AP National

AP National Writer The bitter nationwide debate over transgender rights is playing out on a very personal level in a federal court lawsuit filed in Virginia by a former Liberty University employee. She was fired by the evangelical Christian school after disclosing her identity as a transgender woman. The lawsuit on behalf of Ellenor Zinski

Associated Press The Rev. Arturo Laguna leads a largely immigrant church of about 100 followers in Phoenix. His job as a pastor, he says, gets complicated come election season. Laguna’s church, Casa de Adoracion, is in Arizona — one of seven closely-watched swing states that could possibly decide the next president. It is also a

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Grace United Methodist Church is located just steps from the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Between the two buildings, the church recently installed a pole. It reads: “May Peace Prevail on Earth.” The timing and location of the “Peace Pole” were both intentional and symbolic. It was done to commemorate the

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine police say three suspects in the kidnapping of an American in the country’s south have been arrested and they believe the victim is still alive. Police say two of the suspects in the Oct. 17 kidnapping of 26-year-old victim Elliot Onil Eastman in Sibuco town in Zamboanga del Norte province

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece is seeking stricter European Union migration policies as it braces for a potential surge in migrants and refugees due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. Migration Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said on Wednesday that the government is considering creating detention facilities on the islands of Rhodes and Crete after the

ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Taliban government minister says Afghan women are forbidden from praying loudly or reciting the Quran in front of other women. It’s the latest restriction on women following morality laws that ban them from raising their voice and baring their faces outside the home. Nobody from the ministry was immediately available Wednesday

Associated Press PARIS (AP) — A Paris court is expected to announce its verdict in the trial of a Rwandan former doctor accused of having played a role in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. The Advocates-General, in charge of the prosecution, requested 30 years in prison for Eugène Rwamucyo, a 65-year-old former doctor who is charged with

MOSCOW (AP) — North Korea’s top diplomat is set to hold talks in Moscow following reports that Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s action in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui’s arrival on Wednesday follows the Pentagon’s statement that North Korea has deployed about 10,000 troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine

BANGKOK (AP) — Opponents of Myanmar’s military government have welcomed the latest sanctions imposed by the European Union, the U.K. and Canada on individuals and entities supplying aviation fuel and equipment to the army. The army is currently on the defensive against ethnic militias in much of the country as well as hundreds of armed

Associated Press MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Northern Philippine provinces are forcibly evacuating villagers from high-risk areas as a powerful typhoon approached while the country is still recovering from a recent storm that left at least 182 dead and missing and many emergency shelters still crammed with displaced people. Typhoon Kong-rey was last tracked Wednesday blowing

Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — A second Japanese high court ruled Wednesday that the government’s policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of decisions upholding plaintiffs’ demands for marriage equality. The Tokyo High Court called the ongoing ban “a groundless legal discrimination based on sexual orientation,” saying it violates the constitutional

LONDON (AP) — Police say two people have been hospitalized after a fire broke out at the shipyard that builds Britain’s nuclear-powered submarines, but they said there is no nuclear risk. Cumbria Constabulary said the fire broke out soon after midnight at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, northwest England. The force said two people were

Associated Press UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. special envoy for Myanmar has warned that the Southeast Asian nation is in crisis, with conflict escalating, criminal networks “out of control” and human suffering at unprecedented levels. Julie Bishop told the U.N. General Assembly’s human rights committee on Tuesday in her first report since being appointed

Associated Press HONG KONG (AP) — A foreign man living in Hong Kong has been arrested on suspicion of killing a Southeast Asian woman at a waterfall inside a park in the Chinese territory. Police said the woman, who was about 25 years old, was a domestic worker in Hong Kong but did not work

Associated Press CHESTER, Md. (AP) — Republican and Democratic voters in Maryland largely agree on one thing: the state’s U.S. Senate race between Republican Larry Hogan and Democrat Angela Alsobrooks has unusually high stakes this year. In a deeply blue state where a Republican hasn’t won a Senate race in more than 40 years, Hogan

Associated Press CIUDAD HIDALGO, Mexico (AP) — The first place where many migrants sleep after entering Mexico from Guatemala is inside a large structure, a roof above and fenced-in sides on a rural ranch. They call it the “chicken coop” and they don’t get to leave until they pay the cartel that runs it. Migrant

Associated Press DULUTH, Ga. (AP) — No scene has dominated U.S. politics since 2015 quite like Donald Trump on stage, waxing on for an hour-plus in front of a chorus of red “Make America Great Again” hats. The stream-of-consciousness routine, the interrupting one of his thoughts with the next, is not a polemic Cicero or

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Maricopa County, Arizona, has become the nation’s ultimate swing county. It could determine whether Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump will be the next president and which party controls the U.S. Senate. The county is so closely divided politically that it can take more than a week to learn

Associated Press TRENTON, Mich. (AP) — The same Michigan voters Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris needs in the critical swing state will also determine whether her party maintains its foothold on state government two years after pulling off a historic sweep. Michigan Democrats enacted a strong progressive agenda following the 2022 midterms when they won

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Many American voters are concerned that the ongoing Middle East conflict will escalate into an all-out regional war, a new poll finds. About half of voters are “extremely” or “very” worried about the possibility of a broader war in the region. Though there is concern about the conflict growing, according

Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — America’s golden eagles face a rising threat from a black market for their feathers used in Native American powwows and other ceremonies, according to wildlife officials, researchers and tribal members. The government’s response has been two-pronged: A crackdown on rings illegally trafficking dead eagles coupled with a longstanding program

AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Fifteen years after little Anthony Volpe watched the Yankees parade with the World Series trophy, he saved their season and kept alive hopes for an improbable title. New York had moved closer to getting swept in the World Series when Freddie Freeman hit another first-inning home run. Volpe,

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — The Clark County auditor in southwest Washington state says about 475 damaged ballots were retrieved from a ballot box that was burned early Monday. Auditor Greg Kimsey said Tuesday evening that workers on Wednesday will begin searching through the damaged ballots for voter information in order to contact them about getting

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The national elections commission in Belarus has registered an initiative group for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to seek a seventh term in office, but rejected the attempts of two opposition politicians to get on the ballot. The election, scheduled for Jan. 26, would come 4 1/2 years after the 2020 vote

AP National Political Writer NEW YORK (AP) — In the shadow of the White House, seven days before the final votes of the 2024 election are cast, Kamala Harris vowed to put country over party and warned that Donald Trump is obsessed with revenge and his own personal interests. Less than 48 hours earlier inside

AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Freddie Freeman broke a pair of World Series records Tuesday night when he homered yet again for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 against the New York Yankees. The slugger laced a two-run shot to right field in the first inning for the second consecutive night, making

Associated Press A New York City judge has ruled that a law the city has relied on to padlock suspected unlicensed marijuana shops is unconstitutional. Mayor Eric Adams’ administration says it will appeal. New York City has been cracking down on cannabis stores that opened without a license after the state legalized recreational use of

Associated Press DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A clumsy and time-consuming early voting option in the nation’s biggest presidential battleground state is creating frustration. The new procedure in Pennsylvania is leading to hours-long lines and prompting claims of disenfranchisement as voters swamp county offices that aren’t prepared to handle the influx before Election Day. The confusion

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A jury in Nevada found a previously convicted felon guilty of breaking into a room at a Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino and robbing and killing two Vietnamese tour leaders six years ago. Julius Trotter now faces the possibility of a death sentence, or the jury could decide he’ll spend life in

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams has declined to say whether he opposes Donald Trump’s plan to launch the largest mass deportation operation in American history. The mayor also argued Tuesday that the Republican presidential nominee should not be considered a fascist. The comments fueled speculation that the Democratic

Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a Kenyan man plotted a 9/11-style attack on a U.S. building before his plans were interrupted. The comments came Tuesday in opening statements for a trial in New York City. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Bodansky told jurors that Cholo Abdi Abdullah plotted an attack for four

WHITE CLOUD, Mich. (AP) — A 65-year-old woman charged with violating Michigan’s new gun storage law in the death of her grandson has pleaded no contest to a different charge. Theresa Robart pleaded no contest to second-degree child abuse and is unlikely to face prison. Her 5-year-old grandson was shot and killed last April when

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — A long-running investigation found that Rhode Island’s governor “personally and directly intervened” in the awarding of a multimillion-dollar state contract but that his actions did not warrant criminal charges. The findings of the investigation from the Office of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island State Police released Tuesday focused on

RENO, Nev. (AP) — The manager of a key swing county in northern Nevada is out on medical leave, a departure announced just days before the election. Washoe County has been the center of attention in recent weeks amid turnover at the top of the elections office there. The county confirmed Tuesday that Manager Eric

Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. government has chosen winning bids to develop wind power off New England in the first commercial sale for floating offshore wind on the Atlantic coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held a lease sale and selected nearly $22 million in winning bids Tuesday for four lease

Religion News Service CONETOE, N.C. (RNS) — Congregants at Conetoe Chapel Missionary Baptist Church thought their pastor was crazy when he suggested his rural community take up farming as a way to improve their health and become more self-sufficient. The small, predominantly Black community, about 80 miles east of Raleigh, is surrounded by vast, fertile

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected an emergency appeal to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the presidential ballot in two battleground states. The justices did not elaborate in two brief orders rejecting the push Tuesday. There were no noted dissents. Kennedy wanted to get off the ballot in Wisconsin and

Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — An Alabama man who left threatening phone messages for Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and the county sheriff last summer has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison. Prosecutors said Arthur Ray Hanson made the calls because he was angry over Willis’ investigation into former President Donald Trump.

Associated Press COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man who died after he was placed in a spit hood and restrained in a Missouri prison was motionless for nearly 10 minutes before a nurse checked on him, prison video released Tuesday shows. Video of the final the moments before Othel Moore’s December 2023 death shows

NEW YORK (AP) — Francis Ford Coppola will receive the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award, the American Film Institute announced Tuesday. Coppola, who recently released his long-in-development epic “Megalopolis,” will be presented with the award in a gala tribute at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre on April 26. The 85-year-old filmmaker will be the 50th recipient

NEW YORK (AP) — A woman who owned a New York City day care center where a toddler died after ingesting fentanyl has pleaded guilty to federal drug charges. The plea came more than a year after the September 2023 death of 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici. Grei Mendez entered the guilty plea in Manhattan on Tuesday

DOUGLAS, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say a funeral home owner in south Georgia has been arrested and accused of neglecting human corpses after 18 bodies were found at the location in various stages of decomposition. Sheriff’s deputies said they made the discovery last weekend while serving an eviction notice at the business. The Georgia Bureau

Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of news organizations, readers, listeners and viewers will look to the The Associated Press Decision Desk on Nov. 5 to learn dozens of election results. Some have already been looking to the AP to learn where voters stand on certain issues and candidates. The AP has been calling elections

Associated Press CALI, Colombia (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged delegates at a major biodiversity summit to follow through on pledges to help save global biodiversity and for the private sector to come on board. Guterres spoke at a U.N. biodiversity summit underway since Oct. 21 in Colombia. His comments came a day after

Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Counties in Philadelphia’s suburbs are being asked to reject the mail-in ballot applications of hundreds of voters in what the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania said are illegal challenges. The challenges question the voter’s residence based on a supposed match with a U.S. Postal Service change-of-address database. Diane

Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli legislation cutting ties with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees has raised fears that the largest provider of aid to Gaza could be shut out of the war-ravaged territory, even as the implications of the new laws remain unclear. The agency known as UNRWA provides essential services to millions

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — Homeowners on a Southern California peninsula where worsening landslides have damaged homes and led to utility shutoffs are eligible for a $42 million voluntary buyout program offered by state and federal officials. The program was announced Monday night during a special town hall meeting for Rancho Palos Verdes residents

NEW YORK (AP) — One of NBC News’ longest-tenured correspondents, Andrea Mitchell, is switching gears. She said she’ll end her weekday MSNBC show, “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” after the inauguration of a new president in January but continue with the network in a reporting role. The 77-year-old Mitchell has been working for NBC News since 1978,

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia police department did not violate the First Amendment rights of several officers who were fired or suspended for racist and violent social media posts. That is the ruling a federal judge issued Monday, just days before the case was set to go to trial. U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone determined

ATLANTA (AP) — One of the co-defendants standing trial alongside the rapper Young Thug accepted a plea deal with prosecutors Tuesday. Quamarvious Nichols, 29, pleaded guilty in Fulton County Superior Court to a single violation of Georgia’s anti-racketeering law, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop murder and weapons charges against him.

Associated Press MIAMI (AP) — A lawsuit alleges U.S. immigration authorities illegally kept more than $300 million in bond payments made by tens of thousands of low-income immigrant families and U.S. citizens. Law firm Motley Rice LLC says in the federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement kept the