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Trump says ‘bullet pierced upper part of right ear’ in rally shooting; Biden says ‘everybody must condemn’ political violence – latest

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Trump says ‘bullet pierced upper part of right ear’ in rally shooting; Biden says ‘everybody must condemn’ political violence – latest

Trump says he was hit by ‘bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear’

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said he was hit by a “bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear” when a gunman opened fire on his rally in Pennsylvania:

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump wrote, noting that the suspected shooter is dead.

He then gave his version of what happened:

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I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.

It has also been reported that Trump was hit by glass fragments.

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While serving as a Democratic congresswoman in 2011, Gabrielle Giffords was the target of an attempted assassination that left her with life-altering injuries.

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She was among those condemning political violence following the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally today:

Political violence is terrifying. I know.

I’m holding former President Trump, and all those affected by today’s indefensible act of violence in my heart. Political violence is un-American and is never acceptable—never.

— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) July 13, 2024

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Trump will appear at Republican National Convention as planned, campaign says

Donald Trump still plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week, where he is scheduled to be formally renominated as president, his campaign and the Republican National Committee said.

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“As was communicated earlier this evening, President Trump is doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action,” Trump campaign senior advisors Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita and Republican National Committee chairman Michael Whatley and co-chairman Lara Trump said.

“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”

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Homeland security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said his department was “taking every possible measure” to ensure the safety of Donald Trump, Joe Biden and their campaigns after the shooting at the ex-president’s rally today:

We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today. We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.

— Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (@SecMayorkas) July 14, 2024

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In May, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that a majority of Americans were concerned that political violence could occur following the 5 November presidential rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Here’s more about the survey:

Two out of three Americans say they are concerned that political violence could follow the 5 November election rematch between Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor and challenger, Donald Trump, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The survey of 3,934 US adults found widespread worries that the country could see a repeat of the unrest that followed Trump’s 2020 election defeat, when the then president’s false claim that his loss was the result of fraud prompted thousands of followers to storm the US Capitol.

Trump is once again laying the groundwork to contest the results should he lose to Biden a second time.

In an online poll, 68% of respondents – including 83% of Democrats and 65% of Republicans – said they agreed with a statement that they were concerned that extremists will resort to violence if they are unhappy with the election outcome.

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Overall, 15% of respondents disagreed and 16% were unsure. In recent interviews, Trump has refused to commit to accepting the election results and at campaign rallies has portrayed Democrats as cheats.

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Shooter opened fire on Trump from rooftop with AR-style rifle – report

ABC News reports that the person who opened fired on Donald Trump’s rally, killing one and injuring two in what law enforcement officials reportedly believe was an assassination attempt, was perched on a rooftop and used an AR-style rifle:

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The shooter at the Trump rally fired as many as 8 rounds from an AR style rifle while perched on a rooftop adjacent to the venue, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The shooter was 200-300 yards away at the time of the gunfire, the sources said.

— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) July 14, 2024

Here’s more on that sort of weapon:

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Republicans accuse Biden of instigating shooting at Trump rally

Some Republicans have accused Joe Biden of setting the stage for the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally, citing language he used against the ex-president on the campaign trail.

Here’s Ohio senator JD Vance, who is said to be a potential pick as Trump’s running mate:

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Today is not just some isolated incident.

The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs.

That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) July 14, 2024

And Georgia representative Mike Collins:

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The Secret Service has confirmed that their officers killed the person who opened fire on Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania and that, in addition to the one attendee killed, two had been “critically injured”:

Here is the latest information from our investigation. We are grateful to the Secret Service team and our law enforcement partners for their swift action. Our thoughts go out to the families affected by this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/E8FazqtUVZ

— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) July 14, 2024

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Trump says he was hit by ‘bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear’

In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said he was hit by a “bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear” when a gunman opened fire on his rally in Pennsylvania:

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump wrote, noting that the suspected shooter is dead.

He then gave his version of what happened:

I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.

It has also been reported that Trump was hit by glass fragments.

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Donald Trump’s Republican allies have begun sharing a photo of him pumping his fist in the air after the incident at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today that left two people dead.

Here’s congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida:

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina:

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And Arkansas’s governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

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The BBC says they spoke with a witness who said they saw someone with a rifle outside the Trump rally, and tried to point him out to police, before he opened fire.

Here’s what they found:

One witness, Greg, told the BBC he was outside the rally and could only hear the former president talking, when he noticed a man on top of a roof.

“We noticed the guy crawling up the roof of the building beside us, 50 feet away from us,” Greg said. “He had a rifle, we could clearly see him with a rifle.”

Greg said they pointed the man out to police.

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“Next thing you know, I’m thinking to myself why is Trump still speaking? Why have they not pulled him off the stage?” he said. “I’m standing there pointing at him… the next thing you know, five shots ring out.” Bear in mind the situation is still fluid and the BBC cannot fully verify these early witness reports.

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Harris says ‘violence such as this has no place in our nation’ after Trump rally shooting

Vice-president Kamala Harris has joined the chorus condemning political violence after the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally today:

I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s event in Pennsylvania.

Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.

We are grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action.

Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.

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In an interview with CNN, Butler county district attorney Richard A Goldinger said that in addition to the two people killed at the Trump rally, one other person was injured and in “serious condition”.

He also said that the shooter had been outside of the security perimeter, meaning he did not go through magnetometers intended to reveal firearms.

“I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was, but he was outside the grounds, and I think that’s something that we’re going to have to figure out, how he got there,” he said.

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Biden says ‘everybody must condemn’ violence after Trump shooting

Joe Biden called for widespread condemnation of political violence following the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally.

“The bottom line is, the Trump rally is a rally that he should have been able to be conducted peacefully without any problem,” the president said. “But the idea, the idea that there’s political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. Everybody must condemn it.”

Asked is he believed Trump was the victim of an assassination attempt, Biden said, “I don’t know enough … I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts.”

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Biden says he hopes to speak with Trump following rally shooting

Joe Biden said he is hoping to speak with Donald Trump after at least two people were killed at his rally in Pennsylvania.

“I have tried to get ahold of Donald. He is with his doctors. Apparently, he’s been doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope when I get back to the telephone,” Biden said in remarks scheduled following the shooting.

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Biden campaign pausing communications and TV ads after Trump rally shooting

The Associated Press reports that the Biden campaign is pausing its advertising after at least two people were killed in a shooting at a Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

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“The Biden campaign is pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible,” a campaign official said.

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

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Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City

Note: Map shows the area with a shake intensity of 3 or greater, which U.S.G.S. defines as “weak,” though the earthquake may be felt outside the areas shown.  All times on the map are Eastern. The New York Times

A minor, 2.3-magnitude earthquake struck about 12 miles north of New York City on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The temblor happened at 10:17 a.m. Eastern in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., data from the agency shows.

The Westchester County emergency services department said in a statement that it had not received any reports of damage.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude. Additional information collected about the earthquake may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity map.

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Source: United States Geological Survey | Notes: Shaking categories are based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale. When aftershock data is available, the corresponding maps and charts include earthquakes within 100 miles and seven days of the initial quake. All times above are Eastern. Shake data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Aftershocks data is as of Tuesday, March 10 at 2:18 p.m. Eastern.

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

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Ed Martin, outspoken Justice Department lawyer, is formally accused of ethical violations | CNN Politics

Ed Martin, an outspoken Trump administration official, is facing attorney discipline proceedings in Washington, DC, for a letter he sent to Georgetown Law about its diversity programs, the district’s professional conduct investigator announced on Tuesday.

Martin is formally accused of violating his ethical codes as an attorney for telling Georgetown Law’s dean last year that his Justice Department office wouldn’t hire students because of the school’s diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives programs, according to the filing from Hamilton Fox, the disciplinary counsel for DC who acts as a quasi-prosecutor on attorney discipline matters.

Unlike unsolicited complaints, Fox’s formal disciplinary complaint kicks off professional conduct proceedings for Martin in which he will need to respond and could be sanctioned or ultimately lose his law license.

Fox’s announcement on Tuesday marks the first major bar discipline proceeding against a high-profile administration official or attorney supporting President Donald Trump during Trump’s second term. Several Trump lawyers faced disciplinary proceedings after the efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, including Rudy Giuliani, who lost his law license.

“Acting in his official capacity and speaking on behalf of the government, he used coercion to punish or suppress a disfavored viewpoint, the teaching and promotion of ‘DEI,’” Fox wrote in the complaint. “He demanded that Georgetown Law relinquish its free speech and religious rights in order to continue to obtain a benefit, employment opportunities for its students.”

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Martin was removed from the top prosecutor job in DC after senators made clear he would not be confirmed to the role, but has remained at the Justice Department in several roles, including as pardon attorney.

“Mr. Martin knew or should have known that, as a government official, his conduct violated the First and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States,” Fox wrote.

Martin is being represented by a Justice Department attorney, a source told CNN.

A spokesperson for DOJ attacked Fox’s complaint. “The DC bar’s attempt to target and punish those serving President Trump while refusing to investigate or act against actual ethical violations that were committed by Biden and Obama administration attorneys is a clear indication of this partisan organization’s agenda,” DOJ said.

Martin had sent the letter to Georgetown Law while serving temporarily as US attorney for DC, a prominent Justice Department position, and told the school his federal prosecutors’ office wouldn’t hire Georgetown’s law school students. It came at a time when the Trump administration was beginning to crack down on universities for their DEI efforts.

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In his letter, Martin claimed a whistleblower told him that the school was teaching and promoting DEI.

Martin also violated attorney ethics rules by contacting judges of the DC court directly, Fox alleged, rather than going through official channels, once he was informed he was under investigation for his professional conduct. The DC Court of Appeals ultimately signs off on attorney discipline findings.

Early last year, Fox’s office had formally asked Martin to respond to a complaint it received by a retired judge regarding the Georgetown letter.

Martin instead wrote to the judges on the DC court complaining about Fox.

“In that letter, he stated that he would not be responding to Disciplinary Counsel’s inquiry, complained about Disciplinary Counsel’s ‘uneven behavior,’ and requested a ‘face-to-face meeting with all of you to discuss this matter and find a way forward,’” Fox wrote.

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“He copied the White House Counsel ‘for informational purposes because of the importance of getting this issue addressed,’” Fox said.

The top judge in the DC courts told Martin the court wouldn’t meet with him about the disciplinary matter and that he would need to follow procedure.

With Fox’s complaint, there will now be several steps ahead of bar discipline authorities looking at Martin’s action, and Fox didn’t specify how Martin should be reprimanded or punished if the discipline boards and the court ultimately determine he violated his ethical codes.

Spokespeople for the Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday morning.

In recent days, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced her office would have a more powerful role in reviewing attorney discipline complaints against Justice Department attorneys, potentially setting up an approach that could keep the department at odds with the bar on behalf of DOJ attorneys facing their own individual disciplinary proceedings.

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CNN’s Paula Reid contributed to this report.

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Europe and Asia battle for LNG as Iran war chokes supply

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Asian and European buyers are battling to source liquefied natural gas after the war in the Middle East choked off shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a fifth of global supplies.

In an indication of the intensifying contest for LNG since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, a handful of gas carriers have abruptly changed course while sailing to Europe and swung towards Asia instead, according to ship monitoring data analysed by the FT.

Countries across Asia are highly dependent on oil and gas sent through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway where shipping has slowed to a near standstill.

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Most of the LNG produced in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates is ordinarily shipped through the strait to Asia, and Asian LNG prices surged almost immediately after war broke out, creating an incentive to divert US gas to the region.

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Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are among the countries that need to source LNG to make up for supplies they will not receive from the Gulf, said Massimo Di Odoardo, head of gas and LNG analysis at consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Taiwan relied on Qatar for more than 30 per cent of its gas consumption in 2025, according to Citigroup, while for South Korea and Japan the figures were 15 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. Asia typically uses more gas than Europe in the hotter summer months because of more air-conditioning use, creating urgency for Asian utilities to secure cargoes.

The vast majority of LNG is sold under long-term contracts rather than on the spot market, but some buyers are able to change the final destination of their purchases and some sellers are willing to break contracts if prices rise high enough.

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By Thursday, surging European gas prices and rocketing shipping rates had swung the balance back against diversion of US LNG to Asia, according to data company Spark Commodities.

The decision on where to send gas carriers can depend on the relative levels of the European gas price, Asia’s JKM benchmark for LNG and shipping rates.

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For European buyers, the battle with Asia for LNG supplies is eerily familiar to the situation four years ago after Russia slashed pipeline natural gas flows to the continent following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Competition for spare cargoes then pushed prices to record levels.

On Monday, European gas prices reached as high as €69.50 per megawatt hour, more than double their level before the Iran conflict began. Even so, prices are still far from the €342 per megawatt hour reached in 2022.

JKM gas prices also more than doubled since the start of the war to $24.80 per 1mn British thermal units by Monday, equivalent to €73.10/MWh.

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European buyers have learnt from their experience in 2022. “Europe has more weapons at its disposal in this extreme price scenario to try and fight,” said Alex Kerr, a partner at law firm Baker Botts.

Buyers had started putting clauses in contracts to say that suppliers would face much higher penalties if they diverted cargoes for commercial gain, Kerr said.

There is also much more LNG on the market now that is not committed to set destinations, largely because of new projects starting in the US.

While producers such as Qatar impose strict rules on where its LNG can be sent, almost all US exports are allowed to sail wherever buyers want. Several analysts said there had also been an increase in the willingness of some producers to break contracts for financial advantage.

This makes diversions more likely, while the reluctance of some European buyers to sign long-term supply contracts before the outbreak of war this month could prove costly.

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Expectations of a global supply glut convinced some European buyers that it would be cheaper to wait until later in the year to sign supply deals.

Wood Mackenzie’s Di Odoardo said the buyers had also held off on LNG purchases because new EU legislation on methane emissions made it unclear whether they could incur penalties in the future.

The risk of prices rising as Europe and Asia fight for available cargoes is increasing every day the Strait of Hormuz stays almost closed.

Gas is more difficult to store and to carry in tankers than oil, making its markets more vulnerable to shortages and price shocks.

“The longer the Strait remains shut, the greater the risk that the shipping disruption turns into a genuine gas shortage, as tankers cannot load and facilities have limited storage,” said consultancy Oxford Economics in a research note.

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Additional reporting by Harry Dempsey in Tokyo. Data visualisation by Jana Tauschinski

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