AP News Digest 3 a.m.

Virus Outbreak Vaccine Know-How (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

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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VIRUS OUTBREAK—VACCINE KNOW HOW — Across Africa and Southeast Asia, governments and aid groups, as well as the World Health Organization, are increasingly calling on pharmaceutical companies to share their coronavirus vaccine know-how and technology more broadly. They say it’s the only way to meet a huge global shortfall in a pandemic that already has claimed nearly 2.5 million lives. The Associated Press found three factories on three continents who say they could make hundreds of millions of doses beginning in weeks. Pharmaceutical companies that took taxpayer money from the U.S. or Europe to develop inoculations at unprecedented speed say they are negotiating contracts and exclusive licensing deals with producers on a case-by-case basis to protect their intellectual property and for safety. By Lori Hinnant and Maria Cheng. SENT: 1,460 words, photos.

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TOP STORIES

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MYANMAR — Police in Myanmar’s biggest city have fired volleys of tear gas at defiant crowds who returned to the streets to continue protesting against the military’s seizure of power a month ago, despite reports that security forces had killed at least 18 people around the country a day earlier. The protesters in Yangon were chased as they tried to gather at their usual main meeting spot. SENT: 1,090 words, photos. With MYANMAR-REPORTER DETAINED — An Associated Press journalist has been detained by police while covering protests against the military coup in Myanmar. SENT: 400 words. MYANMAR-PHOTO GALLERY.

VIRUS OUTBREAK — With the floodgates set to open on another round of unemployment aid, states are being hammered with a new wave of fraud as they scramble to update security systems and block scammers who already have siphoned billions of dollars from pandemic-related jobless programs. The fraud is fleecing taxpayers, delaying legitimate payments and turning thousands of Americans into unwitting identity theft victims. Many states have failed to adequately safeguard their systems, and a review by The Associated Press finds that some will not even publicly acknowledge the extent of the problem. By Geoff Mulvihill and Andrew Welsh-Huggins. SENT: 1,220 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-INDIA — India is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination drive beyond health care and front-line workers, offering the shots to older people and those with medical conditions that put them at risk. By Aniruddha Ghosal. SENT: 880 words, photos.

UNITED STATES-CHINA-NUCLEAR -- China appears to be moving faster toward a capability to launch its newer nuclear missiles from underground silos, possibly to improve its ability to respond promptly to a nuclear attack, according to an American expert who analyzed satellite images of recent construction at a missile training area. By National Security Writer Robert Burns. SENT: 900 words, photos.

TRUMP-CONSERVATIVES-FACT CHECK -- Donald Trump clung to his core election falsehoods in his first post-presidential speech, wrongly blamed wind power for the catastrophic power failures in Texas and revived a variety of the baseless claims that saturated his time in office, on immigration, the economy and more. By Hope Yen and Calvin Woodward. SENT: 1,020 words, photos. WITH: TRUMP-CONSERVATIVES. Former President Donald Trump called for GOP unity, even as he exacerbated intraparty divisions by attacking fellow Republicans and promoting lies about the election. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.

GOLDEN GLOBES — “Nomadland” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” took the top film honors at Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards, capping a night that featured homebound winners accepting their awards. SENT: 1,350 words, photos. WITH: GOLDEN GLOBES-REVIEW- Tina Fey asked the tough question 10 minutes into the three-hour Golden Globes broadcast Sunday: Could this whole night have been an email? Well, maybe. SENT: 980 words, photos. GOLDEN GLOBES-SCENE — Glam was back for the Golden Globes virtual, bicoastal awards night as nominees Zoomed in from around the world. SENT: 1,210 words, photos. GOLDEN GLOBES-LIST, GOLDEN GLOBES-BEHIND-THE-SCENES .

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WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

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OBIT-MARON — A North Carolina-based mystery writer whose book series won her major awards and plaudits in the genre has died at age 82. SENT: 250 words, photo.

JAPA -POLITICS — The public relations chief for Japan’s prime minister has resigned after she acknowledged she had a $700 dinner paid for by a broadcaster. SENT: 290 words, photos.

AUSTRALIA-PLASTIC — An Australian state has become the first in the country to ban some single-used plastic items including drinking straws, stir sticks and cutlery. SENT: 230 words.

FILM-BOX-OFFICE — A not-so-distant recovery for movie theaters could be on the horizon, as Warner Bros.′ live-action-animation hybrid “Tom & Jerry” debuted with $13.7 million in ticket sales, the best domestic opening of the year. SENT: 410 words, photos.

SCI--SPACE STATION — Spacewalking astronauts prep station for new solar wings. SENT: 630 words, photo.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS-OUTBREAK-PHILIPPINES — The Philippines has launched a vaccination campaign to contain one of Southeast Asia’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. It faces supply problems and public resistance, which it hopes to ease by inoculating top officials. SENT: 660 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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UNITED STATES-MEXICO -- President Joe Biden is planning a virtual meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — a chance for the pair to talk more fully about migration, confronting the coronavirus and cooperating on economic and national security issues. By Josh Boak, Mark Stevenson and Elliot Spagat. UPCOMING at 5 a.m. EST: 780 words, photos. Meeting scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST.

CONGRESS-ELECTIONS BILL -- As Congress begins debate this week on sweeping voting and ethics legislation, Democrats and Republicans can agree on one thing: If signed into law, it would usher in the biggest overhaul of U.S. elections law in at least a generation. By Brian Slodysko. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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CUOMO SEXUAL HARASSMENT — The crisis enveloping Gov. Andrew Cuomo deepened Sunday as the state’s attorney general demanded he grant her the authority to investigate claims he sexually harassed at least two women who worked for him. Top Democrats statewide appeared to be abandoning Cuomo in large numbers as he tried to retain some say over who would investigate his workplace conduct. SENT: 700 words, photo.

OBIT-LOUIS NIX III - Former Notre Dame and NFL player Louis Nix III has died after being missing for several days, but many questions linger about the circumstances of his death. SENT: 380 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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AFGHANISTAN-WASTED MONEY — A report released by the U.S. government’s Afghanistan watchdog has found that America has wasted billions of dollars in the war-torn country on buildings and vehicles that were either abandoned or destroyed. The agency says that $7.8 billion were reviewed since 2008 on buildings and vehicles, but only $343.2 million worth of property “were maintained in good condition.” SENT: 670 words, photos.

PERSIAN GULF-TENSIONS — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of attacking an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman last week. Netanyahu spoke on Monday to Israeli public broadcaster Kan and said that “it was indeed an act by Iran, that’s clear.” SENT: 530 words, photos.

SOUTH KOREA-JAPAN — South Korea’s president says his government is eager for talks with Japan to improve relations following years of bitter feuding over historical grievances, adding that those unresolved issues should not stand in the way of developing “future-oriented” ties. SENT: 530 words, photos.

AUSTRALIA RAPE ALLEGATIONS — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is standing by an unnamed Cabinet minister after an anonymous letter was sent alleging the man had raped a 16-year-old girl more than 30 years ago. SENT: 780 words, photos.

HONG KONG-CHINA POLITICS — Hong Kong police have brought 47 pro-democracy activists to court on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the national security law imposed on the city by Beijing last year. SENT: 270 words, photos.

EL SALVADOR-ELECTIONS — People in El Salvador are voting in legislative and mayoral elections that are seen as a referendum on whether to break the congressional deadlock that has tied the hands of upstart populist President Nayib Bukele. SENT: 500 words, photo. UPCOMING: Polls close at 6 p.m. Early results expected late Sunday night.

SRI LANKA EXORCISM DEATH — Police in Sri Lanka say they have arrested two people in connection with the death of a 9-year-old girl who was repeatedly beaten during a ritual they believed would drive away an evil spirit. SENT: 220 words.

THAILAND-PROTESTS — A new faction of Thailand’s pro-democracy movement has staged a protest march, linking their cause with that of demonstrators in Myanmar battling that neighboring country’s coup-installed military government. SENT: 450 words, photos.

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BUSINESS

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FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares have advanced on hopes for President Joe Biden’s stimulus package and bargain-hunting after sell offs last week. Benchmarks in Japan, Australia and China rose on Monday. South Korean markets were closed for a national holiday. 540 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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TV-OPRAH-MEGAN AND WILLIAM-INTERVIEW — Prince Harry says the process of separating from royal life has been very difficult for him and his wife, Meghan. SENT: 517 words, photo.

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SPORTS

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BBO-SPRING TRAINING RETURNS — The sun and the baseball have returned to Arizona and Florida for spring training games, which began on Sunday. So have the fans. All 30 teams in Major League Baseball are allowing fans to return to spring training in a limited capacity amid declining COVID-19 case numbers. SENT: 1,200 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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