All articles tagged with #americas
Overnight, armed gangs swept through Kenscoff overlooking Port-au-Prince, killing at least 47 and wounding more than 22, the UN said; the hillside enclave has faced repeated attacks as gangs widen their grip, prompting anger at authorities and calls for accountability as UN-backed security forces push to bolster protection.
Federal authorities deported Cristy Maryori Villafranca-Trejo, wife of an active-duty U.S. Army sergeant, to Honduras — at least the seventh case of a military spouse or parent removed under the Trump-era crackdown; Villafranca-Trejo, who had a 2017 final removal order and sought a green card via parole-in-place, leaves behind a husband balancing duties and a six-year-old child as DHS says she received due process.
The US Southern Command says it conducted a lethal strike on a low-profile vessel in the Eastern Pacific, killing two men it labels narco-traffickers as part of a year-long campaign against drug trafficking at sea. The operation, which critics say lacks publicly verifiable evidence of drug involvement, follows a broader pattern of similar strikes that have destroyed boats and resulted in dozens of casualties and ongoing search-and-rescue efforts. International bodies and humanitarian groups have questioned the legality and effectiveness of the campaign, while oversight reviews and victim-family investigations continue.
A deep partial lunar eclipse—covering about 96% of the Moon—will be visible across the Americas from Thursday night into Friday, lasting over 5.5 hours with peak just after midnight EDT. Nearly one billion people in the US, Canada and Central/South America are expected to have a front-row view if skies are clear, while more than 3 billion can catch part of it. The event follows NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby and illustrates eclipses traveling in pairs; the next full lunar eclipse for the Americas isn’t until 2028–2029.
A near-total lunar eclipse will be visible mainly from the Americas on March 3, 2026, turning the Moon coppery as it passes through Earth’s shadow; clear skies across North and South America should provide a striking view of the event.
The Panama Canal Authority will throttle daily crossings from 36 to 34 starting Sept 3, then to 32 from Sept 15, as a severe El Niño–driven drought lowers canal water levels. The agency has already implemented water-saving measures such as limiting drafts to sustain operations, a vital route that handles about 5% of global maritime trade and roughly 40% of US container traffic.
A $30 million NASA rescue attempt to move the Swift space telescope to a higher orbit failed when the rescue spacecraft lost control, meaning Swift will re-enter Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate later this year, though NASA will learn lessons for future satellite servicing.
Natalie Harp, a longtime aide to President Trump, is known for printing and delivering physical copies of supportive social posts, op-eds and messages for Trump to review—a habit that has earned her the nickname 'the human printer.' The Independent notes she often carries a portable printer to present material for the president, and acts as a go-between for Trump and his allies, relaying messages that sometimes end up on Truth Social.
President Donald Trump revived a misspelled insult—calling Fox News host Shannon Bream 'Milktoast'—after she aired older footage of the White House ballroom construction, criticizing the network for not using more up-to-date images and arguing the $400 million project is vital for national security; the move adds to Trump’s history of aiming barbs at media figures who challenge him.
Trump suggested Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams could replace outgoing White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who is stepping down to spend time with her children; no replacement has been named yet and a rotating team is handling briefings for now.
A Financial Times poll conducted by Focaldata for the FT shows Americans broadly feel the economy is worse off under President Trump’s second term, with about 53% of voters saying they are worse off since January 2025 and nearly a quarter of Republicans reporting they’re poorer, signaling anxiety for the GOP ahead of the midterms as Democrats hold advantages on economic issues.
A Financial Times/Focaldata poll finds most Americans believe the economy is worse under President Trump and that they are personally worse off since January 2025; about 53% of registered voters say they are worse off, with roughly a quarter of Republicans sharing that view. The poll also shows Democrats ahead on the midterm generic ballot (about 51% to 45%), Trump’s approval dipping among Republicans, and concerns about costs amid geopolitical tensions. The survey sampled 1,913 registered voters between August 7–10 with a 2.9-point margin of error.
A bear broke into a Kentucky home, shattered a glass table, and stole the resident’s leftover dinner—leftovers reportedly attracted the bear as the woman slept—prompting wildlife officials to advise residents to secure food sources and avoid leaving attractants outside.
Donald Trump’s Knoxville, Tennessee, mega-merchandise store is shutting down after a dramatic drop in customers, with the owner and a staffer blaming waning foot traffic even after periods of high interest, signaling softer demand for Trump-branded merchandise.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reportedly ended her engagement with Riley Roberts more than a year before she began the egg-freezing process, with sources noting she stopped wearing her engagement ring about 18 months earlier; she later discussed starting the egg-freezing journey on Instagram as a path to potential future pregnancy.