Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness

Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike on Russia's strategic bomber fleet not only shattered Moscow's air capabilities but also exposed a lapse in Russian intelligence and defense preparedness. Ukrainelauncheda surprise drone attack that destroyed nearly a third of Russia's strategic bomber fleet in a single day, in an operation personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after 18 months of secret planning. During an appearance on "Special Report with Bret Baier," Hume pointed out what he said were the broader implications of the attack. "Yeah, it certainly does establish that this country, whose president was being told at the White House that he didn't have any cards to play, that he apparently has quite a few cards to play, including this daring attack," Hume said when asked about the element of surprise and the embarrassment it caused for the Russians. Hume pointed to this latest operation as proof that Ukraine remains capable of inflicting serious damage despite Russia's perceived military dominance. WATCH: "If the Ukrainians can be believed [to have] wiped out about 30 to 40% of Russia's strategic bombing force [then] that's a major setback for Russia. It is an embarrassing intelligence failure," Hume said. Hume said he credited Ukraine's ingenuity and suggested their military continues to innovate in ways that catch Russian forces off guard.(RELATED: Brit Hume Says Trump Deal With Iran Only Works Under One Condition) "[It's] an embarrassing defense failure, and who knows what else the Ukrainians who have proved pretty ingenious may have up their sleeves," Hume said. A week before Ukraine's surprise attack, Russialaunchedits largest drone assault of the war, unleashing 355 drones across Ukraine just hours after President Donald Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and said he was "not happy" with the ongoing attacks. Ukrainian officials said the strike marked the most extensive aerial offensive since the conflict began in 2022. Trump has mademultipleattemptsto broker peace between Russia and Ukraine, most recentlycallingPutin on May 19 to restart negotiations. Just days earlier, both sides carried out the largest prisoner swap of the war, exchanging 1,000 detainees each. They agreed to begin drafting terms for future talks. Whilenegotiationsmove forward, Russian forces continue to push deeper into Ukrainian territory and target critical infrastructure with drone and missile strikes. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter's byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

byAlex Perish

in

June 02, 2025

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed ‘Embarrassing’ Russian Weakness

Brit Hume Says Ukraine Exposed 'Embarrassing' Russian Weakness Brit Hume said on Fox News Monday that Ukraine's surprise strike ...

Read More

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to records, while oil prices extended gains. Beijing and Washington dialed back trade friction as the U.S. extended exemptions fortariffson some Chinese goods, including solar manufacturing equipment, that U.S. industries rely on for their own production. The U.S. Trade Representative extended those exemptions, which were due to expire on May 31, by three months through Aug. 31. Still,China criticized the U.S.on Monday over moves it alleged harmed Chinese interests, including issuing AI chip export control guidelines, stopping the sale of chip design software to China, and planning to revoke Chinese student visas. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.1% to 23,417.39, while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.3% to 3,356.36. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.6% to 37,683.19. South Korean markets were closed fora snap presidential electiontriggered by the ouster ofYoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosivetrial on rebellion chargesover his short-lived imposition ofmartial lawin December. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.7% to 8,475.50. In Taiwan, the Taiex gained 1.4%. On Monday, U.S. stock indexes drifted closer to their records following astellar May, Wall Street's best month since 2023. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 5,935.94 after erasing an early loss from the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 42,305.48. The Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7% to 19,242.61. Indexes had fallen close to 1% in the morning following some discouraging updates on U.S. manufacturing.President Donald Trumphas been warning that U.S. businesses and households could feel some pain as he tries to use tariffs to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the country, and theiron-and-off rollouthas created lots of uncertainty. But stocks rallied back as the day progressed. Nvidia climbed 1.7%, and Meta Platforms rose 3.6%, for example. Oil prices have gained as attacks by Ukraine in Russiaraise uncertainty about the flow of oil and gas around the world. Early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil was up 62 cents at $63.14 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 57 cents to $65.19 per barrel. Markets took in stride fresh salvos between the world's two largest economies, just a few weeks afterthe United States and China had agreed to pausemany of their tariffs that had threatened to drag the economy into a recession. That followedPresident Donald Trump'saccusation at the end of last week, where he said China was not living up to its end of the agreement that paused their tariffs against each other. Trump on Fridaytold Pennsylvania steelworkershe's doubling thetariff on steel importsto 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. That helped stocks of U.S. steelmakers climb. Nucor jumped 10.1%, and Steel Dynamics rallied 10.3%. On the losing side of Wall Street were automakers and other heavy users of steel and aluminum. Ford fell 3.9%, and General Motors reversed by 3.9%. Lyra Therapeutics soared nearly 311% for one of the market's biggest gains after reporting positive late-stage trial results of an implant to treat chronic sinus inflammation in some patients. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose asworries continue about how much debt the U.S. government will pile ondue to plans to cut taxes and increase the deficit. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.44% from 4.41% late Friday and from just 4.01% roughly two months ago. That's a notable move for the bond market. Besides making it more expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money, such increases in Treasury yields can deter investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments. Yields had dipped briefly in the morning, before rallying back, following the updates on manufacturing, which suggested that effects of Trump's tariffs are taking root in the economy. A report from S&P Global on manufacturing came in better than expected, though uncertainty caused by tariffs has worries high about supplier delays and rising prices. Also early Tuesday, the dollar rose to 143.10 Japanese yen from 142.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1438 from $1.1443. ___ AP Business Writers Stan Choe and Matt Ott contributed.

byAlex Perish

in

June 02, 2025

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions

Asian markets rise as US stock indexes near records amid easing trade tensions Shares rose early Tuesday in Asia after U.S. stock indexes dr...

Read More

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

By Andrew Goudsward, Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior official in Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's Justice Department told staff on Monday that he has been directed to investigate clemency granted by Democrat Joe Biden in the waning days of his presidency to members of his family and death row inmates. Ed Martin, the Justice Department's pardon attorney, wrote in an email seen by Reuters that the investigation involves whether Biden "was competent and whether others were taking advantage of him through use of AutoPen or other means." An autopen is a device used to automatically affix a signature to a document. Trump and his supporters have made a variety of unfounded claims that Biden's use of the device while president invalidated his actions or suggested that he was not fully aware of these actions. It is not known whether Biden used autopen on pardons. The email stated that Martin's investigation is focused on preemptive pardons Biden issued to several members of his family and clemency that spared 37 federal inmates from the death penalty, converting their sentences to life in prison. Just before he relinquished the presidency to Trump on January 20, Biden pardoned five members of his family, saying he wanted to protect them from future politically motivated investigations. The pardons went to Biden's siblings James Biden, Frank Biden and Valerie Biden Owens as well as their spouses, John Owens and Sara Biden. Biden on December 1 pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who had pleaded guilty to tax violations and was convicted on firearms-related charges. Martin's email did not specify which pardons of Biden family members were being investigated. It also did not make clear who directed Martin to launch the investigation. A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Biden spokesperson did not immediately provide comment. The U.S. Constitution gives the president broad power to issue pardons to wipe away federal criminal convictions or commutations to modify sentences. Trump himself has made extensive use of executive clemency. For instance, he granted clemency on January 20 to all of the nearly 1,600 of his supporters who faced criminal charges in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, which was a failed attempt to prevent congressional certification of Biden's 2020 election victory over Trump. Martin previously served as the interim U.S. attorney in Washington before his nomination for that post foundered in the Senate. Martin told reporters last month that he viewed the presidential pardon power as "plenary," meaning it is absolute. "If you use the autopen for pardon power, I don't think that that's necessarily a problem," Martin said during a May 13 press conference, adding that he still felt the Biden pardons warranted scrutiny. The investigation appears designed to use the Justice Department to amplify questions about Biden's health and mental acuity, a conversation that has intensified in recent weeks following his cancer diagnosis and a new book revealing Democratic concerns last year about Biden's condition. Biden, who is 82, last year dropped his reelection bid amid questions about his mental acuity after a disastrous presidential debate performance. Biden was the oldest person to serve as U.S. president, and Trump is the second oldest. Biden's closest aides have dismissed those concerns, saying Biden was fully capable of making important decisions. No evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden did not intend to issue the pardons. In addition, a Justice Department memo from 2005 found it was legitimate for a subordinate to use an autopen for the president's signature. (Reporting by Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Scott Malone)

byAlex Perish

in

June 02, 2025

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden

Trump's Justice Department examining pardons issued by Biden By Andrew Goudsward, Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A senior official...

Read More

Former UFC fighters file lawsuits, alleging the MMA promotion restricts their earning potential

Former UFC fighters file lawsuits, alleging the MMA promotion restricts their earning potential

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Two former UFC fighters have filed antitrust lawsuits against the mixed-martial arts behemoth, alleging it operates as a monopoly that restricts their ability to maximize earnings. Phil Davis and Mikhail Cirkunovs, who fought under the name Misha Cirkunov, filed their lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Nevada against the Las Vegas-based UFC. Cirkunovs' complaint was filed on May 23, and Davis' was filed six days later. Philadelphia-based Berger Montague, which is represented locally by Las Vegas' Claggett and Sykes, is the law firm for both fighters. A message left with the Las Vegas firm on Monday was not immediately returned. Cirkunovs is seeking $75,000 in damages. Davis didn't specify how much money he is suing for. The UFCreached a $375 million settlementin September in a class-action antitrust lawsuit brought by Cung Le, who filed his claim in 2014. The UFC has not reached an agreement with Kajan Johnson, who filed his lawsuit in 2021. Both recent complaints made references to the Johnson case, with the Cirkunovs' suit saying they were similar. "In previous hearings, Plaintiffs' own counsel expressed strong concerns to the Court about the weaknesses of the Johnson claims," the UFC said in a statement. "This new complaint (Cirkunovs) confirms that the plaintiffs in the Johnson case lack the standing to represent the proposed class. "In addition, it confirms that the majority of fighters signed class-action waivers and agreed to arbitrate their claims instead of resorting to court procedures. We are confident that the facts and the law are on our side in opposing approval of both of these proposed classes." Davis fought in the UFC from 2010-15 before signing with Bellator MMA, which became the Professional Fighters League this year. He argues that the UFC's presence prevents fighters who aren't even in the organization from receiving competitive wages. Cirkunovs was in the UFC from 2015-22. ___ AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports

byAlex Perish

in

June 02, 2025

Former UFC fighters file lawsuits, alleging the MMA promotion restricts their earning potential

Former UFC fighters file lawsuits, alleging the MMA promotion restricts their earning potential LAS VEGAS (AP) — Two former UFC fighters hav...

Read More

Deion Sanders blasts 'foolish' reports about Shedeur Sanders' professionalism during NFL's pre-draft process

Deion Sanders blasts 'foolish' reports about Shedeur Sanders' professionalism during NFL's pre-draft process

Deion Sanders opened up on Monday about reports that his son and former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders went into pre-draft meetings unprepared and unprofessional. The Colorado head coach and former NFL star who coached his son through college said he was "hurt" by the reports around Shedeur's slide into the fifth round of the NFL Draft to the Cleveland Browns. Sanders made his comments inan interview on Asante Samuel's "Say What Needs To Be Said" podcast. "When you sit up there and say something like he went into a meeting unprepared, like, dude," Deion said. "Shedeur Sanders? Who has had six different coordinators, who has still functioned and went up, leveled up every time we brought somebody new in, and you're going to tell me he was unprepared? "You're going to tell me he had on headphones? Anybody who knows my son understands he's a professional. He's gonna go into a meeting with headphones on? Y'all, come on now." At one point in the pre-draft process, Sanders was projected in media evaluations as a first-round prospect. Reports closer to the draft indicated that Sanders was actually not a first-round talent. Those evaluations bore truth when Sanders dropped into the fifth round. Some of the reasons for Sanders' then-projected slide were purely related to football. By many accounts, including fromYahoo Sports NFL Draft analyst Nate Tice,Sanders didn't possess the elite arm talent, athleticism or size to have warranted a first-round selection. Other reports questioned Sanders' character and professionalism. Deion addressed the latter on Monday, referring to the reports as "some foolish stuff" while citing former sixth-round pick and seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady as inspiration for Shedeur. "It did hurt," Deion Sanders said. "But the bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise. There was some foolish stuff that went on, but, you know what? That gave them something that they needed. … "Like that edge that Tom had, it gave them the edge that you had, it gave them the edge that I have. Folks said we weren't gonna be nothing. But we had to prove that. That gave them that edge that they needed. Both of them." Some of the reports critical of Sanders' pre-draft preparedness came from legitimate reporting.NFL Network's Tom Pelissero cited an anonymous NFL assistant coachwho called Sanders' interview with his team "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life." Others — like the headphones rumor that Deion referenced — appear to have come out of thin air. And Deion appears right be perplexed by it. A "report" with no sourcing attached and no citation stated that Sanders "wore headphones around his neck with music playing throughout the entire interview." The "report" claims to have quoted an NFL head coach andwas shared ad nauseam on random social media accountsenough that it was given an air of legitimacy. Deion chalked the rumors up to people taking "shots at his kids," whom he argued were too savvy and prepared to make those kinds of mistakes. "My kids are built for everything," Deion said. … "We've always been in front of the camera, so they know how to navigate, they know how to handle themselves. "You're not gonna catch them in no foolery or no mess. You're not gonna do that whatsoever."

byAlex Perish

in

June 02, 2025

Deion Sanders blasts 'foolish' reports about Shedeur Sanders' professionalism during NFL's pre-draft process

Deion Sanders blasts 'foolish' reports about Shedeur Sanders' professionalism during NFL's pre-draft process Deion Sanders o...

Read More