Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
TRUMP-IMPEACHMENT-THE LATEST
The Latest: White House blasts House impeachment resolution
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is blasting a House resolution to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
Press secretary Stephanie Grisham says in a sternly worded statement that the measure confirms that the impeachment probe "has been an illegitimate sham from the start." The resolution is scheduled to be voted on Thursday.
The White House has been pushing for a vote and public hearings. It says the House process denies the administration due process. She writes that the White House's rights "remain undefined, unclear and uncertain."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the vote is being taken "to eliminate any doubt" about the process as the administration tries to block witnesses and withhold documents.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES-CAUSES
California utility says it may have sparked deadly 2018 fire
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California Edison says it's likely its equipment caused a wildfire last year that killed three people and destroyed more than 1,600 homes and other buildings.
The Woolsey Fire in November burned from north of Los Angeles south through Malibu to the sea.
In its quarterly earnings report released Tuesday, Southern California Edison said that Ventura County Fire Department investigators determined the company's equipment sparked the blaze.
Southern California Edison says that unless there's other evidence, the utility "believes that it is likely" its equipment was responsible. Last year, the company told the state Public Utilities Commission only that its equipment might have caused a power outage before the blaze started.
The utility is facing lawsuits from relatives of fire victims blaming it for the blaze.
Electrical equipment has been linked to several of California's most devastating recent fires.
BREXIT-THE LATEST
The Latest: UK lawmakers approve early election on Dec 12
LONDON (AP) — Britain is set to hold an early election on Dec. 12, after a bill authorizing the vote was passed by the House of Commons.
Lawmakers voted 438-20 in favor of the bill to give Prime Minister Boris Johnson the early election he craves.
It will become law once it is approved by the unelected House of Lords, which does not have the power to overrule the elected Commons.
Johnson hopes the election will give his Conservative Party a majority so he can pass his Brexit deal and take Britain out of the European Union.
But after three years of inconclusive political wrangling over Brexit, voters are weary and the results of an election hard to predict.
NCAA-ATHLETE COMPENSATION-THE LATEST
The Latest: NCAA hopes to avoid court fight on compensation
ATLANTA (AP) — The chairman of the NCAA board of governors says the association hopes to avoid a court battle against states that are attempting to pass laws aimed at dismantling the NCAA's rules.
The NCAA board voted on Tuesday to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses, but much work still needs to be done to determine how that will work within NCAA rules.
Ohio State President Michael Drake said the board hopes that "all who are interested in the future welfare of student-athletes would work with us to get to that point and using reasonable processes to get there."
California passed a law last month that would prevent schools from prohibiting college athletes from being compensated for their names, images and likenesses. That law goes into effect in 2023, but other states are moving on similar legislation that could go into effect as soon as next year.
CONGRESSWOMAN RESIGNS-TRUMP AIDE
Papadopoulos seeks California seat left vacant by Rep. Hill
LOS ANGELES (AP) — George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide who was a key figure in the FBI's Russia probe, is running for the U.S. House seat left vacant by Democrat Katie Hill.
Papadopoulos filed paperwork Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.
Hill announced her resignation Sunday amid an ethics probe into allegations she had a relationship with a congressional staff member.
The FBI probe into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign began after revelations that Papadopoulos had learned Russia had thousands of stolen emails related to Hillary Clinton.
Papadopoulos eventually pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and cooperated in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. He was sentenced to 14 days in prison.
He joins a field with at least three other Republican candidates and one Democrat.
IMMIGRATION-BORDER APPREHENSIONS
Top Border Official: Crisis at US-Mexico border not over
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top U.S. Border Patrol official has a warning: The crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border is not over.
Even though crossings have been down over the past few months and news of custody deaths and teeming facilities full of children and families has faded from front pages, the number of migrants crossing is still high. And resources are stretched.
Border Patrol's Brian Hastings says higher numbers are the new norm. He says if recent deterrent efforts are blocked by courts, like a policy forcing asylum seekers to wait out their claims in Mexico , the numbers will rise again.
Over the budget year that ended Sept. 30, there were 859,510 apprehensions by Border Patrol, plus over 110,000 more encounters of people who tried to enter legally but were deemed inadmissible.
LEBANON-PROTESTS-THE LATEST
The Latest: German FM fears 'political vacuum' in Lebanon
BEIRUT (AP) — Germany's foreign minister has expressed concern about the political turmoil in Lebanon, warning of a "political vacuum."
Heiko Maas told reporters in Cairo Tuesday that: "It is of paramount importance that the stability in Beirut does not continue to suffer ... We don't need a political vacuum, especially not in the current situation."
Maas remarks came after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation following nearly two weeks of mass demonstrations in the country.
The German foreign minister said that the further political development in Lebanon "is of very critical importance for us, but also for the entire region" and that he hopes the protests will be peaceful.
AP-BBO-WORLD-SERIES-THE-LATEST
The Latest: Nats extend lead to 5-2, Martinez ejected
HOUSTON (AP) — Washington manager Dave Martinez has been ejected after a volatile argument in which he was physically restrained from getting at umpire crew chief Gary Cederstrom.
The trouble started in the top of the seventh when speedy Nationals leadoff man Trea Turner was called out for interference — he hit a tapper down the third base line, and plate ump Sam Holbrook said Turner was out for running outside the line.
It was a big call because catcher Robinson Chirinos' throw had gotten away, leaving runners at second and third.
Martinez came on the field to shout at Holbrook but left fairly soon.
There was a delay of over 4 1/2 minutes while umpires got on the headsets with the replay room. Part of the discussion was whether the play was reviewable — rather, it was an umpire's judgment, which cannot be challenged.
After the top of the seventh ended, Martinez came on the field to talk to Holbrook and Cederstrom. Suddenly, Martinez got extremely agitated, and bench coach Chip Hale had to hold him back.
The Nationals wound up taking a 5-2 lead on a two-run homer by Anthony Rendon off reliever Will Harris.
After the Astros batted, manager AJ Hinch came from the dugout to talk with Holbrook while Major League Baseball executive Joe Torre met with Cederstrom on the dirt near the backstop.
TV-GAME OF THRONES PREQUEL
HBO orders 10 episodes of 'Game of Thrones' prequel
LOS ANGELES (AP) — HBO is green-lighting a new "Game of Thrones" prequel after reportedly canceling another that starred Naomi Watts.
The cable channel said Tuesday that it's given a 10-episode order to "House of the Dragon," set 300 years before the original series that ended its eight-season run in May.
The prequel is based on George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," HBO said.
The series was announced by HBO programming president Casey Bloys during a presentation for HBO Max, the streaming service launching in May 2020 . A spinoff of HBO megahit "Game of Thrones" would be a key attraction in the increasingly crowded streaming marketplace.
HBO declined comment on reports Tuesday that it had dropped another "Game of Thrones" prequel starring Naomi Watts that was set thousands of years before the original.
AMAZON-CITY COUNCIL SPENDING
Amazon spends big to remake Seattle's liberal City Council
SEATTLE (AP) — Seven of the nine Seattle City Council seats are up for grabs in next month's election, and Amazon sees a big opportunity to reshape the politics of its liberal hometown.
The online retail giant has made unprecedented donations totaling $1.5 million to a political action committee that's supporting a slate of candidates perceived to be friendlier to business.
Among the company's top targets is socialist council member Kshama Sawant, a fierce critic of Amazon.
But the company's big-money push into Seattle politics could backfire, as critics rally to support more liberal candidates.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
