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The weekend assassination attempt on Donald Trump has silenced much of the chatter over President Joe Biden’s political future. But as Trump charged forward Monday, appearing at the Republican National Convention and naming his vice presidential pick, the Biden administration prepared for a Tuesday campaign stop in this uncertain stage in the presidential race. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House.
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Як пояснюють у компанії, сьогодні вночі вийшло з ладу обладнання на одному з енергооб’єктів
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BALTIMORE — Baltimore’s mayor and city council have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop a proposal that would let voters decide whether to give all new parents a one-time $1,000 “baby bonus” meant to help alleviate childhood poverty from birth.

The complaint was filed Thursday, according to online court records. It came not long after organizers secured the necessary 10,000 signatures to bring the question to voters as a ballot initiative in November.

City leaders argue that the proposal is unconstitutional and should be blocked from the ballot because it would give voters too much say over legislative decisions, effectively “usurping those powers” from their elected officials.

An estimated 7,000 children are born in Baltimore each year, so the program would cost about $7 million annually. That amounts to roughly 0.16% of the city’s annual operating budget, according to supporters. It wouldn’t result in higher taxes, but it would be up to the city council to allocate the necessary funds.

The lawsuit claims that the charter amendment process is meant to address changes to the form and structure of government, not specific legislative or budgetary questions.

But supporters of the baby bonus say the lawsuit is a political power grab.

“We are fully confident the courts will reject this attack on democracy,” the Maryland Child Alliance said in a statement posted to social media last week. The group was founded by Baltimore teachers advocating for legislation to alleviate child poverty.

They say more systemic change is needed on a national level to help lift families out of poverty, but giving new parents a modest financial boost could prove an important first step.

The proposal is loosely modeled on a program implemented this year in Flint, Michigan, where women receive $1,500 during mid-pregnancy and $500 per month for the first year after giving birth. Officials said the Flint program was the first of its kind in the U.S. Countries in Europe and Asia have experimented with larger cash payments, but those programs are meant to encourage people to have more kids, not address child poverty.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration, which launched a guaranteed income pilot program targeting young single parents in 2022, said in a statement that he’s “supportive of the proposed amendment’s objectives” even though he wants it off the ballot.
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SAN DIEGO — Arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico plunged 29% in June, the lowest month of Joe Biden’s presidency, according to figures released Monday that provide another window on the impact of a new rule to temporarily suspend asylum.

Arrests totaled 83,536 in June, down from 117,901 in May to mark the lowest tally since January 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

A seven-day average of daily arrests fell more than half by the end of June from Biden’s announcement on June 4 that asylum processing would be halted when daily arrests reach 2,500, which they did immediately, said Troy Miller, acting Customs and Border Protection commissioner.

“Recent border security measures have made a meaningful impact on our ability to impose consequences for those crossing unlawfully,” Miller said.

Arrests had already fallen by more than half from a record high of 250,000 in December, largely a result of increased enforcement by Mexican authorities, according to U.S. officials.

Sharp declines registered across nationalities, including Mexicans, who have been most affected by the suspension of asylum, and Chinese people, who generally fly to Ecuador and travel to the U.S. border over land.

San Diego was the busiest of the Border Patrol’s nine sectors bordering Mexico by number of arrests, followed by Tucson, Arizona.

More than 41,000 people entered legally through an online appointment app called CBP One in June. The agency said 680,500 people have successfully scheduled appointments since the app was introduced in January 2023.

Nearly 500,000 people from four countries entered on a policy to allow two-year stays on condition they have financial sponsors and arrive at an airport. They include 104,130 Cubans, 194,027 Haitians, 86,101 Nicaraguans and 110,541 Venezuelans, according to CBP.
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SALT LAKE CITY — Three hikers died over the weekend in suspected heat-related cases at state and national parks in Utah, including a father and daughter who got lost on a strenuous hike in Canyonlands National Park in extreme temperatures. 

The daughter, 23, and her father, 52, sent a 911 text alerting dispatchers that they were lost and had run out of water while hiking the 13-kilometer (8.1-mile) Syncline Loop, described by the National Park Service as the most challenging trail in the Island in the Sky district of the southeast Utah park. The pair set out Friday to navigate steep switchbacks and scramble through boulder fields with limited trail markers as the air temperature surpassed 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). 

Park rangers and a helicopter crew with the Bureau of Land Management began their search for the lost hikers in the early evening Friday but found them already dead. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office identified them Monday as Albino Herrera Espinoza and his daughter, Beatriz Herrera, of Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

Due to the jagged terrain, safety officials used a helicopter to airlift the bodies out of the park and to the state medical examiner Saturday morning, according to the sheriff’s office. Their deaths are being investigated as heat-related by the local sheriff and the National Park Service. 

Later Saturday, first responders in southwest Utah responded to a call about two hikers “suffering from a heat-related incident” at Snow Canyon State Park, which is known for its lava tubes, sand dunes and a canyon carved from red and white Navajo Sandstone. 

A multi-agency search team found and treated two hikers who were suffering from heat exhaustion. While they were treating those individuals, a passing hiker informed them of an unconscious person nearby. First responders found the 30-year-old woman dead, public safety officials said. 

Her death is being investigated by the Santa Clara-Ivins Public Safety Department. She has not been identified publicly. 

Tourists continue to flock to parks in Utah and other southwestern states during the hottest months of the year, even as officials caution that hiking in extreme heat poses serious health risks. Earlier this month, a Texas man died while hiking at Grand Canyon National Park, where summer temperatures on exposed parts of the trail can reach over 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit). 
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YEREVAN — Armenia on Monday launched joint military drills with the United States, a move that reflects its leader’s efforts to forge closer ties with the U.S. and other Western allies as the country’s relations with old ally Russia sour.

The “Eagle Partner” war games are aimed at increasing interoperability of units participating in international peacekeeping missions, according to Armenia’s Defense Minister Suren Papikyan.

They involve Armenian peacekeeping forces, servicemen of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa, and the Kansas National Guard. It wasn’t immediately clear how many troops were taking part.

The exercises were scheduled to last through July 24.

Russia has been Armenia’s main economic partner and ally since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Landlocked Armenia, which used to be part of the Soviet Union, hosts a Russian military base and is part of the Moscow-led security alliance, the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Armenia’s ties with Russia, however, have grown increasingly strained since Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign last year to take the Karabakh region, ending three decades of ethnic Armenian separatist rule there.

Armenian authorities accused Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after a previous round of hostilities in 2020 of failing to stop Azerbaijan’s onslaught. Moscow rejected the accusations, arguing that its troops didn’t have a mandate to intervene.

Russia has engaged in a delicate balancing act, trying to preserve close relations with Armenia while also maintaining warm ties with Azerbaijan and its main ally Turkey, a key economic partner for Moscow amid Western sanctions.

The Kremlin has been angered by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to deepen Armenia’s ties with the West and distance his country from Moscow-dominated alliances. Russia was particularly vexed by Armenia’s decision to join the International Criminal Court, which last year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

As the rift with Russia kept widening, Armenia froze its participation in the Russian-dominated security alliance, canceled its involvement in joint military drills and snubbed the bloc’s summits.

In September 2023, Armenia also held the “Eagle Partner” drills, eliciting dismay in Moscow, where officials called the move “unfriendly.”
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«У морі фактично з акваторії їх видавили. Сухопутна складова успіхом не увінчалася на нашому напрямку»
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Taipei, Taiwan — The shooting at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday quickly became a trending topic on China’s social media platforms Sunday.

The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement on its website Sunday, indicating that the country is closely following the incident involving Trump.

“President Xi Jinping has expressed sympathies to former President Trump,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in its statement.

The FBI said Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was the suspect in the attempted assassination of Trump.

As of noon, Beijing time Sunday, the Weibo entry “Trump was shot” had garnered more than 300 million views, making it the top trending topic on the platform. Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to X, formerly Twitter, mirrors trends seen on international platforms like X, which is banned in China.

Not only did the entry “Trump was shot” dominate Weibo’s trending topics, but at one point, half of the top 20 searches were related to the shooting. Updates such as “Trump’s right ear was shot through by a bullet,” “One person died at the scene,” and “The shooting suspect was killed,” along with U.S. President Joe Biden’s responses, also garnered significant attention.

Fast reaction came also from Chinese businesses: By noon Sunday in Beijing, shopping websites like Taobao and Pinduoduo listed T-shirts featuring images of Trump raising his arms after being injured. Some internet commenters jokingly remarked, “This is the speed of Chinese e-commerce.”

Major state media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency and CCTV, extensively covered the shooting.

Many Chinese experts interviewed said they believed that the assassination attempt was genuine and speculated that it could positively influence Trump’s campaign.

Chinese social media was also rife with speculation that the shooting was “self-directed and self-staged.”

Notably, Jin Hao, former executive editor of Xinhua News Agency’s “World Military,” commented on Weibo, saying that, after looking at the clips from the scene and observing Trump’s “remarkably swift” reaction, “he [knew he] was shot as soon as he touched his ears and immediately crouched down.” Jin remarked, “This isn’t something that ordinary people can react to.”

Some Weibo users also echoed that “it has been practiced hundreds of times.”

However, this conspiracy theory faced criticism from many bloggers, and others who argued that Trump’s ear injury was just a few centimeters away from the brain.

Even Jin Canrong, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, known for his strong anti-American stance, bluntly stated in an interview with the Shanghai-based media Observer Net that this incident was “an assassination.”

Jin noted that in the photos from the scene, the injured Trump raised his hands in a fighting gesture, surrounded by Secret Service agents and the American flag, effectively creating a heroic image for himself.

Currently based in California, Albert Chiu, a political science professor at Taiwan’s Tunghai University, said in an interview with VOA that Trump was shot during a live broadcast, and the shooter was killed on the scene, making it hard for any “conspiracy theory” to take hold. He emphasized that the ongoing culture of political assassination in the United States warrants more attention.

According to He Yue, a member of the National Union of Journalists in the United Kingdom, the enthusiasm of Chinese netizens for discussing the shooting reflects daily restrictions on free speech, where “domestic politics is off-limits.” They can only engage openly when negative topics related to American democracy arise, He Yue said.

Because “Chinese netizens really cannot discuss Chinese politics, when it comes to other countries’ political events, like the shooting, it feels like they’ve found an outlet to vent,” he told VOA. “The most heated discussions revolve around whether this is a ploy and who orchestrated it. Chinese people have lived in a world of falsehoods for too long; everything feels fake, so they use this mindset to judge foreigners.”

Taiwan’s reaction

On Sunday, Chen Shui-bian, former Taiwanese president who was shot while campaigning for reelection two decades ago, pointed out in interviews with several Taiwanese media outlets that the locations of both shootings — his in Tainan, in southern Taiwan, and Trump’s in Butler, Pennsylvania — can be seen as “sacred places of democracy” for both countries. Each attack resulted in minor injuries to presidential candidates, which he characterized as “a striking coincidence.”

One day before the 2004 Taiwan presidential election, the “319 shooting incident” occurred. President Chen was shot while campaigning in a jeep in Tainan. The bullet only caused a minor abdominal injury after penetrating his clothing.

The Presidential Office of Taiwan stated Sunday, “President (Lai Ching-te) extends sincere concerns to former President Trump and prays for his speedy recovery.” Lai strongly condemned any form of political violence and expressed his deepest condolences to all victims.

Eric Chu, chairman of the China-friendly opposition Kuomintang party, also stated in an interview that he promptly expressed condolences to the U.S. side, hoping for former President Trump’s swift recovery, and emphasizing the party’s condemnation of political violence.
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«Задля збереження власних статків та підприємств, що розташовувались в окупованому місті, він почав співпрацювати зі загарбниками»т
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«Загальна кількість оглянутого комісією рухомого майна складає більше 25 тисяч одиниць, яке розміщено у 121 будівлях та спорудах»
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За ранковим зведенням ВМС, наразі в Чорному морі немає російських кораблів. У Азовському – три російських судна
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A defiant former President Donald Trump will attend the full Republican National Convention, just days after he survived an assassination attempt. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and tells us how his supporters, after Saturday’s shock, are now energized.
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MILWAUKEE — Activists gathering in Milwaukee for the start of the Republican National Convention say the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump won’t affect their long-standing plans to demonstrate outside the convention site this week.

A diverse range of organizations and activists is expected outside the downtown Fiserv Forum. The largest expected demonstration was slated to start Monday morning.

The Coalition to March on the RNC, comprised largely of local groups, planned to protest for access to abortion rights, for immigrant rights, and against the war in Gaza among other issues.

“The shooting has nothing to do with us,” said Omar Flores, a coalition spokesman, speaking about the Saturday evening shots fired at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “We’re going to continue with the march as we planned.”

The U.S. Secret Service has said security plans — in the works for more than a year — remain the same after the Saturday shooting in which Trump has said his ear was pierced by a bullet and images show blood streaming from a wound. A nearby audience member was fatally shot and two others critically injured in the assault, which has prompted widespread calls to evaluate security measures.

The progressive coalition protesting the RNC has touted their Monday demonstrations as “family friendly.”

Organizers expect an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 attendees. Separately, the Philadelphia-based Poor People’s Army, which organizes for economic justice, plans an afternoon march. Smaller organizations also plan to demonstrate inside parks closer to the convention site where Trump is set to officially accept the party’s presidential nomination later this week.

Milwaukee’s leaders reiterated their confidence in security plans Sunday as delegates, activists and journalists started arriving in town. An estimated 30,000 people are expected.

Trump arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday.

“We take this matter very, very seriously. We take public safety very, very seriously,” Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said Sunday. “And I have been so pleased to work in collaboration not just with the United States Secret Service but also with local law enforcement and public safety on the ground here.”

Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said law enforcement was “working around the clock” to be ready.

Before the shooting in Pennsylvania, the activist coalition had been at odds with the city and law enforcement for months over a march route. Activists lost a lawsuit over restrictions on where they could demonstrate and had raised concerns about their message being stifled.

But on Friday they announced a “handshake agreement” over their route that includes allowing a city representative to accompany their protest to “make sure things go without a hitch.”

City officials and federal authorities have repeatedly said their priority is safety and insist they’ve made free speech accommodations.

The city has allowed protests at two parks near the convention. One, Haymarket Square Park, is visible from the convention site. There is to be a city-provided stage in the vicinity and speakers will get 20 minutes apiece. A city sign-up lists more than 100 people with a wide range of agendas, including anti-abortion rights activists, veterans groups and political candidates. The other park, Zeidler Union Square, is just under a mile away.

Activists say they’ll infuse their messages with moments of levity, including costumes and a television ventriloquist who is bringing a Trump puppet.

Heavy police presence is also assured.

Many activists are using the experience in Milwaukee to prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. That event is expected to draw even more people, and Chicago police have been undergoing training on constitutional policing and preparing for the possibility of mass arrests.

Milwaukee police have done some exercises related to the convention, though not widespread training.

“With any very large gathering, people must always be on top of their toes,” said Hilario Deleon, chairman of the Milwaukee County Republican Party. “If it’s successful, the city is successful.”
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Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania — The former fire chief who was killed at a Pennsylvania rally for Donald Trump spent his final moments diving down in front of his family, protecting them from gunfire on Saturday during an assassination attempt against the former president.  

Corey Comperatore’s quick decision to use his body as a shield against the bullets flying toward his wife and daughter rang true to the close friends and neighbors who loved and respected the proud 50-year-old Trump supporter, noting that the Butler County resident was a “man of conviction.”

“He’s a literal hero. He shoved his family out of the way, and he got killed for them,” said Mike Morehouse, who lived next to Comperatore for the last eight years. “He’s a hero that I was happy to have as a neighbor.”

Comperatore died Saturday during what is being investigated as an attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. At least two other people were injured: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township, Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. Both were listed in stable condition as of Sunday.

As support for Comperatore’s family began to pour in from across the country, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden also extended their “deepest condolences.”

“He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired and he lost his life, God love him,” said Biden, who added he was praying for the full recovery of the wounded.

Separately, Texas U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson said in a statement Sunday that his nephew was injured but “thankfully his injury was not serious.”

“My family was sitting in the front, near where the President was speaking,” Jackson said. “They heard shots ringing out — my nephew then realized he had blood on his neck and something had grazed and cut his neck. He was treated by the providers in the medical tent.”

The Secret Service said it killed the suspected shooter, who attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue.

The former president was showing off a chart of border-crossing numbers when at least five shots were fired. Trump was seen holding his ear and got down on the ground. Agents quickly huddled in a shield around him. When he stood, his face bloodied, he pumped his fist to cheering supporters as he was whisked off stage by Secret Service agents.

Trump later extended his condolences to Comperatore’s family.

Randy Reamer, president of the Buffalo Township volunteer fire company, called Comperatore “a stand-up guy” and “a true brother of the fire service.” He said Comperatore served as chief of the company for about three years but was also a life member, meaning he had served for more than 20 years.

“Just a great all-around guy, always willing to help someone out,” Reamer said of Comperatore. “He definitely stood up for what he believed in, never backed down to anyone. … He was a really good guy.”

A crew was power-washing the front of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company on Sunday with plans to install memorial drapery to honor the slain former chief.

Assistant Chief Ricky Heasley of Sarver, who knew Comperatore for more than a decade, remembered him as very outgoing and full of life.

“He never had a bad word,” Heasley said.

And in the front yard of the Comperatores’ two-story home in Butler County, a small memorial had sprung up of a U.S. flag and small bunches of flowers.

For Morehouse, Comperatore’s death was an emotional blow — but it also has inspired political action. Morehouse says he plans on casting a ballot for the first time in his life come November and he plans on checking Trump’s name.

“As soon as I heard what happened and then learned that it was to Corey, I went upstairs as soon as I got home and I registered to vote,” Morehouse said. “This is the first time I’ve ever voted, and I think it will be in his memory.”

A GoFundMe launched to support Comperatore’s family had surpassed more than $480,000 in donations as of Sunday.
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Rima Ziuraitis, an American of Lithuanian descent, has been teaching basic first aid to military personnel and civilians in Ukraine for over a year. Ziuraitis, who first arrived in Ukraine as a volunteer in the fall of 2022, has decided to stay in the country and become a medical instructor. Anna Kosstutschenko has the story.
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