Trump-backed John Lee wins GOP primary in competitive Nevada House race
Former North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee has won the Republican primary for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District and will face incumbent Democrat Rep. Steven Horsford in the November general election. Lee, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, was leading his closest competitor, Air Force veteran David Flippo, when the Associated Press called the race. Trump offered his endorsement less than two weeks before the primary, but it appears to have been enough to give Lee the opportunity to flip what could be one of the more competitive House seats for Republicans this year. WATCH: TRUMP RALLYGOERS REVEAL WHO THEY WANT AS VICE PRESIDENT Lee served as North Las Vegas’ mayor from 2013-2022, and also served in the state Senate from 2004-2012 and the state Assembly from 1996-2002. Republicans currently hold a slim 218-213 vote majority in the House of Representatives, a smaller majority than after the 2022 midterm elections following multiple resignations and an expulsion. Elections analysts rate the race for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District as “likely Democratic.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Former SpaceX workers file suit alleging harassment, wrongful termination
Eight former engineers accuse CEO Elon Musk of overseeing a ‘pervasively sexist culture’ at the rocket company. Eight former SpaceX engineers have filed a lawsuit accusing the rocket company and its CEO Elon Musk of firing them for raising concerns about the treatment of female employees. In a lawsuit filed in California on Wednesday, the former employees alleged that Musk personally ordered their termination after they circulated a letter within SpaceX raising concerns about the billionaire’s sexually charged comments on social media. The lawsuit accuses Musk of overseeing a “pervasively sexist culture” and “‘Animal House’ environment”, with women evaluated on their bra size and bombarded with sexual banter. The suit references a number of Musk’s comments on his social platform X, including a post telling former YouTube CEO Chad Hurley, “If you touch my wiener, you can have a horse”. “SpaceX management knowingly permitted and fostered a work environment rife with sexual harassment,” Anne B Shaver, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “To have been terminated for protesting SpaceX’s utter failure to take basic measures to prevent sexual harassment is patently retaliatory, wrong, and actionable.” Paige Holland-Thielen, one of the plaintiffs, said in a statement released by her lawyers that the suit was an “important milestone in our quest for justice”. “We hope that this lawsuit encourages our colleagues to stay strong and to keep fighting for a better workplace,” she said. The former employees are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and an order prohibiting SpaceX from continuing to engage in unlawful conduct. SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The former employees earlier filed a case with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) accusing the company of violating US labour law. The NLRB last month told a federal judge in Texas court that it would suspend its case against SpaceX in order to expedite a final ruling in a lawsuit by the company that claims the agency’s structure and procedures violate the US Constitution. Adblock test (Why?)
Russian navy fleet, including frigate, nuclear-powered sub, arrives in Cuba
US downplays deployment, which comes amid rising tensions over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s Admiral Gorshkov frigate and the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan, accompanied by a tug boat and a fuel ship, have arrived in Cuba for a five-day visit seen as a show of force by Moscow amid rising tension over its invasion of Ukraine. Curious onlookers, fishermen and police gathered along the Malecon seafront boulevard in Havana to welcome the fleet as it entered the city’s harbour on Wednesday. Cuba, a longtime ally of Russia, saluted the vessels’ arrival with a 21-gun salute, while Russian diplomats waved small Russian flags and took selfies against a backdrop of the harbour’s historic fortresses. The four Russian vessels conducted “high-precision missile weapons” training in the Atlantic Ocean while on their way to Cuba. The submarine and frigate are equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles, Kalibr cruise missiles and Onyx antiship missiles, the Russian Ministry of Defence said. The unusual deployment of the Russian navy so close to the United States comes after Washington and some of Ukraine’s other Western allies allowed Kyiv to use their weapons on targets inside Russia amid a renewed Russian assault on northeastern Kharkiv and battle troop and ammunition shortages. Havana lies just 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Key West in the southern state of Florida where the US has a naval air station. “The warships are a reminder to Washington that it is unpleasant when an adversary meddles in your near abroad,” Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America programme at the Washington, DC-based Wilson Center think tank, told The Associated Press news agency, referring to Western involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. “It also reminds Russia’s friends in the region, including US antagonists Cuba and Venezuela, that Moscow is on their side,” he said. Russian marines stand guard on top of the Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kazan in Havana’s harbour [Yamil Lage/AFP] Cuba said last week that the visit was standard practice by naval vessels from countries friendly to Havana and that the fleet was not carrying nuclear weapons. The US, which has been monitoring the vessels, has also played down the deployment. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Wednesday that such naval exercises were routine. “We have seen this kind of thing before, and we expect to see this kind of thing again, and I’m not going to read into it any particular motives,” Sullivan said. He added that there was no evidence of Russia transferring any missiles to Cuba, but the US would remain vigilant. ‘Not October 1962’ The port call coincided with a meeting in Moscow between Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. During the meeting, Rodriguez expressed his government’s “rejection of the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] towards the Russian border,” which he said “led to the current conflict in Europe, and especially between Moscow and Kyiv”, according to a Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement. He also called for “a diplomatic, constructive and realistic solution” to the conflict. During the Cold War, Cuba was an important ally of the then Soviet Union, and when Moscow responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba, the standoff brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Since the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba has maintained relations with Russia and the two countries have become closer since a 2022 meeting between Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kazan in the harbour alongside the rescue and salvage tugboat Nikolay Chiker, top right, part of the Russian naval detachment visiting Cuba [Yamil Lage/AFP] For Havana, the relationship is driven mainly by economic necessity as it grapples with shortages of everything from food and medicine to fuel. The US has maintained an economic and trade embargo on Cuba since 1960. “This is not October 1962 again,” Javier Farje, an expert on Latin American politics, told Al Jazeera. “This is a different time. Cuba has become increasingly dependent on Russia because of the lack of economic development.” Russia in March delivered 90,000 metric tonnes of Russian oil to Cuba to help alleviate shortages and has promised to help Havana in projects ranging from sugar production to infrastructure, renewable energy and tourism. The Russian ships are expected to remain in Havana until June 17. US officials expect the Russian ships to remain in the region throughout the summer and possibly also stop in Venezuela. Adblock test (Why?)
G7 leaders to kick off summit in Italy’s southern Apulia
Additional aid to Ukraine, the war in Gaza and investment in Africa will dominate the agenda of the three-day forum. Bari, Italy – Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries are gearing up for a three-day summit to discuss global affairs in the southern region of Puglia (Apulia). The event will start on Thursday in Borgo Egnazia, a luxurious resort surrounded by olive trees in the style of a medieval village and very much loved by celebrities including popstar Madonna. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the host of this year’s summit, will be welcoming the heads of state of the seven members – the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom – as well as the chiefs of the European Council and the European Commission. As the “like-minded” group tries to shake off its reputation of being a club just for the wealthy West, Italy has extended an invitation to more than 10 other countries for sideline discussions. These include UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Notable absentees are Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who, according to a list seen by Al Jazeera, had been invited. The timing could not be better for Meloni, who will preside over the summit as Europe’s rising star following her far-right party’s victory at the recent European Parliament elections that saw a turn to the right across the continent. “I’m proud to be heading to the G7 with the strongest government of all,” the prime minister said on her way to Puglia. The luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort is a contemporary take on a medieval village [Giuseppe Lami/EPA] Africa and the Mediterranean – two key national security issues – will feature prominently in the summit. Meloni is expected to expand her flagship foreign policy, the so-called Mattei Plan. The project aims to position Italy as a major energy hub between Europe and the African continent in the hope of boosting growth in Africa and, in turn, curbing immigration to Europe. Support for Ukraine is also top of the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to arrive on the summit’s first day for two sessions dedicated to the war-torn country. The G7’s most anticipated outcome is an agreement over a $50bn loan for Ukraine backed by profits accrued on Russian assets frozen in the West soon after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. An Italian source told Al Jazeera there was political will to announce a deal at the summit, even if some technical issues need ironing out. Such an agreement, the source said, would send a strong message of unity with Kyiv at a time when Ukrainian soldiers are on the back foot, and Moscow is making steady gains in the east and north of the country. A potential change in the White House in the US’s November elections has added to the urgency. Another session is on the Middle East, where Israel’s war on Gaza is expected to dominate talks. Observers say leaders are likely to reiterate past positions, from calling on Hamas to accept a ceasefire deal laid out by US President Joe Biden, to acknowledging the importance of a two-state solution for peace in the region. Among the guests, there will also be Pope Francis – marking the first time a pontiff has been invited to the summit – for a session dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI). Other specific sessions will then be on migration, financial issues and the situation in the Asia Pacific. A final statement is expected on Saturday. This is usually a document that indicates the direction the group’s members intend to follow – crafting future policies while offering the rest of the world a window into their priorities. Adblock test (Why?)
Kuwait Fire Tragedy: Jaishankar speaks to Kuwaiti counterpart, urges early repatriation of mortal remains of Indians
on the directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh is immediately travelling to Kuwait “to work towards early repatriation of mortal remains as well as for medical assistance to those injured”.
Watchdog warns Biden admin’s vetting of asylum seekers, illegal immigrants has ‘dangerous’ weaknesses
A concerning new report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General concluded that DHS has not been effectively screening and vetting non-citizens and asylum seekers entering the United States. The report, obtained by Fox News’ Bill Melugin, showed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents can not access all federal data to complete thorough screening and vetting of those seeking entry into the U.S. The report stated that without capabilities to effectively screen and vet non-citizens, CBP is unable to conduct complete screening and vetting of all non-citizen travelers at air and land ports of entry. Additionally, the inspector general’s office said that without a dedicated technology capability and resources to conduct interim screenings, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may not promptly identify asylum seekers with derogatory information who remain in the country for extended periods of time while awaiting an asylum decision. AUTHORITIES NAB 8 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS WITH TIES TO ISIS IN MULTI-CITY STING OPERATION “DHS will remain at risk of admitting dangerous persons into the country or enabling asylum seekers who may pose significant threats to public safety and national security to continue to reside in the United States, until these challenges are addressed,” the report read. In response to the report, DHS agreed with all five recommendations the Office of Inspector General made to begin trying to fix the problem. FEDERAL INMATE CAUGHT RUNNING BLACK MARKET MACHINE GUN TRADE BEHIND BARS, AUTHORITIES SAY ARRESTS OF EIGHT ISIS-TIED MIGRANTS SHOULD BE WAKE-UP CALL FOR BIDEN ON BORDER CRISIS, SENATOR SAYS The recommendations included fixing data access restrictions, developing new policies for checking names, updating technology, updating screening requirements for certain individuals and working to automate security checks for asylum applicants. This report comes as concerns over border security are on the rise after eight Tajikistan nationals with ties to ISIS were busted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Joint Terrorism Task Force in three major cities recently. The individuals were arrested in New York City, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that there is an increasing concern of a potential coordinated attack in the U.S., similar to the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) attack in March at a concert hall in Russia. FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF JIHADIST ATTACK IN US, SIMILAR TO RUSSIAN CONCERT HALL: ‘HEIGHTENED TERRORIST THREAT’ Wray told members of the subcommittee that when he met with them last year, he walked them through how the U.S. was already in a heightened threat environment, and since then, threats from foreign terrorists have risen to another level. “Just in the time that I’ve been FBI director, we’ve disrupted multiple terrorist attacks and cities and communities around the country. We need funding to continue protecting America from terrorism,” Wray previously said. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Fani Willis files ‘last ditch effort’ to dismiss the appeal to have her disqualified from Trump’s Georgia case
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has filed a motion to dismiss the appeal by former President Trump and co-defendants in his case to have her disqualified from litigation over her romantic affair with a subordinate counsel. In the motion filed Wednesday, Wills argued that Fulton Superior Court found there was no sufficient evidence to support their claims that Willis has a conflict of interest, and says that there is “no basis” to appeal Judge Scott McAfee’s March ruling allowing Willis to stay on the case. “As both this Court and the Supreme Court have repeatedly held, Georgia appellate courts will not disturb a trial court’s factual findings on disputed issues outside of certain, very rare, circumstances. When a trial court makes determinations concerning matters of credibility or evidentiary weight, reviewing courts will not disturb those determinations unless they are flatly incorrect,” the motion states. “Appellate courts will not—indeed, may not—substitute their own appraisal of the factual record for the trial court’s. This principle has been reiterated time and again.” “The State respectfully submits that, with such due deference afforded to the trial court’s factual findings, there exists no basis for reversal of the order at issue,” the motion states. GEORGIA PROSECUTOR FANI WILLIS APPEALS AFTER JUDGE DROPS MULTIPLE TRUMP CHARGES Trump and several co-defendants alleged earlier this year Willis and special prosecutor Nathan Wade were romantically involved prior to his hiring and that she financially benefited from the relationship, allegations they both have denied. Judge Scott McAfee’s order in March said that Wade had to be removed in order to keep Willis from disqualification in the Trump election interference case in Georgia. McAfee allowed the defense to appeal his ruling, and the appeals court announced last week that it will hear the defense’s case to still have Willis disqualified. The appeals court agreed to hear the case on Oct. 4 and paused all other litigation concerning Trump and those defendants until the disqualification matter is settled. TRUMP’S APPEAL TO DISQUALIFY FANI WILLIS FROM GA CASE GETS OCTOBER HEARING DATE “The State’s motion to dismiss the interlocutory appeal, which has already been permitted by the Court of Appeals, appears to be a last ditch effort to stop any appellate review of DA Willis’ misconduct,” Steve Sadow, lead counsel for Trump said in a statement Wednesday. “The State’s motion deliberately failed to mention that Judge McAfee’s ruling stated an ‘odor of mendacity remains’ from the hearing testimony by the DA and the State’s witnesses. The judge also said there were “reasonable questions” as to whether Willis and former prosecutor Wade testified untruthfully. The State has tried this gambit before with no success,” he said. Both Wade and Willis denied they were in a romantic relationship prior to his hiring and that the couple would split the costs of their shared travels; Willis said she reimbursed Wade for her share of the trips in cash. In his March order, McAfee said while Willis’ “reimbursement practice” was “unusual and the lack of any documentary corroboration understandably concerning,” he ultimately decided that the defendants did not present “sufficient evidence” that expenses weren’t “roughly divided evenly.” FANI WILLIS’ EX-STAFFER TESTIFIES SHE WAS FIRED AFTER BLOWING WHISTLE ON DA’S SPENDING He also said that “the evidence demonstrated that the financial gain flowing from her relationship with Wade was not a motivating factor on the part of the District Attorney to indict and prosecute this case.” In February, Judge McAfee held a two-day evidentiary hearing where the defense, led by attorney Ashley Merchant, set out to expose a money trail that would mean Willis has a conflict of interest in the case against Trump and should be disqualified. “[T]he Court finds that the record made at the evidentiary hearing established that the District Attorney’s prosecution is encumbered by an appearance of impropriety,” McAfee wrote in his order. “As the case moves forward, reasonable members of the public could easily be left to wonder whether the financial exchanges have continued resulting in some form of benefit to the District Attorney, or even whether the romantic relationship has resumed.” “Put differently, an outsider could reasonably think that the District Attorney is not exercising her independent professional judgment totally free of any compromising influences. As long as Wade remains on the case, this unnecessary perception will persist,” he said. Wade subsequently resigned from the DA’s office. When the defense in March submitted a joint motion for a Certificate of Immediate Review, McAfee said that his Order on the Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss and Disqualify the Fulton County District Attorney issued March 15 “is of such importance to the case that immediate review should be had” and allowed the defendants to ask the Georgia appeals court for an opportunity to appeal, which the court granted last month.
‘Everybody knows answer except…’: Rahul Gandhi on choosing between Wayanad, Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat
“Don’t worry, both Rae Bareli and Wayanad will be happy with my decision,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Congressional Baseball Game descends into chaos after protesters storm field
Several arrests were made at the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity Wednesday night after people in attendance who appeared to be protesters of climate change stormed the field at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The game, which raises money for local charities in the D.C. area, features Democrats and Republicans from the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Climate change protesters chanted while holding signs that said “Stop playing games with our future,” and they wore shirts that said “End Fossil Fuels” before entering the field. A group known as Climate Defiance took credit for the display in a tweet on X. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: LAWMAKERS TAKE TO THE FIELD IN STRANGE SPECTACLE OF ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME “Update: Eight of us have been arrested for shutting down the Congressional Baseball Game. They are behind bars now. Make no mistake: It’s the Members of Congress who should be locked up.” The group also bragged on social media about its mission and delaying the game. “We have taken the field at the Congressional Baseball Game + play has FROZEN! Congress sends billions of public $$ to subsidize deadly fossil fuels — but the police are tackling us instead. This Chevron-sponsored game cannot continue. This is unconscionable,” the group wrote. STEVE SCALISE BACK ON THE FIELD FOR CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME AFTER CANCER BATTLE The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) promptly arrived and escorted the demonstrators out, and the game resumed. The USCP confirmed eight people were arrested. “We are proud of our officers who are working to keep everyone safe during tonight’s Congressional Baseball Game for Charity. When eight people tried to protest on the field, our officers quickly stopped them and arrested them. The eight people are being charged with federal charges — Interference with a Member of the U.S. Capitol Police,” Capitol Police wrote in a statement on X. A small group of anti-Israel protesters were also spotted in the crowd. The group unfurled a “Free Palestine” and Palestinian flag in the right field section near the foul post. The group’s message was met with boos from others in the stands. CLIMATE ACTIVISTS HAVE NEW TARGET IN MIND FOR MAJOR SUMMER PROTEST: ‘MAKE THEIR LIVES MISERABLE’ It was not the first time the annual charity game has involved controversy. Over the last several years, the event has drawn more attention after a gunman opened fire on Republicans at a ballpark for practice in 2017. The Congressional Baseball Game has been held since 1909.
NEET-UG 2024: SC to hear pleas challenging medical entrance exam result today
The NEET-UG exam, conducted by the NTA on May 5 across 4,750 centers with approximately 24 lakh candidates, saw its results unexpectedly announced on June 4, earlier than scheduled.