIONAL

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POLICE-SHOOTING-WISCONSIN-KENOSHA — A Wisconsin prosecutor declined to file charges against a white police officer who shot Jacob Blake, a Black man, in the back in Kenosha, concluding he couldn’t disprove the officer’s contention that he acted in self-defense because he feared the man would stab him. SENT: 1,440 words, photos, videos.

ARCTIC-REFUGE-DRILLING — A U.S. judge refuses to halt an oil and gas lease sale for Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that was pushed by the Trump administration in its final days. SENT: 890 words.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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FINANCIAL-MARKETS Asian shares were mostly lower as surging virus counts and China-U.S. tensions weighed on sentiment. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 910 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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HEISMAN TROPHY — On an Alabama team stacked with stars, DeVonta Smith emerged as the best player in college football while playing a position that rarely gets that kind of recognition. By College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo. SENT: 990 words, photos.

WORLD-JUNIOR — Heavy underdogs against a hockey powerhouse on home ice, Spencer Knight and his United States teammates snatched away gold for the red, white and blue. SENT: 820 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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MUSIC-NEIL-YOUNG — Neil Young has become the latest musician to strike gold with his song catalogue, selling a 50 percent stake in his music to a British investment company. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 410 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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