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The FBI lacked any “actual evidence” to begin investigating potential links between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, a report has concluded.

US Special Counsel John Durham’s probe also found the bureau had relied too heavily on tips provided by the former president’s political opponents before it launched its early stage “Crossfire Hurricane” inquiry.

Mr Trump, who will likely use the findings as political fodder as he aims to seek re-election in 2024, wrote on his Truth Social platform: “WOW! After extensive research, Special Counsel John Durham concludes the FBI never should have launched the Trump-Russia Probe! In other words, the American Public was scammed, just as it is being scammed right now by those who don’t want to see GREATNESS for AMERICA!”

The report marks the end of a four-year probe launched in May 2019 when then Attorney General William Barr appointed Mr Durham to investigate potential missteps by the FBI when it launched Crossfire Hurricane.

That investigation would later be handed over to Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who in March 2019 concluded there was no evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Mr Trump’s campaign and Moscow.

In his new 306-page report, Mr Durham concluded that US intelligence and law enforcement did not possess any “actual
evidence” of collusion between Mr Trump’s campaign and Russia prior to launching Crossfire Hurricane.

The report criticised the FBI for opening a full-fledged investigation based on “raw, unanalysed and uncorroborated intelligence,” saying the speed at which it did so was a departure from the norm.

It also said investigators repeatedly relied on “confirmation bias”, ignoring or rationalising away evidence that undercut their premise of a Trump-Russia conspiracy as they pushed the probe forward.

John Durham's report has criticised the FBI. Pic: AP
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John Durham’s report has criticised the FBI. Pic: AP

He also accused the bureau of treating the 2016 Trump probe differently from other politically sensitive investigations,
including several involving the former president’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

For instance, he said Mrs Clinton and other officials received defensive briefings about being the possible targets of foreign interference, whereas Mr Trump received no such briefing before the FBI opened probes into four members of his campaign.

In response to the report, the FBI said it has already implemented dozens of corrective actions that have been in place
for some time.

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Mr Durham’s report was released to Congress on Monday without redactions after it was delivered to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday.

House Judiciary Committee Republican Chair Jim Jordan said on Twitter he has invited Mr Durham to testify about his report next week.

The report comes as Mr Trump is planning to run for re-election in 2024 despite facing criminal charges in New York.

Meanwhile, two federal investigations by Special Counsel Jack Smith are looking both at Mr Trump’s retention of classified records and his role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Mr Trump had hoped Mr Durham would release his report ahead of the 2020 election, in what he thought would be a blow to President Joe Biden’s campaign.

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‘No survivors’ in munitions factory explosion after 18 reported missing, police say

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'No survivors' in munitions factory explosion after 18 reported missing, police say

There are no survivors from a factory explosion that ripped through a munitions plant in rural Tennessee, police have confirmed.

Eighteen people were missing after the huge blast, but Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis has now confirmed all died.

It happened on Friday morning at Accurate Energetic Systems, a company which supplies and researches explosives for the military.

Officers guard the gate at Accurate Energetic Systems military explosives plant. Pic: Reuters
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Officers guard the gate at Accurate Energetic Systems military explosives plant. Pic: Reuters

It scattered debris over at least half a mile (800m) and was felt by residents more than 15 miles (24km) away, Mr Davis said.

Aerial footage showed the company’s hilltop location smouldering and obliterated by smoke for much of Friday, with just a mass of twisted metal, burned-out shells of cars, and an array of debris left behind.

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Emergency services have been unable to fully attend the site due to secondary blasts.

Mr Davis described it as one of the worst scenes he had ever seen.

“What we need right now is we need our communities to come together and understand that we’ve lost a lot of people,” he said.

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The cause of the blast, which occurred about 60 miles southwest of Nashville, is not yet known but Mr Davis said it could be days, weeks or even months before foul play is ruled out.

Guy McCormick, a supervisory special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said experts need to make the area safe before specialist investigators begin combing through the remains.

He said the safety and security of the scene could change quickly because of the heat and pressure caused by the explosion.

Signs near the site on Saturday asked for prayers for the families.

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Terry Bagsby, 68, who works at a petrol station nearby, said people in the close-knit community were “very, very sad”.

“I don’t know how to explain it… Just a lot of grief,” he added.

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Diane Keaton, star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died

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Diane Keaton, star of Annie Hall and The Godfather, has died

Actress Diane Keaton, who starred in films including The Godfather and Annie Hall, has died aged 79.

Keaton’s daughter, Dexter Keaton White, confirmed her death to Sky’s US partner network NBC News.

With a long career, across a series of movies that are regarded as some of the best ever made, Keaton was widely admired.

She was awarded an Oscar, a BAFTA and two Golden Globe Awards, and was also nominated for two Emmys, and a Tony, as well as picking up a series of other Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.

Diane Keaton, with her best actress Oscar for Annie Hall in 1978. Pic: AP
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Diane Keaton, with her best actress Oscar for Annie Hall in 1978. Pic: AP

Her best actress Oscar was for the Woody Allen film Annie Hall which is said to be loosely based on her life.

She appeared in several other Allen projects, including Manhattan, as well as all three Godfather movies, in which she played Kay, the wife and then ex-wife of Marlon Brando’s son Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, opposite him as he descends into a life of crime and replaces his father in the family’s mafia empire.

With Woody Allen in 1978. Pic: Adam Scull/PHOTOlink.net/AP
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With Woody Allen in 1978. Pic: Adam Scull/PHOTOlink.net/AP

Keaton was the kind of actor who helped make films iconic and timeless, from her heartbreaking turn as Kay Adams-Corleone to the “La-dee-da, la-dee-da” phrasing as Annie Hall, bedecked in the now famous necktie, bowler hat, vest and khakis.

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Keaton also frequently worked with Nancy Meyers, starting with 1987’s Baby Boom.

Their other films together included 1991’s Father Of The Bride and its 1995 sequel, as well as 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give.

In 1996, she starred opposite Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler in The First Wives Club, about three women whose husbands had left them for younger women.

Keaton (centre) with Goldie Hawn (L) and Bette Midler at the premiere of  The First Wives Club in 1996. Pic: AP
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Keaton (centre) with Goldie Hawn (L) and Bette Midler at the premiere of The First Wives Club in 1996. Pic: AP

More recently, she collaborated with Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen on the Book Club films.

‘Brilliant, beautiful’

Diane Keaton. Pic: AP
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Diane Keaton. Pic: AP

The unexpected news was met with shock around the world.

Her First Wives Club co-star Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me.

“She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”

Actor Ben Stiller paid tribute on X, writing: “Diane Keaton. One of the greatest film actors ever. An icon of style, humor and comedy. Brilliant. What a person.”

Kate Hudson, whose mother is Goldie Hawn, posted simply: “We love you so much Diane.”

In her Instagram tribute, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award-winning actress and producer Viola Davis said: “No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you defined womanhood.

“The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability – you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them.

“You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you. Man… rest well. God bless your family, and I know angels are flying you home.”

Keaton never married. She adopted her daughter Dexter in 1996 and a son, Duke, four years later.

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Donald Trump threatens to impose additional 100% tariff on ‘extraordinarily aggressive’ China

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Donald Trump threatens to impose additional 100% tariff on 'extraordinarily aggressive' China

Donald Trump has announced the US will impose an additional 100% tariff on China imports, accusing it of taking an “extraordinarily aggressive position” on trade.

In a post to his Truth Social platform on Friday, the US president said Beijing had sent an “extremely hostile letter to the world” and imposed “large-scale export controls on virtually every product they make”.

Mr Trump, who warned the additional tariffs would start on 1 November, said the US would also impose export controls on all critical software to China.

The president added that he was imposing the tariffs because of export controls placed on rare earths by China.

He wrote: “Based on the fact that China has taken this unprecedented position, and speaking only for the USA, and not other nations who were similarly threatened, starting November 1st, 2025 (or sooner, depending on any further actions or changes taken by China), the United States of America will impose a tariff of 100% on China, over and above any tariff that they are currently paying.

“It is impossible to believe that China would have taken such an action, but they have, and the rest is history. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

President Trump says he sees no reason to see President Xi as part of a trip to South Korea. Pic: Reuters
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President Trump says he sees no reason to see President Xi as part of a trip to South Korea. Pic: Reuters

Mr Trump said earlier on Friday that there “seems to be no reason” to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a scheduled meeting as part of an upcoming trip to South Korea at the end of this month.

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He had posted: “I was to meet President Xi in two weeks, at APEC, in South Korea, but now there seems no reason to do so.”

Read more:
China tightens control of global rare earth supply
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The trip was scheduled to include a stop in Malaysia, which is hosting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, a stop in Japan and then the stop to South Korea, where Mr Trump would meet Mr Xi ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

Mr Trump added: “There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration.”

The move signalled the biggest rupture in relations in six months between Beijing and Washington – the world’s biggest
factory and its biggest consumer.

It also threatens to escalate tensions between the two countries, prompting fears over the stability of the global economy.

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Sky’s Siobhan Robbins explains why Donald Trump didn’t receive the Nobel Peace Prize

Friday was Wall Street’s worst day since April, with the S&P 500 falling 2.7%, owing to fears about US-China relations.

China had restricted the access to rare earths ahead of the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi.

Under the restrictions, Beijing would require foreign companies to get special approval for shipping the metallic elements abroad.

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