India’s Supreme Court refuses to legalize same-sex marriage

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s top court on Tuesday refused to legalize same-sex marriages, passing the responsibility back to Parliament in a ruling that disappointed campaigners for LGBTQ+ rights in the world’s most populous country. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud also urged the government to uphold the rights of the queer community and end discrimination against them. Earlier this year, the five-judge bench heard 21 petitions that sought to legalize same-sex marriage.

Ukraine claims a major strike on Russian airfields

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine on Tuesday claimed to have carried out one of the most destructive attacks on Russian air assets since the beginning of the war, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the assault used longer-range ballistic missiles donated by the United States. Zelenskyy’s announcement came hours after a U.S. official revealed that the longer-range ballistic missiles sought for months by Kyiv and promised by President Joe Biden had been delivered quietly and are in battlefield use.

Versailles Palace evacuated again in security scare

PARIS (AP) — The Palace of Versailles, one of France’s most visited tourist attractions, was evacuated Tuesday because of a security scare for the second time in four days, with France on heightened alert against feared attacks after the fatal stabbing of a school teacher. The former royal palace’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “For security reasons, the Palace of Versailles is evacuating visitors and closing its doors today Tuesday October 17. Thank you for your understanding.” Following a police inspection, the palace was cleared to reopen in the afternoon, National Police said.

Polish election winner Donald Tusk appeals to president to move quickly

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The opposition leader who won Poland’s parliamentary election, Donald Tusk, appealed to the nation’s president Tuesday for “energetic and fast decisions” so that a new government could be formed quickly. Three opposition parties that vowed to restore democratic standards in Poland together won over 54% of the votes in the nation’s weekend parliamentary election, putting them in a position to take power, according to a complete ballot count reported Tuesday.