'My last moments': 17-year-old student recalls the day Ethan Crumbley shot up her Michigan high school
A 17-year-old girl testified Friday she "just prayed" and covered her head during Ethan Crumbley's mass shooting at Michigan's Oxford High School, which left four students dead and seven others wounded in 2021.
2023-07-29 01:00
Fabinho undergoes Al Ittihad medical after Liverpool resolve transfer hold-up
Fabinho has undergone a medical with Al Ittihad after an agreement was reached with Liverpool.
2023-07-29 00:59
Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips eyes 2024 challenge to Biden
Moderate Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota has been receiving encouragement to consider challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination and will travel to New York City next week to discuss the possibility with donors, Phillips confirmed to CNN.
2023-07-29 00:56
Kevin McCarthy and Eric Swalwell’s heated exchange on House floor revealed
New details reveal that California Rep Eric Swalwell did not hold back when criticising Speaker Kevin McCarthy last month, reportedly calling him a “p****” on the House floor. According to The Daily Beast, the heated exchange stemmed from the events of 21 June, when Republicans voted to censure California Democratic Rep Adam Schiff. As Democrats chanted “Shame!” at their colleagues across the aisle, Mr Swalwell, standing near the speaker’s podium, had something to say to one Republican in particular – Mr McCarthy. “This is pathetic,” Mr Swalwell allegedly said to the House speaker, according to two members of Congress who spoke to the outlet. “You’re weak. You’re a weak man.” Mr McCarthy looked like “he had a vein popping out of his forehead,” one lawmaker told the outlet. Another said the House speaker stared down Mr Swalwell for roughly 10 seconds before deciding to walk away. The next day, the beef between the two lawmakers intensified. Just before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a joint address to Congress, Mr Swalwell was right outside the chamber on the Republican side when Mr McCarthy reportedly spotted him. “McCarthy said, ‘If you ever say something like that to me again, I’m gonna kick the s*** out of you,’” one member told The Daily Beast. Another lawmaker expanded on this, recalling: “They were in each other’s faces. Basically nose-to-nose. And Rep Swalwell said something like, ‘Are we really gonna do this?’” The House speaker then allegedly threatened the California Democrat: “Call me a p**** again, and I’ll kick your a**.” Both lawmakers speaking to the outlet apparently recalled the next words from Mr Swalwell identically: “You. Are. A. P****.” But Mr McCarthy did not fulfill his promise, and instead the two congressmen stared each other down before McCarthy stepped to the side. The Independent has reached out to the offices of Speaker McCarthy and Mr Swalwell for comment. The bad blood between the Californians has been spilled before; back in January, shortly after McCarthy became speaker, he booted Mr Swalwell – as well as Mr Schiff – from the House Intelligence Committee. This also isn’t the first documented instance of name-calling in the recent past among Congress members. Georgia Republican Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene called Colorado Republican Rep Lauren Boebert a “little b****” last month on the House floor. Read More ‘Shame!’McCarthy booed and heckled on House floor after ‘phony’ censure against Democrat Adam Schiff White House attacks McCarthy’s impeachment gambit as ‘ridiculous, baseless stunt’ Marjorie Taylor Greene attacks special counsel Jack Smith as ‘little b****’ for Democrats Republican-led committee calls off vote to hold Meta's Mark Zuckerberg in contempt White House attacks McCarthy’s impeachment gambit as ‘ridiculous, baseless stunt’ Biden is welcoming far-right Italian Prime Minister Meloni for White House talks
2023-07-29 00:55
Ukraine’s troops advance around Bakhmut despite intense artillery fire from Russia’s forces, military say
Kyiv's troops are pushing through heavy intense artillery fire from Russian forces to advance in the east of Ukraine, the commander of the country's armed forces has said. Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that despite meeting stuff resistance, Ukraine's ground forces are making "gradual advances in the direction of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region. The city, which is now occupied by Russian forces, has gained symbolic significance for both Kyiv and Moscow having been the scene for some of the most intense fighting of the war. "The enemy fiercely clings to every centimetre, conducting intense artillery and mortar fire," Col Gen Syrskyi said in a statement. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video late on Thursday night in which Ukrainian soldiers said they had taken the village of Staromaiorske, which sits in the western park of Donetsk region the opposite side to Bakhmut. Russian military bloggers said artillery fire at the Ukrainian troops had effectively razed the village and reported more barrages Friday. Capturing the village, which is south of a cluster of settlements that Ukraine capture at the beginning of its counteroffensive last month, would give Ukraine a platform to push deeper into Russian-held territory. Fighting has intensified at multiple places along the more than 600-mile frontline, where Ukraine deployed its recently acquired Western weapons to push back Russia's troops. That includes the southern Zaporizhzhia region. However, Kyiv's troops are attacking without the air support it says is vital – and face an enemy that has had months to fortify their positions as Ukraine prepared its counter punch. Russia is trying to hold on to the territory it controls in the four provinces it illegally annexed in September: Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson and Luhansk. Col Gen Syrskyi said fighting that targets the enemy's artillery as well as its command and control structure is a priority as his troops probe Russian lines for weaknesses. "In these conditions, it is crucial to make timely management decisions in response to the situation at hand and take measures for maneuvering forces and resources, shifting units and troops to areas where success is evident, or withdrawing them from the enemy's fire," he said. Elsewhere, Mr Zelensky marked Ukraine's Statehood Day – which coincides with commemorations of the adoption of Christianity on lands that later became Ukraine, Russia and Belarus – by reaffirming the country's sovereignty. His words were a rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who used his claim that Ukraine didn't exist as a nation to justify his invasion. "Now, like more than a thousand years ago, our civilizational choice is unity with the world," Mr Zelensky said in a speech on a square outside St. Michael's Monastery in Kyiv. "To be a power in world history. To have the right to its national history, of its people, its land, its state. And of our children, all future generations of the Ukrainian people. We will definitely win!" Moscow also accused Kyiv of firing two missiles at southern Russia, with the Defence Ministry said it shot down a missile in the city of Taganrog, about 20 miles east of the border with Ukraine, and local officials reported 20 people were injured. The Russian Defence Ministry later said it downed a second missile near the city of Azov. Ukraine's secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, blamed Russian air defense systems for the explosion in Taganog. Separately, an explosion was reported to have hit an oil refinery in the southwestern Russian city of Samara. In St Petersburg, African leaders pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to move ahead with their peace plan aimed at ending Russia's invasion and to renew a deal on the export of Ukrainian grain that Moscow tore up last week. While not directly critical of Russia, the words on the second day of a summit with Mr Putin were more forceful than those previously voiced. "This war must end. And it can only end on the basis of justice and reason," African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said. At the summit, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi urged Russia to revive the Black Sea grain deal. Since withdrawing from the deal, Russia has bombed Ukrainian ports and grain depots. Mr Sisi, whose country is a big buyer of grain via the Black Sea route, told the summit it was "essential to reach agreement" on reviving the deal. A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia on Friday of threatening civilian vessels in the Black Sea, urging the international community to condemn Moscow's actions. Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Baby died after ‘extremely vulnerable’ mother gave birth alone in prison G20 ministers reach agreement on most, but not all, climate issues Why is Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin back in Russia?
2023-07-29 00:52
Wizards of the Coast Announces Major Design Change to Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is undergoing a major design shift that affects fan-favorite Planeswalker cards.
2023-07-29 00:50
European Banks Improve Results in Stress Test That’s Key for Payouts
Most European banks emerged stronger from a stress test on how they would weather a sharp economic downturn,
2023-07-29 00:47
MTG Wilds of Eldraine Story Explained
First details emerged today about the story of the latest Magic set, Wilds of Eldraine, releasing this Fall.
2023-07-29 00:47
What is a superseding indictment?
The new charges against former President Donald Trump over his alleged mishandling of classified documents were outlined in what's known as a superseding indictment.
2023-07-29 00:46
Biden to Sign Order Curbing US Tech Investments in China by Mid-August
President Joe Biden is planning to sign an executive order to limit critical US technology investments in China
2023-07-29 00:46
Burundi media guide
An overview of the media in Burundi, including links to newspapers and broadcasters.
2023-07-29 00:28
U.S. railroads say heatwave to reignite coal shipments this year
By Ananta Agarwal U.S. railroad operators expect heatwaves across the northern hemisphere to reignite coal shipments as people
2023-07-29 00:27
