Statue of congressman, who died in 2020 of cancer, replaces obelisk erected in 1908 celebrating the ConfederacyA 12ft-tall statue of John Lewis was unveiled in Georgia on Saturday morning, honoring the legacy of the civil rights leader and congressman who died in 2020.The statue stands in Decatur Square outside the historic Decatur courthouse in outer Atlanta, in a district Lewis represented in Congress from 1987 to his death. Lewis was 80 when he died due to complications related to pancreatic cancer. Continue reading...
The 21-year-old insists she's inspired being back at the scene of her remarkable New York triumph and won't change her methods whatever the criticismWhen Emma Raducanu first returned to New York two years ago to defend her unprecedented 2021 US Open triumph from the qualifying rounds, things did not go as smoothly as she had hoped. A year of scrutiny and unwelcome pressure had taken its toll and, with her body so frail, it seemed an injury or ailment was always around the corner. Raducanu fell meekly in the first round without winning a set.Having missed last year's edition as she recovered from surgery, the 21-year-old returns to Flushing Meadows seemingly in a better position than since the aftermath of her victory. Continue reading...
Hard-right hosts resurrect racist Obama birther conspiracy theory and lament Democrats' treatment of Joe BidenAs the Democratic party enjoys the afterglow of an exuberant national convention, the rightwing media has settled on consistent counter-programming: complaining about joy", hyping up pro-Palestinian protests and expressing a newfound concern for the treatment of Joe Biden.The coverage, which has at times avoided the more pointed Democratic criticisms of Trump by cutting to ad breaks, has also including the criticism of women both for smiling too much and not smiling enough, and the coining of a new name for Barack Obama: Barack-Stabber". Continue reading...
A study linking processed meat like ham to diabetes is further proof that no matter how tasty, we're better off without itWhile teetotalism has replaced veganism as the thing people tell you about themselves instead of having a personality, the harmful effect of processed meat remains a serious issue.A recent University of Cambridge study has shown that eating the equivalent of two slices of ham a day leads to an increased risk of diabetes. Continue reading...
Former head of the CDC's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease is expected to make a full recoveryAnthony Fauci is recovering at home from a West Nile virus infection, a spokesperson told news outlets on Saturday.The former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease was hospitalized for six days with the virus. Fauci, 83, is expected to make a full recovery. Continue reading...
The vice-presidential nominee's son, Gus, was unrestrained in his reactions at the Democratic conventionFor Gus Walz, the Democratic national convention in Chicago last week may not have been the light, good vibes fest that it was for adults in the 17,000-seat Chicago arena.The intense emotional response of vice-president hopeful Tim Walz's son to seeing his father on stage - That's my dad!" - thrust him into the spotlight as the convention's breakout star and with them raised the issue of nonverbal learning disorders, ADHD and an anxiety disorder that the 17-year-old is reported to experience. Continue reading...
Jannik Sinner broke his silence after an independent tribunal cleared the Italian tennis player of fault or negligence for two positive anti-doping tests. The world No 1, who tested positive for clostebol in March, said: 'I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I knew that I haven't done anything wrong'.
GOP lawmakers have made the state hostile for trans youth. These teens and their parents vow to assert themselves'Some parents have stockpiled medications in hidden locations. Some have stopped socializing with neighbors. Some have made plans to flee the state.In Missouri, transgender youth and their families are grappling with an onslaught of attacks on their rights. Last year, Republican lawmakers outlawed critical healthcare treatments for trans youth and banned many trans athletes from school sports. Local school districts worked to censor LGBTQ+ books and prohibit trans children from using bathrooms that match their gender identity. Continue reading...
Extracurricular classes teach the majesty and value of Black history' from the origins of Africa to Jim Crow policiesWhen I say, because', you say: Black people invented it,'" Renee Scott Best told a class of predominantly Black students one Monday last month. The call and response from the kids grew louder as they read a fictional story about a dystopian world without African Americans and their inventions. A folding bed, tricycle, clock, toilet, heating furnace, thermostat and air conditioner were among the innovations that no longer existed because, Black people invented it," the students shouted.Because we were brought here as slaves, they try to make us think we're not very smart," Best said toward the end of the lesson. She stood beside a poster that displayed the cover of her poetry book about 50 Black inventors, Black Inventors Poetry in Motion, which inspired the day's lesson plan. She said: We know that's not true, because without all of the Black inventions in and around your home, you'd be in a cabin!" Continue reading...
Rambling speeches peppered with insults, narcissism and an obsession with crowd size have raised questions about the former president's fitness for officeEven some of Donald Trump's supporters are now asking the question that was the undoing of Joe Biden: is the former president fit for office?But while Biden's run for re-election was largely sunk by a single disastrous televised debate before a national audience, Trump is ramping up doubts with each chaotic, disjointed speech as he campaigns around the country. Continue reading...
Decline in early prenatal care was accompanied by 5% rise in number of patients who received no prenatal care at allFewer women received early and adequate prenatal care in 2023, new data released this week by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows.The small year-over-year decline comes amid tectonic shifts in women's rights and access to reproductive healthcare in the US and in spite of a federal government initiative meant to improve prenatal care access. Seventeen states ban abortion at conception or soon after. Continue reading...
Putin is attempting to wipe us off the map, but on this independence day it seems that he has inadvertently finalised the formation of our stateAt 35, I'm younger than many things - such as the internet or Apple computers. And yet I'm older than my country's independence.For most people, the independence of their birth state is so ironclad they rarely get to really think about it. Others won independence centuries ago and mark it as a general occasion for a fun celebration, rather than one focused on thinking about what they as a nation sacrificed to be free.Olga Rudenko is the editor-in-chief of the Kyiv IndependentDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
by Nataliya Gumenyuk, Olga Chyzh, Sergey Radchenko an on (#6Q72V)
The Kursk offensive and Putin's hubris give the country hope. But Ukrainians are under no illusion that peace will come soonWhen the new Russian assault on Ukraine's northern Kharkiv region began in May I travelled there to see how it was coping. Everywhere I saw billboards portraying firefighters and communal workers on duty, with the slogan Kharkiv invincible". Residents were angry about the bombs falling on their heads, but alongside fear there was grim optimism and determination.Nataliya Gumenyuk is a Ukrainian journalist and CEO of The Public Interest Journalism Lab Continue reading...
Ronald Syvrud, 66, taken into custody over alleged social media threat as Trump pays visit to border stateAn Arizona man who was wanted after threatening over social media to kill Donald Trump was arrested on Thursday, the Cochise county sheriff's office said.Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, was in Cochise county on Thursday when he visited the US border with Mexico as part of his campaign. Continue reading...
Joseph Emerson charged with 83 counts of reckless endangerment over incident on flight to San FranciscoAn Alaska Airlines pilot who attempted to shut off the engines of a passenger plane mid-flight after ingesting magic mushrooms said his actions were unfathomable", in some of his first public remarks after he was indicted on 83 counts of reckless endangerment.In an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, Joseph Emerson described the events of 22 October as 30 seconds of my life that I wish I could change, and I can't". Continue reading...
Emmitt Martin pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations in killing that renewed calls for police reformFederal prosecutors recommended a 40-year sentence for a former Memphis police officer who pleaded guilty on Friday to federal civil rights violations in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols.Emmitt Martin is the second former officer to plead guilty in the killing that sparked outrage and renewed calls for police reform. Three former officers still face trial in federal court in September, and two of their former colleagues could testify against them. Continue reading...
The world No 1 has spoken publicly for the first time since failed tests were revealed and denied claims of favouritismAs the countdown to the last grand slam tournament of the year has moved to its final days, the news of Jannik Sinner's anti-doping case has dictated the tennis discourse. The topic has dominated discussion across the US Open tournament grounds and it has been the talking point du jour in the various pre-tournament events across New York City.On Friday, Sinner finally spoke in public for the first time since an independent tribunal determined that he would bear no fault and negligence for two positive anti-doping tests for the banned substance clostebol. In his press conference, Sinner described the verdict as a relief. Continue reading...
Independent candidate's campaign, seen as a threat by both Harris and Trump, had been dogged by controversiesRobert F Kennedy Jr, the scion of the Democratic Kennedy family whose independent presidential campaign threatened to draw votes from both Republicans and Democrats, has suspended his campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.Kennedy said he would be removing his name from the ballot in critical swing states, but will remain on the ballot in other states and some voters could still cast ballots for him. Continue reading...
January retrial likely after judge declines to dismiss two charges against Boston woman accused of killing boyfriendThe Massachusetts judge presiding over the high-profile murder trial of Karen Read has rejected a defense motion to dismiss two charges, including murder, setting the stage for the case to be retried in January after jurors deadlocked this summer.Read, 44, is accused of killing her boyfriend, the Boston police officer John O'Keefe, 46, by hitting him with her sport-utility vehicle and leaving him to die in a snowbank. She pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder, manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. Continue reading...
Eddie Duran charged over death of Roger Fortson, who was shot multiple times when he opened apartment doorA Florida sheriff's deputy is facing a charge of manslaughter with a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of a US air force member who opened his apartment door while holding a gun.The former Okaloosa county deputy Eddie Duran was charged on Friday in the 3 May shooting death of senior airman Roger Fortson, assistant state attorney Greg Marcille said. That is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Continue reading...
Ex-president's 48 posts during speech confirm his trouble in maintaining discipline on the campaign trailKamala Harris's Democratic national convention speech provoked a torrent of outrage from Donald Trump as the former US president fired off a volley of ripostes, rebuttals and angry calls to TV stations.Trump posted 48 times on his Truth Social network during Harris's 37-minute presidential acceptance speech, which was nearly an hour shorter than his own effort at the Republican convention last month. Continue reading...
Pro-Palestine movement and Israelis share common goal for Gaza ceasefire at Kamala Harris's nominationIt was late in the evening when Ruby Chen, whose son Itay was kidnapped by Hamas on 7 October and later killed, approached and kneeled down next to Abbas Alawieh, a delegate from the Uncommitted" pro-Palestinian movement who was planning to bed down for the night on the cement outside the venue where Kamala Harris this week formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination.For the four days of the Democratic National Convention, while many visiting delegates were popping bottles of champagne at parties across Chicago, the two men were busy working the rooms at delegate breakfasts, juggling media interviews and courting high-profile Democrats to try to influence the administration's policies in Gaza. Continue reading...
The Chicago convention capped a month that has changed US politics. But there are 10 weeks still to goLittle more than a month ago, what the Democratic party has achieved in Chicago this week would have seemed unthinkable. Yet, in a few short weeks, the party has dumped a stumbling Joe Biden as its nominee, seamlessly installed Kamala Harris as his unchallenged replacement, acclaimed Tim Walz as her running mate, reinvigorated its campaign and its finances, and made itself competitive against Donald Trump again. If that was not enough, MsHarris's acceptance speech on Thursday topped off a convention week that at times brimmed with commitment and enthusiasm.It all adds up to a textbook political transformation. It has had many in the party pinching themselves in disbelief. Though they all left it dangerously late, those who made this happen deserve the gratitude of millions, and not just in the US. The campaign has now achieved as powerful a liftoff as could have been hoped in the circumstances. Yet this is only the start. There is still an election to win, an election that will shape America and the world. The feelgood mood in Chicago will turn to ashes if Mr Trump is elected. Continue reading...
Biden program could give US citizenship through marriage to nearly half a million people without legal statusOpponents are suing to end a federal program that could potentially give nearly half a million migrants without legal status who are married to US citizens a path to citizenship.Sixteen Republican-led states filed suit on Friday to halt the program launched by Joe Biden in June, saying in court filings that the Biden administration bypassed Congress to create a pathway to citizenship for blatant political purposes". Continue reading...
DoJ lawsuit claims firm's algorithm helps landlords coordinate rental prices and violates antitrust lawsThe US Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit on Friday against the real estate software company RealPage Inc, accusing it of an illegal scheme that allows landlords to coordinate to hike rental prices.The lawsuit, filed alongside attorneys general in states including North Carolina and California, accuses the company of violating antitrust laws through its algorithm that landlords use to get recommended rental prices for apartments. Continue reading...
by Callum Jones and Richard Partington on (#6Q6KQ)
Fed chairman hails progress in battle to bring down inflation, with rate cuts starting from SeptemberThe time has come" for the US Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, its chairman declared, hailing progress in the battle to bring down inflation from its highest level in a generation.With price growth now on a sustainable" path back to normal levels, Jerome Powell signaled that the central bank was ready to start reducing rates from next month. Continue reading...
Donald Trump told CNN he would certainly be open' to Kennedy playing a role in his administrationThe independent US presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr has filed paperwork to withdraw from presidential ballots in the state of Arizona, the Arizona secretary of state, Adrian Fontes, said.The withdrawal came as Kennedy was set to address the nation on Friday in Arizona amid reports that his presidential ambitions are coming to a close, with falling numbers both in fundraising and in the polls. Continue reading...
Channel 4's bold move to appoint deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis as a host is a timely antidote to the BBC's over-sentimentalityThe boccia may not start until Thursday but the Paralympic broadcasters have already started scoring points. There was probably no better way of ensuring that British people tune in over the next couple of weeks than announcing that Rose Ayling-Ellis will be hosting its afternoon coverage. The actor beloved for her Strictly Come Dancing win two years ago communicates an uncontrived joyfulness every time she appears in front of a camera.She knows that her deafness will present a particular challenge in live sports presenting. It is both why it has never been done before, and what drew her to it. I think I'm addicted to being the first of doing something," she said this week. I didn't realise how hard it is. I did panic a bit and think, what have I signed up for?" The producers at Whisper TV, the company behind Channel 4's coverage, are adapting their working methods around a role that traditionally relies on in-ear talkback. Continue reading...
The vice-president gave the biggest speech of her life to close out a star-studded Democratic national conventionHello from Chicago, where it's like the Oscars, but for people with slightly less charisma.The last day of the Democratic national convention brought out A-list actors, iconic musical artists, swing-state politicians and Harris family members - a better lineup, to be sure, than Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock, the stars at the Republican convention. Continue reading...
Pro-Palestinian protesters at the Democratic national convention have been met with stony faces, jeers - and violenceGot any spare brooms to hand? I think the folk at the Democratic national convention may need a few extra because they've been very busy this week trying to sweep the carnage in Gaza under the rug. Continue reading...
Democratic nominee makes sweeping convention speech and promises to prosecute case against Donald TrumpKamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday with a sweeping, pointed speech in which she vowed to prosecute the case against Donald Trump and carry the country to a brighter and fairer future.In an address that balanced optimism with scathing criticism of her opponent, Harris acknowledged her unlikely" path to the nomination and extended her hand to voters of all political ideologies who believe in America's promise. Harris would make history if elected - as the first woman, first Black woman and first Asian American woman to serve as president - but she instead focused on the history that the country could change in November. Continue reading...
Kamala Harris officially accepted the nomination, capping off four days of speeches, Trump jokes and celebrity cameosThe Democratic national convention ended with thousands of balloons, a historic nominee and palpable enthusiasm on Thursday.Kamala Harris officially accepted the party nomination, along with her vice-presidential pick, Tim Walz, during four days full of poignant speeches, Donald Trump jokes, party royalty and celebrity cameos. Continue reading...
The NBA star Steph Curry made a surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention to endorse Kamala Harris for US president. In his video message, the Olympic gold medallist said: "This is about preserving hope and belief in our country ... The Oval Office suits her well ... it's an honour to support Kamala. Let's all do our part."
Local boards can conduct an inquiry for results, and ballots might be hand-counted, which experts warn is unreliableConservative activists in Georgia have worked with prominent election deniers to pass a series of significant changes to the procedures for counting ballots in recent weeks, raising alarm about the potential for confusion and interference in the election certification process in a key swing state this fall.Since the beginning of August, the five-member state election board has adopted rules that allow local election boards to conduct a reasonable inquiry" into election results before they are certified, and to allow any local election board member to examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results". The same rule also requires local boards to reconcile any discrepancies between the total number of ballots cast and the number of voters who check in. If it can't reconcile the numbers, the board is authorized to come up with a way to figure out which votes count and which do not. Continue reading...
The Democrats' candidate radiated joy and energy, and talked as if she really cared. Still, the lack of pro-Palestinian voices in Chicago was notableOn 22 August 1964, a Black activist called Fannie Lou Hamer gave an iconic speech at the Democratic national convention (DNC), taking the party to task for its failure to support equal voting rights. Hamer did not get what she wanted that particular night in Atlantic City, but she helped pave the way for a new generation of American leaders.On the 60th anniversary of that historic address, Kamala Harris stood centre stage at the DNC in Chicago as the Democratic party's candidate for president and gave the most important speech of her life. The buildup to Thursday night was intense; Harris had been prepping furiously for this pivotal moment, reportedly workshopping her speech nearly line by line".Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
Activists partner with powerful rightwing council Alec to prevent rare instances of illegal non-citizen votingA coalition of anti-immigrant and election-denying activists called Only Citizens Vote Coalition has joined forces with the powerful rightwing American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) to draft a model bill requiring citizenship for voting in all public elections".Non-US citizens are already forbidden from voting in federal elections, and could face felony charges and even deportation if they attempt to do so. All evidence suggests non-citizens rarely attempt to cast a ballot illegally. But as the 2024 general presidential election approaches, a group of Donald Trump allies - among them, Only Citizens Vote Coalition - have joined together to elevate fears of non-citizens voting. Continue reading...
The energy and optimism at the Democratic convention was palpable - the party appears to have rediscovered its confidenceFive weeks ago, Democrats were preparing to hold their national convention in Chicago under a pall, weighed down by fears of defeat and what Michelle Obama called a palpable sense of dread about the future". An 81-year-old president, trailing badly in the polls, would face his people as they cowered before the prospect of four more years of Donald Trump and his bloodlust for retribution.What we got at the DNC in Chicago was a week-long celebration that went well beyond the relief that the party evidently feels now that it is back in the game. There was rejoicing in the energy and confidence that has been unleashed by the unexpected metamorphosis from Joe Biden to the joyful warrior", Kamala Harris. Continue reading...
As the globe continues to heat, conditions on the practice field continue to worsen, and kids are left to die, we are left with a simple question: is this sport morally sustainable?In December 2022, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest on the football field during a nationally televised game. The incident prompted shock and horror across the country and briefly led to sustained public discourse about the safety of the sport. Yet, soon after, the NFL could be found trumpeting Hamlin's triumphant recovery, even showcasing him at the Super Bowl, in a feat of remarkably adept appropriation and image laundering.And so the football world returned to its resting state: completely unwilling to acknowledge the extent to which the sport remains an ongoing public health catastrophe. For, the almost-tragedy that befell Damar Hamlin has repeatedly been an actual reality for all too many football-participating families, including that of Jordan McNair, the 19-year-old University of Maryland offensive lineman, who was reportedly told by a trainer to Drag his ass across the field!" even after he had first collapsed from heat and exhaustion. McNair ultimately died. His mother later said, No one did anything to even try and cool him down. That's the part that bothers me most. There was nothing I could do. And I couldn't help him. It breaks my heart."Nathan Kalman-Lamb is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of New Brunswick. Derek Silva is Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology at King's University College at Western University. They are co-authors of The End of College Football: On the Human Cost of an All-American Game (UNC Press, December 2024) and co-hosts (with Johanna Mellis) of The End of Sport podcast. Continue reading...
US vice-president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris took to the stage on the final day of the Democratic national convention in Chicago, delivering the biggest speech of her political career. With less than three months left before election day - and with polls showing a tight contest against the Republican former president Donald Trump - Harris fired up the Democratic faithful by reflecting on her upbringing and past as a California attorney-general, asking the audience to imagine Trump with no guardrails', and calling on Americans to 'fight for this country we love'
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