Category: Uncategorized

  • House Democrats jockey behind the scenes to become party’s top investigator of Trump administration

    House Democrats jockey behind the scenes to become party’s top investigator of Trump administration



    WASHINGTON — Rep. Gerry Connolly’s surprise announcement that he plans to soon step down as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee has set off a scramble to succeed him that could pit the party’s old guard against an up-and-coming class of progressives who have aggressively opposed President Donald Trump.

    Connolly, 75, said Monday that his esophageal cancer had returned after “grueling treatments” and that he would not seek re-election next year. The Virginia Democrat’s decision came just four months after he defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., for the highly visible committee post.

    If Democrats retake the House in next year’s midterm elections, the ranking member would be in line to chair the committee, with the power to issue subpoenas to the Trump administration.

    A senior Democrat on the panel, Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, said Tuesday that he is taking over as interim ranking member and will handle day-to-day responsibilities as Connolly focuses on his health. And Lynch said that Connolly has pledged to endorse him for the role once it formally opens up. 

    “He told me he’s publicly supporting me,” said Lynch, 70, who has served in the House since 2001. “I worked with him for almost 25 years. So we’ve traveled together — Iraq, Afghanistan — we’ve done investigations, we’ve worked on a whole bunch of stuff together. There’s a friendship there.”

    A handful of progressives on the panel — Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., 48; Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., 76; Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., 28; and Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, 44 — have been reaching out to colleagues and expressing interest in the Oversight Committee post, lawmakers told NBC News.

    But Democrats said there is one person who could clear the field of progressives if she decides to seek the position: Ocasio-Cortez. The 35-year-old New York Democrat, who has millions of followers on social media, is raising massive amounts of campaign cash and is quietly building support inside the Capitol, left the Oversight Committee this year for a spot on the Energy and Commerce Committee. 

    Frost, who supported Ocasio-Cortez’s oversight bid last year, told NBC News Tuesday he is interested in the job if it becomes vacant. But Frost said he would endorse Ocasio-Cortez if she decided to run. Other progressives looking at the post said they would rally behind Ocasio-Cortez, too.

    “We would coalesce around her,” said one progressive member of the Oversight Committee.

    It would not be a simple process for Ocasio-Cortez to run for the position, though. To rejoin the Oversight Committee, Ocasio-Cortez would need the House Democratic caucus to grant her a waiver, which are sometimes given out in special circumstances.

    And Ocasio-Cortez has not yet given any indication that she wants the job or plans to seek the waiver. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    In recent weeks, she’s been criss-crossing the country with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., attracting huge crowds for their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour and fueling speculation she’s gearing up for a potential 2028 presidential campaign.

    The Oversight Committee job could boost Ocasio-Cortez’s national ambitions, handing her a formal platform to investigate and keep the heat on the Trump administration.

    Lynch pushed back on the idea that Ocasio-Cortez could easily be granted a waiver to seek the post.

    “If you’re not on the committee, under the rules, it makes it very difficult to run,” Lynch said.

    Democratic leaders haven’t weighed in, arguing that there is no opening yet since Connolly technically remains the ranking member and is still a member of Congress.

    “There’s no vacancy in the Oversight Committee. … That’s our position,” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., the chair of the House Democratic caucus, told reporters after a closed-door meeting of Democrats where Lynch made a presentation about the Oversight Committee’s efforts.

    Many of those who are eyeing a potential bid declined to comment on the future race, saying they are focusing on supporting Connolly.

    “He and his family are in my thoughts and prayers. I am focused on the work of the committee and am hopeful Rep. Connolly will recover and be back,” Khanna told NBC News on Tuesday.

    Mfume also said he was focusing his thoughts on Connolly, saying they had worked closely on the Oversight Committee and on issues central to Virginia and Maryland. 

    “My comments are my heartfelt comments for my friend Gerry. And I think it’s just too early to be talking about what happens next,” Mfume said in an interview. “When I say he’s a dear friend, he really, really is. So I’ll leave a speculation up to everybody else right now. For me, my priority is making sure that Gerry knows how much he’s appreciated.”

    Mfume represents the seat formerly held by the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., who served as ranking member and chairman of the Oversight Committee during Trump’s first term.

    Several Democrats have held the party’s top position on the committee since Cummings’ death in October 2019. Then-Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who was the most senior Democrat on the panel, became interim chairman and eventually ran against Connolly, Lynch and then-Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., for the post.

    Speier and Lynch ultimately dropped their bids, and Maloney easily defeated Connolly. But Maloney eventually lost her primary race in 2022 in New York due to redistricting, once again opening up the Oversight Committee post.

    Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who built a national profile during Trump’s impeachments and the Jan. 6 hearings, soundly defeated Connolly for the oversight post. But after the 2024 elections, Raskin decided to run for a different job on the Judiciary Committee. The third time was the charm for Connolly, who beat back a challenge from Ocasio-Cortez in a closed-door, secret-ballot vote, 131-84.

    That battle, like many that have occurred within the Democratic Party following Trump’s 2024 victory, centered on the idea of generational change.

    Speaking to reporters, Lynch argued that experience should count for something.

    The committee has “got more younger members, newer members, who have moved up quickly in this committee,” Lynch said. “So there is a need, I think, for a mix of some experience … It’s an investigative committee. I’m an attorney. Gerry and I have done a ton of investigations together. I think that has value.”



    Source link

  • Why homebuilder Lennar is betting on a startup building backup batteries for Texas homes

    Why homebuilder Lennar is betting on a startup building backup batteries for Texas homes



    In a warming world with increasingly extreme weather events, homeowners are turning to backup batteries for relief and peace of mind. But the backup only lasts only so long, and there’s a bigger problem at play: aging power grids.

    Enter the virtual power plant, managed through a cloud-based system. It’s a fertile market for a number of companies as consumers look for more reliability, especially in areas prone to extreme temperatures and storms.

    Base Power, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a virtual power plant and hardware company that provides battery backup to homeowners. The startup manages the batteries, and virtually controls the power that’s going in and out.

    “We install our batteries on our customers’ homes. When the grid is up and running, we use those batteries to support the power grid,” said Base CEO Zach Dell. “When the grid goes out, our customers get those batteries to back up their home. We’re also able to save our customers on the order of 10 to 20% a month on their electricity bills.”

    Unlike Tesla and Enphase, Base doesn’t sell home backup batteries. Rather, it rents the batteries to homeowners, providing the hardware, software, installation, operations and electricity. Essentially, it’s a battery-based energy company.

    “We own and operate it,” Dell said. “We handle all the maintenance. We take care of the system like it’s ours.”

    That control allows Base to manipulate how the battery is used, specifically accessing cheaper power and passing that savings on to the consumer. Base charges the battery from the grid when demand is low, typically during overnight hours. When demand is at its peak — summer evenings and winter mornings — Base sells power, discharging the battery to support the grid.

    For an upfront fee of $595 and then about $19 a month, homeowners get access to reliable power, provided by Base. That power is generated by several sources, including wind, solar, natural gas and coal. About half of Base’s customers have solar, according to the company, which lowers their costs even more and allows them to sell that power back to Base.

    A company spokesperson said Base compensates customers for the power they sell back, calculated as the real-time wholesale energy price plus an additional 3 cents per kilowatt hour. Buyback rates may vary depending on market conditions and other factors.

    Base is now serving one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Lennar, which is also an investor. Base installs batteries during the construction process in roughly 20 Lennar outage-prone communities in Texas.

    Stuart Miller, Chairman and co-CEO of Lennar, said it’s not just about making money.

    “It’s, are we going to be able to improve the overall stature of the home building business, as it seeks to address the markets that are stressed and having problems?” he said. “Utilities and electricity is a part of that.”

    Base has raised a total of $268 million from investors including Lennar, Thrive Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners and Andreesen Horowitz.

    Base recently announced its first utility partnership near San Antonio. Dell said the company hopes to soon expand outside of Texas. However, the batteries are made in China, and Dell said he expects to see an impact from tariffs.

    — CNBC producer Lisa Rizzolo contributed to this piece.



    Source link

  • Pete Hegseth says he will end a Trump-backed Pentagon program for women

    Pete Hegseth says he will end a Trump-backed Pentagon program for women



    WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that he will move to end a Department of Defense program for women created during and promoted by the first Trump administration.

    The bill that established the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) program — a government-wide effort in the diplomatic and national security spaces to expand opportunities for women — was written by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem when she served in the House and co-sponsored by Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he served in the Senate.

    “WPS is yet another woke divisive/social justice/Biden initiative that overburdens our commanders and troops — distracting from our core task: WAR-FIGHTING,” wrote Hegseth, who has come under fire for saying that women shouldn’t hold combat roles. He added that the program, which had wide bipartisan support in Congress, was “pushed by feminists and left-wing activists.”

    Despite stating that he was ending the program, Hegseth said the department would have to execute the “minimum of WPS required by statute” and then “fight to end the program for our next budget.”

    “GOOD RIDDANCE WPS!” he said.

    Trump in 2017 signed the Women, Peace and Security Act into law, directing the State, Defense and Homeland Security departments to implement it.

    Noem had written a version of the bill that year when was in the House representing South Dakota. She wrote in the previous Congress in 2016 that the legislation “ensures women have a seat at the table during peace negotiations through meaningful congressional oversight.” Once it was passed by the House in 2017, then-Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., held a rare signing ceremony and included Noem.

    The first Trump administration released a formal strategy with more specific instructions in 2019 to further fulfill the WPS’s goals, aiming “to promote the meaningful inclusion of women in processes to prevent, mitigate, resolve, and recover from deadly conflict or disaster,” according to the Trump White House at the time. Trump even touted the initiative on his 2024 presidential campaign website, where he listed his accomplishments benefiting women.

    More recently, Rubio highlighted the legislation that created the effort during an event at the State Department earlier this month that first lady Melania Trump attended.

    “President Trump also signed the Women, Peace, and Security Act, a bill that I was very proud to have been a co-sponsor of when I was in the Senate, and it was the first comprehensive law passed in any country in the world — the first law passed by any country anywhere in the world — focused on protecting women and promoting their participation in society,” Rubio said.

    Neither Noem nor Rubio has said they plan to end the WPS efforts at DHS or the State Department.

    DHS, the State Department, the Defense Department and the White House didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.



    Source link

  • 49ers make George Kittle the highest-paid tight end in NFL history with $76.4 million deal

    49ers make George Kittle the highest-paid tight end in NFL history with $76.4 million deal



    SANTA CLARA, Calif. — George Kittle agreed to a four-year contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers that will make him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history.

    Kittle announced the deal on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast on Tuesday, saying the extension was worth $76.4 million over four years with $35 million guaranteed at signing. The deal keeps Kittle under contract with San Francisco through the 2029 season.

    The 49ers confirmed the deal with the only remaining member of the original draft class under coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.

    “In 2017, our first year with the 49ers, we selected a skinny tight end from Iowa whom we were really excited about. We had high hopes, but no one knew that he would become the player that he is today,” Lynch said in a statement. “George’s leadership, enthusiasm for the game, for his teammates, and the faithful are truly unique and special. He is an outstanding representation for the 49ers on the field and is an outstanding representative for the organization off the field with his investment in the local and military communities. He has a great sense of pride in his role and has put in the work to be one of the best tight ends in the NFL.”

    The 31-year-old Kittle was entering the final year of a five-year, $75 million extension he signed in 2020. Kittle didn’t show up for the first few days of the team’s voluntary offseason program last week but arrived later in the week in a sign that a deal could get done soon.

    More Sports from NBC News

    The $19.1 million average annual value of the extension tops the previous record for a tight end of $19 million set earlier this offseason when Trey McBride signed an extension with Arizona. The $35 million guaranteed to Kittle at the signing of the deal is also the most for any tight end.

    After having several recent contract negotiations run deep into the summer, causing players like Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa, Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams to miss at least some time in training camp, the Niners got this deal done with Kittle quickly.

    They still have one more big contract extension to finalize this offseason: They are in talks with quarterback Brock Purdy about a deal that is expected to pay him more than $50 million a year.

    Kittle has been one of the best all-around tight ends since entering the league; he thrives as a receiver, a blocker and is one of the best at making big plays after the catch.

    Kittle has been a first or second-team All-Pro five times in eight seasons and has made six Pro Bowls. His four seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving ranks tied for the second most of all time for a tight end, trailing only the seven for Kansas City’s Travis Kelce.

    Kittle was a second-team All-Pro last season when he had 78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight TDs. Since being drafted in the fifth round in 2017, Kittle has had 538 catches for 7,380 yards and 45 TDs. He has the second-most yards ever for a tight end through eight seasons.



    Source link

  • Terrence Howard refused Marvin Gaye role over prospect of kissing a man, says ‘I would cut my lips off’

    Terrence Howard refused Marvin Gaye role over prospect of kissing a man, says ‘I would cut my lips off’



    Actor Terrence Howard revealed that he refused to portray Marvin Gaye in potential film because of the Motown singer’s rumored homosexuality, saying he’d cut his lips off if he ever kissed a man.

    The former “Empire” star made the confession during a nearly two-hour appearance on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast. Howard told Maher he turned town a chance to play Smokey Robinson because he was in talks with director Lee Daniels for a possible biopic of Gaye.

    “You know what happened with that? I was over at Quincy Jones’ house … I’m asking Quincy, ‘I’m hearing rumors that Marvin was gay,’” Howard said. “And I’m like, ‘Was he gay?’ And Quincy is like, ‘Yes.’”

    Daniels, who was an executive producer on “Empire,” has not made a film or television series about Gaye’s life and it’s unclear when Howard had these conversations. Jones, a celebrated music producer, died in November last year.

    Gaye was married to two women during his life and was not openly queer.

    Howard went on to say that the filmmakers would have wanted to explore Gaye’s rumored homosexuality and that he could not kiss a man.

    “I would cut my lips off,” Howard said. “If I kissed a man, I would cut my lips off.”

    Howard attributed it to him not being able to “fake it” and he could not act a role he did not understand. Maher told Howard he would not want to a kiss a man either, but “I would not do that” in reference to Howard’s self-mutilation comment.

    “It does not make me homophobic to not want to kiss a man,” Maher said, comparing it to gay men who would not be interested in women sexually.

    The comment received some backlash online, with some calling Howard “deeply problematic” and others urging people to stop interviewing Howard. One X user questioned how many times Howard was going to tell the world “he is uncomfortable with his masculinity.”

    “He performs masculinity for the approval and acceptance of cishet men and despises gay men,” the user wrote. “We know already.”

    Another brought up Howard’s history with domestic abuse following allegations made by two of his former wives. The user wrote, given the allegations, “I’m having a hard time believing he likes women.”

    The actor admitted in a 2015 Rolling Stone interview that he hit his ex-wife Lori McCommas in 2001.

    Michelle Ghent, Howard’s second wife, accused him of assaulting her in a lawsuit that she later dropped. Howard told Rolling Stone that Ghent was attempting to pepper spray him and he was trying to bat her away.



    Source link

  • Amazon says it considered listing tariff charges on ultracheap Haul site as White House calls idea ‘hostile’

    Amazon says it considered listing tariff charges on ultracheap Haul site as White House calls idea ‘hostile’



    Amazon on Tuesday said that it has considered listing tariff charges on Amazon Haul, its discount platform meant to compete with low-cost Chinese e-commerce companies like Temu and Shein.

    An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC: “The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products. This was never approved and not going to happen.”

    The spokesperson stressed that nothing had been implemented and that the company had not planned to show tariff charges on its main e-commerce portal.

    “This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties,” the spokesperson added.

    Punchbowl News first reported that Amazon was planning to show how much the Trump administration’s tariffs are adding to the price of each product.

    When asked about the Punchbowl report, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed the idea.

    “I just got off the phone with the president about Amazon’s announcement. This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” Leavitt said from the White House briefing room, alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

    The back-and-forth comes as online retailers have become among the first and most visible places where consumers are confronting higher prices due to tariffs. Other online retailers that heavily import from China, such as Temu, have already added steep import charges.

    The report — and the White House response — comes as Amazon’s founder and majority owner, Jeff Bezos, has made some inroads in building a relationship with the administration. Bezos was one of the esteemed businessmen present for President Donald Trump’s inauguration, alongside Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, and Amazon’s video platform has licensed a documentary about first lady Melania Trump.

    When asked about Trump’s relationship with Bezos, Leavitt said, “Look, I will not speak to the president’s relationships with Jeff Bezos, but I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile action.”



    Source link

  • Video shows moment boat crashes into Florida ferry, killing 1 person and injuring 10 others

    Video shows moment boat crashes into Florida ferry, killing 1 person and injuring 10 others


    Video released by police shows the moment a recreational boat crashed into the back of a ferry in Clearwater, Florida, killing one person and injuring 10 others.

    The crash happened around 8:40 p.m. Sunday as a 40-foot commercial ferry returned from Clearwater Beach, authorities said. It was carrying 45 passengers and crew.

    Police Chief Eric Gandy said at a Monday evening news conference that he believes the boat “overrode nearly three-quarters of the ferry.”

    The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said “there was definitely a point where both those boats were fully entangled” and the ferry suffered a large amount of damage. The recreational boat was 37 feet and had about six people onboard, FWC said.

    Before first responders arrived at the scene, they knew they were dealing with a “major situation” because 911 operators described hearing “horrific screaming in the background” as people called for help, Gandy said.

    In a mayday call, a person could be heard reporting the collision.

    “Mayday, mayday, mayday. There’s been a boat collision. The Clearwater Ferry underneath the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. The Clearwater Ferry is adrift,” the person said.

    The man killed was identified by authorities as Jose Castro, 41, of Palm Harbor.

    Boat Crash.
    Investigators search the wreckage of a Clearwater Ferry after a boat crashed into the ferry on April 27 in Clearwater, Fla.Jefferee Woo / Tampa Bay Times via AP

    Injured victims were taken to hospitals in Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa, Gandy said.

    “Our thoughts go out to the families of those that were onboard the ferry, particularly of the children and the family of the gentleman who died,” he said, adding that ferry crew members “likely saved lives.”

    The boat that struck the ferry did not stay at the scene, but was later found by sheriff’s deputies about three miles south by the Belleair Causeway, the chief said. The driver, identified as 63-year-old Jeff Knight, and his passengers were still on the boat.

    Authorities said Knight was cooperating with the investigation and voluntarily submitted to a breathalyzer test, which did not detect any alcohol.



    Source link

  • Man arrested after death of hockey player Adam Johnson won’t face charges

    Man arrested after death of hockey player Adam Johnson won’t face charges


    LONDON — A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been told he will not face any charges, British prosecutors said Tuesday.

    Johnson played for the Nottingham Panthers and died shortly after his neck had been sliced in a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave during a game on Oct. 28, 2023.

    A man was arrested two weeks later and though South Yorkshire Police has not publicly identified him, Petgrave said in a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees that he’s the subject of a police investigation.

    On Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided it would not bring criminal charges against the man arrested following what it described as “a shocking and deeply upsetting incident.”

    “The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved,” Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Michael Quinn said.

    “Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”

    Floral tributes for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson outside the team's arena in Nottingham, England, on Nov. 18, 2023.
    Floral tributes for Nottingham Panthers player Adam Johnson outside the team’s arena in 2023.Rui Vieira / AP file

    After his arrest, Petgrave had been re-bailed several times while the investigation took place.

    Johnson had skated with the puck into Sheffield’s defensive zone when Petgrave collided with another Panthers player nearby. Petgrave’s left skate elevated as he began to fall and the blade hit Johnson in the neck.

    The native of Hibbing, Minnesota, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. The death of the 29-year-old former Pittsburgh Penguins player sparked debate across the sport about improving safety for players.

    Petgrave, a 32-year-old Canadian, had support from some of Johnson’s teammates. Victor Björkung had told a Swedish newspaper there “isn’t a chance that it’s deliberate.” Björkung had played the pass to Johnson and said he was traumatized by what he saw. He left the team as a result.

    Johnson was in his first season at Nottingham — one of the “import” players in the Elite Ice Hockey League — after stints in Germany and a handful of games for the Penguins in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

    Johnson was living with fiancée Ryan Wolfe and studying at Loughborough Business School.

    The English Ice Hockey Association, which governs the sport below the Elite League, reacted to Johnson’s death by requiring all players in England to wear neck guards from the start of 2024.



    Source link

  • Kim Kardashian robbery suspect says he regrets ‘trauma’ he caused her

    Kim Kardashian robbery suspect says he regrets ‘trauma’ he caused her


    PARIS — A key defendant in the trial of a group accused of robbing Kim Kardashian at gunpoint in Paris back in 2016 and stealing $9 million worth of jewelry, has said he has come to regret the trauma he caused the reality star-turned-business mogul in the years since.

    Yunice Abbas, perhaps the best-known defendant in the trial, said that despite a yearslong criminal history, this was the first time he had truly come to recognize the “trauma” he had caused his victim.

    “I regret it, not because I got caught, but because… there was a trauma,” Abbas, now 72, said before a jury Tuesday as proceedings against the 10 people charged in connection with the 2016 robbery resumed after launching Monday afternoon.

    CHANEL and Charles Finch Pre-Oscar Awards Dinner - Arrivals
    Kim Kardashian was allegedly robbed at gunpoint in Paris in 2016.Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

    The first of several defendants set to testify in the trial, Abbas had previously confessed to his role in the heist, detailing the robbery in his 2021 book, “I Kidnapped Kim Kardashian.”

    The matter of the book came up during the testimony, with Abbas saying that he was not responsible for the title and that he disputes his alleged role in the heist. He added that he was not involved in tying up Kardashian, who was staying in Paris for the city’s Fashion Week, instead staying downstairs to keep watch.

    Abbas and nine others, dubbed the “grandpa robbers” in local media due to their ages — some of the accused are in their 70s and 80s — are alleged to have played a range of roles in the heist including holding Kardashian, 44, at gunpoint and being complicit in that crime.

    During questioning, Abbas described his criminal past — he has spent a total of almost 20 years in jail for various crimes — including the armed robbery of a bank in Belgium. The accused said that as a young man he was fiercely opposed to theft, but had turned to a life of crime due to the bad influence of friends and money difficulties, in the hope it would prove an easier path.

    Abbas said his family had suffered due to his crimes, adding that he had “never had a role model” himself and he had done what he thought was needed to try to provide for his children.

    The accused spoke rapidly during his testimony, his arm shaking throughout, possibly due to the fact he is now suffering from Parkinson’s disease. At one point the shaking was violent enough for him to hold one hand in the other.

    FRANCE-US-JUSTICE-TRIAL-ROBBERY-TRONCHET-STREET
    Defendant Yunice Abbas arrives for the start of the trial in Paris on Monday.Magali Cohen / Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

    In the years since the 2016 robbery targeting Kardashian, Abbas said he now felt “very uneasy” with what happened that day. But, he said, “I can’t do anything besides apologize.”

    Kardashian had been staying at a private apartment complex in the French capital when five of the accused are alleged to have gained entry into the building and robbed her at gunpoint, taking items including her engagement ring from then-husband Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. The five other defendants are accused of related offenses, including planning and giving tipoffs on Kardashian’s whereabouts.

    In the years since the alleged incident, one defendant has died, while the case of another, age 80, has been separated from that of the other defendants due to medical issues.

    In addition to Abbas, those standing trial will include Aomar Ait Khedache, 69, known as “Old Omar,” who is alleged to have masterminded the robbery; his son, Harminy, 37, accused of being the getaway driver; Didier “Blue Eyes” Dubreucq, 69; and the brother of Kardashian’s driver in Paris, Gary Madar, 35, who is accused of tipping the others off on Kardashian’s whereabouts. Christiane Glotin, 78, is also among the accused, with authorities alleging she was an accomplice in the heist.

    At least four defendants were expected to be questioned in court on Tuesday.

    Kim Kardashian Jewellery Heist Thieves On Trial
    Journalists at the Palais De Justice in Paris on Monday.Pierre Suu / Getty Images

    Kardashian herself is expected to appear in court on May 13.

    The reality star and businesswoman has previously detailed her experience during the robbery, at one point tearing up in an interview with David Letterman as she described how she feared she would be sexually assaulted and possibly killed during the attack.

    “I was like, ‘okay, this is the time I’m going to get raped … just prepare yourself,” she said in the interview, wiping away tears, later describing how she feared her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, would find her dead.

    “I just kept on thinking about Kourtney,” she said. “She’s going to be traumatized for the rest of her life if she sees me.”

    Gabrielle Nolin reported from Paris and Chantal Da Silva reported from London.



    Source link

  • Trump marks first 100 days and Prime Minister Mark Carney wins Canada election: Morning Rundown

    Trump marks first 100 days and Prime Minister Mark Carney wins Canada election: Morning Rundown


    Donald Trump reaches his 100th day in office. Canadian voters opt to keep Prime Minister Mark Carney in power. And four people were killed when a vehicle crashed through an Illinois school program site. 

    Here’s what to know today.

    How Trump has tried to remake America in his first 100 days

    President Donald Trump is set to travel to Macomb County, Michigan, today to mark his 100th day in office. The county, made up of a cluster of Detroit suburbs, was the heart of the white, working-class “Reagan Democrat” contingent in 1980 and 1984, and Trump won it in each of his three elections.

    But unlike Reagan (or really, any of his predecessors), Trump will celebrate 100 days by pointing to various moves that culminate into a breathtaking effort to remake the relationship between the government and the citizenry of the United States. 

    This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

    In the past few months, Trump has deployed novel interpretations of the powers of the presidency to:

    ✔️ Slash the federal workforce.

    ✔️ Withhold funds for foreign and domestic aid. 

    ✔️ Stem the flow of illegal immigration through the southern border.

    ✔️ Boost cryptocurrency.

    ✔️ Strangle trade.

    ✔️ Punish independent institutions — including universities, law firms and media outlets — for failing to to support his views.

    ✔️ Outlaw diversity initiatives within the federal government and entities it supports.

    Past presidents, from Abraham Lincoln to Franklin Roosevelt, have tested the constitutional limits of their office in the name of protecting the nation from both foreign and domestic enemies and from the perils of financial ruin. However, as senior national political reporter Jonathan Allen points out, none have tried to exercise so much power, across such a broad range of issues and with such disregard for Congress and the courts, as Trump has in a time of relative peace and economic stability.

    White House officials say Trump has delivered on two signature campaign promises: securing the border and curbing inflation. But in moving so quickly to carry out his ambitions, Trump has been forced to admit some mistakes. 

    Read the full story here.  

    More coverage of Trump’s first 100 days: 

    • Trump has so far signed just five bills into law, fewer than any president in the first 100 days of an administration since at least Dwight D. Eisenhower in the 1950s. Meanwhile, he’s reinterpreting existing laws to advance his goals and taking a big bet on his GOP allies.
    • Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine in his first 24 hours in office. Now, the president claims the promise was made in “jest” as he struggles to resolve a complicated geopolitical crisis.

    More politics news:

    Canadian voters opt to keep Prime Minister Mark Carney in power

    Prime Minister Mark Carney won Canada's election on April 28, 2025, leading his Liberal Party to a new term in power after convincing voters his experience managing crises had prepared him to confront US President Donald Trump.
    Canadian Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Mark Carney speaks to supporters at a victory party in Ottawa on Tuesday.Dave Chan / AFP – Getty Images

    Canadian voters backed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. projects, in a national election strongly influenced by President Donald Trump. As of last night, it was too early to know whether the Liberal Party would win enough seats to form a majority government, but it projected another term for the party. 

    The results are a turnaround from a few months ago, when Liberals looked set to be ousted by the Conservatives amid frustration with soaring inflation, rising immigration and then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s approach to Trump. But the tides turned when Trump imposed tariffs and promoted a plan that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.

    Attorneys dispute Trump officials’ claims about deported mothers

    The Trump administration is defending the deportations of mothers to Honduras who were accompanied by their U.S.-born children in recent days, while attorneys for the mothers and children are pushing back against officials’ claims that the families chose for the children to leave the country.

    In one case, attorneys said a mother was allowed less than two minutes on the phone with her husband to figure out what would become of her 2-year-old son. In another case, a mother wasn’t allowed to speak with attorneys or family members before she was deported with her 4-year-old son, who was left without access to his cancer medicines, and his 7-year-old sister.

    Trump administration border “czar” Tom Homan said the three children were placed on deportation flights at their mothers’ request. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the children weren’t deported and that they could come back if there’s someone in the U.S. who “wants to assume them.” Meanwhile, Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the agency is “confident in our process and procedures.” 

    But attorneys have provided details they said show that the mothers and their families had little to no chance to make arrangements for their children. They allege the date for an immigration check-in was moved up and that ICE agents mischaracterized the mothers’ wishes for their children.

    More immigration news:

    • An exclusive look at the El Salvador prison where Kilmar Abrego Garcia was last known to be held reveals a sharp contrast to the supermax mega-prison to which he was first deported. Human rights advocates said Abrego Garcia’s transfer to a low-security prison is concerning.

    Four killed when vehicle crashed into Illinois school program site

    Police in Chatham, Illinois, are mourning a “terrible tragedy” after a vehicle struck a school camp program site, killing four people. Three of the four victims were outside the building and one was inside, state police said. They ranged in age from 4 to 18. Several other people were injured. 

    Syndication: The State Journal-Register
    Emergency vehicles and personnel outside of YNOT Outdoors, an after-school program in Chatham, Illinois, after a vehicle struck the site.Thomas J. Turney / The State Journal-Register/USA Today Network via Imagn

    A vehicle drove into a building used by the YNOT After School Camp at about 3:20 p.m. Monday, state police said, striking several people inside before exiting through the building’s west wall. The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, has been hospitalized. Authorities have not said whether they think the crash was intentional. Here’s what else we know.

    Read All About It 

    • The FDA said it is requiring drugmaker Novavax to run another clinical trial as part of the approval process for its Covid vaccine, a move has some former government health officials fearing the Trump administration is moving to slow-walk vaccine approvals.
    • As Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour kicks off, some fans are resentful that ticket prices in several markets are going down, down, down, down.
    • Power was almost entirely restored across the Iberian Peninsula early Tuesday, after a massive outage hit tens of millions people across Spain, Portugal and parts of France.
    • It’s a matter of when, not if, an earthquake rips along the Cascadia Subduction Zone fault in the Pacific Northwest — and new research predicts catastrophic effects, like tsunami waves up to 100 feet and a 6.5-foot elevation drop along the coastline.
    • Jury selection in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial is set to begin next week. Here’s how the group of 12 jurors and six alternates will be chosen. 

    Staff Pick : Explaining the Shedeur Sanders slide

    Shedeur Sanders
    Then-Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in Indianapolis on March 1.Michael Conroy / AP file

    Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the biggest name headed into the NFL Draft. As the son of one of the most electric pro football hall of famers and a bright personality in his own right, Sanders commanded much of the spotlight in the weeks leading up to the event. But predictions of Sanders being selected in the first round turned out to be wishful thinking. Instead, the Cleveland Browns selected Sanders with the 144th pick in the fifth round of the draft.

    How did such a hyped prospect slide to the bottom half of the draft? I looked at the factors that contributed to his fate: who Sanders really is as a player, how he presented himself to teams and the potential risks of bringing an athlete like him into the locker room. — Rohan Nadkarni, sports reporter

    NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified 

    One NBC Select editor has been buying their favorite T-shirt from Uniqlo for a decade. Its boxy and vintage-inspired cut stands the test of time. Plus, here are 19+ Mother’s Day gifts to check out.

    Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

    Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.



    Source link