International
Judge of the Trump case points out comment on Facebook about possible verdict leak
The judge who presided over the criminal trial against former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) in New York, Juan Merchan, pointed out on Friday a comment posted by a user on the Facebook of the judicial system about a possible leak of the guilty verdict before it was determined by the jury.
Merchan addressed a letter to both the Manhattan Prosecutor’s Office and Trump’s defense calling his “attention” to a comment by a user in a publication on May 29, a day before the verdict, which quotes: “My cousin is a juror and says that Trump will be convicted. Thank you, people, for your hard work!!!”
However, the comment was deleted and when the name of the alleged author is searched by the judge on Facebook, a profile of a person appears who is listed as a ‘shitposter’ (a person who intentionally publishes junk messages on the internet), according to local media.
The judge’s letter is a mere notification and does not indicate that he will take any action for the comment.
A spokesman for Trump’s campaign told Fox News that he is “investigating the matter.”
On May 30, after a month and a half of trial, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 crimes related to the falsification of his company’s documents to silence the porn actress Stormy Daniels and protect her career in the White House elections in 2016, which she ended up winning. The sentence will be announced on July 11.
The jurors were specifically instructed by the judge to keep secret about their work and not to talk about the case with anyone.
On the other hand, Merchan responded this Friday to a motion by Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, allowing him to attend an interview of his client with a correction official prior to the sentence.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
International
FBI foils ISIS-Inspired attack in Michigan, arrests five teens
Kash Patel did not provide further details, but police sources told CBS News that the potential attack was “inspired” by the Islamic State (ISIS).
“This morning, the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several individuals in Michigan who were allegedly planning a violent attack during the Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote on X.
“Thanks to swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a possible terrorist act was prevented before it could be carried out,” he added.
CBS reported that five people between the ages of 16 and 20 were arrested on Friday. At least one of them was reportedly acquainted with a former member of the Michigan National Guard, who was arrested in May for plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on a U.S. military facility in the Detroit suburbs.
International
U.S. warns China over Taiwan during high-level defense talks in Kuala Lumpur
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed concerns over China’s growing military activity near Taiwan during a meeting on Friday with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a constructive and positive meeting,” Hegseth wrote on X. “I emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and raised U.S. concerns about China’s actions around Taiwan,” the self-governed island that Beijing claims and does not rule out invading.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting-Plus, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. According to Trump, Taiwan was not discussed during their talks.
“The United States does not seek conflict and will continue to firmly defend its interests, ensuring it maintains the capability to do so in the region,” Hegseth added in his message.
Friday’s encounter followed a September 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong. Their previously planned meeting at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore was canceled due to Dong’s absence from the event.
Trump’s sit-down with Xi — their first since 2019 — resulted in some trade agreements but avoided addressing the issue of Taiwan, a long-standing source of tension between the world’s two largest powers.
Trump has taken a more ambiguous stance on Taiwan’s future compared with former President Joe Biden, who repeatedly stated that Washington would support Taipei if China launched an invasion. The Republican president has also criticized Taiwan for “stealing” the U.S. semiconductor industry.
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