Sikkim: Four Army personnel die in road accident along ‘Silk Route’
The vehicle skidded off the road approximately 700 to 800 feet down the road at Vertical Veer.
‘He should…’: Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over collapse of Shivaji statue
On August 26, during a period of strong winds, the 35-foot statue of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort collapsed.
House GOP bill targets Venezuelan gang allegedly taking over Colorado apartment complex
FIRST ON FOX: A House Republican from Colorado is pushing the Biden administration to crack down on the presence of illegal immigrants involved with gangs inside the U.S. It comes after allegations that an organized criminal group from Venezuela supposedly took over an apartment complex in Aurora. Rep. Greg Lopez, R-Colo., whose 4th congressional district neighbors the one where the Denver suburb is located, introduced a new bill this week that, if passed, would compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary to issue detainers for migrants who are known by law enforcement to be affiliated with a gang. VIDEO SHOWS ARMED GANG AT TROUBLED COLORADO APARTMENT BUILDING BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY MIGRANTS It is one of several bills House Republicans have introduced since reports of crime by illegal immigrants have piled up in cities and towns across the U.S. Illegal immigrants have been accused in multiple high-profile killings in the U.S. this year, including Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray. In Colorado, Denver law firm Perkins Coie released a report this week that said the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua has a “stranglehold” on Whispering Pines Apartments in Aurora. TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ARRESTED IN AURORA, COLORADO IN CONNECTION TO APARTMENT BUILDING TAKEOVER: POLICE CBS News Colorado reported that Perkins Coie found the gang engaged in “violent assaults, threats of murder, extortion, strongarm tactics, and child prostitution” since taking over the complex in late 2023. Lopez wrote to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday urging him to “immediately issue a directive” to the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office “to aggressively apprehend, detain and deport any members of Tren de Aragua, or other known foreign criminal gangs, located in the state of Colorado” with a specific focus on Denver suburbs like Aurora. “Under your leadership, the United States has lost control of our southern border,” Lopez wrote. “With millions of encounters every year, criminal networks including Tren de Aragua have taken advantage of the situation and are wreaking havoc on our communities.” AURORA POLICE REACT TO ALLEGED VENEZUELAN GANG PRESENCE AT APARTMENTS: ‘HAVE NOT TAKEN OVER’ Meanwhile, Aurora law enforcement officials are denying that there has been a gang takeover. “We’ve been talking to the residents here and learning from them to find out what exactly is going on, and there’s definitely a different picture,” Interim Aurora Police Chief Heather Morris said in a Facebook video, according to USA Today. “I’m not saying that there’s not gang members that don’t live in this community.” Fox News Digital reached out to DHS and the city of Aurora for comment on Lopez’s letter and bill, respectively.
Judge Merchan sued for financial disclosures amid concerns of daughter’s Democrat work
EXCLUSIVE: America First Legal (AFL) is suing New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan for refusing to turn over his financial disclosures amid questions about his daughter’s work at a Democratic firm, Fox News Digital has learned. AFL sued Merchan, who presided over former President Donald Trump’s six-week-long trial in New York v. Trump, stemming from the yearslong investigation out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office. They also sued the New York State Unified Court System’s Ethics Commission. Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump has appealed the ruling and called on Merchan to overturn the verdict. Fox News Digital first obtained the lawsuit. JIM JORDAN SUBPOENAS COMPANY LED BY DAUGHTER OF NY V. TRUMP JUDGE The lawsuit comes after the AFL sent a demand letter last week for Merchan’s financial disclosures, threatening legal action. The AFL previously requested those records in June. Under New York law, judges are required to file annual financial disclosures, which are required to be made available upon request. “The law is clear that judicial financial disclosures must be released to the public,” AFL Vice President Dan Epstein told Fox News Digital. “New York’s highest court has stated that such disclosures are necessary for parties before the courts to get a fair shake.” Epstein said the public “needs to know what Judge Merchan is hiding or even if he failed to file financial disclosures at all.” “This is especially important given the fact that Merchan appears to have engaged in unlawful campaign contributions and is on the precipice of criminally sentencing the former president of the United States,” Epstein said. “Fundamental fairness dictates a resolution of America First Legal’s suit in its favor.” JORDAN INVESTIGATES DAUGHTER OF JUDGE IN NY V. TRUMP CASE OVER HER WORK FOR KAMALA HARRIS, DEMOCRATS The AFL is seeking the records amid longstanding concerns of a conflict of interest in Merchan’s role in the trial amid his daughter’s political work. Loren Merchan sits as the president for Authentic Campaigns — a company that has done political work for top Democrat clients like President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. “Clearly, Justice Merchan’s daughter and her clients stand to profit handsomely from lawfare against President Trump,” the AFL wrote in its lawsuit. They also noted that Judge Merchan has donated to Democratic causes, including to Biden’s campaign and a group called “Stop Republicans.” In July 2023, the Commission on Judicial Conduct cautioned Merchan for his “improper political donations to the Biden campaign and ‘Stop Republicans,’” the lawsuit states. ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’: TRUMP LAWYERS CALL FOR DELAYED SENTENCING IN BRAGG CASE “Given the magnitude of the Criminal Matter and Justice Merchan’s readily apparent political bias, conflict, and partiality, public-interest organizations such as AFL have a keen interest in obtaining the Requested Disclosures and shining light on his finances,” the lawsuit states. Republicans have accused Judge Merchan of political bias over his daughter’s political work. Trump’s legal team asked Merchan to recuse himself before the trial began, which he did not. A New York state ethics panel backed Merchan’s decision in a June 2023 decision. The House Judiciary Committee, last week, subpoenaed Authentic Campaigns after the company refused to provide information and records related to the prosecution of former President Trump in New York v. Trump. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said that Judge Merchan’s “impartiality” has come into question over his daughter’s work and his “refusal to recuse himself from the case in light of his apparent conflicts of interest and biases.” The CEO of Authentic reacted to the subpoena last week, saying the allegations against the company are “completely false and purely politically motivated.” “This is a blatant attempt to intimidate us and divert attention from Donald Trump’s conviction,” CEO Michael Nellis said. “We refuse to be bullied, and we will not allow House Republicans or MAGA extremists to spread lies about our work.” Meanwhile, Trump’s sentencing has been set for Sept. 18. He has requested that it be delayed until after the November presidential election. Merchan has yet to make a decision on the matter.
Former presidential candidate Nikki Haley lands new job
Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has found a new job in the private sector. Haley, who previously served as ambassador to the United Nations under former President Donald Trump, is headed to global communications firm Edelman. “Politics has become a critical consideration for clients in brand marketing, employee engagement and reputation management,” CEO Richard Edelman wrote in an announcement of the company’s new hire. NIKKI HALEY HAS BLUNT MESSAGE FOR TRUMP, GOP AS KAMALA HARRIS GAINS MOMENTUM: ‘QUIT WHINING’ “In her time as Governor, Haley had great success in attracting foreign companies to South Carolina and as Ambassador to the UN, helped lead important work on global issues,” he continued. Edelman is hoping Haley’s long career in politics will allow her to offer perspective and guidance regarding the intersection of politics and business. Haley dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race earlier this year after a series of state primaries broke in favor of Trump and rendered her path to the White House nearly impossible. NIKKI HALEY KNEW BIDEN WOULDN’T ‘MAKE IT TO THE ELECTION’ AND BE REPLACED WITH KAMALA HARRIS She has since endorsed Trump after he received the Republican nominee in July. Haley told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier last month on “Special Report” Republicans and Trump should focus on policy and messaging instead of crowd sizes at rallies, Vice President Kamala Harris’ race, or attacks on her intellect. “You can’t win on those things. The American people are smart. Treat them like they’re smart,” she said. “It’s not about her. It’s about the American people. Talk to them and let them know you need their vote.” “In a time of growing complexities in business, policy, and politics — brands need to anticipate what’s coming next,” Haley said of her new position at Edelman in the company announcement. “Whether managing a crisis or celebrating a success, industry leaders must be ready to communicate clearly and share their vision forward. I’m excited to join the team at Edelman to help their clients navigate the challenges ahead.” She is expected to begin working next month. Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
Biden pledges $7.3B in ‘clean energy’ spending with national debt at $35T
President Biden will pledge $7.3 billion in “clean energy” spending during a visit to the battleground state of Wisconsin on Thursday as the national debt sits at more than $35 trillion. During a visit to Westby, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Biden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack will announce more than $7.3 billion in financing for rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities across the country through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. The administration championed how the New ERA and other investments in rural clean energy in the president’s Inflation Reduction Act make up the largest investment in rural electrification since President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act into law in 1936 as part of the New Deal. The 16 selections – funded by Biden’s Investing in America agenda – will leverage private investments of more than $29 billion to build more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy for rural communities across the country and will reduce and avoid at least 43.7 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year, according to the administration. “It’s an exciting announcement with a massive impact across 23 states to bring the promise of clean energy and lower costs to approximately 5 million rural households, representing 20% of the nation’s entire rural household, as well as farms and businesses that are located in those 23 states,” Vilsack told reporters on a call Wednesday previewing the announcement. The rollout comes as the U.S. Treasury Department lists the national debt as more than $35 trillion. Yet, the White House fact sheet billed the announcement as part of the president’s “series designed to demonstrate how the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is improving the lives of Americans across the country and planting the seeds of a better future for decades to come.” US NATIONAL DEBT TO SURGE TO RECORD LEVELS WITHOUT REFORM, RAISING PROSPECT OF DEBT CRISIS White House Deputy Chief of Staff Natalie Quillian told reporters on Wednesday that “manufacturing is making a comeback in communities across the country,” touting Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which includes the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Chips and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. “His agenda has spurred over $910 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments,” Quillian said of Biden. “We’re building a clean energy economy that is lowering costs for millions of families and businesses, and we’re making the most ambitious investments in our infrastructure, including high speed internet, clean water and clean electricity in a generation.” “Importantly, in 2021, he talked about the need for good paying jobs and opportunities in rural America and the need to address our climate crisis, and tomorrow, he will announce $7.3 billion from his Inflation Reduction Act for clean, affordable, reliable electricity,” the deputy chief of staff added. “It’s the largest investment in rural electrification since FDR administration and will spur economic development and lower costs for millions of Americans. And it will create 4,500 permanent jobs and 16,000 construction jobs.” WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES RULES INCREASING CLEAN ENERGY SUBSIDIES FIVEFOLD IN BID TO SUPPORT GREEN JOBS In Wisconsin, Dairyland Power Cooperative is receiving the first New ERA award of nearly $573 million, which they will leverage for a total project investment of $2.1 billion. Dairyland plans to procure 1,080 megawatts of renewable energy through eight wind and solar power purchase agreements, four solar installations and four wind power installations across rural portions of Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, according to the White House. Dairyland estimates that electric rates for their members will be 42% lower over 10 years than they would have been without New ERA funding. “This is a $573 million commitment that the USDA is making, with the Inflation Reduction Act resources, in the form of a grant of nearly $471 million and a loan of nearly $102 million,” Vilsack said Wednesday. “This is going to establish an opportunity for this particular cooperative to purchase, to finance eight power purchase agreements for solar installations, for wind power installations across their service territory in Wisconsin. This is an opportunity, over the next ten years, to lower the cost of electricity for the customers of the Dairyland Cooperative by nearly 42%.” The White House said the 16 cooperatives are intended to benefit rural communities in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The secretary said Dairyland Cooperative will also make its own investment into the project and fund community benefit plans. “The total cost of the project will be a little over $2 billion,” Vilsack told reporters. “These benefit plans are designed to provide direct assistance and help to farmers, who will benefit from this clean energy as well as connecting to employment opportunities.”
US accuses Russia of election disinformation campaigns. What to know
The United States has announced a range of actions to combat Russian influence in the November 2024 presidential election, as the Biden administration tries to prevent outsiders from swaying votes. Two employees of Russian state media, Russia Today (RT), were indicted, dozens of internet domains were seized for “malign influence campaigns” and a new visa restriction policy was introduced as part of the efforts to check foreign influence. Let’s take a look at what we know so far: What did the government do? The US Justice Department, State Department and the Treasury were involved in one of the largest coordinated government efforts against foreign influence based on research by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). According to an indictment unsealed by the Justice Department on Wednesday, two senior employees of the state-funded RT used shell companies and fake identities to pay $10m to a Tennessee-based media operation to create content benefitting Russia. US Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters that the operation involved millions of followers and never disclosed that it was being directed by Moscow while falsely claiming it was being funded by a private investor. The Russia-based defendants, Kostiantyn Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva, have been charged with conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. The US-based targeted media operation was Tenet Media, which contracts a network of pro-Trump American influencers who publish right-wing content. Neither Tenet Media nor the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, were named in the indictment but could be easily matched with the descriptions provided. According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the Treasury, sanctions were imposed on a total of 10 individuals and two entities. It said the designations complement the State Department’s blacklisting of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and five of its subsidiaries, RIA Novosti, RT, TV-Novosti, Ruptly, and Sputnik, as “Foreign Missions”. US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a meeting of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force in Washington, DC on Wednesday [Annabelle Gordon/Reuters] The State Department has also imposed visa restrictions on the designated individuals and offered a reward of up to $10m for information pertaining to foreign interference in the US election. The Justice Department separately announced the seizure of 32 internet domains “used in Russian government-directed foreign malign influence campaigns”. The State Department and the White House have asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been guiding some of the influence operations. “We believe Mr Putin is weighing in on these actions,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. According to the US attorney general, the company that was allegedly set up by Russia in Tennessee published hundreds of videos with “commentary on events and issues in the United States, such as immigration, inflation, and other topics related to domestic and foreign policy”. “The American people are entitled to know when a foreign power is attempting to exploit our country’s free exchange of ideas in order to send around its own propaganda,” Garland said, adding that the US judicial system is sending a message that it has “no tolerance” for foreign influence operations. The Tennessee-based operation used a network of media personalities that included Dave Rubin, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern and Benny Johnson, who have a combined following of tens of millions on their social media pages. Several influencers took to social media to say they had no knowledge of any Russian ties with the outlet that contracted them for content, and that they were “victims” of the alleged scheme. Statement on the DOJ indictment: These allegations clearly show that I and other commentators were the victims of this scheme. I knew absolutely nothing about any of this fraudulent activity. Period. ‘People of the Internet’ was a silly show covering viral videos which ended… pic.twitter.com/KQHYDUi3ot — Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) September 4, 2024 “My lawyers will handle anyone who states or suggests otherwise,” 37-year-old right-wing commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson wrote in a post on X, threatening against any accusation of him of working with Russia. What is the Russian side saying? The Kremlin has consistently denied allegations that it is actively interfering with US elections, with official comments at times trying to portray that Moscow may actually prefer a Kamala Harris presidency. Speaking on Thursday, the Russian president offered sarcastic remarks on the Democratic nominee amid allegations that he prefers Republicans in the White House. Putin said Biden had “recommended to voters to support Ms Harris, we will also support her”, adding, “She laughs so contagiously that it shows that everything is fine with her.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on Thursday that the Russian response to Wednesday’s moves in the US will be harsh and make “everyone shudder”. RT responded sarcastically via a message published on its website by Deputy Editor-in-Chief Anna Belkina, who said, “They’re calling from 2016 and demanding all their tired cliches back.” “There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and RT’s interference in the American elections,” she wrote. Why would Russia do this? According to US authorities, Russia has been meddling in the upcoming US elections with the Ukraine war in mind. Moscow allegedly wants to see Trump become president for a second time because the Republican candidate has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. Russia is also trying to sow divisions and unrest in the US and instil a sense of economic and political insecurity, according to US officials, who have also accused China and Iran of launching influence and meddling operations for years. China and Iran have refuted the claims, with Tehran repeatedly denying involvement in the Ukraine war as well. Iran’s mission to the United Nations wrote a letter to the Security Council on Thursday that said it is “both ironic and hypocritical” that the US, the United Kingdom and France continue to accuse Iran of contributing to the war considering their arms exports that have “prolonged” the war. US authorities have
Georgia high school shooting: Who are the victims and ‘shooter’ Colt Gray?
EXPLAINER A 14-year-old boy allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School in the US state of Georgia, killing two students and two teachers. A 14-year-old boy allegedly opened fire at a Georgia high school on Wednesday, killing two students and two teachers while injuring nine other people. This incident marks the first mass shooting at a school in the United States since the beginning of the academic year — but the 23rd such incident in 2024. Here is all to know about the victims, suspect and shooting. What happened in Georgia and when? A shooting took place in Apalachee High School. Lyela Sayarath, 16, a student at the school, told CNN that she was sitting next to the suspected attacker before the shooting took place. The suspected shooter left an algebra class at about 9:45am (13:45 GMT). Later, as the class was nearing its end, he returned. A girl attempted to open the door but saw the gun and didn’t open it. She reported that the shooter then went to the classroom next door and began shooting. Officers first received reports of a shooting at the school at about 10:20am local time (14:20 GMT). After the shooting took place, all schools in the district were placed in lockdown, and police were sent out to all district high schools. A report by CNN said that earlier in the morning, Apalachee High School received a phone threat warning of shootings at five schools, with Apalachee being identified as the first target. 3. There was a call to another local high school this morning with a reported threat. Police responded, investigated, and determined there was no threat. (3/3) — GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 5, 2024 Where did the shooting take place? Apalachee High School is located in the city of Winder, Georgia. It is an hour outside of Atlanta, the state’s largest city and capital. The school has nearly 1,900 students enrolled and is one of three high schools in the Barrow County School System. In the state of Georgia, individuals must be 18 or older to purchase handguns. Minors also cannot possess handguns. In 2019, Georgia ranked 15th in firearm-related deaths in the US and the 10th for the southern region, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Georgia ranks 46 out of 50 states in the US in terms of the strength of its gun laws, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control. The group describes Georgia’s policies as “some of the weakest” in the US. Who is Colt Gray, the suspected shooter? The suspected shooter was identified by authorities as Colt Gray. He is a 14-year-old student, and he will be charged and tried as an adult, authorities said. Gray was armed with an “AR platform style weapon” or semiautomatic rifle. An AR-platform rifle, the AR-15 has been involved in some of the most deadly mass shootings in US history. Gray was interviewed by local enforcement in May 2023 after the FBI received “several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time”. According to the FBI, during that time his father said he did have hunting guns in the house, but he did not allow unsupervised access to them. They also said that at that time, there was no probable cause for arrest. Student Lyela Sayarath described Gray as “pretty quiet.” She said: “he never really talked. I couldn’t tell you what his voice sounded like, or really even describe his face to you. He was just there.” Who do we know about the victims? Officials said four people were killed and nine others hospitalised. The four victims were identified as: Christian Angulo, a 14-year-old student Mason Schermerhorn, a 14-year-old student Christina Irimie, a 53-year-old maths teacher Richard Aspinwall, a 39-year-old math teacher and assistant football coach All nine of those hospitalised — eight students and one teacher — were wounded and expected to recover. RIP to the 4 victims who tragically lost their lives today in the Apalachee High School shooting. As pictured: 1. Richard Aspinwall (math teacher)2. Mason Schermerhorn (14y/o student)3. Christian Angulo (14y/o student)4. Christina Irimie (math teacher) pic.twitter.com/Gfg7x4UWTL — Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) September 5, 2024 How did presidential candidates react to the high school shooting? The US is two months away from election night. Georgia is a key battleground state that both principal candidates — Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump — are desperate to win. Speaking from the campaign trail in New Hampshire, Harris described the killings in Georgia as a “senseless tragedy on top of so many senseless tragedies”. “And it’s just outrageous that every day, in our country, the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive,” Harris said. Today, Doug and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short by gun violence at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Our hearts are with the students, teachers, and families impacted by this shooting, and we are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement… — Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) September 4, 2024 In a message posted on social media, Trump said: “These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.” Trump himself was the victim of gun violence last month when a gunman hit his ear in a failed assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, his campaign has pledged to protect the rights of gun owners and repeal restrictions put in place under incumbent President Joe Biden. Trump’s vice presidential pick JD Vance described the shooting as “despicable violence” in a social media post. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this despicable violence just days into the new school year. We are keeping the victims, their families, and the whole community of Winder, Georgia in our prayers this evening. —
Can an ageing workforce help keep economies churning?
The number of older people is increasing around the world. Millions of them are set to leave the workforce. From the United States and Europe to Japan and China, the world’s population is growing older. By 2050, the number of people aged 65 and above is set to rise to 1.6 billion globally. The rapid ageing of societies is raising concerns about the future of the global economy. So, is our world set for slow economic growth? Or can an ageing workforce help keep economies churning? China’s steel exports are set to reach an eight-year high. We explore the global implications. Plus, is gaming in trouble? Adblock test (Why?)
Kolkata doctor rape-murder case: Ex-principal Sandip Ghosh ordered renovation near RG Kar hospital? CBI gives big update
The body of the victim was recovered on the morning of August 9 from the seminar room within the hospital premises.