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‘Game of Thrones’ star Joseph Gatt sues DA George Gascon and LA for $40 million over false pedophilia claims

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“Game of Thrones” star Joseph Gatt is suing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, the City of Los Angeles, L.A. County and others for $40 million after being arrested and charged with having “online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines.” 

The 52-year-old actor was arrested in April 2022 and released the same day after posting a $5,000 bail. Gatt vehemently denied the allegations at the time, and the charges were dismissed in February. 

On Thursday, Gatt filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that a “thoroughly botched criminal investigation” based on “the uncorroborated word of a then-16-year-old, admittedly obsessed fan of Gatt” caused the “intentional destruction” of his career and reputation after he was “publicly branded as a serial pedophile,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

george gascon side by side with joseph gatt

“Game of Thrones” star Joseph Gatt is suing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, the City of Los Angeles, LA County and others for $40 million. (Getty)

The lawsuit named Gascón, L.A. County, L.A. County Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson, LAPD Detective Denos Amarantos and the City of Los Angeles as defendants. 

‘GAME OF THRONES’ ACTOR JOSEPH GATT ARRESTED FOR CONTACT WITH A MINOR FOR SEXUAL OFFENSE

“Defendants, using threats, intimidation and coercion, and with no cause, let alone probable cause, subjected Gatt—a successful actor with numerous film and television series credits, including Game of Thrones and Banshee, among many others — to an utterly baseless arrest, unlawful detention, unlawful search and seizure of property, and malicious prosecution in which Gatt was alleged to have electronically communicated with a minor in a sexually explicit manner,” the documents stated.

In the lawsuit, Gatt claimed that the arrest and investigation were due to the alleged actions of a teenage fan, referred to in the documents as “Jane Doe,” whom he “did not know and has never actually met.”

The documents stated that the defendants did not interview “Jane Doe” until almost a year after Gatt was arrested, charged with “baseless crimes” and labeled a serial pedophile.

Joseph Gatt

The 52-year-old actor was arrested in April 2022 and charged with having “online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines.” The charges were dismissed in February.  (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic)

According to the documents, a friend of the fan surprised her in October 2020 with a Cameo video from Gatt in which he wished her a happy 16th birthday. “Jane Doe,” who lived in Washington state, contacted Gatt on Instagram to thank him for the birthday wishes.

The teen continued to message Gatt on Instagram for the next two to three months, and he “responded in a manner that was wholly appropriate and consistent with typical celebrity-fan exchanges,” according to the lawsuit.

“Unbeknownst to Gatt, throughout this time Jane Doe was an admittedly obsessed fan who was already using a naked picture of Gatt — a still image from his appearance on the television show ‘Banshee’ that Jane Doe herself had apparently sought out and downloaded from the internet — as her phone’s lock screen even before Gatt had ever had any interaction with her,” the documents claimed.

“Gatt also learned much later that Jane Doe had professed that she had sexual dreams involving Gatt, and had also apparently downloaded from the internet pictures of Gatt from his appearance on the television show Z Nation and photoshopped a fake tattoo of her own name onto Gatt’s right bicep,” the lawsuit added.

“Without Gatt’s knowledge, and apparently using software readily available on the internet for the specific purpose of creating fake social media conversations to trick and impress friends, Jane Doe thereafter wholly manufactured fake conversations between herself and Gatt via the social media platform Snapchat that were sexual in nature and pure fantasy,” the lawsuit continued. 

District Attorney George Gascon speaks to media wearing navy blue suit and dark tie

In addition to Gascon, Gatt is suing LA County, LA County Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson, LAPD Detective Denos Amarantos and the City of Los Angeles. (Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe’s older sister found the fake Snapchat messages, took photos of them with her own phone and sent them to a police department in Washington. The documents stated that investigators referred the case to the LA DA and the LAPD in December 2021 after learning Gatt didn’t live in Washington.

The lawsuit accused the defendants of failing to confirm that the “obviously fake” photos were real before Gatt was arrested and charged.

“Gatt was arrested and prosecuted based solely on unauthenticated pictures of social media conversations displayed on an unidentified phone screen that, on their face, were highly suspicious and facially untrustworthy,” the documents stated. 

In addition, the lawsuit alleged that Deputy District Attorney Brunson “sought to destroy Gatt based on nothing more than bias and personal animosity” stemming from political differences. 

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According to the documents, Brunson and Gatt are both active members of the high-performance sports car community in L.A., and the deputy district attorney’s boyfriend worked at a motorsports tuning store that the actor frequented.

“Gatt was well known in the high-performance sports car community generally, and to DDA Brunson specifically, for his liberal political beliefs, including his vocal support for the Black Lives Matter movement and for LA County District Attorney George Gascón,” the documents said. 

“Like the vast majority of the high-performance sports car community, DDA Brunson espouses conservative political beliefs that are the polar opposite of Gatt’s beliefs, and she was also a vocal critic of Gascón despite working for him at the LA DA.” 

The lawsuit alleged that Brunson “ignored the glaring red flags” in the evidence against Gatt before having him arrested and prosecuted. 

Last summer, Brunson left Gascón’s office for a position at the Riverside County District Attorney’s office.

Gatt appeared in the fourth season of “Game of Thrones.” (Photo by Leon Bennett)

In the documents, Gatt stated that he had lost professional opportunities after the defendants issued a statement to the press in which he was branded as a serial pedophile.

“Gatt was immediately cancelled and what had previously been a burgeoning acting career was destroyed,” the complaint reads. “Gatt’s agent and PR representatives dropped him immediately, he was fired from two different movies in which he had already been cast, and he was also recast in a third movie in which he had been hired to play the lead role.

“Moreover, at least two other movies he had already filmed almost totally cut his scenes or reshot them with different actors, and he was not invited to attend the premieres. Gatt immediately stopped receiving any further role offers or audition opportunities, and instead received numerous death threats and was stalked and chased by a Daily Mail reporter.”

The documents stated that Gatt had hired a private forensic investigator to examine the evidence. The lawsuit alleged that the defendants refused to allow the investigator to present his findings in court and had the case dismissed.

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According to the lawsuit, Gatt has not worked as an actor since the arrest and had to sell his high-performance car, a Ford Shelby GT 500, to cover his legal expenses.

“As a direct result of Defendants’ reckless investigation and malicious prosecution, Gatt has suffered immeasurable mental anguish and emotional distress that made him physically ill, and his reputation has been utterly destroyed,” the lawsuit claimed.

Gatt stated that he hasn’t worked as an actor since his arrest. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega)

According to the lawsuit, Gatt is seeking “to recover the more than $40 million in damages that he has suffered as a result of Defendants’ violations of his constitutional rights.”

Representatives for the L.A. District Attorney’s Office and the LAPD did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Dean Z. Pamphilis, a partner with Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP and Gatt’s attorney wrote, “The arrest and charges against Mr. Gatt—for which he was branded by the Los Angeles DA and LAPD as a serial pedophile — were based on fabricated evidence.”

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“Twenty months later, when the fabricated evidence was finally disclosed to Mr. Gatt and Mr. Gatt’s forensic expert were prepared to expose the truth in open court, the Los Angeles DA voluntarily dismissed the criminal complaint,” Pamphilis continued. “Mr. Gatt, however, had already lost his community, his acting career and his personal reputation. We look forward to recovering Mr. Gatt’s enormous losses in court.”

Gatt is represented by Pamphilis, J. Michael Wilson, Daniel A. Saunders and Sara Wolfe.

The actor played Thenn Warg in the fourth season of “Game of Thrones.” He also is known for portraying “The Albino” in the Cinemax action show “Banshee.” Other credits include roles in movies including “Black Adam,” “Dumbo,” “Titanic 666” and “The Retaliators.”



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Car-to-car shooting in downtown Los Angeles kills 1, injures 2

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One person died and two others were injured in a car-to-car shooting in downtown Los Angeles early Sunday, with the gunman apparently popping up through the sunroof of one vehicle and firing at people seated in another car, police said.

The shooting occurred a few minutes after midnight near the intersection of Maple Avenue and 12th Street in Santee Alley, the heart of L.A.’s fashion district, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department.

The gunman’s vehicle pulled up next to the other car, which was stopped, Eisenman said, and he fired multiple shots from the sunroof, hitting three people in the other car, before fleeing.

A male victim believed to be between 17 and 20 died at a hospital, Eisenman said. The other two victims — a 20-year-old man and 18-year-old woman — were taken to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition and she in stable condition.

Eisenman said officers believe the shooting was “gang-related,” but she didn’t have more details on how they’d arrived at that conclusion.

The investigation is ongoing, she said, and police haven’t made any arrests.



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Ukraine ‘fires Himars into Russia for first time’

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Ukraine has fired US-made weapons at targets inside Russia for the first time, according to Russian sources.

Russia’s ministry of defence and Russian military bloggers have reported that HIMARS, long-range artillery, were fired by Ukraine at Russia on Saturday evening.

“The enemy has begun using Western-made weapon systems to attack ‘old’ Russian territory. These are fragments of M142 HIMARS MLRS shells,” said the sanctioned Russian war reporter and Kremlin propagandist Evgeniy Poddubny on his Telegram channel underneath a slideshow of several photos. “The Russian Army’s air defence crews destroyed more than 10 missiles in the sky over the Belgorod region.”

Ukraine has not commented.

The US this week gave Ukraine limited permission to fire US-made weapons at targets inside Russia close to the border with the Kharkiv region.

It had delayed handing permission to Ukraine because of fears the strikes would escalate the war.

Ukraine, though, said that Russia was massing forces behind the border ahead of attacks and it needed to strike them as an act of self-defence.

US permission only covers the area immediately north of the border and only allows Ukraine to fire HIMARS at targets in Russia, not longer-range missiles.


05:35 PM BST

That’s all for today

Thank you for following our live coverage. The key developments from the day were:

  • Russia’s defence ministry claimed to have captured a village in eastern Ukraine and said it is advancing “in all tactical directions”.

  • Volodymr Zelensky criticised Joe Biden for not doing enough in allowing US weapons to be fired into Russia as Ukraine faces the threat of a renewed invasion. He also said he discussed bolstering Ukraine’s air defence system and the F-16 coalition at a meeting with US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin.

  • Ukraine fired US-made weapons at targets inside Russia for the first time, according to Russian sources.

  • Greece sent the first Nato F-16 fighter jet instructor to Ukraine, Greece’s defence-point.gr website has reported.

  • Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure.

  • German chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a speech directed at Vladimir Putin that Nato is prepared to “defend every square inch” of its territory against attacks.

  • Mr Zelensky will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit on 13-15 June in Italy, Giorgia Meloni confirmed.

  • The Ukrainian president also said that 106 countries and organisations had so far agreed to participate in a summit in Switzerland in mid-June aimed at bringing peace to his war-ravaged nation. However, he accused Beijing of working with Moscow to undermine the summit.

  • A 24-year-old Ukrainian policewoman was “starved, beaten and abused” as a prisoner of war by Russian forces, her mother said as she was released after two years in captivity.

  • Nearly 1,000 people attended a ceremony today honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic.


05:28 PM BST

Greece sends first Nato F-16 fighter jet instructor to Ukraine

Greece has sent the first Nato F-16 fighter jet instructor to Ukraine, Greece’s defence-point.gr website has reported.

Ukrainian pilots have been training to fly F-16 fighter jets at air bases across Europe for the past 12 months, mainly in Romania and Denmark, but have not previously been reported to be in Ukraine.

“The presence of the Greek airman in the capital of Ukraine is apparently part of the F-16 training coalition initiative, an international coalition,” the website reported.

The Greek government has not commented on the report.

With the permission of the US, European countries have donated several F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and Ukraine hopes that its first pilots trained to fly F-16s will take to the skies in the next few weeks.

Last month, France said that it may send military trainers to Ukraine.


04:39 PM BST

Nearly 1,000 people honor Ukrainian journalist and combat medic killed in action

Nearly 1,000 people attended a ceremony today honoring the memory of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Tsybukh, who was killed in action while serving as a volunteer combat medic.

Tsybukh, 25, was killed while on rotation in the Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month ago.

She had left a note describing how she wished the ceremony to be held, asking people to sing Ukrainian songs and attend in vyshyvankas – traditional embroidered shirts – instead of black clothes.

“I want everyone to sing at the farewell, to learn at least 10 meaningful songs and sing them in unison, to extinguish sorrow with native songs,” she wrote. Instead of flowers she asked people to make donations to the Hospitallers Volunteer Medical Batallion, in which she served.

A Ukrainian serviceman cries over the coffin of Iryna TsybukhA Ukrainian serviceman cries over the coffin of Iryna Tsybukh

A Ukrainian serviceman cries over the coffin of Iryna Tsybukh – AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Tsybukh was killed while on rotation in Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month agoTsybukh was killed while on rotation in Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month ago

Tsybukh was killed while on rotation in Kharkiv area, where Russia started its offensive nearly a month ago – AP Photo

A large crowd gathered in the courtyard of Kyiv’s St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery, where the memorial service was held. People later joined a column that moved to central Independence Square, a ritual that has become common during funerals of servicemen killed in action, chanting “Heroes don’t die”.

Tsybukh’s death sparked wide reaction on social media, where her letter went viral for several days after her death.

“Today everything is behind me, my life has ended, and it was important for me to live it with dignity: to be an honest, kind, and loving person,” she said in the letter that she wrote a year ago while serving in the embattled Donetsk region. Her brother shared it, as she wished, on Instagram.

“To have the strength to be a free person, one must be brave,” she wrote.


04:30 PM BST

In Russia ‘punishment is more often a political tool’, says MoD

Today’s intellience update from the Ministry of Defence.


04:05 PM BST

‘Starved, beaten and abused’ – Ukrainian policewoman returns home after two years in captivity

A 24-year-old Ukrainian policewoman was “starved, beaten and abused” as a prisoner of war by Russian forces, her mother said as she was released after two years in captivity.

Maryana Checheliuk, an investigator with the National Police of Ukraine, was taken prisoner after being caught up in the siege of Mariupol’s Azovstal steel works.

Her full story was recounted to The Telegraph magazine by her family last year, who told how she had been forced through a Russian filtration camp and then blocked from returning home.

Maryana Checheliuk returned home on Friday noticeably frail after years of abuse and mistreatmentMaryana Checheliuk returned home on Friday noticeably frail after years of abuse and mistreatment

Maryana Checheliuk returned home on Friday noticeably frail after years of abuse and mistreatment – krainian Presidential Press Office

On Friday, Ms Checheliuk was released in a prisoner exchange, after enduring years of severe mistreatment, including being starved, beaten and abused. She appeared frail as she finally arrived back on Ukrainian soil in tears.

In her first phone call to her family after being released, Ms Checheliuk said: “Mummy, I’m home.”

Her mother replied: “My lovely and dear sunshine, we finally got this day.”

Read the full story here


03:06 PM BST

Ukraine publishes video from destroyed Vovchansk

The Liut Assault Brigade of Ukraine’s National Police has published a video from Vovchansk in the north of Kharkiv Oblast, where fighting continues.

The DeepState analytical project reported that 50-80 per cent of the city’s buildings have been destroyed and cannot be rebuilt.


02:55 PM BST

Zelensky to arrive in Philippines

Volodomyr Zelensky is set to visit Manila and is scheduled to arrive late on Sunday, Rappler news site reported, quoting diplomatic sources.

There was no immediate confirmation from the Philippine president’s office or the Philippine foreign ministry.

Mr Zelensky would be coming from Singapore where he made an unscripted appearance at the Shangri-La Dialogue conference, his second visit to Asia since Russia first invaded Ukraine in February 2022.


02:41 PM BST

Italy’s PM confirms Zelensky’s attendance at G7 Summit

Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Summit on 13-15 June in Italy, Giorgia Meloni has confirmed.

Ms Meloni said the G7 Summit will be attended by “at least fifteen” countries and international institutions, in addition to the leaders of the Group and the Pope.

Earlier, it was also reported that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend the summit.


01:44 PM BST

Scholz: We will defend ‘every square inch’ of Nato territory

German chancellor Olaf Scholz has said in a speech directed at Vladimir Putin that Nato is prepared to “defend every square inch” of its territory against attacks.

Nato’s recent move to strengthen its eastern border is aimed at deterring Russia, Mr Scholz said, adding it should be clear to Moscow that the alliance will be ready to defend itself if necessary.

Speaking at the Eastern German Economic Forum Mr Scholz said: “The threat from Russia will continue, we and other allies decided last year to deploy additional units to the Baltic states and to station an entire brigade there permanently in future.

“But this turnaround in security policy is necessary to show Russia: We are prepared to defend every square inch of Nato territory against attacks.”

He said diplomacy would only be successful from a position of strength.


01:22 PM BST

Russia ‘captures village in Donetsk’

Russia’s defence ministry claims to have captured a village in eastern Ukraine and says it is advancing “in all tactical directions”.

Russian troops “have managed to liberate the village of Umanskoye in the popular republic of Donetsk”, the ministry said in reference to the Ukrainian village of Umanske, a tiny village home to fewer than 180 inhabitants before Russia’s invasion.

The village lies about 25 kilometres to the northwest of Donetsk, which is the main city of the region and is under Russian control.

Ukraine’s outnumbered and outgunned forces have been under pressure for several months, particularly since Russia launched a new push in early May around the eastern city of Kharkiv.

Russian defence minister Andrei Belousov said on Friday Russia had made advances “in all tactical directions” and that Moscow’s forces had seized 880 square kilometres of territory this year alone.


12:59 PM BST

In pictures: Zelensky meets Singapore’s leaders

Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong shaking hands with Volodymyr ZelenskySingapore prime minister Lawrence Wong shaking hands with Volodymyr Zelensky

Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong shaking hands with Volodymyr Zelensky – Singapore MCI/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Singapore's president Tharman Shanmugaratnam greeting Volodymyr ZelenskSingapore's president Tharman Shanmugaratnam greeting Volodymyr Zelensk

Singapore’s president Tharman Shanmugaratnam greeting Volodymyr Zelensk – Singapore MCI/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock


12:33 PM BST

Situation on Pokrovsk front is tense, says Ukraine

On the Pokrovsk front, the Russians are trying to advance on Novooleksandrivka and Sokil, Ukraine’s General Staff has reported.

Two attacks were repelled and three more are ongoing, with defence forces taking measures to stabilise the situation, according to online Ukrainian newspaper Pravda.


11:52 AM BST

Energy shutdowns hit Ukraine after Russian attacks target infrastructure

Ukraine imposed emergency power shutdowns in most of the country on Sunday, a day after Russia unleashed large-scale attacks on energy infrastructure.

The shutdowns were in place in all but three regions of Ukraine following Saturday’s drone and missile attack on energy targets that injured at least 19 people.

Ukraine’s state-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the shutdowns affected both industrial and household consumers.


11:07 AM BST

Zelensky criticises Biden over Atacms ban

Report from Nicola Smith, in Singapore:

Volodymr Zelensky criticised Joe Biden for not doing enough in allowing US weapons to be fired into Russia as Ukraine faces the threat of a renewed invasion.

The Ukrainian president thanked Mr Biden for giving Kyiv permission to strike inside Russian territory with American munitions, but said restrictions – including on the use of long-range Atacms – should also be dropped.

He said: “Is that sufficient? No. Why? Because I have given you the example of airfields from which Russia is permanently firing, in calm knowing that Ukraine will not fire back because it has no corresponding systems and no permissions.”

After weeks of pressure Biden gave permission for Ukraine to use American missiles like Himars to fire across the border north of Kharkiv, where Russian forces are massing. But he blocked Ukraine from using the more advanced Atacms systems.

Mr Zelensky said Russia continued to use artillery, long-range fire, and some 300 weapons systems carrying tens of thousands of missiles on its side of the border to target the Ukrainian population.

“So they have these weapons there and they do not remove them because they know that Ukraine cannot target them with Western weaponry even if they fire against us,” he said.


10:48 AM BST

Russia claims capture of village in Ukraine’s Donetsk region

Russia’s defence ministry has claimed to have captured a tiny village in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where it has been on the offensive making territorial gains.

Russian troops “have managed to liberate the village of Umanskoye in the popular republic of Donetsk”, the ministry said in reference to the Ukrainian village of Umanske.

The claims could not immediately be verified.


10:34 AM BST

Watch: Monument to Wagner Group founder Prigozhin unveiled in St Petersburg

A life-sized monument to the founder of Russia’s Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin has been unveiled at his grave in St. Petersburg.

The site was visited by several dozens of people, many of whom laid flowers. Some were dressed in military uniform and were wearing PMC Wagner symbols.

Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group that fought for Russia in Ukraine, waged a long-running feud with the defence establishment that culminated in an outright mutiny in late June 2023.

It ended quickly but was widely seen as a serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s almost quarter-century-old grip on power.


10:24 AM BST

Zelensky says 106 nations and organisations to attend Switzerland summit

Volodomyr Zelensky has said that 106 countries and organisations had so far agreed to participate in a summit in Switzerland in mid-June aimed at bringing peace to his war-ravaged nation.

Mr Zelensky wants the peace summit, scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland, to produce a front to support the withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders.


10:15 AM BST

Ukraine says it downs 24 Russia-launched attack drones

Ukraine’s air defence systems destroyed 24 of the 25 attack drones that Russia launched overnight, Kyiv’s air force said on Sunday.

Russia also launched an Iskander-K cruise missile towards the Kharkiv region and an anti-aircraft guided missile, the air force said on the Telegram messaging app. It did not say what happened to the missiles.


10:06 AM BST

Russia threatens former chess champion Kasparov with criminal charges

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov, who fled Russia a decade ago for fear of persecution, may face a criminal case in Moscow for violating the Kremlin’s “foreign agent” law, TASS news agency reported on Sunday.

Russian law enforcement officials, the state news agency reported, said there is “every reason” to charge Mr Kasparov, without providing further details. The fierce Kremlin critic could face up to two years in prison or a fine if a case is initiated, the unnamed officials said.

Russia added Mr Kasparov to the list of individuals acting as foreign agents, which includes dozens of critics of Vladimir Putin, soon after the Russian president launched his full-scale invasion on Ukraine in 2022.


09:39 AM BST

Zelensky and Pentagon chief discuss bolstering Ukraine’s air defence

Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed bolstering Ukraine’s air defence system and the F-16 coalition at a meeting with US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin.

Volodymyr Zelensky and US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin meet at the Shangri-La DialogueVolodymyr Zelensky and US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue

Volodymyr Zelensky and US secretary of defense Lloyd Austin meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue – UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

The meeting between the Ukrainian president and the Pentagon chief took place on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit in Singapore.

“We discussed the key issues: the defence needs of our country, bolstering Ukraine’s air defence system, the F-16 coalition, and drafting of a bilateral security agreement,” Mr Zelenskyy said.


09:17 AM BST

In pictures: Zelensky in Singapore

Volodymyr Zelensky and US foreign affairs committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue in SingaporeVolodymyr Zelensky and US foreign affairs committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

Volodymyr Zelensky and US foreign affairs committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) meet at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore – UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE

Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng HenVolodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Singapore's defence minister Ng Eng Hen

Volodymyr Zelensky shakes hands with Singapore’s defence minister Ng Eng Hen – NHAC NGUYEN/AFP via Getty Images


09:13 AM BST

Zelensky says being allowed to strike Kharkiv with some US weapons not enough

Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he was grateful to the United States for allowing Kyiv to use US-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in the Kharkiv region, but added that it was not enough.

Ukraine is weathering a renewed assault from Russian forces, more than two years after the invasion began.


09:09 AM BST

Local official dies in Russia’s Belgorod as ammunition detonates, governor says

A local official in Belgorod died when some ammunition detonated, while six people were injured in Ukrainian shelling of the southern Russian region, Belgorod’s governor said on Sunday.

Igor Nechiporenko, deputy head of Korochansky district administration in Belgorod, was killed as a result of ammunition detonating, Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram.

“I offer my most sincere and deepest condolences to the family and loved ones,” Mr Gladkov said.

He also said that six civilians received shrapnel injuries during Ukraine’s shelling of the town of Shebekino and were taken to hospital.


09:07 AM BST

Zelensky accuses China of undermining Ukraine summit

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Beijing of working with Moscow to undermine a summit to discuss his country’s peace blueprint.

Russia is doing “everything” to disrupt the summit set for mid-June by using Chinese influence and its diplomats, Mr Zelensky told reporters at the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Earlier, the Ukrainian president gave a keynote speech, appealing for Asian leaders to join the summit to help forge a path to end Russia’s war.

“We want Asia to know what’s going on in Ukraine,” Mr Zelensky said on Sunday. “We need the support of Asian countries. It is much needed.”

China has not immediately responded to the comments.



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Southern US city ranked as worst for deadly car accidents in the country, study says

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If you want to avoid getting into a car accident, you might want to stick to walking in Memphis instead of driving.

The Tennessee city was ranked as the place with the highest rate of deadly car accidents in the U.S., according to a study by the ConsumerAffairs research team.

Car crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 2022 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the NHTSA’s Crash Report Sampling System helped determine the rankings. 

The ConsumerAffairs report contains deadly and non-deadly accident data for cars, light trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans. Each city and state were ranked by the number of car crashes per 100,000 people in the defined area. 

SOUTHERN US CITY TOPS LIST OF DIRTIEST IN THE NATION, STUDY SAYS

Memphis freeway interchange

Tangle of ramps for the I-40 interstate interchange around the Renasant Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee. (Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Memphis topped the list of 195 U.S. cities analyzed, with 207 deadly car crashes in 2022 – marking 33.33 per 100,000 – nearly triple the nationwide rate of 11.77 per 100,000 people.

“This finding may not surprise ConsumerAffairs readers, as Memphis was the top-ranked city in our worst drivers in America study last year,” the consumer news platform said.

TENNESSEE GOVERNOR JOINS GOP TREND OF VETTING CANDIDATES ON SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL CHOICE: ‘SO IMPORTANT TO ME’

Memphis view from the water

USA, Deep South, Tennessee, Memphis. (Dukas/Christian Heeb/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Rounding out the top 10 are Daytona Beach, Florida; Ocala, Florida; Macon, Georgia; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Albany, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; Birmingham, Alabama; Tucson, Ariz. and St. Louis, Missouri. 

While Memphis had the highest rate of fatal crashes per 100,000, it was sixth for total number of deadly crashes for 2022. Los Angeles topped that list with 341, followed by Houston, Phoenix, New York City, and Dallas.

On the other end of the spectrum, Reading, Pennsylvania, was determined to be the city with the lowest rate of car crashes in 2022, with 1.05 accidents per 100,000 people. 

Memphis from freeway with cars

Views of downtown Memphis March 31, 2019 from Interstate Highway 40, Memphis, Tennessee. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)

“Reading was one of four with only one fatal car accident the whole year. The others were Passaic, New Jersey; Ames, Iowa; and Iowa City, Iowa,” ConsumerAffairs said. 

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New York City ranked low for crashes per 100,000. While its 228 deadly accidents were fourth highest in the nation, this was relativesly low given a population of more than 8 million people, many of whom use public transportation.

ConsumerAffairs recommends drivers “get good car insurance and an auto warranty,” stating that most car insurance packages cover car damage or anyone who gets hurt during a crash. 



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