Musk puts Twitter buy ‘on hold,’ casting doubt on $44B deal
Elon Musk has put his plan to buy Twitter on temporary hold, raising fresh doubts about whether he’ll proceed with the $44 billion acquisition. In a tweet early Friday, the Tesla billionaire said he’s skeptical that the number of inauthentic accounts presented by Twitter is as low as the company suggests. The issue of fake accounts on Twitter is not secret. In its quarterly filing with the SEC, even Twitter expressed doubts that its count of bot accounts was correct, conceding that the estimate may be low.
Ukraine begins trial of Russian Soldier accused of war crime
Ukrainian authorities Friday began a case against a Russian soldier accused of shooting a civilian, the first trial involving a suspected war crime by a Russian service member since the invasion began in February. The soldier, Sgt. Vadim Shysimarin, is accused of shooting a 62-year-old man on a bicycle in the village of Chupakhivka. The man was killed Feb. 28, four days after the full-scale invasion began, and his body left on the side of the road. Shysimarin was subsequently captured, although details of how that transpired remain unclear. The indictment will be read Wednesday. He faces 10-15 years in prison.
Subpoenas for Republicans raise new questions for Jan. 6 panel
The decision by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol to issue subpoenas to five Republican members of Congress, including Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, has sent a shock wave through Capitol Hill. The move by the Democratic-led panel set up a showdown with Republicans that could result in the threat of jail time against sitting members of Congress. It also had major implications for the investigation, and whether the country will ever get full answers about the deadly mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Republicans warned of retaliation if they take control of the House after the midterm elections.
Top Texas court allows abuse inquiries of parents of transgender children
The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that investigations of parents with transgender children for possible child abuse could continue, after an emergency appeal by state officials including Gov. Greg Abbott. The ruling reversed lower-court decisions that had temporarily halted the inquiries statewide. But the court said neither Abbott nor the attorney general, Ken Paxton, had the authority to order such investigations, and it left in place a lower-court order halting the investigation into the plaintiffs in the suit, a family and a doctor, acknowledging that the inquiry would cause “irreparable harm.” Paxton praised the ruling as “a win for families against the gender ideology of doctors, big pharma, clinics.”
More than 20 states press judge to continue migrant expulsions
Lawyers for 24 states critical of the Biden administration’s immigration policies argued Friday for a nationwide injunction to maintain the swift expulsions of migrants under a pandemic-related public policy, and a federal judge said he planned to issue an order before the policy is set to be rescinded May 23. Judge Robert R. Summerhays of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana did not say how he would rule, but he has previously been supportive of the arguments brought by the 24 mostly Republican-led states to force the measure, known as Title 42, to remain in place.
Sweden weighs joining NATO
In a major recalculation of its security posture precipitated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Sweden is relearning how to be a military power. Pulled along by its strategic partner, Finland, it is about to apply to join NATO, ending more than 200 years of neutrality and military nonalignment. A parliamentary report presented Friday by Sweden’s foreign minister said the country’s membership in NATO, alongside Finland, would have a deterrent effect in northern Europe, although the analysis cautioned that retaliatory measures from Russia could not be ruled out in the transition period if Sweden applies for membership in the alliance.
Robredo admits defeat in Philippine presidential election
Leni Robredo, the outgoing vice president of the Philippines, acknowledged Friday her loss in one of the most consequential presidential elections in the country’s history, urging her supporters to accept the results of the vote. Speaking at a rally, Robredo did not mention the apparent winner, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the country’s late dictator. Protests against Marcos erupted after preliminary results Monday night showed he had won by the biggest margin in more than three decades. But the election had been marred by complaints of vote buying and broken ballot-counting machines.
Russian court extends Griner’s pretrial detention, attorney says
A court in Russia on Friday extended the pretrial detention of WNBA star Brittney Griner until June 18, her attorney said. Griner has been in Russian custody since February on drug charges that can carry up to 10 years in prison. The charge is based on allegations that she had vape cartridges containing hashish oil in her luggage when she was stopped at an airport near Moscow. Griner appeared in court for a hearing Friday, according to her attorney, Alexander Boikov. He said that the court denied his appeal to have Griner transferred to house arrest.
West targets Putin with sanctions on ex-wife, reputed girlfriend
President Vladimir Putin of Russia faced a fresh setback Friday when Britain slapped sanctions on his ex-wife, Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, on a former Olympic gymnast long rumored to be his girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, and on three cousins: Igor, Mikhail and Roman Putin. In a sign that not all diplomatic channels have been cut off, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for the first time since Feb. 18 — six days before the invasion of Ukraine. Austin pushed for a cease-fire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication, according to Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby.
Israeli police attack mourners before funeral for Palestinian-American journalist
In life, Shireen Abu Akleh, an acclaimed Palestinian-American broadcaster, was one of the leading chroniclers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her death, while covering an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, turned her into one of the conflict’s most prominent recent victims. Then, Friday in Jerusalem, her funeral was marred by another burst of violence. As thousands of people massed in east Jerusalem for one of the largest Palestinian funerals in recent memory, a phalanx of Israeli riot police assaulted a group of mourners carrying the coffin containing Abu Akleh’s body, causing them to almost drop it.
North Korea confirms 21 new deaths as it battles COVID-19
North Korea has reported 21 new deaths and 174,440 more people with fever symptoms as the country scrambles to slow the spread of COVID-19 across its unvaccinated population. The deaths and cases, which were from Friday, increased total numbers to 27 deaths and 524,440 illnesses amid a rapid spread of fever since late April. North Korea said Saturday that 243,630 people had recovered and 280,810 remained in quarantine. State media didn’t specify how many of the fever cases and deaths were confirmed as COVID-19 infections. The country imposed nationwide lockdowns on Thursday after confirming its first COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.
By wire sources