Page 97 - United States

Faced pain, exhaustion after Afghanistan tour: Vegas bomber told ex-partner

The highly decorated Special Forces soldier who died by suicide in a Cybertruck explosion on New Year's Day confided to a former girlfriend who had served as an Army nurse that he faced significant pain and exhaustion that she says were key symptoms of traumatic brain injury. Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger, 37, was a five-time recipient of the Bronze Star, including one with a V device for valour under fire. He had an exemplary military record that spanned the globe and a new baby born last year. But he struggled with the mental and physical toll of his service, which required him to kill and caused him to witness the deaths of fellow soldiers. Livelsberger mostly bore that burden in private but recently sought treatment for depression from the Army, according to a US official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details that have not been made public. He also found a confidant in the former nurse, who he began dating in 2018. Alicia Arritt, 39, and Livelsberger met ...

Las Vegas bomber suffered from PTSD, no apparent ties to terrorism: FBI

Matthew Livelsberger, 37, died by suicide after shooting himself and detonating explosives inside a rented Tesla Cybertruck, authorities said on Friday

'Wake up call for US': Soldier who blew up Tesla at Trump hotel leaves note

A highly decorated Army soldier who fatally shot himself in a Tesla Cybertruck just before it blew up outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas left notes saying the New Year's Day explosion was a stunt to serve as a wake up call for the country's ills, investigators said Friday. Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado, also wrote in notes he left on his cellphone that he needed to cleanse his mind of the brothers I've lost and relieve myself of the burden of the lives I took. Livelsberger served in the Army since 2006 and deployed twice to Afghanistan. This was not a terrorist attack, it was a wake up call. Americans only pay attention to spectacles and violence. What better way to get my point across than a stunt with fireworks and explosives, Livelsberger wrote in one letter found by authorities and released Friday. The explosion caused minor injuries to seven people but virtually no damage to the Trump International Hotel. Authorities said that

After New York, mass shooting leaves 4 injured in Northeast DC; probe on

The shooting unfolded in the 1500 block of Harry Thomas Way Northeast, located just 500 feet from the NoMa-Gallaudet U New York Avenue Metro station

Here's why US flags are being flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day

President-elect Donald Trump has expressed frustration that flags will be flying at half-staff when he takes office later this month. It's an action put in place by President Joe Biden to honour the late President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100. It's not a timeline that Trump can do anything about until after he takes office. Here's what to know about why flags are lowered when a president dies, who can issue that order and how long the process lasts: Why are US flags being flown at half-staff? On Sunday, Biden ordered that US flags be flown at half-staff in honour of the late former president. It's an honor that indicates that the country or a state is in mourning. The US flag code lays out parameters for lowering the US flag to half-staff, including a 30-day period for current or former presidents to cover flags at federal government buildings and their grounds, as well as at US embassies and other facilities abroad, including military installations and vessels. Flags ca

Six Indian Americans sworn-in as members of US House of Representatives

In a momentous occasion for Indian Americans, six of their leaders on Friday were sworn-in as the members of the US House of Representatives, the largest so far for this minority ethnic community in the United States. When I was first sworn in twelve years ago, I was the sole Indian American Member of Congress and only the third in US history. Now, our coalition is six strong! I am excited to welcome even more Indian Americans to the halls of Congress in the years to come! Congressman Dr Ami Bera said in a post on X. Bera, the senior most of them, who has been sworn-in for the seventh consecutive term as a representative of the seventh Congressional District of California, also posted a picture of all the six Indian American Congressman from the floor of the House. Suhash Subramanian, who represents the 10th Congressional District of Virginia is the newest Indian American to be a member of the House of Representatives. First day of work! Honoured to be sworn into the #119th Congress

NSA Sullivan to visit India to finalise important initiatives: White House

Outgoing US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to India January 5 and 6 to meet his counterpart Ajit K Doval and other top government officials for a final round of talks with them on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues and to finalise some ongoing initiatives that were important priorities for them to wrap up, the White House said on Friday. Sullivan, 48, the youngest national security advisor when President Joe Bident appointed him on January 20, 2021, would also deliver a major India-centric foreign policy speech at IIT, New Delhi during his last trip to India before leaving office. He would be succeeded by Congressman Michael Waltz on January 20, when Donald J Trump would be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. While there, the main purpose will be a capstone engagement and dialogue with his counterpart, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a senior administration official told reporters during a conference call Friday ...

New Orleans attack, Vegas blast expose violence by military, veterans

While much remains unknown about the man who carried out an attack in New Orleans on New Year's and another who died in an explosion in Las Vegas the same day, the violence highlights the increased role of people with military experience in ideologically driven attacks, especially those that seek mass casualties. In New Orleans, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a veteran of the US Army, was killed by police after a deadly rampage in a pickup truck that left 14 others dead and injured dozens more. It's being investigated as an act of terrorism inspired by the Islamic State group. In Las Vegas, officials say Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty member of the US Army Special Forces, shot himself in the head in a Tesla Cybertruck packed with firework mortars and camp fuel canisters, shortly before it exploded outside the entrance of the Trump International Hotel, injuring seven people. The explosion immediately raised questions over whether it was politically driven, given the location in front of t

Speaker Mike Johnson faces crucial vote as new US Congress convenes

The new Congress has opened with one major task at hand the election of the House speaker. Newly-elected lawmakers are in place at the US Capitol but current Speaker Mike Johnson's weak grip on the gavel threatens not only his own survival but President-elect Donald Trump's ambitious agenda of tax cuts and mass deportations as Republicans sweep to power in Washington. With opposition from his own GOP colleagues, Johnson arrived with outward confidence after working into the night to sway hardline holdouts. A flop by Johnson could throw Monday's congressional certification of Trump's 2024 election victory into turmoil without a House speaker. Even backing from Trump himself, usually a sure bet for Republicans, was no guarantee Johnson will stay in power. "We don't have time for drama, Johnson said as he walked into the Capitol. The Louisiana Republican said the speaker election is not just about one person but about moving forward with the America First agenda". And he had a renew

US Surgeon General calls for cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks

It is responsible for 100,000 US cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year, more than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash deaths

Biden to ban more offshore oil and gas drilling before Trump arrives

Biden is set within days to issue the executive order barring the sale of new drilling rights in portions of the country's outer continental shelf

Trump picks Ken Kies for key tax policy job at treasury ahead of cuts push

Cora Alvi, who was a national deputy finance director for Trump's presidential campaign, will also be a deputy chief of staff

PS5 in exchange for guns: New Orleans hosted a buyback before truck rampage

New Orleans held a gun buyback event offering gaming consoles in exchange for firearms just a day before a truck attack killed 15 people, raising safety concerns

New Orleans attacker acted alone, had strong support for ISIS, says Biden

New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone even though there are indications that he had strong support for ISIS, US President Joe Biden has said. At least 14 people were killed and 35 others were injured after Jabbar drove his pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street early Wednesday. The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. Jabbar, 42, a former veteran, also died in a shootout with the local police. A resident of Houston, he drove to New Orleans. Today, the FBI briefed me that, as of now, we have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack. They've established that the attacker was the same person who planted the explosives in those ice coolers in two nearby locations in the French Quarter just a few hours before he rammed into the crowd with his vehicle, Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday. In response to a question, Biden said he is trying to travel to New Orleans. They assess he had a remote detonator in his vehicle

FBI shares video of suspect planting pipe bomb near DNC before capitol riot

A harrowing chapter in American history remains shrouded in mystery: Who planted pipe bombs outside offices of the Democratic and Republican national committees in Washington on the eve of the attack on the Capitol? Hoping to generate new tips from the public, the FBI is releasing more information about its pipe bomb investigation, including an estimate that the unidentified suspect is about 5 feet 7 inches tall. The bureau also is posting previously unreleased video of the suspect placing one of the bombs. A host of basic questions remains unanswered four years later. For starters, investigators haven't determined if the suspect is a man or a woman. Nor have they established a clear link between the pipe bombs and the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol by a mob of Donald Trump's supporters. The FBI can't work on assumptions," said David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the bureau's Washington field office. Without being able to confirm the suspect's identity, it is very

Crypto mogul Do Kwon pleads not guilty in first US court appearance

South Korean cryptocurrency mogul Do Hyeong Kwon pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a freshly unsealed indictment released in time for his first US court appearance. Kwon entered the plea in Manhattan federal court two days after his extradition from Montenegro. The indictment alleges that the man dubbed by some as the cryptocurrency king lied to investors from 2018 to 2022 to fool them into pouring money into Terraform Labs, the Singapore crypto firm he cofounded. Authorities say investors worldwide were harmed by the $40 billion crash of Terraform Labs' cryptocurrency. The May 2022 collapse came despite the company's claim that TerraUSD was a stablecoin that could be relied upon. Kwon did not speak during his court appearance, except to acknowledge that he understood English. His lawyer, Andrew Chesley, entered not guilty pleas to two separate versions of the indictment charging him with conspiracy, along with commodities, securities and wire fraud. A money laundering charge was

Trump to hold Washington rally on eve of inauguration as 47th US president

Donald Trump is expected to hold a big Washington rally the day before he's sworn in as the nation's 47th president. The victory rally, as it's being billed, will be held at the Capitol One Arena in the District of Columbia on January 19. Trump has always preferred rally-style events where he can freewheel and joke with his supporters. He'll be inaugurated in a formal ceremony at the US Capitol on January 20. This is President Trump's VICTORY RALLY the DAY before being sworn in as the 47th President the crowd needs to be HUGE! read an email to supporters advertising the event. The rally is indoors Trump's big outdoor events were limited in the months following an assassination attempt. The arena seats roughly 20,000 people. Security will be tight; the inauguration is considered a national special security event which frees up federal funds and increased ease on collaboration with local law enforcement. Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his ...

Bourbon Street reopens in New Orleans after deadly 'terrorist' attack

FBI has confirmed that the attacker Shamsud Din Jabba was lone wolf terrorist with no known accomplices

What we know about vehicle attack on pedestrians in US that killed 15

Investigators were looking into whether others were involved in the rampage that killed 15 people and injured dozens when the driver of a pickup truck sped through a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans' bustling French Quarter district early on New Year's Day. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism and said it does not believe the suspect acted alone. The agency said the driver, a US citizen from Texas, was killed in a shootout with police. Investigators found guns and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the vehicle which bore the flag of the Islamic State group along with other explosive devices elsewhere in the French Quarter. Wednesday's attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year's Eve parties. Large crowds also gathered in the city ahead of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl that had been scheduled for later Wednesday at the nearby Superdome. The game was ...

FBI now says driver responsible for deadly New Orleans rampage acted alone

The FBI now says that the pickup truck driver responsible for a deadly rampage in New Orleans acted alone. Officials said on Wednesday that they were seeking additional potential suspects in an attack being investigated as an act of terrorism. But Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, said on Thursday that the evidence now shows that Shamsud-Din Jabbar was solely responsible for the attack and professed allegiance to the Islamic State. New Orleans pressed ahead with plans to reopen the city's famed Bourbon Street on Thursday as investigators kept digging into the background of the US Army veteran who drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year's revellers, killing 15 people. The FBI said it was investigating the attack, which occurred when 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar steered around a police blockade, as a terrorist act. Investigators believe the driver was inspired by the Islamic State group. Authorities recovered a black flag of