'Extraordinary sacrifices': Trump joins Queen Elizabeth II for D-Day anniversary in Portsmouth - USA TODAY

Kim Hjelmgaard USA TODAY

Published 6:23 AM EDT Jun 5, 2019

PORTSMOUTH, England – On the final leg of his three-day state visit to Britain, President Donald Trump will join Queen Elizabeth II and leaders from around the world in paying respects to Allied service members who 75 years ago took part in the D-Day landings that helped liberate Europe from Nazi Germany's military occupation. 

Several hours before the event, Trump launched into a Wednesday morning tweet storm, criticizing the "Corrupt Media," praising his "warm" treatment by Britain's royal family and offering condolences to Israel's president on the death of his wife. 

In a series of tweets, Trump also unleashed attacks on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Vice President Joe Biden and even actress and singer Bette Midler. 

The Normandy landings on June 6, 1994, were the largest land, air and sea invasion in history and Portsmouth Naval Base, near where the commemorations are taking place Wednesday, served as a key launch pad for those forces.

In addition to Trump, Prime Minister Theresa May is hosting 14 other leaders in Portsmouth, including France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Angela Merkel and Canada's Justin Trudeau. Prince Charles attended with representatives from every country that participated in the storming of the beaches along France's northwestern coast in a surprise attack involving 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers. More than 4,000 Allied service members – more than half of them American – died in the assault credited with changing the course of the war.

World War II D-Day: 5 to know on the 75th anniversary of Normandy landings

"At this time of reflection for veterans of the conflict and their families, I am sure that these commemorations will provide an opportunity to honor those who made extraordinary sacrifices to secure freedom in Europe. They must never be forgotten," the queen said in a special message to mark the occasion. 

In a news conference on Tuesday with May, Trump said he was grateful for the warm welcome he has received from the royal family and the prime minister during his visit to Britain. "The bonds of friendship forged here and sealed in blood on those hallowed beaches will endure forever," Trump said at the news conference.

He said the D-Day landings "may have been the greatest battle ever in history."

Before and after: Photos reveal dramatic changes since D-Day

Ahead of the commemorations, the countries taking part issued a joint statement pledging to make sure the "unimaginable horror" of World War II did not happen again.

In Portsmouth, the story of the build-up to the invasion will be told through live music, performances and readings. A Royal Navy ship will fire a gun salute and there will a air show of historic aircraft including British Red Arrows and Spitfire.

Later Wednesday, Trump will make his first visit as president to Ireland, where he will hold meetings with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, before spending the night at the Trump golf club in Doonbeg. He will then travel to France for further D-Day commemorations focused on honoring Americans killed in the fighting. 

75th D-Day anniversary: The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

Prior to the ceremonies, Trump took part in a broadcast interview with "Good Morning Britain," telling host Piers Morgan that he meant no harm when he used the term "nasty" in discussing the American-born Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The phrase generated a lot of media coverage and Trump sought to clarify that he was speaking specifically on her comments about him, not about her.

"She was nasty to me. And that’s okay for her to be nasty, it’s not good for me to be nasty to her and I wasn’t," Trump said in the interview, which he also used to play down an earlier comment that any trade deal between the U.S. and Britain after the latter leaves the European Union could involve Britain's National Health Service, a prospect that has alarmed many Britons and politicians  

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2019-06-05 10:23:38Z
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Priyanka Chopra Defends Meghan Markle, Says the Duchess Hasn’t Changed - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

New mom Meghan Markle has experienced an extreme amount of negative press since she started dating Prince Harry. Over the years, it has gotten even worse, with the palace even taking a stand against some of the more extreme comments on social media.

Still, Meghan’s friends, including well-known actress Priyanka Chopra, have staunchly defended her. In a recent interview, Priyanka opened up about her friendship with Meghan and how the media has unfairly portrayed the Duchess of Sussex.

How long have Priyanka Chopra and Meghan Markle known each other?

Priyanka Chopra | Steven Ferdman/WireImage

Although it seems as though Priyanka and Meghan have known each other for ages, their friendship only dates back to 2016, when they met at an industry event. According to Priyanka, they bonded right away over their shared interest in acting. Meghan has also spoken out about the former Miss World, saying that Priyanka is truly “incredible.”

In the years since they first became fast friends, Priyanka and Meghan have made it a point to spend time together whenever they possibly can, although their busy schedules mean that they don’t get to hang out as often as they would like. They have shared a few snaps to social media of their bonding sessions, from fancy dinner parties to movie dates, and it certainly looks like the two get along perfectly.

When Meghan’s relationship with Harry first went public, Priyanka was asked about her friend often, and always stood up for her, praising her abilities and her work ethic. When Meghan married Harry in 2018, Priyanka was a guest at the wedding, wowing onlookers in her fabulous outfit.

What did Priyanka Chopra say to defend Meghan Markle?

Although a lot has happened in the past year, with Priyanka getting married to Nick Jonas and Meghan welcoming baby Archie Harrison, the friends obviously still have the highest regard for each other. Reportedly, Priyanka and Nick were among the first visitors to Meghan and Harry’s home to pay their respects to the new parents.

On June 2nd, Priyanka sat down with Harper’s Bazaar to discuss her friendship with the duchess and why she will always go to bat for her. Priyanka claimed that throughout all of the vicious tabloid stories, which Priyanka says are pure racism, Meghan has managed to remain true to herself. Priyanka elaborated, saying that she knew Meghan well before her involvement with Harry, and she’s still “the same chick.”

Praising Meghan’s commitment to social issues, the actress said that she’s always been determined to change the world and to “move the needle” towards making the world a better place. Priyanka also lamented the way that the press has treated her, but gives kudos to Meghan’s tough skin, saying that if anyone can handle the pressure, it’s Meghan.

Priyanka Chopra wants to get involved in politics

Priyanka has earned a reputation for social activism, another quality that she and Meghan have in common. Recently she said that although she doesn’t love the business of politics, she isn’t averse to running for Prime Minister of India if it would make a positive change in the world – she also said, perhaps jokingly, that her new husband Nick should consider running for president.

Whether or not Priyanka does throw her hat in the ring and end up running for political office, one thing’s for sure — she will continue defending her good friend Meghan against all the rumors, speculation, and negativity that will likely continue to pop up over the next few years.

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2019-06-05 07:36:40Z
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Australian Police Raid Public Broadcaster Over Leaked Defense Documents - NPR

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ABC Editorial Director Craig McMurtrie speaks to the media as Australian police raided the headquarters of the public broadcaster in Sydney on Wednesday. ABC executives said police executed a search warrant targeting three journalists involved in a two-year investigative report. Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

The Australian Federal Police on Wednesday raided the headquarters of the country's public broadcaster, the ABC, in connection with a story the network broadcast in 2017 detailing misconduct by Australian special forces in Afghanistan.

The plainclothes officers arrived at the network's offices at about 11:30 a.m., acting on a search warrant authorizing them to look into "allegations of publishing classified material" in relation to the story, "The Afghan Files" that was based on leaked defense ministry documents, the ABC reports.

The 2017 report uncovered allegations of unlawful killings of unarmed civilians, including children, and other misconduct by Australian special forces soldiers in Afghanistan. It also quoted from military documents that expressed concern about a deterioration of organizational culture within the elite special forces and a "willingness by officers to turn a blind eye to bad behavior."

A raid by the Australian Federal Police is underway at the ABC offices in Sydney, over a series of 2017 stories known as The Afghan Files https://t.co/6f0BUbs0gD (via @abcnews)

— ABC Australia (@ABCaustralia) June 5, 2019

AFP RAID LIVE: AFP starting to access hard drive. Head of AFP team says “this could take some time.” Pretty confronting scene; six AFP officers trying to get into the heart of the ABC’s computer system. Is this a free media?

— John Lyons (@TheLyonsDen) June 5, 2019

The network says authorities copied hard drives and said "they want[ed] to search through email systems in relation to the people mentioned in the search warrant and were searching 'data holdings' between April 2016 and July 2017."

The network's news director, Gaven Morris, praised reporters Daniel Oakes and Sam Clark, who produced "The Afghan Files." In a tweet, he called them "two of the finest journalists" who are "honest and committed to telling the truth in the Australian public's interests."

ABC Managing Director David Anderson said the raid was "highly unusual" and "a serious development and raises legitimate concerns over freedom of the press and proper public scrutiny of national security and Defence matters."

He said the network would "stand by its journalists, will protect sources and continue to report without fear or favour on national security and intelligence issues when there is a clear public interest."

The search comes a day after a similar but apparently unrelated AFP raid against News Corp journalist Annika Smethurst in Canberra. Smethurst had reported on "secret plans to allow government spying," the ABC says.

Marcus Strom, an official with the journalists' union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, was quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald as saying that police raids against the media were "becoming normalized and it has to stop."

The raids represent a "disturbing pattern of assaults on Australian press freedom," Strom told the newspaper.

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https://www.npr.org/2019/06/05/729859660/australian-police-raid-public-broadcaster-over-leaked-defense-documents

2019-06-05 05:53:31Z
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Trump Explains 'Nasty' Meghan Markle Comment, But Basically Calls Her 'Nasty' Again - HuffPost

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2019-06-05 06:30:00Z
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Police raid Australian public broadcaster over Afghan leak - Fox News

In this image made from video, Australia's Federal Police, top, enter the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster, during a raid on their offices in Sydney, Australia. The Federal Police raided the offices in connection to a 2017 story based on leaked military documents that indicated the country’s military forces were being investigated for some of their actions in Afghanistan. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP)

SYDNEY – Australia's Federal Police have raided the offices of the national public broadcaster in connection to a 2017 story based on leaked military documents that indicated the country's military forces were being investigated for some of their actions in Afghanistan.

Police said they executed a search warrant Wednesday at the Sydney offices of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation based on a 2-year-old complaint by the then secretary of defense that the broadcaster published classified material.

Australian law forbids officials from disclosing secret information, and the police warrant was based on a law enacted in 1914.

ABC described the raid as a "serious development" relating to the freedom of the press. It was the second such raid against a media company in two days.

ABC is a client of The Associated Press.

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https://www.foxnews.com/world/police-raid-australian-public-broadcaster-over-afghan-leak

2019-06-05 05:13:09Z
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Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil is under threat from China - Vox.com

A massive candlelight vigil is taking place on Tuesday in the only part of China that allows dissent, Hong Kong, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre — but it may be one of the last times the moving protest ever takes place.

In April 1989, roughly 1 million pro-democracy advocates gathered in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in the heart of the sprawling capital city. For six weeks, they pushed the communist regime to open the nation’s political system in hopes that it would move away from decades of authoritarian leadership.

That didn’t happen. Instead, Chinese troops entered the square in the early morning of June 4 and throughout the day opened fire on the protesters. Beijing has never released an official death toll, though estimates from human rights groups and foreign organizations put it anywhere from a few hundred to about 10,000.

That slaughter remains a sensitive subject for millions of Chinese people and for the government itself, which has spent the years since mostly denying that the events at Tiananmen ever took place.

Which makes the vigil in Hong Kong, a semi-autonomous city in China, such a unique and defiant event.

Every year since the massacre, pro-democracy organizers have brought thousands of people into a main square of Hong Kong on the anniversary of the event to remember those lost and to continue the fight for democracy in China. This year, around 180,000 people, one of the highest-ever totals for the protest, joined the gathering — the only place in China that those who want to memorialize the tragedy and push for change could do so.

People hold candles as they take part in a candlelight vigil at Victoria Park on June 4, 2019, in Hong Kong.

Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

A wreath of flowers is carried during a candlelight vigil at Victoria Park on June 4, 2019, in Hong Kong.

Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

The problem is that 2019 may be one of the vigil’s last years. That’s because Beijing — which is supposed to leave the city mostly alone — wants to exert more control over it. Which means the freedom of expression enjoyed in Hong Kong, the very thing that makes the ceremony possible at all, may soon become a thing of the past.

“This may be the last time we get to express our dissent freely,” 19-year-old college student David Chung told the South China Morning Post on Tuesday.

After taking over Hong Kong in a war in the 1800s, Britain returned it to China in 1997 with an important stipulation: The city would govern itself for 50 years before officially folding back into the mainland. So until 2047, the expectation was that the area would function under the principle known as “one country, two systems.”

But Beijing clearly isn’t waiting that long.

At China’s direction, the Hong Kong government in recent years has quashed the city’s democratic movement, blocked opposition candidates from running for elected office, and put down nearly all protest movements. And it may soon get worse: There’s a proposal to amend a Hong Kong extradition law that would allow someone arrested in the city to face trial in another part of China.

That would all but cement Beijing’s authority in the supposedly semi-autonomous city.

“When the legislation passes — which now seems near certain, and imminent — it will spell the death of Hong Kong as the world has known it,” Ray Wong Toi-yeung, a political activist from the city, wrote for the New York Times on Tuesday.

A bird’s-eye view of the candlelight vigil at Victoria Park on June 4, 2019, in Hong Kong.

Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

That means the candlelight vigil that has allowed thousands to keep the memory of those killed in Tiananmen Square alive may soon fall victim to China’s crackdown on freedom of expression.

Of course, that hasn’t stopped the nearly 200,000 protesters from attending Tuesday’s ceremony, and it certainly won’t stop activists from pushing back against China’s growing influence in the years to come.

“For the future of Hong Kong, we must fight to the end,” Ho Chun-yan, the head of a pro-democracy group in the city, said at the vigil.

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2019-06-04 15:50:00Z
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President Trump should have avoided 'punching down' at London mayor, says Karl Rove - Fox News

President Trump doubled down on his criticisms of London Mayor Sadiq Khan during a press conference alongside outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May, a jab that Karl Rove said he was better off avoiding.

Trump and May briefly answered questions from reporters following a joint news conference on Tuesday, where the president was asked about his controversial tweets directed towards Khan on Monday.

"He's done a poor job, crime is up, a lot of problems," Trump reasserted on Tuesday.

During an appearance on "America's Newsroom" following the news conference, Rove said Trump should have ignored Khan's criticism.

TRUMP BABY BLIMP FLIES IN LONDON AS PROTESTS GREET PRESIDENT

"This is the one thing I think the president will be better off not punching down," said Rove, a Fox News contributor and former White House deputy chief of staff under George W. Bush.

"I think it would have been better to have left it in the hands of the British prime minister who answered by basically ignoring the mayor which is how he deserves to be treated."

Rove added that President Trump tends to take things personally, which can be an "advantage or a disadvantage."

Trump went on to say that Khan should not have spoken out against a leader for the United States - a country that "can do so much good for the United Kingdom" - before saying the first Muslim mayor of London is a "negative force."

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The two politicians have traded jabs over Twitter throughout the duration of President Trump's U.K. visit, with Trump labeling the mayor as a "stone cold loser" as he arrived in London. Khan responded by telling BBC that the president's insults reminded him of "the sort of thing an 11-year-old would do."

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2019-06-04 15:31:13Z
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