AP-Newswatch

Hamas leader visits Cairo as talks build for another Gaza cease-fire

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas’ top leader is in Cairo for talks on the war in Gaza. Ismail Haniyeh’s visit Wednesday is part of a flurry of diplomacy aimed at securing another cease-fire and swap of hostages for Palestinian prisoners at a moment when Israel’s offensive shows no sign of slowing. It comes a day after Hamas fired rockets that set off air raid sirens in central Israel. Israel is vowing to press ahead with its war against Hamas. But the government is under great public pressure to reach a deal to bring home the more than 100 hostages believed to be in Hamas captivity. U.S. President Joe Biden said another cease-fire isn’t imminent.

The Constitution’s insurrection clause threatens Trump’s campaign. Here is how that is playing out

DENVER (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s bid to win back the White House is now endangered by two sentences added to the U.S. Constitution 155 years ago. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment prohibits anyone who swore an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it from holding office. For the first time in history, a court this week ruled that applies to the presidency. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Trump is barred under the provision. But the court acknowledged that it’s on untrodden legal ground, and the U.S. Supreme Court is likely to have the final word.

US, Venezuela swap prisoners: Maduro ally for 10 Americans, plus fugitive contractor ‘Fat Leonard’

MIAMI (AP) — The United States has freed a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in exchange for the release of 10 Americans imprisoned in the South American country and the return of a fugitive defense contractor. That contractor is known as “Fat Leonard” and he’s at the center of a massive Pentagon bribery scandal. The deal represents the Biden administration’s boldest move yet to improve relations with the major oil-producing nation and extract concessions from Maduro. The largest release of American prisoners in Venezuela’s history comes weeks after the Biden administration agreed to suspend some sanctions. That step followed a commitment by Maduro and an opposition faction to work toward free and fair conditions for the 2024 presidential election.

States are trashing troves of masks and pandemic gear as huge, costly stockpiles linger and expire

Some states that stockpiled millions of masks and other personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic are now throwing the items away. An Associated Press investigation found that at least 15 states have tossed out some of the PPE items because they are expiring or have more than they need. Other states have sold extra materials at bargain prices or have tried to give away surplus masks, gowns and gloves but have had difficulty finding entities willing to take them. Public health experts say the glut of supplies shows that governments need to do a better job of planning for future emergencies.

Study shows AI image-generators being trained on explicit photos of children

Hidden inside the foundation of popular artificial intelligence image-generators are thousands of images of child sexual abuse, according to a new report that urges companies to take action to address a harmful flaw in the technology they built. Those same images have made it easier for AI systems to produce realistic and explicit imagery of fake children as well as transform social media photos of fully clothed real teens into nudes, much to the alarm of schools and law enforcement around the world. The Stanford Internet Observatory found more than 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse in a database used to train leading AI image-makers.

Health officials push to get schoolchildren vaccinated as more US parents opt out

Parents are opting out of school vaccinations at the highest rate ever. Last school year, that amounted to 3% of U.S. children entering kindergarten. The highest rate was 12% in Idaho, where a change in state law a few years ago made it easier to opt out. All states require students to have certain vaccines to attend public school, and often private school and day care. Exemptions are given for medical reasons, and sometimes for religious beliefs or personal reasons. Most states saw an increase in exemption rates last year.

US Catholic leadership foresees challenges after repeated election defeats for abortion opponents

Repeatedly in recent years, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has stipulated that the threat of abortion remains its preeminent priority. In the face of recent election setbacks for abortion opponents, leading bishops and their lay allies are reassessing how to move forward with that stance. The latest rebuff came Nov. 7 in Ohio, when voters approved a constitutional amendment that ensures access to abortion. It was the seventh consecutive state where voters decided to protect abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion in June 2022. The Ohio result was particularly stinging for abortion opponents, coming in a state where tough anti-abortion measures had been approved by the Republican-controlled legislature.

Oklahoma judge rules a man who wrongfully spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder is innocent

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma judge has exonerated a man who spent nearly 50 years in prison for murder, the longest serving inmate to be declared innocent of the crime. The Oklahoma County judge on Tuesday announced that she found Glynn Simmons is innocent of killing a suburban Oklahoma City liquor store clerk in 1974. The 70-year-old Simmons told reporters after the ruling that he feels vindicated and simply plans to enjoy the remainder of his life. The ruling makes Simmons eligible for up to $175,000 in compensation from the state for wrongful conviction. A spokesperson for District Attorney Vicki Behenna declined immediate comment.

Descendants fight to maintain historic Black communities. Keeping their legacy alive is complicated

DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Historic Black communities have dwindled from their once-thriving existence in the United States and efforts to preserve what’s left encounter complicated challenges. The incorporated towns were founded by formerly enslaved people and often had their own churches, schools, stores and economic systems. A decrease in the number of these settlements is due in part to amended local ordinances, uneven tax rates, home devaluations and political fights that leave communities vulnerable to developers and rampant gentrification. Researchers estimate fewer than 30 historic Black towns are left, compared to more than 1,200 at the peak about a century ago. While some enclaves stand up to outside forces looking to repurpose the land, others find compromise that keeps the historical legacy alive.

The checkered history of the poinsettia’s namesake and the flower’s origins get new attention

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Like Christmas trees, Santa and reindeer, the poinsettia has long been a ubiquitous symbol of the holidays in the U.S. and Europe. But nearly 200 years after the plant with the bright crimson leaves was introduced in the U.S., attention is again turning to the poinsettia’s origins and the checkered history of its namesake. The name “poinsettia” comes from the amateur botanist and statesman Joel Roberts Poinsett, who happened upon the plant during his tenure as the first U.S. minister to a newly independent Mexico. But because of his difficult history as a slaveholder and secretary of war who helped to oversee the forced removal of Native Americans, some fans of the plant would rather use its name among Nahuatl-speaking communities of Mexico: cuetlaxochitl (kwet-la-SHO-sheet).