The battle for the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential nomination kicks into high gear this week with the first of what will be monthly debates among the candidates leading up to the first caucus and primary votes early next year.  The first debates will be held over two nights—Wednesday and Thursday—and will feature 10 different contenders each night vying for the right to take on President Donald Trump in November of 2020.  VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has a preview from Washington. …

Senior U.S. officials say they are already busy buttressing the nation’s defenses against foreign interference for the 2020 presidential election. Only they admit the public may be kept in the dark about attacks and intrusions. Intelligence and election security officials have warned repeatedly that Russia, among other state and nonstate actors, remains intent on disrupting the upcoming elections and that the Kremlin may even have gone easy on the U.S. during the 2016 midterm elections, seeing the ability to impact the 2020 presidential race as the bigger prize. At the same time, election and security officials have come under increased scrutiny for failing to reveal the size and scope of Russia’s efforts to hack into voter databases and other critical systems. In April, special counsel Robert Mueller released his report into Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election as well as allegations of obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Florida representatives In May, two U.S. representatives from Florida, Republican Michael Waltz and Democrat Stephanie Murphy, wrote to the FBI and Justice Department, demanding a classified briefing on the extent of Russia’s exploits after the Mueller report indicated Moscow managed to infiltrate critical systems in at least …

The U.S. Treasury inspector general says he will look into why the Trump administration decided to scrap plans to put escaped slave turned abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the move last month, saying the change is because of “counterfeiting issues.” But Democratic Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer said he is not satisfied with Mnuchin’s vague explanation, saying it lacked credibility. He asked the Treasury’s watchdog to investigate the circumstances “including any involvement by the White House.” “There are no women, there are no people of color on our paper currency today even though they make up a significant majority of our population,” Schumer said. The redesigned bill was to have entered circulation next year, but Mnuchin said it will be put off until 2028. It is also unclear whether Tubman will still be on the new bill when it is finally rolled out. He said the “imagery feature” (who will appear on the bill) will not be a matter until long after he and U.S. President Donald Trump are out of office. The $20 bill currently features a picture of 19th century U.S. President Andrew Jackson. Jackson owned slaves and forced Native Americans …

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who criticized China last year for “buying” up his country, will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time on the sidelines of this week’s G-20 meeting in Japan, his office said on Monday. Bolsonaro, a far-right firebrand, has softened his stance on Brazil’s largest trading partner since taking office in January and will meet with Xi for 40 minutes on Friday morning before the summit of leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies kicks off in Osaka, according to the schedule released by his office. A representative of China’s embassy in Brazil said the two countries were discussing a bilateral meeting, although the details had yet to be agreed to. Given the packed schedule at the G-20, any bilateral meeting would likely be informal and brief, the diplomat said, speaking on background. China is by far the largest buyer of Brazilian soybeans and iron ore, and Brazil hopes to upgrade its commodities exports to include products with greater added value. Bolsonaro expressed concern about Chinese domination during his election campaign. Citing the purchase of electrical assets by Chinese companies, he complained that “China isn’t buying in Brazil, China is buying Brazil.” But he …

A notorious Italian Mafia boss has escaped from a prison in Uruguay where he was awaiting extradition to Italy.  Rocco Morabito and three other inmates got out of  the National Institute of Rehabilitation in Montevideo “through the roof,” the Uruguayan interior ministry said Monday.   The fugitives made their way to a nearby farm and robbed its owner, the ministry statement said.  A member of the Ndrangheta or Calabrian cartel, Morabito has been one of Italy’s most-wanted fugitives since 1994. He was arrested in Uruguay in 2017 after more than 20 years on the run. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison by an Italian court, Prosecutors say Morabito was instrumental in drug trafficking operations between South America and Milan.  “It’s disconcerting and serious that a criminal like Rocco Morabito, a boss of Ndrangheta, has  managed to escape from an Uruguay prison while waiting to be extradited to Italy,” Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Twitter. “I’m making two pledges: shedding full light on the escape, asking for immediate explanations from the Montevideo government, and chasing Morabito, wherever he is, to throw him in prison as he deserves.” When he was arrested, Morabito had been living a life …

U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for Mideast peace has hit a raw nerve in Lebanon, reviving fears of any plan that would permanently settle Palestinian refugees in the country and shift its Christian-Muslim sectarian balance. The first part of the White House plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians focuses on encouraging $50 billion of investment in the Palestinian territories and three neighboring Arab states, one of them Lebanon. Lebanese of all sects are objecting to ideas that have surfaced so far, seeing $6 billion for Lebanon as an inducement to accept the settlement of Palestinians who have lived as refugees in the country since Israel’s creation in 1948.  Rejecting the naturalization of Palestinians has been a rare point of agreement among Lebanese through a troubled history including the 1975-90 civil war in which Palestinian groups played a major role. Jared Kushner, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, speaks during the TIME 100 Summit in New York, April 23, 2019. The first part of the plan is set to be unveiled by White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, at a Bahrain conference on Tuesday. The Lebanese government was invited but is not attending. The prospects of the …

One of the Russian navy’s most advanced warships entered Havana’s harbor Monday and docked at the port used until this month by U.S. cruise lines. Here are some questions and answers about the Admiral Gorshkov’s travels through the Caribbean.  WHAT IS THE ADMIRAL GORSHKOV?   The Admiral Gorshkov entered service last year. It is one of the Russian navy’s most advanced warships and is armed with cruise missiles, air defense systems and other weapons. The frigate is based at the Arctic port of Severomorsk and is part of Russia’s Northern Fleet. It’s the first ship in a new class of frigates intended to replace aging Soviet-era destroyers to project power far away from Russian shores. It is accompanied by the multi-functional logistics vessel Elbrus, the medium sea tanker Kama and the rescue tug Nikolai Chiker, the Russian navy says.  WHAT IS THE SHIP DOING IN THE CARIBBEAN?   The navy says the Admiral Gorshkov crossed through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean Sea on or around June 18. The naval group has covered a distance of over 28,000 nautical miles since leaving Severomorsk in February, with stops in China, Djibouti, Sri Lanka and Colombia, the navy says. It says the …

A U.S. citizen has been sentenced to 12 years in a Vietnamese prison for  “attempting to overthrow the state.” Michael Phuong Minh Nguyen, 55, pleaded guilty to wanting to incite protests in Vietnam but denied encouraging people to attack government offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City   He will be deported to the U.S. after he finishes his sentence, his lawyer said. Nguyen Van Mieng, told Reuters news service that Nguyen “admitted guilt at the trial and asked the jury to reduce his sentence so that he could soon reunite with his family.” The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in a statement to Reuters that it is “disappointed” by the verdict. “We will continue to raise our concerns regarding Mr. Nguyen’s case, and his welfare, at all appropriate levels,” an embassy spokeswoman said.  Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam but has lived in the U.S. since he was child, was arrested last year during a visit to his birthplace.  Two Vietnamese men who were arrested along with Nguyen were sentenced to eight and 10 years in prison for related charges. …

BBC executive Ann Sarnoff was named chief of Warner Bros. on Monday, making her the first woman to head the movie studio in its 96-year history. Her appointment follows the departure in March of Kevin Tsujihara, who stepped down after misconduct allegations.  WarnerMedia chief executive John Stankey announced Sarnoff’s hiring, concluding a three-month search for one of Hollywood’s most prized posts. Many had expected WarnerMedia to turn to an experienced film executive like movie-division head Toby Emmerich, who was part of the interim committee running the studio after Tsujihara’s departure, Disney veteran Anne Sweeney or former Fox chief Stacey Snider.  Surprise move But to surprise of much of the industry, WarnerMedia turned to Sarnoff, who has worked primarily in television. Sarnoff, who takes over as chief executive and chair of Warner Bros., is currently president of BBC Studios Americas. She has previously been a top TV executive at Viacom and with the WNBA.  “She brings a consistent and proven track record of innovation, creativity and business results to lead an incredibly successful studio to its next chapter of growth,” said Stankey. “Ann has shown the ability to innovate and grow revenues and has embraced the evolution taking place in our …

Zimbabwe made its interim currency the country’s sole legal tender on Monday, ending a decade of dollarization and taking a another step towards relaunching the Zimbabwean dollar. The central bank also hiked its overnight lending rate to 50% from 15% as a part of a set of measures to protect the RTGS dollar introduced in February. “The march towards full currency reform is part of our transitional stabilization program,” Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said in a video posted on Twitter. “This move is really beginning to restore full monetary policy.” Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who replaced longtime leader Robert Mugabe after an army coup in November 2017, is trying to repair an economy ruined by hyperinflation and a long succession of failed economic interventions. But a hoped-for economic turnaround is yet to materialize, and many Zimbabweans are distrustful of Mnangagwa’s promises. Mnangagwa’s government last month agreed a staff-monitored program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) whereby the fund will help Zimbabwe implement coherent economic policies. Analysts are skeptical that the latest currency reforms will be a quick fix for the deep problems that have constrained economic growth in the southern African country. “Zimbabwe will have to show results before people …

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed what he described as “hard-hitting” new financial sanctions on Iran on Monday, specifically targeting the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump signed an executive order he said would curb access that Khamenei and the country have to world financial markets. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the action would “literally” lock up “tens and tens of billions of dollars” of Iranian assets. The U.S. leader called his order a “strong and proportionate” American response to Tehran’s shoot-down last week of an unmanned U.S. drone, which Washington says occurred in international airspace near the Strait of Hormuz and Iran claims occurred over its airspace. Drone incident Trump at the last minute last Thursday rejected a military response to the downing of the drone upon learning that about 150 Iranians would be killed in a U.S. attack. In announcing the new sanctions, he said “I think a lot of restraint has been shown by us, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to show it in the future. But we’ll give it a chance.” Trump said he imposed the sanctions because of a series of “belligerent acts” carried out by Iran, which U.S. officials say include Iran’s targeting …

Days before the first Democratic presidential debates, Sen. Bernie Sanders and House progressives came out with legislation to cancel all student debt, going farther than a signature proposal by Sen. Elizabeth Warren as the two jockey for support from the party’s liberal base . By canceling all student loans, Sanders says the proposal would address an economic burden for 45 million Americans. The key difference is that Warren’s plan considers the income of the borrowers, canceling $50,000 in debt for those earning less than $100,000 per year and affecting an estimated 42 million people in the U.S. Questions face both candidates about how to pay for all of that plus their proposals for free tuition at public colleges and universities. But the battling ideas highlight the rivalry between senators who have made fighting economic inequality the cornerstones of their 2020 presidential campaigns. Sanders vowed at a Monday news conference that his plan “completely eliminates student debt in this country and the absurdity of sentencing an entire generation, the millennial generation, to a lifetime of debt for the crime of doing the right thing. And that is going out and getting a higher education.” He appeared alongside the proposal’s House sponsors, …

At least 152 children have died in an encephalitis outbreak during the month of June in India’s eastern state of Bihar, according to local health authorities. Following a petition, India’s supreme court ordered an investigation into the epidemic. Acute encephalitis syndrome, sometimes referred to as ‘brain fever’, has claimed lives in 20 of Bihar’s 38 districts.  In particular, the disease has gripped the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar, reaching epidemic proportions in a region already stricken with poverty and poor child health. In 2014, an outbreak of encephalitis killed 350 children in Muzaffarpur.   A petition filed to India’s supreme court sought to end the current epidemic, accusing local and regional governments of being negligent in their response. “[Encephalitis] is completely curable and lives of young children are being lost due to the inaction of state machinery,” the petition read. “Most of the deaths are occurring due to lack of medical facilities in the area of outbreak,” it continued. In response to the petition, Indian supreme court justice Sanjiv Khanna said “We issue notice to the Bihar government seeking a detailed response.” State and national officials must respond within seven days on health conditions, according to India’s top court. India’s health …

A smaller Woodstock 50 festival could possibly be held at an upstate New York harness track and casino.   Town of Vernon Supervisor Randy Watson tells the Poughkeepsie Journal that Woodstock 50 has applied for a permit to hold its concert Aug. 16-18 at Vernon Downs, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Syracuse.   Watson says the proposed capacity was 45,000-50,000 people — far smaller than the 150,000 planned for at the initial venue, Watkins Glen International.   Woodstock concert promoters had no comment Monday.    Vernon Downs owner Jeffrey Gural said in an email Monday they’re close to signing a letter of intent and could host up to 65,000 people, but without camping.    The festival has faced a series of setbacks, including Watkins Glen pulling out earlier this month . …

The Supreme Court is rejecting an early challenge to President Donald Trump’s authority to impose tariffs on imported steel based on national security concerns.   The justices did not comment on Monday in leaving in place a decision by the Court of International Trade that ruled against steel importers and other users of imported steel who challenged the 25% tariff on steel that Trump imposed in 2018.   The importers argue that Trump does not have unbounded authority under the Constitution to regulate trade. They say that job belongs to Congress.   The legal challenge is at an early stage, before a federal appeals court has weighed in. The case could return to the Supreme Court later.       …

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet says all individuals suspected of crimes, even former Islamic State fighters, are entitled to due process guarantees.  She warns failure to guarantee such risks further radicalization and violence. Bachelet reports more than 55,000 suspected Islamic State fighters and their families are detained in Syria and Iraq following the collapse of the militant group.  Among them are foreign alleged fighters from nearly 50 countries, including thousands of families and children. The U.N. Children’s Fund estimates there are 29,000 children of foreign fighters in Syria, most under the age of 12.  Bachelet says foreign family members should be repatriated, unless they are to be prosecuted for crimes in accordance with international standards. “Children, in particular, have suffered grievous violations of their rights – including those who may have been indoctrinated or recruited by ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, also known as Islamic State) not to perpetrate violent acts.  The primary consideration must be their rehabilitation, protection and best interests,” said Bachelet, speaking Monday at the opening of the 41st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Over the coming three weeks, the U.N. Human Rights Council will examine more than …

Nearly 665,000 people applied for asylum in the European Union last year, almost as low a number as before the migration crisis of 2015, official figures showed Monday. The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) recorded 664,480 applications for international protection in 2018, down for the third year running and 10 percent lower than in 2017. EASO noted the figure was only slightly above the 662,165 applications lodged in 2014 and dramatically lower than the 1,393,920 in 2015. The 28-nation bloc split politically four years ago over the surge in people fleeing civil war in Syria as well as violence and poverty in other parts of the Middle East and Africa. The EU has since slashed arrivals of asylum seekers and economic migrants mainly through cooperation deals with Turkey and Libya, from where smugglers set sail for Europe. Under international law, Europe is required to admit people fleeing war or political persecution but can deport those deemed to be simply seeking economic opportunities.   EASO said nine percent of the 2018 figure were repeat applications. Germany, the bloc’s biggest economy, again accounted for the lion’s share of asylum applications last year, at 184,180. Syrians made up for one quarter of them. …

At least 26 construction workers are confirmed dead after a building under construction in the Cambodian coastal city of Sihanoukville collapsed.  Another 24 were injured. Rescue workers continued on Monday to search the rubble of the collapsed building for survivors. The workers were sleeping on the second floor of the seven-story building early Saturday morning.  Survivors said at least 50 to 60 workers used the building as their housing. The project was to be a condominium and was owned by a Chinese investor.  Police have detained four people for questioning about the collapse, all said to be Chinese. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who visited the site late Sunday, announced on his Facebook that he was establishing a special committee to exert control of Chinese building projects in the town. He also said in his Facebook message that he asked provincial Governor Yun Min to resign and he agreed to do so. The Chinese embassy in Cambodia expressed its condolences and said it was mobilizing Chinese assistance for the rescue effort.   Sihanoukville has seen a boom in Chinese funded construction in recent years, mostly casinos, residential buildings and hotels.   …

Best-selling author Judith Krantz — whose novels of sex, scandal, and luxury won her global fame and riches — has died at 91. Her son, television executive Tony Krantz, said his mother died of natural causes at her home in Los Angeles. He describes his mother’s talent as a “rare combination of commercial and creative.” The New York-born Krantz was a women’s magazine writer when she turned 50 years old and discovered she had a talent for fiction about high society. Her first novel, “Scruples,” appeared in 1978 and almost immediately skyrocketed to the top of the best-seller list. It was also made into a popular television mini-series. A series of other books followed, including “Princess Daisy,” “Mistral’s Daughter,” and “Lovers.” Her books were full of details of mansions, high-fashion, luxurious lifestyles, and steamy sex. Krantz’s novels have been translated into more than 50 languages and have sold about 85 million copies. Krantz was the first to admit her books are not classic literature and made no apologies for it. “I always ask myself if what I’m writing will satisfy a reader who’s in a plane that can’t land because of fog or who’s recovering from an operation in the …