October 12, 2026 5:13 am
A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to cancel any remaining television commercials paid for with millions of dollars in taxpayer money to promote his political message. The administration said the ad campaign was already coming to an end. The judge sided with a coalition that challenged the ads as an illegal misuse of funds. She told the administration to cancel any remaining ads, including any set to air Sunday night, in granting a temporary restraining order. Asked for comment, the White House referred to an Oct. 5 social media post from Trump in which he defended the taxpayer-funded ads as “rather standard” but, amid backlash, said he would pay for them from his political fundraising.
October 12, 2026 5:50 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Selma Blair has been issued a summons accusing her of assaults that occurred aboard a plane from Los Angeles to New York. Authorities said Monday that Blair was taken into custody after the flight landed at John F. Kennedy Airport. The charges listed are assaults within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. The case will be handled in federal court in Brooklyn. No date has been set. Blair and one of the attendants were taken to a hospital for evaluation.
October 12, 2026 5:14 am
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will undergo surgery to remove a nodule on his lung in the first major health event of his 17-month pontificate. The lesion was found at an early stage and is well-localized. Leo, who is 71 and physically active, made the announcement during his Sunday blessing. He thanked the crowd for their support and prayers. The Vatican said Sunday the surgery is scheduled in the coming days, with a recovery time of about a week. Leo has a major trip planned for November to South America, but it’s unclear if the surgery will affect his itinerary.
October 11, 2026 5:01 am
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Victor Martinez, who runs a Spanish-language radio station in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, talks about voters’ frustration with everyday realities like higher fuel prices and inflation ahead of next month’s closely contested midterm election. Martinez added an hour of politics talk to his morning radio show at the end of Donald Trump’s first term, and the segment took off with his audience. As Trump’s second term reaches its halfway point, Martinez said he’s sensing that voters are just as frustrated with the economy as they were two years ago. But this time, it’s Republicans who could face the consequences.
October 11, 2026 8:02 am
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Simon is just off the Pacific coast of Mexico and is expected to move inland as an extremely powerful storm. Simon has strengthened to 155 mph, just below the threshold for a Category 5 storm. It is about 60 miles west-southwest of Manzanilla. The hurricane could bring 10 to 20 inches of rain over parts of southwestern Mexico, with some areas receiving up to 30 inches. The center warns of life-threatening flooding and mudslides. Jalisco state has suspended classes and begun evacuations. Businesses in Puerto Vallarta are preparing for the storm, with many boarding up windows and taking precautions.
October 11, 2026 8:04 am
(AP) – Isaias has weakened after making landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast near Destin, Florida. The storm hit the coast as a Category 2 hurricane Friday evening, but quickly lost power and is now considered a post-tropical cyclone. Its powerful winds left hundreds of thousands of people in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle without power early Saturday. It was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season. Meanwhile, Simon strengthened into a powerful Category 4 hurricane as it barreled toward Mexico’s coast on Saturday.
October 11, 2026 8:06 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia alone is responsible for the war in Ukraine. He vows to continue strikes on Russian oil refineries despite criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump blames Zelenskyy for high diesel prices and suggests Ukraine needs a new leader. The exchange comes as Ukraine targets Russian infrastructure, including a recent drone attack on a Yandex data center. This attack disrupted services across Russia. Meanwhile, the death toll from a Russian bombing in Zaporizhzhia has risen to 23. Ukrainian officials emphasize Zelenskyy’s leadership in the fight for independence. (Photo: AP)
October 11, 2026 8:09 am
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has announced he will undergo surgery to remove a nodular lesion on his lung. The lesion was found at an early stage and is well-localized. The Vatican said Sunday the surgery is scheduled for the first days of the week, with a recovery time of about a week. Leo, who is 71 and physically active, made the announcement during his Sunday blessing. He thanked the crowd for their support and prayers. Leo has a major trip planned for November to South America, but it’s unclear if the surgery will affect his itinerary. (Photo: AP)
October 11, 2026 7:22 am
Authorities say a man killed eight people including a pregnant woman, children and other relatives at his home in Erie, Pennsylvania. He then took his own life. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah says the 45-year-old man was related to seven of the victims in Friday’s shooting. The eighth was a friend of the pregnant woman. Lorah said at a news conference Saturday that video and audio evidence reviewed by investigators show two distressed women arriving at the home and pounding at the door. Then the gunman emerged and shot them. The other victims were found inside the home.
October 11, 2026 7:23 am
(AP) – Authorities have charged Eric Lewis with homicide for allegedly killing a police officer in Philadelphia early Saturday morning. Shane Seiber, a 10-year veteran of the police department, was shot and killed while responding to a report of a man with a gun. Another officer was also shot but is in stable condition. Lewis faces additional charges, including attempted homicide, for allegedly shooting at nine other officers. None of those officers were injured. Lewis is being held without bail. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Seiber, who is survived by his wife and two children.
