Walz defends his military record at first solo campaign event

FIRST — A LOOK AT THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AS WE’RE NOW 83 DAYS AWAY FROM ELECTION DAY. 

YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HOLDING A RALLY IN NORTH CAROLINA TODAY WITH A FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY. 

AND FRIDAY — THAT IS ALSO WHERE VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WILL BE ANNOUNCING HER “ECONOMIC CAMPAIGN PLATFORM.” 

HARRIS’ VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK “TIM WALZ” HELD HIS FIRST SOLO RALLY ON TUESDAY — 

ADDRESSING HIS 24-YEAR MILITARY RECORD WHICH HAS BECOME ONE OF THE TOP CONTROVERSIES FOR THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET. 

REPUBLICAN VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK JD VANCE HAS ACCUSED WALZ OF “STOLEN VALOR” — 

CRITICIZING HIM OVER REMARKS HE MADE IN 2018 — 

WHERE WALZ SAID HE CARRIED WEAPONS IN WAR — WHEN HE NEVER WENT TO COMBAT. 

THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN CLARIFIED THAT WALZ HAD “MISSPOKE.” 

GOV. TIM WALZ | (D-MN), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE 

“these guys are even attacking my record of service and i just want to say i’m proud to have served my country and i always will be.” 

“i firmly believe you should never denigrate a person’s service record. the only one brave enough to put on that uniofrm for our great country including my opponent, i just have a few simple words. thank you for your service and sacrifice. 

WALZ WILL BE TAKING PART IN A 5-STATE FUNDRAISING BLITZ OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. 

WHILE VANCE WILL BE IN MICHIGAN TODAY AND PENNSYLVANIA TOMORROW. 

THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IS NOW RED HOT ON BOTH SIDES — WITH STOPS MARKED ALL OVER THE MAP — 

BOTH TICKETS SPLITTING THEIR PRESIDENTial AND VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICKS FOR MORE SOLO APPEARANCES TO COVER MORE GROUND.

ONF OF THE BIGGEST LABOR UNIONS IN THE COUNTRY — IS SUING FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND TECH BILLIONAIRE ELON MUSK. 

THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS UNION SAYS TRUMP AND MUSK ILLEGALLY ATTEMPTED TO “THREATEN AND INTIMIDATE WORKERS WHO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES BY ENGAGING IN PROTECTED CONCERTED ACTIVITY, SUCH AS STRIKES.” 

THE U-A-W SAYS DURING A TWO-HOUR INTERVIEW ON X MONDAY — TRUMP AND MUSK ADVOCATED FOR FIRING WORKERS WHO STRIKE. 

STRIKING IS A PROTECTED ACTIVITY UNDER THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT — AND WORKERS CANNOT LEGALLY BE FIRED FOR IT. 

RECENTLY — THE U-A-W HAS BEEN TRYING TO ORGANIZE TESLA EMPLOYEES AND LAST WEEK — IT ENDORSED VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS IN THE 20-24 PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

THERE’S MORE UNCERTAINTY IN NEXT STEPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 

U.S. OFFICIALS ARE STILL ANTICIPATING AN ATTACK BY IRAN AND ITS PROXY GROUPS AS SOON AS THIS WEEK. 

IN THE FACE OF POTENTIAL ESCALATION AND A PROLONGED CONFLICT — THE U.S. HAS ANNOUNCED A 20 BILLION DOLLAR ARMS SALE TO ISRAEL. 

MEANWHILE HAMAS’ NEW LEADER SAYS IT WON’T BE ATTENDING THURSDAY’S PLANNED MEETING IN QATAR FOR ONGOING CEASEFIRE TALKS. 

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND EUROPEAN LEADERS HAVE BEEN PUSHING BOTH SIDES TO RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AS IRAN HAS RE-UPPED ITS THREATS TO ATTACK ISRAEL. 

PRESIDENT BIDEN TOLD REPORTERS TUESDAY A CEASEFIRE DEAL COULD PREVENT A BROADER WAR FROM BREAKING OUT IN THE MIDDLE EAST — 

BUT THE LACK OF HAMAS’ INVOLVEMENT SIGNALS ANY COMPROMISE IS STILL FAR OFF. 

THE ARMS SALE TO ISRAEL THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPROVED ON TUESDAY WILL INCLUDE 50 FIGHTER JETS, AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES, TANK AMMUNITION AND TACTICAL VEHICLES. 

THE SALE HOWEVER ISN’T EXPECTED TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE IN THE CURRENT CONFLICT. 

IT’S UNLIKELY THESE WEAPONS WILL BE DELIVERED UNTIL 2026 AT THE EARLIEST.

JAPAN’S PRIME MINISTER FUMIO (foo-me-OH) KISHIDA (kee-SHEE-duh) SAYS HE WILL NOT RUN FOR A SECOND TERM TO LEAD THE LONG-RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY. 

INSTEAD — HE WILL STEP DOWN NEXT MONTH AFTER SCANDAL, PUBLIC DISSATISFACTION, AND RISING LIVING COSTS HAVE RIDDLED HIS 3-YEAR TERM. 

IN RECENT MONTHS — THE L-D-P HAS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF JAPAN’S **BIGGEST POLITICAL SCANDALS IN DECADES. 

TWO OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL FACTIONS IN THE L-D-P ARE ACCUSED OF FAILING TO PROPERLY DECLARE THEIR INCOME AND EXPENDITURES… AND REROUTING POLITICAL FUNDS TO LAWMAKERS AS KICKBACKS. 

KISHIDA’S DECISION COMES JUST A MONTH BEFORE L-D-P ELECTIONS ARE SLATED FOR SOME POINT IN SEPTEMBER. 

PUERTO RICO IS UNDER A STATE OF EMERGENCY AS TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO CHURNS ITS WAY — EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE AT SOME POINT THIS MORNING… UNLEASHING FLOODING RAINFALL AND HEAVY WINDS THAT COULD BE A MASSIVE BLOW TO THE ISLAND’S STRUGGLING POWER INFRASTRUCTURE. 

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER SAYS THE STORM COULD BECOME A **MAJOR HURRICANE “IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.” 

THIS COMES ONLY DAYS AFTER DEBBY FINISHED ITS DEADLY AND DESTRUCTIVE TREK ALONG THE UNITED STATES’ EAST COAST. 

ERNESTO IS THE FIFTH NAMED STORM OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON.

THE NEXT GENERATION OF THE PHONE WARS IS HERE – AND IT’S ALL ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. 

ON TUESDAY – GOOGLE UNVEILED ITS LATEST LINEUP OF PIXEL PHONES AT ITS ANNUAL SHOWCASE HELD A BIT EARLIER THAN USUAL THIS YEAR AS IT LOOKS TO BE ONE STEP AHEAD OF APPLE WHEN IT COMES TO AI. 

WHILE WE WAIT FOR APPLE TO REVEAL ITS NEXT GEN IPHONES IN SEPTEMBER – GOOGLE SHOWCASED ITS PIXEL 9 LINEUP – FOUR NEW PHONES COMPLETE WITH AI CAPABILITIES USING ITS GEMINI TECHNOLOGY. 

NEW AI FUNCTIONS INCLUDE A VOICE CONVERSATION FEATURE – AND A MAGIC EDITOR THAT CAN ADD A PERSON TO A PHOTO WHO WASN’T IN THE ORIGINAL. 

GOOGLE’S NEW PHONES ARE AVAILABLE NOW TO PREORDER. TWO ARE BEING RELEASED ON AUGUST 22ND AND THE OTHER TWO ON SEPTEMBER 4TH – WITH THE LEAST EXPENSIVE PIXEL COSTING 800 DOLLARS AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE SELLING FOR 18 HUNDRED DOLLARS