Harris is pushing joy. Trump paints a darker picture. Will mismatched moods matter?
WASHINGTON (AP) — At the top of his first speech as her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz turned to Vice President Kamala Harris and declared, “Thank you for bringing back the joy.” The next day, Harris took the theme a step further, branding the Democratic ticket “joyful warriors.” Contrast that with former President Donald Trump, who opened a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida later in the week saying, “We have a lot of bad things coming up.” Democrats are playing up their sunnier outlook. But the Trump campaign argues their candidate is reflecting the country’s more accurate, dour mood.
More Russians are urged to flee Ukraine’s cross-border attack as the Kremlin scrambles to respond
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — An official in the Kursk border region of Russia is urging residents to evacuate due to the “very tense situation” in the area, where Russian forces are scrambling to respond to a surprise Ukrainian attack. Russia’s emergency authorities say more than 76,000 people have fled their homes in areas of Kursk where Ukrainian troops and armor poured across the border seven days ago. They reportedly have advanced as much as 30 kilometers (19 miles). The Ukrainian operation is taking place under tight secrecy, and its goals remain unclear. The stunning maneuver that caught the Kremlin’s forces unawares counters Russia’s unrelenting effort in recent months to punch through Ukrainian defenses at selected points along the front line in eastern Ukraine.
Israel-Hamas war latest: Leaders of France, Germany and Britain endorse calls for cease-fire in Gaza
The leaders of France, Germany and Britain have endorsed calls for a cease-fire in Gaza, the return of scores of hostages held by Hamas and the “unfettered” delivery of humanitarian aid. In a joint statement released Monday, they endorsed the latest push by the United States, Qatar and Egypt to broker an agreement to end the 10-month-old Israel-Hamas war. The mediators have spent months trying to get the sides to agree to a three-phase plan in which Hamas would release the remaining hostages captured in its Oct. 7 attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and Israel would withdraw from Gaza.
How a young generation in Bangladesh forced out the leader who ruled for much of their lives
A generation of young people, many of whom cannot remember a time before Sheikh Hasina was Bangladesh’s prime minister, led protests that resulted in her ouster. The protesters say they were fed up with her increasingly autocratic rule. Students initially poured into streets to demand the end of government job quotas they said benefitted supporters of Hasina’s Awami League. Those jobs are some of the most stable and best paying in a country where the economy has boomed but hasn’t created enough work for its well-educated middle class. Members of Generation Z are among the most frustrated with and affected by the lack of opportunity. And they are not beholden to the old narratives the quota system reflected.
After fire struck Maui’s Upcountry, residents of one town looked to themselves to prep for next one
High up in the mountains of Maui, residents of one small town have taken their future into their own hands after a fire last year that burned 19 homes. The blaze that hit part of Kula in August was far smaller than the fire that devastated the historic city of Lahaina, on Maui’s coast. In Kula, residents and firefighters scrambled to beat back the flames after a power outage caused a loss of water pressure. People in Kula have been organizing ever since around cleanup and fire prevention. They’re clearing invasive species, reforesting the burned area with native plants, stabilizing soil, installing smoke detection cameras and holding their utilities accountable.
Major wildfire rages out of control on fringes of Greek capital; hundreds of firefighters deployed
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A major forest fire is raging out of control on the northern fringes of the Greek capital, triggering numerous evacuation orders for Athens suburbs and outlying areas as strong winds hamper the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes. The blaze that began Sunday afternoon is racing through pine forests left tinder-dry by repeated heat waves this summer. June and July of this year were the hottest months ever recorded in Greece, which also recorded its warmest winter ever. A children’s hospital, a military hospital, two monasteries and a children’s home were evacuated early Monday, while evacuation orders, were issued for more than a dozen areas, including Marathon and several Athens suburbs.
Paris closes the Olympics, and Los Angeles turns to Tom Cruise for its 2028 mission
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — Paris has closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a star-studded show in France’s national stadium. The French capital has handed over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028. Hollywood star Tom Cruise descended from the top of the stadium to the “Mission: Impossible” theme song, before taking the Olympic flag from star gymnast Simone Biles, putting it on the back of motorcycle and roaring out of the stadium. Los Angeles is looking to prove that topping Paris isn’t mission impossible. The French capital made spectacular use of its cityscape, with the Eiffel Tower and other iconic monuments serving as backdrops and venues.
From Paris to Los Angeles: How the city is preparing for the 2028 Olympics
LOS ANGELES (AP) — As the Olympics close in Paris, Los Angeles has now taken the torch. The city will become the third to host the games three times. The last was in 1984, when Los Angeles was as much a star as Olympians Carl Lewis and Mary Lou Retton. Olympic organizers will take advantage of a recent building boom in the city. The nearly new SoFi stadium will host an opening ceremony that will also incorporate the century-old Memorial Coliseum. The region has much more public transportation than it did in ’84, but is looking to build much more by 2028.
How a Mexico City hospital transforms into a coming-of-age celebration for its patients
MEXICO CITY (AP) — At a local children’s hospital in Mexico City, volunteers clad in white and blue nurse uniforms scurry to attend to birthday girls and boys. They curl hair, do makeup, and adjust bow ties. Young patients prepare to celebrate their 15th birthday at the hospital’s annual “Mis XV” or “My Fifteenth.” Whether they are in treatment for a serious disease or have overcome cancer, the hospital’s event centers around celebrating the coming-of-age of these teenagers. In Mexico, the “quinceñera” or “fifteenth birthday” is a huge rite of passage for adolescents, particularly girls. The occasion marks the transition of the teen into adulthood.
Mini farm animals are adorable. There’s also a growing demand for them
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are showing more interest in owning miniature cows, miniature goats, miniature donkeys and other diminutive farm animals. The trend is driven by hobby farmers looking for easy-to-manage livestock and homesteaders who like the idea of having a petite pig or a scaled-down sheep as a pet. Animal breeders say sales of pint-sized farm animals have grown since the COVID-19 pandemic, when more people started raising backyard chickens for fun and fresh eggs. Like chickens, mini farm animals appeal to beginners without much land who want to taste a rugged, agrarian lifestyle. To be sure, raising these miniature animals come with a learning curve.
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