GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire

GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire
1 / 3
Republican presidential hopeful and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at a get-out-the-vote rally in Nashua, New Hampshire on January 20, 2024. (AFP)
GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire
2 / 3
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley runs to the stage at a rally on Jan. 20, 2024, in Nashua, New Hampshire. (AP)
GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire
3 / 3
A climate protester interrupts Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley at a Get Out the Vote campaign rally ahead of the New Hampshire primary election in Nashua, New Hampshire, on January 20, 2024. (REUTERS)
Short Url
Updated 21 January 2024
Follow

GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire

GOP race: Nikki Haley targets Trump’s affinity for dictators during final sprint in New Hampshire
  • Says that apart from being "obsessed with dictators," Trump is too old to lead
  • Ex-Arkansas Gov. Hutchinson quits race, endorses Haley, saying Trump divides America

PETERBOROUGH/MANCHESTER, New Hampshire: Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley accused Republican rival Donald Trump of being “obsessed” with dictators and too old to lead on Saturday in a final stretch of campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday’s presidential nominating contest.

Haley also got a boost to her campaign after former ex-Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson quit the race and endorsed her, saying Trump should not become president again because he "divides America."

The former US president ramped up his verbal attacks and targeted Haley’s Indian heritage as the former ambassador to the United Nations sought to blunt Trump’s momentum following his victory last Monday in the Iowa caucuses.
New Hampshire boasts a more moderate brand of Republicanism with a semi-open primary that can attract more centrist voters, who may be turned off by Trump’s four criminal cases, authoritarian language and efforts to overturn his 2020 re-election loss.
Haley spoke to reporters following an event in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and emphasized Trump’s relationships with strongmen such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Her campaign released a TV ad that will run in New Hampshire featuring the mother of Otto Warmbier, who died in 2017 after being held in North Korean custody. Haley accused Trump of writing “love letters” to Kim after Warmbier was recovered. “He is obsessed with these dictators,” she said.
Haley’s increasingly vocal criticism of Trump is a shift for a candidate who has shied away from sharp attacks on her former boss even as she has sought to sideline him, so far unsuccessfully, in the Republican race.
One of two remaining candidates challenging Trump for the Republican nomination, Haley needs a strong showing after placing third narrowly behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as Trump handily won in Iowa, the first stop in the state-by-state battle to determine the party’s choice to face President Joe Biden, a Democrat who is running for re-election.
The second Republican contest could help her build support as a viable alternative to Trump — or close her already-narrow path to the nomination even before reaching the contest in her home state of South Carolina next month.
Trump also returned to New Hampshire for evening rallies throughout the weekend.
All three candidates are looking ahead to South Carolina. Haley’s campaign will launch a $4 million advertising campaign in her home state, campaign manager Betsy Ankney told a Bloomberg News media roundtable on Saturday.
The former president, fresh after receiving an endorsement from Senator Tim Scott, a former presidential candidate from South Carolina, will be joined at his rally on Saturday evening by the state’s Governor Henry McMaster and other high-ranking officials, according to a campaign official.
South Carolina’s lieutenant governor, attorney general and treasurer, as well as three members of Congress from the state are also expected to join the rally, the official said.
DeSantis, who had largely written off New Hampshire, held a brief last-minute stop on Friday before three events Saturday in South Carolina.
Haley sharpened some barbs against Trump during her final campaign swing through New Hampshire even as she paired them with attacks on Biden and told CNN she would pardon Trump if he is convicted on criminal charges.
On Friday, however, she ruled out serving as his vice presidential running mate as he continued to slam her, including again targeting her given first name on his social media platform. Trump has also amplified false posts questioning her birthright US citizenship.
Haley, the daughter of two immigrants from India, was born Nimarata Nikki Randhawa but has long used her middle name Nikki and later took her husband’s surname.
Haley also again referenced 77-year-old Trump’s behavior at a rally on Friday when he apparently confused Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, suggesting that he is suffering from cognitive decline. “When you’re 80, that’s what happens. You’re just not as sharp as you used to be,” she said.

Dividing America
In endorsing Haley, Hutchinson said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Anyone who believes Donald Trump will unite this country has been asleep over the last 8 years. Trump intentionally tries to divide America and will continue to do so.”

“Go @NikkiHaley in New Hampshire,” said Hutchinson, a conservative whose opposition to Trump became central in his longshot bid for the GOP primary before he dropped out Tuesday.
Hutchinson dropped out after finishing sixth in the caucuses. His backing comes a day after another of their former rivals in the GOP presidential contest, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, endorsed Trump. Another former candidate, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has also backed Trump.
After finishing third in the leadoff contest in Iowa earlier this month, Haley has been looking to appeal to independent and unaffiliated voters in New Hampshire’s Jan. 23 primary to garner a strong finish and turn the race against Trump into a two-person contest.
Haley last weekend won the support of former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican who had fueled speculation that he was preparing for his own third-party bid.
 


Ukraine needs better air defenses, Zelensky says after Russian drone attack

Ukraine needs better air defenses, Zelensky says after Russian drone attack
Updated 20 sec ago
Follow

Ukraine needs better air defenses, Zelensky says after Russian drone attack

Ukraine needs better air defenses, Zelensky says after Russian drone attack
  • Over the past week Russia used more than 800 guided aerial bombs, about 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles of various types
KYIV: President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defenses to protect people after its air defense units shot down 50 of 73 Russian drones launched overnight over many regions.
“An air alert has been sounded almost daily across Ukraine this week,” Zelensky said on Telegram messenger.
Over the past week Russia used more than 800 guided aerial bombs, about 460 attack drones, and more than 20 missiles of various types, Zelensky said.
“Ukraine is not a testing ground for weapons. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state. But Russia still continues its efforts to kill our people, spread fear and panic, and weaken us,” he said.
The Ukrainian military said earlier on Sunday that air defense units had destroyed more than 10 Russian drones that were targeting Kyiv in an overnight attack.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries as a result of the attack, Kyiv’s military administration posted on Telegram.
Reuters witnesses heard explosions in Kyiv in what sounded like air defense units in operation.
“The UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were flying in different directions toward Kyiv,” said Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration. “The air raid alert in the city lasted for more than three hours.”
There was no immediate comment from Russia about the attack.

Uruguay votes for next president in closely fought runoff race

Uruguay votes for next president in closely fought runoff race
Updated 24 November 2024
Follow

Uruguay votes for next president in closely fought runoff race

Uruguay votes for next president in closely fought runoff race
  • Final opinion polls suggest the Nov. 24 runoff promises to be razor tight
  • Fewer than 25,000 votes potentially separating the frontrunners

MONTEVIDEO: Voters in South America’s laid-back Uruguay, known for its beaches, legalized marijuana and stability, will head to the polls on Sunday in a second-round presidential race between moderates that closes out a bumper year of elections.
The vote in the small nation of 3.4 million people sees opposition center-left candidate Yamandu Orsi take on continuity conservative runner, Alvaro Delgado, who has the backing of a third-placed ally.
Final opinion polls suggest the Nov. 24 runoff promises to be razor tight, with fewer than 25,000 votes potentially separating the frontrunners.
Unlike sharp right-left divides in recent elections in Argentina, Brazil or Mexico, Uruguay’s political arena is relatively tension-free, with significant overlap between the conservative and liberal coalitions vying for office, taking some of the sting out of Sunday’s final result.
Ballot stations open at 8 a.m. (1100 GMT) and close at 7:30 p.m. local time, with first results expected two hours later.
Orsi, who has pledged a “modern left” policy approach, won 43.9 percent of the October vote for the Broad Front and will face Delgado, who secured 26.8 percent but also has the backing of the conservative Colorado Party that together with his National Party made up almost 42 percent of votes. The two parties did the same in 2019, winning the election.
Orsi has sought to reassure Uruguayans that he does not plan a sharp policy shift in the traditionally moderate and relatively wealthy nation.
Delgado meanwhile has asked voters to “re-elect a good government,” seeking to capitalize on the popularity of President Lacalle Pou, who constitutionally cannot run for immediate re-election.
Neither coalition has an absolute majority in the lower house following October’s elections. But Orsi’s Broad Front won 16 of 30 Senate seats. He argues his senate majority places him in a better position to lead the next government.
Both contenders on Sunday are hoping to attract the roughly 8 percent of first-round voters who went for smaller, unaligned parties, as well as those who failed to turn out in October.
But neither has made new pledges in the final weeks to appeal to them, and pollsters say a televised debate on Nov. 17 appears to have had little effect.
“I don’t know who I’m voting for,” said Rosario Gusque, 42, from the region of Canelones where Orsi was previously mayor. “Even less so after seeing the debate.”
One question as the biggest year for elections in history comes to an end is whether Uruguay will buck a global trend of incumbent parties losing vote share compared with the previous election. Voters hurt by inflation and high living costs have punished parties in power, including in Britain, Japan and the United States.
A robust Uruguayan economy though could help Delgado on Sunday: “There are few indications that voters are clamoring for significant political change,” said Uruguayan analyst Nicolas Saldias of the Economist Intelligence Unit.


82 killed in three days of Pakistan sectarian violence: official

82 killed in three days of Pakistan sectarian violence: official
Updated 24 November 2024
Follow

82 killed in three days of Pakistan sectarian violence: official

82 killed in three days of Pakistan sectarian violence: official

Peshawar: Three days of bitter sectarian gunfights in northwestern Pakistan have killed at least 82 people and wounded 156 more, a local official said Sunday.
“Among the deceased, 16 were Sunni, while 66 belonged to the Shia community,” said a local administration official in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country but Kurram district — near the border with Afghanistan — has a large Shiite population and the communities have clashed for decades.
The latest bout of violence began on Thursday when two separate convoys of Shiite Muslims traveling under police escort were ambushed, killing at least 43 and sparking two days of gunbattles.
“Our priority today is to broker a ceasefire between both sides. Once that is achieved, we can begin addressing the underlying issues,” provincial Law Minister Aftab Alam Afridi said Sunday.


Pakistan partially stops mobile and Internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest

Pakistan partially stops mobile and Internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest
Updated 24 November 2024
Follow

Pakistan partially stops mobile and Internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest

Pakistan partially stops mobile and Internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest
  • Sunday’s protest is to demand Khan’s release
  • The government is imposing social media platform bans and targeting VPN services, according to monitoring service Netblocks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Sunday suspended mobile and Internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan geared up for a protest in the capital.
The government and Interior Ministry posted the announcement on social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would be in place.
“Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry was not immediately available for comment.
Khan has been in prison for more than a year and has over 150 criminal cases against him. But he remains popular and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, says the cases are politically motivated.
His supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release and use messaging platforms like WhatsApp to share information, including details of events.
Pakistan has already sealed off the capital Islamabad with shipping containers and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with PTI strongholds in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The government is imposing social media platform bans and targeting VPN services, according to monitoring service Netblocks. On Sunday, Internet-access advocacy group, Netblocks said live metrics showed WhatsApp backends are restricted in Pakistan, affecting media sharing on the app.
Last month, authorities suspended the cellphone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to thwart a pro-Khan rally. The shutdown disrupted communications and affected everyday services such as banking, ride-hailing and food delivery.


Fire rips through slum area in Philippine capital

Fire rips through slum area in Philippine capital
Updated 24 November 2024
Follow

Fire rips through slum area in Philippine capital

Fire rips through slum area in Philippine capital
  • Manila Fire District said around 1,000 houses were destroyed in the blaze
  • The structures housed around 2,000 families, according to the fire department

MANILA: Raging orange flames and thick black smoke billowed into the sky Sunday as fire ripped through hundreds of houses in a closely built slum area of the Philippine capital Manila.
Manila Fire District said around 1,000 houses were burned in the blaze that is thought to have started on the second floor of one of the homes.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Drone footage shared online by the city’s disaster agency showed houses in Isla Puting Bato village of Manila razed to the ground.
The structures housed around 2,000 families, according to the fire department.
Village resident Leonila Abiertas, 65, lost almost all her possessions, but managed to save her late husband’s ashes.
“I only got the urn with the ashes of my husband,” a crying Abiertas said.
“I really don’t know how I can start my life again after this fire.”
Fire and disaster services deployed 36 trucks and four fire boats while the country’s airforce sent in two helicopters to help extinguish the fire.
“That area is fire-prone since most of the houses there are made of light materials,” firefighter Geanelli Nunez said.