AP-Newswatch

Nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to withdraw, new AP-NORC poll finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly two-thirds of Democrats say President Joe Biden should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party select a different candidate, according to a new poll. It sharply undercuts his post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him even if some “big names” are turning on him. The new survey by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, conducted two weeks after Biden’s debate flop, also found that only about 3 in 10 Democrats are extremely or very confident that Biden has the mental capability to serve as president, down from 40% in an AP-NORC poll from February. The findings underscore the challenges the 81-year-old president faces as he works to silence calls from within his own party to leave the race.

Homeland Security inspector general investigates Secret Service handling of security at Trump rally

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general says it’s investigating the Secret Service’s handling of security for ex-President Donald Trump the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally. The agency said Wednesday the objective is to evaluate the Secret Service’s “process for securing” Trump’s Saturday event. No date is given for when the investigation started. The shooting has raised questions about how the gunman could climb onto a roof with a clear line of sight to the Republican ex-president, who was shot in the ear. 

‘Of all the places’: Deep red Butler, Pennsylvania, grapples with Trump assassination attempt

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — A common refrain on the streets of Butler, Pennsylvania, in the wake of Saturday’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump was: “Of all the places.” The town is rural and neighborly. And it’s in Trump country. Residents expressed shock that an attempt would be made on his life in such a Trump stronghold. Butler County sits on the western edge of a presidential swing state. The Republican won there twice with about 66% of the vote, and about 57% of the county’s 139,000 registered voters are Republican. A local attorney likened it to the pope being shot in Vatican City.

2024 Election Latest: Former Trump adviser Peter Navarro to speak at RNC, AP source says

The third day of the Republican National Convention will kick off in Milwaukee with Republicans shifting their focus to issues of national security and foreign policy. Republicans are expected to focus on Democratic President Joe Biden’s handling of the ongoing crises in Europe and the Middle East. Former Trump administration officials are also expected to take the stage Wednesday to outline what foreign policy would look like if Donald Trump returns for a second term. JD Vance will introduce himself to a national audience when he delivers his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.

‘Shogun’ leads all Emmy nominees with 25 and ‘The Bear’ sets comedy series record with 23

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Bear” has gone on a tear at Wednesday morning’s Emmy nominations with a comedy-series record 23, and “Shogun” led all nominees with 25 in a dominant year across categories for FX. “The Bear,” the FX show about a struggling chef and his ramshackle crew, could easily top the 13 nominations it got last year. Another FX show, “Shogun,” could be the favorite in the drama category, but Emmy veteran “The Crown” could also loom large. The nominations come just six months after the last Emmys, which were delayed by last year’s Hollywood strikes. The Emmys will air on ABC on Sept. 15.

As Gaza’s doctors struggle to save lives, many lose their own in Israeli airstrikes

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel’s 9-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza has decimated the territory’s medical system. It has not only wreaked physical destruction on hospitals and health facilities, it has devastated Gaza’s medical personnel. The U.N. says more than 500 health care workers have been killed since October. One of those killed was Dr. Hassan Hamdan, a plastic surgeon who specialized in wound reconstruction. An Israeli airstrike killed him earlier this month, along with his wife, son, two daughters, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, six grandchildren and one other person, as his family sheltered in their home in an Israeli-declared “safe zone.”

Storms flood the Ozarks and strand drivers in Toronto. A tornado moves a B-52 bomber in New York

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Much of the U.S. and Canada is cleaning up or still dealing with a new wave of severe storms that have caused deaths and damage this week from the Plains to New England. Water rescues and evacuations took place in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas on Wednesday after as much as 11 inches of rain fell overnight. A confirmed tornado blew a B-52 bomber off its base Tuesday and left streets clogged with debris in Rome, New York. Flooding left drivers stranded around Toronto. The East Coast from Maine to the Carolinas is being warned that it could feel hotter than 100 degrees in some places.

Traces of cyanide are found in the blood of Vietnamese and Americans found dead in a Bangkok hotel

BANGKOK (AP) — Initial autopsy results showed traces of cyanide in the blood of six people who were found dead in a room at a central Bangkok luxury hotel. The bodies were found Tuesday in Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in downtown Bangkok. They had last been seen alive Monday afternoon when food was delivered to the room. Police said cyanide was found in drinking containers. On Wednesday, medical officials said cyanide was likely the cause of death. The dead were two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals — three men and three women. Officials say a husband and wife among the dead had invested about $278,000 with two of the others, suggesting money was a motive.

Don’t work in bed, and other tips for creating a peaceful sleep zone in a studio apartment

There’s a lot to be said for the work/play energy of a nice studio or other small apartment during the day. But how do you bring that energy down to get a good night’s sleep? When electronics, cookery, clothes and books all share one space, it can be a challenge to create a restful refuge. Design and sleep experts say to start by prioritizing your sleep space. Get a good bed — regular or fold-down. Create a buffer zone between your sleep area and the rest of the apartment. You might use furniture or a screen to do that. Cut down on sensory stimuli by freshening the air and blocking the noise and light of appliances, electronics and the street.

Paris mayor dips into the Seine River to showcase its improved cleanliness before Olympic events

PARIS (AP) — After months of anticipation, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a dip in the Seine River, fulfilling a promise to show the river was clean enough to host open swimming competitions during the 2024 Olympics. Clad in a wetsuit, Hidalgo plunged Wednesday into the river. Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet joined her. It’s part of a broader effort to showcase the river’s improved cleanliness ahead of the Summer Games which will kick off July 26 and host open-water swimming competitions. Daily water quality tests in early June indicated unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria, followed by recent improvements.