North America

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has devoted the past several weeks to promoting the positive impacts of his policies — but his efforts have yet to meaningfully register with the public.

Only 36% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, slightly lower than the 42% who approve of his overall performance, according to the new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

PARADISE, Calif. (AP) — California residents driven from their homes by one of the deadliest wildfires in recent history had one request before they would rebuild in the small mountain town of Paradise: warning sirens to bolster town emergency systems that failed some people before the fast-moving inferno that killed 85.

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories (AP) — Air evacuations were to begin Thursday to move residents in the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories out of the path of wildfires that neared the city of 20,000 people.

BROOKHAVEN, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi judge declared a mistrial Thursday in the case of two white men charged in an attack on a Black FedEx employee who was making a delivery.

Brandon Case and his father, Gregory Case, are charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy and shooting into the vehicle driven by D’Monterrio Gibson in January 2022. Gibson, now 25, was not injured. But the chase and gunfire led to complaints on social media of racism in Brookhaven, about an hour’s drive south of the state capital, Jackson.

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers are under recall following reports of nearly two dozen fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall impacts 42 models of dehumidifiers sold under five brand names: Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze. These products, all manufactured by the Zhuhai, China-based Gree Electric Appliances, were sold from January 2011 to February 2014 at major retailers nationwide — including Walmart, Home Depot and Sam’s Club, among others.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military academies must improve their leadership, stop toxic practices such as hazing and shift behavior training into the classrooms, according to a Pentagon study aimed at addressing an alarming spike in sexual assaults and misconduct.

Aug 16 (Reuters) - U.S. is pushing Iran to stop selling armed drones to Russia as part of discussions on a broader unwritten understanding between Washington and Tehran to de-escalate tensions, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, citing people briefed on the matter.

The U.S. is pressing Iran to stop selling armed drones to Russia, which Moscow is using in the war in Ukraine, as well as spare parts for the unmanned aircraft, the report said, citing an Iranian official and another person familiar with the talks.

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Hawaii on Monday to survey damage from the deadly wildfires that ravaged the resort town of Lahaina, the White House said.

Biden will meet with first responders and survivors, as well as federal, state and local officials, the White House said in a statement.

WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Hawaii on Monday to survey damage from the deadly wildfires that ravaged the resort town of Lahaina, the White House said.

Biden will meet with first responders and survivors, as well as federal, state and local officials, the White House said in a statement.

DENVER, the United States, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge in the western state of Montana on Monday ruled in favor of a group of youths who argued the right to a safe environment had been constitutionally violated by legislators promoting fossil fuels.

"District Court Judge Kathy Seeley found the policy the state uses in evaluating requests for fossil fuel permits -- which does not allow agencies to evaluate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions -- is unconstitutional," reported the National Public Radio.