Slovakia PM shooting: Man charged with attempted murder - latest - The Independent

Robert Fico in life-threatening condition after assassination attempt

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A man has been charged with attempted murder after Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico was shot in the stomach in an assassination attempt.

The 71-year-old suspect, believed to be a former security guard, faces up to 25 years in prison after the “politically motivated” attack, local news reported.

Mr Fico, 59, was injured after five shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova where the leader was meeting with supporters.

Deputy prime minister Tomas Taraba said the operation “went well” and added: “I guess in the end he will survive. He’s not in a life-threatening situation at this moment.”

After being treated briefly at a local hospital, Mr Fico was airlifted to Banska Bystrica Hospital where he was seen being carried on a gurney.

Mr Fico, a well-known ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, is a divisive figure in Slovak politics, with the European Union Parliament elections due to take place in three weeks.

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Slovakian police urge ‘respect and tolerance'

The Slovakian police have urged “respect and tolerance” after comments appeared on social media approving of Robert Fico’s assassination.

On social media, the Slovakian police said: “In the comments below the post about yesterday’s event, there are also those that approve of crime and those that spread hate.

“We evaluate these posts and if they meet the actual essence of the crime or offense, we will take action. Avoiding punishment is so simple.

“Respect and tolerance are all you need. There are two words that everyone should follow when communicating, and not only on social networks.

“It should also be a standard in everyday life, where respect, decency, dignity and other virtues of daily life belong. Thank you.”

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 11:40

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Russia’s Medvedev praises Fico for ‘reasonable’ positions on Russia

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev praised Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico, who was wounded in an attempted assassination on Wednesday.

He said there were few politicians like him in Europe and that he had “reasonable” positions regarding Russia.

Fico, 59, returned to power in Slovakia last year. Having previously served twice as prime minister, from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, his third term, won in September last year, made him the longest-serving head of government in Slovakia’s history.

After the win in 2006 – two years after Slovakia joined the EU – Fico kept the nation on course to adopt the Euro in 2009 despite forming a government with nationalists.

Fico and Smer have most often been described as left-populist, though he has also been compared to right-wing politicians like the nationalist prime minister of neighboring Hungary, Viktor Orban.

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev said Fico had a ‘reasonable’ position on Russia (Sputnik)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 11:27

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Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico rushed inside hospital after attempted assassination

Slovakia’s PM Robert Fico rushed inside hospital after attempted assassination

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 10:51

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Suspect charged with attempted murder

A man has been charged with attempted murder after Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico was shot in the stomach in an assassination attempt.

The 71-year-old suspect, believed to be a former security guard, faces up to 25 years in prison after the “politically motivated” attack, local news reported.

Mr Fico, 59, was injured after five shots were fired outside the House of Culture in the town of Handlova where the leader was meeting with supporters.

The 71-year-old suspect, believed to be a former security guard, faces up to 25 years in prison after the “politically motivated” attack (RTVS/AFP via Getty Images)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 10:11

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Pictured: Man arrest after Fico shot and injured

Police arrest a man after Slovak prime minister Robert Fico was shot and injured (Tlačová agentúra SR)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 09:24

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Slovakian PM shot and wounded in broad daylight attack

Slovakian PM shot and wounded in broad daylight attack

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 09:00

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‘Left wing populist’: What does Robert Fico believe?

During a three-decade career, Fico has skilfully weaved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic anti-Brussels and anti-American positions, while showing a willingness to change course depending on public opinion or changed political realities.

Polling at around 10 per cent in 2020, the Covid pandemic opened a door for Fico, who sought to address voter fears in slamming government health measures.

At the same time he a tapped into dissatisfaction with bickering in the ruling government and raised doubts with its pro-Western course, chiming with pro-Russian narratives on social networks that had spread across Slovakia.

Slovak prime minister Robert Fico is wheeled to hospital after he was shot and injured (Tlačová agentúra SR)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 08:45

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What party does Robert Fico belong to?

Fico has run the Smer-SD party since 1999 after establishing it to oppose the reformist centre-right cabinet. He had been turned down for a ministerial post by the Democratic Left, the political heirs to the Communist Party.

Fico, 59, returned to power in Slovakia last year. Having previously served twice as prime minister, from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2012 to 2018, his third term, won in September last year, made him the longest-serving head of government in Slovakia’s history.

After the win in 2006 – two years after Slovakia joined the EU – Fico kept the nation on course to adopt the Euro in 2009 despite forming a government with nationalists.

Fico and Smer have most often been described as left-populist, though he has also been compared to right-wing politicians like the nationalist prime minister of neighboring Hungary, Viktor Orban.

Slovak prime minister Robert Fico speaks during a press conference, before a shooting incident where he was wounded, in Handlova, Slovakia, 15 May 2024 (Reuters)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 08:35

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Who is Robert Fico?

Born to a working-class family in September 1964, Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico graduated with a law degree in 1986 and joined the then-ruling Communist party.

After the 1989 Velvet Revolution that led to the break up of former Czechoslovakia, he worked as a government lawyer and represented Slovakia at the European Court for Human Rights.

During a three-decade career, Fico has moved between pro-European mainstream and nationalistic positions opposed to European Union and US foreign policy.

Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico graduated with a law degree in 1986 and joined the then-ruling Communist party (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Alexander Butler16 May 2024 08:19

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Slovak PM Fico's condition stabilised but serious, says hospital director

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s condition is stabilised but remains serious, a hospital director said on Thursday, after an assassination attempt the previous day.

Tara Cobham16 May 2024 07:57

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Slovakia PM Robert Fico not in life-threatening condition - deputy PM - BBC

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By Malu Cursino & Sarah Rainsford, in Bratislava

BBC News

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition after being shot several times, the deputy prime minister has said.

Tomas Taraba told the BBC Mr Fico's surgery had gone "well" and "I guess that at the end he will survive".

Earlier Mr Fico, 59, was said to have been "fighting for his life" after being gravely injured in the attack in the small town of Handlova.

A suspect was detained at the scene of the shooting.

Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estoka described it as a politically motivated assassination attempt.

Mr Fico is a divisive figure at home - and controversial in the EU - for his calls to end military aid to Ukraine and sanctions on Russia.

But condemnation of the shooting has come from far and wide and it has been described as an attack on democracy.

Gunman fired at close range

The gunman was in a small crowd of Fico supporters who were gathered outside a cultural centre in Handlova, where the prime minister had been holding a meeting.

The shooting took Mr Fico's security officers completely by surprise. Footage shows the prime minister after he was shot being carried by several officers, who bundle him into a car and drive him away from the scene.

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The gunman fired five shots at close range and Mr Fico was hit in the stomach and in the arm.

Following the shooting, he was rushed to hospital and spent several hours in surgery "fighting for his life", according to Defence Minister Robert Kalinak.

There has been no official update on the prime minister's condition since then, but his second-in-command has since told the BBC's Newshour programme that Mr Fico was "not in [a] life-threatening situation at this moment".

"As far as I know, the operation went well and I guess that at the end he will survive," Mr Taraba said.

Mr Taraba added that the prime minister was shot "from very close" and that "one bullet went through the stomach and the second one hit the joint".

• How Robert Fico rose to dominate Slovak politics

Police have not yet identified the alleged suspect. Unconfirmed local media reports say he was a 71-year-old writer and political activist.

A video being widely circulated on Slovak media purports to feature the suspect.

In the footage, the man says he disagrees with government policy and its stance towards state media. The BBC does not know if the person in the video is the perpetrator who was detained at the scene nor the circumstances under which it was filmed.

The shooting came on the day parliament began discussing the government's proposal to abolish Slovakia's public broadcaster RTVS.

Thousands of Slovaks have protested against the proposed reform of the public broadcaster in recent weeks. However, a planned opposition-led demonstration was called off on Wednesday as news of the shooting emerged.

Getty Images

In his interview with the BBC, Deputy Prime Minister Taraba blamed "false narratives" by opposition parties in Slovakia for the shooting.

"Our prime minister several times mentioned in the past that he was afraid that this would happen," Mr Taraba said in another interview with the BBC's World Tonight programme.

According to him, Mr Fico had warned that the way in which "the government was attacked by false narratives can overheat the reaction of people and lead to something like this".

Parliament was sitting at the time of the attack and Slovak media reported that a party colleague of Mr Fico's shouted at opposition MPs, accusing them of stoking the attack.

And Interior Minister Mr Estok accused the media of contributing to the climate that led to the 59-year-old's shooting, telling a press conference: "Many of you were those who were sowing this hatred."

Mr Estok added that he believed "this assassination [attempt] was politically motivated".

Reacting to news of the attack, Slovakia's outgoing President Zuzana Caputova said something "so serious had happened that we can't even realise it yet".

"The hateful rhetoric we witness in society leads to hateful acts," she added.

Mr Fico returned to power in Slovakia after elections last September, as the head of a populist-nationalist coalition.

His first few months as prime minister have proved highly contentious, both in Slovakia and in the EU. In January he halted military aid to Ukraine and last month pushed through plans to abolish RTVS.

Related Topics

• Europe
• Slovakia

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Putin and Xi to ‘deepen’ relationship as Russian president visits China while Ukraine war intensifies – live - The Guardian

Tass has summarised Xi Jinping’s speech on its Telegram news feed, reporting that China’s president said:

China and Russian will adhere to the principles of non-alignment and non-confrontation against third countries. China and Russia will deepen political mutual trust. China and Russia will support the emergence of a multipolar world. China and Russia demonstrate an example of building a new type of relationship and connections between neighbours. China and Russia defend a world order based on international law.

Vladimir Putin is speaking next.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for what he said was China’s role in trying to solve the Ukraine crisis.

In a joint appearance in Beijing, the two leaders and other senior officials from both sides signed documents on deepening mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Putin said negotiations between the two delegations had been warm and businesslike.

Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Putin as saying that Russia-China relations are “not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today is one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena,” and Putin complimented Xi on China’s belt and road initiative.

Putin said “Together, we uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and is based on international law.”

Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as “good neighbours, good friends, good partners”, and that China hopes for the speedy restoration of peace and stability in Europe. He said his country would continue to play a constructive role.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have shaken hands and the joint event in Beijing is over.

In a lengthy speech at this event in Beijing, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has said that business contacts between Russia and China are “reliably protected from the negative influence of third countries”, which can be taken to be a swipe at US-led sanctions against the Russian economy after its invasion of Ukraine.

He also said that Russian and Chinese banks would be strengthening their contacts.

Russian state-owned media RIA has quoted the opening of Putin’s speech, saying that the Russian president thanked Xi for the warm welcome in China, and said talks had been conducted in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere. He said Moscow and Beijing attach great importance to the partnership.

Tass has summarised Xi Jinping’s speech on its Telegram news feed, reporting that China’s president said:

China and Russian will adhere to the principles of non-alignment and non-confrontation against third countries. China and Russia will deepen political mutual trust. China and Russia will support the emergence of a multipolar world. China and Russia demonstrate an example of building a new type of relationship and connections between neighbours. China and Russia defend a world order based on international law.

Vladimir Putin is speaking next.

Tass is reporting that the two leaders and their teams had two-and-a-half hours of negotiations prior to the document signing to complete the details.

After several signing ceremonies, Xi is talking first at a joint event with Putin in Beijing.

Other Chinese and Russian officials are now signing documents in front of Xi and Putin at the event.

Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have begun a joint event in Beijing. They have been warmly applauded by attendees as they arrived. We will bring you any key lines that emerge. They have begun by signing a document on deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations, which has also been warmly greeted.

It’s 2pm in Beijing, where Russian president Vladimir Putin has arrived for a two day state visit that will see him hold meetings with Chinese president Xi Jinping.

• Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for talks that the Kremlin said would deepen the strategic partnership with China. Chinese state media confirmed the Russian president’s arrival for what it described as a state visit from an “old friend”.

• At a welcoming ceremony outside central Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi greeted Putin while artillery fired a multi-gun salute. China remains by far the most powerful of Russia’s friends in the world and has acted as a lifeline for Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

• Speaking during his meeting with Xi, Putin said that Russia-China cooperation is not directed against any other power and is a stabilising factor for the world. Xi noted the two leaders had met more than 40 times and that the China-Russia relationship was “worth cherishing and safeguarding by both sides”.

• Russian news agencies said that the bilateral talks planned to focus on trade and economic cooperation. Analysts say that the two sides will be looking for ways to quietly circumvent US restrictions that have driven down Chinese exports to Russia following a postwar boom in both consumer products and dual-use goods that have been crucial to the Russian war machine in Ukraine.

• Speaking to Chinese state media before the visit, Putin praised China for its initiatives to resolve “the crisis in Ukraine”. The Russian president also criticised “western elites” in their efforts to “isolate and weaken” Russia.

• Both leaders will participate in a gala celebrating 75 years since the Soviet Union recognised the People’s Republic of China, which Mao Zedong declared in 1949. The second stage of the state visit will take place in the city of Harbin, where Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the eighth Russian-Chinese expo and the fourth Russia-China Forum on interregional cooperation.

Among the vast number of officials in the Russian delegation is Putin’s new defence minister, Andrei Belousov.

Earlier this week Putin removed his longtime ally, Sergei Shoigu, as defence minister, replacing him with Belousov. Analysts have called it the most significant reshuffle to the military command since Russian troops invaded Ukraine more than two years ago.

A Putin loyalist, Belousov is a veteran economist and former counterpart to Ding Xuexiang, a close ally of Xi Jinping and a member of China’s politburo standing committee

It’s likely both men will be involved in upcoming meetings to discuss economic cooperation.

Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, says that both countries have invested a lot of effort to really get their teams acquainted and establish personal bonds.

Now the Russian officials are not pulled in a thousand different directions … because nobody talks to them.”

Former defence minister Shoigu is also among the Russian delegation to China, in his position as head of Russia’s powerful security council.

The “timely” decision of Russian and Chinese authorities to make settlements in their national currencies beefed up trade between the countries, Vladimir Putin told Xi Jinping at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday.

Today, 90% of all payments are already made in roubles and yuan.”

After Russia launched its invasions of Ukraine in February 2022, western countries agreed to remove “selected Russian banks” from Swift – the world’s main international payments network – with the aim of hitting Russian trade and making it harder for its companies to do business.

At the time there were fears that such a move could damage the US dollar’s status as the global reserve currency, and accelerate the use of alternative currencies. However, more than two years later the dollar and dollar payment systems remain overwhelmingly dominant.

Its expected that Putin and Xi will use this state visit to find workarounds that could allow them to continue to expand trade away from the watchful eye of the US.

“When it comes to economics, the most critical question is the payment issue,” said Alexey Maslov, director of the Institute of Far Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

China’s major banks are throttling payments out of concern over US sanctions, Maslov said, and Russia has proposed to solve the issue via a decentralised payment system that the west would be unable to track. “Both sides will look for sanctions-proof mechanisms going forward,” said Maslov.

Speaking during his meeting with Xi, Putin said that both countries would also try to establish closer cooperation in the fields of “industry and high technology, space and peaceful nuclear energy, artificial intelligence, renewable energy sources and other innovative sectors.”

As Vladimir Putin continues to meet with Xi Jinping in Beijing, the Kremlin has labelled a planned Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland as “futile” without the participation of Russia.

“Without Russia, discussing security issues that concern us is absolutely futile,” Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s Tass state news agency.

Most likely, it will be just empty scholasticism with no prospect of getting at least some tangible result.”

The peace summit planned by Switzerland has so far drawn delegations from more than 50 countries, the Swiss president, Viola Amherd, has said.

Russia has not been invited, but Switzerland says it might be if Moscow had not repeatedly stated it is not interested. The Ukrainian government has said Russia does not negotiate in good faith.

Putin’s two-day trip comes as comes at a critical point in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Russia’s forces have pressed an offensive in the north-eastern Kharkiv region, in the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began, forcing almost 8,000 people to flee their homes.

At the same time, Ukraine’s depleted military is awaiting new supplies of anti-aircraft missiles and artillery shells from the United States.

On Wednesday, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy postponed all foreign trips, as Ukrainian troops withdrew from several areas in the north-east.

Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address on Tuesday that the army had sent reinforcements to the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions. “It is too early to draw conclusions, but the situation is under control,” he said.

Russia is opening new fronts in order to stretch Ukraine’s army, which is short of ammunition and manpower, along the approximately 620 miles (1,000-km) frontline, hoping defences will crumble. Russian artillery and sabotage raids have also been menacing Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv and Sumy regions.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken – who has been in Kyiv this week – has sought to reassure Ukraine of continuing American support, announcing a $2bn arms deal.

I know this is a really, really difficult time. Your soldiers, your citizens, particularly in the north-east in Kharkiv, are suffering tremendously … you need to know, the United States is with you, so much of the world is with you. And they’re fighting not just for a free Ukraine but for the free world, and the free world is with you too.”

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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky cancels foreign trips as Russia attacks north-east Ukraine - BBC

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

After the pizzeria lunches and impromptu guitar playing, there was a business-like end to Antony Blinken’s visit to Kyiv.

The US secretary of state announced a $2bn package which would help Ukraine receive weapons sooner, buy arms from other countries, as well as boost its own military production.

There was a sense of urgency fuelled by what’s happening in the north-eastern Kharkiv region. The dynamics of this war are dramatically changing, and not in Kyiv’s favour.

For defending forces deciding to “reposition” and President Zelensky to cancel all upcoming foreign trips, the situation is clearly seen as serious.

There are uncomfortable questions not just on Ukraine’s ability to stop this cross-border Russian incursion, but to prevent future ones.

It’s why Blinken was asked whether he’d abandon America’s policy of only allowing Ukraine to use its missiles on targets inside the country, and not Russia.

“We’ve never encouraged it, but Ukraine ultimately needs to make decisions for itself,” was his reply.

Perhaps the West’s previous fears of a Russian escalation are outweighed by the idea of a Ukrainian loss.

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France prison van attack: Manhunt for escaped prisoner enters second day - BBC

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By Malu Cursino

BBC News

Hundreds of police in Normandy are hunting a prisoner who escaped a police van taking him to jail on Tuesday in an incident that has shocked France.

Mohamed Amra, known as "The Fly", was being transported back from a court hearing in Rouen when a car rammed the prison van at a toll booth.

Armed men then opened fire on the vehicle, killing two prison officers.

"All means are being used to find these criminals," French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.

Some 200 gendarmes were mobilised on Tuesday and vehicle checks in key locations are being carried out.

President Emmanuel Macron said "everything is being done to find the perpetrators".

• Who is escaped French prisoner Mohamed Amra?

Paris state prosecutor Laure Beccuau told reporters that just before 11:00 local time (09:00 BST) on Tuesday the van carrying Amra crossed the toll barrier in Incarville in the Eure region of northern France and "immediately, a Peugeot vehicle hit it from the front to stop it".

"Men with long guns got out, joined by other armed men who got out of an Audi vehicle, which was likely following the prison vehicle."

They "fired several times" at the two vehicles, killing and injuring officers, before leaving the scene and taking Amra with them.

The Paris prosecutor said two vehicles believed to have been used by the criminals were found scorched, in different locations, later on Tuesday.

French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told reporters one of the officers killed "leaves behind a wife and two children who were meant to celebrate their 21st birthday in two days".

While the second officer killed, aged 34, leaves behind a wife who is five months pregnant.

Three other officers were injured in the attack. As reported by local media, Ms Beccuau said the three injured officers are also fathers - aged 48, 52 and 55 years old.

"Everything - and I mean everything - will be put in place to find the perpetrators of this vile crime," Mr Dupond-Moretti said, adding that the perpetrators were "people for whom life has no value".

They will be found and punished "in a way that is proportionate to the crime", the justice minister added.

AFP / Getty

Amra was convicted of burglary on 10 May and had been indicted by prosecutors in Marseille for a kidnapping that led to a death.

His lawyer, Hugues Vigier, told French news channel BFMTV "he would like to believe that he [Amra] didn't know about the plan to free him".

"For me this plan doesn't match with what I know of him. If he's behind it then I failed to understand who he is," Mr Vigier added.

According to some French media reports, Amra had tried to escape his prison cell earlier this week by trying to saw the cell's bars.

Ms Beccuau, the capital's state prosecutor, told a news conference Amra had 13 convictions, with the first one dating back to October 2009 - when he was 15 years old.

Although the now 30-year-old was not a "closely watched inmate", the Paris prosecutor said his transportation required a "level three escort".

Amra is said to have ties to a gang in the southern city of Marseille, which has been plagued by drug-related gang violence.

But his criminal record to date does not contain any convictions for drug offences, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday.

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• France

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Live updates: Michael Cohen admits he was ‘knee deep in the cult of Trump’ during cross-examination - The Independent

Hush money trial ‘weaponised’ against Trump, speaker Johnson claims

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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial continued on Tuesday before Judge Juan Merchan with further testimony and the cross-examination of the defendant’s estranged former “fixer” Michael Cohen.

Cohen is the attorney who made the $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels at the heart of the case in the hope of buying her silence about a sexual encounter she claims she had with Mr Trump in a Lake Tahoe hotel room in July 2006.

His testimony centred on fraudulent invoices and checks to cover up his reimbursement at the heart of the case. He remained composed as the former president’s defence team began to challenge his version of events and motive for testifying but admitted to wanting to see Mr Trump convicted.

The former president denies the affair and the 34 felony counts brought against him by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who accuses him of falsifying business records to hide the payout.

Ms Daniels herself took to the witness stand last week to deliver some highly explicit and embarrassing evidence, appearing unflappable during cross-examination, as the defence worked hard to discredit her.

Alex Woodward and Kelly Rissman are covering the trial from Manhattan Criminal Court.

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Trump supporter rides horse through New York City as criminal trial continues

A Donald Trump supporter was seen riding a horse in downtown New York City as the ex-president’s hush money trial continued on Monday 14 May. The man, wearing a cowboy hat, was spotted weaving between traffic on Water Street and Maiden Lane. He held a large flag with the words “Jesus is my savior. Trump is my president”. On Monday, Mr Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen told jurors that the Republican presidential candidate personally approved a hush money payment to bury a porn star’s story of a sexual encounter before it could derail his 2016 campaign.

Oliver O'Connell15 May 2024 00:15

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The marriage of convenience between Trump and Johnson

Eric Garcia writes:

On Tuesday, Mike Johnson — the pious born-again Christian who uses an app that notifies him when his son watches porn (and vice versa) — appeared in public with Donald Trump, the man who faces a legal trial stemming back to his attempts to allegedly pay an adult film actress hush money.

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Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 23:15

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Trump brushes off Kristi Noem’s dog-killing story and calls her ‘terrific’

Katie Hawkinson has the story:

Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 22:53

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Michael Cohen sheds light on strategy to push back payments, trials and consequences

Kelly Rissman and Alex Woodward report from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan:

Cohen, the former president’s personal attorney, testified resoundingly about a strategy to delay commitments made by Mr Trump — a crucial insight into how the former Trump campaign worked in 2016, and potentially into how his current campaign and legal strategies operate today.

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Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 22:30

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Watch: JD Vance asked why he is there in court with Trump

Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 22:15

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Watch: Biden fires back at Trump suggestion that ‘China is eating our lunch’

Joe Biden fired back at Donald Trump’s suggestion that “China is eating our lunch” as he unveiled steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports on Tuesday 14 May. The US president has targeted electric vehicle batteries, computer chips and medical products, risking an election-year standoff with Beijing in a bid to woo voters who give his economic policies low marks. After making a speech at the White House, Mr Biden was challenged on comments from his Republican predecessor. “Trump said today that China is eating our lunch, what do you say in response?” a reporter asked. Mr Biden fired back: “He’s been feeding them a long time.”

Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 22:00

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Trump makes his usual hallway comments

Clutching a script of printouts, former president Donald Trump performed his usual hallway list of grievances once court let out for the day.

He read closely from the sheets of paper (a much smaller stack than yesterday’s phone book) and despite promises not to bore everyone, droned on before ignoring questions and heading quickly out of the building.

Undo the proviso that these comments are unfiltered and not fact-checked, here are a couple of highlights:

Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 21:48

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What did the defence achieve so far in cross-examination?

Not much, according to MSNBC legal correspondent Lisa Rubin:

Oliver O'Connell14 May 2024 21:35

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Blanche says he expects to finish up cross of Cohen at some point on Thursday.

He also wants to bring up an expert witness. They'll discuss whether that person fits within the trial's guardrails after jurors are excused on Thursday.

Alex Woodward14 May 2024 21:31

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Did there come a time when you were concerned that the new DA was circulating negative stories about you?

And you talk about that in the book?

Alex Woodward14 May 2024 21:25

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