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Former president will speak at the party's convention in Chicago following an address from MichelleExactly 20 years ago, Barack Obama was a relatively unknown state legislator when he delivered a keynote address at the Democratic party's convention.I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on Earth, is my story even possible," Obama said that evening.Wednesday 21 August: The former president Bill Clinton will join the Minnesota governor and nominee for vice-president, Tim Walz, on the convention's third night.Thursday 22 August: The vice-president, Kamala Harris, will close out the fourth night of the convention. Continue reading...

Federal jury to hear arguments whether city is responsible for assault by on-duty police officer of 15-year-old in 2020A federal jury in New Orleans has started hearing arguments about whether the city is liable for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl by an on-duty police officer.The federal civil trial, brought against the city of New Orleans by the teen's family, began Monday and is expected to last four days. Continue reading...

Theme set for Tuesday of Kamala Harris's bold vision' will contrast with Trump's dystopian vision of the USThe Democratic national convention enters its second day in Chicago on Tuesday with Kamala Harris's presidential campaign seeking to lay out what it calls a bold vision for America" as it seeks to move forward from Joe Biden's emotional valedictory speech.Carrying the flame on the second night of primetime speeches will be the Obamas, with Michelle Obama addressing the convention shortly before her husband Barack takes the stage. The couple's endorsement of Harris in July was seminal in securing the Democratic presidential nomination for the current US vice-president, helping to bypass a potentially ugly internal fight.What is the DNC?Joe Biden speaks at DNC night one following surprise appearance by Kamala HarrisPro-Palestinian protesters march before DNCHere are the rising stars and politicians to watch this weekWhat to know about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Continue reading...

Research shows play is one of the most fundamental elements of a child's development, critical to their way of connecting with others

Chrystul Kizer pleaded guilty to reckless homicide of man she says sold her as sex worker when she was teenagerA Milwaukee woman who maintained that she legally killed a man when she was a teenager because he was sexually trafficking her received an 11-year prison sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to a reduced count of reckless homicide.A judge in the Wisconsin county of Kenosha also sentenced Chrystul Kizer to five years of extended supervision following her release from prison in the 2018 death of Randall Volar, 34. She was given credit for 570 days, about one and a half years, of time served awaiting her case's outcome. Continue reading...

Netflix's documentary about the killing of the American football star reveals almost nothing you wouldn't learn in 10 minutes on the webThe Netflix documentary strand Untold revisits dark moments in sport: controversy, failure, chicanery and injustice. It has a strong record for finding fascinating stories. Its latest episode, The Murder of Air McNair, looks into the suspicious death of an American football star, which sounds promising - but if there is fresh ground to be trodden, Untold doesn't find it.The basic test for an hour-long documentary is whether it can provide a more insightful summary of events than the viewer could get via 10 minutes on Google. Untold only just clears that low bar. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Group is covertly seeding violent propaganda on to mainstream social media channels, report findsAs the presidential election approaches, a recently designated neo-Nazi terrorist group is covertly seeding violent propaganda on to mainstream social media channels - exposing tens of thousands of unknowing followers to radicalizing messages - according to background research and a report provided to the Guardian by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).One of those channels on Telegram purports to be associated with Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, with an administrator claiming in group chats discovered by ISD to have had direct contact with the longtime Trump ally who is well-known for playing footsie with extremists and admitting to fomenting revolution. Continue reading...

In a car-crash promotional tour for the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's controversial novel It Ends With Us, the actor has tried to flog not only her husband's gin brand, but also a haircare lineGrab your friends, wear your florals, settle down with a tasty cocktail and kick back: this year's sexiest movie about domestic violence is upon us!Er ... what? If that was your general reaction, you are not alone. For weeks, the weird marketing for It Ends With Us, the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel, has been raising eyebrows and causing intense drama on the internet. Continue reading...

The University of Louisville guard has spent the offseason in Paris while preparing for her fourth, and likely final, collegiate season with an eye on next year's WNBA draftAt this point, it's tough for University of Louisville guard Jayda Curry to remember a time when she wasn't playing basketball. The way she remembers it, her dad Gary put the ball in her hand at four - and she just never put it down.Gary recalls things a little differently. For starters, Jayda and her sister Layla, who are a year and a half apart, were playing golf before they ever touched a basketball. One day Jayda saw former NFL linebacker Terrell Owens on TV and decided that's who she wanted to be and she started asking her dad to throw a football with her. She would wave her arms and set up and do exactly what she saw Owens do," he explained. I would throw her the ball, and she would run to the door, slam it, and then go down and run and jump into my arms." Continue reading...

Daniela Larreal Chirinos was one of Venezuela's best-known athletes and living in exile after criticism of Nicolas MaduroThe five-time Olympian Daniela Larreal Chirinos was found dead inside her Las Vegas apartment after the retired cyclist choked to death on her food, police have said.The 50-year-old's body was found after she failed to show up at the hotel in Las Vegas where she worked and was checked on, Fox Sports reported. Continue reading...

Members of committee on education and workforce say in letter it is an important tool for enforcing labor safetyUS lawmakers have written to the Department of Labor inquiring into reports some state safety agencies are tipping off employers before workplace inspections are conducted.The letter from ranking Democratic members of the House committee on education and the workforce, the congressman Robert Bobby" Scott and the congresswoman Dr Alma Adams, cites testimony from farm workers and advocates in California and a New York Times article on child labor where an employer in South Carolina admitted to ordering workers to clean up and prepare for an inspection after receiving a tip-off about an upcoming inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha). Continue reading...

The president strikes an optimistic note in address at the opening night of the Democratic national convention. Plus, should licking popsicles be part of the curriculum?

Hadley Duvall, from Kentucky, told how she was raped by her stepfather and became pregnant at age 12. Duvall was part of a panel of speakers from Republican states who had personal experiences of the impact of abortion bans.She noted Donald Trump's previous remarks calling abortion bans 'a beautiful thing', to which she responded: 'What is so beautiful about a child having to carry her parent's child?'

We needn't be puritanical about having a drink, but we can no longer deny that it harms us, even in small quantitiesTo say yes to that glass of wine or beer, or just get a juice? That's the question many people face when they're at after-work drinks, relaxing on a Friday night, or at the supermarket thinking about what to pick up for the weekend. I'm not here to opine on the philosophy of drinking, and how much you should drink is a question only you can answer. But it's worth highlighting the updated advice from key health authorities on alcohol. Perhaps it will swing you one way or the other.It's well-known that binge-drinking is harmful, but what about light to moderate drinking? In January 2023, the World Health Organization came out with a strong statement: there is no safe level of drinking for health. The agency highlighted that alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, and that ethanol (alcohol) directly causes cancer when our cells break it down. Continue reading...

Thousands of pro-Palestinian gathered outside the Democratic national convention calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo on Israel. Some protesters were handcuffed and detained after breaking through a security barrier. Other demonstrators made it inside the convention centre and unfurled a banner saying 'stop arming Israel' a few minutes after Joe Biden started his speech. The US president commented on the protest while on stage, saying 'they have a point' and reiterated his ambition to secure a ceasefire and end suffering 'on both sides'. Critics of Biden's handling of the war in Gaza have suggested it will go down in history as the most shameful part of his legacy

People still think that, once a woman is a grandmother, the rest of her life becomes irrelevant. That's an absurdly outdated ideaNans against Nazis" read one large placard brandished at the recent anti-racism protests in Liverpool. It belonged to 71-year-old Pat. Someone said to me, You're too old, don't be doing this,'" she told the Independent. But as long as they're here someone's got to do it." She's not the only one who refuses to be invisible. As the editor of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour for more than a decade, I became so familiar with countless stories of active, busy older women that I've now written a book of advice for today's grandmothers.I interviewed more than 100 women. Many of them were exasperated at the tired old stereotypes that either portray us as frail, ancient, hobbling, lonely old biddies, or the equally cliched antithesis: battling grannies" or granny heroines". The very word granny" has become a shorthand for old lady", a handy way to define us by our age and dwindling status (and it bears little relation to whether or not you actually have grandchildren). Continue reading...

Joe Biden was welcomed with rapturous applause at the Democratic national convention in Chicago. He waited for several minutes for the cheering to die down before he could start speaking. When the applause finally calmed, he said: 'Folks, let me ask you: are you ready to vote for freedom?' The audience shouted 'yes!' in response. Just one month after withdrawing from the presidential race, Biden delivered a reflective and optimistic address, urging the nation to elect Kamala Harris to protect American democracy

When the stories of people like me who lived in the old socialist republic are dismissed, shame can spiral into anger that fuels the far rightWhen I went to school in the 1990s, GDR literature wasn't taught or read. It was treated as something shameful. I didn't dare to pick up a book by an East German writer, even though many of them were in our library at home in Leipzig. Looking back, I believe the reason was the public perception of the old socialist republic. It scared me off.When the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989, it marked the beginning of the end of East German art and literature. Everything that had shaped our cultural history was thought away, spoken away and written away. West Germans took sovereignty over the narrative, and their verdict was clear: the former East German state was wrong in every aspect and worth nothing. This also meant books, plays, paintings, sculptures, films and music were buried and left behind, because they too were considered wrong.Carolin Wurfel is a writer, screenwriter and journalist. She is the author of Three Women Dreamed of Socialism and a regular contributor to Die Zeit Continue reading...

Biden's voice was strong and clear, and the crowd was far warmer to him as an outgoing presidentJoe Biden took the stage and held his daughter, Ashley, in a long embrace, whispered some tender words and wiped tears from his eyes. She smiled and kissed the hand of her ageing dad. The pair seemed to be at the quiet centre of a storm.Around them more than 20,000 stood, applauded, roared and chanted, We love Joe." They held tall narrow signs that said, We Joe". The US president walked to the lectern, smiling, pointing, looked pensive, smiled again and dabbed his nose with a handkerchief.What is the DNC?Joe Biden speaks at DNC night one following surprise appearance by Kamala HarrisPro-Palestinian protesters march before DNCHere are the rising stars and politicians to watch this weekWhat to know about Kamala Harris and Tim Walz Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. You can read our full report on Biden's speech here.Democrats aren't shying away from discussing the Covid-19 pandemic, with Minnesota's lieutenant governor Peggy Flanagan taking the stage to talk about the tragedy the virus brought upon her family, and how Donald Trump was to blame.My brother Ron was the second person to die of Covid in the state of Tennessee. We couldn't see him. We couldn't have a memorial. And millions of American families went through the same thing. Our communities were suffering, our economy was struggling, and Donald Trump was playing games. Our country was brought to the brink by his failure to respond, but the Biden-Harris administration stepped in with quick and decisive action," Flanagan said. Continue reading...

Some argued the suit was actually camel, while others online speculated Harris was trolling Republicans - or simply wearing her off duty suitIt is a truth universally acknowledged that a prominent female politician in possession of a wardrobe will have her outfits divined for clues about who she is and what she thinks. The Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris, is no exception.But the dissection of Harris's choice of outfit took on a different tone after her surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Monday evening, with some asking simply: is she trolling us? Continue reading...

US president delivers reflective and optimistic address on first night of the Democratic national convention

First night of the convention included impassioned speeches as pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside

Clinton gave one of the most powerful speeches of her career at the first night of the Democratic national convention

Speaking at the Democratic national convention, US first lady Jill Biden reflected on her husband's decision to step down from the presidential election campaign, saying, he dug 'deep into his soul'. Jill Biden said the decision was perhaps the biggest of his political career, and one that came only after some serious soul-searching. 'Joe knows that our nation's strength doesn't come from intimidation or cruelty,' she said. 'It comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are, from love of a country that shines with promise and renewal. Kamala Harris knows that too.'

US president took the stage in Chicago after speeches from Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Congresswoman promises Harris would be a voice for working Americans and issued stark warning against reelecting Trump

Police say Wactor was fatally shot after interrupting three thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his carTwo men have been charged with murder in the killing of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor, the Los Angeles district attorney's office announced on Monday.Wactor was shot and killed when he interrupted three thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car on 25 May. Police said the 37-year-old had left work at a downtown LA rooftop bar with a coworker when he saw three men who had hoisted his car. Police said one of them fired at him without provocation and killed him. Continue reading...

Hillary Clinton received a hero's welcome at the Democratic National Convention and used her speech to dress down her former opponent Donald Trump, accusing him of lowbrow attacks on Kamala Harris. 'He is lying about Kamala's record. He's mocking her name and her laugh,' she said, quipping, 'sounds familiar'. 'But we have him on the run now,' Clinton said to a roar from the crowd. Clinton drew a stark contrast between Trump and Kamala Harris, noting that Harris 'locked up murderers and drug traffickers' while Trump was the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions. The remark prompted loud chants of 'lock him up', a throwback to the 'lock her up' chants at Trump's rallies when he ran against Clinton in 2016

To deserved applause, the president bowed out at the start of a pivotal week in Chicago. Now it is time to write the story of America's futureA month ago, Joe Biden and his aides were beginning to draft a closing speech with which, on Thursday, he would top off this week's Democratic convention in Chicago. The speech would seal Mr Biden's bid for a second White House term and send his party out to do battle with Donald Trump in November. Instead, on Monday, Mr Biden did not deliver the convention's closing address. He delivered his own.Mr Biden's convention speech is one of his last big moments in the political spotlight, and the start of his withdrawal from the US political field after half a century. From today, the Democratic party belongs to Kamala Harris. It is she who matters now. For the next few days, Mr Biden will not be in Chicago or on the campaign trail, but on holiday. Continue reading...

The 2024 Democratic national convention kicks off with speeches by Hillary Clinton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and a brief one by Kamala Harris

Progressive New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to the stage at the Democratic national convention, saying Kamala Harris was for the 'middle class', understands cost of living pressures faced by Americans and was dedicated to fighting corporate greed , before launching a spirited attack on Donald Trump. 'Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,' Ocasio-Cortez said. AOC also praised Harris's 'tireless' work for a Gaza ceasefire and bringing Israeli hostages home

Demonstrators gathered near the Democratic national convention in Chicago to demonstrate against US aid of Israel's war in Gaza, intent on sending a message to the Democratic party, that their votes need to be earned and not to take their support for granted. A small number of pro-Israel supporters were in attendance, pushing for the US to continue support for Israel and its right to defend itself

The Soul Children of Chicago choir performed a rousing gospel rendition of the US national anthem at the Democratic national convention in Chicago.The uplifting display was greeted with a standing ovation from gathered delegates. The performance kicked off day one of the convention before speeches from Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton

FBI and other top agencies say Iranians have ... sought access to individuals' connected to both US political parties

We're now closing this blog - but we're following all the latest from the DNC stage, including Biden's speech, in our new blog here:

Dr Tanya Haj-Hassan was part of the panel at the Democratic national convention, which hundreds attended

Thousands of people fill Union Park in Chicago to demonstrate against US aid of Israel's war in Gaza

Democrats will gather in Chicago this week to formally nominate Kamala Harris as their pick for president and Tim Walz as her running mateKamala Harris is in Chicago to formally accept the nomination for president of the Democratic party, less than two months after Joe Biden dropped out of the race. She will appear alongside her running mate, Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, at the party's national convention.The convention will also honor Biden's half-century career in politics as senator, vice-president and president, with Jill Biden among those paying tribute. He will give the keynote address Monday night and Harris is likely to join him on stage.Monday, 19 August: Biden will speak on the opening night, along with former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.Tuesday, 20 August: Former president Barack Obama will give an address on the second night.Wednesday, 21 August: Former president Bill Clinton will join Walz on the convention's third night.Thursday, 22 August: Harris will close out the fourth night of the convention. Continue reading...

Demonstrators arrived in Union Park in Chicago before the opening of the Democratic party national convention. The Coalition to March on the DNC, who organised the demonstration, is composed of 172 organisations from Chicago and across the country. Activists are demanding an immediate ceasefire and a halt on arms sales to Israel

Republican-controlled board adopts new rule that gives local officials more power to investigate votes after electionThe Georgia state election board approved a new rule on Monday that gives local officials more power to investigate votes after election day, increasing concerns the Republican-controlled body is steamrolling a series of consequential changes that could pave the way for chaos this fall.The rule approved Monday authorizes any member on a county board of election to examine all election related documentation created during the conduct of elections prior to certification of results". Even though Georgia law still requires certification of the vote by 5pm the Monday after election day, experts are concerned that these maneuvers give election deniers significant leeway to slow down the certification process and create uncertainty. Continue reading...

Trayon White could face up to 15 years in prison for allegedly accepting $156,000 to aid private companiesA Washington DC council member has been arrested on charges of accepting $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his political position to help private companies secure public contracts for violence prevention.Trayon White, a Democrat and former unsuccessful mayoral candidate who has also previously been accused of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories, was arrested after FBI agents raided a luxury high-rise apartment where he had been staying in the capital's Navy Yard neighbourhood, on Sunday, the Washington Post reported. Continue reading...

It's always, always an issue': bed and breakfast owners Anita and Marvin Johnson on bringing back bygone hospitality and keeping a low profileMarvin and Anita Johnson know who they are - a married, middle-aged Black couple who own a bed and breakfast in the Atlanta suburb of Stockbridge, Georgia. They also understand that when some guests arrive, it may be the first time they spend the night with Black hosts.So when people peruse the website of Stockbridge Lakes Bed & Breakfast, they see images of a picturesque lake, lush landscaping and elegant bedrooms. They learn about the gourmet breakfasts, the sleeping porch and the paddle boats that guests are free to use. But they won't find any photos of the innkeepers. Continue reading...

He has mentioned the cover four times since it was published last week - suggesting the vice-president resembles everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to his wife, Melania. What is really going on?Name: Time Magazine's Kamala Harris cover.Age: Published last week. Continue reading...

Juan Merchan to make decision on Trump's request to push September sentencing date due to election interference'The prosecutors who secured Donald Trump's historic criminal conviction on felony charges in May did not explicitly oppose the former US president's attempt to delay his sentencing until after the 5 November election.In a letter to Justice Juan Merchan on Monday, prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg's office acknowledged that Trump had the right to appeal a forthcoming ruling on whether he was immune from prosecution, and said they deferred to Merchan on whether a delay to sentencing was warranted. Continue reading...

Billionaire investor and his firm IEP settle with SEC for $2m after being charged with failing to disclose stock pledgesCarl Icahn, the billionaire investment tycoon, and his firm Icahn Enterprises LP (IEP) have been charged by US regulators with failing to disclose billions of dollars worth of personal loans.The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said IEP and Icahn, who serves as chairman, agreed to pay $1.5m and $500,000 in civil penalties, respectively, to settle the charges. Continue reading...

There's a new intelligence in town' as Victor Miller and his ChatGPT bot, Vic, plan to lead Cheyenne in a hybrid formatVoters in Wyoming's capital city on Tuesday are faced with deciding whether to elect a mayoral candidate who has proposed to let an artificial intelligence bot run the local government.Earlier this year, the candidate in question - Victor Miller - filed for him and his customized ChatGPT bot, named Vic (Virtual Integrated Citizen), to run for mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming. He has vowed to helm the city's business with the AI bot if he wins. Continue reading...

The height of solar efficiency, a clam manipulates light to make its shell and redirects the sun's rays to its tiny algal tenantsA giant clam has hundreds, if not thousands, of eyes, which lie on the exposed flesh that lines the shell, and work like pinhole cameras. They respond by withdrawing the mantle to movements of dark objects, even if these cast no shadow on the animal as a whole," reads one description. They also tell the clam to close when the light dims or changes direction. I read this and imagine the dark shape of a scuba diver scanning her torch across the curves of the clam's mouth. Depending on how deep or shallow these curves are, the clam looks happier or angrier.There are many species of giant clam. The Latin name of one kind, commonly found in the waters around Indonesia, Palau and Vanuatu, is Hippopus hippopus. Giant clams are about as wide as a short woman is tall. Their muscle, or flesh (the part of them that is alive), is only a fraction of their weight. Dead, the largest giant clam recorded weighed only 20kg less than it weighed alive: 250kg. The heaviest weighed 340kg alive, and 333kg dead. (By comparison, the human skeleton weighs between 1.5kg and 3.5kg.) They are so heavy they don't need to attach themselves to the sea bed. Their pearls don't shine - there is no spare light. Continue reading...