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Kamala Harris Accepts Democratic Presidential Nomination, Urges America To Choose ‘Freedom And Fairness’ Over Trump’s Extremism
Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday with a sweeping, pointed speech in which she vowed to prosecute the case against Donald Trump and carry the country to a brighter and fairer future.
In an address that balanced optimism with scathing criticism of her opponent, Harris acknowledged her “unlikely” path to the nomination and extended her hand to voters of all political ideologies who believe in America’s promise.
Harris would make history if elected – as the first woman, first Black woman, and first Asian American woman to serve as president – but she instead focused on the history that the country could change in November.
“Our nation, with this election, has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past, a chance to chart a new way forward – not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans,” Harris told thousands of Democrats in Chicago.
Harris presented herself as a “realistic” and “practical” leader who would lean on her background as a prosecutor to govern based on common sense and equality. She credited her sense of justice to her mother, Shyamala Harris, a scientist who emigrated to the US from India when she was 19.
“She was tough, courageous, a trailblazer in the fight for women’s health, and she taught Maya and me a lesson that Michelle [Obama] mentioned the other night,” Harris said. “She taught us to never complain about injustice, but do something about it.”
In an election that has often been characterized as personality versus policy, Harris attempted to intertwine the two. After discussing her record as a prosecutor fighting for “women and children against predators who abused them,” she turned her attention to the women whose lives have been jeopardized due to a lack of abortion access.
Read also : Bill Clinton Delivers Scathing Rebuke Of Trump, Endorses Kamala Harris In Powerful DNC Speech
She shared stories of pregnant women getting sepsis and miscarrying in parking lots, and placed the blame for their pain squarely on Trump’s shoulders, as he nominated three of the justices who ruled to overturn Roe v Wade.
“This is what’s happening in our country because of Donald Trump,” Harris said. “And understand he is not done as a part of his agenda. He and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress… Simply put, they are out of their minds.”
Harris also highlighted her commitment to a Gaza ceasefire and her support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. She emphasized the need for a two-state solution and the importance of addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In addition, Harris spoke about her plans to address the climate crisis, invest in renewable energy, and create jobs in the clean energy sector. She also emphasized the need to protect and strengthen the Affordable Care Act, and to address the high cost of prescription drugs.
Throughout her speech, Harris emphasized the need for unity and the importance of putting aside partisan differences to address the country’s challenges. She urged Americans to choose “freedom and fairness” over Trump’s extremism and to work together to build a better future for all.
Harris accepted the nomination with a speech that was applauded by thousands of Democrats in Chicago. Her speech was seen as a crucial moment in her campaign, as she seeks to consolidate Democratic support and win the presidency in November.
The speech came just one month after Harris launched her campaign, following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race. With the president’s endorsement, Harris was able to quickly consolidate Democrats’ support and secure the nomination.
Harris has enjoyed a wave of enthusiasm since entering the race, with most polls now showing her pulling slightly ahead of Trump in the key battleground states that will determine the outcome of the election.
As she accepted the nomination, Harris was surrounded by her family, including her husband, Doug Emhoff, and her stepchildren, Cole and Ella. She was also joined by prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
The convention also featured speeches from other prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, Senator Bernie Sanders, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Overall, Harris’s speech was seen as a powerful call to action, urging Americans to come together to address the country’s challenges and to choose a better future. As she prepares to face Trump in the general election, Harris is poised to make history and to lead the country in a new direction.
Trump Warns Cuba to “Make a Deal” Or …
United States President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning to Cuba, urging the Caribbean nation to “make a deal” or face undisclosed consequences, as Washington intensifies pressure following the seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Trump’s comments came amid escalating tensions in Latin America after a 3 January US raid in Caracas that led to the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on drug trafficking and other charges in the United States.
Venezuela, a long-standing ally of Cuba, is believed to supply the island with about 35,000 barrels of oil daily, a crucial lifeline for Cuba’s energy-dependent economy.
However, the Trump administration has moved to disrupt that arrangement, confiscating oil tankers allegedly carrying sanctioned Venezuelan crude.
On Friday, US authorities seized a fifth tanker in what officials say is part of efforts to enforce sanctions on Venezuela.
The moves have reportedly worsened Cuba’s fuel shortages and electricity crisis.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump declared an end to the oil-for-support relationship between Havana and Caracas.
“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!” Trump wrote.
“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
The US president did not specify what deal he was proposing or the consequences Cuba might face if it failed to comply.
Cuba’s Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez, swiftly rejected Trump’s remarks, insisting that Cuba has the right to import fuel without external interference.
“Our country retains the absolute right to import fuel from any exporter willing to sell, without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States,” Rodríguez said.
He added that Cuba does not submit to “blackmail or military coercion against other states.”
President Miguel Díaz-Canel also struck a defiant tone, saying no foreign power could dictate Cuba’s actions.
“No one dictates what we do,” Díaz-Canel said, accusing the US of lacking moral authority. “Those who turn everything into a business, even human lives, have no moral authority to point fingers at Cuba for anything, absolutely anything.”
40 Dead, 119 Injured in Swiss Ski Resort Bar Fire
No fewer than 40 persons have been confirmed dead following a devastating fire outbreak at a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve, Swiss police have said.
Authorities on Sunday confirmed that the bodies of all 40 victims have now been identified.
The victims were aged between 14 and 39 years, with 15 of them under the age of 18.
The youngest victims were a 14-year-old Swiss girl and a 14-year-old French boy.
The deceased were drawn from several nationalities, including Swiss, Italian, Romanian, Turkish, Portuguese, French and Belgian citizens, as well as nationals of the United Kingdom, France and Israel, underscoring the international nature of the tragedy at the popular Alpine resort.
In addition to those killed, 119 people sustained varying degrees of injuries, most of them severe burns.
Police disclosed that six of the injured are in such critical condition that they have not yet been identified.
The fire broke out at Le Constellation bar, a venue known to be popular with young people in Crans-Montana, where the legal drinking age is 16.
A preliminary investigation indicated that sparklers attached to bottles and held too close to the ceiling may have ignited the blaze.
Swiss prosecutors have since opened a criminal investigation into the French couple who managed the bar.
The couple, identified by the media as Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, according to the Valais regional prosecutor’s office.
The lead prosecutor in Valais canton, Ms Beatrice Pilloud, said investigators are examining whether the acoustic foam installed on the bar’s ceiling contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and whether it complied with existing safety regulations.
Police said no further personal details of the identified victims would be released out of respect for their families.
However, some relatives have begun to speak publicly as the scale of the tragedy sinks in.
On Saturday night, the mother of one of the victims, Ms Brodard-Sitre, announced via Facebook that her 16-year-old son, Arthur Brodard, was among those who died.
In an emotional video message, she said the family could now begin mourning, “knowing that he is in peace and in the light,” adding that her son had “left to party in paradise.”
Earlier, while Arthur was still listed as missing, his mother told local newspaper Le Temps that she had been “living a nightmare,” revealing that some of his friends had suffered burns to nearly half of their bodies.
“There are no words – they went through hell,” she said.
Italian media also identified 16-year-old junior golfer, Emanuele Galeppini, as one of the victims.
The Italian Golf Federation paid tribute to the teenager, describing him as a “young athlete who carried passion and authentic values.”
His father reportedly confirmed that the boy was at Le Constellation on the night of the incident, although Italian authorities had initially declined to confirm his death.
US Denies War With Venezuela as Tensions Rise After Maduro’s Capture
The United States has insisted it is not at war with Venezuela, a day after US forces carried out strikes that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in an operation that has sharply escalated tensions between the two countries.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, said on Sunday that Washington’s actions should not be interpreted as a declaration of war, stressing that the operation was “limited and targeted.”
His comments came amid international concern over the implications of the US military action and growing uncertainty over Venezuela’s political future.
According to a spokesperson, Maduro and Flores are expected to appear in a US court on Monday, following their arrest.
The charges they will face were not immediately disclosed, but US officials have previously accused Maduro’s government of corruption, drug trafficking and human rights abuses.
Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino, confirmed that the US operation resulted in significant casualties, claiming that a large part of Maduro’s security team was killed, alongside what he described as “innocent civilians.”
Padrino condemned the strikes as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and accused Washington of using excessive force.
In Caracas, the Venezuelan government formally denounced what it called “military aggression” by the United States.
In a statement, the Venezuelan armed forces said they remain loyal to interim President Delcy Rodríguez, signaling that Maduro’s allies still retain control of key state institutions despite his capture.
Trump, speaking in an interview with The Atlantic, warned that Rodríguez would “pay a big price” if she “does not do what is right,” a remark that has further inflamed tensions and raised fears of additional US pressure or sanctions.
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