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Joe Biden has described the violent assault on US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband as “despicable” – as San Francisco’s police chief has said it was “not a random attack”.

Paul Pelosi, 82, is recovering from a skull fracture after he was attacked by an intruder with a hammer on Friday.

The intruder broke into the couple’s home in San Francisco at around 2.30am, reportedly looking for the US House Speaker.

Police said officers were called to the house for a “wellbeing check” and arrived to find both men holding the hammer.

The suspect then pulled the hammer away from Mr Pelosi and used it to “violently assault” him, before being tackled by police officers.

At some point, the suspect searched for the Democratic leader shouting, “Where is Nancy? Where is Nancy?”

‘Despicable’

The US president sharply condemned the attack on Mr Pelosi and drew parallels between the attack on the House speaker’s husband and the US Capitol riots.

Speaking at an event in Philadelphia on Friday evening, he said he had earlier spoken to Mrs Pelosi and she reported that her husband was in “good spirits”.

He went on to address reports that the assailant had repeated the “same chant” heard during the 6 January 2021 riots.

“The chant was: ‘Where’s Nancy?'” Mr Biden said, calling it “despicable.”

“There’s too much violence, political violence,” the president added, suggesting that election denialism and claims that COVID-19 was a “hoax” had eroded the political climate.

“Every person of good conscience needs to clearly and unambiguously stand up against the violence in our politics, regardless of what your politics are,” he said.

A police officer rolls out more yellow tape on the closed street below the home of Nancy and Paul Pelosi
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A police officer rolls out more yellow tape on the closed street below the home of Nancy and Paul Pelosi

‘Not a random act’

Meanwhile, San Francisco Police Chief William Scott told a news conference that the attack on Mr Pelosi at their San Francisco home was “intentional”.

He said: “This was not a random act. This was intentional. And it’s wrong.”

Mr Scott declined to comment further on a possible motive for the assault and said the investigation was ongoing.

Mr Pelosi was rushed to hospital and underwent surgery for a skull fracture and severe injuries to his right arm and hands, a spokesperson said.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

David Depape, 42, has been named by police as a suspect, and he was arrested at the scene.

He has been charged with attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary and several other felony charges.

His motive has not yet been made clear.

Mrs Pelosi’s spokesperson, Drew Hammill, said her husband had been attacked “by an assailant who acted with force, and threatened his life while demanding to see the Speaker”.

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The scene outside the Pelosi residence in San Francisco following the attack

Read more:
Attacker was looking for US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he broke into her house and hit husband with hammer
Analysis – Attack on Pelosi’s husband comes amid increasing threats against US politicians

‘Dastardly act’

Mrs Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the US House of Representatives, and second-in-line to the presidency, was in Washington DC at the time, having recently returned from a security summit in Europe.

Had she been at home, her security detail would have been present but Mr Pelosi is not eligible for this protection on his own.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement: “What happened to Paul Pelosi was a dastardly act.

“I spoke with Speaker Pelosi earlier this morning and conveyed my deepest concern and heartfelt wishes to her husband and their family, and I wish him a speedy recovery.”

Nancy and Paul Pelosi pictured in 2018
Image:
Nancy and Paul Pelosi pictured in 2018

After the attack, the White House released a statement saying “the president is praying for Paul Pelosi and for Speaker Pelosi’s whole family”, adding he was “very glad” a full recovery was expected.

The attack is being investigated by San Francisco police, Capitol Police and the FBI.

It comes amid growing concern about the safety of America’s politicians almost two years after the Capitol insurrection in January 2021, when Mrs Pelosi’s office was ransacked.

Last year, Capitol Police investigated around 9,600 threats made against members of Congress from both parties – nearly a threefold increase since 2017.

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Myanmar frees more than 6,000 prisoners as country marks anniversary of independence from Britain

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Myanmar frees more than 6,000 prisoners as country marks anniversary of independence from Britain

More than 6,000 prisoners have been released in Myanmar as part of an amnesty to mark the 77th anniversary of the country’s independence from Britain.

The head of Myanmar’s military government has granted amnesties for 5,864 prisoners from the Southeast Asian country, as well as 180 foreigners who will now be deported, state-run media said.

The freed inmates included just a small proportion of hundreds of political detainees locked up for opposing army rule since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar’s military takeover in February 2021 was met with a huge nonviolent resistance, which has since developed into a widespread armed struggle.

Released prisoners, in a bus, are welcomed by family members and colleagues after they left Insein Prison Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Yangon, Myanmar, as the military government has released more than 6,000 prisoners and has reduced other inmates... sentences as part of a mass amnesty to mark the 77th anniversary of independence from Britain.(AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
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A released prisoner waves after leaving the jail. Pic: AP

The freeing of prisoners began on Saturday and in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, buses took detainees out of the Insein Prison. Many were met by loved ones who eagerly held up signs with their names.

If the freed inmates break the law again, they will have to serve the remainder of their sentences alongside any new ones, the terms of release state.

In another report, MRTV television said government leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has also reduced the life sentences of 144 prisoners to 15 years.

Released prisoners, in a bus, are welcomed by family members and colleagues after they left Insein Prison Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Yangon, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
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Family members held signs with their loved ones’ names as the buses appeared. Pic: AP

Released prisoners, in a bus, are welcomed by family members and colleagues after they left Insein Prison Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Yangon, Myanmar. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
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Pic: AP

All other inmates’ sentences have been reduced by one sixth, apart from those convicted under the Explosive Substances Act, the Unlawful Associations Act, the Arms Act and the Counterterrorism Law – all laws which are often used against opponents of military rule.

According to rights organisation the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 28,096 people have been arrested on political charges since the army takeover, and 21,499 of those remained in jail as of Friday.

Read more:
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Released prisoners, front center and right, are welcomed by family members and colleagues outside Insein Prison Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025, in Yangon (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)
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Released prisoners are hugged by loved ones and family. Pic: AP

Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the military government, told journalists those released include about 600 people prosecuted under a law which makes it a crime to spread comments that create public unrest or fear, or spread false news.

There has been no suggestion the releases include that of Myanmar’s former leader Suu Kyi, who – now aged 79 – is serving a 27-year sentence after being prosecuted for a number of politically-tinged charges.

Aung San Suu Kyi
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Aung San Suu Kyi. File pic: Reuters

Most of the foreigners being freed are Thai people arrested for gambling in a border town, the spokesperson added.

It is not uncommon for Myanmar to mark holidays and significant occasions with prisoner releases.

The country became a British colony in the late 1800s and regained independence on 4 January 1948.

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Elon Musk could act as middleman between China and Trump in possible global trade war

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Elon Musk could act as middleman between China and Trump in possible global trade war

Drive an hour outside China’s commercial capital Shanghai, and you’ll reach Elon Musk’s Tesla gigafactory.

It manufactures almost one million Tesla cars a year and produces more than half of all its cars worldwide.

But with US president-elect Donald Trump preparing to move into the White House, the relationship between his new buddy Elon Musk and the leadership of China‘s Communist Party is in sharp focus.

Tesla’s Shanghai ‘gigafactory’
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Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory. Pic: Lex Ramsay

Shanghai has been the key to Tesla’s success, largely thanks to the city’s former Communist Party secretary, now China’s premier, Li Qiang.

Chief executive of Shanghai-based Auto Mobility Limited, Bill Russo, says: “Qiang is China’s number two person. His position in Shanghai made everything possible for Tesla.”

He added: “In 2017, China adjusted its policy guidelines for the automotive industry to allow foreign companies to own their factories in China.

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Musk, Trump and China explained

“Tesla signed its deal in 2018, broke ground in 2019, and started producing the Model 3 in 2020.”

The factory opened at breakneck speak and in record time.

In April, Musk met Qiang in Beijing, later posting on X: “Honoured to meet with Premier Li Qiang. We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days.”

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, visiting Tesla CEO Elon Musk, left, meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Musk met with a top government leader in the Chinese capital Sunday, just as the nation's carmakers are showing off their latest electric vehicle models at the Beijing auto show. (Wang Ye/Xinhua via AP)
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Elon Musk met Chinese premier Li Qiang in Beijing in April 2024. Pic: AP

The Musk-China ties go all the way to the top.

When China’s President Xi Jinping visited the US in November 2023 he met Musk, who posted: “May there be prosperity for all” – echoing the language often used by China’s government.

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Inside a Tesla showroom in Shanghai
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Inside a Tesla showroom in Shanghai. Pic: Lex Ramsay

Musk has previously weighed into the debate over the status of Taiwan. Two years ago, he suggested tensions could be eased by giving China some control over Taiwan.

This comment incensed Taiwan’s leaders.

Chinese commentator Einar Tangen, from the Taihe Institute in Beijing, says: “If Musk had said anything else, he could face action against the Shanghai plants. He’s not going to endanger that. He’s playing both sides for his own advantage.”

What’s in it for China?

Musk needs China, and in the months to come, China may need Musk.

He could act as a well-connected middleman between the Chinese Communist Party and Trump, in the face of a potential global trade war.

“Like it or not, we are living in a world where China is the dominant player in the race to an electric future,” says Russo.

Musk pioneered the EV industry in China, but is now struggling to compete with local car brands like BYD and Nio.

President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP)
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Elon Musk’s support helped propel Donald Trump to a second term in the White House. Pic: AP

The relationship between Musk and Trump could become volatile, but for now, Musk stands to benefit.

“Donald Trump has never had a problem giving exceptions to friends,” Tangen says.

“It fits his personality, that he can grant pardons and give favours to the people and companies he chooses.”

Musk ‘the pioneer’

Musk is well regarded as a pioneer in China and most people speak of him highly.

Strolling along the Bund waterfront area in Shanghai, Benton Tang says: “Tesla really impacted the entire industry here.

“It pushed people to develop and improve the quality, the design and especially the price.”

Chinese vehicle manufacturers like BYD provide stiff competition for Tesla
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Chinese vehicle manufacturers like BYD provide stiff competition for Tesla. Pic: Lex Ramsay

Interest in the Musk family has also gripped China’s online community.

His mother, Maye Musk, frequently visits the country, where she has a huge social media following as a senior-age celebrity fashion icon and endorses several Chinese products including a mattress brand.

Her book, A Woman Makes A Plan, has been translated into Chinese and is a bestseller here.

The 76th Cannes Film Festival - Screening of the film "Asteroid City" in competition - Red Carpet Arrivals - Cannes, France, May 23, 2023. Maye Musk poses. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Maye Musk. Pic: Reuters

Meanwhile, as the countdown to Trump’s inauguration gains pace, the spotlight on the president-elect’s coterie of advisers intensifies.

In the middle of the glare is Elon Musk.

China waits to see what that will mean for them.

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Did New Orleans authorities fail the victims of the New Year terror attack?

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Did New Orleans authorities fail the victims of the New Year terror attack?

Did the authorities fail the victims of the New Orleans terror attack? It’s barely in question, surely.

And yet, consider the response of Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick of New Orleans police when I asked if she’d let them down by not having an appropriate security plan.

“That’s not correct, we would disagree with that.”

“It has to be a security failure?” I suggested.

Tributes for the New Orleans attack victims. Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

“We do know that people have lost their lives,” she responded. “But if you were experienced with terrorism, you would not be asking that question.”

With that, she was escorted away from gathered journalists by her media handlers.

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How much of a threat does ISIS pose?

Superintendent Kirkpatrick had been holding a short news conference at the end of Bourbon Street to herald its re-opening. It was just yards from the spot where a terrorist was able to drive through a gap in a makeshift line of obstructions and accelerate towards New Year crowds.

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Invoking “experience with terrorism” is something to ponder. What experience told authorities they had adequate protection against a vehicle attack?

What experience told them it was appropriate to have a car’s width gap in makeshift street barricades?

What experience told them to contradict the security protocols of major cities around the world when it comes to large public gatherings?

Read more on this story:
What we know about the suspect

Brother of attack victim reveals last words
The victims who have been named so far

A man helps prepare a makeshift memorial, following an incident in which people were killed by a man driving a truck in an attack during New Year's celebrations, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., January 2, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
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Pic: Reuters

To many, the answer shouldn’t be talk of experience – it should be, simply: “Sorry.” Notably, it has seemed to be the hardest word in a series of briefings by authorities who have bristled at the notion of security failings.

I asked Jack Bech for his view. He lost his brother Martin, or ‘Tiger’ in the Bourbon Street attack. He told Sky News he watched the final moments of his brother’s life on a FaceTime call to an emergency room as doctors tried, but failed, to save him.

It’s one heartbreaking story among dozens in this city.

Pic: Jack Bech
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Tiger Bech (left) and Jack Bech (right). Pic: Jack Bech

On security, he said: “You can’t blame them. That dude easily could have been walking through the crowd with a jacket on and a bomb strapped to his chest.”

True. But the least that might be expected is an acknowledgement of failure to stop the man who drove his weapon into the crowd because he was able to. They certainly can’t claim success.

A measure of contrition would, perhaps, help the healing in this city. Experience should tell them that, if nothing else.

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