News
Kamala Harris: On The Cusp Of History, Ready To Shatter America’s Last Glass Ceiling
For years Kamala Harris faced criticism that she was not up to the job of being a heartbeat away from the presidency. Now, she finds herself feted by Democrats as their best hope to stop Donald Trump’s comeback.
Despite blazing a trail as the first woman, Black and South Asian vice president in US history, the 59-year-old Democrat long struggled with approval ratings as bad or worse than President Joe Biden’s. The last 12 months, however, have revealed a transformed Harris.
And with Biden’s endorsement of Harris after stunning the world by dropping his own reelection bid Sunday, she’s suddenly on the cusp of history.
As the ageing Biden faded over the last year, his “veep” emerged as a force on the campaign trail, pushing for abortion rights and reaching out to core voters, including suburban women and Black men.
Harris will hope she has done the hard work to earn her full party’s backing in the midst of the crisis.
With a fondness for the f-bomb and her family nickname of “Momala” going viral, she has also finally started to cut through the noise to voters who previously barely paid attention.
She has also won plaudits in party circles by staying loyal to the 81-year-old president during the last few weeks, even as political vultures circled over his candidacy.
She now is likely to face Trump — a brutal battle against a candidate who defeated Hillary Clinton in her bid to become the first female commander-in-chief in 2016.
The fact that Harris has blamed much of the criticism of her by Republicans on racism and sexism would likely make a win feel even more vindicating for her.
Trump and other Republicans have notably stepped up their attacks on her as Biden’s position weakened and polls showed Harris would fare better against him than Biden.
A child of immigrant parents — her father was from Jamaica and her mother from India — Harris grew up in Oakland, California, in an activist household that saw her attend her first rallies in a stroller.
Her focus on rights and justice saw her build an impressive CV, becoming California’s first Black attorney general and the first woman of South Asian heritage elected to the US
Senate.
Harris then went up against Biden in the 2020 primaries. In one stinging attack, she criticized him for allegedly opposing the bussing of students to segregated schools.
“There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day. And that little girl was me,” she said in a barbed attack on her future boss.
But as his running mate, she consolidated the coalition that helped defeat the incumbent Trump in 2020. Her transition to the White House, however, proved difficult.
Critics said she was underwhelming and gaffe prone in a job that has been known to flummox many officeholders.
Struggling to carve out a role, she was tasked by Biden with getting to the roots of the illegal migration problem, but fumbled and then got defensive in response to a question during a visit to the Mexican border. Unusually high staff turnover fed rumors of discontent in the vice presidential office.
And Republicans relentlessly targeted her as being unfit to take over should the worst happen to America’s oldest-ever president, often resorting to stereotypes her supporters branded as sexist and racist.
Harris told the Wall Street Journal in February: “I am ready to serve. There’s no question about that.” Things began to change as the 2024 race got underway.
The Biden campaign repeatedly deployed her to battleground states to hammer home the party’s message on abortion rights, with Harris becoming the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic. Gradually, she began to draw warm and fired-up crowds.
Some of the outreach was, however, cringe-inducing. Earlier this year, she was mocked after she told chat show host Drew Barrymore her family sometimes called her “Momala,” and
Barrymore replied: “We need you to be Momala of the country.”
But voters seemed to be switching on.
A clip of her quoting her mother as often saying “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” became a meme, with a rising sense among supporters that now could be her time.
If elected, Harris would break one of the highest glass ceilings left for women in the United States — that of occupying the country’s top office.
Her husband, Douglas Emhoff, would also be breaking new ground, moving from being the current Second Gentleman to the country’s first First Gentleman.
Features
Diaspora Watch Vol. 95
Diaspora Watch Newspaper is pleased to announce the publication of its 95th Edition, offering readers a compelling blend of international affairs, African development, diplomacy, health innovation, security, climate change, and human-interest stories shaping conversations across the globe.
Leading this week’s edition is the inspiring story of Egypt’s teenage sporting sensation, Farida Khalil, under the headline, “Africa’s 14-Year-Old Sets Sights on LA Gold.” The report chronicles the remarkable rise of the young athlete whose extraordinary achievements have positioned her as one of Africa’s brightest prospects ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
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Also making the front page is a major international legal development as a tribunal rules in favour of Britain in “Court Clears UK Over Scrapped Rwanda Migrant Pact,” ending a high-profile dispute over the controversial asylum relocation agreement.
The edition further examines unfolding political developments in the Horn of Africa through “Ethiopia Suspends Voting in Conflict-Hit Areas as Abiy Seeks Fresh Mandate,” highlighting the challenges facing Africa’s second-most populous nation amid security concerns and democratic transitions.
address environmental challenges confronting humanity.
In the area of health and technology, readers will find an insightful report on Thailand’s deployment of an AI-assisted system to improve tuberculosis detection, showcasing how innovation is transforming healthcare delivery and disease surveillance.
Security and geopolitical realignments in West Africa are explored in “U.S. Delivers Military Supplies to Niger Amid Shifting Sahel Alliances,” a report that sheds light on evolving international partnerships and strategic interests in a region grappling with persistent security threats.
The growing impact of climate change remains a central concern in this edition, with the United Nations warning of sustained global heat through 2030, reaffirming the urgency of collective action to
From the United States comes a politically charged story as President Donald Trump advances a proposal for a $250 bill bearing his portrait, triggering sharp reactions from political opponents and reigniting debate over leadership, legacy, and symbolism in American politics.
Diplomatic developments also take centre stage with coverage of efforts to deepen cooperation between the Caribbean and Europe in “CARICOM, Italy Strengthen Bilateral Ties as New Envoy Assumes Office.”
On the Back Page, readers will enjoy a lighter but culturally significant feature as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attracts widespread attention with an Arsenal-inspired outfit worn during Eid celebrations, blending sports, identity, and public life in one memorable appearance.
As always, Diaspora Watch Newspaper remains committed to delivering credible journalism, insightful analysis, and stories that connect Africa, its diaspora, and the wider world.
The 95th Edition is now available to readers across our platforms.
Business
US Threatens New Tariffs on UK, EU, China, 57 Others
US Threatens New Tariffs on UK, EU, China, 57 Others
The United States has announced plans to impose fresh tariffs of between 10 and 12.5 per cent on imports from dozens of countries over concerns that they have failed to do enough to curb the trade in goods produced through forced labour.
The move marks the second major tariff initiative by the administration of President Donald Trump since the US Supreme Court struck down a significant portion of his earlier import duties in February.
According to the US Trade Department, the proposed tariffs would affect 60 trading partners that collectively account for almost all goods imported into the United States.
The department said the measures were aimed at countries that have either failed to prohibit the importation of goods made with forced labour or have not effectively enforced existing restrictions.
Announcing the proposal, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the continued trade in goods linked to forced labour created unfair competition for American workers.
“It creates a dynamic where American workers are forced to compete globally on an unlevel playing field,” Greer stated.
The proposed tariffs have yet to take effect, as the Trump administration is expected to complete the necessary legal and regulatory processes before implementation.
The action follows an investigation launched in March by Greer into whether major US trading partners had taken adequate measures to prevent the importation of products made wholly or partly through forced labour.
Findings from the investigation indicated that 54 countries had “failed to impose a legal prohibition on the importation of goods produced wholly or in part with forced labour and to effectively enforce such a prohibition.”
The report further stated that six trading partners — the European Union, Canada, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan — had failed to effectively enforce existing bans on imports linked to forced labour.
Under the proposal, a 10 per cent tariff would be imposed on imports from countries and blocs including the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Guatemala, Malaysia and Taiwan.
The remaining 45 countries, including China and India, would face higher duties of 12.5 per cent.
Reacting to the announcement, the British government maintained that it was taking steps to address forced labour concerns within supply chains, while China rejected allegations that goods produced through forced labour were entering global markets.
The European Union, however, described the proposed tariffs as unjustified.
An Indian trade analyst characterised the move as a pressure tactic aimed at strengthening Washington’s position in ongoing trade negotiations with New Delhi.
News
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut, Kill Two Despite Fragile Ceasefire
Israeli Airstrikes Hit Beirut, Kill Two Despite Fragile Ceasefire
Israel on Sunday launched airstrikes on southern Beirut, marking the first attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire brokered by the United States last week, as tensions between Israel, Hezbollah and Iran continued to escalate.
Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said two people were killed and at least 20 others injured, including women and children, after Israeli warplanes struck two apartment buildings in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahieh, a stronghold of the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
The strikes came amid renewed hostilities following a wave of missile attacks launched by Iran against Israel on Sunday night, which Tehran said was retaliation for increasing Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon and the outskirts of Beirut.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attacks, saying the targets were Hezbollah facilities operating within the Lebanese capital.
“We struck terrorist headquarters in the Dahieh district of Beirut in response to Hezbollah’s firing at Israeli territory,” Netanyahu said.
The latest bombardment shattered the lower floors of a residential building, leaving apartments exposed and scattering debris, concrete and twisted metal across nearby streets.
Videos circulating on social media showed residents and emergency responders rushing to the scene to rescue victims trapped beneath the rubble.
Health officials in Lebanon confirmed that four women and four children were among those injured in the attack.
An Arabic-language statement issued by an Israeli military spokesman on X indicated that the operation could continue, describing the targeted sites as Hezbollah military infrastructure.
“To be continued,” the spokesman wrote.
The Israeli military also announced that it intercepted two projectiles fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory earlier on Sunday.
Hezbollah later claimed responsibility for rocket attacks targeting Israeli artillery positions at Yiftah Barracks and troops stationed near al-Marj Pond.
The group said the attacks were carried out in response to what it described as repeated Israeli violations of the ceasefire and continued assaults on villages in southern Lebanon.
Reacting to the Beirut strikes, Iranian lawmaker and foreign policy committee spokesman Ebrahim Rezaie warned that Israel would face consequences.
He said Iran would deliver a “decisive and painful response” to the attack.
The renewed violence threatens a fragile truce reached on June 3 after intense diplomatic efforts led by Washington and supported by Qatar.
Prior to the ceasefire, Israel had threatened a major offensive in Dahieh, prompting thousands of residents to flee the area and triggering urgent diplomatic interventions aimed at preventing a wider regional conflict.
United States President Donald Trump had previously announced that there would be “no troops going to Beirut” following discussions with Netanyahu, while Washington reportedly urged Israel to exercise restraint.
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