Thousands flood Belarus capital as election protests grow
Tens of thousands of people flooded the heart of the Belarus capital of Minsk on Friday in a show of anger over a brutal police crackdown this week on peaceful protesters that followed a disputed election, and authorities sought to ease rising public fury by freeing at least 2,000 who were jailed after earlier demonstrations.
Factory workers marched across the city shouting “Go away!” in a call for authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko to resign after 26 years of iron-fisted rule that was extended in an election Sunday, Aug. 9, that protesters denounced as rigged.
Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate, first Black woman
Joe Biden named California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate on Tuesday, making history by selecting the first Black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket and acknowledging the vital role Black voters will play in his bid to defeat President Donald Trump.
In choosing Harris, Biden is embracing a former rival from the Democratic primary who is familiar with the unique rigor of a national campaign. The 55-year-old first-term senator, who is also of South Asian descent, is one of the party’s most prominent figures. She quickly became a top contender for the No. 2 spot after her own White House campaign ended.
UAE and Israel to establish full diplomatic ties
Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced Thursday they are establishing full diplomatic relations in a U.S.-brokered deal that required Israel to halt its contentious plan to annex occupied West Bank land sought by the Palestinians.
The historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory to President Donald Trump as he seeks re-election and reflected the changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians.
A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deal amounts to “treason,” and should be reversed.
Salt Lake City police suspend use of K9s amid investigation
Police have suspended the use of police dogs in apprehensions in light of an arrest earlier this year in which officers ordered a dog to attack a Black man who was kneeling and had already put his hands in the air, the Salt Lake City Police Department said Wednesday.
Jeffrey Ryans was in his backyard on April 24 when police were called to his home for an alleged domestic dispute, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. They ordered him to get on the ground. Body camera footage shows a police dog latched onto Ryans’ left leg for about 20 seconds even though he was being put in handcuffs.
The department announced Tuesday it was opening an investigation after Ryans went public with his story. On Wednesday, the department said the officer involved had been placed on administrative leave.
