Blinken warns now may be the last chance to get a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the time is now to conclude a Gaza cease-fire agreement that would return hostages held by Hamas back to Israel and bring relief to Palestinian civilians. He spoke Monday as he began his ninth urgent mission to the Middle East since the conflict began. Blinken said it is now the “best” and “maybe the last” opportunity to conclude a deal that would end the fighting. Mediators are to meet again this week in Cairo to try to cement a cease-fire. Blinken later held a one-on-one meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for 2½ hours. He was set to travel to Egypt on Tuesday.
What is the latest on the high-stakes negotiations over a cease-fire in Gaza?
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Israel’s prime minister on Monday as mediators say they are closing in on a deal to halt the war in Gaza and free hostages captured by Hamas. The negotiations have dragged on for months, with several moments of false hope. They gained urgency when Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah vowed to avenge the targeted killing of two top militants, attributed to Israel, raising fears of a far wider and more devastating war. U.S. officials have expressed cautious optimism after last week’s talks in Qatar. Hamas and Israel have been less optimistic.
Ukrainian officials order mandatory evacuation from Pokrovsk for families with children
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian authorities have issued a mandatory evacuation order for families with children from the eastern city of Pokrovsk, where 53,000 people still live. They say Russian forces are advancing so quickly that families must leave the city and other nearby towns. Russian troops have been pushing toward Pokrovsk for months. The onslaught has gradually paid dividends as Ukrainian defenders pull back from positions destroyed by Russian artillery, missiles and bombs. One of Kyiv’s attempts to ease the pressure in those areas was the Aug. 6 incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, opening an unexpected front in the hope of unnerving the Kremlin and compelling it to split its military resources.
Democrats open their convention transformed by Harris’ ascendance but facing lingering questions
CHICAGO (AP) — A refreshed Democratic Party reintroduces itself to a divided nation this week with a convention that opens Monday. The party has been transformed by the money, momentum, relief and even joy that followed Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise to the top of its ticket. Above all, the four-day gathering in Chicago is designed to celebrate and strengthen Harris as President Joe Biden’s replacement. Biden will give the keynote address Monday night. Just beneath the surface, real questions loom about the depth of Harris’ newfound support and the strength of her movement. She and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, her running mate, must introduce themselves to Americans after not running a primary campaign.
Protesters plan large marches and rallies as Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago
CHICAGO (AP) — Crowds of activists are beginning to gather in Chicago for protests outside the Democratic National Convention. They are hoping to call attention to such issues as economic injustice, reproductive rights and the war in Gaza. While Vice President Kamala Harris has galvanized the party as she gears up to accept the Democratic nomination, activists say their plans to demonstrate haven’t changed. They’re ready to amplify their progressive message before the nation’s top Democrats. Their issues cover climate change, abortion rights and racial equality, to name a few, but many activists agree that pressing for an immediate cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war is their top message.
Favorable views of Kamala Harris have risen this summer heading into the DNC, AP-NORC poll shows
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is entering the Democratic National Convention with increased excitement from Democrats and a steady rise in her favorability ratings among Americans as a whole. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows 48% of U.S. adults now have a very or somewhat favorable view of Harris. That is up from 39% at the beginning of the summer, before President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance. The latest measure is in line with how Americans viewed Harris at the beginning of Biden’s term. It suggests some renewed positivity toward Harris, but she risks hitting a ceiling as she approaches her previous highest approval rating.
Trump will campaign across the country this week as he struggles to adjust to Harris
BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — As Democrats kick off their convention in Chicago, Donald Trump’s campaign is trying to regain its footing after spending the last several weeks flailing to adjust to the new reality of Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket. Trump had appeared in denial of the reality of Harris’ rise, lashing out angrily as he claimed the large crowds she’s been drawing were generated by artificial intelligence and making racist attacks questioning her identity. The outbursts alarmed allies, who worried Trump was damaging his chance in what they believe is an eminently winnable race.
Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre, has died
Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre, has died. He was 88. NBC’s ‘Today’ show, citing family members, said that Donahue died Sunday. Dubbed “the king of daytime talk,” Donahue was the first to incorporate audience participation in a talk show. The decision set “The Phil Donahue Show” apart from other 1960s interview shows and influenced a format that made household names of Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others. Later renamed “Donahue,” it had a 26-year national run and won 20 Emmys. Donahue lived in New York with his wife, actress Marlo Thomas.
British tech magnate Mike Lynch among those missing after luxury superyacht sinks off Sicily
ROME (AP) — British tech magnate Mike Lynch and several other people are missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a freak storm off Sicily, Italy’s civil protection and authorities said. Lynch’s wife and 14 other people survived. Authorities said Monday that one body was found, six people remain missing and 15 people were rescued. The vessel had overturned around 5 a.m. off the port of Porticello. The Italian coast guard said that the superyacht had a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers. They included British, American and Canadian nationalities. Local media said a sudden fierce storm that included tornados over water known as waterspouts had battered the area overnight.
Ernesto gains strength as a hurricane over the open Atlantic
Ernesto has regained hurricane status and picked up strength as it heads farther out into the Atlantic Ocean. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday that Ernesto’s maximum sustained winds were 85 mph. But swells and dangerous surf and rip currents generated by Ernesto are affecting the U.S. East Coast and Canada’s Atlantic coast. The weather service posted a coastal flood advisory and warned of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic coast through Monday evening. Ernesto is expected to weaken and become a post-tropical cyclone Tuesday.
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