Ex-House speaker tells event attended by top Californian Democrats: VP ‘makes us proud’. Plus, can grunting improve your gym performance?
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Kamala Harris’s fundraiser in her home state of California attracted top Democrats and amassed more than $12m as she tied up her swing state tour with running mate, the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz.
The event at San Francisco’s Fairmont hotel sold nearly 700 tickets priced between $3,300 and $500,000, and was attended by leading party figures including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and the California governor, Gavin Newsom. Pelosi heaped praise on Harris, saying: “She makes us all so proud. She brings us so much joy. She gives us so much hope,” while describing her as “politically very astute”.
During their swing state tour, the vice-president and Walz saw rallies packed with thousands of supporters. While Harris said the energy in her campaign was “undeniable”, she cautioned against complacency, saying: “We can take nothing for granted in this critical moment.”US accelerates military deployment to region amid reports Iran may attack within days
The US has ordered a strike group of fighter jets and navy warships to hasten its deployment to the Middle East as the region braces for the possibility of an escalation by Iran after the killing of senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Tehran has threatened revenge after the political leader of Iran-backed Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated on 31 July. Iran blames Israel for the killing in Tehran, though no one has claimed responsibility. The US subsequently announced it would help increase Israeli defences by sending additional fighter jets and warships to the region.
