Trump: US strikes another boat accused of carrying drugs in waters off Venezuela, killing 6

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says the U.S. has struck another boat accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela. The Republican president said Tuesday in a social media post six people aboard the vessel were killed. It’s the fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean as the Trump administration has asserted it’s treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force. Frustration with the administration has grown on Capitol Hill. Some Republicans want more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes. Democrats contend the strikes violate U.S. and international law. Venezuela says the U.S. government knows the drug-trafficking accusations are false.

Pennsylvania man pleads guilty in arson attack at governor’s mansion

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man who scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Cody Balmer entered the plea Tuesday for the April attack that caused millions of dollars in damage to the state-owned building in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of his family were inside and had to be evacuated. No one was injured, but authorities say the 38-year-old Balmer told them he planned to beat the governor with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him. Balmer’s family has said he has a history of mental health problems.

Rare October storm brings heavy rain and threat of mudslides to Southern California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California is getting hit by a rare October storm that’s pummeling the region with heavy rain and heavy winds. Mudslides are possible Tuesday. Some homes have been ordered evacuated in wildfire-scarred Los Angeles neighborhoods. LA Mayor Karen Bass said during a news conference Monday night that she was very concerned about the weather. Bass said strike teams, rescue teams and helicopters were all ready to respond. The evacuations covered about 115 homes, mostly in Pacific Palisades and Mandeville Canyon. Wildfires can leave hillsides without vegetation to hold soil in place, making it easier for the terrain to loosen during storms.

Slowdown in US hiring suggests economy still needs rate cuts, Fed’s Powell says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says that a sharp slowdown in hiring poses a growing risk to the U.S. economy. Powell’s comments Tuesday suggest that the Fed will likely cut its key interest rate twice more this year. Powell said in written remarks that despite the federal government shutdown cutting off official economic data, “the outlook for employment and inflation does not appear to have changed much since our September meeting,” when the Fed reduced its key rate for the first time this year.