by James Oliphant and Steve Holland WASHINGTON -President Joe Biden on Wednesday said dropping out of the race for the presidency and endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, as the Democratic candidate was the best way to unite the country, despite his ambition to win a second term. Biden’s announcement to not seek re-election on Sunday followed a disastrous June debate with Trump that exacerbated questions about his ability to win, or to serve another four years if he succeeded. In his address to the nation from the Oval Office, he said he believed he earned reelection because of his…

CHICAGO -Walt Disney’s ESPN, Comcast-owned NBCUniversal and Amazon.com have clinched the rights to carry National Basketball Association games in an 11-year deal valued at $77 billion, the league said on Wednesday. The NBA said it rejected a last-minute offer from Warner Bros Discovery’s TNT Sports division, ending a four-decade relationship with the media company after next season. A spokesman for TNT Sports could not immediately be reached for comment. Analysts have said winning telecast rights requires a huge financial commitment considering the cost as well as the fees associated with production. About 75 regular-season games will be on broadcast TV…

ARIS – A fan invasion in the opening match of the Olympic football tournament between Argentina and Morocco on Wednesday caused chaos, with Argentina eventually beaten 2-1 following a VAR review after play was suspended with the score tied at 2-2. Argentina’s Cristian Medina scored deep in injury time to salvage what looked like a 2-2 draw, but the decision ruling out the goal was delivered about two hours after play was suspended when the teams re-emerged on to the pitch to finish the match in an empty stadium. The teams played for three minutes and 15 seconds after VAR…

by Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON -Dozens of Democratic lawmakers planned to skip Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday, expressing dismay over the thousands of civilian deaths and the humanitarian crisis from Israel’s campaign in Gaza. The longtime Israeli leader will make a record fourth speech to a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT), passing British wartime leader Winston Churchill, who made three such speeches. Netanyahu’s speech was expected to focus on coordinating the Israeli and U.S. response to the volatile situation in the Middle East, where there is…

by David Lawder RIO DE JANEIRO – The U.S. has pledged $667 million to the latest funding round for a global fund aimed at preventing pandemics and preparing countries to deal with them, making up one-third of a $2 billion direct funding goal, the U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday. The move, which requires approval from Congress, is aimed at encouraging other donors to double their initial pledges to the Pandemic Fund, set up in September 2022 to fill gaps in pandemic prevention, preparedness and response capacity in low- and middle-income countries. A U.S. Treasury official said the Biden-Harris administration would…

by Felix Onuah ABUJA – Nigeria’s government on Wednesday pleaded for more time and patience to end economic hardships as citizens mobilise for demonstrations, a day after the country’s police chief warned against protests. Nigeria is grappling with 34.2% inflation, the highest in nearly three decades amid a cost of living crisis after President Bola Tinubu last year cut a popular petrol subsidy and sharply devalued the naira. Frustrated citizens have taken to social media to mobilise protests from August 1 against bad governance and economic hardship. Authorities fear the protests will turn violent. After a meeting between cabinet ministers…

by David Morgan and Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON – FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional panel on the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on Wednesday that his agency will leave “no stone unturned” to discover how officials failed to stop the shooting. Wray appeared before the House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about the shooting and the FBI’s investigation of suspected shooter, 20-year-old nursing home aide Thomas Crooks, who got close enough to a July 13 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to wound the Republican presidential candidate. “I have been saying for some time now that we are living…

by James Oliphant and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON – Donald Trump has so far watched from the sidelines as Vice President Kamala Harris galvanized and re-energized Democrats by stepping in as their likely presidential nominee. On Wednesday, Trump gets back in the game. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will hold his first campaign rally since Harris emerged as his near-certain Democratic foe in the 2024 election. The former president will appear at an event in Charlotte, North Carolina, a state that will be an important battleground in the Nov. 5 election. The Trump campaign has insisted that it is prepared for…

The Philadelphia 76ers now have their Big Three, introducing forward Paul George on Tuesday as the star joins forces with guard Tyrese Maxey and center Joel Embiid. The Sixers reeled in George with a four-year, $212 million max contract earlier this month. They were able to do so because Maxey waited his turn for an extension of his own, giving Philadelphia’s front office the ability to maneuver within the salary cap. Maxey, winner of the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, has since inked a five-year, $204 million max extension, forming a core trio that should give 76ers fans hope to…

The WNBA All-Star Game in Phoenix drew a record number of viewers on Saturday, crushing the old mark set 21 years ago. In all, 3.44 million people watched the game on ABC, topping the previous record of 1.44 million viewers in 2003. That game featured an array of current and future Hall of Fame members, including Dawn Staley, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie and Sue Bird. Last year’s game, also played in primetime and televised by ABC, drew an audience of 850,000. Interest in the WNBA and attendance at games have exploded this year, with the addition of a…