Week of 04/08: FREECABLE TV’s Top 10 Stories

Deadly Bombing In Russia Cafe

A bomb exploded at a cafe in Russia’s second-largest city this week, killing a prominent military blogger who backed Moscow’s war against Ukraine. At least 30 people were injured, Russian health officials said. The blast appeared to be aimed at the Kremlin, which has vowed to defend its territorial claims against Ukraine. But the attack was a stark reminder of the complexities of a long-running conflict that has killed thousands of people and raged across Europe. Thus far, the blast has sparked condemnation from the Russian president, who warned that the West would face new terrorist attacks on its soil.

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Nashville School Shooter Spent Months Planning

A week after a former student killed three children and three adults at a Nashville school, investigators say the alleged shooter spent months planning her rampage. Reportedly, Audrey Hale penned "manifestos" and "a manifesto of potential targets," according to the Metropolitan Police Department. A sense of resentment, which was believed to have been an issue for Hale, may have been what drove her to attack the Covenant School on Monday, Metro police said.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/qPspESfzyFA

Trump Becomes 1st President To Be Indicted

This week, former President Trump became the first person in U.S. history to be indicted on criminal charges, following a New York grand jury’s vote to investigate hush-money payments made by his lawyer to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. In response to the indictment, Trump and his allies have since slammed Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg as a Soros-backed prosecutor who was “stretching the law to target a political opponent.” Trump and other Republicans have also questioned why Bragg would bring this case against the president, and whether it’s an attempt to score reelection points.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/4ZRk4ORz0jk

Finland Joins NATO

Finland, a small Nordic country, has joined NATO this week in a major blow to Russia, which has long complained about the alliance’s expansion toward its border. Finland will now serve as the 31st member of the military alliance and takes the borders of allies to more than 2,500 kilometers, filling in a key hole in Europe’s security architecture. Helsinki’s flag was raised this week at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels as is a symbolic moment marking a shift in power calculations and a big win for the Western world as it shores up its allegiances after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/7bEFg9oZKeY

YouTuber Hospitalized Following Failed Prank

A 21-year-old YouTuber, Tanner Cook, is recovering in a Virginia hospital after a man shot him during a video for his channel. Cook said he was recording a practical joke at the Dulles Town Center mall when things turned deadly. Police have since arrested the shooter, Alan Colie, 31, of Leesburg, in connection with the incident and are charging him with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm to commit a felony and discharging a firearm within a building. This just goes to show that pranking people in public is really never okay and can have very serious consequences if things goes wrong!

Watch more: https://youtu.be/7TnEwumcmOE

Pence To Comply With Jan. 6 Subpoena

Former Vice President Mike Pence has reportedly decided to comply with a subpoena to testify before a federal grand jury investigating former President Donald Trump's efforts to subvert the 2020 election. “Vice President Pence will not appeal the Judge’s ruling and will comply with the subpoena as required by law,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement this week. This is certainly a major change of heart for the former Trump ally, who had initially argued that his position as president of the Senate should shield him from criminal inquiries pertaining to his official responsibilities. Pence's compliance could prove to be a significant turning point in the Justice Department's investigation into the President and his aides' efforts to resist the law.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/uUrnjGgbjmo

DeSantis And Disney Clash

Florida governor and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis is facing a major clash with Disney this week over its theme park operations. The two entities are engaged in a yearlong battle over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a special tax district that has given Disney unprecedented powers to self-govern 25,000 acres of land surrounding its six parks and resorts in Orlando. The move has certainly furthered DeSantis’ reputation as a culture warrior willing to battle perceived political enemies and wield the power of state government to accomplish his political goals, a strategy expected to continue ahead of his likely White House run.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/BpVJunawpxc

Justice Clarence Thomas Under The Spotlight

The latest report that Justice Clarence Thomas took luxury vacations from a major GOP donor drew immediate fire from Democrats who have called for a code of ethics at the Supreme Court. A ProPublica investigation released this week revealed that Thomas has, for more than two decades, accepted trips that would otherwise cost millions of dollars on board Harlan Crow’s superyacht and in private resorts around the country. The revelations renew calls from top Democratic lawmakers for a new ethical code at the court.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/30o-ah5rytw

China's "United Sharp Sword" Operation

China has started new military drills around Taiwan, the self-ruled island it views as part of its territory. The exercise have been dubbed "United Sharp Sword" and involves a range of naval ships, fighter jets, bombers and drones. Its purpose is to hone its skills in "seizing sea, air and information dominance," the People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command said. The new drills are meant to serve as a "stern warning" against provocation by separatist forces seeking Taiwan's independence and external forces, the Chinese military said this week.

Watch more: https://youtu.be/TVSayqTgn-c

Pentagon Investigating Leak Of Military Plans

The Pentagon is currently investigating the leak of classified military plans circulating on social media, according to a spokesperson. The documents, which appear as photographs of charts of anticipated weapons deliveries, troop and battalion strengths and other plans, represent a significant breach in intelligence, according to three defense analysts. The documents, which were reportedly first posted on Twitter and Telegram, also provide statistics on Ukrainian troop and casualty numbers and information about weapons deliveries. The disclosures, which were published by the New York Times, could compromise important details of the United States' planned support to Ukraine, the officials said.