The government shutdown has grounded the Blue Angels from its crowd-pleasing. stunt-filled airshow at San Francisco’s Fleet Week this weekend. But Fleet Week organizers said Wednesday that Royal Canadian pilots and Colombian sailors will be on hand to make sure the show goes on. The Royal Canadian Air Force’s Snowbirds will headline the air show this weekend instead of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The three-masted ARC Gloria and official flagship of the Colombian Navy will arrive at the Port of San Francisco Thursday. Fleet Week was started in 1981 by the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein. It's a civic celebration of those who serve in the armed forces.

Former FBI Director James Comey has pleaded not guilty in a criminal case that has highlighted the Justice Department’s efforts to target adversaries of President Donald Trump. Comey's lawyers said Wednesday they plan to argue the prosecution is politically motivated and should be dismissed. The Comey case amplifies concerns Trump's Justice Department is being weaponized in pursuit of the Republican president’s political enemies. Comey was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. Comey's indictment two weeks ago followed an extraordinary chain of events that saw Trump publicly implore Attorney General Pam Bondi to take action against Comey and other perceived adversaries. Comey's trial is set for Jan. 5.

The U.S. Marshalls say the only escaped inmate who remained on the run after breaking out of a New Orleans jail in May has been captured. The men escaped from the Louisiana jail after squeezing through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a barbed-wire fence. Above the hole, they scrawled a message on the cell wall that read “To Easy LoL.” Many of the fugitives had been in the jail awaiting trials or sentencing for violent crimes. City and state officials have pointed to multiple security lapses in the jail, including ineffective cell locks and the assertion that the inmates got out when the lone guard monitoring them went to get food.

Last of 10 inmates who escaped a New Orleans jail is captured in Atlanta after five months on the run, U.S. Marshals say.

Dolly Parton says not to worry, she “ain't dead yet." That's what the country superstar shared in a video on social media Wednesday following public speculation about her health. Late last month Parton postponed her first Las Vegas residency in 32 years, citing “health challenges.” She was scheduled to perform six shows in December. Her dates have been moved to next year, in Sept. 2026. She did not provide additional details. On Tuesday, a Facebook posted shared by her sister Freida Parton escalated concerns around Parton’s health when she wrote that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly.” Dolly Parton has clarified that her doctors say she is dealing with nothing major.

Authorities have charged a 29-year-old man with igniting the January fire that destroyed Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli says Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested in Florida on Tuesday and is due to appear in court Wednesday. He faces charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire in the New Year's Day fire that burned down much of the Pacific Palisades a week later. The blaze killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 homes and buildings in the wealthy coastal neighborhood of LA. Investigators believe the suspect may have used a lighter to start the blaze.

Joan Kennedy has died. The first wife of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy died Wednesday at the age of 89. She endured the assassinations of two brothers-in-law and stood by her husband through the Chappaquiddick scandal as well as through his failed 1980 run for president. The couple divorced in 1982. She worked for the mentally challenged and other causes but also struggled with mental health issues and alcoholism herself for much of her life, including several drunk driving arrests. Her son Patrick Kennedy praised her as a classically trained pianist and advocate for addiction recovery who helped break stigma and inspired others to seek help.

A star-studded lineup of music icons is set to present at this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Elton John, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat and others will be part of the event. The induction ceremony will include Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Outkast, Soundgarden, The White Stripes and more, and will take place in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, streaming live on Disney+. Additional presenters include Beck, Brandi Carlile, and David Letterman. Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon will receive the Musical Influence Award. Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins and Carol Kaye also are being inducted.

A New York City judge has dismissed a civil summons against Alex O’Keefe, a former writer for FX’s “The Bear.” O’Keefe was removed from a commuter train last month after a seating dispute. He accused transit officers of racial targeting after a passenger complained about how he was sitting. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said police intervened because O’Keefe had spread his legs across an adjacent seat, violating train rules. He was handcuffed and released with a summons for disorderly conduct. The summons was dismissed Tuesday. O’Keefe called the case “absurd” and said he would continue advocating for fellow commuters.

The first National Guard troops sent to Chicago by President Donald Trump have arrived at an Army training center outside the city. The Associated Press saw military personnel in uniforms with the Texas National Guard patch on Tuesday at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood, 55 miles southwest of Chicago. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott posted a picture on social media Monday showing Texas National Guard members boarding a plane, but didn’t specify where they were going. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said some 300 of the state’s guard troops were to be federalized and deployed to Chicago, along with 400 others from Texas.

A judge has blocked new requirements for teen pregnancy prevention grantees. The case is a victory for Planned Parenthood affiliates who sued President Donald Trump's administration over policy guidance issued in July. The administration was calling for the education programs they and other grantees run to steer clear of “radical indoctrination” and “gender ideology.” A federal judge rejected the policy document, finding that it was too vague and that it was “motivated solely by political concerns.” The grantees include some Planned Parenthood affiliates and dozens of other groups. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the ruling.

National Guard troops are positioned outside Chicago and could soon be in Memphis as President Donald Trump's administration pushes ahead with an aggressive policy toward big-city crime, whether local leaders support it or not. National Guard members from Texas had settled in at an Illinois Army Reserve center by early Wednesday, despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders. In Memphis, Tennessee, police Chief Cerelyn Davis said Guard troops could arrive by Friday. Trump’s bid to deploy the military on U.S. soil over local opposition has triggered a conflict with blue state governors.

Authorities arrest 29-year-old man for igniting January fire that destroyed LA's Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Michael Nachmanoff has built a quiet reputation in the federal courthouse in northern Virginia — a onetime public defender turned judge known for methodical preparation and a cool temperament. On Wednesday, he found himself at the center of a political storm: presiding…

Authorities arrest a suspect in connection with deadly January wildfire that leveled LA neighborhood, AP source says.

PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs launched her reelection bid Wednesday, outlining a practical rather than confrontational approach to campaigning in a swing state where the politics are delicate and she will need Republican support.

Joan Kennedy, ex-wife of late Sen. Edward Kennedy and mental health advocate who endured tragedy and scandal, dies at 89.

Former FBI Director James Comey pleads not guilty to Trump Justice Department case accusing him of lying to Congress.

Ex-FBI Director James Comey is in court to face Trump Justice Department case accusing him of lying to Congress.

Matt Van Epps, a former commissioner in Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s administration, has won a crowded Republican primary in the special election to replace a GOP congressman who left office this summer. In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Aftyn Behn won a four-way contest and will face Van Epps in the general election. Van Epps clinched Tuesday's victory with an endorsement from President Donald Trump that came after in-person early voting ended. Eleven Republicans were on the ballot for the seat vacated by former U.S. Rep. Mark Green. The Dec. 2 general election could gauge the popularity of Trump’s aggressive second-term agenda, especially with suburban Republican voters.

California is the third U.S. state to designate Diwali as an official statewide holiday. The law, newly signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, takes effect January 1. It allows public schools and community colleges to close for Diwali. State employees can take the day off, and students will get an excused absence. Pennsylvania and Connecticut have also recognized Diwali as a holiday. State Assembly member Ash Kalra, who coauthored the bill, emphasized the significance for South Asian children. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. The holiday symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.

National Guard members from Texas are at an Army Reserve center in Illinois. It's the most visible sign yet of the Trump administration’s plan to deploy troops to the Chicago area despite a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from Democratic elected leaders. The Associated Press saw military personnel in uniforms with the Texas National Guard patch at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Elwood in the far southwestern suburbs of Chicago. On Monday, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott posted a picture on social media showing National Guard members from his state boarding a plane, but he didn’t specify where they were going.

Aftyn Behn wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special primary election.

A California fire department captain says he yelled for bystanders on a California highway to help lift the wreckage of a downed medical helicopter off a paramedic pinned underneath after determining additional rescue crews would take too long to get to the scene. Capt. Peter Vandersluis of the Sacramento Fire Department told The Associated Press he asked motorists for help after hearing the paramedic groan. The team raised the aircraft in about 30 seconds. By the time the firefighter extracted the paramedic, less than a minute had passed. A pilot, nurse and paramedic were taken to hospitals in critical condition after Monday’s crash in California’s capital.

Matt Van Epps wins Republican nomination for U.S. House in Tennessee's 7th Congressional District special primary election.

Mourners reflected on the life and legacy of Russell M. Nelson, the charismatic sentimentalist who oversaw a global temple building boom as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at a funeral service in Salt Lake City. He died in late September at age 101. A church official described him as “the holder of hands and the healer of hearts." Church spokesman Doug Andersen says nearly 20,000 tickets quickly were claimed for his funeral. The Tuesday service was broadcast globally and featured tributes and music by the Tabernacle Choir. The burial service will be held at Salt Lake City Cemetery but will not be open to the public.

Federal officials have reported the arrests of 13 people protesting near an immigration facility outside Chicago. This facility has been frequently targeted during a surge in immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with employees inside the facility on Friday. Protesters gathered outside, upset by newly installed barricades. Some aimed to block vehicles from entering or leaving the area. Federal agents have used tear gas and pepper balls in response to protests. Illinois State Police set up barriers to separate protesters from law enforcement. Critics have raised concerns about the tactics used by federal agents.

Federal health officials have issued a public health alert for certain Hello Fresh subscription meals containing spinach that may be contaminated with listeria. The U.S. Agriculture Department on Monday warned people not to eat Hello Fresh Ready Made Meals Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey. The products were shipped directly to consumers' homes. They were produced by FreshRealm, a California firm linked to an expanding listeria outbreak tied to heat-and-eat pasta meals.

President Donald Trump’s efforts to send National Guard troops into U.S. cities — including Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon; and Chicago — over the objections of Democratic mayors and governors have prompted a host of questions about the president’s authority and who controls the Guard. A judge in California has ruled that the deployment of 4,000 National Guard members — along with 700 Marines — in Los Angeles earlier this year violated federal law. A judge in Oregon issued two temporary restraining orders over the weekend blocking the administration from deploying federal troops to protect federal property in that state. And on Monday, Chicago and Illinois sued in hopes of obtaining a similar order there.