Thousands battle Western US wildfires as smoke puts millions under air quality alerts

Forest Ranch, California — Wildfires across the western United States and Canada put millions of people under air quality alerts Sunday as thousands of firefighters battled the flames, including the largest wildfire in California this year. The so-called Park Fire had scorched more than 1,430 square kilometers of land in inland Northern California as of Sunday…

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Blinken criticizes China’s ‘escalating actions’ at sea ahead of Wang meeting

VIENTIANE, Laos — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, shortly before meeting his Chinese counterpart on Saturday, urged Southeast Asian countries to help address challenges including Beijing’s “escalating and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea. Blinken also called the civil war in Myanmar “heartbreaking” and stressed to foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian…

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Puerto Rico bans discrimination against those who wear Afros, other styles

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico’s governor on Wednesday signed a law that prohibits discrimination against people wearing Afros, curls, locs, twists, braids and other hairstyles in the racially diverse U.S. territory. The move was celebrated by those who had long demanded explicit protection related to work, housing, education and public services. “It’s a victory…

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Trump vows to return to site of assassination attempt; Obamas endorse Harris

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Friday he will return to the Pennsylvania town where he narrowly survived an assassination attempt, while Vice President Kamala Harris capped her weeklong bid to become the Democratic presidential nominee with former president Barack Obama’s endorsement. “I WILL BE GOING BACK TO BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR A BIG AND…

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