by Kimberlee Kruesi and Meg Kinnard SCARBOROUGH, Maine  — Graham Platner said Wednesday that he plans to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Maine after facing an allegation of sexual assault, shuttering an insurgent campaign that had withstood months of controversy only to implode and imperil Democrats’ attempt to regain power in Washington. Platner’s exit will most likely force a reckoning within the party, which has been divided between its moderate and progressive factions, when it is struggling to unify during this year’s midterm elections. Maine is considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and…

by Kimberlee Kruesi and Patrick Wittle SCARBOROUGH, Maine  — The Maine Democratic Party on Wednesday voted to hold a convention should Democratic Graham Platner drop out of the state’s U.S. Senate race after a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. Platner, who denies the allegation, has faced considerable pressure from his own party to quit the race. The first-time candidate also has been accused of trying to influence how his replacement is selected — a claim he also denies. The question marks around Platner have left a crucial U.S. Senate race unsettled just months before the November midterm elections.…

by Ronald Blum and Michelle L. Price SEATTLE  — U.S. President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of star U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, whose red-card suspension was lifted in a decision that allows him to play in a World Cup match against Belgium on Monday. Balogun, the American leader with three goals in the tournament, received a red cardfor stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia-Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 win on Wednesday, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. FIFA announced Sunday that the suspension had been lifted for the round of 16 match, an extraordinary…

by Ken Maguire LONDON — Serena Williams will face an opponent less than half her age when she plays 20-year-old Maya Joint in the first round at Wimbledon for her first singles match in nearly four years. The seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, who is 44, accepted a wild-card entry to the grass-court Grand Slam, where she’ll also compete in doubles with her older sister Venus, who turned 46 last week. It’s all part of a tennis comeback that started with two doubles warmup matches but kicked into high gear Sunday when the All England Club announced Serena would play singles.…

by Jay Cohen CHICAGO (AP) — Bryson Graham took over the Chicago Bulls when he was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations in May. At his introductory news conference, he referenced the acronym SLAP — size, length, athleticism, physicality. That vision is beginning to come into focus. Chicago selected Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain in the first round of Graham’s first draft with his new team on Tuesday night. It was part of a busy stretch for the Bulls, who reportedly acquired Nic Claxton as part of a three-team trade on Monday night. Tiago Splitter was hired as…

by Julie Carr Smyth and Michael Casey A federal judge on Wednesday permanently barred President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing most of his first executive order on elections, part of which sought to require people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote. The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper in Boston effectively converts a preliminary injunction she issued a year ago, in which she temporarily blocked many of Trump’s efforts to overhaul elections, into a permanent ban. Casper rejected the administration’s argument that the lawsuit to block the changes brought by Democratic state attorneys…

by Scott Bauer CHICAGO, IL- Former President Barack Obama formally opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday with a call to defend democracy as three former presidents joined him on stage in an extraordinary event featuring politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures. “I hope this center will serve as an affirmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is and remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” the nation’s first Black president told the crowd. Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder took turns…

by Scott Bauer Former President Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, celebrated the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago in an extraordinary event Thursday that brought together politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures. Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder took turns on the stage ahead of Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. “I hope this center will serve as an affirmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is and remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” Obama told the crowd. President Donald…

by Kristie Rieken HOUSTON — Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal teammates were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Congo on Wednesday in their opening match at the World Cup. Congo, which was playing at the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, became the second African nation to make a strong start in the tournament against European competition following Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain on Monday. “The World Cup is a tournament where this happens,” said Portugal coach Roberto Martínez, a Spaniard who coached Belgium to the semifinals at the 2018 tournament. “At times the performance…

by Dave Collins and Hallie Golden CHIAGO, IL – Residents in tornado-ravaged areas in Illinois and Indiana were grappling with the damage to their homes and neighborhoods on Friday, after the strong line of storms barreled through communities south of Chicago and left trails of destruction. Cleanup efforts were underway, and utility companies said power restoration efforts could extend into next week. Thursday’s storms ripped roofs off of buildings, flattened homes, brought down scores of trees and power lines and caused hundreds of thousands of power outages and major air traffic disruptions. Officials said there were no reports of deaths…