
Tara Reade, who accused Biden of sexual assault, says she has ‘defected’ to Russia at event with Kremlin spy
Tara Reade, who accused Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993, has defected to Russia. The former Senate aide appeared in a bombshell interview on Russian state TV on Tuesday alongside accused Kremlin spy Maria Butina and said she was feeling “at home” in Moscow. Ms Reade, 59, who worked in Mr Biden’s office decades ago, said she made the “very difficult” decision to move to the Russian capital because she no longer felt safe in the US. “I am still kind of in a daze a bit but I feel very good. I feel very surrounded by protection and safety,” she said. “And I just really so appreciate Maria [Butina] and everyone who’s been giving me that at a time when it’s been very difficult to know if I am safe or not.” “You have US and European citizens looking for safe haven here. And luckily, the Kremlin is accommodating. So we’re lucky,” she was quoted as saying by state-owned news agency Sputnik. Ms Reade previously accused Mr Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when she was a staff assistant and had called for him to drop out of the 2020 presidential race. She worked as Mr Biden’s aide in 1993. There have also been some media reports about inconsistencies in her allegations against Mr Biden. Ms Reade’s educational background had been called into question years ago. The president had previously denied the sexual assault allegations against him. “To my Russian brothers and sisters, I am sorry right now that American elites are choosing to have such an aggressive stance,” she said in the interview. “Just know that most American citizens do want to be friends and hope that we can have unity again.” “I am enjoying my time in Moscow, and I feel very at home,” she said. “I just didn’t want to walk home and walk into a cage or be killed, which is basically my two choices,” she added. She also said she took her time to decide for herself. “I’m not an impulsive person. I really take my time and sort of analyse data points. And from what I could see based on the cases and based on what was happening and sort of the push for them to not want me to testify, I felt that while [the 2024] election is gearing up and there’s so much at stake, I’m almost better off here and just being safe.” “My dream is to live in both places, but it may be that I only live in this place and that’s OK,” she added. In 2020, a high-profile lawyer of the #MeToo era, Douglas H Wigdor, had dropped Ms Reade as a client. Read More Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support Debt limit agreement clears first hurdle despite Republican anger. Here’s what happens next UN court issuing appeal ruling in long-running trial of 2 Serbs accused of crimes in Balkan wars The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary
2023-05-31 16:53

Italy Q1 GDP revised up to 0.6% q/q, 1.9% y/y -ISTAT
ROME Italy's economy rose 0.6% in the first quarter, boosted by strong domestic demand, national statistics bureau ISTAT
2023-05-31 16:24

Chhattisgarh: India official fined $640 for draining dam to find phone
The man ordered millions of litres to be drained after dropping his phone while taking a selfie.
2023-05-31 15:28

Exclusive-Credit Suisse axes China bank plan to avoid regulatory conflict under UBS-sources
By Engen Tham, Summer Zhen and Selena Li HONG KONG/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Credit Suisse has scrapped plans to set up a
2023-05-31 15:27

Bitcoin Faces First Monthly Drop of 2023 as Crypto Revival Cools
The crypto rebound is losing steam, leaving Bitcoin on course for its worst month since the FTX exchange
2023-05-31 14:52

Uyghur student not missing in Hong Kong - Amnesty
The rights group has corrected a report alleging the student went missing after flying to Hong Kong.
2023-05-31 14:21

North Korea's space launch programme and long-range missile projects
SEOUL North Korea made a failed attempt at launching its first spy satellite on Wednesday, with the booster
2023-05-31 13:59

Trump news – live: ‘Snitch’ fears grow in Mar-a-Lago papers probe as Biden laughs off possible Trump pardon
As the probe into whether former President Donald Trump or his advisers broke the law in their retention of documents including some potentially classified material from the White House nears its end, Mr Trump’s legal team is said to be fearing disloyalty. The Daily Beast reported on Tuesday that the former president’s attorneys supposedly worry that some among them may decide to start talking to the Department of Justice, becoming witnesses in the case, as the attention of the agency turns to the actions of the legal team themselves. The probe into Mr Trump’s handling of presidential records, including classified documents, exploded into the public eye last year when FBI agents raided Mar-a-Lago, Mr Trump’s home and resort in Florida. In addition, one of Mr Trump’s attorneys said he was “waved off” from searching the former president’s office for classified documents in the weeks before the FBI court-authorised search. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden was asked on Monday whether he would ever consider a pardon for the former president — as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he would having announced his 2024 campaign for the presidency. Mr Biden laughed off the notion. Read More Donald Trump’s legal team and Manhattan prosecutors spar over where he will stand trial Trump White House official Peter Navarro to go on trial in September in Jan 6 contempt case Trump still dominates in first 2024 GOP poll since DeSantis announcement
2023-05-31 13:54

'Alexia from Miami dodged a bullet': Luis Ruelas wanting to pursue 'RHOM' star doesn't sit well with 'RHONJ' fans
Apparently, Teresa Giudice was not Luis Ruelas' first choice for a date; he preferred someone from a different Real Housewives city
2023-05-31 13:47

'RHONJ' fans ask Teresa Giudice to stop 'blaming' others as she says Melissa and Joe Gorga put her in prison
'Teresa forgets she went to jail for financial/bank fraud, which is traceable,' said a 'RHONJ' fan
2023-05-31 13:20

Who is Geneva Dunham? 'Love Is Blind' star Paul Peden's new romance after saying 'I Don't' to Micah Lussier
Meet 'Love Is Blind' star Paul Peden's new romance, tech salon owner Geneva Dunham, after ditching his ex Micah Lussier at the altar
2023-05-31 13:18

Ahead of House debt ceiling vote, Biden shores up Democrats and McCarthy scrambles for GOP support
Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent. Biden is sending top White House officials to meet early Wednesday at the Capitol to shore up support ahead of voting. McCarthy is working furiously to sell skeptical fellow Republicans, even fending off challenges to his leadership, in the rush to avert a potentially disastrous U.S. default. Despite deep disappointment from right-flank Republicans that the compromise falls short of the spending cuts they demanded, McCarthy insisted he would have the votes needed to ensure approval. “We’re going to pass the bill,” McCarthy said as he exited a lengthy late Tuesday night meeting at the Capitol. Quick approval by the House and later in the week the Senate would ensure government checks will continue to go out to Social Security recipients, veterans and others, and prevent financial upheaval at home and abroad. Next Monday is when Treasury has said the U.S. would run short of money to pay its debts, risking an economically dangerous default. The package leaves few lawmakers fully satisfied, but Biden and McCarthy are counting on pulling majority support from the political center, a rarity in divided Washington, testing the leadership of the president and the Republican speaker. Overall, the 99-page bill restricts spending for the next two years, suspends the debt ceiling into January 2025 and changes policies, including new work requirements for older Americans receiving food aid and greenlighting a controversial Appalachian natural gas line that many Democrats oppose. For more than two hours late Tuesday as aides wheeled in pizza at the Capitol, McCarthy walked Republicans through the details, fielded questions and encouraged them not to lose sight of the bill’s budget savings. The speaker faced a sometimes tough crowd. Leaders of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus spent the day lambasting the compromise as falling well short of the spending cuts they demand, and they vowed to try to halt passage by Congress. “This deal fails, fails completely," Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said earlier in the day, flanked by others outside the Capitol. “We will do everything in our power to stop it.” A much larger conservative faction, the Republican Study Committee, declined to take a position. Even rank-and-file centrist conservatives were not sure, leaving McCarthy desperately hunting for votes. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., said after the “healthy debate” late into the night she was still a no. Ominously, the conservatives warned of potentially trying to oust McCarthy over the compromise. “There’s going to be a reckoning,” said Rep. Chip Roy of Texas. Biden was speaking directly to lawmakers, making more than 100 one-on-one calls, the White House said. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the spending restrictions in the package would reduce deficits by $1.5 trillion over the decade, a top goal for the Republicans trying to curb the debt load. McCarthy told lawmakers that number was higher if the two-year spending caps were extended, which is no guarantee. But in a surprise that could further erode Republican support, the GOP's drive to impose work requirements on older Americans receiving food stamps ends up boosting spending by $2.1 billion over the time period. That's because the final deal exempted veterans and homeless people, expanding the food stamp rolls by some 78,000 people monthly, the CBO said. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said it was up to McCarthy to turn out votes from some two-thirds of the Republican majority, a high bar the speaker may not be able to reach. Some 218 votes are needed for passage in the 435-member House. Still, Jeffries said the Democrats would do their part to avoid failure. “It is my expectation that House Republicans would keep their promise and deliver at least 150 votes as it relates to an agreement that they themselves negotiated,” Jeffries said. “Democrats will make sure that the country does not default.” Liberal Democrats decried the new work requirements for older Americans, those 50-54, in the food aid program. And some Democratic lawmakers were leading an effort to remove the surprise provision for the Mountain Valley Pipeline natural gas project. The energy development is important to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., but many others oppose it as unhelpful in fighting climate change. The top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, said including the pipeline provision was “disturbing and profoundly disappointing.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, had this warning for McCarthy: “He got us here, and it’s on him to deliver the votes." Wall Street was taking a wait-and-see approach. Stock prices were mixed in Tuesday's trading. U.S. markets had been closed when the deal was struck over the weekend. The House aims to vote Wednesday and send the bill to the Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican leader McConnell are working for passage by week's end. Schumer called the bill a “sensible compromise.” McConnell said McCarthy “deserves our thanks.” Senators, who have remained largely on the sidelines during much of the negotiations between the president and the House speaker, began inserting themselves more forcefully into the debate. Some senators are insisting on amendments to reshape the package from both the left and right flanks. But making any changes to the package at this stage seemed unlikely with so little time to spare before Monday's deadline. ___ Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Mary Clare Jalonick and Seung Min Kim contributed to this report. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Changes to food aid in debt bill would cost money, far from savings GOP envisioned GOP chairman moves to hold FBI director Wray in contempt over Biden doc Debt limit agreement clears first hurdle. Here’s what happens next
2023-05-31 12:53