Voters in Israel will decide whether to oust Netanyahu after 3 years of war
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis will vote in a pivotal election as the country grapples with unfinished wars and divisions over its future. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a strong challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Polls show neither candidate's party is likely to garner enough support for a parliamentary majority, leading to possible weeks of negotiations over forming a winning coalition. The election is Israel's first national vote since the Oct. 7 attacks and serves as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership. The outcome could shape Israel's identity as either more nationalist and religious or liberal democratic.
Appeals court declines to block California from counting 20,000 disputed ballots
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An appeals court has declined to rule on whether California elections officials can count roughly 20,000 ballots that the Justice Department alleges likely belong to noncitizen voters. Monday's decision sets the federal government and state officials up for another legal showdown Tuesday before a federal district judge. That gives the federal government a very short window to compel California to sequester votes before the Nov. 3 elections. The Republican administration sued election officials in the heavily Democratic state in mid-October, accusing them of failing to meet a 48-hour deadline to review a list of 20,000 people it alleged were likely noncitizens on the state’s voter rolls. The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to an emailed inquiry about Monday's decision.
Trump administration attempting to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey again
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is attempting to prosecute James Comey for what it calls a decade-old leak of classified information. The former FBI director’s lawyers immediately dismissed the effort as invalid and outside the time limit for when the Justice Department can file a case. The allegations from the Justice Department came in documents unsealed Monday in federal court in Washington. Prosecutors are trying to bring what would be the third criminal case against Comey, a longtime critic and foe of President Donald Trump, since the Republican returned to the White House last year. Comey says, “It would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice."
Anthropic files for potentially the biggest IPO ever as CEO warns of risk to humanity from AI
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Artificial intelligence giant Anthropic has filed paperwork for what could be the biggest initial public offering of stock ever even as its top executive warns that advanced AI could pose an existential threat to humanity. Monday's filing sets up the San Francisco company for a Wall Street debut next month, potentially eclipsing the SpaceX initial public offering in June that raised a record $86 billion. An Anthropic IPO would also put the company ahead of OpenAI in going public in what is expected to be a pair of blockbuster stock debuts for the rival AI labs.
Lula mobilized millions to win Brazil's election, while Bolsonaro contests loss and Trump cries foul
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won reelection in Brazil's presidential runoff. He made a comeback after trailing by more than 2 million votes in the first round. Lula convinced an extra 10 million voters to support him this time. His competitor, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, did not concede. This sets the stage for a possible showdown between the country’s two polarizing political forces. Lula is expected to take office on January 5, 2027. Early signs from Brazil’s institutions suggest the results will be respected nationally and internationally. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday, without providing evidence, that Lula's reelection was “rigged.”
Trump campaigns in Mississippi, highlighting Republicans' challenges
CORINTH, Miss. (AP) — President Donald Trump campaigned in Mississippi as both parties made their closing arguments ahead of midterm elections in eight days. And the Mississippi Democrat who Trump wants defeated stopped by the president’s rally site, too. Senate candidate Scott Colom said he wanted to hear from the Mississippians attending Trump’s rally on Monday with Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Trump’s campaign blitz highlights Republicans’ challenges ahead of an election that could shift power in Washington and beyond. Colom is trying to pull off an upset bid against Hyde-Smith. Elsewhere on Monday, Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Montana and Kansas, once considered safe GOP territory.
France promises to replace its university admissions after riots and thousands of arrests
PARIS (AP) — France’s government has pledged to replace its national online university admissions platform in 2028. The move announced on Monday seeks to quell student anger after weeks of mass protests over education and living costs. Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced during a news conference “substantial change” for 2027 before the platform’s replacement in 2028. The system is called Parcoursup and handles applications to universities and other higher education courses. Students have criticized unclear selection criteria and unequal access to their preferred courses. The announcements followed France’s worst unrest in years on Oct. 17. Demonstrations over school funding and rising living costs descended into rioting and looting across the country.
Man serving a life sentence for murder slips through a fence and escapes a Tennessee prison
TIPTONVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Authorities say a man serving a life sentence for murder has escaped from a prison in northwest Tennessee. Officials discovered 28-year-old Jacob Morley was missing late Sunday at the Northwest Correctional Complex. Security footage showed Morley going through a fence in his prison uniform. Prison officials didn't give additional details on how Morley made it through the fence. Law enforcement is searching buildings and other structures near the prison about 90 miles north of Memphis. Morley was convicted of killing his co-worker in 2022. The Northwest Correctional Complex has faced issues with violence and staffing shortages.
Netanyahu’s legacy is on the line as Israelis vote in the first elections since the Oct. 7 attack
JERUSALEM (AP) — When Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, it looked like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s days in office were numbered. With the country overwhelmed by grief and anger after the deadliest attack in its history, his resignation seemed like a matter of time. But the divisive veteran Israeli leader has scratched, scraped and literally battled his way back during a stormy three-year period of nonstop domestic crises and wars across the region. Confounding his critics, he now finds himself in a tight race for reelection on Tuesday. It's a vote in which the legacy of the country’s most dominant politician of nearly two decades is on the line.
Quirky Tropicana Field isn't a pretty ballpark, but the Rays love their home
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — With its concrete exterior, massive, sloping dome and cavernous indoor atmosphere, Tropicana Field possesses little of the aesthetic beauty and charm associated with baseball’s most celebrated stadiums. But the Tampa Bay Rays love their quirky ballpark, especially after being forced out for a season because of destruction from Hurricane Milton. A sellout crowd of more than 40,000 towel-waving, cowbell-ringing fans will welcome the Rays back for Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night after a pair of gut-wrenching, one-run losses in Milwaukee. The Brewers are two wins away from the franchise’s first World Series title. The Rays need to win four of five games to secure their first championship in their 29th season.
