Former US President Barack Obama return to the campaign trail launching a blistering attack on Donald Trump with less than 2 weeks to before election day.

US Election 2020: Obama holds first full-fledged rally event for Biden

Former US President Barack Obama has slammed Donald Trump saying- democracy can not work if leaders lie everyday, this is not a reality show this is reality, speaking at a drive-in rally in Philadelphia.

US Election 2020: Obama spoke at a drive-in rally in Philadelphia

The United States <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-150-million-people-sweltering-through-deadly-us-heatwave-237355">sweltered in dangerously hot weather</a> on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits.

An oppressive heatwave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool in stifling heat that set records in a handful of states.

By Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said the high temperatures would soon be over, but the severe weather would continue.

"The dangerous heat wave which enveloped much of the Midwest to the East Coast this weekend should finally break by Monday as a cold front drops southward," the agency said.

However, it warned that "showers and thunderstorms... with heavy to excessive rainfall and severe weather possible" were expected across a swath of the east coast, and flash floods were a risk.&nbsp;

Around 95 million people were under a heat warning or advisory for Sunday, down from Saturday's 157 million.

Earlier in the day, the NWS said "numerous stations" stretching from Massachusetts in the north to North Carolina in the south "were reporting heat index values between 100-110" degrees, with the highest values found in the southeast of the state of Virginia.

Authorities urged people on Sunday to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in cars.

"We're almost near the end of the heat emergency. Temperatures will start to go back down tonight," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, asking the city's residents to "keep hydrated and keep cool."

The NWS said it had recorded all-time high temperatures on Saturday in seven places in the US including Manchester, New Hampshire, Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York's JFK airport.

US media has blamed the heatwave for at least six deaths, including a hiker who had been found unconscious on a trail outside Washington on Saturday and two people who died earlier in the week in the eastern state of Maryland.&nbsp;

In Arkansas, 32-year-old former NFL player Mitch Petrus died of heatstroke Thursday after working outside his family's shop.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-welcomes-construction-of-kartarpur-corridor-236559">New York City</a> Triathlon, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled for the first time since its founding in 2001.

Life Time, which produces the race, donated more than 12 tons of water and Gatorade Endurance drink meant for competitors to be distributed to New Yorkers in need, CBS reported.

Meanwhile, the two-day OZY Fest a food, comedy and music festival set for Central Park was also called off.&nbsp;

In Washington, a popular weekly outdoor summer jazz concert at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was cancelled.

'Deadly conditions'&nbsp;

"Sunday has been cancelled. Stay indoors, nothing to see here. We got this," The New York City Police Department wrote on Twitter.

The city had opened 500 cooling centres for residents.

At least three public defenders said on Twitter that inmates in New York's notorious Rikers Island jail complex were suffering from no air conditioning and that some guards had turned off fans as punishment, resulting in "deadly conditions."&nbsp;

The Brooklyn Defender Services legal aid group said some inmates didn't have summer clothing, only long underwear provided by the group last winter.

Top officials from the city's Department of Corrections were at the facility monitoring the response to the heatwave to "protect health and safety of everyone in the facility," de Blasio wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

The department said in a statement to AFP that extra staff were on hand to distribute summer clothing, and clinics were open around the clock to treat heat-related symptoms.&nbsp;

Those in units without air conditioning were given access to fans, ice, water and "multiple cool showers."

Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service office in the Midwestern city of Omaha baked a tray of biscuits savoury breakfast bread similar to scones on the dashboard of a parked car.&nbsp;

After nearly eight hours and with temperatures in the pan reaching 185 degrees, the pastries were almost fully cooked.

Climate data showed June was the hottest month on record worldwide, with a heatwave across Europe smashing national records.

The United States sweltered in dangerously hot weather on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits.

The United States sweltered in dangerously hot weather on Sunday, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in temperatures that rose into triple digits. An oppressive heatwave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool in stifling heat that set records in a handful of states. By Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) said the high temperatures would soon be over, but the severe weather would continue. "The dangerous heat wave which enveloped much of the Midwest to the East Coast this weekend should finally break by Monday as a cold front drops southward," the agency said. However, it warned that "showers and thunderstorms... with heavy to excessive rainfall and severe weather possible" were expected across a swath of the east coast, and flash floods were a risk. Around 95 million people were under a heat warning or advisory for Sunday, down from Saturday's 157 million. Earlier in the day, the NWS said "numerous stations" stretching from Massachusetts in the north to North Carolina in the south "were reporting heat index values between 100-110" degrees, with the highest values found in the southeast of the state of Virginia. Authorities urged people on Sunday to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in cars. "We're almost near the end of the heat emergency. Temperatures will start to go back down tonight," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted, asking the city's residents to "keep hydrated and keep cool." The NWS said it had recorded all-time high temperatures on Saturday in seven places in the US including Manchester, New Hampshire, Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York's JFK airport. US media has blamed the heatwave for at least six deaths, including a hiker who had been found unconscious on a trail outside Washington on Saturday and two people who died earlier in the week in the eastern state of Maryland. In Arkansas, 32-year-old former NFL player Mitch Petrus died of heatstroke Thursday after working outside his family's shop. The New York City Triathlon, which had been scheduled for Sunday, was cancelled for the first time since its founding in 2001. Life Time, which produces the race, donated more than 12 tons of water and Gatorade Endurance drink meant for competitors to be distributed to New Yorkers in need, CBS reported. Meanwhile, the two-day OZY Fest a food, comedy and music festival set for Central Park was also called off. In Washington, a popular weekly outdoor summer jazz concert at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was cancelled. 'Deadly conditions' "Sunday has been cancelled. Stay indoors, nothing to see here. We got this," The New York City Police Department wrote on Twitter. The city had opened 500 cooling centres for residents. At least three public defenders said on Twitter that inmates in New York's notorious Rikers Island jail complex were suffering from no air conditioning and that some guards had turned off fans as punishment, resulting in "deadly conditions." The Brooklyn Defender Services legal aid group said some inmates didn't have summer clothing, only long underwear provided by the group last winter. Top officials from the city's Department of Corrections were at the facility monitoring the response to the heatwave to "protect health and safety of everyone in the facility," de Blasio wrote on Twitter. The department said in a statement to AFP that extra staff were on hand to distribute summer clothing, and clinics were open around the clock to treat heat-related symptoms. Those in units without air conditioning were given access to fans, ice, water and "multiple cool showers." Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service office in the Midwestern city of Omaha baked a tray of biscuits savoury breakfast bread similar to scones on the dashboard of a parked car. After nearly eight hours and with temperatures in the pan reaching 185 degrees, the pastries were almost fully cooked. Climate data showed June was the hottest month on record worldwide, with a heatwave across Europe smashing national records.

US heatwave: High temperatures soon be over, severe weather would continue, says National Weather Service

Massive explosions that engulfed a Philadelphia refinery in flames on Friday have renewed concerns about the oil industry's use of a highly toxic chemical to make high-octane gasoline at plants in densely populated areas.

Aerial video of the scene at Philadelphia Energy Solutions Inc's refinery, the largest in the northeast, on local television showed significant damage and the massive complex nearly engulfed in flames.

One of the explosions took place in a hydrofluoric acid alkylation unit - a chemical processing unit that has been involved in three near-misses of releases into cities in California, Texas, and Wisconsin, according to safety officials.

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) can form a toxic cloud at room temperature while exposure can lead to severe health problems and even death.

Around the Philadelphia refinery, air quality had not yet been cited as a problem. There are about 300,000 people who live within three miles (5 km) of the facility.

There have been campaigns by residents who live near refineries, environmental groups, and the country's largest industrial labour union to end the use of HF in units that produce octane-boosting components for gasoline.

Fifty, or more than a third, of 135 US refineries operate HF alkylation units, according to the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which investigates industrial fires and explosions.

In April, the CSB called on the US Environmental Protection Agency to revisit a study on HF's use and the potential to replace it with another process after hearing from worried residents during its probe of a 2018 refinery fire.

"Refinery workers and surrounding community residents are rightly concerned about the adequacy of the risk management for the use of hazardous chemicals like HF," the board said in that letter, which grew out of the CSB's probes of fires at refineries in Wisconsin, California, and Texas.

The United Steelworkers union (USW), whose members work at major refineries, launched a campaign in 2010 to end the oil industry's use of HF. In 2013, the USW found 26 million people in the United States were at risk of HF exposure from a refinery accident.

"We would like the industry to invest in finding intrinsically safer alternatives," said Michael Wright, the USW's director of health, safety, and environment.

The oil industry has rejected calls to convert HF alkylation units to sulfuric acid, which does not form a low-hanging cloud that can drift into neighbourhoods, saying the cost would be too high and alternatives not well developed.

HF has been used for about 70 years in refinery operations, according to Diana Cronan, spokeswoman for the trade group American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. About 2% of the HF used in the United States goes toward refining, she said.

"Typically, refiners with limited land availability have hydrofluoric acid" units, she said.

Sulfuric acid reactors can be two to three times as large as HF, Cronan added, making them less attractive to manufacturers.

But HF is risky because it forms dense vapour clouds low to the ground that can easily move into the communities around refineries. Since it destroys nerve tissue, burns may be initially painless. It can also cause cardiac arrest in higher concentrations.

Most of the 27,000 residents of Superior, Wisconsin, were evacuated in 2018 due to the risk of a release of HF following an explosion at Husky Energy Inc's refinery, according to news reports at the time.

Husky has said it expects to resume partial operations at the site in late 2020.

A 2015 explosion at a Los Angeles-area refinery, then owned by Exxon Mobil Corp, raised the risk that a storage tank containing HF could have been ruptured, according to the CSB.

The USW campaign began following a 2009 explosion on an HF alkylation unit at the Citgo Petroleum Corp refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, that the CSB found likely released up to 4,000 lbs (1,814 kg) of HF. Much more than that was contained by water spray cannons around the burning unit.

Before the Corpus Christi fire burned out, the water supply system was nearly exhausted and hoses bringing additional supplies ruptured but were quickly replaced or repaired, the CSB found. 
&nbsp;

Massive explosions that engulfed a Philadelphia refinery in flames on Friday have renewed concerns about the oil industry's use of a highly toxic chemical to make high-octane gasoline at plants in densely populated areas.

Massive explosions that engulfed a Philadelphia refinery in flames on Friday have renewed concerns about the oil industry's use of a highly toxic chemical to make high-octane gasoline at plants in densely populated areas. Aerial video of the scene at Philadelphia Energy Solutions Inc's refinery, the largest in the northeast, on local television showed significant damage and the massive complex nearly engulfed in flames. One of the explosions took place in a hydrofluoric acid alkylation unit - a chemical processing unit that has been involved in three near-misses of releases into cities in California, Texas, and Wisconsin, according to safety officials. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) can form a toxic cloud at room temperature while exposure can lead to severe health problems and even death. Around the Philadelphia refinery, air quality had not yet been cited as a problem. There are about 300,000 people who live within three miles (5 km) of the facility. There have been campaigns by residents who live near refineries, environmental groups, and the country's largest industrial labour union to end the use of HF in units that produce octane-boosting components for gasoline. Fifty, or more than a third, of 135 US refineries operate HF alkylation units, according to the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), which investigates industrial fires and explosions. In April, the CSB called on the US Environmental Protection Agency to revisit a study on HF's use and the potential to replace it with another process after hearing from worried residents during its probe of a 2018 refinery fire. "Refinery workers and surrounding community residents are rightly concerned about the adequacy of the risk management for the use of hazardous chemicals like HF," the board said in that letter, which grew out of the CSB's probes of fires at refineries in Wisconsin, California, and Texas. The United Steelworkers union (USW), whose members work at major refineries, launched a campaign in 2010 to end the oil industry's use of HF. In 2013, the USW found 26 million people in the United States were at risk of HF exposure from a refinery accident. "We would like the industry to invest in finding intrinsically safer alternatives," said Michael Wright, the USW's director of health, safety, and environment. The oil industry has rejected calls to convert HF alkylation units to sulfuric acid, which does not form a low-hanging cloud that can drift into neighbourhoods, saying the cost would be too high and alternatives not well developed. HF has been used for about 70 years in refinery operations, according to Diana Cronan, spokeswoman for the trade group American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. About 2% of the HF used in the United States goes toward refining, she said. "Typically, refiners with limited land availability have hydrofluoric acid" units, she said. Sulfuric acid reactors can be two to three times as large as HF, Cronan added, making them less attractive to manufacturers. But HF is risky because it forms dense vapour clouds low to the ground that can easily move into the communities around refineries. Since it destroys nerve tissue, burns may be initially painless. It can also cause cardiac arrest in higher concentrations. Most of the 27,000 residents of Superior, Wisconsin, were evacuated in 2018 due to the risk of a release of HF following an explosion at Husky Energy Inc's refinery, according to news reports at the time. Husky has said it expects to resume partial operations at the site in late 2020. A 2015 explosion at a Los Angeles-area refinery, then owned by Exxon Mobil Corp, raised the risk that a storage tank containing HF could have been ruptured, according to the CSB. The USW campaign began following a 2009 explosion on an HF alkylation unit at the Citgo Petroleum Corp refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas, that the CSB found likely released up to 4,000 lbs (1,814 kg) of HF. Much more than that was contained by water spray cannons around the burning unit. Before the Corpus Christi fire burned out, the water supply system was nearly exhausted and hoses bringing additional supplies ruptured but were quickly replaced or repaired, the CSB found.

Philadelphia refinery blast puts new spotlight on toxic chemical

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joementum-biden-ramps-up-2020-bid-with-wind-at-his-back-219560">Democrat Joe Biden</a> made a passionate appeal for national unity Saturday but also took square political aim at Donald Trump, branding the president a "divider in chief" who must be ousted in 2020.

At a boisterous rally in Philadelphia, the former vice president urged voters to end the mean-spirited pettiness and partisan squabbles that have left Americans angry and dispirited in recent years.

"This nation needs to come together," the veteran politician told a crowd estimated at 6,000 in Philadelphia, in the largest rally of his nascent campaign.

"Our president is the divider in chief," he added, accusing Trump of demonizing opponents and using scapegoats to fuel animosity.

"If the American people want a president to add to our division, to lead with a clenched fist, closed hand and a hard heart, to demonize opponents and spew hatred, they don't need me," Biden said in a raised voice. "They've got President Donald Trump."

Biden, 76, came to Washington in a less polarized era, and he cited his work across the aisle during his 36 years in the US Senate to assure Democrats that "compromise is not a dirty word" and can lead to successes going forward.

"Let's stop fighting and start fixing," he said.

The number two to popular president Barack Obama is now making his third White House bid, and relishes his prime position atop the pack of 2020 Democratic contenders.

But the party eminence appeared to ignore the primary jockeying with his Democratic rivals and cast his eye directly at the general election battle against Trump.

After a month of more modest events, the large-scale rally in Pennsylvania's largest city highlighted the importance Democrats place on winning back the swing state that Trump snatched in 2016.

Biden was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the sun-splashed downtown event was a nod to his modest roots.

But far from being the underdog, Biden is looking to cement his status as the man to beat.

He is a blue-collar voter whisperer who claims he is best positioned to defeat Trump. But Biden must also balance the concern that while he is the most experienced candidate out there, he embodies the Washington insider cachet that many voters rejected in 2016 when they chose Trump over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.

"Maybe he's a little bit establishment, but he was always Joe from Scranton," Mickey Kirzecky, a health care consultant who attended the rally, told AFP.

"He still has that, and I think that's going to be tough for Trump to fight."

Polls give Biden a growing lead over the 22 other hopefuls.

The latest RealClearPolitics aggregate puts him at 39.1 per cent support, more than double the 16.4 per cent of his nearest rival, liberal Senator Bernie Sanders.

No one else is in double digits.

'Beat Trump'

As voters start paying more attention, Biden -- who to date has campaigned mostly in broad strokes -- will be under pressure to flesh out policies on everything from health care and wages to immigration.

Next month he will be expected to provide details on multiple positions -- and engage his party rivals more directly -- when Democrats gather for their first televised debate of the 2020 season.

Biden has already called for a clean energy "revolution," and in his Saturday speech assured that he supports the traditional Democratic goals of protecting voting rights and broadening access to health care.

But Biden warned that none of those goals could be achieved should Trump secure another four years in the White House.

"If you want to know what the first and most important plan in my climate proposal is: Beat Trump," he said. "Beat Trump. Beat Trump."

Blue-collar appeal

Even as some supporters encourage Biden to take the high road, the Democrat displayed a willingness for confrontation as he said the president "embraces dictators and tyrants like (Vladimir) Putin and Kim Jong Un."

Biden has aligned himself closely with Obama, drawing support from African-American voters, and he went out of his way Saturday to praise Obama's "courage," character and vision.

In doing so he took another swipe at the current Republican president, who has routinely boasted about the well-performing US economy.&nbsp;

"President Trump inherited an economy from the Obama/Biden administration that was given to him, just like he inherited everything else in his life," he said.

Biden styles himself, like Trump, as an ardent defender of working-class Americans, someone who can win back the Midwestern, white, male blue-collar voters who went for the Republican in 2016.

Trump has insisted he does not see Biden "as a threat."

But he has bestowed a negative nickname on his rival -- "Sleepy Joe" -- and scheduled a campaign rally for Monday in northern Pennsylvania, near Scranton.

Democrat Joe Biden made a passionate appeal for national unity Saturday but also took square political aim at Donald Trump, branding the president a "divider in chief" who must be ousted in 2020.

Democrat Joe Biden made a passionate appeal for national unity Saturday but also took square political aim at Donald Trump, branding the president a "divider in chief" who must be ousted in 2020. At a boisterous rally in Philadelphia, the former vice president urged voters to end the mean-spirited pettiness and partisan squabbles that have left Americans angry and dispirited in recent years. "This nation needs to come together," the veteran politician told a crowd estimated at 6,000 in Philadelphia, in the largest rally of his nascent campaign. "Our president is the divider in chief," he added, accusing Trump of demonizing opponents and using scapegoats to fuel animosity. "If the American people want a president to add to our division, to lead with a clenched fist, closed hand and a hard heart, to demonize opponents and spew hatred, they don't need me," Biden said in a raised voice. "They've got President Donald Trump." Biden, 76, came to Washington in a less polarized era, and he cited his work across the aisle during his 36 years in the US Senate to assure Democrats that "compromise is not a dirty word" and can lead to successes going forward. "Let's stop fighting and start fixing," he said. The number two to popular president Barack Obama is now making his third White House bid, and relishes his prime position atop the pack of 2020 Democratic contenders. But the party eminence appeared to ignore the primary jockeying with his Democratic rivals and cast his eye directly at the general election battle against Trump. After a month of more modest events, the large-scale rally in Pennsylvania's largest city highlighted the importance Democrats place on winning back the swing state that Trump snatched in 2016. Biden was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the sun-splashed downtown event was a nod to his modest roots. But far from being the underdog, Biden is looking to cement his status as the man to beat. He is a blue-collar voter whisperer who claims he is best positioned to defeat Trump. But Biden must also balance the concern that while he is the most experienced candidate out there, he embodies the Washington insider cachet that many voters rejected in 2016 when they chose Trump over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. "Maybe he's a little bit establishment, but he was always Joe from Scranton," Mickey Kirzecky, a health care consultant who attended the rally, told AFP. "He still has that, and I think that's going to be tough for Trump to fight." Polls give Biden a growing lead over the 22 other hopefuls. The latest RealClearPolitics aggregate puts him at 39.1 per cent support, more than double the 16.4 per cent of his nearest rival, liberal Senator Bernie Sanders. No one else is in double digits. 'Beat Trump' As voters start paying more attention, Biden -- who to date has campaigned mostly in broad strokes -- will be under pressure to flesh out policies on everything from health care and wages to immigration. Next month he will be expected to provide details on multiple positions -- and engage his party rivals more directly -- when Democrats gather for their first televised debate of the 2020 season. Biden has already called for a clean energy "revolution," and in his Saturday speech assured that he supports the traditional Democratic goals of protecting voting rights and broadening access to health care. But Biden warned that none of those goals could be achieved should Trump secure another four years in the White House. "If you want to know what the first and most important plan in my climate proposal is: Beat Trump," he said. "Beat Trump. Beat Trump." Blue-collar appeal Even as some supporters encourage Biden to take the high road, the Democrat displayed a willingness for confrontation as he said the president "embraces dictators and tyrants like (Vladimir) Putin and Kim Jong Un." Biden has aligned himself closely with Obama, drawing support from African-American voters, and he went out of his way Saturday to praise Obama's "courage," character and vision. In doing so he took another swipe at the current Republican president, who has routinely boasted about the well-performing US economy. "President Trump inherited an economy from the Obama/Biden administration that was given to him, just like he inherited everything else in his life," he said. Biden styles himself, like Trump, as an ardent defender of working-class Americans, someone who can win back the Midwestern, white, male blue-collar voters who went for the Republican in 2016. Trump has insisted he does not see Biden "as a threat." But he has bestowed a negative nickname on his rival -- "Sleepy Joe" -- and scheduled a campaign rally for Monday in northern Pennsylvania, near Scranton.

Let's stop fighting, 'start fixing': Biden offers anti-Trump theme

As the one true known quantity in the Democratic nomination race, former vice president Joe Biden sits atop the pack of 2020 presidential contenders, relishing the prime position as he hosts a kickoff rally Saturday.

No one knows whether the man who served as number two to popular Democratic president Barack Obama for eight years will run away with this contest -- his third White House bid in as many decades -- or fade out in the months-long test of political skill and stamina to come.

But the former longtime senator and lion of the Democratic Party are gearing up for what is certain to be a titanic battle against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-proposes-new-us-immigration-plan-favouring-skills-over-family-ties-219269">President Donald Trump</a>.

After a month of modest events at union halls and pizza joints in early-voting states like Iowa, Biden is counting on making a splash at a rally in Philadelphia, the largest city in must-win Pennsylvania, a state Trump snatched from Democrats in 2016.

He has made Philadelphia his campaign headquarters, in a further sign of the importance, he is placing on winning back the state for his party in 2020.

His kickoff will be held near the Philadelphia art museum steps immortalized by the scrappy boxer's run in the movie "Rocky."

Biden was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and the rally is a nod to his modest roots.

But far from being the underdog, Biden is looking to cement his status as the man to beat, the blue-collar voter whisperer who is best positioned to take on and defeat Trump.

And while his delayed entry into the race drew criticism that he might not be ready to mount a thoroughly energized campaign, the slow-and-steady strategy appears to be paying off.

By setting his own terms, limiting media engagements and minimizing chances for going off-script, the gaffe-prone Biden is emphasizing his status as preeminent party dignitary.

Polls give Biden, 76, a comfortable lead over the 22 other hopefuls.

The latest RealClearPolitics aggregate puts him at 39.1 per cent support, more than double the 16.4 per cent of his nearest rival, liberal Senator Bernie Sanders.

No one else is in double digits.

After a deeply divisive 2016 race, Democratic voters may be looking for an antidote to Trump, the brash politically inexperienced billionaire.

"What matters to them at the moment is a safe choice, a known entity, and somebody who they believe could beat President Trump at his own game," Lara Brown, director of George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, told AFP.

Nearly nine months before the first nomination votes are cast, Biden is the lone Democrat, aside from perhaps Sanders, with the celebrity status that comes close to Trump's.

But as voters start paying more attention, Biden -- who to date has campaigned mostly in broad strokes -- will be under pressure to flesh out positions on everything from health care and wages to immigration.

"Biden is the right man for the moment," Brown said. "Whether he will be the right Democrat eight months from now is still really up in the air."

BLUE COLLAR APPEAL

Biden's dominance has already changed the race's dynamic, with its early stars like senators Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren forced to play catch up and levelling criticism at the frontrunner.

Warren and Sanders, each of whom is highlighting the need to narrow the nation's economic inequalities, are expected to ramp up criticism of Biden as the embodiment of the Washington establishment.

Several rivals are from a newer generation, putting them at odds with the old-school Biden, whose major challenge may well be appealing to younger voters.

And while candidates like ex-congressman Beto O'Rourke are keeping up relentless schedules, honing their messages at town halls and meet-and-greets, Biden has opted for more protected environments.

"Let's see what happens when he's taking questions that haven't been vetted," Brown said.

Doing so will require fleshing out his policies, something that has already sparked controversy.

Biden caught flak from liberal groups and candidates for failing to embrace more progressive positions on climate change. He says he will lay out a climate policy in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

He has aligned himself closely with Obama, drawing major support from African American voters, a crucial constituency.

But he will also need to be prepared to lean leftward to acknowledge the party's more progressive tilt.

At the same time, he styles himself, like Trump, as an ardent defender of working-class Americans, someone who can win back the Midwestern white, male blue-collar voters who went for the Republican in 2016.

"If you're appealing to older, more mainstream voters, I think the story that's emerging from his campaign is not that he's the agent of radical change, but that he's going to be a more stable leader," said political science professor Robert Boatright of Clark University.

As the one true known quantity in the Democratic nomination race, former vice president Joe Biden sits atop the pack of 2020 presidential contenders, relishing the prime position as he hosts a kickoff rally Saturday.

As the one true known quantity in the Democratic nomination race, former vice president Joe Biden sits atop the pack of 2020 presidential contenders, relishing the prime position as he hosts a kickoff rally Saturday. No one knows whether the man who served as number two to popular Democratic president Barack Obama for eight years will run away with this contest -- his third White House bid in as many decades -- or fade out in the months-long test of political skill and stamina to come. But the former longtime senator and lion of the Democratic Party are gearing up for what is certain to be a titanic battle against President Donald Trump. After a month of modest events at union halls and pizza joints in early-voting states like Iowa, Biden is counting on making a splash at a rally in Philadelphia, the largest city in must-win Pennsylvania, a state Trump snatched from Democrats in 2016. He has made Philadelphia his campaign headquarters, in a further sign of the importance, he is placing on winning back the state for his party in 2020. His kickoff will be held near the Philadelphia art museum steps immortalized by the scrappy boxer's run in the movie "Rocky." Biden was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and the rally is a nod to his modest roots. But far from being the underdog, Biden is looking to cement his status as the man to beat, the blue-collar voter whisperer who is best positioned to take on and defeat Trump. And while his delayed entry into the race drew criticism that he might not be ready to mount a thoroughly energized campaign, the slow-and-steady strategy appears to be paying off. By setting his own terms, limiting media engagements and minimizing chances for going off-script, the gaffe-prone Biden is emphasizing his status as preeminent party dignitary. Polls give Biden, 76, a comfortable lead over the 22 other hopefuls. The latest RealClearPolitics aggregate puts him at 39.1 per cent support, more than double the 16.4 per cent of his nearest rival, liberal Senator Bernie Sanders. No one else is in double digits. After a deeply divisive 2016 race, Democratic voters may be looking for an antidote to Trump, the brash politically inexperienced billionaire. "What matters to them at the moment is a safe choice, a known entity, and somebody who they believe could beat President Trump at his own game," Lara Brown, director of George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, told AFP. Nearly nine months before the first nomination votes are cast, Biden is the lone Democrat, aside from perhaps Sanders, with the celebrity status that comes close to Trump's. But as voters start paying more attention, Biden -- who to date has campaigned mostly in broad strokes -- will be under pressure to flesh out positions on everything from health care and wages to immigration. "Biden is the right man for the moment," Brown said. "Whether he will be the right Democrat eight months from now is still really up in the air." BLUE COLLAR APPEAL Biden's dominance has already changed the race's dynamic, with its early stars like senators Sanders, Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren forced to play catch up and levelling criticism at the frontrunner. Warren and Sanders, each of whom is highlighting the need to narrow the nation's economic inequalities, are expected to ramp up criticism of Biden as the embodiment of the Washington establishment. Several rivals are from a newer generation, putting them at odds with the old-school Biden, whose major challenge may well be appealing to younger voters. And while candidates like ex-congressman Beto O'Rourke are keeping up relentless schedules, honing their messages at town halls and meet-and-greets, Biden has opted for more protected environments. "Let's see what happens when he's taking questions that haven't been vetted," Brown said. Doing so will require fleshing out his policies, something that has already sparked controversy. Biden caught flak from liberal groups and candidates for failing to embrace more progressive positions on climate change. He says he will lay out a climate policy in the coming weeks. He has aligned himself closely with Obama, drawing major support from African American voters, a crucial constituency. But he will also need to be prepared to lean leftward to acknowledge the party's more progressive tilt. At the same time, he styles himself, like Trump, as an ardent defender of working-class Americans, someone who can win back the Midwestern white, male blue-collar voters who went for the Republican in 2016. "If you're appealing to older, more mainstream voters, I think the story that's emerging from his campaign is not that he's the agent of radical change, but that he's going to be a more stable leader," said political science professor Robert Boatright of Clark University.

Joementum: Biden ramps up 2020 bid with wind at his back

With an increasing number of US businesses no longer accepting cash, Philadelphia -- the City of Brotherly Love -- is taking a stand to protect the so-called "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/why-a-cashless-india-could-be-a-distant-dream-1620">unbanked</a>" and will force merchants to accept greenbacks.

It will be the first major US city to outright reject a trend that has seen more and more retail outlets, especially restaurants, move to only accept payments via credit or debit cards and mobile phones.&nbsp;

Consumers and businesses who support digital payments say they are faster and more practical, but opponents say such practices exclude the "unbanked" -- those without bank accounts or credit cards.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney recently signed into law an amendment to the city's Fair Practices Ordinance prohibiting stores and restaurants from refusing to accept cash, calling it "unlawful discrimination."

The measure will go into effect on July 1.

Despite the cashless trend, the United States remains far behind other countries in terms of digital payment technology. In China, paying by smartphone is widely used.

According to data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 32 percent of all consumer transactions were made with cash in 2015, down from 40 percent in 2012.

According to a study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 6.5 percent of American households were "unbanked" in 2017 -- a figure that has steadily declined since 2011, but which still accounts for nearly eight million households.

Beyond the action taken in Philadelphia, state lawmakers in New Jersey passed a bill in February that would make it illegal to run a cashless store, but Democratic Governor Phil Murphy has not yet signed it.

In New York and San Francisco, initiatives are working their way through legislative channels, but no city council votes are scheduled for now.

Lawmakers in Washington and Chicago have passed similar legislation, but they have not yet been ratified.

That makes Massachusetts the only US state so far which has a law on the books forcing all merchants to accept cash. But the measure, adopted more than 40 years ago, has not been applied in practice.

Fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen, which no longer accepts cash in any of its restaurants, declined to comment when asked by AFP how it would implement the measure passed in Philadelphia.

With an increasing number of US businesses no longer accepting cash, Philadelphia -- the City of Brotherly Love -- is taking a stand to protect the so-called "unbanked" and will force merchants to accept greenbacks.

With an increasing number of US businesses no longer accepting cash, Philadelphia -- the City of Brotherly Love -- is taking a stand to protect the so-called "unbanked" and will force merchants to accept greenbacks. It will be the first major US city to outright reject a trend that has seen more and more retail outlets, especially restaurants, move to only accept payments via credit or debit cards and mobile phones. Consumers and businesses who support digital payments say they are faster and more practical, but opponents say such practices exclude the "unbanked" -- those without bank accounts or credit cards. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney recently signed into law an amendment to the city's Fair Practices Ordinance prohibiting stores and restaurants from refusing to accept cash, calling it "unlawful discrimination." The measure will go into effect on July 1. Despite the cashless trend, the United States remains far behind other countries in terms of digital payment technology. In China, paying by smartphone is widely used. According to data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 32 percent of all consumer transactions were made with cash in 2015, down from 40 percent in 2012. According to a study by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 6.5 percent of American households were "unbanked" in 2017 -- a figure that has steadily declined since 2011, but which still accounts for nearly eight million households. Beyond the action taken in Philadelphia, state lawmakers in New Jersey passed a bill in February that would make it illegal to run a cashless store, but Democratic Governor Phil Murphy has not yet signed it. In New York and San Francisco, initiatives are working their way through legislative channels, but no city council votes are scheduled for now. Lawmakers in Washington and Chicago have passed similar legislation, but they have not yet been ratified. That makes Massachusetts the only US state so far which has a law on the books forcing all merchants to accept cash. But the measure, adopted more than 40 years ago, has not been applied in practice. Fast-casual salad chain Sweetgreen, which no longer accepts cash in any of its restaurants, declined to comment when asked by AFP how it would implement the measure passed in Philadelphia.

US's Philadelphia says no to totally cashless future

In pictures: India gets its first Chinook helicopter from US's Boeing

A gunman opened fire from a moving vehicle outside a Philadelphia shopping centre on Wednesday, wounding five young men, one of them critically, police said.

All five victims of the shooting, which was reported just after 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT) in the city's Germantown section, were transported to nearby Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia police said in a statement.

A 20-year-old man who was shot in the head was listed in critical condition at the hospital, police said. The other four victims, all men ranging in age from 19 to 23, were in stable condition with gunshot wounds to extremities.&nbsp;

No suspects were immediately taken into custody and no weapons were recovered at the scene, police said, asking for tips from the public in helping solve the drive-by shooting.&nbsp;

A gunman opened fire from a moving vehicle outside a Philadelphia shopping centre on Wednesday, wounding five young men, one of them critically, police said. All five victims of the shooting, which was reported just after 2:30 p.

A gunman opened fire from a moving vehicle outside a Philadelphia shopping centre on Wednesday, wounding five young men, one of them critically, police said. All five victims of the shooting, which was reported just after 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT) in the city's Germantown section, were transported to nearby Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia police said in a statement. A 20-year-old man who was shot in the head was listed in critical condition at the hospital, police said. The other four victims, all men ranging in age from 19 to 23, were in stable condition with gunshot wounds to extremities. No suspects were immediately taken into custody and no weapons were recovered at the scene, police said, asking for tips from the public in helping solve the drive-by shooting.

Gunman opens fire outside Philadelphia shopping centre, five injured

Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America's biggest stars, will likely see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault.

Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia. He is appealing the verdict, which could potentially delay his imprisonment for months or even years.

Should he eventually leave the world of private jets and luxury hotel suites, the disgraced star of the 1980s television hit "The Cosby Show" will become probably the best-known celebrity to hear the gates of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shut behind him, according to a department spokeswoman, Susan McNaughton.

She said previous and current high-profile inmates have included legislators, ex-police officers and Jerry Sandusky, a former Pennsylvania State University football coach convicted in 2012 of being a serial child molester.

Another is Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political activist convicted in the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer.

Incarceration will be a stark change for the comedian, whose net worth was estimated in 2016 by Fortune magazine at $400 million, with $100 million invested in real estate, including homes in New York, Massachusetts and Nevada. He also owned a private jet, artwork and dozens of classic cars.

Once Cosby arrives behind bars, he will face an "incarceration reception process" to determine his healthcare and psychological treatment needs, his security level, and to which of 22 male prisons he will be sent.

He will be one of just 83 inmates aged 80 or older, and one of very few who are legally blind, McNaughton said.

Such prisoners are typically assigned a sighted inmate, who is paid just 19 to 42 cents an hour, to assist them and lead them through the facility.

"Certainly Mr. Cosby would be fine," she said. "Of course they (the inmate assistants) are screened, and there is a lot of monitoring and supervision."

Like most inmates, Cosby will likely be allowed to receive and send emails, which are also screened for security purposes. Most inmates use prison-approved tablet computers.

Cosby's prison assistant might also help sort any fan mail that passes a security screening.

"No drugs or contraband or influence of escape," McNaughton said. "If it clears through the mailroom, it's delivered to the inmate."

Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia

Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America's biggest stars, will likely see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault. Cosby, 80, faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced in the next three months for drugging and raping Andrea Constand, 45, in 2004 at his sprawling compound outside Philadelphia. He is appealing the verdict, which could potentially delay his imprisonment for months or even years. Should he eventually leave the world of private jets and luxury hotel suites, the disgraced star of the 1980s television hit "The Cosby Show" will become probably the best-known celebrity to hear the gates of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shut behind him, according to a department spokeswoman, Susan McNaughton. She said previous and current high-profile inmates have included legislators, ex-police officers and Jerry Sandusky, a former Pennsylvania State University football coach convicted in 2012 of being a serial child molester. Another is Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political activist convicted in the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer. Incarceration will be a stark change for the comedian, whose net worth was estimated in 2016 by Fortune magazine at $400 million, with $100 million invested in real estate, including homes in New York, Massachusetts and Nevada. He also owned a private jet, artwork and dozens of classic cars. Once Cosby arrives behind bars, he will face an "incarceration reception process" to determine his healthcare and psychological treatment needs, his security level, and to which of 22 male prisons he will be sent. He will be one of just 83 inmates aged 80 or older, and one of very few who are legally blind, McNaughton said. Such prisoners are typically assigned a sighted inmate, who is paid just 19 to 42 cents an hour, to assist them and lead them through the facility. "Certainly Mr. Cosby would be fine," she said. "Of course they (the inmate assistants) are screened, and there is a lot of monitoring and supervision." Like most inmates, Cosby will likely be allowed to receive and send emails, which are also screened for security purposes. Most inmates use prison-approved tablet computers. Cosby's prison assistant might also help sort any fan mail that passes a security screening. "No drugs or contraband or influence of escape," McNaughton said. "If it clears through the mailroom, it's delivered to the inmate."

From luxury to life behind bars: What Bill Cosby faces in prison

A Dallas-bound Southwest Airlines Co made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday after suffering engine trouble during the flight, local media reports said.&nbsp

Television images showed visible damage to the plane`s exterior, and a man who said he had been a passenger on the aircraft told to a media that he heard a loud bang during the journey and saw damage to the engine. One person was injured, media reports said.

Flight 1380, a Boeing Co 737-300, was bound for Dallas Love Field in Texas from New York`s LaGuardia airport with 143 passengers and five crew on board, Southwest said in a statement. The airline did not immediately confirm engine damage.

"All of a sudden, we heard this loud bang, rattling, it felt like one of the engines went out. The oxygen masks dropped," the passenger, Kristopher Johnson said "It just shredded the left-side engine completely ... it was scary."&nbsp

A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment.

Flight 1380, a Boeing Co 737-300, was bound for Dallas Love Field in Texas from New York`s LaGuardia airport with 143 passengers and five crew on board, Southwest said in a statement. The airline did not immediately confirm engine damage

A Dallas-bound Southwest Airlines Co made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport on Tuesday after suffering engine trouble during the flight, local media reports said. Television images showed visible damage to the plane`s exterior, and a man who said he had been a passenger on the aircraft told to a media that he heard a loud bang during the journey and saw damage to the engine. One person was injured, media reports said. Flight 1380, a Boeing Co 737-300, was bound for Dallas Love Field in Texas from New York`s LaGuardia airport with 143 passengers and five crew on board, Southwest said in a statement. The airline did not immediately confirm engine damage. "All of a sudden, we heard this loud bang, rattling, it felt like one of the engines went out. The oxygen masks dropped," the passenger, Kristopher Johnson said "It just shredded the left-side engine completely ... it was scary." A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration declined to comment.

Southwest plane makes emergency landing in Philadelphia; engine trouble cited

Disgraced American entertainer Bill Cosby returned to the stage Monday for the first time in nearly three years, telling jokes just months before his scheduled retrial for alleged sexual assault.

The 80-year-old pioneering African American actor and comedian spent around an hour performing at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia at an event honouring drummer and jazz great, Tony Williams.

He sat on a wooden chair, in front of the jazz quartet, dressed casually in dark pants and grey hoodie inscribed with the words &quot;Hello Friend&quot; spelt out in multicoloured capital letters.

There was no heckling and the audience was generally supportive, clapping and at times laughing, but the fewer than 50 people, filling only half a small venue underscored how far he has fallen from grace.

For a few minutes, he sat behind the drum kit and played some drums, before delivering a very short stand-up routine, joking about getting old and going blind, interacting with an older couple in the audience.

Announcing the event only shortly before it was due to begin, his spokesman said the intention was to &quot;honour his fans with a historic performance&quot; at what was a public event with tickets sold on the door.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/the-sad-case-of-joke-theft-in-comedy-shows-632#photo-34639">The sad case of &#39;joke theft&#39; in comedy</a>

It was the first time Cosby performed in public since May 2015, when CNN reported that he was interrupted twice in Atlanta after a string of women had already come forward to accuse him of sexual assault.

He was indicted in December 2015 and went on trial in June 2017, accused of drugging and molesting a former university basketball official at his Philadelphia home in 2004.

Jackson&#39;s lawyer&nbsp;

But the judge declared a mistrial when the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on three counts of aggravated indecent assault after more than 50 hours of deliberations in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

The deadlock was a victory of sorts for the comedian, now frail and isolated, who risked spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted.

But the trial irrevocably damaged the once towering icon of US popular culture, loved by millions as &quot;America&#39;s Dad&quot; and best known for his seminal role as a father and obstetrician on hit 1984-92 TV series &quot;The Cosby Show.&quot;

In a rambling and at times confused interview with Sirius XM radio broadcast before the trial began, Cosby said he felt he had &quot;an awful lot to offer&quot; in terms of writing and performing.

Jury selection for the retrial is to begin March 29. Cosby&#39;s new defense lawyer is Tom Mesereau, the celebrity Los Angeles attorney who got Michael Jackson acquitted of child molestation in 2005.

Around 60 women have publicly accused the Emmy-winning actor of being a serial sexual predator, but most of the alleged abuse happened too long ago to prosecute, meaning that the trial last year concerned only one of the alleged victims.

The actor denies the charges, saying his relations with Canadian Andrea Constand were consensual.

She has said he gave her pills that left her semi-conscious, then made sexual advances -- a story not unlike those recounted by many of the other accusers.

The 80-year-old pioneering African American actor and comedian spent around an hour performing at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia

Disgraced American entertainer Bill Cosby returned to the stage Monday for the first time in nearly three years, telling jokes just months before his scheduled retrial for alleged sexual assault. The 80-year-old pioneering African American actor and comedian spent around an hour performing at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia at an event honouring drummer and jazz great, Tony Williams. He sat on a wooden chair, in front of the jazz quartet, dressed casually in dark pants and grey hoodie inscribed with the words "Hello Friend" spelt out in multicoloured capital letters. There was no heckling and the audience was generally supportive, clapping and at times laughing, but the fewer than 50 people, filling only half a small venue underscored how far he has fallen from grace. For a few minutes, he sat behind the drum kit and played some drums, before delivering a very short stand-up routine, joking about getting old and going blind, interacting with an older couple in the audience. Announcing the event only shortly before it was due to begin, his spokesman said the intention was to "honour his fans with a historic performance" at what was a public event with tickets sold on the door. Also read: The sad case of 'joke theft' in comedy It was the first time Cosby performed in public since May 2015, when CNN reported that he was interrupted twice in Atlanta after a string of women had already come forward to accuse him of sexual assault. He was indicted in December 2015 and went on trial in June 2017, accused of drugging and molesting a former university basketball official at his Philadelphia home in 2004. Jackson's lawyer But the judge declared a mistrial when the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on three counts of aggravated indecent assault after more than 50 hours of deliberations in Norristown, Pennsylvania. The deadlock was a victory of sorts for the comedian, now frail and isolated, who risked spending the rest of his life in prison if convicted. But the trial irrevocably damaged the once towering icon of US popular culture, loved by millions as "America's Dad" and best known for his seminal role as a father and obstetrician on hit 1984-92 TV series "The Cosby Show." In a rambling and at times confused interview with Sirius XM radio broadcast before the trial began, Cosby said he felt he had "an awful lot to offer" in terms of writing and performing. Jury selection for the retrial is to begin March 29. Cosby's new defense lawyer is Tom Mesereau, the celebrity Los Angeles attorney who got Michael Jackson acquitted of child molestation in 2005. Around 60 women have publicly accused the Emmy-winning actor of being a serial sexual predator, but most of the alleged abuse happened too long ago to prosecute, meaning that the trial last year concerned only one of the alleged victims. The actor denies the charges, saying his relations with Canadian Andrea Constand were consensual. She has said he gave her pills that left her semi-conscious, then made sexual advances -- a story not unlike those recounted by many of the other accusers.

Bill Cosby performs for first time since sexual assault charges

About 20 people were injured by a fire at a home for seniors that in the Philadelphia area late on Thursday (November 16), local media reported.

The fire was reported at about 11 p.m. local time at Barclay Friends Senior Living Community in West Chester, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia, local ABC affiliate WPVI-TV reported.

About 20 people were hurt and were taken to local hospitals, the station reported. About 140 people live at home, and all appeared to have been evacuated and have been accounted for, spokeswoman Faith Woodward told CBS news.

Dozens of people wrapped in blankets and sitting in wheelchairs waited on the street near the blaze, video from local news showed.

The fire broke out in the Philadelphia area

About 20 people were injured by a fire at a home for seniors that in the Philadelphia area late on Thursday (November 16), local media reported. The fire was reported at about 11 p.m. local time at Barclay Friends Senior Living Community in West Chester, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia, local ABC affiliate WPVI-TV reported. About 20 people were hurt and were taken to local hospitals, the station reported. About 140 people live at home, and all appeared to have been evacuated and have been accounted for, spokeswoman Faith Woodward told CBS news. Dozens of people wrapped in blankets and sitting in wheelchairs waited on the street near the blaze, video from local news showed.

US: Fire breaks out in seniors' community, 20 injured

A train crash in the eastern US city of Philadelphia injured 42 people early Tuesday, authorities said.

Heather Redfern, a spokeswoman for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, said a high-speed train ran into another one that was stationary and unoccupied at the 69th Street Terminal in the city&#39;s Upper Darby suburb.

&quot;All 42 people on board the train that was moving were injured and all appear to be non life-threatening,&quot; she said, adding the cause of the crash just after midnight was being investigated.

A passenger named Ronnie told local news channel NBC10: &quot;My face hit the wall, put a big hole in the wall and I went straight down and I blacked out.

&quot;There was blood everywhere. The driver is all banged up and there was this one girl bleeding out of her face pretty bad.&quot;

Thirty-six people were left with minor injuries when two New York subway train cars careened off the tracks in June.

The US rail network suffers from chronic underfunding and accidents are not infrequent, particularly on the busy East Coast corridor.

A high-speed train ran into another one that was stationary and unoccupied at the 69th Street Terminal in the city's Upper Darby suburb

A train crash in the eastern US city of Philadelphia injured 42 people early Tuesday, authorities said. Heather Redfern, a spokeswoman for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, said a high-speed train ran into another one that was stationary and unoccupied at the 69th Street Terminal in the city's Upper Darby suburb. "All 42 people on board the train that was moving were injured and all appear to be non life-threatening," she said, adding the cause of the crash just after midnight was being investigated. A passenger named Ronnie told local news channel NBC10: "My face hit the wall, put a big hole in the wall and I went straight down and I blacked out. "There was blood everywhere. The driver is all banged up and there was this one girl bleeding out of her face pretty bad." Thirty-six people were left with minor injuries when two New York subway train cars careened off the tracks in June. The US rail network suffers from chronic underfunding and accidents are not infrequent, particularly on the busy East Coast corridor.

Train crash in Philadelphia, at least 42 injured

US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Thursday the challenges facing Americans demand steady leadership and a collective spirit, contrasting her character with what she described as a dangerous and volatile Donald Trump. 
 
In the biggest speech of her more than 25-year-old career in the public eye, Clinton accepted the Democratic presidential nomination for the November 8 election with a promise to make the United States a country that worked for everyone. 
 
&quot;We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart,&quot; said Clinton, a former secretary of state. &quot;No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance, looking for steady leadership.&quot; 
 
Clinton, who is vying to be the first woman elected US president, called her nomination &quot;a milestone.&quot; 
 
&quot;When any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone. That&rsquo;s why when there are no ceilings, the sky&#39;s the limit,&quot; the 68-year-old Clinton said in a speech that capped the four-day nominating convention. 
 
Clinton embraced her reputation as a policy wonk, offering a litany of proposals for tuition-free college, infrastructure investment, immigration reform, gun control, affordable child care, paid family leave and more. 
 
Clinton also reached out to Republicans and to followers of primary rival Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist US senator from Vermont. His supporters chanted at times during her speech only to be drowned out by her supporters. 
 
She presented a sharply more upbeat view of the country than her rival Trump did when he was formally nominated for president at last week&#39;s Republican convention&nbsp;and even turned one of Republican hero Ronald Reagan&#39;s signature phrases against the real estate developer. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s taken the Republican Party a long way, from `Morning in America` to `Midnight in America,`&quot; Clinton said. &quot;He wants to divide us from the rest of the world, and from each other.&quot; 
 
She portrayed Trump as volatile, saying &quot;a man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.&quot; 
 
While her speech lacked the electrifying qualities of President Barack Obama and a parade of other prominent Democratic speakers, Clinton spoke authoritatively and with self-assurance in her pitch to the American public.&nbsp; 
 
She acknowledged some people still do not know her well. 
 
&quot;I get it that some people just don&#39;t know what to make of me. So let me tell you. The family I&#39;m from, well no one had their name on big buildings,&quot; Clinton said in a reference to Trump. 
 
She said her family were builders of a better life and a better future for their children, using whatever tools they had and &quot;whatever God gave them&quot;. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

Clinton, who is vying to be the first woman elected US president, called her nomination "a milestone"

US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Thursday the challenges facing Americans demand steady leadership and a collective spirit, contrasting her character with what she described as a dangerous and volatile Donald Trump. In the biggest speech of her more than 25-year-old career in the public eye, Clinton accepted the Democratic presidential nomination for the November 8 election with a promise to make the United States a country that worked for everyone. "We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid," she said. "America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart," said Clinton, a former secretary of state. "No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance, looking for steady leadership." Clinton, who is vying to be the first woman elected US president, called her nomination "a milestone." "When any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone. That’s why when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit," the 68-year-old Clinton said in a speech that capped the four-day nominating convention. Clinton embraced her reputation as a policy wonk, offering a litany of proposals for tuition-free college, infrastructure investment, immigration reform, gun control, affordable child care, paid family leave and more. Clinton also reached out to Republicans and to followers of primary rival Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist US senator from Vermont. His supporters chanted at times during her speech only to be drowned out by her supporters. She presented a sharply more upbeat view of the country than her rival Trump did when he was formally nominated for president at last week's Republican convention and even turned one of Republican hero Ronald Reagan's signature phrases against the real estate developer. "He's taken the Republican Party a long way, from `Morning in America` to `Midnight in America,`" Clinton said. "He wants to divide us from the rest of the world, and from each other." She portrayed Trump as volatile, saying "a man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons." While her speech lacked the electrifying qualities of President Barack Obama and a parade of other prominent Democratic speakers, Clinton spoke authoritatively and with self-assurance in her pitch to the American public. She acknowledged some people still do not know her well. "I get it that some people just don't know what to make of me. So let me tell you. The family I'm from, well no one had their name on big buildings," Clinton said in a reference to Trump. She said her family were builders of a better life and a better future for their children, using whatever tools they had and "whatever God gave them". (Reuters)

Hillary accepts Democratic nomination, casts herself as a catalyst for change

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