Editor’s Note: This article has been modified since its original publication in April. A library group says books featuring diverse characters are increasingly targeted for bans Three of the 10 most-challenged books are graphic novels Upwards of 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 for content that some consider to be offensive, according to the American Library Association. During Banned Books Week, celebrated this year from September 27 to October 3, book lovers unite to fight what they call censorship of literature by promoting books that have landed on the challenged list. Publishers, bookstores and libraries are hosting events countrywide such as panel discussions, symposiums and “read outs,” or live readings, to draw attention to these books and “celebrate the freedom to read.” “Of course, not every book is right for each reader, but everyone should have an opportunity to choose for themselves,” said ALA President Sari Feldman. “Librarians, booklovers and First Amendment supporters understand the importance of our freedom to read, and continue to work diligently to protect it and inform the public of  its value.” The list of last year’s most challenged books was released in April. Books featuring Native Americans, on-the-run alien lovers, gay penguins and middle school theater geeks topped the ALA’s 2014 list. The list, released as part of the association’s “State of America’s Libraries” report, finds that a disproportionate share of the books feature non-white, gay or otherwise diverse characters. The organization cited analysis by author Malinda Lo showing that 52% of books challenged in the past decade could be classified as “diverse.” “It’s clear to me that books that fall outside the white, straight, abled mainstream are challenged more often than books that do not destabilize the status quo,” Lo wrote on her website. “This isn’t surprising, but the extent to which diverse books are represented on these lists – as a majority – is quite disheartening.” In all, the association said, it received notice of 311 formal written complaints in 2014 questioning the availability of books for myriad reasons: sex, drug use, homosexual themes, politics and offensive language, mostly. The list is topped by “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie, which tells the story of a Native American youth born with disabilities attending a predominantly white high school. The American Library Association said the book, which has appeared on the list for four years running, is frequently challenged as being anti-family, culturally insensitive and sexually explicit, among other things. Alexie tweeted that he is the “proud author of the most banned/challenged book of 2014!” A sex-education book that includes cartoon depictions of naked bodies and sexual acts, “It’s Perfectly Normal,” also makes a repeat appearance on the list, as does “And Tango Makes Three,” an illustrated book about two gay penguins raising a baby. The serial “Saga” was one of three graphic novels included in the 2014 list, the others being “Persepolis” and “Drama.” “Persepolis” is an autobiographical tale of life in Iran during the Islamic revolution. “Drama” depicts middle school from the vantage point of the student leader of the school theater’s tech crew. “Saga” was frequently described as being “anti-family,” the American Library Association reported, a stance that amused some fans. The book “depicts two lovers from long-warring extraterrestrial races … fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their newborn daughter,” according to its publisher, Image Comics. Charles Brownstein, executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, told the Washington Post that the presence of three graphic novels on the list shows that “comics are clearly a vital aspect of the current culture,” shining a spotlight all the things dividing us. “The books on this list address issues of race, sexuality, sexual preference, religion, substance abuse and many other concerns related to contemporary life,” he told the Post. “That’s the job we charge our authors with: using art to provide a safe place for audiences to engage with topics of substance in a way that allows them to make their own conclusions.” “Unfortunately, many (people) would prefer to remove those discussions altogether rather than trust that each individual is capable of making the best decisions possible for themselves or their children,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. 11 of America’s most spectacular libraries


"There's no precedent for revoking a medal. We don't have that mechanism," Obama said Obama offered a definition of rape President Barack Obama said Wednesday that there is no precedent for revoking the U.S. Medal of Freedom – as some have called for him to do – given to comedian and actor Bill Cosby. But the President did outline his definition of rape. “There’s no precedent for revoking a medal. We don’t have that mechanism,” he said. The President then paused, and while he would not comment on the specifics of a case in which criminal or civil charges could be brought, he instead offered a definition of rape. “If you give a woman – or a man, for that matter – without his or her knowledge a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape,” Obama said Wednesday at a White House press conference. Earlier this month, details of a 2005 lawsuit were revealed that showed that Cosby admitted to getting prescription Quaaludes to give to women he wanted to have sex with. Cosby admitted to getting Quaaludes to give to women Shortly thereafter, online petitions began to have Obama revoke the medal. Former President George W. Bush awarded Cosby the medal on June 21, 2002. At the time, the White House praised Cosby for appealing to the “common humanity of his audience” through his famous sitcom and other performances. Related gallery Who are Cosby's accusers? The Cosby question came from April Ryan, Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks. Most of Wednesday’s press conference centered on the recently-negotiated deal over Iran’s nuclear program, which will soon be under review from Congress. Obama, who appeared to ponder whether he should answer the Cosby question, rarely steps off script at his news conferences. One case when he did was early in his first term, when he made controversy by saying police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, “acted stupidly” when they arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who is a friend of Obama’s. The comment and resulting fallout over the larger question of Gates’ arrest resulted in Obama calling for a “beer summit” between Gates and the officer at the White House. Looser Obama on display


Any diplomatic agreement in which North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons could take as long as 10 years to implement, according to a new analysis from former US officials. The assessment, released Monday by experts at Stanford University, comes as the White House is trying to verify how committed North Korea is to denuclearization and how it could be achieved, ahead of a potential summit between the two leaders. Siegfried Hecker, a respected nuclear scientist who has previously traveled to North Korea to inspect its nuclear site, co-authored the roadmap with Robert Carlin, a Korea analyst who spent years at the CIA and State Department, and Elliot Serbin, Hecker’s research assistant. The trio identified 22 specific programs or activities – such as the country’s nuclear weapons stockpile, its missile arsenal or its nuclear reprocessing facilities – that US negotiators need to address with North Korea. Halting or suspending many of these will likely take less than a year, the authors estimate, but eliminating or setting limits on them will take six to 10 years. Last week, US President Donald Trump abruptly canceled his planned Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in part due to concerns on whether Pyongyang was willing to agree to what’s known as CVID –  complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of the country’s nuclear program. After a flurry of diplomatic activity, Trump has hinted that the talks may be back on. US officials are in Singapore and South Korea to prepare for the summit’s potential revival. Sung Kim, the US envoy to the Philippines and a former ambassador to South Korea; Randall G. Schriver, the assistant secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs; and Allison Hooker, director for Korea on the White House’s National Security Council, traveled to North Korea Sunday and held talks with their counterparts. Talks could potentially resume Wednesday at the demilitarized zone that divides the two Koreas, a person familiar with North Korea-US relations told CNN. “The goal here is to create an environment where North Korea would not desire nuclear weapons development by removing the threat perception (posed by the United States),” said Chun Yung-woo, a former South Korean national security adviser. Some of Washington’s top officials working on North Korea – including national security adviser John Bolton and Susan Thornton, the State Department’s acting ambassador for East Asia and Pacific affairs – have said publicly that Trump will seek a deal that involves North Korea rapidly denuclearizing. Thornton likened it to a large down payment at an event sponsored by The Wall Street Journal in Japan. Analysts and weapons experts have been quick to point out that an agreement on denuclearization would take a significant amount of time, due to the complexity of the negotiations and the lack of trust between the two sides. But the authors of the study say time is also needed to assuage North Korea’s security concerns. Hecker, who previously served as the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, told The New York Times he believes it could take as long as 15 years, given the uncertainties in the process. “Such assurance cannot be achieved simply by an American promise or an agreement on paper, it will require a substantial period of coexistence and interdependence,” the study concluded. CNN’s Yoonjung Seo and contributed reporting


Several US officials have told CNN that the White House has seemed open to the plan Trump has said he "decided" how he is going to proceed on the Iran nuclear deal but declined to disclose his decision As President Donald Trump considers whether to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is working behind the scenes with Congress to head off the possibility of an international crisis ahead of the agreement’s looming October 15 certification deadline, several US officials and Western diplomats told CNN. Tillerson and congressional lawmakers are spearheading efforts to amend US legislation regarding Iran to shift focus away from the nuclear issue – a move that could allow the US to stay in the multilateral nuclear deal forged in 2015 and also push back against Iran’s other destabilizing behavior, officials and diplomats said. “Tillerson has said the problem with the JCPOA is not the JCPOA,” one senior administration official said, using the acronym for the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. “It’s the legislation,” the official said. “Every 90 days the president must certify and its creates a political crisis. If the administration could put the nuclear deal in a corner, everyone could happily get back to work on dealing with everything else that is a problem with Iran.” On the surface, a plan to keep the US in the deal by taking a harder line on Iran through legislation seems to run counter to Trump’s indications that he prefers scrapping the agreement. But several US officials have told CNN that the White House has seemed open to the plan – suggesting that Trump could be changing his approach to the myriad of issues related to Iran. Trump has long railed against the deal President Barack Obama struck with Iran to curb the nation’s nuclear ambitions. He used it as a foil against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. During his first address to the United Nations General Assembly last month, Trump labeled the deal “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.” Trump has said publicly he “decided” how he is going to proceed on the Iran nuclear deal but declined to disclose his decision, teasing to a future date. Related article Mattis: In US national security interest to stay in Iran deal The Trump administration is wrapping up a months-long review of US policy toward Iran and Trump has hinted at a series of events that he favors leaving the deal despite a more cautious message from several congressional Republicans, Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis. During a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Mattis said that he believes it is in the US national security interest to remain in the Iran nuclear agreement. Sen. Angus King asked Mattis: “Do you believe it is in our national security interest at the present time to remain in the (agreement)? That is a yes or no question.” Mattis replied, “Yes, senator, I do.” “The point I would make is if we can confirm that Iran is living by the agreement, if we can determine that this is in our best interests then clearly we should stay with it,” Mattis added. “I believe at this point in time absent indications to the contrary, it is something the President should consider staying with.” But Mattis went on to explain that he also supports a rigorous review of national security issues related to Iran that may fall outside the exact terms of the agreement. “The President has to consider more broadly things that rightly fall under his portfolio of looking out for the American people in areas that go beyond the specific letters of the JCPOA – in that regard I support the rigorous review that he has got going on right now,” he said. Related article EU ambassadors defend Iran deal, pushing back at Trump Tillerson floated the broad brushstrokes of his plan to foreign ministers whose countries are party to the deal – Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China and Iran – last month in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. All the ministers had argued that the nuclear deal was designed to address issues solely related to Iran’s nuclear program, according to several diplomats who attended the meeting. By all accounts – even that of the United States – Iran had lived up to its commitments under the agreement, and European leaders signaled they were not interested in expanding the scope of its implementation, they said. “Tillerson believes the deal is politically unsustainable in the United States because the Obama administration – which negotiated the deal – was voted out of office,” one official said. “So he is working on a play to see if we can change the political dynamic in the US by changing the legislation.” Iran’s foreign minister also said he faced political difficulties at home in trying to defend the deal. Tillerson’s strategy centers around trying to compartmentalize the Iran deal by amending the legislation. Instead of certifying that Iran is meeting its technical commitments under the nuclear deal, the administration would report to Congress regularly about broader aggressive Iranian behavior – such as support for terrorism and its ballistic missile program – and what the administration is doing to counter it. This approach could allow the US to stay in the deal but help Trump avoid the political headache of having to re-certify it every 90 days. It might also keep the Europeans, who want to keep the deal, on board with administration efforts to fight Iran’s other destabilizing activities. Central to the effort is Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker, an early opponent of the deal who teamed up with committee co-chair Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) in 2015 on bipartisan legislation that gave Congress the power to review the final agreement. On Tuesday Corker confirmed to CNN he was working with the administration on a plan for Iran, but declined to discuss details of the proposal. “I’m working very closely with the administration on something I just can’t talk about publicly,” Corker told CNN, saying he was “too close to the situation” to discuss specifics. Last week, Corker said he has been “working hand-in-glove” with the Trump administration on the issue “and (has) been for some time.” But the efforts of Tillerson and Corker could face opposition from lawmakers like Republican Sen. Tom Cotton who advocated on Tuesday for denying the deal’s certification, calling the agreement “a direct national security threat.” Cotton urged Trump to continue to insist the deal be revised under the threat of withdrawal in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations saying: “The world needs to know we are serious, we are willing to walking away, and willing to reimpose sanctions.” Western diplomats said they are talking with the Trump administration about deepening cooperation pushing back against Iran’s other activity, such as its ballistic missile program, its support for terrorism and its actions in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. French President Emmanuel Macron said in New York after meeting with Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that Iran’s increased influence in the region called for greater attention to Tehran outside the nuclear deal. Related article Macron could become one of Trump's greatest assets Macron, whose country was among the toughest negotiators during the talks over the Iran deal, said he would be prepared to discuss further sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile tests, as well as discuss Iran’s growing influence in the region and amendments to the nuclear agreements over what happens when the deal expires in 2025. “Let’s be honest, the tensions are on the rise, look at the activities of Hezbollah and Iran’s pressure on Syria. We need a clear framework to be able to reassure regional countries and the United States,” Macron said. “More can be done and we are ready to it,” another European diplomat said. “Just because we want to keep the JCPOA doesn’t mean we want to ignore the other concerns,” one European diplomat said. “We can do this in parallel. We agree we should look at the global picture but we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water.” Diplomats noted that the Iran deal has a “snap back” provision in which the international community can re-impose sanctions if Iran doesn’t implement the deal. Still another European diplomat also disputed the notion that Iran can automatically go back to developing its nuclear program without restrictions after the deal expires. This diplomat noted that Iran also still belongs to the Non-proliferation Treaty, with increased inspections under the so-called “Additional Protocol.” “It doesn’t mean it’s an open bar afterward.” the diplomat said. “It is the wrong perception that Iran can do whatever it wants.” The US decision whether to stay in the Iran deal also sends a message to North Korea that it is in their interests to reach a nuclear deal of its own, the diplomat said, asking, “why would North Korea or China agree to reach a deal if the US can’t keep its commitments?” Despite Tillerson’s strategy and behind the scenes work, Trump remains a major wild card that could ultimately determine how the situation plays out. “We are about to witness a master stroke of diplomatic and political genius or it could all fall apart,” one senior administration official told CNN about Tillerson’s plan. “Who knows which way it will go?” CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Ryan Browne and Nicole Gaouette contributed to this report


Rex Tillerson makes an unexpected return to Qatar following meetings in Jeddah US Secretary of State made an overnight stop in Kuwait US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson left Doha for home on Thursday after an unexpected return to Qatar, extending his tour of the crisis-embroiled Gulf as the standoff between the gas-rich nation and the Saudi-led quartet showed no signs of abating. Tillerson met with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, a day after a high-level meeting in Jeddah with foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The quartet has accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, a charge Doha denies. Tillerson, speaking to reporters on the plane traveling back to the United States, said his diplomatic work to resolve a standoff may have opened a window for direct talks, but warned that resolving the dispute “may take quite a while.” “In my view, there’s a changed sense of willingness to at least be open to talking to one another and that was not the case before I came,” he said, adding that the “final and ultimate resolution may take quite a while” because of the complexity of the issues. Before leaving Doha, he shook the hand of the brother of the Qatari Emir, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamed Al-Thani, who told Tillerson: “Hope to see you again under better circumstances.” Speaking at a joint press conference on Wednesday, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said Qatar must “double its efforts” to join its gulf neighbors in combating terrorism. Related: Qatar and its opposing quartet: What’s next in the standoff? “If Qatar wants to be a member of this alliance then they are more than welcome but if Qatar wants to be on the other side, then as we say in Arabic, it’s time to say ‘good bye,’” the Emirati minister said, according to the UAE’s state news agency. With no sign of a breakthrough on Wednesday, Tillerson – who left Jeddah and made an overnight stop in Kuwait – was expected to share the views he heard in Saudi Arabia with the Emir of Qatar during his Thursday meeting. On an earlier trip to Qatar this week, the US’ top diplomat signed a memorandum of understanding between the US and Qatar on fighting terrorism. In response, the quartet said the sanctions would remain until its full demands were met. Amid Tillerson’s shuttle diplomacy, an influential US Republican senator weighed in on the standoff at Wednesday’s Senate Relations Committee. Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Corker said he was “really disappointed” by Saudi Arabia’s actions after the recent summit of Arab states in the Saudi capital, which marked US President Donald Trump’s visit to the country. “I think possibly this is a rookie mistake by crown prince who I think could be the future of Saudi Arabia,” said Corker. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, 31, was appointed to his post last month, less than three weeks after crisis began. Corker said that Saudi Arabia’s “support for terrorism by Saudi Arabia dwarfs what Qatar is doing.” “…I think this is an opportunity for us to call all of them out – Bahrain, UAE, all of these countries that support terrorism. Separately on Wednesday, the UAE said it had sent a letter to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights accusing Qatar-backed Al Jazeera of promoting “extremist narratives.” The shutdown of the network is on the list of demands from the quartet. “The letter makes clear that Al Jazeera’s reporting has repeatedly crossed the threshold of incitement to hostility, violence and discrimination, and lists several examples of such content,” the official press release from the UAE said. The letter cites the Joint declaration on Freedom of Expression and Countering Violent Extremism which stipulates that states may restrict reporting that  appears to incite violence. David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom and expression, has called the demand to shut down Al Jazeera “a major blow to media pluralism.” The Al Jazeera Media network has launched a social media campaign to defend the network from “the unreasonable demands presented by the blockading countries to Qatar.” CNN’s Ray Sanchez, Sarah Sirgany, Laura Smith-Spark, Nicole Gaouette and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.


Former CIA Director John Brennan scorned House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes for the release of the controversial GOP memo alleging FBI surveillance abuses, calling aspects of the move “exceptionally partisan” and saying Nunes has “abused the office” in refusing to allow Democrats on his panel to make their rebuttal document public. “That Devin Nunes and Republicans denied the ability of the minority, the Democratic members of that committee, to put out its report is just appalling. I think it, it really underscores just how partisan Mr. Nunes has been. He has abused the office of the chairmanship of HPSCI. And I don’t say that lightly,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He also said the failure to provide the classified information that the memo is based on shows Nunes is being “exceptionally partisan.” “We don’t have access to the underlying information of the Nunes memo which really, you know, clearly indicates that he was being exceptionally partisan in this.” This is not the first time Brennan has spoken out about the memo. He tweeted Thursday morning that he had never seen such “reckless partisan behavior.” The memo alleges the FBI, in seeking a warrant on former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, relied on an opposition research dossier of allegations about Trump and Russia compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, but failed to disclose that the dossier was funded in part by Hillary Clinton’s campaign. House Intelligence ranking member Adam Schiff has called that assertion “not accurate” and said the FISA court was aware that there was a “likely political motivation” behind the dossier. The California Democrat also said it is normal in FISA applications not to name individuals who may be sources of information. Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina said Sunday that the recently released memo does not have “any impact on the Russia probe,” and even without the Steele dossier, there would be a Russia investigation. “There is a Russia investigation without a dossier,” Gowdy, who is a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” days after he announced his decision not to seek re-election. Eli Watkins and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report


House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy said Wednesday he is not running for re-election and plans to leave politics. Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor, issued a statement saying he planned to retire from Congress at the end of this term and would return to working in the justice system. “Whatever skills I may have are better utilized in a courtroom than in Congress, and I enjoy our justice system more than our political system,” the South Carolina Republican said. “As I look back on my career, it is the jobs that both seek and reward fairness that are most rewarding.” Gowdy’s announcement makes him the latest Republican committee chairman to announce retirement ahead of midterm elections that are seeing a spike in Republicans headed for the exit. Unlike many other members, however, Gowdy was not facing a difficult re-election campaign in 2018. Gowdy, who was first elected in 2010 after ousting former Rep. Bob Inglis, became chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last year after Utah Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz left Congress. The South Carolina Republican earned conservative plaudits and national recognition as a chief investigator in the House, most famously helming the House probe into the 2012 attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Democrats lambasted the investigation, accusing Republicans of using it to attack former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Gowdy’s retirement is unlikely to have an effect on the balance of power in the GOP-controlled House. President Donald Trump and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney won the 4th Congressional District by more than 20 points in their respective elections, and it is almost certain to remain in GOP hands. In a statement released shortly after Gowdy’s announcement, the National Republican Congressional Committee praised the congressman and expressed confidence the GOP would retain control of the district. Several challengers have already announced their plans to run for the 4th Congressional District seat. State Sen. William Timmons of Greenville announced his run just hours after Gowdy’s statement. Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairman Josh Kimbrell took to Facebook to say he is exploring a run for the seat. State Rep. Dan Hamilton of Greenville also confirmed to CNN that he will run. Facebook post not found. Post has been removed or is no longer public. Facebook post not found. Post has been removed or is no longer public. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley – a former Republican governor of South Carolina – likewise praised Gowdy in a tweet. “I always said the reason @TGowdySC was amazing at his job was bc he disliked politics so much. Trey, thank you for your impatience, sacrifice, and fight to make our country a more just place. SC and our country thank you for your service. I thank you for your friendship,” Haley said. I always said the reason @TGowdySC was amazing at his job was bc he disliked politics so much. Trey, thank you for your impatience, sacrifice, and fight to make our country a more just place. SC and our country thank you for your service. I thank you for your friendship. 🇺🇸 In a series of tweets praising Gowdy, South Carolina’s GOP Sen. Tim Scott anticipated another chapter in his colleague’s career and nodded to Gowdy’s widely noted and varying hairstyles. Also, barbershops in @SpartanburgCity rejoice! pic.twitter.com/57WcoWxBQS Gowdy’s congressional tenure has been marked by central roles in high-profile investigations. The Gowdy-led House Benghazi investigation drew near constant headlines and included a focus on Clinton’s email practices as secretary of state. In the fall of 2015, Clinton appeared before the committee for a daylong hearing, and as he released a report on the probe’s findings, Gowdy defended the investigation and faulted the Obama administration for lapses that led to the deaths in Benghazi. Gowdy’s name surfaced as a potential choice last May in the wake of Trump’s decision to fire James Comey as FBI director. Gowdy took himself out of the running, and said in a statement at the time that he had told Attorney General Jeff Sessions he would not be the right choice to take over the bureau. More recently, Gowdy has both criticized the FBI’s conduct during the 2016 election and defended former FBI Director Robert Mueller’s stewardship of the special counsel investigation into potential coordination between Trump’s associates and Russia to influence the 2016 US election. As some Trump allies have ratcheted up criticism of the special counsel, Gowdy has voiced his support for Mueller, saying last fall that he did not think Mueller should step down. Last Sunday on Fox News, Gowdy maintained his position, saying he had “100%” trust in Mueller. At the same time, Gowdy has been among the chief proponents of releasing a controversial memo from House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, a California Republican, alleging the FBI abused its surveillance powers. CNN’s Eric Bradner and Caroline Kenny contributed to this report.


The Maud was raised to the surface after 85 years under water The vessel was captained by arctic explorer Roald Amundsen The ship will be making her journey back home to Norway next year A ship that once belonged to famed Norwegian arctic explorer Roald Amundsen has been recovered after almost a century immersed in the icy depths of Cambridge Bay in Canada. The Maud was one of three iconic ships built for Amundsen’s expeditions, alongside Gjøa and Fram, which are today on display at the Fram Museum in Oslo, Norway. After six years of work, the team of Norwegians behind the project were able to do what was attempted in the 1990s but ended in failure – they raised the Maud after 85 years on the Canadian seabed. Despite decades under water, the Maud is expected to have maintained much of its integrity. The Maud was launched on June 7, 1917, in Vollen, near Oslo. The vessel was christened by Amundsen. The renowned explorer later captained the ship during an expedition to the Northeast Passage above Russia. The Maud was then sold in 1925 and by 1931 she had sunk after getting trapped in ice. The Maud had been lying in Cambridge Bay ever since. Project manager Jan Wanggaard described the moment he saw The Maud rising to the surface. “In one moment all our questions diluted into silence and I let myself sink slowly down to greet the old lady Maud, who finally had let go. She was free again after all these years,” said Wanggaard. .”She came, slowly, with grace, just like a Queen would,” he added. The process of bringing the Maud back to the surface involved a lot of rope and large airbags. After an unsuccessful attempt to lift the ship in 2015, the team returned this summer with more flotation devices. A huge part of the work involved cleaning out the inside of the ship. “Tons of mud has been dug out from every room inside the old ship. It’s been an exciting process despite being very dirty and tiring,” Wanggaard said. The team are now one step closer to bringing their national treasure home. The Maud is expected to begin the journey back to Norway by summer 2017. That slow, final journey will cover 3,700 nautical miles (7,000 kilometers). Wanggaard sees the project as an important success. “The Maud expedition story, and the story of Amundsen himself, is powerful and full of endless tales about human beings with strong will and courage to push limits and explore the mysteries of life and nature,” he said.


The Bush money machine faces the expectations game Al Gore's trip back to Iowa has some Democrats buzzing Jeb Bush’s money machine expectations, Al Gore’s Iowa trip, Rand Paul’s Iran strategy and John Boehner’s next move were all topics around the “Inside Politics” table this Sunday. Jeb Bush is going to be doubling down on his contrast with Hillary Clinton on transparency, using the emails he released from his time as governor of Florida – and maybe the U.S.’s largest e-retailer. Related video Jeb e-book deal? While Bush has already released the first chapter of his e-book on his website, Ron Fournier of the National Journal reports that Bush is in serious negotiations with Amazon for a big deal that would have the full memoir published across all its platforms, including Kindle. “He’ll use the emails to draw a narrative of his time in Florida – the highs, the lows, but also some mistakes, some errors,” said Fournier. Many recent presidential candidates have written books before or during their runs for the White House, but all have to prove themselves in the race for campaign cash. One of the big early tests for presidential candidates is to prove they can raise the money for the long haul. And the first lap in the money primary winds up at the end of this month, when candidates have to report their first-quarter fund-raising totals. CNN’s John King reveals that there is a bit of an expectations game clash underway as we head into the final weeks of the quarter. Team Bush got a bit dismayed when several allies started talking about a record-smashing $100 million quarter for his “Right To Rise” political action committee. Now, some Bush allies are bragging that a $50 million figure would still be a big deal. Are they trying to truly lower expectations – or just create space for a bigger number to be a bigger deal? We’ll know in three weeks. After Hillary Clinton’s email controversy, there’s been a lot of talk about who would step in if she bowed out as a potential Democratic presidential candidate. One high-profile politician who’s planning his first trip to Iowa in over a decade has a lot of Hawkeye State Democrats buzzing, according to CNN’s Jeff Zeleny. Related video Al Gore's 2016 plans? “(Former Vice President Al Gore) says he’s not running. I’m sure he’s not, but he’s doing a climate leadership workshop that’s getting everyone there sort of excited,” said Zeleny. “By then, Hillary Clinton will probably already be in the race, but Democrats in Iowa who are hungry for a different type of politics might be signing up for these workshops May 5 through the 7th in Cedar Rapids.” As the deadline nears for a nuclear policy agreement between Iran and six world powers including the U.S., all eyes will be on Sen. Rand Paul. Paul has been trying to shore up his foreign policy credentials to satisfy the more hawkish elements in the Republican Party, but Bloomberg’s Lisa Lerer questions whether his attempts are working. “This past week he signed on as a co-sponsor to legislation giving Congress final say over any deal that’s struck by the administration,” said Lerer. “It’s unlikely to be enough to satisfy parts of the Republican base and also satisfy key donors for the party who are very concerned about Israel.” “He also came under fire this past week for not applauding vociferously enough during Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s speech. I think a lot of eyes will be on him this month as we delve into these issues.” As Congress’ slugfest over Homeland Security funding ends, NPR’s Juana Summers looks ahead to more tough fights for House Speaker John Boehner, including appropriations battles and the fall’s debt ceiling fight. One of the keys to the outcome of these future clashes is Boehner’s plan to handle the House GOP’s contentious tea party members. “Is Boehner willing to continually antagonize the far right wing of his party and pass legislation with Democrats? Or will he be passing bills with only Republicans?” asks Summers. “And that, I think, will tell us a lot about what the Congress will look like in the next few years to come.”


A federal judge has acquitted New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and his friend Salomon Melgen of several charges, according to a new order filed Wednesday. The order from Judge William Walls comes days after the Justice Department announced that it would retry its case against Menendez. The original trial, which took place in the fall of 2017, ended after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on any of the 18 counts in the case. Defense attorneys had refiled a motion for acquittal after the mistrial. Related article Meet the judicial renegade overseeing Sen. Menendez's trial The charges on which they were acquitted focused on political donations made by Melgen, a wealthy ophthalmologist from Florida,  to political funds, including a Super PAC, that supported Menendez. Prosecutors argued that the donations were in exchange for political favors from Menendez and attempted to tie the timing of the donations to “official acts” performed by the senator. For example, prosecutors tried to demonstrate a connection between a $60,000 donation to Menendez’s legal defense fund and the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and a request by Menendez the same day to meet with Ambassador William Brownfield about a cargo contract dispute involving Melgen. Melgen is also alleged to have bribed Menendez with flights on his private jet and a luxurious vacation to Paris. Menendez is also charged with making false statements in relation to his Senate financial disclosure forms. Those charges still stand in the case. Both men deny all charges. Walls wrote in a 50-page opinion that while political contributions can be the subject of a bribery case, the prosecution in this case did not demonstrate an explicit “quid pro quo” agreement between Menendez and Melgen in relation to Melgen’s contributions. CNN has also confirmed that Judge Walls told attorneys separately that he had recused himself from any further proceedings in the case. Walls had been a colorful presence in the courtroom during the original trial, often making quips and film references, only to then strongly reprimand attorneys for their conduct or decisions in the courtroom. Menendez attorney Abbe Lowell called on the Justice Department to reconsider its decision to retry the case. “A jury rejected the government’s facts and theory of bribery, and now the trial judge has rejected a critical legal theory on which the case was brought,” Lowell said. “With the court’s decision, this case is now solely about the purest of personal hospitality allegations – stays at his friend, Dr. Melgen’s family home and reimbursed trips on a plane that Dr. Melgen was flying anyway.” “The court’s acquittal on all counts which involve monetary contributions is long overdue,” said Melgen’s attorney Kirk Ogrosky. “There was simply never any quid pro quo agreement between my client and Senator Menendez, and the court has now acquitted these two longtime Hispanic-American friends on all counts that involved political contributions.” “The Justice Department is reviewing the court’s order and considering next steps,” said Justice Department spokeswoman Nicole Navas.


Kellyanne Conway claimed Wednesday evening that while many cannot get over the 2016 presidential election, the White House does not talk about Hillary Clinton. “We don’t care about her. Nobody here talks about her,” the White House counselor told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “Cuomo Prime Time.” “Nobody here talks about Hillary Clinton, I promise you.” Related article Jake Tapper: Donald Trump just 'can't quit' Hillary Clinton But in a news conference earlier in the day with Norwegian Minister Erna Solberg, President Donald Trump repeatedly brought up his 2016 victory and his opponent, while insisting there was “no collusion” with the Russians. “Hillary was not for a strong military and Hillary – my opponent – was for windmills,” Trump said, following a question on the two countries’ relationships with Russia. In another answer at the bilateral conference, the President repeated a variant of “no collusion” in reference to his campaign’s relationship with the Russians during the 2016 election eight times in less than two minutes. Responding to Cuomo’s questions about Russian meddling in the election, Conway dismissed the notion that any one from the Trump campaign would have reached out to a foreign agent for help in defeating Clinton. “The idea that we would have to look any further than Hillary Clinton to beat Hillary Clinton is a fantasy,” Conway said, adding that “unattractive policies” and “lack of connective tissue” to “forgotten” Americans contributed to her loss. Cuomo asked if “we” included the President’s son Donald Trump Jr., his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is now charged with conspiracy against the United States. The three were the high-level Trump campaign operatives who attended a 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer promising dirt on Clinton. Conway said nothing came of the meeting and when pressed further by Cuomo on why they went, she said, “The point is, you can’t get over the election.” Kellyanne Conway claimed "nobody here talks about Hillary Clinton" despite the fact that President Trump mentioned her at least 3 times earlier today #CuomoPrimeTime https://t.co/sGNQfZyNRt “I’ll make you a deal,” Conway said. “I’ll never talk about her again, but then you can’t talk about the 2016 election.” Conway appeared on The Sean Hannity Show on Fox News Tuesday, where she spoke on Trump’s bipartisan meeting with legislators on immigration earlier that day and mentioned Hillary Clinton’s views on immigration policy.


Editor’s Note: Aaron David Miller is a vice president and distinguished scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and author of “The End of Greatness: Why America Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want) Another Great President.” Miller was a Middle East negotiator in Democratic and Republican administrations. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. Having worked at the State Department on Arab-Israeli negotiations for the better part of a quarter century, I came up with more than my fair share of half-baked ideas. But the one issue I was smart enough to avoid – and I advised every Secretary of State to do the same – was Jerusalem. My advice was simple: don’t play with the most sensitive and volatile issue in the negotiations. And yet, if you believe some media reports, President Donald Trump is preparing to do precisely that. White House national security adviser HR McMaster, however, cautioned on Sunday that he isn’t entirely sure what the President will decide. But, he added, Trump has been given all possible options to consider. Related article Trump's negotiating skills are urban legends On Wednesday, the President may exercise the waiver authority provided in the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act (as he did last June) which would allow him to defer opening a US Embassy in Jerusalem. However, he may also make a statement recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Perhaps the administration believes that a statement is less damaging than actually starting the process of opening an embassy. But unless it’s part of a prenegotiated deal, which involves significant Israeli concessions to Palestinians, it is likely to complicate the very peace process Trump wants to promote. If there is a third rail in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, it’s Jerusalem. Loaded with political and religious significance, it’s long been a tinderbox just waiting for a match. And we’ve witnessed numerous fires usually breaking out on the overlapping sacred spaces Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Muslims, share and contest on or near the holy sites – the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount. As we’ve seen in 1990, 1996, 2000 and, most recently, in 2017 over the placement of metal detectors at entrances to the area, any change or even perceived change in a shaky status quo can trigger violence. As a negotiator who struggled unsuccessfully with the Jerusalem issue during the Camp David summit in July 2000, I’ve watched this pattern continue in other peace efforts since then. The issue is simply too volatile to resolve now. Let’s be clear, the US Embassy should be in West Jerusalem. Indeed, Israel may be one of the few countries in the world in which the United States does not maintain its embassy in the host country’s capital. But those who argue that the United States needs to correct this problem now, whatever the cost, are thinking too narrowly – and only about Israeli interests. The problem is that Israel has declared the entire city to be its eternal and undivided capital, including the eastern part of the city where many Palestinians reside and where the Palestinian Authority hopes to establish a capital once a Palestinian state is created. If Trump asserts that US policy is that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, it would be tantamount to saying that Washington now recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the entire city. If he simply says that just West Jerusalem is Israel’s capital, he risks alienating the Israeli government by suggesting that the eastern part of the city isn’t included. The peace process appears dead. Why bury it? Related article Jared Kushner won't find his job in Israel easy It’s even more curious that Trump, seemingly committed to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, would want to inject the Jerusalem issue into the mix right now. The new peace process, which his team is supposed to unveil sometime early next year, could be compromised if the United States changes policy on Jerusalem now. The Trump Administration is already perceived to be heavily biased in favor of meeting Israeli needs over Palestinian ones; and the move on Jerusalem will call into question Washington’s credibility as an effective mediator. The PA has threatened to pull out of the peace process if the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Jordan’s King Abdullah has warned of the dangers of such a move, as has the head of the Arab League. It’s intriguing that the Saudis, who are intimately involved in the Trump peace process, have so far been quiet on the issue – a fact that may well suggest the Jerusalem move may be tied to others in coming months. Whether the President’s statement will provoke violence is impossible to predict. Suffice it to say, any group – from Hamas to Islamic Jihad – that wants to exploit the issue, can certainly do so with a shift in policy on Jerusalem. The odds that Trump will stumble in his Jerusalem gambit are pretty good. That’s because the point of the exercise does not seem designed to achieve any real foreign policy goals. If the Administration was positioned to close an Israeli-Palestinian deal and needed to focus on the capital issue; if Trump was trading recognition for some significant concession from Netanyahu; or if the statement the President issues on Wednesday might also include reference to the possibility of a capital in East Jerusalem for Palestinians, it might make sense. Sign up for CNN Opinion’s new newsletter.Join us on Twitter and Facebook The problem is we just don’t know what the Administration’s peace process strategy is. And in the absence of a coherent one, the Jerusalem gambit appears to be a one-off – a combination of Trump’s frustration over having to use the waiver again, not yet fulfilling his campaign commitment to open an embassy in Jerusalem, and his willful desire to go where none of his predecessors have gone before him. As such, the President’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is likely to be far more trouble than it’s worth – adding another layer of complication to a peace process that already faces long odds.

President Donald Trump's potential recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital


From officials to state media, there often are jokes and dismissive comments But Kremlin spokesman this time is not in the mood to fire away There was a time, not so long ago, when Russian officials seemed to be openly reveling in the political chaos engulfing their geopolitical rival. Just last week, Foreign Sergey Lavrov quipped when asked about the dismissal of the FBI director, James Comey, threatening to overshadow his talks in Washington. “Was he fired?” Lavrov asked reporters, sarcastically. “You’re kidding, you’re kidding,” he exclaimed. Critics frequently accuse Russian officials of wanting to discredit US politics. But even the Kremlin can’t be blamed for orchestrating the latest Trump controversy. Related article Timeline: What we know about the Trump campaign, his administration and Russia In fact, it appears as annoyed as the Trump administration itself. Take our recent phone exchange with a clearly irritated Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman: CNN: The Washington Post reports that Trump shared secret information with Lavrov…. PESKOV: (interrupting) I’m ready to answer your question. This is not a topic for us, just more nonsense. CNN: But can you deny that it isn’t true? We aren’t getting a direct answer from….. PESKOV: (interrupting again) We don’t want to have anything to do with this nonsense. There is nothing to confirm or deny. The point is that there was no irony, no tongue-in-cheek jibe at the state of US politics. The Kremlin, at least, is taking this seriously. Related article Who was in Trump's meeting with the Russians? And that’s because, despite the public statements about having low expectations of the Trump administration, there remains some hope in Moscow that this can still be a transformational relationship. As a candidate, Trump spoke of “getting along” with Moscow, cooperating in Syria and on international terrorism. He even hinted at recognizing annexed Crimea as part of Russia. The Kremlin, burdened by US sanctions, still sorely wants those things. And although some officials may snicker at how Russia has found itself at the center of US politics, with each new controversy the Kremlin’s hopes of a new relationship with Washington are set back.


More than 1,000 children have been killed or injured this year across Syria, a United Nations Children’s Fund official told CNN on Tuesday. The grim statistic, from UNICEF regional communications chief Juliette Touma, comes as violence rips through the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta, where about a third of the nearly 400,000 besieged civilians are children, according to the agency. In all, 342 children were killed and 803 were injured in Syria in the first two months of 2018, Touma said, citing multiple sources. About 100 people were killed Monday in Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of Damascus, making it the deadliest day there since the United Nations Security Council passed a nationwide ceasefire resolution on February 24, the Syrian American Medical Society said Tuesday in a statement. Almost 600 people are believed to have been killed and more than 2,000 injured since Syrian government forces launched an air and ground offensive on Eastern Ghouta on February 18, according to the United Nations. Sitting in underground shelters has become the “new norm,” UNICEF officials said, and activists’ footage of basements show the shelters to be ill-equipped and filthy. Russia has offered rebels and their families safe passage out of Eastern Ghouta, promising to protect insurgents from prosecution, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday in a Facebook post. The Russian military would also provide transport and security, the statement said. One of two main rebel groups in Eastern Ghouta swiftly refused Russia’s offer. “There is no contact with the Russians at all, and no official offer was made. This issue is being circulated by the media. The rebels in Eastern Ghouta, including Faylaq al-Rahman, categorically refuse to leave Ghouta,” the armed group’s spokesman, Waiel Olwan, told CNN. “This is against Security Council Resolution 2401, that was unanimously adopted on 24 February 2018, that dictates the safe passage of aid into Eastern Ghouta and a 30-day truce,” he added. Related article Russian plane crashes in Syria, killing all 39 passengers Russia – the Syrian government’s most powerful ally – has accused rebels of preventing civilians from leaving Eastern Ghouta. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a daily humanitarian pause in the fighting in the Damascus suburb and the opening of a humanitarian corridor. Only a handful of civilians have reportedly been evacuated. The Syrian government and the rebels have traded blame over the corridor’s closure, each arguing that shelling from the other side has prevented the safe passage of civilians. On Tuesday, 39 people were killed when a Russian transport plane crashed while trying to land at Hmeimin airbase near Latakia, Syria, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) north of Damascus, according to Russian state media, Tass, which cited the Russian Defense Ministry. Immediate reports in the aftermath of the crash had put the death toll at 32. On Monday, a convoy carrying much-needed food and medical supplies entered the rebel enclave for the first time since the Syrian government launched a deadly offensive on the area two weeks ago. Related article Aid convoy leaves Eastern Ghouta without a full delivery The 46-truck aid convoy delivered the aid amid shelling but had to pull out before unloading everything, said Sajjad Malik, the United Nations refugee agency representative in Syria. “We delivered as much as we could amidst shelling. Civilians are caught in a tragic situation,” Malik said in a tweet. The Syrian government initially barred most medical supplies in the aid convoy from getting through, according to Linda Tom, spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Syria. On Sunday, government forces took control of several villages inside Eastern Ghouta, marking a major turning point in the offensive. Eastern Ghouta is one of the last major rebel-held enclaves in Syria, which has been ravaged by war for almost seven years. CNN’s Tamara Qiblawi and Ghazi Balkiz reported from Beirut and Sebastian Shukla reported from Moscow. CNN’s Sarah El Sirgany contributed to this report from Abu Dhabi.

Syrian government offensive on Eastern Ghouta


Obama: 'We will not accept' the 'new normal' of assaults on theaters, restaurants The President says new legislation that might slow refugee vetting process will "gum up" system U.S. President Barack Obama toughened his rhetoric against ISIS at a weekend press conference in Malaysia that concluded his nine-day trip abroad. The group responsible for the Paris terror attacks is “a bunch of killers with good social media,” he said. “They are dangerous and they’ve caused great hardship to … an overwhelming majority of people.” Related gallery The ISIS terror threat FBI director: We can’t yet restrain ISIS on social media The global coalition formed to destroy ISIS “will not relent,” he vowed. “We will not accept the idea that terrorist assaults on restaurants and theaters and hotels are the new normal, or that we are powerless to stop them.” Obama’s stronger language on ISIS came after days of criticism for his response to the tragedy in Paris but did not signal a policy shift by the administration. “They can’t beat us on the battlefield, so they try to terrorize us into being afraid, and changing our patterns of behavior, and panicking, and abandoning our allies and partners, and retreating from the world,” Obama said. “As president, I will not let that happen.” Obama seeks tricky balance in fight against ISIS It’s “absolutely false” that “we are somehow at war with an entire religion,” he said. “The United States could never be at any war with any religion because America is made up by multiple religions. We’re strengthened by people from every religion, including Muslim Americans. So I want to be as clear as I can on this – prejudice and discrimination helps (ISIS) and undermines our national security.” Obama says ground troops to fight ISIS would be a mistake Obama was hit with  a wave of criticism in the wake of the terrorists’ attacks in France and Lebanon, which left hundreds dead. At a press conference a few days after 130 people were slaughtered in France’s capital, Obama described that burst of violence as a “setback” in the battle against ISIS. Related gallery Night of terror: Paris attacks Why did Obama declare ISIS ‘contained’ the day before the Paris attack? He also addressed the backlash in the United States against accepting Syrian refugees after it was widely reported that one of the Paris attackers may have entered France among a group of refugees. The Obama administration had said it wanted the U.S. to accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next year. On Thursday, the House swiftly passed a bill that would suspend the program allowing Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the country until key national security agencies certify they don’t pose a security risk More than half the nation’s governors say Syrian refugees not welcome “People have understandably been so concerned, given how similar Paris is to many American cities, that I get why legislation in the House moved forward quickly,” Obama said Sunday. “My hope though is, now that we have some time to catch our breath and take a look at this carefully, that people understand that refugees who end up in the United States are the most vetted, scrutinized, thoroughly investigated individuals that ever arrived on American shores.” Obama calls caring for refugees ‘American leadership The process that has been “constructed over the course of several administrations, on a bipartisan basis, is extraordinarily thorough,” he said. It already takes between 18 and 24 months for someone to be approved, he noted. The legislation that passed only “gums up the works so much” that “effectively, you don’t see any refugees being admitted.”


CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Thursday addressed President Donald Trump’s vulgar comments about American immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African nations, first reported by the Washington Post, calling the remarks unequivocally racist. “Not racial. Not racially charged. Racist,” said Cooper, who is the anchor of “AC360.” “Let’s not kid ourselves or dance around it. The sentiment the President expressed today is a racist sentiment.” “For the President of the United States to believe that Haitians have not contributed extraordinarily things to American society, that is ignorant,” said Cooper, earlier in the program. “For him to claim that all the countries of Africa are shitholes is woefully ignorant.” Trump expressed frustration behind closed doors with people coming to the United States from “shithole countries,” sources told CNN on Thursday. One of the sources briefed on the Thursday Oval Office meeting with lawmakers confirmed Trump asked, “Why do we want all these people from shithole countries coming here?” One person briefed on the meeting said when Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin talked about Haiti, Trump began to ask why we want people from Haiti and more Africans in the United States. Trump added that the United States should get more people from countries like Norway. A person familiar with what was said at the meeting told CNN that Trump also said: “Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out.” CNN’s Eli Watkins and Abby Phillip contributed to this report.


The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee called the deaths of two soldiers in an Apache helicopter crash in Kentucky on Friday “heartbreaking” in a statement Saturday, adding that military readiness is in crisis. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said he grieves “over the loss of our men and women in uniform,” and added that “the tragic deaths of troops killed in aviation accidents over the past month is especially heartbreaking.” “What has been evident to me for some time is now becoming clear to the American people. The readiness of our military is at a crisis point,” he said. Thornberry’s remarks come after a string of military air crashes in the last several days that have killed seven service members. He emphasized that ensuring the safety of US troops has to be the Pentagon’s highest priority. “Congress voted to provide our troops the funds they need to begin turning this crisis around” and that “there can be no higher priority for the Department of Defense than ensuring that our aircraft are safe and that pilots get the training they need.” The 101st Airborne Division said in a statement that the crash took place at the local training area of the soldiers’ base at Fort Campbell, which straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee state line. The accident happened at about 9:50 p.m., local time Friday evening and involved two soldiers from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, the statement said. The crew was conducting routine training when the accident occurred and there were no other casualties, it said. The cause of the accident is under investigation, the Army said. The Army is not releasing the names of the deceased pending notification of the next of kin. “This is a day of sadness for Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne,” said Brig. Gen. Todd Royar, acting senior commander of the 101st Airborne Division and Ft. Campbell. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Families during this difficult time.” – Four Marines were killed in a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crash during a routine training mission near El Centro, California, at about 2:35 p.m. PT on Tuesday, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. – An Air Force Thunderbird pilot was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada during a routine aerial demonstration training flight on Wednesday. – At the request of the Djiboutian government, the US military has halted its air operations in the East African country, a critical location in the fight against terrorism, following two accidents involving military aircraft, three defense officials told CNN. On Tuesday, a Marine Corps Harrier jet crashed at the country’s international airport. The pilot was able to eject and was treated at a medical facility but has since been released according to several officials. Later the same day, a Marine Corps CH-53 helicopter sustained “minor damage” while landing in Arta Beach. While the helicopter’s crew was uninjured, the officials told CNN that the Navy is investigating reports that two civilians were injured by debris from the helicopter’s rotor wash. As of Thursday, the officials said Navy investigators had not been granted access to the alleged victims by local police. CNN’s Barbara Starr and Ryan Browne contributed to this report.


Brain abnormalities or microcephaly occurred about 33 times as often in pregnancies with Zika infections New report is based on data from surveillance programs in three US states The proportion of Zika-related birth defects during 2016 was nearly 20 times higher than the number seen during the pre-Zika years, according to a new report from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In particular, brain abnormalities or microcephaly, where a baby’s head size is smaller than expected, occurred about 33 times as often in pregnancies with Zika infections than in the pre-Zika years. Related video Everything you need to know about Zika Zika, a virus transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and unprotected sex, has been spreading around the globe with locally transmitted cases in the US were first reported in Florida and Texas during 2016. Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent infection. Last year the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern because of the rapid pace with which the virus was spreading and the alarming number of cases of microcephaly seen in Brazil where large numbers of women had been infected. At the time the link between Zika and microcephaly was still uncertain but has since been proven. Related article WHO ends Zika public health emergency “I think women should take that this further demonstrates how important it is to prevent Zika virus infection during pregnancy,” said Peggy Honein, epidemiologist and chief of the birth defects branch at the CDC. “These devastating effects have a major increase over the baseline when Zika virus infection occurs during pregnancy.” Zika-related birth defects, including microcephaly, neural tube defects and eye defects, were seen in about three out of every 1,000 births during 2013-2014 compared to 60 out of every 1,000 completed pregnancies where the mother tested positive for a Zika infection. Honein emphasized the number of women who have shown lab evidence of Zika virus infection as tracked by the CDC through a national registry. “You’ll see there’s over 1,500 pregnant women in the 50 US states and D.C. with lab evidence of possible Zika virus infection and more than 50 fetuses and infants that have had one of these Zika-related birth defects,” she said. “We are continuing to see pregnant women with Zika virus infection.” In 2016, the CDC defined all the birth defects that are potentially related to a Zika virus infection. These include brain abnormalities such as microcephaly; neural tube defects and spina bifida; eye abnormalities, such as cataracts and optic nerve abnormalities; and consequences of central nervous system dysfunction, such as joint contractures that prevent normal movement. Related article Facing Zika fears: Raising kids with microcephaly Neural tube defects are “serious birth defects of the brain and spine and includes anencephaly (incomplete brain and/or skull) and spina bifida (spinal cord not completely closed),” said Michele Kling, a spokeswoman for the March of Dimes, in an email. To assess the incidence of birth defects before and after Zika virus was introduced in the United States, the CDC researchers used data from surveillance programs in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Atlanta. For the new report, CDC researchers analyzed data from 2013-2014 and compared this with the US Zika Pregnancy Registry records from 2016. For the early period, the researchers identified 747 infants and fetuses with one or more of these defects in the surveillance databases. By comparison, data from the later period indicated 26 infants with these same birth defects among the 442 completed pregnancies of women with possible Zika infection. Related article Fighting Zika's microcephaly in Brazil, one brain at a time Brain abnormalities or microcephaly were the most frequent conditions reported, followed by neural tube defects. More than half of those with brain abnormalities or microcephaly or with neural tube defects and other early brain malformations had evidence of these defects noted prenatally – 55% and 89%, respectively. Pregnancy losses (48%) and preterm delivery (66%) occurred most frequently with neural tube defects and other early brain malformations.  Maternal age was similar across birth defect categories. “Other data has shown us the highest risk is the first trimester and early in the second trimester but we don’t think there’s any safe time in pregnancy to be exposed to Zika virus infection,” said Honein. See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. She said pregnant women should not travel to areas where Zika virus transmission and they should also avoid sexual contact with partners who have traveled to areas with Zika virus transmission. According to Dr. Paul E. Jarris, the chief medical officer of the March of Dimes, the report of increased birth defects caused by Zika should be a wake-up call for anyone who thinks Zika is no longer a serious threat. When families learn their child has a birth defect like those associated with Zika virus infection, they experience a grief reaction similar to when they lose a child, he said. “There’s also often guilt associated with it and they’re overwhelmed by the complexity. So it has a pervasive effect on the family, including higher rates of divorce among couples” and financial stress, said Jarris. “It’s devastating, that’s why we have to really prevent this.”


A hot air balloon with 20 people crashes in Luxor, Egypt Company identifies deceased as an Australian man A hot air balloon with 20 people crashed Friday in Egypt’s ancient city of Luxor, killing at least one person and injuring more than a dozen others, according to Egypt’s Civil Aviation Authority and a hot air balloon company. At least one tourist was killed, according to a statement from the government agency, which referred to the incident as a hard landing. The Sindbad hot air balloon company, whose craft crashed, identified the deceased as an Australian man. “The balloon was getting ready to land at 6:30 a.m., when a sudden, strong wind erupted, causing a hard landing,” Hany Al-Sayyed, Sinbad’s traffic manager, told CNN. “The victim is an Australian man of South African descent. His head was hit during the landing. Most of the other injuries are minor, scratches to the torso, and they were taken to the hospital,” he said. The statement from the Civil Aviation Authority said it had started an investigation. The pilot, who was hospitalized, is being questioned, according to state media.


This page includes the show Transcript Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News.  You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call. The Weekly Newsquiz tests students' knowledge of events in the news August 28, 2015 A migrant crisis brings new challenges to Europe, and religion and science face off on a Pacific volcano. This Friday, travel from Hungary to Hawaii on CNN Student News. Also featured: a look back at the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. Saturday marks exactly 10 years since Hurricane Katrina washed ashore, and we’re recapping its effects across the American South. On this page you will find today’s show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT Click here to access the transcript of today’s CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. WEEKLY NEWSQUIZ Click here for a printable version of the Weekly Newsquiz (PDF). 1. What kind of animal is associated with a stock market that’s on the rise? 2. What is the name of the average of 30 significant U.S. stocks that give an indication of how the overall market is doing? 3. Name the capital of Lebanon, where recent protests over garbage turned into an uprising against the nation’s government. 4. Between what two countries would you find the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which is actually one of the most militarized borders on Earth? 5. In what country do two treasure hunters say they’ve discovered a legendary train that contains tons of Nazi gold? 6. In what country would you find Palmyra, where the ISIS terrorist group recently destroyed some ancient architectural ruins? 7. In what U.S. state would you find the only American highway whose signs use kilometers instead of miles to indicate distance? 8. Who was the first U.S. treasury secretary, whose face currently appears on the $10 bill? 9. The world’s tallest mountain (when measured from base to summit) is located in what U.S. state? 10. In response to a massive flow of migrants, what European country is building a temporary barrier along its southern border with Serbia? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News!


Keeler had affairs with a British cabinet minister and a Russian diplomat at the height of the Cold War Profumo's cover-up of their relationship is said to have contributed to the fall of the Conservative government Christine Keeler, a former model whose relations during the 1960s Cold War with a British cabinet minister and a Russian diplomat  contributed to the downfall of a Conservative government, has died, her son announced. Keeler’s son Seymour Platt posted on Facebook late Tuesday that his mother died the night before, saying she had suffered in recent years from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Keeler was 75. “As many of you know my mother, Christine Keeler, fought many fights in her eventful life, some fights she lost but some she won,” he wrote. “She earned her place in British history but at a huge personal price. We are all very proud of who she was.” Platt told the Guardian that Keeler died in a hospital in Farnborough, a town east of London. In 1961, Keeler was a 19-year-old cabaret dancer in London when she was introduced to John Profumo. He was the secretary of war, in his mid-40s, and a rising star in Prime Minister Harold Macmillan’s government. Keeler and Profumo began an affair while she was seeing Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet military attache. Profumo’s relationship with Keeler came to light after police investigated an incident involving Keeler. A former lover of hers fired a gun into a home where she had sought refuge, according to The New York Times. A subsequent police investigation and court proceedings drew out details of her liaison with Profumo. Initially, Profumo tried to tamp down rumors of an affair. He told members of Parliament in 1963 that there had been no impropriety in his relationship with Keeler. As rumors spread, and more details were revealed, particularly the possibility that state secrets might have been exposed through Keeler’s relationship with the Russian, Profumo confessed to his wife and then to the Cabinet. He resigned that year. Unable to contain the fallout of the scandal, MacMillan resigned months later. In the national election that followed in 1964 the Tories were defeated by the opposition Labour Party, and its leader Harold Wilson became the next prime minister of the country. As the scandal filled newspapers and captivated the country, Keeler posed for photographer Lewis Morley. He created an iconic portrait of the doe-eyed brunette sitting, apparently naked, astride a chair. The photo became the defining image of the scandal. While Profumo continued to live in the public eye, and was eventually named a Commander of the British Empire for his philanthropy, Keeler was convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice for making false statements about a different relationship caught up in the Profumo Affair scandal. She served six months in prison. Keeler later published several books, including a memoir called The Truth at Last, with journalist Douglas Thompson. The book was updated in 2012, after Profumo’s death. The Guardian reported that Keeler lived under the name of Sloane for many years and married twice, both ending in divorce. She had two children.


Palestinian leaders have urged Muslim worshippers to keep praying outside the al-Aqsa compound in protest at Israel’s installation of metal detectors and security cameras near the site, even though Israel removed the metal detectors early Tuesday morning. Speaking at a leadership meeting on Tuesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said: “All the Israeli measures on the ground from that date to the present day are supposed to cease to exist and then things will return to normal in Jerusalem.” Related video Israel removes metal detectors at Temple Mount In addition to the removal of metal detectors and security cameras, Palestinian leaders demanded the removal of the additional police officers Israel assigned to the site. The Jordanian authority in charge of the holy site, the Islamic Waqf, called on Muslims to pray in public places in protest. The Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs, Sheikh Yusuf Adais, urged preachers to speak about the city of Jerusalem and “the violations against Christian and Islamic holy sites.” Read: The two words that explain tensions over Jerusalem’s Old City Since Israel installed the security measures, Waqf leaders have not entered al-Aqsa to pray, and many Muslims follow the lead of the Waqf. The declaration of the political and religious leaders has increased the likelihood of widespread demonstrations in and around Jerusalem following Friday’s midday Muslim prayers. The demonstrations often turn into clashes between Palestinian protestors and Israeli soldiers, fueling a wave of unrest instead of diffusing the situation. Israel installed metal detectors and security cameras near the entrance to the sacred site – known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount – following an attack in which two Israeli police officers were killed. The removal of the metal detectors was applauded by the White House. Related article Jordan walks a tightrope in Jerusalem Read: Christian man prays with Jerusalem Muslims as religious tensions flare The security measures led to a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Jordan, which was largely resolved by Tuesday. But tensions remain high with the Palestinian Authority, which froze contacts with Israel following the installation of the metal detectors. The freeze includes security coordination, which is considered a critical part of the relationship between the Israeli’s and Palestinians. Leaving open the possibility of a change in the Palestinian Authority’s position, Abbas said: “There are new developments, which we must study so that we can say our word and decide where to go from here.” Meanwhile, Jason D. Greenblatt, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for international negotiations, visited the Halamish settlement in the West Bank on Wednesday where three members of an Israeli family were killed last week in the wake of deadly protests. Greenblatt tweeted on Wednesday, “With a heavy heart I visited the Solomons. Three brutally murdered at their Shabbat table in terror attack. May their memories be a blessing.” US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman joined Greenblatt in the visit, tweeting in part, “Comforting the Solomon family: Such strength in the face of adversity!” The two senior US officials were joined by Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. Greenblatt visited the region in an effort to defuse escalating tensions. He met with Israeli leaders earlier in the week before visiting Jordan on Monday and Tuesday and has since returned to Israel. But speaking to CNN, Fatah Central Committee Member Nasser Alkidwa says the Palestinians had expected a “more active contribution” from the Americans, though he remains “hopeful” for the future. “Frankly we would have been much happier with a more effective American role,” he said. “We were expecting some active contribution on the level of the overall political processes and attempt to reach the ultimate deal that President Trump has spoken about and also with regard to the current crisis.”


Human rights leader voice their 'frustration' with fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi Dozens of people have been killed in western Myanmar since October Twenty-three of the world’s most prominent human rights voices, including Malala Yousafzai, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Richard Branson, are calling on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to end “ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity” in western Myanmar. “If we fail to take action, people may starve to death if they are not killed with bullets and we may end up being passive observers of crimes against humanity which will lead us once again to wring our hands belatedly,” read the signatories’ stark warning. Dozens of the stateless Rohingya minority have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since October, when a fresh bout of state-sponsored violence hit restive Rakhine State. The current militarization of the region – where access is heavily restricted to aid workers and journalists – has precipitated violence with the same “hallmarks” of past genocides in Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo and Darfur, reads the open letter published by the Yunus Centre. Bangladeshi social entrepreneur Mohammed Yunus and former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta were among thirteen Nobel Prize winners to voice their “frustration” with fellow laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and ask the U.N. Security Council to make the violence a matter of urgent consideration. Aung San Suu Kyi, a political prisoner turned election-winner, is widely seen to have failed with her muted response to the current crisis, which erupted after an army response to a series of attacks on Myanmar police stations on 9 October. Blamed on Rohingya extremists, the attacks killed 17, including 9 police officers. RELATED: Myanmar military burned Rohingya villages, Human Rights Watch says The letter, published on Thursday, accuses the Myanmar government of a “grossly disproportionate” military operation that has seen troops “unleash helicopter gunships on thousands of ordinary civilians…rape women and throw babies into a fire”. It calls on the U.N. to send its current Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, or his successor, to visit Myanmar “as a priority”. Related article Malaysia: Myanmar's Rohingya crisis a threat to regional stability Photos and videos posted online recently from Rakhine State have purported to show arbitrary executions of civilians by soldiers. Human Rights Watch has independently produced satellite imagery that it claims proves the Myanmar army has razed entire Rohingya villages by fire. The Myanmar government has denied burning the villages, blaming it on “attackers”. Aung San Suu Kyi had enlisted the help of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to chair a ‘Rakhine Commission into Interfaith Violence in Myanmar’ before the recent violence began. The results of his investigation are pending. She also recently met the foreign ministers of neighboring Southeast Asian nations and told them the Myanmar government is committed to resolving the issues in Rakhine State, but said “time and space are critical for the efforts to bear fruit,” according to state newspaper The Global New Light of Myanmar. Earlier this month the UN’s Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee said the situation is “getting very close to what we would all agree are crimes against humanity”. Myanmar’s Muslim minority has faced intermittent pogroms since 1982, when majority-Buddhist Myanmar blocked any recourse to citizenship for its members. Tens of thousands have been forced over the border into Bangladesh over the past thirty years. Over 100,000 Rohingya have remained ghettoized in displacement camps in western Myanmar since 2012, when the state’s worst instance of violence ushered in Thursday’s letter referred to as “a new apartheid”.


Over the past 72 hours, reporters from a number of outlets – including CNN – have turned up new information on the Trump team’s alleged conversations with Russians known to US intelligence. President Donald Trump asked for the resignation of his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, on Monday night, amid new reports that Flynn had repeatedly discussed sanctions with Russian officials before Trump took office. But for every new detail, two new questions spring up. And a broader pattern of potential ethics issues becomes more difficult to ignore. During a press conference Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump answered questions from reporters for the Christian Broadcasting Network (he said Flynn was a good man mistreated by the media) and the conservative website Townhall.com (he threw out years of US foreign policy doctrine regarding a two-state solution in the Middle East) — but he refused to acknowledge inquiries about reported contacts between his senior advisers and suspected Russian operatives. Here are 21 questions on Russia, Flynn, and investigations now facing the White House. Some have been hinted or nudged at during press briefings, and others have been asked and answered – but in confusing or unsatisfying ways. 1. Did any top aides make repeated contact, as reported by CNN, with senior Russian officials before the November election?2. If yes, what was discussed? 3. After the election, but before becoming president, did you or any of your top aides instruct Michael Flynn to contact the Russian ambassador? 4. If yes – or if you were made aware of his plans – what topics was he instructed or permitted to discuss? 5. On Dec. 29, then-President Barack Obama announced new sanctions against Russia for their alleged meddling in the presidential election. Russian leaders quickly promised reciprocal action. But on Dec. 30, they switched gears and announced they would not to retaliate. #Putin: We regard recent unfriendly USA steps as provocative and aimed at further weakening relations with Russia https://t.co/p8iCM9TfAN pic.twitter.com/NgvFGC0BWo Did Flynn have a role in or encourage that unusual decision? 6. The White House has said Flynn’s dismissal was prompted by a violation of trust. That he misled Vice President Mike Pence about the nature of the calls. Why then, after learning the truth eighteen days ago, did you wait until Monday to ask for his resignation? 7. Why did you wait two weeks, from January 26 to February 9, to inform Pence that Flynn had misled him? 8. Were you concerned that Flynn – as the Justice Department warned last month – was potentially vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians? 9. On Wednesday morning, you tweeted: “The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by “intelligence” like candy. Very un-American!” The real scandal here is that classified information is illegally given out by "intelligence" like candy. Very un-American! Can we take this as confirmation that the leaked information is accurate? 10. On Monday afternoon, Kellyanne Conway told reporters Flynn had your “full confidence.” Sean Spicer said in a statement a little more than an hour later that you were “evaluating the situation.” By that evening, you had asked for and received Flynn’s resignation. Conway at 4:07: "Gen. Flynn does enjoy the full confidence of the president."Spicer at 5:11: "The president is evaluating the situation." What changed over the course of the day? 11. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans on Capitol Hill said the Senate Intelligence Committee would likely investigate Flynn’s discussions with the Russians. Would you support them if they did? 12. Are you aware that FBI agents reportedly questioned Flynn about his phone call with Russian agents? 13. Spicer on Tuesday said Flynn had been involved in “a series of other questionable instances.” He did not elaborate. What were those “questionable instances”? 14. After North Korea test launched a missile this past weekend, you appeared to be briefed with potentially sensitive information in the presence of guests at your Mar-a-Lago club. Your spokesman has said you were simply discussing an upcoming impromptu press briefing. The House Oversight Committee will be looking into the incident. Was any sensitive information discussed on the patio? 15. Is your phone properly encrypted? 16. Are your aides’ phones, the ones used as flashlights to help you read in the dark that night, properly encrypted? 17. Are you and your aides maintaining records of certain communications, as required by the Presidential Records Act? 18. Your chief of staff, Reince Priebus, was asked on Tuesday by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz to explain why the Mar-a-Lago meeting was conducted in public. Chaffetz Probes White House’s Handling of Sensitive Information via @gopoversight https://t.co/DArhblPbAQ Will you cooperate with his investigation? 19. The Office of Government Ethics suggested that the White House take disciplinary action against Kellyanne Conway in response to her endorsement, in a televised interview, of Ivanka Trump’s products. She has since apologized to you. Do you believe Conway did anything wrong and do you plan to take additional action? 20. Russia has now deployed a cruise missile in an apparent violation of international treaty and a Russian spy ship has been spotted off the East Coast of the US. How does the administration plan to respond to this apparently provocative act? 21. The head of US Special Operations Command described the US government as being in “unbelievable turmoil” and said he hopes “they sort it out because we are a nation at war.” Does that characterization disturb you and what will you do to ease the turmoil?


Trump's tweet was the latest time he's used the phrase to rail against the probe The special counsel's investigation has led to several people being charged President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning again labeled the probe into potential coordination between his associates and Russia the “single greatest witch hunt” in US history. “The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!” Trump tweeted. The single greatest Witch Hunt in American history continues. There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes. Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control! It’s a familiar charge from Trump. Whether in public remarks or on Twitter, the President has repeatedly called the special counsel investigation led by former FBI Director Robert Mueller a “witch hunt,” dismissing it as a frivolous investigation launched by his political enemies seeking to delegitimize his 2016 election victory. It’s true that Mueller’s probe hasn’t yet turned up any evidence of collusion between Trump’s campaign and the Russian government, or at least hasn’t released any such evidence publicly. But his investigation has already resulted in Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about conversations with Russia’s ambassador. And it’s been revealed in the press that Donald Trump Jr. eagerly accepted a meeting in June 2016 on the premise that he would be offered damaging information about Hillary Clinton from a “Russian government attorney.” Shortly after CNN published a bombshell report revealing that top US intelligence figures presented Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise him, Trump tweeted on January 10, 2017: “FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!” FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT! He said at the end of March that Flynn should ask for immunity due to the “witch hunt” by the media and the Democratic Party. Later that year, however, Flynn pleaded guilty and said he would cooperate with Mueller. Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion! Trump, speaking alongside Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos in May after he fired James Comey as FBI director, reacted to the appointment of a special counsel by saying, “Well, I respect the move but the entire thing has been a witch hunt.” In June, Trump said he was “being investigated” for firing Comey, and again called it a “witch hunt.” Before and since the tweet, Trump and his lawyers have said the President is not under investigation. I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt Speaking aboard Air Force One in July, Trump used the phrase “witch hunt” several times, declaring ongoing questions about Russia to be a politically motivated “witch hunt” overplayed by the press. Trump last July praised his son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for their actions in face of the “witch hunt.” On his tweet praising Kushner, Trump joked that the next one facing scrutiny over ties to Russia would be his youngest son, Barron Trump. My son Donald did a good job last night. He was open, transparent and innocent. This is the greatest Witch Hunt in political history. Sad! Jared Kushner did very well yesterday in proving he did not collude with the Russians. Witch Hunt. Next up, 11 year old Barron Trump! Then-FBI Director Comey revealed the existence of the investigation during a House hearing last March, and after Comey’s firing, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to lead a special counsel investigation. Mueller’s appointment enjoyed bipartisan support, although as the probe has continued, more Trump allies have joined the President in trying to discredit it. The term “witch hunt” often evokes such dark chapters in US history as the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s or the literal witch hunts in 17th-century Salem, Massachusetts.

special counsel investigation into Trump-Russia collusion