American Citizen's Big Admission: ‘Fed Intel For Russian Strikes and Military Gains'
/ Jul 16, 2025, 04:14AM IST
An American citizen, Daniel Richard Martindale, has been granted Russian citizenship after reportedly assisting the Russian army during the Ukraine war. Martindale, who claimed to have helped Russian forces capture the Ukrainian village of Bohoiavlenka in 2023, appeared in a televised ceremony where he took an oath and was honored by the head of the Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin. Watch
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Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Macrons sue American podcaster: The ‘Brigitte is a man' theory, and a rise in ‘transvestigation'
In a rare defamation lawsuit, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have accused American right-wing podcaster Candace Owens of spreading 'outlandish, defamatory and far-fetched fictions' against France's First Lady. In the suit, filed in the US state of Delaware on July 23, the Macrons said that Owens has used the false statement that Brigitte was 'in fact a man' to 'promote her independent platform, gain notoreity, and make money'. The lawsuit added that though they served Owens several retraction demands, presenting her the opportunity to retract her false claims, she chose to ignore them. The dubious claims regarding Brigitte's gender first appeared in public in 2021, in the run-up to the 2022 French Presidential elections. Since then, several far-right conspiracy theorists have fanned the rumours, especially on social media. The significant age gap between Macron has been another target of rumours. Let's take a closer look at the controversy surrounding the Macrons. In the court filings, the Macrons have said that a self-described independent journalist, Natasha Rey, first posted the claim that Brigitte was transgender and had stolen a woman's identity in a since-deleted Facebook post in May 2021. Rey went on to work with another investigative journalist, Xavier Poussard, and co-wrote publications regarding Brigitte's 'biological sex'. She then appeared in a YouTube video with Amadine Roy, a self-proclaimed spiritual medium. Rey repeated the claim that Brigitte was born as Jean-Michel Trogneux and had stolen the identity of Brigitte Trogneux. Jean-Michel is the First Lady's biological brother. Several conspiracy theorists have shared childhood photos of the siblings to claim similarity in their appearances. Rey and Roy also claimed that Brigitte's first husband, whom she was married to between 1974 and 2006, never existed and that she was not the mother of the three children from her first marriage. Who is Candace Owens, and how did she get involved? Owens, often described as a far-right political commentator, has millions of followers across social media platforms, including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. She first made her mark in French politics when she was invited to a right-wing convention in 2019, where she spoke against Macron. Before this, she had gained fame in American right-wing circles. Owens was born on April 29, 1989, in Connecticut. She studied journalism at the University of Rhode Island, but dropped out before completing her degree. She started gaining traction in 2016-17, given that she was a Black conservative who was supporting Donald Trump as President. She went on to work with Turning Point USA, an organisation that supports young conservative activists. She was a staunch advocate for 'Blexit', advising Black Americans to abandon the Democratic Party, for portraying them as 'victims.' She eventually joined The Daily Wire, a right-wing media house founded by Ben Shapiro. Owens was let go from The Daily Wire in 2024, just three years after she joined the organisation, for alleged anti-semitic statements in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Just before she departed from The Daily Wire, Owens published an episode of her talk show fanning the conspiracy theory around Brigitte, bringing global attention to the rumours. She later launched her independent talk show, Candace, on YouTube. In August 2024, she interviewed Poussard about the allegations. The episode was reportedly taken down by YouTube. In February this year, she published an eight-part series called Becoming Brigitte, repeating the claims about the First Lady. Poussard also appears in one of the episodes. She alleged that Macron and Brigitte were blood relatives and made even more baseless claims that Macron was a product of a CIA programme called 'MK Ultra' that brainwashed people to create 'Manchurian candidates' (someone who acts against the interests of their country under the influence of another country). How have the Macrons responded? Brigitte had filed a libel complaint against Rey and Roy after they published their video in December 2021. In September last year, a lower court had ordered the two women to pay €8,000 in damages to Brigitte and €5,000 to her brother. But an appeals court overturned the decision earlier this month. Brigitte has now taken the fight to France's highest appeals court. In the court filing for their lawsuit against Owens, the couple have denied all charges, and stated that in official retraction demands, they have explicitly confirmed to Owens that Brigitte was a biological woman, that she and the President were not related, and that he has not participated in any government 'mind-control programmes'. In May, when a video of Brigitte seemingly shoving Macron aboard their plane during a trip to Vietnam went viral, the President addressed the online misinformation targeting them. 'I see many crazies spending a lot of time interpreting these videos,' Macron said, clarifying that he and his wife were just joking around. In the court document, the Macrons have said that they have been a subject of a 'campaign of global humiliation'. 'Every time the Macrons leave their home, they do so knowing that countless people have heard, and many believe, these vile fabrications. It is invasive, dehumanizing, and deeply unjust,' the document read. 'Faced with this relentless and unjustified smear campaign, the Macrons are left with no choice but to seek relief through this Court to set the record straight, and prevent further harm,' it added. The Macrons have elaborated on their relationship as well. The document stated that Macron met Brigitte, who was a teacher and a mother of three at the time, as a high school student. They shared a passion for literature and theatre, and formed a 'deeper intellectual bond'. The document clarifies, 'At all times, the teacher-student relationship between Mrs. Macron and President Macron remained within the bounds of the law.' A rise in 'transvestigation' Brigitte is not alone in facing the slew of online hatred and disinformation campaigns around her gender. According to GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation, several public figures are targeted by hate-driven conspiracy theories that accuse them of being 'transgender', sparking pseudo-scientific 'investigations' into their appearance, conduct and past. This is referred to as 'transvestigation'. Former First Lady of the US Michelle Obama, pop star Taylor Swift, tennis player Serena Williams, and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, among others, have also been targets of this malicious online campaign. These so-called transvestigators subscribe to beliefs rooted in transphobia, building on prejudices against the transgender community. They often use these allegations to discredit and ridicule women or men in positions of power, spark defamatory gossip about popular celebrities, and body-shame. Sonal Gupta is a senior sub-editor on the news desk. She writes feature stories and explainers on a wide range of topics from art and culture to international affairs. She also curates the Morning Expresso, a daily briefing of top stories of the day, which won gold in the 'best newsletter' category at the WAN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards 2023. She also edits our newly-launched pop culture section, Fresh Take. ... Read More
Indian Express
17 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Trump calls Tulsi Gabbard ‘hottest in the room'. It has a Obama connection
US President Donald Trump called Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard 'the hottest' during a reception with Republican lawmakers at the White House on Tuesday. The remark came a day after Gabbard filed a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing former President Barack Obama and his top intelligence officials of a 'treasonous conspiracy' to undermine Trump's 2016 election victory. 'She's like, hotter than everybody. She's the hottest one in the room right now,' Trump said. Turning to House Speaker Mike Johnson, he added, 'Speaker, she's hotter than you right now, speaker. She's the hottest person in the room right now, speaker.' Trump also praised Gabbard's move to hold the Obama-era officials accountable, saying, '[Gabbard] found out that Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people and they cheated in the elections and they cheated without question. She has all the documents, she has everything that you need. You've found things that nobody thought we'd ever find. Very happy and very honoured to have you with us. We're very proud of you, Tulsi.' 🚨President Trump: 'Where's Tulsi? She's the hottest one on the room right now, because she found out with certainty…Barack Hussein Obama led a group of people, they cheated without question!' — Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) July 23, 2025 The report, which was recently made public, claims to uncover Obama-era communications that show attempts to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 elections. It points that there was no tampering with vote totals, but implies that the lack of direct interference undermines broader findings of Russian involvement with conclusions that several bipartisan investigations have upheld. Trump praised Gabbard's revelations, stating, 'Tulsi, great job, and I know you have a lot more coming.' He also renewed his accusations against former President Obama, calling the effort to tie him to Russia a 'treasonous conspiracy' aimed at sabotaging his 2016 campaign. The report claims the Obama administration's intelligence figures manufactured the narrative that Trump had colluded with Russia, describing it as the 'groundwork' for a years-long coup attempt against the Trump presidency. However, between 2019 and 2023, four independent watchdog investigations confirmed that Russia did interfere in the 2016 election. Trump, throughout his presidency, dismissed those findings as a 'hoax.' Responding to the renewed claims, Obama's spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush issued a rare statement: 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response. But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one. These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.'
Hans India
17 minutes ago
- Hans India
Trump to Tech Giants: Stop Hiring in India, Put America First
In a bold move aimed at reshaping the global tech employment landscape, U.S. President Donald Trump has called on leading technology companies—including Google and Microsoft—to stop hiring overseas workers, particularly in countries like India. The statement came during an AI Summit in Washington, where Trump laid out a sweeping vision for American dominance in artificial intelligence and domestic job creation. Addressing tech leaders and policymakers, Trump accused major firms of prioritizing global profits over American workers. He argued that the industry's 'globalist mindset' had led to offshoring of jobs and neglect of domestic employment opportunities. "Many of our largest tech companies have reaped the blessings of American freedom while building their factories in China, hiring workers in India and stashing profits in Ireland, you know that. All the while dismissing and even censoring their fellow citizens right here at home. Under President Trump, those days are over," he declared. Trump's message came alongside the signing of three executive orders focused on accelerating AI development in the U.S., under an initiative called "Winning the Race." The first order aims to fast-track AI infrastructure development, especially data centers, to boost innovation and maintain a competitive edge globally. "Winning the AI race will demand a new spirit of patriotism and national loyalty in Silicon Valley and long beyond Silicon Valley," he emphasized. The second executive order targets companies receiving federal funding for AI development. These firms must now ensure their AI systems are politically neutral. In a sharp rebuke to previous policies encouraging diversity and inclusion, Trump said these approaches have hindered technological progress. 'We are getting rid of woke,' Trump stated, insisting that AI systems must be 'accurate and not influenced by ideology.' These neutrality requirements will extend to all AI systems used by U.S. government agencies, reinforcing Trump's commitment to depoliticized technology. Adding a touch of branding rhetoric, Trump also questioned the very term 'artificial intelligence,' arguing it fails to capture the power of the technology. 'It's not artificial, it's genius,' he said. The third order lays out strategies for boosting the global reach of American-made AI tools. This includes promoting AI exports and encouraging end-to-end AI development entirely within U.S. borders. These executive orders are expected to reshape hiring trends in the tech industry. While the long-term impact is still unfolding, Indian IT professionals and outsourcing firms may soon face increasing hurdles if Trump's policies gain further traction. Trump's latest directive underscores his 'America First' stance, pushing U.S.-based companies to invest in American talent and innovation while limiting reliance on international labour markets.
