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Tag: Riot

  • Trump pardons Jan. 6 rioter for gun offense and woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents

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    President Donald Trump has issued two pardons related to the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, including for a woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents who were investigating a tip that she may have been at the Capitol, officials said Saturday.Related video above: BBC leaders resign amid scandal over misleading edit of Trump’s Jan. 6 speechIn a separate case, Trump issued a second pardon for a Jan. 6 defendant who had remained behind bars despite the sweeping grant of clemency for Capitol rioters because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms.It’s the latest example of Trump’s willingness to use his constitutional authority to help supporters who were scrutinized as part of the Biden administration’s massive Jan. 6 investigation that led to charges against more than 1,500 defendants.Suzanne Ellen Kaye was released last year after serving an 18-month sentence in her threats case. After the FBI contacted her in 2021 about a tip indicating she may have been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, she posted a video on social media citing her Second Amendment right to carry a gun, and she threatened to shoot agents if they came to her house. In court papers, prosecutors said her words “were part of the ubiquity of violent political rhetoric that causes serious harm to our communities.”An email seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Kaye on Saturday. Kaye testified at trial that she didn’t own any guns and didn’t intend to threaten the FBI, according to court papers. She told authorities she was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wasn’t charged with any Capitol riot-related crimes.A White House official said Kaye suffers from “stress-induced seizures” and experienced one when the jury read its verdict. The White House said this is “clearly a case of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.In a separate case, Trump pardoned Daniel Edwin Wilson, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was under investigation for his role in the riot when authorities found six guns and roughly 4,800 rounds of ammunition in his home. Because of prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms.Wilson’s case became part of a legal debate over whether Trump’s sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters in January applied to other crimes discovered during the sprawling federal dragnet that began after the attack on the Capitol. The Trump-appointed federal judge who oversaw Wilson’s case criticized the Justice Department earlier this year for arguing that the president’s Jan. 6 pardons applied to Wilson’s gun offense.Wilson, who had been scheduled to remain in prison until 2028, was released Friday evening following the pardon, his lawyer said on Saturday.”We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon,” attorney George Pallas said in an email. “Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”The White House official said Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.”Wilson had been sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.Prosecutors had accused him of planning for the Jan. 6 riot for weeks and coming to Washington with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power. Authorities said he communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group and adherents of the antigovernment Three Percenters movement as he marched to the Capitol.Prosecutors cited messages they argued showed that Wilson’s “plans were for a broader American civil war.” In one message on Nov. 9, 2020, he wrote: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”The Justice Department had initially argued in February that Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters on his first day back in the White House didn’t extend to Wilson’s gun crime. The department later changed its position, saying it had received “further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon.”U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, criticized the department’s evolving position and said it was “extraordinary” that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons extended to illegal “contraband” found by investigators during searches related to the Jan. 6 cases.Politico first reported Wilson’s pardon on Saturday.Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.

    WASHINGTON (AP) —

    President Donald Trump has issued two pardons related to the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, including for a woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents who were investigating a tip that she may have been at the Capitol, officials said Saturday.

    Related video above: BBC leaders resign amid scandal over misleading edit of Trump’s Jan. 6 speech

    In a separate case, Trump issued a second pardon for a Jan. 6 defendant who had remained behind bars despite the sweeping grant of clemency for Capitol rioters because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms.

    It’s the latest example of Trump’s willingness to use his constitutional authority to help supporters who were scrutinized as part of the Biden administration’s massive Jan. 6 investigation that led to charges against more than 1,500 defendants.

    Suzanne Ellen Kaye was released last year after serving an 18-month sentence in her threats case. After the FBI contacted her in 2021 about a tip indicating she may have been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, she posted a video on social media citing her Second Amendment right to carry a gun, and she threatened to shoot agents if they came to her house. In court papers, prosecutors said her words “were part of the ubiquity of violent political rhetoric that causes serious harm to our communities.”

    An email seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Kaye on Saturday. Kaye testified at trial that she didn’t own any guns and didn’t intend to threaten the FBI, according to court papers. She told authorities she was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wasn’t charged with any Capitol riot-related crimes.

    A White House official said Kaye suffers from “stress-induced seizures” and experienced one when the jury read its verdict. The White House said this is “clearly a case of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.

    In a separate case, Trump pardoned Daniel Edwin Wilson, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was under investigation for his role in the riot when authorities found six guns and roughly 4,800 rounds of ammunition in his home. Because of prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms.

    Wilson’s case became part of a legal debate over whether Trump’s sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters in January applied to other crimes discovered during the sprawling federal dragnet that began after the attack on the Capitol. The Trump-appointed federal judge who oversaw Wilson’s case criticized the Justice Department earlier this year for arguing that the president’s Jan. 6 pardons applied to Wilson’s gun offense.

    Wilson, who had been scheduled to remain in prison until 2028, was released Friday evening following the pardon, his lawyer said on Saturday.

    “We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon,” attorney George Pallas said in an email. “Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”

    The White House official said Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.”

    Wilson had been sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.

    Prosecutors had accused him of planning for the Jan. 6 riot for weeks and coming to Washington with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power. Authorities said he communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group and adherents of the antigovernment Three Percenters movement as he marched to the Capitol.

    Prosecutors cited messages they argued showed that Wilson’s “plans were for a broader American civil war.” In one message on Nov. 9, 2020, he wrote: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”

    Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”

    The Justice Department had initially argued in February that Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters on his first day back in the White House didn’t extend to Wilson’s gun crime. The department later changed its position, saying it had received “further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon.”

    U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, criticized the department’s evolving position and said it was “extraordinary” that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons extended to illegal “contraband” found by investigators during searches related to the Jan. 6 cases.

    Politico first reported Wilson’s pardon on Saturday.

    Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.

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  • Trump pardons Jan. 6 rioter for gun offense and woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents

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    President Donald Trump has issued two pardons related to the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, including for a woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents who were investigating a tip that she may have been at the Capitol, officials said Saturday.Related video above: BBC leaders resign amid scandal over misleading edit of Trump’s Jan. 6 speechIn a separate case, Trump issued a second pardon for a Jan. 6 defendant who had remained behind bars despite the sweeping grant of clemency for Capitol rioters because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms.It’s the latest example of Trump’s willingness to use his constitutional authority to help supporters who were scrutinized as part of the Biden administration’s massive Jan. 6 investigation that led to charges against more than 1,500 defendants.Suzanne Ellen Kaye was released last year after serving an 18-month sentence in her threats case. After the FBI contacted her in 2021 about a tip indicating she may have been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, she posted a video on social media citing her Second Amendment right to carry a gun, and she threatened to shoot agents if they came to her house. In court papers, prosecutors said her words “were part of the ubiquity of violent political rhetoric that causes serious harm to our communities.”An email seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Kaye on Saturday. Kaye testified at trial that she didn’t own any guns and didn’t intend to threaten the FBI, according to court papers. She told authorities she was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wasn’t charged with any Capitol riot-related crimes.A White House official said Kaye suffers from “stress-induced seizures” and experienced one when the jury read its verdict. The White House said this is “clearly a case of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.In a separate case, Trump pardoned Daniel Edwin Wilson, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was under investigation for his role in the riot when authorities found six guns and roughly 4,800 rounds of ammunition in his home. Because of prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms.Wilson’s case became part of a legal debate over whether Trump’s sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters in January applied to other crimes discovered during the sprawling federal dragnet that began after the attack on the Capitol. The Trump-appointed federal judge who oversaw Wilson’s case criticized the Justice Department earlier this year for arguing that the president’s Jan. 6 pardons applied to Wilson’s gun offense.Wilson, who had been scheduled to remain in prison until 2028, was released Friday evening following the pardon, his lawyer said on Saturday.”We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon,” attorney George Pallas said in an email. “Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”The White House official said Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.”Wilson had been sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.Prosecutors had accused him of planning for the Jan. 6 riot for weeks and coming to Washington with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power. Authorities said he communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group and adherents of the antigovernment Three Percenters movement as he marched to the Capitol.Prosecutors cited messages they argued showed that Wilson’s “plans were for a broader American civil war.” In one message on Nov. 9, 2020, he wrote: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”The Justice Department had initially argued in February that Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters on his first day back in the White House didn’t extend to Wilson’s gun crime. The department later changed its position, saying it had received “further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon.”U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, criticized the department’s evolving position and said it was “extraordinary” that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons extended to illegal “contraband” found by investigators during searches related to the Jan. 6 cases.Politico first reported Wilson’s pardon on Saturday.Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.

    WASHINGTON (AP) —

    President Donald Trump has issued two pardons related to the investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, including for a woman convicted of threatening to shoot FBI agents who were investigating a tip that she may have been at the Capitol, officials said Saturday.

    Related video above: BBC leaders resign amid scandal over misleading edit of Trump’s Jan. 6 speech

    In a separate case, Trump issued a second pardon for a Jan. 6 defendant who had remained behind bars despite the sweeping grant of clemency for Capitol rioters because of a separate conviction for illegally possessing firearms.

    It’s the latest example of Trump’s willingness to use his constitutional authority to help supporters who were scrutinized as part of the Biden administration’s massive Jan. 6 investigation that led to charges against more than 1,500 defendants.

    Suzanne Ellen Kaye was released last year after serving an 18-month sentence in her threats case. After the FBI contacted her in 2021 about a tip indicating she may have been at the Capitol on Jan. 6, she posted a video on social media citing her Second Amendment right to carry a gun, and she threatened to shoot agents if they came to her house. In court papers, prosecutors said her words “were part of the ubiquity of violent political rhetoric that causes serious harm to our communities.”

    An email seeking comment was sent to a lawyer for Kaye on Saturday. Kaye testified at trial that she didn’t own any guns and didn’t intend to threaten the FBI, according to court papers. She told authorities she was not at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and wasn’t charged with any Capitol riot-related crimes.

    A White House official said Kaye suffers from “stress-induced seizures” and experienced one when the jury read its verdict. The White House said this is “clearly a case of disfavored First Amendment political speech being prosecuted and an excessive sentence.” The official requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the case.

    In a separate case, Trump pardoned Daniel Edwin Wilson, of Louisville, Kentucky, who was under investigation for his role in the riot when authorities found six guns and roughly 4,800 rounds of ammunition in his home. Because of prior felony convictions, it was illegal for him to possess firearms.

    Wilson’s case became part of a legal debate over whether Trump’s sweeping pardons for Jan. 6 rioters in January applied to other crimes discovered during the sprawling federal dragnet that began after the attack on the Capitol. The Trump-appointed federal judge who oversaw Wilson’s case criticized the Justice Department earlier this year for arguing that the president’s Jan. 6 pardons applied to Wilson’s gun offense.

    Wilson, who had been scheduled to remain in prison until 2028, was released Friday evening following the pardon, his lawyer said on Saturday.

    “We are grateful that President Trump has recognized the injustice in my client’s case and granted him this pardon,” attorney George Pallas said in an email. “Mr. Wilson can now reunite with his family and begin rebuilding his life.”

    The White House official said Saturday that “because the search of Mr. Wilson’s home was due to the events of January 6, and they should have never been there in the first place, President Trump is pardoning Mr. Wilson for the firearm issues.”

    Wilson had been sentenced in 2024 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede or injure police officers and illegally possessing firearms at his home.

    Prosecutors had accused him of planning for the Jan. 6 riot for weeks and coming to Washington with the goal of stopping the peaceful transfer of power. Authorities said he communicated with members of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group and adherents of the antigovernment Three Percenters movement as he marched to the Capitol.

    Prosecutors cited messages they argued showed that Wilson’s “plans were for a broader American civil war.” In one message on Nov. 9, 2020, he wrote: “I’m willing to do whatever. Done made up my mind. I understand the tip of the spear will not be easy. I’m willing to sacrifice myself if necessary. Whether it means prison or death.”

    Wilson said at his sentencing that he regretted entering the Capitol that day but “got involved with good intentions.”

    The Justice Department had initially argued in February that Trump’s pardons of the Jan. 6 rioters on his first day back in the White House didn’t extend to Wilson’s gun crime. The department later changed its position, saying it had received “further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon.”

    U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, criticized the department’s evolving position and said it was “extraordinary” that prosecutors were seeking to argue that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons extended to illegal “contraband” found by investigators during searches related to the Jan. 6 cases.

    Politico first reported Wilson’s pardon on Saturday.

    Megerian reported from West Palm Beach, Fla.

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  • Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Welcome Baby #3 – Meet Rocki! | The YBF

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    The newest baby bad gyal has arrived! Rihanna & A$AP Rocky announced they have welcomed their third child together, a sweet baby girl named Rocki Irish Mayers.

    Rih revealed she actually gave birth to their brand new addition over a week ago on September 13th. The 37-year-old beauty billionaire, global pop star and star of the latest Smurfs movie shared the baby news along with Rocki’s first pic (above), her pink boxing gloves and her cute name (clearly inspired by her Daddy Rocky) on Wednesday afternoon.

    Leave it to the brand new princess to upstage her megastar rapper, actor & fashion killa dad as the 36-year-old made history this week, becoming the first Black man ever to cover Elle magazine.

    The Highest 2 Lowest star even dished out dad gems to the mag, talking about the perks of fatherhood and why he “loves this dad thing.”

    After 5 years together as a couple and over 12 years as friends, it’s now a party of 5 for Rih and Rocky. Something tells us they wouldn’t have it any other way.

    Baby Rocki joins her big brothers – Riot, 2, and Rza, 3 – and we already know she’s about to have Rih and Rakim (ASAP’s real name) wrapped around her ‘r’ing finger as she keeps up the family’s ‘R’ tradition.

    BTW, A$AP’s not the only one gracing magazine covers this past week. Rih popped out covering the new issue of HOMME Girls with her “next fashion killa” in her belly:

    Fab!

    The birth also comes at the perfect time for the couple – just months after A$AP was acquitted on firearms charges in Los Angeles, in February, and just after his big movie with Spike Lee & Denzel Washington.

    They finally got their adorable little gyal. Congrats to the couple!

    Photos: Rihanna’s Instagram

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    The YBF

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  • Fenty Fate: A$AP Rocky Says He ‘Knew When We Were Younger’ That Rihanna Would Be The Mother Of His Kids

    Fenty Fate: A$AP Rocky Says He ‘Knew When We Were Younger’ That Rihanna Would Be The Mother Of His Kids

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    Source: Stephane Cardinale – Corbis / Getty

     

    A$AP Rocky opened up about his Fenty-fated relationship with Rihanna in his new cover story for W Magazine, which features exclusive photography by the Bajan beauty. Published on Oct. 8, the rapper and self-proclaimed “Fashion Killa,” shared insights into his love life and experiences as a father to their two children, Rza, 2, and Riot, 1. Throughout the feature, the New York native showcased some incredibly stylish outfits, including a custom Loewe jumpsuit, alongside pieces from Prada and Tiffany & Co.

    Rocky Said He Knew Rihanna Would Be The Mother Of His Kids, Recalled How He & Rihanna First Met

     

    Rocky is head over heels for Rihanna and when asked how he realized the megastar would be the mother of his kids, he gushed to W Magazine;

    “I knew from when we were younger. We both did, I think. So it was only right when we got older. We just kind of reconnected.”

    The joyful couple initially crossed paths in 2012, building a friendship that lasted for several years before their romance blossomed around 2019 or 2020, according to Rocky’s timeline. Reflecting on their first meeting, the rapper shared that they “locked eyes” outside a nightclub in that same year, where the singer came to his aid when a difficult bouncer denied him, the late Virgil Abloh, and a mutual friend entry.

    “I was kicked out of this nightclub. They wasn’t giving me no access to it. This is when I’m just starting out, so nobody knows me,” he shared. “I was with Matthew Williams and Virgil. I was getting into it with the bouncers, and she came out. We just locked eyes. She didn’t even know us, but she was like, ‘Yo! Why y’all not letting him in? What’s wrong with you?! Let that man in!’”

     

    A$AP Rocky Told W Magazine That He Loves Fatherhood

    Rocky and Rih have been hooked on each other’s love ever since, taking great pride in the family they’ve created together. The rapper spoke affectionately about his two boys, Rza and Riot – born in 2022 and 2023 respectively – highlighting how, despite their young age, they’ve begun to showcase their own distinct personalities.

    “Riot’s an extrovert—he’s just like his mom. Rza is more so like his dad, like me. And he’s my twin. He got his mom’s forehead, but he got everything else from me. I love my boy’s big forehead! I loved it on his mother.” He continued, “I think Rza’s warming up to Riot.” 

    Rocky is enjoying life as a father and his parenting journey has deeply inspired his forthcoming full-length project Don’t Be Dumb which was slated for release in August, but was pushed back due to sample clearances and leaks according to the rapper’s X post published Aug. 22. Fatherhood has profoundly shaped his perspective on life, influencing his daily routine and even the type of music that resonates with him.

    “That sh*t changed my swag,” he added. “I’m such a dad, it’s f**king hilarious. I haven’t been in the gym in weeks. I come home, my kids are already in bed, asleep. I leave, they still asleep. But the sacrifices we make to put out something substantial…”

    Awww, we love to see it! 

    Read Rocky’s full feature with W Magazine here. 

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  • NC Proud Boy was in ‘front ranks’ of Jan. 6 violence at Capitol, feds say

    NC Proud Boy was in ‘front ranks’ of Jan. 6 violence at Capitol, feds say

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    The FBI arrested a 46-year-old Concord man in Charlotte on Tuesday, accusing him of participating in the violent breach of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

    Jay Robert Thaxton joined other members of the Proud Boys in storming the Capitol to disrupt a joint session of Congress, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.

    Congress convened the session to count electoral votes, certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election over Donald Trump.

    Publicly available footage shows Jay Robert Thaxton, 46, of Concord, at “the front ranks of the rioters” as they neared the Lower West Plaza of the Capitol, according a criminal complaint filed against Thaxton in the District of Columbia.
    Publicly available footage shows Jay Robert Thaxton, 46, of Concord, at “the front ranks of the rioters” as they neared the Lower West Plaza of the Capitol, according a criminal complaint filed against Thaxton in the District of Columbia. SCREEN SHOT OF PHOTO in FBI AFFIDAVIT

    ‘Grabbed, pushed and pulled’ barricades

    Publicly available footage shows Thaxton heading to “the front ranks of the rioters” as they neared the Lower West Plaza of the Capitol, according to a criminal complaint filed against Thaxton in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.

    The FBI charged Thaxton with the felony offense of obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. He also was charged with: Misdemeanor counts of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds; and obstructing or impeding passage in a Capitol building or grounds.

    According to an FBI affidavit, Jay Robert Thaxton, a 46-year-old Concord, N.C., resident, is shown grabbing black fencing that rioters destroyed at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
    According to an FBI affidavit, Jay Robert Thaxton, a 46-year-old Concord, N.C., resident, is shown grabbing black fencing that rioters destroyed at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. SCREEN SHOT OF PHOTO IN FBI AFFIDAVIT

    Thaxton and other members of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, marched along the west, north and east sides of the Capitol before breaching it, an FBI agent said in an arrest warrant affidavit.

    On the Lower West Plaza, Thaxton “grabbed, pushed and pulled” police bike racks that served as temporary barricades against the rioters, according to court documents.

    Rioters eventually breached the police line on the Lower West Plaza, court records show.

    According to an FBI affidavit, Jay Robert Thaxton, a 46-year-old Concord, N.C., resident, is shown in this photo grabbing, pushing and pulling police bike racks that served as temporary barricades against rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
    According to an FBI affidavit, Jay Robert Thaxton, a 46-year-old Concord, N.C., resident, is shown in this photo grabbing, pushing and pulling police bike racks that served as temporary barricades against rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. SCREEN SHOT OF FBI AFFIDAVIT

    Thaxton was arrested in Washington that night on a curfew violation charge, prosecutors said. He couldn’t be reached by The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday.

    Thaxton joins at least 1,423 others from nearly all 50 states to be charged in connection with the violence.

    Members of the U.S. House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack found that Trump provoked his supporters to violence through his false allegations of fraud in the election.

    Related stories from Charlotte Observer

    Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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  • 5/2: The Daily Report with John Dickerson

    5/2: The Daily Report with John Dickerson

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    5/2: The Daily Report with John Dickerson – CBS News


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    John Dickerson reports on protesters’ calls for colleges to divestment from Israel, why thousands of migrants are waiting in Mexico, and the new nuclear reactor operating in Georgia.

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  • 5/2: CBS Evening News

    5/2: CBS Evening News

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    5/2: CBS Evening News – CBS News


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    Biden condemns violence during campus protests; Officers, Good Samaritan rescue couple from burning Florida home

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  • This Capitol rioter’s own messages helped the feds convict him of attacking police

    This Capitol rioter’s own messages helped the feds convict him of attacking police

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    David Gietzen of Sanford, N.C., was seen on U.S. Capitol grounds. He attacked Capitol police with a metal pole and was sentenced on Tuesday.

    David Gietzen of Sanford, N.C., was seen on U.S. Capitol grounds. He attacked Capitol police with a metal pole and was sentenced on Tuesday.


    FBI document

    A North Carolina man who struck Capitol police with a metal pole after being one of the first to breach U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced to six years in prison Tuesday.

    After slamming and grabbing officers’ face masks, David Joseph Gietzen, 30, told friends and family it was “a beautiful day” spent with thousands of people ascending the Capitol after former president Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally.

    An armed civil war would come next, he hoped.

    The Sanford man was arrested one year and four months later. He was one of several thousand Trump supporters — and at least 16 now-convicted North Carolinians — who stormed the Capitol, where a crowd broke through police barricades, breached the building and attempted to stop the joint session of Congress where electoral votes were being counted in the 2020 presidential election.

    “Never been prouder to be an American,” Gietzen wrote in another message someone later shared with FBI agents.

    Court documents lay out Gietzen’s movements around Washington D.C., both on the day of the Capitol riots and his return two weeks later on the day of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

    While Gietzen was the first publicly-identified N.C. defendant to have been in Washington for both Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally and the inauguration, he has not been charged with any crimes connected to his inaugural visit.

    U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols sentenced Gietzen to 72 months – or six years – in prison and 36 months of supervised release after a federal jury found him guilty of seven felonies and one misdemeanor for his actions at the Capitol.

    Members of the U.S. House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack found that Trump provoked his supporters to violence through his false allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday will hear arguments over whether Trump is immune from prosecution in a criminal indictment charging him with trying to overturn the election result.

    David Gietzen’s Capitol riot route

    Gietzen —who wore a helmet, goggles, and knee pads on Jan. 6 — consistently pushed his way to the front of the Capitol’s crowds, documents filed by the FBI show.

    Cameras fastened to the building above show him lined at the barriers in front of the Capitol around 2 p.m. His white helmet and green jacket set him aside from the crowd of red MAGA-hat wearers and police officers uniformed in black helmets and vests.

    Screenshots of surveillance videos soon show Gietzen pushing through the barrier as a crowd of others follow.

    “F— disgrace,” he yells at officers. “We Want Trump!” he chants.

    By 2:30 p.m., Gietzen is carrying a long metal pipe, which he later uses to assault officers after they were toppled by a door-sized piece of plywood. He leaves the area — and his helmet — and appears at the front of a tunnel entrance by 4 p.m.

    That’s the last time Gietzen was captured on camera that day.

    He later sent a message to friends saying: “Btw they are trying to give credit to storming congress on the news to Antifa….BULLSHIT, I was there in a hallway helping to push the line of guards back. Today was 100 what happens when you piss of normal people, and the next protest is going even further.”

    FBI agents contacted Gietzen by phone on Jan. 19, 2021, and he told them that he and his brother were en route to D.C., but that “he had no intentions of committing any acts of violence.”

    A friend in one of Gietzen’s group chats contacted the FBI in May 2021 after Gietzen’s college acquaintance did the same in February. A year later, police arrested him.

    Gietzen does not regret his actions, he said at both the trial and sentencing, according to a news release by the U.S. District Attorney for the District of Colombia.

    Gietzen was suspect No. 217 on the FBI’s page of Jan. 6 participants. Agents learned of his identity in February 2021 after receiving a tip from an N.C. resident who knew Gietzen from college, according to court records.

    More than 1,230 people — including 34 North Carolinians — have been charged with federal crimes in the riot, ranging from misdemeanor offenses like trespassing to felonies like assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy.

    At least five deaths have been linked to the violence. More than 140 police officers were injured, while the Capitol was left with an estimated $1.5 million in damages.

    This story was originally published April 24, 2024, 3:28 PM.

    Related stories from Charlotte Observer

    Julia Coin overs local and federal courts and legal issues after previously working as a breaking news reporter for the Observer. Julia has reported on fentanyl in local schools, the aftermath of police shootings and crime trends in Charlotte. Michigan-born and Florida-raised, she studied journalism at the University of Florida, where she covered statewide legislation, sexual assault on campus and Hurricane Ian’s destruction.
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  • NC man who threw flagpole-type object at US Capitol police on Jan. 6 headed to prison

    NC man who threw flagpole-type object at US Capitol police on Jan. 6 headed to prison

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    U.S. Attorney’s Office

    A Rutherford County man pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges on Wednesday for his actions related to the breaching of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, which included picking up a flagpole-like object and throwing it toward a line of police officers.

    Anthony Mastanduno, 61, pleaded guilty to a nine-count indictment, including six felony charges, a release from the U.S. Department of Justice said.

    Those felonies were:

    • Civil disorder

    • Entering and remaining in a restricted area with a deadly and dangerous weapon

    • Becoming involved in physical violence in a restricted area or groups with a deadly and dangerous weapon

    • Two counts of assaulting

    • Resisting or impeding certain officers using a deadly and dangerous weapon

    Additionally, Mastanduno pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges that included disorderly conduct in a capitol building, an act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or building, parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

    An image from the US Attorney’s Office shows Anthony Mastanduno, circled in red, with a pole-like object as he approaches a line of officers at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
    An image from the US Attorney’s Office shows Anthony Mastanduno, circled in red, with a pole-like object as he approaches a line of officers at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. US Attorney’s Office

    Mastanduno at the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

    The release said court documents showed that on Jan. 6, 2021, in the afternoon, Mastanduno entered the Capitol building via the Senate Wing Door, about four minutes after it was first breached by rioters.

    He made his way to the Capitol Crypt, where he was at the front of a line of rioters who overwhelmed police officers in the area. Almost 20 minutes after he first entered, Mastanduno exited the Capitol building and made his way to the Lower West Terrace.

    There, police formed a defensive line at the mouth of an archway leading to an entrance of the Capitol building known as the Tunnel. Rioters at the location “battled” with police officers for hours, the release said, in an attempt to storm the Capitol building.

    The release said the Tunnel was the site of “some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement” on Jan. 6.

    Coordinated attacks on police

    Later that afternoon, Mastanduno began participating in coordinated attacks on uniformed police protecting the tunnel after engaging with other rioters.

    Picking up a blue, flagpole-like object, Mastanduno threw it into the mouth of the tunnel towards the line of officers “as if throwing a javelin or spear,” the release said.

    He then got a police shield, stolen from officers, which he used to push against the same line of police at the mouth of the Tunnel. He also used a telescoping baton while pushing, the release said, to strike police officers multiple times.

    The baton can be worn on the hip and expands in length. Mastanduno aimed for the hands and arms of the officers.

    He abandoned his position in the Tunnel after being sprayed with a chemical irritant spray.

    The FBI arrested Mastanduno on Aug. 23, 2023, in North Carolina. He will be sentenced by a judge on June 27.

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  • Maine secretary of state removes Trump from state’s 2024 primary ballot

    Maine secretary of state removes Trump from state’s 2024 primary ballot

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    Maine secretary of state removes Trump from state’s 2024 primary ballot – CBS News


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    The state of Maine has removed Donald Trump from its primary ballot, but his campaign is vowing to appeal. It is the second state, following Colorado, attempting to block the former president from running again, alleging that he is disqualified by the 14th Amendment for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Scott MacFarlane reports from Washington, D.C.

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  • FBI arrests L.A. actor and Republican Party official over alleged involvement in Jan. 6 riot

    FBI arrests L.A. actor and Republican Party official over alleged involvement in Jan. 6 riot

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    A Los Angeles County Republican Party executive board member was arrested on charges related to entering the U.S. Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021, according to news reports and party officials.

    Siaka Massaquoi, first vice-chair of the L.A. County Republican Party, was arrested Thursday by FBI agents at a Los Angeles airport, reported Red State, a conservative news media outlet for which Massaquoi is a columnist. Massaquoi was reportedly returning with his wife from Nashville, where the couple attended the premiere of the Daily Wire’s new film “Lady Ballers,” a controversial comedy mocking transgender athletes.

    Massaquoi was taken into custody on misdemeanor charges including trespassing, disorderly conduct and parading or demonstrating in a Capitol building, and he was held in jail overnight and released on a $1,000 bond Friday, Red State reported.

    A spokesperson for the Republican Party of L.A. County confirmed the arrest and said more information would be provided later.

    In a post Saturday on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, Massaquoi shared a video clip of a livestream from inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, writing: “Witness why I was raided 2 years ago and recently arrested and charged Nov 30th 2023 almost 3 years later.”

    Authorities raided Massaquoi’s North Hollywood home in June 2021 because of his associations on “a social media app,” a law enforcement source said at the time. Massaquoi posted an Instagram video after the raid in which he said, “I did nothing wrong on the 6th … did nothing violent.”

    The 71-second video shared by Massaquoi on Saturday appears to show him holding his phone up to record or stream video among about a dozen protesters, some with their faces covered or wearing Trump 2020 hats, crowded at the threshold of a door into the Capitol. Dozens of Capitol Police officers, many in riot gear, fill the hallway and appear to be trying to get the Trump supporters out of the building. Some of those in the video say they are “trying” to leave but are blocked by the crowds.

    Massaquoi did not respond to requests from The Times for comment.

    In comments to Red State, Massaquoi said he was “grateful to Jesus for being with me and my family throughout this unbelievable event.”

    “Charlotte and I are so grateful for all the love and support we have received so far and know we will get through this with God’s grace. Thank you for your prayers and support,” Massaquoi said.

    The U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia is prosecuting the case. The office did not immediately return requests for comment.

    Massaquoi, an actor whose IMDb credits include bit parts on shows including Fox’s “Lethal Weapon,” also filmed himself at a protest that shut down the COVID-19 vaccination site at Dodger Stadium in January 2021.

    Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

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  • Issa RIH-UP? Fans Seem To Think Rihanna Is Going On A World Tour

    Issa RIH-UP? Fans Seem To Think Rihanna Is Going On A World Tour

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    That internet streets is talkin’ and fans seem to think that Rihanna is reportedly preparing to go on a world tour and release new music. Though we can’t confirm if that’s true, see what reports are saying below:

    RELATED: Baby Reveal! Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Pose In A Family Photoshoot With Their Two Sons (PHOTOS)

    More Details Regarding Rihanna’s Alleged Upcoming Tour & New Music

    According to a report published by Mirror on Saturday, an anonymous source claims Rihanna will embark on a “comeback tour” between 2024 and 2025.

    “Rihanna is quietly planning a comeback tour after signing with Live Nation. The deal was created to facilitate a world tour and her creative team is quietly at work in Los Angeles putting it all together as she raises her family,” an insider for Mirror reportedly explained. “She’ll press play on the live show once she’s ready to go back to work and has two albums’ worth of material to release once she’s back.”

    At this time, Live Nation has not publicly confirmed speculation of Rihanna’s “comeback tour.” The company’s website profile for the singer currently states that the artist has “no upcoming events.”

    Social Media Reacts

    Of course, media speculation only enflamed social media’s excitement for Rihanna’s potential return to music. Rihanna’s last music release, “Lift Me Up,” was featured on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack almost a year ago. Prior to this, the last time the 35-year-old made a major return to the stage was when she revealed that she was pregnant with her second child during the Super Bowl halftime performance in February 2022.

    RELATED: Funniest Reactions To Rihanna Revealing Baby No. 2 During Super Bowl 2023 Performance

    On X, formerly known as Twitter, some users reacted to the speculation by sharing that their tickets to Rihanna’s “comeback tour” are already “bought.”

    While others seemed to bask in the news feeling “too good to be true.”

    While others seemed to poke fun at the news, openly implying that it is “not a drill.”

    Roomies, we don’t know if the tea is Lipton, but the streets are talking! IF our girl Rih hits the stage, would you be down?!

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  • 7/18: CBS Evening News

    7/18: CBS Evening News

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    7/18: CBS Evening News – CBS News


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    Trump receives target letter in Jan. 6 investigation; Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion

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  • 7/18: Prime Time with John Dickerson

    7/18: Prime Time with John Dickerson

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    7/18: Prime Time with John Dickerson – CBS News


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    John Dickerson reports on Donald Trump facing another potential indictment, an American soldier detained in North Korea, and an update on the murder case of Tupac Shakur.

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  • Trump receives target letter in Jan. 6 investigation

    Trump receives target letter in Jan. 6 investigation

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    Trump receives target letter in Jan. 6 investigation – CBS News


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    Former President Donald Trump has received a target letter from special counsel Jack Smith regarding the investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The letter could signal an indictment is forthcoming. Robert Costa reports.

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  • Hundreds arrested as France rocked by third night of fiery protests over fatal police shooting of teen

    Hundreds arrested as France rocked by third night of fiery protests over fatal police shooting of teen

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    French President Emmanuel Macron was to chair a new crisis meeting of ministers Friday after a third straight night of nationwide protests over the deadly police shooting of a teenager saw cars torched, shops ransacked and hundreds arrested.

    The overnight unrest followed a march on Thursday in memory of the 17-year-old who is only being identified by his first name, Nahel. His death revived longstanding grievances about policing and racial profiling in France’s low-income and multiethnic suburbs.

    The Elysee announced Macron would cut short a trip to Brussels, where he was attending a European Union summit, to chair a crisis meeting on the violence — the second such emergency talks in as many days.

    Around 40,000 police and gendarmes — along with elite Raid and GIGN units — were deployed in several cities overnight, with curfews imposed in municipalities around Paris and bans on public gatherings instated in Lille and Tourcoing in the country’s north.

    Despite the massive security deployment, violence and damage were reported in multiple areas.

    Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 667 people had been arrested in what he described as a night of “rare violence.”

    The ministry also said 249 police and gendarmes were injured, none seriously.

    Police sources said that rather than pitched battles between protesters and police, the night was marked by pillaging of shops, reportedly including flagship branches of Nike and Zara in Paris.

    France Police Shooting
    Police stand amid firecrackers on June 30, 2023 during the third night of protests sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France.

    Aurelien Morissard / AP


    Public buildings were also targeted, with a police station in the Pyrenees city of Pau hit with a Molotov cocktail, according to regional authorities, and an elementary school and a district office set on fire in Lille.

    France has been rocked by successive nights of protests since Nahel was shot point-blank on Tuesday during a traffic stop captured on video.

    In her first media interview since the shooting, Nahel’s mother, Mounia, told the France 5 channel: “I don’t blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son.”

    She said the 38-year-old officer responsible, who was detained and charged with voluntary manslaughter on Thursday, “saw an Arab face, a little kid, and wanted to take his life.”

    The officer’s name wasn’t released, a French practice in criminal cases.

    The memorial march for Nahel, led by Mounia, ended with riot police firing tear gas as several cars were set on fire in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre, where the teenager lived and was killed.

    As part of measures to restore calm, Paris bus and tram services were halted after 9:00 pm local time Thursday, the region’s president said.

    But the measures and heightened security appeared to do little to deter unrest Thursday night.

    APTOPIX France Police Shooting
    A demonstrator runs on June 30, 2023 during the third night of protests sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France.

    Aurelien Morissard / AP


    In the city center of Marseille, a library was vandalized, according to local officials, and scuffles broke out nearby when police used tear gas to disperse a group of 100 to 150 people who allegedly tried to set up barricades.

    Multiple public buildings were also targeted in Seine-Saint-Denis, in the Paris metro area, according to a police source.

    In the suburb of Drancy, rioters used a truck to force open the entrance to a shopping center that was then partly looted and burned, a police source said.

    Firefighters in the northern municipality of Roubaix, meanwhile, dashed from blaze to blaze throughout the night, with a hotel near the train station also catching fire, sending its dozen or so residents fleeing into the streets.

    In Nanterre, the epicentre of the unrest, tensions rose around midnight, with fireworks and explosives set off in the Pablo Picasso district, where Nahel had lived, according to an AFP journalist.

    The government is desperate to avoid a repeat of 2005 urban riots, sparked by the death of two boys of African origin in a police chase, during which 6,000 people were arrested.

    Macron has called for calm and said the protest violence was “unjustifiable.”

    The riots are a fresh challenge for the president, who had been looking to move past some of the biggest demonstrations in a generation sparked by a controversial rise in the nation’s retirement age..

    Nahel was killed as he pulled away from police who were trying to stop him for a traffic infraction.

    A video, authenticated by AFP, showed two police officers standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

    A voice is heard saying: “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”

    The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

    Clashes first erupted as the video emerged, contradicting police accounts that the teenager was driving at the officer.

    The officer’s lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, told BFMTV late Thursday that his client had apologized as he was taken into custody.

    “The first words he pronounced were to say sorry, and the last words he said were to say sorry to the family,” Lienard said.

    The attorney said his client was was sorry and “devastated” but did what he thought was necessary in the moment, according to The Associated Press. “He doesn’t get up in the morning to kill people. … He really didn’t want to kill.”

    Earlier on Thursday, Nanterre public prosecutor Pascal Prache had said, “The prosecution considers that the legal conditions for the use of the weapon” by the police officer who fired the shot “are not met.”

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  • Pakistan Supreme Court orders ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s immediate release after 2 days of deadly riots

    Pakistan Supreme Court orders ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s immediate release after 2 days of deadly riots

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    Islamabad — There was a major turn of events in Pakistan Thursday as the country’s highest court ordered the immediate release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and declared his Tuesday arrest illegal. Major cities were paralyzed this week by violent protests and riots sparked by the arrest of Khan, a national cricket legend-turned political opposition leader, on corruption charges. Khan remains hugely popular in the country of 230 million despite being forced out office last year with a no-confidence vote in Pakistan’s parliament, and his arrest has infuriated his supporters.

    The streets were quieter Thursday after two days of violence that left at least eight people dead. But the nuclear-armed Asian nation remained on tenterhooks after most leaders of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) political party were taken into custody. The nation’s powerful army and current prime minister, who’s backed by the military, warned protesters Wednesday that any further unrest would be dealt with harshly.

    APTOPIX Pakistan Imran Khan
    A supporter of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan throws a stone at police officers near a pile of burning tires during clashes in Islamabad, Pakistan, May 10, 2023.

    AP


    Here’s what to know about the chaos, how Pakistan got here, and what may come next:

    Pakistan’s Supreme Court orders Khan’s release

    Pakistan’s Supreme Court heard a petition Thursday from Khan’s lawyer, who demanded the politician’s release and called his Tuesday arrest illegal. The court expressed displeasure over the way Khan was taken into custody in another courtroom earlier in the week, and it ordered authorities to bring him before the high court bench within an hour.

    When Khan was brought in, the court declared his Tuesday arrest unlawful for the way in which it was carried out, and then quickly ordered the 70-year-old politician’s  immediate release. 

    Khan was detained in a lower court Tuesday after appearing on corruption charges brought by Islamabad police. As he showed up in court, dozens of agents from the National Accountability Bureau, backed by paramilitary troops, stormed the courtroom, breaking windows after Khan’s guards refused to open the door.

    Amid speculation ahead of his appearance Thursday that the Supreme Court could order his release, national Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters in Islamabad that it would be “unfair” for the top court to intervene is such a manner. Aurangzeb noted the violence instigated by Khan’s supporters this week and said a release order would be tantamount to a “license to kill to everyone.” 

    Who is Imran Khan?

    Imran Khan, 70, is was the Prime Minister of Pakistan for four years, until his ouster in November 2022. He remains the leader of the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), which means Movement for Justice in English.

    Khan established the party after retiring from a glittering career as the captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team. He led the team to win the Cricket World Cup in 1992, cementing his status as a national hero.


    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan injured in shooting

    03:29

    Disillusioned by widespread corruption in Pakistani politics, he left the sporting world to set up his political party in 1998. A decade later, he was finally elected as prime minister in 2018, enjoying the backing of the country’s all-powerful military. But he has since fallen spectacularly out of favor with the army’s leaders, and was voted out by parliament last year.

    Why was Imran Khan arrested?

    Ironically, having been an ardent campaigner against corruption and bribery, Khan now faces a series of graft and corruption cases.

    Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah told reporters Khan was arrested this week on the orders of the country’s main anticorruption body, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He said Khan and his wife Bushra were suspected of receiving land worth around $24.7 million from a developer that had been charged with money laundering by British authorities.

    Sanaullah said U.K. authorities had returned $240 million to Pakistan in connection with the case, and that Khan was accused of returning that money to the land developer instead of keeping it in the national treasury when he was the premier.

    Khan vehemently denies all wrongdoing and insists all the charges against him — which include more than 100 separate cases brought against him since his 2022 ouster — are a ruse to keep him from contesting elections scheduled to be held in November this year.

    Khan is the seventh Pakistani prime minister in the country’s history to be arrested on corruption charges.

    What happens next, and why does it matter?

    The confrontation between Khan’s supporters and the ruling coalition government is likely to intensify again ahead of his next court appearance on May 17, when his pre-trial detention will be reviewed. If the judge decides to release Khan, he and the PTI may be emboldened and he would likely return to his home in the city of Lahore, where his supporters could more effectively try to shield him from another arrest.

    If the political turmoil around Khan continues, it could derail the national elections planned for November. 

    PAKISTAN-POLITICS-KHAN-ARREST-PROTEST
    A policeman holding a machine gun walks past a burning car during a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party activists and supporters of former Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran over the arrest of their leader, in Peshawar, May 10, 2023.

    ABDUL MAJEED/AFP/Getty


    Pakistan’s military has ruled the country for the majority of its 75-year history, and most observers believe the army generals still pull the strings of its civilian government. Many Pakistanis fear the army could move to overthrow the civilian government and impose martial law if the unrest continues and military facilities again come under attack.

    The impoverished country is mired in a deep and deepening economic crisis, meanwhile, with food inflation running above 36%. Many experts believe the government is on the verge of defaulting on its international debt payments, which could trigger a complete economic meltdown. The value of the Pakistani rupee hit an all-time low against the U.S. dollar Wednesday, and it continued its precipitous fall as trading began on interbank markets Thursday.

    The instability sparked by Khan’s arrest has added to a sense of impending disaster in the country, and the immediate question is how the military will respond to any new flare-up of the protests. 

    If the generals take a heavy-handed approach to the unprecedented challenge to their power, it could lead to a wider internal conflict, and a stability crisis in a nuclear-armed nation that has tense relations with its nuclear-armed neighbor India would be a cause for concern around the world.

    CBS News’ Tucker Reals contributed to this report.

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  • Pakistan riots over Imran Khan’s arrest continue as army deployed, 5 people killed in clashes

    Pakistan riots over Imran Khan’s arrest continue as army deployed, 5 people killed in clashes

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    Islamabad — Pakistan’s major cities were again hit by deadly riots and disorder Wednesday as a court in the capital Islamabad ordered former Prime Minister Imran Khan to be held in custody for eight days on corruption charges. Army troops have deployed on the streets of two of the country’s biggest provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, amid the chaos sparked by the former leader’s arrest. At least eight people have been killed amid the clashes, according to a senior government official, but Khan’s party claims the real death toll is in the dozens. 

    Officials said at least four people were killed Wednesday in the northwest city of Peshawar as supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) political party stormed the offices of national broadcaster Radio Pakistan. It was just one of many manifestations of rage among Khan’s backers following his arrest Tuesday morning as he appeared in a court to face corruption charges.

    Shooting could be heard from Peshawar’s Bala Hisaar fort, which houses a military facility. One protester was killed in the southwest city of Quetta on Tuesday, bringing the officially confirmed death toll from two days of rioting to at least five. The PTI, however, claims about 50 people have been killed and more than 1,000 arrested. 

    PAKISTAN-POLITICS-KHAN-ARREST-PROTEST
    A policeman holding a machine gun walks past a burning car during a protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party activists and supporters of former Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran over the arrest of their leader, in Peshawar, May 10, 2023.

    ABDUL MAJEED/AFP/Getty


    Police said in a Wednesday statement that officers in Pakistan’s biggest province, Punjab, had arrested at least 945 Khan supporters since Tuesday, including senior PTI leader Asad Umar. Dozens of Khan supporters were also detained in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and elsewhere. At least 157 police officers have been injured in clashes with Khan supporters, officials said.

    Schools across the country were closed and major roads remained quiet or deserted as people not involved in the protests largely opted to stay indoors. Several major social media platforms were offline in the country and internet connections were either suspended or patchy as authorities clamped down on communications in a bid to quell the unrest.

    Khan was ousted from power last year, losing a no-confidence vote in parliament, but the former national cricket star remains one of Pakistan’s most popular politicians. He came to power in 2018, backed by the country’s powerful military, but has since spectacularly fallen out with the army’s leadership, even publicly accusing a senior officer of plotting to assassinate him.


    Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan injured in shooting

    03:29

    When he was arrested Tuesday, Khan was appearing in court on several corruption charges brought by Islamabad police. As he showed up in court, dozens of agents from the National Accountability Bureau, backed by paramilitary troops, stormed the courtroom, breaking windows after Khan’s guards refused to open the door.

    Khan’s supporters quickly attacked the military’s headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, but did not reach the main building housing the offices of army chief Gen. Asim Munir.

    Other demonstrators tried to reach the office and residence of current Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif, who’s backed by the military, in Lahore, but were driven off by baton-wielding in police. Others attacked vehicles carrying troops and hit armed soldiers with sticks.

    PAKISTAN-POLITICS-KHAN-ARREST-PROTEST
    Black smokes billows from a building set ablaze by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party activists and supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran during a protest against his arrest, in Peshawar, May 10, 2023.

    ABDUL MAJEED/AFP/Getty


    So far, authorities have said that neither police nor soldiers have fired live ammunition at protesters. Unverified videos posted on social media since Tuesday, however, show men in plainclothes shooting during protests in several cities.

    Pakistan’s military issued its first reaction to the unrest Wednesday, calling the attacks “targeting army property and installations” a “black chapter” in the country and vowing that it would “not allow anyone to take the law into their hands.”  

    The army said Khan had been arrested “in line with the NAB statement and law” and called those rioting against his detention “miscreants” trying to “evoke the nation’s emotions for achieving their limited and selfish objectives.” 

    None of the leaders of Khan’s party have denounced the attacks on the military, but they have publicly called for demonstrations to remain peaceful.

    The violent unrest has prompted calls from the U.S. and U.K. for their citizens to avoid travel to Pakistan and to take all possible steps to remain safe if already in the country.

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  • Pence won’t appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe

    Pence won’t appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe

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    Pence won’t appeal order to testify in Trump special counsel probe – CBS News


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    A spokesperson for former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said that Pence’s legal team will not appeal a judge’s order that he testify in a special counsel probe over former President Donald Trump’s actions surrounding the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Robert Costa has the latest.

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  • 4/5: CBS News Prime Time

    4/5: CBS News Prime Time

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    4/5: CBS News Prime Time – CBS News


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    John Dickerson reports on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen, the loss of Medicaid for millions of Americans, and how the Wisconsin Supreme Court election result could have a national impact.

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