Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., called for the public release of “all backup and source documentation” from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee sent out a tweet critical of Mueller after federal prosecutors, in compliance with an order from a federal judge, released the transcript of a voicemail former Trump lawyer John Dowd left for retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn’s lawyer Rob Kelner shortly after he agreed to cooperate with Mueller.
Mueller referenced parts of the Nov. 22, 2017, voicemail in his final report about how Dowd asks for a “heads up” if Flynn knew information that “implicates” Trump after Flynn dropped from a joint defense agreement with the president. But, as a Twitter user points out, parts of the transcript that were left out, including Dowd saying his request was “not only for the president, but for the country,” he was not asking for confidential information, and he did not appear to be certain that Flynn had decided to cooperate with Mueller’s team.
“This is why we need all backup and source documentation for the #muellerdossier released publicly. It’s all a fraud…,” Nunes tweeted in reply.
Nunes, who accused the special counsel of attempting to “light the fuse for impeachment” with his public statement on Wednesday, has called for more transparency from Mueller’s findings, which were released in a 448-page report in April with redactions.
He teamed up with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., to ask the Justice Department for access to the full report and underlying intelligence materials. The panel subpoenaed the DOJ on May 8.
Mueller’s team was unable to establish criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia but declined to make a determination on whether the president attempted to obstruct justice. But Mueller laid out 10 scenarios of possible obstruction in his report, including some related to Flynn, which Democrats argue gives them a road map to continue to investigate and possibly seek impeachment. Attorney General William Barr said he and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined there was not sufficient evidence to establish a crime had occurred.
Ukrainian forces in the south of the country say they have struck key bridges in the Kherson region as their counteroffensive to retake the Russian-occupied city gathers pace.
In an update on Facebook, Ukraine’s Operational Command “South” said that missile and artillery units had carried out four strikes on Russian control and command points as well as four “logistical arteries” into Kherson — the Kakhovsky, Darivsky, and two Antonivsky bridges — with the damage inflicted on the bridges restricting the Russians’ use of them as supply routes for their forces in the city.
Ukraine’s military also said that its forces had killed almost 160 Russian troops in the region and destroyed 60 pieces of enemy equipment overnight.
“In our operating area, the environment is steadily complex but controlled. The destruction of hostile logistic paths, reserves and control points continues,” the operational update from the unit said. It added that Russia’s occupying force was “mostly demoralized, but continues to resist.”
Ukraine had flagged earlier this summer that it planned a counteroffensive to retake lost territory in southern Ukraine but some officials have become more tight-lipped about the offensive since it began earlier this week, wary of giving away tactical information or of building expectations of a quick victory in Kherson.
Nataliya Humenyuk, the head of the United Coordinating Center of Security and Defense Forces of the South of Ukraine, said during a press conference on Monday that “the most important thing to know at the moment is that any military operation requires conditions of silence, and the fact that any news from the front causes such a stir is actually very wrong.”
“In the conditions of a hybrid war, in the conditions of an information war, one must realize that any actions, even if they are very inspiring, must be carried out and have a logical conclusion, and only then will they be effective.”
While the counteroffensive had “inspired everyone,” she said, “you need to be patient and understand the rules and sequence of actions of military units.”
Oxford — A football player, a volleyball striker, a captain of the bowling team and an aspiring artist.
Those were the four students tragically killed in Tuesday afternoon’s mass shooting at Oxford High School and who were identified by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Late Tuesday, authorities said Hana St. Juliana, 14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Tate Myre, 16, were the three students who initially lost their lives following a five-minute rampage at the Oakland County high school. A fourth student died Wednesday morning: Justin Shilling was 17, authorities said.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said their families have been notified and each family has been assigned a deputy to remain as long as they need and “to provide the protection they deserve.”
Myre, a football player and honor roll student, died in a patrol car as a deputy rushed him to a local hospital, Bouchard said in a 10 p.m. Tuesday update on the investigation.
“One of our deputies, due to the severity of wounds, loaded up one of the children in his car and, sadly, that child died in the car,” Bouchard said. “One of our employees who was in the 911 center as part of the team taking the emergency calls, had a relative killed. This touches us all personally, deeply and will for a long time.
“We will leave no stone unturned.”
Shilling was a senior and co-captain of the school’s bowling team and was an employee at Anita’s Kitchen in Lake Orion.
The restaurant posted a tribute to Shilling Wednesday afternoon, saying “he was an exemplary employee, a devoted friend and co-worker, co-captain of his bowling team, and simply a pleasure to be around.”
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” the restaurant said, adding that since opening its Lake Orion doors in December 2019, much of its staff has consisted of Oxford High students. “We often marvel at how blessed we are to have such amazing kids as part of our Lake Orion team. Simply put — we would not be a restaurant without them. Our heart aches for them all today, as they begin to heal from this terrible tragedy.”
In online tributes, friends said Baldwin, a senior, was expected to graduate this year. She had already been accepted into several colleges, some with a full scholarship.
“She was an artist who loved to draw, read and write. She was the eldest of three siblings,” friends wrote.
Juliana, a freshman, was the youngest victim killed. She was No. 9 on the Oxford volleyball team and had been playing front row in volleyball since middle school. She also played on the school’s basketball team and made her high school debut the night before she was killed.
The Oxford women’s basketball program paid tribute to St. Juliana on Twitter, writing, “We will never forget your kind heart, silly personality, and passion for the game. Since 6th grade camp you have stayed dedicated to Oxford Basketball, soaking in the game… This season, we play for you Hana.”
When Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced Wednesday more than 20 charges against 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, including murder and terrorism, she noted Juliana was characterized by her father as “one of the happiest and most joyful kids.”
‘A classy young man’
Myre, a junior and atight-end/running backon the football team, played on the varsity since his freshman year. At 6 feet tall, he was honored with a regional football award by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association in February. He aspired to attend Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University, Wayne State University or Texas A&M University, according to his player profile.
Myre had just returned from a visit to the University of Toledo this past weekend.
“Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all. You will be missed, Tate,” his team posted in a tribute to him Tuesday.
Shortly after midnight, nearly 30,000 people had signed an online petition to rename the school’s Wildcat Stadium after Myre. By Wednesday evening, it grew to more than 83,000 signatures.
“Tate is not just a hero to his fellow students at Oxford high school but a legend, his act of bravery should be remembered forever and passed down through generations, he put his life in danger to try and help the thousands of other students at Oxford High School,” petition organizer Drake Biggie wrote.
Bouchard said at a Tuesday night press conference he couldn’t confirm how Myre engaged his assailant.
Myre frequently shared video highlights of his football games and recently shared a video from an interview with the D Zone, that covers Michigan high school football. Reflecting on an 0-3 start to the season, he said the team worked hard and had to trust and love one another to recover.
“We started off the season rough, but we didn’t quit,” he said, wearing No. 42 on his white jersey. “We started building week by week and here we are… I play tight-end, little bit of running back and linebacker and I make most calls on defense so I have a big role.”
Former NFL player and Oxford second-year coach Zach Line said “Tate Myre is coming into his own” after the 2020 season opener when Myre used his speed for touchdown receptions of 50 and 25 yards while rushing for two touchdowns in a 34-0 win over L’Anse Creuse North, showing his potential.
Myre worked hard in the off-season to prepare for his junior season, which was capped off by his performance in the district semifinal win over No. 9 Clarkston. He had a 22-yard touchdown catch and then an interception after Clarkston had pulled within 31-28.
“Everything about him from what I’ve heard, and what I saw of him and how he handled himself on the field, he was just a classy young man,” Line said. “He was maybe one of the best, if not the best player in our league (OAA Red) because he played so hard. He was all over the field. It’s so sad what happened. I know the whole community is hurting.”
‘We are all shattered’
Amanda Sierengowski told The Detroit News she was an extended aunt who watched Baldwin grow up. Sierengowski’s sister, Tarah Baldwin, is Baldwin’s aunt by marriage.
Sierengowski recalled Baldwin winning at every card game she played.
“(Baldwin) actually drew my sister’s tattoo, a memory Tarah will cherish forever,” Sierengowski said. “Our entire family is shattered. Tarah, my sister, was Madisyn’s best friend.
“We are all shattered.”
Jennifer Graves Mosqueda, Baldwin’s grandmother, posted to Facebook during the incident Tuesday that while other family members made it out of the school safely, the family went on a search on foot for Madisyn.
At the time of the incident, Baldwin was not answering calls from family, and Mosqueda wrote that she was not in her psychology class, where she was expected to be, during the time of the shootings.
Mosqueda, whom Baldwin called GiGi, wrote early Wednesday that “This beautiful, smart, sweet loving girl was tragically taken from us all today leaving a huge hole in all of our hearts and lives.
“This horrific day could never have been imagined or planned for,” she wrote while linking to Baldwin’s GoFundMe page. “My daughter and son-in-law would never ask for anything during this time, however, I want them to be able to be with each other, their other children and family during this time without worrying about work, bills and arrangements.”
Mosqueda could not be reached for comment.
Updates on the wounded
Seven others were injured in the shooting, including six students and a 47-year-old teacher who had a grazed gunshot wound to the shoulder. In a charging document that Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald filed Wednesday against 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, the names of the wounded were listed.
The teacher, who was identified in the charging documents as Molly Darnell, has been discharged from the hospital, Bouchard said. Darnell, who had a grazed gunshot wound to her left shoulder, is listed as an English Language Arts coach on the Oxford High website.
The wounded students are Phoebe Arthur, John Asciutto, Riley Franz, Elijah Mueller, Kylie Ossege and Aiden Watson, according to the Prosecutor’s Office. The named students couldn’t be matched with the conditions of anonymous victims listed by the Sheriff’s Office.
As of late Wednesday afternoon, three remain hospitalized, according to the Sheriff’s Office:
A 17-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the neck who is in stable condition at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac.
A 17-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to her chest who remains in critical condition at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac.
A 14-year-old girl has improved from critical condition to stable and is off of a ventilator at Hurley Medical Center in Flint after suffering chest and neck gunshot wounds.
Three other students have been released, including a 15-year-old male who suffered a wound to his left leg and a 17-year-old male who was wounded in the hip, according to the Sheriff’s Office. A 14-year-old male was discharged Wednesday afternoon from McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, officials said.
The White House, meanwhile, has been in touch with state and local authorities offering assistance, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday, noting that she would check on whether Biden had reached out to the victims’ families.
“Of course, our condolences — as you hear the president say yesterday — our heart goes out to this community and these families,” Psaki said at a Wednesday’s press briefing. “As a parent myself, you watch this news, this coverage, and it really just sticks with you.”
Trump called Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News, where the two men engaged in a roughly 45-minute conversation railing against the president’s detractors and floating allegations about improper behavior by federal law enforcement.
At the conclusion of the discussion, Hannity asked Trump to respond to the names of a handful of Democratic candidates with a couple words that came to mind.
Trump shared a rare public critique of Harris, telling Hannity that “she’s got a little bit of a nasty wit, but that might be it.”
Of Biden, he said he’s landed on the derisive nickname “Sleepy Joe,” suggesting that the former vice president lacks the energy to handle the presidency.
The president has publicly expressed confidence about his abilities to defeat any candidate that emerges from a field of roughly 20 candidates vying for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination.
Recent polling of hypothetical 2020 matchups have shown Biden and Sanders leading or running neck-and-neck with Trump.
President Trump’s decision Thursday morning to surrender to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s demand that he wait until after the government shutdown is resolved to deliver his State of the Union speech in the House chamber is going to make it a lot less likely that Pelosi, D-Calif., gives in on the funding for a border wall.
Sure, in the larger scheme of things, this childish skirmish doesn’t matter much. No lives are going to be affected by whether the date of a speech is on Jan. 29 on some other time. But in an ongoing negotiation with no real movement, any standoff is going to become a proxy battle.
In this case, Pelosi’s petulant action of rescinding her invitation to the State of the Union was an effort to flex her muscles. Trump responded, first, by canceling a congressional delegation’s overseas trip and then sending a letter on Wednesday signaling he was going to show up anyway, widely seen as an attempt to force her hand. But Pelosi didn’t flinch — she has the power to block a resolution calling a joint session of Congress and was willing to use it. Instead of trying to call her bluff by showing up, and forcing her to shut off the lights on him, or delivering the speech an an alternate venue, he instead announced he was completely capitulating.
As Mark Levin noted, Pelosi is now going to see this as weakness. Trump lashed out, he tut-tutted, but ultimately he gave Pelosi exactly what she wanted without getting anything in return.
At this point, there’s very little reason to believe that Pelosi will give in. Her party is unified behind her, Trump is the one who’s getting more blame for the shutdown, and her base would flip out if she agreed to fund the border wall. Now, on top of this, she has even more reason to believe that he’ll eventually cave.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that black legislators planning to boycott his appearance at a Virginia event commemorating the 400th anniversary of the rise of American democracy are going “against their own people.”
Trump said African Americans “love the job” he’s doing and are “happy as hell” with his recent comments criticizing a majority black district in the Baltimore area and its congressman.
Trump spoke at the White House before heading to historic Jamestown in Virginia.
Black state lawmakers plan to stay away from Trump’s speech, in part over what they call Trump’s disparaging comments about minority leaders.
A last-minute announcement that the president would participate in the Jamestown commemoration Tuesday marking the first representative assembly in the Western Hemisphere injected tension into an event years in the making. Some other top Democrats have also pledged a boycott in protest.
President Donald Trump, right, listens to a reporter’s question during a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan, Friday, June 28, 2019. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, left, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, second from left, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, third from left, listen. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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Demonstrators gathered Tuesday morning near the site where Trump is to speak.
“The commemoration of the birth of this nation and its democracy will be tarnished unduly with the participation of the President, who continues to make degrading comments toward minority leaders, promulgate policies that harm marginalized communities, and use racist and xenophobic rhetoric,” the caucus said in a statement Monday.
The boycott comes after Trump’s weekend comments referring to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings’ majority-black Baltimore-area district as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess.” A caucus statement didn’t specifically mention Cummings but said Trump’s “repeated attacks on Black legislators and comments about Black communities makes him ill-suited to honor and commemorate such a monumental period in history.”
Black Caucus chairman Del. Lamont Bagby told The Associated Press in an interview that the group reached a unanimous decision to boycott the event more than a week ago but that the president has “continued his attacks” since then, including with his remarks about Cummings’ district.
The anniversary comes at a time of heightened election-year partisanship in the aftermath of political scandals that rocked Virginia’s top state elected leadership.
In Washington, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the caucus was pushing “a political agenda.”
“President Trump passed criminal justice reform, developed opportunity zones securing record-setting investment in distressed communities, and pushed policies that created the lowest unemployment rates ever for African Americans, so it’s a bit confusing and unfortunate that the VLBC would choose to push a political agenda instead of celebrate this milestone for our nation,” she said in a statement.
Caucus members also pledged to boycott the rest of a weeklong series of events marking the anniversary and have instead planned alternative commemorations Tuesday in Richmond, Virginia’s capital.
At an early-morning ceremony, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam told a gathering of dignitaries that the ideals of freedom and representative government spread from Jamestown in 1619. But he also noted the first assembly was significant for those not included: women, enslaved Africans and Native Americans.
Northam called that the paradox of Virginia, America and its representative democracy.
Trump is scheduled to give remarks later Tuesday morning, joining with state and national leaders and others at a commemorative session of the Virginia General Assembly.
Today’s Virginia General Assembly, considered the oldest continuously operating legislative body in North America, grew out of the assembly that first gathered in 1619.
The anniversary comes as lawmakers in Virginia are grappling with the fallout from scandals that engulfed the state’s top three elected officials earlier this year.
A blackface photo scandal nearly destroyed Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s career. Then, as it looked like Democratic Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax might ascend to the governorship, two women accused him of sexual assault. Fairfax, who plans to attend Tuesday, has vehemently denied those allegations.
Attorney General Mark Herring, also a Democrat, has separately faced calls to resign after acknowledging he dressed in blackface decades ago.
Like Trump himself said, that might be exactly what he wants.
If he’s exonerated, he’ll be the first to yell “NO COLLUSION!” from the Twitter mountaintop and from campaign rallies in the valleys of the Midwest.
“Without an indictment against him, Trump is going to hammer home the waste of time, taxpayer money and resources to prove that he was right all along and that he did nothing wrong,” said Ron Bonjean, a veteran Republican strategist who helped shepherd Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch through his Senate confirmation process.
Trump may do that even if the report casts brutal aspersions on his activities and those of his family and friends — or if it delivers a mixed bag of reasons that special counsel Robert Mueller declined to prosecute certain individuals in the Trump orbit.
After all, Trump’s no stranger to spin.
The bottom line for him, and for GOP voters, is that Mueller didn’t file charges against him.
But without seeing the report, it’s hard to know whether the decision not to prosecute amounts to a vindication for Trump, said former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance.
“If Mueller declined to prosecute because there was insufficient evidence, that’s hardly exoneration,” she said in a text message. “And if he didn’t indict Trump only because of the [Justice Department] policy against indicting a sitting president, that’s as far from a clean bill of health as you can get.”
The only way to get answers, she said, is if Attorney General William Barr turns everything over. Even then, she added, “Trump would do well to remember the ‘collusion’ is not the only crime in the federal code and that there are ongoing investigations, including of his inauguration, his businesses and his foundation, in multiple jurisdictions — he is still ‘Individual 1’ in a [Southern District of New York] indictment.”
Democrats are just beginning a sprawling set of probes on Capitol Hill, and they are certain to use whatever kernels they can find in the Mueller report and whatever dirt they turn up with subpoenas and oversight hearings to try to convince the electorate that Trump is unfit for a second term.
They may even try to impeach him in the House. But the bar for removing him from office — already high because it would take 20 Republican senators to flip on him — will be much higher absent an independent investigator finding criminal wrongdoing on his part.
It’s hard to imagine the report won’t be made public — and soon. If not, Trump’s re-election campaign would undoubtedly be hamstrung by the kind of questions that dogged Hillary Clinton about her e-mails in the 2016 campaign.
Though Democrats, including several presidential candidates, were quick to demand the report’s release, there was support for that position on the Republican side of the aisle in Congress, too.
“Attorney General Barr should release the report to the public as soon as possible, while accommodating national security considerations,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said in a statement released Friday night.
If the report clears him — or if he’s able to portray it that way effectively — he will no doubt be emboldened in his dealings with his own Justice Department, other federal agencies and Congress, a scenario that portends even more brutal fights between a president who is already unabashed in his attacks against Washington norms, institutions and political players of both parties.
“If you come at the king, you best not miss,” Bonjean said. “Trump is going to be unleashed in a way we haven’t seen before with a renewed fury.”
Jonathan Allen is a Washington-based national political reporter for NBC News who focuses on the presidency.
“Contrary to the President’s arguments, the Committee possesses authority under both the House Rules and the Constitution to issue the subpoena, and Mazars must comply,” wrote Judge David S. Tatel, who was joined by Judge Patricia A. Millett. Both were nominated by Democratic presidents.
Jurors are set to start their fourth day of deliverations in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
It comes after Thursday ended without a verdict on Thursday, when jurors were sent home following more than 24 hours of deliberation across three days this week.
They jury will reconvene at 9am CT on Friday.
On Thursday, Judge Bruce Schroeder barred MSNBC from covering the trial inside the courthouse for the remainder of the trial, after a freelancer journalist was stopped by the Kenosha Police Department for allegedly running a traffic signal behind a bus used to transport jurors to the courthouse. Police said they believed the man tried to photograph the bus.
NBC News said in a statement that the journalist did not intend to contact or photograph the jurors and is cooperating with authorities. Police said “there was no breach of security regarding the jury, nor were there any photographs obtained”.
Mr Rittenhouse, 18, is facing five felony charges for shooting three men in the aftermath of police brutality protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin on 25 August 2020. The most serious charges are first-degree homicide for the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber.
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Sheriff tried to defuse tensions outside court by handing out cookies
Sheriff David Beth tried to break the tension outside court by distributing coffee and cookies to protesters during the third day of Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
The Kenosha County sheriff set up a small counter outside the courthouse with a signboard that said “Cookies for peace” on Thursday.
Rudy Giuliani: Rittenhouse case ‘has become a travesty’
Appearing on Newsmax, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani claimed Kyle Rittenhouse has not had a fair trial.
“Particularly when you consider all the errors in this case, we’re at a point judges will be justified in throwing the case out. Meaning there are so many errors, any one of which could normally reverse a case,” the former Donald Trump lawyer said.
“The case has become a travesty,” he added. “They commented on the 5th amendment privilege which never gets done. I ran the US attorney’s office for five years. [I was] the third ranking officer in the Justice Department for three years and I don’t remember how many cases I have tried. I don’t remember a prosecutor doing it,” he added.
Giuliani said the judge has the ability to give a not guilty verdict in this case saying the verdict was not supported by evidence.
Former Missouri house speaker calls MSNBC ‘domestic terror group’
Former Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones described MSNBC as a “domestic terror group” after judge Bruce Schroeder banned the broadcaster from the Rittenhouse trial courthouse.
It was after the police suggested that a freelance MSNBC journalist was following or trying to photograph jurors.
He was stopped by the Kenosha police for allegedly running a traffic signal behind a bus used to transport the jurors.
MSNBC has denied any wrongdoing.
“Last night, a freelancer received a traffic citation. While the traffic violation took place near the jury van, the freelancer never contacted or intended to contact the jurors during deliberations, and never photographed or intended to photograph them,” NBC News said in a statement to CNN.
“We regret the incident and will fully cooperate with the authorities on any investigation.”
Most unbelievable moments from Kyle Rittenhouse trial so far
From confusion over an iPad camera’s ‘pinch to zoom’ technology to the prosecutor pointing Rittenhouse’s rifle at the jury, this trial has been full of dramatic and unexpected scenes unfolding inside the courtroom.
BLM and Kyle Rittenhouse supporters share pizza together outside trial court
As Kyle Rittenhouse’s fate was being decided, protesters from both the “guilty” and “not guilty” camps outside Wisconsin courthouse displayed unusual bonhomie.
The supporters of Black Lives Matter and those of Rittenhouse shared pizza together and spoke of unity as they withstood the bitter cold together despite their opposing views.
But shortly after that, a protester allegedly assaulted and was caught body-slamming a journalist. A man wearing a a “f*** Kyle Rittenhouse” t-shirt was captured on camera hitting a journalist’s camera, forcing him to back down.
Republican senator Wendy Rogers says self defence is human right
Arizona senator Wendy Rogers has joined the growing list of Republican candidates, elected officials, and other influential conservatives who have backed Kyle Rittenhouse.
Rogers tweeted on Friday: “Pray for Kyle Rittenhouse and that decency prevails. Self defense is a human right.”
It comes after Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said he might offer Rittenhouse an internship.
As the nation’s eyes remain glued to the double homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, viewers have scrutinised the judge presiding over the high-profile case.
His courtroom manner and arguments with prosecutors have drawn significant attention as the trial draws to a close.
Man who carried AR-15 outside Rittenhouse trial was fired police officer
A man who was confronted by police for carrying a rifle without a permit and hurled obscenities about Black Lives Matter protests confirmed he was a fired Ferguson police officer.
The man, who first identified himself as “Maserati Mike”, is Jesse Kline, who was a member in a police department of Missouri for three years.
He has been protesting outside the Kenosha County Courthouse for the past three days as Kyle Rittenhouse jury deliberation continues.
He first brought a rifle to the court and returned with a rifle bag and a dog the next day.
La familia de César Arellano Chumacero pide ayuda para trasladar el cuerpo del vigilante a su natal Piura.
El vigilante asesinado trabajaba en la discoteca donde Eduardo Glicerio Romero Naupay disparó a quemarropa a los presentes. | Fuente: RPP
César Arellano Chumacero trabajaba como seguridad en la discoteca Zeven de Independencia, cuando Eduardo Romero lo asesinó a él y a otras dos personas la noche de este viernes. Su tía, Diosa Arellano, le dijo a RPP Noticias que su sobrino ha dejado a 3 hijos en la orfandad y pidió ayuda para llevar el cuerpo a su natal Piura.
“Nos enteramos por la televisión, pero no queríamos creer que era él. César trabajaba hace seis años en la discoteca, es un padre de familia de 3 niños, que han quedado en la orfandad. Mi sobrino es de Piura, pero vive en Lima. Allá tiene dos hijos de su primer compromiso y del segundo tiene una hijita que vive acá”, comentó en RPP Noticias.
Diosa Arellano pidió “que se haga justicia” y que se sanciones a los responsables que le permitieron a Eduardo Romero portar un arma de fuego. “En Piura, su papá aún no se entera. No puede venir a Lima porque está delicado de salud, por eso necesitamos ayuda para llevar el cuerpo allá”.
La tía del vigilante César Arellano Chumacero llegó a la Morgue Central de Lima, donde está el cadáver de su familiar. | Fuente: RPP
Attorney General William Barr snubs of one of the most powerful Democrats on Capitol Hill; chief White House correspondent John Roberts reports.
The only thing uglier than an angry Washington is a fearful Washington. And fear is what’s driving this week’s blitzkrieg of Attorney General William Barr.
Mr. Barr tolerantly sat through hours of Democratic insults at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday. His reward for his patience was to be labeled, in the space of a news cycle, a lawbreaking, dishonest, obstructing hack. Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly accused Mr. Barr of lying to Congress, which, she added, is “considered a crime.” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said he will move to hold Mr. Barr in contempt unless the attorney general acquiesces to the unprecedented demand that he submit to cross-examination by committee staff attorneys. James Comey, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, lamented that Donald Trump had “eaten” Mr. Barr’s “soul.” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren demands the attorney general resign. California Rep. Eric Swalwell wants him impeached.
These attacks aren’t about special counsel Robert Mueller, his report or even the surreal debate over Mr. Barr’s first letter describing the report. The attorney general delivered the transparency Democrats demanded: He quickly released a lightly redacted report, which portrayed the president in a negative light. What do Democrats have to object to?
Some of this is frustration. Democrats foolishly invested two years of political capital in the idea that Mr. Mueller would prove President Trump had colluded with Russia, and Mr. Mueller left them empty-handed. Some of it is personal. Democrats resent that Mr. Barr won’t cower or apologize for doing his job. Some is bitterness that Mr. Barr is performing like a real attorney general, making the call against obstruction-of-justice charges rather than sitting back and letting Democrats have their fun with Mr. Mueller’s obstruction innuendo.
But most of it is likely fear. Mr. Barr made real news in that Senate hearing, and while the press didn’t notice, Democrats did. The attorney general said he’d already assigned people at the Justice Department to assist his investigation of the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. He said his review would be far-reaching – that he was obtaining details from congressional investigations, from the ongoing probe by the department’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz, and even from Mr. Mueller’s work. Mr. Barr said the investigation wouldn’t focus only on the fall 2016 justifications for secret surveillance warrants against Trump team members but would go back months earlier.
He also said he’d focus on the infamous “dossier” concocted by opposition-research firm Fusion GPS and British former spy Christopher Steele, on which the FBI relied so heavily in its probe. Mr. Barr acknowledged his concern that the dossier itself could be Russian disinformation, a possibility he described as not “entirely speculative.” He also revealed that the department has “multiple criminal leak investigations under way” into the disclosure of classified details about the Trump-Russia investigation.
A Central Point father of four who wished President Joe Biden and the first lady a wonderful Christmas and added “Let’s go, Brandon,” at the end of a live streamed Santa tracker call told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he didn’t intend his parting message to be vulgar.
“At the end of the day, I have nothing against Mr. Biden, but I am frustrated because I think he can be doing a better job,” said Jared Schmeck, 35, who works for an electric company and was previously a Medford police officer for six years until he resigned in July 2018. “I mean no disrespect to him.”
The phrase “Let’s Go, Brandon” has become a conservative dig at the Democratic president, a code for “F— Joe Biden,” which resulted from an Oct. 2 NASCAR race in Alabama, where a crowd was shouting the vulgar chant, but a TV reporter suggested during an interview with the driver, Brandon Brown, who had just won his first Xfinity Series, that the crowd actually was chanting, “Let’s go, Brandon.”
Schmeck said he’s not a “Trumper,” but described himself as “free-thinking American and follower of Jesus Christ.”
Schmeck said he and his family call into the NORAD Santa tracker every Christmas Eve. He said he wasn’t aware the call would be livestreamed.
When he called Friday night from his sons’ Christmas-decorated bedroom, he was told First Lady Jill Biden would be taking calls.
“I thought it would be automated. We just waited on hold and then they answered,” he said. “And I thought, ‘wow, this is real.’ “
When Jared shared the names of his children, President Biden immediately honed in on the boy named Hunter, sharing that they have a son and grandson named Hunter as well.
Jared’s 11-year-old Griffin told the president he wanted a piano for Christmas. His son Hunter said he wanted a Switch.
“Switch?” Biden questioned.
Schmeck, kneeling between his sons’ beds and holding his cell phone out so all could hear, explained to the president that it’s short for Ninetendo Switch. Schmeck went on to share that his daughter Piper wanted a Barbie doll airplane and his 2-year-old daughter Penelope would be happy with any presents from Santa. Schmeck asked for a “quiet night.” The president retorted, “Lucks of luck dad,” and all laughed.
Biden urged all the children to get to bed by 9 p.m. and stay asleep until midnight or Santa wouldn’t show.
“Well, have a Merry Christmas. Have a wonderful Christmas,” the First Lady said.
“I hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas as well,” Schmeck responded, and added, “Merry Christmas and Let’s Go Brandon!”
The First Lady winced, and the president immediately responded, “Let’s Go Brandon, I agree.”
Then President Biden attempted to find out if Jared was calling from Oregon.
“By the way are you in Oregon? Where’s your home?” the president asked. With no response, Biden said, “I think we lost him,” and moved on.
By then, though, Schmeck had gotten off the phone. He said he didn’t hang up on the president but that he was disconnected.
Soon afterward, Schmeck’s wife on Instagram posted, “My husband may or may not have just told joe and jill Biden ‘let’s go Brandon’ on the phone,’ “ punctuated by two crying emojis. Schmeck also posted a video of their conversation with Biden and the First Lady on his YouTube channel, writing, “We talked to President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve! #letsgobrandon”
From Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, Schmeck’s parting remark to Biden fueled fury on social media.
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-CA, wrote on Twitter, “I refuse to believe we are this indecent as people. Not on Christmas Eve. And not to a person who lost his wife and daughter at Christmastime. We are better than this. Be kind and #Merry Christmas.”
Another on Twitter wrote: “Imagine being a grown man so infantile and disrespectful that you say the slur ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ to the president in front of your own kids and dozens of others. This is a sad time.”
Others lambasted his remark. One person wrote on Twitter, “Some of us celebrate Christmas Eve w gratitude for the birth of Jesus, others shout obscenities to entertain their son and @YouTube audience.”
“Wow. #jaredschmeck is gonna trend for the first time in his life, and not in a good way,” wrote another on the social media site.
Schmeck called his remark a “joke,” and a reflection of his frustration with Biden’s policies, including the federal vaccine mandates, inflation and global supply chain problems that have caused shortages in consumer products.
“And now I am being attacked for utilizing my freedom of speech,” Schmeck said, adding that he’s been receiving some vague but threatening phone calls since the Santa tracker call.
“I understand there is a vulgar meaning to ‘Lets go Brandon,’ but I’m not that simple minded, no matter how I feel about him,” the 35-year-old father said Christmas morning. “He seems likes he’s a cordial guy. There’s no animosity or anything like that. It was merely just an innocent jest to also express my God-given right to express my frustrations in a joking manner…I love him just like I love any other brother or sister.”
Asked why he resigned from Medford police on July 15, 2018, Schmeck wouldn’t say.
He went on to say he “stood 100% behind what I did and what I said.”
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – According to Pinellas County documents, Roberta Laundrie checked into Fort De Soto Park on September 6. The documents show she checked out on September 8.
Brian Laundrie’s attorney confirmed Brian and his parents visited the area together. He said that all three of them left on September 7 despite the park records showing they left a day later.
NBC2 spoke to a Fort Myers couple who camped next to the Laundrie family on September 6.
They looked back on their photos and found a red truck with a camper attached to it. They are similar to the truck and camper that has been parked in front of the Laundrie family home for the past two weeks.
We asked North Port Police if they physically saw Brian Laundrie on September 11 and they said no. We then asked if police saw him at any point in time after September 11 until the 14th. Police said they have been asked to withhold that information for the integrity of the investigation.
Rep. Ilhan Omar under fire for her comments yet again; reaction and analysis from our power panel on ‘Fox News @ Night.’
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s attempt to shame a news outlet for misquoting her blistering attack on former President Barack Obama backfired after she released audio of the interview that only served to confirm her remarks.
The Minnesota Democrat, who’s faced controversy over comments perceived as anti-Semitic, got into hot water yet again after saying Obama’s “hope and change” message was a “mirage” and slammed the administration’s drone and border-detention policies.
She told Politico that the Obama administration was responsible for the “caging of kids” at the U.S.-Mexico border, the “droning of countries around the world,” and that the 44th president “operated within the same fundamentally broken framework as his Republican successor.”
“We can’t be only upset with Trump. … His policies are bad, but many of the people who came before him also had really bad policies. They just were more polished than he was,” Omar is quoted as saying in the article. “And that’s not what we should be looking for anymore. We don’t want anybody to get away with murder because they are polished. We want to recognize the actual policies that are behind the pretty face and the smile.”
“We can’t be only upset with Trump. … His policies are bad, but many of the people who came before him also had really bad policies. They just were more polished than he was.”
— Ilhan Omar
Following the article’s publication, Omar went on offense on Twitter and accused the outlet’s reporter, Tim Alberta, of distorting her words and insisted that she is, in fact, a fan of Obama.
“Exhibit A of how reporters distort words. I’m an Obama fan! I was saying how Trump is different from Obama, and why we should focus on policy not politics. This is why I always tape my interviews,” she tweeted, attaching an audio recording of the interview.
But the move immediately backfired as the recording actually confirmed the comments she made to the news outlet. By Saturday afternoon, she had deleted the tweet.
“I think for many of us, we think of ourselves as Democrats. But many of the ways that our Democratic leaders have conducted themselves within the system is not one that we are all proud of,” she said in the recording.
“You know, I will talk about the family separation or caging of kids and then people will point out that this was wrong – I mean this was Obama. And you know I’ll say something about the droning of countries around the world and people will say that was Obama. And all of that is very true. What is happening now is very different. A lot is happening with secrecy. It’s happening with the feel-good polished way of talking about it.
“And when we talk about waking people up from complacency, it’s to say that we can’t be only upset with Trump because he’s not a politician who sells us his policies in the most perfect way. His policies are bad, but many of the people who came before him also had really bad policies. They just were more polished than he was,” she continued.
“And that’s not what we should be looking for anymore. We don’t want anybody to get away with murder because they are polished. We want to recognize the actual policies that are behind the pretty face and the smile, so that we can understand the kind of negative impact, or positive impact, they will have on us for generations.”
Omar’s attempt at shaming a media outlet was called out by the reporter who said the rookie congresswoman tried to bash the media in an effort to avoid the comments she made.
“Exhibit A of how politicians use the media as a straw man to avoid owning what they said. Your tape…supports what I wrote 100%. So does my longer tape. It’s beyond dispute,” tweeted back the reporter at Omar. “Next time, a phone call from your office before the Twitter ambush would be appreciated.”
The latest controversy came just a day after Omar’s comments suggesting that Israel supporters want U.S. lawmakers to pledge “allegiance” to the Jewish state – which was widely condemned as echoing the age-old “dual loyalties” smear against Jewish politicians – were condemned in a broad anti-bigotry resolution passed by the House.
Omar’s anti-Obama comments are likely to further split the Democratic Caucus, which is still reeling from an intra-party fight that erupted in the wake of the anti-bigotry resolution’s wording, as Obama remains extremely popular within the party.
Progressive Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have defended Omar’s earlier comments.
El “escape” de Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán nuevamente es noticias, al menos en las redes sociales. El famosos narcotraficante se “fugó”, en una noticia falsa que se corrió en las redes sociales. En Honduras, decomisan un arsenal valorado en medio millón de lempiras.
En este resumen de noticias de este viernes, te presentamos las que mayor impacto tuvieron en Honduras y el planeta entero:
Falso escape del Chapo Guzmán enciende las redes sociales
El narcotraficante Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán ha vuelto a encender las alertas este viernes tras difundirse su supuesta tercera fuga. Un sitio que se hace pasar por el portal de noticias ABC News publicó información falsa de que el líder del cartel de Sinaloa se había fugado.
La página real de noticias es abcnews.go.com, mientras que el portal falso tiene como dirección abcnews.com.co pero muchos se creyeron la falsa noticia.
Revelan forma en que operaban los cachiros
La organización especializada en el análisis de la violencia y el crimen organizado en Latinoamérica y Estados Unidos, InSight Crime, ofreció detalles de cómo operaba y encajaban Los Cachiros en una red internacional de tráfico de drogas. “Los Cachiros financiaron partidos políticos de todas las tendencias, desde candidatos a alcaldías hasta congresistas y quizá incluso en niveles más altos. Sabotearon las investigaciones locales contra ellos y otros grupos, infiltrándose en la policía, las procuradurías locales y los juzgados de todo el país. Compraron empresas constructoras, para así poder ganar contratos con el gobierno y luego pagarles sobornos a los políticos que habían apoyado sus postulaciones durante las licitaciones. Apoyaron invasiones de terrenos de empresas rivales. Y asesinaron impunemente a sus rivales en el negocio del narcotráfico y a otras personas que se les opusieron”, detalló teven Dudley, codirector de InSight Crime.
Según la información “Los Cachiros habían acumulado entre US$500 y 800 millones en activos”.
Decomisan armas valoradas en medio millón de lempiras
Más de diez potentes armas de fuego fueron decomisadas en las últimas horas en tres operativos en la colonia Las Torres de Comayagüela, en la capital de Honduras. “Este tipo de armas es utilizada únicamente por las fuerzas de seguridad del Estado, un arma de corte ilegal, en manos de particulares”, indicó el portavoz de la Secretaría de Seguridad, Luis Osavas.
“Son armas con alto poder de fuego. Es una incautación que su valor oscila en medio millón de lempiras”, explicó Osavas.
Portada del desnudo de Kim Kardashian rompe récord
Parece que todo lo que Kim Kardashian toca se convierte en oro y es que no es de extrañar viendo la increíble cantidad de legiones de fans que tiene repartidos a lo largo y ancho del mundo. En Facebook, cuenta ya con casi 29 millones de fans en su página, mientras que en Twitter, su número de seguidores asciende hasta los más de 41 millones. Así que no es de extrañar que las marcas se la rifen para que sea embajadora de sus productos.
Ahora, la que ha roto todos los récords habidos y por haber en el mundo de los medios de comunicación impresos ha sido la revista GQ, en cuya portada aparecía la Kardashian muy ligerita de ropa, algo a lo que ya tiene acostumbrados a todos los mortales.
Atacante de Dallas era veterano de guerra
Estados Unidos era un país conmocionado este viernes ante el tiroteo que provocó la muerte de cinco agentes de policía en Dallas, al fin de una semana de furia a raíz de la violencia policial contra ciudadanos negros. El único sospechoso abatido por la policía luego de la matanza del jueves en Dallas fue Micah Johnson, un negro de 25 años que carecía de antecedentes policiales y reservista del Ejército, que estuvo movilizado en Afganistán entre noviembre de 2013 y julio de 2014.
Johnson fue muerto al fin de un gigantesco cerco policial que incluyó el uso de un robot con explosivos.
Honduras, el 52 país más peligroso del mundo, según GPI
Según un informe del Global Peace Index (GPI), Honduras es el segundo país más peligroso de Centroamérica. El mundo es hoy más peligroso que hace un año, ha indicado el último informe del Global Peace Index (GPI) del Instituto de para la Economía y la Paz en este 2016. La décima edición de este informe incluye a 163 país donde concluye que Islandia es el país donde menos violencia existe en todo el mundo. Los 163 estados cubren más del 99% de la población mundial y se evaluó a través de 23 indicadores. El índice mide la paz mundial mediante tres grandes temas: el nivel de seguridad y protección en la sociedad, en la medida de conflicto nacional e internacional, y el grado de militarización que existe en cada estado. Los conflictos regionales en el Oriente Medio y el Norte de África se intensificaron lo que significa que los países más peligrosos del mundo de 2015 se hizo aún más grande. Siria, Sudán del Sur e Irak son los países más peligrosos del mundo, destaca el informe. Otros estados frágiles y que están en los primeros lugares son Afganistán, Somalia, Yemen y la República Centroafricana. Mientras que Pakistán y Corea del Norte salieron del top 10 y sorprendentemente Ucrania, país europeo, hora ocupa el octavo lugar debido al conflicto con los separatistas pro-rusos en la región de Donbass.
20% de la población de Somalia y Sudán del Sur, respectivamente, y más del 60% de la de Siria “. Europa sigue siendo la región geográfica más tranquila y destaca Islandia, Dinamarca y Austria como los países más pacíficos del mundo. Sin embargo, a pesar de la tranquilidad relativa de Europa, la puntuación media en Europa se deterioró debido a los incidentes de terrorismo en París y Bruselas, así como el aumento de la violencia y la inestabilidad en Turquía, un país que también ha sufrido profundamente y se ubica en la 19 posición.
Los países más peligrosos del mundo 1. Siria 2. Sudán del Sur 3. Irak 4. Afghanistan 5. Afghanistan 6. Yemén 7. República Central Africana 8. Ucrania 9. Sudán 10 Libia 11. Pakistan 12. República Democrática del Congo 13. Rusia 14. Corea del Norte 15. Nigeria 16. Palestina 17. Colombia 18. Líbano 19. Turquía 20. Israel 21. Venezuela 22. Egipto 23. India 24. México 25. Filipinas 26. Burundi 27. Mali 28. Chad 29. Eritrea 30. Azerbaiyán 31. Irán 32. Bahrein 33. Kenia 34. Camerún 35. Arabia Saudita 36. Ruanda 37. Zimbaue 38. Sudáfrica 39. Tailandia 40. Kirguistán 41. Mauritania 42. Tayikistán 43. Djibouti 44. China 45. Ethiopía 46. Costa de Marfil 47. Guatemala 48. Guinea-Bissau 49. Myanmar 50. Republica de Congo 51. Nigeria 52. Honduras 53. El Salvador
Millions of people around the world will be watching Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve, thanks to the Official NORAD Santa Tracker. With it, you can find out where is Santa Claus right now? And, you can estimate what time he will arrive in the United States tonight.
As of 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Christmas Eve, Santa Claus was in Russia and had delivered more than 2 billion gifts so far. If his schedule keeps up with previous years he should arrive near the U.S. East Coast tonight around 10 p.m. You can follow Santa’s journey tonight live below.
The tracker, which is run by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), has been tracking Santa Claus and his trip since 1955. NORAD is a binational organization that controls aerospace and monitors man-made objects in space.
NORAD Tracks Santa Program Director Preston Schlachter previously told Newsweek that the command had received a phone call more than 60 years ago from a boy due to a typo in a department store newspaper ad, telling children they could make phone calls to Santa.
“We know that Santa Claus flies West from the International Date Line and only comes when children are sleeping,” Schlachter previously told Newsweek. “So he takes off right at the beginning of the day and zigzags up and down the different time zones, generally North to South and then coming back South to North.”
The biggest day for NORAD is on Christmas Eve. As of Monday 8:30 a.m. EST, Santa Claus has passed through Rockhampton in Australia and is heading for Maryborough, Australia, according to the NORAD Santa Tracker. To watch Santa’s journey around the world, click here.
Before Christmas Day, NORAD had set up a Santa countdown trackers on its website and gave visitors the chance to explore the North Pole with Santa’s village. The website also gave visitors movies to watch and Christmas games to play.
This December 24, 2012, photo shows a woman monitoring the progress of Santa Claus in Washington, D.C. The Santa tracker, set up by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), follows Santa’s journey around the world every year. KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images
The NORAD website also answers questions about Santa, his trip and his reindeer. Some of the questions asked: What is Santa’s favorite cookie, and if certain siblings were placed on Santa’s naughty or nice list.
Despite the partial government shutdown, NORAD announced on Twitter that it will still track Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve.
“In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year,” NORAD tweeted on Friday.
NORAD won’t be the only one tracking Santa on Christmas Eve: Google began tracking Santa and his journey at 5 a.m. EST. The company launched its Santa tracker in 2004 and also allows visitors on their website to play holiday-themed games to get everyone excited about the holiday. To follow Santa Claus’s journey on Google’s tracker, click here.
Russian military forces continued their bombardment of areas around Kyiv despite promising to scale back operations in those areas, according to Ukrainian officials.
Earlier this week, Moscow announced plans to dial back its military activity in and around Kyiv, but the Pentagon said less than 20% of the forces have been removed. Ukrainian authorities said Russian forces instead began bombarding homes, stores, libraries and other civilian sites on the outskirts of Kyiv.
“It’s not true,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a video address to European Union regional officials translated by Reuters. “The whole night we listened to sirens, to rocket attacks and we listened to huge explosions east of Kyiv and north of Kyiv. There are immense battles there, people died, still die.”
A delegation of Ukrainian lawmakers visited Washington on Wednesday to push for more U.S. assistance, saying their nation needs more military equipment, more financial help and tougher sanctions against Russia.
“We need to kick Russian soldiers off our land, and for that we need all, all possible weapons,” Ukrainian parliament member Anastasia Radina said at a news conference at the Ukrainian Embassy.
►Nineteen people were found dead under rubble after a rocket attack on a regional administration building in the southern city of Mykolaiv, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported.
►Talks between Ukraine and Russia will resume Friday by video, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, David Arakhamia, said. Ukraine will not sign a peace treaty until Moscow withdraws its troops, he said.
►Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has recalled Ukraine’s ambassadors to Georgia and Morocco, suggesting they haven’t done enough to persuade those countries to support Ukraine and punish Russia for the invasion.
Zelenskyy asks Australia for armoured vehicles
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Australia to increase sanctions against Russia and send him some armoured vehicles in a video speech Thursday to the Australian Parliament.
“Most of all we have to keep those who are fighting against this evil armed,” he said. Finance Minister Simon Birmingham did not directly respond to the request in a briefing, saying the government was considering what was practical. He said Australia has already provided missiles and protective gear to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said that the current war might not have happened if Russia had been punished after Russian-backed separatists shot down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. Thirty-eight Australians were among the 298 aboard, all of whom perished.
“The unpunished evil comes back,” Zelenskyy said.
Regime change? Russians don’t appear interested
The percentage of Russians who think their country and its institutions are moving in the right direction has sharply increased since the nation invaded Ukraine, according to polling by the independent Levada Center, a Russian research nonprofit organization.
In March, 69% of Russians said they believe their country is moving in the right direction – a 17 point increase from the month prior. It’s the highest rating of approval the center has on record for the country’s direction as a whole.
The approval ratings for Russian political figures also starkly rose in March. Support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s activities rose to 83% this month compared to February’s 71% approval, and confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin increased 10 points to 44%.
Levada director Denis Volkov told the independent, English-language Moscow Times the numbers reflect the nation rallying around its leaders in the initial stages of war. Volkov said the positive numbers are likely to drop amid the economic uncertainty wrought by Western sanctions – when “there is no big euphoria, people feel the seriousness of the situation.”
– Ella Lee
Russia calls up 134,500 military conscripts
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Thursday ordering 134,500 new conscripts into the army as part of Russia’s annual spring draft, but the defense ministry said the call-up was unrelated to the war. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the conscripts, ages 18-27, would be dispatched to bases in late May for 3-5 months of training. None will be sent to combat “hot spots,” he said.
The defense ministry acknowledged earlier this month that some conscripts had been taking part in the war, this despite Putin saying only professional soldiers and officers had been sent to Ukraine. The Kremlin said Putin ordered military prosecutors to investigate and punish the officials responsible for disobeying his instructions to exclude conscripts.
Putin aides reportedly afraid to tell him how poorly war is going
U.S. and British intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisers about Russian forces’ performance in Ukraine.
Jeremy Fleming, the head of the U.K.’s spy service, said it “increasingly looks like Putin has massively misjudged the situation.” He said Russian soldiers, short on weapons and morale, are refusing to carry out orders and sabotaging their own equipment.
“And even though we believe Putin’s advisers are afraid to tell him the truth, what’s going on and the extent of these misjudgments must be crystal clear to the regime,” Fleming said.
A U.S. official who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity said Putin has felt misled by the Russian military, leading to tension between the sides.
Red Cross ready for Mariupol evacuation Friday
The International Committee of the Red Cross says its teams are ready to help evacuate civilians from of the besieged city of Mariupol.
“Our team in #Ukraine is on the road right now to be ready to: Facilitate the safe passage of civilians out of #Mariupol tomorrow. And bring aid,” the Red Cross tweeted Thursday. “All parties must agree to the exact terms. This operation is critical. Tens of thousands of lives depend on it.
The evacuation could begin Friday provided all the parties agree to the terms, route, start time and the duration, the Red Cross said. Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Ukraine is sending out several dozen buses to collect civilians from Mariupol after Russia’s military agreed to a local cease-fire from the city to Ukraine-held Zaporizhzhia.
“It’s desperately important that this operation takes place. The lives of tens of thousands of people in Mariupol depend on it,” the Red Cross said.
Industry impacted by Russian invasion of Ukraine
Sensing the worst, two weeks before Russia began invading his homeland, tech entrepreneur Volodymir “Vlad” Panchenko wanted to charter a plane for a month to get as many of his employees and their families out of Kyiv, Ukraine, as quickly as possible.
But the co-founder of video game and metaverse marketplace DMarket said his board was giving him heavy pushback because his plan to shuttle workers to the Balkan country of Montenegro would lead to a 20% budget increase.
“None of them supported me. They said I was overreacting,” said Panchenko, who trusted his gut and told them he was executing his contingency plan anyway – regardless of the cost. “I told them that I felt a war was coming and we should leave. And if there isn’t, we’ll spend time in a warm place and still get our work done.”
DMarket and many other tech companies rely on colleagues who live and work in Ukraine, a fast-growing tech hotbed. While known companies such as Google and Microsoft have workers based in Ukraine, many far lesser-known, early- and mid-stage startups globally count on the embattled country’s talent-rich pool of engineers and developers and could be in jeopardy because of the conflict. Read more here.
– Terry Collins
Biden pledges $500 million more worth of aid in call with Zelenskyy
President Joe Biden pledged an additional $500 million in aid to Ukraine in a phone call Wednesday with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have failed to produce a breakthrough.
The White House confirmed the additional “direct budgetary aid” after Biden spoke to Zelenskyy for about an hour in a call. The infusion of new assistance is on top of $2 billion the U.S. has committed to Ukraine since Biden became president.
Zelenskyy updated Biden on the status of Ukraine’s negotiations with Russia, according to the White House. It comes as the Biden administration has expressed skepticism about Russia’s stated plans to reduce military forces near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
The two leaders also discussed how the U.S. is “working around the clock” to fulfill security requests by Ukraine, the White House said, and efforts with allies to identify additional assistance needed by the Ukrainian government.
Zelenskyy said in a tweet they discussed their assessment of “the situation on the battlefield and the negotiating table” as well as defense support, a package of new sanctions on Russia and financial and humanitarian aid.
Image caption
Salman Abedi, ciudadano británico de padres libios, fue identificado como el supuesto atacante.
Se llamaba Salman Ramadan Abedi, tenía 22 años y nacionalidad era británica de origen libio.
Fue el responsable del atentado suicida que la noche del lunes causó la muerte de 22 personas y heridas a otras 60 al finalizar un concierto de la cantante estadounidense Ariana Grande en Manchester, Inglaterra.
Una vez que las autoridades británicas determinaron su identidad, las investigaciones ahora se centran en qué tipo de complicidades pudo tener Abedi, y por ahora se cree que pertenecía a algún tipo de “red” extremista.
Hasta este miércoles, siete personas han sido detenidas, entre ellas el padre del atacante, Ramadam, y su hermano menor, Hashem, quienes fueron arrestados en Libia y son investigados por posibles vínculos con el autodenominado Estado Islámico.
Otro de los hermanos de Salam, llamado Ismael, también fue detenido por la policía de Manchester.
“Creo que está muy claro que se trata de una red la que estamos investigando”, dijo el jefe de la policía de Manchester, Ian Hopkins.
“La pesquisa continúa activa, hay investigaciones extensas y actividades que tienen lugar en Manchester mientras hablamos”, agregó.
Para la ministra del Interior británica, Amber Rudd, es “muy probable” que Abedi no actuara solo: “Fue más sofisticado que algunos de los ataques que hemos visto antes, y parece probable que él (Abedi) no estuviera haciendo esto por su cuenta“.
Image caption
Los esfuerzos de la policía se han concentrado en esclarecer si Salam Abedi pertenecía a una red de posibles atacantes.
Se cree que Abedi pudo estar actuando como una “mula” que portaba un dispositivo fabricado por alguien más, según el corresponsal de seguridad de la BBC, Frank Gardner.
La primera ministra de Reino Unido, Theresa May, dijo este martes que su país enfrenta una amenaza “inminente”, por lo que el nivel de amenaza terrorista del país ha subido de “extremo” a “crítico”.
El secretario de Defensa británico, Michael Fallon, autorizó al personal militar armado a ayudar a la policía a asegurar sitios claves en todo Reino Unido en lo que se denomina la Operación Temperer.
¿Quién era Salam Abedi?
La policía ha informado que Salaman Abedi provocó la explosión cuando estaba en el vestíbulo del Manchester Arena, una instalación deportiva que hace a la vez de sala de conciertos, poco después de las 22:30 GMT del lunes.
Al momento de la explosión, los asistentes al concierto abandonaban el recinto con capacidad para 21.000 personas después de finalizada la presentación de Ariana Grande.
El autodenominado grupo Estado Islámico reivindicó el atentado perpetrado por “uno de los soldados del califato” en represalia contra “infieles” y por las “trasgresiones a la tierra de los musulmanes”, dice un mensaje de la organización extremista.
Así fue la noche del ataque suicida en el Manchester Arena
La primera ministra May confirmó el martes que Abedi es británico, originario de Manchester. Nació el 31 de diciembre de 1994.
La Universidad de Salford, ubicada en las afueras de Manchester, confirmó que Abedi fue su estudiante e informó que colabora con la investigación policial que se lleva a cabo.
“Todos en la Universidad de Salford están sorprendidos y tristes por los acontecimientos de anoche. Podemos confirmar que Salman Abedi fue un estudiante de la universidad”, comunicó el centro de estudios.
Derechos de autor de la imagen Getty Images
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La policía ha registrado varias propiedades en Manchester en búsqueda de pistas o cómplices de Salaman Abedi.
¿Era sospechoso?
Fawaz Haffar, un administrador del Centro Islámico de Manchester, también conocido como la Mezquita de Didsbury, dijo a la agencia Press Association que era “probable” que Abedi hubiera asistido allí.
Añadió que el padre de Abedi solía realizar la llamada a la oración en la mezquita, y uno de sus hermanos fue voluntario en ese Centro Islámico.
“Nos aseguramos de que prediquen el verdadero islam, el islam moderno, que predica el amor el uno al otro, la paz y la armonía“, aseguró Haffar.
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Ismael, hermano de 23 años de Abedi, fue arrestado este martes en Manchester en conexión con los ataques.
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Hashem Abedi, de 20 años, es el hermano menor del atacante y fue arrestado Trípoli, la capital de Libia.
Se cree que los padres de Abedi se fueron a Libia después de haber vivido varios años en Reino Unido.
Un trabajador comunitario musulmán, que no quiso ser identificado, le dijo a la BBC que dos personas que conocían a Abedi en la universidad habían hecho llamadas a una línea de la policía para advertir sobre sus puntos de vista extremistas, hace unos cinco años.
Dijeron que estaban preocupados de que Abedi “apoyara el terrorismo” y expresaron preocupación de que el joven dijera que “ser un atacante suicida estaba bien”.
Otra persona que lo conocía era Hamid el Sayed, un profesor de la Universidad de Manchester que antes trabajó para la oficina de Naciones Unidas para la lucha contra la radicalización.
Aseguró que Abedi tenía una “relación realmente mala” con su familia y “eventualmente estuvo muy mal en su universidad, en su educación, y no la terminó, y trataron de llevarlo de vuelta a Libia varias veces”.
“Tuvo dificultades para adaptarse al estilo de vida europeo”, dijo El Sayed.
“Fue horrible, había cuerpos por todas partes”: testimonios de sobrevivientes del ataque en Manchester
Un antiguo compañero de clase de Abedi dijo a la BBC, bajo condición de anonimato, que era un “chico muy simpático” pero también “muy temperamental” y se enfurecía con “cualquier cosa”.
Regularmente estaba “ausente en momentos aleatorios a lo largo del año”, pero no era claro si estaba en el extranjero o solo apartado, pues se le veía con “gente equivocada”, además de que era muy “crédulo”.
“Podrías decirle cualquier cosa y él la creía”, aseguró su compañero, quien cree que antes de abandonar la escuela en 2011, Abedi se hizo”cada vez más religioso” y esto podría explicar por qué cortó los lazos con antiguos compañeros de clase.
In this aerial photo taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday, parts of the Sanibel Causeway are washed away along with sections of the bridge.
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Joe Raedle/Getty Images
In this aerial photo taken in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday, parts of the Sanibel Causeway are washed away along with sections of the bridge.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Hurricane Ian destroyed several portions of the Sanibel Causeway, the series of bridges that connects mainland Florida to Sanibel Island — which is home to some 6,500 people and located just south of where the storm made landfall.
Officials have characterized the extent of the damage as beyond simple repairs.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis confirmed at a Thursday morning briefing that the Sanibel Causeway is one of at least two bridges (along with the bridge that connects to Pine Island) that are “impassable” and will “require structural rebuilds.”
He said on Friday that the three-mile causeway “had breaks in multiple parts of it.”
“It was not where the water and the pylons were, those held up very well,” he said at a Friday morning briefing. “It was where you had some on the sandbar, and that got washed out from underneath.”
Homes in Sanibel, Fla., were damaged by the hurricane. The island is home to about 6,500 people year-round.
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Homes in Sanibel, Fla., were damaged by the hurricane. The island is home to about 6,500 people year-round.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Lee County had ordered people on the island to evacuate before the storm hit, though not everyone did. Sanibel Mayor Holly Smith said Thursday that the occupants of about 200 homes had stayed behind, and that authorities had already confirmed two injuries and 12 deaths on Sanibel.
It appears that other residents are effectively stranded on the island, either because they declined evacuation offers by rescue crews or because they are unaccounted for.
DeSantis said that same day that an unspecified number of people had been safely brought off the island and that rescue efforts by the U.S. Coast Guard, local law enforcement and state teams were ongoing. The Coast Guard has shared photos of crews airlifting people from flooded parts of the island.
Officials are running barges in order to ferry supplies and heavier equipment to the island (whereas emergency responders had initially been traveling lighter and via air), DeSantis said on Friday.
Smith had requested barge service for short-term recovery, as well as “possibly for the long-term for island access due to the condition of the causeway.”
Smith is urging residents to provide authorities with the names and addresses of any loved ones who may have remained on the island, saying “our first priority is to get those who are stranded to safety” and account for missing people.
No electric customers on Sanibel Island had power as of an 11 a.m. ET Friday morning update from the Lee County Electric Cooperative.
Jarring images of the broken causeway circulated fast
The Sanibel Causeway bridge collapsed in places as Hurricane Ian passed through southwest Florida.
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The Sanibel Causeway bridge collapsed in places as Hurricane Ian passed through southwest Florida.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
At least three sections of the causeway were washed away by the storm surge, CNN affiliates WBBH and WPLG report, cutting the Sanibel and Captiva islands off from the rest of the state.
Damage to the causeway was first reported in the early hours of Thursday morning by local journalists, who shared photos of the bridge with pieces missing.
Among them were Tampa Bay Times reporter Zachary Sampson and photojournalist Douglas Clifford, who ventured out of their Fort Myers hotel room in the early hours of Thursday morning to check on the damage and publish eyewitness accounts on the Times’ website.
In a dispatch at 2 a.m. ET, they reported that the half-mile of road leading to the Sanibel Causeway was impassable.
Hurricane Ian brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area on Wednesday.
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Hurricane Ian brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area on Wednesday.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“The pavement is folded up like an accordion, ripped to ribbons by a powerful storm surge,” they wrote. “Nearby, a spiral staircase was deposited in the brush next to a white pickup. The storm flung a boat trailer and other debris, too.”
They describe seeing sheets of sand strewn across the pavement and watching around 1:30 a.m. as two cars tried unsuccessfully to access the island. One was full of young men who were trying to reach a friend, they added.
At 4:15 a.m., the journalists confirmed that a section of the causeway had been wiped out by the storm:
“An alarm bleats endlessly at the tollbooth for the Sanibel Causeway. Step just beyond it, and the road soon gives way. Where the bridge rises from the mainland toward the island, one of the first sections of the span has disappeared. Crumbled pavement lies near the water’s edge. The rest of the bridge stretches forward, unreachable.”
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