Connect with us

Published

on

New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted amid federal criminal investigations into his administration.

He is expected to be formally charged later today, although it is currently unclear what charge or charges he is facing as the indictment remains sealed.

It comes as the FBI investigates the running of America’s biggest city and a string of unexpected departures of top officials.

Early this month, agents seized devices from multiple top members of the Adams administration as part of what appears to be multiple, separate investigations.

Among the devices taken were those of New York police commissioner, Edward Caban – who resigned shortly after – and his twin brother.

New York police commissioner Edward Caban resigned this month, soon after his devices were seized. Pic: Reuters
Image:
New York police boss Edward Caban resigned soon after his devices were seized. Pic: Reuters

Agents also seized devices from the head of New York City‘s public schools system, David Banks, who announced on Tuesday he planned to retire by the end of the year.

The mayor’s top legal adviser, Lisa Zornberg, who had defended him at news conferences, resigned this month, saying in a brief letter: “I can no longer effectively serve in my position.”

More on New York City

Mr Adams himself had his phones seized by the FBI in November.

In a statement, he said: “I always knew that If I stood my ground for New Yorkers that I would be a target – and a target I became.

“If I am charged, I am innocent and I will fight this with every ounce of my strength and spirit.”

He said any charges would be “entirely false, based on lies” and that he does not plan to resign.

The mayor's top legal adviser, Lisa Zornberg, also resigned this month. Pic: Reuters
Image:
The mayor’s top legal adviser, Lisa Zornberg, also resigned this month. Pic: Reuters

The Democrat and former police captain won election nearly three years ago to become the second Black mayor of New York on a platform that promised a law-and-order approach to reducing crime.

He spent 22 years in the city’s police department before going into politics, first as a state senator and then as Brooklyn borough president.

But for much of the last year, Mr Adams has faced growing legal peril, with investigations into top advisers producing multiple subpoenas, searches and high-level departures.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

Prosecutors also subpoenaed the mayor, his campaign arm and City Hall over the summer to request information on his schedule, overseas travel and potential connections to the Turkish government.

In recent days, several senior Democrats have called for Mr Adams to step down.

The mayor has repeatedly said he wasn’t aware of any wrongdoing and previously dismissed speculation he would face charges as “rumours and innuendo”.

“The people of this city elected me to fight for them, and I will stay and fight no matter what,” Mr Adams said on Wednesday afternoon.

New York state governor Kathy Hochul could remove Mr Adams, but her office has so far not commented on the indictment.

Continue Reading

US

Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin wants to meet – and that he and Barack Obama ‘probably’ like each other

Published

on

By

Donald Trump says Vladimir Putin wants to meet - and that he and Barack Obama 'probably' like each other

Donald Trump says a meeting is being set up between himself and Vladimir Putin – and that he and Barack Obama “probably” like each other.

Republican US president-elect Mr Trump spoke to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday, saying Russian president Mr Putin “wants to meet, and we are setting it up”.

“He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” Mr Trump said.

Ukraine war latest updates

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday there was a “mutual desire” to set up a meeting – but added no details had been confirmed yet and that there may be progress once Mr Trump is inaugurated on 20 January.

“Moscow has repeatedly declared its openness to contacts with international leaders, including the US president, including Donald Trump,” Mr Peskov added.

“What is required is a mutual desire and political will to conduct dialogue and resolve existing problems through dialogue. We see that Mr Trump also declares his readiness to resolve problems through dialogue. We welcome this. There are still no specifics, we proceed from the mutual readiness for the meeting.”

More on Barack Obama

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in July 2017. Pic: AP
Image:
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in July 2017. Pic: AP

Trump on Obama: ‘We just got along’

Mr Trump also made some lighter remarks regarding a viral exchange between himself and former Democrat President Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday.

The pair sat together for the late president’s service in Washington DC on Thursday, and could be seen speaking for several minutes as the remaining mourners filed in before it began.

Mr Obama was seen nodding as his successor spoke before breaking into a grin.

Asked about the exchange, Mr Trump said: “I didn’t realise how friendly it looked.

“I said, ‘boy, they look like two people that like each other’. And we probably do.

“We have a little different philosophies, right? But we probably do. I don’t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.”

The amicable exchange comes after years of criticising each other in the public eye; it was Mr Trump who spread the so-called “birther” conspiracy theory about Mr Obama in 2011, falsely asserting that he was not born in the United States.

Read more:
Trump to be sentenced today over porn star hush money
The Hollywood celebrities who have lost homes to wildfires

Insults continued for years, with Mr Obama famously dedicating much of his final White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech in 2016 to jokes at his political rival’s expense.

Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked the Obamas, saying the former president was “ineffective” and “terrible” and calling former first lady Michelle Obama “nasty” as recently as October last year.

On Kamala Harris’s campaign trail last year, Mr Obama said Mr Trump was a “78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago”, while the former first lady said that “the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious.”

Continue Reading

US

LA wildfires: One daughter’s haunting account of her father’s fatal decision to stay in his home

Published

on

By

LA wildfires: One daughter's haunting account of her father's fatal decision to stay in his home

“He was asleep in his bed, where he still is right now, as I wait on the coroner.”

The haunting words of Kimiko Nickerson stopped us in our tracks.

Her father Rodney, 82, was sure the fire wouldn’t reach his home in Altadena. He was wrong.

The inferno cut through this quiet suburb north of Los Angeles at an alarming rate, its path unpredictable.

California wildfires latest – new evacuation order issued

She said: “He just didn’t want to evacuate. He’s been living here since 1968, and he’s been in Altadena my whole life.

“Like all of us on this block, in four blocks, he didn’t think it was going to be this devastating.

“It jumped whole streets, and it hit this community, but it didn’t touch the mountainside at all.”

They’re still trying to process the apocalyptic scenes here and grieving for those who did not get out.

Kimiko said: “I have no words to explain my feelings at this point in time.

“I’m just silent and numb and just mentally trying to go through the process.”

Rodney Nickerson decided not to leave his Altadena home.
Pic: Kimiko Nickerson
Image:
Rodney Nickerson decided not to leave his Altadena home.
Pic: Kimiko Nickerson

‘Truly apocalyptic scenes’ as flames swallow homes in LA wildfires evacuation zone

It would be impossible to exaggerate the scale of the destruction, cars burnt to a cinder, palm trees still alight, powerlines strewn across roads.

So many people have lost the roof over their head but there’s one thing Kimiko says she’ll never lose – her memories.

“Every laugh, every joke he told.

“He was a smart man. He read the LA Times from cover to cover and walked around the Rose Bowl every day.

“He was healthy, he was ambitious… but he went to sleep and died in his bed back there.”

Continue Reading

US

Donald Trump to be sentenced today over porn star hush money after Supreme Court rejects appeal

Published

on

By

Donald Trump to be sentenced today over porn star hush money after Supreme Court rejects appeal

The US Supreme Court has rejected a last-ditch attempt by Donald Trump to delay sentencing in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.

The president-elect was convicted on 34 counts last May in New York of falsifying business records relating to payments made to Ms Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors claimed he had paid her $130,000 (£105,300) in hush money to not reveal details of what Ms Daniels said was a sexual relationship in 2006.

Mr Trump has denied any liaison with Ms Daniels or any wrongdoing.

By a majority, the Supreme Court found his sentencing would not be an insurmountable burden during the presidential transition since the presiding judge, Juan M Merchan, has indicated he will not give Mr Trump jail time, fines or probation.

Mr Trump’s attorneys argued that evidence used in the Manhattan trial violated last summer’s Supreme Court ruling giving Mr Trump broad immunity from prosecution over acts he took as president.

At the least, they said, the sentencing should be delayed while their appeals play out to avoid distracting Mr Trump during the presidential transition.

More on Donald Trump

A guide to everything that will happen on 20 January

Stormy Daniels. Pic: AP
Image:
Stormy Daniels. Pic: AP

Mr Trump’s attorneys went to the justices after New York courts refused to postpone sentencing.

Judges in New York found that the convictions related to personal matters rather than Mr Trump’s official acts as president.

Mr Trump’s attorneys called the case politically motivated, and they said sentencing him now would be a “grave injustice” that threatens to disrupt the presidential transition as the Republican prepares to return to the White House.

Mr Trump has said he will appeal again: “I respect the court’s opinion – I think it was actually a very good opinion for us because you saw what they said, but they invited the appeal and the appeal is on the bigger issue. So, we’ll see how it works out,” he said at a dinner with Republican governors at his private club in Florida.

Because the New York case was a state, rather than federal crime, Mr Trump will not be able to pardon himself when he takes office on 20 January.

Continue Reading

Trending