Blinken aims to build momentum for a ceasefire when talks resume

TEL AVIV, Israel — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use his ninth diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began to push for the quick conclusion of an elusive cease-fire agreement. Blinken arrived in Israel on Sunday, ahead of a meeting that mediators have described as a final push to reach an agreement, scheduled to take place in Cairo later this week. He will meet with senior Israeli officials on Monday before traveling on to Egypt on Tuesday. Late last week, the three countries brokering the proposed cease-fire reported progress on a deal under which Israel would halt most military operations in Gaza and release a number of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of hostages held by Hamas.

London Zoo is the latest to remove Banksy’s animal mural for protection

LONDON — London Zoo has removed Banksy’s gorilla mural from its entrance gate. The painting was the street artist’s last animal work to be on display in London for nine consecutive days. It is now at least the fifth such work to have been either stolen, defaced or moved to a safe place for protection. The zoo said it removed the work from public display on Friday night and has not yet confirmed what it will do with it in the future. It was covered with a reproduction of the work and a sign reading “Banksy woz ere” in British slang.

USA and South Korea begin joint military exercises

SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. and South Korean troops have launched a large-scale drill designed to bolster their joint defense capabilities against nuclear-armed North Korea, which has again accused the allies of rehearsing an invasion. The annual summer drill, which began Monday, comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula as the pace of both North Korean weapons demonstrations and joint U.S.-South Korean military drills has intensified in a cycle of tit for tat. The drill began hours after North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing the allies of conducting “provocative war drills for the purpose of aggression.” It added that the North’s nuclear ambitions were crucial to maintaining the balance of power and preventing war by “amassing the greatest deterrent.”

More than 400 homes evacuated to remove WWII bombs

LONDON — More than 400 homes in Northern Ireland have been evacuated to remove a suspected World War II bomb. Police said Sunday that the clearance operation could take more than five days. The bomb was discovered Friday in Newtownards, a district of County Down about 9 miles east of Belfast. Police thanked residents for their patience and understanding, but said the evacuation was for safety reasons and they would not take any risks.

Extreme heat at Colorado air show sickens about 100 people, officials say

Extreme heat at an air show in Colorado left about 100 people requiring emergency medical treatment and 10 taken to area hospitals. The Colorado Springs Fire Department says the majority of patients were treated by emergency responders on site at the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow. Fire Chief Randy Royal says “quick action” by organizers and emergency responders prevented serious injuries at the event at Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, about 81 miles south of Denver. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the region and fire officials warned attendees on the second day of the air show Sunday to come prepared with water bottles, hats, sunscreen and umbrellas.

First case of polio confirmed in 10-month-old child in Gaza, Palestinian health officials say

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian health authorities say the first case of polio has been recorded in an unvaccinated 10-month-old child in the Gaza city of Deir al-Balah. Officials say after the child’s symptoms were noted, tests were conducted in Jordan’s capital, Amman, and the case was confirmed as polio. The World Health Organization did not immediately confirm the case or respond to requests for comment. The United Nations health and children’s agencies have called for a seven-day pause in the war between Israel and Hamas starting in late August to allow 640,000 Palestinian children to be vaccinated against polio after the virus was discovered in sewage in two major Gaza cities last month.

Volcanic eruption after strong earthquake in Russia’s Far East – scientists warn of an even stronger earthquake

PETROPAVOVSK-KAMTACHATSKY, Russia — One of Russia’s most active volcanoes has erupted, sending ash clouds 5 kilometers (3 miles) into the sky over the eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. A “Code Red” warning was issued for aircraft shortly afterward. The Shiveluch volcano began sputtering shortly after a strong 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Kamchatka early Sunday morning. Russian volcanologists warned that another, even stronger, earthquake could be imminent. The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology released a video showing the ash cloud over Shiveluch. It stretched 480 kilometers (300 miles) east and southeast of the volcano. No major damage was reported.

Health Minister: At least 22 dead in cholera outbreak in Sudan

CAIRO — Health officials say Sudan has been hit by a cholera outbreak that has killed nearly two dozen people and sickened hundreds more in recent weeks. The African country is reeling from a 16-month conflict and devastating floods. Health Minister Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim said in a statement Sunday that at least 22 people have died from the disease and that at least 354 confirmed cases of cholera have been detected across the country in recent weeks.

Video game actors want their work protected from AI

LOS ANGELES — Video game performers say the physical strain and long hours invested in motion capture and dubbing are worth protecting themselves from artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA’s video game workers are currently on strike, arguing that all performers – from stuntmen to voice artists – should be equally protected from the use of unregulated AI. Video game performers say they fear AI could reduce or eliminate jobs because the technology could be used to translate one performance into a range of other movements without their consent. The game studios negotiating with the union say they have worked hard to draft proposals with reasonable terms that protect performers’ rights while ensuring they can continue to use the most advanced technology to develop games.