An Israeli airstrike hits a school sheltering people in Gaza, killing at least 30
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes have hit a school being used by displaced people in central Gaza, killing dozens of people. Saturday’s attack happened as negotiators prepared to meet international mediators to discuss a proposed cease-fire. At least 30 people sheltering at a girls’ school in Deir Al-Balah were taken to Al Aqsa Hospital and pronounced dead after a strike that Israel’s military said targeted a Hamas command and control center used to store weapons and plan attacks. Meanwhile, Israel’s military has ordered the evacuation of a part of a designated humanitarian zone in Gaza ahead of a planned strike on Khan Younis. The evacuation order Saturday is in response to rocket fire that Israel said originated from the area.
California’s largest wildfire explodes in size as fires rage across US West
California’s largest active fire has exploded in size, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scramble to meet the danger. The Park Fire’s intensity and rapid spread Friday evening led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in 2018, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes. More than 130 structures have been destroyed by this fire so far, and thousands more remain threatened. Communities elsewhere in the U.S. West and Canada were under siege Friday, from a fast-moving blaze in rural Idaho to a new blaze that was causing evacuations in eastern Washington.
Harris freshens up her message on the economy as Trump and Republicans go after her on inflation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Since President Joe Biden left the White House race, Vice President Kamala Harris has begun to craft her own narrative around the economy. She’s putting an emphasis on ending child poverty, promoting labor unions, reducing the costs of health and child care and protecting “dignity” in retirement. Not once in recent speeches did she mention the word “inflation.” That’s been the overwhelming economic challenge that has dogged Biden’s administration and forced the president to consistently acknowledge voters’ pain as they cope with higher grocery, gasoline, housing and auto expenses. Republicans have moved quickly to try to blame Harris for the inflation that until recently they pinned on Biden.
‘Gen Z feels the Kamalove’: Youth-led progressive groups hope Harris will energize young voters
CHICAGO (AP) — Youth-led progressive organizations have warned for months that Joe Biden had a problem with young voters, pleading with the president to work more closely with them to refocus on the issues most important to younger generations or risk losing their votes. But that changed when Biden exited the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. With Biden out of the race, many of these young leaders are now hoping Harris can overcome his faltering support among Gen Z and harness a new explosion of energy among young voters. On Friday, a coalition of 17 youth-led groups endorsed Harris.
Landale scores 20 points, Australia powers past Spain 92-80 to open Olympic basketball tournament
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Jock Landale had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Australia beat Spain 92-80 to open the group stage of the Olympic basketball tournament in Lille. Patty Mills added 19 points and Josh Giddey contributed 17 to lift Australia to the victory in Group A, which also includes Greece and Canada. Australia next meets Canada on Tuesday while Spain will face Greece. Australia led by as many as 14 points before Spain surged and used a 9-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 56-54, in the third quarter. The Aussies responded with a 15-4 spurt to close the period and never trailed again. Santi Aldama finished with 17 points for Spain. Sergio Llull added 17.
Why these Apache Catholics felt faced with a ‘false choice’ after priest removed church’s icons
MESCALERO, New Mexico (AP) — The congregation at St. Joseph Apache Mission in the Mescalero Reservation in New Mexico, is struggling to deal with the hurt caused by their priest removing a cherished painting called the Apache Christ, which portrays Jesus as an Indigenous holy man. Parishioners say that for years, they have successfully blended their Indigenous culture with their Catholic faith. While the paintings and other objects that were taken have been returned and a new priest has been assigned to the parish, the community is demanding a public apology from the Diocese of Las Cruces, which oversees the church. They say it is essential to help them move forward in the path of healing and reconciliation.
With trials pushed back, Trump sees first big dip in legal bills
WASHINGTON (AP) — As former President Donald Trump faces a supercharged Democratic fundraising effort, a persistent drag on his campaign’s coffers may be easing: legal expenses. A new report shows that the Save America political action committee paid about $827,000 in June for Trump’s legal expenses — the first time a monthly total has dipped below $1 million in two years. Since July 2022, the Trump-aligned PAC has averaged $4 million a month on such costs, mostly associated with his criminal and civil cases, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance records.
Mexican kingpin’s arrest likely to set off violent jockeying for power
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A new era is coming for Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel in the wake of the capture by U.S. authorities of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the last of the grand old Mexican drug traffickers. Experts believe his arrest will usher in a new wave of violence in Mexico even as Zambada could potentially provide loads of information for American prosecutors. Zambada had eluded authorities for decades and had never set foot in prison. He was known for being an astute operator, skilled at corrupting officials and having an ability to negotiate with everyone, including rivals. He was captured Thursday along with a son of JoaquĂn “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Should you stretch before exercise? After? Never? Here’s what to know
Should you stretch before exercising or after? And what’s the best way to do it? Stretching guidance has changed over the years. Stretching can help make you more flexible, improve range of motion in your joints — and feel good. David Behm, who researches human kinetics, says one important thing is to warm the muscles up first. He recommends a light aerobic activity such as jogging, walking or cycling for five or 10 minutes. Then stretch for about a minute per muscle group so as not to fatigue the muscles. If you’re playing a sport, stretching beforehand can help prevent injury. He also says resistance training can be an effective way of stretching. Stretch both sides equally. And don’t stretch to the point of pain.
Justice Department says TikTok collected US user views on issues like abortion and gun control
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a fresh broadside against one of the world’s most popular technology companies, the Justice Department has accused TikTok of harnessing the capability to gather bulk information on users based on views on divisive social issues like gun control, abortion and religion. Government lawyers say in a brief filed in federal court late Friday that TikTok and its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance used an internal web-suite system called Lark, which enables TikTok employees to speak directly with ByteDance engineers in China. One of Lark’s internal search tools, the filing states, permits ByteDance and TikTok employees in the U.S. and China to gather bulk user information based on content.
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