Editor’s Note: This listicle is part of a weekly series by The Ball State Daily News summarizing five stories from across the United States. All summaries are based on stories published by The Associated Press.
Updates on President Donald Trump’s impeachment inquiry, uncertainty over the 2020 Democratic primaries, California’s wildfires, a gerrymandering ruling in North Carolina and the Air Force’s record-breaking space plane make up this week’s five national stories.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., second from right, speaks with members of the media after former deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman signaled that he would not appear as scheduled for a closed door meeting to testify as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
National security official twice raised concerns on Ukraine
A National Security Council military officer twice raised concerns over the Trump administration’s push to have Ukraine investigate Democrats and Joe Biden, according to testimony the official is prepared to deliver Tuesday in the House impeachment inquiry. Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman is prepared to tell House investigators that he listened to President Donald Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president and reported his concerns to NSC’s lead counsel.
Read more: Trump impeachment inquiry
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks at a campaign event, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Hanover, N.H. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Growing uncertainty looms over Democrats’ 2020 primary
Major donors and party leaders have publicly and privately raised concerns about the direction of the primary election, and polling suggests the number of undecided voters in Iowa has jumped significantly in recent weeks. Nine Democrats so far have qualified for the November debate, and a dozen more are still fighting for attention, with former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders gaining visibility as the Iowa caucuses approach.
Read more: Election 2020
Los Angeles County Firefighter Collin Bashara takes rest with his fire truck in Los Angeles, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Crews battle California blazes before windstorms return
Crews fought Tuesday to drown, slash and smother wildfires that have incinerated dozens of homes in Northern and Southern California before returning windstorms can blow them back into life. The fire that began last week near the town of Geyserville had destroyed 57 homes and damaged another dozen, with 90,000 homes and other buildings considered threatened. About 156,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders. The blaze was 15 percent contained.
Read More: Wildfires
FILE - In this Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, file photo, Republican state Sens. Dan Soucek, left, and Brent Jackson review historical maps during The Senate Redistricting Committee for the 2016 Extra Session in the Legislative Office Building at the N.C. General Assembly, in Raleigh, N.C. (Corey Lowenstein/The News & Observer via AP, File)
North Carolina judges block current congressional map
North Carolina judges blocked the state’s congressional map from being used in the 2020 elections, ruling that voters had a strong likelihood of winning a lawsuit that argued Republicans unlawfully manipulated district lines for partisan gain. A panel of three Superior Court judges issued a preliminary injunction preventing elections under the district lines, starting March 3. This comes less than two months after they struck down state House and Senate districts.
In this Oct. 27, 2019 photo released by the U.S. Air Force, the Air Force’s X-37B successfully lands at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on Merritt Island in Brevard County, Fla., following a record-breaking two-year mission. (U.S. Air Force via AP)
Air Force’s mystery space plane lands, ends 2-year mission
The Air Force’s X-37B, a space plane about one-fourth the size of a space shuttle, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida early Sunday following a record-breaking two-year mission. The Air Force is mum about what the plane did in orbit after launching aboard a SpaceX rocket in 2017. The 780-day mission sets a new endurance record for the reusable test vehicle. This was the fifth spaceflight by a vehicle of this sort with No. 6 planned next year.
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Beyond the Nest: SJSC students study abroad
2 hours agoThroughout the trip, students will read and analyze travel writing while learning the skills to produce evocative storytelling that contains concrete observations, strong action, thoughtful research and appropriate pacing. Journalism students will focus on narrative nonfiction while strategic communications students will produce public relations and advertising content for travel companies, cities and historic sites.
Indiana Capital Chronicles: Even as interest in women’s college sports rises, report finds big gap in participation
By Indiana Capital Chronicle / 4 hours agoA congressional watchdog in a new report called on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to improve its enforcement of Title IX compliance in college athletics.
Delta baseball defeats Yorktown in extra innings to become Delaware County champions
By Zach Carter / YesterdayThe Eagles defeated the Tigers 5-2 in extra innings to win the Delaware County baseball tournament. It's the first time Delta has won the event since 2017.
