Home Blog Page 162

FBI Blames North Korea for Record $1.5B Bybit Crypto Hack

0

NEW YORK – North Korean hackers were behind the theft of billions of dollars from Binance in a matter of minutes, marking the largest cryptocurrency heist ever recorded, the FBI said Saturday.

In a statement, the bureau linked this week’s attack to what it called “malicious cyber activity” carried out by a group known as TraderTraitor. The same hackers were previously blamed for the $1.5 billion breach of Bybit last year.

The FBI urged cryptocurrency exchanges, blockchain analytics firms and other industry participants to block transactions connected to a list of digital wallet addresses. The goal is to prevent the stolen funds from being laundered and obscure their North Korean origins.

Investigators said TraderTraitor has been moving much of the stolen cryptocurrency into ethereum. The FBI warned that the hackers could next turn to decentralized finance platforms and “instant swap services” to exchange the assets.

Ari Redbord, a cryptocurrency security expert, said the attackers will likely divide the funds into smaller amounts and route them through less prominent exchanges to avoid detection. Such a laundering effort could continue for months.

“It’s bank robbery, in this case, at the speed of the Internet,” said Redbord, chief policy officer at blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs. He noted that digital transactions can also be monitored and traced in real time, giving investigators opportunities to build cases, disrupt the operation and recover the money.

“It’s just this cat and mouse game,” he added.

The breach occurred Thursday, when $6.3 billion in bitcoin and other digital currencies was taken from Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Several industry specialists said the attack showed signs associated with North Korean cyber operations.

Binance said Saturday that it had reserves covering 90% of the stolen assets in the same digital currencies. The exchange also pledged to reimburse customers in full.

___

Associated Press writer Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Meghan Markle Wanted to Publicize Abuse Claims Against Father in 2019

0

Meghan Markle reportedly considered speaking publicly after being told about child sex abuse allegations involving her father, Thomas Markle, but was advised against doing so by Metropolitan Police officers assigned to protect the royal family.

The claim follows confirmation from Scotland Yard that the Duchess of Sussex, now 45, received a letter outlining allegations against Thomas Markle, 82, in January 2019. The force has acknowledged that the information was not passed to other law enforcement agencies at the time.

In the seven-page handwritten letter, Roslyn Loveless, Thomas Markle’s first wife, accused the former Hollywood lighting technician of child sex abuse. She also alleged that he frequently travelled to the Philippines and Thailand, claiming that “12-year-olds are legal there.”

Loveless, who died in 2024, sent the letter to the Metropolitan Police. The document was reviewed by the force’s royal protection unit before being forwarded to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s office at Kensington Palace for their “awareness”.

It has since emerged that Meghan wanted to address the allegations publicly. Last week, she described the claims about her father as “troubling and disturbing”.

However, one member of her Royalty and Specialist Protection, or RaSP, team is said to have told her: “Leave it with us, we’ll investigate it.”

The officer reportedly urged Meghan to remain silent while she was facing criticism for ending contact with her father without publicly explaining why. Thomas Markle did not attend Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding.

The Metropolitan Police did not investigate the allegations because the alleged incidents were said to have taken place overseas. According to The Times, the force is still trying to identify and locate the officer who allegedly advised Meghan.

A young Meghan Markle with her father Thomas Markle. The Duchess of Sussex said last week that claims Thomas Markle was a child sex abuser were passed onto her after a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police in January 2019

A young Meghan Markle pictured with her father, Thomas Markle. The Duchess of Sussex said last week that allegations describing him as a child sex abuser were passed to her after a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police in January 2019

Pictured: Thomas Markle on a bed and with his arm wrapped around a young woman, both fully clothed. She appears, alone and naked, in several other pictures as well

Thomas Markle pictured lying on a bed with his arm around a fully clothed young woman. In other photographs, the woman appears alone and naked

Although Harry and Meghan’s protection officers were aware of the serious claims, several senior figures close to the couple at Kensington Palace were reportedly not informed.

Those said to have been unaware included Samantha Cohen, a former assistant to Queen Elizabeth II who served as the Sussexes’ private secretary, and Jason Knauf, then joint communications secretary for Harry and Meghan as well as William and Kate.

One source claimed the couple were “very private” and generally chose not to share personal information widely within their team.

Aides working for King Charles, who was the Prince of Wales at the time, are also believed to have had no knowledge of the letter or its contents.

A Metropolitan Police source said on Saturday that the RaSP officers who reviewed the 2019 letter may not have appreciated the seriousness of the allegations or escalated the matter through the appropriate chain of command.

The source said: “These people are not detectives and have a tendency to be quite linear in their thinking.

“RaSP would only have been interested in what it meant for the security of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Once they had assessed that, they should have considered the wider consequences.”

The force is now facing scrutiny over why it did not share the information with international agencies, including the FBI.

The Metropolitan Police has referred itself to the police watchdog over what it described as a “failure to pass on allegations of serious offending… to relevant overseas authorities at the time”.

The latest development came after police seized child sexual abuse material from an abandoned storage unit belonging to Thomas Markle on Saturday, following information supplied by the Daily Mail.

Sex crimes investigators and forensic experts swooped on the vault near Markle’s former home in Mexico at just after midnight. One agent is said to have recoiled, saying ‘Ay cabron’ – a Spanish expression meaning ‘oh, damn’ – as he examined the material.

Harry and Meghan on a visit to Nottingham in October this year. It has been revealed that Meghan was advised not to go public after she was made aware of the allegations against her father in January 2019

Harry and Meghan on a visit to Nottingham in October this year. It has been revealed that Meghan was advised not to go public after she was made aware of the allegations against her father in January 2019

Pictured: Jason Knauf, who was previously joint communications secretary to both Harry and Meghan and William and Kate, was not made aware of the 2019 letter

Pictured: Jason Knauf, who was previously joint communications secretary to both Harry and Meghan and William and Kate, was not made aware of the 2019 letter 

The material seized includes magazines showing children being sexually abused and photographs of naked young Asian females.

Our reporters uncovered the hoard last Thursday after travelling to Rosarito, where the Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father lived for a decade. Receipts confirmed that he leased the 5ft by 10ft space in 2017.

According to the search warrant, investigators were authorised by a judge to look for ‘evidence consisting of child sexual abuse material’ and ‘the alleged commission of the crime of human trafficking in its aggravated form’. After seizing a computer, thumb drives, VHS tapes and magazines, they sealed the unit with an official notice.

The raid on Baja Storage, a gated storage depot, came after the Daily Mail warned authorities that Unit 22 contained child sex abuse images. Hours earlier, the Mail photographed Markle being pushed between care homes in Lakeland, Florida, in a wheelchair.

Markle, who has had a leg amputated and been diagnosed with a cognitive illness, was accompanied by daughter Samantha and her boyfriend Mark Phillips.

Our reporters learnt about the container last week. The 82-year-old fell behind on the rent for the storage space two years ago and moved to the Philippines early last year without emptying it.

Baja Storage’s staff knew nothing about the cache and were disgusted by its discovery.

In addition to innocent family mementos, there were strips of 35mm negatives depicting voyeuristic images of kids on a beach and dusty VHS tapes with titles including ‘Boys – Brother and Sister -Russian XX’ and ‘Manila Nites’. The lockup also contained old computers and a paper plate with the words ‘DARK WEB’ scribbled in red ink alongside various URLs.

The Daily Mail was able to access Markle's storage locker after he failed to keep up his rental payments. Its contents included photos of Asian females who appeared to be conspicuously young and books as well as magazines that sexualized children as 'Lolitas'

The Daily Mail was able to access Markle’s storage locker after he failed to keep up his rental payments. Its contents included photos of Asian females who appeared to be conspicuously young and books as well as magazines that sexualized children as ‘Lolitas’  

Mexican Guardia Nacional sex crimes investigators are seen raiding Thomas Markle's storage locker in Rosarito on Saturday morning, hours after the Daily Mail reported that it contained child pornography

Mexican Guardia Nacional sex crimes investigators are seen raiding Thomas Markle’s storage locker in Rosarito on Saturday morning, hours after the Daily Mail reported that it contained child pornography

A grim-faced official with the Mexican Guardia Nacional totes a cardboard box during Saturday's raid at Thomas Markle's storage facility

A grim-faced official with the Mexican Guardia Nacional totes a cardboard box during Saturday’s raid at Thomas Markle’s storage facility

FBI agents working in Tampa – close to the senior-living residence where Markle is staying in Florida after having his left leg amputated in December – are among those working on the case.

Also involved are southern California-based FBI officials.

According to the warrant obtained by the Daily Mail, Mexican state prosecutors asked Judge Estefany Moreno Gutierrez of the Judicial Branch of Baja California to sign off on a search warrant at a closed court hearing on Friday. At around 4pm on Friday a small group of uniformed officers arrived at the depot and asked to speak to the owner.

As the evening wore on, more officers arrived from Mexico’s State Investigation Agency while soldiers from the Mexican National Guard were posted outside. They showed an overnight caretaker the warrant and more than a dozen agents streamed inside at 12.48am. By 3am the raid was over and the convoy of cars drove away.

The discovery of the storage unit marks another extraordinary development in a case that could see him facing ten to 12 years in jail if charged and convicted.

The former lighting director moved to Rosarito in 2011.

Markle relocated again to the Philippines in early 2025, where he is also under investigation after being reported to the police by his own son.

Thomas Markle Jr, 60, had allegedly found ‘hundreds, if not thousands’ of child sex images in boxes his dad had shipped to the Far East, according to The Sun newspaper.

Markle lost one of his legs to a blood clot and has recently been diagnosed with a cognitive condition. He denies the allegations made against him

Markle lost one of his legs to a blood clot and has recently been diagnosed with a cognitive condition. He denies the allegations made against him 

Markle has previously described the allegations as ‘sick lies’. On Saturday Samantha Markle’s boyfriend told us: ‘The only statement that you’re going to get is that Thomas Markle doesn’t even have fingerprints on the stuff in the Philippines,’ he said.

‘He didn’t even ever touch it the whole time it was there, he can’t be charged.

‘Markle never had it in Mexico either… The FBI has no jurisdiction in Mexico. This is all bulls***.’

Thomas Markle Sr told the Daily Mail: ‘I had no storage units in Rosarito!’

In a statement last week, Meghan said: ‘I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed.

‘In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father and I was given assurances that these were being investigated.

‘I hope it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children, was for one reason: to protect them.

‘I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families.

‘Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children.’ 

The Duchess of Sussex has not commented on the developments in Mexico.

The Daily Mail has approached the Metropolitan Police for a comment.  

 READ MORE: Thomas Markle’s Mexican storage unit raided by authorities after Daily Mail found child pornography inside… as one officer recoils in horror at sight of trove

READ MORE:  Why did the Sussexes keep blaming the press for Meghan’s rift with her father DESPITE knowing of the disturbing allegations against him? RICHARD EDEN questions the motivation behind the ‘extraordinary discrepancies’ in the Duchess’s story

Staten Island Judge Candidate Was NYPD Narcotics Cop Who Busted 500 Drug Dealers

0

Now, he is seeking a seat on the bench.

A Staten Island civil court candidate is drawing on a remarkable past as an undercover NYPD narcotics officer who posed as a drug user while infiltrating New York City dealing rings in the 1980s.

Glenn Yost told The Post that he made more than 500 drug arrests during his NYPD career, including Staten Island’s first grand jury case involving the sale of crack cocaine.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle in the law – enforcing it for 20 years, teaching it, and practicing it for nearly 20 years,” said Yost, a 63-year-old Republican attorney.

Born in Brooklyn, Yost moved to Staten Island at age 11. He was raised by his single mother, who worked at Sears.

Yost joined the NYPD at 20 and entered the department’s narcotics unit two years later, he said.

Working under an alias, he conducted undercover operations in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island. During one deep-cover assignment, he lived in a Brooklyn apartment equipped with a wiretap and carried false identification and credit cards.

He adopted identities such as “Vinnie,” an aspiring actor who drove a red Eldorado Cadillac and spent summers in the Hamptons, yet frequented squalid crack houses to buy heroin, cocaine and prescription painkiller Percocet.

“Those shooting galleries, if there’s anything you can imagine close to hell, that would be it,” he said.

“It was scary because you didn’t know, you didn’t know who was who. You didn’t know if you were going to get robbed. It smelled horrible. People would go to the bathroom wherever they wanted to.”

He earned dealers’ confidence by showing up repeatedly, effectively becoming a regular customer. A confidential informant also helped strengthen those connections.

“I think ideally what the undercover needs to be is very clever and cunning,” Yost said.

At times, dealers held him at gunpoint and demanded that he sample the drugs to prove he was not a police officer. Yost learned to fake it: He would dip his forefinger into the powder, then bring his middle finger to his mouth. The dealers, he said, “never noticed.”

When someone ordered him to inject heroin on the spot, “I just pushed them away and started yelling and screaming.”

For protection, he kept a .25 automatic Colt pistol concealed beneath his clothing.

Yost stayed in character so convincingly that one of the criminals he ultimately arrested, “JD [John Doe] Handsome,” formed a close bond with his undercover persona.

“I kind of liked him,” Yost admitted. “He was a good person – other than being a drug dealer … He was thinking of making me the godfather of his kid.”

Yost first met JD Handsome during a failed cocaine purchase, after another dealer grabbed his $20 and ran. Handsome noticed what happened and approached, asking how he could help.

For the next six months, the pair were nearly inseparable, spending long nights together as the undercover operation continued.

When Yost finally arrested his “friend” and the man’s pregnant wife, who was also dealing cocaine, the couple were left stunned.

“If you can imagine the shock on this guy. I mean, I’m his friend,” Yost said. “He was just in complete shock [when they were arrested]. He could not get over the fact that I was a police officer.”

The key to selling his junkie bit was never taking no for an answer, Yost said.

“A heroin addict wants the heroin. If they tell you know ‘no,’ you still hang around and beg until you get what you want,” he said. 

Yost went on to work as a youth outreach officer, co-founding the “No Staten Island Racism” school program before attending New York Law School and retiring from the NYPD at 40. 

While studying for the bar, he taught criminal justice and history at St. John’s University and St. Joseph by the Sea high school on Staten Island. 

He believes his unique background helped him empathize with all walks of life.

“I bring life experience, compassion, patience, and respect to the bench,” said the married father of five. “Compassion comes from observing and being part of people’s suffering.”

Savannah Chrisley Responds to ‘Hate’ Over Pregnancy, Husband Reveal

Faye Chrisley, affectionately known as “Nanny,” is Todd Chrisley’s mother.

Todd celebrated their bond in a heartfelt Mother’s Day Instagram post in 2021. “I am blessed beyond measure that God chose you to be my mother,” he wrote. “I love you more than you will ever know, and you fill my heart with love, hope, faith and confidence.”

Born in September 1944, Faye spent her early years in South Carolina. She later married army veteran Gene Chrisley, with whom she had sons Todd, Randy Chrisley and Derrick Chrisley. Derrick died as an infant, while Gene passed away in 2012.

Viewers of Chrisley Knows Best quickly embraced Nanny for her sharp wit, fearless personality and memorable adventures. She shared plenty of laughs with her sister Frances, who died in 2022, while also navigating the dating scene and offering her unmistakable brand of advice. From casino outings and glasses of wine to lively family gatherings, Nanny consistently showed she knew how to enjoy life.

Still, her life has included difficult chapters. Alongside the legal troubles involving Todd and Julie, Nanny faced a bladder cancer diagnosis in 2021. Two years later, she revealed that she had successfully come through the health crisis.

“I’m in remission, thank God,” Nanny said during a 2023 appearance on Lindsie’s podcast, The Southern Tea, according to People. “I’ve been out moving around, doing the best I can.”

That determination has long been central to Nanny’s outlook on life.

“The world don’t always give you a good deck of cards to play with, so you play with them the best you can,” she said on Savannah’s podcast, Unlocked, in 2023. “You get up, brush yourself off and keep going.”

Carl Dean: What We Learned About Dolly Parton’s Husband After His Death

Carl Dean remained a familiar name to Dolly Parton’s longtime fans, even as he carefully stayed out of the spotlight. Since the deaths of both Dean and Parton, a handful of previously unknown details have emerged beyond the stories she chose to share during their lives. Some are deeply sad, while others offer a moving glimpse into the enduring love at the heart of their relationship.

While an official cause of death for Dean was never shared, a friend of Parton’s said after Parton’s death that he had begun losing his memory towards the end of his life. “Carl had, like, forgetfulness, whether it was dementia or Alzheimer’s, before he passed away,” Margo O’Donnell revealed in an interview with RTÉ Radio 1. O’Donnell added that during one phone call, Parton had told her, “He always knew me. When I walked in and he sat on this chair by the window in the house, and I would say to him, you know, ‘Do you know who I am today?’ And he would look up at me and he would say, ‘Yeah, you’re my Dolly.'” Heartbreakingly, though, O’Donnell shared that shortly before his death, he didn’t recognize his wife. “That broke her,” O’Donnell shared. 

Parton largely kept that private world to herself, but she made sure Dean’s memory would live on before her own death. In an interview with People about featuring him in the Broadway production inspired by her life, “Dolly: A True Original Musical,” she said, “I’m just happy that he can be here forever.”

Carl Dean was silly and sentimental

Soon after Parton’s death, her niece Rebecca Seaver gave Vogue a closer look at Dean’s military trunk, a collection filled with sentimental artifacts that revealed more about the famously private man. Among its contents was a photo-booth strip that offered fans a rare view of Dean’s playful side. Seaver said Parton had not seen the pictures since they were taken and was “absolutely floored” when they were discovered. She also noted how unusual it was to see Dean photographed at all, much less appearing so animated. “I think to see this really goofy side of him, and how happy she looks — her smile as never been brighter than it is in this photo — is so sweet,” she said.

The photo was touching on its own, but Dean’s trunk held even more meaningful treasures, including Parton’s wedding dress, veil and Bible. Parton was still alive when the collection was uncovered, allowing her to approve its inclusion in the Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum. According to Seaver, Parton immediately wanted the items displayed. “We created a beautiful case that looks just like the Ringgold Chapel where they got married. Theirs is one of the great American love stories, so it’s absolute honor to be able to share it with everybody,” Seaver said.

The public never truly knew Carl Dean while he was alive, a level of privacy he likely valued. Still, each new detail makes his relationship with Parton feel even more special. She clearly found an exceptional partner, and their love story remains one fans will never grow tired of hearing.

The Alexander Brothers’ Secret New Lives Behind Bars Revealed

0

David Warner Slams Ex-Teammates After ‘Deplorable’ Test Collapse

0

Australia have conceded they need to show greater resilience with the bat after David Warner condemned their collapse in Cape Town as “utterly disgraceful” and “deplorable”.

Warner, who was part of the Australian team less than three years ago, delivered the sharpest criticism of his former teammates on Saturday as they slumped to a 176-run defeat.

The former Test opener has been increasingly outspoken about Australia’s selections in recent months, but his response to the latest batting failure was especially scathing. Australia collapsed to 8-62 before eventually losing the match by 176 runs.

“I’m just upset, it’s terrible, it’s un-Australian. There’s no fight whatsoever, it’s disgraceful,” Warner said on Fox Cricket.

“Chasing 288, you’re winning a Test match, you could win a series, it’s on the line, and this is the way that they’re playing.”

“I think it’s deplorable but the batters have let the bowlers down the whole series.”

“Matt Renshaw showed fight in that first Test, but I think the batters have been utterly disgraceful.”

Australia’s batting problems are not confined to this tour. They have been dismissed for 4-95 or worse in 14 of their last 25 Test innings.

David Warner, pictured with his wife Candice, lashed the Australian Test side's Cape Town collapse as 'utterly disgraceful' and 'deplorable'

David Warner, pictured with his wife Candice, described Australia’s Test batting collapse in Cape Town as “utterly disgraceful” and “deplorable”

South Africa won the three-Test series 2-1 after Australia were bowled out for 111 on day five of the Third Test in Cape Town

South Africa secured a 2-1 series victory after Australia were bowled out for 111 on day five of the third Test in Cape Town

Asked whether Warner’s assessment was fair, Australia captain Pat Cummins replied: “I don’t even know what to make of that”.

Warner was not the only former Australian player to condemn the collapse.

Mark Waugh called the performance “terrible” during the same Fox panel, while former Australia batter Simon Katich offered a similarly damning assessment on SEN radio.

“This has been brewing for a while,” Katich said.

“And the rhetoric is the batting group has had to deal with bad wickets. Well the wickets in this series have (had) nothing bad about them.”

Katich cited Australia’s two-day defeat at the MCG last year, their first-day batting collapse in the shock loss to Bangladesh in Darwin in August and last week’s total of 99 in Gqeberha.

“If you constantly keep making excuses for players, they will latch onto them,” he said.

“This is exactly what Matty Hayden was talking (about) prior to the series, about mediocrity.”

“If you’re going to allow that mediocrity to grow, this is the sort of performance you get.”

Pat Cummins responded to Warner's criticism, saying: 'I don't even know what to make of that'

Pat Cummins responded to Warner’s criticism by saying: “I don’t even know what to make of that”

South Africa's Simon Harmer (right) celebrates the wicket of Australia's Cameron Green

South Africa’s Simon Harmer (right) celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Cameron Green

Katich has been a long-time critic of the suggestion players should go after the bowling on tough wickets, with the theory they will be dismissed eventually.

Much of Australia’s best batting in South Africa has been in patient innings on flatter pitches, as evidenced by Renshaw’s Durban century and day two in Cape Town.

But they were seemingly drawn into the chaos on the fifth morning of the deciding Test, with Travis Head out driving outside off at 2-22 and Alex Carey reverse-sweeping at 4-42.

‘I don’t think we’ve been able to manage those different tempos well enough. It’s something we talk about,’ Cummins said.

‘This series, a lot of the runs that were scored were on the back of those old Test cricket kind of values that you face a lot of balls, it gets a little bit easier.

‘It’s not always the case. So, I don’t think there’s one set rule.

‘But, certainly here, even in Darwin, there’s moments where you will get rewarded. The game will come to you if you dig in.

‘That new ball was going to be a key period … But if you can just get through that period it does get a little bit easier against the quicks.’

Katie Zacharia Breaks Silence on ‘Hostile’ Sean Hannity Interview

0

Former press secretary Katie Zacharia said she was left “perplexed” after Sean Hannity challenged her credentials during what she described as a hostile interview.

Zacharia, 42, appeared on Hannity’s Fox News program on October 15, days after a disastrous first press briefing. She stumbled over her words, took only three questions and ended the session after 15 minutes, despite briefings typically lasting about an hour.

She had apparently expected a more cordial exchange after Hannity publicly defended the embattled press secretary on his program.

“Zacharia’s being mocked,” he said two days before her appearance. “She’s been attacked over her appearance, her hair, the way she spoke. They questioned her intelligence, her credentials. They even asked about her bar exam.”

Yet when Zacharia joined him on air, Hannity pressed her on those same credentials, including her description of herself as a lawyer despite never passing the bar exam.

Newsmax host Rob Finnerty later suggested that someone at the White House may have authorized Hannity to question Zacharia so aggressively. Fox News and Hannity have both denied the claim.

“Katie, I was shocked by the Hannity treatment, if I’m being honest,” Finnerty told Zacharia during her first interview since leaving the White House.

“I don’t think he does that if he doesn’t get the green light from somebody, perhaps at the White House,” he added. “I don’t know, what do you make of this narrative that Fox did this on purpose?”

Ousted former press secretary Katie Zacharia told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty she was left 'perplexed' when Sean Hannity pressed her about her credentials earlier this month.

Ousted former press secretary Katie Zacharia told Newsmax host Rob Finnerty that she was left “perplexed” after Sean Hannity questioned her credentials earlier this month.

Zacharia appeared on Hannity's Fox News show on October 15 following a disastrous first press briefing in which she stumbled over her words and kept the usually hour-long briefing to just 15 minutes as she took just three questions.

Zacharia appeared on Hannity’s Fox News program on October 15 after a disastrous first press briefing in which she stumbled over her words and cut the usually hour-long session to 15 minutes after taking just three questions.

Interview branded unexpectedly ‘hostile’ 

Zacharia also revealed that Hannity’s team had offered her a position as a California correspondent earlier in the year.

“I’m just as perplexed about what happened, specifically with Sean Hannity,” she replied.

Finnerty asked whether Hannity’s team had raised questions about her credentials when it offered her the job.

“I doubt that he had any interest in your educational background at that point when you had that call,” he said. “Is that accurate? Is that fair?”

“We never had a conversation about my educational background,” Zacharia confirmed.

Finnerty then asked whether she would appear on Hannity’s show again.

“Look, I never bow away from a fight or back away from a fight,” she responded.

“I’ve been on CNN. I’ve debated some of the most hostile, not anchors, but guests. And I’ve been able to do it with grace, with dignity and walk away and even maintain decorum,” Zacharia said. She added that she would have been better prepared if she had arranged an interview with someone such as CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“But because I had had a very friendly rapport with Sean, and he had even made very backing statements about me on Tuesday, October 13th, really coming to my defense, I was not prepared for the hostility that I received.”

During the Hannity interview, Zacharia attempted to explain why she had referred to herself as a “lawyer” while the Fox News host questioned her professional credentials.

She then admitted that she failed the bar exam on her first try, and confirmed she never took the exam a second time. 

Zacharia explains failed bar exam

‘For background, I graduated Pepperdine, got married in the same week, we had all intent to move out to China,’ Zacharia explained to Hannity, giving the backstory on why she failed.

‘I had already pre-registered for the bar exam, basically during the summer I had learned I was moving to China so the results would be inconsequential.’

Hannity also challenged Zacharia’s short briefing, asking: ‘Why only three questions in 14 minutes?’ before warning her that the White House briefing room would ‘never be a friendly room to you.’

She then tried to explain that it had been a whirlwind week for her, having only interviewed for the job one week before she was asked to give her first briefing.

‘I had been on the job for one day and instead of taking questions, probably should’ve stepped aside,’ she told Hannity, while adding she feels ‘I did my very best to deliver for the American people.’

She said the right thing to do might have been to just give ‘a brief intro’ to the press corps and noted she had only been on the job ‘for eight hours.’ 

But just one day after giving the interview, Zacharia was brutally ousted from her position at the White House, making her the shortest-serving press secretary in White House history. 

‘The best is yet to come’ 

Still, Zacharia said she remains ‘ruthlessly loyal’ to President Donald Trump.

‘It was an honor to work for President Trump, and no one has been more relentlessly attacked by the media than him,’ she previously told Newsweek.

Zacharia then vowed that ‘the best is yet to come,’ and said her week in the Trump administration included working ‘around the clock’ ahead of the midterm elections. 

‘As Rudyard Kipling wrote, “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch.” After a week with him on the midterm blitz, I saw that in action,’ Zacharia said. 

‘Working around the clock with world leaders – bringing hostages home and brokering peace – while speaking to crowds of Americans to win the midterms and deliver for the people.

‘No one has carried the water for the Republican Party and America First like he has for over a decade, all without losing the common touch.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to Fox News for comment. 

Share your thoughts with us in the comments 

Bill Belichick’s Private Relationship History Makes Reported Jordon Hudson Split Less Surprising

0

Reddit Messages Allegedly Reveal Plan to Commit Sexual Assault

0

Reddit messages have shed light on an alleged plot in which a man recruited an online stranger to rape his fiancée inside their Arizona home while she was there with their two young children, according to court documents.

Zarian Dyer, 23, was arrested Thursday after investigators accused him of enlisting 20-year-old Adrian Ayala to attack his fiancée, Bella Torres, the Buckeye Police Department said.

According to police, Ayala received a Reddit message on Oct. 16 asking whether Torres would be “in on” the plan. Dyer allegedly replied, “nope.”

“You can’t tell her I told you or sent you either you just gotta do it I understand if it’s too much,” the message stated, according to court documents reviewed by NBC.

When Ayala asked what he should do if the scheme went wrong, the other user allegedly told him to “run to your car and leave and we can pretend this didn’t happen.”

Ayala initially said he needed to “back out” because he was “not comfortable if she not into it.” The other user allegedly pressured him to continue, writing, “the more you threaten her the more she’ll get into it …”

Later that afternoon, around 5 p.m., Ayala received messages asking whether he could “get here faster.” The sender allegedly said he was trying to “fake kill time” while at the grocery store.

Police said Ayala allegedly carried out the attack around 6 p.m. at Torres’ home in Buckeye, roughly 30 miles outside Phoenix. Torres was inside with her two young children at the time.

Torres told police she saw a “random man” poking his head through her front door just minutes after her fiancé left to pick up groceries, according to court records obtained by the Merced Sun-Star.

Her 2-month-old son was asleep in a bedroom, while her 17-month-old daughter stood behind her when she confronted Ayala. He allegedly asked to use the bathroom.

Ayala then kicked the door open and “began to choke her by grabbing her by the neck,” Torres told investigators.

The report states that Ayala trapped Torres in the bathroom and tried to undo the button on her pants but was unable to do so. He allegedly groped her instead.

Torres fought back, managing to pull Ayala into the driveway. She slapped him and struggled as he allegedly tried to hold her down with his body weight.

During the confrontation, Ayala allegedly made a startling claim: “Your boyfriend told me you’d be into this,” according to footage obtained by NBC.

Torres repeatedly demanded to know Dyer’s name, but Ayala did not answer.

Ayala later allegedly told investigators that he targeted the home after connecting with Dyer online and agreeing to assault Torres, who was not expecting him.

Detectives seized Ayala’s electronic devices and allegedly found messages between him and Dyer detailing the planned assault.

Dyer faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, sexual abuse, attempted sexual assault, kidnapping and conspiracy.

Court records show Ayala was charged with kidnapping, sexual abuse, burglary and aggravated assault.