Skip to main content

Featured

Rio’s Deadliest Police Raid Leaves 132 Dead as Bodies Line the Streets

A mourner leans over a body, the day after a deadly police operation against drug trafficking at the favela do Penha, in Rio de Janeiro. The death toll from a massive police operation in Rio de Janeiro has risen to 132 , making it the deadliest raid in the city’s history. Residents of the Penha and Alemão favela complexes awoke to scenes of horror as dozens of corpses were laid out in the streets by grieving families searching for missing relatives. The raids, part of “Operation Containment,” targeted the powerful Comando Vermelho (Red Command) gang, a criminal faction long associated with drug trafficking and violence in Rio’s northern neighborhoods. More than 2,500 police officers , supported by helicopters and armored vehicles, were deployed in what was described as a meticulously planned crackdown. Officials hailed the operation as a blow to organized crime, but criticism has mounted over the scale of the violence. Human rights advocates and local residents accused police of ca...

article

Trump Trial Judge Seals the Courtroom to Unleash on MAGA Lawyer


In a dramatic turn of events during Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, Judge Juan Merchan suddenly sealed the courtroom on Monday afternoon. The reason? A heated confrontation with Robert Costello, a MAGA-friendly lawyer who played a key role in the attempted backchannel between Michael Cohen and the Trump White House in 2018.

Costello, a former prosecutor, had been reprimanded for outbursts in court whenever he was interrupted or told not to answer a question that had been objected to and sustained. As tensions escalated, Costello began to stare down the judge. Merchan took action, ordering the jury out of the room and addressing Costello directly: “Mr. Costello, I’d like to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom, OK?”.

Despite the warning, Costello continued to push boundaries. When Merchan turned around, he caught Costello staring at him again. Frustrated, the judge ordered security to seal the courtroom and ejected all journalists so he could give Costello a dressing down. When the journalists returned, Costello’s face had turned beet red, and he continued to answer questions from defense lawyer Emil Bove about his minor role in the New York criminal case against the former president.

Costello’s testimony also shed light on Michael Cohen’s behavior after the FBI raided his apartment in search of evidence related to a campaign finance crime. According to Costello, Cohen was “suicidal that day and acting very manic.” Costello had advised Cohen that cooperating with the Southern District of New York and providing truthful information about Donald Trump would resolve his legal problems by the end of the week.

The courtroom drama continues, and the clash between the judge and the MAGA lawyer adds another layer of intensity to Trump’s trial. Stay tuned for further developments as this high-stakes legal battle unfolds.

Comments