Trump berates

GOP senators

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has berated Senate Republicans during his visit to the Capitol for allowing a vote to block his war in Iran, further escalating a feud that has diverted GOP efforts to focus on election-year affordability issues and brought much of the chamber’s business to a halt.

Trump had signaled ahead of time that he would use the closed-door meeting to push senators to pass his proof-of-citizenship voting bill. But the conversation was more focused on Tuesday’s vote to approve the war powers resolution, a mostly symbolic measure that allows Congress to rebuke the administration’s military actions.

De la Espriella

declared winner

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Abelardo de la Espriella, a millionaire political newcomer, has been declared Colombia’s next president. Electoral authorities announced his victory on Wednesday after a close runoff election on Sunday.

De la Espriella, who has never held office, defeated progressive lawmaker Iván Cepeda by a narrow margin. His win is seen as a rejection of outgoing President Gustavo Petro’s policies.

De la Espriella promises a tough approach to crime, inspired by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. Cepeda conceded and accepted a Senate seat. De la Espriella’s term begins Aug. 7, and he aims to unify the nation.

Earthquake

in California

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A rural area of Northern California has experienced its strongest earthquake since 1940, but it caused only mild shaking with no immediate reports of major damage.

Mendocino County authorities say some injuries have been reported but have provided no details. The U.S. Geological Survey says the epicenter of Wednesday’s quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6, was about 7 miles northwest of the agricultural town of Willits.

The USGS says it was about 5 miles deep. Three other quakes under a 2.7 magnitude struck near the epicenter within an hour.

Camp Mystic

files bankruptcy

DALLAS (AP) — Camp Mystic has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. The filing Wednesday comes nearly a year after catastrophic floods in Texas Hill Country killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the Christian camp for girls.

Camp owner Richard Eastland also died in the flood over the July 4 weekend at the camp on the Guadalupe River. In paperwork filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the camp listed its debt as more than $10 million.

Families of the victims filed a lawsuit in November saying the camp operators failed to take the necessary steps to protect the girls as life-threatening floodwaters approached.