Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Kamala Harris, giving her expected but crucial support
ATLANTA (AP) — Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have endorsed Kamala Harris in her White House bid, giving the vice president the expected but still crucial backing of the nation’s two most popular Democrats. The endorsement, announced Friday in a video showing Harris accepting a joint phone call from the former first couple, comes as Harris builds momentum as their party’s likely nominee after President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid and endorse his second-in-command against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump. It also highlights the friendship and potentially historic link between the nation’s first Black president and the first woman, first Black woman and first person of Asian descent to serve as vice president, who is now vying to break those barriers at the presidential rank.
Harris tries to thread the needle on Gaza after meeting with Netanyahu
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee for president, is attempting to bridge divides within the party over the war in Gaza, emphasizing Israel’s right to defend itself while also focusing on alleviating Palestinian suffering. She delivered remarks after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that reflected a delicate balancing act on one of the country’s most divisive political issues. Some Democrats have been critical of President Joe Biden’s steadfast support for Israel despite the increasing death toll among Palestinians, and Harris is trying to unite her party for the election battle with Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Arsonists attack French high-speed rail system hours before opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics
PARIS (AP) — Arsonists attacked France’s high-speed rail network early Friday, paralyzing train travel to Paris for some 800,000 people across Europe, including athletes heading to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Targeting remote locations far from the capital, the apparently coordinated attacks sought to cut off rail routes into the city from all directions. The fires were predominantly set in pipes containing critical signaling cables for the system known as the TGV. Blazes were reported before dawn near the tracks on three separate lines, causing widespread disruptions. Another arson attempt, in the south in Vergigny, was thwarted by rail agents who scared off several suspects.
Netanyahu will meet Trump at Mar-a-Lago, mending a yearslong rift
WASHINGTON (AP) — As president, Donald Trump went well beyond his predecessors in fulfilling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top wishes from the United States. Yet by the time Trump left the White House, relations between the two had broken down after Netanyahu rapidly congratulated Joe Biden on his 2020 presidential victory. On Friday, the two men will meet face-to-face for the first time in nearly four years in a test of whether the relationship can be mended. Both have an interest in getting past their differences. For Trump, now the Republican presidential nominee, the meeting could cast him as an ally and statesman, as well as sharpen efforts by Republicans to portray themselves as the party most loyal to Israel.
Powerful cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada was lured onto airplane before arrest in US, AP source says
WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades was duped into flying into the U.S., where he was arrested alongside a son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, according to a U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada got on an airplane to the U.S. believing he was going somewhere else, said the official, who spoke on the condition on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. The official did not provide additional details, including who persuaded Zambada to get on the plane or where exactly he thought he was going.
Recall of Boar’s Head deli meats announced during investigation of listeria outbreak
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials Friday announced a recall of some Boar’s Head liverwurst and other deli meats as they investigate a listeria outbreak that has sickened nearly three dozen people and caused two deaths. Boar’s Head Provisions Co. recalled its liverwurst because it may be tainted with the listeria bacteria, the U.S. Agriculture Department said. The company is also recalling additional deli meats that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst. The USDA said a sample of Boar’s Head liverwurst from a Maryland store tested positive for listeria. The sample was from an unopened package, collected by the Maryland Department of Health as part of an investigation into the listeria outbreak.
People flee Idaho town through a tunnel of fire and smoke as Western wildfires spread
Lightning strikes have sparked fast-moving wildfires in Idaho, prompting the evacuation of multiple communities, including one where a man drove past a building and trees engulfed in flames as a tunnel of smoke rose over the roadway. Videos posted to social media include a man who said he heard explosions as he fled Juliaetta, about 27 miles (43 kilometers) southeast of the University of Idaho’s campus in Moscow. The town of just over 600 residents was evacuated Thursday just ahead of the Gwen Fire, as were several other communities near the Clearwater River. The Idaho Department of Lands said “multiple structures” were burned, but the agency did not immediately release additional details, including whether the structures were homes or outbuildings.
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is already breaking box office records, with more possible soon
“ Deadpool & Wolverine ” has gotten off to a supercharged start at the box office, breaking the Thursday preview record for an R-rated movie. The comic-book film sold an estimated $38.5 million worth of movie tickets from preview screenings Thursday, Disney said Friday. The previous R-rated record-holder was “Deadpool 2,” released by Fox’s 20th Century Studios in May of 2018. That made $18.6 million from Thursday previews and went on to make $125.5 million in its first weekend. In fact, the previews played more like “Star Wars: The Rise of the Skywalker” ($40 million) and “Avengers: Infinity War” ($39 million) than the previous two “Deadpool” movies.
For Ukrainian athletes, joy mixes with sorrow at the Paris Olympics
PARIS (AP) — For Ukrainian competitors in Paris for the Olympics, joy goes hand in hand with sorrow. Athletes are striving to enjoy the dream of competing at one of the world’s most prestigious sports events while carrying the burden of the war back home. “When we read news, we feel very upset,” said Polina Buhrova, a 20-year-old badminton player at her first Games. “But it’s also our power and our possibility to show how strong we are that we are here, that we are going to fight until the end.” The living accommodations for athletes from around the world are adorned with flags and slogans at the Olympic village.
Snoop Dogg carries the Olympic torch before opening ceremony in Paris
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Snoop Dogg is seemingly everywhere during the Paris Olympics, but on Friday morning you could catch him carrying the Olympic torch ahead of the opening ceremony. He was one of the final torch bearers of the Olympic flame, which was lit in April in Greece and slowly has journeyed toward Paris since. Snoop Dogg’s leg was in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. In an interview earlier this week, the multihyphenate expressed gratitude toward the U.S. and France for the opportunity. “I look at this as a prestigious honor and something I truly respect. I would have never dreamed of nothing like this,” he said.
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