US approves $20 billion in weapons sales to Israel amid threat of wider Middle East war
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles. The State Department made the announcement Tuesday. Congress was notified of the impending sale, which includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120 mm tank ammunition and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. It comes at a time of intense concern that Israel may become involved in a wider Middle East war.
A new round of Gaza cease-fire talks is starting. Why is a deal so elusive?
JERUSALEM (AP) — International mediators are hoping to kickstart stalled cease-fire negotiations between Israel and Hamas with a new round of talks meant to finally clinch a deal between the sides. But the chances of a breakthrough appear slim. Israel and Hamas are set to resume discussions on Thursday, but they’ve been mulling an internationally-backed proposal for more than two months that would wind down the 10-month-long war and free the roughly 110 hostages still held in Gaza. The indirect talks haven’t advanced substantively during that time and new proposed terms have complicated progress. Meanwhile, the fighting in Gaza rages on, the hostages languish in captivity, and fears of an all-out regional war involving Iran and one of its proxies, Hezbollah, have surged.
Americans give Harris an advantage over Trump on honesty and discipline, an AP-NORC poll finds
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds Vice President Kamala Harris is going into the last stretch of the presidential campaign as the candidate more likely to be perceived as honest, committed to democracy and disciplined. Meanwhile, similar shares of Americans say Harris and former President Donald Trump have the right vision for the country, are strong leaders, can win the 2024 election and are capable of handling a crisis. That’s according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Harris has an advantage over Trump on issues related to race and inequality, abortion policy, and health care, while Americans are slightly more likely to believe that Trump is better positioned to handle the economy and immigration.
Presented with rise in border crossings, Harris chose a long-term approach to the problem
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris was never the “border czar,” as critics claim. She was assigned to tackle the “root causes” of migration from three Central American nations — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — that were responsible for a large chunk of border-crossers, administration officials said. The vice president took a long-term approach to the immediate problem, helping convince multinational corporations and Latin American businesses to invest in the region. That, she argued, would create additional jobs and give locals more reason to stay at home rather than take the arduous trek north.
The Taliban are celebrating three years in power, but they’re not talking about Afghans
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban are celebrating their third year as rulers of Afghanistan at a former U.S. air base. But they’re not talking about Afghans. Aid agencies warn that humanitarian efforts in the country are gravely underfunded and that economic collapse and climate change are destroying livelihoods. A grand military parade Wednesday at Bagram, once the epicentre of America’s war to unseat the Taliban, saw senior Cabinet figures laud their administration’s achievements. The parade was also a chance to showcase the hardware left by U.S. and NATO-led forces after decades of fighting.
Russia says it thwarted a Ukrainian charge to expand its incursion. Kyiv says it won’t occupy land
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Russian Defense Ministry says its forces have checked an effort by Kyiv’s troops to expand a stunning weeklong incursion into Russia’s Kursk region. A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday that Kyiv has no intention of occupying Russian territory in the operation that has been shrouded in secrecy. The Russian Defense Ministry said army units, fresh reserves, army aircraft, drone teams and artillery forces stopped Ukrainian armored mobile groups from moving deeper into Russia. A Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the cross-border operation was aimed at protecting Ukrainian land from long-range strikes launched from Kursk. He said that Ukraine isn’t interested in taking the territory of the Kursk region.
Donald Trump is going to North Carolina for an economic speech. Can he stick to a clear message?
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump will have an opportunity to recalibrate his presidential comeback bid with a rally and speech in North Carolina that his campaign is billing as a significant economic address. The event on Wednesday afternoon in Asheville carries both national and local implications for the former president. Aides and allies say Trump must sharpen his arguments against Vice President Kamala Harris and draw a clear policy contrast, especially on the economy. He’s not done that in recent weeks, focusing instead on personal attacks and grievances. Trump also cannot afford to lose North Carolina. The state gave him his closest statewide margin of victory over Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha is removed from office by a court order over an ethics violation
BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Thailand has removed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from office over an ethics violation, further shaking up Thai politics after the court-ordered dissolution of the main opposition party a week ago. The case for which the Constitutional Court judged Srettha involved his appointment of a Cabinet member who had been imprisoned over an alleged attempt to bribe a court official. The court voted 5:4 against Srettha and the ruling removed him from office immediately. The Cabinet will remain in place on a caretaker basis until Parliament approves a new prime minister. There is no time limit for Parliament to fill the position.
A strengthening Ernesto is poised to become a hurricane after brushing past Puerto Rico
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Ernesto is poised to become a hurricane after brushing past Puerto Rico as officials closed schools, opened shelters and moved dozens of the U.S. territory’s  endangered parrots into hurricane-proof rooms. Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane overnight as the center of the storm moves just northeast of Puerto Rico on a path toward Bermuda. Forecasters issued a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as well as the tiny Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are popular with tourists. The storm moved over the U.S. Virgin Islands on Tuesday night.
Inflation likely stayed low last month as Federal Reserve edges closer to cutting rates
WASHINGTON (AP) — If the Federal Reserve needs any further evidence that the worst price spike in four decades is steadily easing, it’s likely to come Wednesday, when the government is expected to report that inflation cooled further last month. Consumer prices are thought to have risen just 0.2% from June to July, according to economists surveyed by FactSet, a pace only slightly above the Fed’s 2% annual inflation target. For months, cooling inflation has provided gradual relief to America’s consumers, who were stung by the price spikes that erupted three years ago, particularly for food, gas, rent and other necessities. Inflation peaked two years ago at 9.1%, the highest level in four decades.
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