Rep. Lauren Boebert Nixed from Youth Event Speakers List ... After Theater Groping

Rep. Lauren Boebert isn't holy anymore in the eyes of an organization focused on conservative youths -- 'cause she's been booted from their official speakers list.

The Colorado congresswoman was initially part of the guest lineup that was set to appear and speak later this month at the Texas Youth Summit just outside of Houston -- where people between the ages of 12 and 26 are invited to lean into their right-wing views.

Boebert was supposed to appear alongside Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Charlie Kirk and others. Now, however, it appears there's been a change of plans ... 'cause she's been scrubbed from all the marketing material that originally featured her -- pre-groping video going public.

There's been no official explanation from the org itself on why they nixed her -- but it seems pretty obvious after Boebert was found to be in a mutual fondling sesh last week.

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TOUCHY TWOSOME

What's also interesting is how they described when they first booked/publicized her gig with them. They said RLB was a "devout Christian who seeks to honor God in all that she does."

In light of everything that's come out since, though ... maybe not as godly as they thought.

Rep. Boebert has since apologized for the whole thing -- saying it was an error of judgment on her end, on pretty much all fronts. Congress hasn't formally reprimanded her just yet.

Cover your eyes, children!

We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Kristen Welker Gets Trump to Admit He Needed Votes to Win ... In 'Meet the Press' Debut

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I NEEDED THE VOTES
NBC/Meet the Press

There's a new host over at 'Meet the Press' -- and on day one of the job, she got Donald Trump to admit he needed votes to win the 2020 election ... which is quite something.

Kristen Welker is now at the helm after Chuck Todd stepped down, and her first show Sunday featured a lengthy interview she did with the former President ... and it contains an interesting soundbite where she asks him about his refusal to accept the election results.

Check out this exchange ... Welker points out that Trump has repeatedly said he only needed a few thousands votes in each state to win -- not to mention calling some Secretaries of State in an attempt to pressure them to "find" votes -- and he acknowledges that's true.

Then Welker asks the obvious ... "When you say you needed one-tenth of a point, you needed one-tenth of a point to win?" Trump concedes he needed only a smattering of votes.

She again presses ... "To win?" DT responds, "Yeah." Welker then goes to the next obvious fact here ... "But Mr. President, you’re saying you needed more votes to win the election, are you acknowledging you didn’t win?" That sends Trump into an "Excuse me" frenzy.

When she finally asks him if he's admitting to losing ... he says no, insisting it was rigged.

There are other interesting takeaways from the sit-down ... including Welker asking Trump if he fears going to prison. He tells her no, because apparently, he doesn't even think about it.

Now, we should point out ... Welker/NBC is catching a bit of flak over their decision to interview Trump at all and to give him a "platform." That's silly, though -- the guy is headed toward becoming the Republican nominee, and he continues to be newsworthy. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Onward and upward.

Rep. Lauren Boebert Reaches Across the Aisle ... For Two Handfuls of Date's Crotch

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TOUCHY TWOSOME
UPDATE

5:06 PM PT -- Rep. Lauren Boebert is breaking her silence on the theater incident, saying ... "The past few days have been difficult and humbling, and I'm truly sorry for the unwanted attention my Sunday evening in Denver has brought to the community. While none of my actions or words as a private citizen that night were intended to be malicious or meant to cause harm, the reality is they did and I regret that."

UPDATE

In a statement Friday, Boebert cites her ongoing divorce as a factor, saying she's tried to handle it with "strength and grace" only to "fall short of my values" at the theater.

UPDATE

She's also explaining why she initially said she wasn't vaping, despite video evidence to the contrary, saying ... "Whether it was the excitement of seeing a much-anticipated production or the natural anxiety of being in a new environment, I genuinely did not recall vaping that evening when I discussed the night's events with my campaign team while confirming my enthusiasm for the musical."

UPDATE

Now, Boebert says she was vaping and it was never her intention to mislead the public, adding ... "We do understand the nature of how this looks."

UPDATE

She says she has work to do to earn back trust and she's vowing to do better moving forward.

Rep. Lauren Boebert's night inside a Denver theater was way more handsy than it initially appeared -- new video shows her groping her date's crotch as he aggressively paws at her breast.

In the new surveillance video clip -- recorded Sunday night during a performance of "Beetlejuice" -- Boebert's date first reaches over to fondle her right breast, and almost immediately she puts a hand in between his legs.

The groping of her chest continues throughout the clip, and eventually the U.S. Congresswoman puts her other hand in his crotch as well.

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CAUGHT BLOWIN' SMOKE
9News

As we previously reported, other clips revealed Boebert was also illegally vaping inside the theater -- something she had denied -- and that eventually got her and her date kicked out of the performance. For good measure, she flipped off a theater employee on the way out.

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Boebert is, of course, a staunch and vocal Trump Republican -- but her date is reportedly an Aspen bar owner ... and a Democrat. If only we could get this kind of bipartisan cooperation in Washington.

Pick your controversy here folks, but the biggest takeaway we see is: Who knew "Beetlejuice" was such a turn-on??? This should do wonders for future ticket sales.

Originally Published -- 4:37 PM PT

Rep Lauren Boebert Taking a Hit ... Video Shows She was Vaping at 'Beetlejuice' Musical

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CAUGHT BLOWIN' SMOKE
9News

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert's vaping denial just went up in smoke, because new video certainly looks like she was taking a hit.

As we reported, Boebert was booted from the "Beetlejuice" musical in Denver Sunday night after she was singing along and allegedly vaping. Boebert denied she was taking hits from a vape pen, but the video seems to show otherwise.

You see her holding an electronic cigarette and placing it on her lips, then blowing smoke.

A pregnant woman behind her wasn't having it and it looks like she made her displeasure clear to the congresswoman. The woman claims Boebert shot back she was a "sad and miserable person."

The video also shows the man she was with -- a Democrat who owns a bar in Aspen -- appearing to cup and fondle her right breast.

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Boebert was eventually told to leave, and she flipped off the theater staff during her exit, but not before allegedly telling ushers, "Do you know who I am? I am on the board. I will be contacting the mayor."

Would you be annoyed if you were in an audience and someone in front of you was vaping, like Lauren Boebert was caught doing last weekend? Vote below.

Hunter Biden Pizza Party With Son Beau ... Day Before Federal Indictment

Hunter Biden certainly didn't seem anxious before being indicted, because the day before he was chillin' with his 3-year-old boy Beau Jr., grabbing some grub in Malibu.

President Joe Biden's son was trying to keep a low profile as he attended Wednesday's grand opening celebration of Prince Street Pizza and Irv's Burgers in the Bu.

Check out the photos, obtained by TMZ, Hunter's wearing dark shades and a baseball cap pulled down low.

In one image, Hunter is carrying his kid, Beau, named after his late brother, and the two seem tight. In the other pic, Hunter's getting ready to scarf down a pizza slice as little Beau stands next to him.

We're told the pair had fun together, hanging out for 30 minutes before splitting, with two Secret Service agents shadowing them. Melissa Cohen, Hunter's wife and Beau's mom, also enjoyed the outing, so much so she reportedly stayed behind to have more fun.

The next day, Hunter was indicted on 3 federal criminal charges related to his 2018 purchase of a revolver from a Delaware gun shop.

Hunter allegedly lied on a federal form, violating the law by saying he wasn't using illegal drugs, despite being addicted to crack.

He faces one count of False Statement in Purchase of a Firearm, one count of False Statement Related to Information Required to be Kept By Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, and one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Person who is an Unlawful User of or Addicted to a Controlled Substance. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Prince Harry Birthday Serenade At Invictus Games ... Packed Arena Celebrates

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BIRTHDAY BOY 🎂🎂🎂

Prince Harry's celebrating his birthday this year with an intimate gathering ... of several thousand people at the Invictus Games, which turned into a massive "Happy Birthday" sing-along.

Harry and Meghan Markle were in the crowd at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf Friday to watch Germany and Poland go at it in volleyball -- but when the game ended everyone's attention turned to the Duke of Sussex, who turns 39 today.

Meghan and Harry lit up pretty quickly as the "Happy Birthday" song began, with Harry jokingly trying to deflect some of the attention he was getting. He even got another song from the Polish team before he asked to snap a pic with them.

Not a bad way to celebrate his big day, especially because the event is so near and dear to Harry. He founded the Games in 2014, and each year since it brings together injured, sick, and wounded veterans to compete.

So, having the athletes and their families and friends wish him happy birthday has to hold more weight.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

The celebration seems to have started on Thursday night when Harry and Meghan went out to a German brewery. One of the waiters at the spot told DailyMail Harry knocked back 6 small beers during the pre-birthday festivities.

Sounds like his bday is already shaping up to be one for the books ... although, it doesn't appear his relatives will be celebrating with him. That royal rift still runs deep.

Andrew Yang Biden Should Debate Other Dem Candidates ... U.S. Wants Someone New!!!

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TMZ.com

Andrew Yang says voters are disenchanted about President Joe Biden battling Donald Trump in an election day rematch ... which is why he wants to see the other Democrat candidates get some shine.

The former presidential candidate was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday, talking about why he wants Biden to go toe-to-toe in a debate with the 2 Dem challengers -- RFK Jr. and Marianne Williamson.

The way Andrew sees it, another round of 2020's political battle isn't what Americans want, especially with JB and DT both getting up in age. Hence, his push to shake things up.

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As we reported, Williamson claims she's getting iced out of network and cable news outlets amid her campaign. For now, she's wisely relying on TikTok to spread word and help her cause.

Andrew says some news organizations are told to not give a spotlight to folks like Williamson or RFK Jr., but he's adamant the fair way to handle things is to give them a platform, too -- especially since they're polling higher than some Republican candidates.

BTW, Andrew left the Democratic party in 2021 and created the Forward Party, a centrist political organization that has been trying to make strides at the local level. His org already declared it won't be putting up a presidential candidate for 2024.

Andrew made the rounds this week when he had conversations with No Labels, another political org that focuses on bipartisanship and centrism ... but, for now, he's coy about whether he'd run for prez again.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert Kicked Out Of Colorado Theater .... Accused Of Causing Disturbance

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and a male companion were booted from a Colorado theater after allegedly acting up during a performance of the touring Broadway musical, "Beetlejuice."

Boebert (R-CO) and the guy she was with got into it with workers at Denver's Buell Theater Sunday night after patrons complained they were "causing a disturbance," according to an incident report obtained by the Denver Post.

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The report does not name Boebert or her sidekick, but her rep later confirmed the incident ... and video captured it.

The two were "vaping, singing," and "recording the performance," which violates the theater's code of conduct, according to the report. An usher asked them to leave and threatened to call Denver PD after they refused to go.

Surveillance footage, with no sound, shows Boebert and her friend sitting next to each other during the play and exchanging words with theater staff.

After about a minute, security guards escort the pair out of the theater and through the halls of the venue.

At some point, Boebert does a slight turn and appears to flip off one guard. She also aggressively points at the guard while saying something.

She and her pal are eventually shown the door -- and they walk away hand-in-hand through the performing arts complex.

The police report noted Boebert and her buddy told theater staff “stuff like ‘do you know who I am,’ ‘I am on the board’ [and] ‘I will be contacting the mayor.’”

The report also stated ... during the first intermission, a public service announcement encouraged all patrons to follow the rules of conduct, which happened before Boebert's dustup.

Boebert's rep responded to the Denver Post, denying the congresswoman was vaping during the show, but confirming she snapped some photos unaware she was running afoul of theater policy.

The rep added Boebert is "indeed a supporter of the performing arts (gasp!) and, to the dismay of a select few, enthusiastically enjoyed a weekend performance of ‘Beetlejuice.'"

Virginia House of Delegates Candidate in the Running Posted Porn Videos for $$$

A woman running for a coveted Virginia House seat has a side gig for $$$ -- she had posted spicy clips online ... with the help of her hubby.

40-year-old Susanna Gibson -- a Democrat running to represent District 57 in Richmond -- had posted several vids on a platform called Chaturbate ... which hosts users who are down to masturbate while chatting with others online.

According to WaPo and NYP, Gibson was quite active on Chaturbate last year ... with at least a dozen live streams -- most of which had been archived and viewed by the outlets -- featuring her and her spouse performing sex acts on each other while on camera.

Throughout the streams, Gibson is reported to have consistently asked folks who were watching to keep on donating to her account via digital tokens -- which she could cash in.

Apparently, she was pretty popular on there before September 2022 -- when her Chaturbate activity seems to have gone dark -- with nearly 6,000 followers. Worth noting, some of these videos appear to have been archived after she officially declared her candidacy last year.

Of course, this discovery is causing an uproar -- especially among her Republican rivals. In response, Gibson has called this surfacing of her material an illegal invasion of her privacy.

She says, "It won’t intimidate me and it won’t silence me. My political opponents and their Republican allies have proven they’re willing to commit a sex crime to attack me and my family because there’s no line they won’t cross to silence women when they speak up."

Her attorney also says this appears to be in violation of state revenge porn laws.

President Biden Back to Quoting 'John Wayne' Flicks Dog-Faced, Pony Soldier 🤔

President Biden loves those old western films, evidenced in the fact that he once again quoted his favorite John Wayne line ... which still doesn't seem to exist as he describes it.

Joe was out in Vietnam this weekend where he was talking shop with other global leaders, and at one point he was addressing climate change ... and used a line he believes is from a JW movie to hit the point home about folks who deny global warming exists.

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'memba the john wayne line ...

Of course, he again invoked his favorite old-timey phrase -- "lying, dog-faced pony soldier" -- to suggest the people who say climate change isn't real are bold-faced liars.

Joe describes the scene he believes this line, which he's dropped before, is from -- and apparently it has something to do with Native Americans being deceived by Union soldiers ... with one of the tribesman telling John's character that they're full of it.

He doesn't say which film, specifically, this is from ... and even his description of the scene is a little fuzzy. Funny enough, Joe used this quote before -- back in 2020, while he was campaigning, he called a young woman this to her face after she asked a question.

At the time, his remark was perceived as rude and a little out of pocket on JB's part -- but journos also discovered the "dog-faced, pony solider" mashup simply doesn't exist as Joe remembers it. He appears to be mixing lines from a couple different John Wayne movies, not to mention an entirely separate film ... the 1952 Tyrone Power flick called "Pony Soldier."

This reminds us of that old American ditty, which goes a little something like -- Home on the Range Rover, where the John Deere and the anteaters play!!! Something like that, anyway.

Elon Musk Slams CA Bill ... Addressing Trans Kids in Family Court

A new California bill headed to the govenor's desk will force judges to weigh which parent is better affirming their kids' gender during a nasty divorce ... which Elon Musk thinks is BS.

The Twitter/X chief lashed out online Friday, denouncing the proposed law as an "outrage" -- this as word came down that Cali's State Legislature had passed the controversial legislation -- AB 957 -- after it got voted on through in the State Assembly by a wide margin.

He wrote, "This bill is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. What it would actually mean is that if you disagree with the other parent about sterilizing your child, you lose custody. Utter madness!"

The new bill pertains to family court -- basically, judges will now have to take into consideration where a child is better suited to live if the parents are fighting over custody ... and gender affirmation is going to be a new key criteria in making that determination.

It's not the only thing a judge will mull over, but it will officially be part of the list -- so if one parent is resisting their child transitioning ... that could spell trouble in front of hizzoner. BTW, what the "affirmation" actually amounts to is vague and not clearly defined in the bill.

Clearly, Elon feels a certain way about it -- echoing conservatives who were also angry ... not to mention certain advocacy groups who've been protesting this thing for months. The reason it's interesting this is coming from Elon, though, is because of his own family history.

It's no secret EM has a transgender child -- 19-year-old Vivian Jenna Wilson, who was born as a biological male but has since transitioned to female. By most accounts, she doesn't have the greatest relationship with her dad ... and he blames a Cali school system for that.

In a recently released excerpt of his forthcoming biography, Elon revealed that part of the reason he even decided to take over Twitter was because of what he believes happened to his child ... namely, as he characterizes it, brainwashing at a famous ritzy school in L.A.

Elon says his kid has been turned against him thanks to "woke" ideology she was subjected to -- and now, he even goes so far as to claim she embraces Marxist/Communist views.

With this in mind, it's perhaps no surprise he has strong feelings -- especially when you consider he shared/shares custody of 6 of his children with their mom, including Vivian.

As for what happens now with that bill, Gov. Newsom has until Oct. 14 to sign into it law. He doesn't appear to have commented yet -- but the safe bet is ... dude's gonna stamp it.

JFK Secret Service Agent Refutes Magic Bullet Theory ... Breaks Silence Years Later

One of John F. Kennedy's Secret Service agents -- who was with him in the car that day -- says the famed magic bullet theory doesn't quite add up ... based on what he remembers.

Paul Landis shared his story with NYT, which will also be touched on in a new book of his due out in Oct. Here, he recounts what he says happened when the Prez was assassinated ... insisting the first bullet to hit JFK wasn't the same one to pierce Gov. Connally.

The reason that has been the official view of the U.S. Government for decades now is due to the findings of the Warren Commission -- which investigated the President's assassination, and concluded Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone shooter ... arriving to this conclusion, in part, because of this single bullet that was recovered in Dallas in the immediate aftermath.

Basically, Kennedy first got shot through the throat ... and almost instantly, Gov. Connally was also hit -- getting shot through his chest, wrist and thigh. Despite skeptics, for years, saying it was virtually impossible for that "magic bullet" to have caused so much damage the way it did ... Uncle Sam ultimately determined that's what happened, and closed the case.

They landed on the magic bullet theory because one of those sniper projectiles was found in the stretcher that was carrying Connally ... so they assumed it was the same one that had hit Kennedy to kick off the assassination. That's not how it went down, though ... per Landis.

He claims he actually recovered the first sniper bullet himself, which he says was lodged in the backseat behind where Kennedy sat. Landis says he snatched it because he thought it was a key piece of evidence, threw it on Kennedy's stretcher -- thinking docs would find it -- but presumes the bullet bounced off JFK's stretcher and into Connally's in all the ruckus.

In other words, Landis is now saying that the first bullet that struck Kennedy probably started and ended with him ... and did not travel on to hit Connally. That lends credence to the notion of a second shooter -- something conspiracy theorists have asserted for ages now.

The magic bullet theory has long been the subject of speculation/intrigue -- it was famously spoofed on 'Seinfeld' ... perfectly capturing how ludicrous the masses have found it.

Interestingly enough, Landis says that for a long time -- he was pretty sure LHO acted alone. But says this now ... "At this point, I’m beginning to doubt myself. Now I begin to wonder."

Donald Trump Meets Farmer Frat Boys ... Ahead of Iowa State Game

Donald Trump is ready for beer pong and keg stands -- at least that's the vibe here as he meets and greets frat boys in the mid-west ... ones of the land, that is.

The ex-Prez is at Iowa State University right now, where he's expected to attend the Cy-Hawk football game against the University of Iowa. His team announced he'd be in the stands there at Jack Trice Stadium -- and it looks like he's already showing his allegiance.

Check out this clip posted by his campaign team ... it shows 45 walking into a room full of members from the Alpha Gamma Ro Agriculture Fraternity House. So, yes ... farmer bros!!!

Sounds like the guys -- upwards of 40 of them, it seems -- were super happy to see DT ... 'cause they welcomed him with a huge round of applause as he walked in. As for Don, he entered the same way Roy Williams famously did in that locker room once upon a time.

There are a couple different angles floating online, and one shows a little bit of what happened after the guys settled down and stopped clapping. It looks like Trump made a quick quip to the room, which was about to start laughing ... but the clip cuts off before that starts.

Even outside the frat house, there was a huge crowd there to greet Trump ... cheering him on. There's more footage of DT making the rounds on campus and getting received warmly.

Of course, his presence there makes sense ... he's still in campaign mode -- even amid all his legal woes -- and Iowa's a big player in the run-up to a nominee being selected in the GOP. Based on what we can see, it appears he's still got lots of fans in the state of Iowa.

BTW, we're totally kidding about Trump and booze ... the guy famously doesn't drink -- which is why his hobnobbing with the toga crowd is extra hilarious. Water pong it is then.

New Mexico Gov. Defends Suspending Carrying Guns After Albuquerque Violence

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DRASTIC TIMES ...
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New Mexico's governor temporarily banned Albuquerque's citizens from carrying guns in public -- this after a surge in shootings -- and defended her controversial decision on video.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made the move Friday, issuing an order to suspend open and concealed carry of firearms in this one city specifically -- for a total of 30 days -- after citing a public health emergency pertaining to the number of gun violence incidents of late.

The story that broke the camel's back ... the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy on Wednesday named Froylan Villegas -- who was killed after leaving a park with his family, which police now say emanated from a road rage matter. He got caught in the crossfire.

Tragic as that is, many are outraged ... calling the Gov's order a blatant violation of the Constitution. She disagrees with that -- explaining to the press Friday why she felt she had the unilateral power on this issue ... noting not every Constitutional right is absolute.

Check out how she explains this ... Gov. Lujan Grisham says she has a duty to protect the people of her state, and if gun violence starts to present a serious public health problem -- she says she's within her right and powers to do what she needs to stop the bleeding.

Worth noting, NM is an open-carry state in general -- meaning people can walk around with pistols in their holster in most public areas ... so that's why it's ruffling a lot of feathers.

As far what repercussions people face during this month-long ban ... it's not all that serious -- they amount to civil penalties and a fine of up to $5,000. So we'll see who abides or not.

Interestingly enough, some law enforcement leaders have already publicly said they are not going to enforce what the governor is asking for here ... and, of course, legal challenges in court are expected to be filed in the coming days as well.

Kim Kardashian Issues Plea To President Biden ... Help Us Prevent Another Armenian Genocide

Kim Kardashian is sending a message to President Joe Biden in the hopes of preventing another Armenian Genocide ... asking him to help cut ties with Azerbaijan.

In a Rolling Stone piece released Friday by Kim and Dr. Eric Esrailian, she starts by saying she and countless others like her are "descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors" ... saying she doesn't want to have to talk about yet another genocide in the future.

Kim goes on to talk about how "Azerbaijan has blockaded the only lifeline between the indigenous Christian Armenians of Artsakh" and the rest of the world since December, adding the war in Ukraine has meant some countries have had to rely on Azerbaijan for oil -- resulting in using "starvation as a weapon against the Armenian population in the region."

She says we are past the point of "thoughts, prayers, or concern," outlining the conflict overseas, as well as the 2020 attacks on Armenians in Artsakh and a ceasefire agreement that she says wasn't upheld.

What's more, Kim, who is of Armenian descent, says the silence by governments across the globe has only been fueling the fire, and is now asking Biden to cut off foreign aid to Azerbaijan and boycott international events happening in the country.

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COMING TOGETHER FOR ARMENIA

As we reported, Kim donated $1 million toward the conflict in Armenia in 2020, as conflicts were heating up -- sources told us Khloe, Kourtney and Rob all made sizeable donations, too.

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HELP US, JOE
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For those unaware, the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia spans decades, and over the territory that lies between them.

Vlad to Kim Jong-Un Hey Bud, Send Over Some Weapons!!! Leaders Set to Meet: Report

Vladimir Putin is apparently set to meet with Kim Jong-Un in the near future, and he wants to talk about teaming up for the Ukraine war ... which is definitely a terrible update.

The NYT reports that the North Korean leader and Russia's president are supposed to have a face-to-face sometime later this month ... and that it'd be Kim who travels to Russia for the sit-down. As far as what they'll be discussing -- the Times says it's all about weapons.

Apparently, Putin and co. are in need some of major reinforcements amid the ongoing war -- specifically, artillery shells and anti-tank missiles ... which he believes N. Korea can supply.

In exchange ... the NYT says Kim is seeking newer satellite tech and nuke-powered subs, as well as food for his people. Nothing's guaranteed, but it sounds like N. Korea is certainly open to the talks and seriously committed to discussing the possibility, at the very least.

Obviously, this is bad news in general ... as it appears Putin wants to form an alliance of sorts with Kim Jong-Un, with both nations being adversaries of the U.S./the West at large.

There's two takeaways from this -- one, Putin/Russia are low on firepower and seem to be out of allies/resources, so they're going to the isolated N. Korean state for backup. Second, it seems to prove that America's funds to Ukraine are helping Zelensky fight off Russia.

It remains to be seen how America will respond to this latest development.