CNN
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Former President Donald Trump is one of the co-accused He confessed to the crime Five counts in Georgia’s 2020 election tampering case.

Bail bondsman Scott Hall, 59, is the first defendant in the case brought by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. To take a plea deal with prosecutors.

The agreement, signed Friday afternoon in Fulton County Superior Court, recommends a sentence of five years of probation.

Hall was charged with conspiracy to illegally access voter data and vote counting machines at the Coffee County Elections Office on January 7, 2021.

He spent hours inside a restricted area of ​​the election office when voting systems were tampered with, which has been linked to efforts by pro-Trump conspiracy theorists to detect voter fraud. Hall was captured on surveillance video in the office on the day of the violation. He testified before a special grand jury in the Fulton County case and admitted he accessed the voting machine.

Fulton County District Attorney Fannie Willis brought a broader fraud suit last month, accusing Hall, Trump and 17 others of participating in a broad conspiracy to alter election results in the Beach State.

Trump and the remaining 17 defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Lawyers in Willis’ office signaled earlier Friday that they might come soon Extend a plea deal One or both of the two defendants presided over the trial.

The revelation came during the formal investigation of former Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesbro, the alleged architect of the voter fraud scheme. They are the first defendants in the case, which is scheduled for hearing on October 23.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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A full Harvest Moon shone in the early morning hours of September 29, marking the fourth and final supermoon of 2023.

September’s full moon reached peak brightness at 5:58 a.m. Friday, but is expected to be fully illuminated until Saturday morning. NASA.

Definitions of a supermoon can vary, but the term generally refers to a full moon that is closer to Earth than normal, causing it to appear larger and brighter in the night sky. is the moon 224,854 miles (361,867 kilometers) from Earth, about 14,046 miles (22,604 kilometers) closer than its average distance. The closest supermoon of the year occurred on August 30, when the moon was just 221,954 miles (357,200 kilometers) from Earth.

September’s full moon was expected to appear 5% larger and 13% brighter than the average full moon. NASA.

Some astronomers say this event occurs when the moon is 90% perigee — its closest approach to Earth in orbit.

The name Harvest Moon is apt for the gathering season, as the event occurs at the beginning of autumn or near the autumnal equinox, which this year fell on September 23. Typically, this time of year in the north is when many crops are at their peak. The hemisphere and the bright moon once enabled farmers to work late into the evening and harvest their bounty before the first frost. The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Other names throughout the full moon of September Different tribes These include the Corn Grower Moon from the Abenaki tribe, the Brown Leaf Moon from the Lakota people, and the Fall Moon from the Pasmakudi tribe.

Other traditions celebrating the harvest at this time include the Korean festival Susok and the Japanese Buddhist festival Higan, both of which celebrate the memory of ancestors. Royal Museums Greenwich.

Many people associate the color orange when the Harvest Moon begins to wax, but the same can be said for all full moons. The hue is caused by the thickness of Earth’s atmosphere near the horizon, which is greater than when the full moon is overhead. Earthsky.

Many planets are currently visible in the night sky Planetary association. Golden Saturn and bright Jupiter rise in the east and appear high in the later hours, while Venus (one of the brightest objects visible in the night sky) shines before dawn. Meanwhile, Mercury dances low on the eastern horizon before dawn.

Full Moons and Super Moons

Here are the remaining full moons in 2023, according to the Farmer’s Almanac:

● October 28: Hunter’s Moon

● November 27: Beaver Moon

● December 26: Cold Moon

Lunar and solar eclipses

People across North, Central and South America will be able to see the annular solar eclipse on October 14th. During this event, also known as the “Ring of Fire,” the Moon will pass between the Sun and Earth at or near its farthest point. Earth. The Moon appears smaller than the Sun and is surrounded by a luminous halo.

Spectators should wear eclipse glasses to avoid eye damage while viewing the event.

A partial lunar eclipse will occur on October 28. Because the Sun, Earth, and Moon are not perfectly aligned, only a portion of the Moon becomes a shadow. This partial eclipse will be visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, parts of North America and most of South Africa.

Each of the remaining meteors expected to peak this year is most visible in areas free of light pollution from dusk to dawn. Here are the peak dates of events:

● Dragonids: October 8

● Orionides: October 20-21

● Southern Tarits: November 4-5

● Northern Torrids: November 11-12

● Leonidas: November 17-18

● Gemini: December 13-14

● Ursits: December 21-22

Green Bay, Wis. — Thursday night’s NFC North showdown between Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, Lions jump out to a quick lead and never look back. Detroit took an 11-point lead in the first quarter and stretched it to 24 at halftime.

NEW YORK, Sept 28 (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to delay a planned Oct. 2 civil fraud trial.

In a brief order, a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division, an intermediate appeals court in Manhattan, denied Trump’s request to postpone the hearing.

It also lifted a Sept. 14 order by Judge David Friedman to stay the hearing while it considered Trump’s petition. Friedman was part of the Jupiter team.

The panel’s ruling comes two days after state court Judge Arthur Engoren found that Trump and his family business persistently and fraudulently inflated his assets and net worth in order to get better terms on loans and insurance.

Trump was sued in September 2022 by state Attorney General Letitia James, alleging “shocking fraud” in how she, her adult sons, the Trump Organization and others valued their assets.

James is seeking at least a $250 million fine, a ban on Trump and his sons Donald Jr. and Eric from operating businesses in New York and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization.

Attorneys for Trump and the other defendants were not immediately available for comment. James’ office had no immediate comment.

The case is unrelated to the four criminal charges Trump faces, including trying to sway the 2020 presidential election.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all of them, and the charges against him are part of a politically motivated, Democratic witch hunt as he seeks to return to the White House. James is a Democrat.

Despite his legal troubles, Trump is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Witness Lists

Trump sued Engron on Sept. 14, seeking to delay the trial and accusing him of ignoring a June ruling by an appeals court that, according to Trump, should have thrown out James’ case because many of his claims were too old.

Engoron’s decision on Tuesday showed he believed the appeals court decision had little impact on James’ case.

The judge said the defendants were “living in a fantasy world, not the real world” because they created appraisals for properties including Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida and a Trump Tower penthouse in Manhattan.

Engron found “conclusive evidence” that Trump had overstated his wealth by $2.2 billion.

He also ordered the revocation of certificates allowing some of Trump’s businesses to operate.

It could force Trump to take control of properties including Manhattan’s Trump Tower, a Wall Street office building, golf courses and his family estate in suburban Westchester County, New York.

On Wednesday night, the attorney general’s office and defense attorneys released a list of witnesses, possibly more than 100, who may be called to testify.

Donald Trump and his adult sons are on both lists, as are former Trump Organization chief financial officer Alan Weiselberg and comptroller Jeffrey McConey.

The attorney general’s list includes Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who turned against his former boss, and Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, who was dismissed as a defendant by an appeals court in June.

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

CNN
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The U.S. Senate has unanimously passed a resolution codifying business attire as the proper dress code on the floor of the chamber.

It comes after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer chose to hold off on enforcing the unwritten requirement, and Democrats Sen. Casual wear by John Fetterman It became a flash point in the Capitol.

A bipartisan bill by Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, and Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, would require members on the Senate floor to adhere to an unwritten dress code that includes a coat, tie and slacks. For men only. The Resolution The Senate floor did not specify what would be considered business attire for women.

“Even though we don’t have an official dress code, the events of the past week have made us all feel that formalizing one is the right path,” Schumer said. “I really appreciate Senator Fetterman working with me to come to an agreement that we can all agree on, and I appreciate the leadership of Sen. Manchin and Sen. Romney on this issue.”

Before the measure passed, Fetterman told CNN’s Manu Raju that he would wear a business suit while presiding over the Senate.

Following the vote, Fetterman’s office released a brief statement that included a viral meme photo of actor Kevin James.

In 2017, then-House Speaker Paul Ryan relaxed the dress code after dozens of congresswomen objected to the ban on bare arms. In 2019, the dress code for women was loosened in the Senate, with then-Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar pushing for a change that would allow women to wear sleeveless dresses.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN
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The remains of Suzanne’s chest, A Colorado woman has gone missing The Colorado Bureau of Investigation reported the discovery on Mother’s Day 2020 while riding a bike.

Marbiv, 49, was bicycling in the area of ​​County Road 225 and West Highway 50 near Maysville, Colorado when he went missing.

Her remains were found Friday in Saquatch County, about 50 miles south of where she was reported missing, the bureau said in a news release.

“Investigators were searching in the Moffat area of ​​Saquach County in an investigation unrelated to Morphew’s disappearance when the remains were found,” the bureau said.

The El Paso County Coroner confirmed Wednesday that the remains were those of a chest.

Marbu’s husband Barry confronted A charge of first degree murder 2021 regarding the disappearance of his wife. But his case was dismissed in April 2022 after prosecutors Action was taken to dismiss the case While investigators are looking for her. The judge ruled that prosecutors could pursue the same charges against him in the future.

“Barry is with his daughters, all of whom are struggling with overwhelming shock and grief after learning today that their mother and wife, whom they love deeply, has passed away,” Barry Morbo’s attorney, Iris Aidan, said Wednesday. “They had hope that their wife and mother would come back in their lives again. This news is heartbreaking.

“As far as we know, Barry is as innocent as he was on Day 1,” and a district attorney and law enforcement “went wrong” on the 2021 charges, Aidan said.

“We hope that the authorities will soon admit that they wrongfully persecuted an innocent man named Barry, they will treat the morphs like victims,” ​​and who is responsible for the death of Suzanne Morbu, Aidan said.

Officials said no arrests have been made since Suzanne’s remains were found. On Wednesday, 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley’s office had no comment when asked by CNN about possible future prosecution plans.

“We have never stopped our investigation and will continue to pursue all avenues to get justice for Suzanne,” said Chaffee County Sheriff John Spess.

Check out this interactive content on CNN.com

Anne Kelly, the district attorney for the 12th Judicial District, where Marbeau’s remains were found, told CNN, “This case is still under active investigation. Therefore, I cannot comment until further information is available in the investigation,” he said.

He said an update would arrive in his office in the coming weeks.

“The 12th Judicial District Attorney’s Office sends our condolences to Suzanne’s family,” Kelly added.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — Republicans face their second presidential debate Wednesday as Donald Trump’s main rivals seek to blunt the momentum. Former PresidentWho has so much faith in him? Travel through the primary of the party He would never share the stage with them again.

Seven GOP candidates He will attend an event hosted by Fox Business Network at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Trump will be in MichiganTrying to deliver prime time text Capitalize On top of that Auto Workers Union Trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a key state for a strike and general election.

The debate comes at a critical moment in the GOP campaign, with Iowa caucuses less than four months away from formally kicking off the presidential nominating process. For now, Trump dominates the field despite facing a range of vulnerabilities Four criminal charges This raises the possibility of decades in prison. His rivals, who had built up a sense of urgency among some to address the former president directly before an audience of millions, had no time to erase his lead.

“This is not an appointment that will fall into your lap. You have to go and beat other candidates, and one of them is Donald Trump,” said Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist and veteran of Mitt Romney’s 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. “This discussion will be interesting to see whether or not everyone realizes that the sand is going through the bell cage very quickly now.”

Hours before the debate began, the first supporters of any campaign waved Trump flags and held up a banner that read, “Trump, our last hope for America and the world.” attends. Trump ignored it The first debate took place in Milwaukee last monthAttendees put each other to bed, mostly avoiding attacks on Trump. Nearly 13 million people tuned in Anyway.

Former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. Attracted large crowds and renewed interest After her first debate show, she attacked businessman Vivek Ramasamy in foreign policy, pointing out that she was the only woman in the field.

His team raised expectations even higher heading into Wednesday night, telling donors in a recent pitch that they were “ready to build on the momentum after Nicky walks off the stage.”

“As more voters across America tune in to watch the second debate, this will be a great opportunity to bring in even more supporters,” Haley’s campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, wrote in an email.

Florida government is also expecting a big night. Ron DeSantisA recent but central figure Struggling to emerge as the best alternative to Trump. His campaign reported an uptick in fundraising after the first debate, but a strong performance Wednesday could reflect that.

CNN
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As fellow Senate Democrats call for his resignation, Sen. Bob Menendez He came to federal court Wednesday morning in New York for his initial appearance fee The alleged bribery plot involved gold bars, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, a luxury car and the passing of sensitive information to the Egyptian government.

Menendez is charged with three counts of bribery to use his political power and connections to help the Egyptian government obtain military aid, to pressure a prosecutor investigating New Jersey businessmen and to influence the federal prosecution of a co-defendant. .

The senator will appear before a federal judge along with his wife, Nadine, and two other co-defendants charged in the case. Vel Hana, accused in the conspiracy, Innocent On Tuesday.

More than 20 Democratic senators, Including his fellow New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, have called for Menendez to step down. Menendez, who is up for re-election next year, has already stepped down as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

Asked Tuesday why he would not resign, Menendez told reporters: “Because I’m innocent. What’s wrong with you?”

In a statement Monday, Menendez insisted he would be freed “when all the facts are presented” and said he had withdrawn hundreds of thousands of dollars from his savings over three decades. For emergencies.

Federal agents searched Menendez’s home and found nearly $500,000 in cash — including stacks of cash inside jackets emblazoned with his name.

According to the indictment, Menendez — through his girlfriend and now-wife Nadine Menendez — established a relationship with Hana, who allegedly maintained close ties to Egyptian officials.

Hana and Nadine allegedly arranged meetings with Menendez and Egyptian officials seeking military sales and financing, which, as head of foreign relations, Menendez wielded significant influence.

According to the indictment, Menendez and his wife promised to use the senator’s position to help facilitate the sale.

The indictment alleges that Menendez used his political power to pass highly sensitive information to Egyptian officials, helped draft a letter from the Egyptian government requesting U.S. aid, and signed off on military sales to Egypt.

Menendez is accused of taking a bribe in the form of a luxury car for his wife to pressure a New Jersey state attorney overseeing the investigation into two New Jersey businessmen linked to one of Menendez’s co-defendants.

In 2015, Menendez was indicted on corruption and bribery charges unrelated to the recent charges. Two years later the case ended in a mistrial after a jury said it was deadlocked. Later, the judge overseeing the case acquitted Menendez on some counts, while the Justice Department refused to retry him on others.

What to see in Europe today

FT reporters

Tight supply and interest rate concerns are pushing up oil prices

William Langley in Hong Kong

Crude oil prices rose on Wednesday on fears of tightening supplies and rising interest rates.

International benchmark Brent crude rose 0.9 percent to $94.78, while U.S. equivalent West Texas Intermediate rose by the same margin to $91.18.

OPEC, the cartel of petroleum producers, is forecasting a supply shortfall this year, while signs of better economic performance in the US and China have boosted expectations for global demand.

Those considerations outweigh concerns over hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve warnings that interest rates may be higher than initially expected.

Hollywood Writers Guild ends strike after securing new 3-year contract

Christopher Grimes in Los Angeles

Australia’s inflation rate is being accelerated by higher food and petrol prices

George Russell in Hong Kong

Australia’s inflation rate accelerated in the 12 months to August, as food and petrol prices rose, according to official data released on Wednesday.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the consumer price index rose to 5.2 per cent from 4.9 per cent in July. Annual inflation is below the December 2022 peak of 8.4 percent, the ABS noted.

Robert Cornell, head of Asia-Pacific research at ING, attributed the rise to “a combination of core effects depreciation, and higher petrol and food prices” after a “surprising decline” in July from 5.4 percent in June.

What to see in Asia today

George Russell in Hong Kong

US Senate to propose government funding deal ahead of deadline

Lauren Fedor in Washington

US Senate leaders have struck a deal to keep funding the federal government and avoid a shutdown ahead of this weekend’s deadline, but the compromise measure faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, announced the deal late Tuesday. The “temporary solution” would fund the government until mid-November and provide billions of dollars to support the war effort in Ukraine and provide disaster relief to parts of the United States devastated by wildfires and floods.

Democrats, who control the Senate by a razor-thin margin, are expected to approve the deal in the coming days.

Costco says retail theft is not a ‘major problem’ after better-than-expected results

Jaron Kerr in New York

Donald Trump committed fraud by inflating real estate values, New York judge rules

Joe Miller in New York

A New York judge ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump, his eldest sons and his business organization were responsible for wildly inflating the value of properties in Manhattan and Mar-a-Lago, as well as golf courses in the United States and Scotland.

Judge Arthur Engron on Tuesday ruled that the former president and his associates engaged in what “can only be considered fraud” and issued sanctions against Trump’s lawyers. A jury will decide the punishments, he said.

The order was issued days before a lawsuit brought by the New York Attorney General was scheduled to go to trial.

Read more about Trump’s real estate Here.

US stocks sank on the prospect of extended high interest rates

Kate Duguid in New York and Daria Mosolova in London

CNN
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell cut a deal and are spinning off a 79-page short-term spending bill to keep the government open by Saturday, according to a draft obtained by CNN.

With government funding set to expire at midnight Saturday, there is no guarantee the Senate stopgap bill will pass the House as a caucus of conservatives continues to fight against the prospect of a short-term funding extension.

Schumer said earlier Tuesday that the short-term funding bill would include some aid for Ukraine and areas affected by natural disasters, despite some GOP opposition to including foreign aid in the law.

“We will continue to fund the government at current levels while maintaining our commitment to Ukraine’s security and humanitarian needs and ensuring that victims of natural disasters across the country receive the resources they need,” he announced on the Senate floor.

Adding aid to Ukraine is at odds with the House, where many conservative Republicans oppose sending more aid to the war-torn country.

Earlier Tuesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters that funding for Ukraine should not be included in a short-term spending package and should instead be a full bill.

“Will it be in CR? My answer is no, it should be dealt with in a supplement,” the California Republican said, a reference to the continuing resolution, or CR, which is a short-term funding annex.

“I don’t understand that when all these people around the country are talking about the challenges that are happening in America today, people are going to go and say, ‘Oh, we should go to Ukraine and ignore what’s happening on our border.’ I think that’s the wrong approach,” he said.

McCarthy was undecided whether he would put stopgap measures passed by a bipartisan Senate to avoid a strike on the floor this week ahead of the deadline.

Now that the Senate has released its own stopgap measure, the chamber must still pass it before it is sent to the House, and any senator can pass it under tight time constraints.

Meanwhile, since the GOP lacks the votes to pass the stopgap bill, McCarthy is focusing on an effort earlier in the week To advance recurring expenditure billsincluding the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

Passage of those bills won’t end the shutdown over the weekend, but McCarthy hoped the pace of the measures could shift enough holdouts to support the Republican stopgap bill as conservatives demand passage of a full year’s worth of funding bills. Still, it’s unclear even those bills can advance amid deep divisions within the House Republican caucus.

McCarthy is expected to face another test of his leadership on Tuesday, as House GOP leadership plans to hold a procedural vote to advance those measures. Expected votes will come after the hardliners A similar practice lost the vote A defense bill last week caused major embarrassment for House GOP leaders. All eyes will be on the mansion to see if the scene repeats itself.

Check out this interactive content on CNN.com

On Tuesday, McCarthy again lashed out at the hardliners who took over the party last week and would not support a practical movement to move forward. When pressed this week on whether he believed they would be in line, he criticized their efforts as counterproductive. “I don’t understand why anyone would block the ability to secure the border, and I think that’s the wrong position if they want to stand with President Biden by keeping the border open.”

McCarthy indicated that if the House can pass a series of spending bills lined up for consideration this week, he will put a stopgap measure on the floor that includes border provisions.

“If we hit these next four, that would be 72% of all discretionary spending. This week I will put a continuing resolution on the floor that will protect our border,” he told reporters.

McCarthy insisted that a government shutdown was the worst option and warned his conference of the dangers of that strategy. “I don’t think the strikes will ever help,” he said.

The Senate is set to hold an early procedural vote on Tuesday evening to advance the House-passed Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill — which could be used as a legislative vehicle for the Senate’s stopgap bill to prevent a shutdown.

Because the FAA’s current authority expires at the end of September, a stopgap funding extension could be incorporated into the FAA bill, creating another deadline for lawmakers to act.

A shutdown would have major ramifications that would be felt across the country. If that happens, many government activities will be suspended, while some services deemed “essential” will continue.

Government operations and services that continue during the shutdown are deemed necessary to protect public safety and national security, or are deemed important for other reasons. Examples of services that have continued during past shutdowns include border security, federal law enforcement, and air traffic control.

The White House on Tuesday highlighted the “damaging effects” of the shutdown, which undermines national security, pointing to 1.3 million active duty military members who will not be paid until the shutdown ends and layoffs of civilian Defense Department employees.

This story and headline have been updated with additional information.