AP News Digest 3:15 am

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. 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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ONLY ON AP

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MORMON CHURCH-SEX ABUSE — The Associated Press has obtained nearly 12,000 pages of sealed records from a child sex abuse lawsuit against the Mormon church. They show how the church’s so-called “help line” for dealing with child sex abuse accusations against officials and members could be misused by church leaders to divert abuse accusations away from law enforcement, leaving victims in harm’s way. By Michael Rezendes. SENT: 4,240 words, photos. With MORMON CHURCH-SEX ABUSE-TAKEAWAYS — Details from the AP’s investigation.

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TOP STORIES

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CHINA-TAIWAN-MILITARY EXERCISES — China says it conducted “precision missile strikes” in the Taiwan Strait as part of military exercises that have raised tensions in the region to their highest level in decades. China earlier announced that military exercises by its navy, air force and other departments were underway in six zones surrounding Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory to be annexed by force if necessary. SENT: 420 words, photos. Also see CAMBODIA ASEAN below.

ASIA-PELOSI — After infuriating China over her trip to Taiwan, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met South Korean political leaders in Seoul but avoided making direct public comments on cross-Strait relations that could have further increased regional tensions. Pelosi, the first incumbent House speaker to visit Taiwan in 25 years, said in Taipei that the American commitment to democracy on the self-governing island and elsewhere “remains ironclad.” By Hyung-Jin Kim and Huizhong Wu. SENT: 1,130 words, photos.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR-PRISON — U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russia is looking to plant false evidence to make it appear that Ukrainian forces were responsible for the July 29 attack on Olenivka Prison that left 53 dead and wounded dozens more, a U.S. official familiar with the intelligence finding tells The Associated Press. By Aamer Madhani and Edith M. Lederer. SENT: 480 words, photos. Also see MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR below.

IRAN-NUCLEAR-ANALYSIS — Iranian officials now speak openly about something long denied by Tehran as it enriches uranium at its closest-ever levels to weapons-grade material: That the Islamic Republic is ready to build an atomic weapon at will. By Jon Gambrell. UPCOMING: 940 words, photo by 4 a.m.

NEWTOWN SHOOTING-INFOWARS — For years, bombastic far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones ranted to his millions of followers that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax, that children weren’t killed and that parents were crisis actors in an elaborate ruse to force gun control. Under oath and facing a jury that could hit him with $150 million or more in damages for his false claims, Jones said he now realizes that was irresponsible and believes that what happened in the deadliest school shooting in American history was “100% real.” By Jim Vertuno. SENT: 930 words, photos.

RUSSIA-GRINER — Closing arguments in Brittney Griner’s cannabis possession case in Russia are set, nearly six months after the American basketball star was arrested at a Moscow airport in a case that has reached the highest levels of U.S.-Russia diplomacy. By Jim Heintz. SENT: 390 words, photos. UPCOMING: Court at 7 a.m.

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MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Nearly six months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many refugees are still struggling to find jobs in their European Union host countries, despite the EU’s streamlined process for Ukrainians to live and work in its 27 member nations. SENT: 1,040 words, photos.

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TRENDING

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LADY GAGA-DOGS STOLEN — Suspect mistakenly freed in Lady Gaga’s dog theft recaptured. SENT: 360 words, photos.

AIRLINE REFUNDS — Feds propose to increase refund protections for air travelers. SENT: 360 words, photo.

PEOPLE-CHRISSY TEIGEN — Chrissy Teigen reveals baby bump after 2020 pregnancy loss. SENT: 240 words, photo.

NICKI-MINAJ’S-FATHER-KILLED — Driver gets one year in jail in death of Nicki Minaj’s father. SENT: 440 words, photos.

CONGRESS-WALORSKI — Indiana Rep. Walorski, two staffers killed in head-on crash. SENT: 750 words, photo.

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ELECTION 2022

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ELECTION 2022-TENNESSEE — Tennessee Republicans are set to settle a nine-way primary in a reconfigured congressional district in Nashville they are hoping to flip. SENT: 740 words, photos. UPCOMING: Updates throughout the day; polls close at 8 p.m.

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WASHINGTON

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CONGRESS-NATO-MCCONNELL — At a dinner with the president of Finland shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell assured his host that the U.S. Senate would swiftly ratify NATO membership if the north European country chose to apply to the military alliance. He was right. By Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro. SENT: 880 words, photo.

JILL BIDEN — Jill Biden is on a fresh mission in her second year as first lady: working to help elect Democrats so they can help President Joe Biden get his agenda passed. SENT: 1,140 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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GABBY PETITO-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — The mother of Gabby Petito is keeping the memory of her murdered daughter alive by speaking out on behalf of domestic abuse survivors. SENT: 560 words, photos, video.

WESTERN WILDFIRES — Firefighters have gotten their first hold on California’s deadliest and most destructive fire of the year and expected that the blaze would remain stalled through the weekend. SENT: 920 words, photos, videos.

SCHOOL SHOOTING-FLORIDA — Jurors in the trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz are expected to walk through the still blood-spattered rooms of Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in a visit to the three-story building where he murdered 14 students and three staff members four years ago. SENT: 740 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-AWAITING EXPULSION — Some 1,000 Palestinians could be forced out of an arid part of the occupied West Bank at any time after Israel’s Supreme Court sided with the military in a decades-long legal battle. UPCOMING: 940 words, photos by 4 a.m.

JAPAN NUCLEAR FUKUSHIMA — The construction of facilities needed for a planned release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea next year from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant began despite opposition from the local fishing community. SENT: 590 words, photos.

SRI LANKA — An international human rights group says Sri Lanka’s government is using emergency laws to harass and arbitrarily detain protesters who are seeking political reform and accountability amid the island country’s economic crisis. SENT: 370 words, photos.

CAMBODIA ASEAN — China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed his country’s efforts to strengthen ties with Southeast Asian nations at a meeting with their foreign ministers, which came as Beijing seeks to expand its influence in the region. SENT: 610 words, photos.

UNITED NATIONS-US AMBASSADOR-AFRICA — The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations headed to Africa, saying she was going to focus on how the United States can help Uganda, Ghana and Cape Verde deal with the food crisis that has hit the continent particularly hard — not to compete with China and Russia. SENT: 780 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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BRITAIN ECONOMY — The Bank of England meets to decide on raising interest rates yet again to combat the highest inflation in four decades as central banks around the world rush to hike borrowing costs to ease rapidly rising consumer prices. UPCOMING: 400 words, photos by 4 a.m.

FINANCIAL MARKETS — Asian shares mostly rose as investors welcomed encouraging economic data and quarterly earnings reports from big companies. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 690 words, 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.

MORTGAGE RATES — Freddie Mac reports on this week’s average U.S. mortgage rates. By Business Writer Matt Ott. UPCOMING: 250 words after 10 a.m. release, photo.

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SPORTS

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HALL OF FAME-BRANCH — Cliff Branch was the epitome of what Al Davis coveted in a receiver during his decades running the Raiders. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. SENT: 690 words, photos.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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PHILANTHROPY-CAT-VIDEO GAME A new video game sensation that features an adventurous feline has resonated with cat lovers and some of them are using the game to raise money for real cats. SENT: 880 words, photos.

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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, Hiro Komae (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.