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In the news today: The nation's first major Election Day since President Donald Trump returned to the White House; the Justice Department urges a federal judge to reject James Comey's effort to dismiss indictment; and Israel is rocked by scandal as its top military lawyer is arrested over the leaking of a video allegedly showing the abuse of a Palestinian detainee. Also, camels, with bling. |
Ballots for the statewide special election are sorted at the Orange County Registrar of Voters office in Santa Ana, Calif., on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) |
What to watch on Election Day
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Today marks the nation's first major Election Day since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, and his leadership and policies dominated the debate in almost every race — even though the Republican was absent from the campaign trail. Read more. |
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- The biggest contests are in Virginia and New Jersey, the only states electing governors this year. Trump lost both last fall, but voters in each have a history of electing Republicans for statewide office.
In New York City, a self-described democratic socialist who already has been a target of Trump's criticism could emerge as a national star if elected mayor. And California voters will decide whether to redraw the state's House map, as Democrats look to counter a push by Trump to reshape the balance of congressional power.
- Some GOP candidates have closely aligned themselves with the president, betting that his big win last year can still provide a path to victory this time. Strong Democratic showings, meanwhile, could provide the party a pathway back to national relevance — even if its top candidates have taken very different approaches, from adhering to a moderate line to wholeheartedly embracing government spending to improve voters' lives.
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Justice Department urges judge to reject Comey's effort to dismiss case |
The Justice Department urged a federal judge Monday to reject James Comey's claim that his prosecution amounts to political retribution, arguing the former FBI director has failed to show that he's being targeted as punishment for his criticism of the Republican president. Read more. |
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Comey's lawyers told the judge last month that the charges must be thrown out because they were brought out of "personal spite" at the direction of the president. Prosecutors defended President Donald Trump's September social media post demanding that action be taken in the Comey investigation, contending it reflects "legitimate prosecutorial motive" and is no basis to dismiss the indictment accusing Comey of lying to Congress in 2020.
The filing underscores how Trump's comments have put the Justice Department in a difficult position as Comey and other defendants seize on the president's remarks in efforts to have their cases dismissed ahead of trial. A lawyer for New York Attorney General Letitia James, another Trump foe who's been charged in a mortgage fraud investigation, has signaled that he will make a similar argument.
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Israel rocked by scandal as top military lawyer arrested over leaked video
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Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, the Israeli army's top lawyer, is behind bars and at the center of a scandal rocking the country after a bizarre sequence of events that included her abrupt resignation, a brief disappearance and a frantic search that led authorities to find her on a Tel Aviv beach. Read more. |
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The saga was touched off last week by Tomer-Yerushalmi's explosive admission that she approved the leak of a surveillance video at the center of a politically divisive investigation into allegations of severe abuse against a Palestinian at a notorious Israeli military prison. The video shows part of an assault in which Israeli soldiers are accused of sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee.
By leaking the video last year, Tomer-Yerushalmi aimed to expose the seriousness of the allegations her office was investigating. Instead, it triggered fierce criticism from Israel's hard-line political leaders. After Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned under pressure last week, her critics continued to heave personal insults.
- The extraordinary episode shows two years of devastating war have done little to heal a country that was deeply divided even before Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. It also makes Tomer-Yerushalmi the latest in a long line of top security officials who have either left office or been forced out, most of them to be replaced by people considered loyal to Netanyahu and his hardline government.
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Decorated camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) |
Photos of an iconic camel fair in Indian desert town that draws traders and tourists
Pushkar, nestled in the arid plains of Rajasthan, has transformed into a vibrant festival ground as hundreds of camels, draped in tassels, colorful beads and flower garlands, are paraded and sold to the highest bidder. For centuries, the annual Pushkar Camel Fair has been a vital event for India's camel-breeding communities, many of whom live a nomadic desert life and travel hundreds of kilometers from remote villages to trade their livestock. |
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Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Sarah |
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