AP News Summary at 1:15 am EST

GOP on cusp of retaking House control with slim majority

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are on the cusp of retaking control of the House, just one victory shy of the 218 seats the party needs to secure a majority. Control of the House would give conservative leverage to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of investigations. But a slim numerical advantage will pose immediate challenges for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted. Still, the party is on track to achieve 218 with seats in California and other states still too early to call.

Hobbs wins Arizona governor’s race, flipping state for Dems

PHOENIX (AP) — Democrat Katie Hobbs has been elected Arizona governor, defeating an ally of Donald Trump who falsely claimed the 2020 election was rigged and refused to say she would accept the results of her race this year. Hobbs, who is Arizona’s secretary of state, rose to prominence as a staunch defender of elections and warned that her Republican rival, former television news anchor Kari Lake, would be an agent of chaos. Hobbs’ victory Monday suggests Trump is weighing down his allies as the former president gears up for an announcement of a 2024 presidential run. Hobbs will succeed Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who was prohibited by term limit laws from running again.

Biden to press G-20 to hold tough on Russia over Ukraine war

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to a summit of the world’s largest economies to take further steps to press for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Zelenskyy joined President Joe Biden in calling to isolate Russia diplomatically and economically despite a cloudy global outlook that is testing other nations’ resolve. The call to stand up to Russia and defend Ukraine’s sovereignty in both symbolic and substantive ways came in meetings at the Group of 20 in Bali, Indonesia. Leaders have been vehement in their calls for Russia to end the nine-month war that has devastated Ukraine and sent food and energy prices soaring.

Cambodian leader leaves G-20 early after COVID-19 diagnosis

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (AP) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday he has COVID-19 and is leaving the Group of 20 meetings in Bali, just days after hosting President Joe Biden and other world leaders for a summit in his country’s capital. The Cambodian leader said he feels normal and is returning home. He said it was lucky that he arrived in Bali late Monday and was unable to join a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders. The White House said Biden tested negative Tuesday morning and is not considered a close contact. Cambodia was the host of the earlier Association of Southeast Asian Nation summit, and Hun Sen met with many leaders who attended one-on-one.

Analysis: Ukrainian liberation a powerful dynamic in war

LONDON (AP) — Amid the death and destruction war leaves in its wake, there are powerful dynamics and narratives: domination, defeated populations, occupation and their counterparts, resistance, freedom and liberation. Vast swaths of Western and Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union knew this well at various points of the 20th century. In Russia’s nearly nine-month war in Ukraine, the names of towns and cities have been seared on the global consciousness as they witnessed the full spectrum of wartime horrors and more recently, jubilation. Liberation and victory on the battlefield are also powerful incentives for allies like the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom to keep a steady flow of military aid that directly helps Ukraine’s advances.

Virginia students were prepared for shooting, not aftermath

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Students hid inside laboratory closets and dorm rooms across the University of Virginia after getting warnings of an active shooter on campus. Responding to the immediate threat of an on-campus shooting was a moment they had prepared for since their first years of elementary school. But those students are now struggling to deal with the emotional trauma of an attack that killed three members of the school’s football team late Sunday. Police spent 12 hours searching for the suspect before taking a 22-year-old student into custody Monday morning. Students across the campus barricaded doors and slept in libraries during the search.

Trump prepares to launch third campaign for the White House

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is preparing to launch his third campaign for the White House with an announcement Tuesday night. Trump is looking to move on from disappointing midterm defeats and defy history amid signs that his grip on the Republican Party may be waning. The former president had hoped to use the GOP’s expected gains in last week’s elections as a springboard to win his party’s nomination by locking in early support and keeping potential challengers at bay. Instead, Trump now finds himself being blamed for backing a series of losing candidates in last week’s midterm elections.

DEA’s most corrupt agent: Parties, sex amid ‘unwinnable war’

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — José Irizarry accepts that he’s known as the most corrupt agent in US Drug Enforcement Administration history, admitting he conspired with Colombian cartels to build a lavish lifestyle of sports cars, jewels and paramours around the world. But as he used his final hours of freedom to tell his story to The Associated Press, Irizarry says he won’t go down alone, accusing some long-trusted DEA colleagues of joining him in skimming millions from money laundering stings to fund a decade- long joyride of luxury travel, strip clubs, party boats and prostitutes. Now federal investigators are following Irizarry’s confessional roadmap, questioning up to two-dozen agents and prosecutors.

Grammy nominations to be announced, with 5 new categories

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Recording Academy will announce nominees for its 65th Grammy Awards on Tuesday morning with some significant additions. The academy earlier this year added a special song for the social change award and five new categories including songwriter of the year – which will honor music’s best composer. The non-classical songwriter category will recognize one individual who was the “most prolific” non-performing and non-producing songwriter for a body of new work. This year’s announcement will be made on a live stream beginning at noon Eastern. The Grammy Awards will be handed out Feb. 5 in Los Angeles.

Commanders end sloppy Eagles’ perfect season 32-21

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Eagles’ bid for an undefeated season is over. The Washington Commanders turned methodical drives into scores and took advantage of turnover-prone Philadelphia to stun the Eagles 32-21 on Monday night and send them to their first loss in nine games this season. Behind Jalen Hurts, the Eagles were 8-0 for the first time in franchise history and the last team in the NFL that could make a run at Miami’s 17-0 mark in 1972 and the lone perfect season. The 2007 New England Patriots came close, going 18-0 before a Super Bowl loss. The Commanders also spoiled Pittsburgh’s 11-0 start in 2020. Hurts threw for just 174 yards.