Michael Cohen on the stand
Michael Cohen — the jack-of-all-trades fixer who once boasted of burying Donald Trump's secrets and spreading lies — testified yesterday at Trump's criminal trial.
In a key passage, he said the hush money he paid Stormy Daniels was at Trump's direction. “He told me, 'Just do it,'” Cohen said on the stand in New York, adding, “I was doing everything to protect his boss.” Here is the latest one.
Mr. Cohen's testimony is key to prosecutors' efforts to link Mr. Trump to an alleged conspiracy to protect his 2016 presidential campaign by burying Mr. Daniels' testimony about a 2006 sexual encounter. Become. Cohen admitted to lying and bullying Trump on behalf of Trump, buying and suppressing negative stories while playing the role of a “thug.”
Cohen, who still faces cross-examination from the defense, also denied several key allegations. Lawyers argue that Trump was unaware of the Fixer conspiracy and that the former president was deeply concerned about the outcome of Daniels' accusations because of his family nature. Harmful to his marriage. Cohen described Trump as a micromanager who was more focused on his campaign than anything else.
Demonstrators disrupt Israeli Remembrance Day event
Israelis gathered from across the country yesterday for the first National Day of Remembrance to remember the victims of war and terrorist attacks since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. Demonstrators disrupted several ceremonies and heckled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they demanded that government officials do more to secure the release of the hostages.
The protests highlighted the intensity of anguish over the war in Gaza, the fate of hostages taken on October 7, and domestic politics.
hostage: Approximately 240 people were abducted by Hamas in the attack, and the Israeli government has so far secured the release of more than 100.
In Gaza: Israeli airstrikes yesterday rocked the northern and southern edges of the territory, with the military saying it had hit more than 120 targets in the past 24 hours. According to the Israeli military, ground forces also engaged Hamas fighters in several locations. Tens of thousands of civilians fled to safety during the fighting.
Hamas: Top leaders have long supervised Gaza's secret police, which monitor young people, journalists and people who question the government, according to information reviewed by The New York Times.
Ukraine's air defense system is under strain
Ukraine's air defenses have previously intercepted most Russian missiles, but in recent months more and more missiles have breached them, paralyzing Ukraine's ability to protect key infrastructure and plunging cities into darkness.
A Times analysis of Ukraine's military diaries revealed major changes. Kiev reported last May that it had intercepted more than 80% of its missiles. That percentage has now fallen by more than half, as Ukraine seeks more supplies and Russia launches massive barrages that overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses and high-velocity missiles that are difficult to shoot down.
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What to see in Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival opens today in the south of France. Times culture reporter Kyle Buchanan writes about the films, artists and events we're watching.
Some 45 years after Apocalypse Now won the Palme d'Or, Francis Ford Coppola is back with Megalopolis. He stars in Adam Driver as a visionary architect determined to rebuild a city after a disaster. It's hard to imagine a more hospitable place for this film's debut than Coppola's revered Cannes.
But the biggest movie premiere will be “Furiosa: The Mad Max Saga.” Expect big red carpet moments from Anya Taylor-Joy, who takes over the title character created by Charlize Theron. (Read our interview with Taylor-Joy for more information.)
It's possible that real-world controversies could slip into the glitz and glamor of the festival. Festival employees may become dissatisfied with their contracts and go on strike. And the French film industry is paying close attention to #MeToo, with further accusations rumored to come during the festival.