FBI got tip about shooting suspect a day before 2021 arrest
Authorities say the person who would later kill five at a Colorado gay nightclub was on the FBI’s radar a day before being arrested for threatening to kill family members. However, agents closed out the case just weeks later. The disclosure by the FBI to The Associated Press creates a new timeline for when law enforcement was first alerted to Anderson Lee Aldrich as a potential danger. Previously it was thought Aldrich only became known to authorities after making the threat on June 18, 2021. The details of the June 17 tip aren’t known.
Interracial marriages to get added protection under new law
As the Respect for Marriage Act moves toward final passage, much of the attention has been focused on the protection the law gives to same-sex couples. But the bill would also enshrine interracial marriages in federal law. That provision came as a surprise to some interracial couples who believed any legal uncertainty about their right to marry ended in 1967. That’s the year the U.S. Supreme Court struck down state laws banning marriages between people of different races. The Respect for Marriage Act has been picking up steam since June, when the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to an abortion. The ruling sparked concern the high court could potentially overturn other precedent-setting rulings on same-sex and interracial marriages.
Classified documents found in search of Trump storage site
Former President Donald Trump hired people to search four properties after being directed by a federal judge to look harder for any classified material still in his possession, and they found at least two documents with classified markings inside a sealed box in one of the locations, according to a person familiar with the matter. Trump’s search team discovered the documents at a federally run storage site in West Palm Beach, Florida, the person said. The discovery of the documents at the storage unit, maintained by the federal General Services Administration, came during a series of wider searches that were completed around Thanksgiving.
Peru’s president ousted by Congress in political crisis
The president of Peru was ousted by Congress and arrested on a charge of rebellion Wednesday after he sought to dissolve the legislative body and take unilateral control of the government, triggering a grave constitutional crisis. Vice President Dina Boluarte replaced Pedro Castillo and became the first female leader in the history of the republic after hours of wrangling between the legislature and the president. Boluarte, a 60—year-old lawyer, called for a political truce and the installation of a national unity government.
Suspected German coup plot spawns dozens of arrests
German police have rounded up dozens of people including a self-styled prince, a retired paratrooper and a former judge, accusing the suspects of discussing the overthrow of the government, but leaving unclear how concrete the plans were. A German official and a lawmaker said Wednesday that investigators may have detected real plotting, drunken fantasizing, or both. Germany takes any right-wing threat extremely seriously, and thousands of police carried out pre-dawn raids across the country. A government spokesman says the group planned to violently abolish Germany’s state of law and carry out an armed attack on the parliament building. A lawmaker with the Green party, part of the government, suggested the group may not have been capable.
Putin says Ukraine fight is taking longer than expected
Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledges that what he calls his “special military operation” in Ukraine is taking longer than expected. When asked Wednesday about how long the war is taking, he responded: “Of course, it could be a lengthy process.” Russian troops invaded Ukraine more than nine months ago and unleashed fighting that has displaced millions from their homes, and killed and injured tens of thousands of people. Putin hailed his forces’ occupation of Ukrainian territories as a major achievement. He said his country’s nuclear weapons serve as a deterrent to escalation. Putin has periodically hinted at his potential use of nuclear weapons. Also, fresh signs emerged that Russian officials are strengthening border defenses.
By wire sources
