|
This is VOA news. I'm Marissa Melton.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday assailed Congressman Justin Amash as "a total lightweight" after the Michigan lawmaker became the first Republican to call for Trump's impeachment. Amash echoing numerous Democratic lawmakers claimed for Trump engaged in impeachable conduct by attempting to obstruct special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Reuters correspondent Jason ??? reports. U.S. Representative Justin Amash took to Twitter on Saturday, saying that special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election revealed that Trump "engaged in specific actions and a pattern of behavior that meet the threshold for impeachment." Attorney General William Barr said there was insufficient evidence supporting the claims against the president. Amash also wrote on Twitter, "It is clear that Barr intended to mislead the public about the report's conclusions." Amash's comments echoed those of many Democrats but they are still divided on impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added that impeachment proceedings would be divisive for the country. Amash, a frequent Trump critic, brought on Twitter that he had read Mueller's full redacted report, saying that was something that few others in Congress had done. He has also hinted that he would be running as a libertarian against Trump in the 2020 elections. That's Reuters Jason ??? reporting. The U.S. State Department says four Americans and a Canadian pilot were killed Saturday in Honduras when their small plane went down off the coast of Roatan island. The Piper Cherokee Six plummeted into the Atlantic shortly after takeoff. The military said rescue boats with police divers and firemen recovered four bodies soon after the crash. Another passenger was taken to a hospital where he died a short time later. The State Department has not released the names the victims. This is VOA news. Iraqi security services say a rocket was fired Sunday into Baghdad's Green Zone, which houses government offices and embassies. ???It came four days after the United States evacuated staff from Iraq citing security threats from Iran. Iraqi officials said the rocket did not cause any casualties. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. But tensions between the United States and Iran have been high since Washington withdrew last year from the international nuclear deal between Iran and the coalition of world powers. President Trump tweeted about the incident after it took place on Sunday, saying if Iran initiates conflict, "that will be the official end of Iran." Earlier this month, the U.S. dispatched an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the region and withdrew non-essential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad and the consulate in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, some members of Congress say they are skeptical about the Trump administration ramping up its military presence in the Persian Gulf. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. Hawaii congresswoman, war veteran and Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard says she questions the White House announcement that Iran is posing a new threat to U.S. interests. Does she believe it? "I don't. You know, we, we heard conflicting stories coming from the British commander." And she tells ABC's This Week, "... looks a lot like people in the Trump administration try to create a pretext and an excuse for us to go to war." Fellow war veteran and Republican Senator Tom Cotton tells NBC's Meet the Press, "... the intensity and the frequency of this intelligence reporting is significantly heightened over the last two to three weeks. I don't have any doubts ...." Sources say House Democrats have invited former CIA Director John Brennan to a Tuesday meeting to discuss the escalating situation with Iran. Jackie Quinn, Washington. Officials in Brazil say gunmen have killed at least 11 people in a bar in the northern city Belem. Brazilian news outlet G1 reported the fatalities include six women and five men. The report said seven men carried out the shooting, arriving at the bar on a motorcycle and in three cars. They reportedly fled (after) the attack, but police say they have one suspect in custody. And U.S. television host Oprah Winfrey spoke at the graduation ceremony of Colorado College on Sunday, distributing an inspirational book to each of the 571 members of the graduating class and gave them some advice: make your mark on the world a positive one and get a job. "... it does not have to be your life's mission, not your greatest passion, not your most fulfilled self, but a job that pays your rent." One of the members of the graduating class was a young woman who had attended the Leadership Academy for Girls that Winfrey founded in South Africa. I'm Marissa Melton. This is VOA news. |