In ‘blue wall’ push, Biden defiantly says he’s ‘not going anywhere’ as he slams Trump, Project 2025
DETROIT (AP) — President Joe Biden is forcefully defying the growing number of critics in his own party who have called on him to exit the race, pivoting to warnings about a second Donald Trump term and declaring he is “not done yet.” As a raucous Detroit crowd chanted “don’t you quit!” and “we got your back!” Biden said again that he was still running for reelection and vowed to “shine a spotlight” on Trump. The show of force from Biden at the Friday evening rally was part of his team’s relentless sprint to convince fretting lawmakers, nervous donors and a skeptical electorate that at the age of 81, he is still capable of being president.
Republicans are gathering in Milwaukee to nominate Donald Trump again. Here’s what to expect
Republicans have nominated Donald Trump for the presidency twice before. But the third time will be different. The Republican National Convention that begins Monday in Milwaukee marks the first time Trump comes into a summer convention with the GOP in crisp lockstep behind him and Democrats reeling. In 2016 and 2020, he was the underdog, and he faced persistent skeptics even among Republicans. Some of those dissidents remain. But they won’t be inside the arena in Milwaukee. Delegates will hear from Trump and ratify the GOP platform that he approved. They’ll be introduced to Trump’s vice presidential running mate. And, of course, they’ll hear plenty of speakers mock President Joe Biden as a failure.
Alec Baldwin weeps in court as judge announces involuntary manslaughter case is dismissed midtrial
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico judge has thrown out the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin in the middle of his trial and said it cannot be filed again. The 66-year-old actor wept and hugged his lawyers and his wife after Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer announced her decision on Friday. She dismissed the case based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense. Baldwin, the star of “30 Rock” and frequent host of “Saturday Night Live,” could have gotten 18 months in prison if he had been convicted.
What’s next for Alec Baldwin after involuntary manslaughter case dismissal
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A New Mexico judge has dismissed the involuntary manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin over the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case in a sudden move Friday based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of evidence from the defense. She said the case cannot be filed again. Baldwin and other producers of “Rust” still face civil lawsuits from Hutchins’ parents and sister. Details about whether the film will be released are still unknown. Baldwin is set to appear in a 2025 TLC reality series with his family about their life.
Pelosi and Democratic leaders try to guide their party through Biden uproar
WASHINGTON (AP) — The uproar over President Joe Biden’s ability to win reelection is leaving Democrats at a standstill. They are odds over whether to stick with Biden or press on with trying to persuade him to end his reelection bid. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Jim Clyburn, a veteran leader of the Congressional Black Caucus, are playing oversized roles. They are generational allies of the president but also trusted voices who can bring frank concerns to Biden. That is giving space to the current congressional leadership — House Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — to navigate the party’s political future.
Judge ends Rudy Giuliani bankruptcy case, says he flouted the process with his lack of transparency
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has thrown out Rudy Giuliani’s bankruptcy case, finding that the former New York City mayor had flouted the process with his lack of transparency. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane formalized the decision Friday. Lawyers for Giuliani and his two biggest creditors — two former election workers he was found to have defamed — had agreed that dismissing the case was the best way forward. The dismissal ends Giuliani’s pursuit of bankruptcy protection but doesn’t absolve him of his debts. His creditors can now pursue other legal remedies to recoup at least some of the money they’re owed, such as getting a court order to seize his apartments and other assets.
Just a Category 1 hurricane? Don’t be fooled by a number — it could be more devastating than a Cat 5
Former Federal Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate has some advice for people following storms: Don’t judge their severity on how big a number they’ve been assigned. Measuring a storm’s danger based on a 1 through 5 scale is just one tool in assessing potential damage. People often mistakenly think a tropical storm or a Category 1 hurricane are nothing to worry about, when they can sometimes be more devastating than a major Category 4 or 5 storm. A category only measures wind strength. It doesn’t factor in storm surge, rain amounts, possible tornado formation, or a storm’s size or speed. Fugate recommends following local forecasts provided by the National Weather Service.
The collapse of a school in northern Nigeria leaves 22 students dead, officials say
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Police say a two-story school collapsed during morning classes in north-central Nigeria, killing 22 students and sending rescuers on a frantic search for more than 100 people trapped in the rubble. The Saints Academy college in Plateau state’s Busa Buji community collapsed shortly after students, many of whom were 15 years old or younger, arrived for classes. A total of 154 students were trapped but 132 of them were rescued and were being treated for injuries, Plateau police spokesman Alfred Alabo said. Twenty-two students were killed. Rescue and health workers as well as security forces had been deployed at the scene immediately after the collapse.
Emergency workers uncover dozens of bodies in a Gaza City district after Israeli assault
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Civil defense workers in Gaza have been digging bodies out of collapsed buildings and pulling them off rubble-covered streets. The effort unfolded Friday as they collected dozens of Palestinians killed this week by an Israeli assault in a district of Gaza City. The discovery of the bodies came after Israeli troops reportedly pulled out of parts of the Tal al-Hawa and Sinaah neighborhoods following days of bombardment and fighting. The Israeli military launched an incursion into the districts earlier this week to fight what it said were Hamas militants who had regrouped. The grisly scenes of the dead underscored the horrifying cycle nine months into the Gaza war.
SpaceX rocket accident leaves company’s Starlink satellites in wrong orbit
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company’s internet satellites in the wrong orbit. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Thursday night, carrying 20 Starlink satellites. Several minutes into the flight, the upper stage engine malfunctioned. SpaceX says the satellites were released, but flight controllers could make contact with only half of them. Controllers tried to boost their orbit, without success. That means they’ll reenter the atmosphere and burn up. The Federal Aviation Administration insists the problem must be fixed before Falcon rockets can fly again.
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