(NEW YORK) — Ken Kurson, the former editor of the New York Observer who was pardoned by then-President Donald Trump before he left office, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two state-level misdemeanors for allegedly spying on his former wife’s computer.
Kurson, a friend of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner who also helped manage Rudy Giuliani’s unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008, was arrested in 2020 on federal charges that alleged a “pattern of stalking and harassment against three victims,” including one he blamed for the dissolution of his marriage, according to prosecutors.
He was pardoned by Trump in January 2021 but re-arrested on state charges in August.
On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors — including attempted computer trespass — that accused him of surreptitiously installing spyware on his ex-wife’s computer from his work computer at the Observer in 2015.
“I believe we have a disposition today,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Alona Katz said during an appearance in Manhattan criminal court.
If Kurson leads a “law-abiding life” for a year and performs 100 hours of community service, he can withdraw his plea and have the charges reduced to lesser violations, Katz said.
“It is acceptable to him, your honor,” defense attorney Marc Mukasey told the court.
Authorities learned of Kurson’s alleged stalking in 2018 during a background check he underwent after Trump nominated him for a spot on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
He was pardoned by Trump after his 2020 arrest, but seven months later then-Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance indicted him on state charges.
“We will not accept presidential pardons as get-out-of-jail-free cards for the well-connected in New York,” Vance said in a statement at the time the charges were announced in August.
(NEW YORK) — The United States continues to warn that Russia could invade Ukraine “any day” amid escalating tensions in the region, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken telling ABC News Wednesday the U.S. has seen “no meaningful pullback” of Russian forces and that Russian President Vladimir Putin Putin could “pull the trigger” at any point.
More than 150,000 Russian troops are estimated to be massed near Ukraine’s borders, U.S. President Joe Biden said Tuesday, as U.S. officials have urged all Americans to immediately leave Ukraine.
While Putin and the Kremlin claim that Russia has started to withdraw some troops from near Ukraine’s borders, ABC News has learned Putin had told his military forces to be ready to invade by Wednesday. It remains unclear whether he has made a decision to attack his neighbor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, celebrated a national “day of unity” Wednesday.
Russia has denied it plans to invade and has demanded the U.S. and NATO bar Ukraine from joining the military alliance.
Here’s how the news is developing Thursday. All times Eastern:
Feb 17, 6:25 am
Russia to respond to US on NATO security guarantees
Russia will soon formally respond to the written answers that the United States sent earlier to Moscow’s demands for security guarantees that NATO not enlarge, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday.
The U.S. government, at Russia’s insistence, sent written responses to two draft treaties the Kremlin published demanding guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO and that the military alliance pull back its infrastructure from Eastern European countries that joined after the Cold War. Washington rejected those guarantees as non-starters but offered to discuss some confidence-building measures.
Lavrov was quoted by Russian state media on Thursday as saying that Moscow is planning to send its formal response “today” and that it will be published “several hours after.”
However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters Moscow was “still working on” its response and that the reply would not be sent Thursday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his government will continue to insist on discussing its key demands alongside any of the other issues.
Feb 17, 5:50 am
Ukraine accuses Russia-backed separatists of shelling kindergarten
Ukraine accused Russia-backed separatist forces of shelling a village controlled by Ukrainian government troops and hitting a school there early Thursday.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine said separatists fired upon the southeastern village of Stanytsia Luhanska. The head of the community’s local administration confirmed to ABC News that they were under heavy fire on Thursday morning.
The firing has since ceased, the official told ABC News.
Footage released by Ukrainian media shows a hole blown in the wall of a kindergarten. Meanwhile, pro-Russian accounts on social media posted the footage without context, suggesting it was in a separatist-held area and calling it fake.
Russia-backed separatist authorities in eastern Ukraine have accused the Ukrainian military of a major escalation and of preparing for a full-scale offensive. The reports are headline news in most Russian media.
Feb 17, 5:32 am
Russia-backed separatists claim ‘large-scale’ shelling in Ukraine
Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine claimed a significant deterioration along the front line with Ukrainian government forces on Thursday, accusing Ukraine of launching “large-scale” shelling of civilian areas in the breakaway regions.
Fears that Russia might use such claims as a pretext to launch an invasion remain high, with Thursday’s allegations out of the ordinary. The Ukrainian government has denied any intention to launch an offensive on the separatist-held areas.
Local authorities in the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, in an area of southeastern Ukraine known as the Donbas, accused Ukrainian government forces of shelling nine population centers, using large caliber mortars that are banned by a ceasefire.
The separatists’ military forces issued “emergency statements” Thursday alleging that “the situation along the line of contact has substantially worsened” in recent days. Rodion Leshchenko, a political advisor to the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic, accused Ukraine of launching a “massive provocation,” allegedly firing 200 times into Donbas.
For the past few weeks, Russian propaganda and the separatists in Donbas have been laying the groundwork to accuse Ukraine of launching an offensive, claiming that the Ukrainian government has been massing its forces and also alleging to have found evidence of atrocities. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that he believes “genocide” has occurred in Ukraine.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon J. Vinson
(WASHINGTON) — Amid tensions over a possible invasion of Ukraine, Russian aircraft intercepted U.S. Navy patrol planes in an “unprofessional” manner three separate times over the weekend, in one incident coming within five feet of an American plane, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
The Boeing-made U.S. P-8A aircraft are designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, according to the Navy.
“The U.S. flight crews were flying in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea at the time of these intercepts,” DOD spokesman Capt. Mike Kafka said in a statement Wednesday.
CNN was first to report a close encounter between U.S. and Russian aircraft.
The incidents all happened in the same general area of the eastern Mediterranean over several days, a U.S. official told ABC News. The official said it is unclear whether there was any connection with large-scale Russian naval exercises being held there.
The U.S. has used diplomatic channels to raise its concerns to Russian officials, Kafka said.
“While no one was hurt, interactions such as these could result in miscalculations and mistakes that lead to more dangerous outcomes,” he added.
“The U.S. will continue to operate safely, professionally and consistent with international law in international waters and airspace,” Kafka said. “We expect Russia to do the same.”
FilmMagic/FilmMagic for Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival
Happy 50th birthday, Billie Joe Armstrong!
The Green Day frontman was born half-a-century ago today, on February 17, 1972. Growing up in Rodeo, California, Armstrong quickly became interested in music, and formed Green Day with childhood friend Mike Dirnt when he was just a teenager. Their first album, 39/Smooth, dropped in 1990, followed by 1991’s Kerplunk!, which marked drummer TréCool‘s debut.
Green Day soon became a local sensation in the local East Bay punk scene, but they exploded into the mainstream with their first major label album, 1994’s Dookie. The now RIAA-Diamond-certified record spawned singles including “Longview,” “Basket Case” and “When I Come Around.”
Dookie was followed by 1995’s Insomniac, 1997’s Nimrod and 2000’s Warning, and a greatest-hits compilation in 2001. With declining sales, some felt that Green Day had reached their peak, but the trio soon turned the doubters wrong with one of the most successful career transformations in rock of the new millennium.
In 2004, Green Day dropped American Idiot, an hour-long punk rock concept album that launched hit singles in the title track, “Holiday,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” American Idiot would become six-times Platinum, earn multiple Grammy wins and nominations, and was even adapted into a Tony-winning Broadway musical.
Green Day then released 21st Century Breakdown in 2009, followed by the 2012 trilogy of ¡Uno!, ¡Dos! and ¡Tré! That year, Armstrong entered rehab for substance abuse after an expletive-ridden rant during a live show. He returned to the band in 2013.
Armstrong and Green Day were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. They’ve since released two more albums, 2016’s Revolution Radio and 2020’s Father of All…
The NBA All-Star Game weekend, scheduled for February 18-20 in Cleveland, will once again feature an all-star lineup of musical artists as well.
DJ Khaled and his friends Mary J. Blige, Ludacris, Lil Wayne, Gunna, Lil Baby and Migos will perform before the dunk content during the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night festivities that begin February 19 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
For the NBA’s 75th anniversary, Usher, Spike Lee, Anthony Anderson and Tiffany Haddish will narrate the history of the league.
Earth, Wind & Fire will be featured in a special performance of their 1975 classic “Shining Star” as part of the halftime show for the all-star game, which takes place on Sunday, February 20.
Macy Gray will sing the national anthem before the game, while the day before, Keke Palmer will also sing the anthem, plus the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Palmer will be accompanied by the Howard University Showtime Marching Band at the first-ever NBA HBCU Classic event, featuring a match-up between the Howard University and Morgan State University men’s basketball teams, which airs at 2 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN2.
Friday night’s action will feature Haddish, Quavo, Jack Harlow and more playing in the Ruffles All-Star Celebrity Game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon & their children in 2018; Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
On Valentine’s Day, Mariah Carey‘s ex-husband Nick Cannon dropped a song called “Alone,” which sampled her hit “Love Takes Time” and contained the lyrics “As much as I want you back/ It’s probably better where you at.” But Nick has now denied that the song was an actual attempt to win back the mother of his two eldest children.
On his talk show on Wednesday, Nick told the crowd that he’s got two words for anyone who thinks he’s hoping to get back together with Mariah: “That’s impossible!”
“Music is therapeutic for me,” he explained, adding, “The song is really about reflection…you know you realize, ‘Man, I really messed up! I had probably the greatest situation…I had my dream girl, and I messed it up!'”
“The song wasn’t really about trying to get her back,” he continued. “It was taking ownership of what I did as a man and owning my flaws and expressing it through song.”
Mariah, of course, seemed unbothered by all of this, and posted a photo of herself enjoying Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka.
Nick and Mariah were married from 2008 to 2014 and share 10-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan. In total, he’s had seven children with four women, and is expecting his eighth child, with a fifth, model Bre Tiesi.
Fender has created a limited-edition replica version of George Harrison‘s 1968 rosewood Telecaster, which the late Beatle used during the 1969 sessions for the band’s Let It Be album and played at the group’s historic rooftop concert in London, as seen in the acclaimed Disney+ docuseries The Beatles: Get Back.
The instrument is available for a list price of $2,900, and only 1,000 copies will be produced.
The original 1968 rosewood Telecaster was a prototype model that Fender gave to Harrison in late 1968.
The guitar’s features include a chambered rosewood body, a late-1960s “C”-shaped rosewood neck, a rosewood fretboard, two vintage 1964 Telecaster pickups, “F”-stamped tuners and a neckplate that boasts an engraved George Harrison’s signature and his tradmark Om logo.
In a YouTube video promoting the George Harrison Rosewood Telecaster, Fender product manager notes that the guitar “has a sound all its own, with bell-like highs, smooth mids and punchy lows.”
A Magic Mike reunion could be in the cards for Channing Tatum and Mathew McConaughey.
It’s been 10 years since the two first collaborated on the franchise which explores Tatum’s past as a male stripper in Magic Mike. McConaughey portrayed the strip club owner in the first film, but opted not to partake in the sequel, Magic Mike XXL. When it comes to the third installment, though, McConaughey seems open to returning.
“Channing Tatum, call me, bro! I haven’t heard from ya!” the Oscar winner told Variety when asked if he’d be reprising his role.
“I don’t know.” he added. “I’d have to read [the script] first. It was a helluva lot of fun doing the first one.”
In November, Tatum announced that Magic Mike’s Last Dancewas in the works with director Steven Soderberghat the helm. The film, which will be released on HBO Max, is set to begin shooting next month.
(BEIJING) — U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin on Thursday crashed out in the slalom in the women’s Alpine combined event, bringing to a close the six-time world champion’s bid for an individual medal in Beijing.
Shiffrin had been in fifth place after the downhill section of the event, but her crash meant that she would not finish, the third time she’s done so in these Winter Games.
“A heartbreaking DNF for @MikaelaShiffrin,” the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team said on Twitter Thursday. “This has been a challenging #Olympics. Thanks to the fans for all of your support.”
Michelle Gisin of Switzerland will take home the gold in the combined event, with the silver going to teammate Wendy Holdener and the bronze to Italy’s Federica Brignone.
Shiffrin started the Games one medal away from tying the record for most Olympic medals by a female American Alpine skier — four. She is two gold medals away from holding the record for most golds ever by a female Alpine skier — also four.
On Tuesday, Shiffrin came up empty handed in her fourth competition, placing 18th in the downhill skiing event. She finished ninth in the super-G event.
She also said last week she may also compete in the team event, which she had not planned to enter coming into the Games.
Shiffrin had been expected to be a downhill contender on Tuesday, although the event wasn’t her strongest. Her time of 1:34.36 placed her 2:49 behind Corinne Suter of Switzerland, who took gold with a time of 1:31.87. Italy brought home both the silver and bronze medals, with Sofia Goggia finishing in 1:32.03 and Nadia Delago finishing in 1:32.44.
“Racing DH tomorrow!” Shiffrin said on Twitter on Monday. “The track is spectacular and I have ‘overthought’ the crap out of it over the last couple days so it’s prob time to just point ‘em straight and get low.”
Shiffrin last week finished ninth in the super-G, with Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami winning gold, her second medal of the Games.
Two days earlier, Shiffrin had shockingly busted out of the competition just seconds into the first run of the slalom. Shiffrin missed the fourth gate in her run, the event where she won her first Olympic gold in 2014.
The skier, who was expected to challenge for several medals in Beijing, sat on the side of the hill, with her head in her hands, for 20 minutes after the stunning accident.
The 26-year-old also fell during her first run in the giant slalom last Monday, disqualifying her from the event.
“Could blame it on a lot of things…and we’ll analyze it till the cows come home, but not today,” Shiffrin said on Instagram following that crash. “Today I chalk it up to really awful timing of a really frustrating mistake. Moving focus to slalom now, AND cheering for my teammates in the second run of the GS and the DH!”
Sweden’s Sara Hector took the gold in the giant slalom with a time of 1:55:68, followed by Italy’s Federica Brignone with a time of 1:55.97 and Gut-Behrami with a time of 1:56:41.
Shiffrin, a Colorado native, has been competing since she was 16 and quickly became one of the sport’s all-time greatest skiers with her record-setting performances. She is the most decorated Alpine skier in the world circuit having won 11 World Championship medals, six gold.
At 18 years old she became the youngest slalom champion when she won a gold medal in the 2014 Sochi Games. Shiffrin won a gold medal in the giant slalom competition and a silver medal in the combined competition during the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
(BEIJING) — The U.S. women’s hockey team was defeated 3-2 by Canada in the Winter Olympics final in Beijing on Thursday.
The loss marked the latest turn in what’s become a rivalry for the ages. Since women’s hockey was introduced at the Olympics in 1998, only the United States or Canada has come home with the gold.
Signs of the Canadian team’s strength came early on Thursday, with a goal from Sarah Nurse in the first 8 minutes of play. Canada’s Natalie Spooner had scored less than a moment earlier, but her goal was successfully challenged by the U.S., which said Canada had been offside.
Marie-Philip Poulin then scored just after the 15-minute mark, giving Canada a 2-0 lead to end the first period.
Nine minutes into the second period, Canada’s Poulin again scored.
The first goal for the U.S. came a few moments before the end of the second period, with Hilary Knight netting her sixth in Beijing. With seconds to go in the third period, Amanda Kessel scored Team USA’s second goal.
The game was the sixth time in seven Olympics that the U.S. women’s hockey team faced Canada in a bid for Olympic gold. Canada now owns five golds, while the U.S. still has two.
The buildup to the final had been ferocious, with each team barreling through the competition. Canada went 6-0, giving up only eight goals while scoring an astounding 54.
The U.S., meanwhile, only lost one game throughout the tournament — to Canada, 4-2.
Team USA took a hit early on in the Olympics when star forward Brianna Decker got knocked out of play with an on-ice injury.
But, as demonstrated by their continued success, the team was still stacked with power, including from captain Kendall Coyne Schofield, Abbey Roque, Kessel and Knight, returning for her fourth Olympics.
Knight, 32, led the U.S. in scoring going into Thursday’s game, with five goals and four assists in Beijing.
The goalie roster for the U.S. had also been showing their mettle this Olympics between Nicole Hensley, Alex Cavallini and Maddie Rooney. Four years ago in Pyeongchang, the gold medal match came down to goalies when it went to a shootout. Rooney saved Canada’s lost shot then, giving America the gold.
On the Canadian side, the Americans squared off with captain Poulin, Claire Thompson and goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens. Canadian forward Brianne Jenner leads all goal scorers in the Olympics with nine, while teammate Sarah Fillier is second with eight goals. The top five assist leaders in the tournament were all on the Canadian team, led by overall scoring leader Nurse with 12 going into Thursday’s game.
The Olympics are the most high-profile venue for women’s hockey, which has faced struggles establishing more local groundwork. In the four years since the 2018 Olympics, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League folded and the National Women’s Hockey League rebranded to the Premier Hockey Federation. Athletes have long been calling for more funding and support both for a functional league with livable salaries and for building infrastructure for youth sport to grow a pipeline.
The U.S. women have at least one supporter who intimately understands those efforts: Billie Jean King voiced her support for Team USA to “win!” in a video posted by hockey veteran Angela Ruggiero on Wednesday.
