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CNN —House conservatives revolted against GOP leadership and defeated a FISA rule vote on the floor Wednesday, the latest blow to Speaker Mike Johnson that comes after former President Donald Trump called on Republicans to kill the bill. “KILL FISA,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Johnson told members at a closed-door conference meeting Wednesday morning that he spoke with Trump Tuesday night. But, according to members, Johnson told them they didn’t discuss FISA. In his call to “kill FISA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Donald Trump, Trump, “, ” Trump, Johnson, Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna, Tim Burchett, ”, Marjorie Taylor Greene, surveil Trump, Carter Page, ” Johnson, ” CNN’s Lauren Fox Organizations: CNN, GOP, FISA, Republicans, Foreign Intelligence, Reforming Intelligence, Republican, Florida GOP, Tennessee GOP, Trump, The Georgia Republican, Authority, National Defense, FBI, House Republicans, Truth Locations: Louisiana, Florida, Trump’s

☆ How legal fights and stalling by judge could push Trump documents trial after election
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Tierney Sneed | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The longer it takes for Cannon to decide these issues, the more likely a trial would need to wait until after the November presidential election. But Cannon’s critics view the pace of the Trump prosecution with added suspicion because of how she handled a separate, 2022 lawsuit Trump brought attacking the FBI’s documents investigation. In that lawsuit, Cannon granted an extraordinary Trump request for a third-party review of the FBI’s 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago resort for the classified documents. Now, critics accuse Cannon of – purposely or not – playing into Trump’s strategy of delaying the trial until after the election. Hours after the hearing, Cannon rejected Trump’s first claim, that the national defense law he is charged under was too vague.

Persons: Donald Trump, Aileen Cannon, Cannon, Prosecutors, Jack Smith, ”, Smith, Alan Rozenshtein, “, Trump, –, Barbara McQuade, Obama, ” McQuade, won’t, nudges, doesn’t, McQuade, Southern District of Florida Aileen Cannon, Lothar Speer Cannon, ” David Aaron, ” Aaron, Aaron, CIPA, they’re, that’s, Mark Schnapp, Trump’s, Rozenshtein, Cannon “, Judge Cannon’s Organizations: CNN, Trump, University of Minnesota Law School, Justice Department, Biden White, University of Michigan Law School, US, Court, Southern, Southern District of, DOJ, DOJ National Security, Presidential, National Archives, ” Prosecutors, White Locations: Southern District, Southern District of Florida, Florida

☆ A new commander is taking over Russia's Black Sea Fleet after the last one let its warships get torn apart by exploding drones
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussia has officially replaced the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, awarding Vice Adm. Sergei Pinchuk the daunting role of overseeing naval operations in a region that has long troubled Moscow. Pinchuk is a career navy officer who previously served as the deputy to Adm. Viktor Sokolov, the former Black Sea Fleet commander. Russia's Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023. Beyond its USV force, Kyiv has also used missiles to inflict damage on the Black Sea Fleet. You realize the enormous responsibility that rests on you," Shoigu said during the teleconference, according to the Russian defense ministry's statement.

Persons: —, Sergei Pinchuk, Sergei Shoigu, Pinchuk, Viktor Sokolov, Sokolov, Shoigu, STRINGER, Aleksandr Moiseyev —, Konstantin Kabantsov Organizations: Service, Black, Fleet, Business, Russian, Black Sea, Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Armed Forces, National Defense Control Center, AP, Ukrainian, Getty, Kyiv, Northern, Russian Federation, Ministry of Defense Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, Novorossiysk, Sevastopol, Crimean, Russian

☆ Taiwan needs more babies. But conservative traditions are holding back some fertility solutions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Eric Cheung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Taipei, Taiwan CNN —For married Taiwanese men Alan Hung and Danny Huang, the process of having a biological child together was never easy. Cases like this are troubling to Chen Ching-hui, who last month became the first fertility specialist to win a seat in Taiwan’s parliament. Same-sex couples and single women are banned from accessing procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) or egg freezing in Taiwan, while surrogacy is outlawed entirely. The issue is particularly pressing for Taiwan because, as its population dwindles, so do its military ranks. A nurse handling egg freezing inside a Taipei clinic run by fertility specialist, and now lawmaker, Chen Ching-hui.

Persons: Taiwan CNN —, Alan Hung, Danny Huang, “, ” Huang, Chen Ching, Hung, Huang, Aiden, Danny Huang “, Chen, –, Dr Chen Ching, Eric Cheung, ”, ” Chen, Hsueh, Chang, Paula Bronstein, Huang – Organizations: Taiwan CNN, CNN, Kuomintang, KMT, Communist Party, Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Democratic Progressive Party, China Medical University Hospital Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Russia, United States, Taiwan’s, China, East Asia, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, South Korea, Southeast Asia

US Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, waits to speak during a news conference after a closed-door House Republican caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on February 29, 2024. It was not immediately clear how the House would act on her motion, which requires just a majority vote to remove the speaker. Greene told reporters that the motion to vacate was more of a warning shot and that she had not discussed it with President Donald Trump. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks to the media on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol after filing her motion to vacate Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on Friday, March 22, 2024. U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) leaves a closed-door House Republican meeting at the U.S. Capitol on October 20, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Drew Angerer, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, Greene, Donald Trump ., Bill Clark, Raj Shah, Trump's, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Matt Gaetz, McCarthy, Gaetz, We'd, we've, Hakeem Jeffries Organizations: Republican, Capitol, AFP, Getty, NBC News, Donald Trump . Rep, U.S, CQ, Inc, NBC News House, Democrat, U.S . Rep Locations: Louisiana, Washington , DC, Washington ,

☆ Lawmakers release text of $1.2 trillion spending bill as shutdown deadline nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Sahil Kapur | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers early Thursday morning released the text of a $1.2 trillion government funding bill negotiated by the White House and leaders of both parties to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend. Those federal agencies are scheduled to shut down on Saturday if the funding package is not passed by Friday night. President Joe Biden has said he'll sign the bill, but it's unclear whether Congress has enough time to pass it before the deadline. It is the last remaining funding package that Congress has to pass this fiscal year, which ends after September. After the House passes the bill, the Senate will require unanimous consent to vote quickly.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Biden, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Mitch McConnell, — Frank Thorp Organizations: WASHINGTON — Lawmakers, White, Homeland Security, Defense, State, Labor, Health, Human Services, DHS, Internal Revenue Service, Republicans, House Republicans, House, Department of Homeland Security Locations: Washington, Washington , DC, D, Ky

☆ Article 23: Hong Kong passes second national security law aligning city more closely with mainland China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Coming into effect on Saturday, the law introduces 39 new national security crimes, adding to an already powerful national security law that was directly imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent democracy protests the year before. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Lee described it as a “historical moment for Hong Kong.”Lawmakers attend a meeting for Basic Law Article 23 legislation at the Legislative Council on March 19, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. They argue their legislation is similar to other national security laws around the world. “This will surely increase the doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty of foreign businesses in Hong Kong.”In mainland China, national security laws have often ensnared both local and foreign businesses in opaque investigations. That is something Emily Lau, a former pro-democracy lawmaker, also worries about, that what made Hong Kong distinct is fast fading.

Persons: –, John Lee, Hong, Lee, Chen Yongnuo, ”, Hong Kong’s, Eric Lai, Lai, ” Lai, Hung Ho, fung, Capvision, Sarah Brooks, “, ” Brooks, ” Johannes Hack, Emily Lau, I’ve Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, ” Lawmakers, Legislative, China News Service, China’s Communist Party, CNN, Georgetown Center, Asian Law, Johns Hopkins University, Amnesty International, German Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s, Beijing, China, Amnesty International China, ”, Hong

☆ War, reforms and a possible successor? Here's what we could see from 6 more years of Putin
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Analysts share their views on what we can expect now that Putin has strengthened his grip on power, with the Ukraine war, domestic economic reforms and a possible government reshuffle key factors to watch. Having cleared more of a procedural hurdle than a real test of his policies and popularity in the election, Putin will have more freedom to advance contentious reforms at home, analysts note. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering an annual address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor, in Moscow on Feb. 29, 2024. MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JANUARY 8: (RUSSIA OUT) A woman eats hot corn while walking along the Red Square near the Kremlin, as air temperatures dropped to -18 degrees Celcius, January,8 2024, in Moscow, Russia. However, with the dynamics of the war now shifting in Russia's favor, Putin might feel more confident with the reshuffle.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Natalia Kolesnikova, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, embolden Putin, Liam Peach, Jose Colon, Anton Siluanov, Tursa, Adeline Van Houtte, Donald Trump, Dmitry Peskov, Peach, he's, Sergei Shoigu, Sergei Lavrov, Mikhail Mishustin, Dmitry Medvedev, Gavriil Organizations: Afp, Getty, Kremlin, Commission, Analysts, U.S, Capital Economics, Anadolu, Anadolu Agency, Economist Intelligence Unit, Federal Assembly, Russian Federation, New, Putin, Security Council, Sputnik Locations: Crimea, Red, Moscow, Russia, Russian, Central, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Eastern Europe, Europe, U.S, Russia's, MOSCOW, RUSSIA

☆ Judge in classified documents case grapples with how Trump’s personal records claim could be explained to a jury
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | Katelyn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

I don’t understand where she is going with this order,” Brad Moss, a national security lawyer, told CNN on Monday. Part of the law under which Trump is charged criminalizes a person having unauthorized possession of records related to national defense. Still, the judge asked prosecutors and defense lawyers to write versions of their proposed jury instructions that consider the PRA by April 2. “Engage with the following competing scenarios and offer alternative draft text that assumes each scenario to be a correct formulation of the law to be issued to a jury,” Cannon wrote on Monday. The second scenario would assume that as president, Trump had complete authority to take records he wanted from the White House under the PRA.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump’s, Trump, – Cannon, Cannon, wouldn’t, Brad Moss, “, ” Moss, she’s, ” Cannon, Moss Organizations: CNN, Justice Department, Department, “, White House, National Archives Locations: Trump’s

☆ Read the Rejection of Trump’s Motion to Dismiss the Documents Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

23-80101-CR-CANNON ORDER DENYING WITHOUT PREJUDICE DEFENDANT TRUMP'S MOTION TO DISMISS COUNTS 1–32 BASED ON UNCONSTITUTIONAL VAGUENESS THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon Defendant Trump's Motion to Dismiss Counts 1 through 32 Based on Unconstitutional Vagueness (the "Motion"), filed on February 22, 2024 [ECF No. 377], to which Defendant Trump filed a Reply [ECF No. The Court heard argument on the Motion on March 14, 2024 [ECF No. Upon careful review of the Motion, related filings, and the arguments raised during the hearing, Defendant's Motion is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE. § 793(e) are unconstitutionally vague as applied under the facts presented, in violation of due process and the rule of lenity.

Persons: DONALD J, TRUMP, WALTINE NAUTA, CARLOS DE OLIVEIRA, Trump's, Defendant Trump, ” Organizations: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, UNITED STATES, PALM BEACH Locations: U.S.C

☆ Judge Denies One of Trump’s Efforts to Derail Documents Case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Alan Feuer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The federal judge overseeing former President Donald J. Trump’s prosecution on charges of mishandling classified documents on Thursday rejected one of his motions seeking to have the case dismissed, the first time she has denied a legal attack on the indictment. In a two-page order, the judge, Aileen M. Cannon, rebuffed arguments by Mr. Trump’s lawyers that the central statute in the indictment, the Espionage Act, was impermissibly vague and should be struck down entirely. The decision by Judge Cannon followed a nearly daylong hearing in Federal District Court in Fort Pierce, Fla., where she entertained arguments from Mr. Trump’s legal team and from prosecutors in the office of the special counsel Jack Smith about the Espionage Act. The government says the former president violated that law 32 times by removing a trove of highly sensitive classified material from the White House after he left office. Mr. Trump’s lawyers had claimed that certain phrases in the text of the law — for instance, its requirement that prosecutors prove defendants took “unauthorized possession” of documents “relating to the national defense” — were so ambiguous and open to debate as to be unenforceable.

Persons: Donald J, Aileen M, Cannon, Judge Cannon, Jack Smith, ” — Organizations: Federal, Court, White Locations: Fort Pierce, Fla

☆ Takeaways from the hearing on Trump’s attempt to dismiss the mishandling classified documents charges
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Tierney Sneed | Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Before the judge were two of the nine motions to dismiss that the defendants have filed in the case. “It’s difficult to see how this gets you to the dismissal of an indictment,” the judge told Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche. Cannon said some of Trump’s concerns should be up to the juryThe judge repeatedly said Thursday that some of Trump’s arguments are best suited for a jury to decide during his eventual trial. Reagan’s journals were more akin to “personal records” as defined under the Presidential Records Act, they said. In Clinton’s case, the tapes were never reviewed and therefore never confirmed to contain classified information.

Persons: Aileen Cannon, Donald Trump, Trump, Cannon, Emile Bove, Bove, ” Cannon, “, ”, Todd Blanche, Reagan, Clinton, Biden, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden’s, wasn’t, Jack Smith’s, Robert Hur’s, Jay Bratt Organizations: Pierce , Florida CNN, Presidential, White, Trump, Department, Presidential Records Locations: Pierce , Florida, Lago

"My task was to determine whether the president retained or disclosed national defense information willfully," Hur told the House Judiciary Committee in testimony about his probe of Biden. "I could not make that determination without assessing the president's state of mind," Hur testified. The special counsel in his final report on the probe concluded that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified materials" which the special counsel wrote presented "serious risks to national security." Nor did I disparage the president unfairly," Hur told lawmakers Tuesday. "Because the evidence fell short of that standard, I declined to recommend criminal charges against Mr. Biden," Hur said.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden, Hur, Biden, Mr, " Hur Organizations: Democratic

☆ A key witness in Trump's classified documents case went public — and it could complicate Jack Smith's case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But the witness' public recall of his role in the saga could cause complications in special counsel Jack Smith's case against Trump, a legal expert told Business Insider. AdvertisementButler's decision to come forward with his name is also surprising given Trump's fierce fan base, Rahmani said. Butler told CNN on Monday he considered going public for months as he watched developments in the case. US District Judge Aileen Cannon is set to hear arguments on two of Trump's motions to dismiss the case on Thursday.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Jack Smith's, Brian Butler, Jack Smith, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos de Oliveira, Butler, Neama, Rahmani, de Oliviera, Smith, Aileen Cannon Organizations: Service, CNN, Trump, Business, Mar, Department, West, Trial, US Locations: Florida

"There has been a lot of attention paid to language in the report about the president’s memory," Hur said, addressing one of the most contentious parts of his report. For that reason, I had to consider the President’s memory and overall mental state, and how a jury likely would perceive his memory and mental state in a criminal trial." Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat, chided Hur for including the references to Biden's memory at all. The issue of both Biden's and Trump's mental acuity has been an ongoing issue in the 2024 campaign, although polling shows that voters have greater concerns about Biden's age. "What does that say about his mental state?"

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Robert Hur, Hur, –, “ Joe Biden, Mr, Jim Jordan, Adam Schiff, ”, Schiff, Kamala Harris, Matt Gaetz, Nate Moran, needled Hur, wasn't, Jerrold Nadler, bungles, Nadler, Trump's, Ken Buck Organizations: Republicans, Justice, GOP, White House, Ohio Republican, Trump, Biden, Texas Republican, New, New York Democrat, Colorado Republican Locations: Biden’s, Ohio, California, Florida, Texas, New York, Colorado

☆ Key classified documents witness who worked at Mar-a-Lago for 20 years comes forward and says Trump case is 'not a witch hunt'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewA former Mar-a-Lago employee who is cooperating with federal investigators in Donald Trump's classified documents case says the charges against the former president don't constitute a "witch hunt." Butler told the outlet that he unwittingly helped Trump staffers move 10-15 boxes of sensitive records in June 2022. "I think the American people have the right to know the facts, that this is not a witch hunt," Butler said. Trump has characterized the case — as well as his myriad other legal troubles — as a politically-motivated witch hunt, and has made several ongoing efforts to have the case tossed. "This is so much bigger than me," Butler told CNN.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Brian Butler, Jack Smith, Butler, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos de Oliveira, who's Organizations: Service, Trump, CNN, Business, Mar

☆ How a key witness lifted the lid on Trump’s handling of classified documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —A new glimpse inside Donald Trump’s inner circle shows how the ex-president’s men and women often confront a fateful dilemma under huge personal pressure. Butler’s comments are important because they foretell how he might testify in the federal classified documents trial that could be hugely damaging to Trump but that is increasingly unlikely to happen before Americans vote in the fall. Why ‘Trump Employee 5’ broke his silenceIt is too early to say whether Butler’s testimony would be decisive in the federal trial in the classified documents case. Walt Nauta, a Trump personal aide, and De Oliveira, who have not broken with the ex-president, have also denied wrongdoing. Cohen will be a key witness when Trump becomes the first ex-president to go on trial over a hush money case in New York later this month.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Brian Butler, “, hoarded, Butler, Trump, who’s, ” Butler, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, ”, Mar, Carlos De Oliveira, Stephanie Grisham, Grisham, ” Grisham, CNN’s Erin Burnett, –, Peter Navarro, Rudolph Giuliani, CNN’s Collins, Jim Sciutto, John Kelly, John Bolton, Adolf Hitler, ‘, ’, Walt Nauta, De Oliveira, John Irving, Jack Smith, Andrew McCabe, Ryan Goodman, Burnett, Smith, Michael Cohen, Cohen, Cassidy Hutchinson, Mark Meadows, Hutchinson, she’s, Cassidy, ” Hutchinson, Joe Biden, Robert Hur, Hur Organizations: CNN, Trump, “ Trump, West Palm Beach, FBI, White, White House, Capitol, New York, Republican, ‘ Trump, Mar, ”, New York University, Republicans, CBS, GOP Locations: Florida, West Palm, New Jersey, Lago, New York

After a yearlong investigation, Hur concluded that Biden mishandled classified material and improperly disclosed classified information as a private citizen. Here are four key things to look for in Tuesday’s high-stakes hearing:What will Hur say about Biden’s age and memory? (At 81, Biden is the oldest US president in history, though Donald Trump is only a few years younger at 77.) House Republicans are looking for Hur’s public testimony to provide fresh momentum to their sputtering impeachment inquiry into Biden. Hur’s approach will determine how easy, or hard, it is for lawmakers to extract the political moments that they want.

Persons: Robert Hur, Joe Biden’s, Hur, Biden, wouldn’t, Donald Trump, Beau, Barack Obama, seething Biden, “, ” Biden, ”, Jack Smith, Trump, ” Hur, Will Hur, Hunter, Steve Ruark, Mr, Biden’s, Hunter Biden, Robert Mueller, John Durham, Bill Barr, – Hur, he’ll, Biden’s feebleness Organizations: CNN, GOP, Justice Department, Republicans, National Archives, Department of Justice, Court, Ukrainian, Justice, Internal Revenue Service, White, Trump, Democratic, Capitol Locations: Washington, Tuesday’s, Israel, Florida, Ukrainian, Baltimore, Maryland, Russia

☆ Here’s what to know about the Mar-a-Lago documents case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Devan Cole | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The classified documents case is one of four criminal cases Trump is facing, although it’s unclear when it will go to trial. The case centers around Trump’s handling of classified documents after his presidency and his resistance to the government’s attempts to retrieve the materials he took to Mar-a-Lago from the White House. Part of Trump’s strategy in his federal criminal cases has included attempting to delay trials until after the election. Meanwhile, Trump is attempting to get the entire documents case tossed out. That case is currently on hold as the Supreme Court weighs Trump’s claims of presidential immunity in the matter.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Donald Trump’s, – “, –, Trump, Walt Nauta, Carlos de Oliveira, Jack Smith, Nauta, Weeks, Smith, de Oliveira, Aileen Cannon, Cannon Organizations: Washington CNN, – “ Trump, CNN, Mar, National Archives, White, Trump, DOJ, Presidential, Prosecutors Locations: Mar, Lago, Georgia, Atlanta, New York

“What we are in now is a production war,” a senior NATO official told CNN. “The number one issue that we’re watching right now is the munitions,” the NATO official said. There is also a limit to Russian production capacity, officials say: Russian factories will likely hit a peak sometime in the next year. “If we were talking about this last fall, we would have talked about how they were targeting critical infrastructure,” the NATO official said. “In the short term — say, the next 18 months or so — it may be unsophisticated, but it’s a durable economy,” the NATO official said.

Persons: ”, Abrams, “, — “, Joe Biden, Inna Varenytsia, it’s, Putin’s, Steven Basham, “ It’s, Maxym, Russia’s ‘, Basham Organizations: CNN, Army, NATO, ”, Reuters, Ukraine, European Command, US Army, ” Intelligence, US European Command, Pentagon Locations: Russia, Europe, Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, that’s, Iran, North Korea, Kreminna, Germany, Pennsylvania , Iowa, Texas, Moscow, Tehran, Bohorodychne, Donetsk, Russian

☆ Pentagon report says there are no UFOs or aliens but accepts popular beliefs will endure
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A Pentagon report denies government cover-up of extraterrestrial activity. The report refutes claims of UFO sightings and supposed knowledge of alien existence. AdvertisementThe Pentagon released a report saying they'd found no evidence of UFO sightings or an alien cover-up. AARO found no evidence confirming unidentified anomalous phenomenon (UAP) as extraterrestrial technology — most were ordinary objects or misidentified phenomena. AdvertisementThe lack of conclusive evidence has fueled conspiracy theories, complicating efforts to address popular beliefs about UFOs and aliens.

Persons: —, they'd, AARO, Fan, Tommaso Boddi, Edward Snowden, Joe Rogan Organizations: Pentagon, Service, US, NSA

☆ Sometimes, all it takes to get access to top-secret info is to flirt online with a random US Air Force employee
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewA US Stratcom employee entrusted with top-secret info about the Russia-Ukraine war is now being accused of passing it to a woman over a foreign dating site. AdvertisementIn messages revealed in the court documents, the unidentified woman called Slater her "secret informant love" and her "secret agent." A maximum penalty of 10 years in prisonSlater provided classified information "regarding military targets in Russia's war against Ukraine" and "Russian military capabilities relating to Russia's invasion of Ukraine," per his indictment. Business Insider contacted a phone number associated with David F Slater in Nebraska that has been disconnected.

Persons: —, David Franklin Slater, Slater, Per, Love, Dave, Putin, David F Slater Organizations: Service, US, Business, AP, US Strategic Command, Prosecutors, National Defense Information, National Defense, Air Force, Department of Justice, NATO Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Nebraska, USA, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Opinion: After Super Tuesday, the dreaded rematch is real
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Opinion Patrick T. Brown | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But there’s also the loud minority of “Never Trump” Republicans, represented by figures like former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger or former New Jersey Gov. In North Carolina, exit polls suggest Trump won a slim majority of Republican voters with a college degree. But there’s a third camp: the reluctant Republican stalwarts who are neither Always Trump nor Never Trump. In general, these Republicans tend to seek traditionally defined conservative policy victories – from school choice to tax cuts to a strong national defense. But they can also see the potential for conservative policy victories in a second Trump administration.

Persons: Patrick T, Brown, Joe Biden, pollsters, Donald Trump, denialism, suburbanites, MAGA, ”, there’s, Adam Kinzinger, Christine Todd Whitman, Trump’s, they’ve, Trump, Nikki Haley, Glenn Youngkin, Brian Kemp, aren’t, –, Inez Feltscher Stepman, Biden, FDR, Harris, Roe, Wade –, Dobbs, Wade, slog Organizations: Public Policy Center, Economic, Twitter, CNN, Biden, Trump, GOP, Republican, “, Trump ” Republicans, Illinois Rep, New, New Jersey Gov, Hilton, Republicans, Virginia Gov, Georgia Gov, Supreme, Independent, American, Democratic, Super Locations: Washington , DC, America, South Carolina, New Jersey, North Carolina, Charleston, Columbia, Georgia, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza

☆ Air Force employee accused of sharing classified information on foreign dating website
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —An Air Force employee has been charged with sharing classified information on a foreign dating website after prosecutors say he sent sensitive information about Russia’s war in Ukraine to a person who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine. Slater then sent this classified information to someone who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine, according to an indictment. Successfully?”The co-conspirator sent messages for nearly two months, according to the indictment, repeatedly probing Slater for more classified information. Slater faces one count of conspiracy to disclose national defense information and two counts of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information. Before working as a civilian in the Air Force, prosecutors say Slater rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army, retiring at the end of 2020.

Persons: David Franklin Slater, Slater, ”, Dave ”, Slater’s, “, Slater “, Matthew G, Olsen, Eugene Kowel Organizations: CNN, An Air Force, Prosecutors, Strategic Command, Justice Department, Operations Center, Air Force, Army, Justice Department’s National Security Division, Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha Field Office Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Nebraska, Omaha

A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting secret intelligence reports and sensitive documents online agreed to plead guilty on Monday in exchange for a 16-year sentence and a commitment to comprehensively brief officials on the extent of his leaks. The airman, Jack Teixeira, withdrew his not-guilty plea during an appearance in Boston federal court and pleaded guilty to six counts of “willful retention and transmission of national defense information,” according to court documents filed by the government. The judge in the case, Indira Talwani, scheduled a hearing in September to determine whether she would sign off on the deal. It would be highly unusual for a judge to make major alterations to a deal that required approval from top American intelligence and law enforcement officials. The Justice Department agreed not to charge him with violations of the Espionage Act, which, when combined with the other charges, could have resulted in a sentence of up to 60 years in prison had he been convicted.

Persons: Jack Teixeira, Indira Talwani Organizations: Massachusetts Air National, The Justice Department Locations: Boston

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