Wes Moore praises Walz for military service, completing ‘mission’ despite retirement outrage
CHICAGO – Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, during his Democratic National Convention speech Wednesday, praised Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s military career and for completing the “mission,” despite ongoing criticism over Walz retiring from the Army National Guard before his unit deployed to Iraq. “My fellow veteran, my brother and the next vice president of the United States, Tim Walz,” the Maryland Democrat said from the Chicago stage at the United Center Wednesday evening. “Tim knows that in the military, you count the days towards mission completion,” Moore, an Army veteran, continued. “So guess what, y’all? We have got 75 days and a wake up until Election Day. Seventy-five days and a wake up for us to prove what Americans can do when the pressure is on.” VETERANS INCREASINGLY CALLING OUT WALZ’S MILITARY RECORD: ‘SHAMEFUL’ “Patriots do not whine and complain. We put our heads down, and we get to work.” Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring in 2005, when he launched a successful congressional campaign and served as a member of the U.S. House representing Minnesota from 2007 until 2019. Walz left the House upon his 2018 election as the Gopher State’s governor. WALZ ACCUSATIONS OF ‘STOLEN VALOR’ PROMPT BATTLE BETWEEN HOUSE VETERANS Criticisms have mounted that Walz retired just months before his battalion deployed to Iraq as war raged in the Middle East following the 9/11 attacks. Walz put in his papers for retirement at least five months before his battalion received deployment orders, according to the Minnesota National Guard. FORMER LEADER OF WALZ’S BATTALION PUBLISHES SCATHING MESSAGE AIMED AT GOVERNOR’S MILITARY CAREER: REPORT “He subverted the chain of command, and he went around the chain of command. The brigade [sergeant] major had no clue. These are all important facts, and he did it to continually feather his own bed… That was the shameful part of it,” retired Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Herr told Fox News earlier this month. Following Harris naming him as her running mate, Walz has been slammed by a number of veterans for allegedly misrepresenting his service in the military, including identifying himself to the public as a retired “Command Sergeant Major.” Walz was promoted to the command sergeant major rank following a deployment to Italy in 2004, but he did not complete coursework with the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy to retain the rank in retirement. Walz instead retired as a master sergeant, one pay grade below command sergeant major. “For 20 years, they let this guy go by with a lie that he deployed to Iraq, which he didn’t, and that he retired as a command sergeant major, which he did not. I mean, that’s just blatant lies,” Republican Virginia Senate candidate Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain, told The New York Post this month of Walz. Walz also took the DNC stage on Thursday evening, when he spoke to the arena about his small town roots in the Midwest and his career as a teacher before diving into politics in the early 2000s. “I grew up in Butte, Nebraska, a town of 400 people. I had 24 kids in my high school class, and none of them went to Yale. But I’ll tell you what. Growing up in a small town like that, you’ll learn how to take care of each other. That that family down the road, they may not think like you do. They may not pray like you do. They may not love like you do. But they’re your neighbors. And you look out for them, and they look out for you. Everybody belongs and everybody has a responsibility to contribute,” he said. Vice President Kamala Harris will deliver her acceptance speech before the DNC on Thursday evening, following three nights of other high-profile Democrats such as former President Barack Obama, President Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton celebrating her candidacy. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Three Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on occupied West Bank
Israeli forces have carried out near-daily raids in the territory, killing more than 600 Palestinians since October. Three Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air attack on a house in the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Ministry of Health says. The attack on Thursday came as the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said fighters from its Tulkarem Battalion clashed with Israeli soldiers in the camp and detonated explosive devices targeting military vehicles. “Our fighters continue to clash with the occupation forces and we have achieved direct hits among them,” the Qassam Brigades said. The Israeli military deployed snipers on roofs and sent in bulldozers to destroy infrastructure. The Quds News Network posted a video of a fire following the army’s ground assault on the camp. The Israeli military said its aircraft struck “several militants” in Tulkarem as ground forces searched for buried explosives in an operation that was still ongoing. Dozens of buildings were destroyed in the eight-hour incursion and at least one Israeli soldier was wounded. Israeli forces also conducted raids in cities and towns across the West Bank, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported, and arrested two teenagers in the town of Deir Ballut and Tubas city. A total of 25 Palestinians, including two women and a child, were arrested overnight and through Thursday morning across the West Bank, according to Wafa. The Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) said in a joint statement that the Israeli raids were marked by violence and intimidation. Witnesses told PPS that detainees and their families there threatened and their homes were damaged. In the village of Burqa, east of Ramallah, Israeli troops clashed with Palestinians and deployed tear gas, live rounds and sound bombs. Attacks in the West Bank have surged since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. Since October 7, Israeli forces have killed more than 600 Palestinians in the West Bank, including 144 children, while more than 10,000 Palestinians have been arrested. In a landmark but nonbinding ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month declared Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as unlawful, saying it should come to an end “as rapidly as possible”. Adblock test (Why?)
Canada rail freight traffic comes to a standstill over labour dispute
The standoff could cause economic damage and supply chain problems for businesses and consumers in Canada and the US. Canada’s two major freight railroads have completely halted operations due to a contract dispute with their workers in a standoff that could cause considerable economic damage to businesses and consumers in both Canada and the United States. Canadian National (CN) and CPKC railroads both locked out their employees after the Thursday deadline passed without new agreements with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference which represents some 10,000 engineers, conductors and dispatchers. This is the first time the country has faced simultaneous work stoppages at the two companies, which in the past have negotiated labour deals in alternate years. All rail traffic in Canada and all shipments crossing the US border have stopped, although CPKC and CN’s trains will continue to operate in the US and Mexico. Labour talks started early this year, but progress has been slow with both the union and the companies accusing each other of bad faith. The negotiations are stuck on issues related to the way rail workers are scheduled and concerns about rules designed to prevent fatigue and provide adequate rest to train crews. Both railroads had proposed shifting away from the existing system, which pays workers based on the miles in a trip, to an hourly system they said would make it easier to provide predictable time off. Business groups had urged the government to intervene, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declined to force both sides into arbitration yet, but he urged them to reach a deal on Wednesday because of the economic damage that would follow a full shutdown. “It is in the best interest of both sides to continue doing the hard work at the table,” Trudeau told reporters in Gatineau, Quebec. “Millions of Canadians, workers, farmers, businesses, right across the country, are counting on both sides to do the work and get to a resolution.” Numerous business groups have been urging Trudeau to act. “Despite the lockout, the Teamsters remain at the bargaining table with both companies,” the union said in a statement. Rail traffic in Canada and all shipments crossing the US border have stopped over the labour dispute [File: Nick Ingram/AP Photo] Effect on trade Canada – the world’s second-largest country by territory – relies heavily on rail to ship grain, fertiliser and commodities, and the country’s main business lobby group estimates losses would hit $1 billion Canadian dollars ($733m) a day during a stoppage. If the dispute drags on for a couple of weeks, water treatment plants across the country might have to scramble without new shipments of chlorine. Billions of dollars of goods each month move between Canada and the US via rail, according to the US Department of Transportation. “If rail traffic grinds to a halt, businesses and families across the country will feel the impact,” Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in a statement. “Manufacturing workers, their communities and consumers of all sorts of products will be left reeling from supply chain disruptions.” Adblock test (Why?)
Video: Walz accepts VP nomination at Democratic convention
NewsFeed The Democrats’ candidate for the US vice presidency Tim Walz drew on his background as an American football coach as he urged supporters to fight for an election win, in a speech at the Democratic National Convention. Published On 22 Aug 202422 Aug 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Badlapur horror: Bombay HC calls sexual assault on minor girls ‘shocking’, says ‘there cannot be compromise on…’
The court had taken suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the incident where two four-year-old girls were sexually assaulted inside the school’s washroom at Badlapur in Thane district by a male attendant on August 12 and 13.
Big trouble for ex-trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar as UPSC says she committed…
The UPSC and Delhi police have opposed IAS probationer Puja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail, granted by the High Court last week.
Kamala Harris to accept presidential nomination on final night of DNC
CHICAGO — Vice President Harris will formally accept the Democrat presidential nomination Thursday night in a historic moment after President Biden won the 2024 Democrat primaries but later suspended his campaign due to internal party pressure. Harris is expected to address the Democratic National Convention (DNC) during a primetime Thursday night address. By the end of the night, the Democrat presidential ticket will be solidified with Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and then it will be off to the general election against Republican nominee former President Trump and his VP pick, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Harris delivered surprise remarks on Monday night to kick off the DNC in Chicago, praising Biden and saying “we are forever grateful to him.” WALZ TO ACCEPT DEMOCRAT VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION ON NIGHT 3 OF DNC “Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation and for all you will continue to do,” Harris said Monday. “We are forever grateful to you. Thank you, Joe.” Harris said Democrats are “united by our shared vision for the future of our country.” “And this November, we will come together and declare with one voice as one people, we are moving forward,” she said Monday. “With optimism, hope and faith so guided by our love of country, knowing we all have so much more in common than what separates us, let us fight for the ideals we hold dear and let us always remember when we fight, we win.” Just over a month ago, Biden was considered the presumptive Democrat presidential nominee, having won each primary race. However, after a disastrous debate performance against Trump in June, Democrats mounted a pressure campaign for Biden to suspend his re-election bid. Biden eventually gave in and dropped out of the race. He swiftly endorsed Harris, his vice president, to take his place as the Democrat nominee. Biden addressed the convention Monday night and handed the reins of the party to Harris. DNC ATTENDEES REJECT POPULAR GOP ACCUSATION OF CONVENTION HYPOCRISY: ‘APPLES AND ORANGES’ Speaking in front of the jam-packed United Center arena, the president declared, “America, I gave my best to you.” “Selecting Kamala was the very first decision I made before I became, when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career,” Biden said. “She’s tough, she’s experienced, and she has enormous integrity, enormous integrity.” He added, “Her story represents the best American story.” He then asked the crowd, “Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for president and vice president of the United States?” Harris has spent the week campaigning, holding events across the country. She also unveiled her first big-ticket proposal to raise revenues this week, upping the corporate tax rate. The Harris campaign said the vice president is proposing to raise the rate that major businesses pay from 21% to 28%, describing it as a “fiscally responsible way to put money back in the pockets of working people and ensure billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share.” MICHELLE OBAMA’S 3RD CONSECUTIVE DNC SPEECH SLAMMING TRUMP RIPS HIS ‘RACIST LIES,’ ‘NARROW VIEW OF THE WORLD’ The announcement this week comes as Harris is beginning to offer details on how she would govern if she is elected president and how she would try to pay for expensive ideas she proposed last week, including expanding the child tax credit, easing the cost of homeownership and lowering medical debt. Meanwhile, ahead of Harris’ formal acceptance of the Democrat presidential nomination, the vice president drew support from major Democrats – beyond Biden – and top Hollywood stars. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Harris, invoking her famed “glass ceiling” line. “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the United States,” said Clinton, who in 2016 became the first female to win a major party presidential nomination. DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION: LIVE UPDATES Harris also drew praise from former President Obama, former first lady Michelle Obama and former President Clinton, among others. Her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, said he was “so proud of how you’re stepping up for all of us.” “That’s who she is. Whenever she’s needed, however she’s needed, Kamala rises to the occasion,” Emhoff said. “She did it for me and our family. Now that the country needs her, she’s showing you what we already know: she’s ready to lead, she brings both joy and toughness to this task, and she will be a great president who we will all be proud of.”
‘Star Wars’ actor Mark Hamill weighs in on Kamala Harris’ chances of victory
“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill is among the big names in Chicago this week to celebrate Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepting the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this week. Hamill told Fox News Digital on the way to a VIP event on Tuesday evening that he is “very confident” Harris will beat former President Trump in November. The Hollywood star, known best for playing Luke Skywalker in the science-fiction saga, briefly chatted with fans and media and stopped to take photos with Democrat fans in attendance. DNC IN CHICAGO: 8 SHOT, 4 MURDERED IN WINDY CITY ON DAY 1 OF CONVENTION When asked what he thought of President Biden’s Monday evening farewell speech, Hamill said, “I’m speechless. It was fantastic.” Hamill has long been one of Biden’s most high-profile supporters and an active critic of Republican presidential nominee former President Trump. DNC Chair Jaime Harrison posted a TikTok video alongside Hamill on the first night of the convention where the actor invoked his “Star Wars” past. CHICAGO GETS ‘WEIRD’ FOR DNC WITH ABORTION TRUCKS, INFLATABLE IUD AND FREE VASECTOMIES, CONSERVATIVES SAY “In the movies, I fought against make-believe evil. But we’re at a time in history where we’re fighting against real evil,” Hamill said. “So, I beg you, please don’t go to the orange side.” It was followed by Harrison posing with a blue lightsaber. Hamill shared the video on X and wrote, “My message to Jaime Harrison: The Force is strong with [the Harris-Walz campaign] & the Democratic Party…My message to MAGA: Go FORCE Yourself.” PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS, VASECTOMIES AT DNC The actor notably defended Biden in the days after his disastrous performance in the late June presidential debate on CNN, which eventually precipitated Biden’s ouster by fellow Democrats worried he would lose to Trump in November. “One off night doesn’t change the fact that [Biden] is the most legislatively successful [U.S. president] in our lifetime. One off night also doesn’t change the fact that the former guy is a convicted felon, serial liar & adjudicated rapist who is unfit for ANY office. Period,” Hamill wrote on X.
GOP veteran-lawmakers drop scathing ‘stolen valor’ letter to Walz as Trump camp rips ‘Freakish Timothy’
The Trump campaign distributed a letter Thursday from dozens of veterans serving in Congress hitting back at Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz over claims of “stolen valor.” Journalists were handed the letter condemning Walz, as the Minnesota governor has battled back against questions about the timing of his retirement from military service. In an announcement of the letter, the Trump campaign dinged the Democrat as “Freakish Timothy.” Walz, who joined the Nebraska National Guard as a teenager and also later served for Minnesota, met his 20-year requirement in 2001. During that time, he was reportedly deployed to arctic Norway, before reenlisting after 9/11. He was also deployed to Italy to supplant other troops being shifted to Afghanistan, according to NPR. JD VANCE RIPS HARRIS’ LATEST WORD SALAD: ‘SIGNIFICANCE OF THE POWER OF DIPLOMACY’ Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance, the senator from Ohio, and others have criticized Walz for retiring only months before his unit was deployed to Iraq in 2005. The letter was led by retired Army sergeant Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., and signed by other servicemembers-turned-lawmakers including Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Reps. Brian Babin, R-Texas, Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., Jim Banks, R-Ind., Greg Lopez, R-Calif., Cory Mills, R-Fla., Scott Perry, R-Pa., Barry Moore, R-Ala., Jack Bergman, R-Mich., and Don Bacon, R-Neb. In the letter, the lawmakers call the office of vice president “a position that requires the trust of the American people and a solemn commitment to duty on behalf of the United States of America.” “As veterans who have served our nation, we feel compelled to address your egregious misrepresentations and urge you to come clean to the American people.” Going on to reference allegations of stolen valor, the letter continues: “You have stated you are ‘damn proud’ of your service, and like any American veteran should be. But there is no honor in lying about the nature of your service. Repeatedly claiming to be a ‘retired command sergeant major’ when you did not complete the requirements was not honorable.” KARI LAKE DINGS HARRIS ON BORDER: THE ONLY WALZ SHE SUPPORTS IS HER RUNNING MATE “Nor was it honorable to claim to carry weapons ‘in war’ when you had not served in war, and abandoning the men and women under your leadership just as they were getting ready to deploy was certainly not honorable either.” The letter closes with a collective vote of no confidence for Walz: “… Until you admit you lied to [America’s veterans], there is no way you can be trusted to serve as vice president.” At a separate press conference, Mast noted how Steve Nikoui – father of a Marine killed in President Joe Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal – became so angry and frustrated that he shouted out during this year’s State of the Union. Mast added that Vice President Kamala Harris went along with the Afghanistan plan and praised it herself. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “Because, not only has Biden gone through now four years and not said a word [about] Afghanistan, he has never said his son’s name. He’s never said any of the 13 servicemembers’ names.” “It’s one thing to lose your men or women in combat, that happens, but to lose it due to incompetence and to literally idiotic and asinine decision-making out of that White House is something we as a veterans community, and certainly me, as long as I’m in this position and I have a breath, will never let them forget. and [Harris] owns it.” “She owns it. She was proud of it. She bragged about it.” Fox News Digital reached out to Vance for further comment on the letter, as he had previously critiqued Walz on the matter and also served in uniform. William Martin, a spokesman for Vance, said veterans nationwide are “furious with Tim Walz’ lies about his military record.” “Even Walz’ superior office and the chaplain of his regiment have explicitly condemned his decision to abandon his unit when they were deployed to Iraq,” Martin said. He added Walz has the opportunity Thursday night to apologize for “years of stolen valor” during his scheduled DNC speech.
‘Representation of people…’: Rahul Gandhi addresses party workers in J-K ahead of assembly polls
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi along with party president and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge addressed the party workers in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the assembly polls.