October 31, 2026 3:47 am
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice is pushing for a court order to isolate certain Alaska ballots to investigate potential voter confusion, while federal officials confirmed the existence of a criminal probe over a Senate candidate who shares a name with the Republican incumbent. The dueling developments came days before Tuesday’s ranked choice general election, in a race headlined by two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The race is among a handful nationwide expected to determine control of the Senate. Peltola says she is not interested in “tricking voters.”
October 31, 2026 3:45 am
PARIS (AP) — France is bracing for a third weekend of protests over living costs and education, deploying 70,000 police and gendarmes. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warns of a “very high risk” of disorder, especially after dark on Halloween. Paris police have banned union and yellow vest marches through the city center, pushing them to the outer boulevards. Unions and student groups are challenging the ban in court. The movement began with high school students protesting school conditions and has broadened into anger over living costs. Protests are also spreading across Europe, with demonstrations planned in Germany, Spain, and other countries.
October 31, 2026 3:49 am
KHERSON, Ukraine (AP) — Russian and Ukrainian officials say some residents have been evacuated from the war-ravaged city of Oleshky. The evacuations Friday came on the fourth day of the most significant truce since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began 4½ years ago. Ukrainian lawmaker Davyd Arakhamia says the evacuees are traveling by bus to the city of Anapa in southern Russia then will flying to Belarus and cross the border into northern Ukraine. Russia’s lead representative on the mission says residents who want to live in Russia have also been evacuated. The White House says the humanitarian mission and ceasefire were brokered following negotiations involving U.S. first lady Melania Trump.
October 31, 2026 10:38 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Top diplomats from the Group of 20 largest world economies are wrapping up two days of talks in Atlanta but there’s no consensus on several critical issues. Divisions, most notably over Russia’s war with Ukraine, overshadowed the start of the meeting Friday. The G20 isn’t expected to release a joint communique as the meetings end, but will rely on a chairman’s statement summarizing the talks. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to release that later Saturday. Rubio canceled the traditional group photo of the foreign ministers on Friday after European diplomats objected to the inclusion of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
October 31, 2026 7:39 am
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Deaths in Congo’s Ebola outbreak have topped 5,000 as the disease spreads relentlessly. Data from the Congolese Ministry of Health shows the virus has killed 5,026 out of 10,351 infected, with a nearly 50% lethality rate. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared in mid-May and has become the second deadliest in history. Experts are concerned about the authorities’ ability to contain the virus, which has spread to 67 health zones in eight provinces. The outbreak is concentrated in the eastern region of Congo, where conflict and disbelief among the population hinder containment efforts.
October 30, 2026 5:44 pm
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Leo XIV has become the first pope to vote in a U.S. general election, casting a mail-in ballot in Chicago. The Vatican confirmed Friday that Leo, born Robert Prevost, exercised his right as a U.S. citizen, emphasizing his belief in civic participation. Leo holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship and has voted whenever eligible. U.S. law allows citizens abroad to vote via absentee ballot. Leo’s vote was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The pope has been vocal about U.S. politics, often clashing with former President Donald Trump on issues like immigration and war. (Photo: AP)
October 30, 2026 1:19 pm
EPHRATA, Pa. (AP) — Lancaster County in Pennsylvania has been the epicenter of the nation’s worst measles outbreak in 35 years. It’s also home to the largest Amish population in the U.S. Some Amish and related Mennonite groups, with historically lower rates of vaccination, have been hit hard. Vaccination rates also declined in the general population amid the resurgence of a contagious virus considered “eliminated” from the U.S. since 2000. Pennsylvania leads the U.S. this year with over 1,350 cases, more than a third in Lancaster County, according to official figures. Many Amish and Mennonites are showing a new openness to vaccines, while members of the general public are also taking extra precautions.
October 29, 2026 1:21 am
ICE agents were present in the City of Washington Thursday morning. A WJPA reporter went to Shirls Avenue, where roofing work was being done and spoke to Jason Morris of Morris Contracting & Roofing. Morris explained that there was a van circling before his crew got to the job site. After work began, about 10 ICE agents started to approach. Morris said no one was detained. As for whether the workers were here illegally, Morris would not comment. One arrest – unconfirmed at this time – may have been made. WJPA has received a video from a resident on Donnan Avenue in Washington, showing one man being arrested. WJPA reached out to Washington Police for comment and they issued an email statement saying: “The City of Washington Police Department’s knowledge of reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity within the city is limited to information the department has seen posted on social media. The department has no additional knowledge of such activity and has had no interactions with ICE regarding these reports.”
October 29, 2026 2:22 am
The man, police believe, that shot 20 year old Julian Lassic in an alley adjacent to the Sin City Disciples Clubhouse in the early morning hours on October 11, 2025 will face trial. Karl Sullivan, 37 of Fredericksburg, Virginia had homicide, aggravated assault, and reckless endangerment charges along with weapons possession and receiving stolen property charges held for court after a 90 minute hearing. City of Washington Police testified how they found Sullivan slumped over a curb, bleeding on North Main Street on their way to the alley where a call of shots fired was issued. They testified how they found Lassic lying on his back bleeding from alleged gunshot wounds in the alley. They also testified about the evidence found at the scene that included two firearms. Prosecutors connected Sullivan with the shooting by finding DNA evidence on one of the guns. Sullivan was arrested and in jail in an unrelated incident in Virginia, when police served a search warrant for Sullivan’s DNA and later determined that both DNA samples matched. A bullet found in Julian Lassic was determined to be one fired by the gun that allegedly was in the possession of Sullivan that night. Sullivan’s defense attorney Fred Rabner argued that because there were no witnesses to the shooting and no video evidence of the incident, not enough evidence was available to hold Sullivan for trial for the homicide. Judge Kelly Stewart said that those evidence issues would be better handled by a jury during trial. Stewart held all charges against Sullivan for court. Sullivan will be formally arraigned on December 3.
October 30, 2026 2:28 am
A ribbon cutting was held at Franklin Crossroads Park Thursday morning to commemorate the opening of the retail phase. Franklin Crossroads Park is taking the place of the former Washington Crown Center Mall and offers a mixed-use business and commercial campus. PREP Funds and IRG are behind the redevelopment. The retailers now have exterior entrances and their own parking field. Chris Salata, a partner with PREP Funds, says this is a huge milestone, and there can now be a larger focus on the business park at the back of the property. Jeff Kotula, the president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency, explains that there are a lot of different businesses, and they are ready just in time for the holiday season. Bob Sabot, the chairman of the board of supervisors in North Franklin Township, says this was a long time coming, but the township is back in business. (Pictured: PREP Funds Chris Salata)
