Biden blasted for D-Day speech critics say resembles Reagan’s: ‘Why would he do this?’
President Biden was criticized by conservatives Friday over a speech at France’s Pointe du Hoc marking the anniversary of D-Day that they said closely resembled a speech former President Reagan delivered there 40 years ago. “Unreal,” Young Americans for Liberty posted on X on Friday. “It appears that Biden’s D-Day speech is just a paraphrase of Reagan’s D-Day speech.” “Joe Biden essentially plagiarized Ronald Reagan’s famous 1984 speech at Pointe du Hoc today in Normandy,” OutKick Founder Clay Travis posted on X. “Watch these clips side by side. Wow.” “Biden camp tries to make Biden sound like Reagan,” former Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker posted on X. “But he wasn’t a great communicator just because of the words he said. He was a great communicator because he believed what he said and he made us believe it too. Joe Biden will never be as great a leader as Ronald Reagan!” ‘THE ARTICLE WAS BS’: BIDEN’S CABINET FIRES BACK AT SCATHING REPORT EXPOSING DECLINING MENTAL ACUITY Walker went on to say in another post, “Biden had to drop out of the presidential race 37 years ago for this kind of plagiarism. He should drop out again.” “Why would he do this?” former Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen posted on X. “Why invite a direct comparison with Reagan with whom no president could ever compete in telling this story, much less one as inarticulate as Biden?” “Joe Biden: Once a plagiarist, always a plagiarist,” conservative communicator Steve Guest posted on X. TRUMP RIPS BIDEN AS ‘INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL’ IN DOCUMENT PROBE: DON’T WANT ‘THAT KIND OF EXONERATION’ Both speeches similarly described the events of the D-Day invasion, and videos circulating on social media showed clips of the two speeches side by side. “At last the hour had come. Dawn. Sixth of June, 1944,” Biden began, similar to Reagan’s speech, in which he said, “At dawn on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944.” Biden said, “Two hundred and twenty-five American Rangers arrived by ship, jumped into the waves and stormed the beach,” compared to Reagan who said, “Two hundred and twenty-five Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs.” “They launched their ladders, their ropes and grappling hooks, and they began to climb,” Biden said, compared to Reagan who said, “They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up.” TRUMP TOUTS SILICON VALLEY SUPPORT, SAYS TECH LEADERS CAN’T RELATE TO ‘LOW IQ’ BIDEN: ‘I HAVE A HIGH IQ’ “When the Nazis cut their ladders, the Rangers used the ropes, and the Nazis cut the ropes,” Biden said. “The Rangers used their hands.” Reagan’s speech said, “When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again.” Biden continued, “And inch by inch, foot by foot, yard by yard, the Rangers clawed, literally clawed their way up this mighty precipice until at last they reached the top.” Reagan said, “Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top.” “They breached Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, and they turned, in that one effort, the tide of the war that began to save the world,” Biden said. “And in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe,” Reagan said. Days before Biden’s speech, Politico Playbook reported, “Biden Seeks His Gipper Moment. [Aides] have studied the Reagan trip closely and are looking to similarly capture the attention of a distracted, disillusioned public and remind them of how much is still at stake.” Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not receive a response. Travis later defended his post against an article from the left-leaning outlet Mediaite that argued Biden was not plagiarizing or copying Reagan in the speech but rather detailing what happened during the invasion. In his speech, Biden repeatedly referenced an “instinct” to “walk away” from democracy while discussing the heroics of the Army Rangers who scaled Pointe du Hoc more than 80 years ago on D-Day. “We talk about democracy, American democracy. We often talk about the ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. What we don’t talk about is how hard it is, how many ways we’re asked to walk away, how many instincts there are to walk away,” Biden said. “The most natural instinct is to walk away.”
Former Obama official gives one-word answer when asked if he would retract attack over Hunter Biden laptop
FIRST ON FOX: A former top intelligence official gave a one-word answer when asked if he would retract the letter he signed along with 51 other former officials warning Hunter Biden’s infamous “laptop from hell” was Russian disinformation. James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence in the Obama administration, signed the heavily scrutinized letter just weeks before the 2020 presidential election, claiming the laptop had “all the earmarks” of a Russian effort to influence the vote. “No,” he simply said when asked by Fox News Digital if he regretted signing it despite the laptop now being used by prosecutors arguing Hunter committed a federal gun crime. DEM IN MAJOR SENATE RACE ACCUSED OF ‘PANDERING’ TO BLACK VOTERS BY SUPPORTING REPARATIONS Clapper also refused to publicly remove his name from the letter despite evidence proving the device and its contents were legitimate and would not concede he and the other former intelligence officials who signed on should have waited longer to weigh in. The laptop, filled with videos and photos of drug use, sex acts and sensitive business communications, was shown to the jury Tuesday in an effort to prove the president’s son lied about using drugs on a gun purchase form. Critics took to social media to blast Clapper and others following revelations the laptop would be entered into evidence. “No one is above the law, except: James Clapper — lied to Congress/never charged,” political science professor Nicholas Giordano wrote in a post on X. That was a reference to Clapper previously being accused of perjury when he testified before Congress that the Obama administration was “not wittingly” collecting Americans’ telephone records. FOLLOWING TRUMP’S GUILTY VERDICT, FIRST SWING STATE POLL REVEALS HOW IT IMPACTS VOTERS’ DECISIONS “It was an intelligence community coup,” wrote another X user, suggesting the letter’s timing was meant to influence the 2020 election. While the laptop has since been authenticated by a variety of news outlets, it was rejected when the New York Post first reported it in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election, including by Joe Biden’s campaign, which vigorously denied its legitimacy. The campaign, however, appeared to be coordinating the release of the letter signed by Clapper, which was published days before a debate between Biden and Trump in which Biden claimed, “There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant.” Despite claims from former officials that the laptop had the hallmarks of Russian disinformation, Fox News Digital reported that federal investigators with the Department of Justice knew in December 2019 that Hunter Biden’s laptop was “not manipulated in any way” and contained “reliable evidence.” But they were “obstructed” from seeing all available information, according to an IRS whistleblower involved in the probe, nearly a year before the former intelligence officials and Joe Biden declared it was part of a Russian disinformation campaign. Fox News’ Brian Flood and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
NEET Result 2024 Controversy: NTA says results of over 1,500 students awarded grace marks to be re-examined
The move comes amid allegations of inflation of marks leading to 67 candidates sharing first rank in the exam.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to pick family seat Rae Bareli over Wayanad: Sources
According to sources, Rahul Gandhi has decided to leave the Wayanad seat, and represent the Rae Bareli seat of Uttar Pradesh
India vs Pakistan, ‘nagin dance’, Ashes : A look at cricket’s top rivalries
Some of the most thrilling encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with historic rivalries that add an extra layer of anticipation and drama. In cricket, these rivalries range from sour relations stemming from decades-old conflicts to colonial history and some newly-formed bitterness. The ICC T20 World Cup will highlight some of these top rivalries as in the tournament’s group stage and, perhaps, the Super Eights. Here is a look at some of the most thrilling match-ups in the history of the game: India vs Pakistan The clash that has been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated match of every multilateral cricket tournament. The rivalry originated in 1947 when India was partitioned into two countries following British colonial rule. Pakistan and India have since fought three wars, and diplomatic ties between both countries have mostly remained bitter. On the cricket field, the head-to-head record favours Pakistan in Test matches (12-9) and one-day internationals (73-56) while India have the upper hand in T20 matches (8-3). When it comes to World Cup history, the scale is heavily tilted in India’s favour. Pakistan have never beaten India in the ICC ODI World Cup in their eight meetings and have only won once in their seven encounters in the T20 World Cup. Their last clash, at the Cricket World Cup on October 14, went India’s way again as romped to a seven-wicket win at biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. The South Asian rivals will meet at New York’s newly-built Nassau County Stadium on Saturday, June 9 in front of a sell-out crowd of at least 34,000. India’s Virat Kohli shakes hands with Pakistan’s Shadab Khan following the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia on October 23, 2022 [File: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP Photo] Australia vs England The oldest rivalry in the game – dating back to the 1800s – originated when a British newspaper famously wrote a condescending and racist article on Australia’s cricket team. It was set in stone when, in 1882, British tabloid The Sporting Times published a mock obituary of English cricket following their Test team’s defeat to their trans-continental rivals, saying “the body [of English cricket] will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia”. The bitterness originated from Test cricket and comes to the fore during the Ashes Test series, but has carried on to all sporting encounters between both countries. In Cricket World Cup history, both teams have met on nine occasions. Australia have won six of those matches and England three. England’s first T20 World Cup title also came at Australia’s expense, when they won the 2010 final in the West Indies. Their second one was won in Australia, when they beat Pakistan to lift the title. The T20 Cup 2024 edition of Australia vs England is set for June 8 at Barbados. England’s captain Eoin Morgan, left, celebrates with teammate Joe Root after winning the Cricket World Cup semifinal match against Australia on July 11, 2019 [File: Rui Vieira/AP Photo] Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka It started with a dance, specifically the “nagin dance”, in 2018. Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been doing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to celebrate his wickets for some time, so when his side beat Sri Lanka in the T20 series in January 2018, he pulled it out again for all four of his wickets. Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka did not take kindly to the serpentine celebration and did his own version to mock Islam when he dismissed two of Bangladesh’s batters. A few months later, the celebration gained traction during the triangular Nidahas trophy, which also included India. When Bangladesh recorded their second win against hosts Sri Lanka, their entire team broke out into an overzealous “nagin dance” celebration on the pitch. 2018 – Nagin Celebration by Bangladesh after knocking out Sri Lanka from Nidahas Trophy. 2022 – Nagin Celebration by Chamika Karunaratne after knocking Bangladesh out of Asia Cup. pic.twitter.com/Po7yhyeAb5 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 1, 2022 The night ended with shattered glass in the visiting team’s dressing room and nothing has changed since. Every time both teams meet, there is no shortage of provocative placards in the stands and venomous celebrations on the field. In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka have won 42 of their 53 ODI meetings between both countries, while Bangladesh have won nine. They also hold the upper hand in the ODI World Cup, four wins in five matches. Sri Lanka have beaten Bangladesh twice in their T20 World Cup meetings, but the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lankan Lions with a two-wicket win in a thrilling match at the 2024 edition in Dallas. Bangladesh’s team members perform the ‘nagin dance’ as they celebrate their team’s victory over Sri Lanka in the Nidahas triangular series on March 16, 2018 [File: Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo] Afghanistan vs Pakistan Afghanistan and Pakistan have been involved in a complicated geopolitical and cultural relationship for several decades and share a porous border that is often subject to violence and abrupt closures. The political tensions have translated into a fierce on-field rivalry, especially over the past few years as Afghanistan have swiftly built a reputation as world beaters. Several members of the early Afghan cricket team, including former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, picked up the sport while living in Pakistan as refugees during the decades of war and turmoil in their home country. Pakistan’s National Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the players for training sessions. Some of the earliest coaches of the Afghan team also came from Pakistan. However, the historical tension between the countries has often come to the fore when the teams have met in recent years. Although Pakistan hold a 7-1 lead over their neighbours in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some recent matches have seen last-ball finishes that have gone Pakistan’s way. Fast bowler Naseem Shah has been a consistent thorn in the Afghan side by twice taking Pakistan home when a loss seemed certain.
Australia vs England at T20 World Cup: Head-to-head, form, team news, pitch
Who: Australia vs EnglandWhat: ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Group B matchWhen: Saturday, June 8, 1pm local time (17:00 GMT)Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, BarbadosHow to follow: Al Jazeera will have live text coverage of the match from 14:00 GMT. After rain played spoilsport in their opening T20 World Cup match, defending champions England will be under pressure to seek a win against rivals Australia when they meet for their all-important Group B match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. England and Scotland shared a point each after their match at the same venue was washed out on Tuesday. Jos Buttler’s side, aiming to become the first team to retain the trophy, looked below their best, allowing the Scots to race to 90-0 in 10 overs. England are fourth in Group B with one point, while Australia are second with two points after beating Oman in their opener. The group is led by Scotland, who have three points from two games, while Namibia are third with two points from two games and Oman sit at the bottom after losing two games. A defeat to ODI world champions Australia on Saturday could leave England’s Super Eight qualification in jeopardy, but batter Jonny Bairstow does not want the permutations to affect him. “It doesn’t derail us either way,” Bairstow told reporters on Friday. “We know we’ve got to win more games than we lose in tournament cricket, that’s just part and parcel of it. “A win puts you in a position in the group, but at the end of the day, the other two games [against Oman and Nambia] are must-win games anyway. “It will be good for momentum and confidence [to beat Australia],” he added. Bairstow described the contest between the Ashes rivals as “a great spectacle”. “The guys have played against each other for a long time now, which in many ways is really exciting because you know each other’s games,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a fantastic atmosphere like it always is in Barbados.” Australia ‘pumped’ for England face-off Australia had a shaky start in their match against Oman before all-rounder Marcus Stoinis shone with the bat and ball as they recorded a comfortable 39-run win. Captain Mitchell Marsh said his side felt a bit nervous in that game, but were happy with the win and looking forward to Saturday’s clash with familiar foes England. Marsh expects England fans to outnumber the Australians for the match at Barbados, jokingly adding that the atmosphere would be the same as Headingley in Leeds. “I dare say this will be full and it’ll be mostly English fans so it’ll be like playing at Headingly all over or anywhere in England where you get sprayed,” Marsh said. “But just the atmosphere, the vibe of the game, there’s always a lot riding on it. And I think as a team we always want to challenge ourselves against the best. “England have been exceptional in this format for a long period of time now, so there’s certainly going to be a lot on the game and we’re pumped.” (Al Jazeera) Head-to-head Australia and England have played 23 T20 internationals, with England winning 11 games, Australia 10 and two contests ending in no result. Form guide Australia started their campaign with a win over Oman. Before the tournament, they played two series in February, celebrating a 3-0 series whitewash over trans-Tasman neighbours New Zealand and a 2-1 series win over the West Indies. England’s first World Cup match with Scotland ended in no result after rain wrecked the contest. Before the tournament, England won 2-0 in a rain-affected four-match series against Pakistan. Australia: W W W W L England: W W L W W Pitch and weather conditions Kensington Oval has hosted four matches, all producing varied results. The first contest was a low-scoring match, the second was washed out, while the third and fourth fixtures saw targets in the region of 155-165. Saturday’s match, which starts in the afternoon, will played on a new surface. Rain is forecast in the morning and around the match time. Australia team news Pat Cummins will return for this match after being rested against Oman. Mitchell Starc, who left the field in the last game with cramp, is expected to be fit. Both players had a long stint in the Indian Premier League and played the final on May 26. Squad: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (captain), Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis. England team news England do not have any injury concerns. Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood. (Al Jazeera) Adblock test (Why?)
Slovakia, Italy vote in European Union elections
People in multiple European countries are casting ballots on third day of polls before last and biggest stage of voting on Sunday. Voters in Slovakia, Italy and other countries in the European Union are heading to polling stations on Saturday to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. On the third day of the elections, Slovakia is casting its votes under the shadow of an assassination attempt on populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15. The nation of 5.4 million is choosing between representatives of Fico’s Smer party – the top party in the incumbent governing coalition – and the main opposition Progressive Slovakia, a pro-Western liberal party. Fico released his first public statement since the attack in the form of a pre-recorded video just hours before the start of the pre-election silence period on Wednesday, arguing that he was attacked due to his divergent views from the European mainstream. He opposes support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion and ended Slovakia’s military support after being sworn in on October 25. He also opposes EU sanctions on Russia and wants to block Ukraine from joining NATO. Also on Saturday, voters in Italy will begin casting their ballots over two days to fill a considerable 76 European parliamentary seats which could help shape its future direction. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her far-right Brothers of Italy are expected to be the big winners, gaining over coalition partners such as the anti-migrant League and the centre-right Forza Italia. Her backing could affect whether Ursula von der Leyen earns a second term at the helm of the European Commission, with a potential alliance looming. Meloni has also been courted by French far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the hopes of creating a far-right alliance. Leila Simona Talani, director of the Centre for Italian Politics at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that anti-immigration policies are a considerable driver of the far-right in the elections, but not the only one. “One of the reasons is the war in Ukraine and there is a lot of polarisation among parties on whether or not we should continue this effort to support Ukraine,” she said. “My impression is not that the whole European Parliament is moving to the right. I don’t even think the majority will move to the right, but they are getting more votes.” Voters in Latvia, Malta and the Czech Republic are also casting ballots on Saturday. Final results for the 720-seat European Parliament are not expected until Sunday night when every country has voted. The fourth and final day of voting on Sunday will also be the biggest, with citizens in 20 of the 27-member bloc, including voters in Germany, France and Poland, heading to the polls. Seats are allocated based on population, ranging from six in Malta or Luxembourg to 96 in Germany. Almost 370 million Europeans are eligible to vote to send representatives to the only directly elected EU institution which has the power to block legislation. Adblock test (Why?)
CWC Meeting: Congress chief Kharge stresses on unity, says INDIA Bloc ‘must function…’
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Saturday said the Lok Sabha poll mandate is a “decisive rejection” of the politics of divisiveness and hate, and stressed that the INDIA bloc must continue functioning cohesively both inside and outside Parliament.
PM Modi’s third oath-taking ceremony tomorrow, check timing, venue, special guests, and other key details
The swearing-in ceremony has been set for 7:15 PM on June 9 (Sunday) in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Newson, Dem leaders try to negotiate Prop 47 reform off California ballots, as GOP wants to let voters decide
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he and fellow Democratic leaders in the state legislature are attempting to negotiate a Proposition 47 reform measure off the November ballot, but Republican leaders affirmed their support for voters to determine if parts of the initiative should be repealed. Prop 47, which was approved by voters in 2014, made several crimes — including shoplifting, grand theft and receiving stolen property — a misdemeanor instead of a felony if the value of the property did not exceed $950. It also lowered the penalty for the personal use of most illegal drugs below a certain weight. The initiative has been blamed by law enforcement, businesses and others for the rise in theft in California, according to KCRA. “There’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of negotiations concurrently happening,” Newsom told reporters on Friday. “Prop 47 is included.” NEWSOM PROPOSES DEFUNDING LAW ENFORCEMENT, PRISONS, PUBLIC SAFETY AS CALIFORNIA FACES MASSIVE DEFICIT The governor and some Democrats have said they do not support the bipartisan effort to amend Prop 47. Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing some public safety bills circulating through the state Capitol that attempt to address organized retail theft, car break-ins and other crimes, after residents in the state voiced their concerns about the rise in crime. The Prop 47 reform initiative is likely to make it onto the ballot, according to recent data from the California Secretary of State’s office. Proponents of the reform gathered 910,000 signatures supporting the ballot measure, although the signatures are still being verified. Some Democrat lawmakers plan to add inoperability clauses into the public safety bills to prevent them from going into effect if voters approve the Prop 47 reforms, according to KCRA. Some Democrats said this is to ensure there are not any inconsistencies in the law, a claim the campaign seeking to reform Prop 47 rejected on Friday. Republicans are calling this plan a “poison pill.” Republican leaders wrote a letter to Democrat leaders on Thursday announcing their opposition to “poison pills” that include repealing retail theft bills should voters adopt Prop 47 reforms. “To combat the California crime wave, we need to strengthen our laws, both in the Legislature and at the ballot box,” Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said in a statement. “It’s irresponsible to force voters into a false choice between the two. Unfortunately, some Democrat politicians are too prideful to admit their mistake with Prop 47 and they continue to deny the desperate need for reform. The Democrats’ poison pill amendments are a cynical attempt to mislead voters and prevent the necessary overhaul of our broken laws.” CALIFORNIA HAS TO PROVIDE 1,200 TINY HOMES FOR STATE’S HOMELESS THAT WERE PROMISED IN MARCH 2023 Newsom declined to say if he would sign the legislation if it includes the inoperability clauses. When asked if he was not confident that voters would reject the measure if it makes it onto the November ballot, the governor said he does not believe it is necessary to have it on the ballot. “Why have something on the ballot that doesn’t actually achieve the goals that are intended? Why do something that can be done legislatively, with more flexibility? I think it’s a better approach,” he said. The ballot initiative would change Prop 47 to enhance penalties for repeat thieves, requiring people who steal for a third time to spend up to three years in prison. The measure would also classify the possession of fentanyl as a felony. “Democrats need to stop playing politics with public safety and let voters decide on fixing Prop. 47,” Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said in a statement. “These poison pills show that Democrats aren’t serious about ending the crime wave – they just want to look like they’re doing something because their years-long support for criminals has become a political liability.” Democrat Senate Pro Tempore Mike McGuire has said the measure is unnecessary, and that the legislative public safety package is the better choice. “If you want a set of laws that will blunt retail theft, this plan is exactly what’s needed in this state,” McGuire said. “That’s why these bills are supported by law enforcement, firefighters, retailers, store owners and trusted local leaders. These 14 bills that will move next week aren’t about partisan politics, they’re about keeping the people of California safe.” California’s secretary of state has until June 27 to certify the November ballot, which means Democrat leaders have just weeks to attempt to negotiate the measure off the ballot.