AP
Floyd County keeps flooding and the federal government keeps coming to the rescue.
AP
Donald Trump has unleashed a barrage of attack lines against his likely new Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. At a rally in North Carolina on Wednesday the Republican former president called Harris his “new victim to defeat” and accused her of deceiving the public about President Joe Biden’s ability to run for a second term before he withdrew his reelection bid. The rally was Trump's first public campaign event since Biden dropped out of the 2024 matchup that both major political parties had spent months preparing for. It signaled the next phase of the campaign may be especially brutal and personal. Harris' campaign calls Trump's speech “unhinged” and “rambling.”
AP
Uvalde school police officer pleads not guilty to charges stemming from actions during 2022 shooting
A former Uvalde, Texas, school police officer who was part of the slow law enforcement response to the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary School has pleaded not guilty during a court appearance. Adrian Gonzales was one of the nearly 400 law enforcement personnel who responded to the scene but then waited more than 70 minutes to confront the shooter inside the school. Teary-eyed family members were in the courtroom in the small Texas town Thursday to watch as Gonzales was arraigned on charges of abandoning and failing to protect children who were killed and wounded. Gonzales and former Uvalde schools police Chief Pete Arredondo were indicted by a grand jury in June.
AP
Wall Street’s split is widening, as smaller stocks and other formerly unloved areas of the market rise up while superstar Big Tech stocks give back more of their stellar gains. The mixed trading left the S&P 500 down by 0.3% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 180 points, and the Nasdaq composite fell 1.1%. Weighing on Wall Street were continued losses for most of the handful of Big Tech stocks that have driven the S&P 500 to dozens of all-time highs this year. But the majority of stocks were nevertheless rising after a report indicated the U.S. economy's growth accelerated last quarter.
AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to make a long-awaited White House visit to meet with President Joe Biden and likely Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at an important moment for all three politicians. On Wednesday, Biden made his first address since his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. And at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Donald Trump unleashed a barrage of attack lines against Harris, whom he called his “new victim to defeat.” Meanwhile, thousands of protesters rallied to denounce Israel’s war in Gaza, while Netanyahu delivered a scathing speech to Congress to defend Israel’s conduct in the war and vowed “total victory” against Hamas.
AP
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentine President Javier Milei arrived Thursday in Paris, his office said, where he is expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron after tensions escalated between their countries over the Argentine soccer team's derogatory post-match chants about Frenc…
AP
PIPER CITY, Ill. (AP) — In Scott Saffer's science classroom, kids bake cookies in a decked-out kitchen, care for fish, turtles and a snake, and have access to a workshop full of tools. As the gifted enrichment coordinator at Tri-Point School District, Saffer is living his teaching dream, one…
AP
Rapidly growing wildfires have prompted evacuations in Northern and Southern California, and powerful winds and lightning strikes are rattling eastern Oregon and Idaho, cutting power and stoking fires. Oregon has the largest active blaze in the U.S. Another fast-moving wildfire has forced thousands to abandon a town in Canada. In California, the Park Fire near Chico has quickly spread to more than 70 square miles, and was only 3% contained early Thursday. Oregon's governor has activated National Guard troops to the Durkee Fire, which merged with another large blaze and is burning near the Idaho state. Skies filled with smoke and haze have raised air quality concerns in western U.S. states and Canadian provinces.
AP
The head of Argentina’s soccer federation said the chaotic ending to its Olympic soccer match against Morocco on Wednesday “makes no sense,” and Argentina’s coach called the scene “a scandal.” The opening match of the men’s soccer tournament was suspended for nearly two hours during added time after Morocco fans invaded the field and threw bottles in protest of a late goal by Argentina. The goal was later overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR), and Argentina lost 2-1. Paris organizers said they were trying to “understand the causes and identify appropriate actions” after the match in Saint-Etienne. Argentina’s soccer federation said it had issued a formal protest Wednesday to world governing body FIFA and would do “what is necessary” to guarantee the safety of players.
AP
A strong typhoon has made landfall on China’s southeastern coast after sweeping across the nearby island of Taiwan, where it caused landslides and flooding in low-lying areas and left three dead. Typhoon Gaemi had swept up the western Pacific, intensifying seasonal rains earlier in the week in the Philippines, where the death toll has climbed to 22. Offices and schools in Taiwan were closed for a second day on Thursday and people were urged to stay home and away from the coastline. In China’s coastal Fujian province, flights, trains and ferry services were canceled and more than 240,000 residents were evacuated as the typhoon approached.
AP
Meta's Oversight Board says the company failed to take down an AI-generated intimate image of an Indian female public figure that violated its policies until the board got involved. The quasi-independent board also said the social media giant’s policies on non-consensual deepfake images needs updating, including wording that’s “not sufficiently clear.” Deepake nude images of women and celebrities including Taylor Swift have proliferated on social media because the technology used to make them has become more accessible and easier to use. Online platforms have been facing pressure to do more to tackle the problem. Meta said it welcomed the board’s recommendations and is reviewing them.
AP
PARIS (AP) — An international summit meant to bolster support for sporting initiatives that accelerate sustainable development will be held in Paris on Thursday, one day before the Olympic Games officially open.
AP
It's a college football player's paradise, where dreams and reality meet in new EA Sports video game
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Freshman quarterback DJ Lagway grabbed a controller, settled comfortably into a leather stool and immediately started to adjust Florida’s roster.
AP
Vice President Kamala Harris is propelling her presidential push with an appearance before the American Federation of Teachers. That's the first labor union to formally endorse her White House candidacy. Her speech scheduled later Thursday at the union's convention in Houston is part of Harris' travels to spread her message and rally voters since she has emerged as the Democrats' likely White House nominee. It's going to be a 100-plus day sprint to the November election against Republican Donald Trump. Harris launched her campaign with President Joe Biden’s endorsement on Sunday, and she's expected to constantly travel in the months ahead.
AP
As much of the world swelters, it’s not just people who need help with the dog days of summer. Pet owners have to consider how to both shield and cool down furry family members as intense heat waves become more common. According to the American Pet Products Association, over 180 million people live with at least one pet. Yet, there are a lot of pooch parents not accustomed to prepping for hot weather. Veterinarians advise walking dogs in the morning and evening and staying off pavement. Meanwhile, protective accessories like dog booties and doggy shades can also help with the ruff climate.
AP
VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — Southeast Asian foreign ministers and top diplomats from key partners including the United States and China are gathering in the Laotian capital on Thursday for the start of three days of talks expected to focus on the increasingly violent civil war in Myanmar, tension…
AP
PARIS (AP) — Palestinian Olympic athletes were greeted with a roar of a crowd and gifts of food and roses as they arrived in Paris on Thursday, ready to represent war–torn Gaza and the rest of the territories on a global stage.
AP
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga., July 25, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Alliance Group proudly announces that its esteemed Spanish Marketing Expert, Oscar Lievano, has been appointed as the Marketing and Development Committee Chair on the Board of Directors of the Georgia First Generation Foundation. This…
AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress in Washington as he sought to bolster U.S. support for his country's war in Gaza. He has signaled that a cease-fire deal could be taking shape after nine months of war. Cease-fire talks had been expected to resume Thursday in Doha. But an Israeli official says Israel’s negotiating team has been delayed and would likely be dispatched next week. Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military’s latest order to leave parts of the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis say they are sleeping in the streets. The Health Ministry in Gaza says over 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in the war.
AP
Comic-Con International, the comic book and pop culture extravaganza, is kicking off in San Diego. The convention, which draws over 130,000 fans annually, opens for a preview night Wednesday and runs through Sunday. Actors, filmmakers, comic book authors and illustrators and more are making their way to the San Diego Convention Center and the several official (and unofficial) event locations for a weekend brimming with programming. Fans can expect the weekend to be centered around Marvel, given this week's release of the highly anticipated “Deadpool & Wolverine” movie. Several celebrities will make appearances and speak on panels, including Chris Hemsworth, Christian Slater, Lupita Nyong’o, Quinta Brunson and more.
AP
Biden delivers solemn call to defend democracy as he lays out his reasons for quitting race
AP
French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to make France shine during the Olympics. Macron hopes the Paris Games will help make his own star glitter again through sports topics rather than through politics. Macron said the Olympics are the best way to convince the world to “choose France,” in reference to one of his mottos meant to boost foreign investments in the country. Macron’s decision last month to call early elections plunged the country into a political turmoil. The vote left France’s influential lower house of parliament with no dominant political bloc in power. Macron is to have lunch with about 40 foreign CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the world with the aim to reassure them about the political situation in France.
AP
An explosion killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs in 2022. Survivors and an internal UN report blame Russia
Former Ukrainian prisoners of war who survived the explosions two years ago in the Russian-held barracks at Olenivka still puzzle over the strange events leading up to that night. More than 50 Ukrainians died and dozens were wounded. An Associated Press investigation that included more than a dozen interviews with survivors, family and investigators found that all described evidence they believe points directly to Russia as the culprit. The AP also obtained an internal United Nations analysis that found the same. Russia accused Ukraine of attacking its own men with U.S.-supplied missiles. The U.N. never published its analysis in full and has not named Russia as the perpetrator. Families of the dead and missing are still seeking justice.
AP
Paris has long been a city of dreamers: Just look at the Eiffel Tower, for decades the world’s loftiest structure. But France’s capital is aiming higher still with its first Olympic Games in a century, which open Friday. The most audacious Olympic opening ceremony ever — a gala spectacular on the River Seine that even French President Emmanuel Macron says initially felt like “a crazy and not very serious idea” — kicks off 16 days of competition that promise to be ground-breaking. Expect a heady blend of Olympic sports, iconic Paris monuments and France’s famous “savoir faire” in its world-renowned capital of fashion, gastronomy and culture could help secure the Games’ longer-term future. But Paris’ challenges are huge, too.
AP
Asian shares have dropped morning trading, with Tokyo’s benchmark losing more than 1,000 points at one point and closing 3.3% lower, as pessimism set in over Wall Street's overnight nose-dive. Benchmarks fell Thursday in Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Hong Kong and Shanghai. U.S. stock indexes dropped to their worst losses since 2022 after profit reports from Tesla and Alphabet helped suck momentum from Wall Street’s frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology. The S&P 500 tumbled 2.3%, the Dow Jones dropped 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite skidded 3.6%. The profit reports from Tesla and Alphabet raised questions among investors about which other market heavyweights’ springtime results could fall short of expectations.
AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress in Washington as he sought to bolster U.S. support for his country's war in Gaza. He has signaled that a cease-fire deal could be taking shape after nine months of war. Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military’s latest order to leave parts of the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis say they are sleeping in the streets. The Health Ministry in Gaza says over 39,100 Palestinians have been killed in the war. Cease-fire talks had been expected to occur in Doha on Thursday, but an Israeli official says Israel’s negotiating team has been delayed and would likely be dispatched next week.
AP
A group of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents boasted in a WhatsApp chat of their “world debauchery tour,” shared lurid images of their latest sexual conquests and at one point even joked about “forcible anal rape.” Within months of that exchange, one of the agents in the chat was accused of that very crime. The 2018 case in Spain, which was ultimately dismissed, is detailed in a trove of secret documents obtained by The Associated Press that offer a never-before-seen window into a culture of corruption among agents who parlayed the DEA’s shadowy money laundering operations into a global pursuit of binge drinking and illicit sex.
AP
Powerful winds and hundreds of lightning strikes from thunderstorms rattled eastern Oregon and Idaho, cutting power and pushing wildfires that include an Oregon fire which is already the largest active blaze in the nation. The Durkee Fire is burning near the Oregon-Idaho border, about 130 miles west of Boise, Idaho, and has closed a long stretch of Interstate 84. The 500-person town of Huntington, Oregon, remains evacuated, and officials say the fire merged with another large blaze and also crossed the interstate on Wednesday afternoon. Flash flooding warnings were also issued in Huntington and other nearby areas.
AP
An evangelical church is suing a Colorado town to be able to continue allowing homeless people to stay in two camping trailers behind its building. The Rock church in Castle Rock started providing the temporary shelter about six years ago but last year the town ordered it to stop. Echoing arguments made by other churches trying to serve the homeless from Oregon to Ohio, the church's federal lawsuit argues helping those in need is an essential part of the Christian faith and religious activity protected by the Constitution. On Friday, a federal judge ruled the town can’t stop the church from sheltering the homeless in the campers temporarily while the lawsuit plays out.
AP
A rare neurological disorder robbed Rep. Jennifer Wexton of her ability to speak clearly. But with the help of a powerful artificial intelligence program, the Virginia Democrat will use a clone of her voice to deliver what is believed to be the first speech on the House floor ever given via a voice cloned by artificial intelligence, thrusting Wexton into a broader debate over artificial intelligence.
AP
A plan to help shore up the Colorado River by cutting off water to alfalfa fields in California’s crop-rich Imperial Valley is finding support among water managers and farmers. The Imperial Irrigation District has offered to pay farmers to temporarily shut off irrigation to forage crops including alfalfa during the summer. District water manager Tina Shields says at least 80% of properties eligible for the program have been signed up to participate. The goal is to scale back water use to shore up the Colorado River after years of drought.
AP
Biden delivers solemn call to defend democracy as he lays out his reasons for quitting race
AP
The Justice Department has filed an agreement in which Boeing will plead guilty to a fraud charge for misleading regulators who approved the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed, killing 346 people. The detailed plea agreement was filed Wednesday in federal district court in Texas. The American aerospace company and the Justice Department reached a deal on the guilty plea and the agreement’s broad terms earlier this month. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor can accept the agreement and the sentence worked out between Boeing and prosecutors, or he could reject it. Some of the passengers’ relatives plan to ask the judge to deny the plea deal.
AP
Vice President Kamala Harris has told members of the historically Black sorority Zeta Phi Beta that “we are not playing around,” and asked for their support in November. Voters in Indiana haven’t backed a Democratic presidential candidate in nearly 16 years. But the biennial meeting of roughly 6,000 people, mostly women, is part of a constituency she hopes will turn out for her in massive numbers: women of color. President Joe Biden stepped away from the race on Sunday. The Democratic campaign previously saw a narrow path for Biden but now sees a wider one for Harris, who's of Black and South Asian descent.
AP
Dozens of wildfires are blazing across several western states, with some areas under air quality alerts or advisories. The Durkee Fire in Oregon, the largest active blaze in the U.S. and one of 31 fires in the state, covered nearly 400 square miles and an air quality warning was in effect for the entire region on Wednesday. Areas in Washington and Idaho were also under air quality alerts or advisories. In Canada, there are nearly 180 wildfires just in Alberta, and authorities issued an air quality advisory for Calgary, Alberta due to the wildfire smoke.
AP
Several courts across California have lost their phone lines after a ransomware attack targeting the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. The court hosts phone servers for courts in Shasta, Inyo, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus and Colusa counties. The Shasta County courthouse has been operating without phones, fax or text reminders due to the attack, which took place Friday. Webpages for the other courts all showed notifications that their phone systems were down. Ransomware attacks essentially hold a target computer or computer system hostage by encrypting its files and demanding payment for access to be restored.
AP
President Joe Biden has made his first address since his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is holding a rally in Charlotte and Vice President Kamala Harris has asked for support from women of color during an address at a historically Black sorority. Earlier today, thousands of protesters rallied to denounce Israel’s war in Gaza, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a scathing speech to Congress to defend Israel’s conduct in the war and vowed “total victory” against Hamas. Netanyahu condemned American opponents while thousands of protesters rallied within sight of the Capitol building.
AP
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The home of the Philadelphia Flyers and the 76ers -- well, the Sixers, for now -- will soon need a new name.
AP
What do Venezuelans believe in? The government has not published official data for years, but academics rely on projections and field work to have a sense of the religious landscape. Religion may not have a direct impact on the election Sunday, when President Nicolas Maduro might be reelected for a six-year term. But religiosity has played a role in the past few decades, especially during his predecessor's government. Religious groups say they generally enjoy freedom of religion or belief so long as they refrained from criticizing Maduro-aligned figures or policies.
AP
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s independent inquiry into decades of abuse of children and vulnerable adults released a blistering final report Wednesday finding the country’s state agencies and churches failed to prevent, stop or admit to the mistreatment of those in their care.
AP
Morocco fans crashed the pitch to protest a late goal by Argentina at the opening match of the Paris Olympics men’s soccer tournament. It was an angry and bizarre scene that left the game suspended for nearly two hours with only minutes remaining. Moments before play resumed, the goal was disallowed by VAR for offside, and Morocco held on for a 2-1 victory. But not before a furious reaction from Morocco fans who thought they’d been denied a critical win.
AP
A record 17 California condor chicks have hatched during this year’s breeding season for the endangered birds at the Los Angeles Zoo. Officials say Wednesday that all the chicks will be candidates for release into the wild as part of the California Condor Recovery Program. Zookeepers say the 17th and final bird of the season hatched in June and is thriving. The previous record was set in 1997 when 15 California condor chicks hatched at the zoo. The recovery program's goal is to propagate the iconic bird that decades ago was on the brink of extinction from habitat loss and lead poisoning.
AP
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his country’s conduct in the devastating Gaza war and urged the U.S. to support the fight against Hamas despite the humanitarian crisis it has unleashed. But he also cited an unverified intelligence report and ignored much of the criticism in a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. Crowds of demonstrators swelled outside the U.S. Capitol building as the Israeli leader spoke to a joint meeting of Congress, with many protesting the killings of more than 39,000 Palestinians in the war. Others condemned Netanyahu’s inability to free Israeli and American hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war.
AP
PARIS (AP) — Israel's national anthem was loudly jeered before its soccer team kicked off play at the Paris Olympics against Mali on Wednesday night.
AP
A surprise eruption of steam in a Yellowstone National Park geyser basin that sent people scrambling for safety as basketball-sized rocks flew overhead has highlighted a little-known hazard that scientists hope to be able to predict someday. The hydrothermal explosion on Tuesday in Biscuit Basin caused no injuries as dozens of people fled down the boardwalk before the wooden walkway was destroyed. The blast came in a park teeming with geysers, hot springs and other hydrothermal features that attract millions of tourists annually. Some, like the famous Old Faithful, erupt like clockwork. But the type of explosion this week is less common and understood, and potentially more hazardous since they happen without warning.
AP
Uzbekistan lost the match but won over the crowd as competition at the Paris Olympics officially began with soccer matches in Paris and Saint-Etienne. Uzbekistan fans chanted and danced throughout a 2-1 loss to Spain at Parc des Princes in western Paris. But the atmosphere turned ugly in Saint-Etienne. Objects were thrown and Morocco fans were tackled by security on the field at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard after Argentina appeared to score in the 16th minute of added time. After two hours the goal was ruled offside by VAR and Morocco won 2-1. Amid a large security presence in Paris later Wednesday, the Israel national anthem was loudly jeered before the game against Mali. Elsewhere, the rugby sevens got underway.
AP
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Pat Doughty, the Charlotte Hornets' public address announcer for the past 20 seasons, died on Wednesday, the team announced. He was 55.
AP
Prosecutor says the New Jersey man who stabbed author Salman Rushdie was trying to carry out a fatwa
Government prosecutors have for the first time offered a possible motive for a New Jersey man's knife attack on author Salman Rushdie in western New York two years ago. In announcing terrorism charges against Hadi Matar on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Matar was motivated by a Hezbollah leader’s 2006 endorsement of a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death. Matar appeared in federal court in Buffalo, where he pleaded not guilty to providing material support to terrorists and other charges. He earlier pleaded not guilty to separate state charges of attempted murder and assault. The attack on Rushdie left the author blind in one eye.
AP
A bucket-list climb to the top of Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome turned to tragedy for a young Arizona woman who fell to her death during a descent forced by a sudden storm on the granite monolith. SFGATE reports that 20-year-old Grace Rohloff died on July 13. The experienced hiker and Arizona State University student went with her father, Jonathan, after securing one of the limited permits required to climb Half Dome. Jonathan Rohloff says there were panoramic views on the summit until thunder boomed and a black cloud rolled in. Rain hit while they descended and turned the surface slick. Grace suddenly slipped and fell. Rescue climbers retrieved her body, and her father later learned that she had suffered a severe head fracture.
