Maine manhunt for Lewiston mass shooter suspect continues; lockdown remains in place
By Gabriella Borter LEWISTON, Maine (Reuters) -Police in Maine extended their round-the-clock search into Friday for U.S. army reservist Robert
2023-10-27 20:49
PSG get their man at last as Skriniar signs on free transfer
Slovakia captain Milan Skriniar became Paris Saint Germain's first signing of the summer on Thursday, joining on a free transfer a year after the French champions declined to pay Inter...
2023-07-06 19:26
IMF says Sri Lanka's economic recovery shows signs of improvement but challenges remain
The International Monetary Fund says that debt-stricken Sri Lanka, which declared bankruptcy last year, is showing signs of economic improvement but its recovery still faces challenges
2023-06-02 12:53
Why Do People Say the Moon is Made of Cheese?
The moon-made-of-cheese rumor may have started with a hungry wolf and a crafty fox.
2023-09-21 23:48
A U-haul truck, a Nazi flag and threats to kill the president: What we know about the White House crash
It was a balmy spring night in Washington DC when a U-haul truck suddenly slammed into security gates close to the White House. The driver, who was allegedly carrying a Nazi flag, then made threatening statements about the building that President Joe Biden calls home. Now, the male suspect – 19-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula – has been arrested on charges of threatening to kill or harm the president, Vice President Kamala Harris or one of their family members. The details so far remain scant, with the driver’s possible motive and plans still unclear. According to ABC News, Mr Kandula flew from Missouri to Dulles International Airport, rented the truck and drove towards the White House with intentions of harming the president. Mr Kandula reportedly told law enforcement officers he wanted to take over the government. The incident will no doubt set off alarm bells around Capitol Hill – coming at a time when lawmakers and government officials have faced growing threats and just two years after Donald Trump supporters succeeded in storming the US Capitol in the January 6 riot. Here’s what we know so far about Monday’s incident. What happened? The incident unfolded at around 9.40pm on Monday night when the white U-Haul box truck crashed into the security barriers on the north side of Lafayette Square on 16th Street, US Park Police said. The crash took place just a few hundred feet away from the White House, where Mr Biden had been holding talks with Senate Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy just hours earlier. US Park Police and US Secret Service Uniform Division officers responded to the scene to find a truck that is believed to have been intentionally crashed into the bollards outside Lafayette Park. A video posted by eyewitness Chris Zaboji appears to show the truck driving into the barricades once and then driving into them a second time. Mr Zaboji, an airline pilot living in Washington, said he was walking home after jogging on the National Mall when he heard a loud crash. He pulled out his phone to capture what was going on. “I looked back and saw that the U-Haul van had rammed into the barricade. I backed away behind a guy on a golf cart and took the video on my phone,” he told Reuters. “After I saw it rammed again I didn’t want to be anywhere near the truck and left.” Nazi paraphernalia and threats A police source told NBC News that the driver made threatening statements about the White House at the scene but was quickly detained by law enforcement. Inside the truck, police also found a Nazi flag. The flag was seen in photos captured by a Reuters photojournalist on the ground next to the truck. Following a search of the truck, officials found it contained no weapons or explosives. There were no injuries in the crash and there is no ongoing danger to the public, officials said. “There were no injuries to any Secret Service or White House personnel and the cause and manner of the crash remain under investigation,” said Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service chief of communications, in a statement on Monday night. The suspect US Park Police released the identity of the driver – Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri. The motive remains unknown at this time but US Park Police spokesman Thomas Twiname said in a statement that he had been arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, threatening to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president, or family member, destruction of federal property, and trespassing. Mr Twiname said that the preliminary investigation indicates that the driver “intentionally” crashed into the security barriers. Threats against officials It is not clear if the president and first lady were home at the time of the incident which comes amid a rise of potential threats against politicians. Data from the Capitol Police revealed that the agency had investigated about 7,500 cases of potential threats against members of Congress in 2022. While lower than the 9,600 threats recorded in 2021, it was twice as many as in 2017. In October, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center and the US Capitol Police sent a joint intelligence bulletin to law enforcement partners across the country warning that a rise in domestic violent extremism (DVE) and “perceptions” of election fraud could lead to a spike in violence. Among the most “attractive targets” to extremists are lawmakers, government officials and personnel involved in elections including both political candidates and election workers, it warned. “Potential targets of DVE violence include candidates running for public office, elected officials, election workers, political rallies, political party representatives, racial and religious minorities, or perceived ideological opponents,” the bulletin read. That same day – 28 October 2022 – the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was the victim of a violent hammer attack at the couple’s home in California. David DePape, a 42-year-old hemp jewelry maker, allegedly broke into the couple’s San Francisco home in the early hours of the morning searching for Ms Pelosi. Ms Pelosi’s husband Paul Pelosi, 82, was home alone, with his wife away in Washington DC at the time. Mr Pelosi managed to call 911 but the suspect allegedly struck him over the head with a hammer when officers arrived. This came over one year after the January 6 Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 when a mob of Mr Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol – fuelled by his lies that the presidential election was “stolen” from him – to try to overturn Joe Biden’s win. Chilling footage from that day reveals how some of the rioters hunted for Ms Pelosi, chanting “Where’s Nancy?” as they ransacked her office. Others were seen chanting “Hang Mike Pence” after the vice president refused to attempt to overthrow the election in Mr Trump’s favour. Read More Nazi flag recovered from scene after U-haul truck ‘intentionally’ slams into railings near White House
2023-05-24 08:53
Climate scientists flee Twitter as hostility surges
Scientists suffering insults and mass-spam are abandoning Twitter for alternative social networks as hostile climate-change denialism surges on the platform...
2023-05-24 09:56
Trump says DeSantis to blame for Disney becoming ‘woke’ and ‘disgusting’
Donald Trump has criticised Ron DeSantis for not taking on Disney sooner, suggesting his main rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination could have prevented the entertainment giant from becoming – in his words – “woke” and “disgusting”. Mr Trump lashed out at both Disney and Mr DeSantis on Sunday as the Florida governor remains locked in a feud with one of America’s best-loved brands, after it opposed his so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. “Disney has become a Woke and Disgusting shadow of its former self, with people actually hating it. Must go back to what it once was, or the ‘market’ will do irreparable damage,” Mr Trump said. “This all happened during the Governorship of “Rob” DeSanctimonious. Instead of complaining now, for publicity reasons only, he should have stopped it long ago. Would have been easy to do - Still is!” Disney’s row with the Florida governor began when it came under pressure from employees to take a stance against a new law that prohibits school teachers from discussing gender identity and sexuality in the classroom. In retaliation, Mr DeSantis signed legislation to take away Disney’s self-governing status and appointed a new board of supervisors. Before the new board came in, the company signed agreements with the old board made up of Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of design and construction authority. Later, the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed a law to allow the DeSantis-appointed board to repeal those agreements and the theme park resort’s monorail system subject to state inspection, something it had previously done in-house. It prompted Disney to file a lawsuit against the Florida governor and his appointed board last month. It claimed in the lawsuit that it was in violation of free speech and the contracts clause. In a tit-for-tat move, the DeSantis-appointed board earlier this month sued Disney in state court in Orlando seeking to void the deals the company made with the previous board. The row has seen Disney, which provides thousands of jobs, cancel its plans to build a $1bn project to create new campus in central Florida that would have involved relocating 2,000 employees from southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. “We have plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next 10 years. I hope we’re able to do so.” said Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s parks chief, who said he remained optimistic about the future of Disney. Disney employs an estimated 80,000 people in Florida and is often described as operating its own kingdom within the state. Earlier this month, Mr Trump’s campaign lashed out at Mr DeSantis for getting caught in the “mouse trap” and losing jobs from the state’s largest employer. “Ron DeSanctimonious gets caught in a mouse trap,” said a tweet from Trump’s campaign account. “The Culture Of Losing Continues,” referring to Mr DeSantis’ recent string of electoral defeats. “DeSanctus’ weakness leads to job losses and loss of $1B,” the tweet added. Read More DeSantis v Disney: Why Florida’s governor is at war with the Mouse What's on DeSantis' agenda? A look at the laws he passed as Florida governor, from abortion to guns Disney opposes DeSantis request to disqualify judge in free speech lawsuit Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement
2023-05-29 14:58
A Vermont man charged with killing his mother at sea over inheritance dies awaiting trial
Federal authorities say the man charged with killing his mother at sea during a 2016 fishing trip off the coast of New England has died in jail while awaiting trial
2023-06-16 05:16
Microsoft and Activision extend deadline to close $69 billion deal under close regulatory scrutiny
The deadline for Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of video game company Activision Blizzard has been extended to as the companies seek to close a deal that has been opposed by regulators in the U.S. and the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority
2023-07-19 21:53
Investors in India See Another Year of High Rates on Price Shock
Traders in India are pushing back rate-cut bets to later next year as a sudden spike in food
2023-08-07 09:18
Gaza Strip in maps: What it's like for the people that live there
Find out more about what it is like to live in the Gaza Strip, from the economy to education, health and water.
2023-10-14 20:26
Hunter Biden prosecutors move to drop old gun count after plea deal collapse
Prosecutors who filed firearms charges against Hunter Biden moved Wednesday to formally dismiss a gun count that had been part of a collapsed plea deal
2023-10-05 06:48
You Might Like...
MLB Rumors: New Yankees trade target will infuriate fans
Brazilian Ribeiro scores as Sundowns reclaim top spot, set record
Do Not Draw a Line After Umpire Emil Jimenez Makes the Right Call
Bruins bring back Milan Lucic among their bargain shopping in NHL free agency
Fortescue shareholders vote against remuneration report
Jim Jordan to make third try at top job in paralyzed US House
TransLogic™, a Swisslog Healthcare Company, to Showcase Technology Solutions at Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo
Mexico recovers 2 bodies from the Rio Grande, one found near a floating barrier that Texas installed
