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By Siddharth Karthikeyan August 23, 2024

In the news today: Kamala Harris closes out the DNC; immigration on the US-Mexico border; and what to know about next-generation nuclear reactors. Also, how a fed up woman found out who stole her mail. Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) ELECTION 2024 The ‘joyful’ Democratic convention ends with stark realities coming to light Kamala Harris’ speech on the final night of the Democratic National Convention completed a four-day effort by the party to contend that it is the real change agent. But more than a month after President Joe Biden stepped aside and endorsed her, Harris has barely started to outline detailed plans she would pursue as president to address the nation’s biggest challenges — immigration, crime and climate change, among them. Read more.

Why this matters: Harris has yet to sit down for even one comprehensive interview to face difficult questions about her flip-flops on policy in recent years, her leadership style and the focus on race and gender that looms over her historic candidacy. She has notably dropped her opposition to fracking and her support for Medicare for All, which were defining features of her 2019 presidential campaign. Her aides insist her values remain the same, but she’s embraced more centrist policies out of pragmatism.   In meetings through the convention week, Harris’ advisers have cast her policy agenda as a continuation and expansion of Biden’s first-term achievements. She now has just over two weeks to prepare for what could be her only presidential debate against Donald Trump, a Sept. 10 showdown that could shift the direction of the race. The first debate, of course, effectively forced Biden to drop out. Harris’ allies acknowledge that she remains largely undefined in the minds of many voters, having operated in Biden’s shadow for much of the last four years. The relative anonymity offers both opportunity and risk.

Related coverage ➤  DNC Day 4 takeaways: Harris' big moment and the Democrats' rising stars  Pro-Palestinian delegates say their request for a speaker at DNC was shut down  RFK Jr. withdraws from Arizona ballot as questions swirl around possible Trump alliance IMMIGRATION The US expands areas in Mexico for migrants to apply online for entry at its southern border Mexico has been asking the U.S. to expand access to CBP One, the government’s app to apply for asylum appointments, to its southernmost states in an attempt to relieve the pressure migrants feel to travel north to at least Mexico City. Previously, they had to be in central or northern Mexico to apply. Read more.

Why this matters: Mexico hopes that if migrants can wait for their appointments in the south, they might not risk getting snagged by authorities without papers or by organized crime groups that prey on migrants continuing north. With an appointment, they could, in theory, move without interference. When the Biden administration temporarily suspended the asylum process last June, the CBP One app became one of the only ways to request asylum. There is, however, still pressure to get farther north. Migrants often carry big debts and need to start paying them off as soon as possible. Many have heard the chances of finding jobs are higher in central and northern Mexico, and money is needed for what could be a monthslong wait for an appointment. For groups that advocate for migrants and human rights, there is little to celebrate. In an open letter to the Mexican government, they called CBP One “a violation of international law” because it allows the U.S. to limit access to its territory for people in need of protection. They argue that many migrants wind up waiting in full shelters or camping in unsanitary conditions for months, and are vulnerable to kidnapping, sexual assaults, torture and extortion by criminals and authorities.

Related coverage ➤ Methamphetamine disguised as shipment of watermelons seized at border  Hungary to provide free tickets to Brussels for migrants trying to enter EU   Land routes across Africa twice as deadly as Mediterranean voyages, UN says CLIMATE Experts weigh in on next-generation nuclear reactors The U.S. is pursuing small modular reactors and advanced reactors, with Russia and China being the only countries that currently operate them. The AP turned to White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi and other experts to answer some of your questions. Read more.

Why this matters: Faster development is one thing Congress and the administration agree on. President Joe Biden signed legislation in July to modernize the licensing of new reactor technologies so they can be built faster. Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate environment and House energy committees praised the enactment. The U.S. is speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of nuclear reactors to supply carbon-free electricity. In efforts to boost this new technology, the Energy Department announced $900 million in funding in June, while Bill Gates’ company, TerraPower, is the first in the U.S. to apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a construction permit for an advanced reactor that would operate as a commercial nuclear power plant.

Related coverage ➤ Democrats trust Harris slightly more than Biden on climate change, an AP-NORC poll finds  Blackouts in extreme weather drive demand for cleaner backup power  Watchdogs want US to address extreme plutonium contamination in Los Alamos’ Acid Canyon  IN OTHER NEWS READ Bird flu: Scientists hunt for answers as outbreak spreads in cows  Taliban: Afghanistan’s rulers ban women’s voices and bare faces in public  Taylor Swift: Singer explains her silence after Vienna shows were canceled  Stolen mail: Fed up woman sends herself an AirTag to catch suspected thief  Now Streaming: Catch George Miller’s ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ on Max  Today in History: In 1305, Sir William Wallace was executed by the English WATCH DNC Day 4: Kerry Washington gets help teaching audience to pronounce Kamala Iceland volcano: Popular spa evacuated after sixth eruption since December Washington state: Over 100 endangered leopard frogs released into the wild ‘Imperial March’: German warship blasts Darth Vader theme on the Thames Venice Film Festival: George Clooney’s Italian job ADVERTISEMENT A CHANGE OF PACE Toxic horsenettle fruits, which closely resemble cherry tomatoes. (Joseph M. DiTomaso/University of California - Davis/Bugwood.org) Alicia Silverstone’s misstep shows how toxic lookalikes can fool you Silverstone worried fans this week when she posted a TikTok clip of herself nibbling a poisonous berry she found along a sidewalk on a trip to England. The “Clueless” actor said she thought the fruit might have been a tomato, but realized it wasn’t after a couple bites revealed an off-tasting, peppery flavor.

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