AP-Newswatch

Netanyahu meets with Biden and Harris at a crucial moment for the US and Israel

WASHINGTON (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his 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. Netanyahu’s White House visit Thursday comes during growing pressure on all three leaders to find an endgame to Israel’s war in Gaza and engineer the return of hostages held there. Biden is aiming to get Israel and Hamas to seal a U.S.-backed proposal to release hostages in Gaza over three phases as a legacy-affirming achievement. White House officials say the negotiations are in the closing stages but there are issues needing to be resolved.

Prisoners fight against working in heat on former slave plantation, raising hope for change in South

As daily temperatures hit record highs across much of the South, a federal judge has taken an unusual step, challenging the treatment of mostly Black incarcerated workers in the fields. America’s largest maximum-security prison, known as Angola, sits on 18,000 acres in Louisiana. It was once a slave plantation. Prisoners have toiled on the same farm lines since after emancipation, often without shade, adequate work breaks or even sunscreen. Several incarcerated workers along with an advocacy group filed a class-action lawsuit calling for an end to the farm line. U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson issued a temporary restraining order earlier this month accusing correctional officials of showing “deliberate indifference” to the risks of injuries or death of incarcerated workers.

Biden signs bill strengthening oversight of crisis-plagued US Bureau of Prisons after AP reporting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed into law a bill strengthening oversight of the crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons after The Associated Press exposed systemic corruption and abuse in the prison system. The Democratic president signed the Federal Prison Oversight Act on Thursday. The law establishes an independent ombudsman to field and investigate complaints after sexual assaults and other criminal misconduct by staff, escapes and high-profile deaths. The AP investigation exposed rampant staff-on-inmate sexual abuse at a women’s prison in Dublin, California. Democratic Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff introduced the oversight bill in 2022. Ossoff says the human rights crisis behind bars in the United States is “a stain on America’s conscience.”

A neurological disorder stole her voice. Jennifer Wexton takes it back on the House floor.

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 used 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.

Secret DEA files show agents joked about rape in a WhatsApp chat. Then one of them was accused of it

MIAMI (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.

Newsom issues executive order for removal of homeless encampments in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to direct state agencies on how to remove homeless encampments. The order comes a month after a Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces. Newsom’s order is aimed at the thousands of tents and makeshift shelters across the state that line freeways, clutter shopping center parking lots and fill city parks. The order makes clear that the decision to remove the encampments remains in local hands. While Newsom cannot order local authorities to act, his administration can apply pressure by withholding money for counties and cities.

Argentina coach slams chaotic ‘scandal’ at Olympic soccer match vs Morocco

The head of Argentina’s soccer federation says the chaotic ending to its Olympic soccer match against Morocco “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, 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 issued a formal protest to world governing body FIFA and would do “what is necessary” to guarantee the safety of players.