AP News Digest 3:20 a.m.

APTOPIX Cuomo Sexual Harassment (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

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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TOP STORIES

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CUOMO-SEXUAL HARASSMENT — New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is preparing to take the reins of power after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he would resign from office. The Buffalo-area Democrat will become the state’s first female governor in two weeks following an unorthodox transition period in which Cuomo has said he will stay on and work to ease her into the job. SENT: 560 words, photos.

More stories on Cuomo's resignation can be found on the AP Newsroom hub.

CONGRESS-BUDGET — Democrats push their expansive $3.5 trillion framework for bolstering family services, health, and environment programs toward Senate passage, as Republicans unleash an avalanche of amendments aimed at making their rivals pay a price in next year’s elections. By Alan Fram. SENT: 820 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after final vote, timing uncertain.

AFGHANISTAN — Afghan officials say three more provincial capitals have fallen to the Taliban putting nine out of the country’s 34 in the insurgents’ hands amid the U.S. withdrawal. The officials told the AP that the capitals of Badakhshan, Baghlan and Farah provinces all fell. The Taliban advance comes as President Joe Biden has ordered all U.S. troops out of the country by the end of the month. By Tameem Akhgar. SENT: 340 words, photos. With AFGHANISTAN-FLEEING WAR — Fleeing fighting in north, Afghans crowd into Kabul’s parks. Also see BIDEN-TALIBAN below.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK — Iran has seen several dramatic surges in the coronavirus pandemic and anger is growing. Iranians see images of vaccinated Westerners without face masks on the internet and on their TV sets while they remain unable to get the shots. Iran — like much of the world — remains far behind countries like the United States in vaccinating its public. Some Iranians are turning to the black market or going abroad to get vaccinated. By Jon Gambrell. SENT: 920 words, photos.

CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE — President Joe Biden set out to build back more than roads and bridges in his big infrastructure bill. He also wanted to send a signal “that American democracy can deliver.” The bipartisan group of senators who led the legislation to passage agreed. By Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 1,080 words, photos, video. With CONGRESS-INFRASTRUCTURE-GLANCE.

NORTHWEST HEAT WAVE — The Pacific Northwest is bracing for another major, multiday heat wave this week just a month after temperatures soared as high as 116 F in a record-shattering heat event that killed scores of the most vulnerable in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. The National Weather Service warned that temperatures could reach as high as 110 F in western Oregon at the peak of the upcoming heat wave, which was expected to last until Saturday. By Gillian Flaccus. SENT: 790 words, photos.

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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MUSIC-STEVIE NICKS — Stevie Nicks cancels all 2021 performances over coronavirus. SENT: 230 words, photo.

VOTING-COMPANY-LAWSUIT — Dominion sues Trump-friendly broadcasters over fraud claims. SENT: 300 words, photo.

NIELSENS — In rough Olympics, viewers perked up a bit in second week. SENT: 380 words, photos.

BIDEN-SUMMER VACATION CHANGES — Biden’s vacation plans keep changing. SENT: 990 words, photos.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK SENEGAL AMBULANCES — Ambulance services in the West African nation of Senegal say about 90% of their calls right now are responding to COVID-19 patients with trouble breathing. UPCOMING: By 5 a.m., photos. With VIRUS-OUTBREAK-THE-LATEST.

VIRUS-OUTBREAK-AUSTRALIA — Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne, extended its lockdown in a bid to stamp out an outbreak of COVID-19, while authorities in Sydney said they were considering easing restrictions for vaccinated residents despite the delta variant continuing to spread. SENT: 520 words, photos.

DUBAI AIRPORT — Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international travel, handled some 40% less passenger traffic in the first half of 2021, compared to the same period last year, its chief executive says. SENT: 640 words, photo.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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CONGRESS-VOTING BILLS — Senate Democrats are expected to force votes on a series of election bills, setting up a showdown with Republicans who are all but guaranteed to block their efforts to enact the most expansive overhaul of the electoral process in a generation. SENT: 780 words, photos. UPCOMING: 990 words after votes begin, timing uncertain.

BIDEN-TALIBAN — Taliban conquests in Afghanistan are challenging the Biden administration’s often-stated hopes that a desire for international legitimacy will moderate the Taliban’s worst behavior. SENT: 980 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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CHINA CANADA — A Chinese court has sentenced Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor to 11 years on spying charges in a case linked to a Huawei executive. SENT: 760 words, photos.

BRAZIL BOLSONARO — President Jair Bolsonaro suffered a major defeat in Congress when Brazilian lawmakers didn’t adopt his proposal to require printed receipts from some electronic ballot boxes. SENT: 550 words, photos.

SOUTH KOREA-WAR REMAINS — The Korean War ended 68 years ago, but South Korea is still trying to recover its soldiers’ remains. SENT: 990 words, photos.

KOREAS-TENSIONS — North Korea repeats a threat to respond to U.S.-South Korean military exercises it claims are an invasion rehearsal, while the United States insisted the drills were “purely defensive in nature” to maintain the South’s security. SENT: 850 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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HERMIT EVICTED — An off-the-grid New Hampshire hermit known as “River Dave” tells the AP he doesn’t think he can return to his lifestyle. By Kathy McCormack. SENT: 970 words, photos, video.

TROPICAL-WEATHER-ATLANTIC — Tropical Storm Fred swirls just south of Puerto Rico heading for the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with forecasters warning that its heavy rains could cause dangerous flooding and mudslides. SENT: 420 words, photo.

WOLF HUNT-WISCONSIN — Wildlife officials in Wisconsin will meet to consider a 130-animal limit for the state’s fall wolf hunt, saying they want to protect the population after hunters killed almost twice as many wolves as allotted during a rushed spring season. SENT: 570 words, photo.

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BUSINESS/TECH

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INFRASTRUCTURE BILL-BROADBAND-EXPLAINER — The Senate’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure plan includes a $65 billion investment in broadband that the White House says will “deliver reliable, affordable, high-speed internet to every household.” It may not actually achieve that, but it’s a major step. SENT: xxxx words, photos. By Technology Writer Tali Arbel. SENT: 960 words, photos.

FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian stocks were mixed ahead of U.S. inflation data offering a glimpse at how the world’s largest economy is recovering. SENT: 410 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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TAIWAN CHINA BOOKS — These days, just being an author from Taiwan could dash your chances of getting a book published in China. SENT: 990 words, photo.

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HOW TO REACH US

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At the Nerve Center, Jerome Minerva can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, Wally Santana (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.