South Korean reprisal launch blows up after North’s success
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A malfunctioning South Korean ballistic missile blew up as it plowed into the ground during a drill with the United States that was a reprisal for North Korea’s launch a day earlier of a weapon that flew over Japan and has the range to strike Guam. The explosion panicked and confused residents of the coastal city of Gangneung. Their concern that it could be a North Korean attack only grew as the military and government officials provided no explanation about the explosion for hours. The short-range Hyumoo-2 missile that crashed inside an air force base in the outskirts of Gangneung is key to South Korea’s preemptive and retaliatory strike strategies against the North.
Retreating Russians leave their comrades’ bodies behind
LYMAN, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops abandoned a key Ukrainian city so rapidly that they left the bodies of their comrades in the streets. The scene offered more evidence Tuesday of Moscow’s latest military defeat as it struggles to hang on to four regions of Ukraine that it illegally annexed last week. Russia’s upper house of parliament rubber-stamped the annexations Tuesday after “referendums” that Ukraine and its Western allies dismissed as fraudulent. Responding to the move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally ruled out talks with Russia. Meanwhile, the U.S. announced it would provide an additional $625 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more of the advanced rocket systems credited with helping Ukraine’s military momentum.
Deal back on? Elon Musk gets closer to buying Twitter
The tumultuous saga of Elon Musk’s on-again off-again purchase of Twitter has taken a turn toward a conclusion. The mercurial Tesla CEO proposed to buy the company at the originally agreed-on price of $44 billion. Musk made the proposal in a letter to Twitter that the company disclosed in a filing Tuesday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It comes less than two weeks before a trial between the two parties is scheduled to start in Delaware. In a statement, Twitter said it intends to close the deal at $54.20 per share. Trading in Twitter’s stock had been halted for much of the day pending release of the news. It resumed trading late Tuesday and soared 22% to close at $52.
You’re a winner: Listening in on ‘the call’ for Nobel Prize
Usually the call telling scientists that they won a Nobel Prize is received in private by the special few. Not in American physicist John Clauser’s case. He was on a Zoom interview with The Associated Press when the call finally came and he asked if it was OK to talk with the Nobel Committee. Sure. Now the world gets a glimpse of what it’s like to be told you are the ultimate winner. Spoiler alert: He already knew he won. Friends had called him earlier. It just took some time for the Swedish Academy of Sciences to get through to his busy home phone.
Haiti at breaking point as economy tanks and violence soars
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, is in the grips of an inflationary vise that is squeezing its citizenry and exacerbating protests that have brought society to the breaking point. Violence is raging and making parents afraid to send their kids to school; fuel and clean water are scarce; and hospitals, banks and grocery stores are struggling to remain open. Daily life in Haiti began to spin out of control last month just hours after Prime Minister Ariel Henry said fuel subsidies would be eliminated, causing prices to double. Protesters vow to keep up the pressure until Henry resigns.
US starts fiscal year with record $31 trillion in debt
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s gross national debt has surpassed $31 trillion, according to a U.S. Treasury report released Tuesday. It is edging closer to the statutory ceiling of roughly $31.4 trillion, an artificial cap Congress placed on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. The debt numbers hit an already tenuous economy facing high inflation, rising interest rates and a strong U.S. dollar. President Joe Biden has touted his administration’s deficit reduction efforts this year and has recently signed the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which attempts to tame 40-year high price increases caused by a variety of economic factors. But economists say the latest debt numbers are a cause for concern.
Trump asks Supreme Court to intervene in Mar-a-Lago dispute
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to step into the legal fight over the classified documents seized during an FBI search of his Florida estate. The Trump team asked the court Tuesday to overturn a lower court ruling and permit an independent arbiter, or special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with classified markings that were taken in the Aug. 8 search. A three-judge panel last month limited the review to the much larger tranche of non-classified documents. A veteran Brooklyn judge, Raymond Dearie, is serving as special master.
Son’s images show him rescuing Mom from Ian’s floodwaters
As Hurricane Ian flooded Naples, Florida, one man went to rescue his 86-year-old mom from her home after she had refused to evacuate. He sent photos and short videos to his family, letting them know he was OK. That’s how Johnny Lauder ended up unintentionally documented the whole rescue. His mom Karen had lost a leg and requires a wheelchair. As the waters rose, she called her son for help. Lauder swam, waded and walked about a half mile to her. Several hours later, the water subsided enough for him to push her through the streets to safety.
Yankees star Judge hits 62nd homer to break Maris’ AL record
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Aaron Judge has hit his 62nd home run of the season to break Roger Maris’ American League record. Judge hit a 1-1 slider from Texas right-hander Jesús Tinoco into the first row of seats in left field when leading off the second game of New York’s day-night doubleheader on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Judge had homered only once in his past 13 games. That was when he hit No. 61 in Toronto last Wednesday to match Maris. While Maris’ 61 for the Yankees in 1961 had been exceeded six times previously, all were tainted by the stench of steroids. That includes Barry Bonds’ 73 for the the San Francisco Giants in 2001, though he has denied knowingly using performing-enhancing drugs.
Jolie details Brad Pitt abuse allegations in court filing
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A new court filing from Angelina Jolie alleges that on a 2016 flight, Brad Pitt grabbed her by the head and shook her then choked one of their children and struck another when they tried to defend her. The descriptions of abuse on the private flight came in a cross-complaint Jolie filed Tuesday in the couple’s dispute over a winery they co-owned. A representative for Pitt denied the abuse allegations to The Associated Press. The allegations were first aired soon after the flight, but details have been kept sealed. The FBI and Los Angeles County’s child services agency investigated but found no grounds for action against Pitt.