AP News Digest 3:10 a.m.

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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TOP STORIES

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TRUMP-FBI — The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to overturn a judge’s appointment of an independent arbiter to review documents seized during an FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate. The appeal is the latest salvo in weeks of litigation over the scope of duties of the arbiter, also known as a special master. He was assigned last month by a judge to inspect the thousands of records taken in the Aug. 8 search of Mar-a-Lago and weed out any that may be protected by claims of legal privilege. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 500 words, photos. With TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE — A judge on Friday tossed out one of five counts against a think-tank analyst charged with lying to the FBI about his role in the creation of a flawed dossier about former President Donald Trump. SENT: 520 words.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he expects his mobilization of army reservists for combat in Ukraine to be completed in about two weeks, allowing him to end an unpopular and chaotic call-up meant to counter Ukrainian battlefield gains and solidify his illegal annexation of occupied territory. Putin also told reporters he does not regret starting the conflict and “did not set out to destroy Ukraine” when he ordered Russian troops to invade nearly eight months ago. By Sabra Ayres. SENT: 1,210 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-GEORGIA-GOVERNOR-KEMP — The Georgia governor’s race is a rematch of 2018, when Republican Brian Kemp narrowly defeated Democrat Stacey Abrams. But circumstances have changed. This time, it is Kemp who holds a lot of advantages as he seeks reelection. By Bill Barrow. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-MARIJUANA — President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon thousands of people for simple marijuana possession could boost proposals going before voters in five states to legalize the drug. Voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota will take up proposals to legalize recreational marijuana. By Andrew DeMillo. SENT: 1,030 words, photos.

VENEZUELA-IMMIGRATION — The Biden administration’s policy shift on Venezuelan migrants may pose an enormous challenge to overstretched Mexican shelters. The U.S. has coupled plans to let up to 24,000 Venezuelans apply online to fly to the U.S. for temporary stays with a pledge to immediately turn back Venezuelans who cross the border illegally from Mexico. The rapid expulsions expand a Trump-era policy that denies rights to seek asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. Venezuelans have suddenly become the second-largest nationality at the U.S. border after Mexicans, a growing challenge to President Joe Biden and neighboring allies. By Elliot Spagat and Maria Verza. SENT: 1,190 words, photos.

MEDIA-AFTER-JONES — A Connecticut jury’s ruling this week ordering Alex Jones to pay $965 million to parents of Sandy Hook shooting victims he maligned was heartening for people disgusted by the muck of disinformation. By Media Writer David Bauder. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.

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MORE ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

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RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-MINES — A group of Ukrainian minesweepers with the country’s territorial defense forces is working to clear an area in the Kharkiv region of dozens of deadly mines and pieces of unexploded ordnance. The brigade is pushing to restore a semblance of safety to the cities, towns and countryside in a region that spent months under Russian occupation. The deminers swept a remote area with metal detectors, searching for mines left behind by Russian forces that retreated from the region at the beginning of September. SENT: 790 words, photos.

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-WAR-EVACUATIONS — Moscow-installed authorities in Ukraine’s occupied southern region of Kherson urged local residents to evacuate to Russia on Friday, as Kyiv’s forces pushed their counteroffensive deeper into the region. SENT: 780 words, photos.

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TRENDING

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MANSON FOLLOWER-PAROLE — California’s governor blocked the parole of Charles Manson follower Patricia Krenwinkel on Friday, more than five decades after she scrawled “Helter Skelter” on a wall using the blood of one of their victims. SENT: 860 words, photos.

TROPICAL-WEATHER — Tropical Storm Karl weakened into a tropical depression while nearing Mexico’s southern Gulf shore, though forecasters say its heavy rain could still cause problems on the easily flooded stretch of coast. SENT: 180 words, photo.

MUSIC-WYNTON-MARSALIS — Wynton Marsalis joins forces with Michigan Marching Band. SENT: 280 words, photos.

NIKOLA-MILTON-TRIAL — Head of zero-emission truck venture found guilty of fraud. SENT: 260 words, photos.

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WASHINGTON/POLITICS

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CAPITOL-RIOT-INVESTIGATION — In an extraordinary step, the House Jan. 6 committee has voted unanimously to subpoena former President Donald Trump — a final effort to get the full story of the Capitol insurrection as the panel wraps up its work by the end of the year. Trump still does not acknowledge the “former” in front of “president,” and he has been relentlessly hostile to the investigation. He called it a “charade and a witch hunt” in a letter to the committee on Friday — but notably did not mention the subpoena or say whether he would comply with the demand for his appearance. By Mary Clare Jalonick. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.

ELECTION 2022-GEORGIA-SENATE -- Georgia’s Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker on Friday denied his previous support for an outright national ban on abortion, though he has insisted at various points throughout the campaign that it was a proposal he endorsed. By Bill Barrow and Russ Bynum. SENT: 1,160 words, photos.

ELECTION-INTEGRITY-GROUP-FRAUD-CLAIM — Arizona’s Republican attorney general, Mark Brnovich, on Friday asked the FBI and IRS to look into an election integrity group that claimed to have uncovered widespread fraud in the 2020 election but never provided evidence. SENT: 360 words, photo.

ELECTION-2022-PENNSYLVANIA-GOVERNOR — Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s Democratic nominee for governor, has smashed the state’s 2-decade-old campaign spending record as he competes against Republican Doug Mastriano, who was on track to spend less than a tenth as much. SENT: 580 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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SCHOOL-SHOOTING-FLORIDA-DEATH-PENALTY — It wasn’t long ago that Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz would have been looking at a near-certain death sentence for murdering 17 people in Parkland, even if his jury could not unanimously agree on his fate. SENT: 1,050 words, photo.

SEXUAL-MISCONDUCT-WEINSTEIN — Mel Gibson can testify about what he learned from one of Harvey Weinstein’s accusers, a judge ruled Friday in the rape and sexual assault trial of the former movie mogul. The 66-year-old actor and director was one of many witnesses, and by far the best known, whose identities were revealed in Los Angeles Superior Court. The judge and attorneys had taken a break from jury selection for motions on what evidence will be allowed at the trial, and who can testify. The witness list for the trial is sealed. SENT: 860 words, photos.

LOS-ANGELES-CITY-COUNCIL-RACISM — An anonymously leaked recording of crude, racist remarks and political scheming that led to the resignation of the Los Angeles City Council president and a powerful labor leader left behind a mystery: Who made the tape, and why? SENT: 740 words, photos.

HAWAII-EARTHQUAKE — A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was the strongest of a series of temblors that struck Friday on Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet that scientists say is in a “state of heightened unrest.” SENT: 390 words.

IMMIGRATION-TRANSPORTING-MIGRANTS — A Texas sheriff has certified 49 migrants flown from San Antonio to Massachusetts last month to be crime victims, a move that allows them to apply for special visas to remain in the United States. SENT: 310 words, photos.

OFFICERS-SHOT-CONNECTICUT — Two Connecticut police officers who were killed in an apparent ambush both died of multiple gunshots to their heads and torsos, the state chief medical examiner’s office said Friday as law enforcement officials remained tightlipped about the shooting. SENT: 580 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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CHINA-PARTY CONGRESS-XI JINPING — On the eve of the opening of a key Chinese Communist Party congress, party leader, head of state and commander of the armed forces Xi Jinping seems more in charge than ever, having given no indication of stepping away from power or anointing a successor. SENT: 1,310 words, photos. With CHINA-PARTY CONGRESS-EXPLAINER — China’s ruling Communist Party is holding its twice-a-decade national congress starting Sunday, at which Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term as the uncontested head of the party, government and military of the world’s second-largest economy. SENT: 630 words, photos.

TURKEY-MINE-EXPLOSION — The death toll from a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey rose to at least 28 people, officials say. Rescue efforts continued as a fire burned in the mine and desperate relatives waited for news. SENT: 330 words, photos.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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FILM-REVIEW-HALLOWEEN-ENDS — It’s been four years since Laurie Strode, aka Jamie Lee Curtis, has seen “my monster” — her masked nemesis with a bloody knife, Michael Myers. Strode is writing a memoir and trying to keep fear at bay. But Myers is back, and we know going into this third installment of director David Gordon Green’s trilogy that one of them will not survive. Associated Press National Writer Jocelyn Noveck writes in her review that Green throws a lot into his ending — it feels more like six endings — and that the viewer can’t help but wonder whether this really is it for the saga that began in 1978. The movie is in theaters and streaming on Peacock Friday. SENT: 800 words, photos.

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SPORTS

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NLDS-DODGERS-PADRES — Blake Snell pitched five-hit ball into the sixth inning and Trent Grisham homered at a festive Petco Park, helping the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 for a 2-1 lead in the NL Division Series. By Bernie Wilson. SENT: 900 words, photos.

ALDS--GUARDIANS-YANKEES — Oscar Gonzalez singled in the go-ahead run with Cleveland’s second straight bloop hit in the 10th inning, and the Guardians overcame a two-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees 4-2 and even their best-of-five AL Division Series at one game apiece. By Baseball Writer Ronald Blum. SENT: 980 words, photos.

BBN—NLDS--BRAVES-PHILLIES — Rhys Hoskins burst out of his postseason malaise with a three-run homer and spiked his bat in triumph and Bryce Harper hit a two-run shot that sent Philadelphia Phillies fever soaring and helped carry them to a 9-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Division Series on Friday night. SENT: 950 words, photos.

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HOW TO REACH US

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