×

Nation and world at a glance

Trump lowers limit on refugees to be

allowed in US; most will be whites

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is restricting the number of refugees admitted annually to the United States to 7,500 and they’ll be mostly white South Africans. It’s a dramatic drop after the U.S. previously allowed in hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution from around the world. The administration published the news in a notice on the Federal Register on Thursday.

No reason was given for the numbers, which are a dramatic decrease from last year’s ceiling of 125,000 set under the Biden administration.

The memo stated that the admission of the 7,500 refugees during the 2026 budget year is “justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest.”

King Charles III strips Andrew

of titles, evicts him from royal home

LONDON — Buckingham Palace officials said that King Charles III is stripping his brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicting him from his royal residence. In a statement, the palace said Andrew will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince.

He will move from his Royal Lodge residence into “private accommodation.” The moves follow revelations about Andrew’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The palace said the thoughts of the king and Queen Camilla are with “the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”

Five more arrests as Louvre jewel

heist probe deepens; details emerge

PARIS — Authorities have tightened the dragnet around the Louvre Museum thieves, arresting five more people in connection with the recent crown-jewels heist. The Paris prosecutor said three of the four alleged members of the “commando” team are now in custody.

The late-night operations in Paris and nearby areas have increased the total number of arrests to seven. Despite the arrests, the stolen loot, valued at around $102 million, remains missing. The heist, which took place in broad daylight, has sparked a national reckoning over how France protects its treasures. Security gaps at the Louvre have been acknowledged.

Senators demand answers on use of

full-body restraints for deportations

WASHINGTON — A group of 11 Democratic U.S. senators has raised concerns about the use of full-body restraints on deportation flights.

They say this practice raises serious human rights issues. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has called on ICE to explain its policies and stop using the WRAP device until questions are resolved.

The senators’ letter raises broader concerns about secrecy surrounding the flights and cites an AP investigation revealing ICE’s use of the WRAP since 2020. Advocates worry ICE isn’t tracking the WRAP’s use. Rep. Delia Ramirez is working on a bill to limit its use, citing safety and human rights concerns.

Young T. rex or new dinosaur?

New bones add to the debate

NEW YORK — Scientists say there’s new evidence that settles the origins of a mysterious dinosaur excavated in the 1940s. Researchers have long debated whether a dinosaur skull found in Montana decades ago was a young T. rex or another type of dinosaur.

A research team studied a new complete skeleton from Montana and claim it identifies the mystery reptile as an adult and a new species. Not all scientists are convinced, and some say the other mystery skeletons could belong to a younger T. rex. The research was published Thursday in the journal Nature.

Justice Department probes fraud

allegations in Black Lives Matter

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department is investigating whether leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement defrauded donors who contributed millions of dollars during racial justice protests in 2020. That’s according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

In recent weeks, federal law enforcement officials have issued subpoenas and warrants as part of an investigation into the black-led organizations that helped spark a national reckoning on systemic racism. The investigation invites fresh scrutiny to a foundation whose leaders in recent years have faced criticism about their public accounting of donations. But the recent burst of investigative activity is also unfolding at a time when civil rights groups have raised concerns about the Trump administration targeting left-leaning groups.

Ultra-Orthodox men in Israel protest

plans to draft them into the military

JERUSALEM — Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men have protested in Jerusalem against plans to draft them into the military. One teenager was killed after falling from a building under construction next to the protest.

This protest is a significant challenge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who relies on ultra-Orthodox parties in the Israeli parliament. The draft issue has deepened divisions in Israel, with many in the ultra-Orthodox community opposing military service, believing their duty is to study religious texts. The protest follows a decision to discuss the current enlistment law in a Knesset committee next week.

The ultra-Orthodox community is pushing for permanent exemptions.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

Federal food benefits, preschool aid

to run dry starting on Saturday

Federal funds could begin running dry on Saturday that help tens of millions of Americans buy food for their families and send their toddlers to preschool if the government shutdown persists. If Congress doesn’t reach a deal by Saturday to resolve the shutdown, benefits could also run out for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries. Starting Nov. 1, a total of 140 Head Start preschool programs also could miss their federal funding payments under the shutdown. States could also run out of money as early as Nov. 8 for another food aid program supporting millions of low-income mothers and young kids called WIC.

Israel’s top diplomat says Turkish

troops will have no role in Gaza force

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Israel’s foreign minister says his government will not allow Turkish troops to take part in a future international peace force in Gaza. The United States has proposed creating a force to oversee the ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Monday that Israel opposes Turkey’s participation because of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hostility to Israel. The 20-point ceasefire agreement brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump does not mention which countries would provide troops. Countries that are considering taking part also want more clarity on the force’s mandate. Late Monday, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the remains of another hostage had been handed over to Israel in Gaza.

Ind. governor calls session to redraw

US House maps as battle spreads

Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun has called a special session and directed state lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional districts.

The move announced Monday follows weeks of pressure from the White House to back President Donald Trump’s bid to help Republicans maintain control of the U.S. House. Braun scheduled the session to start Nov. 3. Virginia’s Democratic-led General Assembly also is meeting in a special session as a first step toward congressional redistricting.

Pressure for redistricting is also mounting in both Republican-led Kansas and Democratic-led Illinois. Redistricting already has been taken up by legislatures in Republican-led Texas, Missouri and North Carolina, as well as Democratic-led California.

Big win in midterm vote for

Argentina’s Milei boosts markets

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine President Javier Milei has hailed his party’s resounding victory in midterm congressional elections as a mandate to press forward with radical free-market reforms. Markets in Argentina rallied, the peso surged and the country’s sovereign bonds jumped on Monday in response.

The chronically depreciating Argentine peso — which international investors and Argentine depositors were dumping in droves just last week to hedge against a Milei defeat — soared more than 10% to trade at over 1,300 per dollar on Monday.

The price movements — signaling that investors were recovering confidence after Milei’s win — appeared to validate the Trump administration’s bet on its close ideological ally in South America.

Majestic Norway spruce chosen as

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

NEW YORK ( — A majestic Norway spruce in upstate New York has been chosen as this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Officials said Monday that the 75-foot spruce will be cut down on Nov. 6 and arrive in Manhattan two days later.

It will be wrapped in more than 50,000 multi-colored LED lights and crowned with a 900-pound Swarovski star. The tree will be illuminated on December 3 during a live broadcast.

The tree is being donated by the property owners where it has grown for 75 years just outside Albany, the state capital.

After the holiday season, the tree will be milled into lumber for Habitat for Humanity.

Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

Vance optimistic about

fragile ceasefire in Gaza

KIRYAT GAT, Israel — U.S. Vice President JD Vance and other envoys projected optimism about Gaza’s fragile ceasefire agreement during a visit to Israel even as they acknowledged significant challenges remain.

They visited a new center in Israel for civilian and military cooperation as questions linger over the long-term plan for peace, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern the territory after the war.

Vance noted flareups of violence in recent days but said the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that began on Oct. 10 is going “better than I expected.”

Late Tuesday, Israel said the remains of two hostages had been handed over to the military in Gaza.

Trump wants no ‘wasted

meeting’ on war with Putin

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says his plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is on hold because he doesn’t want it to be a “waste of time.”

It is the latest twist in Trump’s stop-and-go effort to resolve the war in Ukraine.

The decision to hold off on the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

In explaining his decision Tuesday, Trump said: “I don’t want to have a wasted meeting. I don’t want to have a waste of time — so we’ll see what happens.”

Trump hosts Senate GOP

at renovated White House

WASHINGTON — As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, President Donald Trump is welcoming Senate Republicans for lunch at the White House. It’s not for urgent talks on how to end the shutdown, but a celebratory display of unity as they refuse to negotiate on Democratic demands for health care funds. Trump is praising GOP leaders by name. But Senate Democrats are also expressing confidence in their strategy to keep voting against a House-passed bill that would reopen the government until Trump and other Republicans engage them. Democrats want to extend health care subsidies that are expiring.

Trump says he’ll discuss health care, but only after the government reopens.

President’s pick to lead

watchdog group withdraws

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s pick to lead a federal watchdog agency has withdrawn from consideration after his offensive text messages were made public and GOP senators revolted.

Paul Ingrassia, who was nominated to lead the Office of Special Counsel, had been scheduled to have his confirmation hearing this week.

On Monday, however, Politico reported on a text chat that showed him saying the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell.”

Ingrassia also described himself in the chat as having “a Nazi streak” at times. After the texts came to light, several Republican senators said they would not support his nomination. They included some of the most stalwart Trump allies in the Senate.

Dems fight losing battle

in NC over redistricting

RALEIGH, N.C. — Democrats rallied Tuesday against a new U.S. House map proposed by North Carolina Republicans that would likely reap another GOP seat at President Donald Trump’s behest, but the critics acknowledged they’ll likely be unable to halt the redraw for now. But they vowed to defeat it in the long run.

The new map offered by Republican legislative leaders seeks to stop the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis, one of North Carolina’s three black representatives, by redrawing two of the state’s 14 congressional districts. Statewide election data suggests the proposal — which received final Senate approval and cleared a House redistricting committee on Tuesday along party lines — would favor Republicans winning 11 of those seats, up from the current 10 they hold.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

After Zelenskyy meeting, Trump calls on Ukraine, Russia to end war

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is calling on Kyiv and Moscow to “stop where they are” and end their brutal war.

Trump made the statement in a social media post following a lengthy White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday.

Trump’s frustration with the conflict has surfaced repeatedly in the nine months since he returned to office, but with his latest comments he edged back in the direction of pressing Ukraine to give up on retaking land it has lost to Russia.

In his post, Trump said: “Enough blood has been shed, with property lines being defined by War and Guts. They should stop where they are. Let both claim Victory, let History decide!”

US seizes survivors after strike

on suspected drug-carrying vessel

WASHINGTON — The U.S. has seized survivors after a strike on a suspected drug-carrying vessel in the Caribbean, the first since President Donald Trump began launching deadly attacks in the region this summer.

That’s according to a defense official and another person familiar with the matter. It is believed to be at least the sixth strike since August, and the first to result in survivors who were picked up by the U.S. military.

It was not immediately clear what would be done with the individuals, who the person said were believed to be held aboard a U.S. military vessel. They confirmed the strike on the condition of anonymity because it has not yet been publicly acknowledged by Trump’s administration.

Bolton pleads not guilty in case

accusing him of sharing secrets

GREENBELT, Md. — John Bolton has pleaded not guilty in the Justice Department case accusing him of sharing classified information.

Bolton was ordered released from custody after making his appearance Friday before a judge in the third Justice Department case brought in recent weeks against an adversary of President Donald Trump. Bolton has signaled he will argue he is being targeted because of his criticism of the president, describing the charges as part of a Trump “effort to intimidate his opponents.”

The case, however, appears to have followed a more conventional path toward indictment than other recent cases against perceived Trump enemies.

Israel gets coffin of missing hostage

handed over to Red Cross, official says

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel has received the coffin of a missing hostage handed over to the Red Cross from Hamas. That’s according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office Friday.

The Israeli military and security forces received the coffin inside the Gaza Strip, and it was to be transferred to Israel and the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Forensic Medicine.

After a formal identification process, the family will be informed. The handover came after Hamas’s military wing said it will hand over the body of a hostage that was pulled out Friday to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

With no takers yet, White House

meets with colleges on compact

WASHINGTON — Five remaining universities have been weighing an offer from President Donald Trump to sign a “compact” for higher education. None has signed on as the deadline approaches, and on Friday, the University of Virginia declined the offer. The White House has faced several rejections after inviting nine universities to become initial signers of the compact. The document requests that universities adopt commitments aligned with Trump’s political priorities, including eliminating race and sex from admissions decisions.

Dems seek Trump in shutdown talks

WASHINGTON — Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to get more involved with negotiations to end the government shutdown. Trump is showing no interest in interjecting in the fight that has stretched through three weeks with little movement. Republican leadership in Congress is hoping it stays that way, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune reiterating that negotiations are possible “once the government opens up.”

The Associated Press

But some in Trump’s party are expressing frustration with the lack of movement. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she thinks some in the Trump administration are happy that the role of Congress is being diminished.

US blocks a global fee on shipping emissions as international meeting ends without new regulations

The U.S. has blocked a global fee on shipping emissions as an international maritime meeting ended Friday without adopting new regulations. The world’s largest maritime nations had been discussing ways to move the shipping industry away from fossil fuels. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump urged countries to vote against the regulations. The International Maritime Organization adjourned its meeting Friday. The proposed regulations would have set a marine fuel standard and imposed fees for emissions above allowable limits. Shipping emissions have grown to about 3% of the global total, prompting calls for action.

Nation and world at a glance

Trump may send

Tomahawk missiles

to assist Ukraine

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump is warning Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesn’t settle its war there soon. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump described the Tomahawk as an incredible and offensive weapon.

He suggested Russia does not need that kind of escalation.

Trump added that he might tell Russia the U.S. could send the missiles if the conflict isn’t resolved. His comments came after a phone call earlier Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier that day.

NJ declares

emergency as

nor’easter nears

A nor’easter is churning up the East Coast, prompting declarations of a state of emergency in New Jersey and parts of New York state.

Another storm has struck farther south with heavy rain and flooding through the Carolinas.

Across the continent in western Alaska, the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought hurricane- force winds and catastrophic flooding to coastal communities, pushing entire houses off their foundations.

China vows to

stand firm against

Trump’s tariffs

BEIJING — President Donald Trump says China should take a less confrontational approach to his threatened new tariffs, but he’s not retreating from his demands.

China’s Commerce Ministry says in a statement posted online Sunday that “we do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.” It was China’s first official comment on Trump’s threat to jack up the tax on imports from China by Nov. 1.

Trump is citing new Chinese restrictions on the export of certain minerals vital to consumer and military products. Hours later, Trump posted that Chinese leader Xi Jinping “just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I.”

California expands

privacy protections

A new law signed by California’s governor attempts to shield the identities of sidewalk vendors from federal immigration enforcement officers.

The new law comes on the heels of other recent state laws meant to protect students in schools and patients at health care facilities from the reach of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

The measures are part of a broader trend among Democratic-led states to resist Trump’s immigration crackdown.

The Associated Press

Meanwhile, some Republican-led states have passed laws to support federal immigration enforcement efforts. The divide reflects a growing polarization on immigration issues among U.S. states.

Nation and world at a glance

Federal judge blocks National Guard

deployment in Illinois for 2 weeks

A judge has blocked the deployment of National Guard troops in the Chicago area for two weeks, finding no substantial evidence that a “danger of rebellion” is brewing in Illinois.

The judge ruled Thursday. It’s a victory for Democratic officials who lead the state and city and have traded insults with President Donald Trump about his drive to put troops on the ground in major urban areas.

U.S. District Judge April Perry didn’t lay out details of any order or say what part of the request she was granting as she spoke from the bench in her crowded courtroom.

Senators struggle to find any way

forward as shutdown enters 10th day

WASHINGTON — Senators are laboring to find a way to reopen the government but find themselves struggling to overcome a fundamental lack of trust between the two parties.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has floated an “off ramp” to the government funding impasse.

He suggested that he could pledge to hold a later vote on expiring health care subsidies if Democrats would first support a stopgap spending bill to reopen the government.

But Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer seemed to dismiss the idea. Pressure is growing on congressional leaders to reach a deal as rank-and-file lawmakers grew anxious about the lack of progress on ending the shutdown.

As Tropical Storm Jerry churns

in the Atlantic, Priscilla brings rain

MIAMI — Tropical Storm Raymond has formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is the third system now off the western coast of Mexico.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Raymond was about 115 miles south-southeast of Zihuatanejo, Mexico, at 10 p.m. Thursday.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and is traveling west-northwest at 14 mph.

At the same time, Tropical Storm Priscilla remains off the western coast of Mexico and is bringing rain to the Baja California peninsula. The former tropical storm Octave also churned in the eastern Pacific near Mexico but was downgraded Thursday morning to a post-tropical cyclone and was expected to dissipate soon.

Texas appeals court again pauses

execution of man in shaken baby case

HOUSTON — Texas’ top criminal court has again paused the execution of Robert Roberson, just days before he had been set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death in a shaken baby case.

The execution stay was granted on Thursday by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection Oct. 16.

This was the third execution date Roberson’s lawyers have been able to stay since 2016. Nearly a year ago, an unprecedented intervention by a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers stayed an earlier scheduled execution.

Prosecutors say Roberson hit and violently shook his 2-year-old daughter. Roberson has long proclaimed his innocence.

Judge tosses out Drake’s defamation lawsuit over Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

NEW YORK — A federal judge has tossed out a defamation lawsuit Drake brought against Universal Music Group over a Kendrick Lamar dis track. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas rejected the lawsuit Thursday in a written opinion, saying the purportedly libelous words were opinion.

The January lawsuit alleged that UMG published and promoted Lamar’s dis track “Not Like Us” even though it included false pedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice.

Lamar was not named in the lawsuit. Universal Music Group is the parent record label for both artists. It denied the allegations. Drake’s lawyers say they will appeal.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

Bondi dodges questions, clashes with Democrats

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi has repeatedly deflected questions while seeking to defend herself during a combative congressional hearing in the face of growing criticism that she’s turning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’s political opponents.

Democrats sought to use Tuesday’s hearing to warn of what they view as the politicization of a department that has long prided itself on remaining independent from the White House.

The hearing came on the heels of the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, which has deepened concerns about the politicization of the department.

Trump-backed Van Epps, Dem Behn win in Tenn.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner in Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s administration, won a crowded Republican primary Tuesday in the special election to replace a GOP congressman who left office this summer.

In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Aftyn Behn won a four-way contest and will face Van Epps in the general election. Van Epps clinched Tuesday’s victory with an endorsement from President Donald Trump that came after in-person early voting ended.

Eleven Republicans were on the ballot for the seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Mark Green. The Dec. 2 general election could gauge the popularity of Trump’s aggressive second-term agenda, especially with suburban Republican voters.

Gaza peace talks appear

to be gaining momentum

CAIRO — Peace talks between Israel and Hamas have resumed in Egypt. The second day of indirect talks Tuesday took place on the two-year anniversary of Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that triggered the war.

The talks focus on a plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to end the fighting. Hamas is demanded guarantees that Israel will not resume the war after the remaining hostages are released. The plan envisions Israel withdrawing its troops and an international security force taking over.

Israel has demanded that Hamas disarm, a condition the militants have yet to accept.

Qatar’s prime minister and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff are expected to join the talks today in a sign of their momentum.

High court seems skeptical

on ‘conversion therapy’

WASHINGTON — A majority of Supreme Court justices seem to be leaning in favor of a Christian counselor who is challenging bans on LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy” for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.

Her lawyers argued Tuesday that the laws passed in about half of U.S. states wrongly restrict voluntary, faith-based therapy.

President Donald Trump’s administration is backing her challenge to Colorado’s law. The state argues the measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.

But the conservative-majority court seemed unconvinced that states can restrict talk therapy aimed at changing feelings or behavior while allowing counseling that affirms kids identifying as gay or transgender.

Trump says Canadians will

soon travel to the US again

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump predicts that Canadians will travel to the United States once again after a trade deal is reached.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office while meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that he understands why many Canadians are refusing to visit. Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state to avoid tariffs has infuriated Canadians, who are canceling trips to the U.S. in big numbers.

There’s been a 23% drop in Canadian visits to the U.S. in the first seven months of the year versus the same period in 2024, according to Canada’s national statistical office.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

Dem governors promise court fight

after Trump sends troops to Oregon

President Donald Trump is sending California National Guard members to Oregon after a judge temporarily blocked his administration from deploying that state’s guard to Portland.

The Democratic governors of Oregon and California pledged Sunday to fight the move in court. The president’s order comes after a judge temporarily blocked the administration from deploying the Oregon National Guard to Portland.

The Democrats cal the deployment an abuse of law and power. The move comes a day after Illinois’ governor made a similar announcement about troops in his state being activated.

Trump has characterized both Portland and Chicago as cities rife with crime and unrest, which those cities deny.

Activists, residents, leaders allege

ICE using combative tactics in Ill.

CHICAGO — Activists, residents and elected leaders say increasingly combative tactics used by federal immigration agents are sparking violence and fueling neighborhood tensions in the nation’s third-largest city.

That includes storming an apartment complex by helicopter as families slept and deploying chemical agents near a public school. About 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since an immigration crackdown started last month in the Chicago area.

But U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status and children have been among those taken into custody in encounters that pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs.

Government shutdown enters Day 6;

Republicans, Dems still at impasse

WASHINGTON — Washington lawmakers remain at a standstill over reopening the government, showing few signs of progress as President Donald Trump says layoffs are “taking place right now.”

Both parties believe public opinion supports their stance, with Democrats pushing for health insurance subsidies and Trump aiming to maintain current spending levels.

The shutdown, which enters its sixth day today, adds to economic uncertainty, with hiring slowing and inflation high.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday criticized Republicans for not negotiating. Talks remain unproductive, with a Senate vote failing to advance a Republican bill.

At least five people killed in large

Russian drone attack on Ukraine

At least five people were killed after Russia launched drones, missiles and guided aerial bombs at Ukraine overnight in a major attack that officials there said targeted civilian infrastructure.

Moscow sent over 50 ballistic missiles and about 500 drones into nine regions across Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday morning.

Four people died and at least six more were injured in a combined drone and missile strike on Lviv, a historic western city often seen as a refuge from fighting. A Ukrainian regional official said a woman was killed and at least nine others were injured in a Russian aerial assault that destroyed residential buildings in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia.

Hurricane Priscilla forms in Pacific

off Mexico coast; Octave also forms

MIAMI — Hurricane Priscilla has formed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Sunday that Priscilla’s maximum sustained winds were 75 mph and that the storm was located about 285 miles south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes and was headed north-northwest at 3 mph.

It said heavy rainfall and gusty winds are affecting coastal southwestern Mexico. A tropical storm watch was issued for parts of the coast of southwestern Mexico. Priscilla was forecast to generally move parallel to the coast in the coming days.

Another storm, Octave, became a hurricane Sunday far from shore with no landfall expected. Its maximum sustained winds were 80 mph.

Jews begin Sukkot observances

Sukkot, a weeklong Jewish holiday celebrating the traditional gathering of the harvest, is getting underway.

It continues through Oct. 13. Sukkot is considered one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar — distinctive in that it explicitly encourages Jews to rejoice and discourages public mourning.

This year, the first full day of Sukkot falls on Oct. 7 — the second anniversary of Hamas’ 2023 attack on southern Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead and many others taken hostage.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

1 of 2 victims in synagogue attack

apparently shot accidentally by police

MANCHESTER, England — British police say one of the two men killed in a car and knife attack on a synagogue in Manchester may have been killed by a bullet fired by a police officer.

Greater Manchester Police Chief Stephen Watson said on Friday that a forensic examination has provisionally determined that the victim had “a wound consistent with a gunshot injury.”

He said the attacker did not have a gun and that the only shots fired were by police. Three other people are hospitalized in serious condition. Police shot the attacker dead. He has been identified as Jihad Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent. Police say he may have been influenced by Islamic extremism.

North Carolina governor signs bill

into law after attack on Ukrainian

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s Democratic governor has signed into law a criminal justice measure pushed by the Republican-controlled legislature in response to the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train.

While Gov. Josh Stein criticized portions of the bill on Friday, his signature still affirms in law reforms sought by GOP politicians and their allies. The bill had received bipartisan support in the state House.

The new law bars cashless bail for certain violent crimes and limits magistrates’ discretion in pretrial release decisions. The bill authors also seek to restart executions in North Carolina, where capital punishment has not been carried out since 2006.

Hegseth announces latest strike

on boat he says trafficked drugs

WASHINGTON — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says he ordered another strike on a small boat he accused of carrying drugs off Venezuela.

It expands what the Trump administration has declared is an “armed conflict” with cartels. In a social media post Friday, Hegseth asserted that the “vessel was trafficking narcotics” and those aboard were “narco-terrorists.”

He said the strike killed four men but offered no details on who they were or what group they belonged to. This follows the U.S. designating several cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. It’s the fourth deadly strike in the Caribbean and the latest since revelations that President Donald Trump said he was treating drug traffickers as unlawful combatants and military force was required to combat them.

Noem visits Chicago area ICE facility

as agents arrest 13 in neighborhoods

BROADVIEW, Ill. — Federal officials have reported the arrests of 13 people protesting near an immigration facility outside Chicago.

This facility has been frequently targeted during a surge in immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with employees inside the facility on Friday.

Protesters gathered outside, upset by newly installed barricades. Some aimed to block vehicles from entering or leaving the area. Federal agents have used tear gas and pepper balls in response to protests. Illinois State Police set up barriers to separate protesters from law enforcement. Critics have raised concerns about the tactics used by federal agents.

OpenAI could now rank as world’s

most valuable startup company

OpenAI could now be the world’s most valuable startup, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX and TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, after a stock sale designed to retain employees at the ChatGPT maker.

Current and former OpenAI employees sold $6.6 billion in shares to a group of investors, pushing the privately held artificial intelligence company’s valuation to $500 billion. The investors buying the shares included Thrive Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group and T. Rowe Price, along with Japanese tech giant SoftBank and the United Arab Emirates’ MGX, the source said Thursday..

OpenAI, in partnership with SoftBank and Oracle, is establishing a new AI data center in Lordstown at the site of the former General Motors plant.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

US is in armed conflict with cartels, Trump says, after ordering strikes

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatants and says the United States is now in an “armed conflict.”

That’s according to a Trump administration memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The memo appears to represent an assertion of presidential war powers, with Trump effectively declaring that trafficking of drugs into the United States amounts to armed conflict requiring the use of military force — a new rationale for past and future actions.

The U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean.

The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee says “every American should be alarmed that their President has decided he can wage secret wars.”

Immigration judge denies Garcia bid

for asylum; he has 30 days to appeal

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A U.S. immigration judge has denied a bid for asylum from Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The judge in Baltimore on Wednesday denied an application to reopen Abrego Garcia’s asylum case, but he has 30 days to appeal.

The Salvadoran national has an American wife and children and has lived in Maryland for years, but he originally immigrated to the U.S. illegally as a teenager.

An immigration judge in 2019 ruled Abrego Garcia could not be deported to El Salvador because he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family. When Abrego Garcia was mistakenly deported there in March, his case became a rallying point for those who oppose President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Putin praises Trump, warns supply

of missiles to Ukraine will hurt ties

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the United States that supplies of long-range missiles to Ukraine will seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington but will not change the situation on the battlefield.

At the same time, Putin hailed U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to help negotiate peace in Ukraine and described their August summit in Alaska as productive.

Speaking Thursday at a forum of foreign policy experts in Russia’s southern resort of Sochi, Putin appeared to appeal to Trump and his conservative supporters, hailing Charlie Kirk as a hero assassinated for promoting the same conservative values that Russia shares.

FDA approves another generic

abortion pill, prompting outrage

WASHINGTON — Federal health officials have approved another generic version of the abortion pill, prompting outrage from abortion opponents.

Anti-abortion groups quickly criticized the move on Thursday, calling it a “stain” on the Trump administration.

The groups have been pushing for a safety review of mifepristone for months.

The FDA first approved the drug as safe and effective in 2000. The new version of the pill is from drugmaker Evita Solutions. It’s not the first generic version, which the FDA previously approved in 2019.

Pope Leo XIV weighs in on new

American dispute over abortion

ROME — Pope Leo XIV has intervened for the first time in an abortion dispute roiling the U.S. Catholic Church.

Leo was asked this week about plans by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich to give a lifetime achievement award to Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin for his work helping immigrants.

The plans drew objection from some conservative U.S. bishops given the powerful Democratic senator’s support for abortion rights. Leo called first of all for respect for both sides, but he also pointed out the seeming contradiction in such debates over what it means to be “pro-life.”

The pope said: “Someone who says ‘I’m against abortion but says I am in favor of the death penalty’ is not really pro-life.”

Imelda dissipates in the Atlantic

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Crews across Bermuda have started clearing streets after Hurricane Imelda swiped past the tiny British territory as a Category 2 storm, downing trees, power lines and transformers. Imelda dissipated in the Atlantic on Thursday.

More than 17,000 homes were without power at the height of the storm, and schools and government offices remained closed.

Earlier in the week, Imelda caused widespread flooding in eastern Cuba and Haiti, resulting in two deaths and one missing person.

Forecasters warn of dangerous surf and rip currents along the north Caribbean, Bahamas, Bermuda, and much of the U.S. East Coast.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs until Nov. 30.

The Associated Press

Nation and world at a glance

Trump: Use cities

as training ground

QUANTICO, Va. — President Donald Trump is proposing using American cities as training grounds for the armed forces. He’s suggesting U.S. military might be deployed against what he describes as the “invasion from within.” Addressing military brass abruptly summoned to Virginia on Tuesday, Trump outlined a muscular and at times norm-shattering view of the military’s role in domestic affairs. He was joined by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that include “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.

Israeli forces kill

31 Palestinians

CAIRO — Local hospitals report at least 31 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. This comes amid discussions about U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan aimed at ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza.

Hamas plans to review the proposal, which includes disarmament and international control over Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the plan, but many Palestinians are skeptical, viewing it as favoring Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli strikes continued Tuesday, with local hospitals reporting casualties. The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting over 66,000 deaths since the war began.

Humberto, Imelda

aim for Bermuda

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The outer bands of Hurricane Humberto lashed Bermuda on Tuesday as it approached the tiny British territory, with newly formed Hurricane Imelda following closely behind.

A hurricane warning was in effect for the island located in the north Atlantic as forecasters warned of dangerous seas, strong winds and heavy rain. Humberto was expected to pass well west and north of Bermuda on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Imelda was expected to pass near or over the island on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 2 hurricane, according to the Bermuda Weather Service.

Turning Point

returns to Utah

LOGAN, Utah — Turning Point USA’s college tour is in Utah for the first time since founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September.

Utah State University evacuated a building hours before the event Tuesday over a suspicious device, but has told students the building is now safe and events would resume. Kirk was killed Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University.

91 buried in rubble

SIDOARJO, Indonesia (AP) — At least 91 students remain trapped in concrete rubble almost two days after an Islamic school building collapsed on them, authorities said after reviewing attendance records and reports from anxious families of those missing. More than 300 rescue workers desperately worked to free survivors Wednesday morning, after the structure fell on top of hundreds of people, mostly teen boys.

Many had been performing afternoon prayers Monday.

Strong earthquake kills 31 people in a central Philippine region hit by deadly storm just days ago

MANILA, Philippines — An offshore earthquake of magnitude 6.9 has jolted a central Philippine province and collapsed the walls of houses and buildings, killing at least 31 people, authorities said. The quake late Tuesday also injured scores of people and sent residents scrambling out of homes into darkness as the intense shaking cut off power. The earthquake was centered about 17 kilometers northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of about 90,000 people in Cebu province. Officials said at least 14 people were killed in the hard-hit city of Bogo, 12 in nearby Medellin and 5 in the town of San Remigio, south of Bogo, mostly after being hit by collapsing walls and houses.

Trump pulls nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead Bureau of Labor Statistics, AP source says

WASHINGTON — The White House is withdrawing the nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to a White House official and an AP source who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the White House action, which has yet to be publicly announced. Antoni’s nomination, announced by the White House in August, was an attempt by Trump to gain greater control over the federal agency responsible for producing key economic data. The White House has maintained that it wants accurate figures after a series of downward revisions to the jobs report. Trump fired Erika McEntarfer as BLS commissioner on Aug. 1 after the July jobs report showed a rapid slowdown in hiring, with job gains in May and June revised much lower than initially estimated.

Starting at $3.23/week.

Subscribe Today