WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats at the highest levels are making an important effort President Joe Biden To reassess his reelection bid, former President Barack Obama expressed personal concerns to allies and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi told Biden privately that the party could lose its ability to take control of the House if he did not drop out of the 2024 race.

Pelosi gave Biden the vote, which she argued was invincible Republican Donald Trump – In a sharp statement Thursday, the former speaker countered that “food frenzy” from anonymous sources “misrepresents any conversations” he had with the president.

Democratic unrest is growing in the White House and on the campaign trail at a critical moment for the president and his party in the run-up to next month’s party convention.

Obama has told aides that Biden will have to consider the credibility of his campaign, but has made clear that the decision is up to Biden. The former president has fielded calls in recent days from top members of Congress, Democratic governors and major donors to discuss concerns about his former vice president.

Biden has insisted he won’t back down and is adamant he is the winning candidate Trump Do it before and again. Pressed about reports that Biden might be soft on the idea of ​​dropping out of the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday: “He’s not soft on anything.”

If anything, the president has become more committed to staying in the race in recent days, according to a person familiar with the internal discussions.

This story is based on reporting from more than half a dozen people who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive private discussions. Obama’s intervention was first reported by the Washington Post.

Democrats are influential in the party apparatus, including the Congressional leadership led by the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffreys, sending signals of concern. Some Democrats believe Biden will leave the campaign trail Tested positive for Covid-19The coming days will take a fresh look at Race’s path and his legacy.

Using the mountains of data showing Biden’s position could seriously damage the ranks of Democrats in Congress, open conversations in public and private, and now that the president’s own few days in isolation, many Democrats see an opportunity to encourage a reassessment. He is reportedly having trouble raising campaign money.

If Democrats are seriously preparing an extraordinary move to replace Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, this weekend could be critical to changing the president’s mind, people familiar with the private conversations said.

It’s now or never ahead of a planned virtual roll call in early August to suggest the party’s choice, one said, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In the past week, both Schumer and Jeffries, who are from New York, have spoken privately with the president, voicing the concerns of Democrats on Capitol Hill.

Control of the House and Senate is at stake, and leaders are well aware that a Republican victory in November could launch Trump’s agenda for years to come.

Separately, the representative from Washington, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Suzanne Delphine spoke to the president last week with the new data. The campaign chairman specifically aired the concerns of leading Democrats seeking election to the House.

Major political donors, particularly in Pelosi’s California, have put heavy pressure on the president’s campaign and members of Congress, according to one Democratic strategist.

And on Wednesday, California Rep. Adam SchiffA close associate PelosiBiden called for dropping his re-election bid, saying he believed it was “time to pass the torch.”

But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and that his party should nominate another candidate. AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It sharply undercuts Biden’s post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still with him despite some “big names” turning on him.

The White House said Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling in Las Vegas on Wednesday and is experiencing “mild symptoms” from the infection, including “general malaise.”

Schiff’s announcement brings to nearly 20 the number of Democratic members of Congress calling on Biden. He should withdraw from the presidential election. Schiff is a prominent Democrat, and his report is important because of his proximity. Pelosi.

In response to Schiff’s comments, the Biden campaign pointed to “broad support” for him and his re-election bid from members of Congress in key swing states and the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses.

Other Democrats in Congress have shown less support, including last week when Biden’s top aides visited Democratic senators for a private lunch. Sen. from Pennsylvania. When John Fetterman asked for a show of hands to show who was with the president, his own and a top Biden ally of Delaware, Sen. Only a few went above, including Chris Koons, said one of the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. matter.

Tech stocks rebounded slightly on Thursday from the Nasdaq’s worst day since 2022, as upbeat results from TSMC ( TSM ) helped calm concerns about AI trading more than Netflix’s ( NFLX ) earnings.

Tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) futures rose 0.4%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) rose 0.1%. But Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) fell about 0.2%, hitting an all-time high on the blue-chip index.

Wall Street’s rally has hit mounting volatility this week as political, geopolitical and trade risks roil the market, and hopes the Fed will finally cut interest rates this year.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) fell more than 2.7% on Wednesday, thanks to a possible increase in U.S. restrictions on exports to China. Chip stocks Nvidia ( NVDA ) , DSMC ( DSM ) and ASML ( ASML ) were all replaced by technology leaders without moving into key areas of the market.

TSMC’s strong quarterly earnings helped lift sentiment Thursday. The Taiwanese chip giant beat profits with a 36% advance, and raised its 2024 sales outlook to signal confidence in the AI ​​boom. Shares of suppliers to Nvidia and Apple ( AAPL ) rose in premarket trade.

Netflix ( NFLX ) was the highlight of Thursday’s earnings, after the market closed. Expectations for the streamer are high, though some on Wall Street note that the stock is already flirting with record levels.

Elsewhere, investors are keeping an eye on the US presidential election, given the potential of Republican nominee Donald Trump to move markets. President Joe Biden has come down with COVID-19 at a key point in his campaign, and key Democratic leaders have renewed talk of dropping out.

Rome
Reuters
—

Remains of the medieval palace where the popes lived before making the Vatican their home have been excavated. Rome The Italian culture ministry said Wednesday ahead of updates for the 2025 Catholic holy year, or jubilee.

Archaeologists discovered a complex architectural structure including walls believed to have protected the Patriarzio, a monumental basilica envisioned by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, in the square outside the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in the city center, the ministry said in a statement.

“This is an extraordinarily important discovery for the city of Rome and its medieval history, as no extensive archaeological excavations have been carried out in the square in modern times,” the ministry said.

The initial structure of the building was gradually expanded between the 9th and 13th centuries, following Constantine’s proclamation of the Toleration of Christ in the Roman Empire in 313, until it was temporarily moved to Avignon in France in 1305, the ministry added. .

The area around St. John Lateran is designed to be a year-long event starting in December, ahead of the Jubilee, which is expected to attract more than 30 million pilgrims and tourists to the Italian capital.

During a jubilee, Catholics can receive a special pardon or absolution for their sins if they fulfill certain conditions, perform good works or make pilgrimages.

With Rome’s long history, stretching back nearly 2,800 years, roadworks often lead to archaeological discoveries.

Other excavations near the Vatican to widen a road tunnel ahead of the Jubilee have in recent weeks revealed traces of an ancient Roman “fullonica,” or laundry, and a portico garden believed to have been used by Emperor Caligula.

U.S. stocks were poised for a steep pullback from record highs on Wednesday as technologies came under twin pressure from concerns over U.S. export sanctions on China and Donald Trump’s stance on Taiwan.

Futures for the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) fell 1.4%, while S&P 500 futures (ES=F) fell 1%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) fell 0.3% after the blue-chip index surged 700 points to an all-time high on Tuesday.

Stocks retreated as worries about risks to tech names faded as high hopes for interest-rate cuts fueled a rally in recent days. Those concerns weighed on the heavyweights, whose AI-fueled gains helped propel the S&P 500 to new record highs this year, with chipmaker Nvidia ( NVDA ) down more than 4% in premarket trading.

Despite existing export restrictions, the Biden administration has told allies it will impose tougher restrictions on companies that still make advanced chip technology available to China. Bloomberg reported. Shares of ASML (ASML, ASML.AS), cited as a potential target, fell more than 8% after the Dutch chip gear maker posted solid quarterly earnings.

Meanwhile, Republican candidate Trump questioned US security support for Taiwan Bloomberg interview, The island, which is claimed by China, suggested that the United States should pay for its protection. Shares of chipmaker TSMC (TSM, 2330.TW) fell nearly 5% in pre-market trading in New York, as stocks in Taiwan wiped out $30 billion in market value.

Fresh corporate results could turn the tide, as quarterly earnings in many sectors came in better than expected in the early days of the season. Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ), United Airlines ( UAL ) and Discover ( TFS ) are on Wednesday’s docket.

Data on housing starts and industrial production are also on deck, and the release of the Federal Reserve’s beige book could provide inputs for investors calculating the odds of a second rate cut in 2024.

Police officers from Columbus, Ohio, shot and killed a man Tuesday afternoon near 14th and Vliet streets in Milwaukee, less than 1 mile from the RNC’s main venue, the Fiserv Forum.

Witnesses told WISN 12 News that two homeless men were fighting in King Park and one of them pulled out a knife. Witnesses said the men were startled when several officers responded. Witnesses say the man with the knife was shot by several officers. This is yet to be confirmed by the police.

Heavy police security, including secret police, has been deployed at the scene. Beloit police are helping to protect the park.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed it was called to the scene at 2:50 p.m.

A statement from the Columbus Fraternal Order of Police said no officers were injured.

Police from 63 departments in 24 states and Washington, DC and 44 Wisconsin agencies are in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention.

WISN 12 News Political Director Matt Smith spoke with Mayor Cavalier Johnson at the RNC, who said he was being briefed on the situation.

The incident did not appear to be related to the RNC and was outside the security zone.

“This incident occurred on the outer perimeter of the RNC, within our officers’ designated operational zone,” the Columbus Police Department said in a statement.

Tuesday’s theme at the RNC is “Make America Safe Again.”

According to WISN 12 News sources, the police line has been extended to 17th and Vliet streets.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The first thing Paul Skanes told the Pirates after signing was that he wasn’t good enough.

At least, not yet.

It was late July 2023, and the current No. 1 overall pick in the draft — coming off one of the greatest pitching seasons in college baseball history — was in Bradenton, Florida, for an intake meeting with his new employer. Skanes, director of player development John Baker and pitching coordinator Josh Hopper settled into Hopper’s office at the Pirates’ spring training complex.

Even Scans’ most optimistic outlook could not have predicted this future. A year later, the 6-foot-6 hurler is set to start the All-Star game for the National League on Tuesday. He was the first player to make the All-Star team a year after being drafted first overall.

Those honors are well-deserved: Scans has taken MLB by storm, dominating hitters to the tune of a 1.90 ERA in his first 11 starts, capturing whiffs, fanfare and eyeballs along the way.

But the path to professional stardom first wove through Florida’s Gulf Coast, where three men came together to chart a developmental path. The goal of their meeting was self-evident: figure out how to guide the most attractive pitching prospect of the past decade to major league dominance. Baker and Hopper came prepared with a set of recommendations, but asked the scans to self-evaluate before sharing them.

“Without looking at our list, he listed [our recommendations] Baker told Yahoo Sports that he has a similar meeting with every player who joins Pittsburgh’s minor-league organization. “The things he thought about himself. It’s the only time I’ve ever been in a situation like that with a rookie.

“And his list was more extensive than ours, and it was self-deprecating.”

One of the main items on Skeens’ agenda is adding a consistent third pitch that will help him neutralize left-handed hitters better. He torched all batters in his junior year at LSU — posting a 1.69 ERA in 122 2/3 IP with 209 strikeouts and a .449 OPS — but did so while relying almost exclusively on a two-pitch, fastball-slider combo. The mustachioed flamethrower has occasionally demonstrated a quality shift, but he told Baker and Hopper he wanted something different, something better, something that could fool the best hitters on the planet.

So Scans got to work on what would eventually become the “Sprinkler,” a unicorn offering a sinker’s speed and a splitter’s vertical depth. It was a whiff-snatching, grounder-inducing cheat code that helped fast-track the Skeens to superstardom.

The development of such a useful pitch in such a short period of time speaks volumes for what makes Scans unique. Only someone with a rare combination of athleticism, competitive intensity, work ethic and intellectual humility can learn and capitalize on such an opportunity.

Scans created Splinter, and in turn, Splinter created Scans.

When Skanes played with the pitch during his brief, five-start pro debut last summer, Pirates officials didn’t see the pitch in person until late last winter.

Skanes spent part of last season at the University of Georgia with Bulldogs head coach Wes Johnson, sources told Yahoo Sports. Johnson, one of the most respected minds in the pitching world, was Skeens’ pitching coach at LSU and was instrumental in developing the Air Force transfer into one of the best pitching prospects in MLB history.

Late last season, Hopper and Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin traveled to Athens, Georgia, to see the pitch in person. Their report was borderline unbelievable.

“I remember hearing about it … that he was throwing a negative 95-96 [vertical movement],” Baker told Yahoo Sports. “No one has ever seen it before.

“It’s one of those situations where if I hear about another player, I have to go, ‘Yeah, right.’ But you ask about it. [Skenes], and you’re like, ‘Yeah, that might be true.’ We’ll have to see when he gets to spring training.

Pirates catcher Henry Davis also saw early glimpses of the pitch during the offseason.

“It was more vertical than changeup at times and more depth-y,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “But it’s when he’s throwing it closer to 92-ish, like 92-94. He hasn’t fully stepped up and seen how that complements the arsenal.

Assistant director of pitching Jeremy Bleich said: “The biggest thing was he had a vision of what it was going to be. Our staff helped guide him the last 5 yards.

The finished product is a pitch unlike any other: An offering with enough vertical movement that Statcast classifies it as a splitter. However it averages 94.1 mph and has topped 97 on several occasions. Ratio-wise, the pitch — which Skenes notes is a sinker — has already become the most effective offering in MLB this season, According to Statcast’s Run Value metric.

“It’s crazy … some of the best things I’ve ever seen, obviously,” Davis said. “He’s been a full-time pitcher for, what, two years?”

In fact, Skanes played his final game at the Air Force Academy just two years ago before transferring to LSU. That contest featured Scans’ catch and batting cleanup for the Falcons in a regional playoff game against the University of Texas.

Once Skanes arrived in Baton Rouge, it became apparent very quickly that his future lay on the mound. As soon as the swaggering hurler began competing in fall scrimmages, his new teammates began to understand the person and player who had joined their program.

Two of Skenes’ former LSU teammates — Nationals outfielder Dylann Cruz and Rays first baseman Trey Morgan — are top prospects in the minor leagues this weekend in Arlington, Texas, to participate in this year’s Futures Game. In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Not expressing any surprise About Scans’ lightning-quick path to big-league stardom.

“When I was in college with him, I thought at the time he was a big-leaguer starting for a big-league team,” said Cruz, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft. “He’s a special talent.”

Even so, Morgan marveled at how seamlessly Skeens’ dominance translated to the highest level. “It’s awesome to see him do what he did in college — really the same thing — against the best hitters in the world,” he said.

But Skanes is no longer the same pitcher he was a year ago. Splinger has refined his combination and made him a formidable force against lefties, for whom he sought another answer, but also against right-handers. He didn’t have that last season when he was carving up college players. It has changed.

Again, the essence of Skanes — the determination, the fastball, the slider, the energy on the mound like a contented Rottweiler enjoying chewing up opponents — is unshakable.

Beyond that, inquisitive intent and constructive self-criticism are a big part of what makes Scans generational. It would have been easy and understandable for him to rest on his laurels and cling to the pitching combination that propelled him to outrageous heights in college. Many pitchers, bowlers, and people in general need to experience failure first to admit that change is necessary.

Not scans.

“He wants to be — no [just] Great,” said Bleich. “He wants to be the best.”

The present and future of the Pittsburgh Pirates changed before he needed it, before his employers had a chance to tell him. His willingness to evolve — and the uncanny physicality to create a brilliant new pitch — enabled his rapid ascent and historic first 11 major league starts.

“He could have struck out major league hitters with just a fastball-slider,” Baker said.

“But I didn’t know he was an All-Star.”

Hooligans attacked the Copa America title match near Miami, paying scores of customers outside the stadium, raising questions about whether the venue will be ready for the World Cup in two years’ time, officials said Monday.

Ticketed fans said they faced “total chaos” and “damage” as they tried to fill Hard Rock Stadium as Argentina defeated Colombia in a match that started nearly 90 minutes late on Sunday.

Hard Rock is one of 11 American stadiums Used for the 2026 World CupIt is also played in Mexico and Canada.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Levin Cava said he had ordered a “thorough review of last night’s events” so that “we take forward all possible learnings as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup.”

“I am angered by the precedents,” he told reporters at the unveiling of the district budget for 2024-25.

Dr. Manuel Fonseca paid $3,600 for a pair of tickets to see Argentina’s all-time great Lionel Messi compete for his final major trophy.

“I’ve been to Hard Rock many times and I expected a very safe environment,” said Fonseca, who was kept outside with his pregnant wife on Sunday night. “But when I got there it was total chaos.”

A representative of FIFA, the world soccer governing body that runs the World Cup, could not immediately be reached for comment on Monday.

As non-ticketed fans entered, some gates were closed and reopened in an effort to allow ticketed guests to enter in a safe and controlled manner. Hard Rock Stadium Operators on Monday.

The gate closure led to further problems as some unruly fans “continued to engage in illegal behavior — fighting with police officers, breaking down walls and barriers, and vandalizing the arena,” the Hard Rock statement continued.

“It’s chaos,” Mood fan Rebecca Hwang told NBC News. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Once the stadium reaches capacity, there is no option but to keep fans out, even those with tickets, the official said.

“We understand that there are ticket holders who are disappointed that they are unable to enter the stadium after the perimeter is closed and we will work together. CONMEBOL to address those personal concerns,” according to the Hard Rock Stadium statement.

“Ultimately, nothing is more important than the health and safety of all guests and staff, and that will always be our top priority.”

Hwang said she was crushed for her children, ages 6 and 9, who spent months learning about the teams and traveling to Florida to follow the tournament — only to be “treated like criminals.”

“There’s not much explanation, we’re not even close to a bottle of water or medics to see people who illegally took our seats in the stadium enjoying our seats,” said Hwang, a Stanford University lecturer. “We who got tickets were treated like criminals behind the fences.”

Fans wandered from door to door with tickets, desperate for anyone to let them in.

“There were many people in the same situation, hundreds of people going to each exit,” Hwang said. “Desperation would be the understatement of the century.”

Fonseca and his wife wandered the perimeter of the stadium, but gave up after being asked Shakira started acting During the break.

“They’re not going to let us in,” Fonseca thought to himself at the time.

The match was scheduled to start at 8pm, but due to jammed gates, officials pushed back the kickoff – first to 8:30pm, then 8:45pm and finally 9:15pm before the game started at around 9:22pm.

Fonseka questioned whether the stadium managers were qualified to handle the World Cup in two years.

“It’s going to be pretty intense, and I don’t think they’re going to be ready if it’s like what we saw yesterday,” he told NBC South Florida.

Unrest erupted inside the Hard Rock after the game, officials said, when Ramon Jesurun, 71, and his son, 43, the head of Colombia’s soccer governing body, were both arrested in a post-match confrontation with security guards.

As they were in a tunnel leading to the pitch, a uniformed security guard directed foot traffic and told several pedestrians to stop, according to a Miami-Dade Police report.

Jesurun and his son, who goes by the same name as his father, defied orders to allegedly fight with security, officials said.

The football boss’ son kicked a security guard in the head during the fight, police said.

They remained in jail on Monday morning and a representative of the Football Association could not immediately be reached for comment.