International

Vance criticizes Harris at his first solo rally: He has no gratitude towards the United States

The Republican candidate for the vice presidency, J.D. Vance, took advantage of his first solo rally to reproach the current vice president of the United States and Democratic presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, he said, having lied about the state of President Joe Biden and not loving the country enough.

Vance, who on Monday last week was named ‘number two’ of the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), in the electoral contest, chose Middletown (Ohio), his hometown, as the setting.

“When I see her give a speech and talk about the history of this country, she does not do it with appreciation, but with condemnation. (…) Not everything is perfect nor will it be, but if you are going to lead this country you should feel grateful for it. You should have gratitude, and I have never felt that I have it,” he said about Harris.

Vance, 39, also put in the focus of his criticism that the vice president and the rest of the Democratic leadership hid, in his opinion, the deterioration of Biden, 81 years old and that on Sunday he renounced seeking re-election after internal and external pressures.

“Kamala Harris lied about that. My fellow Democratic senators lied about that, as did the media. Everyone who saw Joe Biden knew that he was not able to do the job. And for three years they didn’t say anything, until it became a political deadweight. That’s not a way to manage a game. It’s an insult to voters,” he said.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

The one elected by Trump added that both he and the former president are going to “work hard” to secure the votes on November 5.

“We are going to fight for every worker in this country,” said Vance, who often uses his humble origins to argue that he will strive for the most disadvantaged and will never forget where he comes from.

His speech maintained the same anti-migration and patriotic rhetoric of the Republican tycoon: “We are going to close the border. We are going to put American citizens first because that is what Americans are going to choose us for. It’s about common sense,” he concluded.

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.

International

Trump Floats “Friendly Takeover” of Cuba Amid Rising Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration is considering what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, as Washington continues to increase pressure on the island’s communist government.

“The Cuban government is talking to us and they have very serious problems, as you know. They have no money, they have nothing at this moment, but they are talking to us and maybe we will see a friendly takeover of Cuba,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for a trip to Texas.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba needed a “radical change,” shortly after Washington eased restrictions on oil exports to the island for what officials described as “humanitarian reasons,” amid a deep economic crisis.

The United States has imposed an energy blockade on Cuba since January, citing what it calls an “extraordinary threat” posed by the communist-run island, located roughly 150 kilometers (90 miles) off the coast of Florida, to U.S. national security.

International

Argentina’s Senate Reviews Milei-Backed Labor Overhaul

Argentina’s Senate on Friday began reviewing the Labor Modernization Law promoted by the administration of President Javier Milei, a proposal that would significantly reshape labor rules across the country.

The upper chamber opened its final discussion of the contentious initiative, which revises the method used to calculate severance payments — lowering the amounts owed in dismissal cases — and introduces an “hour bank” mechanism that allows overtime to be offset with paid leave rather than extra wages.

The legislation also broadens the classification of essential services, a change that would place new limits on the right to strike in designated sectors.

The bill was initially approved by the Senate on February 11 and then moved to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers passed it with amendments. It has now returned to the Senate for definitive approval.

Outside the Congress building in Buenos Aires, workers, trade unions and left-wing organizations staged demonstrations beginning at midday. The gathering later thinned out amid reports of disturbances and a strong police presence. Security forces had secured the area surrounding the legislature since early morning hours.

20260224_estafa_mh_728x90

Union leaders contend that the reform weakens labor protections, while many business representatives back the measure but stress that sustainable formal employment will require economic expansion, improved credit conditions, greater investment and a more dynamic domestic market.