Informing, engaging & connecting the people of the world. JUNE 23, 2020

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VIDEO: “Defund the Police” has become the rally cry of Black Lives Matter demonstrators over the last few weeks in the U.S. But how or even whether to implement that demand is stirring debate and controversy. In Camden, New Jersey, the police department was dismantled and restructured seven years ago to more closely involve the community. VOA went to Camden recently and filed this report on the city’s community policing strategy.

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On June 23, 1992, mafia crime boss John Gotti is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Often referred to as the “Teflon Don” because of his ability to avoid conviction, Gotti had been found guilty of 14 charges, including racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder, in April. From 1985, Gotti was the head of the powerful Gambino crime syndicate, which, at its peak, was estimated to have an annual income of over $500 million. He died in prison in 2002.

U.S. President Donald Trump is heading to the southwestern state of Arizona for a border wall inspection and to make a political speech.

VIDEO: Pressure is growing on the presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden to embrace more progressive policies in response to the coronavirus pandemic, massive unemployment and widespread racial inequality protests that have dramatically altered the race for the White House. As VOA reports, left-leaning Democratic activists, impatient with Biden’s moderate stances, are demanding an agenda of transformational change to energize minority and progressive voters in the November presidential election.

VIDEO: When it comes to security devices for the home, the Ring Video Doorbell has gained much attention. It lets homeowners see who or what is at the front door and records video of it. In addition to human visitors, what is caught on camera surprised many homeowners.

A U.S. Army soldier has been charged with plotting a mass attack on his unit by sending sensitive military information to an occult-based white supremacist group, the Justice Department announced Monday.