Marathon US-Israel meeting produces optimism but no firm commitment to American plan for Gaza
JERUSALEM (AP) — A marathon meeting between U.S. negotiator Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left the fate of the Gaza ceasefire unclear. Officials signaled moderate optimism after Monday's talks but offered no concrete commitment by Israel to the latest US-proposed plan. American negotiators appeared to acquiesce to Israeli demands that Hamas disarmament must come before any reconstruction of the devastated Palestinian enclave. They did not publicly signal that Israel had made any commitments to withdraw its troops from the 60% of Gaza they currently occupy. That’s a major sticking point in the plan.
The 60-day deadline for an Iran peace deal is expiring. Here's where things stand
The 60-day deadline for an agreement to end the Iran war and resolve the dispute over its nuclear program is expiring. An interim agreement reached in June has collapsed, and Washington and Tehran are even further apart than they were then. Talks appear to be mostly indirect through mediators and have focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The crucial waterway for global energy has been largely closed by Iranian attacks on shipping. Iran has issued far-reaching demands for opening it, while the U.S. appears to be banking on economic pressure to get Tehran to back down. Fighting flared in July and could resume at any time.
A physics graduate, a soccer player, a teen who couldn't swim: They died in the Ceuta migrant surge
CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — In a tragic attempt to reach Europe, dozens of Moroccans died trying to cross into Spain. Ayoub Akbili, Hamza Haibouri, and Abdelouahed Iken were among them, driven by dreams of a better life. They believed false rumors that the border was open. In late July, tens of thousands of Moroccans and other migrants headed to Ceuta, a Spanish city on the North African coast. At least 90 people died in the attempt. Social media rumors and human smuggling networks have been blamed. Moroccan authorities have increased border security. Families of the deceased face high costs to repatriate their loved ones' bodies.
Fear grips children after deadly earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves thousands displaced
LAMBA LEDA, Indonesia (AP) — Thousands of people are still displaced on Indonesia’s Flores island, three days after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake killed at least 68 people, injured 213 and damaged more than 4,500 homes. More than 19,000 survivors have been sheltering in tents and evacuation centers. Authorities have recorded over 2,100 aftershocks. The quake has also damaged schools, health facilities and places of worship. Many children, traumatized by the disaster, are afraid to return home. Police and aid workers have launched trauma-healing programs while emergency teams distribute food, medical supplies and shelter assistance to affected communities.
Florida holds primaries for governor and Congress, testing Trump's grip on adopted state
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Florida voters cast ballots Tuesday for Republican and Democratic nominees for governor, U.S. Senate and several congressional races. The primaries will define a midterm ballot set to test President Donald Trump’s grip on his adopted state. Congressman Byron Donalds is hoping with Trump's backing to dominate the Republican field and be elected in November as Florida's first Black governor. Eleven-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running in a new near-majority Black district under a GOP-led redrawing of congressional districts. And Ashley Moody, the Senate appointee who replaced Marco Rubio when he became secretary of state, is seeking the GOP nod to run for the final two years of the term.
What to watch Tuesday: Redistricting scrambles Florida as Alaska pits Dan Sullivan v. Dan Sullivan
As the primary season nears its end, attention turns to key states like Florida, Wyoming, California and Alaska. Tuesday's primaries highlight Republican-led redistricting and battles between Democratic establishment and progressives. Scandal-plagued candidates and incumbents at risk add to the drama. These contests will shape the fiercely contested midterms this fall and offer a referendum on President Donald Trump's second term. In Florida, Trump-backed Byron Donalds is running to become the state's first Black governor. Redistricting has created skirmishes for Democrats in Florida House races. Wyoming sees open seats for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. And in Alaska, incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, a Trump ally, faces another candidate also named Dan Sullivan.
Opening arguments set to begin in Meta's federal trial over child harms
Oakland, Calif. (AP) — A pivotal trial for Meta Platforms is set to kick off in a California federal court. Proceedings are expected to begin Tuesday and last six to eight weeks. Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking extensive financial damages plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. Twenty-nine states sued the tech giant in 2023 over child safety and privacy. The other 25 will go to trial later. The company also faces lawsuits in state courts. Meta said in a statement that it believes it has a strong case.
Trump's slight of South Korea in favor of the North raises broader US security concerns
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea does not just slight a longtime ally. It raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia. Trump explained his decision by citing South Korea’s refusal to join his war against Iran and pointing to what he said was his good relationship with North Korea’s reclusive dictator. The personal approach to foreign policy has defined the Republican’s presidency. Dan Fried was an assistant secretary of state in the George W. Bush administration. He says Trump's decision "undermines the South Koreans, undermines the Japanese, frightens the Taiwanese, unnerves NATO and emboldens the Chinese, not to mention the North Koreans.”
Trump administration briefly pauses contentious border project in Texas' Big Bend National Park
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it is temporarily pausing construction of a controversial border construction project in the Big Bend National Park while the head of the agency tasked with building the wall visits Texas to do an “on-the-ground evaluation.” The project through the national park in southern Texas has faced fierce bipartisan opposition by critics who say it is marring a pristine environmental area and that the region’s rugged and remote terrain already serves as a deterrent to migrants and smugglers. Rodney Scott, who heads Customs and Border Protection which is tasked with building the wall, said in an announcement on X Monday that he was visiting Texas to do an evaluation.
ICE pitches legal insurance to help shield local officers who make immigration arrests
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is pitching a plan to help shield local police officers who make immigration arrests from possible financial consequences if they are accused of on-duty misconduct. A planning document released Friday says the agency is proposing to subsidize liability insurance for state and local officers who are trained and deputized to enforce federal immigration laws. ICE’s partnerships with local departments have soared since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year and may get an additional boost with liability insurance by removing a hurdle that has made some local police departments reluctant to join. The Associated Press is the first to report on this insurance proposal.
