Normally, the weeks heading up to Friday’s release of the DC film “Blue Beetle” would be a triumphant, celebratory time for its filmmakers and Latino-led cast

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by journalists and open government advocates who sought to require her office to respond to public record requests, and a state panel agreed Wednesday to pay more than $100,000 in attorney fees. Reynolds settled the lawsuit about two months after the Iowa Supreme Court refused to dismiss the case filed by two media organizations and a nonprofit advocacy group. The court unanimously rejected the governor's argument that her office wasn't required to respond in a timely manner to record requests and that she could bypass the state's open records law by simply ignoring the requests. The organizations filed the lawsuit in 2021, claiming the governor had violated Iowa’s open records law by ignoring government record requests. The reporters had emailed the governor’s office with eight different open-record requests between April 2020 and April 2021 and renewed each request at least once. In each case, they received no response until filing a lawsuit in December 2021. In a statement, the governor's office acknowledged the settlement but said problems stemmed from demands during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The COVID-19 response put unprecedented demands on the governor’s team to meet the immediate needs of Iowans," Kollin Crompton, the governor's deputy communications director, said in a statement. "As a result, responses to requests were unintentionally delayed, which is not acceptable. Our office has assessed our internal processes and we continue to reevaluate the process to improve timeliness.” Earlier Wednesday, the State Appeal Board approved $135,000 to cover legal fees for the organizations, though the one Democrat on the three-member board objected. Auditor Rob Sand said state law intends that those who violate the open records law should pay fees related to the violation and a fine. The settlement, he noted, pays the fees with public money and doesn't include a fine. “These insiders have no shame," Sand said in a statement. “They abuse your rights, and then want to use your money to pay for having abused you.” The organization are the liberal-leaning Bleeding Heartland blog, Iowa Capital Dispatch and Iowa Freedom of Information Council, which focuses on open government issues. The ACLU of Iowa, which represented the organizations, said the settlement will be official later this month when the court accepts the agreement. The ACLU said the agreement also required a year of judicial oversight over the governor's office's compliance with the state open records law as well as court fees. The governor also settled separate lawsuits filed by an attorney who sued after not receiving records about COVID-19 testing contracts. The State Appeal Board approved about $40,000 to settle that case. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

By Kevin Yao BEIJING China's economy likely slowed in the third quarter, data is expected to show on

West Ham and Brentford target Serhou Guirassy will be available for around £15.2m during the January transfer window due to a release clause attached to his contract, 90min understands.

A $290 million settlement between JPMorgan Chase & Co. and victims of Jeffrey Epstein was approved by a

England captain Jos Buttler admitted the World Cup had been "incredibly disappointing" as the defending champions were pushed to the...

A Donald Trump ‘body man’ has reportedly been indicted in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the former president’s mishandling of classified documents. Walt Nauta, a longtime Trump aide, is the second person to be indicted in the investigation, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Mr Trump immediately confirmed the development in a Truth Social post. “I have just learned that the ‘Thugs from the Department of Injustice will be Indicting a wonderful man, Walt Nauta, a member of the U.S. Navy, who served proudly with me in the White House, retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide,” he ranted. Mr Trump added that federal investigators were “trying to destroy his life”. “He is strong, brave, and a Great Patriot. The FBI and DOJ are CORRUPT!” Details of the indictment were not immediately known. Mr Nauta, a former White House aide who later joined Mr Trump’s staff at Mar-a-Lago, was reportedly with the former president when news of the indictment broke on Thursday, according to CNN. Mr Trump was indicted on seven separate federal counts understood to include conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements, and unlawful retention of national defence information on Thursday night. Breaking more to come Read More Trump indictment — live: Trump’s brazen classified document admission revealed amid MAGA meltdown over charges Trump-appointed judge will initially preside over ex-president’s federal indictment Trump faces unprecedented legal peril, but will it hurt his standing with Republican voters?

The US and Taiwan agreed to boost trade ties, the first tangible results under an initiative announced last

A firefighter has been killed while fighting a massive wildfire in northeastern British Columbia, marking the second such fatality in the Canadian province this month during this year’s record fire season

Pakistan’s army and civil authorities are planning to evacuate 80,000 people to safety along the southern coast, and thousands in neighboring India have sought shelter ahead of Cyclone Biparjoy

SINTRA, Portugal The European Central Bank will likely keep raising interest rates after its next meeting even as

Unlocked phones (both brand new and renewed) are on sale ahead of Prime Day 2.