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‘Let Puffy go’: outside court, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs supporters hail verdict | Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs

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After the jury returned a mixed verdict in the federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, supporters of the 55-year-old music mogul gathered outside the courthouse on Wednesday in celebration.

Combs was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and not guilty of two counts of sex trafficking and a count of racketeering conspiracy.

The verdict, delivered by a jury of eight men and four women, is seen by many legal experts as the best outcome Combs could have hoped for outside of a full acquittal.

Outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, dozens of Combs’s supporters gathered after the verdict was delivered. Many chanted his name and cheered as several members of his family exited the building following the announcement.

“Let Puffy go!” some supporters chanted, putting heir fists in the air. “Not guilty!” others shouted.

Music filled the air as supporters played Diddy Free, a track released during closing arguments on Friday by one of Combs’s sons, King Combs, and Ye, formerly Kanye West, who briefly came to support Combs in court during the trial.

The crowd outside the courthouse danced and celebrated, with some handing out bottles of baby oil and lathering themselves in it. Baby oil played a prominent role in this trial; many witnesses testified that Combs used copious amounts of baby oil during his drug-fueled sex marathons referred to as “freak-offs”. Additionally, large amounts of baby oil were found at Combs’s home during federal raids.

By early afternoon, as the crowd outside the courthouse began to grow, the New York police department increased their presence outside the courthouse.

One supporter was seen holding a Sean John T-shirt, a company created by Combs, while others wore T-shirts that read “Freako is not a Rico”.

But while Combs’s supporters celebrated, organizations that support victims of sexual abuse and domestic said they were disappointed in the verdict.

UltraViolet, a women’s rights organization that held a demonstration last week outside of the trial in support of sexual assault survivors, said in a statement that the verdict on Wednesday was “a decisive moment for our justice system, one which threatens to undo the sacrifice of courageous survivors who stepped forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as to all those abused by Diddy who weren’t able to”.

“Today’s verdict is not just a stain on a criminal justice system that for decades has failed to hold accountable abusers like Diddy, it’s also an indictment of a culture in which not believing women and victims of sexual assault remains endemic,” they added.

More than 50 members of the media were also gathered outside the courthouse to cover the verdict and its aftermath.

Sean Combs’s lawyer claims ‘victory of all victories’ after mixed verdict in trial – video

The attorney for Combs’s former girlfriend and the star government witness in the case – Casandra “Cassie” Ventura – told reporters outside the courthouse that his team is pleased that Combs has “finally been held accountable” but added that “of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and Rico, but we understand that ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ is a high standard”.

“We’re just pleased he still faces substantial jail time,” he added.

Combs had pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

The jury found him guilty of the transportation to engage in prostitution counts, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Since his arrest last September, Combs has remained incarcerated without bail in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn. He has a bail hearing that is scheduled for 5pm ET on Wednesday to determine if he will remain in custody or whether he will be released.

“I hope he gets released today!” one supporter yelled.



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Trump says he’ll send new weapons to Ukraine

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CNN
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President Donald Trump said Monday he plans to send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine after his administration paused certain shipments last week.

“We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to – they have to be able to defend themselves,” Trump said ahead of a dinner with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu.

“They’re getting hit very hard. We’re going to have to send more weapons,” Trump added. “Defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard.”

The president’s latest remarks come after a senior White House official told CNN last week the Trump administration was pausing some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles. The decision came after a review of military spending and American support to foreign countries that was signed off by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said at the time that the decision was made “to put America’s interests first.”

Some US officials insinuated the review of aid to Ukraine was related in part to the Pentagon’s push to focus on China and be prepared for potential future conflict in the Pacific – an issue prioritized by the Pentagon’s policy chief, Elbridge Colby.

“The Department of Defense continues to provide the President with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end. At the same time, the Department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces’ readiness for Administration defense priorities,” Colby said in a statement at the time of the pause.

Russia welcomed the halt in certain shipments to Ukraine, claiming – without providing any evidence – it was made because the US did not have enough weapons.

“At President Trump’s direction, the Department of Defense will send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement Monday. “Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities.”

The US has been the biggest single donor of military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, supplying Ukraine with air defense systems, drones, rocket launchers, radars, tanks and anti-armor weapons, leading to concerns over dwindling US stockpiles.

Trump previously halted all shipments of military aid to Ukraine in March following a heated Oval Office argument with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump resumed aid flows to Ukraine about a week later.

The decision to send additional weapons also comes after Trump spoke separately last week with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky. He said afterward his talk with Putin was disappointing and there was “no progress” towards a ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Zelensky in recent weeks has been pleading with Western allies to bolster his nation’s aerial defenses after intensifying Russian airborne attacks. Russia launched a record number of drones at Ukraine overnight on Friday, just hours after the Trump-Putin phone call.

Trump later Friday said the US was considering Ukraine’s request for more Patriot defense systems after a “very good” phone call with Zelensky. The Ukrainian president said on Saturday that latest conversation with Trump was the best and “most productive” he has had.

Trump on Monday reaffirmed his displeasure with the Russian leader, saying: “I’m not happy with President Putin at all.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Kaanita Iyer contributed to this report.



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Passengers at some U.S. airports no longer have to remove footwear, sources say

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Passengers at some airports across the U.S. no longer have to remove their shoes during regular preflight security checks, two sources familiar with the change confirmed to CBS News on Monday.

The change appears to be a phased approach, sources said, and the first airports where the no-shoes requirement is expiring include: Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Portland International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Piedmont Triad International Airport in North Carolina.

However, CBS News correspondents at Los Angeles International Airport and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport reported Monday night that they and other passengers didn’t have to take off their shoes.

Travelers with TSA PreCheck already didn’t have to remove their footwear. In order to have PreCheck, travelers must submit an application and go through a clearance process with the TSA.

The change comes amid reports that the Transportation Security Administration has let the security rule expire for fliers going through the standard TSA screening lines.

In a statement to CBS News on Monday, TSA said the agency and the Department of Homeland Security “are always exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience and our strong security posture.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from enforcing funding ban against Planned Parenthood

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CNN
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A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a provision of President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy law to defund Planned Parenthood’s health care services.

The order from US District Judge Indira Talwani, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, blocks the provision’s enforcement for 14 days. The measure would bar Medicaid users from coverage with a health care provider that also provides abortion services.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America – along with Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah – sued the administration earlier Monday, arguing that the funding ban would have devastating consequences across the country.

While the legislation, which Trump signed on Friday, does not explicitly mention Planned Parenthood, the nationwide family planning and health care provider is in its crosshairs. The law prohibits federal funding for providers “primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health, and related medical care” that also provide abortion.

Planned Parenthood has warned that nearly 200 clinics nationwide – which also provide birth control, STI testing and treatment, and cancer screening – could close as a result of the bill’s one-year ban on funds.

Ninety percent of those clinics, Planned Parenthood says, are in states where abortion is legal.

“This case is about making sure that patients who use Medicaid as their insurance to get birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment can continue to do so at their local Planned Parenthood health center, and we will make that clear in court,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.

The bill originally barred funds for ten years, before the Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, reduced the measure to one year.

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the two local networks celebrated Monday’s order, while warning in a statement of the consequences if the provision is ultimately allowed to take effect.

“Already, in states across the country, providers and health center staff have been forced to turn away patients who use Medicaid to get basic sexual and reproductive health care because President Trump and his backers in Congress passed a law to block them from going to Planned Parenthood,” the groups said. “There are no other providers who can fill the gap if the ‘defunding’ of Planned Parenthood is allowed to stand.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for comment.

Earlier Monday, anti-abortion advocates quickly railed against Planned Parenthood’s suit.

“Planned Parenthood’s desperation is showing as they run to the courts again to fix a crisis of their own making,” said Susan B. Anthony’s Pro-Life America director of legal affairs and policy counsel Katie Daniel.

Planned Parenthood is also battling the Trump administration in court over cuts to a federal teen pregnancy prevention program. Lawyers for five Planned Parenthood networks argued in a federal District of Columbia court this June that administration’s changes to the program, including limits on language around diversity and equity, were vague and could bar Planned Parenthood from providing longtime services.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.



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