Russia strikes Ukraine's capital despite US peace push
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a wave of attacks on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, striking residential buildings and energy infrastructure. Local authorities said a residential building in the eastern district of Dniprovskyi was badly damaged and at least four people were injured. Ukraine’s energy ministry said energy infrastructure had been hit but didn't give details. The attacks Tuesday morning followed talks between U.S. and Ukraine representatives in Geneva on Sunday about a U.S.-Russia brokered peace plan.
Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department. The rulings from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie amount to a stunning rebuke of the Trump administration’s efforts to target Trump’s political opponents as well as its legal maneuvering to hastily install a loyalist prosecutor willing to file the cases. The orders make Lindsey Halligan the latest Trump administration prosecutor to be disqualified because of the manner in which they were appointed.
Pentagon says it's investigating Sen. Mark Kelly over video urging troops to defy 'illegal orders'
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says it's investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible breaches of military law after the former Navy pilot joined a handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for U.S. troops to defy “illegal orders.” The Pentagon’s statement Monday cited a federal law that allows retired service members to be recalled to active duty on orders of the defense secretary for possible court martial or other measures. Kelly said he upheld his oath to the Constitution and dismissed the Pentagon investigation as the work of “bullies.” It's extraordinary for the Pentagon to directly threaten a sitting member of Congress with investigation.
Trump administration plans to review refugees admitted under Biden, memo obtained by The AP says
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration plans to review all refugees admitted during the Biden years, according to a memo obtained by The Associated Press. This move could create confusion and fear among nearly 200,000 refugees who entered during that time. The memo claims that the Biden administration prioritized “expediency” and “quantity” over thorough vetting. Refugee advocates argue that refugees are already highly vetted and criticize the review as cruel and wasteful. The review also suspends green card approvals for refugees from that period. The administration has previously set a historic low limit for refugee entries.
Thousands of arrests by Trump's crime-fighting task force in Memphis strain crowded jail and courts
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A task force ordered by President Donald Trump to combat crime in Memphis, Tennessee, has made thousands of arrests. It's compounded strains on the busy local court system and an already overcrowded jail in ways that concerned officials say will last months or even years as cases play out. Since late September, hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement personnel tied to the Memphis Safe Task Force have made traffic stops, served warrants and searched for fugitives in the city of about 610,000 people. More than 2,800 people have been arrested and more than 28,000 traffic citations have been issued. The task force is supported by Republican Gov. Bill Lee and others who hope the surge reduces violent crime.
A guide to Thanksgiving travel after the government shutdown
Travelers this Thanksgiving may still feel on edge after the historic government shutdown that caused widespread flight cancellations and delays. But experts say staying informed about weather, traffic, and airport wait times can help ease anxiety. The FAA is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving in 15 years, with over 360,000 flights scheduled. And the TSA expects to screen more than 17.8 million people. Winter weather could impact major airports, so travelers should check forecasts regularly. Packing smartly and arriving early can also reduce stress. For road trips, AAA advises checking your car and avoiding peak traffic times.
US-backed aid company in Gaza shutters operations as Israel's military and defense minister clash
JERUSALEM (AP) — The U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, set up to distribute aid to Gaza as an alternative to the United Nations but which Palestinians said endangered the lives of civilians as they tried to get food, has said it will shutter operations. The company had already closed distribution sites after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect six weeks ago in Gaza. It announced Monday that it was permanently shutting down, claiming it had fulfilled its mission. Also Monday, Israel’s defense minister and its military’s chief of staff clashed publicly over the army’s latest probes of its failures in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants that sparked the Israel-Hamas war.
One of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre's last survivors, Viola Ford Fletcher, dies at age 111
DALLAS (AP) — One of the last known survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre in Oklahoma has died. Viola Ford Fletcher was 111. Her grandson, Ike Howard, said Monday that she died surrounded by family at a Tulsa hospital. In recent years, she had sought justice for the deadly attack by a white mob on the thriving Black community where she had lived as a child. Sustained by a strong faith, she raised three children, worked as a welder in a shipyard during World War II and spent decades caring for families as a housekeeper. She was 7 when the two-day attack began on the prosperous area that was known as Black Wall Street.
China launches Shenzhou 22 spacecraft to assist in return of 3 astronauts stranded on space station
BEIJING (AP) — China has launched the Shenzhou 22 spacecraft to help bring back a team of astronauts after a damaged spacecraft left them temporarily stranded on China's space station. The Shenzhou 22 will be used sometime in 2026 by the three astronauts who docked on the Tiangong space station on Nov. 1. Earlier this month, another group of Chinese astronauts faced a nine-day delay in their return to Earth after their craft’s window was damaged. They eventually returned using the Shenzhou 21 spacecraft, which had just carried the replacement crew to Tiangong. While the three-person crew landed safely back on Earth, three of their fellow astronauts on the replacement crew were temporarily left without a guaranteed way to return in case of an emergency.
Jimmy Cliff, reggae giant and star of landmark film 'The Harder They Come,' dead at 81
NEW YORK (AP) — Jimmy Cliff, the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor who preached defiance, joy and endurance in such classics as “Many Rivers to Cross,” “You Can Get it If You Really Want” and “Vietnam” and starred in the landmark movie “The Harder They Come,” has died at 81. Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for topical lyrics who joined Kingston’s emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh.
