AP-TROPICAL WEATHER

Bahamians begin rescues as Dorian moves on toward US coast

FREEPORT, Bahamas (AP) — Bahamians are rescuing victims of Hurricane Dorian with jet skis and a bulldozer as the U.S. Coast Guard, Britain’s Royal Navy and a handful of aid groups try to get food and medicine to survivors.

Airports are flooded and roads impassable after the most powerful storm to hit the Bahamas in recorded history parked over Abaco and Grand Bahama islands and pounded them with winds up to 185 mph (295 kph) and torrential rain before finally moving into open waters on a course toward Florida.

People on the U.S. coast are making final preparations for a storm with winds at a still-dangerous 110 mph (175 kph).

At least seven deaths have been reported in the Bahamas, with the full scope of the disaster still unknown.

BREXIT

Defiant UK lawmakers move to bar ‘no deal’ Brexit

LONDON (AP) — Defiant British lawmakers are moving to bar a weakened Prime Minister Boris Johnson from pursuing a “no-deal” departure from the European Union.

In retaliation, the new leader plans to call an early general election that would put his own future, and that of his Conservative Party, on the line in a bid for a new Parliament that would back his Brexit policy.

Johnson enjoyed a brief honeymoon after taking power in July. That came to an abrupt end Tuesday night as rebellious lawmakers voted 328 to 301 to seize control of the Brexit agenda.

But the course ahead remains unpredictable and there is still great uncertainty about how — or even if — Britain will ultimately leave the prosperous EU bloc.

AP-US-BOAT-FIRE-CALIFORNIA-THE-LATEST

The Latest: High school teacher, family on dive boat

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California school district says a high school physics teacher and child were on board a dive boat that caught fire off the Southern California coast.

Fremont Unified School District spokesman Ken Blackstone said Tuesday that Scott Chan taught at American High in Fremont and was well-liked.

The district originally said his wife was with him but later said they learned she was not on board. Blackstone says Chan was with one of his children, but he was unsure if it was his son or daughter.

Authorities say 34 people are missing and presumed dead after the vessel sunk near Santa Cruz Island early Monday.

ABC affiliate KNXV-TV in Phoenix reports that an Arizona couple, Patricia Beitzinger and Neal Baltz, were also on board, according to Baltz’s father.

BORDER WALL-MILITARY FUNDING

Pentagon sidelines 127 building projects to fund border wall

WASHINGTON (AP) — A total of 127 military construction projects are being sidelined by a Pentagon decision to shift $3.6 billion to build part of President Donald Trump’s border wall.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper approved the transfer of funds on Tuesday. Officials say details about the projects losing their funding will be released after Congress is notified.

The Pentagon comptroller says the projects are being “deferred” and not cancelled, though there is no guarantee the funding will be restored by Congress.

The money is to be used to build 175 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Congress approved $1.375 billion for wall construction in this year’s budget, same as the previous year but far less than the $5.7 billion that the White House sought.

SHOOTING-TEXAS-THE LATEST

The Latest: Source: Mental health reason for 2014 gun denial

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A law enforcement official says the gunman who killed seven people in Texas has failed a background check in 2014 because of a “mental health issue.”

The official tells The Associated Press on Tuesday that Seth Ator had attempted to purchase a firearm in 2014 but was denied after a federal background check.

The official said Ator was able to obtain the rifle used in Saturday’s rampage in West Texas through a private gun sale, skirting the background check process.

Authorities said Ator killed seven people and injured around two dozen others during his rampage on Saturday in Odessa, Texas.

— Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo reported from Washington, D.C.

AP-US-TESLA-FREEWAY-CRASH

NTSB: Tesla on Autopilot when it hit California firetruck

DETROIT (AP) — A government report says the driver of a Tesla that slammed into a firetruck near Los Angeles last year was using the car’s Autopilot system when a vehicle in front of him suddenly changed lanes and he didn’t have time to react.

The National Transportation Safety Board says the driver never saw the parked truck and didn’t brake. Apparently the Model S didn’t brake either.

The report raises further questions about the effectiveness of Tesla’s system, which was in operation before several other crashes including two fatalities in Florida and one in Silicon Valley. Tesla warns drivers that the system is not fully autonomous and drivers must be ready to intervene.

The NTSB report didn’t state a cause of the crash. The agency will issue a final report Wednesday.

US OPEN-THE LATEST

The Latest: Federer loses to Dimitrov in US Open quarters

NEW YORK (AP) — Roger Federer gave away a lead against a guy he’d never lost to and was beaten 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 by 78th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov in the U.S. Open quarterfinals before a stunned crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 38-year-old Federer took a rare-for-him medical timeout after the fourth set, leaving the court with a trainer. It was not immediately clear what might have been wrong with Federer, although he did appear to be flexing his back after some points.

When play resumed after a break of nearly 10 minutes, Federer’s form never picked up. He finished with 61 unforced errors, 33 on the forehand side.

Federer had been 7-0 against Dimitrov, taking 16 of their previous 18 sets.

Federer would have been the oldest Grand Slam semifinalist since Jimmy Connors was 39 at Flushing Meadows in 1991. He also was trying to add to his totals of five U.S. Open championships and 20 major trophies in all.

Instead, Dimitrov advanced to his third major semifinal, first in New York. He will face No. 5 Daniil Medvedev on Friday.

SUPREME COURT-GINSBURG

Ginsburg: Work on court ‘saved me’ during cancer treatment

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says her work on the high court “saved” her during cancer treatments over the years, including radiation she announced last month that she had undergone for a tumor on her pancreas.

Ginsburg was given a rock star reception Tuesday night in the home state of former President Bill Clinton, who named her to the Supreme Court in 1993. Introducing Ginsburg to a packed arena, Clinton said the justice had far exceeded the expectations he had when he named her to the high court.

Tuesday’s event was the latest in a handful of public appearances by Ginsburg since the 86-year-old justice disclosed that she had completed three weeks of outpatient radiation therapy for a cancerous tumor on her pancreas and is now disease-free. It was the fourth time over the past two decades that Ginsburg had been treated for cancer.

BREXIT-THE LATEST

The Latest: British PM: Parliament could wreck Brexit deal

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Britain’s Parliament is “on the brink of wrecking any deal” his government might be able to make with the European Union on Brexit terms.

He said Tuesday after a sound defeat in Parliament that a possible vote Wednesday to block a possible “no-deal” Brexit would give the EU the upper hand in negotiations.

The prime minister says that would mean “more dither, more delay, more confusion.”

He says he doesn’t want a new election but will call one so voters can choose who should be in charge of Brexit talks.

Johnson says he will call an election under the Fixed Term Parliament Act.

PENCE-TRUMP PROPERTY

Pence defends decision to stay at Trump property in Ireland

DOONBEG, Ireland (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence’s staff is defending his decision to stay at one of President Donald Trump’s properties while in Ireland amid criticism by Democrats that he’s enriching Trump at taxpayers’ expense.

Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, said Tuesday that the decision to stay at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg was made at Trump’s “suggestion” and that Pence and his entourage won’t be staying for free.

Short says Pence’s office followed protocol and received State Department sign-off. He says the club is the “one facility” in the Doonbeg area that can accommodate Pence’s team.

Pence is traveling with his wife, his mother and his sister. Short says Pence is personally covering costs for his mother and his sister.

Pence is commuting into Dublin for meetings with Irish officials.

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