Author: chicagoinquirer

by Jarrett Renshaw and Jason Lange MILWAUKEE – Vice President Kamala Harris assailed Donald Trump on Tuesday at her first campaign rally since replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate, while a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll showed her taking a marginal lead over her Republican rival. In a 17-minute speech, Harris aggressively went after Trump’s vulnerabilities, comparing her background as a former prosecutor to his record as a convicted felon. Harris ticked through a list of liberal priorities, saying that if elected she would act to expand abortion access, make it easier for workers to join unions and address…

by Moira Warburton, Makini Brice and Richard Cowan WASHINGTON -U.S. Senator Bob Menendez submitted his resignation on Tuesday in the aftermath of his conviction on corruption charges including bribery and acting as an agent for Egypt’s government, bowing to pressure from fellow Democrats to give up the job. “I will be resigning from my office as the United States Senator from New Jersey, effective on the close of business on Aug. 20, 2024,” Menendez’s letter, which was seen by Reuters, said. “While I fully intend to appeal the jury’s verdict, all the way and including to the Supreme Court, I…

WASHINGTON -The United States has invited the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for U.S.-mediated ceasefire talks starting on Aug. 14 in Switzerland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said early on Wednesday they will contructively participate in the talks to achieve “a comprehensive ceasefire across the country and facilitate humanitarian access to all those in need.” “We reaffirm our firm stance … which is the insistence on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way for a peaceful, negotiated political solution that restores the country to civilian rule and…

by Trevor Hunnicutt and Nandita Bose WASHINGTON -President Joe Biden’s weekend decision to drop his reelection bid and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate leaves Harris with a major, immediate decision: whom to pick as her running mate. Harris has enlisted the law firm of Eric Holder, the former attorney general, to vet possible running mates, sources told Reuters. These are some of the top people being discussed, according to people familiar with internal policy discussions. ANDY BESHEAR, GOVERNOR, KENTUCKY Kentucky’s Democratic governor, Andy Beshear, has carved a successful political career in a heavily…

ears safety Jonathan Owens received permission to skip the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 1 to take a trip to Paris. That’s where his wife, four-time Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles, will be competing in the 2024 Olympics. The Bears are scheduled to play a preseason game on Aug. 1 in Canton, Ohio, as part of the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend. The team final in women’s gymnastics is scheduled for July 30 and the all-around final is Aug. 1. Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said there was no decision to be made. “We respect the Olympics.…

by Macdonald Dzirutwe LAGOS, – Nigeria’s Dangote refinery is in talks with Libya to secure crude for the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant and will also seek Angolan oil, a senior executive said, as it seeks to overcome problems with domestic supplies. The $20 billion refinery, built by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote on the outskirts of Lagos is Africa’s largest, and is designed to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuels because of insufficient refining capacity. Since Dangote began operations in January, it has been unable to get adequate crude supplies in Nigeria, which, although Africa’s biggest oil producer,…

by Jarrett Renshaw and Nandita Bose Vice President Kamala Harris will campaign in the critical battleground state of Wisconsin on Tuesday for the first time as a presidential candidate after enough Democratic delegates pledged to endorse her, clearing her path to the nomination. Harris has become the party’s presumed nominee after President Joe Biden withdrew from his reeelction campaign on Sunday, following weeks of party acrimony and internal polls showed his support collapsing in a battle against Republican rival Donald Trump. Less than 36 hours after Biden endorsed Harris, she secured the nomination on Monday night by winning the pledged…

by Isaac Anyaogu LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigerian lawmakers on Monday set up a committee to investigate crude shortages to local refineries and importation of dirty fuels, issues at the heart of a rift between the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s downnstream oil regulator. The committee constituted by Nigeria’s lower parliament will investigate alleged importation of dirtier fuels, operations of standards agencies, why refineries including Dangote Refinery are unable to get adequate crude supplies and rising fuel queues. “Our investigation will proceed in phases beginning with the allegation of production and importation of sub standard petroleum products and unavailability of crude oil…

by Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris swiftly consolidated Democratic support for her presidential bid on Monday, securing commitments from hundreds of convention delegates, announcing a massive fundraising haul and earning endorsements from top party figures after President Joe Biden abruptly left the race. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has remained influential since stepping down as the party’s House of Representatives leader in 2022, backed Harris on Monday, adding to a parade of endorsements from key Democrats. Pelosi played a leading role in persuading Biden, 81, to step aside amid concerns over…

by David Morgan WASHINGTON -U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle rebuffed bipartisan calls to resign for security failures that allowed a would-be assassin to wound Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, and rankled lawmakers by refusing to provide details about the incident. The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee’s Republican chair, James Comer, and top Democrat, Jamie Raskin — normally bitterly divided on most issues — each called on Cheatle to step down. “This committee is not known for its model of bipartisanship, and I think today we came together unanimously in our disappointment,” Comer told Cheatle. “We don’t have that…