WASHINGTON

Obama delays naming his attorney general nominee

President Obama does not plan to announce his choice for attorney general before the November elections, shielding the nomination from the rough-and-tumble of midterm election politics.

Delaying an announcement of a replacement for outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder, however, will set up a likely showdown with a lame duck Senate late this year on a compressed timetable.

Senate Democrats have asked Obama to wait so controversy doesn’t arise over whether they will support a specific nominee and the delay gives Obama more time to consider his options.

The White House is preparing for the prospect of trying to push through a nominee in the year-end congressional session while Democrats still have a 10-seat majority in the Senate. Obama faces the likelihood of an even tougher challenge to win confirmation if he waits until the new Senate is seated early next year, since Republicans are expected to pick up seats in the midterm, if not win outright control.

PHOENIX

Arizona to settle inmates’ cancer treatment lawsuit

Arizona officials agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of 33,000 inmates after some complained that their cancer went undetected or they were told to pray to be cured after begging for treatment.

Without acknowledging any wrongdoing, state officials agreed to seek more money from the Legislature to increase health care staffing, offer cancer screenings to certain prisoners, follow requirements in treating patients with chronic diseases, and provide more out-of-cell time to prisoners kept in isolated cells.

The lawsuit was filed in 2012.

Prison officials have denied the allegations.

AUSTIN, Texas

Federal appeals court reinstates voter ID law

A federal appeals court has reinstated a Texas voter ID law that the U.S. Justice Department describes as the state’s latest tool to suppress minorities in elections.

Tuesday’s ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is at least a temporary victory for Republican-backed photo ID measures that have swept across the U.S.

ST. LOUIS

Tests find gunshot residue on 18-year-old slain by police

Lab tests by the Missouri State Highway Patrol show gunshot residue was on the hand, waistband and shirt of an 18-year-old killed by a St. Louis police officer.

St. Louis police announced the test results Tuesday. Police union leaders say it dispels any claims that Vonderrit Myers didn’t shoot at the officer in the Oct. 8 confrontation. Relatives of Myers have said he was unarmed.

– From news service reports