13 protesters arrested during first day of Democratic National Convention in Chicago 

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CHICAGO — Thirteen people were arrested during protests on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, most of them related to a “brief breach” of security fencing “within sight and sound of the United Center,” the city’s police superintendent said Tuesday. More protests were planned throughout the week, including one Tuesday night outside the Israeli Consulate. However, attendance at the main rally on Monday was far below estimates of organizers who had predicted more than 20,000 would show up. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Tuesday that the crowd was around 3,500 strong and that the vast majoritymore

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Obama and Emhoff are to headline the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday 

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CHICAGO — Former President Barack Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will speak Tuesday on the second day of the Democratic National Convention, turning the party’s attention toward Vice President Kamala Harris and her faceoff against Republican Donald Trump. The pivot toward the presidential campaign’s final 76 days follows an opening night that was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president, who was greeted with a hero’s welcome for stepping aside for Harris. Speaking clearly and energetically, Biden appeared to relish the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and assail Trump. His delivery wasmore

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Biden gets rousing ovation, gives Harris enthusiastic endorsement

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Chicago — President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, as his decision to end his reelection bid released newfound energy within his party with Vice President Kamala Harris’ elevation to the top of the ticket. After 52 years rising to the pinnacle of influence within his party, Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome for the act of stepping aside for Harris, weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designedmore

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DNC’s Day 1: Biden’s exit, talk of the glass ceiling, nod to Gaza protesters

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CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention ‘s first night showcased speeches from the last Democrat to lose to Donald Trump and the last one to beat him. Hillary Clinton spoke hopefully of finally breaking the “glass ceiling” to elect a female president. Joe Biden laced into Trump and directly acknowledged the concerns of protesters against the war in Gaza who demonstrated a few blocks from the convention hall. Here are some takeaways from the first night of the convention. Biden begins long political exit President Joe Biden wrapped up the convention’s opening night by beginning his long political farewell with anmore

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Democrats approve platform that mentions Biden’s ‘second term’ despite his making way for Harris

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CHICAGO — Delegates at the Democratic National Convention voted Monday night to approve their 2024 party platform, which lays out familiar priorities for the party but wasn’t updated to reflect that President Joe Biden is no longer running for reelection. The largely ceremonial vote at Chicago’s convention signaled the party coalescing around a singular vision for the next four years — though a somewhat outdated one, as Vice President Kamala Harris has only outlined a few of her own specific policy positions since she took over the Democratic presidential ticket last month. The platform makes repeated reference to Biden’s “second term”more

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US intelligence officials blame Iran for hacks targeting Trump, Biden-Harris campaigns

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washington — U.S. intelligence officials said Monday that they were confident that Iran was responsible for the hack of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, casting the cyber intrusion as part of a brazen and broader effort by Tehran to interfere in American politics and undermine faith in democratic institutions. Although the Trump campaign and private-sector cybersecurity investigators had previously said Iran was behind the hacking attempts, it was the first time the U.S. government had assigned blame for the attack. The joint statement from the FBI and other federal agencies also indicated that Iran was responsible for attempts to hack Vice Presidentmore

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Trump begins visits to battleground states, calls Harris a ‘country destroyer’

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york, pennsylvania — As Democrats kicked off their convention in Chicago, Donald Trump sought Monday to regain his footing after weeks of adjusting to Vice President Kamala Harris as his rival.  The former president and GOP nominee spoke at a factory in Pennsylvania, the first in a string of stops aimed at undercutting the Democratic celebration. He is holding daily events in battleground states tied to subjects on which Republicans think they hold an advantage, including the economy, crime and safety, national security and the border.  “Kamala Harris is an economy wrecker and a country destroyer,” Trump told factory workers andmore

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Protesters gather in Chicago for opening of Democratic National Convention   

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chicago — Protesters rallied outside the Democratic National Convention on its opening day Monday, saying they were determined to voice their opposition to the war in Gaza and other issues. Chicago officials said they were committed to keeping the demonstrations peaceful.  Protesters said their plans have not changed since President Joe Biden left the race and the party quickly rallied behind Vice President Kamala Harris, who will formally accept the Democratic nomination this week. Activists said they were ready to amplify their progressive message before the nation’s top Democratic leaders.  “We have to play our part in the belly of themore

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Tech innovations offer hope for overburdened Africa health care system

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Nairobi, Kenya — Overcrowding in African hospitals is blamed on the scarcity of health facilities and doctors, especially in rural areas. According to the United Nations, there is only one doctor for every 5,000 people in Africa, a continent that bears 25% of the global disease burden. But with the number of mobile phone users on the rise, some technological innovations are helping to bridge the doctor-patient gap and expand health care coverage.  Yaw Asamoah is head of MedPharma Care in Ghana. The company has developed an app that allows patients to connect face-to-face with doctors and pharmacies online so theymore

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Companies’ use of employee-monitoring software can have negative effects

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Some bosses might want all their workers back in the office, but a clear majority of U.S. workers crave the flexibility of remote or hybrid jobs. And studies have found that such work, if managed well, will not harm a company’s culture or capability to innovate. But some companies concerned about productivity are using software to monitor employees working from home. Maxim Adams has the story. Camera: Aleksandr Bergan …

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Thousands of activists expected at Democratic convention to call for Gaza cease-fire

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CHICAGO — Thousands of activists are expected to converge on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, hoping to call attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza. While Vice President Kamala Harris has energized crowds of supporters as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, progressive activists maintain their mission remains the same. Activists say they learned lessons from last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and are predicting bigger crowds and more robust demonstrations in Chicago, a city with deep social activism roots. Who is protesting? Demonstrations are expected every day of the convention and,more

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Harris and Walz make phone calls, rally volunteers on Pennsylvania bus tour before DNC in Chicago

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WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz embarked on a bus tour in southwestern Pennsylvania on Sunday, hoping to ride a wave of enthusiasm for her candidacy to their party’s nominating convention in Chicago this week.  Vice President Harris and Walz, the governor of Minnesota, were joined by their spouses, Doug Emhoff and Gwen Walz, as they made their first stop visiting local volunteers making phone calls at a campaign office in the borough of Rochester, in Beaver County. Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, won the county in 2020. But the Democrats are riding onmore

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Democratic Party delegates gather in Chicago amid Harris momentum

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In the U.S. presidential election, thousands of Democratic Party delegates this week will celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as their presidential ticket for 2024. They are gathering in the Midwest city of Chicago. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti takes a look at some volatile confrontations from past conventions and how support for the party’s candidate has grown since President Joe Biden dropped out of the race. …

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Eswatini turns to nuclear technology to transform agriculture, health care, energy

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Manzini, Eswatini — Eswatini has launched an initiative to achieve sustainable development by harnessing the power of nuclear technology in such sectors as agriculture, health and energy planning. The plan was developed with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The aim of the Country Program Framework, or CPF, launched two weeks ago by Eswatini Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela, is to leverage nuclear technology for social and economic development. Its key focus areas are energy security, food security and human health, aligning with the country’s National Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.more

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County in US state of Pennsylvania boasts uncanny ability to choose presidents   

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bethlehem, pennsylvania — The voters of Northampton County, in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, have chosen the victor of all but three U.S. presidential elections since 1920. The only misses: picking Democrat Hubert Humphrey over Republican Richard Nixon in 1968; preferring Democrat Al Gore, who won the popular vote nationwide in 2000 but narrowly lost the electoral vote — which determines the winner — to Republican George W. Bush; and four years later, selecting Democrat John Kerry over incumbent Bush. That is one of the reasons that the county is a focus of this year’s presidential campaigns by Vice Presidentmore

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Pro-Palestinian ‘uncommitted’ movement hits impasse with top Democrats as DNC begins

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DEARBORN, Michigan — Of the thousands of delegates expected to gather Monday at the Democratic National Convention, only 36 will belong to the “uncommitted” movement sparked by dissatisfaction with U.S. President Joe Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. But that small core has an outsized influence. Anger over U.S. backing for Israel’s offensive in Gaza could generate unwelcome images for convention organizers, with raucous protests expected outside and potentially inside the Chicago arena where Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the nomination Thursday. Top Democrats have spent weeks meeting with “uncommitted” voters and their allies — including a previously unreported sit-downmore

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New Jersey governor’s ex-chief of staff will replace Menendez until election

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NEWARK, New jersey — New Jersey Democratic Governor Phil Murphy tapped his former chief of staff Friday to temporarily replace convicted U.S. Senator Bob Menendez and said he would appoint whoever wins the post in November as soon as election results were certified. Democratic Representative Andy Kim and Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw are competing in the race. Murphy said that he spoke to both about his plans. “I expressed to them that this approach will allow the democratically chosen winner of this year’s election to embark on the smallest possible transition into office,” Murphy said at a news conference. Former chiefmore

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Harris, Trump duel on inflation, taxes

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump laid out their economic visions for the country this week, promising to rein in inflation and slash federal taxes on workers’ tips. While both ideas are popular with voters ahead of the November presidential election, experts say they are not so easy to implement. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report. …

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