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Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democrats’ vice-presidential nomination on Wednesday night, becoming the first black woman and first Asian American to make the presidential ticket for a major party.
Speaking in a deserted exhibit hall in Delaware for the third night of the Democratic national convention (DNC), the California senator took the opportunity to praise the values instilled in her by her parents – both immigrants – and roundly condemn Donald Trump’s “failure of leadership”, positioning the upcoming election as “a chance to change the course of history”.
The penultimate night of the convention also had Barack Obama deliver his most scathing attack on Trump yet, urging voters “not to let them take away your democracy” while heaping praise on his “brother” Joe Biden. Obama’s criticism at his successor was the most searing ever levied by a former president at a party convention, David Smith writes.
I did hope, for the sake of our country, that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously, that he might come to feel the weight of the office. But he never did.
Strategists offer insight into the appearances by rebel Republicans who have crossed the floor to show their support for Biden at the DNC, suggesting the endorsements are targeted attempts to combat views of Harris and Biden as having a “socialist agenda”, and to attempt to win back Republican voters dissatisfied with Trump.
Trump tacitly endorses conspiracy theory deemed potential domestic terrorism threat
Trump appeared to praise followers of QAnon, a baseless rightwing conspiracy theory that has been linked to numerous acts of violence and was deemed a potential domestic terrorist threat by the FBI last year. The president described them as people who “love our country”, and “like me very much”. His comments about QAnon, which posits that the president is secretly battling a “deep state” of global elites involved in paedophilia, human trafficking and harvesting a life-extending chemical from abused children, were met with jubilation from online QAnon communities.
It comes after Facebook removed or restricted more than 10,000 groups, pages and Instagram accounts linked with QAnon on Wednesday, as the company attempts to crackdown on the spread of movements that have “demonstrated significant risks to public safety”.
Election officials have said voter confidence has been undermined by Trump’s attacks on the postal service. They are already receiving floods of questions from voters who are concerned about whether their mail-in vote will properly count. Does mail-in voting lead to greater fraud? Your questions answered.
The government will activate a controversial mechanism aimed at reimposing UN sanctions on Iran, marking an escalation of the US’s row with its European allies over repercussions for the Iranian nuclear deal.
Thousands evacuated as California wildfires overwhelm state
Tens of thousands of Californian residents have been forced to flee their homes after an “overwhelming fire siege” sparked by lightning and nurtured by a heatwave and high winds. The state has so far recorded 367 fires, with governor Gavin Newsom admitting emergency services were “challenged right now”.
In Florida, the coronavirus death toll has reached 10,000, the fifth highest US death toll after New York, New Jersey, California and Texas. The US now has more than 5.5 million cases, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, roughly a quarter of the world’s total, and has recorded 173,181 deaths.
In other news …
The Russian activist Alexei Navalny is unconscious after being ‘poisoned’, according to his press secretary. The outspoken critic of the Russian president is on a ventilator in hospital after drinking tea allegedly laced with a toxic substance.
Gas companies are waging war against climate action, and are responsible for a sophisticated pushback plan against action they consider threatening to their business, a Guardian investigation has revealed.
Netflix’s Tiger King zoo has announced it will be closing immediately after the suspension of its licence, with owner Jeff Lowe, former business partner to “Joe Exotic”, claiming pressure from animal rights charity Peta was responsible.
The fight to get endangered species protection for Joshua trees has met stiff opposition from local officials who claim the “red tape” protections may prevent housing development and economic growth.
Great reads
How the climate crisis is already harming the US
This photo essay highlights the alarming damage the climate crisis is currently having on America, from Alaska, which is one of the fastest warming regions on earth, to the northern great plains, where severe droughts are increasing.
Fashion and sexual assault: workers recall widespread abuse in jeans factories
Annie Kelly investigates the sexual crimes at the hands of clothing factory supervisors against workers, who say they face losing their jobs if they don’t agree to sexual encounters with male superiors.
Opinion
With more than three times as many unemployed Americans as job openings in the US, more must be done to ensure workers have better pay and safety measures, and we must stop pointing the finger at employees for economic problems, says Moira Herbst.
The combined wealth of billionaires like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg has jumped by billions of dollars since the start of the pandemic. Who was that again who is ‘overpaid’?
Last Thing
It may seem premature, but one Spanish city has already started setting up its Christmas lights. The mayor of Vigo’s said he planned to invite the mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio, to take in the views of the city’s Christmas display, saying: “When it comes to lights, New York can’t compete with Vigo.”
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