MSNBC: Federal prosecutors plan to charge John Bolton [Trump’s active critic, his former National Security Advisor]
Charge him next week, for allegedly keeping classified national security files at his home in Maryland 1/
Bolton would be the 3rd Trump critic charged in weeks, after James Comey and Letitia James, under what many view as politically driven prosecutions by Trump’s DOJ.
FBI agents raided Bolton’s Bethesda home on Sept 22, acting on a CIA tip and a federal judge–approved warrant
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A Maryland grand jury has been reviewing evidence for weeks. The process has accelerated recently.
The case is led by Acting US Attorney Kelly Hayes, who believes there’s a reasonable basis for charges.
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Britain, France, and Germany move closer to giving Russian assets to Ukraine.
“We are ready to progress towards using the value of the immobilized Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s armed forces.” — Starmer, Macron, and Merz in a joint statement. 1/
“And thus bring Russia to the negotiation table. We aim to do this in close cooperation with the United States of America.” 2/
“We agree to develop further bold and innovative mechanisms to increase the cost of Russia’s war and ramp up pressure.
This includes driving forward action on the Russian shadow fleet.” 3/
Russian commanders torture conscripts until they agree to fight in Ukraine and kill or jail those who refuse.
Thousands shoot themselves, bribe doctors, or flee abroad to escape the front. Leaked data show 50,000 deserters since 2022 — Moscow Times. 1/
In 2024, officers conscripted 19-year-old Nikita Zvezdov from Khabarovsk.
Commanders locked men in boot dryers, beat them with rifle butts, and forced them to run 50 laps in gas masks and hazmat suits. One recruit collapsed and died during punishment drills. 2/
Zvezdov said officers shot recruits with rubber bullets “for training.”
After weeks of torture, he signed a contract and was sent to the Bikinsky range to dig latrines and burn trash in 40°C heat while awaiting orders to Mariupol. “I knew I’d die there,” he said. 3/