Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president after President Biden’s announced departure. However, former President Barack Obama did not endorse Ms. Harris, and said that Democrats would pick a nominee at the DNC convention.
In other news, Israel said it shot down a missile launched from Yemen today after Israel’s first public strike against the Houthis.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, DV, JW, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Barack Obama Doesn’t Endorse Kamala Harris, Says Dems Will Pick ‘Outstanding Nominee’
WASHINGTON — Former President Barack Obama didn’t endorse Kamala Harris — saying Democrats would pick an unnamed “outstanding nominee” in his first statement on President Biden stepping aside from the party’s ticket.
Obama, 62, was joined by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in not immediately backing the 59-year-old vice president — following reports last week that both favored an “open” process to replace Biden.
“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead,” Obama said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
President Biden made the historically rare decision Sunday to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, less than four months after being declared the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee and just weeks after a dismal debate showing.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” the 81-year-old embattled commander in chief wrote in a remarkable letter he addressed to “My Fellow Americans.
“And while it has been my intention to seek reflection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.
“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision,” Biden wrote.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
President Biden’s announcement that he was dropping out of the 2024 race stunned a number of White House staffers who believed he would stay the course.
Many reportedly learned of the historic news from social media.
“We’re all finding out by tweet,” one Democrat close to the matter told Politico. “None of us understand what’s happening.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Campaign Officially Rebrands With the FEC as ‘Harris for President’
The Biden-Harris campaign took little time to officially drop President Biden from its namesake Sunday, filing paperwork kicking the president off the ticket just hours after the 81-year-old went public with his political-earthquake of a decision to withdraw from the 2024 race.
In a filing with the Federal Election Commission, the campaign asked to rename itself to “Harris for President” and designated the Harris Victory Fund and the Harris Action Fund as its joint fundraising committees.
“Vice President Harris is now a candidate for United States President in the 2024 election and will henceforth be conducting campaign activities only in pursuit of that office. This committee’s Statement of Organization and the Statement of Candidacy are being amended accordingly,” her team wrote in a notice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Drops Out of the 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses Kamala Harris
President Biden announced Sunday that he was pulling out of the 2024 campaign following a weeks-long pressure campaign from fellow Democrats that began in earnest following his much-criticized debate performance in late June.
“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down,” Biden said in a statement posted to X. He added that he plans to address the nation later this week, but made clear that he intends to finish out the last three months of his term in office.
In a separate post following the announcement, Biden wrote that he is endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris, to be the Democratic nominee for president.
“Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump,” he wrote. “Let’s do this.”
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) is reportedly considering re-registering as a Democrat in order to throw his hat in the ring for the presidency after President Joe Biden bowed out of the 2024 presidential race.
West Virginia’s Manchin left the Democrat party in May and has been rumored to have presidential ambitions. CNN’s Jake tapper reported that sources close to Manchin said he had been considering the idea.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Mail Carrier Octavia Redmond Killed on Her Route in Broad Daylight: ‘Shattered’
CHICAGO — A mail carrier was fatally shot while walking a route in Chicago, authorities said.
Investigators at the US Postal Service are offering up to $250,000 for tips that solve the case.
Octavia Redmond, 48, was shot shortly before noon Friday on South Harvard Avenue on Chicago’s South Side, police said. The shooter dashed off in a vehicle.
James McGee said he was working in his yard moments earlier when he and Redmond exchanged greetings and talked about the nice weather.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Clintons Endorse Kamala Harris Hours After Biden Drops Out
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Sunday that they are endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination for president after President Biden said he would not seek re-election.
Biden announced Sunday that he is suspending his 2024 re-election campaign and announced his “full support and endorsement” for Harris to take over as the party’s presidential nominee.
In a statement, the Clintons said Biden “has capped his extraordinary career of service with a Presidency that has lifted America out of an unprecedented pandemic, created millions of new jobs, rebuilt a battered economy, strengthened our democracy, and restored our standing in the world. By any measure, he has advanced our founders’ charge to build a more perfect union and his own stated goal of restoring the soul of our nation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
BUTLER, Pa. — A lone bike cloaked by a tree’s shade near a Pennsylvania manufacturing facility is a haunting reminder of a gunman’s hail of gunfire that nearly assassinated a former president.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, rode the bicycle to Donald Trump’s rally in Butler and ditched it before he opened fire from a roof about 150 yards from where the former president spoke to the crowd of thousands on Saturday, The New York Post reported.
Crooks left the bike behind in plain sight before he climbed to his perch and unfurled a flurry of gunshots that killed a local hero, who shielded his family, nicked Trump’s ear and wounded two others.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Reacts to Biden Dropping Out: ‘My Smartest Friends’ Are ‘Excited About Trump’
Just minutes after US President Joe Biden announced he was dropping his campaign for reelection, Elon Musk on Sunday said that his Silicon Valley friends had already moved on to the Republican Party.
“My smartest friends, including those living in the San Francisco Bay Area who have been lifelong Dems, are excited about Trump/Vance,” Musk posted on X.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Florida prosecutors who cut a controversial plea deal with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2008 sabotaged themselves by “slut shaming” his teenage victims, the lawyer of one 14-year-old involved in the case said.
Spencer Kuvin, who has represented scores of Epstein’s victims, applauded the recent release of transcripts from the 2006 grand jury investigation into him — which exposed how he stood accused of raping minors inside his Palm Beach mansion.
“They definitely blew the case before it began,” Kuvin told The Post. “The way the prosecution handled this, it was clear they scared the victims and turned the grand jury against them.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A leftist children’s cartoonist who worked as an animator for Cartoon Network, Disney, Nickelodeon, and PBS Kids has been arrested on child sex crime charges in Burbank, California.
Kyle Adam Carrozza, 45, of Burbank, was taken into custody on June 20 and has been charged with two counts of possession of child pornography. He has been accused of possessing over 600 images of sexually explicit photographs or videos of children, court documents show.
According to jail records, Carrozza was released without bail on the felony charges. His arrest came after the Burbank Police Department executed a search warrant at his home, USA Today reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
George Soros’s son and the heir to his liberal empire, Alex Soros, quickly threw his support behind Kamala Harris to be the next president of the United States after President Biden dropped out of the race.
“It’s time for us all to unite around Kamala Harris and beat Donald Trump,” Alex Soros said in a social media post.
“She is the best and most qualified candidate we have. Long live the American Dream.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WASHINGTON — Controversial first son Hunter Biden released a statement Sunday night after his father, President Biden, ended his re-election campaign — saying, “Thank you, Mr. President. I love you, Dad.”
Hunter, 54, has been a central figure during his 81-year-old father’s presidency, frequently appearing with him in public and serving as an informal adviser, despite being a primary focus of the ongoing House impeachment inquiry into alleged Biden family corruption.
“For my entire life, I’ve looked at my dad in awe. How could he suffer so much heartache and yet give so much of whatever remained of his heart to others? Not only in the policies he passed, but in the individual lives he’s touched,” Hunter said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden Ends Campaign, Endorses VP Harris Throwing Election Into Unprecedented Chaos
President Joe Biden ended his presidential campaign Sunday after a politically disastrous debate performance ignited lingering voter and party concerns about whether the 81-year-old was capable of serving a second term in office.
The president announced his decision in a letter posted to his campaign’s Twitter account. Biden said he would fulfill his duties as president until his term ends in January and said he would speak to the nation “later this week in more detail about my decision.”
He also endorsed his vice president, Kamala Harris, in a follow-up message. “I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
President Biden’s re-election operation massively outgunned Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in campaign spending last month, but the incumbent’s polling position only worsened — and he bowed out of the race completely Sunday.
Biden’s campaign shelled out $59.4 million during the month of June, compared to the Trump campaign’s $9.9 million expenditures that same month, according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission.
During that same stretch of time, Trump began June with a 2.2-point lead and ended it with an expanded 3.2-point advantage, according to the RealClearPolitics aggregate of a five-way national race.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kamala Harris ‘Complicit in Massive Cover Up’ to Hide Biden’s Decline: Ron DeSantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that newly minted presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris was complicit in “a massive coverup to hide and deny the fact that Joe Biden was not capable of discharging the duties of the office.” DeSantis, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination during the 2024 cycle, indicated that due to her complicity she is not a viable choice to lead the nation.
“Kamala Harris was complicit in a massive coverup to hide and deny the fact that Joe Biden was not capable of discharging the duties of the office,” DeSantis posted. Rumors about President Biden’s declining mental capacity had been swirling for years, even during his first run for the White House in 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN’s Van Jones broke into tears on Sunday as he delivered an emotional reaction to the news that President Joe Biden was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
The senior political commentator said he was heartbroken over the decision and compared the Democrats’ situation to taking the car keys away from a relative who has become too old to drive.
“He’s fighting and he’s fighting and everybody’s so frustrated. And then you finally get the keys back. And then you just cry,” Jones said on the verge of breaking down live on TV.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
At the Pennsylvania rally where a gunman nearly assassinated former President Donald Trump, the Secret Service expected local law enforcement to contain any threats outside the secured zone but assigned nearly all officers to work inside it.
According to a report by The New York Times, none of the assisting law enforcement agencies, including the Pennsylvania State Police, the Butler Township Police Department, the Butler County Sheriff, and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, claimed they were tasked with monitoring the area outside the security perimeter set by the Secret Service.
This lack of oversight included the complex of warehouses north of the rally grounds, where the gunman gained access to a rooftop just over 400 feet from the podium where Trump was speaking.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Miami Airport Stabbing: Woman Stabbed, Almost Thrown Off Fourth-Floor Railing
A woman was stabbed multiple times at Miami International Airport late Saturday night creating a chaotic scene as airport operations were disrupted and there was initially a fear of an active shooter, according to reports from officials.
The woman was hospitalized in critical condition and a man, who allegedly tried to throw the woman off a railing, is in custody, according to multiple reports. According to airport officials, the airport was back to normal operations on Sunday.
“In the midst of the chaos, officers received reports of a possible active shooter,” Detective Angel Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade Police Department, said in a statement released Sunday morning, according to Local 10 News.
[…]
Rodriguez said in the statement the stabbing happened shortly after 11:30 p.m., at the airport’s Terminal J, on the fourth floor. The man tried to throw her off a railing.
According to a police statement released to Boca News Now, the victim “was able to escape the attack and ran down the stairs to the 3rd floor level, which is where the officers found her.”
The statement said responding officers took the suspect into custody and recovered the knife. The victim was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Rodriguez told Local 10 News that the incident disrupted airport operations and Boca News reported the airport was on temporary lockdown.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
‘Never Mentally Fit’: Republicans Call for Biden to Resign Now That He’s Dropped Out of the Race
Republicans began calling for President Joe Biden to resign the presidency after the president ended his reelection bid Sunday.
Biden announced he would not accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in a Sunday afternoon post on X, following it up by endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. Republicans responded to Biden’s decision to drop out by demanding he resign the presidency.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Not Fit to Serve’: Speaker Johnson Leads GOP Demands for Biden to Resign From Presidency
Republican lawmakers are calling on President Biden to resign from office immediately after he announced he will not seek re-election in November.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said in a statement, “If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”
“If the Democrat party has deemed Joe Biden unfit to run for re-election, he’s certainly unfit to control our nuclear codes,” House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said minutes after the bombshell news broke. “Biden must step down from office immediately.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over a Year in Office, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Campaign Coffers Still Buoyed by Unions
Since his election as mayor of Chicago in April last year, Brandon Johnson has raised $2.6 million, nearly half of which has come from a variety of labor organizations — some of them key backers from his election campaign, others that came around afterward.
The progressive first-term mayor’s continued reliance on union support is no surprise after his campaign was mostly bankrolled by major labor groups such as the Chicago Teachers Union and the Service Employees International Union — two organizations whose leaders retain close access to the mayor, per his public schedules and text records.
But an analysis of his political campaign’s receipts show increasing variety among his labor backers and an overall broadening of his political fundraising sources, including a large check from a Grammy-winning rapper with ties to Chicago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Trump Super PAC MAGA Inc. to Air Anti-Harris Ad in Swing States: ‘Knew Joe Couldn’t Do the Job’
ARLINGTON, Va. —The Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. announced Sunday the release of a new campaign ad targeting Kamala Harris that will air in the critical swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.
The ad, titled “Paid the Price,” highlights the role Harris has played during Biden’s presidential term.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Read Biden’s Full Letter Announcing He’s Dropping Out of 2024 Presidential Race
“My Fellow Americans,
Over the past three and a half years, we have made great progress as a Nation.
Today, America has the strongest economy in the world. We’ve made historic investments in rebuilding our Nation, in lowering prescription drug costs for seniors, and in expanding affordable health care to a record number of Americans. We’ve provided critically needed care to a million veterans exposed to toxic substances. Passed the first gun safety law in 30 years. Appointed the first African American woman to the Supreme Court. And passed the most significant climate legislation in the history of the world. America has never been better positioned to lead than we are today.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RFK Jr. Holds Presser to Seize Moment After Biden Drops Out of Race
In the wake of President Joe Biden’s shocking announcement that he will not be seeking re-election, third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a press conference on Sunday to address the news.
Kennedy initially posted a statement commending President Biden for his decision to step down. However, he then criticized the Democratic National Committee for allegedly attempting to conceal Biden’s health issues from the American public. He also blasted the Democratic Party for “rigging” the nomination process to elect the “monumentally unpopular” Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee.
The third-party presidential candidate reiterated these points during his press conference, highlighting how he previously predicted Biden’s poor mental state would prevent him from executing his duties as president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
This Democratic Ticket is the Betting Favorite With Biden Out of the Race
Political betting markets on Sunday pegged Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as the favorites to appear on the Democratic presidential ticket in the aftermath of President Biden’s decision to drop out of the race.
Harris, 59, is a massive 1/9 favorite (-900) to be Democratic presidential nominee, according to wagers placed on BetOnline.ag.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump revealed Saturday that he was not warned by the Secret Service about the gunman who shot him at a Pennsylvania rally last weekend — despite agents eyeing the suspect for hours before the attack.
“Nobody mentioned it,” Trump, 78, told Jesse Watters in an upcoming episode of the Fox News anchor’s primetime show.
“Nobody said it was a problem,” the Republican presidential nominee said.
“[They] could’ve said, ‘Let’s wait for 15, 20 minutes, 5 minutes.’ Nobody said…I think that was a mistake,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump More Than Doubles Lead Over Biden in Battleground Michigan: Poll
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has a 7-point lead over President Biden in Michigan — more than double what it was just a month ago, a new poll shows.
Trump notched a 49%-42% edge over Biden in a two-race, and in a five-way battle, came out ahead at 43%, followed by Biden at 36%, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at 8%, Green Party hopeful Jill Stein at 2% and Cornel West at 2%, according to the Free Press/EPIC-MRA poll.
In both cases, about 9% of voters were undecided.
[Comment: I know this article is somewhat overtaken by events, but I think it has informative value.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Challenges New ‘Radical Left Democrat’ Nominee to Debate on Fox News
Former President Donald Trump challenged whoever the new Democrat presidential candidate will be to a debate. This after he made handy work of President Joe Biden during their June 27 face-off, which led directly to Biden’s withdrawal from that presidential race on Sunday. In all likelihood, that candidate will be VP Kamala Harris, who was already endorsed by Joe Biden after he quit the race. Many called for him to resign from office altogether.
While Biden dictated the terms of the first debate, Trump had his own suggestions for the second, saying that it should be on FoxNews and should avoid the kind of bias that comes with the legacy broadcasting stations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Whom Could Kamala Harris Pick as VP? Here Are 10 Possibilities
All eyes are on Vice President Kamala Harris after President Biden’s Beltway-shaking decision to drop out of the 2024 race — as speculation runs wild over whom she would tap as a running mate if she snags the nomination.
Harris quickly emerged as the front-runner to replace Biden as the Democratic Party’s standard bearer but has not dropped any major hints about whom she’d like to have as a running mate.
Given the rushed circumstances of the decision, she will have very little time to vet them and ensure that they’d work well together.
But with an intraparty scramble, it would appear likely that she’d tap into the pool of big names who have already generated presidential buzz, rather than a lesser-known figure.
Here are 10 people she could choose from.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Would-be Donald Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks had a good aim, but was “pure evil” according to a man who took a shooting course alongside him.
Air Force veteran Bill Jenkins, 62, was on the range at Keystone Shooting Centre in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, with Crooks less than a month before he managed to get off eight shots at the Republican presidential nominee as he spoke at a rally, grazing his ear.
“I was sitting next to real evil there, it really scares me … I haven’t been able to sleep thinking about it,” Jenkins, a computer programmer, told The Sun.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alberta, Saskatchewan Are Most ‘Dissatisfied’ With Their Treatment in Confederation, Says Poll
A new Angus Reid poll characterizes Québec taking more from its partners as a roadblock “confederational fairness.”
A growing number of Canadians say Alberta currently has a “raw deal” in the federation, with 23% claiming the province gives more than it receives. That jumps to 58% in Saskatchewan.
Conversely, 42% of Canadians said Quebec benefits disproportionately from neighbouring provinces.
Alberta Institute president Peter McCaffrey told True North these polled sentiments are based on irrefutable facts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bureaucracy Under Trudeau Balloons by 42%, Tripling Private Sector Growth
The number of employees on the federal government’s payroll has increased three times more than the population of Canada has since Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office.
Since 2016, just after Trudeau took office, the federal public service has increased by over 108,000 people, or 42%, according to data released by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
During the same period, Canada’s population has only increased by just over five million people or 14%.
Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, told True North that ordinary taxpayers are paying the price for the hiring spree.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Edmonton Man With History of Violence Arrested After Random Attack That Nearly Killed a Man
A 60-year-old Edmontonian was the victim of a brutal, unprovoked attackthat nearly left him dead.
The assault occurred last week in broad daylight near the bustling intersection of 92 Street and Jasper Avenue.
The Edmonton Police Service has reported that an assailant, identified by police as 41-year-old Storm Saskatchewan, attacked the man without any apparent motive.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elections Canada Wants Non-Citizens Barred From Voting in Nomination Races
Elections Canada wants to change rules for the political nomination process in the wake of foreign interference, including measures to bar non-citizens from voting in party candidate nominations.
Other proposed changes include requiring parties to publish contest rules and explicitly outlawing voting more than once.
The changes are listed in a discussion guide intended to help chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault as he drafts his final recommendations for the commission of inquiry on foreign interference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Feds’ Emissions Reduction Plan Hurts Economy, Fails to Meet Objectives: Study
Despite the Liberals making emission reduction a cornerstone of their climate agenda, Canada is projected to fall short of its carbon targets while also harming the Canadian economy.
A new report by the Fraser Institute has concluded that the Trudeau government’s plan to reduce emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 will not be met and policies set to achieve that goal will cap economic growth. As a result, wages will fall, and the average Canadian is set to lose thousands of dollars.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Arrested for Filming Police in Public Files Lawsuit After Charges Withdrawn
A man who was arrested and charged for filming police outside a Toronto police station has had his charges withdrawn and is now seeking damages from the department.
James Hearn was charged with criminal harassment after police approached him while he was filming a Toronto police station from a city sidewalk.
He was arrested after an officer claimed to feel “harassed and intimidated” by his conduct.
The officer demanded to know why he was filming but Hearn refused to answer, which led to him being arrested, charged and held for bail.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Believe Anti-Israel Protesters Vandalized Immigration Minister’s Office
An investigation has been launched after the Montreal constituency office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller was vandalized on Thursday night, police say.
Windows were smashed and walls were painted on, said Montreal police Const. Sabrina Gauthier. She also said that “major damage” was done on the inside of the office, reported The Canadian Press.
Miller said in a social media post he condemned the act but was thankful no staff were injured.
“This is a criminal act, which I condemn unequivocally,” Miller wrote, adding both local police and the RCMP have been informed.
Police say the Israel-Hamas war is likely the root of the vandalism. The act comes after demonstrations from anti-Israel protesters in recent days.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Takes German State-Funded ‘Satirist’ El Hotzo to Task for Calling for His Death
Elon Musk has ignited a heated debate in Germany after calling out Chancellor Olaf Scholz over a controversial tweet by satirist Sebastian Hotz, known as “El Hotzo”.
The incident has exposed tensions surrounding free speech and political double standards in the country as prominent leftist influencers are funded by tax dollars while right-wing publications are cracked down on.
Hotz, a 28-year-old comedian known for his Marxist-aligned political satire, published posts that supported the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump. The posts, which have since been deleted, sparked outrage and led to calls for legal action and his dismissal from public broadcaster RBB.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EUROPOL Chief Warns of Widespread Organized Crime in Europe
EUROPOL Chief Catherine de Bolle has warned that organized crime is spreading across Europe, fueled by an increasing trend of violence among criminals. She made this statement in an interview with the Spiegel magazine.
According to de Bolle, organized crime is “growing” in Europe and “uses every weakness”. She highlighted the growing trade in drugs in Europe, which in turn fuels violence. According to EUROPOL data, cocaine production is thriving in South and Central America, and Europe is awash with the drug.
The EUROPOL chief says that the money made from drug trafficking in Europe is mainly reinvested on the continent and invested in the local economy.
“This makes organized crime one of the biggest dangers of our time,” she warned.
According to her, law enforcement in Europe needs technical means, powers, and personnel to counter criminal networks, and “if we don’t invest more, we will lose this battle”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Far-Left French Lawmaker Declares Israeli Athletes ‘Not Welcome’ at Paris Olympics
A French MP declared that Israeli athletes are “not welcome” at the Paris Olympics and called for protests against Israeli participation in the games.
Thomas Portes, the lawmaker who represents the 3rd constituency of the heavily multicultural Seine-Saint-Denis suburb of Paris in the National Assembly, has come under heavy criticism for saying on Saturday that athletes from Israel should not be allowed to participate in the Olympics.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Establishes Largest Military Encampment in Paris Since WWII for Olympics
PARIS (AP) — A year ago, the head of the Paris Olympics boldly declared that France’s capital would be “the safest place in the world” when the Games open this Friday. Tony Estanguet’s confident forecast looks less far-fetched now with squadrons of police patrolling Paris’ streets, fighter jets and soldiers primed to scramble, and imposing metal-fence security barriers erected like an iron curtain on both sides of the River Seine that will star in the opening show.
France’s vast police and military operation is in large part because the July 26-Aug. 11 Games face unprecedented security challenges. The city has repeatedly suffered deadly extremist attacks and international tensions are high because of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Imprisoned gangsters have claimed they paid female prison officers up to £2,000 for sex in their prison cells.
The allegations have come to light following a string of messages shared between prisoners and former felons in a TikTok chat broadcast from a jail cell.
One Albanian ex-convict claimed: ‘We Albanians have f***** female prison officers for £2,000.’
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Working on Strategy to Modernize Defense Industry
The German government is developing a document aimed at modernizing the country’s defense industry, according to Reuters. The government representative confirmed that the strategic document is being developed across several ministries.
“I can confirm that the government is working on a strategic document for the modernization of the defense industry and security industry,” said the representative, citing Handelsblatt.
According to Handelsblatt, the strategic document will include provisions that will enable the accelerated approval of arms production facilities in Germany, particularly reducing timelines and limiting opportunities for opposition from civilian initiatives.
The three-party governing coalition in Germany plans to adopt the document in August. This comes after reports emerged that German defense company Rheinmetall and Italian company Leonardo agreed to establish a joint venture for the production of tanks and other ground defense systems in early July.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The European Union Calls for Reunification of Cyprus
The European Union has called for a comprehensive and lasting solution to the Cyprus issue, based on relevant UN resolutions, through joint efforts by all parties involved. The statement was published by the European External Service.
The EU released a statement on the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s operation on the island.
“Today, Cyprus, an EU member state, remains divided, with far-reaching consequences, primarily for the Cypriot people. Forced separation can never be a solution. The hope for a better future, a united Cyprus, still exists,” the statement reads.
The EU noted that, under UN leadership, all parties involved, including the two Cypriot communities, “urgently need to demonstrate genuine commitment” to a peaceful settlement based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
“On the backdrop of broad geopolitical shifts and crises, we must unite our efforts to achieve a fair, comprehensive, and viable solution to the Cyprus problem within the UN framework for the benefit of all Cypriots and for stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the statement said.
Earlier, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his support for reunifying Cyprus, stating that a decision should be made through negotiations at the negotiating table.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Shoots Down Missile Fired From Yemen After Striking Houthis
JERUSALEM/CAIRO, July 21 (Reuters) — Israel said it shot down a missile launched from Yemen on Sunday and the Yemeni Houthi movement said it had fired several missiles at the Israeli city of Eilat after Israel’s first public strike against the Iran-aligned group a day earlier.
The Houthis have launched missiles and drones at Israel and disrupted global trade through the Red Sea in response to Israel’s assault on Gaza, further destabilising the Middle East as war in the Palestinian enclave rages on after nine months.
Israel says the Houthis have launched 200 attacks against it since the Gaza war began, many of them intercepted and most of them not deadly.
But a rare Houthi drone strike on Friday hit Tel Aviv and killed one person, prompting Israel to announce its first strikes against the group on Saturday. The strikes by warplanes hit near the Yemeni port of Hodeidah and killed six people, local medics said.
The Houthi movement, known formally as Ansar Allah, said on Sunday it would continue to attack Israel in response.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
As Armored Vehicles Run Out, Russian Brigades Are Adding Dirt Bike Training for Some New Troops
As the Russian military runs low on purpose-made armored vehicles and increasingly turns to civilian vehicles—most notably, golf carts and motorcycles—one Russian army brigade is making motorcycle instruction a routine part of its training regimen.
“The motorcycle school is real,” one Russian blogger wrote in a recent post about the 5th Donetsk Brigade, which fights in and around the town of Krasnohorivka in eastern Ukraine. Estonian analyst War Translated helpfully translated the post into English.
Don’t expect the training to significantly extend the shockingly short life-expectancy of Russian bike troops. Unarmed and lacking in protection, bikes tend to get their riders killed when deployed in direct assaults on enemy positions.
The Russians began assigning large numbers of Chinese and Belarusian dirt bikes to front-line troops back in the spring. The bikes, along with Chinese Desertcross all-terrain vehicles—golf carts, effectively—are helping mitigate growing shortages of armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles as Russia’s wider war on Ukraine grinds toward its 29th month and vehicle losses deepen.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Says Captured Two Villages in East Ukraine
Russia said Sunday its forces had captured two frontline villages in Ukraine, Andriivka in the eastern Lugansk region and Pishchane in the northeast Kharkiv region.
Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky welcomed the arrival of a Patriot air-defence system from Germany, as both sides announced more deaths from missile strikes.
Earlier Sunday, Russia said it had scrambled fighter jets to prevent two US strategic bombers from crossing its border over the Barents Sea in the Arctic.
The two villages Russia claims to have taken are less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from each other on a section of the frontline where Moscow has made grinding advances in recent weeks.
Russian army units “liberated” the settlements of Andriivka and Pishchane “as well as occupied more favourable lines and positions,” Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Says it Scrambled Fighter Jets to Intercept U.S. Bombers Near Border
(AP) — Russia said Sunday it scrambled fighter jets to intercept two U.S. military long-range bomber aircraft that approached the Russian border over the Barents Sea in the Arctic.
“The crews of the Russian fighters identified the aerial target as a pair of U.S. Air Force B-52H strategic bombers,” Moscow’s defense ministry wrote on the social media platform Telegram, specifying that the planes scrambled were MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighters.
“As the Russian fighters approached, the U.S. strategic bombers turned away from the State Border of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said.
The U.S. routinely carries out flights over international waters. Moscow has recently responded more aggressively to the exercises, accusing the U.S. in June of using its reconnaissance drone flights over neutral waters in the Black Sea to help Ukraine strike Russian-occupied Crimea.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kangana Ranaut calls out Sonu Sood for comparing food vendor’s spitting in customer’s food to Shabri episode in Ramayana.
Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | July 21, 2024:: Sonu Sood has faced backlash on social media for defending a Muslim food vendor who spat on a customer’s food. Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has also criticized him, condemning Sonu’s stance on the issue supposedly supporting ‘Halal’.
The actor-turned-MP from Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi, Kangana took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to slam Sonu, who has compared ‘Muslims’ spitting on food for making it halal’ with the episode of Ramayana where ‘Shabri Mata offered berries to Lord Ram after tasting those to check the sweetness’.
“Next you know Sonu ji will direct his own Ramayana based on his own personal findings about God and religion.
Kangana shared her ‘Hindutva’ views while reposting another post, which read, “SHOCKING NEWS… Bollywood actor Sonu Sood justifies sp*itting in people’s food. He equates sp*itting on food by a miscreant with Lord Ram eating Shabri’s berries. Sood said ‘if Lord Ram could eat Shabri’s berries, why can’t he eat rotis that have been spat upon?’ He defended the act of spitting by describing it as an act of ‘Humanity’. He said ‘Humanity must remain intact.’“
The controversy started when a user on X posted a video showing a boy spitting on dough while making rotis (handmade breads). This footage was shared in response to Sonu Sood’s reaction to a mandate requiring eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners’ names.
Reacting to Sonu’s tweet, the user wrote, “The roti smeared with spit should be parcelled to Sonu Sood, so that brotherhood remains intact!”
Responding to the same, Sonu shared, “Our Shri Ram Ji ate the sour berries of Shabri, so why can’t I eat them? Violence can be defeated by non-violence my brother. Humanity must just remain intact. Jai Shri Ram”.
A political slugfest has erupted after Uttar Pradesh government order made it mandatory to display owners’ names on shops and eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route.
Slamming the order, All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said that it reflects the hatred towards Muslims in India.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday termed the Uttar Pradesh government’s directive to food shops on the Kanwar routes to display the details of their owners as an attack against the Constitution. But she never mentioned the counts of violation of the constitution through the display of owners’ names on the shops and eateries. Most of the shops and eateries in India display the signboards mentioning the shop’s name and its owner. Those who have some spike in mind not to disclose their names on shops’ signboards may possess some reason to hide it out of some perpetration.
Even some partners of NDA, the United Janta Dal (Nitish Kumar) and Lok Janshakti Party (Chirag Paswan) have also objected the move of Yogi Adityanath to save the Kanwar Yatra devotees from the Halal and Spitting Jihad perpetration made by a section of fundamental people of Islamic faith.
But, Yog Guru Baba Ramdev on Saturday took a jibe at opposition parties condemning the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government’s Kanwar Yatra order to ask shop owners to display their names and numbers, saying “there is no need to hide the identity”.
“If Ramdev has no problem in revealing his identity, then why should Rahman have a problem in revealing his identity? Everyone should be proud of their name,” he told media persons in Haridwar.
“There is no need to hide the name, only purity is required in work. If our work is pure, it does not matter if we are Hindu, Muslim or from any other community…,” Ramdev added.
Taking his X handle Hindu Existence Editor Upananda Brahmachari wrote, “Good & timely decision taken by (UP CM) Yogi Adityanath and (Uttarakhand CM) Pushkar Singh Dhami to check the perpetrators habituated in spitting Jihad in foods. Ensure to stop #Halal adulteration in the foods taken by Hindu Kanwar Yatra devotees.”
In another tweet, Brahmachari added, “Hindus are not ready to take it for granted any compromise with their religious sentiments & dignity.”
Criticising Sony Sood’s effort to support spitting Jihad, Brhmachari lashed out in X, “The Sonu Sood like people in #Bollywood are engaged to make a twist on all Hindu customs to elevate the Islamic nuisance like #SpittingJihad #Halala #Talaq etc.”
In his Hindu Existence X handle, Brahmachari sharply reacted, “Moron like Sonu Sood can make such interpretations on Spitting Jihad. Comparing ‘Shabri Mata’s offering berries to Lord Ram after tasting sweetness’ with ‘Spitting on Foods to make it Halal’, is nothing but hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus.”
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Chinese Migrants Find New Loophole to Enter US as Biden Crackdown Unravels
Chinese migrants seeking to illegally enter the U.S. are already establishing new routes into the country after a key transit hub was shut down.
Messages between migrants suggest those fleeing Beijing are now flying to Bolivia before embarking on the arduous journey through South and Central America to the U.S. southern border.
It comes after Ecuador withdrew visa waivers for Chinese nationals after it became flooded with travelers seeking passageway to the U.S.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
— after 228 including some in a yacht were brought to shore this weekend
More than 2,000 migrants have arrived in the UK on small boats since Keir Starmer became Prime Minister, as 228 were brought to shore just this weekend.
British Border Vessels intercepted hundreds of migrants crossing the Channel on Saturday morning, including one group in a suspected stolen yacht.
Two hundred and twenty eight people were brought into the Port of Dover, taking the total for July up to 2,228 in 39 boats.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The owner of a Queens store located within 13 blocks of 17 migrant shelters says his business “won’t survive” the rampant shoplifting it has had to endure since their arrival.
Chris Sciacco, the owner of Kaiya’s Pallets at 36-37 31st St. in Long Island City, told The Post his store is targeted as many as six times a week by migrant thieves.
“It’s not fair that these people can come into my store and steal willy-nilly and nothing gets done about it,” said Sciacco.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Premiers Decry Canada’s Migrant Crisis, Call on Feds for More Support
At the Council of Federation, several premiers made an urgent call for the Trudeau Liberals to alleviate Canada’s migrant crisis.
According to the premiers of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and New Brunswick, asylum seekers and immigrants are straining their housing supply, and lengthening queues for social services.
“When it comes to asylum seekers, both Quebec and Ontario bear the brunt of it. We’re just asking the federal government to give our fair share,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters Wednesday. His government has spent more than $1 billion housing newcomers and providing them access to health care and other services.
The city of Toronto received $162 million from Parliament in February to support asylum seekers. Ottawa asked for $32 million to accommodate newcomers two months later.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nail bars and hand car washes will be targeted in a new illegal immigration blitz over the summer, the government has announced.
Around 1,000 staff previously working on the now-abandoned Rwanda deportation scheme will be redeployed to crack down on the beauty salons and car cleaning services.
New Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was designed to ‘increase returns of those with no right to be here and to make sure rules are respected and enforced’ and will see raids on businesses suspected of employing illegal workers ramped up.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“The strength of our organization,” Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle argued in the 2023 report, lay in, among other things, “seeking out the boundless benefits of diversity.”
The Secret Service offers “leadership training on how best to support LGBTQ+ employees” and “training on unconscious bias” which is the idea that all white people are innately racist, and tries to guide more “more inclusive decisions” while “increasing empathy” for minorities.
Special Agents in Charge are tasked with DEI which distracts from their core duties, but diversity and its boundless benefits was not why the Secret Service existed. The Left was.
“Anarchy is a crime against the whole human race; and all mankind should band against the anarchist,” President Theodore Roosevelt had warned in his annual message to Congress.
Several months earlier, a leftist anarchist had murdered President McKinley. Roosevelt, always a man of action, headed out by boat, train and wagon, to the scene, took the oath of office in borrowed clothes and launched a war against the Left.
“When compared with the suppression of anarchy, every other question sinks into insignificance,” he declared while urging Congress to ban leftist literature from the mails.
He wanted to give the federal government the authority to suppress the leftist radicals by signing treaties with other nations to outlaw anarchy “like piracy and that form of man-stealing known as the slave trade; for it is of far blacker infamy than either.”
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
I had wondered who could ever vote for the withered husk that is FJB. Now, courtesy of the Democratic Deep State, I have the answer: No-one will vote for him.
They tried to jail Trump, they tried to kill him, missing by less than an inch. They were left with one option. FJB had to be terminated. It is an open question as to whether he knows. Did he send the tweet? Of course not. Did he sign the letter? It does not look like he did. I suppose he will have to be told eventually. Then again, maybe not, his grasp on reality is tenuous.
But now my question is: who would vote for the cackling hag? Those mail-in ballots will be doing a lot of heavy lifting in the days after the election.
Michelle Obama was always the plan. They’re just keeping FJB in place to keep the 51 votes in the senate for game day.
Big Mike or the Wookie will not be the one to run for president.
She is too whiny and claims that she and her family are oppressed
“Michelle Obama was always the plan. They’re just keeping FJB in place to keep the 51 votes in the senate for game day.”
Keep your eye on Hillary.
Just sayin’..
Look at all the work for the democratic dark ops have to shred millions of ballots and print millions of new fill out mail in ballots . The dead voting block has cause alot of work for them with one of their own dropping out of the race .