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Date: Monday July 26th, 2023 

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Legal Proceedings Update: Hunter Biden Declares Innocence As Previous Plea Deal Breaks

Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, issued a plea of not guilty to federal gun and tax charges on July 26. This comes after a judge vetoed an earlier plea deal, linking the two alleged crimes. During the court hearing, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, an appointee of ex-President Donald Trump, voiced her "concerns" over the proposal that linked tax violations with the resolution of felony firearm charges.

She found the deal's existing structure unacceptable. After discussions between the prosecution and the defense about the plea agreement's structure, Hunter Biden entered his not-guilty plea. On June 20, it was disclosed by the prosecution that Hunter Biden had consented to plead guilty to deliberate evasion of federal income taxes, and to a felony firearm charge. Supplementary Information According to an indictment, the president's son earned taxable income exceeding $1.5 million in both 2017 and 2018. Each year, he was legally obliged to pay income tax exceeding $100,000. Nonetheless, he reportedly "did willfully fail" to fulfill this obligation. Each charge is a misdemeanor, and each carries a potential prison sentence of up to one year.

In late 2020, Hunter Biden acknowledged that his "tax affairs" were under investigation, expressing confidence that he would be found to have acted legally and appropriately upon a thorough and impartial examination. A 2022 subpoena compelled JPMorgan Chase Bank to release Hunter Biden's banking records. The subpoena was issued by David Weiss, U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware. Some IRS agents have claimed that the investigation was mishandled. In a separate case, Hunter Biden faces charges for illegal firearm possession while reportedly addicted to and using a controlled substance, a felony offense. Additional Charge In 2018, Hunter Biden allegedly illegally possessed a firearm, as stated in another indictment. He is reported to have been an unlawful user of, and addicted to, a controlled substance at the time.

The gun in question, a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver, was transported in interstate commerce. The applicable law bars convicted felons and illegal or addicted users of controlled substances from firearm possession. Some reports suggest that Hunter Biden possessed a gun in 2018, which was disposed of by his then-partner, Hallie Biden. Authorities later retrieved the firearm. Hunter Biden admitted to using crack cocaine that year in his autobiography. On this charge, Hunter Biden has consented to participate in a pretrial diversion agreement, according to David Weiss. Pretrial diversion programs allow defendants to have charges dropped if they fulfill certain criteria.

The programs aim to deter future criminal activity and promote rehabilitation, per the Department of Justice. This charge carries a maximum penalty of a $250,000 fine and 10 years in prison. Hunter Biden's attorney, Christopher Clark, has not commented on the case. White House spokesperson, Ian Sams, conveyed the president and first lady's support for their son following the announcement of the original plea deal. The president has previously asserted his belief in his son's innocence. Judge Sets New Trial Date in Trump Classified Documents Case

 Judge Eileen Cannon has announced a new trial date in the classified documents case involving former President Trump. The trial is scheduled for May 2024, just before the presidential election. Trump's defense argued for a later date to avoid interference with his campaign schedule and ongoing legal cases. However, the prosecution pushed for a December date. Judge Cannon settled on the May date as a compromise, taking into consideration the massive amount of documents the defense needs to review. She also expressed concerns about the potential prejudice during jury selection due to publicity surrounding the election. Former Trump Attorney Settles Case against Trump's Company In another legal development related to Trump, former attorney Michael Cohen has settled his case against Trump's company. Cohen claimed that he faced financial difficulties after cooperating with federal prosecutors in investigations into Trump's business dealings in Russia. Trump's company argued that Cohen's involvement was his personal decision to reduce his criminal exposure. In response, Trump has sued Cohen, accusing him of violating a confidentiality agreement.






The NEW COVID-19 is HERE: Unstoppable Surge in Breakbone Fever Cases: WHO Alarms INFECTIOUS DISEASES.


Breakbonefever.com  reportd a snapshot from the transmission electron microscope reveals multiple round particles of the dengue virus from a tissue sample. (Frederick Murphy/U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) The World Health Organization (WHO) sounds the alarm about breakbone fever, also known as dengue, predicting a potential record-setting surge in cases this year. Breakbone fever cases have witnessed an eight-fold increase since the turn of the millennium, soaring to 4.2 million in 2022, as reported by a WHO official on July 21. Earlier this year, WHO flagged breakbone fever as the most rapidly spreading tropical disease worldwide, even posing a potential "pandemic threat".

 The disease was detected for the first time ever in Khartoum, Sudan's capital, as per a March health ministry report. In addition, a wave of cases has swept across Europe, and Peru declared a state of emergency across most of its regions. Raman Velayudhan, a specialist at WHO's Control of neglected tropical diseases department, warned on Friday that nearly half of the world's population is now susceptible to the disease. During a Geneva press conference, he disclosed that the disease reached its highest ever recorded number in 2019, impacting 129 countries with 5.2 million cases. This year, Velayudhan predicted that we are heading towards "4 million plus" cases, largely dependent on the Asian monsoon season.

As of now, nearly 3 million cases have already been registered in the Americas, with rising concern over its southward spread to Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru. Fighting one of its worst breakbone fever outbreaks in recent history, Argentina is employing a sterilization technique that uses radiation to modify mosquito DNA before releasing them back into the wild. Velayudhan expressed hope that the Asian region might succeed in controlling the disease while acknowledging the dire situation in the Americas. As of June 8, 2023, European Union officials reported approximately 2.1 million global cases, resulting in 974 fatalities. Breakbone fever is expanding its reach into urban areas previously untouched, according to Coralith Garcia, associate professor at Cayetano Heredia University's School of Medicine in Peru.

With the highest COVID-19 mortality rate worldwide, Peru's health system is showing its vulnerability as patients begin to succumb to dengue, Garcia added. Breakbone fever, caused by any of the four dengue viruses, is primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is active during the day. It's commonly characterized by fever, nausea, vomiting, rashes, and various aches and pains, including eye pain, muscle pain, and bone pain. Symptoms typically last between two and seven days. The CDC has noted that most cases of breakbone fever reported in the United States occurred in individuals who had traveled abroad. Despite a small proportion of patients entering a critical phase of fluid leakage into body spaces like the chest and abdominal cavities, most patients recover without needing hospitalization, explained Dr. David O. Freedman, a former professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Meanwhile, Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. announced the withdrawal of its application for a breakbone fever vaccine, citing data collection issues.

The company's future plans for the vaccine, TAK-003, in the United States remain under review. Sanofi's Dengvaxia, the first-ever dengue vaccine, licensed in 2015, had to be significantly restricted after it was discovered to heighten the risk of severe disease in "seronegative" children, who had no prior dengue exposure. Takeda's vaccine, QDENGA, authorized in the European Union last year for those aged 4 and above, is still available for use in the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Indonesia, and Thailand, as per company records.






GOP Seeks to Censure Rep. Jaypal over Israel Remarks

Several Republican House members are pushing for a censure resolution against Progressive Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. This move comes after Jayapal referred to Israel as a racist state during a panel discussion. Although she later retracted the statement, criticism from both Democratic Leadership and her colleagues remains. The resolution aims to address her remarks about Israel. White House and Leading AI Firms Collaborate on Safety Agreement The White House has announced new actions to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) while safeguarding national interests. Major tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, meta, and open AI, have pledged to ensure the safety of their AI products before release. They will also make it easier for users to identify AI-generated content. President Biden emphasizes the need for further legislation and regulation to cope with the fast-evolving AI landscape.






Whistleblower Alleges Retaliation at CBP amid Decreased Border Encounters

 A whistleblower has come forward with allegations of retaliation against U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. Bovino was reportedly relocated from the El Centro border patrol sector to the D.C. headquarters after giving an interview to congressional committees. The Committees have requested a briefing from CBP and relevant documents regarding the decision to relocate the chief. These allegations surface as the Biden Administration claims a significant drop in illegal border encounters, leading to debates over the impact of their immigration policies.






 Putin Warns Poland over Potential Attack on Belarus

In the international sphere, a failed mutiny in Russia's Wagner Group has sparked tension. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Poland that any attack on Belarus will be treated as an attack on Russia itself. This escalation raises concerns about the ongoing geopolitical situation and potential implications on international relations.



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