SMH America is brought to you by Stoner Games and is a Subsidiary of The LAM Organization for Disaster Relief. Purchases through this platform Generate Revenue for a Nonprofit Organization that Donates to causes such as UNICEF and Saint Jude's Children's Hospital.
Watch: Whale Off New Hampshire Collides with Fishing Boat, Tossing Men into the Atlantic
A whale mid-breach struck a small boat off New Hampshire, causing the vessel to capsize and hurling two fishermen overboard in seconds.
Colin and Wyatt Yager, teenage brothers from Maine on a nearby vessel, shared the footage on social media Tuesday. According to Seacoastonline, part of the USA TODAY Network, the video has been widely reposted, garnering over four million views and hundreds of comments. The caption warns area residents to beware of a “pissed-off whale” patrolling the waters of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “Head on a swivel if you’re out there,” it reads.
The teens "swiftly rescued" both fishermen after their boat capsized off Odiorne Point in Rye, New Hampshire, U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Diolanda Caballero told Seacoastonline.
Initially, Wyatt Yager wasn’t worried about the whale, explaining to Seacoastonline that all boats stayed along the edge of the school of fish to allow the whale to feed. However, the whale got too close, causing the vessel to tip over.
"I was just in shock. Everyone else had the same reaction and tried to get over to those people," he said. "It was like, 'Oh shoot,' and then, 'We’ve got to go help these people.' All the boats dropped what they were doing to assist."
Neither the men thrown into the ocean nor the whale were injured, Caballero said.
The Coast Guard learned of the capsized vessel Tuesday morning in Rye, a few miles northeast of Portsmouth, Seacoastonline reported. The teens were fishing for menhaden, also known as "pogies," around 7 a.m.
An hour later, the whale crashed into Greg Paquette and Ryland Kenney's boat, launching both men into "fight or flight mode" after they were thrown into the water, Seacoastonline reported.
“I heard a big crackle,” Kenney told the newspaper. "When that happened … the bow tipped up, and I went to the left. As the boat was rolling over, I kind of jumped off horizontally to avoid the whale and the boat.”
The last thing Paquette saw before being thrown into the water was the whale's head, which slammed down on the boat's engine.
“Then I saw the whole stern become inundated with water, and I thought, ‘Oh no. We’re going down. We’re going to sink now,’” Paquette told Seacoastonline. They managed to swim away from the swamped boat in seconds and became very tired after the initial "energy and adrenaline" wore off. "It's been an emotional day," Paquette said.
The men stayed in the Yagers' boat for about 15 minutes before the brothers transferred them to a nearby friend's vessel until the Coast Guard arrived, according to Wyatt Yager. Paquette and Kenney were then transported to the Great Cove Boat Club in Eliot, Maine.
Both men were in the water for less than two minutes before being rescued by 19-year-old Wyatt and 16-year-old Colin.
"We’re glad they took such quick action," Paquette said. "They didn’t even think about it. We’re really grateful to both of them."
While the whale made a big splash, Colin Yager’s reaction to the “breach” has gained the most attention.
Multiple people commented on Colin’s quick instincts. “Kid's like ‘I want to go home now,’" one user wrote. Another added: “That kid had the right idea lol turned around and was ready to book it.”
Daisy Evans commented that the “incredible scene” was the result of “unfortunate timing,” noting that the whale was breaching under a school of baitfish next to the boat. “You can actually see dozens of fish pouring out of its mouth as it impacts the boat. The whale was not attacking,” she wrote.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle Steps Down
US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has resigned amidst scrutiny over security lapses related to the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, sources tell CNN.
The resignation comes as lawmakers and an internal government watchdog continue investigations into the agency's handling of Trump’s protection. A gunman came close to killing the 2024 Republican presidential candidate at a rally in Pennsylvania this month.
In her resignation letter, Cheatle stated that she made the "difficult" decision to leave the agency "with a heavy heart" and emphasized that she doesn’t want her departure to distract agents from their mission.
"In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your Director," Cheatle wrote. She admitted that on July 13, the day of the shooting, the agency "fell short" of its mission to "protect our nation’s leaders."
The Department of Homeland Security announced that Secret Service Deputy Director Ronald Rowe has been appointed to lead the agency.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden expressed their gratitude for Cheatle’s decades of public service. "As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service," Biden said.
There have been bipartisan calls in Congress for Cheatle’s resignation, and Republican lawmakers have pushed for her impeachment. Lawmakers were particularly upset after her appearance before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, where she refused to answer many questions.
During the House Oversight hearing, Cheatle acknowledged "significant" and "colossal" problems with the rally’s security but resisted calls for her resignation. "I think I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time," she said on Monday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the resignation is "overdue." "Now we have to pick up the pieces," Johnson said. "We need to rebuild the American people's faith and trust in the Secret Service. It has an incredibly important responsibility in protecting presidents, former presidents, and other officials in the executive branch, and we’ve got a lot of work to do."
Initially, Cheatle was adamant that she would not step down. Biden appointed her to lead the Secret Service in 2022.
In an interview with CNN last week, Cheatle said the agency was "solely responsible" for the design and implementation of security at the Pennsylvania rally, where the now-deceased gunman fired shots at Trump from an unsecured rooftop just a few hundred feet from the stage.
A bullet grazed Trump’s ear, and the incident left one rallygoer dead and others injured.
As more details emerged about the attempted attack, questions arose about the Secret Service's actions that day, including their failure to control access to the rooftop and how they handled information from local law enforcement identifying the would-be assassin as suspicious.
The Secret Service and Pennsylvania law enforcement, which assisted in the rally’s security, have sometimes contradicted each other in their accounts of what happened and who was responsible for the lapses.
Cheatle had promised full cooperation with the congressional and internal government investigations into the Secret Service’s actions that day.
Before becoming the USSS director, Cheatle managed Global Security at PepsiCo. She had previously served in the Secret Service for 27 years.
Bernie Sanders Comments on Netanyahu's Upcoming Address to Congress
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress this week:
"As I stated last month, I will not be attending Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress on Wednesday.
I agree with both the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations independent commission that both Benjamin Netanyahu and Yahya Sinwar are war criminals. Under Sinwar's leadership, Hamas initiated this war with a horrific attack on Israel, killing 1,200 innocent men, women, and children, and taking over 240 captives.
In response, Netanyahu and his right-wing, extremist government have waged total war against the Palestinian people, resulting in the deaths of at least 39,000 Palestinians and injuries to 89,000 more—sixty percent of whom are women, children, or elderly. Furthermore, Netanyahu's war efforts have rendered Gaza uninhabitable, destroying housing, infrastructure, and the healthcare system. Every university has been bombed, and 88 percent of all school buildings have been damaged. Due to ongoing restrictions on humanitarian aid, approximately 495,000 people now face catastrophic levels of food insecurity—they are starving.
No, Netanyahu should not be welcomed into the United States Congress. Instead, his policies in Gaza and the West Bank and his refusal to support a two-state solution should be strongly condemned. In my view, his right-wing, extremist government should not receive another nickel of U.S. taxpayer support to continue the inhumane destruction of Gaza."
Police Discover Remains of Missing Texas Woman in Boyfriend's Refrigerator
A Texas woman, Heather Louise Schwab, who had been missing for over a year, was tragically discovered dead and concealed in a refrigerator at her boyfriend's residence. Chad Christopher Stevens, 41, now faces charges of tampering with evidence with intent to impair a human corpse in connection with Schwab's death, as reported by McKinney police.
Missing Texas Woman Found Dead In Boyfriend's Refrigerator
Schwab's mother reported her missing in McKinney, a suburb of Dallas–Fort Worth, on June 28. On Nov. 3, Schwab's mother, Tammra Schwab, informed the police that she had received information from Stevens' ex-wife, alleging that Stevens had killed Heather and buried her in his backyard. This revelation prompted further investigation, leading to a search of Stevens' property on Nov. 4.
During the search, a body was discovered inside a refrigerator in Stevens' kitchen, wrapped in "copious amounts of plastic wrap." The Collin County medical examiner's office later confirmed the identity of the remains as Heather Schwab.
In interviews with McKinney police, Stevens admitted that Schwab died in his home on July 26, 2022, and he hid her body in the refrigerator, claiming uncertainty about what to do. Detectives noted anomalies in the backyard during the investigation, and Stevens was also arrested on an assault warrant connected to his ex-girlfriend.
Schwab's mother had previously reported concerns about her daughter's relationship with Stevens, citing alleged abuse and threats. She revealed that Schwab had voiced fears of Stevens killing her and hiding her body. Stevens, during police interviews, acknowledged having "multiple physical altercations" with Schwab and admitted to threatening her life on several occasions.
The affidavit detailed a disturbing incident on Aug. 17, 2022, involving a call for service regarding a woman waving a firearm and a man screaming at the location, believed to be Chad and Heather. Stevens, now in custody at the Collin County Detention Facility, faces a bond set at $150,000. The investigation continues, and it remains unclear whether he has legal representation at this time.
Hunter Biden Drops Lawsuit Against Fox as Network Wins Separate Court Battle
In the past 24 hours, Fox News has experienced a series of legal victories.
Shortly after President Biden announced on Sunday that he would not seek re-election in 2024, Hunter Biden dropped his lawsuit against Fox News. The lawsuit was over Fox airing explicit images from his personal laptop.
On Monday, a federal judge dismissed a defamation case filed by a former Biden administration official. The judge ruled that Nina Jankowicz’s legal claims involved statements that were generally accurate or were opinions that could not be disproven.
"This was a politically motivated lawsuit aimed at silencing free speech and we are pleased with the court's decision to protect the First Amendment,” a Fox News spokesperson said. Jankowicz's attorneys plan to appeal the decision.
In Hunter Biden’s case, the explicit images were part of a six-part series on Fox Nation in 2022, which staged a mock trial over his foreign business dealings. Biden recently faced felony gun charges and upcoming criminal tax charges in September.
The Fox Nation series was removed after Hunter Biden threatened to sue. The images depicted him using crack cocaine and engaging with prostitutes. Despite removing the series, Fox defended its coverage, highlighting Hunter Biden's public figure status and criminal history.
“Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately covered the newsworthy events of Mr. Biden’s own making,” Fox stated when the lawsuit was filed. Biden’s attorney did not comment.
Biden had a challenging defamation claim due to his public prominence and his legal troubles. Instead, he sued under New York’s revenge porn laws, which make it illegal to distribute explicit images without consent.
In April, Biden’s attorneys pressured Fox to retract unsubstantiated allegations of him funneling bribes to his father. A key source of these claims, Alexander Smirnov, admitted involvement with Russian intelligence and faces charges for lying to the FBI.
President Biden announced his decision not to run in 2024 on Sunday, and Hunter Biden praised his father’s support. Hours later, Hunter withdrew his lawsuit.
In Jankowicz's case, U.S. District Court Judge Colm F. Connolly dismissed her defamation lawsuit. Jankowicz, appointed to lead the Disinformation Governance Board within the Department of Homeland Security, resigned after facing threats and misinformation about her role.
Jankowicz claimed Fox falsely portrayed her intentions and job status. However, Judge Connolly found several statements by Fox to be true or non-defamatory. Fox celebrated the decision.
Fox has faced numerous legal challenges, including a $787.5 million settlement over false election claims and a multi-billion dollar lawsuit from another voting tech company. In 2020, Fox also settled with the parents of Seth Rich over retracted reporting.
Lawmakers Question Secret Service Director About Trump Assassination Attempt
On Monday, US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced intense scrutiny from House lawmakers across party lines over the serious security lapses that led to the assassination attempt against Donald Trump.
Cheatle admitted to "significant" security issues at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, where the former president was shot in the ear. She did not downplay the gravity of the incident, acknowledging its historical and political importance.
FULL HEARING: Secret Service Kim Cheatle Hearing on Trump Assassination Attempt Day 1 | LiveNOW FOX
Before Trump’s appearance on stage, Cheatle revealed that the Secret Service had been alerted "between two and five times" about a suspicious individual in the vicinity.
During the House Oversight Committee's questioning, Cheatle was repeatedly challenged about the security failures and the measures being taken to prevent a recurrence. However, Cheatle often deflected, citing the ongoing FBI investigation and failing to provide clear answers. She also remained steadfast despite bipartisan demands for her resignation.
Key points from the hearing include:
Cheatle Acknowledges “Colossal Failure”: Cheatle described the Trump assassination attempt as “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” comparing it to the failed assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Despite the gravity of this historic failure under her leadership, Cheatle maintained that she would not resign.
No Resources Withheld for Trump Rally: Cheatle asserted that all requested resources for the July 13 event were provided. Despite reports of previous occasions where the Secret Service allegedly denied Trump’s security requests and relied on local law enforcement for supplementation, Cheatle denied any such denials for the Butler event. GOP Rep. Jim Jordan questioned whether Cheatle had been untruthful in earlier statements about security requests, but Cheatle insisted that no requests were denied for this event.
The line of fire: Analyzing the Trump assassination attempt
Cheatle’s Evasive Responses: The committee’s top Republican and Democrat pressed Cheatle on unresolved issues such as whether any Secret Service agents were stationed on the roof where gunman Thomas Crooks fired shots and if Crooks had used a drone before the rally. Cheatle avoided direct answers, confirming only that the FBI was investigating the potential use of a drone.
Biden Exits 2024 Race Following Debate Debacle Over Age Concerns; Endorses VP Harris
President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race for the White House on Sunday, ending his bid for reelection after a disastrous debate with Donald Trump that raised doubts about the incumbent’s fitness for office. The unprecedented announcement, delivered less than four months before the election, immediately upended a campaign that both political parties view as the most consequential in generations.
The president — intent on serving out the remainder of his term in office — quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to take on Trump and encouraged his party to unite behind her, making her the party’s instant favorite for the nomination at its August convention in Chicago.
The announcement is the latest jolt to a tumultuous campaign for the White House, coming a week after the attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.
A party’s presumptive presidential nominee has never stepped out of the race so close to the election. President Lyndon Johnson, besieged by the Vietnam War, announced in March 1968 that he would not seek another term after just a single state’s primary. Biden’s July decision comes after more than 14 million Democrats cast votes supporting him through the primary process.
BREAKING: Biden drops out of 2024 presidential race | LiveNOW from FOX
Harris, in a statement, praised Biden’s “selfless and patriotic act” and said she intends to “earn and win” her party’s nomination.
“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” she said.
Biden’s decision to bow out came after escalating pressure from his Democratic allies to step aside following the June 27 debate, in which the 81-year-old president trailed off, often gave nonsensical answers, and failed to call out the former president’s many falsehoods.
“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a letter posted Sunday to his X account.
Nearly 30 minutes after he delivered the news that he was folding his campaign, Biden threw his support behind Harris.
“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year,” he said in another post on X. “Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump.”
Harris faces a staggering political to-do list in the coming days: securing the votes of delegates to claim her party’s nomination, picking a running mate, and pivoting a massive political operation that had been built to reelect Biden to boost her candidacy instead. Harris, if elected, would be the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be president.
There were early signs that the party was moving to coalesce around Harris, who scored the endorsements of the Congressional Black Caucus and former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even before she had commented on Biden’s decision to quit the race. But notably, former President Barack Obama held off, pledging support behind the eventual party nominee.
“We are honored to join the President in endorsing Vice President Harris and will do whatever we can to support her,” the Clintons said in a statement.
But Obama, who had privately shared doubts about Biden’s reelection chances, stopped short of endorsing Harris even as he praised Biden for his decision to leave the race.
“I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges,” he said in a statement.
Biden’s decision came as he has been isolating at his Delaware beach house after being diagnosed with COVID-19 last week, huddling with a shrinking circle of close confidants and family members about his political future. Biden said he would address the nation later this week to provide “detail” about his decision.
Kamala Harris releases statement after Biden steps down from 2024 race
Harris found out about Biden’s plans on Sunday morning and senior campaign and White House staff were notified just minutes before the letter went out, according to people familiar with the matter who commented on the private discussions on condition of anonymity. Biden had been reflecting on his future for the past couple of days and the decision was closely held.
Now, Democrats have to urgently try to bring coherence to the nominating process in a matter of weeks and convince voters in a stunningly short amount of time that their nominee can handle the job and beat Trump. And for his part, Trump must shift his focus to a new opponent after years of training his attention on Biden.
The decision marks a swift and stunning end to Biden’s 52 years in electoral politics, as donors, lawmakers, and even aides expressed to him their doubts that he could convince voters that he could plausibly handle the job for another four years.
Biden won the vast majority of delegates and every nominating contest but one, which would have made his nomination a formality. Now that he has dropped out, those delegates will be free to support another candidate.
Harris, 59, appeared to be the natural successor, in large part because she is the only candidate who can directly tap into the Biden campaign’s war chest, according to federal campaign finance rules.
Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation — a sign of the advantage she has in the race for the Democratic nomination. Democratic groups, including the Democratic National Committee, also filed paperwork changing the names of their joint fundraising committees to reflect Harris’ candidacy.
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled to be held Aug. 19-22 in Chicago, but the party had announced it would hold a virtual roll call to formally nominate Biden before in-person proceedings begin.
It remained to be seen whether other candidates would challenge Harris for the nomination. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had been discussed as a possible replacement for Biden last year, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who challenged both Biden and Harris for the Democratic nomination in 2020, threw their support behind her Sunday.
The Democratic National Committee’s chair, Jaime Harrison, said in a statement that the party would “undertake a transparent and orderly process” to select “a candidate who can defeat Donald Trump in November.”
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who left the Democratic Party earlier this year to become an independent, is considering re-registering as a Democrat to vie for the nomination against the vice president, according to Jonathan Kott, a longtime adviser to Manchin.
Harris was spending Sunday afternoon calling Democratic elected officials and delegates as she worked to lock up the nomination.
Harris received her first delegates for the Democratic presidential nomination on Sunday. The Tennessee Democratic Party posted on X that its delegation voted during a meeting Sunday to back Harris after Biden departed from the campaign.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly — each from a swing state and mentioned as a possible running mate for Harris — also endorsed Harris Sunday evening.
Trump reacted to the news in a post on his Truth Social site, in which he said Biden “was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve.”
“We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly,” he added. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
While Trump and his team had made their preference for facing Biden clear, his campaign had nonetheless ramped up its attacks on Harris as pressure on Biden to step down intensified.
Democratic officials, including many who were behind the effort to push Biden from the race, quickly released statements praising Biden’s decision.
“His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York praised Biden as “one of the most accomplished and consequential leaders in American history.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said Biden should immediately resign if he is not fit enough to run for office. In a statement, Johnson said, “November 5 cannot arrive soon enough.”
In addition to his planned address to the country, Biden still intends to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House this week, according to a person familiar with the president’s schedule who was not authorized to comment publicly.
The exact timing of the meeting is still not set in stone as Biden continues to recover from COVID. Netanyahu is scheduled Wednesday to deliver an address to Congress and he is also expected to meet with Harris while in Washington.
In 2020, Biden pitched himself as a transitional figure who wanted to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders. But once he secured the job he spent decades struggling to attain, he was reluctant to part with it.
Biden was once asked whether any other Democrats could beat Trump.
“Probably 50 of them,” Biden replied. “No, I’m not the only one who can defeat him, but I will defeat him.”
Biden is already the country’s oldest president and had insisted repeatedly that he was up for the challenge of another campaign and another term, telling voters all they had to was “watch me.”
And watch him they did. His poor debate performance prompted a cascade of anxiety from Democrats and donors who said publicly what some had said privately for months, that they did not think he was up to the job for four more years.
Concerns over Biden’s age have dogged him since he announced he was running for reelection, though Trump is just three years younger at 78. Most Americans view the president as too old for a second term, according to an August 2023 poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. A majority also doubt his mental capability to be president, though that is also a weakness for Trump.
Biden often remarked that he was not as young as he used to be, didn’t walk as easily or speak as smoothly, but that he had wisdom and decades of experience, which were worth a whole lot.
“I give you my word as a Biden. I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job,” he told supporters at a rally in North Carolina a day after the debate. “Because, quite frankly, the stakes are too high.”
But voters had other problems with him, too — he has been deeply unpopular as a leader even as his administration steered the nation through recovery from a global pandemic, presided over a booming economy, and passed major pieces of bipartisan legislation that will impact the nation for years to come. A majority of Americans disapprove of the way he’s handling his job, and he’s faced persistently low approval ratings on key issues including the economy and immigration.
Biden’s motivation for running was deeply intertwined with Trump. He had retired from public service following eight years serving as vice president under Obama and the death of his son Beau but decided to run after Trump’s comments following a “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, when white supremacists descended on the city to protest the removal of its Confederate memorials.
Trump said: “You had some very bad people in the group, but you also had people that were very fine people on both sides. On both sides.”
Biden’s wife, First Lady Jill Biden, responded to the president’s announcement by reposting Biden’s letter announcing his decision and adding red heart emojis.
SMH America YouTube Channle
Granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal said on social media, “I’m nothing but proud of my Pop.” She said he has served the country “with every bit of his soul and with unmatched distinction” and “our world is better today in so many ways thanks to him.”
Is Joe Biden Too Old to Be U.S. President? Malaysians Don’t Think So
In the U.S., calls for President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 presidential race are growing louder, coming from various quarters including members of Congress, Hollywood celebrities, and wealthy donors. Many American voters are expressing concerns about Biden’s age and performance. Meanwhile, his opponent, 78-year-old Donald Trump, who recently survived an assassination attempt, is also nearing his twilight years.
However, in Southeast Asia’s Malaysia, age is not a barrier to political power. Malaysian politics has seen leaders rise to prominence despite their advanced age. Notable examples include Mahathir Mohamad, who at 92 became Malaysia’s seventh prime minister in 2018, and Anwar Ibrahim, who assumed office as the country’s 10th prime minister in his mid-70s in 2022.
Malaysians who spoke to Al Jazeera emphasized that the policies of leaders like Mahathir and Anwar outweighed their ages during elections. “I did consider their age, especially Mahathir's, since he was in his 90s,” said Layla Subra, a 35-year-old business executive. “But they appeared sharp and focused, so their age didn’t strongly influence my vote.”
Mahathir, who previously served as Malaysia’s prime minister from 1981 to 2003, made history in 2018 as the oldest prime minister, earning a place in the Guinness World Records. Despite Malaysia’s official retirement age of 60, the country has been accustomed to elderly lawmakers.
In China, age is also less of an impediment in politics. Xi Jinping, now 71, secured his third term as president last year, and Deng Xiaoping, at 87, led a significant economic reform tour in 1992. Malaysia’s oldest parliament member, Fong Kui Lun, 77, of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), has held his seat since 1999. While some Malaysians express a desire for younger candidates, many prioritize policies over age. “I’d prefer a leader with a better plan, regardless of age,” said Shaun Ho, a 40-year-old office manager.
US President Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris | BBC News
During the 2018 election, Mahathir campaigned strongly against corruption, notably targeting his former protege Najib Razak, who was later convicted in the 1MDB scandal. Najib received a 12-year prison sentence, later reduced by the country’s pardons board.
In Malaysia, voters choose candidates based on party policies rather than individual attributes. “We vote strategically for the party whose policies we support,” said Nicholas Chin, a 40-year-old businessman.
Mahathir, now 99, and Anwar, 76, continue to show physical and mental vitality. Mahathir, a former doctor, maintains his fitness with exercise and a disciplined diet. Anwar, despite past health issues and political imprisonment, received a clean bill of health from his doctors last year.
Political analyst Bridget Welsh from the University of Nottingham Malaysia noted that while age can be a factor for some voters, a candidate’s competency and ideas are more critical. “For Mahathir, health wasn’t a major issue; it was the ideas he presented,” Welsh said. “For Biden, it’s his health that is of concern.”
Harris will be easier to beat than Biden, Trump says
Calls for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race have increased following his recent COVID-19 diagnosis and public gaffes. His performance in a contentious debate with Trump has intensified scrutiny, while Trump faces criticism for his inflammatory rhetoric.
Elza Irdalynna, a 37-year-old Malaysian writer and actor, believes that in the U.S., political personalities often overshadow policies. “Biden and Trump both appear physically and mentally unfit,” she said. “In the U.S.’s polarized climate, a popular figurehead often overshadows better, younger candidates.”
Pennsylvania Man Fatally Stabs Neighbor Following Dispute Over 'Loud Snoring'
A 55-year-old man in Pennsylvania has been arrested for allegedly killing his neighbor by stabbing him in what authorities say was the culmination of a nearly two-year feud over “loud snoring.” Christopher James Casey, from Hatboro, was taken into custody on Thursday. He faces charges of third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, and possessing an instrument of crime in the death of 62-year-old Robert Wallace, according to authorities.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office reported that officers from the Upper Moreland Township Police Department responded to a 911 call at around 6:34 p.m. on Monday regarding a stabbing at a residence in the 300 block of Fitch Road, about 15 miles north of Philadelphia. Casey himself made the call, identifying himself as the person who reported the stabbing.
Upon arrival, first responders found Wallace outside, approximately 50 feet from the home, suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was transported to Abington Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Casey was also taken to Abington Hospital to treat a stab wound on his right thigh. Officers recovered a “large military-style knife” and a cell phone on Casey’s front porch. They also found a removed window screen lying in a nearby grassy area, with the window itself open.
A joint investigation by Upper Moreland Township Police and Montgomery County Detectives revealed that the two men were familiar to local police due to ongoing disputes, including arguments about Casey’s loud snoring, which Wallace could hear through the shared wall of their residences. The incident escalated when Wallace showed up at Casey’s residence while Casey was eating dinner, removed the screen from Casey’s window, and a verbal altercation ensued. Casey then used a large, military-style knife to stab Wallace several times.
Blood spatter was found inside and outside Casey’s home, authorities said. An autopsy determined that Wallace’s death was a homicide caused by multiple stab wounds to the chest. Following the autopsy results, Casey was arrested three days later. According to court documents obtained by Philadelphia ABC affiliate WPVI, Casey told police that he and Wallace had been talking through Casey’s window for about 20 minutes. By the end of the conversation, Wallace had calmed down and even offered to give Casey money for nasal surgery.
Pennsylvania Man Fatally Stabs Neighbor Amid Feud Over 'Loud Snoring'
Wallace then went to Casey’s front door to shake hands, at which point Casey, holding a knife and stun gun, unlocked the door. “Casey described Wallace as very ‘volatile,’ ‘very strong,’ and ‘angry,’” the charging documents state. “Casey said he did not believe Wallace’s intention to ‘work this out’ and ‘shake hands’ was genuine. As a result, Casey decided to ‘surprise him’ by stabbing Wallace with a knife.” Casey appeared before Judge Wendy Rothstein for his arraignment, and his bond was set at $1 million. He is scheduled to appear in court again on January 29 before Magistrate Judge Thomas Murt.
Texas Teen Claims He Killed His Family to Prevent Them from Eating Him
Authorities in East Texas have arrested an 18-year-old man, Cesar Olalde, on capital murder charges for the shootings of his parents, sister, and brother. Police in Nash, Texas, responded to a report on Tuesday that a man had harmed his family and was threatening to kill himself. Upon arrival, officers found Olalde barricaded inside a home and were informed that multiple people were dead inside.
According to a probable cause affidavit by Nash Police Officer Craig Buster, Olalde later called the police and confessed to "pulling the trigger and shooting his family."
The officers convinced Olalde to surrender. Inside the home, they discovered the bodies of his parents, Reuben Olalde and Aida Garcia, his older sister, Lisbet Olalde, and his younger brother, Oliver Olalde, in a bathroom. The affidavit noted that the victims appeared to have been shot in various locations within the residence and then dragged to the bathroom. Multiple spent cartridge casings and blood spatter were found throughout the home.
The affidavit detailed that a co-worker of Lisbet Olalde had gone to the home after she failed to arrive at work. Accompanied by a family member, the co-worker forced entry into the house, where Cesar Olalde confronted them with a firearm. The co-worker informed police that Olalde claimed he had killed his family because they were cannibals and intended to eat him.
Bowie County court records show that Olalde is being held on a $10 million bond. His defense attorney has not yet responded to requests for comment. Nash is a small town with a population of about 3,800, located on the western edge of Texarkana near the Arkansas state line.
Texas Teen Killed His Family Because He Thought They Were Cannibals Who Were Out To Eat Him
This incident is part of a disturbing trend of mass killings in the United States. A database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University tracks mass killings involving four or more fatalities, excluding the perpetrator, using the same standards as the FBI.
