Walz faces new scrutiny over 2020 riots: Was he too slow to send troops?
MINNEAPOLIS — The protests had turned into riots.
Inflation cools to 2.9%, shoring up case for a Fed rate cut
WASHINGTON — The consumer price index cooled in July compared with a year earlier, providing further evidence that inflation is moderating and leaving the Federal Reserve firmly on track to cut interest rates at its meeting next month.
A skill with a huge advantage is becoming taboo for young players
CLEVELAND — Francisco Lindor is a natural right-handed batter who desperately wanted to be a switch-hitter as a child so he could be more like his favorite players. His brother and cousin were switch-hitters, as was his favorite player, Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar.
Musk’s Trump talk: After glitchy start, a two-hour ramble
SAN FRANCISCO — At 8:35 p.m. Eastern time Monday, a live audio stream on social platform X of a conversation between Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump flickered to life after a 35-minute delay — but only for a moment.
Piecing together an ancient epic was slow work. Until AI got involved.
In 1872, in a quiet second-floor room at the British Museum, George Smith, a museum employee, was studying a grime-encrusted clay tablet when he came across words that would change his life. In the ancient cuneiform script, he recognized references to a stranded ship and a bird sent in search of land. After he had the tablet cleaned, Smith was certain he’d found a prototype of the biblical flood story.
Hunter Biden sought State Department help for Ukrainian company
Hunter Biden sought assistance from the U.S. government for a potentially lucrative energy project in Italy while his father was vice president, according to newly released records and interviews.
Hot summer threatens efficacy of mail-order medications
Melted capsules. Cloudy insulin. Pills that may no longer work.
As Gaza talks near, diplomats try to keep war from spreading
JERUSALEM — International mediators were heading to the Middle East for a high-stakes round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday as they raced to lock down an elusive cease-fire in the Gaza Strip that could defuse tensions before an anticipated attack on Israel by Iran and Hezbollah.
Can dirt clean the climate?
FORBES, Australia — Across 100,000 acres in the vast agricultural heartland of Australia, an unusual approach is taking root to slow down the wrecking ball of climate change. Farmers are trying to tap the superpowers of tiny subterranean tendrils of fungus to pull carbon dioxide out of the air and stash it underground.
Another twist in ruling to revoke Chiles’ medal
The head of a panel that ruled that American gymnast Jordan Chiles had to give up her Olympic bronze medal in favor of a Romanian athlete has represented Romania for almost a decade in arbitration cases, documents show.
When Olympic sponsors go rogue
PARIS — When French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH agreed to pay about $175 million to underwrite the organizing committee for the Paris Olympics, the company, owned by France’s richest person, Bernard Arnault, asked for more than any previous sponsor had ever done. Organizers of the Games, desperate for that cash, appeared to have said yes at every turn.
Older adults do not benefit from moderate drinking, large study finds
Even light drinking was associated with an increase in cancer deaths among older adults in Britain, researchers reported on Monday in a large study. But the risk was accentuated primarily in those who had existing health problems or who lived in low-income areas.
RFK Jr. cannot appear on New York ballot, judge rules
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign was dealt a blow Monday when a judge ruled that his petition to appear on New York’s ballot was invalid, saying Kennedy had used a “sham” address to maintain his New York residency.
Musk tees up softball questions for Trump on X, after technical problems
What was supposed to be Donald Trump’s triumphant return to a social-media platform central to his presidency was marred by glitches Monday night, when a livestreamed conversation on the social platform X between Trump and its owner, Elon Musk, was significantly delayed by technical issues.
Can free rent revive downtown San Francisco?
There’s a buzz of energy in downtown San Francisco from a source that has been missing for years: occupied storefronts.
After cold shoulders for Biden, Senate Democrats wrap their arms around Harris
DETROIT — When President Joe Biden campaigned in Michigan last month, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democrats’ nominee for the state’s open Senate seat, was nowhere to be found. But on Wednesday night, just weeks after that no-show, Slotkin announced her full-throated support for her party’s new presidential ticket at a Detroit rally.
The hacking of presidential campaigns begins, with the usual fog of motives
For the third presidential election in a row, the foreign hacking of the campaigns has begun in earnest. But this time, it’s the Iranians, not the Russians, making the first significant move.
How to avoid online scams and what to do if you become a victim
Cybercrime is on the rise, but even the best antivirus software can’t thwart scammers who target the human psyche.
Biden says he dropped out to avoid becoming a ‘distraction’ for Democrats
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said in an interview that aired Sunday that he had abandoned his bid for a second term because he did not want to create “a real distraction” for Democrats, but he expressed no second thoughts about whether he could still do the job, despite concerns about his age and capacity.
US women coast to victory in 4×400 relay, wrapping up dominant Olympic track and field performance
SAINT-DENIS, France — With about 200 meters left in the women’s 4×400 relay race, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas started walking on the track. Naturally, perhaps even subconsciously, they started drifting to the conclusion. One their legs rendered inevitable.
