Kamala Harris to hold rally with vice president pick in Philadelphia next week
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her running mate pick on Monday, Aug. 5, as she looks to win the presidency. Then Tuesday, Aug. 6, she’s expected to hold a rally in Philadelphia with her new running mate joining her on stage.
The campaign trail is heating up, with Harris holding her largest rally yet in Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30.
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns released new political ads attacking the records of their opponent. Both are on the road to more events to rally their supporters.
Hamas leader reportedly killed in Iran amid rising tensions in Middle East
A Hamas leader is reportedly assassinated in Iran as developments in the Middle East raise concerns of conflict escalating in the region. And Vice President Kamala Harris is closer to naming her running mate with plans of holding their first rally in a matter of days. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Hamas leader reportedly killed in Iran amid rising tensions in Middle East
Major developments in the Middle East, with reports of a top Hamas leader being killed in Iran on the same day Israel struck Lebanon’s capitol and killed a Hezbollah commander. The U.S. also carried out a strike in Iraq in what U.S. officials are calling a move of self-defense.
According to state media, Iran’s president said the country “will defend its territory and make those responsible regret their actions.” Fears of an all-out regional conflict have also been renewed with the Hamas leader’s death happening on Iranian soil.
Tensions are also growing in Iraq as the U.S. said it carried out a strike against a base in Baghdad used by Iraqi forces, killing four Iraqi fighters. The U.S. said the move was in self-defense, telling Reuters those militants were looking to launch drones and posed a threat to the U.S.
Some global media outlets are also reporting hopes of any ceasefire hostage deal between Israel and Hamas are looking slim to none given the escalations happening within the past 24 hours.
Kamala Harris to hold rally with vice president pick in Philadelphia next week
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her running mate pick on Monday, August 5, as she looks to win the presidency. Then, on Tuesday, August 6, she’s expected to hold a rally in Philadelphia with her new running mate joining her on stage.
The campaign trail is heating up, with Harris holding her largest rally yet in Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday, July 30.
Both the Harris and Trump campaigns also released new political ads attacking the records of their opponent. And both are on the road to more events to rally their supporters.
This race will be among a handful that determine who controls the U.S. Senate this fall. Currently, the Senate is controlled by Democrats while the House is controlled by Republicans, both with slim majorities.
Riots over Venezuela’s presidential election continue
Authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro accused opposition leader María Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González of “criminal violence,” and a close ally is calling for their arrests.
Protesters are demanding Maduro make voting data from Sunday’s, July 28, election public. Venezuela’s opposition and multiple Latin American leaders are refusing to recognize Maduro’s victory.
Machado said on Monday, July 30, the country’s opposition had about 73% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, proving Maduro did not win.
The national electoral authority has proclaimed Maduro the winner, giving him a third term in office and extending 25 years of socialist party rule.
Boar’s Head recall expanded to include 7 million more pounds of deli meats
Boar’s Head, a company known for deli meats, is recalling an extra 7 million pounds of its products. This is because there’s an outbreak of listeria, a dangerous bacteria, that has been linked to two deaths and made dozens of people very sick in 13 states.
The recall includes various types of meats like liverwurst, ham and salami made at their Virginia plant and have sell-by dates ranging from July 29 to Oct. 17. This recall adds to an earlier one of more than 200,000 pounds of similar products.
The issue was first noticed when a liverwurst sample from Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further tests confirmed that this same listeria strain was making people sick.
Starbucks sales down as prices go up
For the second quarter in a row, Starbucks’ sales have slumped as prices continue to rise. In its latest earnings report, Starbucks’ sales dropped 3% globally and 2% in North America.
Total transactions at North American stores fell by 6%, but higher prices shorten the gap between sales and revenue as coffee chains and restaurants alike continue to struggle with bringing customers in amid high prices.
Simone Biles leads U.S. Women’s gymnastics team to gold medal
After dropping out of the women’s gymnastics team event in Tokyo three years ago and taking time to focus on her mental health, Simone Biles returned to the same event on Tuesday, July 30, in Paris. This time she led Team USA to the gold.
Biles, along with Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, won by more than five points. Italy took home the silver medal and Brazil won bronze.
With the victory, Biles becomes the most decorated U.S. gymnast in history, with eight medals.
And she’s not done yet. Biles will compete in four more individual events including the all-around final on Thursday, Aug. 1, where she’ll have a chance to add more gold to her historic record.
Philly workers furious over mayor’s order that they return to their offices
Philadelphia city workers said they are “pissed off” about being forced back into the office, running into what they say is a shortage of space and resources. On July 15, Mayor Cherelle Parker’s return-to-office mandate went into effect, mandating municipal workers be in-person five days a week.
City officials said about 80% of its workforce — including firefighters, police officers and Water Department workers — was already working on-site before the mandate took effect.
“I know when I made my decision regarding the return-to-office, the change to location of where work would take place, that there were some people who were not going to be happy about the decision that I made.” Parker said at a news conference July 10.
One worker told PBS News he was concerned about his jam-packed train commute and the lack of office space in city buildings. He claimed that before the mandate, hybrid workers would usually share desks on different days. Now, some are assigned to work in different conference rooms with nearly a dozen others or they don’t have access to computer monitors or outlets to charge their electronics.
To try to make the change more palatable, the Parker administration offered French fries from a local chicken place, which some workers told PBS was an insulting move.
Others said they felt their commutes weren’t worth the office time. Only contract workers receive SEPTA train passes, so most city workers are back to paying for their commutes out of pocket.
Dissatisfied city workers could pose big problems for Philly’s already years-long understaffing crisis. In April, it was reported that Philadelphia had 6,200 open positions.
Earlier in July, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported a judge said he will hold Philly’s prison system in contempt of court over its understaffing crisis as the city has a shortage of more than 800 corrections officers.
The city’s chief administrative officer said the administration will continue creating an enjoyable work experience for city workers.
Judge denies Donald Trump’s request for mistrial after Stormy Daniels concludes testimony
After hours of testimony by Stormy Daniels, lawyers for former President Donald Trump requested a mistrial. A teenager is looking to make history on the soccer field. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, May 10, 2024.
Judge denies Trump’s request for mistrial after Daniels concludes testimony
Once again, the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal case in New York shut down the former president’s legal team’s calls for a mistrial following more testimony from adult film star Stormy Daniels on Thursday, May 9. Trump’s lawyers argued that the prosecution’s questioning of Daniels over her alleged affair with the former president was irrelevant to the case.
The judge dismissed the motion, saying, “My concern is not just with protecting Ms. Daniels or a witness who has already testified. My concern is protecting the integrity of the proceedings as a whole.”
After two days on the stand and nearly seven hours, Daniels concluded her testimony, where she went into great detail about an alleged sexual encounter with the former president in 2006. Trump has denied the encounter took place.
Trump is charged with falsifying business records in connection to an alleged hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen paid to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s attorneys also asked the judge to waive his gag order to allow him to respond to Daniels’ testimony. The judge denied that request too.
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, spoke out against the judge outside the courtroom.
“This judge, what he did and what his ruling was, is a disgrace,” Trump said. “Everybody saw what happened today. He’s a corrupt judge and he’s totally conflicted. And I got to get back on the campaign trail. I’m not supposed to be here. We are so innocent. There’s never been anything like it.”
The trial continues Friday, May 10.
Cease-fire talks break down as Israel targets Rafah
Cease-fire talks between Israel, Hamas and mediators in Egypt have concluded, at least for now. Reports from the negotiations indicated some progress before talks broke down on Thursday, May 9.
CIA Director William Burns, along with Hamas and Israeli delegations, left Cairo Thursday, although one official clarified to The New York Times that this was a temporary pause. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that finalizing a cease-fire proposal remains “incredibly difficult.”
With talks at a standstill, a senior Israeli official informed Reuters late Thursday night that Israel will proceed with its planned operation in Rafah. The Israeli military reportedly struck a home in Rafah, resulting in the death of a senior commander of a militant group and his family members.
The Israeli ambassador to the U.S. expressed concern that the Biden administration’s threat to withhold weapons for a major operation in Rafah sends “the wrong message” to Israel’s enemies in the region. In an interview on “The Dr. Phil Show” Thursday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the rift with President Joe Biden.
“I’ve known Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more,” said Netanyahu. “We often had our agreements, but we’ve had our disagreements. We’ve been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now, but we will do what we have to do to protect our country, and that means protecting our future.”
Israel contends that Hamas militants are hiding in Rafah, necessitating an attack on the city to dismantle the terrorist group. U.S. spokesperson John Kirby asserted that “smashing into Rafah, in [the president’s] view, will not advance that objective.”
Federal appeals court rejects dismissal request in Hunter Biden’s gun case
A federal appeals court has denied Hunter Biden’s request to dismiss gun charges in Delaware, paving the way for his trial in June. A U.S. district judge had previously rejected a dismissal, leading to Biden’s appeal.
The president’s son argued that he shouldn’t go to trial, citing an immunity provision in a plea deal that ultimately fell apart and alleging that prosecutors are being vindictive and influenced by political pressure.
However, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that criminal defendants cannot appeal before a final judgment is made.
Biden’s attorney plans to continue efforts to dismiss the case.
Biden is charged with three criminal counts related to his purchase of a handgun in 2018 while he was addicted to illegal drugs. He has pleaded not guilty.
Among other measures, the bill calls for hiring more air traffic controllers, faster refunds for canceled flights, and technology upgrades to avert close-call incidents on runways. The FAA says 3,600 employees would have been furloughed if the law expired.
The Senate also passed a one-week extension for the law’s expiration, with the House of Representatives expected to vote on the reauthorization bill next week.
TikTok to start labeling AI-generated content created outside app
TikTok already labels AI-generated content made within its app for its more than one billion worldwide users. Tech companies Meta and Google have also said AI labels are coming to their services.
AI is not the only battle TikTok is facing these days.
The company earlier this week sued the United States to block a law that requires its Chinese parent company to divest the platform within nine months or face a ban.
14-year-old soccer player signs with Philadelphia Union
As many teenagers begin looking for summer jobs, a 14-year-old in Pennsylvania has found a full-time one — as a professional soccer player.
The Philadelphia Union announced on Thursday, May 9, that the team has signed 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan. Sullivan is joining his older brother Quinn on the team. ESPN reports that Sullivan’s deal with the club includes a clause that would send the soccer phenom to Manchester City of the English Premier League after he turns 18.
Sullivan becomes the fifth-youngest player to sign a first-team contract in Major League Soccer history. If he starts playing for the Union before July 29, he will officially be the youngest MLS player ever.
Department of Justice cracking down on carjackings in 7 states
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Thursday, April 18, it plans to ramp up efforts to crack down on carjackings across the United States. The department announced the expansion of “Carjacking Task Forces.” The additional units will target areas described as a “public safety threat” in Washington, Oregon, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama.
Department officials said that these task forces have been successful in the past in place like Philadelphia, which reportedly saw a 31% drop in carjackings from 2022-2023. Chicago’s carjackings also dropped by 29% after the introduction of its task force and the District of Columbia saw a drop of 28%.
The initiative will be led by the Offices of the United States Attorneys, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The DOJ said that the initiative will also focus federal resources on “significant carjacking offenders,” in particular, cases where adults use minors to commit car thefts. The department also said that it will be working with local law enforcement to handle juvenile criminals.
These new task forces seek to implement national best practices for stopping car thefts and recovering stolen vehicles. This particular initiative is part of a larger effort by the Biden administration to further prevent and more widely prosecute violent crime.
Biden hosts White House state dinner before trilateral summit
Prominent figures come together at the White House as President Joe Biden hosts a state dinner for the Japanese Prime Minister, and outrage from Democrats over the Arizona Supreme Court’s abortion ruling leads to shouting in the state house. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, April 11, 2024.
Biden hosts state dinner at White House before trilateral summit
The White House is set for the inaugural trilateral summit with leaders from the U.S., Japan and the Philippines on April 11, following Wednesday, April 10, night’s glamorous state dinner hosted by Biden for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Earlier, Biden and Kishida strengthened military and economic ties, agreeing on collaborative defense strategies and Japan’s participation in NASA’s Artemis moon mission.
The alliance between Japan and the United States is a cornerstone of peace, security, prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. – @POTUSpic.twitter.com/KZ0TJfZOXs
On April 11, Biden meets with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos before the summit, emphasizing Indo-Pacific unity.
3 Injured in shooting at Ramadan celebration in Philadelphia
Three people were injured during a shooting at a Ramadan celebration in Philadelphia on April 10, resulting in five arrests. Police said the incident occurred as about 1,000 attendees gathered in a park and was sparked by gunfire between two feuding groups, with around 30 shots fired.
A 22-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Four individuals, aged 15 to 21, were arrested while leaving the park, each carrying weapons. Additionally, a 15-year-old boy, who was armed, was shot in the leg by police and is in stable condition; the involved officer has been placed on administrative duty.
A 15-year-old girl also suffered a fractured leg after being struck by a police vehicle responding to the scene. The incident is still under investigation.
Hamas says it does not have 40 hostages for cease-fire trade
Israel believes that of the 130 hostages remaining, at least 30 are dead and the rest are likely held by various factions within Hamas. During a proposed six-week cease-fire, negotiators have recommended that Hamas release 40 hostages, prioritizing women, and sick and elderly men, in exchange for Israel freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
As Hamas faces difficulties in meeting the criteria for releasing 40 women and elderly men, Israel is pressing for the inclusion of younger male hostages and soldiers to complete the initial release group.
Republicans in Arizona House block debate on repealing abortion ban
Republican lawmakers in the Arizona State House halted efforts to repeal a 1864 law, recently upheld by the state Supreme Court, banning abortions except to save a woman’s life.
GOP leaders stopped discussion on the repeal, proposed by Democrats and some Republicans, and adjourned for the week, sparking Democratic outrage. A Democratic representative criticized the court’s “extreme” decision, while a Republican called the Democrats’ actions “extremist and insurrectionist.”
GOP leaders stated the ruling has not yet taken effect and will review the decision for future actions.
Speaker Johnson to meet with former President Trump at Mar-A-Lago
Johnson’s trip to Florida is seen as an effort to demonstrate solidarity with Trump, as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and others challenge his leadership. After threatening to oust Johnson, Greene met with him for an hour on Wednesday.
Additionally, Johnson contends with conservative opposition, spurred by Trump, to extending a key surveillance program. The proposed legislation allows the U.S. to collect, without a warrant, communications of non-Americans abroad for intelligence.
Brothers hit home runs in same inning on Siblings Day
On National Siblings Day, brothers Josh and Bo Naylor, both of the Cleveland Guardians, celebrated memorably by hitting home runs in the same inning during a game against the Chicago White Sox. Josh’s solo home run came first in the fourth inning, followed by Bo’s two-run homer.
Additionally, in the 10th inning, both brothers contributed crucial hits leading to the Guardians’ 7-6 victory — Josh with a game-tying double and Bo with the game-winning single.
WWE WrestleMania 40 expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Philly
WrestleMania 40 has arrived. This year, WWE’s marquee premium live event emanates from the home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, Lincoln Financial Field. But the “Showcase of the Immortals” — which has expanded to two nights in recent years — is not the only event in town.
Philly will see a celebration of sports entertainment from various promotions putting on shows for the influx of traveling wrestling die-hards. The Philadelphia Visitors Bureau expects WWE’s multi-day festivities alone to bring in over 200,000 wrestling fans to the City of Brotherly Love.
Larry Needle, the executive director of the Bureau’s Sports Division, told the Philadelphia Business Journal that even though Philadelphia bid on WrestleMania in the past, this was the right time for it to happen.
“The beauty of it for us all as a city is that now we’re going to get WrestleMania in all of its glory… if we did this even five or 10 years ago we would not have the benefit of the WrestleMania as it exists today,” Needle said.
Philadelphia is looking to top Los Angeles in terms of economic impact from the big event; WrestleMania 39 generated $215 million for the LA area, according to a study conducted by Applied Analysis. That topped the $206.5 million generated a year prior for WrestleMania 38 in Dallas. WrestleMania 39 drew nearly 162,000 people to SoFi Stadium with fans from all 50 states and over 60 different countries.
This time around fans took no time to set records. WWE touted WrestleMania 40 broke the company’s all-time gate record in one day, with 90,000 tickets selling in just hours of going on sale in August, surpassing the $21.6 million record set last year.
Straight Arrow News spoke to Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, the site that looks at the economics of the wrestling industry. Thurston said 50,000 tickets have been sold for each night of WrestleMania, the Super Bowl of sports entertainment.
“WrestleMania is the biggest wrestling event of the year,” Thurston said. “This is the 40th one. It started in 1985. It is the wrestling event that people will know best that is the peak wrestling event… it really started the notion that the entire country and entire world could be watching one wrestling event at one time.”
WWE is currently seeing record financial success, posting revenue of $1.3 billion in 2023, with a rise in attendance and TV ratings. This past week the company spotlighted a rise in the key advertising demo of 18- to 49-year-olds for its weekly programs of “Raw” and “Smackdown,” averaging 733,000 and 892,000 total viewers respectively in the demo for quarter one.
Thurston attributed that to what’s known in the business as “creative,” which means the storylines and characters. Right now there’s no bigger star in wrestling than the biggest star in Hollywood, The Rock, and his on-screen persona, nicknamed “the Final Boss,” is not shy about taking all the credit during his in-ring promos.
“What you’re feeling right now, you’re feeling the energy, you’re feeling the mana because right now professional wrestling is cool,” the former WWE champion told a packed crowd during a recent episode of “Raw.” “Right now the ratings have skyrocketed because of The Rock.”
“They’re getting more money,” Thurston said. “They’re becoming a more profitable company. It’s a flip from what the wrestling business used to be decades ago where it was largely a live event business and it’s really become a business where – we still sell tickets and that’s great to do, but more than ever it’s a media business.
“It’s selling some form of video – whether that’s television programs weekly, whether it’s these big events like WrestleMania that’ll go on Peacock. It’s selling lots of media and they want to do more sponsorships”
WWE has made several deals over the past year: merging with UFC to form the $21.4 billion company TKO, striking a $5 billion deal to send “Raw” to Netflix in 2025, switching “Smackdown” from Fox to the USA Network in October in a $1.4 billion deal; and something that WWE has never done before — selling advertising on its ring mat to Prime Hydration, a sports drink company founded by WWE superstar Logan Paul. The latter is the largest sponsorship deal in WWE history, according to The Wall Street Journal.
There has also been some bad news for the company in recent months. WWE founder Vince McMahon resigned as executive chairman after being accused of sexual misconduct by a former employee. He has denied the allegations. But while the case gave WWE negative headlines, Thurston said it didn’t affect fan engagement in the product. In fact, he said the WWE has benefited from McMahon being removed from the company.
“The popularity of WWE increasing over the last couple of years has a lot to do with Vince being more removed from creative than ever,” Thurston said. “There’s definitely a perception with fans that the product has improved and I think Vince was an impediment to WWE’s creative connecting with fans and making them feel like they were excited for the show and wanted to tune in, spending money and time towards WWE events. And Vince being removed from creative has allowed Paul Levesque and others to step in and produce a show that is more satisfying for more people and more people are excited about.”
Paul Levesque, better known to fans as wrestler-turned-executive Triple H, is now in charge of WWE’s creative direction and what stories are ahead for its biggest stars like Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Rhea Rhipley and Becky Lynch.
“On April 6 and April 7 in Philadelphia, we’re going to take you to a whole new level,” Levesque said at a WrestleMania press conference held in Las Vegas in February. “It is a new time. It is a new era and it is an all-new WWE. And I promise you this, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Thurston said while WWE may have had more mainstream buzz during the Hulkamania era of the 1980s or the edgy Attitude Era that featured Stone Cold Steve Austin of the late 1990s, this era, the TKO era, is the company’s most profitable.
“You can talk about the Attitude Era, yes, it was definitely more popular then,” Thurston said. “Hulkamania era, I would say yes, it was definitely more popular in terms of mainstream awareness and engagement, certainly. But the cable bubble declining and people cutting the cord from cable has caused this demand from TV networks toward their most popular programs which are still what’s keeping the declining cable TV business together. And [two] of the most popular programs on television, if you look at the ratings, [are] WWE “Raw” and “Smackdown.” So that’s what’s really helping them become more profitable than ever.
So who will reign supreme when the final bell rings at WrestleMania 40? Cody Rhodes finishing his story? Or Roman Reigns dominating as the head of the table? That remains to be seen.
But in terms of economic wins, all the numbers point to WWE and Philly, a city known for its storied history, making some more history at WrestleMania.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators interrupt President Biden’s celebrity-packed fundraising event at Radio City Music Hall. And, The Wall Street Journal marks one year of reporter Evan Gershkovich being held in a Russian prison. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, March 29, 2024.
High-profile attendees paid up to $500,000 for perks, including a photo op with the presidents by Annie Leibovitz. The event featured celebrities like Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert, Lizzo, and Queen Latifah, blending humor with the presidents wearing aviator sunglasses in homage to Biden’s style.
However, it also faced moments of tension as protesters voiced their opposition to Biden’s support for Israel in the Gaza conflict. Outside Radio City Music Hall, a significant number of protesters clashed with police. The three presidents addressed the Gaza war, advocating for a two-state solution and the protection of civilian lives.
To highlight his ongoing imprisonment, today’s Wall Street Journal front page features a significant blank space with the headline, “His story should be here – A year in Russian prison. A year of stolen stories, stolen joys, stolen memories. The crime: journalism.”
Emma Tucker, the Journal’s Editor in Chief, expressed admiration for Gershkovich’s resilience and humor in the face of wrongful detention in a letter published in today’s edition.
She emphasized the attack on free press rights and the crucial role of journalism in society. A Russian court recently extended Gershkovich’s detention until June 30, without setting a trial date or presenting evidence to support the espionage allegations.
Biden admin. approves $60 million in emergency aid after Baltimore bridge collapse
The emergency funds are designated for debris removal, detour arrangements, emergency repairs, and reconstruction.
45 killed in fiery bus crash in South Africa, 8-year-old survives
An 8-year-old child was the sole survivor of a bus crash in South Africa on Thursday that resulted in 45 fatalities. The bus, transporting worshippers to an Easter festival, veered off a bridge in a mountain pass, plunged into a ravine, and caught fire.
The child, who sustained serious injuries, is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
Authorities indicate that the crash occurred after the driver lost control of the bus. Search operations for the victims are still underway.
House to submit Mayorkas articles of impeachment to Senate
The U.S. House of Representatives plans to deliver two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on April 10.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and 11 GOP impeachment managers have requested Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to promptly schedule a trial. Impeached federal officials undergo Senate trials to determine their removal.
Mayorkas, impeached last month for allegedly not enforcing U.S. immigration laws and making false statements to Congress, contends he isn’t to blame for the border crisis, attributing it to Congress’ failure to fix a broken immigration system.
Schumer announced that senators will be sworn in as trial jurors after the impeachment articles are delivered. Currently, both the House and Senate are on a two-week recess.
NFL player buys $15k lawn mower after signing record contract
The Eagles, with Dickerson, will kick off their season on September 6 in Brazil, marking the NFL’s first regular season game in the country, where Dickerson is unlikely to bring his new mower.
Biden, Trump make separate visits to southern border: March 1, 2024
In competing visits, President Biden and former President Trump address the crisis at the southern border. And, at least two people are dead in the largest fire in Texas history. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, March 1, 2024.
Biden, Trump make separates stops at Southern border to address immigration
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump made competing visits to the southern border on Thursday, Feb. 29, each addressing the migrant crisis, a pivotal issue for voters as the two frontrunners for their parties gear up for a potential presidential face-off in November.
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Positioned 300 miles apart, both surveyed the U.S.-Mexico border and discussed the record number of migrants illegally crossing into the United States. During his visit to Brownsville, Biden called on Trump to support the Senate’s bipartisan border security bill, which Trump has opposed.
“Here’s what I would say to Mr. Trump,” Biden said. “Instead of playing politics with this issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me, or I’ll join you, in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan security bill. We can do it together. You know, and I know is the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country has ever seen.”
Meanwhile, in Eagle Pass, Trump, accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, blamed Biden for the crisis.
“Now the United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime,” Trump said. “It’s a new form of a vicious violation to our country. It’s migrant crime. We call it Biden migrant crime but that’s a little bit long, so we’ll just leave it. But every time you hear the term migrant crime, you know where that comes from.”
A recent Gallup poll indicates immigration has surged to the forefront of American concerns, followed by the government and the economy. The poll found a record high 55 percent of adults view the influx of immigrants entering the U.S. illegally as a critical threat to the nation.
Airman accused of leaking defense info expected to plead guilty
Teixeira faced a potential maximum sentence of 60 years for charges related to the improper handling and public disclosure of national defense secrets. The classified documents he leaked included sensitive information about Ukraine’s air defenses and a foreign plot targeting U.S. troops overseas.
Prosecutors said there was no evidence of espionage, rather, Teixeira wanted to impress people on the site with his insider information. The 22-year-old, who was stationed at an air base in Cape Cod, has been in custody since his arrest last spring at his mother’s home in Massachusetts.
Congress passes stop-gap spending bill to avert government shutdown
Congress passed a short-term funding deal Feb. 29, to prevent a partial government shutdown that was set to begin Friday, March 1. The bill now awaits President Biden’s signature.
The Senate approved the stop-gap measure with a vote of 77 to 13, setting new funding deadlines for government agencies to March 8th and March 22nd. Earlier in the day, the House passed the measure by a vote of 320 to 99.
Investigations are underway to determine if a gas leak or a stove ignited the fire on the first floor of a restaurant, leading to rapid spread throughout the building.
Dozens of firefighters fought for over two hours to bring the blaze under control. Some survivors made their escape by heading to the building’s roof.
Officials warn that the death toll may increase as emergency services have taken around 20 people with critical injuries to local hospitals.
Following this incident, the government has formed a panel to investigate the cause and to develop strategies to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Texas battles Smokehouse Creek Fire, largest in state history
Texas A&M Forest Service Chief Wes Moorehead stated, “As firefighters continue to suppress active fires, we urge Texans to be cautious with any outdoor activity that may cause a spark.”
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner has noted a significant impact on livestock, with thousands of cattle dead and concerns that the numbers could rise.
During his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, President Joe Biden announced he has directed federal officials to do “everything possible” to assist communities affected by the fires. This includes sending more firefighters and equipment.
The cause of the wildfires remains unknown.
Phillies end dollar dog nights after unruly fan behavior
For baseball enthusiasts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an era is coming to an end, but not for reasons like player retirements or stadium demolitions. Rather, it’s about hot dogs.
After 27 years, Philadelphia Phillies fans will no longer enjoy their cherished Dollar Dog Nights, a tradition where hot dogs were sold for just one dollar a few times during the baseball season. The decision to end this beloved promotion comes in the wake of unruly behavior from fans last season, which included throwing hot dogs and led to several ejections from the stands.
Moving forward, the Phillies will replace Dollar Dog Nights with a buy one, get one deal. However, fans looking for budget-friendly hot dog nights can still find them with another Pennsylvania team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who continue to offer Dollar Dog Nights.
House GOP impeaches Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas: The Morning Rundown, Feb. 14, 2024
In their second attempt, House Republicans vote to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And a driver is killed after crashing into the emergency room of a Texas hospital, leaving others critically injured. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
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The GOP had the votes Tuesday night, Feb. 13, after failing to pass the measure on Tuesday, Feb. 6, thanks to the return of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who had been absent while seeking blood cancer treatment. The articles of impeachment passed by a vote of 214-213, with three Republicans siding with Democrats to oppose impeaching Mayorkas. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said that Mayorkas fueled “the worst border catastrophe in American history.”
While a spokesperson for DHS said the impeachment was done “without a shred of evidence or constitutional grounds.” The issue now heads to trial in the Democrat-controlled Senate, which is unlikely to vote to remove Mayorkas from office.
Tuesday’s vote marked only the second time in U.S. history that the House has impeached a cabinet member. The last time was in 1876.
Democrat Tom Suozzi wins NY election to replace George Santos
Voters battled through a winter storm to make it to the polls. With 93% of the votes in, Suozzi won 54% compared to 46% for Pilip.
Suozzi is returning to the House after giving up his seat in 2022 to run for Governor. He previously served three terms.
Driver dead 5 others injured after vehicle crashes into Austin ER
The driver was killed after crashing into an Austin, Texas, emergency room, while five others were left injured in the incident. Footage taken by a bystander right after the crash happened shows hospital staff and responders clearing the lobby and moving the injured through a cloud of smoke while the sounds of screeching tires continue in the background.
According to police, the crash occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, and does not appear to have been intentional. The crash left five people hurt. Two children and one adult were transported to a local children’s hospital. One of the kids is said to be in critical condition. Another adult was taken to a different area hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries. The fifth person injured was treated on-site at the emergency room.
According to the chief medical officer at the Austin hospital, eight others in the emergency room who were not injured in the crash were transported to other hospitals in the area so the emergency room could regroup after the incident.
Uber, Lyft, Doordash drivers to walk off job, hold rallies at airports
SpaceX postpones launch of private company’s moon lander
If you are looking to see a video of the latest launch of a private company’s moon lander, you’ll have to wait at least one more day. SpaceX is postponing Wednesday morning’s Feb. 13 launch of its Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intuitive Machines of Houston’s robotic lunar lander, Odysseus. SpaceX said a liquid methane temperature issue was the cause of the delay.
The launch is now scheduled for early Thursday morning, Feb. 15, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A Friday, Feb. 16 launch is also possible if another issue arises.
Should this mission be successful, unlike last month’s attempt by another private company, it will be the first American spacecraft to land on the moon’s surface since 1972.
Record spending on significant others expected this Valentine’s Day
It’s Valentine’s Day 2024. While The Beatles famously sang, “money can’t buy me love,” that won’t stop many from spending on their loved ones today. According to the National Retail Federation, people are expected to spend a record $14.2 billion this year on their significant others, or $101.84per person. Total spending is expected to reach $25.8 billion, with an average of $185 per person.
The top gift of choice? Candy, followed by greeting cards, flowers, and an evening out. Over half of Americans said they plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, while about a third of those who aren’t still said they want to mark the occasion by either getting together with single friends or treating themselves to something special.