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This is VOA News. I'm Joe Ramsey.
U.S. Senator and author J.D. Vance is set to make his national debut after being named presidential candidate Donald Trump's running mate with an address still to come on Wednesday night to the Republican National Convention. AP correspondent Sagar Meghani reports. It's been a fast jump for the 39-year-old Ohio senator from severe Trump critic to aggressive defender. A person familiar with the speech says Vance will look to connect with voters in Middle America by detailing his rise from growing-up poor with the drug-addicted mom, while Republicans like Helen Wilde are excited. "I like his background." The current one doesn't think so. "Trump looked for someone he knew would be a rubber stamp for his extreme agenda." In a campaign video, Kamala Harris says Vance will be loyal only to Trump, not the country. Sagar Meghani, Washington. Israeli forces hit areas in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday, killing at least nine Palestinians, according to health officials, while Israeli tanks carried out a limited advance further into Rafah in the south. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes have killed at least 81 Palestinians and wounded 198, the Gaza Health Ministry said. The Netherlands on Wednesday commemorated the 298 victims of Flight MH17 that was shot down over Ukraine 10 years ago with a ceremony attended by the bereaved and representatives from Malaysia, Australia, Britain, Belgium and Ukraine. Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. This is VOA News. Germany plans to halve its military aid to Ukraine next year despite concerns that U.S. support for Kyiv could potentially diminish if Republican candidate Donald Trump returns to the White House. German aid to Ukraine will be cut to 4 billion euros, or $4.35 billion, [a] in 2025. It's down from 8 billion euros in 2024, according to a draft of the 2025 budget seen by Reuters. Germany hopes Ukraine will be able to meet the bulk of its military needs with the $50 billion in loans [the] from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets approved by the Group of Seven, and that funds earmarked for armaments will not be fully used. The head of the [on ho...] Hong Kong Journalists Association said she was fired by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday after she refused demands from senior editors at the paper to sever ties with the organization and to not advocate for media freedoms. Reuters correspondent Freddie Joyner reports. Selina Cheng, who covered China's automobile sector for the journal, was elected in June to be the trade union's new chairperson at a time of mounting pressure by authorities under a national security crackdown that has seen reporters arrested and liberal media outlets closed. The Hong Kong Journalists Association said in a state that by pressuring employees not to take part in the trade union, the journal "risks hastening the decline of what space for independent journalism remains." A spokesperson for Dow Jones, the journal's parent company, told Reuters it had made some personnel changes in restructuring decisions on Wednesday, but would not comment on specific individuals. Reuters correspondent Freddie Joyner. A meteor streaked across the New York City's skyline on Wednesday. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. "Daylight fireball over New York City." Those were the eye- and earwitness reports Tuesday morning. Then many in the big city like me just went on with their day. NASA confirms a meteor streaked across the New York City's skyline before disintegrating over New Jersey. William Cook with the space agency says the fireball was first sighted above Manhattan, then the meteor passed over Newark, New Jersey, before disintegrating. Cook says the city actually gets treated to a daylight fireball every year or two. Julie Walker, New York. U.S. prosecutors formally appealed on Wednesday a federal judge's decision to throw out the criminal case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, accusing Donald Trump of illegally holding on to classified documents following the end of his presidency. Find more online on our website voanews.com. I'm Joe Ramsey. |