TOP OF THE AGENDA

Democrats pay tribute to President Biden

Kamala Harris made a planned but unannounced appearance on stage in Chicago. Credit: Reuters

Just over a month ago, US President Joe Biden would have expected to give a speech at the Democratic National Convention outlining his record and motivating party members to support him in his re-election bid. But his withdrawal from the 2024 election rewrote the script. Speakers at the convention on Monday paid tribute to Mr Biden's 50-plus years of public service as well as enthusiastically endorsing his Vice-President Kamala Harris. Mr Biden's speech also devoted time to sing the praises of the woman he hopes will succeed him in the White House, writes North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher. After all, how she fares against Republican candidate Donald Trump in November's vote could make or break how history, and his party, remembers him. North America editor Sarah Smith describes "genuine excitement" in the room following Mr Biden's speech, but also a sense of deep relief he is not the Democratic candidate for president.

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• Hillary Clinton's speech: As the Democratic Party takes its next shot at putting the first woman in the White House, the 2016 presidential nominee told a crowd of thousands in Chicago the time had come to pass the torch.

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• Outside the convention: In his speech, President Biden acknowledged the thousands of demonstrators who rallied outside the convention demanding an end to the war in Gaza.

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• Taylor Swift factor: Trump appears to have falsely implied he has the pop star's endorsement, posting fake images on social media of the singer and her fans supporting him.

WORLD HEADLINES

• War in Gaza: The bodies of six hostages have been retrieved from the Khan Younis area, Israel's military has said.

• Bayesian sinking: A Morgan Stanley banker is among the six people missing after a luxury yacht sank in a storm off Sicily on Monday, Sicily's Civil Protection told the BBC. Follow our live page for the latest.

• Donbas region: Ukrainian authorities have ordered the evacuation of Pokrovsk as Russian forces continue to make gains in the east of the country, despite Kyiv's ongoing offensive into Russia's Kursk region.

• George Santos: The disgraced former Republican congressman is facing up to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to two federal counts of fraud.

• Michael Madsen: The American actor of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill fame was arrested on Saturday on a charge of domestic battery, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has said.

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