Michael Cohen in the stands
Michael Cohen—the all-powerful fixer who once bragged about burying Donald Trump’s secrets and spreading his lies— Testified yesterday in Trump criminal trial.
In a key paragraph, he said the hush money payment he made to Stormy Daniels was made at Trump’s direction. “He said to me, ‘Just do it,'” Cohen said on the witness stand in New York, adding, “I’m doing everything I can to protect my boss.” This is the latest.
Cohen’s testimony is key to prosecutors’ efforts to tie Trump to an alleged conspiracy to protect his 2016 presidential campaign by burying Daniels’ account of a 2006 sexual encounter. Cohen admitted to lying and bullying for Trump, buying and suppressing negative coverage while acting as a “thug.”
Cohen still faces defense cross-examination; It also confirms some key claims: As his lawyers say, Trump was oblivious to the machinations of his middlemen, and the former president is a family man deeply concerned that Daniels’ accusations will damage his marriage. Cohen described Trump as a micromanager whose primary concern was his campaign.
Protesters disrupt Israeli Memorial Day events
israelis Yesterday, people from all over the country gathered together It is the first national day of mourning for victims of war or terror attacks since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. Protesters disrupted several ceremonies and heckled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, demanding government officials do more to secure the hostages’ release.
The protests highlighted intense anguish over the war in Gaza, the fate of the hostages taken on Oct. 7 and domestic politics.
hostage: About 240 people were kidnapped by Hamas in the attacks, and the Israeli government has so far released more than 100 people.
In Gaza: Israeli airstrikes rocked the northern and southern ends of the territory yesterday, with the military saying it hit more than 120 targets in the past 24 hours. The Israeli military said ground forces were also fighting Hamas militants in multiple locations. During the fighting, tens of thousands of civilians fled and sought safety.
Hamas: Served as top leader for many years Oversees a secret police force in Gaza The group spies on young people, journalists and people who question the government, according to information reviewed by The New York Times.
Ukraine air defense system under pressure
Ukrainian air defenses have intercepted most Russian missiles in the past, but in recent months an increasing number have been successfully intercepted, crippling Ukraine’s ability to protect key infrastructure and plunging cities into darkness.
A Times analysis of Ukraine’s daily military reports shows a significant shift. Kiev reported intercepting more than 80 percent of missiles last May.This interest rate is now dropped to less than halfUkraine demanded more supplies, and Russia fired heavier artillery fire, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses and firing faster, harder-to-shoot missiles.
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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 Films, artists and events we’ll be following.
Some 45 years after Apocalypse Now won the Palme d’Or, Francis Ford Coppola returns with Megacity, starring Adam Driver as a visionary architect determined to Rebuild the city after the disaster. It’s hard to imagine a friendlier place than Coppola’s venerable Cannes Film Festival.
But the biggest movie premiere will be Furiosa: The Mad Max Legend. Expect a big red carpet moment from Anya Taylor-Joy, who takes over the title role from Charlize Theron’s original. (For more information, Read our interview with Taylor-Joy.)
Real-world controversy could seep into the glitzy festival. Festival staff may strike out of frustration over contract. The French film industry is considering #MeToo, with more accusations rumored to emerge during the festival.
