Deadly strikes hit Gaza as war enters tenth month

Deadly strikes hit Gaza as war enters tenth month

Deadly strikes hit Gaza as war enters tenth month, Israel carried out deadly air strikes in the Gaza Strip as the war entered its tenth month on Sunday, with fighting raging across the Palestinian territory and fresh diplomatic efforts under way to halt the violence.

Israel has said it will send a delegation in the coming days to continue truce talks with Qatari mediators that began recently in Doha.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesman said "gaps" remained with Hamas on how to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal.

"It was agreed that next week Israeli negotiators will travel to Doha to continue the talks. There are still gaps between the parties," the spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

Meanwhile, the fighting in Gaza continued unabated, with the Palestinian Red Crescent saying Sunday that the bodies of six people, including two children, who were killed in Israeli strikes had arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the central city of Deir al-Balah.

Paramedics also said Sunday that six people had been killed in an Israeli strike on a house in a northern area of Gaza City.

The day before, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said 16 people had been killed in a strike on a school run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) that was sheltering displaced people in Nuseirat, in central Gaza.

The Israeli military said its aircraft had targeted "terrorists" operating around the Al-Jawni school.

The military earlier said it had conducted operations across much of the Gaza Strip, including Shujaiya in the north, Deir al-Balah and Rafah in the south.

Shujaiya is among the areas the military had previously declared to be cleared of Hamas, but where fighting has since resumed.

The Hamas press office and paramedics said four journalists working for local media outlets were killed in strikes overnight into Saturday, and UNRWA said two of its employees had been killed.

UNRWA, which coordinates much of the aid delivered to Gaza, says 194 of its employees have been killed in the war.

- 'Ball in Israel's court' -

The United States, which has mediated ceasefire negotiations alongside Qatar and Egypt, has talked up the prospects of a deal, saying there is a "pretty significant opening" for both sides.

US President Joe Biden announced a pathway to a truce deal in May that he said had been proposed by Israel.

It included an initial six-week truce, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza's population centres and the freeing of hostages held by Palestinian militants.

Talks subsequently stalled, but a US official said Thursday that a new proposal from Hamas "moves the process forward and may provide the basis for closing the deal".

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan told AFP that new ideas from the group had been "conveyed by the mediators to the American side, which welcomed them and passed them on to the Israeli side".

"Now the ball is in the Israeli court."

There has been no truce since a one-week pause in November when 80 Israeli hostages were freed in return for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

Pressure has mounted domestically for another hostage release deal, with regular protests and rallies in Israel.

"It's important that we reach a deal so that all the mothers can embrace their children and husbands, just as I hug my mother every morning now," rescued hostage Almog Mair Jan said in a recorded message to a rally in Tel Aviv Saturday.

The war began with Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.

In response, Israel has carried out a military offensive that has killed at least 38,098 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

The war has uprooted 90 percent of Gaza's population, destroyed much of its housing and other infrastructure, and left almost 500,000 people enduring "catastrophic" hunger, UN agencies say.

The main stumbling block to a truce deal has been Hamas's demand for a permanent end to the fighting, which Netanyahu and his far-right coalition partners strongly reject.

The veteran hawk demands the release of the hostages and insists the war will not end until Israel has destroyed Hamas's ability to fight or govern.

- Lebanon attacks -

Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement have exchanged cross-border fire almost daily since the Gaza war began, but attacks have escalated over the past month.

This has raised fears of a major conflagration between the bitter enemies that could draw in others including Iran.

Israel's army said late Saturday that its jets had struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and troops had fired artillery across the border "throughout the day".

Earlier Saturday, sirens blared over northern Israel and the military said it had downed a "suspicious aerial target" and that two "hostile aircraft" launched from Lebanon had hit open ground.

A source close to Hezbollah said an Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in eastern Lebanon Saturday, killing a Hezbollah official.

Israel said he was part of the group's air defence unit.

Beryl tracker update: Increasing risk of 'life-threatening’ storm surge as path heads toward Texas

Beryl tracker update: Increasing risk of 'life-threatening’ storm surge as path heads toward Texas

Beryl tracker update: Increasing risk of 'life-threatening’ storm surge as path heads toward Texas, After moving through the Caribbean last week, Beryl — currently a tropical storm — is expected to reach Texas this weekend and once again become a hurricane.

As of 7 a.m. central time on Sunday morning, Beryl was about 220 miles southeast of Corpus Christi with maximum sustained winds around 60 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to intensify between Sunday and Monday, with Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick adding 121 counties to the state's Hurricane Beryl disaster declaration.

Meteorologists warned that “there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge for the Texas Coast.” The storm has been blamed for at least 11 deaths so far.

Tropical Storm Beryl is currently moving through the Gulf of Mexico and is anticipated to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches the Texas coast. Hurricane warnings have been issued for parts of the coast — from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to San Luis Pass — while a storm surge watch is in place from the mouth of the Rio Grande northward to High Island.

A tropical storm warning was also in effect for the Texas coast south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande, as well as for the northeastern coast of mainland Mexico from Barra el Mezquital to the mouth of the Rio Grande.

Beryl's damage and impact

Beryl hit Jamaica on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, causing widespread outages and damage before passing over the Cayman Islands and heading toward Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. On July 3, the Jamaica Public Service Company reported that more than 400,000 customers were without power across the country.

Beryl did the most severe damage when it made landfall earlier this week on the Grenadines, a small belt of islands in the eastern Caribbean. About 90% of buildings and homes on three small islands were destroyed or damaged when Beryl made landfall earlier this week, officials said at a news conference held by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared the country a disaster area until July 10.

Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell described the "total destruction" to the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in Grenada at a news conference Wednesday.

"Having seen it myself, there is really nothing that can prepare you to see this level of destruction," Mitchell said. "It is almost Armageddon-like, almost total damage and destruction of all buildings, whether they be public buildings, homes or private facilities."

Mitchell also described the "complete devastation and destruction" of agriculture and the natural environment, and severe damage to boats, marinas and the electrical grid on Carriacou.

Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?

Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?

Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?, Deirdre Roney wanted an escape plan – a place to go if her darkest fears about America’s democracy came to pass.

The Los Angeles attorney and activist for immigrant and voting rights has worried about a rise of authoritarianism ever since Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016. As this fall’s election drew closer, that anxiety only grew.

Trump has vowed “retribution” if he wins and a “bloodbath” if he loses. Though she says she’s not a high-profile activist, Roney fears political persecution could become a reality. “I would challenge you to find somebody who's as depressed and dark and scared as I am,” she said.

So, this summer, she secured her escape hatch. She and her husband obtained dual citizenship in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda in exchange for a development fund investment of about $100,000, she said – a barrier-free overseas refuge to use if she feels unsafe.

“I wanted us to have a place to go,” she said. “I wanted a Plan B.”

The idea of moving to another country to protest a presidential administration or political policy isn’t new – think the Vietnam War or even vows to move following the re-election of President George W. Bush in 2012. Even Trump once joked he might leave if Biden was elected.

Typically, relatively few who vow to leave actually make the move, said Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, a University of Kent migration scholar and expert on Americans abroad.

But this year, as voter anxiety hits the red zone ahead of a divisive election contest between Trump and President Joe Biden, there are signs that Americans from a cross-section of society are taking a more serious look at the exits.

Want to leave the US? Here's how to move to Canada, Mexico and Europe as an American.

The percentage of U.S. citizens who would settle abroad if they were able reached 34% in a March 26 poll by Monmouth University, up from 12% since 1995. Monmouth polling officials said they believe the political rancor of recent years likely helped fuel the rise.

For some current and former members of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence community, threats to jail political opponents are driving them to weigh whether they may have to leave to avoid being illegally detained, according to a former FBI director.

A recent survey by the publisher International Living found that 65% of more than 2,700 readers said that concerns about the political climate prompted them to accelerate plans to relocate overseas.

Henley & Partners, a large global residence and citizenship advisory firm, reported this year that wealthy Americans are pursuing backup citizenship or residence abroad at record levels. Motivations for its clients include political risk along with tax or business reasons.

Several other firms that help Americans live or work abroad told USA TODAY that political uncertainty is driving a spike not just in inquiries and but in concrete efforts to secure visas, homes, dual citizenship or foreign work permits – whether to move or to set up a contingency plan.

Trump seeks to use Supreme Court’s immunity ruling to quash classified docs case in Florida

Trump seeks to use Supreme Court’s immunity ruling to quash classified docs case in Florida

Trump seeks to use Supreme Court’s immunity ruling to quash classified docs case in Florida, Donald Trump is hoping that the Supreme Court decision in his election interference case can prove to deliver him a third procedural win, this time in the case in which he is accused of hoarding government secrets after he left office.

The decision offers the former president a number of fresh opportunities to challenge special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment, legal experts say.

On Friday, he asked Judge Aileen Cannon to further delay the case — which still doesn't have a trial date due to a slew of slow-moving motions still to be decided — to allow the impact of the decision to be weighed. Trump also asked the judge to look to Justice Clarence Thomas' dissent to bolster his argument that Smith's existence as a prosecutor shouldn't be allowed to continue.

But those are not the only options that Trump may seek to scuttle the case after the latest decision from the court. The Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that presidents are shielded from prosecution for official acts and garner “at least a presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution” for acts “within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility.”

While Trump is not entitled to immunity for unofficial acts, the burden is on the government when there is a close call.

Much of the indictment focuses on Trump's time after leaving office, which legal experts say makes it harder to argue they are "official acts." But Trump is not without options.

Trump has tried to argue that he denoted the documents as "personal" when he was still in office, meaning they can't be treated like sensitive government secrets. Federal prosecutors have rebuked Trump’s argument that the Presidential Records Act allowed him to designate as personal the documents he took from the White House.

Legal experts said they expect the defense to revisit arguments about how and when Trump could declassify classified documents as he left the White House.

“The outcome will depend on whether Judge Cannon characterizes Trump’s decision at the end of his Presidency to transport the documents to Mar-a-Lago as an official act of designating the documents as personal, and whether she views that act as an essential premise on which the criminal charges depend,” said Joel Johnson, an associate professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. He said the court’s decision could prove beneficial to Trump.

“I expect that his legal team will double down on its argument that he designated the documents as personal before leaving office and that, in doing so, he was performing an official act—which is afforded at least a presumption of immunity from criminal prosecution under this morning’s Supreme Court decision,” Johnson said in an email. “Because the criminal charges flow from that official act, Trump’s team will likely argue, they should be dismissed on the basis of presidential immunity.”

Other experts said that while they were skeptical of this argument, Cannon, who has spent long days listening to lawyers argue defense motions to dismiss the charges on a broad range of grounds, may be inclined to hear it.

“On its face, the case is about the failure to do an official act. So you hope that the immunity decision wouldn’t have any impact,” said Jeffrey Cohen, an associate professor of Law at Boston College. But Cohen, a former Assistant United States Attorney in the district of Massachusetts, said his “fear is that the ambiguity in which the court wrote the immunity decision will give the defense in the classified document case confused basis to challenge the case.”

Would having an AI boss be better than your current human one?

Would having an AI boss be better than your current human one?

Would having an AI boss be better than your current human one?, With the stress of managing 83 employees taking its toll, Hannu Rauma was feeling discouraged and frustrated.

“I was getting too bogged down in all these things that were going wrong amongst the teams, and feeling this disappointment,” says Mr Rauma, who is based in Vancouver, Canada.

He is a senior manager at a company called Student Marketing Agency, which employs university students to provide marketing support for small businesses.

“When I was bringing new clients on board, half of my mind would be saying, ‘we're going to screw up’, and it would dampen my enthusiasm.”

But Mr Rauma says that all changed from last November, when the firm began using an autonomous AI manager developed by US-based company Inspira.

The AI manager helps the agency’s employees, who work flexible hours remotely, to set their schedules and plan their workloads in advance.

It checks their timekeeping, sends them deadline reminders and regular check-in messages, and records the time spent on different clients, so the latter can be billed accurately. The AI also makes suggestions to improve the wording of written text, is available to answer work-related questions, and automatically updates everyone’s work progress in a central portal.

Mr Rauma says that the shift towards an AI manager has not only reduced his stress levels, but has enabled his employees to work faster and be more productive. “I'm able to focus on the growth of the company and all the positive things. It's added years to my life, I'm sure,” he says.

Mr Rauma adds that his relationships with his employees have also improved drastically. “Before, it felt a lot like a father-child situation. Now, we're more on an equal footing. Before, it was only about solving problems. But now we’re able to have more light-hearted discussions.”

But not everyone at Student Marketing Agency is using the AI manager yet. Mr Rauma and 26 of his 83 employees were actually part of a study run by Inspira and academics from Columbia University, Arizona State University, and the University of Wisconsin to compare the performance of the AI manager with its human counterparts.

Participants were divided into three groups: one coached by a human manager, another by the AI manager, and the last group by both AI and human manager.

The AI manager achieved a 44% success rate in getting employees to pre-plan their workdays in advance, and was able to motivate the employees to log in on time 42% of the time. These figures were comparable to the human manager, who achieved scores of 45% and 44% for those two areas.

Yet when the AI manager worked in partnership with a human manager, together they achieved a 72% success rate in getting employees to pre-plan their workdays, and managed to achieve 46% on-time success.

Despite the study being statistically small, and concentrated on a specific type of worker and field, its results point to interesting implications for companies introducing AI tools.While businesses like UPS, Dell and others have announced significant job cuts this year, with the intention of replacing many roles with AI, Prof Paul Thurman, from Columbia University in New York, argues that swapping management roles completely for AI would be a mistake.

“The middle management layer is the most critical layer in any organisation,” says the professor of management. “They're the layer that, if it starts turning over, you're in for a wild ride. Your people don't see continuity, they don't get mentoring and coaching… all the human things that human managers are better at than AI and should be focusing on.”

AI, Prof Thurman adds, can liberate managers from endless reminding and checking in, to focus on more innovative ways of working. For example, managers can cherry pick project teams based on individual skillsets, oversee the brief, then hand over to their AI to manage minutiae like deadlines.

AI can also identify who in the team is falling behind and may need to be managed more closely by a human, and by the same token, hone in on star performers who require extra recognition.

But companies should steer away from AI managers becoming a surveillance tool, he says.

“You don’t want to get to a point where you are noting that, not only do people not clock in on time, but they take too much time at lunch, and they're not eating enough salad. You don't want to go that far,” says Prof Thurman. “You want to find the right way to encourage the right behaviours.”

AI managers can also help people who have become “accidental managers” - people who excel in their roles and end up managing people as a result, despite management not being a natural skill for them, says Tina Rahman, founder of London-based HR consultancy, HR Habitat.

“We did a study which looked at the reasons people leave a job. Almost 100% of the respondents said it was because of bad management.

“Some of them said they didn’t like the way they'd been managed, and most of them also said it was because they didn’t know what was expected of them or if they were doing a good job,” says Ms Rahman.

“You'd assume that an AI manager would be built to give those correct instructions, to give complete transparency on the requirements, and the outcomes. People are likely to be more productive when they know what's expected of them.”

But an over-reliance on AI management sets the tone that companies only care about output and not people, Ms Rahman warns.

“It’s going to be very hard for a business to tell their employees that they’re introducing this brand new AI system that's going to completely manage them, then say, with the same face, that ‘we care about your experiences in the workplace,’” she says.

Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 4’ Suiting Up to $120 Million Five-Day Debut, ‘MaXXXine’ Scores $3.2 Million Opening Day

Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 4’ Suiting Up to $120 Million Five-Day Debut, ‘MaXXXine’ Scores $3.2 Million Opening Day

Box Office: ‘Despicable Me 4’ Suiting Up to $120 Million Five-Day Debut, ‘MaXXXine’ Scores $3.2 Million Opening Day, The Minions are going bananas for the holidays, with “Despicable Me 4” projecting a five-day opening of $120 million for the Fourth of July weekend. Playing in 4,428 locations, the sixth installment in Illumination and Universal’s animated series took in an additional $27 million on Friday.

It’s another triumph for the reliably commercial franchise, albeit notably pacing behind the previous entry “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Bolstered by the viral trend “#Gentleminions,” involving young adults dressing in formal wear to attend screenings, “Rise of Gru” scored the biggest Independence Day weekend opening of all-time in 2022, with $123 million domestic over a four-day holiday window.

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'Despicable Me 4' Tops July 4th Box Office With $20.4 Million, 'Inside Out 2' Crosses $500 Million Domestically

Box Office: 'Despicable Me 4' Ignites July Fourth Holiday Moviegoing With $27 Million Debut

New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 

“Despicable Me 4” will still land one of the biggest Friday-to-Sunday grosses of the year, projecting $72.4 million over the three-day frame. That’d be the fourth-highest domestic opening of 2024, behind “Inside Out 2” ($154 million), “Dune: Part Two” ($82 million) and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” ($80 million).

That’s a fantastic start for “Despicable Me 4,” which cost $100 million to produce — a fraction of the $200 million budgets that are routinely attached to animated features from Illumination’s rivals like Disney and Pixar. And with a glowing “A” grade through audience survey firm Cinema Score, it’s clear that franchise fans feel that this entry lives up to previous ones. The Minions are crowdpleasers and they’ll be sticking around theaters for the rest of the summer.

Also opening this weekend, rivals are projecting A24’s horror entry “MaXXXine” will earn about $8 million across the three-day frame and Wednesday previews. That’s a big step up from the debuts of director Ti West and star Mia Goth’s previous horror collaborations, “X” ($4.2 million) and “Pearl” ($3.1 million). Both of those features have gained a following since bowing in 2022 and that’s coming into play with the box office bump for “MaXXXine.” Reviews lean positive for the ’80s-period piece slasher, which sees Goth joined by a starry ensemble including Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins, Halsey, Michelle Monaghan, Giancarlo Esposito and Kevin Bacon.

Meanwhile, Angel Studios is back at the box office with the debut of “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trout,” a drama about a Texas minister and his church’s efforts in the foster care system. A year ago, the distributor was the runaway king of the box office for the Fourth of July with the child-trafficking thriller “Sound of Freedom.” Rivals expect some much more modest figures for “Possum Trout” though, projecting $7 million over its first four days from 2,200 locations.

Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” is still going strong in second place at the box office, despite its animated rival “Despicable Me 4” dominating the charts. The Disney release passed the $500 million domestic milestone on the Fourth and it added $10.6 million more on Friday. The animated sequel is expected to drop less than 50% this weekend, showing some superlative holding power among the summer competition.

“A Quiet Place: Day One” is tiptoeing into third place, projecting $21.3 million for the three-day frame. Paramount’s horror prequel will surge past $90 million domestic on Sunday, with the $100 million milestone coming up fast sometime over the next few days.

Sony and Columbia’s hit “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” rounds out the top five, projecting another $7 million for the three-day frame. The Will Smith and Martin Lawrence action sequel has now passed $170 million domestic.

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms

French far right seeks vote win but deadlock looms, France is voting in one of its most significant elections in years, with the far right hoping for a historic victory, but with political stalemate the more likely result.

This is the first time the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella has had a realistic chance of running the government and taking outright control of the National Assembly.

But after the RN’s first-round victory in snap parliamentary elections last Sunday, hundreds of rival candidates dropped out to give others a better chance of defeating the far right.

Voting began in mainland France at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) and the first exit polls will be released 12 hours later.

The far right is close to power in France. Will the rest of Europe follow?

Whatever the result, it is difficult to see President Emmanuel Macron coming out of this well.

Four weeks ago, he said it was the responsible solution to call a snap vote in response to the RN’s victory in European elections, minutes after the party’s 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella challenged him to do so.

The two-round election came as a shock to a country gearing up for the start of the Paris Olympics on 26 July. Security was already tight and now 30,000 police have been deployed for a period of heightened political tension.

There are fears of violence in Paris and other French cities, whatever the outcome of the vote, and a planned protest outside the National Assembly on Sunday evening has been banned.

In Dreux, a historic old town on the road to Normandy, Sunday’s vote falls on the day the Olympic flame is passing through. “For us it’s a massive thing, bigger than the election,” says Pauline in the tourist office.

The flame has been travelling around France for almost two months, and Dreux has planned a weekend of festivities to mark its arrival.

“Macron should have waited until after the Olympics,” Dreux resident Antoine told the BBC.

Veteran commentator Nicolas Baverez believes the president has not just blown up his term in office and opened the gates of power wide for the far right. “He’s compromised the running of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which could deliver a final blow to France’s credit and its image,” he wrote in Le Point on the eve of the vote.

The constituency that includes Dreux is one of the races to watch in the second round of this election.

Candidates such as Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella have already won their seats, by winning more than half the vote. But another 500 contests are being decided in run-offs, mostly involving either two or three candidates.

Former conservative cabinet minister Olivier Marleix was beaten in the first round by far-right candidate Olivier Dubois. They both qualified for the run-off, along with a candidate from the left-wing New Popular Front, which is in second place nationally.    

Biden wants to woo TikTok creators. But posting him comes at a price.

Biden wants to woo TikTok creators. But posting him comes at a price.

Biden wants to woo TikTok creators. But posting him comes at a price., One rainy day this spring, a dating influencer, a “Dance Moms” cast member, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and three other social media content creators gathered at a five-star hotel facing New York’s Central Park to advise the Biden campaign on one of its biggest problems: how to persuade young people to vote for the president.

Biden’s granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, asked the influencers - who boast nearly 30 million combined followers across TikTok and Instagram - for their tips. Olivia Ponton, 22, a model and TikTok star, suggested that the campaign should try to be relatable and genuine, and to share facts about the election so viewers can educate themselves. Another influencer, 23-year-old dancer and author Chloe Lukasiak, suggested the campaign simplify explanations of the voting process to make participating more palatable and appeal to young voters’ personal experiences and vulnerability.

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Just as Deja Foxx, 24 - a creator focused on reproductive health and the only attendee whose content is focused on politics - suggested that the campaign help build activists’ digital skills, the president himself entered the room.

Biden praised his granddaughter, asked the influencers to introduce themselves, and left the creators star-struck.

The president’s personal engagement with a handful of 20-something social media influencers underscores his and his campaign’s imperative to forge deeper connections with young voters, as polls show his margin of support with the age group has dropped significantly since 2020, when they were key to his win. In interviews and polls, young voters frequently cite Biden’s age, concerns that he has not delivered on key campaign promises around issues like student debt, and frustration with his support of Israel as reasons the campaign must do more to shore up their support this time around.

Biden’s faltering performance at the first presidential debate last month has also cast uncertainty on the future of his campaign, renewing concerns among some voters about his ability to defeat former president Donald Trump and serve another four years in office. In recent days, Democratic leaders have pointed to Vice President Harris as a potential successor should Biden end his reelection effort, but Biden has vowed to remain in the race.

But the courtship between the campaign and influencers is more complicated than any typical brand deal. While all of the content creators who attended the roundtable and a following fundraiser who spoke with The Washington Post said they plan to vote for Biden, some described intense backlash for posting any content about him and concerns about losing followers over their support.

Even among the carefully curated group of influencers, some expressed disapproval of some of Biden’s policy positions, such as his support of Israel amid high civilian casualties in Gaza or legislation that would ban or force the sale of TikTok - underscoring the campaign’s challenge in leaning on creators to use their platforms to amplify Biden’s reelection pitch to new, younger audiences.

After Biden’s stop by the meeting, campaign staff and the roundtable participants - also including Kalen Allen, Anna Kai and Clarke Peoples - walked to Pebble Bar, where they joined 18 other creators to sip champagne and espresso martinis and network over chips topped with caviar. The larger group included food influencers, Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby and celebrity serenader Harry Daniels. Then the whole group moved to neighboring Radio City Music Hall for a glitzy star-studded fundraiser with Biden and Presidents Clinton and Obama. Regular attendees paid up to $500,000 to attend; the influencers got in free.

The Biden campaign and White House have hosted briefings and roundtables for content creators around topics such as reproductive health and events like the State of the Union, giving influencers face time with top surrogates - like Obama, who made a direct appeal to creators to use their platform at an event in Los Angeles last month - and Biden and Harris.

The campaign hopes the roundtable and similar efforts will help build relationships with potential surrogates who they can tap as messengers in the coming months to reach broader audiences than a campaign social-media account can on its own. The two dozen attendees of the Radio City event have a total audience of 85 million followers - many individually boast more TikTok followers than the president’s account - and were neither paid to attend nor required to share it on their socials.

Young people have also increasingly turned to social media for their news, with a third of adults 18-29 saying that they regularly get their news from TikTok. Both the Biden campaign and Trump have joined the platform in recent months, with Trump quickly surpassing Biden’s number of followers and likes. Positive engagement for the Biden campaign has trailed Trump’s - between January 2023 and the end of April 2024, there were roughly twice as many pro-Trump posts as pro-Biden posts on TikTok, according to a TikTok official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal metrics.

“I cannot sit here and try to convince people to vote [for Biden], he’s literally trying to put me out of a job,” said Jae Gurley, 24, a Black and transgender beauty and fashion creator who attended the fundraiser, referring to legislation Biden signed in April that would ban or force the sale of TikTok. Trump recently promised he would not ban the platform, despite attempting to do so while president.

Gurley said she plans to vote for Biden and feels it’s important for her community to know where she stands politically, but is unable to actively encourage her supporters to back Biden. She posted a “get ready with me” video ahead of the event, but did not post a recap of the event after seeing other creators face criticism, particularly over Biden’s support of Israel, after posting about it.

“It is putting our brand on the line,” said Gurley, who noted she avoids mentioning politics in the hooks of her videos to avoid unwelcome criticism from non-followers. “You cannot talk in regards to the Biden administration without acknowledging what is going on in Gaza.”

Gurley said attending the fundraiser, which was repeatedly interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters, hadn’t made her more inclined to support Biden, and that it seemed more like an anti-Trump rally than an event that offered people an affirmative reason to vote for Biden.

“You don’t need to tell me how bad Trump is. I know that, you don’t think I know that?” she said, pointing to her concerns over access to health care as a trans woman under a Trump administration. “You need to tell me how great you are, so I can go and convince other people to, because people my age do not want to vote for you.”

Lukasiak, who has more than 8 million followers on Instagram and more than 4 million followers on TikTok, attended both the fundraiser and the small roundtable, and posted a photo of her and Finnegan Biden from the event on Instagram.

The photo was inundated with comments critical of Biden, and for a time removed from her page until The Post inquired about its deletion.

Lukasiak said when she posted it, she “knew there would be intense disagreement with my opinions” but felt more confident advocating politically this cycle after graduating college and getting more involved than she was in 2020, when she also spoke with Finnegan Biden. She said she is planning to vote for Biden “because he more closely resembles what I look for in a leader than the other candidate.”

Biden assails Project 2025, a plan to transform government, and Trump's claim to be unaware of it

Biden assails Project 2025, a plan to transform government, and Trump's claim to be unaware of it

Biden assails Project 2025, a plan to transform government, and Trump's claim to be unaware of it, Donald Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, a massive proposed overhaul of the federal government drafted by longtime allies and former officials in his administration, days after the head of the think tank responsible for the program suggested there would be a second American Revolution.

“I know nothing about Project 2025,” Trump posted on his social media website. “I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.”

The 922-page plan outlines a dramatic expansion of presidential power and a plan to fire as many as 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has worked to draw more attention to the agenda, particularly as Biden tries to keep fellow Democrats on board after his disastrous debate.

“He’s trying to hide his connections to his allies’ extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Biden said of Trump in a statement released by his campaign Saturday. “The only problem? It was written for him, by those closest to him. Project 2025 should scare every single American."

Trump has outlined his own plans to remake the government if he wins a second term, including staging the largest deportation operation in U.S. history and imposing tariffs on potentially all imports. His campaign has previously warned outside allies not to presume to speak for the former president and suggested their transition-in-waiting efforts were unhelpful.

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast Tuesday that Republicans are “in the process of taking this country back." Former U.S. Rep. Dave Brat of Virginia hosted the show for Bannon, who is serving a four-month prison term.

“We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,” Roberts said.

Those comments were widely circulated online and assailed by Biden's campaign, which accused Trump and his allies of "dreaming of a violent revolution to destroy the very idea of America.”

Some of the people involved in Project 2025 are former senior administration officials. The project’s director is Paul Dans, who served as chief of staff at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management under Trump. Trump's campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was featured in one of Project 2025's videos.

John McEntee, a former director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office in the Trump administration, is a senior adviser. McEntee told the conservative news site The Daily Wire earlier this year that Project 2025's team would integrate a lot of its work with the campaign after the summer when Trump would announce his transition team.

Trump’s comments on Project 2025 come before the Republican Party’s meetings this coming week to begin to draft its party platform.

Project 2025 has been preparing its own 180-day agenda for the next administration that it plans to share privately, rather than as part of its public-facing book of priorities for a Republican president. A key Trump ally, Russ Vought, who contributed to Project 2025 and is drafting this final pillar, is also on the Republican National Committee’s platform writing committee.

Project 2025 said in a statement it not tied to a specific candidate or campaign.

“We are a coalition of more than 110 conservative groups advocating policy and personnel recommendations for the next conservative president," it said. “But it is ultimately up to that president, who we believe will be President Trump, to decide which recommendations to implement.”

A Biden campaign spokesperson said Project 2025 staff members are also leading the Republican policy platform. “Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump’s second term that should scare the hell out of the American people," said Ammar Moussa.

On Thursday, as the country celebrated Independence Day and Biden prepared for his television interview after his halting debate performance, the president's campaign posted on X a shot from the dystopian TV drama “The Handmaid's Tale” showing a group of women in the show's red dresses and white hats standing in formation by a reflecting pool with a cross at the far end where the Washington Monument should be. The story revolves around women who are stripped of their identities and forced to give birth to children for other couples in a totalitarian regime.

“Fourth of July under Trump’s Project 2025,” the post said.

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength

Beryl bears down on Texas, where it is expected to hit after regaining hurricane strength, Beryl was hurtling across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with Texas, forecast to pick up strength and regain hurricane status before nearing the coast Sunday and making landfall the following day with heavy rains, howling winds and dangerous storm surge.

A hurricane warning was declared for a large stretch of the coast from Baffin Bay, south of Corpus Christi, to Sargent, south of Houston, and storm surge warnings were also in effect. Other parts were under tropical storm warnings.

“We’re expecting the storm to make landfall somewhere on the Texas coast sometime Monday, if the current forecast is correct,” said Jack Beven, a senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. “Should that happen, it’ll most likely be a Category 1 hurricane.”

As of Saturday night, Beryl was about 330 miles (535 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi and had top sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph).

The earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, Beryl caused at least 11 deaths as it passed through the Caribbean earlier in the week. It then battered Mexico as a Category 2 hurricane, toppling trees but causing no injuries or deaths before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the Yucatan Peninsula.

Texas officials warned people along the entire coastline to prepare for possible flooding, heavy rain and wind.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting governor while Gov. Greg Abbott is traveling in Taiwan, issued a preemptive disaster declaration for 121 counties.

“Beryl is a determined storm, and incoming winds and potential flooding will pose a serious threat to Texans who are in Beryl’s path at landfall and as it makes its way across the state for the following 24 hours,” Patrick said Saturday in a statement.

Some coastal cities called for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding, banned beach camping and urged tourists traveling on the Fourth of July holiday weekend to move recreational vehicles from coastal parks.

Mitch Thames, a spokesman for Matagorda County, said officials issued a voluntary evacuation request for the coastal areas of the county about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Houston.

“Our No. 1 goal is the health and safety of all our visitors and of course our residents. I’m not so much worried about our residents. Those folks that live down there, they’re used to this, they get it,” Thames said.

In Corpus Christi, officials asked visitors to cut their trips short and return home early if possible. Residents were advised to secure homes by boarding up windows if necessary and using sandbags to guard against possible flooding.

Traffic has been nonstop for the past three days at an Ace Hardware in the city as customers buy tarps, rope, duct tape, sandbags and generators, employee Elizabeth Landry said Saturday.

“They’re just worried about the wind, the rain,” she said. “They’re wanting to prepare just in case.”

Ben Koutsoumbaris, general manager of Island Market on Corpus Christi’s Padre Island, said there has been “definitely a lot of buzz about the incoming storm,” with customers stocking up on food and drinks, particularly meat and beer.

In Refugio County, north of Corpus Christi, officials issued a mandatory evacuation order for its 6,700 residents.

Before hitting Mexico, Beryl wrought destruction in Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados. Three people were reported dead in Grenada, three in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, three in Venezuela and two in Jamaica.

Norwegian cyclist André Drege dies after crashing in race at age 25

Norwegian cyclist André Drege dies after crashing in race at age 25

Norwegian cyclist André Drege dies after crashing in race at age 25, Norwegian cyclist André Drege has died aged 25 following a crash at the Tour of Austria, his team Coop-Repsol announced on Saturday.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with André’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” the team posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“André’s family has requested privacy as they mourn their loss, and we kindly ask that their wishes are respected.”

According to the European Cycling Union (UEC), Drege died after crashing while descending the Grossglockner, an Austrian mountain that riders climbed on stage 4 of this year’s race on Saturday as they completed the 151.7 kilometer route from St. Johann Alpendorf to Kals.

“Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends, and teammates,” the organization added. “Rest in peace, André.”

Race organizers for the Tour of Austria have not yet announced whether Sunday’s stage will go ahead as planned.

This year, Drege had enjoyed some of his best results in his nascent cycling career, winning the general classifications at the Tour of Rhodes and South Aegean Tour as well as a stage at the Circuit des Ardennes.

He began cycling aged 14 when he borrowed his dad’s road bike and eventually moved from his hometown of Stranda in Norway to Lillehammer to access the best training, according to his team.

After news of his death broke, the cycling world paid tribute to Drege with several teams offering their condolences.

“An awful day for cycling, another life gone too soon,” Team DSM-firmenich PostNL wrote on X.

Intermarché-Wanty wrote on X that it was “heartbroken to learn the passing of our fellow colleague cyclist André Drege, who had a wonderful career ahead of him,” while the UCI – cycling’s governing body – said it was “devastated” by the news.

Drege’s death comes just over a year after another professional cyclist in his 20s – Gino Mäder – died in a crash during a stage of the Tour de Suisse.

Costco to pay $2M in class action settlement over flushable wipes: Here's what to know

Costco to pay $2M in class action settlement over flushable wipes: Here's what to know

Costco to pay $2M in class action settlement over flushable wipes: Here's what to know, Customers who bought Costco's Kirkland Signature Moist Flushable Wipes between 2011 and 2017 may be eligible for money in a class action lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit claims Costco falsely advertised their wipes as flushable, leading to damaged pipes, septic systems and other plumbing issues amongst customers.

According to Top Class Actions, a legal news website, Costco admitted no wrongdoing. They will pay out $2 million to resolve the false advertising. The website said, "Consumers argue they would not have purchased the wipes  if they knew they were not truly flushable as advertised."

Those who bought the wipes in New York between July 1, 2011, and May 31, 2017, are eligible to be class members and have until August 9 to submit their claim. Class members are eligible to receive $1.30 per purchased product, with a maximum payment of $55.90 per household - the equivalent of 43 products.Am I eligible to file a claim in the Costco class action lawsuit?

According to the plaintiff, the wipes caused clogged plumbing and damaged sewage lines, pumps, and septic systems after being flushed. Although Costco says the wipes work as advertised, you may be eligible for cash in the lawsuit settlement.

Customers are only eligible in the class action lawsuit if they purchased the wipes in New York between 2011 and 2017. Those who purchased the wipes in any other state will have an invalid claim.

Consumers must visit this website to submit a valid claim. You do not need proof of purchase to receive the payment, according to Top Class Actions.

The minimum claim awarded to customers is $7.50 per household, with a maximum claim of $55.90.

Costco faces another class action lawsuit

Top Class Actions reported that Costco is facing another lawsuit related to baby wipes that has yet to be settled.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit say Costco’s Kirkland Signature fragrance-free baby wipes have dangerous amounts of PFAS, yet they have been advertised as being safe for kids. The product is marketed as made with naturally derived ingredients despite allegedly containing PFAS," according to the legal news website.

PM Modi speaks with newly-elected UK PM Starmer, two leaders agree to work for early conclusion of FTA

PM Modi speaks with newly-elected UK PM Starmer, two leaders agree to work for early conclusion of FTA

PM Modi speaks with newly-elected UK PM Starmer, two leaders agree to work for early conclusion of FTA, PM Modi speaks with newly-elected UK PM Starmer, two leaders agree to work for early conclusion of FTA Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Keir Starmer on taking over as UK Prime Minister and on remarkable victory of the Labour Party in the general elections.

In a telephone conversation, the Prime Minister extended invitation to PM Starmer for an early visit to India.The two leaders agreed to work towards early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"Both leaders recalled the historic relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen and advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK," a PMO release said.

Appreciating the positive contributions of the Indian community in the social, economic and political development of the UK, the two sides agreed to continue to promote closer people-to-people ties.

Both leaders agreed to remain in touch.

PM Modi also said that the two countries were committed to deepening economic ties.

"Pleased to speak with @Keir_Starmer. Congratulated him on being elected as the Prime Minister of the UK. We remain committed to deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and robust - economic ties for the progress and prosperity of our peoples and global good," PM Modi said in a post on X.

The two leaders agreed to work towards early conclusion of a mutually beneficial India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

"Both leaders recalled the historic relations between the two countries and reaffirmed their commitment to further deepen and advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and the UK," a PMO release said.

Appreciating the positive contributions of the Indian community in the social, economic and political development of the UK, the two sides agreed to continue to promote closer people-to-people ties.

Both leaders agreed to remain in touch.

PM Modi also said that the two countries were committed to deepening economic ties.

"Pleased to speak with @Keir_Starmer. Congratulated him on being elected as the Prime Minister of the UK. We remain committed to deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and robust - economic ties for the progress and prosperity of our peoples and global good," PM Modi said in a post on X.

Dam breached in Waupaca County community

Dam breached in Waupaca County community

Dam breached in Waupaca County community, A dam in a Wisconsin community was breached, the National Weather Service said Friday.

The dam in Manawa along the Little Wolf River was breached at about 1:45 p.m. by floodwaters, meteorologist Scott Cultice said.The rains started about 8:30 a.m. Friday, about 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) fell in a few hours. A flash flood warning was issued for Manawa and other parts of Waupaca County.

"It just wouldn't stop raining in and around the Manawa area," Cultice said. "They had water rescues. Most of the downtown roads were flooded. We just can't get rid of the rain. It's just not moving, just stalling."

Emergency shelters have been set up at Little Wolf High School and the Manawa Masonic Center.

"Due to the amount of water, the dam isn’t safe," the Manawa Police Department said on its Facebook page.

All entrances to the city of Manawa, about 55 miles (88 kilometers) west of Green Bay, also have been blocked, the city said in a post on its Facebook page."Please do not try to drive into the city or around the city," the post read. "Vehicles are being flooded on the roads around the city. Union Street is flooded. N. Bridge Street is flooded. Beech Street is washed away. Howard Street is flooded. Industrial Drive is flooded.”

"Because of the amount of rain we are receiving ... there will be flooding in the streets and yards," the post continued. "It is everywhere in the city."

The city also issued a Boil Water Advisory for residents, asking them to boil any tap water before drinking.

Gov. Tony Evers posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, "We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation as the state is providing assistance, as necessary, to get folks to safety."

You can watch the full briefing from city officials here.

The Manawa Police Department said around 7 p.m. that Highway 22 is open and residents can return home safely. Certain shelters are now closing as well, since everyone is leaving them.

The weather service warns that the rain, and possibly thunderstorms, could occur through the weekend and into early next week.

Apple quietly confirms rumored device proclaimed as a 'game-changer'

Apple quietly confirms rumored device proclaimed as a 'game-changer'

Apple quietly confirms rumored device proclaimed as a 'game-changer', Apple has quietly confirmed the development of a device that iOS users proclaimed as a 'game-changer' if released.

A coding specialist found uncovered clues in the tech giant's backend software that showed it is working on an iPad 7 mini.

Unlike the iPhone, which is upgraded every year, the iPad mini has not seen a new version since 2021 - but the iPad mini 6 became the second most popular tablet after the Pro model released the same year.

Apple has not officially confirmed the new device, but industry experts have predicted it will boast an 8.3-inch all-display design, including a front-facing camera and include a chip on par with the iPhone 15.

Nicolás Álvarez recently spotted data in Apple's software that showed new products in the works, uncovering identifiers that the iPad mini 7 will support both cellular and Wi-Fi, MacRumors reported.

The report suggested that the new tablet would cut down on 'jelly scrolling,' which happens when text and images on one side of the screen appear to tilt downward - forcing users to refresh the page.

That has been a major complaint among iPad users, but Apple could fix it by designing the device to automatically adjust and rotate depending on how you hold the device.

Keir Starmer: From indie kid to prime minister

Keir Starmer: From indie kid to prime minister, Three years ago Sir Keir Starmer seriously considered quitting as Labour leader.

It was 2021 and his party had just lost the Hartlepool by-election to Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.

It was the first time Labour had ever lost the seat. Three short years feel like a political lifetime ago now.

Sir Keir has become only the fifth person in British history to take Labour from opposition to power.

His party has gone from a historic thumping at the general election in 2019 – to victory in 2024.

The Hartlepool result though, is a reminder that Sir Keir’s journey to Downing Street was far from straightforward. In fact, for a long time his life and career were on a very different path.

Keir Starmer, one of four children, was brought up in the town of Oxted on the Kent-Surrey border.

He was raised by his toolmaker father and nurse mother, who suffered from a debilitating form of arthritis known as Still’s disease.

Sir Keir has spoken about the challenges of growing up at a time of high inflation in the 1970s.

“If you’re working class, you’re scared of debt,” he said during the election campaign.

“My mum and dad were scared of debt, so they would choose the bill that they wouldn’t pay.” The choice was the phone bill.

Sir Keir had a lot going on in his younger years.

He was obsessed with football (on the centre-left of midfield, of course). He was a talented musician and learnt violin with Norman Cook, who went on to become chart-topping DJ Fatboy Slim.

Sir Keir also had a rebellious streak. He and his friends were once caught by police illegally selling ice-cream on a French beach to raise cash.

But what about politics? There were always clues, including his name which was given to him as a tribute to the first leader of the Labour Party, Keir Hardie.

Sir Keir dabbled in left-wing politics over the course of his pre-parliamentary life.

That started at school, when he joined the Young Socialists, Labour’s youth movement.

After school, Sir Keir became the first person in his family to go to university, studying law at Leeds University and later at Oxford.

At Leeds, he was influenced by the indie music of the 1980s, from The Smiths and The Wedding Present to Orange Juice and Aztec Camera.

His biographer, Tom Baldwin, notes his favourite drink as a student was a mix of beer and cider - or Snakebite - and he had a taste for curry and chips.

For a while after graduating, Sir Keir lived above a brothel in north London.

More importantly, he was building a reputation as a workaholic that would see him go on to become a successful and prominent human rights lawyer.

At the same time, Sir Keir continued his left-wing activism, as a prominent contributor to the magazine Socialist Lawyer.

But politics was a side interest and, for much of the next 20 years, his legal career was his focus.

In 2008, he became Director of Public Prosecutions, the chief prosecutor for England and Wales.

Sir Keir likes to talk about this period in life as an example of his dedication to public service, and often recalls his role in prosecuting terrorist gangs. But what else?

Under the 2010-15 coalition government, he had to implement significant cuts, with the Crown Prosecution Service’s budget reduced by more than a quarter.

He also oversaw high-profile decisions including the prosecution of MPs over their parliamentary expenses following the 2009 scandal and prosecuting the then Lib Dem cabinet minister Chris Huhne for asking his wife to take speeding points for him.

Sir Keir's legal work was rewarded with a knighthood in 2014. But how successful was his leadership?

Towards the end of his tenure, Sir Keir admitted in a BBC interview that vulnerable victims were still being let down by the justice system.

A late career change

It wasn't until the age of 52 that the career change came.

Sir Keir was selected for a safe Labour seat in north London, winning comfortably. He and his predecessor Rishi Sunak became MPs on the same day.

But it wasn’t a happy time for the Labour Party.

The Conservatives had just won the general election and a bitter factional battle loomed after Jeremy Corbyn became leader.

Much has been said and written about Sir Keir’s journey from backbencher to the Labour leadership – and now to Downing Street. But some things are worth highlighting.

When he became leader, Jeremy Corbyn made Sir Keir shadow immigration minister but it didn’t last long.

He resigned after less than a year, one of dozens of frontbenchers who quit after the Brexit referendum in an attempt to force Mr Corbyn out.

When that failed, and Mr Corbyn saw off a leadership challenge, Sir Keir returned to the fold as shadow Brexit secretary.

Labour in the doldrums

Sir Keir’s position on Mr Corbyn has evolved over time.

In 2019, he was asked on BBC Breakfast to repeat the sentence “Jeremy Corbyn would make a great prime minister”. He did.

A few months later, he would tell the BBC he was “100%” behind Mr Corbyn and working with him to win a general election.

While others refused to serve under Mr Corbyn, Sir Keir stayed in the tent and helped persuade the leader to back a second Brexit referendum at the 2019 election.

That election was a disaster for Labour. Mr Corbyn quit and Sir Keir won the race to replace him.

But when he took over, a lot of people thought Boris Johnson was destined to govern for some time.

Many saw Sir Keir as a leader who could help rebuild – but few thought he was the man who would take them back to power.

When did that change? The polls give us a good indication.

Sir Keir’s Labour trailed Mr Johnson’s Conservatives in the polls for much of 2020 and 2021 when the Hartlepool by-election was held.

But that started to change after the first reports of Downing Street parties during the pandemic, when strict restrictions were in place around social gatherings.

There is a clear point in the polls where Labour overtakes the Conservatives in November 2021.

Its lead increased significantly after the Liz Truss mini budget and has been consistent and significant ever since.

A 'ruthless' leader

Sir Keir’s allies argue that wouldn’t have happened without big changes in the Labour Party. Sir Keir has sometimes been ruthless.

Jeremy Corbyn was thrown out of the parliamentary party and ultimately barred from standing as a Labour candidate.

Economic policy was tightened; meaning policies were junked if they weren’t seen as affordable.

Sir Keir embraced British patriotism, using the union jack as a backdrop for speeches and getting his conference to sing God Save the King.

All of that has contributed to Sir Keir’s message of change. He spent the campaign arguing he had changed Labour and could change the country too.

The election result will also mean change for the Starmer family.

Sir Keir, now 61, married his wife Victoria in 2007. Her intention is to keep working for the NHS in occupational health as he serves as prime minister.

Lady Starmer has been seen at some high-profile events like conference speeches, a rally last week – and at a Taylor Swift gig. But she is unlikely to play as prominent a role in public life as some partners have in the past.

Sir Keir though has been candid about the impact high office could have, particularly on his teenage son and daughter.

He told the BBC in 2021: “I am worried about my children. That is probably the single thing that does keep me awake – as to how we will protect them through this.”

It’s a challenge the Starmers will now face as they move into Downing Street at the end of a testing, far from straightforward, journey.

UK general elections: Labour Party set to end Conservative dominance, exit poll projects

UK general elections: Labour Party set to end Conservative dominance, exit poll projects

UK general elections: Labour Party set to end Conservative dominance, exit poll projects, The centre-left Labour Party is set to secure a decisive victory in Britain's general election, according to a comprehensive exit poll. This outcome ends a 14-year reign of the Conservative Party and positions Labour leader Keir Starmer to assume the role of prime minister imminently, CNN reported.

The exit poll, conducted by Ipsos for BBC, ITV, and Sky, predicted Labour would capture 410 seats, relegating the Conservatives to a mere 131 seats. This landslide marks a clear rebuke of the ruling party by British voters, an anticipated outcome amidst mounting discontent.

Votes are being tallied throughout the night, with expectations high for Starmer to replace Rishi Sunak as prime minister by Friday morning, according to CNN.

While falling short of more dramatic predictions made during the campaign, these results signify a significant decline for the Tories since their landslide victory under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2019.

Since then, internal strife and a series of scandals have plagued the Conservative Party, failing to reverse public skepticism about their performance. In contrast, Starmer's disciplined campaign centered on the promise of "Change," resonating with voters disenchanted by the Tories.

According to the exit poll, the Liberal Democrats are projected to secure 61 seats, reclaiming their position as Britain's third-largest party in Parliament. Meanwhile, Reform UK, a right-wing populist group led by Nigel Farage, is forecast to secure 13 seats, with the Green Party likely to secure two.

Starmer, a former barrister who entered Parliament in 2015 and assumed Labour leadership in 2020, has steered his party towards the political center. His platform emphasizes revitalizing public services while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

This victory stands as a counterpoint to rising populist sentiments across Europe, even as insurgent parties like Reform UK attracted voters with anti-migration rhetoric, siphoning support from the Conservatives. Conversely, the Tories lost centrist voters in affluent southern English regions to the Liberal Democrats, as reported by CNN.

While Starmer's projected seat count may fall short of Tony Blair's 1997 landslide, when Labour last ousted the Conservatives, it ensures a robust parliamentary majority for governance.

As the transition of power unfolds, a battle ensues for control of the opposition. Right-wing Tories sought alliances with Farage's bloc during the campaign, facing opposition from moderate Conservatives intent on anchoring the party in the political center.

Regarding foreign policy, particularly Britain's stance towards Russia's aggression in Ukraine, no significant shifts are expected with Starmer's ascension. He has committed to maintaining Britain's supportive stance towards Kyiv.

Additionally, Starmer has called for a ceasefire in Gaza amid Israel's conflict with Hamas, coupled with efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by the militant group, CNN reported.