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This is VOA News. I'm Alexis Strope.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announces that he's suspending his independent presidential bid. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. "The DNC waged continual legal warfare against both President Trump and myself." Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nephew of JFK, says the Democratic Party worked to keep him out of the race and now he's afraid of being a spoiler. So he's suspending his campaign in key battleground states. "My name will remain on the ballot in most states," and gave reasons why he's endorsing Donald Trump. "... free speech, the war in Ukraine and the war on our children." Kennedy says Trump has promised him a position in fighting childhood and adult diseases. "We will make Americans healthy again." Linking disease to processed foods and chemicals in the environment, Trump said of Kennedy yesterday. " ...very smart, a little bit different and that's OK." I'm Jackie Quinn. Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic nomination for president on Thursday with a rousing call to fight tyranny around the world, drawing a sharp contrast with Republican Donald Trump. Gabe Singer from Reuters reports. "I accept your nomination." Since Harris emerged as the Democratic candidate after President Joe Biden dropped out, her campaign has broken fundraising records, packed arenas with supporters and turned opinion polls in some battleground states in Democrats favor. Before a packed house, Harris made some of her strongest foreign policy statements to date, vowing not to cozy up to tyrants and dictators who she said were, quote, "rooting for Trump." Harris also laid out some broad policy principles, announcing tax cuts for the middle class and vowing to fight for reproductive freedom and voting rights. Harris also called to end the Gaza war. "Now is the time to get a hostage deal and a cease-fire deal done." Reuters correspondent Gabe Singer. This is VOA News. President Biden plans to dispatch his national security adviser to China next week as the Biden administration seeks to sharpen its foreign policy focus in its final months. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani has more. A person familiar with the planning says Jake Sullivan is due to make his first trip to China to meet with his Beijing counterpart. That could potentially set the stage for another meeting between the president and Chinese leader Xi Jinping after their visit in California last year. The U.S.-China relationship is complicated amid deep differences on economic competition and global security. Sullivan's visit would come as both candidates to replace the president are vowing tough China policies. Sagar Meghani, Washington. Police say three people were killed and at least four were seriously wounded in an attack Friday at a festival in the western German city of Solingen. Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9:30 p.m. Friday to an unknown perpetrator having wounded several people with a knife on a central square, the Fronhof. Police said the perpetrator was on the run and that they so far had only very thin information on the assailant. The Festival of Diversity, marking the city's 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret, and acrobatics. AP correspondent Charles De Ledesma reports on recent Ukrainian successes in their war with Russia. Ukraine's military says it's used high-precision glide bombs provided by the U.S. to carry out strikes in Russia's Kursk region, while also claiming to have recaptured some territory in the eastern region of Kharkiv, where Russia launched an offensive in the spring. A video from Ukraine's Air Force commander on Thursday night purported to show a Russian platoon base being hit in the Kursk region. The commander adds the attack with GBU-39 bombs resulted in Russian casualties and the destruction of equipment. Ukraine's forces have gained new momentum this month after delayed deliveries of U.S. weaponry were finally released. I'm Charles De Ledesma. Floods wreaked more havoc in India's northeast and neighboring Bangladesh's eastern region, raising this week's total death toll to 30, officials and media reports said Friday. Rain stopped in many parts of Bangladesh on Friday and weather officials in Dhaka said the waters had started receding in some areas, but said the flooding would not be over for days. In India's Tripura state, eight more people died in the last 24 hours, according to a state disaster management official who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media. Earlier, 11 people were reported dead. In Bangladesh, seven more people died in the last 24 hours, Dhaka-based Ekhon TV reported Friday. For additional stories 24 hours a day, visit our website voanews.com. I'm Alexis Strope, VO... |