World news

Driver in Liverpool parade ramming arrested for attempted murder, believed to have been on drugs in attack

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

(LIVERPOOL, England) — The suspect accused of ramming a car into a crowd in Liverpool at a Premier League victory parade on Monday has been arrested for attempted murder, reckless driving and is believed to have been on drugs during the attack, officials said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Merseyside Police said on Tuesday that 65 people were injured from the attack, and 11 — all in stable condition — still remain in the hospital.

Officials said a robust traffic plan was in place for the parade, which included Water Street — where the attack occurred. But, the street was temporarily reopened for an ambulance to treat someone suffering a suspected heart attack, and the 53-year-old suspect followed the ambulance inside the crowd.

The attack is still not being treated as a terrorism and authorities are continuing their investigation. The suspect remains in custody and is being interviewed by officials.

Police said they will not speculate on the attack and encourage others to “refrain from sharing distressing content online.”

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Politics

Trump to push for end to all federal agencies’ Harvard contracts

Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — The White House General Services Administration is expected to send a letter to federal agencies on Tuesday asking them to “identify any contracts with Harvard, and whether they can be canceled or redirected elsewhere,” a senior administration official told ABC News.

The move comes as President Donald Trump continues his attack on the school as the university has not complied with the administration’s demands over providing data on its international students. It comes after the president announced over the weekend that he is considering allocating $3 billion away from Harvard to other trade schools, the latest in his battle with the Ivy League school.

Harvard filed a lawsuit against the administration last week over the order that prevented the school from admitting international students.

The administration argues in the letter, obtained by ABC News, that being a contractor of the federal government “comes with the deep responsibility and commitment to abide by all federal laws and ensure the safeguarding of taxpayer money.”

The letter goes on to allege that Harvard “continues to engage in race discrimination, including in its admissions process and in other areas of student life” — some of the diversity, equity and inclusion practices that the Trump administration has worked to curtail.

The letter also alleges that the university has “potential discriminatory hiring practices and possible violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” The letter also takes issue with what they say is Harvard’s “disturbing lack of concern for the safety and wellbeing of Jewish students,” according to the administration official — a reference to instances of antisemitism on campus.

The letter says that agencies should “consider its contracts with Harvard University and determine whether Harvard and its services efficiently promote the priorities of the Agency.” It also instructs agencies to have a list of contracts with the university and the action the agency will take on it by June 6.

“We recommend that your agency terminate for convenience each contract that it determines has failed to meet its standards, and transition to a new vendor those contracts that could be better serviced by an alternative counterparty. Going forward, we also encourage your agency to seek alternative vendors for future services where you had previously considered Harvard,” the letter adds.

The school hasn’t immediately commented about the letter.

The New York Times first reported the letter.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.

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Business

Consumer confidence brightens as Trump rolls back tariffs

lechatnoir/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Consumer confidence improved more than expected in May, ending a monthslong stretch of worsening consumer attitudes as President Donald Trump’s tariffs set off company warnings about price increases even after the president eased his policy.

The reading of brightened consumer sentiment snapped five consecutive months of decline, which had brought the Conference Board gauge to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rebound in consumer confidence took hold across all age and income demographics, the Conference Board said.

A trade agreement between the U.S. and China earlier this month slashed tit-for-tat tariffs between the world’s two largest economies and triggered a surge in the stock market. Within days, Wall Street firms softened their forecasts of a recession.

The U.S.-China accord marked the latest softening of Trump’s levies, coming weeks after the White House paused far-reaching “reciprocal tariffs” on dozens of countries. Trump also eased sector-specific tariffs targeting autos, and rolled back duties on some goods from Mexico and Canada.

An array of tariffs remain in place, however, including an across-the-board 10% levy that applies to imports from nearly all countries. Additional tariffs have hit auto parts, as well as steel and aluminum.

Consumers face the highest overall average effective tariff rate since 1934, the Yale Budget Lab found this month.

A growing set of major retailers have warned of possible tariff-driven price hikes, including Nike, Target, Walmart and Best Buy.

Walmart CEO Doug McMillan last week said tariffs risk prices increases for a wide range of goods that includes food, toys and electronics.

“The merchandise that we import comes from all over the world,” McMillon said. “All of the tariffs create cost pressure for us.”

Consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, could weaken if shopper sentiment sours. In theory, a slowdown of spending could hammer some businesses, prompting layoffs that in turn further shrink consumer appetite.

Despite ongoing market swings, key measures of the economy remain fairly strong.

The unemployment rate stands at a historically low level and job growth remains robust, though it has slowed from previous highs. In recent months, inflation has cooled, reaching its lowest level since 2021.
 

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National

Former Arkansas police chief sentenced for murder and rape escapes from prison

Stone County Arkansas Sheriff’s Office

(GATEWAY, ARK.) — A former Arkansas police chief serving a 30-year sentence for murder and rape has escaped from prison, according to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office.

Grant Hardin, 56, who has been in prison since 2017 for first-degree murder and rape, escaped the Calico Rock North Central Unit on Sunday at approximately 2:50 p.m., the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

Hardin, who was the former police chief of Gateway, Arkansas, allegedly escaped through a sally port “wearing a makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement,” according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

The roads in the immediate area of the prison were shut down on Sunday night and into the early hours of Monday morning for officials to check vehicles and ensure Hardin had not stolen a vehicle or taken someone hostage in their vehicle, Stone County Sheriff Brandon Long told ABC News.

As of Monday evening, the search continues for Hardin, Long said.

“I am very scared that this guy is going to hurt or kill somebody before this is over with,” Long told ABC News.

Long did not have any knowledge of how Hardin was able to escape from prison, but said he has “a lot of questions” on how this occurred. He said deputies are continuing to monitor the roadways near the prison and he is “hopeful” they will locate Hardin soon.

Nathan Smith, the former Benton County prosecutor who helped put Hardin behind bars, told Arkansas ABC affiliate KHBS the escaped inmate is “a sociopath.”

“He has no moral core or center that would prevent him from doing anything,” Smith told KHBS.

Smith, who was the prosecutor for both Hardin’s rape and murder convictions, said the escape reminds victims of Hardin’s previous crimes. 

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Entertainment

In brief: Disney films release dates, a ‘Top Gun’ experience in Vegas underway and more

Disney recently shared release information for a couple of highly anticipated movies. The Dog Stars, a 20th Century Studios project, is a post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott. It’s due to hit screens in March 2026 and will star Saltburn‘s Jacob Elordi. And Avatar fans can rejoice: the newest film in the series, Avatar: Fire and Ash, is set for release on Dec. 19, a few months after the Oct. 3 rerelease of 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water

Prime Video has announced there will not be a fourth season of its action-adventure fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Deadline reports the decision not to move forward came after “lengthy deliberations” and as a result of financial issues. The Wheel of Time is a TV adaptation of the book of the same name, starring Rosamund Pike 

Paramount Global and Advent Allen Entertainment plan to bring a Top Gun experience to the Las Vegas Strip. Based on the iconic Tom Cruise films, the new experience is described as an “adrenaline-charged, immersive” theme park that will combine “daring rides” and “cinematic storytelling.” The venture will include fighter jet stimulators, immersive technology and a reimagining of Top Gun: Maverick‘s Hard Deck bar and restaurant with live piano sing-alongs …

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National

Jet ski driver flees after killing 18-year-old kayaker in Texas: Police

Grapevine Police Department

(GRAPEVINE, TEXAS) — An 18-year-old who was kayaking on Grapevine Lake in Texas over Memorial Day weekend was killed after being struck by a jet ski, whose driver fled the scene, police said.

The incident happened on Sunday evening when the jet ski, with a driver and a passenger onboard, hit the victim, Ava Moore, according to the Grapevine Police Department.

Grapevine Lake is a reservoir in northern Texas, approximately 20 miles northwest of Dallas and northeast of Fort Worth.

The passenger on the jet ski remained at the scene to be interviewed by first responders, police said, while the driver fled with an adult male.

While leaving the area, the driver and the man then struck another vehicle, according to Grapevine Police.

Police are investigating the related automotive hit-and-run incident, while Texas Game Wardens are leading the investigation into Moore’s death on the lake.

Grapevine Police released an image of the alleged jet ski driver, asking anyone with information about the incident and the individual to contact Grapevine Police detectives at cidmail@grapevinetexas.gov.

“Our thoughts are with Ava’s family and friends during this difficult time. Texas Game Wardens remain committed to keeping our public waters safe,” Grapevine Police said in a statement.

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National

Everyone who has testified in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial so far: Recap

John Lamparski/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Across two weeks of testimony in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, federal prosecutors called 16 witnesses, attempting to prove the rap mogul embraced violence and threats to coerce women into sex and protect his music empire.

In addition to hearing four days of testimony from star witness Cassie Ventura – who alleged that Combs subjected her to a decade of abuse – the jury has heard from five witnesses who testified they saw Combs be violent toward Ventura, two of Combs’ employees who allegedly helped him commit crimes, two escorts who said they were paid by Combs and two federal agents who conducted searches of Combs’ property.

Prosecutors called multiple witnesses who, they argue, corroborate Ventura’s testimony, including a makeup artist and male escort who both testified about witnessing Combs’ violence. Ventura’s mother said she took out a home equity loan after Combs allegedly blackmailed her daughter, rapper Kid Cudi testified that Combs broke into his home — and said he suspected that Combs coordinated the firebombing of his car in retaliation for his relationship with Ventura — and Kerry Morgan told jurors that she pleaded with her former best friend to leave what she said was a toxic and abusive relationship with Combs.

Combs has pleaded not guilty and denies sexually assaulting or trafficking anyone. Combs’ lawyers have argued that the rap mogul’s domestic violence was driven by jealousy and drug addiction, and that his voyeuristic sexual activities, while not mainstream, are his private business and do not amount to sex trafficking.

When court resumes on Tuesday, federal prosecutors plan to call Combs’ former assistant Capricorn Clark and representatives from Los Angeles fire and police departments.

Here are the federal witnesses who have been called so far:

Israel Florez, hotel security guard

Prosecutors began their case by calling a witness whose testimony allowed them to show the jury multiple videos of Combs assaulting Ventura on March 5, 2016, in a Los Angeles hotel.

After receiving a report of a woman in distress, security guard Israel Florez testified that he found Combs and Ventura in the elevator vestibule on the sixth floor of the InterContinental Hotel Century City in Los Angeles.

“The best way I can describe it is like a devilish stare. He was just looking at me,” Florez said about first encountering Combs, adding that he noticed Ventura had a “purple eye.”

After escorting Ventura out of the hotel, Florez said Combs attempted to offer him a bribe, which he rejected.

“He was pretty much holding like a stack of money,” he said. “He was pretty much telling me, like, ‘Hey, take care of this, don’t tell nobody,’ pretty much.”

During Florez’s testimony, prosecutors entered into evidence multiple videos of the alleged assault, showing Combs grabbing Ventura, throwing her to the ground and dragging her. Defense attorneys argued that the video – which they acknowledged depicted domestic violence – would be unfairly prejudicial to the jury, but the judge allowed the jury to see the videos.

Defense attorneys also noted that his comments about a “devilish stare” were not in written reports about the incident.

Daniel Phillip, male escort

For their second witness, prosecutors called Daniel Phillip to testify about witnessing Combs being violent toward Ventura.

Phillip – who said he was paid as much as $6000 each time he had sex with Ventura while Combs sat in the corner masturbating – testified that he saw Combs throw a bottle at Ventura then drag her across the floor after she did not immediately follow his instructions.

“Mr. Combs came out of the room, and I just saw a bottle fly past her and hit the wall,” he said. “He grabbed her by her hair, and started dragging her by her hair into her bedroom.”

“I could hear Cassie yelling, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ and then I could hear again what sounded like she was being slapped or someone was being slapped around and slammed around the room,” he testified.

Phillip told jurors that he did not feel comfortable intervening because of the power dynamic between him and Combs.

“My thoughts was that this was someone with unlimited power, and chances are that even if I did go to the police, that I might still end up losing my life,” he said.

On cross-examination, Combs’ lawyers tried to highlight an alleged inconsistency in his account – whether Combs asked him to leave after the alleged violence or resume having sex with Ventura – but Phillip stood by his original testimony.

Cassie Ventura, musician and Combs’ ex-girlfriend
Combs’ former girlfriend and musician Cassie Ventura testified for four days during the first week of the trial, as prosecutors attempted to lay the foundation of their criminal case against Combs. Prosecutors called her as one of their first witnesses in part because she was eight months-pregnant at the time of her testimony.

After Combs signed Ventura to Bad Boy Records, she testified that they began an on-and-off relationship that lasted for more than a decade. While Ventura said their relationship had a loving and positive start, Combs allegedly became increasingly violent with her, threatened her if she ever disobeyed him and required her to participate in drug-fueled sex parties called “freak offs.”

“Every freak-off was directed by Sean. Like, he knew specifically where he wanted everyone to be, the lighting and such,” Ventura said.

Ventura also testified about multiple violent episodes where Combs allegedly abused her, including the 2016 incident that jurors watched on video.

“When I chose to leave, I grabbed what I could and I got out and Sean followed me into the hallway before the elevators and grabbed me up, threw me on the ground, kicked me, tried to drag me back to the room,” she said.

Ventura testified that the threats and incessant sexual demands from Combs — as well as a pattern of coerced sex with strangers — drove her into addiction, exposed her to regular spates of violence and led her to contemplate suicide.

The couple broke up in 2018, and in 2023 Ventura sued Combs over what she alleged was a “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking.” While the lawsuit was quickly settled – according to Ventura for $20 million – with no admission of wrongdoing from Combs, the allegations in her lawsuit prompted federal investigators to begin looking into Combs.

Ventura told the jury that she decided to testify in the case because it was the “right thing” to do.

“I can’t carry this anymore. I can’t carry the same, the guilt, the way I was guided to treat people like they were disposable. What’s right is right, what’s wrong is wrong. I’m here to do the right thing,” she said.

During cross-examination, defense lawyers attempted to use years of text messages between Combs and Ventura to suggest that she was a willing participant in the sex parties and that their relationship was driven by mutual jealousy and infidelity. Defense lawyers have argued that Combs’ violence was influenced by his drug use and fundamentally driven by jealousy, not as a desire to coerce others into sex, as prosecutors have alleged.

Yasmin Binda, federal agent

Yasmin Binda, a federal agent with Homeland Security Investigations, testified about the search conducted on Combs’ hotel room shortly after he was arrested in September 2024.

According to Binda, investigators found $9,000 in cash, substances that tested positive for MDMA and ketamine, and supplies like lubricant and baby oil that other witnesses have said were commonly used during freak-offs. Jurors were shown photos of the inside of Comb’s Park Hyatt hotel room during Binda’s testimony.

Dawn Richard, former member of Danity Kane

Dawn Richard, a former member of the Combs’ pop group Danity Kane, told jurors that she personally witnessed Combs assaulting Ventura on multiple occasions, including a 2009 outburst in Los Angeles while Ventura tried to cook breakfast.

“He came downstairs angry and was saying where the f— was his eggs – excuse my language – and he was telling Cassie that she never gets anything right, where the f— is his food, and he proceeded to come over to her and took the skillet with the eggs in it and tried to hit her over the head with it and she fell to the ground,” she testified.

Richard also told jurors that she witnessed Combs punch his then-girlfriend Ventura in the face with a “closed fist” in 2009 before a music festival in Central Park. After Ventura put on sunglasses and makeup to hide the injury, Richard said she put on sunglasses “in solidarity” with Ventura. The jury then saw a photo of Richard, Ventura and another member of Danity Kane wearing sunglasses at the festival.

Richard also told the jury that the alleged violence extended to other public settings, testifying that Combs punched Ventura in the stomach during a group dinner attended by Usher, Ne-Yo and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Richard mentioned that allegation in her civil lawsuit against Combs, but defense lawyers highlighted that Richard’s prior discussion of the dinner did not mention the high-profile guests.

Richard in 2024 sued Combs for assault, copyright infringement and false imprisonment, alleging — among other things — that he groped her on numerous occasions and forced her to endure inhumane work conditions. Combs denied all of the allegations and his attorneys in May filed a motion to dismiss the case.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland said Richard’s account of an alleged assault has changed several times and suggested Richard agreed to testify against Combs because he ruined her music career by dismantling the music groups she had once been a part of.

Kerry Morgan, Ventura’s former best friend

Ventura’s former best friend Kerry Morgan testified about two instances when she said she personally saw Combs assault Ventura. She said she saw Combs hit Ventura in a home Combs rented in Hollywood Hills, and she testified about a second instance when Comb assaulted Ventura during a trip to Jamaica.

“I heard her screaming and I went to the hallway. The hallway was extremely long. And they were coming out of the master bedroom and he was dragging her by her hair on the floor,” she testified about the incident.

Prosecutors also asked Morgan about the aftermath of a 2016 incident when Combs is accused of assaulting Ventura. Morgan’s account matched what Ventura told jurors last week, saying the police arrived after the incident but Ventura refused to cooperate.

Morgan said her relationship with Ventura ended in 2018 after she says Combs tried to choke Morgan and hit her with a wooden coat hanger. Morgan testified that Combs demanded she tell him “who Cassie was cheating on him with” while Ventura locked herself in a bathroom. Morgan said she later accepted a $30,000 payment from Combs after she threatened to sue. She agreed to a confidentiality deal in return for the money, she testified. She testified her friendship with Ventura ended at that point.

David James, Combs’ former personal assistant

David James, Combs’ former personal assistant, testified about his tenure working as Combs’ personal assistant, offering jurors an anecdote about his first time entering the headquarters of Bad Boy Entertainment for a job interview.

“This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom. We’re all here to serve in it,” James said an employee told him after pointing to a photo of Combs.

James told jurors about the wide range of tasks he completed for the rap mogul: from stocking hotel rooms and allegedly buying drugs to being the driver when Combs – allegedly armed with multiple guns – wanted to confront rival record executive Marion “Suge” Knight.

Jurors first heard about the alleged interaction between Combs and Knight during Ventura’s testimony, and James said the interaction prompted him to eventually leave his job working for Combs.

“I was really struck by it. I realized for the first time being Mr. Combs’ assistant that my life was in danger,” James testified.

Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura’s mother

Regina Ventura, the mother of star witness Cassie Ventura, told the jury that she took out a home equity loan to pay Combs in order to prevent him from following through on an alleged threat to release a sex tape of her daughter.

“The threats that have been made towards me by Sean ‘Puffy’ Combs are that … he is going to release 2 explicit sex tapes of me,” Ventura wrote in an email to her mother and Combs’ assistant Capricorn Clark on Dec. 23, 2011. Jurors saw the email when Cassie Ventura testified.

“I was physically sick. I did not understand a lot of it. The sex tapes threw me. I did not know [Combs] but I knew that he was going to try to hurt my daughter,” she told jurors.

Regina Ventura testified that she and her husband decided to take out a loan so they could send Combs the $20,000 he demanded, though he ultimately returned the money. She also testified that she took photographs of the injuries her daughter allegedly suffered from Combs so that they would have a record of the alleged abuse.

Approximately 15 years after she documented the injuries, prosecutors last week showed the photos to the jury to underscore Cassie Ventura’s testimony about the violence she suffered at Combs’ hands.

Sharay Hayes, male escort

Known professionally as The Punisher – a nickname based on his style of playing basketball – male escort Sharay Hayes told the jury that he was hired about a dozen times by Combs and Ventura.

He said he first met Combs and Cassie Ventura in 2012, when he was hired to help create a “sexy erotic scene” for what, Ventura said, was Combs’ birthday. He testified that Ventura instructed him to come to Trump International Hotel & Tower on Central Park West in Manhattan to perform a strip act. When he arrived, Ventura asked him to cover her in baby oil while Combs watched, Hayes said.

“I was specifically told to … try not to look at him, no communication or anything between me and him,” he said. “The room was very dimly lit. … All of the furniture was covered in sheets and there was an area pretty much set up for me to sit and her to sit across from me, and there were little bowls in the area with baby oil in them.”

Hayes told jurors that Combs was nude for the encounter and wore a veil, occasionally masturbating during the interaction and offering “subtle directions” to Ventura.

After their first interaction, Hayes said he worked for the couple up to 12 more times, receiving $1,200 to $2,000 on each occasion.

Cross-examined by Combs’ lawyers, Hayes testified that he believed Ventura sometimes flinched during some of Combs’ directives but otherwise appeared comfortable during the exchanges, potentially undercutting the argument she was coerced to participate. The question of whether Ventura was forced or participated voluntarily is one of the most critical issues in the case against Combs.

Gerald Gannon, federal agent

Gerald Gannon, a special agent from United States Homeland Security Investigations, walked the jury through some of the evidence that he said was recovered from the rap star’s home on the exclusive Miami Beach enclave of Star Island.

Gannon testified that federal agents recovered the parts of two AR-15 assault-style rifles with defaced serial numbers only feet from where Combs allegedly stored materials for freak-offs — including baby oil, lingerie, platform heels and sex toys. Prosecutors have argued that the threat of violence allowed Combs to coerce his alleged victims to participate in freak-offs.

Holding parts of the weapons in court for the jury to see, Gannon testified that investigators recovered a fully-loaded handgun in a piece of luggage found in Combs’ residence.

Jurors also saw the trove of drugs allegedly found in Combs’ residence, including a variety of pills, marijuana, powders and other drugs that prosecutors have alleged were used to make women compliant during freak-offs and would allow them to perform long past the point of exhaustion.

Dawn Hughes, expert witness

Psychologist Dawn Hughes was called by prosecutors to explain to the jury that many people opt to stay in abusive relationships because they feel trapped or form an “intense psychological bond” that draws them to their abuser.

“It’s hard for us to break up with someone under the best of circumstances,” Hughes said. “When you have all this violence and abuse, you’re just trying to live day to day in this very micro way.” She explained that oftentimes victims’ emotional strength becomes devoted to avoiding beatings instead of plotting a way out of an abusive relationship.

While Hughes as an expert witness was not allowed to directly analyze Combs’ relationship with Ventura, she offered indirect context for some of the topics Ventura touched on during her testimony. If victims are able to escape an abusive relationship, Hughes told the jury, they often return, as Ventura testified that she did repeatedly with Combs.

Hughes also said that victims often adopt passive self-defense mechanisms that don’t provoke their abusers, such as “curling up in a ball.” Earlier witnesses Dawn Richard and Kerry Morgan both testified that they saw Ventura drop into a fetal position during beatings they said they witnessed Combs inflicting.

George Kaplan, former personal assistant

Testifying under an immunity deal so that he cannot be prosecuted for anything he admits to, Combs’ former assistant George Kaplan told jurors he quit his job after 15 months because he could no longer continue “fixing” problems for Combs after the mogul’s repeated acts of violence.

Kaplan testified that he saw Combs become violent on three occasions, including one episode when he was summoned to Combs’ bedroom only to find Ventura crying and bruised in bed. He also testified seeing Combs holding a whisky glass over Ventura’s head during a flight to Las Vegas and another instance in 2015 when a “very angry” Combs threw apples at another one of his girlfriends.

“In my heart of hearts I knew what was happening and I felt an element of guilt that I didn’t do anything to stop it,” he told jurors about why he stopped working for Combs.

Kaplan also told jurors about the process of setting up and cleaning hotel rooms for the rap mogul. He testified that he often was given only a few hours’ notice to set up a room and came prepared with a “hotel bag” filled with what were essentials for Combs: candles, baby oil, Astroglide lubricant, an audio speaker and extra clothing. He also said that he would be tasked with cleaning the rooms after Combs was done because he was concerned that if hotel staff had cleaned the rooms immediately after Combs left, they might try to sell videos of images of the aftermath of a freak-off.

Scott Mescudi, musician and actor

Kid Cudi – whose legal name is Scott Mescudi – told jurors that his brief relationship with Cassie Ventura was marked by violent threats from Combs that prompted him and Ventura to stop seeing one another. He told jurors that he suspected Combs allegedly broke into his home and coordinated the firebombing of his high-end sports car.

After starting a romance with the singer and model who was involved with Combs on and off for years, Mescudi said he received an abrupt phone call from Ventura to warn that Combs had learned they were seeing each other. He said he picked up Ventura and soon received a call from Combs’ assistant informing him that Combs had broken into his home.

“I said, ‘M——-, you in my house?’ And he said, ‘What’s up?’ ‘Are you in my house? I just want to talk to you. I’m on my way over right now,'” he testified.

Mescudi said he quickly drove to his home but did not find Combs, though there were traces of his alleged visit. He said the Christmas gifts he bought for his family had been opened and his dog was locked in the bathroom. He also testified that he reported the incident to police.

Mescudi said he and Ventura eventually broke up because “things were getting out of hand” and he felt concerned for their safety.

During her testimony, Ventura said that Combs threatened to hurt her and Mescudi if their relationship continued and vowed to blow up the car of the rival rapper. Mescudi testified that he suspected Combs followed through with the threat in early 2012, telling jurors that someone had cut the soft top of his Porsche open and placed a lit Molotov cocktail inside. Jurors were shown the results of that episode when prosecutors entered into evidence multiple photos of the charred vehicle.

Defense lawyers have denied that Combs had any role in the firebombing of the vehicle.

Mylah Morales, makeup artist

Prosecutors called makeup artist Mylah Morales to testify about a 2010 incident when Combs allegedly assaulted Ventura in their hotel suite. According to Morales, Combs stormed into the room they rented at the Beverly Hills Hotel after a night out.

“Where the f— is she?” Combs allegedly shouted before he walked into the bedroom where Ventura was and closed the door, according to Morales’ testimony.

Morales said she heard “yelling and screaming” before Combs exited the hotel room. She said Ventura had a swollen eye, busted lip and “knots on her head” after the incident.

According to Morales, Ventura stayed with her for a few days to recover after the incident. Morales testified that a friend who was a doctor checked on Ventura to see if she had a concussion and suggested she visit an emergency room, according to her testimony, but Ventura allegedly said it was “her wish not to go to the ER.”

On cross-examination, Combs’ lawyers highlighted that Morales did not directly witness the alleged assault because she was outside the bedroom.

Frederick Zemmour, hotel manager

The general manager of the L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, Frederick Zemmour, said Combs frequently stayed at the hotel, and his guest profile noted some characteristics that other witnesses said were features of the drug-fueled sex parties called “freak offs” that Combs would host.

“Always spills candle wax on everything and uses excessive amounts of oil, place rooms out of order upon departure for deep cleaning,” Zemmour said, citing notes the hotel kept on Combs.

When Ventura testified last week, she said Combs often booked rooms at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills to host freak-offs. She recounted one instance when Combs allegedly requested she get into a blowup pool that was filled with “lube and oil.”

Joshua Croft, special agent

Joshua Croft, a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations, briefly testified about the process for examining some of the electronic devices recovered during the investigation into Combs.

He told the jury that he conducted computer extractions from three laptops that belonged to Cassie Ventura. One of the laptops included a user profile for Frank Black, an alias used by Sean Combs, he said.

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World news

Russia is preparing new offensives, according to Ukraine intelligence: Zelenskyy

Alex Ellinghausen / Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images

(LONDON) — Ukrainian intelligence and open-source data show Russian President Vladimir Putin does not “plan to end the war,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his daily evening address Monday.

“There is currently no indication that they are seriously considering peace or diplomacy,” he added. “On the contrary, there is ample evidence that they are preparing new offensive operations.”

The address came after an overnight exchange of long-range cross-border drone attacks between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched a total of 364 “air attack vehicles” — nine cruise missiles and 355 attack drones — in the latest bombardment.

All missiles and 288 drones were shot down or neutralized in flight, Ukraine’s air force said. Impacts were reported in five regions and falling debris in 10 regions, it added.

Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces downed 128 Ukrainian drones over 12 regions from Sunday night into Monday morning.

Near-nightly cross-border strikes have become a prominent feature of Russia’s war on Ukraine, now more than three years old with little sign of an imminent ceasefire or peace deal. Recent months have seen the bombardments grow in size.

On Saturday night into Sunday, for example, Russia launched what Ukrainian officials described as its largest aerial attack of the war. The assault included 367 drones and missiles and killed at least 18 people, officials said.

The weekend attacks prompted Trump to rebuke both Putin and Zelenskyy on his social media platform on Monday.

“I’m not happy with what Putin is doing,” he wrote. “He’s killing a lot of people, and I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin. I’ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all.”

“Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” he continued.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia is “really grateful to the Americans and personally to President Trump for his assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process. This is a very important achievement.”

However, Zelenskyy and his officials have cited Russia’s continued massed strikes as evidence that Moscow is not genuine in its public appeals for peace.

“Russia is counting on a prolonged war,” Zelenskyy remarked, when discussing the new intelligence that he said was analyzed in a meeting with his staff on Monday. “And on their part, this is a blatant disregard for all those around the world who seek peace and are trying to make diplomacy work.”

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Sports

Scoreboard roundup — 5/26/25

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Timberwolves 126, Thunder 128

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Hurricanes 3, Panthers 0

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Giants 1, Tigers 3
Red Sox 2, Brewers 3
Rockies 1, Cubs 3
Cardinals 2, Orioles 5
Blue Jays 2, Rangers 1
White Sox 1, Mets 2
Reds 7, Royals 4
Dodgers 7, Guardians 2
Twins 2, Rays 7
Pirates 0, Diamondbacks 5
Marlins 3, Padres 4
Yankees 5, Angels 1

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