[KARAH RUCKER]
ESCALATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST — INCLUDING A DEADLY ASSAULT ON ISRAEL SATURDAY —
WHEN A HEZBOLLAH ROCKET STRUCK A SOCCER FIELD AND KILLED TWELVE CHILDREN.
THE ROCKET — WAS LAUNCHED FROM LEBANON. AND IS THE DEADLIEST ATTACK ON ISRAELI SOIL SINCE THE OCTOBER 7TH TERROR ATTACK.
NOW — ATTENTION TURNS TO HOW ISRAEL WILL RESPOND TO THE THREAT — AND IF THE WAR IS ON THE BRINK OF EXPANSION.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ATTENDED FUNERAL SERVICES FOR THE CHILDREN WHO DIED IN SATURDAY’S ATTACK.
THEIR CASKETS WERE HAULED THROUGH THE STREETS AS PEOPLE PAID THEIR RESPECTS.
ISRAEL SAYS HEZBOLLAH “WILL PAY THE PRICE” FOR THE LATEST DEVASTATION.
IT’S BEEN A SERIES OF BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN HEZBOLLAH AND ISRAEL — THE IRAN-BACKED MILITANT GROUP FIRED ROCKETS AT ISRAEL FROM LEBANON SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR — AND ISRAEL HAS BEEN RETALIATING AGAINST THEM SINCE — STRIKING THEIR TARGETS IN LEBANON AND KILLING TOP HEZBOLLAH AND HAMAS LEADERSHIP IN THE REGION.
BUT THIS LATEST HIT AGAINST ISRAEL — COULD CREATE A LARGER RESPONSE.
LEBANON’S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS IT WILL NOT GET INVOLVED IN A WAR — BUT — WILL STAND BEHIND HEZBOLLAH.
THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS IT’S RECEIVED REASSURANCES FROM THE U.S. AND FRANCE — THAT ISRAEL’S RESPONSE WILL BE “LIMITED.”
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS WARNING ISRAEL OF HOW IT’S NEXT STEPS COULD LEAD TO A LARGER CONFLICT —
AND IS WARNING AGAINST THEM HITTING HEZBOLLAH TARGETS IN BEIRUT.
EVEN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS INTO LEBANON’S CAPITOL CITY ARE BEING CANCELED OUT OF FEARS OF ESCALATION.
WITH ONLY 100 DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION — BOTH VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SPENT THE WEEKEND SPEAKING TO THEIR SUPPORTERS AT DIFFERENT EVENTS —
HARRIS SPEAKING TO VOTERS IN MASSACHUSETTS.
AND TRUMP HOLDING EVENTS IN FLORIDA —
WITH JUST OVER THREE MONTHS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY.
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
“She was a bum. Three weeks ago, she was a bum, a failed vice president in a failed administration with millions of people crossing when she was the border czar.”
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS
“Donald Trump has been resorting to some wild lies about my record. And some of what he and his running mate are saying, it’s just plain weird. “
NEW POLLING SHOWS SUPPORT FOR HARRIS IS GROWING AMONG INDEPENDENT VOTERS.
44% HAVE A FAVORABLE VIEW OF HARRIS — WHICH IS UP FROM 28% FROM ONLY A WEEK AGO —
AS THE V-P TRIES TO RALLY UP PARTY SUPPORT BEFORE OFFICIALLY BECOMING THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK —
HARRIS WILL HOLD CAMPAIGN EVENTS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES OF GEORGIA AND TEXAS….WHILE TRUMP HEADS BACK TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SURVIVING AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT A RALLY IN THE STATE OVER TWO WEEKS AGO.
MARK MEADOWS – THE FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF DURING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION — IS TURNING TO THE SUPREME COURT TO INTERVENE IN THE GEORGIA ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE AGAINST HIM.
MEADOWS’ LAWYERS ASKING THE JUSTICES TO TAKE UP HIS BID TO MOVE THE CASE TO FEDERAL COURT.
IN THEIR FILING — MEADOWS LEGAL TEAM ARGUING HIS ACTIONS ARE ENTITLED TO IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION CITING THE HIGH COURT’S RECENT RULING THAT GAVE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IMMUNITY FOR OFFICIAL ACTS AS PRESIDENT.
MEADOWS HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES.
THE CASE HOWEVER REMAINS ON HOLD AS MEADOWS AND OTHER CO-DEFENDANTS INCLUDING FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP – CHALLENGE A RULING THAT ALLOWS FULTON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FANI WILLIS TO CONTINUE PROSECUTING THE CASE AMID CLAIMS OF IMPROPER CONDUCT.
IN A HIGHLY WATCHED AND HIGHLY SCRUTINIZED ELECTORAL PROCESS —
VENEZUELA’S AUTHORITARIAN PRESIDENT NICOLÁS MADURO CLAIMED TO HAVE WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ON MONDAY — BUT SO HAVE HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS.
WITH 80 PERCENT OF VOTES COUNTED — MADURO IS SAID TO HAVE WON WITH MORE THAN 51 PERCENT OF THE VOTE… LEADING ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES TO DECLARE HIM THE WINNER.
HOWEVER — THE OPPOSITION CLAIMS CANDIDATE EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ HAD RECEIVED 70 PERCENT OF THE VOTE AGAINST MADURO’S 30 PERCENT… AND GONZÁLEZ SAID ALL RULES WERE VIOLATED.
THE OPPOSITION IS DEMANDING ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES PRESENT ALL THE VOTING TALLIES ISSUED BY THE VOTING MACHINES TO VERIFY THE RESULTS.
THE UNITED STATES AND MULTIPLE REGIONAL NATIONS HAVE ALSO VOICED SKEPTICISM ABOUT OFFICIAL RESULTS HANDING VICTORY TO MADURO.
MONDAY, THE MAN ACCUSED OF STARTING WHAT IS NOW THE LARGEST ACTIVE WILDFIRE IN THE COUNTRY — APPEARS IN A CALIFORNIA COURT.
THE FAST-SPREADING FIRE NEAR CHICO, CALIFORNIA, HAS BURNED MORE THAN 350-THOUSAND ACRES IN THREE DAYS… FORCING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN FOUR COUNTIES TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES.
THE PARK FIRE HAD SCORCHED AN AREA GREATER THAN THE SIZE OF LOS ANGELES AS OF SUNDAY — CAUSING POOR AIR QUALITY IN A LARGE PART OF THE NORTHWESTERN U-S AND WESTERN CANADA.
COOLER TEMPERATURES AND MORE HUMIDITY OVER THE WEEKEND HELPED FIREFIGHTERS MAKE SOME PROGRESS.
THEY SAY THE FIRE IS NOW 12 PERCENT CONTAINED.
APPLE HAS REACHED ITS FIRST-EVER UNION CONTRACT WITH EMPLOYEES AT A MARYLAND STORE.
THE UNION REPRESENTING THE EMPLOYEES OF A STORE IN A BALTIMORE SUBURB SAYS IT’S REACHED A TENTATIVE THREE-YEAR DEAL WITH APPLE TO INCREASE PAY BY AN AVERAGE OF 10 PERCENT AND OFFER OTHER BENEFITS TO WORKERS.
THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENT STILL HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE STORE’S 85 WORKERS… A VOTE IS SET FOR AUGUST 6-TH.
TEAM USA IS OFF TO A STRONG START AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS – PICKING UP 12 MEDALS OVER THE WEEKEND — THE MOST OF ANY COUNTRY SO FAR IN THE GAMES.
USA PICKING UP GOLD THREE TIMES AS OF THIS MORNING – INCLUDING THE MEN’S 4 BY 100 METER FREESTYLE RELAY TEAM — GIVING CALEB DRESSEL HIS 8TH GOLD MEDAL –
TORRI HUSKE WINNING THE WOMEN’S 100 METER BUTTERFLY AND GRETCHEN WALSH TAKING SILVER – WITH JUST FOUR HUNDREDTHS OF A SECOND SEPARATING THE AMERICAN ATHLETES.
AND LEE KIEFER BRINGING HOME GOLD IN FENCING.
IN GYMNASTICS – SIMONE BILES MADE HER OLYMPICS RETURN – LEADING THE US WOMEN’S TEAM INTO THE FINALS DESPITE SUFFERING A MINOR CALF INJURY.
AND ON THE BASKETBALL COURT – LEBRON JAMES LED TEAM USA TO VICTORY IN THEIR FIRST GAME – DEFEATING SERBIA 110 TO 84.