Obamas close DNC’s second night with a rousing Harris endorsement and pointed warnings about Trump
CHICAGO (AP) — Warning of a difficult fight ahead, former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have called on the nation to embrace Kamala Harris in urgent messages to the Democratic National Convention that were at times both hopeful and combative. “America, hope is making a comeback,” the former first lady declared. She then tore into Republican Donald Trump, a sharp shift from the 2016 convention speech in which she told her party, “When they go low, we go high.” The former president called Trump “a 78-year-old billionaire who hasn’t stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago.” The fiery messages from two of the Democratic Party’s biggest stars underscored the urgency of the moment
The Latest: Day 2 of the DNC features the Obamas and second gentleman Doug Emhoff
Day two of the Democratic National Convention has begun. Former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff have spoken at the DNC, a day after the unofficial farewell for President Joe Biden, who served eight years as Obama’s vice president. Biden won’t be in the hall to see his former running mate speak, as he departed Chicago after delivering his own speech. With President Biden having addressed delegates, the week’s full focus now turns to Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov Tim Walz.
Democrats turn their roll call into a dance party with celebrities, state-specific songs and Lil Jon
CHICAGO (AP) — Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday. DJ Cassidy stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. What America got was a mashup of an elite karaoke night: Detroit native Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” for Michigan and “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” from the Dropkick Murphys for Massachusetts. Georgia brought one of its natives in person: Atlanta’s Lil Jon striding through Chicago’s United Center to the beats of “Turn Down for What,” his song with DJ Snake.
More than a dozen protesters arrested after clash with police outside Chicago’s Israeli consulate
CHICAGO (AP) — Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters charged a line of police in an intense standoff with hundreds of officers outside the Israeli consulate on the second night of the Democratic National Convention. After the larger gathering began to disperse, splintering off into smaller groups, other interactions with police led to more than a dozen arrests. Officers called the demonstrations “an unlawful assembly.” Earlier in the night, officers carrying wooden clubs shouted “move” and penned the demonstrators in on the street, preventing them from marching. Some demonstrators set an American flag on fire in the street as the celebratory roll call for Vice President Kamala Harris took place inside the United Center about 2 miles away.
Trump campaigns to ‘make America safe again’ as Democratic convention zeroes in on his felony record
HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has pledged to “make America safe again ” while campaigning in Michigan as the Democrats who gathered in Chicago to nominate Kamala Harris branded him a career criminal. Trump campaigned Tuesday in Michigan as part of a battleground campaign swing designed to counter the Democratic National Convention. He stood alongside sheriff’s deputies in the city of Howell and labeled Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general, as the “ringleader” of a “Marxist attack on law enforcement” across the country. The event was billed as another way for Trump to draw contrasts with Harris. But, as with earlier events on the economy and inflation, Trump devoted much of his attention to attacking the vice president.
Voters in Arizona and Montana can decide on constitutional right to abortion
PHOENIX (AP) — Voters in Arizona and Montana will be able to decide whether they want to protect the right to an abortion in their state constitutions. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a 200-word summary that advocates used to collect signatures is valid, clearing the way for the issue to appear on the ballot. Montana’s secretary of state on Tuesday certified its abortion measure to appear on the November ballot. Both measures protect the right to an abortion until the fetus could survive outside the womb and allow later-term abortions to protect the mother’s life or health.
Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning ‘time is of the essence’
JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has ended his latest visit to the Middle East without securing a cease-fire in Gaza. He warned on Tuesday that “time is of the essence” even as Hamas and Israel signaled that challenges remain. After meetings with officials in fellow mediating countries Egypt and Qatar, Blinken said that because Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps with the militant group, the focus turns to doing everything possible to “get Hamas on board.” Mediators also must ensure both sides agree to key details to put a deal in place. Blinken says the so-called bridging proposal is “very clear on the schedule and the locations of (Israeli military) withdrawals from Gaza.”
FTC’s bid to ban noncompete agreements rejected by federal judge in Texas
A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule from the Federal Trade Commission that would have made it easier for employees to quit a job and work for a competitor. In a ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown granted a motion for summary judgement filed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other plaintiffs, and rejected the FTC’s own petition for a judgement in its favor. Brown concluded that that the FTC “exceeded its statutory authority” in making the rule, which was set to go into effect early next month.
What is known about the sinking of a luxury yacht off the coast of Sicily and those aboard
PORTICELLO, Sicily (AP) — Specialist cave divers working in 12-minute underwater shifts are searching for six missing passengers and crew, including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, believed to be in the submerged wreck of a luxury yacht that was slammed by a powerful storm and swiftly sank off Sicily. The sleek Bayesian yacht was carrying a crew of 10 people and 12 passengers when it suddenly sank near the Mediterranean island that is part of Italy at about 4 a.m. on Monday. One body has been recovered and 15 people survived. This is what we know so far about the sinking and those who were on board.
He once poached the wild animals of Zimbabwe. Now he preaches against it
CHIREDZI, Zimbabwe (AP) — In Zimbabwe’s wildlife-rich but poverty stricken Chiredzi district, an ex-poacher recently released from prison now preaches the gospel of conservation. But increasing conflict between humans and animals, in large part due to climate change, is making that task difficult. Humans are invading forested areas for farmland, illegal hunting and tree logging, which means diminished animal habitats. Meanwhile, droughts and that squeezed habitat have made some animals more likely to raid settlements to survive. The former poacher, Tembanechako Mastick, now calls poaching “a selfish act” and says communities can benefit when wildlife draws tourism.
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