VP Harris will certify her own election defeat on Jan. 6
Vice President Kamala Harris will certify her own defeat on Jan. 6, 2025. It will be the culmination of a stinging loss and whirlwind campaign that started when President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July and she was formally nominated in August.
“We must accept the result of this election,” Harris said during her concession speech. “Earlier today, I spoke with President-elect Trump and congratulated him on his victory. I also told him that we will help him and his team with their transition and that we will engage in a peaceful transfer of power.”
Harris is not the first vice president to oversee Congress’ certification of an election they lost. Vice President Al Gore did it in 2000 after he lost to George Bush.
On Jan. 6, 1961, then-Vice President Richard Nixon certified his loss to then-Sen. John F. Kennedy.
“This is the first time in 100 years that a candidate for the presidency announced the results of an election in which he was defeated and announced the victory of his opponent,” Nixon told Congress. “I do not think that we could have a more striking and eloquent example of the stability of our constitutional system.”
Due to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot when Trump supporters tried to stop Joe Biden’s election certification, the Department of Homeland Security has designated Jan. 6, 2025, a National Special Security Event. Preparations are already underway, like the installation of fencing around the Capitol building.
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.”
RFK Jr. responds to new claims of sexual assault and eating dog
An exclusive Vanity Fair report published on Tuesday, July 2, made several claims against Independent presidential candidate Robert. F. Kennedy Jr. The article outlines allegations of sexual assault on his family babysitter to accusations of sending pictures of nude women to friends and sharing a photo of a barbecued dog carcass.
Former Kennedy babysitter Eliza Cooney told Vanity Fair that Kennedy sexually assaulted her in 1998 when she was 23-years-old. She described an instance where he caressed her leg and another where groped and fondled her. She also said that Kennedy, who was 45 at the time, asked her to rub lotion on his back while he was shirtless.
Cooney said she came close to publicizing her accusations against RFK Jr. in 2017 during the #MeToo Movement and again after he decided to run for president in 2023. Although she ultimately decided against a civil suit against Kennedy, she is sharing her story now.
The new report also alleged that Kennedy sent a picture of himself and a woman with a dog’s remains in Korea to a friend. Kennedy allegedly told the friend he should try dog while he’s in Asia. The friend told Vanity Fair that he found the picture insensitive to Korean culture and unsettling.
Kennedy also reportedly sent pictures of naked women to friends during his first marriage.
The accusations come at a time when the presidential race between President Joe Biden and former President Trump is heating up, just months ahead of the general election. RFK Jr. currently finds himself far behind the two front-runners. Polls show that he is hovering at 8.3% support among registered voters.
However, family members interviewed by Vanity Fair expressed fear that his run could cost President Biden the election.
Some family members reportedly pressured Kennedy to drop out of the race or wait until 2028 to run.
RFK Jr. responded to the allegations leveled in Vanity Fair in several interviews on Tuesday.
“The article is a lot of garbage. The picture that they said is of me eating a dog is actually me eating a goat in Patagonia on a whiteboard trip many years ago on the Futafeufu River,” Kennedy said during an interview with “Breaking Points.”
He also appeared on Fox News to address the controversial photo and accused Vanity Fair of false analysis.
“Vanity Fair said that they talked to veterinarians who assured them that it was a dog,” Kennedy said. “That they had meta-analysis that showed it was in Korea and it was in Korea of me eating a dog and that statement is emblematic of the entire article or the lack of journalistic standards throughout the article.”
When pressed on the sexual assault allegations by “Breaking Points” he sidestepped the question. Kennedy simply said, “I’m not going to comment on it.”
Kennedy also said during his response that he is “no church boy” and that he has openly admitted to having “many skeletons” from his past.
Morning rundown: JFK power outage grounds flights; Fetterman hospitalized
A power outage has affected more than 100 flights at the JFK airport in New York, with an entire terminal expected to remain closed today. This story and more highlight your daily rundown for Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
JFK terminal closed due to electrical issue
Travel disruptions at one of the world’s busiest airports will continue into Friday after an already 130 flights have either been canceled or delayed due to the power outage according to a flight-tracker’s website.
The fire department responded to a utility room fire at JFK, leading to an electrical panel failure according to the Port Authority. The electrical issues caused some incoming flights to be redirected to other airports on the East Coast. And some passengers boarded buses that took them to a nearby airport assisting JFK with international flights meant to depart from JFK’s terminal one.
The terminal shut down is just the latest stumble as airports around the country face scrutiny over operations.
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki steps down
Susan Wajcicki, YouTube CEO and one of the first Google employees, is stepping down from her role at the tech giant that started in her garage nearly 25 years ago. The change at the top comes as YouTube’s advertising revenue has fallen for the second straight quarter. Ad revenue during the final six months of last year also dropped 5% from the previous year.
YouTube faces big competition from Tiktok, Facebook and Instagram reels.
Wojcicki is stepping down after nine years in the position.
Fetterman hospitalized for depression
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Pa., checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression. His chief of staff said the first-year senator is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis.
Fetterman suffered a stroke last May, and last week he felt lightheaded and had to be hospitalized again.
His chief of staff said doctors have told his office that Fetterman is getting the care he needs and will soon be back to himself.
Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia
Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with dementia, evolving from a previous diagnosis of aphasia last spring according to his family. More specifically, the actor has frontotemporal dementia, which can bring challenges to speaking and writing according to doctors.
Willis’s family said last year the actor would be stepping away from his decades-long career due to his impaired cognition.
This type of dementia causes nerve damage in the frontal and temporal lobes, which leads to a loss of function in those areas, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Microsoft has admitted there are some kinks to work out after Sydney has been found to insult people’s looks or even compare people to Adolf Hitler.
Microsoft said in a blog post that the search engine chatbot is responding with a style they didn’t intend to certain types of questions.
McDonald’s rolls out plant-based nuggets
McDonald’s is famous for its golden chicken McNuggets, but the classic is transforming into a plant-based version in a new roll out expected to first hit 1,400 locations in Germany next week.
The McPlant nuggets are made from peas, corn, and wheat. It’s the second plant-based product from the fast-food giant. McDonald’s first sold a McPlant burger in 2021.
The announcement is part of a growing trend of fast food restaurants expanding into the plant-based food market.
This post has been updated.
Midday rundown: University TikTok ban, Microsoft layoffs, ND book ban
Just days after two planes almost collide, two planes make contact at the JFK airport; the latest set of layoffs in big tech is announced; and security concerns over TikTok are affecting universities. These stories and more highlight the daily afternoon rundown for Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023.
Several universities in Texas, including top-tier University of Texas and Texas A&M are restricting access to TikTok across all of its networks. Meaning, if you’re connected to their Wi-Fi, the TikTok app won’t work on your device.
UT, A&M and University of North Texas are a few schools joining the list of colleges banning the app out of security concerns. The University of Oklahoma, Auburn and the University of Georgia are among others who have disabled TikTok from its devices and network.
Planes bump on runway at JFK airport
Just days after two planes almost collided at the JFK airport in New York, Wednesday morning two planes did make contact. While it was a less serious situation, it’s still another safety concern the FAA is having to answer for.
According to the FAA, two JetBlue airplanes bumped into one another when a plane was pushing back from the gate and struck the tail of another parked plane. There were no injuries reported, and both planes were evacuated and are being inspected for damage.
JetBlue said safety is its first priority and will investigate the incident.
DOJ declined oversight of document search
Special counsel Robert Hur is handling all things related to classified documents in President Biden’s possession. But before an outside prosecutor was named to the case, the Department of Justice considered overseeing the search for classified materials and ultimately decided against it.
After the initial discovery of documents found at an office used by Biden in Washington D.C. The DOJ had an opportunity to assign FBI agents in the search for further classified material.
The Justice Department declined further involvement at the time, leaving it to Biden’s attorneys to search the president’s private residence where more documents would be discovered in his garage and personal library.
According to the report, the DOJ said since Biden and his attorneys were fully cooperating, the department left it alone until intervention of a special counsel was warranted.
Capitol Police report
Threats against U.S. lawmakers decreased in 2022 compared to the year prior. But political tensions that turn into these threats have remained high since 2020.
Breaking down the numbers, in 2022 there were 7,500 threats made against congressional members. In 2021 there were 9,600. And in 2020, 8,600.
So, while 2022 saw an improvement by the thousands, it’s still relatively high compared to years past such as 2017, when there were 3,900 threats made against congress members.
The rise is largely attributed to people on social media with a false sense of protection behind a screen.
Last year’s threats include two high-profile attacks: one on Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin of New York, and the other was the attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband.
A media miss by the right
Straight Arrow News aims down the middle when other outlets miss the target.
The previous story has only been covered by the left, and was completely under-reported by the right. If you’d like to learn about other stories that are being under-reported by one side or the other, check out the “Media Miss” tool on our website.
Microsoft announces 10,000 layoffs
The trend of tech giants laying off employees continues with Microsoft workers. Microsoft employees are the latest to get cut from the job. The company estimates 10,000 jobs will get nixed by the end of the third quarter of this year.
It’s the largest layoff Microsoft has had in nearly eight years, and just the latest sign of companies bracing for an economic downturn.
Books that contain “sexually explicit” content could soon be banned in North Dakota public libraries. Books that include depictions of sexual or gender identity would be included in the ban.
Proponents say it’s protecting children from exposure to pornography. Critics say it’s discriminatory against books that feature LGBTQ material. The proposal also includes up to 30 days of jail time for librarians who refuse to remove any banned titles.
State lawmakers began debating the bill this week.
Midday rundown: California storms, Mafia boss caught, Starbucks expands in China
A close call at JFK airport; California braces for more flooding and landslides; a Mafia boss is caught after 30 years; and Starbucks plans to expand in China. These stories and more highlight your daily rundown for Monday afternoon, Jan. 16, 2023.
A Delta airplane was cleared for takeoff, going 115 mph, and was told to stop as an American Airlines plane was about to cross its path. The planes missed each other by 1,000 feet.
Now the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
California storm update
There has been little relief in California after long stretches of rain flooded the state, killing 19 people last week.
Monday, more bad weather is expected, but the end is finally in sight.
Rain and snow started falling late Sunday night across Central and Southern California. Residents are preparing for heavy rainfall and snow, with the potential for more flooding and mudslides. The region is already saturated after three weeks of storms, and motorists were battling white-out conditions in the Sierra region due to a storm there.
According to the National Weather Service, the worst of the weather is behind California, but there is still a weather threat Monday into Tuesday.
Poverty, hunger endangering children
While parts of the country are receiving record rainfall, a region in South Africa is facing a life-threatening drought. Specifically putting children’s lives at risk due to lack of nutrition and necessities.
The U.N. General Assembly has put out a dire warning, urging the world to do more. It said, every minute of every day, a child in Somalia is admitted to a hospital suffering from malnutrition.
The U.N. estimates 500,000 children could die by this summer. Not only is Somalia suffering from a devastating drought, but their government is unstable. It is in a constant battle with an al-Qaida militant group.
The U.N. said children are the ones caught in the middle of the conflict.
Starbucks expands in China
Starbucks may be a common sight in cities across the U.S., but a city in China actually has more locations than any other place in the world. Shanghai takes the top spot with more stores than any other city. And the country as a whole is on track to overtake America as the coffee retailer’s biggest market.
It’s estimated a new Starbucks cafe opens in China every nine hours. And a new report from Fast Company spells out the level of involvement the company has in growing its business there.
Starbucks isn’t just hiring workers, the company is developing farmland, and it is training more than 30,000 farmers to help develop a domestic supply chain in China.
CEO Howard Shultz has acknowledged that Starbucks is working closely with China’s Communist Party to grow its brand in the country. The company has invested $18 million in social welfare programs in China since 2006.
Top Mafia boss arrested in Italy
One of the world’s most wanted criminals has been captured. Italian Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro was arrested after being on the run for 30 years.
Denaro is accused of being responsible for dozens of murders. He is the last “Godfather” of the Sicilian Mafia.
SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy
A successful launch took place this weekend of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. Elon Musk’s rocket is part of a classified U.S. Space Force mission. It’s the first national security space mission of the year. This rocket has taken five flights since debuting in 2018.
Elon Musk tweeted after the mission’s success, and said “that’s how we will land on mars.”
In just three days, SpaceX is expected to launch 51 Starlink satellites into orbit. They will join Musks’ other 3,000 satellites. The satellites are largely used to cast a wider net of internet service, specifically in remote off-grid locations.
Midday rundown: Griner on her release, Twitter’s suspension spree
Brittney Griner speaks on her release from Russian prison; JFK files revealed but redacted; Elon Musk’s Twitter suspension spree; Starbucks workers strike; and an officer is exposed to fentanyl; These stories and more highlight the midday rundown, aimed right down the middle, for Friday, Dec. 16, 2022.
Brittney Griner breaks silence
Brittney Griner has taken to her Instagram to thank the nation for its support after her wrongful detainment in Russia.
“It feels so good to be home! The last 10 months have been a battle at every turn. I dug deep to keep my faith and it was the love from so many of you that helped keep me going. I also want to make one thing very clear: I intend to play basketball for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury this season,” she posted.
She’s now on her way home to be with family for the holidays.
Thousands of JFK files redacted
More than 13,000 John F. Kennedy documents were made public on Friday, but they aren’t fully transparent. 4,300 documents remain partly redacted.
A law in 1992 called for the full file to be released by now, but the Biden administration has chosen to keep some files in the dark. Critics say with the assassination happening nearly 60 years ago, there’s no reason for secrecy.
Police officer exposed to fentanyl
“If I was searching that car alone, or testing those drugs alone, or whatever the case may be and I didn’t have Narcan available, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be here right now. As soon as I started talking, I was lightheaded a little bit, and started almost choking, I couldn’t breathe,” said Officer Courtney Bannick of the Tavares Police Department.
A police officer in Florida says she was exposed to fentanyl during a traffic stop. What happened next was caught on body camera footage.
Officer Bannick went in and out of consciousness as other officers on scene administered three doses of Narcan to save her life. Officer Bannick requested the footage be released so the public can understand the dangers of the exposure to fentanyl.
The DEA says fentanyl is the nation’s single deadliest drug threat ever encountered.
Starbucks workers hold three-day strike
Starting on Friday, 1,000 Starbucks baristas are going on a three-day strike through the weekend. It’s the second major strike in a month by workers at Starbucks locations that have voted to unionize.
The strike is meant to pressure the company into coming to terms on a worker’s contract after a year of negotiations. Starbucks has said they respect employee’s lawful right to protest, but have been openly in opposition of unionization.
Twitter suspensions could mean sanctions
Elon Musk is getting serious about a Twitter policy banning posts of real-time tracking data, calling it “assassination coordinates.”
It all stemmed from an account publishing the locations of Elon Musk’s private jet as the flights were happening. As journalists shared the same data, Musk suspended them one by one.
Now the world is reacting to the controversial Twitter bans.
The European Union says Twitter could face sanctions if it is found to have violated an EU law aimed at protecting media freedom.
Musk is polling Twitter users, asking how long the Twitter suspensions should last, and referencing the ban would be lifted as soon as Friday or in one week.
Satellite launched to study Earth’s oceans
The saying goes “we know more about space than we do our oceans.” But with new billion dollar technology, NASA is hoping to get a better picture of the unknown.
A new satellite, launching on Friday, is said to survey 90% of the world’s surface and measure the depth of its oceans.
Data the satellite gathers is said to be a “game changer” in understanding the water cycle, and the exchange of water between the atmosphere and our oceans. The data is also hoped to provide understanding of the impact it may have on the warming of climates around the world.
No British fans arrested at World Cup
With the World Cup final between Argentina and France set for this Sunday, the UK is taking a moment to recognize its well-behaved fans.
There were no arrests among fans from England, apparently for the first time ever. So, after having fans arrested at every other World Cup, what could have possibly made a difference at this one? Who’s to say. But this was also the first World Cup where alcohol was banned.