Democrats’ head to stand down amid row

The US Democratic Party chair says she will resign as a row over leaked emails threatens efforts for party unity at the presidential nominating convention.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz's move follows a leak of emails appearing to suggest that party insiders tried to thwart the campaign by Hillary Clinton's rival.

Bernie Sanders had pressed for Wasserman Schultz to quit on the eve of the convention.

Clinton is to be officially nominated at the Philadelphia meeting.

Vermont senator Sanders had said Ms Wasserman Schultz "should not be chair" of the Democratic National Committee.

"And I think these emails reiterate that reason why she should not be chair," he told ABC's This Week programme.

More than 19,000 internal DNC emails were published by the WikiLeaks website on 22 July, from the accounts of seven leading figures.

Some revealed officials looking at ways to undermine Sanders' campaign, including using his faith.

Endorsement

Wasserman Schultz said she would "step down as party chair at the end of this convention" but expressed hope that all party supporters would rally behind the event.

"We have planned a great and unified convention this week and I hope and expect that the DNC team that has worked so hard to get us to this point will have the strong support of all Democrats in making sure this is the best convention we have ever had," she said in a statement.

She added that she still plans to carry out her duties to formally open and close the convention, and will also speak at the gathering.

President Barack Obama expressed gratitude for her services to the party in a statement.

Sanders and his supporters have also expressed disappointment at Clinton's choice of Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate, preferring someone further to the left.

But Sanders did say: "I have known Tim Kaine for a number of years... Tim is a very, very smart guy. He is a very nice guy."

Clinton's campaign received a boost on Sunday with the announcement that Michael Bloomberg, who was elected New York mayor as a Republican, will speak to endorse her this week.

The Democrats' four-day convention starts on Monday, with speeches by First Lady Michelle Obama and Sanders.

It comes just after the Republican convention that saw Donald Trump declared the Republican presidential nominee.