5 things for April 10: Michael Cohen, Syria, Cosby trial, spy poisoning, Facebook
CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 4/10/2018, 8:16 a.m.
By Doug Criss, CNN
(CNN) -- If you want to send a wedding gift to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, hold up. They want you to make donations to charity instead. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
1. Michael Cohen raid
FBI agents raided the office of Michael Cohen -- the President's longtime personal attorney -- and Donald Trump is not having it. Trump's anger was on full display after word got out that the agents reportedly seized documents and records related to the Stormy Daniels payment, among other things. Trump, arms crossed, fumed during a meeting with military advisers, openly mulling whether to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. The President also went after his attorney general, (once again) trashed the FBI and his own Justice Department and called the whole thing "an attack on our country." CNN's Stephen Collinson says the raid shows Cohen could be the bridge between two legal strands that threaten Trump: the Russia probe and the adult film star.
2. Syria
A decision could come today or tomorrow about how the US will respond to the chemical attack on civilians in Syria. President Trump hasn't detailed what the response will be, but he promised it will be "very tough" and that "nothing's off the table." At least 49 people, many of them women and children, died in the weekend attack on Douma, the last rebel-held town in the country. At the UN, US Ambassador Nikki Haley kept up the tough talk during emergency meetings on the attacks, telling Russia that its hands are "covered in the blood of Syrian children." The Syrian government and Russia have vehemently denied involvement in the attack.
3. Bill Cosby trial
The first day of Bill Cosby's retrial on indecent assault charges started off with a multi-million dollar bombshell. During opening statements, prosecutors revealed that the comedian paid $3.38 million to Andrea Constand as part of a 2006 civil settlement. Constand, a former Temple University employee, said Cosby drugged and assaulted her in 2004 in his home. Cosby has pleaded not guilty. His defense team gives its opening statements this morning.
And before Cosby even walked into court, things got really bizarre when a topless protester -- with the words "Cosby rapist" written on her back -- jumped a barricade near Cosby and started chanting. She was arrested and identified as Nicolle Rochelle, who appeared in four episodes of "The Cosby Show" in the early '90s.
4. Russian spy poisoning
The adult daughter of an ex-Russian spy who with her father was poisoned last month in the UK is out of the hospital. Yulia Skripal and her dad, Sergei Skripal, were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury, England. They'd been exposed to a nerve agent. Furious British officials blamed Russia for the poisoning, but the Russians said it wasn't them. A number of countries, including the US, kicked out Russian diplomats over the incident. Yulia Skripal regained consciousness a couple weeks ago and thanked those who treated her and her father.
5. Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg's apology tour makes a stop on Capitol Hill. The Facebook CEO testifies before Congress today and tomorrow as he tries to clean up the data-sharing mess that's roiled his company. According to his prepared remarks, Zuckerberg will take the blame for Facebook's issues and admit the company hasn't done enough to protect users' data or stop other problems, like election interference, fake news and hate speech. And that's not the end of Facebook's woes. A CNN review reveals that the biggest Black Lives Matter page on Facebook is a fake -- and run by a white man in Australia.
Ahead of the congressional testimony, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow offered Zuckerberg this fashion advice: "Is he gonna wear a suit and tie and a clean white shirt? That's my biggest question. Is he gonna behave like an adult, as a major corporate leader, or give me this phony bologna -- what is it, hoodies and dungarees?"
THIS JUST IN ...
Fatal crash
Six people died after a small plane caught fire after takeoff and crashed last night on a golf course in Scottsdale, Arizona.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Congratulations, Senator!
Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth gave birth yesterday to a baby girl, her office announced, the first US senator to do so while in office.
Going his own way
Lindsey Buckingham once said Fleetwood Mac's "dysfunction" made the band great. Guess that's not working anymore, since he's leaving the group.
'Did you pack the explosives?'
Bomb jokes at the airport are a bad idea. Don't believe us? Ask Green Bay Packers player Trevor Davis. He learned the hard way.
One vet at a time
He's 20 years old and wants to interview every World War II combat vet he can while they're still with us.
Fitting tribute
Canadians are honoring the junior hockey players killed in a bus crash in the most appropriate way -- with hockey sticks.
Save them a piece of cake
Their dream weddings and final exams were set for same day. So, after saying their "I dos," these Nigerian brides went straight to class.
TODAY'S NUMBER
$6.45 million
That's how much a woman was awarded in a revenge porn case in federal court. A man was ordered to pay the amount after he was accused of spreading naked pics and videos of his ex-girlfriend online.
AND FINALLY
You're not you when you're hungry
This dog spins around like a tornado while waiting for his food. Hey, we've all been there.