Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - Voice of America
Indaba zesiNdebele Ekuseni - July 15, 2024
This is VIOA News, I'm Tommy McNeil concerned about threats and security are growing following the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump. VIOA national security correspondent Jeff Seldin. Even as U.S. officials from the president to the director of the FBI promised to bring all resources to bear in the investigation of the attempted assassination, there's a growing concern about the threats to the U.S. moving forward. Although the rhetoric regarding threats of violence was already increased online, we're seeing that tick up. FBI deputy director Paula Beit. We're also focused on the continuing efforts which were already substantial given that there are national special security events on the upcoming conventions in Chicago in Milwaukee to work with Secret Service in the lead to play our part in protecting the people in the facilities and events there as well. U.S. Homeland Security officials have been warning for years that the risk of an attack on a campaign event or a political candidate has been high with the most likely offender, a lone actor, motivated by some sort of grievance. Jeff Seldin, VIOA News, Washington. Bomb making materials found in the vehicle at the home of a Trump rally shooting suspect. The suspects been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Sources tell the Associated Press bomb making materials were found inside his vehicle and at his home at an early morning news conference Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens. The Pennsylvania State Police Deputy Commissioner said there was much to learn about the suspect and his motivation. The single greatest priority would be to identify a motive and whether there was anyone else involved. Investigators believe the firearm that Crooks used had been purchased by his father at least six months ago. I'm Jackie Quinn. This is VIOA News. For people who were wounded when a suspected attacker rammed into a bus stop in Central Israel on Sunday, the incident came amid intensified Israeli operations in Gaza and uncertainty over the progress of truce talks, Rachel Judah reports. The suspect, who police believe to be a resident of East Jerusalem, was shot and neutralized by security forces at the scene. Here's a central district commander, Avi Bitton. You can see behind me the site of the ramming attack. A terrorist drove this vehicle here, arrived and committed a ramming attack. To our great sorrow, he severely injured three and critically injured one other. I wish a quick recovery to the wounded here. Police said they were searching the area near the city of Ramla for possible accomplices. A violence has increased in Israel over the course of its military campaign in Gaza against Hamas which attacked southern Israel on October the 7th. That is Reuters, Rachel Judah reporting. The new British Foreign Secretary calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during a visit to Israel in the Palestinian Territory Sunday. His second international trips and slavers resounding victory in elections earlier in the month, David Lamy said the ongoing warring Gaza is intolerable and stressed in meetings with Israel and Palestinian leadership that Britain wants to assist with diplomatic efforts securing a ceasefire deal and creating the space for a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution. The Olympic torch made a surprise appearance at France's Wustille Day celebrations on Sunday AP Correspondent Karen Chom's report. Just days before the French capital hosts the Olympic Summer Games, the torch relay joined up with thousands of soldiers, sailors, rescuers and medics marching in Paris beneath warring fighter jets. The anniversary marks the start of the French Revolution and the end of the French monarchy in 1789. The celebrations offered to French President Emmanuel Macron a moment of destruction from recent political turmoil. Recent snap elections have left France with a deadlocked parliament and no one clearly in charge. The Prime Minister could leave office within days, while the left-wing alliance that won the most seats is struggling to agree on a proposed replacement. I'm Karen Chamas. China and Russian Naval Forces Sunday kicked off a joint exercise at a military port in southern China Sunday, according to the official news agency. Days after NATO allies called Beijing a decisive enabler of the war in Ukraine, the Chinese defense ministry said an a brief statement forces from both sides recently patrolled the western and northern Pacific Ocean, and the operation had nothing to do with the international and regional situations and didn't target any third party. I'm Tommy McNeil, viewing news. [MUSIC] Calls for calm and unity following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. You're not enemies. We're neighbors. We're friends, co-workers, citizens, and most importantly, we're fellow Americans. The Republicans start their convention as scheduled. And I've spoken to so far, says it has energized us, it has made us angry, and it has made us more and more determined. And a history of U.S. presidential assassinations. The first home confirmed report today, the president was hit in the head. That's an unconfirmed report that the president was hit in the head. President Five, Jackie Kennedy, was not hurt, she walked into the hospital, and her husband stretched her side. On Monday, July 15th, and this is VOA's international edition. [MUSIC] I'm Scott Walterman. Yesterday, shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are, how we go forward from here. He was President Joe Biden, addressing the nation on television and radio Sunday night, following the assassination attempt on his rival in the presidential election, former President Donald Trump. >> Thankfully, former Trump is not seriously injured. I spoke to him last night and I'm grateful. He's doing well, and Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers. We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victims who was killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter, a hero, and his children, his family from those bullets. We should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers. >> Biden said while the official investigation is still ongoing, there's a lot we don't know about the shooter and his motives. >> Tonight, I want to speak to what we do know. A former president was shot, an American citizen killed. I'll simply exercise his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing. We cannot, we must not go down this road in America. We've traveled before throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer. Whether it's with members of Congress and both parties being targeted and shot, or a violent mob attacking the Capitol on January 6th, or brutal attack on the spouse, a former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, or information and intimidation on election officials, or the kidnapping plot against the city governor. When attempted assassination on Donald Trump, there's no place in America of this kind of violence for any violence ever. Period, no exceptions. We can't allow this violence to be normalized. You know, the political record in this country has gotten very heated. It's time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that. >> You as speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, also called for dialing down the rhetoric. >> This is a horrific act of political violence that ought to be roundly condemned. Obviously, we can't go on like this as a society. >> World reaction was much the same. Britain's new foreign minister, David Lamy, condemned on Sunday the assassination attempt. >> I condemn the political violence that we saw in the United States overnight. It's horrendous that there is no place for violence in any society, certainly not any democratic society. >> [FOREIGN] >> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was saying, we all watched in shock yesterday the criminal assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, a US presidential candidate. This is not only a heinous crime, it is also an attempt to assassinate American democracy. [FOREIGN] >> Ukrainian President, a lot of more Zelensky, says it was an appalling crime. One that can only be condemned and which shows how serious the global challenges to democracy are right now. The FBI has identified the suspected gunman. Beoways, Rosh, Air Bassati has more on that. >> The FBI identified 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crookes as the shooter. And the secret service says it fatally shot him outside the rally venue. Authorities say a motive for the attack is currently unknown. By Sunday law enforcement and news media descended on Pennsylvania's Bethel Park neighborhood that was home for the suspected shooter. A Rosh Air Bassati, the away news. >> As Rosh said, the FBI is leading the investigation. The always Jeff Selden has attended an FBI briefing and joins us now to give us an update. Jeff, what is the latest from the FBI? >> FBI officials say that they are scouring every bit of information they can. From the scene of the rally where the attempted assassination took place. They've been looking at the life and the movements of the man identified as the shooter, 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crookes. They caution so far, it's really in the investigation that said they have very little to go on right now. They say as best as they can determine Crookes acted alone. They have no indications anybody else was involved. And as of right now, they still have no sense of what motivated Crookes. >> What do we know about him? >> Not very much. He's 20 years old. He graduated about two years ago from Bethel Park High School in Pennsylvania. Classmates who have started speaking out have described him as quiet, a loner, an outcast. Some have said that while he took ribbing while people made fun of him and teased them for how he dressed, the fact that he kept wearing a mask even after the mask mandates with COVID had ended, that they didn't picture him doing something like this. And then when you go through the social media sites, his posts, Discord said they had found an account linked to Crookes. But that it was rarely used, hadn't been used in months. The FBI says so far what they've been able to see from his social media posts has given no indication of what sort of ideology he held. He apparently was from public records, a registered Republican. But beyond that, they're still trying to figure out what was going on, what was going through this 20 year old's head that made him decide to try to assassinate the former president? So he had a gun, I understand he liked to go hunting, is that right? Some of the accounts are that he went to school and he would wear hunting outfits quite a bit, some of his former high school classmates, people who knew him or knew of him, most people said they didn't know him very well, said he tried out for the rifle team at high school, but apparently didn't make it and didn't try again, what investigators saying as far as the gun, it was an AR style rifle. It was legally purchased, but it was purchased by his father and what they don't understand just yet, and they said the family has been cooperating, but they don't understand how Crookes got the gun, whether he stole it from his father, how he obtained it, and how he ended up with it on the rooftop. The other thing that they're looking at is where else he might have been getting his information, because when they did a search of his property and his car, they found explosive materials, and specifically in the car, they found what they described as a rudimentary bomb that they had to abuse, though they're trying to get a better picture, they're hopeful though, because one of the things they found in the car was his mobile phone, and they say as of late Sunday, they had not been able to crack the security codes and get in and see what he was doing, but they're hopeful that they'll be able to do that soon, and that may give them some more insights into why Crookes decided to try to kill President Trump. So the FBI is leading the investigation on the ground now, is that right? The FBI has been the lead investigatory body of the lead law enforcement agency looking into this. They are also working with the Secret Service, and of course, well, the FBI is focusing right now on the who, but where, why, and how of this, so why Thomas Matthew Crookes tried to take, try to kill the president, how he did it, whether he had any help. There are other questions as well, because the area that he climbed up to, the roof of the building he climbed up to was only several hundred yards away from the president, very close, much closer than he should have been able to get in a lot of people, Democrats and Republicans, lawmakers, even President Joe Biden, are raising questions about how that was able to happen. The president Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he has ordered a review and investigation to figure out why Crookes was able to get as close as he did, and come as close as he did. Lawmakers are also calling for an investigation, calling this a major security failure, but the accounts from the scene really won't worry as many of the lawmakers. They talked about how so many of the eyewitnesses have come forward to say they were trying to get the attention of police, that they saw Crookes climbing up to the top of the building, and before the shots rang out, they were trying to get the attention of the security detail that was at the campaign rally to let them know something was about to possibly go very wrong. Be always Jeff Selden with the latest on the investigation into the shooting. Thanks so much for the update. My pleasure. Be always, international edition continues. I'm Scott Walterman. The Republican National Convention begins on Monday. All of the delegates elected in the primary process will gather in the U.S. city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and formally nominate Donald Trump to be their candidate for president in the general election. The convention will go on as planned with Trump arriving on Sunday in Milwaukee. That's where we find Be always Carolyn Prusudy in the convention hall. All right, so what's happening in Milwaukee right now? Well, I am currently sitting inside the convention hall for the Republican National Convention for 2024. All the seats are empty because it's Sunday, but there is media around, there are volunteers around, and there is a lot of security. We've been running through practice sessions in this room ever since we got here about an hour ago. They've been running through the practice sessions at the podium. They've been running through the presentation of the colors, the flags. They've played music, and right now they're playing with the lights. What's the mood? I mean, it's always, there's always this like buzz of excitement going into a convention. I've covered a bunch of conventions, but after yesterday, is it, or after Saturday, the shooting? Can you feel, you know, are people tense? What does it feel like? You're absolutely right. I started doing interviews this morning, and I really thought that these delegates would be afraid of coming to the convention hall, or afraid of even being in the lobby, but it's just the opposite. Everyone I've spoken to so far says it has energized us, it has made us angry, and it has made us more and more determined to get former President Donald Trump reelected, and that's how they all feel. They feel very strongly that this was wrong, what happened Saturday, which we all agree with, but they feel like it was an affront to them personally, and now it is their duty to make things right, and they said that the only way to make this right is for this country to elect Donald Trump as president again. In fact, I can tell you this much. Someone even went so far as to say the theme of this convention should be make America safe again, and she said she would bring that up on the floor on Tuesday. Originally, I was reading that they had hoped to present a softer, more reasonable Donald Trump at the convention. Do you think that's still going to happen, or what's your sense of what we're going to see on stage from him himself? I think everyone will be very interested in seeing what how this has changed Donald Trump if it has at all, and if he does become softer, no one knows really, but he said that he was given the opportunity of arriving late, but he decided that he will arrive tonight, Sunday night in Milwaukee as planned, and he said the schedule will stay the same. The only thing that we have seen so far that is being done differently is that President Joe Biden has ordered the Secret Service to take a better look to review the security for the convention to make sure that everyone is safe this week. All right, well, we will check in with you throughout the week and find out how things progress. Thanks so much for, you know, taking the time and giving us a peek inside the convention all before everybody gets there. Absolutely, my pleasure. The election will be held on the first Tuesday of November, and a lot can happen between now and then, but let's try to get a read on how the assassination attempt might impact the politics of the race joining us now is Republican political consultant Matt Clink from Clink Campaigns. A big picture of thoughts on how this changes if it does the trajectory of the campaigns. The failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump will almost certainly benefit the Trump campaign. If for no other reason than it highlights the different directions of the campaign, we now have that iconic photograph of Donald Trump with a fist raise in the air with an American flag in the background and blood on his face that highlights that he's fighting for the American people. In fact, you could even say he's now taken a bullet for them versus the image that, you know, 50 plus million Americans have of Joe Biden, of a candidate that with his mouth open with lost look at his eyes who can't string sentences together, it calls into sharp contrast campaigns again going into opposite directions. So how do they play this at the convention? I think you're going to see a couple things happen. I think that you're going to hear a call for unity, a call to bring Americans together. You know, let's talk about the call for a cooling of the rhetoric, which are both sides being equal when it comes to this? Well, yeah, I mean, look, you have politicians from across the across the political spectrum calling, you know, saying that violence has no place in political campaigns and also for a calming of the rhetoric. Well, because here's what I am asking. Here are the comments by the leading Democrats, House Minority Leader, Hakim Jeffries. I'm thankful for the decisive law enforcement response America's democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable. Vice President Harris, I'm relieved that he was not seriously injured. We're praying for him, his family, and those who've been injured in the senseless shooting, we condemn this abhorrent act. Schumer, Senate Minority Leader, I'm horrified by what happened at the Trump rally and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Attorney General Merrick Garland, my heart is with the former president and the Republicans are blaming Democrats, the media diversity and equity. Senator Ron Johnson, I would argue that this is about identity politics. That's what critical race theory is about. House Speaker Mike Johnson, there's no figure in American history, maybe since Lincoln, who's been so vilified and really persecuted by the media and Hollywood elites. JD Vance, the central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist. Senator Tim Scott, this was an assassination attempt aided and abetted by the radical left and corporate media. Marjorie Greene, right, representative Greene. In several tweets, blame the Democrats and quote scumbags in the media, unquote. Those are two different messages. They are, however, I will point out that you highlighted primarily Democratic leadership and then some of the more extreme elements of the Republican caucus. If you look at statements made by Mitch McConnell, I realize you did quote the speaker and I think the speaker's comments are largely accurate. I know one of the goals was going to be at the convention to present a softer Trump. Do you still do that or how do you play that? I think that Trump positioning Donald Trump at the convention as someone who was fighting for America and wants to unify America. I think that that's the best bet and I think that you will see Donald Trump presents a softer, more thoughtful version of himself and I think that there will be others in the caucus who go off after the Democrats in the mainstream media, which are traditional enemies for Republicans. I would say that, you know, look, we always say that, you know, what else could happen during this 2024 campaign? It's unlike any I have ever seen. It's surreal. Well, that got blown up this weekend, didn't it? Everything. I mean, the last debate, the Trump getting convicted on 34. I mean, it's just like one thing after another. I mean, it's just like, oh my gosh, whoever writing a book about this, it's going to be a page turner just because of all the really random stuff that's happened. You know, we know what they say. You couldn't write this into a movie. Nobody would believe it. No, nobody would believe it. Nothing is this radical ever happens, but I guess it does. All right, Scott, thanks a million. Have a great one. You too. And finally, a house Washington, where two fanatical revolutionaries attempted to shoot their way into assassinate President Truman. Swift action by White House guards, one losing his life, resulted in the death of a would-be murderer, while his accomplice lies in hospital. The United States has a long history of presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations. Four U.S. presidents were assassinated wildly in office. Abraham Lincoln was killed in 1865 by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington. James Garfield was shot in 1881 in Washington at a train station and died of those wounds two and a half months later. William McKinley was assassinated in 1901 by an anarchist in Buffalo, New York, and John F. Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963 in Dallas, Texas, as the president rode in a motorcade. It appears as though something has happened in the motorcade route, something I repeat has happened in the motorcade route. The zero of people running up the hill around Scott Elm Street, thereby the summons freeway, several police officers are rushing up the hill at this time, stand by just the moment, please. Something has happened in the motorcade route, stand by, please. First on hospital, the head's now shooting. First on hospital has been advised to stand by for a severe gunshot wound. In addition, four U.S. presidents were wounded, but survived assassination attempts while in office or afterward. Donald Trump this weekend. Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981 outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, but survived the attack. President Gerald Ford survived two attempts on his life in less than three weeks in 1975, without being hurt. And Theodore Roosevelt was shot in the chest in 1912 while campaigning for elections in Milwaukee and survived. There were also two presidential candidates, Alabama Governor George C. Wallace was shot in 1972, became paralyzed from the waist down, and Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 42. By a gunman in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, minutes after he declared victory in the California primary election. Stay with VOA news for the latest on this developing story. We'll have more on Flashpoint Global Crisis with Steve Carish and updates every hour on VOA news casts. And you can always go to VOANews.com and check to see what's happening anytime that's convenient for you. This has been international edition of The Voice of America. I'm behalf of everyone here at VOA. Thank you so much for joining us. For pictures, stories, videos, and more, follow VOA news on your favorite social media platform. Next, an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government. Support for Ukraine was front and center at the NATO summit in Washington, as Secretary of State Anthony Blinken underscored in a speech to foreign ministers. This summit is made absolutely clear that as the people of Ukraine continue to sacrifice and measurably to defend their territory and their right to choose their own path, NATO will do everything possible to ensure new Ukraine's long-term success. And that does include the strong bridge that we built to membership. As reflected in the NATO members' Washington summit declaration, NATO was strengthening its support for Ukraine's security in the present and for the future. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan outlined what he called major moves. First, allies have committed to collectively provide Ukraine with at least 40 billion euros' worth of security assistance over the next year. Next, in partnership with our allies, we will provide Ukraine with five strategic air defense systems and dozens of tactical systems that are especially relevant to help protect Ukraine forces on the front lines. From our own production, we'll deliver hundreds of critical air defense missiles to Ukraine over the next year as well. And together, the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands have begun the transfer of F-16s to Ukrainian forces, and Ukrainian pilots will be operating in theater with those F-16s. The summit was also the occasion for the launch of a new agreement of long-term support for Ukraine, entered into by over 20 countries and the European Union, called the Ukraine Compact. This compact knits all of these countries together, said National Security Advisor Sullivan. And it makes clear that we will continue to support Ukraine in this fight, and we will also help build this force so it can credibly deter and defend against future aggression as well. In their Washington summit declaration, NATO members reaffirmed that Ukraine's future is in NATO, noted National Security Advisor Sullivan. This summit, the Washington summit, is about building a bridge to NATO for Ukraine as they continue to implement important reforms. And the steps I've just laid out are the building blocks of that bridge. Together they make clear, he declared, Putin cannot divide us. He cannot outlast us. He cannot weaken us. And Ukraine, not Russia, will prevail in this war. >> That was an editorial.