Israel strikes Gaza as Blinken heads to region to try to help close cease-fire deal
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes across Gaza killed 19 people overnight, including a woman and her six children, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the region on Sunday to try to seal a cease-fire deal after months of contentious negotiations. The U.S. and fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar appeared to be closing in on a deal after two days of talks in Doha, with American and Israeli officials expressing cautious optimism. But Hamas has signaled resistance to what it says are new demands by Israel, and the long-running talks have repeatedly stalled. The evolving proposal calls for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all hostages abducted during its Oct.
Harris and Trump offer worlds-apart contrasts on top issues in presidential race
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris has replaced President Joe Biden atop the presidential ticket, but his “finish the job” campaign mantra can still largely apply to her top policy goals. She’s promising to continue a lot of what Biden was doing during the past four years if she’s elected to four of her own. Former President Donald Trump, for his part, is itching to get back to the White House and accomplish what he didn’t during his first term. Since Biden stepped down last month, the vice president has announced few major policy proposals beyond a new push to prevent price gouging by food producers and grocers and plans to cut taxes for families, attempt to bring down homebuying and rental prices and reduce medical debt.
Thousands of activists expected in Chicago for Democratic convention to call for Gaza ceasefire
CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of activists are expected to converge on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, hoping to call attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza. While Vice President Kamala Harris has energized crowds of supporters as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, progressive activists maintain their mission remains the same. Activists say they learned lessons from last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and are predicting bigger crowds and more robust demonstrations in Chicago, a city with deep social activism roots. Demonstrations are expected every day of the convention and, while their agendas vary, many activists agree an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is the priority.
Trump zigzags between economic remarks and personal insults at rally in critical Pennsylvania
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump on Saturday repeatedly swerved from a message focused on the economy into non sequiturs and personal attacks, including thrice declaring that he was better looking than Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump wound back and forth between hitting his points on economic policy and delivering a smattering of insults and impressions of President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron as he held a rally in northeastern Pennsylvania. The former president has seemed to struggle to adjust to his new opponent after Democrats replaced their nominee. Over the past week, he has diverged during campaign appearances away from the policies he was billed to speak about and instead diverted to a rotation of familiar attack lines and insults.
French actor and heartthrob Alain Delon dies at 88
PARIS (AP) — Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died at age 88, French media reported. With his handsome looks and tender manner, the prolific actor was able to combine toughness with an appealing, vulnerable quality that made him one of France’s memorable leading men. Delon was also a producer, appeared in plays and, in later years, in television movies. His children announced the death on Sunday in a statement to French national news agency Agence France-Presse, a common practice in France. Tributes to Delon immediately started pouring in on social platforms, and all leading French media switched to full-fledged coverage of his rich career.
Hurricane Ernesto weakens into tropical storm as it moves away from Bermuda over open waters
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Ernesto weakened into a tropical storm late Saturday as it moved away from Bermuda over open waters of the Atlantic after crossing over the tiny British territory early in the day with heavy rains and strong winds. Ernesto forced residents to stay indoors, and more than 23,000 people lost power, officials said. By late Saturday, the storm’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 70 mph (110 kph). It was centered about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda and moving north-northeast at 8 mph (13 kph). The National Hurricane Center had warned of strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and significant coastal flooding for Bermuda.
Venezuelans in Caracas and across the world demonstrate to defend opposition’s victory claim
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelans across the world — some with flags and other patriotic paraphernalia — responded to a call from their country’s political opposition Saturday and took to the streets to defend the faction’s claim to victory over President Nicolás Maduro in last month’s disputed presidential election. The demonstrations in Tokyo, Sydney, Mexico City and several other cities were an effort by the main opposition coalition to make visible what they insist is the real outcome of the election. They also called on governments to throw their support behind candidate Edmundo González and express support to Venezuelans who are fearful in their home country of speaking against Maduro and his allies during a brutal repression campaign.
What to know as India’s medics and women protest the rape and killing of a doctor
NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s medical workers began a countrywide strike Saturday to protest the rape and killing of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in the eastern West Bengal state. Saturday’s strike was called by the country’s largest group of doctors, the Indian Medical Association, saying all non-essential services at hospitals would be shut down across the country for 24 hours. The suspension of work has affected thousands of patients across India. The protests — mostly led by women — have intensified in recent days, demanding a safer working environment. Here’s what to know. On Aug. 9, police discovered the bloodied body of the 31-year-old trainee doctor at the state-run R.G.
The trash in Mali’s capital is piling up. Donkey carts are coming to help
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — When handling the garbage of a city of over 3 million people and equipped with little more than a face mask and gloves, it helps to have a sense of humor. Yacouba Diallo decided to name the two donkeys that pull his cart after his cousins, Keita and Kanté. Hauling garbage in Mali’s capital, Bamako, can be otherwise grim. The city more than doubled its population in recent years and struggles to manage its waste. Piles of garbage dominate some streets. Residents are turning to donkey carts like Diallo’s for trash pickup. The carts can weave in and out of vehicle traffic and reach more places than trucks can, especially on bad roads.
Latest search for 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre victims ends with 3 more found with gunshot wounds
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The latest search for the remains of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre victims has ended with three more sets containing gunshot wounds, investigators said. The three are among 11 sets of remains exhumed during the latest excavation in Oaklawn Cemetery, state archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said Friday. “Two of those gunshot victims display evidence of munitions from two different weapons,” Stackelbeck said. “The third individual who is a gunshot victim also displays evidence of burning.” Forensic anthropologist Phoebe Stubblefield, who will remain on site to examine the remains, said one victim suffered bullet and shotgun wounds while the second was shot with two different caliber bullets.
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