U.S. and world news for August 23

Harris accepts: Vice President Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for president during her speech to the Democratic Convention in Chicago last night. Harris drew sharp contrasts between herself and Republican candidate Donald Trump, nothing that she had built her career as a prosecutor by representing the people when she brought cases in court. Harris charged that the only person Donald Trump looks out for is himself. Harris emphasized that Republicans acting on orders from Trump killed the bipartisan bill she helped create that was designed to solve border problems.

Personal profit: CNN reports today that its analysis of campaign financial records shows that Republican candidates endorsed by Donald Trump have funneled more than $28 million into Trump’s businesses such as Mar-a-Lago. The payments to Trump businesses include payments for use of the Trump jet plane. CNN characterizes what has been going on as “helping convert the enthusiasm of his personal supporters into personal profit.”

Uprising: The Russian news agency TASS reported today that prisoners at a prison colony in the Russian town of Surovikino took over the prison, killed at least one guard and took other prison employees hostage. The Russians said the prisoners had ties to ISIS. Russia said the uprising broke out during a meeting of a disciplinary commission.

Taliban rules: In Afghanistan, the Taliban that controls the country has issue new rules that forbid women from singing in public. The rules also forbid women from reading aloud in public. Women also are not allowed to look at men unless they’re related to them. The Taliban issued its latest round of rules restricting what women can do this week. The United Nations characterizes the Taliban’s rules controlling behavior as violating basic human rights and freedoms.

Canada railroads: Teamsters Union workers at the Canadian National Railway were due to begin returning to work today after being locked out by the railroad’s management. The Canadian Industrial Relations Board ordered the lockout ended and union members back to work. A lockout of union workers at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway continued with officials from that railroad due to meet with the Industrial Relations Board. The railroads said they had to implement the lockouts to avoid union workers going on strike.

Covid vaccine: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved new Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. The updated vaccines are effective against the new Covid virus strains KP.2 and KP.3.1.1 in addition to previous strains . The FDA said that anyone age 5 and over is eligible to receive the vaccines. The updated vaccines are expected to be available at the major pharmacy chains by early September.