Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - Voice of America
Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - June 28, 2024
This is POA News, I'm Michael Brown, U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clash at the start of their debate Thursday night, arguing pointedly about the U.S. economy, foreign affairs, abortion rights and migration across the Mexican border and to the United States. At one point, Trump said the U.S. is no longer respected, blaming Biden. Biden retorted, looking at Trump. This is the worst President in American history. This guy has no sense of American democracy. Biden at 78 in Trumpet 7 make that Biden at 81 in Trumpet 78 are the two oldest candidates ever to seek the U.S. presidency and erase that opinion polls has been deadlocked, say has been Denmark for a month, said it is. Thursday's face-off marked the first time the two U.S. presidents have ever debated each other, the 90-minute televised debate took place far earlier than normal, more than four months before the November 5th election day. Protesters were back on Nairobi Street Thursday saying they didn't think the olive branch offered by Kenyan President William Ruto was genuine. The always Nairobi bureau chief, Mariama Diallo, was on the scene. The message of protesters to the president was clear. Demonstrators tell VOA they are not scared to protest, even if tear gas is being fired left and right. The police are trying to scare us away, people who have come to peacefully protest. The president, for him, it's time for him to go every time. Another protester says the president shouldn't be overtaxing the population. Because government has taken a lot of loan from the World Bank. We haven't seen what the loan has done. It has not benefited other citizens of Kenya. It has only gone to a few specific individuals, let those who were involved in corruption be brought to justice. Mariama Diallo, VOA News, Nairobi. And for more news, join us at our website, VOANews.com. This is VOA News. Scores of sick and injured gossons were allowed into Asia upon Thursday marking the first medical evacuations since the travel crossing into Egypt was shut down and made. Anytime Israeli forces moved into Gaza City neighborhoods Thursday and ordered Palestinians to move south in an operation described as the final stages of fighting against Hamas militants. Here in the US, AP corresponded Lisa Dry reports that there are now criminal indictments for the slow response at a school shooting in the state of Texas. Former schools police chief Pete Aradondo and former officer Adrian Gonzalez have reportedly been indicted over their role in the slow police response to the 2022 massacre at a Texas elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead. The indictments by a grand jury include multiple counts of felony child endangerment and abandonment. They are the first officers to face criminal charges and one of the deadliest school shootings in US history. Both men are expected to turn themselves in. I'm Lisa Dwyer, AP correspondent Jackie Gwen reports on a nationwide sweep of suspects accused of running health care fraud schemes that harmed patients and taxpayers. The Justice Department has arrested nearly 200 people accused of selling unsafe drugs and fake services generating billions in profits. Attorney General Merrick Garland says 193 doctors, nurses and pharmaceutical executives were arrested in a two-week crackdown. You cannot hide your crimes. He describes fake medicines in Florida for HIV, millions of doses of Adderall for people without ADHD and a scam to rip off Medicare in Arizona. Four people arrested for performing amniotic skin grafts on elderly and hospice patients. Unnecessary, highly expensive wound grafts to be applied to elderly Medicare patients. Garland says two company owners live lavishly off that scheme with $52 million cash in the bank. I'm Jackie Quinn. European Union leaders agreed on Friday to nominate Ursula von De Leon of Germany for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission, the EU's powerful executive Biden at the summit at the Block's 27 national leaders also picked Portuguese premier Antonio Costas as the future chair of the European council meetings and selected a stony of Prime Minister Koya Collis as the next EU foreign policy chief. For more news, we invite you to join us at our website, VOANews.com. I'm Michael Brown, VOA News. I'm Joe Biden, and former President Donald Trump face-off in debate. Post-performance did this move the needle at a fall? War arrests in Bolivia's failed coup attempt. The Olympic souvenir megastore opens up on the Shands-El-Ezei. Today is Friday, June 28th, and this is VOA's international edition. I'm Alexis Strope, and I'm Scott Walterman. The first general election debate of the 2024 U.S. presidential election took place in Atlanta Thursday evening with U.S. President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, squaring off as they attempt to lure currently undecided voters. At 81 years old, President Biden needed to show he's capable of guiding the U.S. through a range of challenges, and the 78-year-old Trump needed to use the moment to try to move past his felony conviction in New York and convince an audience of tens of millions that he's temper mentally suited to return to the Oval Office. So how did they do? Joining us now to give us his expert analysis is Matt Klink of Klink Campaigns, joining us from Los Angeles. Matt has worked on campaigns for the last 20 years in more than 30 countries. So, let's jump right in. What did you think? Well, this debate was certainly no Lincoln Douglas debate in terms of two candidates inspiring us with their rhetorical skills, but I think this was a disaster for Joe Biden. His voice was raspy, he stammered throughout, he mumbled consistently, he didn't -- it was not reassuring that he needed to show people that he had the energy to be president the most demanding job in the world for the next four years, and Scott, don't remember. I'm not saying here that Donald Trump was amazing tonight, Donald Trump was not. He was -- I mean, he was -- he rambled on policy, he was not sharp, but Joe Biden wasn't that bad. Yeah, there were times when you had to wonder why they continue to try to debate policy and explain policy and dig into the minutiae of detail when that era is gone. No, exactly. I mean, and you only have two minutes to do it. So, it's like they're skipping every third sentence to try to sound detailed, but give a cliff note version of what policies are like, and that -- I mean, it was just -- it was really, really difficult to watch. You know, having watched the State of the Union performance, that's what I expected to see tonight, and you're not wrong, it was not there. I agree. And the difference between this and the State of the Union is that Joe Biden could literally rehearse and memorize a speech and then read it off a teleprompter and then play to the crowd when they reacted to him. This was free form. They didn't know what the questions were in advance. They had no props, and you had to just quickly recall what was going on in your mind and respond. And, you know, you can tell that certain things were programmed that Joe Biden, for example, he wanted to call Trump a felon, and he did about 42 minutes into the debate. He wanted to mention Trump's convictions. You know, he wanted to talk about January 6th. I mean, clearly, there -- he is still a very wise man. He just happens to be a very elderly wise man, and his synapses don't connect as quickly as they used to. All right. Post-performance. Did this move the needle at all? I think that -- no, ultimately, this is not going to change the State of the race, but what I do think that it does is that it calls a lot of Democrats to question, can we do anything about this? And I know that the Biden camp are still confident that they can beat Donald Trump, you know, person-to-person in a race, but I think that over the next six weeks before the Democrat convention, I think that there's going to be some -- a lot of backroom conversations going on. And I will tell you this, I would be highly surprised if we see another debate in September. There is virtually no possibility that there's another one. All right. Thank you so much for taking the time again to talk with us and give us your insight. You got it. Thank you. Have a good night, Scott. All right, bye. Matt Klink from Klink Campaign is joining us from Los Angeles. President Bolivia more arrests after a failed coup attempt. The Bolivian government says it had intelligence that the coup attempt might occur. Here's Reuters correspondent Freddie Joyner with the latest. President Luis Arse confronted Army General Juan Jose Zuniga, who led a failed effort to overthrow the government after attempting to storm the presidential palace and ramming the entrance with an armored vehicle. Hours later, Zuniga was seen handcuffed on live TV after his arrest for the failed coup attempt, which has raised fears that democracy in Bolivia remains at risk. On Thursday, it was revealed by senior interior minister that the Bolivian government had intelligence that a coup attempt could occur and that Arse had received reports about destabilization attempts. Arse has since slammed the coup attempt and swiftly named a new top general. According to a government official, Zuniga had been told a day before the coup attempt that he would be stripped of his position. The former commander is now among 17 people who have been detained so far and could face prison terms of between 15 and 30 years. Wednesday's offense uncovered the tense political fault lines in the South American country ahead of the presidential election next year. Arse's socialist party is split between backing him and his former mentor turned political rival ex-president Evo Morales. Zuniga had recently said that Morales should not be able to run again for president and had threatened to block him if he attempted to do so. That was Reuters correspondent Freddy Joiner. We're following these other stories from around the world. In the U.S. state of Texas, a grand jury in the city of Ovalde issued an indictment of the former school district police chief Pedro Andando over the police response to the 2022 mass shooting at a public school there. Andando was taken into custody and booked on 10 counts of child endangerment. The Bulgarian president has turned down a government proposal to lead the country's delegation to NATO's July summit in Washington, D.C. His press office said, among the reasons behind the refusal, is he was not consulted while it was worked out the official position of the country and its commitments regarding the war in Ukraine. European Union leaders agreed to nominate Ursula Lavon de Leon of Germany for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission that's the EU's powerful executive body. The family that owns the giant pharmaceutical company Perdue lost a case in the U.S. Supreme Court over its sales of OxyContin. The court blocked a bankruptcy settlement that would have shielded the Sackler family from lawsuits. More now from Reuters correspondent Zachary Goldman. The Sackler family, who owned Perdue, had agreed to pay up to $6 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits accusing the company of misleading doctors and patients about the potential harms of its powerful pain medication. Part of that settlement gave the Sackler family legal immunity. During oral arguments in December an attorney for Perdue argued that the settlement was the best and fastest way to get relief to those harmed. The bankruptcy court here made careful findings that without this contribution not only was substantial and fair, but it was the best that was available here for the victims. But liberal justice Katanji Brown Jackson wasn't having it. Only because the Sacklers have taken the money offshore, right? I mean it's not like, it's not like by operation of law, it's necessary to do this. It is necessary to do this because the Sacklers have taken the money and are not willing to give it back unless they have this condition. Thursday's five-four decision to block the settlement is a victory for President Joe Biden's administration, which had called it an abuse of bankruptcy protections. Perdue filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 to address its debts, nearly all of which stemmed from thousands of lawsuits alleging that OxyContin helped kickstart an opioid epidemic that has caused more than half a million U.S. overdose deaths over two decades. That was right as correspondent Zachary Goldman. There are still some cases pending before the court, and though the justices typically issue all of their rulings by the end of June, this term is now expected to continue into early July. One of the big decisions yet to be announced is whether or not former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution in the election interference case against him, roughly two months after hearing arguments. Afghanistan will be the subject of a two-day United Nations-led conference in Doha on Sunday. VOA Pakistan bureau chief Sarah Zamond reports that to get the Taliban to participate, they decided not to have women and rights activists participate. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan almost three years ago, women have largely been erased from public life. An Afghan woman, who requested to be identified only as Mariam for security reasons, is among the thousands affected by the Taliban's ban on women's education. I was inside the Kabul University campus and wanted to get admission for a master of arts degree when I heard the news that the administration would not give me a registration form. I was really upset and I thought I had lost all my dreams. Now Afghan women will be missing from the third UN-led discussion that aims to explore engagement with Afghanistan to bring the Taliban to the gathering of special envoys on Afghanistan beginning Sunday in Doha. The UN agreed not to invite women and human rights activists. We don't have a voice, we are not present, they don't want us, the world decides again in our absence and hopes it's the system. Several Afghan activists are calling for a boycott of the conference. The global rights defenders fear could legitimize the Taliban's ultra-conservative rule. Rosa Otembejeva, the head of United Nations assistance mission to Afghanistan, rejects the concern. It cannot be repeated enough that this sort of engagement is not legitimization or normalization. Still, the Taliban see this as a diplomatic win. Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan, Asif Durani, says, "Having the Taliban at the table is a necessity." So Taliban are a reality. They have brought peace in the country; I'm not saying this, it is internationally acknowledged fact. So what to do about that? Instead of top diplomats, Taliban spokesperson Abu Latemjahid will lead the delegation from Kabul. Talks will focus on private business development, financial and banking sector issues and alternate livelihoods for farmers affected by the Taliban's ban on opium poppy cultivation. "If these talks don't go with the Taliban, Afghanistan is going to go into isolation. When Afghanistan goes into isolation completely by the world, it's going to be absolutely terrible to rule." Otembejeva has said the international community will push the Taliban on women's rights at the conference and meet activists afterwards. I'm Scott Wulterman, along with Alexis Stroe. In Washington, the garden of a former president's historic home is being reimagined to a accommodated changing climate. The president Woodrow Wilson House was home to the 28th president after he left the White House in 1921. As V.O.A.'s door MacArthur reports, the formal garden was recently revamped with an eye toward a more sustainable future. The House President Woodrow Wilson retired to after leaving the White House in 1921 is now a museum in a neighborhood that's home to many embassies. Once of the House has been preserved, the way Wilson's Woodrow Edith left it. "These are irises." The Wilson's didn't take a lot of interest in their garden, but it became a significant project for Elizabeth Carcher, executive director of the Wilson House. "We have it sectioned into trees, farms, shrubs and flowers." She envisioned transitioning to a native garden that uses fewer chemicals. "I feel very, very strongly that it is our civic responsibility to be taking care of our planet, taking care of our visitors, taking care of the team. I want people to be able to come here and walk in their bare feet." Carcher oversaw the revitalization of the garden, which had become overgrown, damaging the structural integrity of the walls. "These in the grass?" Washington Master Gardener Leslie Getzinger, a member of the Wilson House Advisory Council, helped select mostly native plants for the new design. "Our idea was to transform this very formal garden with formal plants into more of a sustainable and native garden that had plants that were indigenous to the Mid-Atlantic region that required very little upkeep, that were good for the insects, for the pollinators." 70 percent of the plants in the garden are now native to the area. Native plants are ones that grow naturally in a particular region. The rest of the plantings in the Wilson House garden are not native. The primary colors are white, as well as purple, which was Edith Wilson's favorite color. Again, Elizabeth Carcher. "So the walls and the structure are all the same, but the plants that we're putting in are actually slightly different." Each native plant requires less upkeep, which is a bonus for institutions like the Wilson House, which operate on a limited budget. Again, Leslie Getzinger. "The advantages of planting mostly native plants is that it really does require far fewer resources, like water, fertilizer, any sort of components that need to feed the plant. Because these are plants that are designed for this soil, for this climate, for the amount of water we get." Carcher and Getzinger say they hope more public and community spaces will embrace native gardening because it's better for the environment and, ultimately, less expensive. Next up is a plan to plant vegetables on the back slope of the garden, recreating the victory garden when people grew their own vegetables during the World Wars. Dora Macquire, VOA News, Washington. Cambodian rapper Vanda was featured at a California festival of Asian music and culture called Sav-ID Fest. VOA's Malice Tomb and Chetra Chapp report on this young rapper who's shining a spotlight on Cambodian music, culture, and history. Chetra Chapp narrates. On the Sav-ID Fest stage near Los Angeles recently, Cambodian rapper Vanda delivered a taste of the Cambodian story in punchy and deeply moving verses. His hit song "Kami blood" was among the dozen performed during his first trip to the United States. Vanda spoke to the audience on stage. At least 1.7 million people died during the Cambodian genocide of the late 1970s at the hands of the communist Khmerus regime. Vanda was born in 1997 in Cambodia's southwestern province of Prasihanu. He grew up idolizing American rapper like Kanye West and Kit-Kadi. He says headlining US shows like Sav-ID Fest gives him a chance to spread the Cambodian voice globally. The Cambodians came to support the young rapper. Cambodian American from San Diego, California, spoke to VOA. "My heart almost jumps out of my chest, he writes all of his songs, he doesn't just version songs by our legendary singer Cincy Zor, I love them." My favorite song is "Time to Rise" which is a mixture of modern rap and quite traditional music. The song helps the young generation bring up a beautiful culture. A search is underway in Croatia for the remains of war victims killed more than three decades ago. The remains of 10 people were found at a garbage dump earlier this month and investigators believe they will find more. Reuters correspondent Angela Johnston reports. "It took two years of searching to find the mass grave. This site has been described as the most difficult and complex location investigators here have ever encountered. Ivoña Pulternari heads the department for missing people in the war veterans ministry. "We are still looking for 1,797 missing people," she said about the whole country. "They've been missing since the country's War of Independence in the 1990s from Yugoslavia, which dissolved into separate entities. About 150 mass graves have been found in Croatia. With this specific site, workers have unearthed nearly 320,000 cubic feet of waste, digging nearly 50 feet deep. Investigators believe the 10 victims were moved after initially being buried somewhere else. As the remains recovered with earth and sledge that's not typical for the site." Pulternari said that probably happened in January of 1992. After the temporary occupation of Vukovar, the city was reduced to rubble by the Yugoslav army and served paramilitary units in late 1991. Investigators hope DNA analysis will find a match for the remains from about 10,000 people who are looking for missing relatives. According to the International Commission for Missing Persons, 11,600 people are still unaccounted for from the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s. Reuters correspondent Angela Johnston reports. There are 300 different products from mascots to T-shirts to miniature Eiffel towers. We lined up for a bit of time and it was definitely worth the wait. The store expects to welcome thousands of visitors per day and is hoping every day during the Olympics from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This has been International Edition on the Voice of America. On behalf of everyone here at VOA, thank you so much for joining us. For pictures, stories, videos and more, follow VOA News on your favorite social media platform and online at VOANews.com. In Washington, with Alexa Stroke, I'm Scott Wolterman. Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. At a recent Security Council briefing on the implementation of Iran's nuclear commitments, UN Under Secretary General for Political and Peace Building Affairs Rosemary de Carlo noted the recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency which estimated that Iran maintains a total enriched uranium stockpile 30 times the amount allowable under Resolution 2231. The IAEA also reported that Iran has barred several experienced nuclear inspectors, has enriched uranium close to weapons-grade level and has started up new cascades of advanced centrifuges. The U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs Robert Wood said the IAEA reports from May 27 and June 13 show that Iran is determined to expand its nuclear program in ways that have no credible civilian purpose. Iran should take actions that build international confidence and de-escalate tensions, not continue nuclear activities that pose grave proliferation risks. The United States is prepared to use all means necessary to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. We nevertheless remain fully committed to resolving international concerns surrounding Iran's nuclear program through diplomacy. Ambassador Wood pointed out that an inflection point is looming in October 2025 when the Security Council could close consideration of Iran's nuclear issue under Resolution 2231. It is important to recall, though, that when this Council originally adopted Resolution 2231, the objective was to help establish the international community's confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program. Iran's actions suggest it is not interested in verifiably demonstrating that its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful. Ambassador Wood noted that Iran is not only causing concern over its refusal to live up to its nuclear commitments, it continues to fuel conflict in the Middle East, blatantly disregarding this Council's resolutions by providing weapons to its regional proxies, including in Yemen and Lebanon, he said. "The Security Council must be clear and united in condemning this brazen, destabilizing activity," Ambassador Wood declared. When Iran flagrantly defies, the Security Council repeatedly without consequence and ignores the published concerns of the IAEA, it undermines the credibility and authority of this body, which is charged with advancing international peace and security.