Donald Trump’s attorney was ‘shocked’ the former president took the verdict with ‘solemnness’
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lead attorney in his New York criminal case told The Associated Press he was “shocked” at the former president’s calm demeanor when the verdict was read in court. Defense lawyer Todd Blanche said Trump “just kind of took it” with the appropriate solemnness for the moment. Blanche said he thought Trump was still handling himself well on Friday, the day after the verdict, even as the Republican has railed that the trial was unfair. A jury of 12 New Yorkers convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump portrayed himself as a victim of a “rigged” trial.
Trump tries to move past his guilty verdict by attacking the criminal justice system
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump sought to move past his historic criminal conviction on Friday and build momentum for his bid to return to the White House with fierce attacks on the judge who oversaw the case, the prosecution’s star witness and the criminal justice system as a whole. Speaking from his namesake tower in Manhattan in a symbolic return to the campaign trail, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee delivered a message aimed squarely at his most loyal supporters. Defiant as ever, he insisted without evidence that the verdict was rigged and driven by politics.
Republicans join Trump’s attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans in Congress are embracing Donald Trump’s strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict. They’re also enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution. It’s all part of the GOP bid to reclaim the White House. On Friday, the House Judiciary chairman demanded the prosecutors in the New York hush money case appear for questioning. Republicans who expressed doubts about Trump’s innocence or political viability were instantly bullied to stay silent — or told to “leave the party.” President Joe Biden said the attacks on the justice system are “reckless” and “irresponsible.” Experts on authoritarianism warn that Trump is vowing to use the state against his opponents.
Answers to your questions about Donald Trump’s historic hush money trial conviction
NEW YORK (AP) — The first criminal conviction of a former American president is raising a host of legal and political questions: Will Donald Trump go to prison? Could he pardon himself? What about the election? Trump was found guilty by a Manhattan jury Thursday of 34 felony counts related to a scheme during his 2016 presidential campaign to pay off a porn actor who said the two had sex. It’s not clear whether he will go to prison. That will be up to the judge. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case, refused to say Thursday whether prosecutors will seek prison time.
Voting begins in the last round of India’s election, a referendum on Modi’s decade in power
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indians have begun voting in the last round of a six-week-long national election that is a referendum on Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade in power. The election will test the limits of his political dominance as he seeks a third-straight victory. The seventh round of voting in 57 constituencies across seven states and one union territory will complete polling for all 543 seats in the powerful lower house of parliament. Most polls show Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party leading over the broad opposition alliance that’s challenging them. The votes will be counted on Tuesday, with results expected by the end of the day.
Biden details a 3-phase hostage deal aimed at winding down the Israel-Hamas war
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has detailed a three-phase deal proposed by Israel to Hamas militants that he says would lead to the release of remaining hostages in Gaza and could end the grinding Mideast war. Biden on Friday added Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out another large-scale attack on Israel as he urged Israelis and Hamas to come to a deal to release hostages for an extended cease-fire. The Democratic president calls the proposal “a road map to an enduring cease-fire and the release of all hostages.” One phase of the deal calls for beginning major reconstruction of Gaza. Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed 36,000 Palestinians.
LGBTQ+ Pride Month is starting to show its colors around the world. What to know
Pride Month is kicking off around the world with parades and festivals in cities large and small. The annual celebration of LGBTQ+ people and culture begins Saturday against a complicated backdrop of backlashes. Rights have been lost around the world and advocates say over 60 countries have anti-LGBTQ+ laws. In the U.S., a wave of laws in Republican-controlled states rein in the rights of transgender minors and companies such as Target face criticism for prominently displaying Pride-themed merchandise. The discount retailer isn’t putting those products in every store this year but remains a major sponsor of NYC Pride.
Killing of Minneapolis police officer stuns a department that’s been struggling to fill its ranks
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The shooting death of a Minneapolis police officer has stunned a department that has been struggling to fill its ranks since the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing turmoil. The killing of Officer Jamal Mitchell on Thursday came days after the fourth anniversary of the killing of Floyd by Minneapolis police. The city became ground zero for the “defund the police” movement, and while it didn’t succeed in eliminating the Minneapolis Police Department, the force remains well below full strength. On Friday, Mayor Jacob Frey paid tribute to the fallen officer and to officers who, like Mitchell, who have joined or stayed despite everything.
Sexist tropes and misinformation swirl online as Mexico prepares to elect its first female leader
As voters in Mexico head to the polls, a flurry of false, sexist and misleading posts on social media are blurring the lines between fact and fiction. The two leading candidates for president are both women, and both have had to respond to demeaning claims about their ability to lead the nation. Deepfake audio and video of the leading candidate, former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, have also circulated, demonstrating once again how artificial intelligence is being used to mislead voters. The specter of violence also hangs over the election, and has prompted criminal gangs to use social media to intimidate candidates and voters.
Russia and Ukraine exchange POWs for the first time in months. Bodies of fallen are also swapped
SUMY REGION, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine and Russia have exchanged prisoners of war, each sending back 75 POWs in the first such swap in the past three months. The Ukrainians were returned on several buses that drove into the northern Sumy region. As they disembarked, they shouted joyfully and called their families to tell them they were home. Some knelt and kissed the ground, while many wrapped themselves in yellow-blue flags. They hugged one another, breaking into tears. Many appeared emaciated and poorly dressed. The exchange was the fourth prisoner swap this year and the 52nd since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Earlier in the day, bodies of fallen are also swapped.
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