AP News Digest 3:45 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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PATHS TO RADICALIZATION — The Associated Press set out to examine the paths and mechanics of radicalization through case studies on two continents: a 20-year-old man rescued from a Taliban training camp on Afghanistan's border, and an Iowa man whose brother watched him fall sway to nonsensical conspiracy theories and ultimately play a starring role in the mob of Donald Trump loyalists that stormed the Capitol. By Kathy Gannon, Heather Hollingsworth and Eric Tucker. UPCOMING: 2,900 words, photos by 4 a.m. An abridged version of 1,200 words will also be sent.

THE AP INTERVIEW-LISA MONACO — The Justice Department is stepping up actions to combat ransomware and cyber crime through arrests and other actions, its No. 2 official tells The Associated Press, as the Biden administration escalates its response to what it regards as an urgent economic and national security threat. By Eric Tucker. SENT: 1,040 words, photos, video.

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TOP STORIES

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ETHIOPIA-TIGRAY CRISIS — Urgent new efforts to calm Ethiopia’s escalating war are unfolding as a U.S. special envoy visits and the president of neighboring Kenya calls for an immediate cease-fire while the country marks a year of conflict. By Cara Anna. SENT: 630 words, photos.

BIDEN-ANALYSIS — The bright red hazard lights are blinking for Joe Biden after Democrats’ setbacks in Tuesday’s elections, but the president insists there’s no reason to panic. He is making the case that the electorate’s mood would improve if he could just pass his agenda. By Aamer Madhani and Colleen Long. SENT: 1,040 words, photos, video.

ELECTION 2021-YOUNGKIN MODEL — After Glenn Youngkin’s stunning victory in the Virginia governor’s race and a close loss in New Jersey’s, Republican party leaders believe they have settled on a model that can deliver them big wins in next year’s midterm elections. By Jill Colvin. SENT: 1,030 words, photos. Also see MORE ON ELECTION 2021 below.

CLIMATE-SOLAR-RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE — As solar energy becomes more commonplace around the world, millions of acres of land will be covered with sprawling collections of panels needed to generate electricity. While some worry about the loss of valuable farmland, others see an opportunity to fix the damage done to the environment from decades of industrial agriculture and urban development. By John Flesher and Tammy Webber. SENT: 1,230 words, photos, video.

CLIMATE-NUCLEAR CONUNDRUM — Deep in a French forest, a steady stream of trucks bringing radioactive waste to long-term storage sites carry a reminder of nuclear energy's invisible cost. As nations plot out the world's future energy strategy at the Glasgow climate talks, nuclear power is a central sticking point. By Angela Charlton. UPCOMING: 1,170 words, photos, by 4 a.m.

IRAN-SELF-IMMOLATION — The son of an Iranian war hero burned himself to death last month outside a building where officials who help relatives of veterans had failed to find him a job. The desperate act by the father of three in southern Iran shocked many and threw a spotlight on rising public fury and frustration over the sinking economy, rising unemployment and soaring food prices. By Nasser Karimi. SENT: 980 words, photos.

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TRENDING NEWS

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AUSTRALIA-GIRL FOUND — Australia police yet to interview abducted girl about ordeal. SENT: 840 words, photos.

RAIDERS-RUGGS-VEHICLE CRASH — Prosecutor: Ex-Raiders receiver Ruggs drove 156 mph before fatal crash in Vegas. SENT: 940 words, photos.

NEW-ZEALAND-HUGE-POTATO — Doug the ugly New Zealand potato could be world’s biggest. SENT: 440 words, photos.

JAPAN-MAZDA — New Mazda cars will stop if driver suffers health problem. SENT: 460 words, photos.

WESTERN-FILM-NAVAJO — Iconic western starring Clint Eastwood dubbed in Navajo. SENT: 240 words, photo.

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MORE ON ELECTION 2021

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ELECTION 2021-FRONTLINE DEMOCRATS — For many House Democrats 2021 is looking a lot like 2009, a year when a Republican elected governor in Virginia foreshadowed a dreadful blowout in the next year’s midterm elections. SENT: 1,050 words, photos. With ELECTION 2021 — Murphy barely wins in New Jersey, while Youngkin upsets in Virginia.

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MORE ON THE VIRUS OUTBREAK

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VIRUS OUTBREAK-VIRAL QUESTIONS-BOOSTERS — COVID-19 boosters use the same recipe as the original vaccines, and weren’t tweaked since they still work well against the delta and other variants. SENT: 260 words, graphic.

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WASHINGTON

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CONGRESS-BUDGET — House Democrats add paid family and medical leave, immigration law changes and a state-and-local tax break to Biden’s $1.75 trillion social services and environmental bill. SENT: 1,060 words, photos.

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NATIONAL

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KENOSHA PROTEST-SHOOTINGS — Video took center stage in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. In one video, footage shows a man — Joseph Rosenbaum — chasing Rittenhouse and throwing a plastic bag at him just before Rosenbaum was fatally shot. SENT: 820 words, photos, videos.

COCOONING-REACTORS — Costs to clean up a massive nuclear weapons complex in Washington state are usually expressed in the hundreds of billions of dollars and involve decades of work. But one project on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation is progressing at a much lower price. SENT: 890 words, photos.

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INTERNATIONAL

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ISRAEL-POLITICS — Israel’s parliament passed a national budget for the first time in three years, avoiding a November deadline that would have triggered fresh elections. SENT: 330 words, photo. With ISRAEL-MILITARY — Israel tests massive inflatable missile detection system.

CHINA TAIWAN — A seemingly innocuous Chinese government recommendation for families to store necessities for an emergency sparked speculation among its netizens this week: Is China going to war with Taiwan? The answer is probably not. SENT: 660 words, photos. With TAIWAN-EU — EU delegation meets Taiwan president on first official trip.

INDIA-DIWALI — Indians across the country began celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic and rising air pollution. SENT: 450 words, photos.

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BUSINESS/ECONOMY

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OPEC OIL PRICES — OPEC and allied countries are meeting virtually to decide whether to stick with plans to gradually restore production that was cut back during the coronavirus pandemic. By Business Writer David McHugh. UPCOMING: 500 words, photo by 5 a.m.

BRITAIN ECONOMY — The Bank of England decides whether to keep interest rates low or make the United Kingdom the first of the world’s leading industrial nations to raise them since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic as the central bank tries to curb surging consumer prices. UPCOMING: 500 words, photo by 5 a.m.

FINANCIAL-MARKETS — Asian shares rose, boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve’s announcement on winding down the extraordinary aid for the economy it has been providing since the early days of the pandemic. By Business Writer Yuri Kageyama. SENT: 720 words, photos.

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

TRADE GAP — The Commerce Department reports on the U.S. trade gap for September. By Economics Writer Martin Crutsinger. UPCOMING: 130 words after 8:30 a.m. release of report, then expanded, photo.

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SPORTS

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NASCAR-PHOENIX-KYLE LARSON — Kyle Larson has made the most of his second chance in NASCAR. By Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer. SENT: 1,460 words, photos. An abridged version of 990 words has also been sent.

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ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT

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PROP FIREARM ARMORER — The woman in charge of weapons on the movie set where actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins says that she had inspected the gun Baldwin shot but doesn’t know how a live bullet ended up inside. SENT: 350 words, photo.

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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, Shuji Kajiyama (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.