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TRUMP IMPEACHMENT
Ex-Trump aide wants judge to decide on impeachment testimony
WASHINGTON (AP) — An ex-White House aide who's supposed to testify before House impeachment investigators on Monday is seeking guidance from a federal court about whether to comply with a House subpoena or follow President Donald Trump's directive against cooperating.
Former deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman has asked a judge in Washington to instruct him whether to accede to House demands for his testimony or to assert "immunity from congressional process" as directed by Trump.
Kupperman argues that he cannot satisfy the competing demands of the legislative and executive branches.
The impeachment inquiry continued Saturday with a focus on Philip Reeker, the acting assistant secretary of state for Europe, who arrived on Capitol Hill to testify.
VATICAN-AMAZON
Pope's Amazon synod proposes married priests, female deacons
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Catholic bishops from across the Amazon have called for the ordination of married men as priests to address the clergy shortage in the region, in an historic proposal that would upend centuries of Roman Catholic tradition.
The majority of 180 bishops from nine Amazonian countries also called Saturday for the Vatican to reopen a debate on ordaining women as deacons, saying "it is urgent for the church in the Amazon to promote and confer ministries for men and women in an equitable manner."
The proposals were contained in a final document approved Saturday at the end of a three-week synod on the Amazon, which Pope Francis called in 2017 to focus attention on saving the rainforest and better ministering to its indigenous people.
AP-US-CALIFORNIA-WILDFIRES-BLACKOUT-THE-LATEST
The Latest: 90,000 evacuated as California fire danger looms
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Authorities say about 90,000 people have been ordered to evacuate across a huge swath of Northern California ahead of historic winds predicted near a wildfire that has destroyed dozens of homes.
Cal Fire says severe gusts expected early Sunday could push the fire miles ahead of the main blaze that's chewed through more than 40 square miles (104 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber. The inland towns of Healdsburg and Windsor were told to leave earlier Saturday. By evening authorities ordered evacuations for wine country communities stretching all the way through the Russian River Valley to Bodega Bay on the coast.
Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick pleaded with residents to heed the orders, citing deaths that occurred when fire swept through the area two years ago.
Meanwhile, Pacific Gas & Electric began cutting power to 850,000 homes and businesses in 36 counties to prevent winds from downing lines and sparking new fires.
BRITAIN-TRUCK-BODIES FOUND-THE LATEST
The Latest: Truck driver charged with 39 manslaughter counts
LONDON (AP) — UK police have charged a truck driver with 39 counts of manslaughter and conspiracy to traffic people in connection with 39 deaths in the back of the truck he was driving in southeastern England.
Police say Maurice Robinson, 25, of Craigavon, Northern Ireland is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Monday. He was the first of those arrested to be charged in what is seen as one of the U.K.'s biggest cases of people smuggling.
Four others have been arrested in the case. U.K. police are struggling to identify the victims, who are believed to have come from Asia, and autopsies are being performed. The Vietnamese Embassy in London has set up a hotline for families to call about missing family members.
IRAQ-PROTESTS-THE LATEST
The Latest: Commission: 63 killed in Iraq protests in 2 days
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq's semi-official human rights commission says at least 63 protesters have been killed in two days of anti-government rallies in the capital and southern cities.
The Iraq High Commission for Human Rights says Saturday the most protesters killed were in the southern city of Nasiriyah, where 15 died.
At least 10 were killed in the capital, according to the commission, which said more than 2,500 protesters were injured in two days of rallies.
The Associated Press put the number of those killed at 49, including 12 who were killed in a fire in the southern city of Diwaniyeh, which the commission also accounted for.
Protests have resumed in Iraq after a wave of anti-government protests earlier this month were violently put down. At least 149 people were killed in a week of demonstrations earlier in October.
ELECTION 2020-BIDEN-INTERVIEW
AP Interview: Biden confident of prospects in South Carolina
FLORENCE, S.C. (AP) — Joe Biden tells The Associated Press that he's confident his long ties in South Carolina will pay dividends in next year's Democratic presidential primary and plans no change in campaign strategy while rivals such as Elizabeth Warren chip away at his advantage in the early-voting state.
The former vice president says in an AP interview that it "doesn't affect my strategy, period," and he cites his enduring relationships with community leaders in South Carolina, home to the South's first primary next year.
Recent polling suggests Biden has slipped somewhat in South Carolina since he entered the race, but still maintains a comfortable edge, especially among black voters who are expected to make up the majority of the Democratic primary electorate.
Biden is campaigning in the state this weekend.
MEDIA-NBC-TIME'S UP
Time's Up asks NBC to release NDAs, hold independent probe
NEW YORK (AP) — Time's Up has called on NBC Universal to release all former employees from non-disclosure agreements that might be preventing them from speaking out about sexual misconduct.
The Hollywood-based organization is also calling for NBC to hold an independent investigation into its workplace culture.
Tina Tchen, incoming president and CEO of Time's Up, says NBC Universal didn't go far enough with its statement, first reported by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Friday night, that employees should contact the company in order to be released from any "perceived obligation" to remain quiet. She says NBC should simply state that everyone is free to speak without fear of retaliation.
Maddow sharply criticized her employers on her show Friday, expressing concern that the network had thwarted journalist Ronan Farrow's reporting on allegations against Harvey Weinstein.
CALIFORNIA CONGRESSWOMAN-SEX SCANDAL
Scandal brings election risk for rising Democratic star
AGUA DULCE, Calif. (AP) — California Rep. Katie Hill is a rising Democratic star, but a looming congressional investigation into her private life has put her re-election at risk.
The 32-year-old congresswoman has acknowledged an affair with a young female campaign staffer. And a congressional committee is looking into an unsubstantiated claim that she had an intimate relationship with a male senior aide on her House staff, which would violate House rules.
Hill denies that relationship. Meantime, she also is embroiled in a bitter divorce with a husband she claims was abusive.
Voters in her district north of Los Angeles appear divided, reflecting loyalties in a swing district.
Salon owner Susan Slates, a Democrat, says she's disappointed but is sticking with Hill. Liquor store owner Danny Hawara says Hill is a bad role model and should leave office.
WORLD SERIES-THE LATEST
The Latest: Bregman hits grand slam, Astros in command 8-1
WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit the 20th grand slam in World Series history, giving the Houston Astros an 8-1 lead over the Washington Nationals in Game 4.
Bregman hit a deep drive just inside the left-field foul pole off Fernando Rodney in the seventh inning.
It was the first World Series grand slam since Addison Russell's in Game 6 for the Chicago Cubs in 2016, and just the third in the past two decades.
Bregman had been slumping since the start of the AL Championship Series but is 2-for-4 with five RBIs in Game 4. The Astros are seeking to even the series at two games apiece.
CHILE-PROTESTS
Chilean president shaking up government amid protests
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile's president has asked all his Cabinet members to offer their resignations as he shakes up his government in response to a massive wave of protests.
President Sebastián Piñera announced the impending Cabinet shakeup Saturday following protests the day earlier that drew more than 1 million people in the capital.
PIñera said he'd head the message and said, "We have all changed" because of the protests that were triggered by a small subway fare hike and exploded into anger over economic inequality.
The president already has reacted by taking measures including raising the minimum wage and pensions, as well as scrapping the fare increase.
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