Comment on Trump backs Putin on denying Russia election meddling

By HOWARD FENDRICH MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff’s retooled forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the Australian Open. The unforced errors just kept accumulating Tuesday, and so did the double-faults and break points, often followed by a palm placed over her eyes or a slap to a thigh. Add it all up, and Gauff’s trip to Melbourne Park — and her 13-match winning streak that dated to late last season — ended in the quarterfinals.

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned back an election law case out of Montana that relied on a controversial legal theory with the potential to change the way elections are run across the country. The high court declined to hear the case in a brief order without explaining its reasoning, as is typical. Montana was appealing a ruling that struck down two GOP-backed election laws.

By MELANIE LIDMAN and AREF TUFAHA JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s top general resigned on Tuesday, taking responsibility for security failures tied to Hamas’ surprise attack that triggered the war in Gaza and adding to pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has delayed any public inquiry that could potentially implicate his leadership. While a fragile new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip held, Israel launched a large operation in the occupied West Bank, killing at least eight people, Palestinian officials said. Lt.

By ABDEL KAREEM HANA and TIA GOLDENBERG RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians in Gaza are confronting an apocalyptic landscape of devastation after a ceasefire paused more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and Hamas. Across the tiny coastal enclave, where built-up refugee camps are interspersed between cities, drone footage captured by The Associated Press shows mounds of rubble stretching as far as the eye can see — remnants of the longest and deadliest war between Israel and Hamas in their blood-ridden history.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Associated Press All the living former presidents were there and the outgoing president amicably greeted his successor, who gave a speech about the country’s bright future and who left to the blare of a brass band. At first glance, President Donald Trump’ssecond inauguration seemed like a continuation of the country’s nearly 250-year-long tradition of peaceful transfers of power, essential to its democracy.

Rep. Elise Stefanik is likely to face questions at her confirmation hearing Tuesday to become the U. S. ambassador to the United Nations about her lack of foreign policy experience, her strong support for Israel and her views on funding the U. N. and its many agencies. Harvard-educated and the fourth-ranking member of the U.