AP News Summary at 11:46 p.m. EDT
Israeli airstrikes surge in Gaza, killing dozens at a time in destroyed homes, witnesses say
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Health Ministry in Gaza says hundreds of people were killed in the past day as a result of Israeli airstrikes. Israel has been striking Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Israel said Tuesday it had launched 400 airstrikes over the past day, killing Hamas commanders, hitting militants as they were preparing to launch rockets into Israel and striking command centers and a Hamas tunnel shaft. The Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said more than 700 people were killed in the past day, a claim that AP could not independently verify.
US developing contingency plans to evacuate Americans from Mideast in case Israel-Hamas war spreads
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is developing “prudent contingency planning” to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders’ first interaction since before Hamas attacked Israel.
Republicans nominate Mike Johnson for House speaker after Emmer’s withdrawal, desperate to end chaos
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans have chosen Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as their latest nominee for House speaker. This comes hours after another Republican nominee, Rep. Tom Emmer, abruptly withdrew his bid amid opposition from Donald Trump. Johnson is the fourth candidate Republicans have now nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted three weeks ago. Republicans are desperate to end the chaos and get back to work. Johnson had been the second-place vote getter in a morning round of voting. But it’s unclear if any Republican nominee can unite the party’s hardline and more traditional factions to win the gavel in a floor vote.
Off-duty pilot said ‘I’m not OK’ before trying to cut engines midflight, charging documents say
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — New court documents say an off-duty airline pilot who tried to cut the engines on a flight in mid-air told police he had been struggling with depression. State prosecutors in Oregon filed 83 counts of attempted murder against 44-year-old Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph David Emerson on Tuesday. His attorney has entered not guilty pleas on his behalf. Federal prosecutors charged Emerson with interfering with a flight crew. The charge can carry up to 20 years in prison. Court documents say Emerson told police he had been struggling with depression, that a friend had recently died and that he had taken psychedelic mushrooms about 48 hours before he attempted to cut the engines.
Diamondbacks stun Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of NLCS to reach first World Series in 22 years
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Corbin Carroll went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and the Arizona Diamondbacks advanced to the World Series for the first time in 22 years by stunning the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series. Arizona plays the Texas Rangers in the World Series, with Game 1 set for Friday night at Globe Life Field. In their only other trip to the Fall Classic, the Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in a seven-game thriller in 2001. The young Diamondbacks, who at 84-78 squeezed into the playoffs as the final National League wild card, completed their comeback from an 0-2 hole in the NLCS by taking early leads in Games 6 and 7 to win the final two in Philadelphia.
Hurricane Otis now a catastrophic Category 5 storm off Mexico’s Pacific coast nearing Acapulco
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Otis has strengthened from a tropical storm to a dangerous Category 5 storm in a matter of hours as it approaches Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, where it is forecast to make landfall near the resort of Acapulco early Wednesday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warns that Otis will cause catastrophic damage when it makes landfall. The center says Otis had maximum sustained winds of 160 mph late Tuesday. It was centered about 55 miles south-southeast of Acapulco and moving north-northwest at 9 mph. Otis is forecast to drop five to 10 inches of rain on Mexico’s Guerrero state, with as much as 15 inches possible in some areas. That raises the possibility of mudslides and flashfloods in Guerrero’s steep mountainous terrain.
Jenna Ellis becomes latest Trump lawyer to plead guilty over efforts to overturn Georgia’s election
ATLANTA (AP) — Attorney and prominent conservative media figure Jenna Ellis has pleaded guilty to a felony charge over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Ellis tearfully told the judge Tuesday she looks back on that time with “deep remorse.” Ellis is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. She was a vocal part of Trump’s reelection campaign and was charged alongside the Republican former president and 17 others with violating the state’s anti-racketeering law. Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in the Georgia case, used Ellis’ plea to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the racketeering charges Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought.
In court faceoff, Michael Cohen testifies against Trump in fraud trial. Trump shrugs: ‘Proven liar’
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe Michael Cohen faced off with him at the former president’s civil fraud trial. Cohen testified Tuesday that he worked to boost Trump’s asset values on paper to whatever number Trump wanted. Trump’s lawyers — and Trump himself — are seeking to portray Cohen as a serial liar. While being cross-examined, Cohen, a disbarred attorney, even floated his own objections and responded to some queries with “asked and answered!” Cohen is a key witness in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit alleging that Trump and his company duped banks, insurers and others by giving them financial statements that inflated his wealth. Trump denies any wrongdoing.
States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
Dozens of U.S. states, including California, New York, Arizona and Indiana are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people’s mental health and contributing the youth mental health crisis by knowingly designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to the platforms. The lawsuit filed in federal court in California also claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law.
Toll rises to 8 dead, 63 hurt from Louisiana interstate pileup blamed on dense fog, marsh fire smoke
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The toll from a fiery pileup in dense fog on a Louisiana interstate has risen to eight dead and 63 injured. Authorities announced the new totals Tuesday evening, a day after Monday’s “super fog” of marsh fire smoke and fog snared more than 160 vehicles in the pileup on Interstate 55. Besides the eight fatalities, authorities say at least 63 people had injuries ranging from minor to critical. The crashes occurred on a 1-mile stretch of elevated interstate that crosses swampland and open water west of New Orleans. Crews using heavy equipment cleared away the last of the mangled, fire-blackened vehicles Tuesday morning.