AP-Newswatch

Jacksonville killings refocus attention on the city’s racist past and the struggle to move on

By some measures, Jacksonville, Florida, was making strides to emerge from its racist past. Then three Black people were fatally shot by a young, white man as the city prepared for an annual commemoration of Ax Handle Saturday. A mob of white people descended on the city’s downtown 63 years ago and used baseball bats and ax handles to club peaceful Black demonstrators who were protesting segregation at a lunch counter. Some longtime residents say racism has once again become normalized because of the nation’s divisive politics. They say the deadly shooting over the weekend may be another example.

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to become a hurricane and move toward Florida, forecasters say

MIAMI (AP) — The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Idalia is intensifying and expected to become a major hurricane before it reaches Florida’s Gulf coast. At 8 a.m. EDT Monday, the storm was about 90 miles off the western tip of Cuba with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Forecasters say they expect Idalia to become a hurricane later Monday in the Gulf of Mexico, then curve northeast and reach Florida’s western coast on Wednesday.

An evacuation order finds few followers in northeastern Ukraine despite Russia’s push in the region

KUPIANSK, Ukraine (AP) — Neighborhood children frolic in a playground in the village of Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, seemingly immune to the war unfolding a short distance away on a front line where Russia has assembled combat troops. The mother of a 5-year-old says the thunder of mortar fire that punctuates the monotony of daily life is normal, but Ukrainian authorities have advised residents of 37 villages and towns in Kharkiv province to evacuate. Most people near the renewed hostilities are ignoring calls to leave as the battle inches closer to their backyards. Some are paralyzed by indecision, while others say they can’t bring themselves to face the hardships of displacement.

Hawaii power utility takes responsibility for first fire on Maui, but faults county firefighters

Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby and become the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. Hawaiian Electric Company released a statement Sunday in response to Maui County’s lawsuit blaming the utility for failing to shut off power despite exceptionally high winds and dry conditions. Hawaiian Electric called that complaint “factually and legally irresponsible,” and said its power lines in West Maui had been de-energized for more than six hours before the second blaze started. Maui County didn’t immediate respond.

Many big US cities now answer mental health crisis calls with civilian teams — not police

DENVER (AP) — The Associated Press has found that 14 of the 20 most populous U.S. cities are experimenting with removing police from certain, nonviolent 911 calls and sending behavioral health clinicians. Most programs were launched or expanded in the last few years, riding a groundswell of anger over police killings and nationwide call for reforms. Initiatives in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Columbus, Ohio, and Houston had combined annual budgets topping $123 million as of June. There’s no aggregate, comprehensive data yet on the programs’ effects, and their scope and public reception vary considerably.

Mother of beleaguered Spanish football federation chief starts hunger strike in church to defend him

MADRID (AP) — The mother of the Spanish football federation president under fire for kissing a player during the Women’s World Cup awards ceremony has started a hunger strike in a church in southern Spain in defense of her son. Ángeles Béjar, mother of suspended federation president Luis Rubiales, told the Spanish state news agency EFE on Monday she would remain on hunger strike until a solution is found to the treatment of her son. Speaking to reporters outside the church in the southern town of Motril, Rubiales’ cousin, Vanessa Ruiz, joined the mother in calling on the player, Jenni Hermoso, to rectify and tell the truth. The kiss was interpreted by many as sexual abuse. FIFA provisionally suspended Rubiales on Saturday after he gave a defiant speech and refused to resign.

Son stolen at birth hugs Chilean mother for first time in 42 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — A 42-year-old Virginia man got to embrace his birth mother for the first time during a long-awaited family reunion in Valdivia, Chile. For months Jimmy Lippert Thyden has been on a journey to uncover the mysteries of his counterfeit adoption, and to reconnect with his biological mother, brothers and sister. Hospital workers took Maria Angelica Gonzalez’ son from her arms right after birth and later told her he had died. Over the past nine years, Nos Buscamos has orchestrated more than 450 reunions between adoptees and their birth families. The NGO estimates tens of thousands of babies were taken from Chilean families in the 1970s and 1980s.

Climate activists target jets, yachts and golf in a string of global protests against luxury

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Climate activism has intensified in the past few years as the planet warms to dangerous levels, igniting more extreme heat, floods, storms and wildfires around the world. Tactics have been getting more radical, and activists are now turning their attention to the wealthy, after long targeting some of the world’s most profitable companies – oil and gas conglomerates, banks and insurance firms that continue to invest in fossil fuels.