‘We do not…’: India on former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina’s future plans
MEA India said that India is concerned about the ‘evolving’ situation in Bangladesh in the aftermath of intense violence and Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
Pence’s think tank reacts to Walz selection as Harris VP: ‘Radical record’
Former Vice President Mike Pence’s think tank released a strong rebuke to Gov. Tim Walz’s spot on the Democratic Party ticket for the 2024 presidential election. Advancing American Freedom — the policy institute founded by Pence following his term as vice president under former President Donald Trump – released a memo Wednesday outlining what the organization calls Waltz’s “radical record.” “Gov. Walz is actually the perfect pick for Vice President Kamala Harris — a hardcore leftist who appeals to the growing Ilhan Omar wing of the Democratic Party,” AAF Executive Director Paul Tellers told Fox News Digital. FORMER MINNESOTA GOP GOVERNOR SUMS UP TIM WALZ VP PICK: ‘BERNIE SANDERS IN HUNTING GEAR’ The memo accused Walz of “[fanning] the flames of Black Lives Matter riots” during the 2020 unrest in Minnesota, turning the state into a “murder capital” with a 50% spike in homicide rates, and “[cutting] funding for pregnant women” while “[pushing] abortion-on-demand.” The think tank also blasted Walz for turning Minnesota into a “trans refugee state,” having “signed legislation allowing children to be taken from their parents if parents don’t support their minor child receiving life altering surgeries or supposed medical treatments.” The selection of the 60-year-old Walz was not a shocker, as his name was believed to be in contention for the two weeks following Harris’s replacement of President Biden as the party’s standard-bearer. WALZ’S HANDLING OF BLM RIOTS, STRICT COVID RULES UNDER MICROSCOPE AFTER HARRIS VP PICK Walz, a former congressman, is in his second term as governor of Minnesota, a state that Democrats have reliably won in presidential elections for decades but that the Trump campaign has aimed at flipping this cycle. The memo touches on multiple common criticisms being offered against the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, such as exacerbation of the border crisis through sanctuary laws and his treatment of religious institutions during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pence has largely remained above the fray of the 2024 presidential election after dropping out late last year. He previously refused to endorse his former running partner in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. At the same time, he made clear earlier this year that he would never support the Biden re-election campaign. The vice-president’s think tank has offered a “Biden-Harris Accountability Tracker” on their website through which the group catalogs the administration’s policies and offers examples of consequential negative effects. Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Trump praised Walz’s George Floyd riot response in 2020, audio shows: ‘Very happy’
As former President Trump blasts Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over his response to the unrest in his state in May 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, a resurfaced audio recording shows that Trump had praised Walz at the time for how he “dominated” the situation. In the audio recording, which was obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, Trump was on a phone call with Walz and other governors and officials on June 1, 2020. “What they did in Minneapolis was incredible. They went in and dominated, and it happened immediately,” Trump told Walz and the others on the call. Walz, who has served as Minnesota’s governor since 2019, was selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate Tuesday, putting a spotlight on his handling of the riots that spread across Minneapolis in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder on May 25, 2020. TIM WALZ’S BLM RIOTS RESPONSE LEFT MINNESOTA HUSBAND DAD OF 2 ‘DISGUSTED’: ‘CAN’T BELIEVE’ PEOPLE SUPPORT HIM Walz deployed the National Guard three days later to stop the violence, which included the torching of a police station, but critics have said both the governor and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey were too slow to act. Walz and Frey each blamed the other for the delays. Trump offered federal help to Walz at the time, but the governor did not take him up on it. WALZ SLAMMED FOR ‘HESITATING’ TO SEND IN GUARD AS HIS DAUGHTER TIPPED OFF RIOTERS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA Trump didn’t blame Walz at the time for the delays, later saying: “I don’t blame you. I blame the mayor.” “I was very happy with the last couple of days, Tim,” Trump said during the call. “You called up big numbers and the big numbers knocked them out so fast, it was like bowling pins.” FIVE CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE TIM WALZ, FROM DUI TO COVID FRAUD But on Wednesday, Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told The Associated Press in a statement that Trump was only acknowledging that Walz took steps to end the violence after days of violence and unrest in Minneapolis. “Governor Walz allowed Minneapolis to burn for days, despite President Trump’s offer to deploy soldiers and cries for help from the liberal Mayor of Minneapolis,” Leavitt said. “In this daily briefing phone call with Governors on June 1, days after the riots began, President Trump acknowledged Governor Walz for FINALLY taking action to deploy the National Guard to end the violence in the city.” Fox Digital reached out to the Trump campaign for comment but did not immediately hear back. Fox Digital’s Michael Lee and Chris Pandolfo, along with The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Where does Tim Walz stand on Israel?
Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to tap Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as running mate over Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, the only Jewish candidate under consideration, sparked immediate speculation that the Keystone State’s governor was cast aside because of his pro-Israel politics. “This is a person who listened to the Hamas wing of her own party in selecting a nominee,” former President Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, told reporters in reaction to the pick, according to a CBS News report. The comment comes amid heavy backlash to the selection of Walz over Shapiro in some corners, with many speculating that the pick was made to appease the far-left wing of the Democratic Party that some see as hostile to Israel. “Those in the overly online left who are attacking Josh Shapiro’s pro-Israel positions in a different way than they are attacking non-Jewish veep contenders’ positions, they’re just telling on themselves,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., told CNN Monday. WALZ WAITED UNTIL LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAPPED TO DEMAND RESIGNATION FROM DEM LAWMAKER ACCUSED OF BURGLARY “There is a strong undercurrent of antisemitism to that,” he continued. “It’s unacceptable. Every contender’s positions on all policy issues, their track records in elected office, all of that is fair game. That is totally open to be subjected to interrogation and to questioning by the Harris team, by observers, but holding him to a different standard because of his religion just simply isn’t who we are in the Democratic Party.” The defense of Shapiro comes as some supporters of Israel have become increasingly worried in recent months that Harris has started to carve out a position different from President Biden on support for the Jewish state, claiming the vice president has begun to take a more sympathetic view toward the faction of the Democratic Party that has showed support for Palestinians amid Israel’s invasion of Gaza. While Harris has continued to express that Israel has a right to defend itself and has repeatedly condemned the October terrorist attacks against the Jewish state, she did become the first administration official to call for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza. Harris also vowed “not to be silent” about the suffering of Gazans ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month, remarks some took as a continued signal of a shifting position from the president. Walz has taken a similar approach to Harris, at times expressing support for Israel while also expressing sympathy for the plight of Gazans. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS NAMES MINNESOTA GOV TIM WALZ AS HER RUNNING MATE “You can hold competing things: That Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, but Palestinian civilians being caught in this… has got to end,” Walz said during an appearance on Minnesota Public Radio in March, according to a report from Al Jazeera. Walz has also consistently argued that Israel has a right to exist, telling the Jewish Community Relations Council earlier this year that the “ability of Jewish people to self-determine themselves is foundational.” “The failure to recognize the state of Israel is taking away that self-determination. So it is antisemitic,” he said. The Minnesota governor was quick to condemn the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, arguing those that carried out the attack showed “an absolute lack of humanity.” “That’s not a geopolitical discussion. That’s murder,” Walz said, according to a Times of Israel report. He also urged members of his own party to take the concerns of Jewish students seriously amid a wave of anti-Israel demonstrations on American college campuses in the spring. KAMALA HARRIS’ VP PICK TIM WALZ PREVIOUSLY CHARGED WITH DUI IN NEBRASKA “I think when Jewish students are telling us they feel unsafe in that, we need to believe them, and I do believe them,” Walz said during a PBS appearance. “Creating a space where political dissent or political rallying can happen is one thing. Intimidation is another.“ According to a USA Today report, Walz also expressed support for Israel while serving in Congress between 2007 and 2019, voting with Israel multiple times, including a vote to condemn the United Nations resolution that declared Israeli settlements on the West Bank illegal. But Walz also showed that his support for Israel is not unlimited, warning the country about those same settlements during a diplomatic tour through the Middle East in 2009, arguing that they were damaging prospects for peace. Like Harris, the Minnesota governor called for a cease-fire to the conflict in March. That same month, he praised Democrats who voted uncommitted during the state’s primary, following a movement that started in Michigan to protest the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict in Gaza.
Govt refers Waqf Bill to Joint Parliamentary Committee amid demands for close scrutiny by opposition
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led centre has referred the Waqf Act Amendment Bill to Joint Parliamentary Committee amid demands for a wider scrutiny by the opposition.
Bangladesh Crisis: Arunachal students demand vigilance to stop illegal immigration
“In the wake of the turmoil in Bangladesh, we have received disturbing reports of a large number of people being displaced and attempting to enter India illegally,” it said.
Youngkin mandates all paper ballots for presidential elections in Virginia
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is ordering all votes for the 2024 presidential election to be cast by paper ballot. Youngkin issued Executive Order 35 on Wednesday, which codifies election security protocols established under his governance for all future elections. “The Virginia model for Election Security works. This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s an American and Virginian issue,” Youngkin said in an announcement. “Every legal vote deserves to be counted without being watered down by illegal votes or inaccurate machines. In Virginia, we don’t play games and our model for election security is working.” VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT LAUNCHES PILOT NO CELLPHONE POLICY USING MAGNETIC POUCH THAT BLOCKS SIGNAL One of the most notable requirements of the security protocol is the exclusive use of paper ballots with a traceable chain of custody, offering a more concrete record of votes cast than widely-used electronic voting machines. Other aspects of the Virginia voting security protocol include the use of DMV data to verify voter identity, offline counting machines and more. “We use 100% paper ballots with a strict chain of custody. We use counting machines, not voting machines, that are tested prior to every election and never connected to the internet. We do not mass mail ballots. We monitor our drop boxes 24/7,” Young said. HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR OUSTED BY TRUMP-BACKED CHALLENGER IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARY SHOWDOWN The governor added, “We verify the legal presence and identity of voters using DMV data and other trusted data sources to update our voter rolls daily, not only adding new voters, but scrubbing the lists to remove those that should not be on it, like the deceased, individuals that have moved, and non-citizens that have accidentally or maliciously attempted to register.” Former President Donald Trump celebrated the codification of Youngkin’s protocols, writing on his proprietary social media platform Truth Social that Virginia is “taking a strong lead in securing the election in November.” “The beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia, superbly led by Governor Glenn Youngkin, IS TAKING A STRONG LEAD IN SECURING THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER — PROTECTING EVERY LEGAL VOTE AND KEEPING ILLEGAL ALIENS THAT HAVE BEEN LET INTO OUR COUNTRY FROM VOTING. All votes will be on paper ballots and counted safely and fairly, not by machines connected to the internet — A big security risk.” “We must work hard to make sure the Election is FAIR and SECURE!!! EVERY STATE SHOULD FOLLOW VIRGINIA’S LEAD,” Trump continued. “We need volunteers to watch the polls – So important. The Election on November 5th will be the MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN OUR COUNTRY’S HISTORY. Thank you Glenn, GREAT JOB!!!” Election security is a major concern for both political parties heading into this November’s presidential election. Over the last few elections, both Republicans and Democrats have made various accusations of illegal manipulation of voters.
Harris takes 4-point lead over Trump as favorability rating suddenly surges, poll finds
Vice President Kamala Harris has established a 4-point lead over former President Trump among registered voters, according to a Thursday poll from Marquette Law School. The poll, conducted from July 24 to Aug. 1, surveyed 879 registered voters from across the country. It advertised a margin of error of 4.1%. The poll found that Harris expanded her lead among likely voters, with Trump trailing 6 points in a 53% to 47% matchup. Marquette says its likely voters result has a margin of error of 4.7% and was based on a survey of 683 people. The poll comes as momentum for Harris continues to surge following President Biden’s unprecedented decision to withdraw from the race last month. HARRIS IS ‘BIDEN’S CO-PILOT’ ON ‘BIDENOMICS’ POLICIES THAT PROMPTED WOEFUL JOBS NUMBERS: TRUMP CAMP A Wednesday poll from NPR, PBS and Marist found that Harris has a 3-point lead over the former president. VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS NAMES MINNESOTA GOV. TIM WALZ AS HER RUNNING MATE The poll had found Harris leading Trump 51% to 48%, but clarified that the difference is within the margin of error. Harris has also narrowed Trump’s lead on key issues like the economy. Both polls had Trump leading Harris on key issues, including illegal immigration and foreign policy issues like Israel’s war in Gaza. TRUMP QUICKLY MOVES TO DEFINE HARRIS AS ‘MORE LEFT THAN BERNIE SANDERS’ The Marquette poll showed that 49% of Americans believe Trump would be better for the economy than Harris, with just 37% saying the reverse. The surveys come days after a Fox News poll found Trump and Harris deadlocked in Pennsylvania, a key swing state for the presidential election. The state of the race in the Keystone State is similar to where it was in April, when President Biden and Trump were tied 48%-48%. The survey, released Friday, shows Harris and Trump locked in a tie in Pennsylvania at 49%-49% — barely different from what the final election results were in the state in 2020 (49.85% Biden vs. 48.69% Trump).
Biden to hold first public event of the week before flying to beach house
President Biden is scheduled to hold his first public event of the week on Thursday before flying to his beach house in Delaware. Biden hasn’t been seen publicly since walking back to the White House from Marine One on Monday after returning with first lady Jill Biden from their residence in Wilmington, Delaware. None of the events on the president’s public schedule have been open to the press so far this week. On Thursday, Biden – during events closed to the press – is scheduled to call Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen “to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the tragic Maui wildfires and those who lost their lives” and receive his presidential daily briefing. Biden later Thursday afternoon is to welcome the Texas Rangers to the White House to celebrate their 2023 World Series championship season during an event open to only press-credentialed media. BIDEN HUNKERS DOWN IN WHITE HOUSE WITH NO PUBLIC EVENTS ON SCHEDULE AGAIN The president then is scheduled to depart the White House for Joint Base Andrews, from where he will then travel to Wilmington, Delaware. Biden’s arrival in Wilmington is listed as open to the press, but the president and Jill Biden will then greet campaign staff there during an event listed on the public schedule as closed to the press. The couple will then go back to their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on Thursday evening. Biden sat down with CBS News for his first interview since exiting his race for re-election at the White House on Wednesday afternoon. The interview isn’t scheduled to air in full until Sunday. Aside from a promotional clip of the interview, the public hasn’t seen Biden since Monday as he returned to the White House. The president told CBS News that he is “not confident at all” that there would be a peaceful transfer of power in January 2025 if former President Donald Trump loses the election, though Biden misspoke initially and said, “if Trump wins.” “He means what he says. We don’t take him seriously. He means it, all the stuff about, ‘If we lose, there’ll be a bloodbath, it’ll have to be a stolen election,’” Biden said. “Look what they’re trying to do now in the local election districts where people count the votes,” the president added, “or putting people in place in states that they’re going to count the votes, right?” HARRIS SNUBBING SHAPIRO MAKES LIBERAL JEWS IN HOLLYWOOD FEEL ‘NOT WELCOME’ AMONG DEMOCRATS: REPORT White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the president, telling Fox News congressional correspondent Aishah Hasnie, “You’ll see him tomorrow. There will be more opportunities. We have five months left here. There’ll be plenty of opportunities, obviously, to see the president and, certainly, when we have events, public events to share and travel to share as we normally do, we will do just that.” Asked if the president has yet spoken to any of the U.S. service members injured in the attack by Iranian proxies on a base in Iraq over the weekend, Jean-Pierre said at the White House press briefing that she did not “have any conversations to speak of,” but added, “obviously, we are wishing them a speedy recovery. They were injured. And so we have to give them some space and opportunity, to get better, to get that treatment that they need. As the president, he’s also the commander-in-chief, as you know, and he takes that incredibly seriously.” Of the seven injured U.S. personnel, Jean-Pierre said two have been returned to duty, two are recovering locally, and three have been evacuated for further treatment and remain in stable condition. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP As Pennsylvania comes into focus as a key 2024 battleground, there’s speculation about whether “Scranton Joe” will campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris in the state, especially after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was passed up for Harris’ running mate. Harris announced earlier this week that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz would join her on the Democratic ticket.
Nine out of 10 Texans say housing costs too much, poll finds
Some Texas lawmakers have signaled an appetite to tackle the state’s housing affordability crisis when they convene next year.