AP News Digest 3:50 am

APTOPIX Ukraine Tensions (Copyright 2022 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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AP POLL-SUPREME COURT — Americans are starkly divided by race on the importance of President Joe Biden’s promise to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court, with white Americans far less likely to be highly enthusiastic about the idea than Black Americans — and especially Black women. By Chris Megerian. SENT: 840 words, photo, graphic.

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TOP STORIES

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UKRAINE TENSIONS — Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to “consequences you have never seen.” Ukrainian border guards released footage of what they said were Russian military vehicles moving in, and big explosions were heard in the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east and Odesa in the west. As the Russian military claimed to have wiped out Ukraine’s entire air defenses in a matter of hours, Ukrainians fled some cities and European authorities declared Ukrainian air space an active conflict zone. By Vladimir Isachenkov, Dasha Litvinova, Yuras Karmanau and Jim Heintz. SENT: 1,410 words, photos, videos. With UKRAINE-TENSIONS-THE-LATEST; UKRAINE-TENSIONS-THINGS TO KNOW.

UKRAINE-TENSIONS-GLOBAL-REACTION — The European Union is planning the “strongest, the harshest package” of sanctions it has ever considered at an emergency summit as the Russian military attacked Ukraine and world leaders reacted with outrage at Moscow’s actions. By Raf Casert and Foster Klug. SENT: 1,240 words, photos.

UKRAINE TENSIONS-SANCTIONS-MEASURING SUCCESS — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s department is tasked with finding ways to choke off parts of Russia’s economic development to discourage Putin from further invading Ukraine. One key question for the administration is how to measure the success of such an endeavor. By Fatima Hussein. SENT: 710 words, photo.

UKRAINE TENSIONS-WORRIED BALTICS — To Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians — particularly those old enough to have lived under Soviet control — Russia’s belligerence toward Ukraine has some worried that they could be the Kremlin’s next target. By Liudas Dapkus and Karl Ritter. SENT: 920 words, photos. Also see MORE ON UKRAINE TENSIONS below. For full coverage of Ukraine.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — World stock markets plunged and oil prices surged by nearly $6 per barrel after President launched Russian military action in Ukraine. By Business Writer Joe McDonald. SENT: 470 words, photos.

UNITED STATES-YEMEN-EMBASSY DETAINEES — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have detained another official of the long-closed U.S. Embassy there, bringing the number of local ex-U.S. Embassy staffers in the rebel group’s custody to at least 11, according to accounts from Yemeni officials and others. By Ellen Knickmeyer and Samy Magdy. SENT: 610 words, photo.

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MORE ON UKRAINE TENSIONS

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UKRAINE TENSIONS-CYBERATTACK — The websites of Ukraine’s defense, foreign and interior ministries were unreachable or painfully slow to load after a punishing wave of distributed-denial-of-service attacks as Russia struck at its neighbor, explosions shaking the capital of Kyiv and other major cities. By Technology Writer Frank Bajak. SENT: 780 words, photo.

UKRAINE TENSIONS-REPUBLICANS — Divisions in a rapidly changing Republican Party are evident in the divergent responses to the tensions in Ukraine. SENT: 1,280 words, photos.

UKRAINE TENSIONS-CONGRESS — The U.S. Congress is largely backing Biden’s decision to slap sanctions on Russia over its attack on Ukraine, a rare but fragile bipartisan response to the most daunting foreign policy crisis in a generation. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 860 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-UKRAINE — The emergency U.N. Security Council meeting was meant as an eleventh hour effort to dissuade Russia from sending troops into Ukraine, but the message became moot even as it was being delivered. SENT: 720 words, photos.

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TRENDING NEWS

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TRUMP-LEGAL-TROUBLES-PROSECUTORS — Prosecutors in charge of Trump criminal probe have resigned. SENT: 930 words, photos.

TRUCK-CONVOY — California convoy opposing COVID-19 mandates hits the road. SENT: 420 words, photos.

BOY’S REMAINS-FREEZER-ARREST — Nevada boy’s body found in freezer; mother’s boyfriend arrested. SENT: 770 words, photos.

TRANSGENDER TREATMENT BAN — Alabama bill seeks to ban hormone treatments for trans youth. SENT: 450 words, photo.

MUTILATION-CHILD EXPLOITATION — California man charged with enticing children to mutilate themselves. SENT: 250 words.

VENETIAN LAS VEGAS-SALE — Multibillion-dollar sale of Venetian properties in Las Vegas completed. SENT: 430 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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GEORGE FLOYD-OFFICERS-CIVIL RIGHTS — A jury is to resume deliberations in the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights after reaching no verdict in its first day. SENT: 780 words, photos. UPCOMING: Deliberations resume at 10 a.m.

BREONNA TAYLOR-EX OFFICER'S TRIAL — The shooting death of Breonna Taylor was front and center on the first day of a criminal trial for the only police officer charged in the deadly 2020 raid. SENT: 360 words, photos, video.

WINTER WEATHER — Hundreds of flights have been canceled at the busy Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and hundreds of traffic accidents reported as freezing rain and drizzle glazed parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas with ice. SENT: 290 words, photos.

AMAZON-UNION — A former Amazon employee who is leading a push to unionize a New York City warehouse of the online retailer was arrested along with two others after authorities got a complaint about him trespassing at the facility, police say. SENT: 310 words.

SCHOOL SHOOTING-MICHIGAN — The parents of a 15-year-old boy charged with killing four other students at his Michigan high school are scheduled to return to court where they face charges for making the gun used in the shooting available to the teen. SENT: 420 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing from 8:30 a.m. hearing.

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INTERNATIONAL

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TONGA-SURVIVORS — The volcanic eruption in the South Pacific nation of Tonga last month led to a tsunami that destroyed every single home on Mango Island, and the tens of survivors say they are split on returning or resettling elsewhere. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS — The Palestinian U.N. ambassador, wearing a mask saying “End Apartheid,” accused Israel of engaging in “apartheid” in nearly a dozen ways, and Israel’s ambassador accused him of regurgitating claims from the Palestinian Authority, which he said “promotes hate, incitement, violence and terror.” SENT: 500 words.

MYANMAR-AVIATION FUEL — Some human rights advocates are urging governments to impose sanctions against supplying aviation fuel to Myanmar as its security forces carry out air strikes against opponents of the army-led administration. By Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach. SENT: 830 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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ECONOMY-GDP — The Commerce Department issues its second of three estimates of how the U.S. economy performed in the fourth quarter of 2021. By Economics Writer Paul Wiseman. UPCOMING: 130 words after 8:30 a.m. release, then expanded, photos.

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS — The Labor Department reports on the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits last week. By Business Writer Matt Ott. UPCOMING: 130 words after release of report at 8:30 a.m., photo.

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HEALTH/SCIENCE

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CHILE-BEES — A drought has gripped Chile for 13 years and the flowers that feed honeybees in central Chile have grown increasingly scarce. So some keepers have headed to the nation’s far south seeking more plants with pollen. SENT: 390 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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LOCKOUT — Major League Baseball said only five days remain to salvage March 31 openers and a full season, telling locked out players that games would be canceled if a labor contract is not agreed to by the end of Monday. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 800 words, photos. UPCOMING: Developing from 1 p.m. bargaining session.

ESPN-ROBERTS — Dave Roberts received one of the NBA’s biggest rebuilding jobs last August. Instead of being tasked with turning around a team, it was getting ESPN’s studio shows and coverage back on track. By Sports Writer Joe Reedy. SENT: 600 words, photo.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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ALEC BALDWIN-SET SHOOTING — The husband of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of the film “Rust” says it’s “absurd” that Alec Baldwin believes he’s not to blame for the shooting and he was “so angry” when Baldwin didn’t accept responsibility. By Entertainment Writer Andrew Dalton. SENT: 390 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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