International

Kamala Harris debuts as a presidential candidate and highlights the work of Joe Biden

The US vice president, Kamala Harris, praised on Monday in her debut as a presidential candidate the “deep love” for the United States of President Joe Biden and stressed that he has done more in one term than other predecessors in two.

“Joe Biden’s legacy of achievements over the last three years is unparalleled in modern history. In one term she has already overcome the legacy of most of the presidents who have served two terms in office,” she said in her first act as a candidate after the end of Biden’s electoral campaign, who supported her to face former President Donald Trump in November.

In the southern garden of the White House and with dozens of journalists, television cameras and photographers with the focus on it, Harris also praised Biden’s “honesty” and “integrity,” as well as his “deep love” for the United States, which in his opinion have guided him when making the decision to end his campaign.

“His honesty, his integrity, his commitment to his faith and his family, his great heart, and his love, his deep love for our country, I witness it every day. Our president, Joe Biden, fights for the American people and we are deeply grateful for his service to our nation,” Harris said.

They were Harris’ first public words since Biden announced on Sunday his resignation to seek re-election and his support for the vice president to be elected by the party as his successor.

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Harris spoke at an event at the White House to recognize the season of the teams of the National University Sports Association (NCAA), the organization that brings together the majority of American university sport.

Although the most famous teams in the NCAA are usually football or basketball, from which most NFL, NBA or WNBA stars come out, such as Caitlin Clark this year, the association groups 24 sports disciplines.

The vice president already participated last year in the same event, which was attended by more than 1,000 athletes from fifty university teams at the White House.

International

Iran Reports 201 Dead, 747 Injured After U.S. and Israeli Strikes

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported Sunday night (local time) that at least 201 people were killed and 747 injured following attacks carried out by Israel and the United States against the Islamic Republic.

A spokesperson for the humanitarian organization said more than 220 rescue teams have been deployed across affected areas and that relief operations are continuing without interruption. The official highlighted the difficulty of treating the large number of wounded and the urgent need for additional resources in impacted provinces.

Out of Iran’s 31 provinces, 24 have reported damage, according to a statement carried by the Isna news agency. This marks the first overall casualty toll released by Iranian state-affiliated media since the launch of the offensive.

Among the dead are 85 schoolgirls from a school in the southern city of Minab, according to the country’s judiciary. “The number of martyrs at the Minab girls’ school has risen to 85,” the local prosecutor’s office said, as quoted by the judiciary’s website, Mizan Online.

Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian described the attack as a “savagery” that “constitutes a new black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors.”

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Meanwhile, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely amid concerns about possible further reprisals and the broader impact on Middle East stability, energy markets, and global security.

AFP noted that it was unable to independently verify the casualty figures or the circumstances surrounding the events.

International

Pope Leo XIV Urges End to ‘Spiral of Violence’ in Middle East

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for an end to the “spiral of violence” in the Middle East, following military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran and subsequent retaliatory bombardments in the region.

“Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of enormous proportions, I urge the parties involved to assume their moral responsibility and stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss,” the pontiff told the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Speaking during the Angelus prayer, the U.S.-born pope said stability and peace cannot be achieved through threats or weapons. “Stability and peace are not built with reciprocal threats or with arms that sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere and responsible dialogue,” he declared.

The leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics also called for diplomacy to “regain its role” amid escalating tensions.

In addition, the pope urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to urgently resume dialogue after several days of clashes between the two countries.

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International

Security Council to Hold Emergency Meeting on Middle East Crisis

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday condemned the “military escalation in the Middle East” following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes, just hours before an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

“I call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation,” Guterres said in a statement.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday at 21:00 GMT (4:00 p.m. in New York) to address “the situation in the Middle East,” the United Nations announced.

The meeting, during which Guterres will deliver remarks, was convened at the request of France, Bahrain, Colombia, Russia and China, according to a diplomatic source.