Trump says Secret Service and the military wanted him off Air Force One in Turkey due to threat
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he slipped away from Air Force One after a trip last month in Turkey because the Secret Service and military wanted him on a “different plane” due to a threat. Trump on Tuesday downplayed the extraordinary nature of the subterfuge involved in his flight, which saw him stow away in an airport catering container to sneak onto another plane while Air Force One was sent into the sky, essentially as a decoy. He also downplayed the risk to the people — White House officials, security and support staff, and reporters — he left on the plane.
The Latest: Darline Graham, Ralph Norman advance to GOP runoff to replace late Sen. Lindsey Graham
Primary elections are taking place in six U.S. states — Alabama, Connecticut, Minnesota, South Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin. Progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has won Minnesota’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary over centrist U.S. Rep. Angie Craig in the latest moderate-vs.-progressive contest in the Democratic Party. In the race for governor, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth has won the GOP primary despite President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mike Lindell, known as the MyPillow Guy. Sen. Amy Klobuchar has earned the Democratic nomination with minimal opposition. Wisconsin's Democratic primary for governor is another clash between the party’s establishment and progressive wings, as democratic socialist Francesca Hong tries to rise above establishment candidate David Crowley.
AP Exclusive: ICE plans to give officers gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks that are intended to gain compliance from combative individuals. A notice published Monday by the Department of Homeland Security says ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March. The devices are known as the G.L.O.V. E. That stands for Generated Low Output Voltage Emitter. They're made by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky. They have been used in recent years by some jails and police departments.
Iranian-backed Houthis kill 6 in attack on vessel, and other developments in the Mideast
Authorities in Yemen say at least six people were killed when Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles on a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The Transportation Ministry of Yemen’s internationally recognized government said Tuesday the dead included four crew members and two members of the government-allied National Resistance Forces. The deadly vessel strike came amid renewed attacks on government-controlled areas in Yemen, raising concerns that the violence could reignite civil war and further threaten regional shipping routes. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed by Iran, there has been renewed focus on the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait at Yemen’s southern tip.
Earthquake response strains Colombia's new government and rescuers as they race against the clock
PEREIRA, Colombia (AP) — The search for life in the rubble of Colombia’s powerful earthquake is growing more desperate as search teams push up against a key time threshold to locate survivors before it's too late. The devastation is testing Colombia's new president as his government scrambles to respond to the natural disaster and ensure aid makes to the vulnerable communities most affected by Monday's quake and more than 100 aftershocks. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours crucial for retrieving people alive, though that limit can be extended if they have access to food and water.
Former US Marine held in Russia for more than 4 years on disputed charges has been released
WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia has released an American military veteran, allowing his return to the U.S. after four years of what his family and U.S. officials allege was wrongful incarceration and abusive treatment that left him near death. Robert Gilman was freed after President Donald Trump said he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said Gilman was released on humanitarian grounds and Russia asked for no one in exchange. The 32-year-old Massachusetts teacher and former Marine was on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas. That's according to Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free him and other American detainees abroad.
FACT FOCUS: Trump makes false claims as he signs order urging revisions around childhood vaccines
While issuing an executive order urging states to revise childhood vaccine recommendations, President Donald Trump and others in his administration repeated several false claims about those vaccines, as well as their relationship to autism. Many public health experts expressed concern about the recommendations. They noted that childhood vaccines and how they should be given have been rigorously studied globally for decades. They say the current model has proven to be safe and effective at protecting children.
Tuesday's takeaways: No clear direction for Wisconsin Democrats
The Democratic Party's ideological divide moved into new and uncertain territory, with prominent races in Wisconsin and Minnesota framing the fight between left-leaning candidates and their centrist opponents. But in some races Tuesday night in the party, voters chose experienced nominees for governor in Connecticut and Minnesota. The showcase Republican race was a special primary to determine the nominee to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. His sister, Darline Graham, was assured of a spot in a runoff election.
Western Canada fights growing wildfires as thousands more told to be ready to leave
WEST KELOWNA, British Columbia (AP) — A wildfire in western Canada that has forced about 20,000 people to flee grew overnight. Authorities are still fighting to contain the blaze that’s destroyed homes and other properties near Okanagan Lake in British Columbia. The fire is burning toward Summerland, a community east of Vancouver. Beyond those already forced to flee, another 10,000 people have been told to be ready to leave on short notice. Multiple other fires were burning in the province, and officials are warning that lightning may spark more. And other wildfires are burning in the U.S., including in California's Big Sur region.
Judge again bars Trump administration from implementing order that sought to limit mail voting
BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge has agreed to halt President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to have the U.S. Postal Service play a central role in deciding who can receive a mail ballot. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani on Tuesday sided with the League of Women Voters and other voting rights groups that challenged the Republican president’s order and granted a preliminary injunction. Her ruling bars the Postal Service from taking any action to implement the order ahead of this year's midterm elections. Separate plaintiffs had argued in two lawsuits that the order should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules.
