magic time yacht

M/Y Magic Time

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Christensen 103

Motor yacht.

• Max Sleeping guests: 10
• Max Cruising guests: 12
• Boat type: Motor Yacht
• Length: 103 ft (31 m)
• Bathrooms: 6
• Kitchens: 1
• Contact Owner
• Manufacturer: Christensen
• Model: 103 Motoryacht
• Built in: 01 / 1989
• Fuel Type: Diesel

Beds: ( 12 )

Description:.

A sleek 103-foot Custom Motor Yacht that sets new standards when it comes to opulence with its sophisticated exterior design and its plush interior. Take up to 12 guests on board this beautiful 103' luxury yacht! Price $7,000/night. This includes crew, cook, and full use of all vessel amenities including two large tenders with outboards, grab gear, and water toys. Fuel is included in this price for cruising anywhere in the Salish Sea: (Olympia to the U. S. San Juan or Canadian Gulf Islands, Victoria or Sidney BC, but not North of Naniamo.) Food and moorage are additional fees. Gratuities are left to charter customers discretion. Specifications Master Stateroom: features centerline queen & private head w/ shower. 2nd Cabin: queen berth with a head/shower across the passageway. 3rd Cabin: two twin beds & private head with shower. There are 3 additional cabins with double bunks for extra guests and crew. Main salon boasts a large sectional, dining table that seats 8, a bar and large flat screen T.V. with satellite. The enclosed flybridge and sunny upper deck is perfect for entertaining - BBQ, dining table, ample seating. Extend your fun off the yacht with access to crabbing gear, kayaks, two jet skis, two large tenders with outboards, and stand up paddle boards. Be one of the first to explore the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands on our new luxury charter yacht and discover why the time you spend on this yacht is Magic!

Crew: ( 1 )

Crew languages:.

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Main marina:

Cancellation policy:, regulations:.

• Smoking not allowed indoors
• Not suitable for pets ?
• Check-in time: Flexible
• Check-out time: Flexible
• Day use check-out time: Flexible

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About your trip

• Smoking allowed on deck
• Not suitable for pets
• Events & Parties allowed
• Suitable for infants
• Suitable for children

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5% Early Bird discount. Use promo code: earlybird. Seasonal Price increase starting November 1 2024: Book Now!

5% Early bird discount for reservations before you arrive in St Maarten/ St Martin . You can book on our website and receive a 5% Earlybird discount.

This applies to our tours:

– Eco friendly tour around the island .

– Tropical sailing and snorkel tour .

Coupon code : earlybird (Write exactly as shown here on checkout page)

Magic Time Private Charters - Max 26 persons

Early bird coupon applies!

Tour Overiew

Join Magic Time, a 36ft powerboat catamaran for a private charter (Just your group) around St. Maarten visiting the French Nature reserve Tintamarre, Creole Rock, Pinel.

Description

Join Magic Time, a 36ft powerboat catamaran for a private charter (Just your group) around St. Maarten. As soon as Anguilla, Prickly Pear, or St. Barth's open for Charter Vessel with an easier Protocol we will be there.

Magic Time has restrooms, lots of shade, and seating. A nice large ladder at the stern of the boat to get in and out of the water. Swimming platform at the back as well very practical to get ready with snorkeling gears

Our charters include an Open bar, Buffet style Lunch on board (only on 6 hour charter), snacks, snorkel gear, fuel, and crew!

Magic Time is our custom build 36ft power catamaran

Onboard Magic Time you will experience:

• SPEED and FUN : 2 x 260 HP Yanmar inboard Diesel engines
• Comfort & Space: Power Catamaran 36 x 18 Ft – 2 change rooms ( Electric flush toilets ) - Fresh water shower - built in bar – 50% shade
• Easy snorkeling & Relaxing onboard: Use of swimming platform – pool size ladder – sunbathing space - sandwiches and snacks – open bar - Caribbean Buffet style lunch onboard at best venue for the day or onshore - Floating bar – Snorkeling Gear and instruction ‍
• Destination: Depending on the day , our captain will give you a weather update and you will be on your way. For the SXM trip we can go to - Tintamarre – Pinel Island – Creole Rock – Green Key – Grand Case – Maho Airport landing -  Simpson Bay Lagune Cruise – Mega yacht – Marinas - Bridges.
• Open bar (Coors Light, Carib, Fruit punch, Rum Punch, Sodas, water)
• Morning snacks: French Baguettes sandwiches made onboard: Ham & cheese, Tuna ,lettuce & tomatoes.
• Caribbean Style Lunch:  Barbecue Ribs, Barbecue Chicken, Island Rice, Potato Salad, Pasta Salad, Ceasar Salad, Gouda cheese. Lunch is only served on the6 hour charter.
• Afternoon Sweets: Banana cake & grapes
• Snorkeling Gear and instruction
• Captain and crew

It includes snorkeling gear, noodles, an open bar, snacks, and crew.

Important Info

Check-in location.

Eagle Tours, Bobby's Marina , Philipsburg.

Check-In time

30 min before start time

Important Information

Check-in for the charter is at Bobby's Marina in Philipsburg, only a 15-minute walk from the cruise ship terminal. Or pick up can be done in Simpson Bay Yacht Club

What's Included

• Open bar (Carib, Coors Light, Carib, Fruit punch, Rum Punch, Sodas, water)
• Buffet Lunch served on board

What's Excluded

• Gratuity for crew
• Beach chairs and drinks at any beach restaurant
• Port fees or marine reserve fees (Will be added during reservation process)

What to bring

• Sunscreen lotion
• Passport (If going to Anguilla, Prickly Pear or St. Barth's)

Tour Itinerary

Join us for a wonderful charter around St. Maarten and St. Martin exploring beaches and reefs for some snorkeling.

If weather permits, we can cruise over to Tintamarre island to check out the turtles (Not guaranteed to see turtles as we don’t control them but there is a good chance you will spot them!) and then over to Pinel island, another beautiful spot with an amazing beach and reef.

Or we cruise down the South side of the islands to watch planes land at famous Maho Beach and then on to Mullet Bay and Long Bay beach, both beautiful spots.

Starting from $1400

9AM - 4H Charter | 10AM - 6H Charter

4 hours or 6 hours

Pick-up available (Extra cost)

Book your tour now

100% Secure backed by excellent customer support

Not operational due to covid regulations

This tour is currently unavailable, tropical time – cruise ship friendly, tropical time, tropical sailing, beach, and snorkel tour - cruise ship friendly.

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MAGIC TIME GBR3308

LUXURY CRUISER-RACER

The HANSE 470e is a Luxury Cruiser-Racer, and is the perfect yacht to start your sailing and racing adventures

Ready to charter with a professional Skipper, for your Friends and Family to enter Solent Racing Events, create a Corporate Event, join up for Training Days in our new Academy or just spend time on a beautiful yacht in the Solent. We do have plans for MAGIC TIME to enter The ARC race in November 2024 and head off to The Caribbean, so a trip across the Atlantic next Autumn might also sound very appealing and we will only have six places available to book

With a simplistic clean deck layout the 470e is the updated design version of the standard 470. The hull design is further strengthened for long-distance ocean travel with extra reinforced epoxy construction over a galvanised steel subframe. A beautiful open deck layout with a self-tacking jib for a relaxing day sail, but does come with an overlapping genoa to get extra power when speed is required. Having the running rigging hidden inside the deck conduits adds to the slick, stylish and simplistic deck layout. The interior is light and airy and fitted out with a mahogany finish and cream leather upholstery.

SPECIFICATIONS

Yacht Information

• Boat Name:  MAGIC TIME
• Year:  2008
• Builder:  Hanse AG
• Designer:  Judel / Vrolijk & Co.
• Engine:  Yanmar 4JH3 70hp
• Version:  3 x cabins 2 x heads
• Location:  Poole
• LOA:  46 ft 6 in / 14.19m
• Beam:  14 ft 7 in / 4.46m
• Draft:  8 ft 6 in / 2.60m
• Air draft: 80 ft 6 in / 24.50m
• Displ:  12,200kg
• Yanmar 4JH3 70 HP diesel engine
• Hours:  approx. 1500 from new
• Last serviced:  2021
• Saildrive SD60 2019
• 2 bladed fixed propeller 2019
• Maxpower VIP 250 retractable bowthruster 2019 – new Maxpower joystick control unit 2020
• Fuel capacity:  250 litres
• Water capacity:  440 litres
• Black holding tank above each heads
• Eberspacher Airtronic cabin heating
• 4 x Varta and 4 x AGM Batteries, system professionally serviced 2021
• Charging by 2 x alternators + 240v battery charger 2021
• Shore power installation with cable and 240v sockets
• Mastervolt battery monitor
• Fusion Marine Stereo sound system in cabin and on deck – unit, amplifier, booster, speakers – 2020
• Radio / CD player

Deck Equipment

• Sparcraft aluminium spars
• 3 x spreader rig, aft swept
• Rigid boom vang
• Stainless steel wire standing rigging
• Lazyjack system with lazybag for mainsail
• Mechanical backstay tensioner
• 1 x Lewmar AST54 2-speed self tailing genoa winch
• 1 x Lewmar AST54 2-speed self tailing electric genoa winch
• 2 x Lewmar AST46 2-speed self tailing spinnaker winches
• Electric windlass in anchor locker
• Rocna 33kg anchor
• 50m 10mm chain
• Warps and fenders
• Drop down transom bathing platform and ladder for easy swimming access
• Large rear deck storage for ropes, fenders, tenders etc.

General Equipment

• Lewmar hatches with roller blinds and flyscreens
• Folding cockpit table
• Boarding ladder
• Pulpit, pushpit and guardrails
• Warps, fenders and boathook
• Clock and barometer
• Telescopic ladder
• Sprayhood and bimini
• Twin steering wheel covers
• Winch covers
• Cockpit table cover
• North Sails mainsail with continuous reefing system – 3 x reefs 2008 overhauled and repaired 2022
• New sailbag 2020
• North Sails furling, self tacking jib 2008 – overhauled and repaired 2022
• North Sails 105% overlapping laminate genoa with furling 2008
• Doyle Sails cruising chute with snuffer – APC Nylite 90 2013

Accommodation

• Sleeps 6 in 3 x double cabins
• Forward owners cabin with ensuite heads and shower
• Neptune mattress and fitted bedding
• Two double cabins aft
• Heads on port side to aft of saloon with separate shower cubicle
• Saloon with L-shaped settee to port, large table with bottle stowage
• Two armchairs to starboard
• L-shaped galley with solid surface Corean TM black quartz work tops + integrated double sink
• 2-burner, gimballed LPG Techimpex cooker wirh oven
• Gas system and self draining LPG bottle storage in cockpit
• Extra large 12v fridge of approx. 130l top and front loading with light
• Lockers and drawers
• 1.98m headroom

Navigation Station

• Electronics panel
• Chart table

Navigation Equipment

• Navigation lights
• Plastimo compass
• Speed/log – Simrad IS20
• Wind – Simrad IS20
• GPS Receiver – 2015
• Chartplotter – Simrad GB40 plus repeater at helm, 10″ chart table display for easy course plotting and journey details
• Echosounder – Simrad IS20
• Radar – Simrad
• VHF – Simrad RS82 with external handset
• Autopilot – Simrad AP24
• Navtex – Furuno
• All navigation system interfaced and connected to Simrad AI50 Class B AIS receiver and transmitter

Safety Equipment

• Liferaft – Seasafe 4 man – service (tba)
• Lifejackets – 6 x 190N
• 2 x fire extinguishers
• Fire blanket
• 1 x manual bilge pump, 2 x automatic bilge pumps
• Fitted first aid kit

Construction

• White glass fibre reinforced epoxy hull with a galvanised steel subframe
• Teak decks, cockpit, coachroof and bathing platform
• Iron fin and lead bulb keel
• Semi-balanced rudder
• Aft cockpit with twin helms
• Folding bathing platform on transom

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Gilman Yachts sells superyacht Magic Time

Jim McKee at Gilman Yachts has sold the 31.39m Christensen superyacht Magic Time .

Built in 1988, the raised pilothouse motor yacht features a hull design by Ed Monk. Powered by twin 270hp diesel NT855M Cummins engines, she has a 2,500-nautical mile range at nine knots, and Magic Time has proved her mettle on a number of serious journeys, including two transatlantic crossings. Her previous owners have upgraded Magic Time with new lighting and installed back-ups to all system.

Her full-beam owners’ cabin aft features a bath, shower and a treadmill that pops up from the floor when desired. She accommodates six crew and six guests. She features a well-equipped galley with SubZero refrigeration.

Lying in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the asking price was $1.495 million.

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Motor Yacht

Luxury motor yacht Magic, built in 2004 by American shipyard Northern Marine, sees a contemporary departure for the company who usually builds heavy, trawler-style vessels. With a fibreglass hull and superstructure she features interior and exterior design by Setzer Design Group. This elegant vessel measures 39.62 metres and can accommodate up to 10 guests.

Motor yacht Magic was the largest built by Northern Marine at her launch although she has since been succeeded by the 46 metre Lia Fail. Owners Merlin and Carolyn Hanson requested she be created to reflect a high-speed vessel with a displacement hull easily used in shallow waters. To accommodate this request the luxury vessel was designed with a 6' 10" shallow draft ideal for island cruising, and she is powered by MTU 12V-2000's with 1480 horsepower that ensure she is both economical and high-performing.

The super yacht is spread over three decks and her layout ensures extensive space is created for all staterooms as well as focusing on generous inside and outdoor public areas. The interior is a reflection of the traditional yachts of the 1930s, using timeless details like fluted columns and intricate mouldings to set-off satin-finished raised-panel mahogany. The interior design is highly personalized, featuring significant input by Carolyn Hanson and a handpicked group of stylists.

On the main deck can be found a large sheltered aft deck lounge that connects to the main salon through sliding glass doors. The formal dining salon is also located on this level, serviced by a large and well-equipped gourmet galley. Besides the guest accommodation, the lower deck also houses a guest laundry room and a large walk-in luggage locker tucked neatly beneath the curved staircase descending from the main-deck foyer.

Designed with entertainment in mind, motor yacht Magic’s exterior spaces are a highlight of her design. Particularly noteworthy is the open sun deck fitted with bar/grill area and a large spa tub. The bridge deck is accessed via a stairway that delivers guests to a lobby equipped with a dayhead and dumbwaiter service area. Aft can be found the bridge deck lounge; a covered space boasting lounging cushions and teak decking.

Amongst her five cabins are an indulgent owner’s suite; two King staterooms; one Queen stateroom; and one double/twin cabin. Located forward on the main deck, the full-beam owner’s suite features a generous walk-in dressing room, laundry room, and a private bathroom with Jacuzzi. A neat office connects the suite to the entrance lobby. The two King staterooms are located aft on the lower deck, while the two remaining guest suites are found forward. Each includes marble en suite baths.

Featuring a dedicated crew, Magic cruises comfortably at 15 knots while her crew of seven under the direction of Captain Dave Ober ensure the needs of every guest are met.

Motor yacht Magic is an award winning vessel, winning the 2005 Pacific Northwest Superyacht Society Design Award.

• Yacht Builder Northern Marine Co No profile available
• Naval Architect Setzer Design Group No profile available
• Exterior Designer Setzer Design Group No profile available

Yacht Specs

Other northern marine co yachts, related news.

Color Scheme

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Five bodies found in sunken superyacht, officials say

Divers have found five bodies in the sunken wreckage of a superyacht that sank off Sicily this week, Italian officials told news agencies and local media Wednesday, leaving one person still missing.

Three bodies were brought ashore and two others were also found inside the shipwreck, Salvatore Cocina, head of the Sicily civil protection agency, told the Associated Press, after divers were photographed by the agency unloading body bags. Cocina did not identify the deceased.

The British-flagged, 183-foot-long Bayesian was carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew members roughly half a mile from the Sicilian fishing village of Porticello when it encountered what authorities called a “violent storm” about 4 a.m. Monday.

Of the 15 people rescued, eight – including a 1-year-old girl – were taken to hospitals in conditions that were not life-threatening. The body of the yacht’s chef, identified as Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian Antiguan, was found during initial recovery efforts.

Among the passengers was Mike Lynch, 59, the British founder of the tech venture capital firm Invoke Capital and co-founder of the tech firms Autonomy and Darktrace. This summer, he was acquitted of all charges after a decadelong U.S. fraud trial related to the 2011 sale of Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

The voyage on the Bayesian, owned by a company controlled by Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, was intended to be a celebration of his legal victory, Britain’s Telegraph reported.

Among those missing were Lynch; his 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and attorney Chris Morvillo, a partner at Clifford Chance in New York who represented Lynch in the recently concluded legal battle, and his wife, Neda. Bacares, Lynch’s wife, was among the survivors.

It’s not clear exactly what type of storm struck the Bayesian, but weather data suggests it was probably a tornadic waterspout or severe thunderstorm.

Charlotte Golunski, a guest of Lynch who was rescued, described to Italian media holding onto her 1-year-old daughter, Sophie, amid the storm. “For two seconds I lost my baby in the sea,” she told Giornale di Sicilia. “Then I immediately hugged her again amid the fury of the waves.”

Lynch sold Autonomy, which was once England’s biggest software company, to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 for more than $11 billion. He was subsequently accused of overvaluing the company and was charged in the United States with fraud. He was acquitted in June.

The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Italian shipmaker Perini Navi, according to the SuperYacht Times.

The Sir Robert, a Dutch-flagged sailing vessel anchored nearby, responded immediately to help survivors before the Italian coast guard arrived.

The yacht sank to a depth of more than 160 feet. The first attempt by fire-brigade cave divers to search inside the yacht was unsuccessful, rescue authorities said.

Bryan Pietsch contributed to this report.

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Family clings to hope of air pocket in sunken superyacht as debris hampers search

PORTICELLO, Sicily — Divers searching for six missing people from a superyacht which sank off the coast of Sicily told NBC News Wednesday that debris inside the vessel, as well as its depth, were making their job difficult.  

As hopes of finding anyone alive dwindled, the divers said that they had managed to force open one of the Bayesian’s access doors but access to the cabins where people could be trapped was being hampered by detritus. 

The divers, who were not authorized to speak publicly, added that the depth of the wreck meant they were left with only 10 minutes to search the 184-foot yacht once they reached it. Then they had to return to the surface, they said. 

On Wednesday, the dock where they set off from was swarming with vehicles, boats and rescuers. Nearby tourists, reporters and photographers have gathered, eager for news. Helicopters occasionally fly over the area.  

British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and five of the 22 other people who were aboard the yacht remain unaccounted for and are believed to be trapped in the Bayesian’s hull, nearly 170 feet underwater.

Lynch's 18-year-old daughter, Hannah; Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy; and Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife, Neda, are also missing. 

Officials confirmed Monday that at least one person, the ship’s cook, had died. 

Rescuers said Tuesday that there might be people trapped inside the cabins, especially considering the timing of the storm, but that they had so far been unable to check through the ship’s portholes.

“The operations are long and complex,” Italy’s national fire department, whose diving teams have been participating in the search, said on X . 

Italy's coast guard also said Tuesday that divers were also using a remotely-operated underwater vehicle to aid in the search.

The Bayesian is owned by a firm linked to Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, who was one of the 15 people rescued Monday after it capsized near Sicily’s main city of Palermo in what Italian officials called a “violent storm.” 

Built by Italian shipbuilder Perini Navi in 2008, the U.K.-registered Bayesian could carry 12 guests and a crew of up to 10, according to online specialist yacht sites. Its nearly 250-foot mast is the tallest aluminum sailing mast in the world, according to CharterWorld Luxury Yacht Charters.  

Lynch, who was regularly described in U.K. media as “Britain’s Bill Gates,” was acquitted by a San Francisco jury of fraud charges stemming from the 2011 sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion.

Prosecutors alleged that Lynch and Autonomy’s vice president for finance, Stephen Chamberlain, had padded the firm’s finances ahead of the sale. Lynch’s lawyers argued that HP was so eager to acquire Autonomy that it failed to adequately check the books .

The Mediterranean sailing vacation was designed to be a celebration for Lynch, who brought Morvillo, one of his U.S. lawyers and Bloomer, who testified in his defense, on the trip.

Bloomer’s twin brother, Jeremy, told the BBC on Tuesday the family was “coping the best we can” and he was hopeful there might still be air pockets inside the hull. 

Chamberlain was not aboard the Bayesian.

In what appears to be a tragic coincidence, a car struck and killed Chamberlain on Saturday as he was jogging in a village about 68 miles north of London, local police said.

Claudio Lavanga and Claudia Rizzo reported from Porticello and Yuliya Talmazan from London. 

Claudio Lavanga is Rome-based foreign correspondent for NBC News.

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.

Superyacht sinks latest: Family of Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah release statement - after divers recover body of final missing person

Divers have recovered the body of the final missing person after a superyacht sank off the Sicily coast. The family of Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah have released a statement - with tributes also pouring in for the pair.

Friday 23 August 2024 14:01, UK

• Superyacht sinking

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• Seven bodies have been recovered after searching the superyacht wreckage off Sicily for five days
• Divers discover body of final missing person
• Ashna Hurynag in Sicily: Investigators gather evidence for potential criminal probe
• Tributes pour in for Hannah Lynch
• Friend pays tribute to 'brilliant mind' Mike Lynch
• Explained: Inside the superyacht
• Live reporting by Brad Young and (earlier)  Samuel Osborne

Search and rescue operations have officially concluded, the coast guard has said.

Authorities will now switch to a methodical and meticulous  "investigation mode", says marine investigator James Wilke.

They may need to remove the yacht from the seabed, both for safety of navigation and to glean more information about its sinking, he says.

Investigators will gather and scrutinise data, analyse facts, and assess witness statements, adds Mr Wilke.

"They'll be trying to avoid getting entangled in the narratives that have been surrounding the incident over the last few days.

"The witness statements will be critical, very critical in this situation because they were there, they saw it, they experienced it.

"They knew first-hand what was happening. They will be able to explain their actions."

Inspectors will also assess meteoritical and oceanographic information to understand the storm.

All the investigators involved will have undertaken these probes before, he adds.

"At 50m it should be possible to survey the hull of the vessel quite straightforwardly, particularly using remote operating vehicles."

But if they bring the yacht to the surface, then "it's likely you'll be able to get to more information, see more of the yacht".

Search and rescue teams previously described the yacht as akin to "an eighteen storey building" due to the weight of the water.

A spokesperson for the Lynch family has released a statement. 

"The Lynch family is devastated, in shock and is being comforted and supported by family and friends. 

"Their thoughts are with everyone affected by the tragedy.

"They would like to sincerely thank the Italian coastguard, emergency services and all those who helped in the rescue.

"Their one request now is that their privacy be respected at this time of unspeakable grief."

More tributes have come in now for Hannah's father, Mike Lynch, whose body was recovered yesterday.

Close friend Andrew Kanter called him "the most brilliant mind and caring person I have ever known".  

"There is simply no other UK technology entrepreneur of our generation who has had such an impact on so many people. 

"His passion for life, knowledge and all those around him was instantly inspiring to everyone he met, and he will be sorely missed."

Sushovan Hussain, a colleague and friend of Mr Lynch since school, said he and his wife were "utterly devastated by the deaths of so many of our dear friends".

"His departure leaves an unfillable hole in my life. We have known Hannah since her birth, and for her to be taken on the precipice of her life is cruel beyond belief. 

"Our hearts bleed for Angela and her remaining daughter." 

Tributes are pouring in for 18-year-old Hannah Lynch.

A friend of Ms Lynch, Katya Lewis, described her as a "warm and beautiful soul". 

"Being with Hannah made me feel whole and happy," she said.

The head of English at Latymer Upper School, Jon Mitropoulos-Monk, said he had never taught someone who "combined sky-high intellectual ability with warmth and enthusiasm in the way Hannah did".

"She lit up the classroom with her energy, passion for learning and sheer intelligence."

Mr Mitropoulos-Monk described her as one of the best English students in the country, scoring 100% in her English literature GCSE. 

"She loved literature, learning and life. She was so excited to start studying English at Oxford, a goal she had worked so hard towards."

One of Hannah's classmates, Gracie Lea, said she thought of "poetry, sunshine, and her beautiful eyes" when she thought of Ms Lynch.

"I'll always remember her smiling," she added.

Patrick Jacob, a family friend, said: "Hannah was charming and ferociously intelligent with an insatiable thirst for life and knowledge.

"I am 50 years older than her and in my life I have never met anybody like Hannah. We have lost one of our brightest stars whose future held so much promise."

The body of the final person missing from the sunken superyacht has been recovered.

A green body bag was seen being brought to the fishing village of Porticello from the site of the sinking.

Hannah Lynch, 18, daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch, was the last of six people missing after the boat sank.

She had recently finished her A-levels and was due to study at Oxford University.

Earlier this week a spokesperson for Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, west London, where Hannah was a former pupil, said: "We are all incredibly shocked by the news that Hannah and her father are among those missing in this tragic incident and our thoughts are with their family and everyone involved as we await further updates."

Efforts to recover the body of the final person missing from the sunken superyacht are "in progress", the head of Sicily's civil protection agency, Salvatore Cocina, has said.

The daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch, 18-year-old Hannah, was the only person who remained unaccounted for.

Several boats carrying divers left Porticello shortly after midday local time, heading to the site of the sinking off the coast of Sicily.

Divers have discovered the body of the final person missing from the superyacht that sank off Sicily, the Italian Coastguard has told Sky News.

Hannah Lynch, 18, the daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch, was the only person still unaccounted for.

Mr Lynch was lost along with his daughter, Morgan Stanley International bank chair Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, Clifford Chance lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda when the yacht sank around 5am local time on Monday.

Five bodies have been brought to shore in the small fishing village of Porticello.

Of the 22 passengers and crew on board the boat 15, including Mr Lynch's wife Angela Bacares, were rescued after escaping on to a lifeboat.

The body of Recaldo Thomas, a Canadian-Antiguan chef working on the superyacht, was recovered from the scene on Monday.

The search for British tycoon Mike Lynch's daughter Hannah has not been "easy or quick" a spokesperson for the Italian Coastguard has said.

Vincenzo Zagarola compared the sunken superyacht to an "18-storey building full of water".

"From the first moment it has not been easy or quick to inspect the boat," he told the PA news agency.

"Think of an 18-storey building full of water."

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, Sicily, near where the Bayesian superyacht went down, are scheduled to hold a press conference tomorrow morning.

Earlier, we reported that investigators from the local public prosecutor's office are gathering evidence for a potential criminal investigation into the sinking of the yacht (see 7.29am post).

These pictures show rescue boats off the coast of Porticello, near where the luxury yacht sank, as rescue personnel resume search operations to find British tycoon Mike Lynch's daughter Hannah.

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Body Found in Search For Mike Lynch’s Teenage Daughter Hannah After Yacht Sinks

O n Friday morning, divers located the final missing body after a five-day search effort to find the six passengers reported missing after a luxury yacht sank off the coast of Italy on Monday morning, bringing the official death toll of the incident to seven. Hannah Lynch— the 18-year-old daughter of British tycoon Mike Lynch —was the only body unaccounted for when the search resumed this morning. Now, efforts to recover the final missing body are “ in progress .” The body of tech tycoon Mike was recovered on Thursday. His wife, Angela Bacares, survived the yacht-sinking incident. The Bayesian yacht was the Lynch family boat, a source close to the matter told TIME. The yacht’s ownership is tied to Bacares .

Bodies were previously found in the search for the other missing passengers : Morgan Stanley chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife, Judy Bloomer. Along with lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife, Neda Morvillo. They were guests of the Lynch family. One body recovered from the scene on Monday, the day the yacht sank, has since been identified as yacht chef Recaldo Thomas . 

TIME has reached out to the Sicilian civil protection agency and the Italian Coast Guard for further information. 

The accident occurred during a storm on Monday, Aug. 20. The yacht had 22 people aboard—15 of whom were successfully rescued and survived the incident. The youngest passenger was a 1-year-old child, who was rescued alongside her mother.

The Italian Coast Guard told TIME in a statement on Aug. 20 that a 56-m yacht named Bayesian that was flying the U.K. flag sank around 5 a.m. local time following a violent storm.

Italian media reported that the yacht was struck by a waterspout, a miniature version of a tornado, during the storm, causing the boat to capsize. Waterspouts are most common in Italy in the late summer, and rising sea temperatures due to climate change could be making them even more common, according to the BBC . 

Specialist divers have spent the last five days inspecting the shipwreck for bodies, which is located at a depth of approximately 160 feet. The public prosecutor in the Italian city of Termini Imerese has reportedly opened an investigation into the incident.

The yacht was built in 2008 by the Italian shipmaker Perini, according to the website Yacht Charter Fleet . It was designed to carry up to 12 passengers and 10 crew members. The vessel was capable of reaching speeds of up to 15 knots and comfortably cruising at speeds of 12 knots. The ship had set sail from the Italian port of Milazzo on Aug. 14 and was headed toward another Sicilian port called Bagheria, where it was expected to arrive on Sep. 18 according to the website Vessel Finder .

In June, Mike was found not-guilty of fraud after a nearly 13-year-long saga where he faced the possibility of up to 25 years in prison. Mike, who sold his company Autonomy to Hewlett Packard (HP) for $11.1 billion in 2011, was accused of serious accounting improprieties by HP after the acquisition. HP executives went on to write down $8.8 billion of the company’s value and accused Mike of fraud. Mike faced legal battles for over a decade before being acquitted by a California jury in June. His co-defendant, Steve Chamberlain, who was also acquitted in June, was killed after being hit by a car while jogging on Saturday Aug. 17.

“I am looking forward to returning to the U.K. and getting back to what I love most: my family and innovating in my field,” Mike had said when he was acquitted earlier this summer, per the Guardian . 

More Must-Reads from TIME

• Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
• Heman Bekele Is TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year
• The Reintroduction of Kamala Harris
• What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
• A Battle Over Fertility Law in China
• The 1 Heart-Health Habit You Should Start When You’re Young
• Cuddling Might Help You Get Better Sleep
• The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now

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A Volga river cruise is more than a geographical voyage; it’s also a journey through Russia’s rich and captivating history. No other experience takes you so completely to another place and time. The Volga is Europe’s longest and largest river; it meanders through the stories of Ivan the Terrible and his rise to power, the two historic ‘Greats’ Peter and Catherine, and then on into today. It’s a unique opportunity to see modern Russia in the context of its intriguing history, ably assisted by friendly and professional academics and tour guides. A Volga Dream Russian river tour promises to leave you with an unforgettable afterglow of fond memories.

Moscow to St. Petersburg River Cruise

Moscow and St. Petersburg are Russia’s best-known cities, but the towns of Russia’s historic Golden Ring are delightful too. The luxurious Volga Dream offers a unique opportunity to visit these Russian gems by sailing gently along the Volga River on an unforgettable cruising experience. In small, exclusive groups you’ll enjoy preferential access to some of Russia’s most significant cultural sites.

Moscow to Astrakhan River Cruise

Your River Cruise on the luxurious MS Volga Dream takes you from Moscow along Russia’s grand Volga River to the legend that is Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) and Astrakhan on the Caspian Sea. Along the way, you’ll discover the treasures of Yaroslavl, the oldest city on the Volga, medieval Nizhniy Novgorod and beautiful Kazan, the ancient Tatar capital. We plan our tour carefully to combine the very best of Moscow with a world-class Volga River cruise.

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We love hearing from guests about their time in Russia and one comment often hear is how surprised people are by the Russian capital. We can’t say for certain what people expected but we do know that it’s always far removed from what they imagined! It’s been called a modern metropolis, a cosmopolitan city, an historic gem, an architectural treasure and a cultural powerhouse, among other descriptions. Majestic Moscow has always surprised our guests and left them with lasting and fond memories.

Russia’s famous Golden Ring is an archipelago of historic towns surrounding Moscow. Uglich is one of the oldest and was founded under Igor, the last Varangian prince. It once resisted the Mongol invasion and its ancient walls saw the grisly murder of young Dmitri, son of Ivan the Terrible. The impressive Church of St. Dmitri on the Blood, with its classic onion domes and blood red walls, is a fine example of classic Russian architecture. The tour ends with an enchanting choral concert.

This, the oldest city on the Volga River, and now a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a wealth of ancient orthodox treasures. The impressive Transfiguration of the Savior, adorned with murals depicting St. John’s apocalyptic visions can be seen in the Spassky Monastery. The Church of St. Elijah the Prophet is decorated with an awe-inspiring selection of rich frescoes. For a real taste of pre-revolutionary Russia, visitors are entertained by a costumed reception at the Governor’s House.

Close to the shores of White Lake once were the ‘tsar’s fishing grounds’. It lies in a place so serene that ancient monks chose to build no fewer than three holy sites here, including the Ferapontov Monastery. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, its chapels boast magnificent frescoes by Dionysius, one of Russia’s most renowned icon painters. The Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was a refuge for many nobles during tumultuous times and later a fortress that successfully repelled invading armies.

The Karelia region is a vast and naturally beautiful wilderness that spreads all the way from St. Petersburg to the Arctic Circle. The glorious island village of Kizhi consists almost entirely of the traditionally styled wooden buildings of ‘Old Russia’. Among them is the famous Transfiguration Church built in 1714. Remarkably, and in testament to the craftsmen of the time, not a single nail was used in its construction! Kizhi is one of the favorite stops on the river cruise to St. Petersburg.

A typical rural hamlet brought to life by warm and welcoming villagers. Volga Dream guests are invited into local homes to enjoy classic Russian fare, tea with jam and ‘pirozhki’ (pies). Enthusiastic hosts share Russian traditions and the appeal of village life while proudly showing off their scrupulously kept homes and kitchen gardens. The tour continues with a brief bus ride to see a unique World War II memorial and then, for a real glimpse of Russian life, a visit to a local primary school.

Nizhny Novgorod

This was once a wealthy city thanks to its proximity to rich eastern trading routes. During the Soviet era, the city was closed to outsiders because of its military importance. It’s also where many political prisoners were sent to live out their days in exile. The 16th-century Kremlin ramparts offer spectacular views and the city is known for its elaborately decorated churches. For Volga Dream cruise guests, the highlight of the day is an evening folk concert performed by local children.

Sailing along the Volga river, the riverbank gradually ceases to be dominated by Orthodox churches. Instead, beautiful mosques appear as the river crosses into Tatarstan where the first stop is scenic Kazan, the region’s capital. Inside the white walls of the citadel, the famous Kul Sharif mosque and the old Cathedral of Peter and Paul stand side-by-side symbolizing the two faiths’ long and peaceful coexistence in the region. A concert of traditional Tatar music ends the Volga Dream tour in Kazan.

Passing the Zhigulevskie Mountains offers wonderful views from the sundeck before touring the city. One of the key attractions is the fascinating Space Museum, which offers a revealing glimpse of how the Soviet Union pursued its ambitious journey to the cosmos. The town is also noted for its beautiful esplanade, perfect for a relaxed stroll beside the Volga river. This in turn leads to the Samara State Art Museum. Founded in 1897, it is home to a collection of more than 16,000 works of art.

This city is best known for its close associations with cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin. The Russian hero who achieved worldwide fame as the first man in space lived and studied here. Saratov used to be home to a large German community, a heritage that can still be seen in the local architecture. The Volga Dream tour visits the Radishchev State Art Museum, the first picture gallery in Russia outside Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Originally called Tsaritsyn, the city was renamed Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961 in honor of the USSR’s leader. During World War II, the city’s residents put up a heroic defense, repelling an advancing Nazi invasion. The battle for Stalingrad has gone down in history as a pivotal moment in the bloody conflict on the eastern front. The most ferocious and deadly fighting took place on Mamayev Hill, where an imposing memorial now stands close to the excellent Battle of Stalingrad Panorama Museum.

Saint Petersburg

If Moscow surprises, then St Petersburg delights. Peter the Great founded the city to showcase Russia’s newfound enlightenment. He wanted to show the modern world a cultured and advanced society. In short, he built the city to impress and in that he succeeded splendidly! The striking buildings were designed by some of the finest architects Europe had to offer and even now, the ‘Venice of the North’ never fails to enchant with its spectacular buildings and impressive canal network. It is a city of true grandeur.

Cocktails with the Captain

Commanding any ship is a complex role that calls for a long list of skills. Captains know their vessels inside out as well as well as the routes they sail and when things don’t go to plan, they have to make instant decisions. Above all though, the most important part of the job, underpinning everything they do, is to keep the ship and everyone aboard safe. The Captain’s cocktail party is a great and a wonderful opportunity for passengers and crew to get acquainted as the gets underway.

Matryoshka doll painting

There is nothing more typically Russian than a Matryoshka. It embodies the fact that there’s always something deeper to be found in every aspect of Russian life. Learning the traditional designs and techniques used to decorate these iconic dolls offers a pleasant diversion and some cathartic creativity!

Superb Service & Dining

Our restaurant serves the highest standard of international cuisine, freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. Choose either a sumptuous buffet or set menu for lunch while dinner is always four or five courses with full service. High praise for the exquisite quality of meals is yet another constantly recurring feature in feedback from our guests.

Meet the Professor

From the Mongol hordes to Soviet times, Russia’s history is, like all of Europe’s, a complex web of political intrigue, war and peace, trade and treaties, as well as heroes and villains. Academics devote whole lifetimes to studying Russia’s long past and one of them presents a series of lectures shedding light on everything from Gorbachev to Chekhov, Khrushchev to Ivan the Terrible and of course, contemporary Russia. Our Professor is on board throughout the river cruise for informal conversation.

Beginner’s Russian

The Russian language can be rather beautiful and poetic and we know that many seasoned travelers enjoy trying their hand at different languages. Our onboard teachers provide an introduction to the riches of Russian, so guests can try out a few useful words and phrases on real Russians during the exciting river tours from Moscow to St. Petersburg or from Moscow to Volgograd!

Russian tea tasting

The drink we tend to associate with Russia is vodka, but tea, in fact, is the much more universal beverage of choice throughout the country. Guests will get acquainted with the Russian tea etiquette, a fundamental component of the country's social culture, and enjoy the traditional tea ceremony while cruising from St. Petersburg to Moscow or taking a Grand Volga river tour.

Russian Dinner & Vodka Tasting

All our dining is international but for Russian Dining night, the Chef includes a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and no Russian table is complete without Borsch. To add to the ‘Taste of Russia’ optional Russian dress, or at least a touch of Russian style, is provided along with enthusiastic help from our staff!

Russian Cooking Class

A plate of pelmeni might not look like much to the untrained eye, but it forms the heart of Russian cuisine and culture. Basically, it's a type of dumpling: small portions of meat and onion wrapped in a thin sheet of unleavened dough and boiled, a little like ravioli. Guests can join a Russian cooking class onboard the MS Volga Dream to learn how to cook this delicious Russian dish.

Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov Piano Recital

Some of the greatest classical music ever written comes from Russia. It’s hard to imagine a more fitting stage for a virtuoso solo recital by our resident concert pianist than the mighty Volga or a better backdrop than the heart of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov’s own serene homeland.

Russian River Cruise Aboard Volga Dream

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Family Owned & Operated

MS Volga Dream is Russia’s only family-owned river cruise ship. She can accommodate up to 100 guests, far fewer than most other cruise ships on the river making for a uniquely friendly and intimate atmosphere aboard.

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We at Volga Dream are completely convinced that, our guests should stay in great 5-star hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg within comfortable walking distance of all the major attractions, theaters and restaurants, rather than having to waste time in traffic.

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The MS Volga Dream is the most intimate and elegant 5-star cruise vessel in Russia. She boasts 56 cabins, all river facing, ranging from comfortable Standard Cabins to spacious Junior Suites and the luxurious forward facing Owner's Suite.

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Explore Russia's past with the help of professional tour guides. Our on-board program includes fascinating talks on Russian history and politics, Russian language lessons, a festival of Russian cuisine (including vodka tasting!), and much more.

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Our on board restaurant serves international cuisine to the highest standard, all freshly made by our Cordon Bleu Chef. For Russian Dining night, he prepares a selection of traditional Russian dishes: Chicken Kiev, Kulebyaka and Borsch.

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Sicily Yacht Sinking: Tech Mogul Mike Lynch and Daughter Found Dead, Authorities Recover 5 Bodies

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Candace Owens: ‘Anything Happens to Me, Blame Zionists’

The bodies of Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter have been recovered from the wreck of the UK tech mogul’s sunken yacht Bayesian off the coast of Sicily, according to reports Wednesday.

Authorities have recovered the bodies of five of the six missing passengers aboard the $18 million luxury sailing ship, which sank in a sudden storm before dawn on Monday, according to authorities.

Lynch and daughter Hannah have been identified as two of the victims pulled from inside the wreckage, which is in 160 feet under water, according to the UK Telegraph.

The identities of the other three bodies have not been confirmed, though the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported that two of the bodies are “large-built” — indicating they could be the missing men.

Cook Ricardo Thomas’ body, the first confirmed fatality, was discovered shortly after the Bayesian sank.

Including Lynch and his daughter, the missing passengers on the yacht are: New York City attorney Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, Morgan Stanley exec Jonathan Bloomer and his wife Judy.

Lynch’s wife, Angela Bacares, and 14 others — including a 1-year-old child — managed to escape the sinking ship before it capsized.

All of the guests had gathered onboard the Bayesian to celebrate Lynch’s victory in an explosive US fraud trial. His guests included lawyers from the firm that represented him, as well as friends and allies who supported him through the legal battle.

The wealthy tech founder — who was once dubbed “Britain’s Bill Gates” — was acquitted just two months ago by a San Francisco jury of fraud charges linked to the sale of his software company, Autonomy, to Hewlett-Packard for $11 billion in 2011. The sale quickly turned sour after HP wrote down Autonomy’s value by $8.8 billion.

The British-flagged Bayesian superyacht was carrying 12 passengers and 10 crew members as it was anchored off the port of Porticello and struck by what witnesses described as a sudden tornado.

Several search boats could be seen leaving the port of Porticello to go to the site of the sinking around 3:30 p.m. local time Wednesday as news of the latest discovery was shared, according to the reports.

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Manhunt for Arizona Suspect Who Threatened to Shoot Trump During Border Visit Today

A manhunt is underway in Arizona for a suspect who threatened to kill former President Trump ahead of a rally in the Copper State on Thursday.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syvrud.

The sheriff’s office said Syvrud has outstanding warrants from the state of Wisconsin for DUI, failure to appear for DUI and from Graham County, Arizona, for hit-and-run and felony failure to register as a sex offender.

The sheriff’s office said it also has an absconder hold for Syvrud for failing to register as a sex offender.

Syvrud is listed on the Wisconsin Department of Corrections sex offender registry for “second-degree sexual assault of a child” with an Arizona address.

Court records reviewed by Fox News show Syvrud was most recently charged with assault in June, but that was dropped in July.

The sheriff’s office posted on Facebook that Syvrud is being sought “as an investigative lead for threats to kill a presidential candidate,” but did not elaborate. Fox News later confirmed that the “presidential candidate” is Trump.

The threat against former President Trump’s life comes after the assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month.

The sheriff’s office told Fox News that there are “no known ties to Pennsylvania, and we are working with local, state, and federal agencies.”

The former president held his first outdoor rally on Wednesday since the assassination attempt, speaking behind a wall of bulletproof glass at a podium in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Trump is visiting the southern border in Cochise County, Arizona, Thursday while continuing to campaign for the November election. He’s been spending the week campaigning across battleground states.

At a Thursday afternoon press conference, Trump appeared to be unaware of the manhunt when asked for comment. The former president said he was aware it might be “dangerous” for him to be there but nevertheless, “I have a job to do.”

“I haven’t heard about that. They probably want to keep it from me,” Trump said, when asked to respond to the manhunt. “Thank you for telling me. Let’s get out of here, right now!” Trump joked. He again thanked the reporter for telling him.

Trump then pivoted to remarks on the assassination attempt in Butler, saying he has “great respect for the Secret Service” who jumped “on top of me with bullets flying.”

“I have great respect. But no, I haven’t heard that,” Trump said, referring back to the manhunt underway. “But I’m not that surprised. And the reason is because I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys.

The U.S. Secret Service told Fox News it is aware of and tracking the manhunt in Arizona and referred all further inquiries to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office for further comments, including potential ties to Butler.

Supreme Court Restores Arizona’s Voter Proof-of-Citizenship Law

The Supreme Court on Thursday partially agreed to the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) emergency request to revive an Arizona law that strengthens proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting.

In a 5-4 vote, the justices reinstated Arizona’s law mandating officials reject state voter registration forms if the person did not provide proof of citizenship.

The court’s three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — dissented alongside conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

But in voting to deny the RNC’s other request, those four found themselves in the majority, bolstered by support from at least one of Chief Justice John Roberts or Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The RNC had demanded the reinstatement of Arizona’s prohibition that prevents registered voters from casting ballots for president or in the mail if they didn’t provide citizenship proof, even if they used a federal-level form to register, where proof is not required.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, who are viewed as the Supreme Court’s three leading conservatives, voted to reinstate those provisions, too.

The ruling came just ahead of Arizona’s ballot printing deadline, enabling the provision to go into effect for this year’s elections, when Arizona is expected to be a critical swing state in the presidential race.

By not fully agreeing to the RNC’s request, the Supreme Court’s decision sides with the Biden administration.

The Justice Department has sued over the latter provision as conflicting with federal law, but it has not challenged the portion impacting only state-level forms.

“Even putting aside the merits, applicants are not entitled to a stay,” U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote in court filings.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and various voting rights groups have challenged both sets of the provisions. The case revolves around claims that the changes are unconstitutional, preempted by federal law and violate a consent decree a state official signed in 2018.

After a federal district judge blocked the provisions and an appeals court refused to lift it, the RNC, joined by Arizona’s top two Republican state lawmakers, thrusted the Supreme Court into the dispute earlier this month by filing an emergency appeal.

They urged the justices to stay the lower ruling by Aug. 22, which is the state’s ballot printing deadline, arguing that the state was authorized to make the voter registration changes.

The challengers, however, urged the Supreme Court to stay out the case, insisting the RNC hadn’t cleared their high burden to receive emergency relief.

Lawyers for the DNC and other private plaintiffs told the justices the RNC “sat on their hands” after losing in a lower court.

“The tardiness is particularly inexcusable here, as applicants seek to weaponize Arizona’s forthcoming ballot-printing deadline to obtain relief,” their written response reads.

Democratic Arizona state officials, meanwhile, argued that the Supreme Court’s intervention “would be destabilizing” given the short timeframe before November’s election.

DNC Day 3: Top Takeaways

The third night of the Democratic National Convention featured a second former president, Bill Clinton, making the case for Vice President Kamala Harris‘s campaign.

Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), Harris’s running mate, gave the keynote speech Wednesday night as celebrity singers John Legend and Sheila E. staged a musical tribute to Walz’s Minnesota roots.

Stevie Wonder asked the crowd to “reach for a higher ground” in supporting Harris’s campaign before performing a medley of his songs. Kenan Thompson, of Saturday Night Live fame, appeared onstage Wednesday evening with a print-sized copy of Project 2025, a conservative proposal for a second Trump presidency.

Abortion rights activists featured prominently during the night with Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All; Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood; Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood; and Jessica Mackler, president of EMILYs List, all addressing the convention.

Oprah Winfrey made a surprise appearance at the convention, taking a jab at Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) childless cat lady comments while pushing independents to back Harris. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who is aiming to become the first black House Speaker if Democrats gain control of the lower chamber, called former President Donald Trump “an old boyfriend who you broke up with, but he just won’t go away.”

Here are the top five moments from the third night of the convention.

Tim Walz’s biggest career speech brings tears from son

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), along with Walz’s former students, including Ben Ingman and the former high school football players he coached, introduced the Minnesota governor before he spoke onstage.

The moment was a memorable Americana entrance for a man whom Harris branded as “Coach Walz” at their first campaign rally as running mates. In another emotional moment, Walz’s son Gus was seen sobbing while mouthing: “That’s my dad!”

Walz began his speech by thanking Harris and President Joe Biden for their nearly four years of leadership. “Thanks for putting your trust in me, and for inviting me to be part of this incredible campaign,” he said of Harris. “It’s the honor of my life to accept your nomination for vice president of the United States.”

The Minnesota governor leaned on his background as a teacher before entering politics in a speech that will likely introduce him to wide swaths of the public. “So there I was, a 40-something high school teacher with little kids, zero political experience, and no money, running in a deep-red district. But you know what? Never underestimate a public school teacher,” he said.

Walz touted several progressive policies to the delight of Democrats, including providing free breakfast and lunch for school children, fighting for affordable housing, protecting abortion rights, and mediating medical debt for families.

“So while other states were banning books from their schools, we were banishing hunger from ours,” Walz said as attendees cheered in excitement.

In a reprise of his attacks against the GOP, Walz called attempts to implement Project 2025, a conservative game plan for a second Trump presidency, “weird.”

As he ended his speech, Walz pushed for Democrats to donate, vote, and knock on doors because “when we fight,” Walz said to the crowd. “We win!” they yelled back.

An aging Bill Clinton slams the Trump campaign

Clinton, who recently celebrated his 78th birthday, claimed he was the oldest person in his family, but “I’m still younger than Donald Trump,” he quipped. Clinton is just two months younger than Trump, whose birthday is in June. The former president also mentioned that he was unsure how many more conventions he would attend after this week, in a humble reflection of his mortality.

He continued to slip in more criticisms against Trump, who Clinton claimed is “about me, myself, and I.”

“The next time you hear him, don’t count the lies. Count the I’s,” said Clinton, who marked his 12th address to the DNC Thursday evening.

Harris is Trump’s complete contrast, according to Clinton. “Kamala Harris is the only candidate in this race who has the vision and the experience, the temperament and the will and yes, the sheer joy to get something done,” he said.

“If you vote for this team, if you can get them elected and let them bring in this breath of fresh air, you’ll be proud of it for the rest of your life,” Clinton later declared. “Your children will be proud. Your grandchildren will be proud of it.”

The former president also commented on the joyful convention taking place in Chicago. “After the last two days, aren’t you proud to be a Democrat?” Clinton asked earlier on before claiming he loved seeing Barack and Michelle Obama speak the previous day, as well as Hillary Clinton’s address to the convention.

“One of the reasons that president-to-be Kamala Harris is doing so well is that we’re happy,” Bill Clinton would later claim. “But you should never underestimate your adversary. These people are very good at distracting.”

Nancy Pelosi’s cements status as party godmother

The former House Speaker received a standing ovation and chants of “Nancy! Nancy!” when she first walked onstage. Before Pelosi took to the stage, Mindy Kaling, the celebrity host of Wednesday’s convention, called her the “mother of dragons” in an introduction speech.

Pelosi slammed Trump over the actions of his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in her address to the convention. “Jan. 6 was a perilous moment for our democracy,” she said. “Never before had a president of the United States so brazenly assaulted the bedrock of our democracy, so gleefully embraced political violence, so willfully betrayed his oath of office.”

“Let us not forget who assaulted democracy on Jan. 6 — he did. But let us not forget who saved democracy that day — we did,” Pelosi said. “Thank God we have a Democratic House of Representatives.”

Many Democrats have long believed that Pelosi was part of the push that finally convinced President Joe Biden to suspend his campaign, paving the way for Harris’s nomination. Biden and the former House Speaker reportedly have an icy relationship.

But at the convention, Democrats were ecstatic over Pelosi, who arguably has pulled the strings that led to an energized Democratic Party.

Former vice presidential candidates for Harris take the stage

Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg both took to the stage Thursday night. The two leaders were once on the short list to join Harris as her vice presidential pick, but that role went to Walz.

Buttigieg spent part of his speech attacking Vance as an insufficient bridge to Midwestern voters whom he has insulted many with his “childless cat ladies” comments.

“J.D. Vance is one of those guys who thinks if you don’t live the life he has in mind for you, then you don’t count,” Buttigieg said. “A guy who thinks that if you don’t have kids, you have no physical commitment to the future of this country.”

The Pennsylvania governor slammed the Trump-Vance ticket as against the freedoms of the people. “Today, we find ourselves writing the next chapter,” Shapiro said. “Will we be a nation defined by chaos and extremism? Or will we choose a path of decency, honor, and continued progress?”

Another future leader of the party, Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), addressed the crowd on Wednesday, where he called out Trump’s lack of military service. “I joined the army when I was 17. In fact, I was too young to sign the paperwork,” he said. “I had to ask my mom to sign it for me because I do not have bone spurs.”

Parents of hostage victim appeal for son’s return

Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, the parents of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, gave an emotional speech appealing for the return of the eight American hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 surprise attack against Israel.

Goldberg doubled over in tears when the crowd chanted, “Bring them home!” as the parents first appeared onstage. It’s been 320 days since Goldber-Polin was kidnapped, and “since then, we live on another planet,” Goldberg said. “Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that John and I and all the hostage families are enduring.”

“This is a political convention, but bringing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue,” added Polin.

Convention attendees were seen crying as the parents addressed the crowd. “Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you. Stay strong, survive,” Goldberg declared. “This is a humanitarian issue.”

Ukraine Attacks Moscow in One of Largest Ever Drone Strikes on Russian Capital

Ukraine attacked Moscow on Wednesday with at least 11 drones that were shot down by air defences in what Russian officials called one of the biggest drone strikes on the capital since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022.

The war, largely a grinding artillery and drone battle across the fields, forests and villages of eastern Ukraine, escalated on Aug. 6 when Ukraine sent thousands of soldiers over the border into Russia’s western Kursk region.

For months, Ukraine has also fought an increasingly damaging drone war against the refineries and airfields of Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter, though major drone attacks on the Moscow region – with a population of over 21 million – have been rarer.

Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences destroyed a total of 45 drones over Russian territory, including 11 over the Moscow region, 23 over the border region of Bryansk, six over the Belgorod region, three over the Kaluga region and two over the Kursk region.

Some of the drones were shot down over the city of Podolsk, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. The city in the Moscow region is some 38 km (24 miles) south of the Kremlin.

“This is one of the largest attempts to attack Moscow using drones ever,” Sobyanin said on the Telegram messaging app in the early hours of Wednesday. “The layered defence of Moscow that was created made it possible to successfully repel all the attacks from the enemy UAVs.”

Along Moscow’s boulevards, the cafes, restaurants and shops of the capital – which has been carefully insulated from the war – were crowded with little sign of concern, while President Vladimir Putin met Chinese premier Li Qiang in the Kremlin.

Two Russian citizens who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity said the foiled drone attack simply showed how well defended Moscow now was, and that Ukraine was “playing with fire” by attacking Russia both in Kursk and in Moscow.

Russia meanwhile is advancing in eastern Ukraine, where it controls about 18% of the territory, and battling to repel Ukraine’s incursion into the Kursk region, the biggest foreign attack on Russian territory since World War Two.

Russian media showed unverified footage of drones whirring over the dawn sky of the Moscow region and then being shot down in a ball of flame by air defences.

Moscow’s airports, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky, limited flights for four hours but restarted normal operations from 0330 GMT, Russia’s aviation watchdog said.

Sobyanin said that according to preliminary information, there were no injuries or damage reported in the aftermath of the attacks. There were also no casualties or damage reported following the attack on Bryansk in Russia’s southwest, the governor of the region, Alexander Bogomaz, wrote on Telegram.

Russia’s RIA state news agency reported that two drones were destroyed over the Tula region, which borders the Moscow region to its north. Vasily Golubev, governor of the Rostov region in Russia’s southwest, said air defence forces destroyed a Ukraine-launched missile over the region, with no injuries reported.

The Russian defence ministry did not mention either Tula or Rostov in its statement listing destroyed Ukrainian air weapons. Ukraine’s military said on Wednesday it overnight struck an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system based in the Rostov region.

The drone attack on Moscow was on a par with a May 2023 attack when at least eight drones were destroyed over the capital, a strike Putin said was a Ukrainian attempt to scare and provoke Russia.

In Kursk, Russian war bloggers said intense battles were ongoing along the front in the region where Ukraine has carved out at least 450 square km (175 square miles) of Russian territory.

UPDATED: Romanian Police Raid Andrew Tate’s Home over New Allegations Involving Trafficking Minors

Romanian police on Wednesday searched four properties linked to Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan amid new minor sex and trafficking allegations. This investigation for trafficking minors started in June 2023.

According to Romania’s prosecutors for the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) police descended on four locations owned by the Tate brothers in Bucharest and Ilfov.

The searches are linked to a fresh investigation against the Tate brothers, according to the authorities.DIICOT implemented four home search warrants within Ilfov county and Bucharest municipality, in a criminal case regarding the commission of the crimes of:

• forming an organized criminal group
• trafficking minors
• human trafficking (new victims)
• sexual intercourse with a minor
• influencing statements and money laundering

A spokesperson for the Tate brothers confirmed the raids on social media. “Although the allegations in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering. The brothers’ legal team is present to ensure all formalities are carried out correctly,” they said.

Andrew Tate commented on X that he was the victim of conspiracies. “The Matrix is ​​real. And they have a tried and true playbook. Slander is their number one tool, and the process is the punishment,” wrote Andrew Tate.

The two are currently awaiting trial in Romania on charges of human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. In the UK, Andrew Tate faces a civil case from four British women who claim they were raped and assaulted. The brothers are also being taken to court by police in the UK for allegedly paying zero tax on $27 million in earnings from their online businesses.

Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate were detained for 24 hours by DIICOT prosecutors on Wednesday evening, August 21, after more than 6 hours of questioning in a new case.

According to the same sources, other suspects were also detained in the same case, including Alex Stanciu, Alex Donea, and the two alleged accomplices of the Tate brothers, Georgiana Naghel and Luana Radu.

There are 34 new victims in Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate’s latest case. This includes two minors, aged 15 and 17. There are a total of 49 victims across all of their cases.

A judge in Romania has ordered Andrew Tate to house arrest for 30 days. Tristan will remain on judiciary control. This will be reviewed in 30 days with the possibility of being extended.

Full DIICOT press release:

Pursuant to communique no. 1 of 21.08.2024, the Information and Public Relations Office within the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism is empowered to inform the public of the following:

On 21.08.2024, the prosecutors of the Directorate of Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism – Central Structure ordered the detention of 6 defendants for committing the crimes of forming an organized criminal group, trafficking in persons, trafficking in minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, money laundering, influencing statements and favoring the perpetrator.

From the criminal investigation documents carried out, it emerged that, during 2015, three defendants (two of them foreign citizens) constituted an organized criminal group on the territory of Romania, to which a suspect (foreign citizen) joined in 2016 and in in September 2021, another defendant (Romanian citizen), who acted with the aim of committing the crime of human trafficking both on the territory of Romania and of other states.

Two of the defendants, using the loverboy method and taking advantage of the obvious state of vulnerability of 34 injured persons, recruited them, and with the support of the other members of the organized crime group, transported and housed them in different locations where they supervised them and coordinated by forcing them to produce pornographic materials that they later broadcast for a fee on profile platforms.

The proceeds thus obtained by the defendants from the sexual exploitation of the victims were valued at over 2,800,000 US dollars and 887,000 tokens.

It was also noted that in the period from 2014 to December 2021, one of the defendants (foreign citizen), by misleading (the loverboy method) and taking advantage of the obvious vulnerability of a minor victim (17 years old, foreign citizen), transported and sheltered her in several locations located on the territories of Great Britain and Romania, where he forced her to perform sexual acts in order to produce pornographic materials and distribute them on various websites. Material benefits valued at over 1.5 million US dollars were obtained from the criminal activity, which the defendant appropriated in full.

Also in his charge, it was noted that starting from December 2020, he repeatedly had sexual relations and acts with a minor victim, aged 15. In order to hide or dissimulate the illicit origin of the money resulting from the commission of the crime of human trafficking, between December 2023 and July 2024, the two defendants purchased and registered four luxury cars in the names of close people.

At the same time, in an attempt to prevent the discovery of the truth, they took actions of a clearly intimidating nature and acts of corruption on some injured persons and witnesses in order to induce them not to give statements or to give false statements in this file. With regard to two other defendants (Romanian citizens), from the conducted investigations, it emerged that they acted with the aim of hindering the investigations in this criminal case.

As a result of the home searches, the sums of approximately 26,000 euros, 81,000 lei, 5,800 GBP and 6,400 USD, two luxury watches, laptops, data storage units, documents and other means of evidence were identified and seized. An insurance seizure was instituted on 16 cars and a motorcycle, all from the luxury category.

Today, the judge of rights and liberties was notified with the proposal of preventive arrest of three of the detained defendants and the house arrest of another defendant.

Judicial activities are carried out together with police officers from the Ilfov Organized Crime Fighting Service.

The action benefited from the support of gendarmes from the Special Intervention Brigade of the Gendarmerie.

Everything You Need to Know About Sex-Trafficking Charges Against Andrew Tate

READ: 32 Andrew Tate Tweets That Will Change Your Opinion About Him

If you don’t know who is Andrew Tate you can learn more about him here.

Proof that Andrew Tate is was the owner of the Twitter account @OfWudan:

For those of you who are unsure if @OfWudan was Tate’s old account, or are in denial, let Tate tell you: pic.twitter.com/Z91bqCJxPN — Murdered By Crayons 🖍️ (@CrayonMurders) July 29, 2024

Jack Daniel’s Maker Scraps DEI Policies After Threat of ‘Anti-Woke’ Boycott

The maker of Jack Daniel’s whisky said it will pull back on its DEI initiatives, buckling to pressure on social media as an “anti-woke” activist said he was preparing to launch a boycott.

Spirits giant Brown-Forman Corp. – with a market capitalization of $21.37 billion – is the latest company to scrap its diversity, equity and inclusion program, following Harley-Davidson, Tractor Supply and John Deere.

Major firms who rely heavily on a red state clientele have been caving to boycott pressure from corporate activist Robby Starbuck, who said Jack Daniel’s was next on the list, but that the company reversed its policies before he got the chance to lead a boycott.

“We’re now forcing multi-billion dollar organizations to change their policies without even posting just from fear they have of being the next company that we expose,” Starbuck said on X.

Brown-Forman will stop linking bonuses and pay to DEI progress, end its participation in an annual ranking of companies with an LGBTQ-friendly environment and throw out its plans to push for a more diverse group of suppliers, according to a copy of an internal memo posted on X.

The company previously tied 10% of executives’ short-term compensation to progress on DEI goals, according to a 2023 annual report.

The Kentucky-based company first launched its DEI goals in 2019.

“Since then, the world has evolved, our business has changed, and the legal and external landscape has shifted dramatically, particularly within the United States,” company executives told employees in a letter on Wednesday.

“With these new dynamics at play, we must adjust our work to ensure it continues to drive business results while appropriately recognizing the current environment in which we find ourselves.”

Brown-Forman shares dipped less than 1% on Thursday.

Social activists called for big businesses to implement sweeping DEI programs just a few years ago – and now those same companies are responding to cries to cut those goals, largely led by Starbuck on X.

“I mean the name diversity, equity, inclusion – you would think that’s a good thing,” Mahoney Asset Management CEO Ken Mahoney told The Post. “But the way the companies express it, you squeeze out other potential employees that could have even better performance.”

Mahoney said companies including Tesla, Home Depot, Wayfair and Walmart have been phasing out their DEI leadership goals since consumers started threatening them with boycotts.

“It hurts their image because consumers feel like they’re not putting the best people in place, but rather keeping score,” Mahoney told The Post. “And for this group of consumers, we’re not born and raised this way.”

Just 38% of Americans want companies to take a stance on current events and policies, according to a Gallup-Bentley University survey.

Big news: The next company we were set to expose was @JackDaniels_US . They must have been tipped off by us going through employee LinkedIn pages. They just preemptively announced that they’ll be making these changes: • Ending participation in the @HRC ’s Corporate Equality… pic.twitter.com/0O1DkkIKrO — Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) August 22, 2024

And DEI goals have become more political, with conservative activists calling the programs unfair while liberal activists say the opposite.

In addition to DEI policies, Starbuck targets companies who participate in the Human Rights Campaign’s ranking of LGBTQ-friendly workplaces — which previously awarded Brown-Forman a perfect score of 100.

“Jack Daniels has clearly reached the sobering conclusion that being hyper focused on factors other than merit do not increase the bottom line,” psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert told The Post.

“In fact, we need not look any further than Target and Bud Light to see how making the move from that of retailers to social justice warriors does not lead to best outcomes, increased sales, and improved public image.”

Target lost $10 billion in market valuation in a 10-day period last year when customers boycotted the company after it launched its Pride collection, which included clothing for children.

A Target shareholder filed a lawsuit last year against the company after their shares lost $20,000 during the Pride collection controversy.

Bud Light sales tanked after the beer company launched an ad with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney last year.

Alpert said DEI policies can create a perception of unfairness and alienate employees.

He said his own patients have grown to resent these policies because they feel like they are being passed over for promotions and jobs on the basis of ethnic background or sexuality.

“If DEI initiatives were working we wouldn’t be having this discussion about them right now,” Alpert told The Post. “In fact, more companies would be hopping on the bandwagon – but they’re not.”

90-Foot-Tall Half-Monkey, Half-Human Statue Erected in Texas

A striking 90-foot-tall bronze statue of Lord Hanuman was recently unveiled in Texas.

The massive statue was raised on August 15 at Sugar Land’s Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple, according to local NBC affiliate KCEN.

Hindus consider Hanuman an immortal being known for his devotion to the Hindu god Rama and virtues like self-control.

The Texas Hanuman figure, officially titled the “Statue of Union,” is now reportedly the third tallest statue in the continental U.S., trailing only the 151-foot tall Statue of Liberty in New York and the 110-foot tall Pegasus and Dragon statue in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

Conservatives, particularly those identifying themselves as Christians, quickly lashed out at images and videos of the statue, with some claiming that the figure was “demonic.”

“This is a Hindu statue they just built in TX. I rebuke this demonic filth in the mighty name of Jesus Christ,” @itsmorganariel, a self-described “Christian activist,” wrote while sharing a video on X, formerly Twitter.

This is a Hindu statue they just built in TX. I rebuke this demonic filth in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. pic.twitter.com/dXG1jrYPND — Morgan Ariel (@itsmorganariel) August 20, 2024

“A Hindu temple just unveiled a statue of their demonic Lord Hanuman … in Texas,” the End Time Headlines account wrote.

A Hindu temple just unveiled a statue of their demonic Lord Hanuman … in Texas. https://t.co/4AnF1Kyr9G pic.twitter.com/wihyEDAyQT — End Time Headlines (@EndTimeHeadline) August 20, 2024

“90-foot statue of Hindu demon Hanuman erected in Houston, Texas. It is now the third tallest statue in America,” wrote @AFpost, an account that purports to share news “from an America First perspective.”

90-foot statue of Hindu demon Hanuman erected in Houston, Texas. It is now the third tallest statue in America. Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/KEF4sbxzM4 — AF Post (@AFpost) August 20, 2024

“In Texas there is a 90 ft statue of Hanuman, a Hindu monkey god. What is the United States anymore? A nation with no culture, now that the enrichers are prominent in the census,” self-described “Christian nationalist” @JuanValder72733 wrote.

In Texas there is a 90 ft statue of Hanuman, a Hindu monkey god. What is the United States anymore? A nation with no culture, now that the enrichers are prominent in the census. pic.twitter.com/UvbU7ammXo — The Righteous Republic (@JuanValder72733) August 20, 2024

Satire website Not the Bee published an article on the statute that includes a warning about sparking “the wrath of the One True God by building massive demonic idols everywhere.”

Others defended the statue and lashed out at critics complaining about the fact that a private organization chose to install the figure on its own land.

“Christians & catholics etc…. getting offended by the Hanuman Monkey Bronze statue built on private lands in Southwest Houston but not getting ticked off about their churn numbers….? huh?” @datarade wrote on X. “You have an uncomfortable churn and decline problem that seems irreconcilable.”

Christians & catholics etc…. getting offended by the Hanuman Monkey Bronze statue built on private lands in Southwest Houston but not getting ticked off about their churn numbers….? huh? You have an uncomfortable churn and decline problem that seems irreconcilable. pic.twitter.com/PGQ51VIHVX — Kumar (@datarade) August 20, 2024

“All the fanatics coping over a statue on private temple land just means that the next one got 10ft taller,” wrote @OnTheNewsBeat.

All the fanatics coping over a statue on private temple land just means that the next one got 10ft taller — Journalist V (@OnTheNewsBeat) August 20, 2024

“That’s lord Hanuman, who is a symbol of strength, loyalty, devotion, and perseverance … Worshipped by 15% of the world’s population (1.2 Billion Hindus) … And you ignorant, arrogant fool name it is a monkey statue. Do better,” @DealsDhamaka wrote in response to an X post from anti-transgender activist Oli London.

That’s lord Hanuman, who is a symbol of strength, loyalty, devotion, and perseverance … Worshipped by 15% of the world’s population (1.2 Billion Hindus) And you ignorant, arrogant fool name it is a monkey statue. Do better #jaibajrangbali https://t.co/J2aU6PS0X8 — Vineeth K (@DealsDhamaka) August 20, 2024

RFK JR. to Address the Nation Friday — Trump and Kennedy Will Both Be in Phoenix

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is planning to drop out of the presidential race by the end of this week, ABC News reported.

Sources tell ABC News that Kennedy plans to endorse Donald Trump — but when asked directly by ABC News if he will be endorsing the former president, Kennedy said, “I will not confirm or deny that.”

“We are not talking about any of that,” he said.

Sources cautioned the decision is not yet finalized and could still change, with one source adding that Kennedy’s hope is, in part, to finalize things quickly in order to try to blunt momentum from the Democratic National Convention.

One possible scenario being discussed is for Kennedy to appear on stage with Trump at an event in Phoenix on Friday, though the sources cautioned that Kennedy’s thinking could always change and sources close to Trump say no plan for Friday is finalized.

Kennedy’s campaign manager, Amaryllis Fox, emailed senior staff on Wednesday morning thanking them for their hard work — but indicated a decision on the way forward had not been made, a source familiar with the email told ABC News.

“There are a couple potential paths forward, not only two, and I can bear witness to the care, examination that Bobby has invested in the consideration of each,” Fox wrote, according to the source.

A spokesperson for Kennedy posted on X that Kennedy will “address the nation” live on Friday to discuss his “path forward,” but offered no specifics.

Kennedy told ABC News regarding the Democratic convention and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, “I think it was a coronation, it’s not democracy. Nobody voted. Who chose Kamala? It wasn’t voters.”

He also complained about the way his campaign has been treated.

“She went in four weeks from being the worst liability for the Democratic Party to the second coming of Christ without giving one interview, without showing up for a debate, without a single policy that anyone thinks isn’t ridiculous,” he said. “It’s not democracy.”

NBC News reported :

The pending suspension of Kennedy’s campaign and subsequent expected endorsement of Trump has been an ongoing project of three key allies of Trump —Donald Trump Jr., former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and megadonor Omeed Malik.

The three men have worked behind the scenes in meetings and calls with both Trump and Kennedy to negotiate the exit and the endorsement, a source familiar with their efforts said on condition of anonymity to reveal sensitive internal campaign deliberations.

Trump’s campaign considers a potential endorsement as something of a work in progress, the source added.

Notably, Carlson, Malik and Trump Jr. were also influential in the selection of Vance as Trump’s running mate.

Biden Admin Admits It Overestimated Employment by Nearly 1 Million Jobs

The federal government overestimated the number of jobs in the U.S. economy by 818,000 between April 2023 and March 2024, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Wednesday, stoking fears of a slowdown in the U.S. economy.

Economists at Goldman Sachs (GS) and Wells Fargo anticipated the government had overestimated job growth by at least 600,000 in that span, while economists at JPMorgan Chase had predicted a lesser decline of 360,000, according to Bloomberg. The downward revision follows a trend of the BLS overestimating the number of nonfarm payroll jobs added, with the cumulative number of new jobs reported in 2023 roughly 1.3 million less than previously thought as of February 2024.

“There’s been a clear pattern of economic data being revised down (worse) in the last several years,” E.J. Antoni, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “It is very similar to the onset of the Great Recession, when the BLS was struggling to keep up with rapidly deteriorating economic conditions. Assumptions built into models no longer represented reality, although they may have just a year or two prior. ”

Something to watch this week: Preliminary annual payrolls revisions get released on Wednesday, covering April 2023 through March 2024. Economists expect jobs added to be revised down by as much as 1 mil. pic.twitter.com/dfuYp3yPm9 — Liz Young Thomas (@LizThomasStrat) August 19, 2024

Fears of a slowdown in the U.S. economy surged earlier in August following a disappointing July jobs report that saw unemployment rise to 4.3%, up 0.2% from June.

The rising specter of an American recession led to a global market sell-off, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dropping 12.40% on August 5, its largest decline since Black Monday in 1987. The S&P 500 also fell 3.00% in its worst single-day loss since late 2022.

Nevertheless, the indexes recouped much of their losses the following day, with the Nikkei and the S&P rising 10.2% and 1.0% respectively, according to ABC News.

Wednesday’s downward revision has also heightened concern that the Federal Reserve has waited too long to begin cutting interest rates, Bloomberg reported. If the FOMC hesitates to cut rates for too long, it could result in recession instead of a soft landing — an economic slowdown in which inflation is brought down without causing recession.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to hold its target federal funds rate between 5.25% and 5.50% in July, marking the eighth meeting in a row the FOMC has decided to keep rates at their current 23-year high.

“Wall Street is increasingly waking up to the fact that the economy post-covid has never been as good as the government bean counters claimed, and a recession may have already begun,” Antoni told the DCNF. “These revisions are a violent shove in the direction of reality.”

FBI Investigates Dems Having Maggots Slipped Into Their Breakfasts at Chicago Convention

The FBI has launched an investigation into whether maggots were deliberately slipped into the breakfasts of delegates at the Democratic National Convention.

Law enforcement swarmed the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Chicago on Wednesday following reports of the insect attack.

Indiana delegate Tracy Boyd told WGNTV: ‘They protected us, of course, and turned it around in minutes.’

She said her group was notified that breakfast service would be briefly delayed due to the incident by pro-Palestine activists.

Since the start of the DNC, pro-Palestine rioters have caused chaos on the streets of Chicago. Several have been arrested for breaching the security perimeter near the United Center and as protests got violent near the Israeli Consulate.

‘I really do want to give a shout-out to the hotel staff and leadership,’ Boyd added.

All Americans have the right to peaceful protest, but ugly attacks like this have no place in our democracy,’ said Indiana Democratic Party spokesperson Sam Barloga.

‘We thank the security team for responding swiftly,’ he said.

It’s not the first maggot-related political incident in recent weeks.

At the end of July, a Pro-Palestine activist group shared stomach-turning images of what they said was a protest against Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Israeli leader addressed Congress amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which has sparked protests against the Jewish state all over the world.

Hours before his speech, the Palestinian Youth Movement’s X account shared a video they claimed showed Netanyahu’s table at the Watergate hotel in Washington DC full of maggots and critters.

The group wrote: ‘BON APPETIT!! MAGGOTS RELEASED ON THE CRIMINAL ZIONIST’S WAR TABLE!

‘Palestine protestors manufactured chaos at the Watergate Hotel last night so that Netanyahu, Israeli Mossad agents, and the Secret Service had no peace as they continue to terrorize our people.’

Jewish Insider claimed that several people in Netanyahu’s team were not aware of any protest involving maggots.

Jewish Insider reporter Lahav Harkov said: ‘I talked to several people in Netanyahu’s delegation who know nothing about this, so either the Palestinian Youth Movement is lying or somehow security managed to clean this up and stop the fire alarms incredibly quickly.’

CNN reported that the Secret Service was investigating the reports that protesters gained access to the hotel where the Israeli delegation is staying.

During his speech, Netanyahu spoke about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, highlighting how the two’s close ties have been instrumental in the Jewish nation’s fight against Palestinian terror group Hamas.

‘America and Israel must stand together,’ Netanyahu proclaimed, receiving a standing ovation in response.

‘When we stand together, something very simple happens, we win and they lose.’

The leader has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is eradicated following the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel by the terrorist who raped women, killed and beheaded children and took hundreds of Israelis hostage, including several Americans.

While Netanyahu was in D.C., protesters condemning the war in Gaza descended on Washington, chanting ‘Free, Free Palestine’ as some tried to block streets.

Protestors vandalized parts of Union Station, a short walk to the Capitol.

The American flag was taken off of a flag pole outside of the main train terminal.

14-Term House Democrat Bill Pascrell Dies at 87

Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), who served in the House for more than 27 years, died Wednesday morning, his office announced.

Pascrell, 87, had been hospitalized in July to be treated for a respiratory infection and spent some time in intensive care. The congressman moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility earlier this month but was rushed back to the hospital days later.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning. As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He is now at peace after a lifetime devoted to our great nation America,” a statement on Pascrell’s account on the social platform X reads.

Pascrell’s death puts a bookend on his nearly three-decade tenure in the House, which he was first elected to in 1996. The New Jersey Democrat beat then-Rep. Bill Martini (R) to represent the Garden State’s 8th Congressional District. Redistricting moved him to the 9th Congressional District later in his career on Capitol Hill.

Pascrell served on the Ways and Means Committee and became a noted Trump critic during his later years in Congress. Before Congress, he was the mayor of Paterson, N.J., and served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly.

The deadline to replace Pascrell on the ballot is Aug. 29. Democratic county committee people from the 9th District will be tasked with selecting a new candidate, according to the New Jersey Monitor.

The nominee then will face Republican Billy Prempeh in the November general election.

Pascrell beat Prempeh by just more than 11 percentage points in 2022. The district broke for President Biden over former President Trump by more than 18 percentage points in 2020.

Pascrell, who was among the oldest members of the House, checked himself into the hospital on July 14 after coming down with a fever. His office later said he had a respiratory infection.

He was discharged from the hospital Aug. 7 and moved to a rehab facility. Days later, however, he was brought back to the hospital, multiple sources reported. It was not clear why he returned to the hospital.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle mourned Pascrell’s death.

“My heart is breaking right now. What profound sadness falls upon New Jersey for the loss of Bill Pascrell. I miss him and give all the love and strength I can muster to his family and community,” New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim (D) wrote on X.

Republican New Jersey Rep. Tom Kean Jr. called Pascrell “a great friend and colleague.”

“Bill was a dedicated public servant, a tireless advocate for his constituents, and a passionate supporter of firefighters. We worked closely together on many issues. My deepest condolences go out to his family during this difficult time. Bill will be dearly missed,” he added on X.

8-Year-Old Girl Stabbed in UK, Police Arrest Man and Woman

Two people have been arrested after a young girl was stabbed in Christchurch, Dorset.

The victim is aged around eight, the Bournemouth Daily Echo reports.

She was taken to hospital and her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

Police received a report that the girl had been stabbed at an address in Glider Close, Christchurch, at 5.45pm on Tuesday.

A man aged in his 20s, from Christchurch, was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

A local woman in her 50s was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Chief Superintendent Stewart Dipple said: “There is an increased policing presence in the area as officers conduct enquiries at the scene.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area and saw what happened or has information to assist our investigation, to please come forward.

“Our enquiries are in the early stages and we would ask the public not to speculate at this time about the circumstances of the incident.

“I understand this will cause concern and we will have members of the neighbourhood policing team out on patrol over the coming days who can be approached by the public.”

Ford Delays New EV Plant, Cancels Electric SUV

Ford Motor is delaying production of a next-generation all-electric pickup truck at a new plant in Tennessee and canceling plans for a three-row electric SUV, the company said Wednesday.

Instead, Ford said it will prioritize the development of hybrid models, as well as electric commercial vehicles such as a new electric commercial van in 2026, followed by two EV pickup trucks in 2027.

The pickups are expected to be a full-size truck, which will be produced in 2027 at the Tennessee plant that’s currently under construction, and a new midsize truck being developed by a specialized “skunkworks” team in California.

“As we’ve learned in the marketplace, and we’ve seen where people have gravitated, we’re going to focus in where we have competitive advantage, and that’s on commercial land trucks and SUVs,” Ford CFO John Lawler said Wednesday.

The actions are meant to better deliver a capital-efficient, profitable electric vehicle business, said Lawler, who also serves as vice chair of the automaker. But, in the short term, they will cost the company.

Ford said it will incur a special noncash charge of about $400 million for the write-down of certain product-specific manufacturing assets, including the cancellation of the three-row SUV.

The company said the changes may also result in additional expenses and cash expenditures of up to $1.5 billion. Ford will reflect those in the quarter in which they are incurred, as a special item.

Lawler said the company’s future capital expenditure plans will shift from spending about 40% on all-electric vehicles to spending 30%. He did not give a timeline for the change.

Vehicle production at the new $5.6 billion Tennessee site was initially expected to begin next year. The company said it still expects to start battery cell production at the site in 2025.

The changes are the latest for Ford and come amid slower-than-expected adoption of EVs as well as automakers not being able to profitably produce the vehicles.

The new plans come roughly five months after Ford said it would delay production of the three-row SUV and next-generation pickup, codenamed “T3.”

“This is really about us being nimble and listening to responses from our customers,” Lawler said during a call Wednesday morning. “We’ve been out in the [EV] market here for over two years, and we’ve learned a lot, and what we’re understanding is that customers want more electrification choices.”

The rollout of Ford’s next generation of EVs will begin with a commercial van that will be assembled at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant starting in 2026, according to the company.

The automaker previously said it would not launch a vehicle if there wasn’t a clear path to profitability within the first year. It was a change from selling EVs at a loss to grow share and assist in meeting fuel and emissions standards.

Ford said it will continue to produce and update its current all-electric vehicles such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover and F-150 Lightning pickup truck.

The company said it plans to provide investors with an “update on electrification, technology, profitability and capital requirements” in the first half of 2025.

Matt Gaetz Easily Beats McCarthy-Backed Challenger

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took a victory lap after winning his primary in a landslide, mocking former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who vowed to take revenge on those who ousted him from his post last fall.

“Sign me up for the next Revenge Tour,” Gaetz said in a post on X alongside the results showing him winning with 72.5% of the vote.

Sign me up for the next Revenge Tour pic.twitter.com/xnejrmEKQI — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 21, 2024

McCarthy spent $3 million boosting Gaetz’s challenger, Aaron Dimmock, to no avail.

The Florida Republican twisted the knife by pointing out that he won by a larger margin than the previous primary.

“It’s traditional, in moments like these, with margins of victory like this, that you hear from your opponents. And I have not yet heard from Aaron Dimmock or Kevin McCarthy this evening,” Gaetz said to laughter.

“Kevin McCarthy spent $3 million in this race not attacking my votes or my work on your behalf but just simply trying to attack my character. $3 million. Two years ago, I got 70% of the vote, and tonight, it looks like we’re getting 73% of the vote,” he continued.

“So, Kevin, if you’re watching, spend a little more next time, and we’ll get to 80,” he quipped.

pic.twitter.com/0CTfKbHH99 — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) August 21, 2024

The “revenge tour” referenced by Gaetz referred to McCarthy’s attempts to oust the eight Republican representatives who voted to oust him from the House speakership. Though he spent millions, he was only able to oust Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) after former President Donald Trump spoke out against him.

Gaetz led the effort to oust McCarthy, setting the two up as the most prominent intra-Republican rivalry.

RESULTS: Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming Primaries

It’s Tuesday night, and that means Primary Night in America! This week, voters will head to the polls in three states: Florida, Wyoming, and Alaska.

First to close is Florida. Although Republican Sen. Rick Scott’s race is considered “Likely Republican” by most forecasters, including Decision Desk HQ/The Hill, it’s still seen as a main target for Democrats. Former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who represented Florida’s 26th Congressional District for only one term, is expected to be the Democratic nominee. She was replaced by Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez after the 2020 election. Scott is also facing a couple of primary challengers, though will almost certainly win his primary.

Many of the Democratic primaries for U.S. House races are uncontested, though the race to watch may be with Florida’s 13th Congressional District, currently represented by Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican who replaced former Rep. Charlie Crist, who was then serving as a Democrat. Luna is running unopposed, but there’s a crowded Democratic primary of five candidates looking to challenge her for this “Likely Republican” race.

Two years ago, now former Rep. Liz Cheney lost the Republican primary to now Rep. Harriet Hageman for Wyoming’s at-large district. Although Hageman is facing former Democrat Steven Helling in her primary, she is expected to easily win.

Hageman unseated Cheney by almost 40 points in the August 2022 primary, with three other challengers also in that race.

The last race of the night is in Alaska, where there’s merely the U.S. House at-large race. Alaska uses rank choice, non-partisan jungle primaries, which has been heavily criticized, including as it applies to this year’s election. Alaska is also a heavy mail-in voting state.

There’s 12 candidates total with the top four advancing. Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola is heavily expected to advance, and she’s only facing one other Democrat: Eric Hafner. He’s actually in federal prison for making bomb threats and tried unsuccessfully to run in Oregon and Hawaii in previous years. There’s a mix of Republican, no party affiliation (NPA), Independent, and “other” candidates, including one who lives in and has tried to run in Arizona: Richard Grayson with the No Labels ticket.

Florida — polls close at 7:00 p.m. ET and 8:00p.m. ET

Wyoming — polls close at 9:00 p.m. et, alaska — polls close at 12:00 a.m. et, nyt: biden approved secret nuke strategy refocusing on china threat.

President Biden approved in March a highly classified nuclear strategic plan for the United States that, for the first time, reorients America’s deterrent strategy to focus on China’s rapid expansion in its nuclear arsenal.

The shift comes as the Pentagon believes China’s stockpiles will rival the size and diversity of the United States’ and Russia’s over the next decade.

The White House never announced that Mr. Biden had approved the revised strategy, called the “Nuclear Employment Guidance,” which also newly seeks to prepare the United States for possible coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia and North Korea. The document, updated every four years or so, is so highly classified that there are no electronic copies, only a small number of hard copies distributed to a few national security officials and Pentagon commanders.

But in recent speeches, two senior administration officials were allowed to allude to the change — in carefully constrained, single sentences — ahead of a more detailed, unclassified notification to Congress expected before Mr. Biden leaves office.

“The president recently issued updated nuclear-weapons employment guidance to account for multiple nuclear-armed adversaries,” Vipin Narang, an M.I.T. nuclear strategist who served in the Pentagon, said earlier this month before returning to academia. “And in particular,” he added, the weapons guidance accounted for “the significant increase in the size and diversity” of China’s nuclear arsenal.

In June, the National Security Council’s senior director for arms control and nonproliferation, Pranay Vaddi, also referred to the document, the first to examine in detail whether the United States is prepared to respond to nuclear crises that break out simultaneously or sequentially, with a combination of nuclear and nonnuclear weapons.

The new strategy, Mr. Vaddi said, emphasizes “the need to deter Russia, the PRC and North Korea simultaneously,” using the acronym for the People’s Republic of China.

In the past, the likelihood that American adversaries could coordinate nuclear threats to outmaneuver the American nuclear arsenal seemed remote. But the emerging partnership between Russia and China, and the conventional arms North Korea and Iran are providing to Russia for the war in Ukraine have fundamentally changed Washington’s thinking.

Already, Russia and China are conducting military exercises together. Intelligence agencies are trying to determine whether Russia is aiding the North Korean and Iranian missile programs in return.

The new document is a stark reminder that whoever is sworn in next Jan. 20 will confront a changed and far more volatile nuclear landscape than the one that existed just three years ago. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has repeatedly threatened the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine, including during a crisis in October 2022, when Mr. Biden and his aides, looking at intercepts of conversations between senior Russian commanders, feared the likelihood of nuclear use might rise to 50 percent or even higher.

Mr. Biden, along with leaders of Germany and Britain, got China and India to make public statements that there was no role for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, and the crisis abated, at least temporarily.

“It was an important moment,” Richard N. Haass, a former senior State Department and National Security Council official for several Republican presidents, and the president emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, noted in an interview. “We are dealing with a Russia that is radicalized; the idea that nukes wouldn’t be used in a conventional conflict is not longer a safe assumption.”

The second big change arises from China’s nuclear ambitions. The country’s nuclear expansion is running at an even faster pace than American intelligence officials anticipated two years ago, driven by President Xi Jinping’s determination to scrap the decades-long strategy of maintaining a “minimum deterrent” to reach or exceed the size of Washington’s and Moscow’s arsenals. China’s nuclear complex is now the fastest growing in the world.

Although former President Donald J. Trump confidently predicted that Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, would surrender his nuclear weapons after their three in-person meetings, the opposite happened. Mr. Kim has doubled down, and now has more than 60 weapons, officials estimate, and the fuel for many more.

That expansion has changed the nature of the North Korean challenge: When the country possessed just a handful of weapons, it could be deterred by missile defenses. But its expanded arsenal is fast approaching the size of Pakistan’s and Israel’s, and it is large enough that it could, in theory, coordinate threats with Moscow and Beijing.

It was only a matter of time before a fundamentally different nuclear environment began to alter American war plans and strategy, officials say.

“It is our responsibility to see the world as it is, not as we hoped or wished it would be,” Mr. Narang said as he was leaving the Pentagon. “It is possible that we will one day look back and see the quarter-century after the Cold War as nuclear intermission.”

The new challenge is “the real possibility of collaboration and even collusion between our nuclear-armed adversaries,” he said.

So far in the presidential campaign, the new challenges to American nuclear strategy have not been a topic of debate. Mr. Biden, who spent much of his political career as an advocate of nuclear nonproliferation, has never publicly talked in any detail about how he is responding to the challenges of deterring China’s and North Korea’s expanded forces. Nor has Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic Party’s nominee.

At his last news conference in July, just days before he announced he would no longer seek the Democratic nomination for a second term, Mr. Biden acknowledged that he had adopted a policy of seeking ways to interfere in the broader China-Russia partnership.

“Yes, I do, but I’m not prepared to talk about the detail of it in public,” Mr. Biden said. He made no reference to — and was not asked about — how that partnership was altering American nuclear strategy.

Since Harry Truman’s presidency, that strategy has been overwhelmingly focused on the Kremlin’s arsenal. Mr. Biden’s new guidance suggests how quickly that is shifting.

China was mentioned in the last nuclear guidance, issued at the end of the Trump administration, according to an unclassified account provided to Congress in 2020. But that was before the scope of Mr. Xi’s ambitions was understood.

The Biden strategy sharpens that focus to reflect the Pentagon’s estimates that China’s nuclear force would expand to 1,000 by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035, roughly the numbers that the United States and Russia now deploy. In fact, Beijing now appears ahead of that schedule, officials say, and has begun loading nuclear missiles into new silo fields that were spotted by commercial satellites three years ago.

There is another concern about Beijing: It has now halted a short-lived conversation with the United States about improving nuclear safety and security — for example, by agreeing to warn each other of impending missile tests, or setting up hotlines or other means of communication to assure that incidents or accidents do not escalate into nuclear encounters.

One discussion between the two countries took place late last fall, just before Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi met in California, where they sought to repair relations between the two countries. They referred to those talks in a joint statement, but by that time the Chinese had already hinted they were not interested in further discussions, and earlier this summer said the conversations were over. They cited American arms sales to Taiwan, which were underway long before the nuclear safety conversations began.

Mallory Stewart, the assistant secretary for arms control, deterrence and stability at the State Department, said in an interview that the Chinese government was “actively preventing us from having conversations about the risks.”

Instead, she said, Beijing “seems to be taking a page out of Russia’s playbook that, until we address tensions and challenges in our bilateral relationship, they will choose not to continue our arms control, risk reduction and nonproliferation conversations.”

It was in China’s interest, she argued, “to prevent these risks of miscalculation and misunderstanding.”

Anti-Israel demonstrations continued through the second night of the Democratic National Convention, with protesters burning an American flag and chanting “Free Palestine” outside a building in Chicago that houses the Israeli consulate.

Officers handcuffed at least four people from the demonstration and led them away after protesters charged a line of police officers, who pushed the demonstrators back.

A small crowd of a few dozen protesters chanted “Let them go!” after police penned demonstrators in on the street, preventing them from marching. Some carried Palestinian flags, while many others wore black and covered their faces.

Chicago — “F—k this country! Burn it down!” Masked far-left DNC protesters outside the Israeli consulate burn an American flag and call for the violent destruction of the United States. pic.twitter.com/FbKv2WVsCk — Andy Ngô 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) August 21, 2024

Dozens of Chicago police officers were posted outside the building, where law enforcement had closed down most of the entrances to the building on Tuesday, allowing commuters to come in only one entrance where armed officers were also posted.

Later, riot police moved in to prevent protesters from marching forward and to move media back. A cat-and-mouse game persisted for at least 30 minutes between police and protesters who attempted to evade officers and cut down side streets. Protesters were thwarted every time by officers.

Pro-Palestine protesters clash with police in an attempt to march on the Israeli consulate. pic.twitter.com/zWaPU6SdHK — TENET Media (@watchTENETnow) August 21, 2024

Chicago police eventually ordered the crowd to disperse as they cornered protesters in a small plaza at Canal Street and Monroe Street before arresting some of the instigators. Officers were seen confiscating a megaphone and placing zip ties on at least five people.

A large police remained present hours after the demonstrations began.

The scenes came as the celebratory roll call for Kamala Harris was taking place inside the United Center about two miles away.

Israel supporters, including some relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas, gathered earlier in the day at a pro-Israel art installation not far from the consulate to call on U.S. leaders to continue backing Israel and pushing for the release of hostages.

More protests were planned throughout the week. However, attendance at the main rally on Monday was far below estimates of organizers who had predicted more than 20,000 would show up.

Authorities said the inner security perimeter surrounding the United Center was not breached and there was no threat to those attending the convention.

Trump Says He’s Open to Giving RFK Jr. Role in Administration If He’s Endorsed

Former President Donald Trump said he would “certainly” consider giving independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a position in his administration in return for an endorsement.

In an interview with CNN’s Kristen Holmes, Trump was asked about recent comments from Kennedy’s running mate, Nicole Shanahan, which appeared to take him off guard.

“Well, we haven’t, but I’d love that endorsement,” he responded when asked whether he had considered Kennedy for a role in his administration.

“You’re asking me a very unusual question. I haven’t been asked that question yet,” Trump said, smiling when pressed on the question.

“I like him. I respect him a lot. I probably would if something like that were to happen. He’s a very different kind of guy — a very smart guy. And, yeah, I would be honored by that endorsement, certainly.”

“He’s a brilliant guy. He’s a very smart guy. I’ve known him for a very long time,” the former president added. “I didn’t know he was thinking about getting out, but if he is thinking about getting out, certainly I’d be open to it.”

Reporter: Would you consider putting RFK Jr in your administration? Trump: I probably would pic.twitter.com/Sgsnq1vKeI — Acyn (@Acyn) August 20, 2024

He dismissed concerns that appointing Kennedy would anger his Republican supporters.

“I like smart people, and Republicans like me,” Trump said.

The former president also acknowledged that the dynamics of the race had changed since President Joe Biden dropped out but maintained that his strategy hadn’t changed.

“I’m leading in the polls but not by as much,” he said. “But regardless of that, my whole thing doesn’t change. We don’t want crime. We want to have a strong military. We’ve got to stop drugs from coming in. We have to stop people from pouring into our country through an open border.”

In a Tuesday appearance on Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory podcast, Shanahan openly flirted with the idea of “joining forces” with Trump in order to stop a Harris presidency.

“There’s two options that we’re looking at, and one is staying in, forming that new party, but we run the risk of a Kamala Harris and Walz presidency because we draw more votes from Trump,” she said. “Or we walk away right now and join forces with Donald Trump and explain to our base why we’re making this decision.”

Kennedy mainly hurt President Joe Biden’s election chances in previous months, but the switching of the nominee to Vice President Kamala Harris flipped the script to mainly hurt Trump’s.

Barron Trump Will Go to College in New York

Barron Trump, the youngest member of the Trump family, will attend a university in New York this fall, former President Donald Trump told The Post.

“He’s all set in a certain school that’s very good,” the former president said in an exclusive interview before his campaign stop in Michigan.

The 45th president said the school is in the Empire State, but that his team would be making an announcement about the specific school “soon.”

Trump smiled when The Post asked him if it was NYU, but maintained that he would not reveal the school until the announcement is live.

“He’s always been a very good student, he’s smart,” he said.

Barron Trump, 18, graduated from high school in May. His father previously said he got into several schools and was making a decision.

Trump has said that his 6-foot-7 son takes interest in politics and even sometimes advises him on what to do.

“He’s a little on the tall side. I will tell you, he’s a tall one, but he is a good-looking guy. And he’s really been a great student. And he does like politics. It’s sort of funny,” Trump told “Kayal and Company” on Philadelphia’s Talk Radio 1210 WPHT.

“He’ll tell me sometimes, ‘Dad, this is what you have to do,’” Trump said in May.

The former president attended Barron’s graduation at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach alongside former first lady Melania Trump in May after he got permission to take a break from his “hush money” trial in Manhattan.

The teen was also present at a Trump Florida campaign rally, but did not attend his father’s presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in July after Melania’s office said he had “prior commitments.”

Another member of the Trump family, Donald Trump Jr.’s daughter Kai, also recently announced her university decision, revealing she ill be attending the University of Miami.

Kai, 17, spoke at the RNC and gave a glowing review of her grandfather on stage.

The former president graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 with a major in economics.

Trending Today

Clarence Thomas Took Free Yacht Trip to Russia, Chopper Flight to Putin’s Hometown: Dems

The allegedly secret gifts were disclosed in a letter from two Democratic senators that accused Thomas of potentially committing tax fraud.

Anna Conkling

Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been accused of not disclosing a yacht trip to Russia and a private helicopter flight to a palace in President Vladimir Putin’s hometown, among a slew of other gifts and loans from businessman Harlan Crow .

Buried on page 14 of a letter that two Democratic senators sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday, in which they urged Garland to appoint a special counsel to probe Thomas, was an astonishing list of dozens of “likely undisclosed gifts and income” from Crow, Crow’s affiliated companies, and “other donors.”

In the letter, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) said Thomas, one of the court’s staunchly conservative justices , even may have committed tax fraud and violated other federal laws by “secretly” accepting the gifts and income potentially worth millions.

“The Senate is not a prosecutorial body, and the Supreme Court has no fact-finding function of its own, making the executive role all the more important if there is ever to be any complete determination of the facts,” reads the letter requesting the appointment of a special prosecutor. 

“We do not make this request lightly,” said the letter. 

The list of potentially secret gifts also includes a loan of more than $267,000 provided by Thomas’ close friend Anthony Welters, the yacht trip to Russia from the Baltics, and the helicopter ride to Yusupov Palace in St. Petersburg. ProPublica first reported last year on the existence of extensive undisclosed gifts and lavish trips from Crow.

Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Ron Wyden

Additionally, Justice Thomas is accused of not disclosing tuitions for his grandnephew, free lodging, real estate transactions, and home renovations. The action escalates Democratic senators’ efforts to hold Thomas accountable for perceived ethics controversies. 

According to the senators, Thomas’ conduct could violate the Ethics in Government Act, which requires officials like Supreme Court justices to file annual reports disclosing gifts and income accepted from outside sources.

“It is a crime,” reads the report, “To knowingly and willfully fail to file or report such information.”

Since 2023, two Senate committees have been looking into the 1991 loan from Welters that was connected to Thomas’ purchase of a luxury motor home. Welters previously responded to a New York Times request for comment on the loan only to say that it was “satisfied.”

Thomas, for his part, belatedly disclosed some—but not all—gifts from Crow this year and has defended the gifts as “personal hospitality” from some of his and his wife’s “dearest friends.”

“The evidence assembled thus far plainly suggests that Justice Thomas has committed numerous willful violations of federal ethics and false-statement laws and raises significant questions about whether he and his wealthy benefactors have,” Whitehouse and Wyden wrote.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast  here .

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The Musings of a Hopeless Wanderer

Engaging in the eternal search for the meaning of life...or a good time.

• Netherlands

Monday, September 3, 2018

Tackling moscow by train and boat.

Our first full day in Moscow started fairly late since we were still catching up on sleep.  Around 1, we finally were able to get our act together and get out the door. 

We stopped by a cafe to get some breakfast and headed over to the Red Square.  Since the festival is going on, we had to go through metal detectors.  Once we cleared security, we reached the State Historical Museum which provided an entrance to the Red Square.

We walked the length of the Red Square, passing by the Kazan cathedral.

Under normal conditions, the Red Square is a large walking area with the State Historical Museum on one end and St. Basil's on the other end.  On the sides is the Kremlin wall on one side and then the GUM shopping mall and the Kazan cathedral on the other side.  Presently, the walking area has been considerably narrowed and the fesitval grounds occupying a large space between the Kremlin and the mall.

We even asked a stranger to take our picture!

After walking around the Red Square, we had to leave to meet up with our Metro Tour.  

Moscow has famously pretty metro stations so metro tours are quite popular.  We booked a relatively inexpensive tour through a tour group which met outside of the Red Square.

On our way, we passed by the Kremlin gardens and the tomb to the unknown soldier and the eternal flame.

We soon met up with our group which, fortunately, was only 5 people.  Our guide told us that we were going to visit 8 stations during the 1.5 hour tour.  

Honestly, a lot of the stations blended in to me so I won't be able to give you a detailed description of all of them.  However, I did learn that there are 222 metro stations and the trains come every 2-3 minutes reliably.  For that reason, Moscow > DC. 

One of the first metro stations we visited had bronze statues all over of various depictions.  Many of the statues had superstitions tied to them.  For example, for a statue of the dog, it's held that if you rub the nose of the dog, you'll have good luck.  Consequently, most of the statue is tarnished - except for the nose.  I joked to Tomas that they probably rotate the "good luck" portion of the statue to ensure the entire statue gets polished.

However, I do remember some of the stations.

Novoslobodskaya is a station adorned with stained glass on the walls.

There was also Belarusskaya, which paid tribute to Belarus.

Another station which name I cannot remember but had pretty mosaics in the ceilings.

My favorite station was Komsomolskaya.  It's the busiest station and a hub for other connecting trains.  It was built during Statlin times and he wanted the station to embody beauty to set a good first impression to Russia.

I'd seen pictures of it beforehand since it's the most famous but it's so much more impressive in person.

Look at these ceilings!

Overall it was a very interesting tour.  Not sure of any other city which could offer a metro tour.  DC certainly can't...

After the tour, we headed back of the hotel to rest for a bit.  We had purchased tickets to a tour hour boat down the Moscow river.  The tickets were good for any time on any day and the boats left every 20min.  We decided to knock the tour out that day and headed over to the pier.  

We arrived at the pier and saw a boat by the company we had purchased from boarding.  We approached and they shook their head and said it wasn't the right boat. 

So we waited for another boat.

Another boat came along by the same company we had purchased from so weapproached them.  Again - we were told it wasn't the right boat and the boat we were looking for was coming.  

A third boat came along which was NOT by the company we had purchased from.  By this point, it had been longer than 20min waiting and I was starting to suspect that the correct boat was actually one of the ones which turned us away.   We approached the 3rd boat to ask if they knew which boat we should be on.  However, when we approached,  they waved us aboard without scanning our tickets.

So, we boarded the 3rd boat....which was definitely not ours.

We settled into an upper deck, open air table to take in the views.

We passed by pretty buildings.

The somewhat impressive cathedral of Christ the Savior.

This random statue.

After about hour on the cruise, Tomas remarked that it had been about an hour so we should be turning around soon.  I reminded him that we actually had no idea how long this cruise was or where we would be dropped off.  Since we were on the wrong boat.

Fortunately, it did turn around and took us back to the pier.  

For dinner, we decided to go to this burger place, Black Star Burger, which our guide told us about.  Tomas really liked his - I thought mine was OK.  It was a decent size patty with a mountain of Cole slaw on top.  We've realized that apparently Russians dislike getting their hands dirty while eating so some restaurants will give out gloves to use.  This particular restaurant gave out black gloves.

Tomas modeling our dinner.

Since little mum has been asking about pictures which show my feet, I assume she wanted to see my new shoes.  I recently bought Allbirds which are suppose to be super comfortable walking shoes which you wear without socks and can be washed.  I didn't wear them too extensively beforehand, so that was probably my first error.  I also didn't bring another pair of good walking shoes,  which was likely my second error.  The Allbirds were great the first two days without socks.  Midway through the third day, my right foot was quite unhappy. Left foot was a trooper. So, now I have a bandaid on the heel of my right foot and wear socks.  

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