The 2020 Democratic Party platform, adopted at this week’s national convention, trumpeted abortion as “vital to the empowerment of women and girls.”

WASHINGTON—Kevin Clinesmith on Wednesday became the first government official to face charges in the U.S. Department of Justice’s review of the investigation into contacts between Russia and President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign staff. The former FBI lawyer admitted to doctoring an email from 2017 to make it easier for the FBI to surveil Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. Whether Clinesmith faces prison time depends on U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who will hold a sentencing hearing on Dec. 10.

The soldiers who overthrew Mali’s government call themselves the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. The coup leaders claimed on Wednesday they would eventually hold democratic elections. They also announced a closed-borders policy and a nighttime curfew, then called for a return to business as usual. “The social and political tension has undermined the proper functioning of the country for quite a while,” spokesman Col. Maj. Ismael Wague said.

Authorities in California ordered thousands of evacuations in the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday. More than 40 wildfires in the state have destroyed or damaged more than 100 buildings and injured at least four people. A pilot on a water-dropping mission died when his helicopter crashed in Fresno County Wednesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Officials evacuated sections of Vacaville, about halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento, on Wednesday morning, as lightning sparked even more fires.

President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta said late Tuesday his resignation was effective immediately and he would also dissolve his government and the National Assembly. For months, protesters had called for his ouster after disputed legislative elections. On Tuesday, armed soldiers detained their senior officers and marched to the capital city of Bamako, capturing Keïta and Prime Minister Boubou Cissé. Anti-government demonstrators were jubilant about his departure, as many criticize his handling of a violent Islamic insurgency that began in 2012.

WASHINGTON—By Tuesday, more than 20 states had sued Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, accusing him of slowing down U.S. Postal Service operations to prevent mail-in voting in November’s general election. DeJoy responded, saying he would suspend any changes until after Election Day. All mailboxes and processing equipment will remain in place, and the agency will continue to approve overtime.

WASHINGTON—House Democrats plan to vote on legislation that would stop the U.S. Postal Service from making changes such as stopping overtime pay, removing mail collection boxes, and reorganizing the executive team before November’s election. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ended the August recess for House members early to address the debate over Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s modifications to the agency.