AP News Summary at 11:51 p.m. EDT
After weeks in besieged Gaza, some foreign nationals and wounded Palestinians are allowed to leave
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel’s military says its ground troops have advanced to “the gates of Gaza City” amid heavy fighting. After more than three weeks of siege, the first Palestinians were allowed to leave Gaza on Wednesday. They were hundreds of dual passport holders and dozens of seriously injured people. Israeli airstrikes pounded a densely populated area for the second day in a row. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced plans to visit the region this week, as Jordan, a key U.S. ally, recalled its ambassador from Israel in protest over the “humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.
Biden calls for humanitarian ‘pause’ in Israel-Hamas war
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — President Joe Biden says he thinks there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war. Biden was talking to a roomful of supporters gathered in Minneapolis for a reelection fundraiser when he was interrupted by a protester calling for a cease-fire. The call for a pause was a subtle departure for Biden and top White House aides. Throughout the Mideast crisis they have been steadfast in stating they would not dictate how the Israelis carry out their military operations in response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants.
Opposition mounts in Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Countries in the Middle East that have normalized or are considering normalizing relations with Israel are coming under growing public pressure to cut those ties because of Israel’s war with Hamas. Protesters in Morocco and Bahrain have demanded their governments cut all ties with Israel, mirroring protests agains the war across the region. The protesters’ demands present an uncomfortable dilemma for governments that have enjoyed the benefits of closer military and economic ties with Israel in recent years. Experts say the protests likely won’t result in any policy change.
Donald Trump Jr. testifies he never worked on the key documents in his father’s civil fraud trial
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump Jr. has testified that he never worked on his father’s business financial statements. He was questioned Wednesday in court about the documents that now are at the heart of the civil fraud trial that threatens former President Donald Trump’s real estate empire. The lawsuit filed by New York state’s attorney general centers on whether the former president and his business misled banks and insurers by inflating his net worth on the financial statements. The Trumps deny wrongdoing.
Hearing to determine if Trump can be barred from office reaches far back in history for answers
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado judge has denied a motion by Donald Trump’s attorneys to dismiss a case challenging his eligibility to run for president because of the “insurrection” clause of the 14th Amendment. District Court Judge Sarah B. Wallace on Wednesday said many of the legal questions raised have never been addressed by a court before. Trump’s attorneys had moved for an immediate ruling because they said the plaintiffs had not proved that Trump “incited” the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Earlier, a law professor testified on how the Constitution’s insurrection provision can bar a presidential candidate from the ballot. Two former Trump aides said the then-president wanted National Guard protection on Jan. 6 though it never happened.
Texas Rangers win first World Series title with 5-0 win over Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5
PHOENIX (AP) — Nathan Eovaldi pitched six gutsy innings, Mitch Garver broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single in the seventh and the Texas Rangers are World Series champions for the first time in their 63-season franchise history after beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5. The Rangers finished with a postseason-record and nearly unfathomable 11-0 record on the road, capping the Fall Classic with three straight wins in the desert. One night after Texas took a 10-run lead by the third in a Game 4 snoozer, it finished the Series by outlasting the Diamondbacks in a white-knuckle pitchers’ duel through eight innings, piling on four runs in the ninth for good measure.
Bob Knight, Indiana’s combustible coaching giant, dies at age 83
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — The turbulent and brilliant basketball coach Bob Knight has died. Knight’s family made the announcement Wednesday night on social media, saying he was surrounded by family at his home in Bloomington. Knight led the Hoosiers to three NCAA championships. He was among college basketball’s winningest coaches, with 902 victories in 42 seasons at Army, Indiana and Texas Tech. He coached the U.S. to the 1984 Olympic gold medal. His temper was legendary: In 1985, he tossed a chair across the court. But he took pride in his players’ high graduation rates and never was accused of a major NCAA violation. Bob Knight was 83.
Rep. George Santos survives effort to expel him from the House. But he still faces an ethics report
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. George Santos has easily survived a vote to expel him from the House as most Republicans opted to withhold punishment as both his criminal trial and a House Ethics Committee investigation proceed. The effort to kick Santos out of the House was led by his fellow New York Republicans, who are anxious to distance themselves from a colleague infamous for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, lying to Congress and receiving unemployment benefits he did not deserve. But the vast majority of Republicans and more than 30 Democrats have voted against expelling Santos. The final vote was 179 for expulsion and 213 against.
Republicans confront Tuberville over military holds in extraordinary showdown on Senate floor
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican senators have angrily challenged Sen. Tommy Tuberville on his blockade of almost 400 military officers. They took over the Senate floor for hours on Wednesday evening to call for individual confirmation votes after a monthslong stalemate. Tuberville stood and objected over and over again, extending his holds on the military confirmations and promotions with no immediate resolution in sight. But the extraordinary confrontation between Republicans escalated the standoff as Defense Department officials have repeatedly said the backlog of officials awaiting confirmation could endanger national security. Tuberville said Wednesday that there is “zero chance” he will drop the holds.
The mayors of five big cities seek a meeting with Biden about how to better manage arriving migrants
WASHINGTON (AP) — The 聽mayors of Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and New York are pressing to meet with President Joe Biden about the migrants arriving in their cities. The Democratic leader want to discuss getting federal help in managing the surge of migrants they say are arriving with little to no coordination, support or resources from the president’s administration. The Democratic leaders say in a letter obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday that while they appreciate Biden’s efforts so far, much more needs to be done to ease the burden on their cities. Biden is increasingly under fire on this issue from members of his own party. And Republicans claim he’s soft on border security.