International

Arizona, the U.S. border trophy that is contested by Democrats and Republicans in 2024

– Arizona, the only ‘hinge’ state that borders Mexico, has become one of the longed-for trophies for White House candidates who know that every vote counts there, after surprisingly opting for the Democrats in 2020 by only eleven thousand votes and with the help of Latino voters.

Both the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and that of former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) are investing valuable resources in Arizona in search of their 11 electoral votes in the midst of a very close national campaign for next November’s elections.

This Friday Harris will hold together with his running mate, the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, a rally in Glendale (Arizona), 14 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of Phoenix, as part of a tour of key states.

It is the fourth visit of the Democrat to that state this year, the first since President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and supported her in her aspirations.

Harris participated on June 24 in an event that promoted reproductive rights on the second anniversary of the annulment by the U.S. Supreme Court of the Roe v. Wade, who protected the right to abortion, a crucial issue in Arizona.

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But in Arizona there are long-standing battles that matter a lot to voters, such as immigration, one of the weapons of Trump’s campaign, and which was taken up last week by Vice-Presidential candidate J.D. Vance, on a visit to Cochise County.

At a conference on the border wall, the Republican senator for Ohio criticized Harris by saying that he had “failed” in his work of containing undocumented immigrants, whom he blamed for leaving schools and hospitals without resources.

But Vance stepped on moving land. The anti-immigrant speech that once promoted the approval in Arizona of SB-1070, one of the toughest state laws against the undocumented, took a toll on the ultra-conservatives, in a state that was one of its safest bastions.

After campaigns promoted by immigrant advocates and Latino organizations to repeal the law, Democrats have been gaining ground in election positions previously intended for Republicans as the two seats of the U.S. Senate.

The red party suffered its loss in 2020 when Biden won the state by 11,000 votes, a victory that did not take place since former President Bill Clinton won in 1996.

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A greater registration and participation of Latinos were some of the factors for the Democrat to beat Trump. The electoral authorities endorsed the winner, despite the efforts of the former president’s allies, of whom more than a dozen are accused of electoral fraud, including a Trump lawyer.

Another factor for this change has been a greater participation of young Latinos, who through social networks have been key to spreading the message of the importance of the vote, a loot that Harris wants to capture.

The economy, inflation and security continue to be other important factors that will tip the balance, according to a recent CBS survey.

The most recent HighGround Public Affairs survey, conducted between July 31 and August 5, shows that Vice President Harris has a 2.8 percentage point advantage over former President Donald Trump in Arizona. A technical tie taking into account that the margin of error of the survey of 4.38%.

However, Harris could consolidate if you take into account the eleven percentage points that Democratic congressman Rubén Gallego, who is looking for a chair in the U.S. Senate, in front of Trumpist candidate Kari Lake.

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In addition, several Republican figures, including the influential mayor of Mesa, John Giles, have turned their backs on Trump and seem to opt for the Democratic candidate.

International

Bill Gates to testify before Congress over Epstein connections

Bill Gates is set to testify on June 10 before a congressional committee in United States investigating links connected to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Tuesday.

The Microsoft co-founder is among several high-profile figures named in documents released by the Department of Justice, which detail alleged close associations, questionable financial dealings, and private photographs involving Epstein.

According to a spokesperson cited by Politico, Gates “welcomes” the opportunity to appear before the committee. The representative emphasized that Gates “never attended or participated in any illegal activities with Epstein” and is prepared to answer questions to support the investigation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.

In late February, Gates told members of his foundation’s board that his association with Epstein was a “huge mistake.” He has consistently denied any involvement in the financier’s criminal activities. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors.

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“I did nothing illegal. I saw nothing illegal,” Gates said, according to a recording obtained by The Wall Street Journal.

Gates acknowledged that his relationship with Epstein began in 2011, three years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

A draft email written by Epstein and released by the Department of Justice referenced alleged extramarital relationships involving Gates. The message, which was apparently never sent, claimed that Epstein had helped “Bill” obtain medication related to encounters with Russian women.

Gates admitted to having had two extramarital affairs but denied any involvement with Epstein’s victims.

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International

Former Trump allies call for removal, cite 25th Amendment amid Iran threats

Former allies of U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for his removal from office, arguing he is unfit to continue in the role following recent threats to “wipe out an entire civilization,” made just hours before the deadline of his ultimatum to Iran.

One of the most prominent voices was former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who invoked the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a mechanism to remove the president from power.

“25th Amendment! Not a single bomb has fallen on the U.S. We cannot annihilate an entire civilization. This is evil and insanity,” Greene wrote on social media platform X.

Greene, once a leading figure within Trump’s political movement during his first term, broke with the president last November over disagreements on foreign policy and his handling of controversial cases.

Another former supporter, controversial commentator Alex Jones, also raised the possibility of applying the constitutional provision during his show, in a conversation with attorney Robert Barnes.

Barnes explained that invoking the 25th Amendment requires the support of two-thirds of Congress, making it a more complex process than impeachment.

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Section 4 of the amendment, ratified in 1967, establishes that the vice president, together with a majority of the cabinet, can declare the president unable to perform the duties of the office, a decision that must then be confirmed by both chambers of Congress.

The statements come amid rising international tensions and increasing domestic political pressure on the president.

International

Trump pauses strikes on Iran, extends ultimatum by two weeks

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a temporary suspension of attacks against Iran for a period of two weeks, extending the ultimatum he had imposed on Tehran just hours before its deadline.

According to the president, the measure is conditional on Iran allowing the “full, immediate, and secure” reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump stated that the decision would involve a reciprocal ceasefire between both parties.

The announcement was made through a message on his social media platform, where he emphasized that the pause in military actions is intended to create space for de-escalation in the region.

He also noted that the decision followed a conversation with the prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, who requested a two-week extension of the ultimatum.

The move comes amid heightened global tensions, marked by escalating threats and concerns over the potential impact of the conflict on key international energy trade routes.