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My first mission on day one as President— Kamala Harris
By Mario Deepromoter
Vice President Kamala Harris gave her first in-depth media interview since becoming the Democratic nominee for president, answering questions Thursday from CNN’s Dana Bash.
Pressed by Bash about what she would do on “day one,” Harris focused on what she said was her agenda to bolster the middle class.
“Day one it’s going to be about, one, implementing my plan for what I call an opportunity economy,” she said. “I’ve already laid out a number of proposals in that regard, which includes what we’re going to do to bring down the cost of everyday goods, what we’re going to do to invest in America’s small businesses, what we’re going to do to invest in families, for example, extending the child tax credit to $6,000 for families for the first year of their child’s life to help them buy a car seat, to help them buy baby clothes, a crib.”
Harris added that she would also begin pushing her plan to build more affordable housing across the country.
‘My values have not changed’
In one exchange, Bash asked Harris about policy changes on issues like her past support for the Green New Deal and for a ban on fracking since running in the Democratic primary for president in 2019.
“Dana, I think the most important and most significant aspect of my policy perspective and decisions is my values have not changed,” Harris responded.
She went on to note her commitment to fighting climate change and to try to address the current wave of undocumented immigration.
“We have set goals for the United States of America — and by extension, the globe — around when we should meet certain standards for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as an example. That value has not changed,” she said. “My value around what we need to do to secure our border. That value has not changed.”
On Israel, Harris puts hope on ceasefire agreement
Bash asked Harris if she would consider withholding weapon shipments in an effort to influence Israel as it wages a retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza that has killed 40,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials.
“Let me be very clear. I am unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel’s defense and its ability to defend itself, and that’s not going to change,” she said.
At the same time, Harris took issue with the number of civilian Palestinians that have been killed in Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
“Israel has a right to defend itself, we would. And how it does so matters,” she said.
As for whether she would change U.S. policy if elected president, Harris kept focus on the need for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“We have got to get a deal done. This war must end,” she said, adding that she ultimately supports a two-state solution.
Going on the attack on securing the border
Echoing her stump speech, Harris sought to flip the script on the surge of undocumented immigration that occurred under the Biden administration by blaming Trump for torpedoing a bipartisan Senate compromise to beef up border security and overhaul the asylum process.
“Donald Trump got word of this bill that would have contributed to securing our border, and because he believes that it would not have helped him politically, he told his folks in Congress, ‘Don’t put it forward.’” Harris said. “He killed the bill, a border security bill that would have put 1,500 more agents on the border, and let me tell you something, the Border Patrol endorsed the bill.”
“He killed the bill,” she said of Trump, adding, “I will make sure that it comes to my desk, and I would sign it.”
Pressed by Bash on whether she still supported the idea that the border should be “decriminalized,” as she indicated by raising her hand during a 2019 debate, Harris offered a different view on Thursday.
“I believe there should be consequence. We have laws that have to be followed and enforced that address and deal with people who cross our border illegally, and there should be consequence,” she said.
Pledge to appoint a Republican to Cabinet position
Harris said that if she is elected in November, she would pick at least one Republican Cabinet member in her administration.
“I think it’s important to have people at the table when some of the most important decisions are being made that have different views, different experiences,” she said. “And I think it would be to the benefit of the American public to have a member of my Cabinet who was a Republican.”Not taking Trump’s bait
Bash asked Harris to respond to the incendiary comments Trump made earlier this month during an appearance at the annual convention of the National Association of Black Journalists. During a contentious interview, Trump said that Harris had purposefully misrepresented her ethnic background and only recently “became a Black person.”
But Harris made clear that she wanted no part of what she regarded as a “tired,” racially motivated attack.
“Same old, tired playbook,” she said. “Next question, please.”
“That’s it?” Bash asked.
“That’s it,” Harris responded.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.
In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.
He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.
‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.
Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.
He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.
The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.
According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.
“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.
“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.
“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.
“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.
“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A resident of Ifetedo in Osun State, simply identified as Idowu, had reportedly died in an incident of collapse building that occurred in the town.
The collapsed structure was said to be a dilapidated building that suddenly caved in and killed the woman.
A resident of Ifetedo, simply identified as Ogunyemi, while speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, said operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, responding to a distress call, were at the scene of the incident.
Some NSCDC operatives rushed to the scene after they were informed of the incident. They were joined by some other people in the community.
Idowu was the only person in the building when the incident happened. She was brought out dead from the rubble.
“The incident caused panic in Omiloode Area, where the building is located. The building that collapsed is a dilapidated structure,” Ogunyemi said.
Osun NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Kehind Adeleke, when contacted confirmed the incident, adding that the scene was immediately cordoned off by security men.
“An abandoned dilapidated building located along Omiloode Street, Ifetedo collapsed and killed one Mrs Idowu, who was said to be around the structure when the incident happened.
“The tragic incident occurred at about 17:30 hours on Tuesday.
“Officers and men of NSCDC Ife South Division, upon getting information rushed to the scene of the incident for rescue operation. But unfortunately, the woman had passed on. She was brought out of the rubble dead. The site was immediately cordoned off,” Adeleke said.
LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution
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