Eerie, smoky skies, unhealthy air
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Wildfire smoke from Canada is crossing the border, affecting weather in the U.S. And Major League Soccer is about to get Messi.
👋 Hello! Laura Davis here. It’s time for Wednesday’s news.
🐝 But first: What's all this buzz about "beekeeping age"? It's a new TikTok trend, and it doesn't have anything to do with bees. Well, not entirely, anyway. Here's the deal.
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Wildfire smoke from Canada descends on US
Canada is on fire. On Wednesday there were more than 400 wildfires burning across the country, more than half of them out of control. Smoke and extremely poor air quality from the conflagrations have drifted down into the U.S., leading to air quality alerts all the way from New England to the Southeast. As of Wednesday afternoon, IQAir said New York City's pollution was fourth-worst in the world, behind New Delhi; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Toronto. How long will it last? Here's a look at what's happening.
👉 While forest fires are a natural part of the ecosystem of Canada's boreal forests, the size, ferocity and number of fires this year is decidedly abnormal. Is climate change to blame?
Major League Soccer gets Messi
Lionel Messi is taking his talents to South Beach. The soccer superstar announced Wednesday he will join Inter Miami of Major League Soccer, a stunning development that brings one of the sport's all-time greats to one of the U.S. league's newest teams. After months of speculation, Messi's arrival would be a dream scenario for MLS and a Miami franchise led by another global soccer icon, David Beckham, that has yet to make any real splashes on the field. With Messi in the mix, that will likely soon change. ⚽️ Here's what we know about the deal.
What everyone's talking about
Comedian Matt Rife's fans latest victims of Ticketmaster’s chaotic presale system.
‘My fear is obvious’: Shannen Doherty reveals cancer has spread to her brain.
The Class of 2023 lost everything to COVID. Then they fought back.
There are huge brown blobs of seaweed in the water in Florida. See the photos.
After devastating Chris Licht profile, CNN should report only on its own drama! | Opinion
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Mike Pence officially launches presidential campaign
It's a matchup for the history books: Former president vs. his former vice president. Mike Pence became the first former VP in modern times to run against his old boss when he launched his presidential campaign in a video on Wednesday morning. But Pence is in a difficult position to win his party's nomination: Republicans still loyal to Trump see Pence as a traitor, and those wanting to move on don’t think Pence’s big break erases four years of serving Trump. Can he turn it around and win over GOP voters? Here's the big picture.
UN warns of 'grave' impact from Ukraine dam breach
The United Nations warned of "grave and far-reaching consequences" for thousands of people following the destruction of part of a major dam in a Russian-controlled part of southern Ukraine. The U.N.'s humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths said the scale of the catastrophe – which has triggered huge floods, mass evacuations and endangered Europe's largest nuclear power plant – will only become clear in the coming days. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that "hundreds of thousands" have been left without access to drinking water. Which side has more to lose from the dam breach? Here’s what we know.
A break from the news
🍿 The 10 best movies of 2023 (so far), definitively ranked.
🎓 Make a grad glad! The 30 best graduation gifts of 2023.
🦟 Skeeters got you scratchin'? Why mosquitos bite some people more than others.
Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canada wildfire smoke, Lionel Messi MLS, Mike Pence: Wednesday's news
