Trump offers to take drug screening if Biden agrees to same test
Former President Trump has volunteered to undertake a drug test before Thursday’s debate if President Biden agrees. Trump made the comment on Monday via Truth Social, his proprietary social media platform. “DRUG TEST FOR CROOKED JOE BIDEN???” Trump wrote in all capital letters. “I WOULD, ALSO, IMMEDIATELY AGREE TO ONE!!!” DONALD TRUMP HAS PICKED HIS RUNNING MATE AND THEY WILL BE AT THURSDAY’S DEBATE The Trump team has made the hypothetical use of drugs at Thursday’s CNN Presidential Debate, a prominent talking point — continuing the former president’s longstanding claim that Biden is unable to speak for long periods of time without medication. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, the White House physician-turned-House lawmaker, demanded in a letter last week that Biden submit to a drug test before the debate with Trump. The former president shared the letter without comment via Truth Social not long after it was published by Jackson. CNN PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LOOMS AS TOP ISSUE AMID OUTRAGE OVER 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL’S MURDER Jackson made his request for a “clinically validated drug test” in a three-page message to Biden and his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. “This drug test should be administered both immediately before and after the debate and should include, but not be limited to, performance enhancing drugs,” Jackson wrote. White House Spokesman Andrew Bates has previously responded to Jackson’s speculations about Biden’s mental health by comparing him to Dr. Nick, a character from “The Simpsons” who is known to have questionable credentials and medical practices. “How should I handle him? Should I be tough and nasty, and just say, ‘you’re the worst president in history.’ Or should I be nice and calm and let him speak?” Trump asked the crowd during his rally at Temple University on Saturday. Trump told Fox News that he is not worried about Biden’s debate preparations and feels confident in his own ability. “Well, I think if he prepares, he’ll be fine. Then he will forget it within about an hour after preparing. So, we’ll see what happens. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said. Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
BJP, Congress issue whip to their MPs for Lok Sabha Speaker’s election tomorrow
Having failed to reach a consensus on the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Om Birla, the opposition INDIA bloc has nominated Congress MP K Suresh for the post of Lok Sabha speaker.
Tata Group gets nod to build ‘museum of temples’ with Rs 650 crore in…
It will get land for the international-level museum on a 90-year lease for a token amount of Re 1.
Julian Assange spotted boarding plane to remote US territory amid plea deal
Julian Assange was spotted boarding a plane to a remote U.S. territory to attend upcoming hearings for his plea deal Tuesday. Assange reportedly spent $500,000 on the flight to the territory of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, an intentional decision to avoid setting foot on the U.S. mainland. Assange accepted a plea deal with the American government on Monday. Assange spent five years in a British prison as he attempted to prevent his extradition to the U.S. The plea deal included a sentence of five years in prison and it took time served into account, effectively releasing Assange. Assange will plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose information related to the national defense when he reaches the U.S. federal count in Saipan. BRITISH COURT RULES JULIAN ASSANGE EXTRADITION ON PAUSE UNTIL US GUARANTEES NO DEATH PENALTY The guilty plea must be approved by a judge. Assange previously spent seven years of refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London after Swedish authorities sought his arrest on rape allegations. AUSTRALIAN LAWMAKERS SEND LETTER URGING BIDEN TO DROP CASE AGAINST JULIAN ASSANGE ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY On Monday, his wife, Stella Assange, celebrated the deal in a social media post. “Julian is free!!!!” she wrote on X. “Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU- yes YOU, who have all mobilised (sic) for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.” Wikileaks said Assange was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at London Stansted Airport where he boarded a plane to return to Australia. SUPPORTERS OF JULIAN ASSANGE RALLY AT JUSTICE DEPT. ON 4-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DETAINMENT “As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom. Julian’s freedom is our freedom,” the group said in a social media post. The charges against Assange stem from one of the largest publications of classified information in American history. Assange, an Australian citizen and hero to many free press advocates, disclosed tens of thousands of documents related to reports about the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as State Department cables and information about the detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
California city keeps controversial language on ballot measure for non-citizens to vote: ‘Sugarcoating’
The Southern California city of Santa Ana is keeping a controversial phrase on a ballot measure to allow non-citizens to vote in local elections, rejecting legal challenges to the phrasing so far. The Santa Ana City Council proposed a ballot measure to ask voters to decide in November whether non-citizen residents of the city, “including those who are taxpayers and parents,” can participate in all municipal elections. However, conservative organizations, including the California Public Policy Foundation, later brought a lawsuit against the measure in Orange County Superior Court, arguing that the language is “unlawfully partisan” and would cast the ballot measure “in a more favorable light by highlighting sympathetic groups of voters who will receive voting rights under the proposal,” according to the outlet LAist. A county judge sided with the California Public Policy Foundation and other opponents earlier this month, asking the city of Santa Ana to update its ballot language to make it more neutral. Despite this, the Santa Ana City Council voted last week to keep the controversial seven-word phrase, Politico reported. Council members who voted in favor of keeping the ballot measure as is, said the American Civil Liberties Union has agreed to defend any further lawsuits. ALABAMA ELECTION OFFICIAL SAYS BIDEN EXECUTIVE ORDER GIVES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ‘MECHANISM’ TO REGISTER TO VOTE “The language I find to be unbiased: It is simply describing who non-citizens are,” City Council member Johnathan Hernandez said during a meeting last week, according to Politico. “Non-citizens pay over $145 million in taxes in Orange County today … Orange County wouldn’t be the county that it is without non-citizens.” Council member David Penaloza disagreed, arguing the city escalated from “neutral, adequate” phrasing on the measure to “disingenuous” language intended to “persuade and influence” voters. He reportedly said that the council had “pulled language out of the air” when the measure continued to advance. “I don’t know why, but they did that, included the term ‘parents,’” he added. “This is simply being done so when somebody goes to the ballot box, they read, ‘Oh yeah, of course parents and taxpayers can vote.’” James Lacy, an attorney and activist involved in the litigation, told Politico that though he is against non-citizens voting in elections, he did not oppose the issue remaining on the ballot in general. “What they’re doing, without a question, is sugarcoating the ballot in favor of a vote for it by making a statement that is positive,” he reportedly said. “That is advocacy – you can’t do that and have a fair election.” Lacy also told LAist in early June that the measure’s controversial wording violates the election code because “it prejudicially informs the voter in a way to encourage a yes vote on the ballot measure.” It is illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, but the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 states that non-citizens are permitted to participate in other elections if they are “authorized to vote for such other purpose under a State constitution or statute or a local ordinance.” ‘POLITICAL PANDERING’: GOP LAWMAKERS RIP BIDEN’S ‘MASS AMNESTY’ ORDER AS ELECTION-YEAR PLOY Other cities in California, like San Francisco and Oakland, have advanced efforts to allow non-citizens to vote in local contests, including school board elections, in recent years. In 2016, a ballot measure known as Proposition N passed in San Francisco, allowing non-citizen parents and guardians of children residing in the city to vote in local school board elections. Faced with legal challenges, a San Francisco Superior Court judge later said the measure was unconstitutional. The California Court of Appeal reversed that ruling last August, deeming that state and local governments, in particular charter cities, have the power to enforce their own election rules at the municipal level. Like San Francisco, Santa Ana is a charter city. “I believe that we can continue to challenge this issue of non-citizen voting, probably with better results in the federal court system,” Lacy told LAist. “The California state court system, particularly the appellate system, is really populated by liberal Democratic judges.” During a presidential election year, Republicans at the state and federal level are pushing to curtail non-citizen voting and give states the power to clean up their voter rolls. In an interview with Fox News Digital last week, Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen called for Congress to enact reforms to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 after discovering that non-citizens who came into contact with Medicaid or other state welfare agencies in Alabama were being provided voter registration forms under the Biden administration’s broad interpretation of the law. Last month, Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. That legislation, if passed, would require states to obtain proof of citizenship — in person — when registering an individual to vote, and require states to remove non-citizens from existing voter rolls. According to Politico, voters in Missouri, South Carolina, Iowa, Kentucky and Wisconsin this fall will decide on ballot measures to explicitly ban non-citizens from voting. More might follow suit. Last week, North Carolina’s legislature advanced a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would clarify that only U.S. citizens who are at least 18 years old and meet other qualifications “shall be entitled to vote at any election.”
Obama again stepping into role as Joe’s closer ahead of Trump v Biden rematch
Former President Obama is again stepping in to help lock up votes and dollars during the home stretch of President Biden’s quest for the White House, apparently having ditched the concerns that reportedly made Obama wary of Biden’s candidacy in 2020. Biden’s rematch with former President Trump features a second encore from Obama, whose celebrity and status with Democrat donors has been a financial and public relations boon to Biden at a time when the president is facing increasing questions about his record, plans and cognitive abilities. “I take great pride in what the Biden administration has accomplished,” Obama said during a recent event with Biden and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. “And it’s a reminder that we don’t have to just vote against something in this election. We have somebody to worry about. And there’s a whole agenda that we should be concerned about.” He continued, “But we can take pride in affirming the extraordinary work that Joe has done. And we want to make sure that we build on that and then pass it on to the next president rather than have a president who wants to reverse the progress that has been made.” CELEBS SHOWER BIDEN WITH CAMPAIGN CASH, BUT COULD UNDERCUT ‘SCRANTON JOE’ IMAGE Obama’s comments were part of a ritzy fundraising event at which the Biden campaign pulled in a whopping $30 million as Hollywood stars such as George Clooney and Julia Roberts took the stage in support of the 46th president. The dollar total shattered previous Democrat fundraising records. Biden is gearing up for a difficult rematch against Trump this year, with polling showing Biden with a two-point advantage over Trump, which is well within the margin of error. BIDEN LOOKS TO CAPITALIZE ON STAR-STUDDED HOLLYWOOD FUNDRAISER AFTER TRUMP’S MASSIVE CASH HAUL IN BLUE STATE Biden said in April last year that he’d “finish the job” and run for re-election, and the announcement was soon followed by a series of high-profile fundraising events with Hollywood stars, elites at the highest echelons of American society and industry, and notably Obama. Obama’s appearance in Los Angeles this month was not the first time his attendance helped bring in millions for Biden. The 44th president, as well as former President Bill Clinton, joined Biden at Radio City Music Hall in New York in March for another star-studded fundraiser, this time hosted by actress Mindy Kaling. During the event, late-night host Stephen Colbert moderated a conversation with Biden, Obama and Clinton, while special guests such as Queen Latifah, Lizzo and Ben Platt also appeared. TRUMP CATCHES UP TO BIDEN IN CASH DASH, BUT CAN HE SPEND THE MONEY IN TIME? That event pulled in more than $26 million, according to the campaign at the time. Obama has also recorded campaign videos with Biden this election cycle and held conversations with Biden regarding the structure of the campaign heading into 2024, according to various media reports. Obama’s 2024 fundraising efforts mirror his actions when he stepped in to help boost Biden in 2020, including an $11 million fundraiser that marked the duo’s first such event together since the Obama administration. Obama went on to hit the campaign trail in support of Biden in the leadup to Election Day, which included issuing a scathing assessment of Trump. BIDEN HAS A MASSIVE MAY FUNDRAISING HAUL, BUT COMES UP FAR SHORT OF TRUMP “Trump cares about feeding his ego. Joe cares about keeping you and your family safe,” Obama said in Flint, Michigan, just days before the 2020 election. Obama added, “He’s still worried about his inauguration crowd being smaller than mine. It really bugs him. He’s still talking about that. Does he have nothing better to worry about? Did no one come to his birthday party as a kid? Was he traumatized?” But long before joining Biden on the campaign trail – or even endorsing his former running mate – Obama cautioned Biden against seeking the White House, citing fears that the campaign could “damage his legacy,” according to a 2019 New York Times report. LATE-NIGHT DNCTV? COLBERT, KIMMEL FUNDRAISE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN “You don’t have to do this, Joe, you really don’t,” Obama reportedly told Biden. “Win or lose, they needed to make sure Mr. Biden did not ‘embarrass himself’ or ‘damage his legacy’ during the campaign,” the New York Times reported, citing two people with knowledge of the conversation. Obama remained coy for a long while about who he would endorse, saying he would not back anyone during the primary. As Democrat contenders such as Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders dropped out of the primary race and cleared a path for Biden, however, Obama finally endorsed his former veep in August 2020. Obama said in a video at the time that “Joe has all the qualities we need in a president right now,” noting that choosing him as his running mate in both the 2008 and 2012 elections was “one of the best decisions I ever made.” OBAMA PLEADS WITH DIGITAL INFLUENCERS TO BACK BIDEN: ‘YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING HE DOES’ But even the process by which Obama landed on Biden as his vice presidential pick got off to a rocky start. Biden made a series of gaffes before becoming Obama’s running mate, including in 2007 when Biden was about to declare his own run for the White House. On the eve of his announcement, Biden described Obama to a reporter as “the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” Despite Biden’s comment, he and Obama soon developed and strengthened their professional relationship, culminating in Biden being selected as Obama’s VP. Obama could continue bolstering Biden’s campaign this election cycle as recent donation data shows Trump closing his campaign’s fundraising gap with Biden’s campaign. Biden previously had a massive fundraising advantage over Trump in the 2024 race for the White House, but recent windfalls following Trump’s conviction in his New
Mumbai-based Oberoi Realty forays into NCR, acquires 14.8 acre land for Rs 597 crore in…
Oberoi Realty acquired the land from a consortium including Delhi NCR-based developer Ireo Residences and other firms.
A Tarleton State University instructor complained about parking fees. He said it cost him his job.
The university’s faculty senate said the administration’s decision “resulted in a widespread impression of a retaliatory environment.”
South Texas needs rain. Tropical Storm Alberto didn’t deliver enough.
The region’s two major reservoirs are at record-low levels and agriculture leaders are worried the citrus industry could be devastated this summer.
US envoy lashes out at China in rare move, says Beijing not a ‘confident government’
China has actively undermined relations with the United States by harassing and interrogating citizens who attend U.S.-organized events in China, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns told the Wall Street Journal. Burns said China appeared willing to boost ties with the U.S. in November of last year following a meeting between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. That understanding has since broken down, however, according to Burns. “They say they’re in favor of reconnecting our two populations, but they’re taking dramatic steps to make it impossible,” Burns told the Journal in an interview. Burns said China’s government is actively working to decrease America’s standing in the country and disrupt U.S. diplomatic efforts there. HONG KONG LAWMAKERS UNANIMOUSLY PASS CONTROVERSIAL SECURITY LAW, GRANTING GOVERNMENT POWER TO CURB DISSENT Among China’s restrictive policies is a new effort to block Chinese students from attending U.S. universities, Burns said. Exchange programs have proven more and more difficult in recent months. “What they tell us and what they tell the world is they want people-to-people engagement, and yet this is not just episodic. This is routine. This is nearly every public event,” Burns explained. “This is a serious breach, and we hope that the PRC will reconsider,” he added, using an acronym for the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese government has grown more and more bold in its efforts to thwart U.S. diplomats as well. A stark example is its decision to cancel a U.S.-organized concert under questionable circumstances. The government said there would be no electricity at the venue the night of the event. Despite that, however, the venue had events scheduled both the night before and after the U.S. event. UK PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE RUNS AS ‘FIRST AI LAWMAKER’ WITH INTERACTIVE AI AVATAR “It’s not the sign of a confident government,” Burns told WSJ. Burns added China is not fully cooperating with the investigation into the stabbing of four U.S. college professors in China earlier this month. “I’m not satisfied that we’ve been given sufficient information as to the motives of the assailant,” Burns told the Journal. “I’ve been concerned for my two-plus years here about the very aggressive Chinese government … efforts to denigrate America, to tell a distorted story about American society, American history, American policy. It happens every day on all the networks available to the government here, and there’s a high degree of anti-Americanism online.”