Biden concedes debate fumbles but declares he will defend democracy. Dems stick by him — for now
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is working to quell Democratic anxieties over his unsteady showing in his debate with ex-President Donald Trump. He’s not the debater he used to be, Biden conceded at a rally Friday in North Carolina. But he added: “The choice in this election is simple: Donald Trump will destroy our democracy. I will defend it.” Democratic lawmakers are expressing plenty of concern but sticking by him for now. Meanwhile, Trump’s attacks on critics and his policy falsehoods served as a reminder of the daily turbulence of his Republican presidency.
Iran goes to a runoff election between reformist Pezeshkian and hard-liner Jalili
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran will hold a runoff presidential election to replace the late hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi after an initial vote saw the top candidates not secure an outright win in the lowest turnout poll ever held in the Islamic Republic by percentage. The election this coming Friday will pit reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian against the hard-line former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. Mohsen Eslami, an election spokesman, announced the result in a news conference carried by Iranian state television on Saturday. He said of 24.5 million votes cast, Pezeshkian got 10.4 million while Jalili received 9.4 million. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf got 3.3 million. Shiite cleric Mostafa Pourmohammadi had over 206,000 votes.
This is how the US-built pier to bring aid to Gaza has worked — or not
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military-built pier has been pulled again from the Gaza shore due to rough seas, and its future role in the distribution of aid to Palestinians is uncertain. Humanitarian aid groups stopped distributing supplies that arrived by sea on June 9 due to security concerns and have not started again. U.S. officials say the pier may not be reinstalled unless aid agencies reach an agreement to begin distributing the aid again. Meanwhile, food and other provisions shipped from Cyprus are piling up on shore, and soon the the secure area on the beach in Gaza will reach capacity. It’s been a long and difficult road for the pier, which has been battered by weather and troubled by security problems.
Russia presses its offensive in Ukraine and issues new threats as the West tries to blunt the push
Slowly but steadily this summer, Russian troops are forging through Ukraine’s outgunned and undermanned defenses along the front line of the battlefield in a relentless onslaught, prompting the West to push for new weapons and strategies to shore up Kyiv. That, in turn, has brought new political demands by President Vladimir Putin of Ukraine’s leadership and threats of retaliation against the West — either directly or by indirect methods. The moves by the West to blunt the offensive and the potential Kremlin response could lead to a dangerous escalation as the war drags through its third year — one that further raises the peril of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
As North Korean and Chinese threats rise, US looks to lock in defense partnerships with Asian allies
GIMHAE AIR BASE, South Korea (AP) — The newly inaugurated Freedom Edge exercise is wrapping up in the East China Sea, having brought together Japanese, South Korean and American naval assets for multidomain maneuvers for the first time. It is foreseen as an annual drill, a critical development as Washington looks to strengthen its partnerships and military alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter growingly assertive postures from both China and North Korea. One analyst says South Korea and Japan have the largest militaries among American allies in East Asia and have the sophistication to integrate operations with the U.S.
The Saipan surprise: How delicate talks led to the unlikely end of Julian Assange’s 12-year saga
WASHINGTON (AP) — The abrupt guilty plea by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was the culmination of negotiations that began a year and a half ago and accelerated in recent months. Interviews by The Associated Press and a review of records make clear that the two sides had to resolve competing desires. The Justice Department was determined to get Assange to plead guilty to a felony while Assange was determined to avoid stepping foot in the United States. The compromise they reached allowed Assange to admit guilt in a federal courthouse in Saipan in the Pacific. He is now a free man.
Tropical Storm Beryl forms in the Atlantic Ocean, blowing toward the Caribbean Sea
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Beryl has formed in the Atlantic Ocean and is forecast to gain strength as it moves into the Caribbean Sea. The Meteorological Service of Barbados issued a hurricane watch for Barbados early Saturday morning. Beryl is the second named storm in what is predicted to be a busy hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Alberto came ashore in northeast Mexico earlier this month with heavy rains that resulted in four deaths. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Beryl was in the open Atlantic on Friday and moving westward with top winds of 40 mph.
Doug Burgum vetoed anti-LGBTQ measures while governor. Then he started running for president
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — For most of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s two terms in office, he has approached the job like a CEO running a business. Burgum was laser-focused on priorities like strengthening the state’s economy and mostly steered clear of social issues that animated many fellow Republicans. Burgum vetoed a 2021 measure to ban transgender girls from playing on girls’ teams in public schools, for example. But as Burgum prepared a bid for the presidency in 2023, he also signed bills that imposed restrictions on transgender people — including two that were nearly identical to the sports ban he vetoed. Burgum is now on a shortlist to be Donald Trump’s running mate. Critics say his focus shifted as the governor entered the national stage.
Orlando Cepeda, the slugging Hall of Fame first baseman nicknamed `Baby Bull,’ dies at 86
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed “Baby Bull” who became a Hall of Famer among the early Puerto Ricans to star in the major leagues, has died. He was 86. The San Francisco Giants and his family announced his death Friday night and a moment of silence was held on the scoreboard at Oracle Park midway through a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cepeda had been a regular at Giants home games through the 2017 season until he dealt with some health challenges. He was hospitalized in the Bay Area in February 2018 following a cardiac event.
The brutal killing of a Detroit man in 1982 inspires decades of Asian American activism nationwide
In 1982, Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death with a baseball bat by two white Detroiters, who received no jail time. His story inspired a generation of activists who united across ethnic and cultural lines and still holds resonance for Asian Americans today. Law students reenact his trial, and Hollywood has adapted his case into a movie. Vigils were held nationwide last Sunday, on the 42nd anniversary of Chin’s death, to honor his memory. Looking forward, gaps remain in achieving equality for Asian Americans. Advocates stress the need to include Asian American history in education and to banish damaging stereotypes.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
