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Kamala Harris, in San Francisco, outlines 'profound' stakes of election, raises her own profile

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Kamala Harris, in San Francisco, outlines 'profound' stakes of election, raises her own profile

Vice President Kamala Harris made a trip home to San Francisco on Monday, kicking off the November general election less than a week after Super Tuesday with two campaign events in her old political stomping grounds.

Harris makes frequent campaign and White House trips to San Francisco, where she first rose to political prominence in California when she was elected district attorney in 2003.

But as the general election barrels toward a fierce 2020 rematch between President Biden and former President Trump — whether voters like it or not — Harris traveled back to the Bay Area to deliver a message about what’s at stake on the November ballot.

At two private fundraising events, Harris painted the election as the choice between freedom and dictatorship, creating jobs through the green energy economy or denying climate change, and safeguarding reproductive rights versus stripping women of their bodily autonomy.

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“This is literally about our democracy,” Harris told a crowd of roughly 100 people, including acclaimed singer-songwriter Carole King, gathered at the swanky Pacific Heights mansion of author Robert Mailer Anderson and longtime Democratic political donor Nicola Miner.

“As a role model, people watch what you do, to see if it lines up to what you say,” the vice president said. “So the world is watching this election, not to mention the profound stakes that the American people have in the outcome of this November.”

Polls show the Biden-Harris campaign faces an uncertain path toward reelection, despite Trump’s ongoing legal troubles and skepticism by independent and Republican voters that his second stint in the White House would prove any less chaotic than the first.

Biden also faces apprehension among voters across the political spectrum who otherwise supported him in 2020, including those who worry he is too old to serve a second term and, notably, young progressives frustrated by his support for Israel and resistance to calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

Harris, therefore, serves a critical role in securing Biden another four years in the White House, said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego.

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Kousser said that, although a vice president typically serves as an “attack dog” for an incumbent president on the campaign trail, Biden hasn’t been shy about using the bully pulpit, notably during his Thursday State of the Union address, to slam Trump and the Republican Party.

Instead, Harris appears to be courting a younger, more disillusioned voter base — and attempting to convince the electorate that she is ready for the job, should she need to step in, Kousser said.

“The fact that she has become a more vocal proponent of a cease-fire in Gaza, I think she’s speaking directly to the progressive younger base to say, ‘I hear you and there are voices in this administration who share your concern on this issue,’” Kousser said.

“I think this year is her chance to show what she’s done and reconnect with voters,” he added. “She’s been doing a lot of work in the last four years. This year is her year to speak more directly to the public on the campaign trail about what she’s doing, what she stands for, and give people the sense of what a Harris presidency would be like.”

California is a dependably blue state, and Biden is at no risk of losing here in November. Even so, a good portion of voters remain unenthusiastic about their presidential choices this fall, according to a February Public Policy Institute of California survey.

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Harris has also stumbled in the polls and struggled to distinguish her own leadership in the White House, especially with a policy portfolio that includes some of the most difficult issues in Washington, including immigration reform.

“The American people are struggling under the weight of Bidenflation,” California Republican Party Chair Jessica Millan Patterson said in a statement after Biden’s State of the Union address.

“Millions of illegal crossings through our open Southern border have turned every state into a border state. Disastrous foreign policy has weakened our nation on the world stage. Our communities are less safe as crime continues to run rampant. Our children are struggling in failing schools,” Patterson said. “This November, the American people will finally retire Joe Biden and his disastrous record once and for all.”

Harris’ San Francisco layover was part of a Western states campaign swing in recent days, with additional stops in Arizona and Nevada, swing states up for grabs in November. She’s focused her speeches on preserving abortion access and appealing to Latino voters on issues such as protecting healthcare access and the economy.

Speaking in a voice raspy from her travels, Harris reiterated that message to a group of 30 supporters at a Fairmont Hotel luncheon in downtown San Francisco hosted by Sheldon Kimber, founder and chief executive of the green energy company Intersect Power.

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Harris said voters have a “split screen” choice between Biden and Trump on fighting or worsening climate change, along with other issues under “full-on attack,” such as access to the ballot box, gun control and Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.

“These are very real issues that we are being presented with in this election,” she said. “This is a moment where it is incumbent on each of us to decide what kind of country do we want to live in.”

Los Angeles Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.

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EXCLUSIVE: FBI adds alleged COVID fraudster accused of taking $5M from kids’ meal program to Most Wanted list

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EXCLUSIVE: FBI adds alleged COVID fraudster accused of taking M from kids’ meal program to Most Wanted list

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EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is adding Fahad Mohamed Nur to its Most Wanted Fraudsters List, accusing the Minnesota businessman of allegedly stealing more than $5 million that was intended to feed children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Nur has been on the run since 2022 and is wanted for his alleged role in a fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota’s Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI. The bureau alleges he owned a vendor and purported food supplier that received more than $5 million in fraudulent program funds by submitting fake invoices before laundering the proceeds.

The Bureau believes Nur has ties to Somalia and may currently be living there.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to Nur’s arrest and conviction.

OWNER OF DAYCARE IN VIRAL NICK SHIRLEY VIDEO CHARGED IN $4.6M DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME, PROSECUTORS SAY

Fahad Mohamed Nur has been on the run since 2022 and may be in Somalia, according to the FBI. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

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Nur is the latest addition to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, which officials say has already resulted in the arrests of two fugitives within weeks of its launch.

“Under President Trump’s and Vice President Vance’s leadership with the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, the FBI’s historic ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters list’ has already seen tremendous success – with two subjects brought to justice in a matter of weeks, apprehended out of Somalia and the Philippines,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Patel said the early arrests demonstrate that the FBI is aggressively pursuing fugitives accused of stealing from American taxpayers.

FBI ADDS 2 FUGITIVES TO ‘MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS’ LIST AMID HISTORIC $6.5B HEALTHCARE TAKEDOWN: PATEL

FBI Director Kash Patel conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on Thursday, December 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

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“Our newest subject – Fahad Mohamed Nur – has been on the run since 2022 for allegedly stealing over $5 million from a child nutrition program in Minnesota.”

Patel added: “Collectively, the Task Force has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, and the rapid success of the Most Wanted Fraudsters List should show all Americans that this FBI will [be] at the forefront pursuing the worst of the worst who stole from hardworking American taxpayers.”

DR OZ WARNS MEDICARE SCAMMERS ARE STEALING BILLIONS — AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE NEXT

Federal agents enter an office building as a search warrant is executed at Ultimate Home Health Services over potential Medicaid fraud, on December 18, 2025 in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Federal officials say the investigation is part of a broader government effort targeting pandemic-era fraud.

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“The Department’s robust partnership with the FBI and the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud has already delivered historic results. That partnership grows even stronger today with the addition of this latest subject to the Most Wanted Fraudsters list,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “President Trump has made it clear: Fraudsters no longer have a safe haven in America. Law enforcement will continue to use every tool at its disposal to bring those who steal from American taxpayers to justice.”

The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President JD Vance, has already uncovered more than $13 billion in fraud, according to the FBI.

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Anyone with information about Nur’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, their local FBI office, the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

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Seth Doane and Jim Axelrod among contenders for ’60 Minutes’ roles

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Seth Doane and Jim Axelrod among contenders for ’60 Minutes’ roles

With the 2026-27 season premiere of “60 Minutes” just two months away, CBS News leadership is getting closer to deciding who will fill the recent departures of longtime correspondents Scott Pelley, Sharon Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Anderson Cooper.

Seth Doane, a longtime correspondent based in Italy who is often seen on “CBS Sunday Morning,” is under consideration, along with chief investigative correspondent Jim Axelrod, who currently has a lead role in the “Eye On America” series featured on the “CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil.”

Sir Trevor Phillips, a British journalist and former politician who recently joined CBS News as senior global affairs correspondent, is expected to have a role on the program, according to people briefed on the plan. Phillips had a long career in the U.K., producing and writing documentaries and most recently hosted the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.”

Phillips received a knighthood in 2022 for his service to equality and human rights for the U.K. But he also generated controversy over his career for comments about the British Muslim community, which led to a yearlong suspension from the Labour Party in 2020.

A CBS News representative declined comment beyond saying the division is looking at a number of internal and external candidates.

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Dokoupil is expected to deliver four “60 Minutes” pieces a season. Major Garrett, the network’s chief Washington correspondent, will also have a contributor role.

Matt Gutman, hired from ABC News last year as national correspondent, is under strong consideration. He is being put in front of test audiences, according to several people at the network.

Holly Williams, a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul for CBS News since 2012, and Mariana van Zeller, a journalist for National Geographic Channel, are both said to remain in contention.

The newcomers will join Bill Whitaker, Leslie Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Norah O’Donnell, who are all returning as correspondents. O’Donnell will also continue in her role as senior correspondent for the network, occasionally anchoring specials.

The rebuild of the talent line-up comes after the upheaval at the program that has occurred since Bari Weiss joined CBS News as edtior in chief in October.

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Longtime correspondent Scott Pelley was fired last month after confronting management about the May 28 dismissal of his colleagues Alfonsi and Vega along with the program’s executive producer Tanya Simon and her second-in-command Draggan Mihailovich.

In February, Cooper decided not to sign a new deal as a “60 Minutes” contributor, as the CNN anchor cited a desire to spend more time with his family. But Cooper has reportedly told colleagues that he does not want to work for Weiss.

The internal disruption at “60 Minutes” followed a highly successful season. In its 57th season, “60 Minutes” was the most watched news program on television with an average of 9.1 million viewers a week according to Nielsen data. The program bucked the overall decline in traditional TV viewing by growing 9 percent over the previous season.

After the dismissal of his “60 Minutes” colleagues, Pelley accused Weiss of trying to “murder” the program and claimed she was putting “her thumb on the scale” for more favorable coverage of the Trump administration. He was fired with cause after confronting management at a June 1 meeting.

Weiss came to CBS when parent company Paramount acquired her digital web site The Free Press, known for its criticism of progressive policies and its strong support of Israel.

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Weiss was hired by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison with a mandate to move the news division to the political center. The pronouncement has created the perception that CBS News is looking to placate the Trump administration as Paramount sought regulatory approval for its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which will also give the company ownership of CNN.

The noise surrounding Weiss has hurt CBS News despite strong reporting that is often far from being pro-MAGA. This past weekend’s “CBS Sunday Morning” featured a segment from national security correspondent David Martin about the Department of Defense interfering with the editorial independence of Stars & Stripes, the military newspaper.

Trump complained vehemently about his last interview with O’Donnell on “60 Minutes,” — conducted the day after a gunman tried to enter the White House Correspondents Assn. dinner in Washington on April 25.

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Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises ‘birth packages’ in Mexico: ‘Citizenship is not for sale’

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Abbott orders probe after Texas hospital advertises ‘birth packages’ in Mexico: ‘Citizenship is not for sale’

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered an investigation into a Texas hospital Tuesday after it confirmed to Fox News that it advertised Spanish-language “Birth Packages in South Texas” on billboards in Mexico promoting childbirth services to pregnant foreign nationals near the U.S.-Mexico border.

Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed to Fox News that it was responsible for the advertising campaign, which promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section and directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, that has since been taken offline.

The billboards also displayed a telephone number beginning with “001,” the country code used to place calls to the United States from Mexico.

‘WEAPONS OF MASS REPRODUCTION’: WATCHDOG UNVEILS ACTION PLAN TO CURB BIRTH TOURISM AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING

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Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a bill signing in the State Capitol on April 23, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

“The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. “We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.”

The spokesperson said the campaign included two billboards located within approximately five miles of the hospital near a U.S.-Mexico border crossing. The hospital said both billboards and the website were removed Monday after images began circulating on social media. The spokesperson also said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed.

Abbott on Tuesday directed Texas Health and Human Services Commission Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations.

REPUBLICAN ACCUSES SCOTUS OF BETRAYING US, PUSHES BILL RESTRICTING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, PREGNANT VISITORS

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A Spanish-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)

Images of the billboard circulated on social media before the hospital said it removed the advertisements Monday.

“Birth tourism’ is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year,” Abbott wrote in a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News. “Unfortunately, thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.”

TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

An English-language billboard promotes birth packages at Mission Regional Medical Center, advertising pricing for natural deliveries and C-sections in South Texas. (Right Angle News)

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Abbott directed HHSC to “immediately and thoroughly investigate” the hospital and said any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution.

“American citizenship is not for sale and Texas will not permit our healthcare system to be used as a magnet for birth tourism,” Abbott wrote.

The governor also said he plans to work with the Texas Legislature during its next session “to strengthen state law and eliminate birth tourism in Texas.”

“Unfortunately, birth tourism operations are not a new phenomenon,” General Counsel of the Oversight Project Kyle Brosnan said to Fox News Digital in a statement. “The Supreme Court’s egregiously wrong decision in the birthright citizenship case is going to open the floodgates to the birth tourism industry. Our country is much more than a pile of magic dirt. The only answer to these type of practices are criminal investigations and the mass deportation of illegal aliens.”

Mission Regional Medical Center also said it intends to cooperate with state officials.

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“We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials,” the hospital said in a statement obtained by Fox News. “Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services.”

The investigation comes as President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to limit automatic birthright citizenship for some children born in the United States remains the subject of ongoing legal challenges.

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