Michael Cohen on the stand
Michael Cohen, the fixer who once boasted of burying Donald Trump’s secrets and spreading his lies, testified yesterday at Trump’s criminal trial. In a crucial passage, he said that the hush payment he made to Stormy Daniels came at Trump’s direction.
“He expressed to me, ‘Just do it,'” Cohen said on the stand, adding, “I was doing everything and more to protect my boss.”
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Cohen’s testimony is key to efforts to link Trump to conspiracy allegations to safeguard his 2016 presidential campaign by burying Daniels’ account of a 2006 sexual encounter. Cohen admitted to lying and bullying Trump, buying and suppressing stories negative while acting like a “bully.”
Cohen, who still faces questioning from the defense, also denied some key claims.
Trump’s lawyers argue that Trump was unaware of his fixer’s machinations; Cohen described his boss as a micromanager. Trump’s team has also tried to portray his client as a family man deeply concerned about how Daniels’ allegations would damage his marriage. Cohen described Trump as insensitive and said “it was all about the campaign.”
A new Russian defense minister for a long war
President Vladimir Putin’s surprise pick to head Russia’s sprawling Defense Ministry made his first public appearance in his new role yesterday and spoke more about bureaucracy than the battlefield in Ukraine.
The appointment of Andrei Belousov, a soft-spoken economic policy expert, signaled that Putin is focusing on subordinating Russia’s economy to his military needs to sustain a war of attrition with Ukraine.
In his remarks, Belousov made no reference to the situation on the front, where Russian forces are mounting a new offensive in the northeast. He described his priorities as improving the standards of care and living for soldiers, veterans and their families.
“It is absolutely unacceptable” that soldiers are redirected to overcrowded hospitals when they are on leave, Belousov said. “This problem must be resolved.”
On the battlefield: A top Ukrainian general said his army was facing a “critical” situation in the northeast as it tries to repel the Russian offensive. Ukraine is increasingly unable to stop Russian missiles as it waits for more weapons to bolster its air defenses.
How Hamas spied on the Palestinians
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has for years overseen a secret police force in Gaza that conducted surveillance and compiled files on young people, journalists and those who questioned the government, according to intelligence officials and internal documents reviewed by The Times.
“Super Size Me,” a documentary released 20 years ago, sparked a violent reaction against McDonald’s, a symbol of the hegemony of American capitalism. But it didn’t stick.
Not only is McDonald’s now bigger than ever, with nearly 42,000 locations worldwide, but fast food in general has boomed.
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What to look for in Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival begins today in the south of France. Times culture reporter Kyle Buchanan wrote about the movies, artists and events we’ll be keeping an eye on.
Some 45 years after “Apocalypse Now” won the Palme d’Or, Francis Ford Coppola returns with “Megalopolis,” starring Adam Driver as a visionary architect determined to rebuild a city after a disaster. It’s hard to imagine a friendlier place for the film’s debut than Cannes, where Coppola is revered.
But the biggest film release will be “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” Expect a major red carpet moment from Anya Taylor-Joy, who takes on the title character originated by Charlize Theron.
Real-world controversies can affect the glitzy festival. Festival workers could strike, frustrated by their contracts. And the French film industry is taking #MeToo into account, with more accusations rumored to be coming during the festival.
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PS: “The Retrievals,” a podcast from Serial Productions and The Times about deception at a Yale fertility clinic, won a Peabody Award.
Is all for today. See you tomorrow. —Amelia
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