Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for 2020 Democratic nomination, endorses Trump against former foe Harris

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, looks on as former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, speaks at the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP)
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, left, looks on as former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, speaks at the National Guard Association of the United States' 146th General Conference, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP)
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Updated 27 August 2024
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Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for 2020 Democratic nomination, endorses Trump against former foe Harris

Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for 2020 Democratic nomination, endorses Trump against former foe Harris
  • In 2019, she was the only lawmaker to vote “present” when the House of Representatives impeached Trump for his dealings with Ukraine

WASHINGTON: Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has endorsed Donald Trump’s presidential bid, furthering her shift away from the party she sought to represent four years ago and linking herself to the GOP nominee’s critiques of Vice President Kamala Harris and the chaotic Afghanistan War withdrawal.

Appearing Monday with Trump in Detroit, Gabbard, a National Guard veteran who served two tours of duty in the Middle East before representing Hawaii in the US House, said the GOP nominee “understands the grave responsibility that a president and commander in chief bears for every single one of our lives.”

The pair appeared at the National Guard Association of the United States on the third anniversary of the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghans. Gabbard accompanied Trump earlier Monday to Arlington National Cemetery, where the former president laid wreaths in honor of three of the slain service members — Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.

On Monday, Gabbard praised Trump for “having the courage to meet with adversaries, dictators, allies and partners alike in the pursuit of peace, seeing war as a last resort.” She condemned the Democratic White House for the US now “facing multiple wars on multiple fronts in regions around the world and closer to the brink of nuclear war than we ever have been before.”

The former president’s team announced later Monday that Gabbard would moderate a town hall with Trump that the campaign was planning for Thursday in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Gabbard has long signaled some level of support for Trump, even while she sat in the US House as a Democrat. In 2019, she was the only lawmaker to vote “present” when the House of Representatives impeached Trump for his dealings with Ukraine.

Gabbard was known during her four House terms for taking positions at odds with her own party’s establishment. She was an early and vocal supporter of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 Democratic presidential primary run, which made her popular with progressives.

Not seeking reelection in 2020, Gabbard ran for president herself instead, saying US wars in the Middle East destabilized the region, made the US less safe and cost thousands of American lives, and that Democrats and Republicans shared the blame. She tore into Harris’ record during a primary debate and ultimately outlasted her in that race, which President Joe Biden ultimately won.

Gabbard endorsed Biden but became an independent two years later, saying the Democratic Party was dominated by an “elitist cabal of warmongers” and “woke” ideologues. In the years since she has campaigned for several high-profile Republicans, become a contributor to Fox News and started a podcast.

Another former Democratic presidential contender also just recently endorsed Trump. Last week, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who last year ran as a Democrat challenging Biden for the nomination — suspended his campaign and said he was backing Trump in the general election.

 

 


Nigeria’s former president Buhari dead at 82

Nigeria’s former president Buhari dead at 82
Updated 10 sec ago
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Nigeria’s former president Buhari dead at 82

Nigeria’s former president Buhari dead at 82
ABUJA: Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari — who led his country first as a junta strongman and later as an elected democrat — died Sunday at the age of 82, an aide said.
Buhari governed Nigeria with a strong hand as a military ruler in the 1980s before reinventing himself as a “converted democrat,” serving two terms from 2015 to 2023.
“The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, this afternoon in a clinic in London,” Garba Shehu, who served as Buhari’s spokesman during his presidency, said in a post on social media.
Current President Bola Tinubu said in a statement that he had spoken with Buhari’s widow and ordered Vice President Kashim Shettima to go to England to accompany Buhari’s body back to Nigeria.
The rake-thin 82-year-old Muslim from Nigeria’s far north made history as the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent leader at the ballot box in 2015.
His election victory in a country where re-election for the incumbent had been taken for granted was seen as a rare opportunity for Nigeria to change course.
But his time at the helm failed to halt the country’s long-standing issues of graft and insecurity, while the oil giant was further dogged by economic woes.

’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report

’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report
Updated 4 min 12 sec ago
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’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report

’Inexcusable’ failures led to Trump assassination attempt: Senate report
  • A congressional inquiry accused the Secret Service of ‘a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life’
  • Six unidentified Secret Service staff have been disciplined with punishments range from 10 to 42 days’ suspension without pay

WASHINGTON: A congressional inquiry into the attempt to assassinate US President Donald Trump at a campaign rally a year ago on Sunday lamented “inexcusable” failures in the Secret Service’s operations and response, and called for more serious disciplinary action.

On July 13, 2024, a gunman shot the then-Republican presidential candidate during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear.

One bystander was killed and two other people in addition to Trump were wounded before a government sniper killed the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks.

“What happened was inexcusable and the consequences imposed for the failures so far do not reflect the severity of the situation,” said the report released by the US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

The dramatic incident energized Trump’s bid to return to the White House, with his campaign using a photo of him bloodied and pumping his fist as he was hurried offstage to woo voters.

The report did not shed new light on the gunman’s motive, which still remains a mystery, but accused the Secret Service of “a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life.”

“The United States Secret Service failed to act on credible intelligence, failed to coordinate with local law enforcement,” said the committee’s Republican chairman Rand Paul.

“Despite those failures, no one has been fired,” he added.

“It was a complete breakdown of security at every level-fueled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats.

“We must hold individuals accountable and ensure reforms are fully implemented so this never happens again.”

Staff disciplined

The Secret Service cited communication, technical and human errors and said reforms were underway, including on coordination between different law enforcement bodies and establishment of a division dedicated to aerial surveillance.

Six unidentified staff have been disciplined, according to the agency. The punishments range from 10 to 42 days’ suspension without pay, and all six were put into restricted or non-operational positions.

Reflecting on the assassination attempt earlier this week, Trump said “mistakes were made” but that he was satisfied with the investigation.

In an interview with his daughter-in-law on Fox News’ “My View with Lara Trump,” Trump said the sniper “was able to get him from a long distance with one shot. If he didn’t do that, you would have had an even worse situation.”

“It was unforgettable,” Trump said of the events.

“I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There’s no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming.”


Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine

Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine
Updated 33 min 19 sec ago
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Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine

Russia’s Lavrov visits Beijing to discuss Ukraine
  • Russia’s top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea
  • China claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met Sunday in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart to discuss Ukraine and relations with the United States.

Russia’s top diplomat arrived in China following a visit to North Korea, where he received assurances of support in its conflict with Ukraine.

Lavrov and Wang Yi “discussed relations with the United States and the outlook for settling the Ukrainian crisis,” Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

China, a diplomatic and economic ally of Moscow, claims to be neutral in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

But it has never denounced Russia’s 2022 invasion nor called for it to withdraw its troops, and many of Ukraine’s allies believe that China has provided support for Russia.

Beijing regularly calls for an end to the fighting, while also accusing Western countries of prolonging the conflict by arming Ukraine.

The statement from the Russian foreign ministry said Levrov and Yi also discussed other “burning issues” such as the war in Gaza and the “situation on the Korean peninsula.”


Hundreds sign letter opposing ban on Palestine Action, calling it ‘major assault on freedoms’

Hundreds sign letter opposing ban on Palestine Action, calling it ‘major assault on freedoms’
Updated 13 July 2025
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Hundreds sign letter opposing ban on Palestine Action, calling it ‘major assault on freedoms’

Hundreds sign letter opposing ban on Palestine Action, calling it ‘major assault on freedoms’
  • Palestine Action, known for its direct action protests targeting UK-based Israeli weapons factories and their supply chains, was officially proscribed under anti-terrorism laws

LONDON: Hundreds of trade unionists, activists, politicians and campaigners have signed an open letter condemning the UK government’s recent decision to ban the protest group Palestine Action, describing the move as “a major assault on our freedoms.”

Palestine Action, known for its direct action protests targeting UK-based Israeli weapons factories and their supply chains, was officially proscribed under anti-terrorism laws earlier this month after a parliamentary vote.

The ban makes it a criminal offence to be a member of or express support for the group. A last-minute legal challenge to halt the proscription was unsuccessful.

“Peaceful protest tactics which damage property or disrupt ‘business-as-usual’ in order to call attention to the crimes of the powerful have a long and proud history. They are more urgent than ever in response to Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people,” the open letter, which has gathered more than 900 signatures so far, argued. 

Among the signatories are singer Charlotte Church and long-time environmental and human rights activist Angie Zelter, who was previously acquitted after disarming a BAE Hawk jet and destroying infrastructure linked to Britain’s Trident nuclear weapons system, The Guardian newspaper reported.

Elected representatives also joined the list of supporters, including James Dornan, Scottish National Party MSP for Cathcart, who last week tabled a motion in the Scottish parliament calling for the Israeli military to be designated a terrorist organization.

Glasgow Trades Union Council, which is collectively backing the letter, issued a statement saying: “As the UK government is attacking our civil liberties, we must ask ourselves if not now, then when?”

Anne Alexander, a University of Cambridge researcher and UCU activist who helped organize the letter, said the response showed widespread opposition to the government's stance.

“The response to this open letter shows that people up and down the country want to stop arms going to Israel and that they don’t agree that a direct action group are ‘terrorists’ because they tried to disrupt the supply chain fuelling a genocide,” she said.

The draft order to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 was put forward by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and passed the House of Commons on July 2 by 385 votes to 26.

The legislation included a ban on two neo-Nazi organisations, the Maniacs Murder Cult and the Russian Imperial Movement.

Some MPs and human rights groups have been critical of the government for the move, suggesting that combining Palestine Action with white supremacist groups in a single motion placed political pressure on MPs to support the measure.


EU and Indonesia announce ‘political agreement’ on trade deal

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announce a “political agreement” to conclude the deal.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announce a “political agreement” to conclude the deal.
Updated 58 min 11 sec ago
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EU and Indonesia announce ‘political agreement’ on trade deal

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announce a “political agreement” to conclude the deal.
  • European bloc and Southeast Asia’s largest economy have been negotiating since 2016 to agree a deal that is expected to increase trade and investment

BRUSSELS: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday announced a “political agreement” to conclude a long-awaited free trade deal, as US leader Donald Trump upends global commerce.

“We’re living in turbulent times and when economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together. So today we’re taking a big step forward in this partnership,” von der Leyen told journalists in Brussels.

“I am very pleased to report that we have just reached a political agreement on an ambitious Free Trade Agreement.”

The 27-nation European bloc and Southeast Asia’s largest economy have been negotiating since 2016 to agree a deal that is expected to increase trade and investment.

A European Commission statement called Sunday’s agreement a “decisive milestone” toward striking the deal — which is to be concluded in September by EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic and Indonesia’s chief economic minister Airlangga Hartarto.

“There’s a lot of untapped potential in our trade relationship. And therefore this agreement comes at the right time, because the new agreement will open new markets,” von der Leyen said.

“It will create more opportunities in key industries, in business activity and agriculture, in automotive and in services.”

Brussels has stepped up efforts to improve ties with key potential partners around the world as Trump threatens a trade war with sweeping tariffs.

“This big and important political agreement on the free trade agreement with Indonesia is today a huge milestone forward, and shows that we’re looking for new markets, open markets,” von der Leyen said.

Prabowo called the announcement in Brussels a “breakthrough.”

“After 10 years of negotiations, we have concluded the agreement to have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which basically is a free trade agreement,” he said.

The president said “we consider Europe still a very important factor, and we would like to see a very strong Europe.”

But he insisted that “the United States will be always a very important leader in the world.”

The European Union is Indonesia’s fifth-largest trading partner with bilateral trade between them reaching $30.1 billion last year.

Ties had been frayed by a proposed EU import ban on products linked to deforestation that has angered Indonesia because it is a major palm oil exporter.

That legislation has been delayed to the end of this year.