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Harris attacks Trump’s ‘extremist’ agenda in speech to teachers

Harris attacks Trump’s ‘extremist’ agenda in speech to teachers
US Vice President Kamala Harris delivers the keynote speech at the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th national convention in Houston, Texas, US, July 25, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 26 July 2024

Harris attacks Trump’s ‘extremist’ agenda in speech to teachers

Harris attacks Trump’s ‘extremist’ agenda in speech to teachers

HOUSTON: Kamala Harris launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and his “extremist” Republicans as she addressed teachers Thursday, seeking to rally a key part of the Democratic coalition behind her bid to take on the billionaire for the presidency.

The country’s first female vice president — who is seeking to make history again in November — has enjoyed a groundswell of support from labor groups, ethnic minorities and her own party since announcing her 11th-hour candidacy to replace President Joe Biden as the candidate.

The first union to endorse her — the American Federation of Teachers — applauded at their convention in Houston as Harris warned that America was witnessing a “full-on attack” by Trump’s Republicans on “hard-won, hard-fought freedoms.”

“While you teach students about democracy and representative government, extremists attack the sacred freedom to vote. While you try to create safe and welcoming places where our children can learn, extremists attack our freedom to live safe from gun violence” she said.

“They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom while they refuse to pass common sense gun safety laws.”

Harris, 59, jumped into the election after weeks of turmoil over 81-year-old Biden, who bowed out Sunday after a dismal debate performance against Trump accelerated concerns over his mental capacity and persistently low polling numbers.

Calling herself “a proud product of public education,” she connected her personal story to her political outlook, telling her audience that the work of teaching was “personal and it is professional, and... so critically important.”

The former top prosecutor for California tied the event to a key campaign message about refusing to go back to Trump’s America, praising her audience as “visionaries” who look to the future.

And she contrasted Democratic efforts to cancel student debt and her vision of investment in public schools and universities with Trump’s vow to dismantle the Education Department and cut spending in half.

Trump, who at 78 is the oldest presidential nominee in US history, has promised he will “not give one penny” of federal funds to schools with vaccine mandates. Every public school in America has vaccine mandates.

The speech came with Harris facing increasingly extreme rhetoric from Trump, who on Wednesday called her a “radical left lunatic” and claimed — entirely falsely — that she was in favor of the “execution” of newborn babies.

Meanwhile Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a resolution Thursday criticizing Harris’s record on immigration.

In a promising sign for Democrats, however, Trump and Harris were statistically tied in a new New York Times/Siena College poll that showed her narrowing the gap after the survey found Biden behind by six points in early July.

Harris told reporters on her return to the White House that she was “ready to debate Donald Trump” on September 10 — the date for the second televised showdown agreed when Biden was still the candidate.

One of the most urgent tasks facing her in the much shorter term, however, is to forge her own political identity before she can be defined by Trump as inseparable from the unpopular Biden.

And she has begun quickly spending some of the $100 million-plus that she has raised in the opening days to tell her personal story and counter Republican characterizations of her as an out-of-touch liberal.

The Harris campaign sought to plant an early flag with its first TV spot Thursday — an ad featuring the Beyonce hit “Freedom,” warning that Americans’ rights are under threat from the Trump agenda.

The speech came amid a mushrooming controversy over resurfaced remarks by Trump’s vice presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, who singled out Harris as he called Democrats a “bunch of childless cat ladies with miserable lives.”

Harris has two stepchildren and the comments have sparked accusations that father-of-three Vance represents an out-of-touch Republican mindset.

Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston pointed to her own infertility while comedian and talk show host Whoopi Goldberg asked: “Now, what the hell?“


Former diplomats urge UK prime minister to recognize Palestinian state

Former diplomats urge UK prime minister to recognize Palestinian state
Updated 23 July 2025

Former diplomats urge UK prime minister to recognize Palestinian state

Former diplomats urge UK prime minister to recognize Palestinian state
  • Former diplomats have represented the UK in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria and Turkiye, as well as the UN
  • They urged Keir Starmer to seize the ‘moment to recognise Palestinian statehood unconditionally’

LONDON: More than 30 former UK ambassadors and 20 former senior diplomats at the UN have urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to recognize a Palestinian state, as international outrage grows over the distressing scenes in Gaza.

The former diplomats have represented the UK in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria and Turkiye, as well as the UN.

Their statement adds to the growing pressure on Starmer from ministers and senior figures in the ruling Labour Party, including the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to address the question of Palestine.

Starvation has affected the 2 million residents of the Gaza Strip amid Israeli attacks and aid restrictions. Khan said on Wednesday that the scenes in Gaza were harrowing and that “nothing justifies the actions of the Israeli government.” He asserted that there “can be no two-state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.”

The former diplomats warned that “the risks of inaction have profound, historic and catastrophic implications,” and called on Starmer to seize the “moment to recognise Palestinian statehood unconditionally.

“(Israel) cannot be secure from threats in the future if the question of Palestine is not taken forward to a political settlement,” they said.

The statement added: “In the face of the current horror and impunity, words are not enough … a partial suspension of arms sales, delays on trade talks and limited sanctions are far from the full extent of the pressure the UK can bring to bear on Israel.”

Recognising a Palestinian state would be a “foundational first step toward breaking the deadly status quo,” the letter said. The UK has consistently stated it would recognize Palestine in conjunction with allies “at the point of maximum impact.”

A rescheduled international conference will be held in New York City from July 28-29, sponsored by Ƶ and France, to gather support for the recognition of Palestinian statehood. The organizers postponed the gathering planned for June due to the sudden conflict between Israel and Iran that occurred in the same month.

Former diplomats urged Starmer to use the event to create a constructive plan that includes statehood for both Palestinians and Israelis.

On Wednesday, Stephen Cottrell, the de facto leader of the Church of England, said Israel’s “war of aggression” in Gaza was a “grave sin.”

He said: “With each passing day in Gaza, the violence, starvation and dehumanization being inflicted on the civilian population by the government of Israel becomes more depraved and unconscionable.

“In the name of God, I cry out against this barbaric assault on human life and dignity. It is a stain on the conscience of the international community and a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.”

Cottrell called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the rebuilding of the Palestinian coastal territory.


Brazil to join South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Brazil to join South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ
Updated 12 min 17 sec ago

Brazil to join South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Brazil to join South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ
  • South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention
  • Other countries – including Spain, Turkiye, and Colombia – have also sought to join the case against Israel

BRASILIA: Brazil is finalizing its submission to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel’s actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The case argues that in its war against Hamas militants Israel’s military actions go beyond targeting Hamas alone by attacking civilians, with strikes on schools, hospitals, camps, and shelters.

Other countries – including Spain, Turkiye, and Colombia – have also sought to join the case against Israel.

In its statement, the Brazilian government accused Israel of violations of international law “such as the annexation of territories by force” and expressed “deep indignation” at violence suffered by the civilian population.

Israel denies deliberately targeting Palestinian civilians, saying its sole interest is to annihilate Hamas. Lawyers for Israel have dismissed South Africa’s case as an abuse of the genocide convention.

The Israeli embassy in Brasilia did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Brazil’s National Israeli association CONIB said in a statement in response to Wednesday’s decision that “the breaking of Brazil’s long-standing friendship and partnership with Israel is a misguided move that proves the extremism of our foreign policy.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has long been an outspoken critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, but Wednesday’s decision carries added significance amid heightened tensions between Brazil and Israel’s ally the United States. The Trump administration announced 50 percent tariffs on all Brazilian goods this month.

A diplomat familiar with the thinking of the Lula administration told Reuters that Brazil does not believe its decision to join South Africa’s case will impact its relationship with Washington, however.

The United States has opposed South Africa’s genocide case under both former President Joe Biden and Trump. In February, Trump signed an executive order to cut US financial assistance to South Africa, citing in part its ICJ case.

 


Man built and stashed homemade bombs throughout New York City, prosecutors say

Man built and stashed homemade bombs throughout New York City, prosecutors say
Updated 23 July 2025

Man built and stashed homemade bombs throughout New York City, prosecutors say

Man built and stashed homemade bombs throughout New York City, prosecutors say
  • Michael Gann, 55, built at least seven improvised explosive devices
  • No one was injured by any of the devices

NEW YORK: A New York man accused of plotting to set off homemade explosives he had stashed at sites across Manhattan has been indicted, federal prosecutors said.

Michael Gann, 55, built at least seven improvised explosive devices last month with chemicals he bought online in May and took the bombs to Manhattan, according to an indictment handed up Tuesday by a grand jury.

Gann, of Long Island, stored some on the devices on the rooftops of adjoining residential buildings and threw another onto the subway tracks on the Williamsburg Bridge, prosecutors said.

No one was injured by any of the devices. Gann was arrested in early June near the buildings, and authorities said he he had one of the devices in his possession.

Gann put “countless lives at risk,” Jay Clayton, the interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

Gann is charged with attempted destruction of property by means of explosives, transportation of explosive materials, and unlawful possession of destructive devices. He could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

A judge ordered Gann detained following a bail hearing. His lawyer, Martin Cohen, declined comment Wednesday.


Turkiye FM urges Russia, Ukraine to end ‘bloody war’

Turkiye FM urges Russia, Ukraine to end ‘bloody war’
Updated 23 July 2025

Turkiye FM urges Russia, Ukraine to end ‘bloody war’

Turkiye FM urges Russia, Ukraine to end ‘bloody war’
  • Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said if a ceasefire is agreed, Turkiye has ‘the necessary infrastructure in place for a monitoring mechanism’

ISTANBUL: The third round of talks between Russia and Ukraine opened on Wednesday evening in Istanbul, with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urging both sides to end the “bloody war” as soon as possible.

“Our aim is to end this bloody war, which has a very high cost, as soon as possible ... The ultimate goal is a ceasefire that will pave the way to peace,” Fidan said as he opened the negotiations.

Turkiye, which has good relations with both of its Black Sea neighbors, has provided drones for Ukraine and shied away from Western-led sanctions on Moscow.

Fidan thanked Russian and Ukrainian leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky for demonstrating “the will to hold these talks,” as well US President Donald Trump for his calls for an end to the war.

He said the first and second round of talks, which also took place in Istanbul, achieved “significant results.”

“We are pleased to see that the prisoner exchanges carried out to date have been appreciated by the international community in terms of their humanitarian outcomes,” he said.

“We also consider it an important development that the parties exchanged memoranda reflecting their perspectives on the ceasefire and peace during the second round of talks,” he added.

“Our hope for this third round of negotiations is that the parties will hold substantive and results-oriented consultations on the memorandums they have exchanged.”

Fidan also said if a ceasefire is agreed, Turkiye has “the necessary infrastructure in place for a monitoring mechanism.”

“The Istanbul talks provide us with an opportunity to show the world that diplomacy and dialogue are more effective than conflict and weapons in securing peace.”


UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza

UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza
Updated 23 July 2025

UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza

UK condemns Israeli aid system as ‘inhumane and dangerous’ at UN debate on Gaza
  • The UK ambassador to the UN described the Israeli aid system in Gaza as “inhumane, ineffective, dangerous, and fueling instability”
  • The ambassador also condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposals to forcibly displace Palestinians to Rafah and criticized the expansion of settlements in the West Bank

NEW YORK: The UK sharply criticized Israel’s humanitarian conduct in Gaza during a high-level UN Security Council debate on the Middle East peace process on Wednesday, describing the Israeli aid system as “inhumane, ineffective, dangerous and fueling instability.”

Speaking at the council’s open debate, UK Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, saying that the suffering of Palestinian civilians and the continued holding of hostages by Hamas since Oct. 7 “must end now.”

She said: “The IDF is shooting at desperate Palestinian civilians on an almost daily basis. Hamas is exploiting this disorder.”

She called on Israel to stop such attacks, hold perpetrators accountable and work with the UN to implement a more effective aid delivery system that complies with international humanitarian law. Woodward reaffirmed the UK’s support for the UN’s humanitarian coordination office and condemned recent strikes on the World Health Organization in Deir Al-Balah.

The ambassador also condemned Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s proposals to forcibly displace Palestinians to Rafah and criticized the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, calling it a “flagrant breach of international law” and “an accelerating campaign to prevent a Palestinian state.”

While insisting Hamas must not govern Gaza or threaten Israel’s security in the future, Woodward warned that actions by the Israeli government were undermining the only viable alternative — the Palestinian Authority. She pointed to Israel’s withholding of $2.6 billion in tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority, which she said is crippling essential services and weakening Palestinian institutions.

“This is not conducive to Israel’s long-term security,” she added.

Woodward reiterated the UK’s commitment to a two-state solution and warned that London is prepared to take “further action” to stop what it sees as the erosion of prospects for peace.

She noted that a high-level conference co-chaired by France and Ƶ next week will be a key opportunity to advance international support for a peaceful resolution.