Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Wake-Up Call: FBI Raids Mar-A-Lago


Former President Donald Trump said in a statement Monday that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida , and claimed agents had broken open a safe. The FBI and Justice Department didn't immediately confirm that there was a search, but AP cited a person familiar with the matter as saying the action was related to an investigation of whether Trump had taken classified records from his time as president to his Florida home. Trump said in a lengthy statement, "After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate." He also stated, "These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home . . . is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.” The Justice Department has been investigating the presence of classified records inside 15 boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago by the National Archives and Records Administration earlier this year. 




Twitter posting



Several Republican condemned the search, among the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who tweeted that the Justice Department, quote, "has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization" and that if Republicans win control of the House, they will investigate the department.


➤U.S. SENDING $1 BILLION IN MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE: The U.S. announced Monday that it’s sending $1 billion in rockets, ammunition and other military material to Ukraine, its biggest direct delivery of weapons yet to the country, as Ukraine readies for a potentially decisive counteroffensive in the south against Russia. In recent days, Russia, readying for the counteroffensive, has been moving troops and equipment towards southern port cities in Ukraine. This latest shipment will bring the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine by the Biden administration to more than $9 billion.


➤CHINA EXTENDING MILITARY EXERCISES AROUND TAIWAN: China said Monday that it’s extending threatening military exercises around Taiwan, which it launched in the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan that infuriated Beijing. The military exercises have disrupted shipping and air traffic and significantly raised concerns about the potential for conflict in the region. China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and Beijing considers visits to the self-governing island by foreign officials as recognizing Taiwan’s sovereignty. President Biden said Monday when asked about the issue, “I’m not worried, but I’m concerned they’re moving as much as they are. But I don’t think they’re going to do anything more than they are.” Meanwhile, Taiwan’s official Central News Agency reported Taiwan’s army will conduct live-fire artillery drills today an Thursday, in response to the Chinese exercises.

➤BIDEN SURVEYS FLOOD DAMAGE IN KENTUCKY: President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were in eastern Kentucky Monday to survey flood damage that’s the worst in the state’s history, meeting with families and first responders. The deadly storms that deluged the state last month have killed at least 37 people, dropping 8 to 10 1/2 inches of rain in just 48 hours. Flooding remains a threat, as more thunderstorms are expected through Thursday. Biden pledged federal support for those affected by the flooding, saying, “We’re staying until everybody’s back to where they were.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided more than $3.1 million in relief funds, and hundreds of rescue personnel have been deployed.


➤ALBUQUERQUE POLICE LOOKING FOR VEHICLE IN DEATH OF FOUR MUSLIM MEN: Albuquerque police are asking for the public’s help in finding a vehicle believed to be connected to the killings of four Muslim men in the New Mexico city. Naeem Hussain was identified as the fourth victims, killed on Friday night, and ambush shootings killed the three other men over the past nine months. Three of the killings took place in the past week, and police are trying to determine if all four deaths are linked. The three killings in the past week were all men from Pakistan and members of the same mosque. The earliest killing was last November, of a man from Afghanistan. Police said the same vehicle is suspected of being used in all four murders, a dark gray or silver four-door Volkswagen that appears to be a Jetta or Passat with dark tinted windows. Authorities released photos and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.


➤TALKS TO REVIVE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL END WITH FINAL TEXT: The talks seeing to revive the Iran nuclear deal with the U.S. and other world powers ended Monday after 16 months, with the parties having a final text and negotiators to consult with their governments, according to diplomats. European Union’s foreign affairs chief Joseph Borrell suggested there was no more room for negotiation on the final text, and signaled the decision on whether the nuclear deal can be restored rests with the American and Iranian governments. The 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under Barack Obama’s administration gave Iran sanctions relief in exchange for tight curbs on its nuclear program. Then-President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the deal four years ago.

➤MEN INVOLVED IN ARBERY KILLING SENTENCED ON FEDERAL CHARGES: The two men involved in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and a third man who recorded cellphone video of the Georgia killing were sentenced yesterday on federal charges. Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael, who armed themselves and chased Arbery in February 2020 in a pickup truck, telling police they believed the 25-year-old Black man was a burglar, were sentenced to life in prison for committing a federal hate crime. Investigators determined Arbery was unarmed and had committed no crimes. Both men were previously sentenced to life without parole in state court in Georgia. Willie “Roddie” Bryan, who recorded the video, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in the fatal chase of Arbery, who was jogging through the men’s neighborhood. He was previously sentenced in Georgia state court to life with a possibility of parole. All three men were found by a federal jury to have targeted Arbery because of his race.

➤STUDY..CLIMATE HAZARDS HAVE WORSENED INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Climate hazards like flooding, heat waves and drought have worsened more than half of the hundreds of known infectious diseases that affect people, according to a new study in the journal, Nature Climate Change, yesterday. Researchers fround that 218 of the 375 known human infectious diseases, 58 percent, seemed to be made worse by one of 10 types of extreme weather connected to climate change. The diseases influenced, according to the study, include malaria, hantavirus, cholera and anthrax.

Gabby Petito
➤GABBY PETITO’S FAMILY PLANS TO FILE WRONGFUL DEATH SUIT AGAINST UTAH POLICE: The family of Gabby Petito notified Utah officials yesterday that they plan to file a wrongful death lawsuit alleging police in the town of Moab failed to recognize their daughter was in a life-threatening situation when officers investigated a fight between her and her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, last August while they were on a cross-country van trip. The fight took place weeks before authorities say Laundrie killed Petito, leaving her body in the Wyoming wilderness. The notice contends the police missed signs that Petito was the victim of domestic violence. Police body cam video showed a visibly upset Petito, but officers allowed the couple to leave after requiring them to spend a night apart. Laundrie later killed himself in Florida, leaving behind a notebook that officials said contained a confession.

Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta

➤OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN DIES AT 73: Singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John passed away on Monday, after a decades-long battle with breast cancer. Her husband, John Easterling, shared the news via her official Instagram page.

"Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time," he wrote.

Easterling continued, "Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation."

In 1992, Newton-John first announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2017, the Grease actress shared that it had spread to her sacrum. She often referred to herself as a “cancer thriver” and has been a longtime advocate for cancer awareness and research.

Newton-John began her career touring with Pat Farrar as one half of Pat & Olivia, before producing a few solo albums in the early 1970s. She received her first Grammy nomination for the title track on her 1973 album, Let Me Be There. Newton-John was nominated for 12 Grammys throughout the course of her career, and she is a four-time Grammy winner.

In 1978, she starred in Grease alongside John Travolta, and her other acting credits include Xanadu, Two of a Kind, Glee, A Few Best Men, and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.

Bottle is pictured in car prior to incidents

➤ANNE HECHE IS ‘IN A COMA’ FOLLOWING FIERY CAR CRASH: After the news broke on Friday that Anne Heche had crashed her car into a Los Angeles home, a rep for the Volcano actress shared that she is in “critical condition.” “She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” her spokesperson said in a statement. "She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident."

Earlier on Monday, Page Six confirmed reports that the Los Angeles Police Department had obtained a warrant to test her blood for drugs and alcohol. A representative for the LAPD told the publication, “The info we received this morning was a warrant that was obtained the same day as the traffic collision, which was Aug. 5. The warrant was to draw blood, and an investigation is ongoing pending the blood test results. If found intoxicated, [Heche] could be charged with misdemeanor DUI hit and run. No arrests have been made so far.”

🏀DURANT REPORTEDLY REPEATED DEMAND TO BE TRADED: The Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant has reportedly repeated his demand to be traded. ESPN last night (August 8th) cited sources as saying Durant and Nets governor Joe Tsai recently met in London, and Durant repeated his desire to be traded, and suggested the Nets needed to choose between him and head coach Steve Nash and general manager Sean Marks. Durant initially asked for a trade at the end of June. Tsai voiced his support last night for the front office and coaching staff.

🏌PGA TOUR ASKS JUDGE TO DISMISS SUSPENDED PLAYERS’ APPEAL: The PGA Tour is asking a federal judge to deny the appeal of three suspended players, Talor Gooch, Matt Jones and Hudson Swafford, who joined Saudi-backed LIV Golf and now want to compete in the tour’s postseason, arguing the players knew the consequences. The three are seeking a temporary restraining order, and are among 10 players who filed an antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour last week. The Tour said in a court filling Monday that antitrust laws don’t allow the three players, quote, “to have their cake and eat it, too.” The hearing is scheduled for today.


🏈RAVENS SIGN TUCKER TO FOUR-YEAR EXTENSION, STILL HIGHEST-PAID KICKER: The Baltimore Ravens announced Monday that the team had signed Justin Tucker to a four-year extension. ESPN cited a source as saying the extension is worth $24 million, continuing to make him the highest-paid kicker in the NFL. The 32-year-old Tucker, who’s the most accurate kicker in NFL history, had two years left on his current deal.

🏈BURROW, POST-APPENDECTOMY, THROWS PASSES AT TRAINING CAMP: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who is recovering from an appendectomy two weeks ago, began throwing passes at training camp yesterday. ESPN said he did a light walkthrough, not throwing too many passes and none of them very hard. However, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan said it was the first time Burrow has done any throwing since the surgery.



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