IMD issues fresh heatwave warning till May 22 for these states, check full forecast
On Saturday, Delhi recorded its hottest day of the season with temperatures soaring to 43.7 degrees Celsius. A “red alert” has been issued for the city, warning of extreme heat in many areas over the next two days
Ex-sarpanch killed, couple injured in twin terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of polling for Lok Sabha elections
According to Kashmir Zone Police, the deceased former Sarpanch was identified as Aijaz Ahmad.
Trump, Abbott paint gun rights as imperiled at NRA convention
In their speeches, the former president and the Texas governor described the protection of Second Amendment rights as contingent on Trump’s presidential reelection.
Maryland governor signs Biden-inspired bill establishing ‘Center for Firearm Violence Prevention’
Democratic Maryland governor Wes Moore signed a bill establishing the first statewide gun violence prevention center earlier this week. The project, which is called the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, will operate within the Maryland Department of Health. Its mission is to “consolidate and better coordinate Maryland’s public health approach to preventing gun violence,” according to a press release published by the governor’s office on Thursday. “The center will partner with local governments, advocates, and medical professionals engaged in violence intervention programs to build upon the critical gun violence intervention programs that were pioneered in Maryland and help ensure that they are adequately funded and informed by the best available data,” the statement explained. Moore follows in the footsteps of President Biden, who established the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September 2023. The Old Line State is the first to adopt a statewide agency against gun violence, Moore said. REPUBLICANS TEAM UP TO DEFEAT LONGTIME ‘RESTRICTION’ TARGETING GUN OWNERS: ‘VIOLATION OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT’ “Maryland became the first state in the nation to officially answer President Biden’s call,” the governor told reporters. Moore also signed the Growing Apprenticeships and the Public Safety Workforce (GAPS) Act, which is aimed at better funding police departments in the state. “With police departments across the state facing challenges with hiring and retaining officers, the bill proposes short and long-term actions to help address the problem by reforming the existing apprenticeship model for public safety officials – with the goal of making apprenticeships a more viable pathway to law enforcement, and requiring the establishment of a model policy for law enforcement officer wellness programs to ensure officers receive the support they need in their often challenging work,” the statement explains. PELOSI REBUKED TO HER FACE DURING OXFORD DEBATE AFTER CONDEMNING AMERICANS CLOUDED BY ‘GUNS, GAYS, GOD’ The laws come as Baltimore continues to be ravaged by crime. According to the Baltimore Police Department’s website, there have been more than 1,800 aggravated assaults and 1,200 robberies since 2024 began. In addition, there have been 155 shootings and 62 homicides this year. “When we entered office, we made public safety our number one priority, and we said we were going to move differently on this issue – because the status quo wasn’t working,” a statement from Moore read. “Today, we make Maryland safer by signing bills to support victims, build stronger pipelines to law enforcement jobs, and tackle the gun violence epidemic, head-on.” “We’re making progress, but our work is far from done. Together, we will continue to take an all-of-the-above approach to public safety.” Fox News Digital reached out to Moore’s office for additional comment, but did not receive an immediate reply.
Trump demands Biden ‘drug test,’ rips ‘radical’ RFK Jr. in bid to ‘rebellious bunch’ at NRA
Former President Trump fired up supporters at the National Rifle Association’s Annual Meeting in Texas on Saturday, calling for President Biden to take a “drug test,” putting “radical” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on blast and encouraging gun enthusiasts to get out and vote. The crowd at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas roared as Trump received the NRA’s endorsement before he took the stage. Trump thanked the “great patriots” for the endorsements, but reprimanded the “rebellious bunch” for not voting. “But one thing I’ll say, and I say it as friends, we’ve got to get gun owners to vote because you know what? I don’t know what it is. Perhaps it’s a form of rebellion because you’re a rebellious people, aren’t you?,” Trump said. “But gun owners don’t vote. What is that all about?” “If gun owners would vote, we would swamp them at levels that nobody’s ever seen before,” he said. “So, I think you’re a rebellious bunch. So let’s be rebellious and vote this time.” BIDEN CAMPAIGN HIGH ON DOJ’S MARIJUANA SHIFT, ‘SMOKES’ TRUMP FOR INACTION DURING HIS TERM Trump turned his attention to Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., telling NRA-supporters to not “waste your vote” and that he is a part of the “radical left.” “RFK, Jr. — I call him Junior by the way — he’s radical left. Don’t think about it. Don’t waste your vote,” Trump said. “We need a conservative person with common sense. This guy is radical left who destroyed New York.” “Actually, he’s a disaster. He reminds you of this fly that’s driving me crazy up here,” said Trump, who swatted at a fly that flitted around the stage. “This fly is brutal. I don’t like flies!” Trump said that RFK Jr. had “no policy for anything.” “But RFK Jr. calls you a terrorist group. You know, he calls you a terrorist group,” Trump said. “[You] can’t vote for him. You can’t. You know, somebody said, well, they like his policy on vaccines the other day. He said, no, no, he’ll go for the vaccine. He’s nice. He’s got no policy or anything. He’s radical left. He always has been.” “We can’t waste any votes,” he added. “We have to make sure we win.” The Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee set his sights on President Biden, beginning with the usual jabs at Biden’s cognitive ability, and saying that Biden was as “high as a kite” during his State of the Union address in March. WARNING SIGNS FOR TRUMP, BIDEN, AS THEY CAREEN TOWARD DEBATES “Now, he did that State of the Union the other day. He was high as a kite,” Trump said. “So, I think we should go for drug tests on the debate. Yeah, we’re going to call for drug tests.” Earlier Saturday, Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee announced the creation of a new “Gun Owners for Trump” coalition that includes gun rights activists and individuals in the firearms’ industry. Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
DC Mayor Bowser jets off for Las Vegas weekend ‘mission’ after ritzy Masters trip on taxpayers’ dime
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and her entourage are set to travel to Las Vegas on a business trip, shortly after the Democratic mayor faced scrutiny for going on a taxpayer-funded trip to the Masters Golf tournament. A description of the event on the mayor’s public calendar said that she would attend the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) on an “economic mission.” “On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Mayor Bowser will attend the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) LAS VEGAS to attract retail to the District of Columbia,” the description said. “This economic mission is coordinated by the Washington, DC Economic Partnership, which has organized the District’s presence at ICSC since 2001.” In a press release, Bowser’s office touted the benefits reaped by attending the ICSCS. “We know that Washingtonians in every part of DC want access to fantastic amenities. From the Lidl in Ward 7 to the Wegmans in Ward 3, those are conversations that started at ICSC,” said Bowser. “Through programs like the Food Access Fund and the Neighborhood Prosperity Fund, we have made good progress in filling amenity gaps, but there is still more to do to ensure greater accessibility and equity – and filling those gaps and supporting the continued transformation of Downtown will be a focus of this trip.” DC MAYOR’S TAXPAYER-FUNDED TRIP TO RITZY THE MASTERS GOLF TOURNEY CALLED AN ‘ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VISIT’ Bowser will attend the conference, which is held at Wynn Las Vegas, along with 14 other elected officials and staff members. District government representatives attending ICSC will include: Elected officials’ goals at the conference include “expanding the Washington, D.C. brand as a premier business environment and investment opportunity; generating business leads for major development projects and DC’s neighborhood corridors, including Downtown; fostering business relationships and engaging with new prospects including retailers and brokers for later cultivation; and promoting the unique retail and restaurant opportunities in our neighborhoods,” Bowser’s office said in a press release. The latest trip comes after the Democratic mayor faced scrutiny over transparency about her trip to the Master’s Tournament in Augusta, Georgia last month. According to the mayor’s public schedule, Bowser attended the world-renowned golf tournament, “as part of a sports and economic development visit.” Her team said that the mayor was invited by a major real estate company that does business in D.C. Bowser had previously defended her taxpayer-funded trip to the world-renowned tournament, telling FOX 5 that they have “tried to be transparent.” “We tried to be transparent, so I don’t know what questions you have that remain. We disclosed – I don’t know what questions you have that remain; we expect an invoice if it hasn’t – we haven’t received it yet from EDENS,” Bowser told FOX 5. MAYOR BOWSER DIRECTLY ASKED IF PEOPLE SHOULD ‘FEEL SAFE’ IN DC: ‘WHAT’S THE PLAN?’ Bowser said that the trip to the Master’s tournament cost between $5,000 and $6,000 per person. “… I believe that the estimated costs were in the range of $5-$6,000 and that’s for air travel … per person,” she told the local outlet. The mayor did not say how much the trip to Las Vegas would cost. The mayor defended her taxpayer-funded trip, saying that Washington D.C is the “sports capital.” “Listen, voters have placed their trust in me to make the best decisions for the District for the last 15 years, including three elections as mayor. We made no secret about the fact that we make sports investments,” Bowser said. “We are the sports capital, and we are going to promote the District in every corner of the world, and that has been my experience as mayor.” Fox News has reached out to Mayor Bowser’s office, Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie, Councilmember Brooke Pinto and Councilmember Zachary Parker for comment.
In Israel visit, Stefanik to tout Trump’s record on Jewish state, reject Biden policies: ‘No excuse’
House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., will blast President Biden as she seeks to reassure Israel during a speech at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, Sunday morning. Her prepared remarks were obtained by Fox News Digital ahead of the address. Stefanik will be the highest-ranking House member to visit Israel since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. She will be introduced by the Israeli speaker, according to her office. The New York Republican is also planning to meet with high-level government officials and pay her respects to locations attacked by Hamas in October. She plans to tout her decades-long support for the Jewish state as a senior member of the House Armed Services and House Intelligence committees. In her speech, Stefanik calls herself “a lifelong admirer, supporter and friend of Israel and the Jewish people.” STEFANIK HITS SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH WITH ETHICS COMPLAINT, ACCUSES HIM OF ELECTION MEDDLING “I am lucky to have had the privilege of traveling here many times before, but I must confess that this time feels different,” Stefanik’s speech states. “The stakes feel higher. Our sense of moral, patriotic duty feels heightened, renewed.” In the remarks, Stefanik praises former President Trump for his relationship with Israel during his administration, and she criticizes Biden for his administration’s controversial measures during the Israel-Hamas war. In November 2023, the Biden administration extended a waiver that allowed Iran to access $10 billion previously in escrow, prompting widespread criticism. The White House recently paused a weapons shipment to Israel out of concern about an invasion of Rafah, before deciding to move forward with the sale earlier this week. “There is no excuse for an American president to block aid to Israel, aid that was duly passed by the Congress, or to ease sanctions on Iran, paying a $6 billion ransom to the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, or to dither and hide while our friends fight for their lives. No excuse,” the speech states. “Full stop.” STEFANIK HITS BACK AT HOUSE DEMOCRAT PUSHING TO CENSURE HER: ‘DESPERATE FREE FALL’ The Republican leader’s address to the Knesset will express support for “every measure to aid Israel that has come before the U.S. Congress,” and tout her history as “a leading proponent and partner to President Trump in his historic support for Israeli independence and security.” “If I leave you with one message today, it’s this: The majority of Americans support you, and we always will since President Truman’s recognition of Israel 11 minutes after David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence 76 years and 5 days ago,” the address says. “America stands with Israel.” Before concluding her speech, the politician will take aim at Ivy League universities for their responses to chaotic protests and anti-Israel encampments. “We must not let the extremism in ‘elite’ corners conceal the deep, abiding love for Israel among the American people,” the speech adds. “Most Americans feel a strong connection to your people. They have opened their hearts to you in this dark hour.”
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley defends ‘friend’ Harrison Butker after ‘out of touch’ left’s ‘absurd meltdown’
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., came to Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker’s defense this week after the 28-year-old pro-baller’s commencement speech at Benedictine College. Butker came under fire after delivering a speech to new graduates of the Catholic liberal arts college, focusing on the importance of being “unapologetically Catholic.” His address included barbs at President Biden for his pro-abortion stance and supporting young women in the “vocation” of marriage and motherhood. BILL MAHER DEFENDS HARRISON BUTKER AMID SPEECH UPROAR: ‘I DON’T SEE WHAT THE BIG CRIME IS’ Most controversially, Butker referred to pride month as a “deadly sin.” For Butker’s stances on faith and family, both the media and the NFL alike condemned the speech. The NFL explicitly distanced itself from Butker, saying “his views are not those of the NFL as an organization.” Hawley, himself a Christian, defended his “friend” on X amid the onslaught. Hawley first posted to his X acount, the site formerly known as Twitter, with a photo showing him alongside Butker. “Never more proud to call Harrison Butker my friend,” Hawley said. The Missouri Republican also posted later that same day citing jersey sales for the Kansas City Chiefs kicker reaching an all-time high, saying, “Nice work, libs! I’m ordering one for all my kids.” Hawley also joined KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City Friday morning, calling the left “hilariously out of touch” when it comes to Butker’s views. The NFL has sold out of Harrison Butker jerseys for women in the days that followed his commencement address at Benedictine College. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The full text of Butker’s address can be found here.
Minnesota Republican Party issues surprising endorsement of BLM protest leader seeking to oust Dem senator
The Republican Party of Minnesota tossed its support behind Royce White, a former NBA player and Black Lives Matter protest leader turned GOP Senate candidate, in his bid to oust Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The state party’s decision to back White came at the Minnesota GOP convention in St. Paul’s RiverCentre on Saturday. White, a former professional basketball player, was introduced on stage at the convention by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. White received 67% of the vote on the first ballot at Saturday’s convention to receive an endorsement from the party to challenge Klobuchar, who has represented Minnesota in the upper chamber for nearly two decades. TRUMP PREDICTS ‘JACKED UP’ BIDEN AT UPCOMING DEBATES, BLASTS BIDENOMICS IN BATTLEGROUND SPEECH “I’m a ‘We the People’ guy through and through,” White told Minnesota’s Star Tribune on Saturday. White unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination to challenge “Squad” Rep. Ilhan Omar for Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District during the 2022 election cycle, losing to fellow Republican Cicely Davis in the primary election by more than 1,000 votes. Hundreds of Minnesota Republicans — several of whom held signs that read “The People Are Coming” — packed into the room where White delivered a speech after receiving the state party’s endorsement. Prior to joining the Republican Party and running for Senate, White led Black Lives Matter protests in Minneapolis at the height of the controversy surrounding the death of George Floyd. The GOP Senate hopeful also has made controversial remarks in the past, including one where he claimed to be a Christian and a “real Jew” while responding to a social media user. “Shut up shill. I’m a Christian and Jew (Real Jew)… I can smell the [bulls–t] in this tweet from a mile away. It is weird to see a bunch of people deny that Black Jews exist and could theoretically be here in America. What in the rewritten history is this? Lol,” White wrote in a November 2022 tweet. During the same month, White appeared to praise notorious antisemite Louis Farrakhan and rebuked Black people who had “sold out” in a social media post, writing, “The Minister Louis Farrakhan is very gracious in his age and wisdom. He lives and speaks with a certain love and empathy for all Black ppl, even when he knows they’ve sold out. I hold no such quarter for them. I’m not the judge, but I will speak the tough word. Stop Selling Out!” SEN. KLOBUCHAR HIT FOR 2 AM POST TAKING CREDIT FOR PASSAGE OF $1.2 TRILLION SPENDING BUDGET: ‘YOU’RE WELCOME’ Amid Israel’s war with Hamas, White took to X in December and claimed, “Israel has a right to exist but not to be the lynchpin of New World Order.” “I pray my Jewish brothers and sisters stop letting their identity be used to justify globalism. . . . The same way I pray Black people stop letting their identity be used to justify marxism. This unwavering support for Israel from MAGA, knowing full well that Israel and a World War II is used to call anybody who is a nationalist, a fascist or a Nazi, really has me stumped,” White wrote at the time. “Nationalism is not synonymous with Fascism or Nazism, I’m sick of hearing it. Especially from a country that takes our tax money to be ethno-national. Israel has a right to exist but not to be the lynchpin of New World Order.” White’s campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the support he received from the Minnesota Republican Party on Saturday, or his past remarks. On his campaign website, White lists four goals he hopes to achieve or build on if he’s elected, including “Term Limits,” “No Taxes (American jubilee),” “American Manufactering,” and “Energy.” No additional explanation for how White will accomplish those goals was shared on the website. A Republican operative who attended the Minnesota GOP convention Saturday said she expected delegates to do a better job of selecting a candidate to take on Klobuchar and support former President Trump’s re-election bid. “I truly believe at the end of the day that the Minnesota GOP handed Amy Klobuchar a win on a silver platter,” the Republican operative told Fox News Digital. The operative placed some of the blame on the state party’s nominating committee, which allowed White to be on the convention’s endorsement ballot as “qualified, with reservations.” White is one of several Republicans who were seeking the GOP nomination. Minnesota holds an August 13 primary election, and the deadline to register for the primary is June 4. The winner of that election will go on to face off against Klobuchar, the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee, in the state’s general election on November 4.
Weather update: Cyclone forming over Bay of Bengal, these states are likely to see rain, strong winds
Light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Puducherry, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Lakshadweep until May 23.