Japanese scientists graft living skin onto ‘smiling’ robot
Tokyo, Japan – Japanese scientists have developed a technique to attach self-healing, living skin to a robot face and make it “smile”. The scientists, led by professor Shoji Takeuchi at the University of Tokyo’s Biohybrid Systems Laboratory, connected cultured skin tissue in the likeness of a human face to an actuator – an external mechanical device – using “anchors” that mimic skin ligaments. In a video released by the team, the scientists can be seen manipulating the skin into a smile without causing the tissue to bunch, tear or get stuck in place. Previous efforts to attach tissue made from human cells to a solid surface would result in the skin being damaged when in motion. While Takeuchi’s fleshy pink blob bears greater resemblance to a children’s animated character than a human face, researchers hope the breakthrough will pave the way to realistic humanoids in the future. Buoyed by the results, Takeuchi is now looking at the bigger picture. “Our cultured skin aims to replicate the full range of biological functions found in human skin, including the activity of facial muscles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, pores, blood vessels, fat, and nerves,” he told Al Jazeera. “This comprehensive functionality would enable more lifelike and interactive robotic applications.” Biohybrid robotics advocates believe that such advances could one day herald a societal revolution where humans live alongside humanoids that look and act identical to real people. Living skin, in particular, could allow robots to emote and better communicate with their human counterparts, ultimately blurring the boundary between homo sapiens and machines. While visions of a humanoid-inhabited utopia – or dystopia – may seem far-fetched for now, biological robots, and their accompanying moral and ethical quandaries, are slowly entering the world’s collective consciousness. Takeuchi’s team at Tokyo University is only in the embryonic stages of its work, which has also included developing mini robots that walk using biological muscle tissue and 3D printed lab-grown meat, as well as research into artificial cell membranes, neural networks and implantable devices. Takeuchi believes it will be a “long time” before robotic skin is close to 100 percent realistic, as significant advancements are needed in texture, colour and the integration of biological components. “While we aim to create more lifelike robots, our goal is to enhance their utility and interaction capabilities,” he said. Rafael Mestre, principal investigator at the Biohybrid Futures project based at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, has followed the Japanese team’s research with a sense of fascination. “Covering [robotic] devices with some sort of skin – just like our organs are isolated by our skin – to protect them and ensure they have the right conditions and nutrients is one of the first steps towards their actual use,” Mestre told Al Jazeera. “But there is still a long way to go.” Mestre argues that tissue produced for robots will need to be carefully evaluated because research on the interaction between skin cells and robotic surfaces is still in its infancy. “I suspect the first examples we see will be of some artificial skin acting as a coverture for a small-scale and simple biohybrid robot based on muscle tissue that can perform some basic form of actuation or movement, rather than in a humanoid robot with a real skin face,” he said. Mestre sees numerous potential applications for such technologies if research continues to advance, such as plastic surgery, anti-ageing research and drug testing. Other active areas of research include insect cyborgs – an area of interest for the United States government’s DARPA agency since 2006 – and biohybrid robots used for cleaning oceans or search-and-rescue operations. Misuse and abuse Concerns about the misuse and abuse of future technologies have also spurred calls for safeguards to be put in place. In a recent paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, researchers at the University of Southampton called for better regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines for biohybrid robotics development. The authors, who included Mestre, pinpointed three main areas of concern in the nascent field: how biorobots will interact with humans and ecosystems, the potential integration of biorobots into human bodies, and ethical considerations regarding a biorobot’s moral status. Takeuchi acknowledges ethical concerns, saying it will be crucial to implement regulatory measures and guidelines to ensure the technology is used responsibly. “While creating lifelike robots offers many benefits, we must carefully consider the implications and maintain transparency and control over their development and deployment,” he said. Mestre believes that it should not take the invention of realistic humanoid robots for ethical issues to be addressed. “Are we creating some sort of new hybrid life? What if we release them into the wild and they impact the trophic chain and environment? Or what if they’re used to enhance humans, like biohybrid prostheses, and very few people can afford them, and [it therefore] enhances inequalities?” he said. “This technology is being developed with little attention from the general public and policymakers… It’s imperative that we start having conversations about the future we want to have in relation to this technology.” Adblock test (Why?)
Indonesian fruit-pickers say seasonal work in UK left them drowning in debt
Medan, Indonesia – Indonesian workers who paid thousands of dollars to travel to the United Kingdom to pick fruit say they face the prospect of returning home heavily in debt after being sacked for not meeting unrealistic targets. Migrant worker Abdul said he departed for the UK in May with nine other Indonesians under the country’s seasonal worker scheme, which grants foreign workers six-month visas to work on British farms. Hired by UK recruiter Agri-HR, Abdul was sent to Haygrove, a farm in Hereford, about 215km (135 miles) southwest of London. “A friend of mine who had already been to the UK told me about the opportunity. He said I could make $65 per day picking fruit,” Abdul, who asked to use a pseudonym, told Al Jazeera. Abdul, who made about $130 per month in his previous job as an ice cream seller in Central Java province, said he racked up about $4,000 in debt borrowing money from family and friends to pay fees to two Indonesian third-party organisations – a recruitment agency called PT Mardel Anugerah International and a workers’ hub called Forkom – as well as out-of-pocket expenses to travel to the UK. Abdul said workers at Haygrove were expected to pick 20kg of cherries and strawberries per hour, which he found to be an impossible task due to the lack of fruit – a problem that only got worse as harvest season went on. “We [the Indonesian workers] were always put at the edge of the plantations where there was little fruit. Several times, we were given trees that were not in good condition and we picked all the fruit there was, but we couldn’t do any more than that,” he said. Abdul said he and four other Indonesian fruit-pickers received three written warnings before they were sacked within five to six weeks of arriving at the farm. He also alleged that other workers who had not met targets had not been let go. “When they let us go, Haygrove just said, ‘Sorry, we didn’t want this either’, and gave us an official letter to say we had been sacked and our ticket back to Indonesia leaving the next day,” he said. In a statement provided to Al Jazeera, Haygrove said the workers had been let go for poor performance and that it is “committed to fair employment practices and the well-being of all our workers”. “On June 24, 2024, five Indonesian workers were dismissed following a thorough and fair disciplinary process due to consistently poor performance. These dismissals were conducted in accordance with our structured performance management procedures, which include multiple stages of feedback, training, and support,” the farm said. The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), the UK’s main agency for investigating labour exploitation, earlier this year opened an investigation into the case. According to GLAA licensing rules, “a licensing holder must not charge a fee to a worker for any work-finding services”. However, other costs such as travel and medical checks may be charged as long as they are voluntary. “Additional goods or services must be optional and cannot be discriminated against if not taken up,” the rules state. In a statement provided to Al Jazeera, GLAA said it was looking into the workers’ complaints. “We are currently investigating the recruitment processes for a number of Indonesian workers in the UK and are working to establish the exact circumstances. At this time, we cannot comment further while the investigation is underway,” it said. Cherries await harvest at an orchard in Tunisia [File: Mohamed Messara/EPA-EFE] Haygrove said it takes allegations of misconduct “very seriously” and is fully cooperating with GLAA’s investigation. “We were unaware of any illegal recruitment fees until concerns were raised by a third party and subsequently reported to the GLAA by Agri-HR. Haygrove has a zero-tolerance policy for such practices and is actively supporting the GLAA’s investigation,” the farm said. “We emphasise that no issues have been raised directly by the Indonesian workers regarding their recruitment, accommodation, or working conditions at Haygrove.” Following their dismissal by Haygrove, Abdul and two other workers decided to remain in the UK. Abdul has since found work at another farm picking lettuce, although his six-month visa is due to expire in November, after which he will have to return to Indonesia. PT Mardel told Al Jazeera that Indonesians wishing to take advantage of the UK’s seasonal worker scheme must be able to cover the cost of a visa, medical check, return plane tickets and insurance, along with other processing costs in accordance with provisions set by the Indonesian labour department. “The estimated costs required are a maximum of 33 million Indonesian rupiah [$2,123],” a company spokesperson said. “The workers we have placed in the UK are all very happy that they can work there with very good salaries. The farms also pay great attention to their welfare,” the spokesperson said. PT Mardel also said there was “no relationship between PT Mardel and Forkom”. Forkom did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Several other workers awaiting departure to the UK told Al Jazeera that they were also saddled with debt. Ali, a seasonal worker applicant from Central Java province, said he was still waiting to go to the UK after Forkom told him he could depart in August last year. “They said if I went to the UK, I would earn $65 per day picking strawberries. I had to stop work in Indonesia so that I could focus on getting all the documents together, but then I didn’t get to leave,” Ali, who asked to use a pseudonym, told Al Jazeera. Ali said he is now about $1,300 in debt to his family. “I’ve spent all my money. Before this, I used to buy secondhand goods and sell them on the side of the road. I had been doing that for 25 years and it was enough for me to pay for my family,” he said. “All the information about the scheme was sent through Forkom,
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 924
As the war enters its 924th day, these are the main developments. Here is the situation on Friday, September 6, 2024. Fighting Ukraine emergency services said at least 55 people had been confirmed dead and 328 injured after they completed their search and rescue operation at a military educational institute in the Ukrainian town of Poltava that was hit by a Russian missile on Tuesday. Belgorod Regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said one civilian was killed in Ukrainian shelling on the town of Shebekino in the southern border region. Ukraine’s air force said it shot down 60 out of 78 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack. It added that Russia also used one ballistic Iskander-M missile in the bombardment. Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, told the CNN news channel that Kyiv’s incursion into Russia’s southern Kursk region was working and that there had been no Russian advances on a key sector of the eastern front for six days. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the incursion had failed to slow Russia’s advance in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Putin said the “main” goal of Russia’s full-scale invasion was to take control of the Donbas. Ukraine cancelled a train that was set to evacuate residents from the city of Pokrovsk in eastern Donetsk amid fears of a possible Russian attack. Russian forces are within 10 kilometres (six miles) of the city. Officials are urging the 27,000 people who still live there to leave. Politics and diplomacy Ukraine’s parliament approved Andrii Sybiha as the country’s new foreign minister after accepting the resignation of his predecessor, Dmytro Kuleba. The change is part of the biggest Ukrainian government shake-up since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Putin said that China, India and Brazil could act as mediators in potential peace talks over Ukraine and that a preliminary agreement reached between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in the first weeks of the war could serve as the basis for negotiation. The United States charged five Russian military officers for allegedly conducting cyberattacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine in the years leading up to its invasion. Revising a June indictment, the US Justice Department said a unit of Russia’s military intelligence agency started “large-scale cyber operations” as early as 2020. The Justice Department said it had charged Virginia-based Russian television contributor Dimitri Simes and his wife Anastasia Simes with money laundering in two separate schemes to breach US sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. Weapons The British government said it would provide Ukraine with 650 lightweight multi-role missiles worth 162 million pounds ($213m) to help protect the country from Russian drones and bombing. They are expected to be delivered by the end of the year. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will host a meeting in Germany of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which is made up of military leaders from more than 50 countries. The US said the meeting’s priority would be to boost Ukraine’s air defences and energise “the defence industrial bases” of allies to ensure longterm support for Kyiv. The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announced it would hold a hearing next week with four semiconductor companies on the use of US-made chips in Russian weapons deployed in the war in Ukraine. Adblock test (Why?)
During PM Modi’s visit, India, Singapore call for peaceful resolution of disputes in South China Sea
“Both sides also called on all parties to resolve disputes through peaceful means without threat or use of force and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of actions that could escalate tensions in the region,” the statement added.
Weather update: IMD issues heavy rainfall alert in several states, Delhi to witness…
In Delhi, it will be slightly colder on September 6 with a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius
Hunter Biden says he pleaded guilty to ‘spare’ his family the ‘humiliation’ of a trial after addiction battles
First son Hunter Biden released a statement Thursday after he pleaded guilty to nine federal tax charges, saying he did so to “spare” his family from being “publicly humiliated” by a trial. “I went to trial in Delaware not realizing the anguish it would cause my family, and I will not put them through it again,” Biden said. “When it became clear to me that the same prosecutors were focused not on justice but on dehumanizing me for my actions during my addiction, there was only one path left for me.” “I will not subject my family to more pain, more invasions of privacy and needless embarrassment. For all I have put them through over the years, I can spare them this, and so I have decided to plead guilty,” he added. “Like millions of Americans, I failed to file and pay my taxes on time. For that I am responsible. As I have stated, addiction is not an excuse, but it is an explanation for some of my failures at issue in this case. When I was addicted, I wasn’t thinking about my taxes, I was thinking about surviving,” Biden continued. HUNTER BIDEN’S ‘HIGH DRAMA’ DAY IN COURT ENDS IN SHOCKING GUILTY PLEA “But the jury would never have heard that or know that I had paid every penny of my back taxes including penalties.I have been clean and sober for more than five years now because I have had the love and support of my family. I can never repay them for showing up for me and helping me through my worst moments. But I can protect them from being publicly humiliated for my failures,” he said. Biden, who chronicled his battle with addiction in his memoir, Beautiful Things, concluded his statement saying: “For anyone now going through the scourge of addiction, please know there is a light at the end of that seemingly endless tunnel. I was where you are now. Don’t quit right before the miracle.” Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, said in a separate statement that “this plea prevents a show trial that would not have provided all the facts or served any justice.” “There is no doubt this case was an extreme and unusual one for the government to bring. Unlike millions of Americans, Hunter was charged with felonies for his failures that occurred during the depths of his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and which he has since rectified by paying his overdue taxes in full with interest and penalties years before he was charged. In fact, he actually overpaid his taxes in the year he is charged with tax evasion,” Lowell added. HUNTER BIDEN’S CRIMINAL TAX TRIAL BEGINS WITH JURY SELECTION IN CALIFORNIA Special Counsel David Weiss charged President Biden’s son with three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. Weiss alleged a pattern by which Hunter did not pay his federal income taxes while also filing false tax returns. HUNTER BIDEN TAX TRIAL POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Hunter “engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020.” Hunter remains free on bond until the sentencing date on Dec. 16.
Reporter’s Notebook: No proof of citizenship? No vote
No proof? No vote. As in, proof of citizenship. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., convened a conference call Wednesday with House GOPers, just days before the House returns to session for the first time since late July. Johnson advocated that the House adopt an interim spending bill running into the first quarter of next year to avert a government shutdown on Oct. 1. But House Republicans will attach the so-called SAVE Act to the bill. That’s short for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. It’s legislation the House adopted in July, requiring people to show proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. All Republicans voted yea two months ago. Five Democrats voted yea. ON CAPITOL HILL, IT’S ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ ALL OVER AGAIN “If you’re here illegally and interfere in our elections, you deserve a pair of handcuffs, not an ‘I voted’ sticker,” said Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, during the floor debate. The House Freedom Caucus pitched the interim spending bill/citizenship voting plan to the speaker. First of all, some conservatives believe that a number of persons in the U.S. could illegally vote. So, they want to protect against that. Secondly, there is concern that local jurisdictions like Oakland, Calif., now allow noncitizens to cast ballots for school board and city council. The Freedom Caucus frets there aren’t proper guardrails to prevent those people from voting for federal offices. Third, FOX is told that Republicans believe the SAVE Act is a good campaign issue. It puts Democrats on the spot as GOPers curate a narrative about consequences of the border crisis. And fourth, former President Trump is pushing Republicans to take this approach. “President Trump wants to see us pick a fight,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. “All Republicans support it. It’s only Democrats standing in the way of a commonsense measure to ensure all American citizens vote in American elections.” Also, this move helps Johnson, who earned criticism from the right for not handling spending bills the way they wanted in the spring. So, the voting maneuver would bolster Johnson in efforts to keep opponents at bay. The approach creates unity for Republicans and strengthens the hand of the speaker while simultaneously applying pressure on Democrats. BORDER SENATOR AND FORMER HARRIS VP SHORT-LISTER CLAIMS ‘NO EVIDENCE’ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTE Conservatives usually balk at stopgap spending bills, especially long-term ones, but perhaps not one that extends into 2025. Conservatives are banking on the idea that the GOP will hold the House, flip the Senate and return former President Trump to the White House. If the GOP achieves that trifecta, it can then put its own stamp on spending bills at an earlier date. If Congress approves an interim spending bill this month – then gloms all of the other spending bills together in one omnibus package in November or December – President Biden and the Democrat-controlled Senate will have achieved their spending priorities through Sept. 30, 2025. However, a stopgap bill that simply renews all current funding until early next year truncates the Democrats’ influence. That scenario gives Republicans and Mr. Trump the opportunity to place their own imprimatur on spending much sooner. But this plan must first pass the House. The GOP would like to score some political points if the five Democrats who voted for the SAVE Act earlier vote no this time around. Republicans can then deploy this roll-call vote against those Democrats, some of whom are vulnerable this fall. However, it’s not guaranteed that all Republicans would go for this plan. Some Republicans automatically vote against all interim spending bills. It’s about the math. So, it’s unclear if this game plan has the votes. But let’s say the combo bill passes the House. The Democrat-controlled Senate would likely strip out the SAVE Act and send back to the House a shorter interim spending bill. Many Senate Democrats, and some Republicans, aren’t keen on the Freedom Caucus’s idea. “This is a solution looking for a problem. There is no evidence that undocumented migrants vote,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. “The problem doesn’t exist, and it’s creating a new system and requirements. There doesn’t seem to be any necessity.” SCHUMER SOUNDS OFF ON GOP PLAN TO TIE CITIZENSHIP VOTING REQUIREMENT TO SPENDING BILL Then the onus is on the House to align with the Senate before the Sept. 30 deadline. That leaves Johnson with a major decision to make. Does he stick to his guns and flirt with a shutdown – weeks before the election – as control of the House swings in the balance? Or does he accept the Senate position and pass the bill with a combination of Democrats and Republicans. In fact, it’s possible the House would advance that version of the spending bill with more Democrats than Republicans. That would infuriate the right and possibly resurrect internal political problems for Johnson. “We need to have a fallback position,” said one senior House Republican. “We tend to pick fights we can’t win.” So, let’s say the citizenship/2025 spending plan fails on the floor. Then Republicans must likely accept the Senate’s position, no matter what. Or they face a government shutdown. It’s particularly challenging for Republicans if they fail to approve any bill whatsoever. The House meets next week for four days, then four days the week after that. The big finale before the election is five days the week of Sept. 22. But it’s possible the House could give back the final week of September if Congress funds the government and shutdown scenarios are quashed. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Many Republicans hanker to abandon Washington early to campaign. When asked about the chances of the House leaving early, a senior House GOP leadership characterized the chances as “high.” So, some Republicans may be willing to accept anything just to escape D.C. early and hit the hustings. Or here’s a more likely scenario: Some Republicans will crow about the House “not fighting for the conservative position” or “not doing enough
Hunter Biden’s ‘high drama’ day in court ends in shocking guilty plea
The criminal trial of first son Hunter Biden for federal tax charges was expected to get underway in normal order Thursday, until the younger Biden said he intended to plead guilty to the charges in a shocking twist. Special counsel David Weiss charged Biden with three felonies and six misdemeanors concerning $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. Weiss alleged a pattern by which the president’s son did not pay his federal income taxes while also filing false tax returns. In the indictment, Weiss alleged that Biden “engaged in a four-year scheme to not pay at least $1.4 million in self-assessed federal taxes he owed for tax years 2016 through 2019, from in or about January 2017 through in or about October 15, 2020, and to evade the assessment of taxes for tax year 2018 when he filed false returns in or about February 2020.” Earlier this year, Biden’s lawyers blew up a plea deal involving those crimes, indicating Hunter would plead not guilty in trial. But instead, Abbe Lowell, Biden’s attorney, said in a California federal court Thursday that his client intended to switch his plea, unbeknownst to the prosecution. HUNTER BIDEN’S CRIMINAL TAX TRIAL BEGINS WITH JURY SELECTION IN CALIFORNIA The development came after Biden’s lawyers had prepared to argue he was too high or drunk to pay his taxes. “Hunter decided to enter his plea to protect those he loves from unnecessary hurt and cruel humiliation. This plea prevents that kind of show trial that would have not provided all of the facts, or served any real point in justice,” Lowell said. “We will now move on to the sentencing phase while keeping open the options to raise the many clear issues with this case. I feel there’s no doubt this case was an extreme and unusual one for the government to bring,” Lowell said. Biden remains free on bond until the sentencing date on Dec. 16. Earlier in the day, it seemed Biden would enter what’s known as an Alford plea, when a defendant acknowledges that a prosecutor’s evidence would likely be enough to convict, so they accept a sentence but maintain their innocence. It also wasn’t clear at first whether Biden’s plea would be accepted by Judge Mark Scarsi, who commented that “the court doesn’t need the government’s agreement to accept an Alford plea.” After hours of deliberations, it came down to Biden pleading guilty to all nine counts. HUNTER BIDEN TAX TRIAL POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER As the court proceedings came to a close, DOJ prosecutor Leo Wise read aloud every page of the 56-page indictment against the president’s son, including Biden’s expenditures that were on a business line of credit that included hotels, Airbnbs, sex club membership, porn websites, designer clothing, travel, money to his adult children, exotic dancers, and more. Kerri Kupec Urbahn, Fox News legal editor and former senior adviser to former Attorney General William Barr, called the day full of “high drama” from Hunter Biden, who created “the most unsympathetic situation” for himself “in the court of public opinion and the court of law.” “I have thought all along it was insane not for him to plead guilty at the very beginning; either you pay your taxes or you don’t,” Urbahn said. “It’s really that simple.” “People hate paying taxes. They hate even more the guy that gets away with not paying those taxes, and you know what they hate even more than that? The guy that gets a Get Out of Jail Free card from his dad, who happens to be the President of the United States, because nobody else in America has that,” she said. “It is like the most unsympathetic situation that one can create, both in the court of public opinion and the court of law.” HUNTER BIDEN PLEADS GUILTY TO ALL NINE FEDERAL TAX CHARGES BROUGHT BY SPECIAL COUNSEL DAVID WEISS President Biden has vowed not to pardon his son, and the White House suggested on Thursday that he has not changed his mind. “It’s no, it’s still no,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday when they questioned whether the plea had impacted Biden’s decision on whether he would consider a pardon for his son. “I’m not able to comment on it, but I can say that it is still very much a ‘no’ to the questions I have gotten about if the president is going to pardon [Hunter]. But criminal defense attorney and law professor Jonathan Turley says that, should Biden change his mind, the December sentencing date “falls within the period where executive action would be most likely if it were to come.” “It will still allow weeks for President Biden to consider a commutation or pardon, so it is placing the sentencing date in the sweet spot for the White House. If President Biden was going to violate his promise, he would likely do that after the election and shortly before he leaves office. Moreover, if the sentence is a long one, it may offer more pressure on the president to use executive power to protect his son,” Turley told Fox News Digital. “The drama in California was consistent with the entire Biden defense,” Turley added. “What’s striking about every stage of this defense is how it has utterly failed to achieve any positive results for Hunter Biden, that for all the drama and media attention, each of these moments has led to a significant loss for Hunter Biden.” “He’s now facing sentencing in two states. He has succeeded in putting himself in the worst possible position for sentencing in both Delaware and California,” Turley said, adding, “it’s hard to discern any legal strategy that runs throughout these cases.” Hunter Biden earlier this year was found guilty in a separate case involving an illegal purchase of a firearm. Those charges included making a false statement in the purchase of a gun, making a false statement related to information required to be kept by a federally licensed
RNC blasts Walz admin’s nonanswer on how noncitizens made it onto Minnesota voter rolls: ‘No hypothetical’
The administration of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, has not explained how noncitizens made it onto the state’s voter rolls, according to the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Minnesota GOP, which penned a letter to the state’s Department of Public Safety. Kevin Cline, election integrity counsel for the Republican National Committee, and David Hann, chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party, first wrote to the Walz administration last month flagging how a noncitizen, legally living in the state and fearful of jeopardizing his status, came forward to report receiving a primary ballot without having registered to vote. Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson wrote back to Cline and Hann earlier this week. His letter explained that the Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services Division (DVS) “takes many steps to ensure that only U.S. citizens’ information is forwarded to the Office of the Secretary of State.” That includes reviewing only a list of certain documents that qualify as proof of citizenship to determine if an applicant is a U.S. citizen. Procedures include a second review upon issuance of the applicant’s documents to verify their classification in the system. MINNESOTA GOP DEMANDS PROBE AFTER NONCITIZEN CLAIMS RECEIVING PRIMARY BALLOT WITHOUT REGISTERING TO VOTE If DVS finds a document has been classified incorrectly as valid proof of citizenship, DVS fixes the classification and does not send the record to the Office of the Secretary of State for automatic voter registration, Jacobson wrote. He added that DVS is also conducting “a thorough, manual review” of all records that have been identified as eligible for AVR since the law went into effect in 2023 “to ensure a fair and secure election this fall.” This response did not satisfy Cline nor Hann, who noted in a new letter sent Thursday how Walz in March 2023 signed a bill into law allowing illegal noncitizens to receive driver’s licenses, also known as “Driver License for All.” Less than two months after signing that bill into law, Walz signed the “Democracy for the People Act,” permitting automatic voter registration through DVS, Cline and Hann said. “While we appreciate your explanation of how the Driver and Vehicle Services Division (“DVS”) is supposed to function to ensure each applicant is a U.S. citizen, your response failed to explain how noncitizens made it through that process and ultimately made it onto Minnesota’s voter rolls,” Cline and Hann wrote Thursday, according to the letter obtained by Fox News Digital. “This is no hypothetical; lawfully present noncitizens were registered to vote through your department, and Minnesota voters deserve transparency from your department to understand how this failure occurred and how it is being addressed. “This issue is especially concerning since the chain of events leading to implementation of Minnesota’s AVR system, put in place by Governor and Vice-Presidential Candidate Tim Walz, gives the impression it was put in place to facilitate registration of noncitizens,” the letter says. “Minnesota’s voter registration system is clearly vulnerable to illegal voter registrations in its current form.” Cline and Hann said it is “worrisome that your department is only now conducting a review of voter records identified as eligible for automatic voter registration (‘AVR’). HARRIS VP PICK MINNESOTA GOV TIM WALZ LAVISHED ILLEGAL MIGRANTS WITH TAXPAYER-FUNDED ‘BLANKET OF BENEVOLENCE’ “This type of review should have been completed multiple times on a consistent schedule since AVR’s implementation,” they told Jacobson. “That your department is only now beginning the review process suggests it is being done because our previous letter exposed the flaws in the AVR system and highlighted noncitizens on the rolls.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for comment, but it did not immediately respond. Cline and Hann demanded Jacobson provide “full and in-depth answers” as to “when were the citizenship checks outlined in your September 3, 2024, letter put into place,” “when will your ‘thorough, manual review’ begin, what will that review consist of, and when will it be completed,” and “will you share the results of this manual review with the public?” The letter also seeks details on how Jacobson has been reporting to the OSS under 201.145, including how often a report is sent to the secretary of state, how many reports have been sent since the implementation of AVR and whether those reports include noncitizens who are not lawfully present in Minnesota. Jacobson was asked if he ever compared the reported individuals under 201.145 against his own AVR records, how many noncitizens have been issued a driver’s license and were also sent to OSS since the implementation of AVR and how many individuals have been sent to the secretary of state since the implementation of AVR. “Has there been any pressure from the Governor’s Office or elsewhere to fast-track the registration process?” Cline and Hann asked. “Minnesota voters should not have their votes diluted because your department failed to filter out noncitizens from the automatic voter registration system,” they concluded. “Mistakes have clearly been made in the design and/or implementation of the AVR system, but it is not too late to provide transparency and to address the issues before the election this November.”
Longtime California Dem leader says ‘adios’ to her party and registers with GOP because ‘I’ve had enough’
A longtime former California Democratic legislative leader announced Wednesday she no longer “recognize[s her] party,” while noting she still considers many of its historical figures, including former President John F. Kennedy, her “heroes.” Gloria Romero, who served as the state Senate majority leader for three years of her more than 10-year stint in Sacramento, slammed the current state of her former party. Romero said she had been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for both Jesse Jackson and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., adding that many Latinos and Latinas are leaving the party for similar reasons. “Today, I say ‘Goodbye – adios’ — I’ve had enough,” the former San Gabriel Valley lawmaker said in her announcement. CALIF BILL AIMED AT MAKING IT EASIER FOR MIGRANTS TO BUY HOMES MAKES MAJOR ADVANCEMENT “I am now another near-lifelong Democrat who is joining the growing number of people … who are leaving the Democratic Party. “Today, I join the Republican Party to make America great again, and I am ready to do my part as America prepares to vote,” Romero said, adding she has received a warm reception from her onetime political opposition. She claimed she could not stand by as Democrats took “a giant leap to authoritarianism [and] censorship,” noting former President Reagan warned that if fascism rose in the U.S. it would come under the guise of liberalism. “It is terrifying to see how language has been modified so that, as a feminist and a former professor … I would be condemned for saying that I can define a woman and distinguish between biological sex and gender identity,” Romero said. “While I am pro-choice, I will not support a party that advocates for abortion to full term. I am a mother and refuse to call myself a ‘birthing person.’” BIDEN’S BORDER CRISIS WREAKING HAVOC ON K-12 SCHOOLS SAYS TOP GOP LAWMAKER “The Republican Party has become the party of peace while the Democrats have marched towards endless war.” She also took aim at the Green movement within the Democratic Party, voicing opposition to regulations on appliances. “[A]s a Latina, I will not give up my gas stove; you cannot toast a tortilla on an electric range,” she quipped. Standing on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento, Romero said she officially aligns with the GOP under former President Trump, who she said is the true champion of working people and the Reaganesque “big tent.” “I will vote for Donald Trump this fall,” she said. Asked about Romero’s move, Los Angeles Democratic officials dismissed her official announcement as “old news.” “We knew then about Gloria what California Republicans know best: the grift is real,” Mark Gonzalez, the former chairman of the county party, told the Los Angeles Daily News. Another former party staffer said on X, formerly Twitter, the GOP is “drudg[ing] up old news to stay relevant.” State Sen. Brian W. Jones, R-San Diego, the top Republican in the state chamber, welcomed Romero to the party, saying in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital that Romero had unsuccessfully tried to “wake up” her former party to its leftward shift. “Her leadership and experience have always been about serving the people, not partisan politics. It takes real courage to step away from the party you’ve led and stand for what is right,” Jones said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The pendulum is swinging in California — Sky-high prices, increasing crime, and record homelessness are the direct results of a broken government…” Current state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil of Jackson also switched to the GOP in early August. At the time, Alvarado-Gil said her former party is also “unrecognizable” and “lacks the will to fix the problems plaguing the state.”