Russia-Ukraine live updates: Polish PM calls meeting amid unconfirmed reports Russian strikes land in Poland

Russia-Ukraine live updates: Polish PM calls meeting amid unconfirmed reports Russian strikes land in Poland
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Polish PM calls meeting amid unconfirmed reports Russian strikes land in Poland
SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — More than six months after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion into neighboring Ukraine, the two countries are engaged in a struggle for control of areas throughout eastern and southern Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose forces began an offensive in August, has vowed to take back all Russian-occupied territory. But Putin in September announced a mobilization of reservists, which is expected to call up as many as 300,000 additional troops.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 15, 9:18 PM EST
Biden says it’s ‘unlikely’ missile that hit in Poland was fired from Russia

Following his meeting with leaders of the G-7 and NATO on Ukraine, President Joe Biden said Tuesday night that it’s “unlikely” the missile that hit Poland was fired from Russia, but that the group would support the investigation into what happened.

When asked if it’s too early to say whether the missile was fired by Russia, Biden responded: “There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that till we completely investigate, but it’s unlikely in the minds of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we will see.”

“I’m going to make sure we find out exactly what happened,” Biden said, and then determine the next steps, adding that there was “total unanimity” among leaders today on this decision.

The president added that recent Russian missile attacks were also a point of discussion this morning.

“They have been totally unconscionable, what they are doing, totally unconscionable,” he said.

-ABC News’ Justin Ryan Gomez

Nov 15, 7:47 PM EST
Polish president says rocket may have been Russian-made; investigation underway

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Tuesday night that a rocket that landed near the Polish-Ukrainian border, killing two Polish citizens, may have been Russian-made. Though he said that there is no conclusive evidence at this time of who launched the missile and that an investigation is underway.

Duda said he has also spoken with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President Joe Biden.

Stoltenberg said earlier that NATO is monitoring the situation.

Nov 15, 6:41 PM EST
Biden speaks with Polish president, offers ‘full US support’

President Joe Biden spoke by phone with Polish President Andrzej Duda and “expressed deep condolences for the loss of life in Eastern Poland,” according to the White House.

Biden “offered full U.S support for and assistance with Poland’s investigation” and the two agreed “they and their teams should remain in close touch to determine appropriate next steps as the investigation proceeds,” the White House said.

Polish officials confirmed that two Polish citizens were killed in an explosion Tuesday in the area of Hrubieszów. They were the owner of a granary that was stuck and a tractor driver who was transferring corn to the facility, according to local officials.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson and Tomek Rolski

Nov 15, 5:21 PM EST
Biden administration asks Congress for $37.7B for Ukraine

The White House said Tuesday it has asked Congress for $37.7 billion in additional funding for Ukraine.

The funding would include defense support and humanitarian assistance and be for the rest of the current fiscal year, which runs until Sep. 30, 2023, according to the White House.

“Together, with strong, bipartisan support in the Congress, we have provided significant assistance that has been critical to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield — and we cannot let that support run dry,” Shalanda Young, the head of the White House budget office, said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Tuesday on the funding request.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Nov 15, 4:47 PM EST
State Department investigating reported strike in Poland, will determine ‘appropriate next steps’

State Department officials are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the reported strike in Poland, Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.

Calling the reports “incredibly concerning,” Patel said they were in close communication with the Polish government and other NATO allies to “gather more information.”

“We can’t confirm the reports or any of the details at this time. But I can assure you we will determine what happened and what appropriate next steps would be,” he said during a briefing Tuesday afternoon.

U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan has spoken with Chief of the National Security Bureau of Poland Jacek Siewiera, according to White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

“We’ve seen the reports out of Poland and are working with the Polish government to gather more information,” Watson said in a statement, also adding that the White House cannot confirm the reports or any details at this time.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the reports and will be speaking with Polish President Andrzej Duda “shortly,” the White House said.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Crawford and Ben Gittleson

 

Nov 15, 1:52 PM EST
Polish PM calls urgent meeting amid unconfirmed reports of rockets landing in Poland

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called a meeting of the Committee of the Council of Ministers for National Security and Defense Affairs amid unconfirmed reports that the NATO ally was hit with stray Russian missiles.

According to Polish media, two stray Russian rockets landed in Polish territory killing two people. The rockets reportedly landed in the Polish town of Przewodów, near the border with Ukraine. These reports have not yet been independently confirmed by ABC News.

-ABC News Tom Soufi Burridge and Will Gretsky

Nov 15, 11:48 AM EST
Lviv loses 80% of electricity, heating and hot water stopped, mayor says

After Russia hit critical infrastructure in the Lviv region, the area lost 80% of its electricity supply. The city’s heating and hot water supply has also stopped and there are mobile service interruptions, according to Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv.

Sadovyi warned residents to stay in shelters.

-ABC News’ Will Gretsky

Nov 15, 11:45 AM EST
Zelenskyy lays out ‘peace formula’ to ‘G-19,’ which Lavrov calls ‘unrealistic’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday demanded that Russia end its invasion and reiterated that the territorial integrity of his country is not up for negotiation.

Appearing via video link from Kyiv, Zelenskyy addressed the leaders of the Group of 20 at a summit in Bali as the “dear G-19” — an apparent snub to Russia, whose foreign minister was attending the event.

“Apparently, one cannot trust Russia’s words and there will be no Minsk 3, which Russia would violate immediately after signing,” Zelenskyy said, referring to the Minsk 1 and 2 agreements signed in 2014 and 2015, respectively, which aimed to bring an end to fighting at that time. Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 before using Kremlin-backed proxies to seize territory in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

“I want this aggressive Russian war to end justly and on the basis of the U.N. charter and international law,” he added. “Ukraine should not be offered to conclude compromises with its conscience, sovereignty, territory and independence. We respect the rules and we are people of our word.”

The Ukrainian president called on the United Nations to dispatch a mission to assess the damages to his country’s energy infrastructure from Russian missile strikes. He said Russian forces should also withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant — the largest in Ukraine and in Europe — so that the International Atomic Energy Agency — the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog — can take control of the site together with Ukrainian officials.

In addition, Zelenskyy said his country needs a framework that guarantees the long-term security of his country and he called again for a special tribunal to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. He called this series of proposals Ukraine’s “peace formula” and all of them, he said, must be achieved before there is an end to the ongoing war.

“If Russia wants to end this war, let it show it with actions,” Zelenskyy said. “We will not allow Russia to wait us out, to grow its forces and then start a new series of terror and global destabilization. I am sure that it is necessary and possible to stop this destructive Russian war now.”

In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was attending the G-20 summit in Bali, called Zelensky’s demands “unrealistic.”

-ABC News’ Tom Soufi Burridge and Patrick Reevell

Nov 15, 10:11 AM EST
Strikes on Kyiv part of Russian strikes across Ukraine

There are reports of Russian strikes in several regions throughout Ukraine after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke to G-20 leaders.

The head of the regional administration in Kharkiv confirmed strikes in that region. Ukrainian media reported that people in the Zhytomyr region are without power after strikes.

There are also unconfirmed reports of explosions in the Lviv region, Rivne and Kryvyi Rih.

-ABC News’ Tom Burridge

Nov 15, 9:22 AM EST
Kyiv hit with a series of missile strikes

There have been a series of Russian missile strikes on Kyiv, with the city’s mayor, Vitaliy Klitchko, saying two residential buildings have been hit and several missiles were shot down by air defense.

So far there are no details on casualties; however, unverified videos circulating show an apartment block engulfed in flames.

Nov 14, 3:17 PM EST
International Atomic Energy Agency to dispatch security missions to 3 nuclear plants

The International Atomic Energy Agency will send security missions to three nuclear plants in Ukraine, the agency announced Monday.

Safety and security experts will be dispatched to the South Ukraine, Khmelnytskyi and Rivne Nuclear power plants following a request from Ukraine, the IAEA said in a statement. A security mission will also be conducted at the Chernobyl site, said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi.

The IAEA already has a team of experts continuously present at the country’s largest such facility, the Zaporizhzhya plant, and has been carrying out safety measures and checks at three other locations in Ukraine at the request of the Ukrainian government following allegations by the Russian Federation about activities there, according to the agency.

“From the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the IAEA has been doing everything it can to prevent a nuclear accident with potentially serious consequences for public health and the environment,” Grossi said. “We have delivered nuclear safety and security equipment, produced impartial assessments of the situation, and provided technical expertise and advice.”

-ABC News’ Will Gretzky

Nov 14, 3:06 PM EST
UN General Assembly calls on Russia to pay reparations

The United Nations General Assembly has approved its fifth resolution this year that supports Ukraine and rebukes Russia, declaring that Moscow should pay for damages caused by its invasion.

The resolution, which 94 countries voted in favor of, calls for the creation of “an international mechanism for reparation for damage, loss or injury” resulting from the war.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Canada, Guatemala, Netherlands and Ukraine. China was among the 14 countries that voted against it. There were 73 absentations.

While not legally binding, General Assembly resolutions have been viewed by Western powers as a powerful messaging tool through the conflict, communicating worldwide opposition to Russia’s invasion.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

Nov 14, 1:21 PM EST
US citizen among prisoners freed in liberated Kherson

A U.S. citizen has been freed from prison in Kherson, the southern city that Russia had occupied for about eight months, according to a member of Ukraine’s parliament.

Swede Merekezi was arrested in Kherson in July and had not been in contact with officials for “a long time,” Ukraine parliament member Alexandr Kovaliov said in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday.

Merekezi was in Ukraine to defend “our country’s independence” and will be heading home on Monday, Kovaliov said.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State said they are aware of unconfirmed reports but declined to comment further due to privacy concerns.

“This once again proves the cohesion and hard work of our team,” Kovaliov said.

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford and Will Gretsky

Nov 14, 6:31 AM EST
Zelenskyy visits Kherson after liberation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy on Monday visited Kherson, the southern city that Russia had occupied for about eight months.

He handed out awards and was seen speaking to soldiers and civilians. Video footage showed Zelenskyy waving to residents who waved at him from an apartment window and yelled, “Glory to Ukraine!”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the visit, other than to say that it was Russian territory.

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti

Nov 13, 1:36 PM EST
Ukrainians celebrate Kherson liberation

Russian forces completed their retreat from the Ukrainian city of Kherson on Friday. Now, Ukrainians are celebrating the liberation.

Nov 12, 2:45 PM EST
Banksy mural unveiled in Ukraine

Renowned street artist Banksy debuted a new work in a war-torn Ukrainian town in the Kyiv region.

The anonymous British artist posted photos of a mural to Instagram on Friday in Borodyanka, which was liberated from Russian forces in April.

The piece, which depicts a young girl doing a handstand on a pile of concrete rubble, was painted onto the wall of a building destroyed by shelling.

Fans were taking photos of the work, as well as several others presumed to be by the artist, in the region on Saturday.

Nov 11, 3:15 PM EST
Satellite images show damage to bridge near Kherson

New satellite images from Maxar, a Colorado space technology company, show massive damage to Kherson’s Antonovskiy Bridge and other structures after the Russian withdrawal across the Dnipro River.

The bridge is the main way to cross over the Dnipro River near the city of Kherson.

Photos show several sections of the key bridge have been completely destroyed.

ABC News’ Stephen Wood

Nov 11, 10:54 AM EST
Russians leave Kherson Oblast, not just the city

Russian forces have retreated not just from the city of Kherson, but the rest of Kherson province that surrounds the city and lies north of the Dnipro River.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that its 30,000 troops have now crossed to the other bank of the river, a figure that is in line with how many forces U.S. officials had estimated were in Kherson.

Russians claimed they are continuing to shell areas around Kherson that they’ve just left, which could be a concern for Ukrainian troops who will be in the range of Russian artillery fire while in the city.

Russia also claimed that fire damage is being inflicted on the accumulations of manpower and military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces on the right bank of the Dnipro River.

ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Nov 11, 10:06 AM EST
Russia says withdrawal from Kherson complete

Russian forces have completed their retreat from the Ukrainian city of Kherson, the Russian Ministry of Defense said, saying the last of its troops crossed over to the other side of the Dnipro river.

In a statement carried by Russia’s state news agencies, the ministry said the withdrawal was completed at 5 a.m. Moscow time on Friday.

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell

Nov 10, 3:53 PM EST
Pentagon announces $400M in aid to Ukraine

The Pentagon announced a new $400 million defense package for Ukraine on Thursday.

The new aid will include four short-range Avenger air defense systems, which is a first for the packages approved for the war in Ukraine. It will also include more missiles for HAWK air defense systems, more anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, HIMARS ammunition, precision-guided artillery rounds and Humvees.

The Ukrainians will need some training on the Avengers, according to Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh, who did not give an estimate on when the systems might arrive and be ready to use.

With this latest drawdown, the U.S. has now committed more than $18.6 billion for the war since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

ABC News’ Matt Seyler

Nov 10, 11:51 AM EST
US estimates 100,000 Russians killed or wounded in Ukraine

A new U.S. assessment estimates 100,000 Russians have been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine, according to Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The U.S. last gave an estimate in early August that the number of Russians killed and wounded was between 70,000 and 80,000.

“There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering, you’re looking at maybe 15, 20, 30 million refugees, probably 40,000 Ukrainian innocent people who are civilians have been killed as collateral damage,” said Milley.

He added, “You’re looking at well over 100,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded, same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”

He pointed out that Russia invaded Ukraine with a force of 170,000 troops.

ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Nov 09, 12:54 PM EST
Oligarch close to Putin says Russian troop retreat was necessary

Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, who runs the private military company Wagner, said Wednesday that Russia’s retreat from the key Ukrainian city of Kherson was painful but necessary.

Prigozhin, nicknamed “Putin’s Chef” due to his restaurant and catering businesses, said Russian troops had to withdraw from Kherson because they were nearly surrounded by Ukrainian forces and cut off from supply lines.

“Neither I, nor Wagner abandoned Kherson,” Pigozhin said. “Without question, it is not a victorious step in this war, but it’s important not to agonize, nor to fall into paranoia, but to make conclusions and work on mistakes.”

He praised Russian Gen. Sergey Surovikin for making the decision to withdraw Russian troops and saving the lives of thousands of soldiers.

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell

Nov 09, 11:32 AM EST
Russian troops retreat from key Ukrainian city

Russia’s defense minister and top commander in Ukraine announced Wednesday that Russian troops will pull back from the key city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.

Defense minister Sergey Shoigu said he accepted a proposal from Russian Gen. Sergey Surovikin to order Russian forces to retreat to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River, in effect abandoning the city of Kherson.

Surovikin said it was a “very difficult decision” and justified it as necessary to save the lives of Russian soldiers and to preserve their capacity for future operations.

“Besides that, it frees up part of the forces and resources, which will be employed for active actions, including offensive, in other directions,” Surovikin said in the televised meeting with Shoigu.

Kherson is the only regional capital the Russians have occupied since 2014. The city and the surrounding area act as a gateway to Crimea Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Nov 09, 3:21 AM EST
White House denounces Griner transfer to penal colony

Brittney Griner, the WNBA star detained in Russia, has been transferred to a penal colony, a move decried by White House officials.

“Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement early Wednesday. “As the Administration continues to work tirelessly to secure her release, the President has directed the Administration to prevail on her Russian captors to improve her treatment and the conditions she may be forced to endure in a penal colony.”

Griner’s lawyers said in a statement that she was transferred on Nov. 4 from a detention center in Iksha. She’s now on her way to a penal colony in an undisclosed location.

“We do not have any information on her exact current location or her final destination,” the lawyers, Blagovolina and Alexander Boykov, said in a statement. “In accordance with the standard Russian procedure the attorneys, as well as the U.S. Embassy, should be notified upon her arrival at her destination.”

The White House said it had made a “significant offer” to Russian officials to “resolve the current unacceptable and wrongful detentions of American citizens.”

“In the subsequent weeks, despite a lack of good faith negotiation by the Russians, the U.S. Government has continued to follow up on that offer and propose alternative potential ways forward with the Russians through all available channels,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

She added, “The U.S. Government is unwavering in its commitment to its work on behalf of Brittney and other Americans detained in Russia — including fellow wrongful detainee Paul Whelan.”

ABC News’ Cindy Smith, Ahmad Hemingway and Tanya Stukalova

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Former Trump Organization CFO testifies he didn’t pay taxes on numerous perks

Former Trump Organization CFO testifies he didn’t pay taxes on numerous perks
Former Trump Organization CFO testifies he didn’t pay taxes on numerous perks
Curtis Means -Pool/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg testified Tuesday that he didn’t pay taxes on a range of perks provided by the company, as prosecutors sought to show his actions implicate the company itself in a years-long tax fraud scheme.

The namesake real estate company of former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City for tax evasion.

Prosecutors allege that the actions of Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty in August and is testifying for the prosecution as part of a plea deal, implicate the company because he was a “high managerial agent” entrusted to act on its behalf.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Weisselberg about all of his functions as chief financial officer and executive vice president, and about the seniority of his position.

“Who were the top executives?” Hoffinger asked.

“I was one of them,” Weisselberg replied.

Weisselberg testified that the Trump Organization paid the rent on his Manhattan apartment, the leases on cars for himself and his wife, garage expenses, tuition for his grandchildren, furniture for his house in Florida, and other personal expenses.

“Those were received in addition to your reported compensation?” Hoffinger asked.

“That’s correct,” Weisselberg replied.

“And you didn’t pay taxes on them?” asked Hoffinger.

“That’s correct,” said Weisselberg.

Weisselberg also testified that his W2 tax forms were false because they underreported his income.

“Why didn’t you seek a taxed raise instead of personal expenses?” Hoffinger asked.

“In order to get a raise to be able to pay for those expenses, the Trump Corporation would have had to give me double the amount of those expenses because taxes would have been withheld,” Weisselberg said.

Prosecutors portrayed the savings as a benefit to the company. The defense has said Weisselberg acted on his own.

Weisselberg, who in 2005 moved from Long Island to a Manhattan apartment overlooking the Hudson River, said the move was Trump’s idea so Weisselberg could “spend more time at the office rather than sitting on the train” commuting.

“Was that a benefit to the company to have you close by?” Hoffinger asked.

“It was convenient for the company, yes,” Weisselberg said.

Weisselberg said he earned $640,000 per year plus a $500,000 bonus — an amount that remained unchanged even after he pleaded guilty in August to all 15 counts that he faced. Weisselberg said he expected to make the same bonus again this year, but conceded that “I don’t know yet.”

Trump Organization controller Jeff McConney, testifying earlier Tuesday, said that he knowingly broke the law by helping other executives avoid paying required taxes on certain expenses.

McConney, who has been employed by the Trump Organization for 35 years, testified that he helped Weisselberg, and another executive, Matthew Calamari, pay personal expenses without the requisite taxes.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said that among other expenses, the company paid $100,000 per year for Weisselberg’s apartment on the West Side of Manhattan.

“You never considered whether that might be taxable?” he asked McConney.

“No,” replied McConney, prompting Steinglass to say, incredulously, “You have a college degree in accounting!”

“You were knowingly breaking the law by helping Allen Weisselberg pay expenses with pre-tax dollars?” Steinglass asked in a separate exchange.

“Yes,” McConney replied.

The defense says the Trump Organization could not have known of any fraud because its accountant at the time, Mazars USA, never raised red flags about the payments.

Steinglass, however, questioned McConney on that point.

“Did you feel justified in failing to report personal expenses paid on behalf of Allen Weisselberg and Matthew Calamari because it was up to Mazars to catch you?” Steinglass asked.

“No,” McConney answered.

Steinglass showed McConney general ledger entries that he suggested intentionally obscured on whose behalf expenses were paid.

“Is it clear from this entry here, line 11, can you even tell this is a residential apartment?” Steinglass asked.

“No,” McConney said.

“Does it contain Allen Weisselberg’s name? Or the apartment number?” Steinglass asked.

“No,” McConney replied.

Accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff, who paid the bills at the Trump Organization, testified that she paid the rent on Weisselberg’s apartment and paid the leases for luxury cars for Weisselberg and his wife.

“Were you aware Allen Weisselberg and his wife had car leases paid by the Trump Corporation?” Steinglass asked her.

“Yes,” replied Tarasoff, who received immunity in exchange for her testimony. “I paid the bills.”

At one point Tarasoff drew a laugh in the courtroom when she was asked whether “E350W4” referred to a model of Mercedes Benz.

“I don’t know — I can’t afford a Mercedes,” Tarasoff replied.

Other perks Tarasoff said Weisselberg received included school tuition at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School for Weisselberg’s grandchildren. Tarasoff told the jury that she altered the company’s general ledger in 2016 to remove 12 references to Weisselberg’s name in connection with the tuition payments.

“Allen called me into his office and told me to do it,” Tarasoff said. “He said, ‘I want you to go in and take my name off.'”

Tarasoff testified that Weisselberg did not explain why, but that she had no concern about altering records of transactions from four or five years prior.

Prosecutors have said the Trump Organization tried to clean up its alleged fraud when Trump began running for office, because executives knew the company would come under additional scrutiny.

McConney testified that Trump himself was unaware of the fraud.

“As far as you knew, President Trump had no idea?” defense attorney Susan Necheles asked him.

“Correct,” McConney replied.

McConney, who spent five days on the witness stand, also said he never told Trump’s son Eric Trump, who ran the company while his father was in office, that two top executives were committing tax fraud.

The trial is among several legal challenges Trump faces as he prepares to announce his third run for the presidency.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Judge dismisses Mary Trump’s lawsuit against Donald Trump and his siblings

Judge dismisses Mary Trump’s lawsuit against Donald Trump and his siblings
Judge dismisses Mary Trump’s lawsuit against Donald Trump and his siblings
ABC, FILE

(NEW YORK) — A judge in New York has dismissed a lawsuit by Mary Trump against her uncle, former President Donald Trump, and his siblings that accused her family of swindling her out of at least $10 million.

Mary Trump had alleged that Donald Trump, his sister Maryanne Trump Barry and his late brother Robert Trump “carried out a fraudulent scheme to siphon funds from minority interests that she inherited in the family business, concealed their grift and deceived her about the true value of what she inherited.”

In a ruling Monday, the judge said Mary Trump’s claims were barred by releases she had previously signed with members of her family.

Mary Trump’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, called the decision “both incorrect and disappointing.”

“The court overlooked applicable case law and the well-pleaded allegations in Mary Trump’s complaint,” Kaplan said.

Kaplan added that there would be an immediate appeal — in part because Donald Trump is expected to announce Tuesday night that he is running for president in 2024.

“Given the age of the defendants, not to mention the fact that one of them intends to announce today that he is running again for president, we intend to seek an expedited appeal to the appellate division,” Kaplan said.

In her lawsuit, Mary Trump alleged that former President Trump and his siblings “conspired with each other and those loyal to them to abuse their dominant position for their own benefit, breach the trust that had been placed in them, and defraud Mary out of what was rightfully hers,” a sum that her lawsuit claimed could be more than $10 million.

Attorneys for the Trump siblings had argued Mary Trump’s claims were time-barred by a six-year statute of limitations and prohibited by legal releases she signed in 2001 when the family settled the estate of Fred Trump Sr., the former president’s father.

The dismissal is the second legal victory for the former president this week, after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit on Monday by his former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen that alleged Donald Trump retaliated against him for writing a tell-all book.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Spiritbox announces first full North American headlining tour

Spiritbox announces first full North American headlining tour
Spiritbox announces first full North American headlining tour
Didier Messens/Redferns

Spiritbox will be headlining a North American tour for the first time in 2023.

The outing will launch April 10 in Vancouver, Canada, and will wrap May 10 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Tickets go on sale this Friday, November 18, at 10 a.m. local time.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Spiritbox.com.

While Spiritbox has never headlined their own North American tour, they’ve headlined one-off dates in the U.S. and in their native Canada, and played U.S. dates opening for bands including Ghost, Limp Bizkit and Underoath.

Spiritbox released their debut album, Eternal Blue, in 2021.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Beck headlining 2023 High Water Festival

Beck headlining 2023 High Water Festival
Beck headlining 2023 High Water Festival
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

Beck will headline the 2023 High Water Festival, taking place April 15-16 in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The lineup also includes Bleachers, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Wilco, Guster, Angel Olsen and Father John Misty. Charleston folk duo Shovels & Rope, who curated the bill, will also play.

For the full lineup and all ticket info, visit HighWaterFest.com.

Beck, meanwhile, was just nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rock Performance category for his cover of Neil Young‘s “Old Man.” His most recent album is 2019’s Hyperspace.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Music notes: Michael Bublé, Lindsey Stirling, Harry Connick Jr., Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles and Maroon 5

Music notes: Michael Bublé, Lindsey Stirling, Harry Connick Jr., Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles and Maroon 5
Music notes: Michael Bublé, Lindsey Stirling, Harry Connick Jr., Shawn Mendes, Harry Styles and Maroon 5

Michael Bublé celebrated his Grammy nomination on Tuesday, with Higher up for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. “This nomination makes me so happy!” he wrote on Instagram. “I am honoured to be recognized along side such talented artists.”

Lindsey Stirling will bring her Snow Waltz tour to Washington, D.C., for a special New Year’s Eve show at The Kennedy Center. “Come close out 2022 and celebrate the new year with me!” she announced on Instagram, adding general public ticket sales begin Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

Harry Connick Jr. is releasing new holiday music on Friday: his song “Make It Merry.” Harry said on Instagram that “this is something i am SO excited about!!” The song will be exclusively available on Apple Music.

Shawn Mendes loaned his voice to Calm’s new bedtime story We Are Connected, which you can download and listen to now. Shawn thanked author Chris Advansun for collaborating with him on “such a beautiful story.”

Is Harry Styles‘ future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in jeopardy? ScreenRant noted Harry’s movies Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman were panned by critics. It theorized that could cut into his role as Eros — brother of Thanos — in future MCU films. It’s unknown when Eros will pop up next. Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Harry is also bringing his Love on Tour to Asia and added six new dates. He’ll be hitting up Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

Maroon 5 extended their world tour with 10 new dates for the United Kingdom and Europe. “Can’t wait to see you next summer!” the band announced on Instagram.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Music notes: Kesha, Frankie Grande, Shakira, Maroon 5, Shawn Mendes and Harry Styles

Music notes: Kesha, Frankie Grande, Shakira, Maroon 5, Shawn Mendes and Harry Styles
Music notes: Kesha, Frankie Grande, Shakira, Maroon 5, Shawn Mendes and Harry Styles

Kesha told the person who allegedly hacked her iCloud to do their worst. She claimed on TikTok the hacker demanded $1 million in ransom or they’d release her iCloud photos, so Kesha released a slideshow of everything on there — photos of her cats, her scooping a litter box and other mundane things.

Ariana Grande‘s brother, Frankie Grande, was mugged in New York City. TMZ reports Frankie was robbed by a 17-year-old and 13-year-old who tried using his stolen credit card at a smoke shop in the area. Police apprehended the perps. Frankie said on his Instagram Story that he is “thankful to be safe and healing.”

Shakira is the new face for Burberry and made her debut modeling their new seasonal line Tuesday. “Prepared for the season ahead,” the luxury fashion brand teased on Instagram. “Discover @Shakira in @Burberry’s festive film ‘The Night Before’ at Burberry.com.”

Maroon 5 extended their world tour with 10 new dates for the United Kingdom and Europe. “Can’t wait to see you next summer!” the band announced on Instagram.

Shawn Mendes loaned his voice to Calm’s new bedtime story We Are Connected, which you can download and listen to now. Shawn thanked author Chris Advansun for collaborating with him on “such a beautiful story.” 

Is Harry Styles‘ future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in jeopardy? ScreenRant noted Harry’s movies Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman were panned by critics. It theorized that could cut into his role as Eros — brother of Thanos — in future MCU films. It’s unknown when Eros will pop up next. 

Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Harry is also bringing his Love on Tour to Asia and added six new dates. He’ll be hitting up Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Twitter fires employees after critical messages on Slack, workers say

Twitter fires employees after critical messages on Slack, workers say
Twitter fires employees after critical messages on Slack, workers say
CARINA JOHANSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Twitter has fired “dozens” of employees over comments they made on an internal Slack channel criticizing new owner Elon Musk, two former employees told ABC News.

“We regret to inform you that your employment is terminated effective immediately,” read an email from Twitter HR to some employees on Tuesday. “Your recent behavior has violated company policy.”

The two now-former employees told ABC News they received the emails overnight.

“I can only assume this was for not showing 100% loyalty on Slack,” said one of the employees, who asked to remain anonymous. “I have heard the same thing has happened to many others.”

In a tweet, seemingly confirming he fired employees critical of him in an internal Slack channel, Musk tweeted on Tuesday, “I would like to apologize for firing these geniuses. Their immense talent will no doubt be of great use elsewhere.”

Twitter did not respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the reported employee terminations.

Controversy has surrounded Musk since he purchased the social media site at the end of October for roughly $44 billion.

In the days since he acquired Twitter, Musk fired top executives, laid off half of the company’s staff, formed a content moderation council that will review account reinstatements and revamped the platform’s subscription service, Twitter Blue.

Shortly after the Twitter Blue overhaul, the company suspended the service that allowed users to access verification if they pay a monthly fee of $8 because of a rise of fake accounts impersonating public figures and brands, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, video game company Nintendo of America and even Tesla, the electric vehicle maker run by Musk.

Some Twitter contractors learned they’d been laid off when they lost access to their work email and Slack accounts on Saturday night, three sources tell ABC News. It is not yet clear how many people were impacted in this apparent second round of layoffs targeting contract employees.

Contractors began to share their dismay and disbelief in a team group chat late Saturday as contractors quickly realized they were locked out of their accounts.

“I also lost access,” one contractor in this group replied to another in the group chat reviewed by ABC News. “I am out,” said another contractor regarding their login credentials at Twitter.

In a Blind group chat amongst Twitter employees, one employee estimated that Twitter cut nearly 80% of its contractors yesterday. ABC News has not confirmed how many contractors were let go beyond the three contractors who share their stories, and several more who appeared to be let go based on their messages within the Health and Public Safety Team’s group chat.

Twitter has not replied to ABC News’ request for comment on the new layoffs, and neither has Surya Systems.

ABC News’ Max Zahn contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

John Mellencamp dating skin care expert Marianelly Agosto

John Mellencamp dating skin care expert Marianelly Agosto
John Mellencamp dating skin care expert Marianelly Agosto
Gary Miller/Getty Images

John Mellencamp appears to have a new woman in his life. Us Weekly reports the 71-year-old rocker is dating 44-year-old skin care expert Marianelly Agosto.

A source tells the mag the pair “met through Teddi,” referring to Mellencamp’s daughter Teddi Mellencamp, of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. The insider adds they “have been on and off” and most recently reunited in late August.

Teddi seemed to confirm the relationship by sharing a photo of them earlier this month at an event together, although the source says their age difference could be a problem, noting, “she is much younger, 27 years his junior.” 

Of course, Mellencamp is no stranger to relationships. He’s been married three times and was also engaged to Meg Ryan after eight years of on-and-off dating. The romance officially ended in October 2019.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

New FDA warning links cough medicine to rise in child poisonings

New FDA warning links cough medicine to rise in child poisonings
New FDA warning links cough medicine to rise in child poisonings
FDA

(NEW YORK) — Parents and medical providers are being called on to be careful with prescription cough medication as overdoses among children are on the rise.

Calls to poison control centers in the United States reporting the ingestion of prescription cough medicine by children rose by 158% between 2010 and 2018, according to a study published Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that pediatric poisonings involving the drug benzonatate, sold under the brand name Tessalon, have increased each year.

Most cases of unintentional exposures involved children 5 and under, according to the study.

Benzonatate is used as a cough relief for people ages 10 and older.

The FDA says on its website that the medication’s safety and effectiveness for children under the age of 10 has not been established and that “accidental ingestion resulting in death has been reported” in children under 10.

The signs and symptoms of an overdose of benzonatate may start as soon as 15 minutes after ingestion and may include choking, tremors and restlessness, according to the FDA.

The agency said convulsions, coma and cardiac arrest leading to death have been reported within one hour of ingesting benzonatate, which comes in capsule form.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says it is especially important not to give cough medicine to children with asthma, at any age, as ingredients in suppressants can cause severe exacerbations.

Doctors recommend honey alone or with warm water or tea to help alleviate cough symptoms for children over 2 years old. But caution that this is dangerous for children less than 2 years old due to botulism risk.

The study calls on doctors and medical providers who are prescribing benzonatate to give detailed instructions on the proper administration and storage of the medication.

Parents are also being called on to keep the drug out of the reach of children.

“Accessibility to medical products at home presents a risk for unintentional ingestion in young children as oral exploration is a normal part of development in infants, and young children may be enticed to consume objects that resemble candy,” the study’s authors wrote.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has a medication safety guide for parents and caregivers on its website.

The tips include keeping medicines out of sight and out of the reach of children by storing them in their original packages in locked cabinets or containers.

Parents should never leave their children alone with medicine and should remind babysitters, grandparents and other caregivers to keep purses or jackets that may contain medicine out of the reach of kids, according to the AAP.

When giving a child any medicine, the AAP recommends doing it away from a common area of the home and following directions exactly, paying attention to the correct dosage and strength. Contact your child’s pediatrician before giving your child any new medication, or with any questions or concerns regarding medication use.

 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.