This midterm election will be remembered not just for the stunning number of losses Democrats handed to President Donald Trump and Republicans but for a wave of historic firsts across the country. There were cheers and happy tears at election parties from New Mexico to Georgia Tuesday night once it became clear voters had elected the country’s first Black female governor, the first Native American female governor and other history-making candidates. Most are Democrats, but the GOP has also broken some new ground. While some of these candidates have avoided focusing on the inherent historic value of their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, some voters’ rights advocates are celebrating how the electorate has expanded.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democrats finally got their wish in Texas.

The Trump administration has urged the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling allowing a state-funded preschool program in Colorado to exclude Roman Catholic schools if they don’t comply with equal-opportunity requirements. Tuesday's case is the latest religious-rights issue before the conservative-majority court. President Donald Trump's administration supports the challenge by the Archdiocese of Denver. A win could narrow a 1990 Supreme Court decision on religious exemptions. The Colorado program was created in 2020 and funds preschools chosen by parents. The Catholic preschools say their enrollment has dropped since the program began.

Dolores Huerta fought for causes even in her golden years, when many others would be enjoying retirement. The labor rights pioneer died Wednesday from cancer at age 96. She lived up to her famous rallying cry, “Sí, se puede,” meaning “yes, it can be done.” She marched or spoke at protests, panels and other events into her 90s. She talked about issues impacting Latinos as well as other people of color, the LGBTQ+ community and women. Huerta was an organizer during every major election and encouraged voters and endorsed candidates. Her leadership has made Huerta almost a mythical figure, especially in Latino and Chicano households.

The Supreme Court has rejected a Trump administration appeal seeking to immediately enforce medical care restrictions for transgender people in federal prison. The decision leaves in place lower court orders requiring prison officials to continue providing treatments like hormone therapy. The administration had asked to enforce for now a policy halting surgeries, hormones, and social accommodations. It was adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump. Attorneys for transgender inmates said the policy violated their rights and amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. The Trump administration argued that treatments raised security concerns and “could no longer be justified.”

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella says he is spearheading a cultural “counterrevolution” that has included …

“La Bola Negra,” a $15 million Spanish queer epic, is expected to challenge “The Odyssey” for best picture. Netflix is giving “La Bola Negra” a 46-day exclusive run in cinemas, the longest ever for the streamer, and is pushing the movie for the Academy Awards. For its glamorous directors, Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo -- the writing-directing duo known as “Los Javis” -- it’s been a head-spinning rise. Their film, about the interconnected lives of three gay men across a century of history, has been widely acclaimed since its rapturous response at the Cannes Film Festival. It opens in theaters Friday before streaming next month on Netflix.

Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic leaders to courageously accompany families in their weaknesses and failures. Leo on Wednesday opened a weeklong and closed-door conference assessing the implementation of Pope Francis' 2016 document “The Joy of Love.” The document covers a host of issues relating to how the Catholic Church can better minister to families today as they cope with issues such as poverty, war, LGBTQ+ children and divorce. But it immediately sparked controversy when it was released after a yearslong consultation because it opened the door to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion. Church teaching holds that unless these Catholics obtain an annulment they can't receive the sacraments since they are seen as living in sin and committing adultery.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Roy Moore's push to restore an $8.2 million defamation verdict over a 2017 S…