Biden ‘not confident’ in peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses election
President Joe Biden is expressing his concerns over a peaceful transfer of power should former President Donald Trump lose November’s election. In a preview of a CBS News interview President Joe Biden released by the network on Wednesday, Aug. 7, reporter Robert Costa asked Biden about a peaceful transfer in January. Biden replied, “If Trump loses, I’m not confident at all.”
“He means what he says,” Biden said. “He means it, all the stuff about if we lose there will be a bloodbath.”
Biden added, “You can’t love your country only when you win.”
Trump’s “bloodbath” comments came during a rally in March. The former president has said he was referring to a “bloodbath” in the economy and auto industry if he loses the 2024 election.
Three months later, Trump was asked during the presidential debate on June 27 whether he would accept the 2024 election results. He said as long as it’s a “fair and legal” election, he’ll accept whatever the results are come November.
The full CBS News interview will air on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Prosecutors say Romanian businessman hired Hunter Biden to ‘influence’ US policy
With a month to go until Hunter Biden’s federal tax trial, prosecutors are making new allegations the president’s son accepted payments from a Romanian businessman to influence U.S. policy. And new details are emerging about the terror plot that resulted in the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Austria. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
Prosecutors say Romanian businessman hired Hunter Biden to ‘influence’ U.S. policy
New details are coming out of Hunter Biden’s federal tax case. While the trial doesn’t begin until September, there’s a new court filing from the special counsel laying out a new allegation the prosecution plans to bring up.
Federal prosecutors allege the president’s son was compensated by a Romanian businessman who was trying to influence U.S. policy and end a local investigation of him in Romania.
According to the Wednesday, Aug. 7 filing, the special counsel intends to go after Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings even more, including his association with Burisma — a Ukrainian natural gas company — and an energy company in China.
The prosecution said it evidence will show he “performed almost no work in exchange for millions of dollars” from these entities and will speak to Hunter Biden’s “state of mind” and “intent” during the years in question.
Hunter Biden’s team had requested certain evidence be omitted from trial, questioning its relevance to the federal tax charges, which include failing to pay taxes, failing to file, and filing a fraudulent form.
He’s charged with three felonies and six misdemeanors in the tax case. The president’s youngest son is accused of failing to pay more than a million dollars in taxes between 2016 and 2019. Prosecutors allege he used the funds to live lavishly, including spending millions on drugs, escorts and luxury cars. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty in the case.
This is separate from Hunter Biden’s federal gun case where he was convicted in June of lying about his illegal drug use while filling out a form to purchase a gun. He has not been sentenced yet in that case.
Biden ‘not confident’ in peaceful transfer of power if Trump loses election
We’re getting a preview of President Joe Biden’s one-on-one interview with CBS News. While the full interview will air on Sunday, Aug. 11, there’s a clip that is getting a lot of attention Thursday morning, Aug. 8.
CBS News reporter Robert Costa asked the president if he’s confident there will be a peaceful transfer of power in January.
“If Trump loses, I’m not confident at all,” Biden said. “He means what he says, he means it, all the stuff about if we lose there will be a bloodbath.”
He added, “You can’t love your country only when you win.”
Trump’s “bloodbath” comments came during a rally in March. The former president has said he was referring to a “bloodbath” in the economy and auto industry if he loses the 2024 election.
Three months later, Trump was asked during the presidential debate on June 27 whether he would accept the 2024 election results. He said as long as it’s a “fair and legal” election, he’ll accept whatever the results are come November.
Taylor Swift shows in Austria canceled over foiled terror plot
Three of Taylor Swift’s concerts set for Vienna, Austria have been canceled after authorities say they foiled a terror attack planned for that leg of her Eras Tour. Austrian police said they’ve arrested two suspects who they say are ISIS sympathizers and became “radicalized by the internet.”
Police chemical substances and technical devices were found at the home of a 19-year-old suspect and are being evaluated. Authorities also said they’ve made “further detentions” but didn’t give any more details.
The concert’s promoter said all tickets for the canceled shows will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days.
Family of French explorer killed in Titan catastrophe files $50M lawsuit
The family of French explorer Paul Henri Nargeolet who died when the Titan submersible imploded during a deep dive to the wreckage of the Titanic is suing for more than $50 million. They said the crew of five people on board experienced “terror and mental anguish” before the disaster and accuse OceanGate, the sub’s operator, of gross negligence.
After the June 2023 incident when the vessel imploded due to catastrophic pressure loss, it was revealed that industry experts had raised serious safety concerns about the project years earlier.
The lawsuit also alleges OceanGate failed to disclose the Titan’s flaws and purposely concealed any issues from French explorer Paul Henri Nargeolet. It also saysNargeolet — who had taken part in 37 dives to the Titanic wreckage, more than anyone else in the world — would not have taken the voyage if he’d known about the Titan’s issues.
The implosion killed four other people, including OceanGate’s CEO. This is the first lawsuit to be filed in connection with the disaster.
Intel shareholders sue after stock plunges over job and dividend cuts
Intel’s shareholders are suing a chip maker. Intel said the company hid problems with its manufacturing business ahead of announced layoffs and poor earnings.
The lawsuit accuses Intel, its CEO, and CFO of making false and misleading statements that “artificially inflated” the company’s stock price prior to announcing a loss of more than a billion dollars between April and June of 2024.
American Quincy Hall comes from behind to win men’s 400-meter final
Team USA won more medals on day 12 of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, Aug. 7. The team picked up three more gold medals.
Team USA now tops the charts with 27 gold medals and 94 medals overall.
On Wednesday, the U.S. won wrestling, women’s cycling, and in track and field — even though it looked like sprinter Quincy Hall was out of the running with just seconds to go in the race.
Hall pulled off an amazing comeback with just a quarter of the 400-meter final to go. He fell into fourth place as the runners rounded the last bend but then picked up the pace and passed his competition to cross the finish line first.
Candidates, networks debate over future of second presidential debate
In the weeks after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek a second term in the Oval Office, many questions came up about who would replace him on the ticket and how the rest of the race would play out. Now that Vice President Kamala Harris is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, more questions arose surrounding the second presidential debate.
Many questions remain unanswered, including who will host the debate, when it will be and whether it will actually happen. All of those remain unclear.
Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to debate on ABC News on Sept. 10. Harris agreed to debate on the same stage when she took over as presumptive Democratic nominee.
However, on Friday, Aug. 2, Trump said he would not be there. In a series of posts on Truth Social, the former president said since Biden is no longer a candidate, the debate is “terminated.”
Trump also said ongoing defamation lawsuit against ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos created a conflict of interest with the network.
Stephanopoulos was not scheduled to moderate.
Instead, Trump suggested a debate on Sept. 4, hosted by Fox News in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. Trump said if Harris does not accept, he would hold a town hall during that time slot instead.
A Harris campaign spokesperson said Trump is “running scared” and that he was “trying to back out of a debate he already agreed to.”
Harris said if Trump did not appear at the Sept. 10 debate, she would also hold a town hall during the slot.
Fox and ABC News are not the only two candidates to host the second debate. Other networks like NewsNation, which hosted a GOP debate in 2023, sent letters to both candidates’ campaigns on Sunday. The letter proposed a debate in a battleground state, but said the network was flexible on the date and time.
The Washington Post reported that CBS News offered to host the debate on Sept. 4, one day after it hosts the vice presidential debate.
The Commission on Presidential Debates also said that it is ready to carry out its originally scheduled debate plans if Trump and Harris agree to them. Trump and Biden had previously chose to participate in independent debates, like the one CNN hosted on June 27. Biden’s performance during that debate ultimately led him to drop out of the race.
Vice President Kamala Harris expected to name running mate within hours
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to make her pick for running mate within hours. And White House spokesperson John Kirby is pressed about the sudden reversal of a plea deal with the alleged 9/11 mastermind. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.
VP Kamala Harris expected to name running mate soon
Vice President Kamala Harris has secured enough votes from state delegates to officially become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee. And people are expected to find out who she will choose as her running mate by Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Harris reportedly spoke with some top VP contenders on Sunday, Aug. 4, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
She’ll make her choice shortly because following her pick, she’ll hit the road on a seven-state battleground tour, with the first top in Philadelphia.
A new CBS poll has Harris ahead of Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump by one point nationally and tied with Trump across battleground states.
Over the weekend, Trump officially scrapped the ABC debate that was planned on Sept. 10 when President Joe Biden was still the Democratic nominee.
Trump said he’s still willing to debate Harris but wants a venue change; posing a new date with Fox News moderating. Trump is also in litigation with ABC News, so he said there’s a conflict of interest in using that network.
Harris’ campaign said Trump is “afraid to debate” and shot down his proposal of a venue and date change. So, as of now, there’s no clarity on if we will see the two share a stage ahead of the November election.
Kirby questioned on the president’s involvement in 9/11 plea deal
Many questions remain after it was announced last week the U.S. had reached a plea agreement with the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks and his co-conspirators that would have them avoid the death penalty, then that deal was quickly rescinded. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin released a memo Friday, Aug. 2, saying the decision should’ve been his to make.
Now, many Americans want to know how the original plea deal could have even been an option and what the president has to say about it.
“This was a decision made by the Secretary of Defense,” Kirby said. “It was an independent decision by him, certainly within his authorities, as in the chain of command at the Defense Department.”
A White House National Security Council had previously said President Biden did not play a role in taking the death penalty off the table for the three alleged 9/11 masterminds. He also rejected a proposal last year that would also have spared them the death penalty.
Hurricane Debby barrels toward Florida’s Big Bend
Hurricane Debby is taking aim at Florida’s Big Bend, with storm making landfall in Steinhatchee, the National Hurricane Center said in a Monday, Aug. 5 morning update. Debby is packing a punch with strong winds and the potential for record rainfall, leading to catastrophic flooding and dangerous storm surge.
Already, tens of thousands in Florida are without power.
5 am EDT: Hurricane #Debby very near landfall in the Florida Big Bend. Life-threatening storm surge expected in portions of Florida and major flooding is forecast for the southeastern U.S. Here are the Key Messages. https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFbpic.twitter.com/iPUOesfYM6
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 5, 2024
According to the National Hurricane Center, once it makes landfall, Debby is expected to move slowly across northern Florida and southern Georgia. The Hurricane Center said the storm is likely to strengthen before it makes landfall, but it’ll weaken as it moves inland.
Debby is the fourth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine deploying new F-16 fighter jets
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that new F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine. These are the first to be added to their fleet, which is significant since Zelenskyy has long been asking countries to supply this type of fighter jet for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
We have made possible what was our ambition, our defense need, and now the F-16s are a reality, a reality in our skies.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 5, 2024
Zelenskyy spoke about the jets during a special Armed Forces Day event on Sunday, Aug. 4. The jets, decorated with Ukraine’s symbols, were on display at the event and two flew overhead as he spoke.
Zelenskyy said they will help protect Ukraine’s skies from Russian missiles and aircraft, however, they won’t be near the frontlines as there are too few of them and Russian defense systems can shoot them down.
Zelenskyy also mentioned Ukraine is working with neighboring countries and NATO to find other ways to better defend against Russian missiles. He hopes this will lead to a coalition of western countries working together against Russia.
With the delivery of such high-power vessels, some have warned it could escalate tensions between Russia and the west.
Ukraine has suggested it may store these F-16 fighter jets in other countries to protect them from being targeted if held in Ukraine. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has already said Moscow would consider launching strikes at facilities in NATO countries if they host the F-16 fighter jets used in Ukraine.
Violent protests erupt in UK, Bangladesh
Chaotic protests have formed in the U.K. in what’s being called “the worst disorder seen in the country in years.” The protests sparked over a false rumor spread online, claiming that an “asylum seeker” was responsible for a stabbing attack at a dance studio that left three young girls dead.
❗️🔥🇬🇧 -Anti-immigration riots have erupted in Sunderland, UK, following protests against the police and immigration policies in response to the murder of three girls by a young man of Rwandan descent in Southport.
As a result, rioters have targeted hotels used to house asylum seekers — who are largely of Muslim faith coming from Middle Eastern countries. They have also targeted libraries, attacked a mosque and damaged a statue of Winston Churchill.
Hundreds of people have been arrested.
And in Bangladesh, just to the east of India, multiple sources say Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday, Aug. 5, and fled the country after at least 100 people killed during violent anti-government protests.
Latest reports from Bangladesh indicate that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left Dhaka for an undisclosed location after unprecedented nationwide violence in the country. Some suggest she could come to New Delhi as well. Developing story. (Videos and Photo viral on BD Media) pic.twitter.com/Kk5ODQZENk
This latest wave of violence from over the weekend follows a month of turmoil in July that saw another 200 people killed when students protested job quotas.
In response, the country is on a severe lockdown and a curfew has been implemented and courts, schools and universities closed.
The now-former prime minister also cut off mobile internet and access to social media apps like Facebook and WhatsApp to “prevent further violence” and “control the situation.” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country, according to army chief Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman.
Report: Candy giant Mars in talks to acquire snack food maker Kellanova
The Wall Street Journal reported candy giant Mars, known for its chocolates like M&Ms and Snickers, is in advanced talks to acquire the snack company Kellanova. Kellanova, which spun off from Kellogg last year, is behind brands like Pop Tarts, Pringles, Cheez-Its and Eggo waffles.
The deal would be one of the largest in packaged foods and the journal saying it could come together soon — if the talks do not fall apart.
Team USA sets swimming records, Noah Lyle wins gold in photo finish
Team USA has picked up 34 more Olympic medals since Friday, Aug. 2. That brings our total to 72 — the most of any country.
The U.S. added 10 more gold medals over the weekend, including gymnast Simone Biles’ seventh and swimmer Katie Ledecky’s ninth.
On Sunday, Aug. 4, the final night of swimming at the Paris Olympics, Team USA set two world records.
Bobby Finke won the 1,500 meter freestyle with a record time of 14 minutes and 30.67 seconds. In the women’s 4×100 meter relay, Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske won with a record time of 3 minutes, 49.63 seconds.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 5, 2024
It was a photo finish in track for sprinting star Noah Lyles. He just barely edged out Jamaica and his USA teammate to take home the gold in the men’s 100 meter final. It was so close, the commentator announced the wrong winner at first.
Entering the Summer Games, Lyles said his goal was to leave Paris with four gold medals — and he’s now well on his way to achieving that!
Media called VP Harris ‘border czar’ 3 years ago — now that’s changing
Following President Joe Biden dropping from the race, Vice President Kamala Harris will likely be the Democratic nominee for the 2024 presidential race. Now, several news outlets are backtracking on some previous reports on Harris — especially ones calling her the “border czar.”
The title was given to Harris by Republicans and the media. This came out shortly after President Biden appointed Harris to work with Mexican and Central American leaders to find the root causes of migration from the southern border into the U.S.
“I have asked her, the vice president, today because she’s the most qualified person to do it, to lead our efforts with Mexico and [the] Northern Triangle,” Biden said in 2021. “The country’s going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks stemming the migration to our southern border.”
The White House did not give Harris the official title of border czar, however, several news outlets did.
Bill D’Agostino posted a video on X showing various examples of the media calling Harris the border czar before Biden left the race.
“This will be her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border region since she was appointed as border czar by President Biden,” one Ed Lavandera, a CNN senior national correspondent, said on June 25, 2021.
“President Biden tapped Kamala Harris, Vice President Kamala Harris to be the border czar,” one CBS News reporter said.
Now, many outlets are saying that the reporting was never true.
“People are going to have to counter the misinformation,” MSNBC host Symone Sanders said on July 24. “I already hear folks talking about the border czar. She wasn’t the border czar.”
“Now she wasn’t the border czar, that’s what Republicans labeled her,” an ABC reporter said.
Neither President Biden or the White House ever gave Harris that title. The term czar is an informal moniker given to officials tasked with overseeing broad aspects of an issue.
There are reports from some of those same media outlets from early to mid-2021 stating that Harris’ team did not want Biden’s tasking Harris to find the “root causes of migration” to be mislabeled as the person in charge of securing the U.S. southern border or border policy.
A 2021 story from CNN reads in part, “Vice President Kamala Harris and her staff have sought to make one thing clear: She does not manage the southern border.”
The Washington Post ran the headline, “Republicans try to crown Harris the ‘border czar.’ She rejects the title” on April 16, 2021.
Axios reported in 2021 that Harris was “appointed by Biden as border czar.” The media outlet made a correction to the article on Wednesday, July 24.
The Axios piece now says Vice President Harris “never actually had” the title of border czar and that the “article has been updated and clarified to note that Axios was among the news outlets that incorrectly labeled Harris a ‘border czar’ back in 2021.”
Harris was never officially deemed the border czar and was never tasked to fix the southern border; she was tasked to find the root causes of migration. It was congressional Republicans and the media who gave Harris the title, and now the media is attempting to rewrite its own reporting.
Netanyahu to meet with Biden following his speech to Congress
A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to Congress and President Joe Biden gave a primetime address on exiting the 2024 race, the two are set to meet in Washington, D.C. on July 25. And more details on what you need to know about breaking, the newest sport at the Olympic games. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Netanyahu to meet with Biden following his speech to Congress
Biden is expected to press Netanyahu in getting a hostage and ceasefire deal solidified. U.S. officials said it’s a critical moment in negotiations over the deal — something Biden said will be a priority with the time he has left in office.
Israeli negotiators were expected to travel to Qatar Thursday, but Netanyahu ordered them not to, saying he wanted to wait until after he meets with Biden before Israel goes back to the negotiating table.
After meeting with Biden, Netanyahu is expected to meet with Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris. He’s set to meet with Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump on Friday, July 26.
In his address to Congress, Netanyahu thanked the U.S. for backing Israel’s war against Hamas with weapons support.
“The vast majority of Americans have not fallen for this Hamas propaganda,” Netanyahu said. “They continue to support Israel. And I want to say thank you America and thank you senators and House members who continue to support us, continue to support Israel, continue to support the truth and see through the lies.”
His speech was met with protests in and outside the Capitol building. Thousands of protesters gathered nearby, some burning an American flag and an effigy of Netanyahu.
Dozens of congressional Democrats also boycotted the address. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., held a sign reading “war criminal” while Netanyahu spoke on Wednesday, July 24.
President Biden addresses nation on decision to drop out of 2024 race
“The idea of America lies in voters’ hands,” Biden said about the 2024 election. “Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So, I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation.”
For the remaining six months of his term, Biden said he plans to focus on the job of the presidency, including plans to continue lowering costs for families.
In his address, President Biden also reiterated his support for Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket.
“I made my choice,” Biden said. “I’ve made my views known. I’d like to thank our great vice president, Kamala Harris. She’s experienced. She’s tough. She’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country.”
Harris is reportedly vetting around a dozen possible running mates, including governors, members of Congress, current cabinet secretaries and some people who don’t currently hold public office. Her pick is expected to be made public sometime before Aug. 7.
FBI: Gunman Googled JFK shooting a week before Trump assassination attempt
Alarming new information has surfaced about the assassination attempt on former President Trump. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before Congress on Wednesday, July 24, and revealed that a week before opening fire, Thomas Crooks, the gunman, looked up the shooting distance in the killing of President John F. Kennedy on the internet.
Specifically, Wray said Thomas Crooks Googled, “How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?”
The FBI director said these words are significant in terms of the shooter’s state of mind. An FBI analysis of Crooks’ laptop found he did the search on the same day he registered for Trump’s rally.
Wray also told lawmakers about a shocking security lapse in the sky. He said the gunman scoped out the ally site with a drone — possibly even live-streaming — just two hours before the former president took the stage.
A CBS News analysis found Crooks fired eight bullets in less than six seconds before being shot and killed by a Secret Service sniper.
House lawmakers have voted to create a new congressional task force in hopes of answering more questions about the events leading up to Trump’s near assassination. The legislation to approve the investigation passed by a vote of 416-0.
NORAD intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers off Alaska coast
NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two PRC H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24, 2024. NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada conducted the intercept.https://t.co/EKg3G30lmW
— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) July 24, 2024
Officials said the bombers did not enter U.S. airspace but did get close enough that the U.S. and Canada sent fighter jets to intercept them. According to NORAD, the incident was “not seen as a threat.”
A U.S. defense official said this was the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
NBA signs 11-year deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon
The NBA has confirmed where viewers will be seeing its games next season. After rejecting a $1.8 billion offer to keep airing games with Warner Bros. Discovery, the NBA signed an 11-year agreement with Disney, NBC and Amazon.
The deal is reportedly worth an estimated $76 billion. However, the agreement is likely to bring a legal showdown between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery. The media company said it believes the NBA can’t reject its offer and said it will take “appropriate action.”
For anyone doubting breaking being a sport, USA Breakin’s Ricardo Fernandez Jr. told Straight Arrow News there’s no reason to question. Fernandez is credited with creating the blueprint for competitive breaking competitions and can talk about its rich history dating back to its origins in the Bronx in the 1970s.
“We were breaking to the break of the record, so now you see where the name comes from, the record has a break and that break is the percussion drum part that was longated by the DJ,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez said breaking comes down to discipline and athleticism.
Some of the most athletic people in the world are Breakers. And in 2024 breakin’ culture will make its official debut as a sport at the Summer Olympic games in Paris, France. pic.twitter.com/wzWZ2K7xlj
“You take the athleticism and you put two individuals or a group to compete against each other constantly, you are already creating the atmosphere for it to become marketable,” he said. “Breaking, you have to be athletic to achieve what you see now.”
Team USA will be represented by four athletes called breakers: Jeffrey “B-Boy Jeffro” Louis, who wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to get breaking to be part of the games just a few years ago; Logan Edra, who started breaking at age 7, was given the nickname “Logistix” by her father; Sunny Choi who picked up the sport while a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania; and Victor Montalvo, the first American to qualify, whose father and uncle were breaking pioneers.
Fernandez, known in the breaking world as B-boy Speedy Legs, has seen the sport evolve from his days of teaching it to kids in 1980s Miami to showing off his power moves in New York in the 1990s.
“I dedicated my life to breaking, in every aspect, in the art form, in the athleticism, in the competitiveness and also helped create the platform that would take it to the Olympics,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez started the B-Boy Masters Pro-Am, one of the first breaking competitions, as he tried to grow the sport and everything that comes with it. That includes the moves like top rock, the music from the DJ and the overall hip-hop culture that inspires the art form.
“I put together the first elements of how to judge it cause it was really hard to judge breaking because if I talked to some of the guys with whom I was down with in the beginning I know that they thought I was probably corny about implementing something like that,” Fernandez said.
Fernandez created a 5-element judging system, one he said is very similar to how the breakers will be judged at the Olympics. In Paris, breakers will be judged on musicality, vocabulary, originality, technique and execution.
Though Fernandez said some heated politics between organizations emerged during breaking’s path to the Olympics, he knows his sport’s place on the world’s biggest stage will help it grow even more.
“I believe when it gets exposure in the next two to three weeks, it’s going to be phenomenal,” Fernandez said. “I believe it’s going to create more opportunities not only for the first four athletes from the United States to make history, but also to create new outlets for the youth.”
Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
For almost an hour President Joe Biden takes questions from the media about his policies, his candidacy and his health. And Prince Harry addresses the controversy surrounding his selection as an award recipient at the ESPYs. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 12, 2024.
Biden fields questions on ability, foreign affairs while misspeaking at times
The eyes of the world were on President Joe Biden on Thursday night, July 11, as he delivered an hour-long press conference to close out the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. It was his first press conference since his poor performance at the June 27 debate, which has led to growing concern in the Democratic Party about his candidacy.
The president fielded questions from reporters, but it was a gaffe he made earlier in the day at the summit that was already on people’s minds. He misspoke while introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said, before quickly catching himself. “President Putin? He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelenskyy. I’m so focused on beating Putin, we’ve got to worry about it. Anyway, Mr. President.”
Then came the evening press conference — President Biden’s first in eight months. He made it clear he plans on staying in the race to face former President Donald Trump in November, despite the calls from some Democratic lawmakers to step aside.
“I think I’m the most qualified person to run for president,” President Biden vowed. “I beat him once and I’ll beat him again.”
However, just minutes into the Q&A portion, Biden slipped when asked about Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to beat Trump if she were at the top of the ticket.
“Look, I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, did I think she was not qualified to be president, so let’s start there,” he said.
And when answering a question about the U.S.’ military assistance for Ukraine, Biden made another error before correcting himself.
“I’m following the advice of my Commander in Chief — my, the Chief of Staff of the military, as well as the Secretary of Defense and our intelligence people,” he said.
Still, Biden spent most of his time in front of the press corps displaying his understanding of foreign affairs, giving detailed responses to questions on Russia, China and the Middle East.
“We have to make clear China has to understand that if they are supplying Russia with information and capacity along with working with North Korea and others to help Russia and armament, that they’re not going to benefit economically as a consequence of that by getting the kind of investment they’re looking for,” Biden said.
He also touched on the ongoing war in Gaza.
“I know Israel well and I support Israel,” he said. “But this war cabinet is one of the most conservative war cabinets in the history of Israel and there’s no ultimate answer other than a two-state solution here.”
Ultimately, the questions came back to Biden’s well-being. The president was asked if he’d be willing to take another neurological exam.
“Every single day I’m surrounded by good docs, if they think there’s a problem, I promise you or even if they don’t think it’s a problem, they think I should have a neurological exam again I’ll do it but no one’s suggesting that to me now,” he responded.
When asked by a reporter if he’d step aside if data showed Vice President Harris would be in a better position to win the election in November, Biden remained defiant.
“No, unless they came back and said there’s no way you can win,” he said. “Me. No one’s saying that. No poll says that.”
Former President Donald Trump seized the moment during Thursday’s press conference, commenting on Biden’s missteps on his Truth Social app, highlighting any mistakes the president made. When asked about that, Biden replied, “Listen to him.”
Crooked Joe begins his “Big Boy” Press Conference with, "I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president, though I think she was not qualified to be president." Great job, Joe!
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 12, 2024
More Democratic lawmakers call on Biden to drop out of race
While President Biden may have hoped his press conference Thursday night would calm fears of his abilities among his party, three more Democratic lawmakers are now calling for him to drop out of the race. They join 13 other House members and one Senate Democrat.
Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut said in a statement that he believes Biden is “a remarkable leader” but needs to “step away from his presidential campaign.”
Rep. Scott Peters of California said he’s asking the president to withdraw, adding the stakes are high and the Democrats are on a losing course.
And Rep. Eric Sorensen of Illinois said he hopes the president will step aside for a candidate “who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country.”
Meanwhile, CBS News reports dozens of Democratic lawmakers are expected to issue statements calling for Biden to leave the race within the next 48 hours.
Trump asks judge to toss criminal conviction over SCOTUS immunity ruling
Former President Trump is seeking to have his recent criminal conviction in New York thrown out based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. Trump’s lawyers argue some of the evidence and testimony used in the criminal trial should not have been allowed because they were related to official acts Trump made while president, which the Supreme Court ruled are protected from prosecution.
Already the Supreme Court’s decision has delayed sentencing in that case. Originally set for Thursday, July 11, it’s now been pushed back to Sept. 18 to give the judge time to consider how the ruling impacts the outcome of the trial.
We were all taught in grade school that there are no kings here in America, but what the MAGA Justices have done is placed a crown on Donald Trump's head.
I am working in the Senate on legislation to clarify that Trump's election-subversion acts do not count as official acts.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats are considering a bill that would classify some of Trump’s actions that have landed him in legal troubles as “unofficial acts” so he could still be prosecuted.
Record-setting heat wave scorches western U.S., dozens dead
A week-long heat wave has left nearly 30 people dead and incinerated multiple temperature records in the west. Forecasters say it will continue to bring dangerously high temperatures through Saturday, July 13, before moving to the central and eastern U.S. by Sunday, July 14.
Millions of people across multiple states are under heat advisories. The situation is especially bad in Texas, where thousands of people are still without power after Hurricane Beryl tore through Monday, July 8, killing at least ten people.
More than 1 million power customers in southeast Texas — mainly between Galveston and north of Houston — are still without power. Officials say half a million Houston-area homes and businesses may not have their power restored until July 22.
NRG Arena is being converted into a 250-bed post-hospital recovery site so discharged patients don’t go to homes without power. This is intended to alleviate the backup of patients at Houston’s hospitals. #KHOU11pic.twitter.com/zmPQowa9nO
The outages have crippled infrastructure across the region, including hospitals and water treatment plants, leaving many without clean drinking water.
Dollar General to pay $12M safety violations settlement
Dollar General has agreed to pay a $12 million fine and improve working conditions at thousands of its stores across the country. The company reached a settlement with OSHA to resolve alleged violations, including unsafe storage, blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers, and inaccessible electrical panels.
Under the agreement, if inspectors find similar problems in the future, Dollar General could be fined up to $100,000 a day if they’re not resolved within 48 hours.
The terms of the deal also require Dollar General to significantly reduce inventory and improve stocking to prevent hazards and hire more safety managers, as well as create a health and safety committee with employee participation.
Prince Harry accepts Pat Tillman Award for Service at 2024 ESPYs
The best in the world of sports were honored Thursday night at ESPN’s annual award show — the ESPYs. But going into the event, there was some controversy over ESPN’s choice to receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
Prince Harry is the recipient of the Pat Tillman Award for Service.
The Duke of Sussex founded The Invictus Games, an international platform that supports wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries. pic.twitter.com/M3F3Rmft4j
Prince Harry was selected for his role in starting the Invictus Games for wounded military personnel and veterans.
In the days leading up to the ceremony. the mother of Pat Tillman — the former NFL player turned U.S. soldier who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 — criticized ESPN’s selection, saying there were recipients far more fitting. Harry took a moment to respond to the controversy while delivering his acceptance speech.
“I’d like to begin by expressing my deepest gratitude to everyone at the Pat Tillman Foundation, led by Marie Tillman Shenton, who I’m so honored is here tonight,” he said. “I’d also like to acknowledge the Tillman family, especially Mrs. Mary Tillman, Pat’s mother. Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.”
During his speech, Prince Harry said he is just a voice for the Invictus Games Foundation and the thousands of veterans and service members who have taken part in the games over the past 10 years, adding the award belongs to them.
Biden looks to solidify support from Democrats after debate
The White House released President Joe Biden’s next plans to reassure concerned Democrats after last week’s debate. And July 4 holiday travelers are expected to break records on the road amid soaring temperatures. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
Biden looks to solidify support from Democrats after debate
President Joe Biden and his team are taking this holiday week to reassure supporters that his decision to remain in the presidential race is the right one after his performance during the June 27 debate left some in his party questioning his candidacy. During a campaign fundraiser event in Virginia Tuesday, July 2, Biden blamed his poor performance on jet lag from back-to-back European trips, telling donors that “he wasn’t very smart” that he “didn’t listen” to his staff.
Reports also said Biden added that he almost “fell asleep during the debate.” To what extent the president was joking is not clear.
Previously, Biden’s campaign had said the president had a cold going into the debate.
On Wednesday, July 3, the president will speak with Democratic governors and party leaders as he looks to calm their fears. The White House reportedly will also be holding an all-staff meeting which the Associated Press describes as a “morale-booster.”
Biden has also agreed to sit down for an interview ABC News on Friday, July 5.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration really wants to turn the page on this topic with Biden heading to Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in the coming days, but that didn’t stop reporters from pressing the issue.
“I think the American people need to get a yes or no answer on this: Does President Biden, at 81 years old, have Alzheimer’s any form of dementia or degenerative illness that would cause these sorts of lapses?” Andrew Feinberg, a reporter with The Independent, said. “And it’s a yes or no question and if you don’t know, why don’t you, as one of his senior staff members, know?”
Jean-Pierre fired back, “I have an answer for you. Are you ready for it? It’s a ‘no’ and I hope you’re asking the other guy the same exact question.”
This all comes as some members of the Democratic party are calling for Biden to step aside.
“I thought it was time for me to speak up, not for any self-gain, but because I think the risk to our country is so great we need to have the strongest candidate possible in order to ensure that the values that we hold for our democracy are not traded for an authoritarian strongman bent on revenge against his opponents,” Doggett told NBC News.
In a Newsweek opinion column, former Ohio congressman and presidential candidate Tim Ryan promoted the idea for Vice President Kamala Harris to replace Biden on their party’s ticket.
Speaking to CBS News after leaving a fundraiser in California, the vice president confirmed President Biden remains the Democratic nominee.
“Look, Joe Biden is our nominee,” Harris said. “We beat Trump once and we’re going to beat him again. Period.”
Harris added, “I am proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate.”
Judge delays sentencing in Trump criminal case
Former President Donald Trump’s sentencing in his New York criminal trial has been pushed back to at least September. The judge’s decision came out Tuesday, July 2, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court handed the former president a big win, ruling he has some immunity from being criminally prosecuted on charges of attempting to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump’s sentencing in New York was originally scheduled for next Thursday, July 11. Now, the judge overseeing the trial says Trump will be sentenced on Sept. 18 “if such is still necessary.”
That’s an “if” because Trump’s lawyers say the Supreme Court ruling should not only delay the sentencing but lead to tossing out his conviction completely.
Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social after the decision came down, saying the Supreme Court’s decision awarded him “total exoneration” in this and other criminal cases he faces.
Trump became the first former president to be convicted of a felony in May, when a Manhattan jury found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The Supreme Court’s decision has cast doubt on Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of Trump on election subversion charges, and a trial before the November election is highly unlikely now.
Giuliani disbarred in New York for 2020 election interference efforts
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been disbarred in New York after a Manhattan appeals court found he repeatedly made false statements about former President Trump’s loss in the 2020 election. The court said Giuliani “flagrantly misused” his position.
Giuliani, once a legal adviser to Trump, has been banned from practicing law in “any form” in New York. Giuliani’s lawyer said his legal team was disappointed by the court’s decision.
Island-wide emergency declared in Jamaica ahead of Beryl
As Hurricane Beryl hurtles toward Jamaica, the country’s prime minister preemptively declared the whole island a disaster area. He’s also instated an island-wide curfew for Wednesday, July 3.
Beryl has been downgraded to a Category 4 storm now, but it’s already caused at least six deaths in the Caribbean.
Beryl is forecast to weaken more as it gets closer to Jamaica, but is still expected to be a major hurricane — at least a Category 3 — when it hits, bringing life-threatening winds and storm surge.
Eli Lilly’s drug has been shown in clinical trials to slow a decline in memory and thinking abilities in people in the early stages of the disease. The drug, which will be sold in the coming weeks under the brand name Kisunla, is an infusion given every four weeks that targets a protein buildup in the brain — considered to be the main indicator of Alzheimer’s.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 6.7 million people in the U.S. 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s last year. That number’s expected to increase to 13.8 million by 2060.
Watch for heat, rain, busy roads this July 4 holiday
The July 4 holiday is almost here, and while people get set to celebrate America’s independence, they may find themselves having to face two separate issues — the weather and the roads. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the brief break from the heat in the eastern U.S. is over, with heat and humidity pushing through New England.
In California and portions of the southwest, triple-digit temperatures are expected throughout the holiday week. Meanwhile in the Midwest, NOAA said rain could spoil the cookouts.
Then there’s the jam-packed roadways. AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will drive over the July 4 week. That’s nearly 3 million more than last year and would surpass 2019’s pre-pandemic levels, when around 55 million traveled by car.
Poll: Most voters say Biden shouldn’t run, question mental ability
A CBS News poll released on Monday, July 1, found that a growing number of voters are expressing doubts over whether President Joe Biden has the mental and cognitive health to serve another term as commander and chief. According to the results, nearly three-quarters of the electorate and 4 in 10 Democrats believe he should end his run for president.
Following the first presidential debate on June 27 with former President Donald Trump, 72% of registered voters said that Biden should no longer run for president. Meanwhile, 46% of Democrats said the same.
When asked if he had the mental and cognitive ability to serve, 72% of registered voters and 41% of Democrats said he did not.
Among the Democrats who said he should not run, their top concern is largely his ability to campaign.
Most voters who said he shouldn’t run listed Biden’s age as their top concern in addition to his potential decisions while in office.
While Biden has a higher percentage of voters saying he should end his run, around half of the respondents said Trump shouldn’t run either. However, Trump is seeing wide support among Republicans to run for president, and the majority of respondents believe he won the first debate. Despite Trump’s performance, voters found Biden told the truth more often during the debate.
The poll comes as some Democratic officials have reportedly called for Biden to step away from the race. However, Biden has vowed to fight on.
Biden and Trump will debate each other again on Sept. 10.
Google scrambles to improve AI after strange answers and major outage
Google is addressing the inaccuracies that emerged with its AI-generated search results. Earlier this month, the results began providing incorrect and sometimes dangerous responses. Meanwhile, Google is recovering from an unexplained outage Friday, May 31, that disrupted news searches worldwide.
The company announced plans to scale back some features and implement at least a dozen technical improvements. Google’s head of search, Liz Reid, explained in a recent blog post that the issues were due to “data voids” and searches designed to generate bizarre results. In a notable example that went viral, the AI suggested adding non-toxic glue to pizza to help the cheese stick better, a tip traced back to an old Reddit post.
Reid elaborated on the challenges of interpreting nonsensical queries and satirical content, using the query, “How many rocks should I eat?” as an example, which gained attention only after screenshots went viral.
As Google strives to refine its search results, it encountered another setback when its Google News services failed, leaving users without results under the “News” panel. DownDetector.com reported a spike in global outages, causing widespread frustration among users.
These incidents underscore the critical importance of reliability as Google aggressively expands into the AI market. The company has not yet confirmed if the new AI-enhanced features were responsible for the recent service disruptions.