What to Know
- The Kremlin has dismissed a indictment that charged 13 Russians with interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election as lacking evidence
- The students who survived the deadly massacre at a Florida high school have found themselves at the center of USA's gun control debate
- Fergie was tasked with singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game - a task that she seemed to fall short of
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Kremlin Dismisses US Election Indictment as Lacking Evidence
The Kremlin has dismissed a U.S. indictment that charged 13 Russians with interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election as lacking evidence. The indictment handed by a federal grand jury alleges that a wealthy entrepreneur with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin funneled money to a so-called "troll farm," which sent operatives to the United States, created fictitious social media accounts and used them to spread tendentious messages. The aim was either to influence voters or to undermine their faith in the U.S. political system. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday that while the indictment focuses on "Russian nationals" it gives "no indication that the Russian government was involved in this in any way." Peskov insisted that Moscow did not meddle in the U.S. election.
“Get on the Right Side”: Shooting Survivors Decry Government “Inaction”
The young students who survived the deadly massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have found themselves at the center of the country's tempestuous gun control debate — and they're not shying away. Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, Alex Wind and Jaclyn Corin appeared on a slew of morning shows, including NBC's "Meet the Press" with Chuck Todd, to tell politicians not to let their 17 classmates and teachers die in vain. "This is our opportunity to talk to President Trump, [Florida] Gov. Rick Scott and state Sen. Marco Rubio to make sure that they know we are talking directly to them and all other members of the United States government that are being funded by the NRA," said Gonzalez, a senior. "Now is the time to get on the right side of this." Gonzalez is one of several students who spoke at a rally in Ft. Lauderdale. She railed against politicians and led a "we call B.S." chant with the hundreds of people who attended the protest against gun violence. Hogg shared Gonzalez's anger over what he called "inaction and debate" from government officials, saying he would not feel safe returning to his Parkland, Florida, classroom "until reasonable mental health care legislation and gun control legislation is passed."
Iranian Rescue Teams Find Site, Wreckage From Plane Crash
Local
Iranian search and rescue teams reached the site of a plane crash the previous day that authorities say killed all 65 people on board, Iran's Press TV reported. The Aseman Airlines ATR-72, a twin-engine turboprop used for short-distance regional flying, went down in foggy weather, crashing into Mount Dena in southern Iran. The airliner said all on board Flight EP3704 were killed, including six crew members. The crash of the aircraft, brought back into service only months ago after being grounded for seven years, was yet another fatal aviation disaster for Iran, which for years was barred from buying necessary airplane parts due to Western sanctions over its contested nuclear program, forcing Iranians to fly in aging aircraft. Press TV said search teams reached the crash site before dawn. The station said the weather had improved though it was still windy.
4 Shot, Including Boy, 6, Outside Texas Steakhouse, Police Say
A 6-year-old boy and three adults were shot in the parking lot of a popular West Side San Antonio Steakhouse. The San Antonio Express-News reports that San Antonio Police Chief William McManus says two of the adults' injuries are life-threatening. The boy was shot in the leg and is expected to survive. McManus says all four victims are related and the adults are in their 20s. According to police, the shooting occurred as the group waited outside the Texas Roadhouse in the 2800 block of Cinema Ridge, near Ingram Park Mall. McManus said, "We do not believe that this shooting was random." Police say the masked suspect opened fire about 15 feet from the front of the restaurant, emptying the magazine. He is still being sought.
Fergie Slammed for Performing Worst Rendition Ever of National Anthem at NBA All-Star Game
Fergie was tasked with singing the "Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game - a task that she seemed to fall short of. Before the game, the singer slinked up to the microphone in a little black dress and gave a bluesy and somewhat unusual rendition of the national anthem that did not appear go over well with the A-list audience, or apparently the entire Internet. In clips, Chance the Rapper, Joel Embiid, Draymond Green and Jimmy Kimmel were spotted not really feeling Fergie's version before the game. One viewer, Isaac Harris, called it the "worst" national anthem he'd ever heard, writing, "Literally dying at these reactions. Fergie with the worst rendition ever." Some viewers are saying that the only thing worse than tonight's Fergalicious national anthem may be Roseanne Barr's headline-making, crotch-grabbing performance of the "Star-Spangled Banner" in 1990. Probably not a comparison that the eight-time Grammy winner will love.
