AP News Digest 3:15 am

Thursday 04 August 2022 05:24 BST

AP News Digest 3:15 am

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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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AP News Digest 3:15 am