Man accused of trying to kill Trump at his West Palm golf club to go on trial

MIAMI— A North Carolina man fired his court-appointed lawyer and now plans to defend himself against high-stakes charges that he attempted to kill Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf club.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, whose South Florida federal trial starts Monday, has already shown himself to be a bit out there.

In 2023, Routh described his prior support of Trump as a “terrible mistake” in his self-published book — “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War” — describing the former president as an “idiot” while appealing to Iran to assassinate Trump for abandoning the U.S.-Iranian nuclear deal.

“You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of the deal,” Routh wrote.

Last year, Routh left someone a confessional letter in which he apologized for failing to assassinate Trump — before he was even accused of trying to shoot him.

Federal authorities say Routh tried to take matters into his own hands when he attempted to assassinate Trump on Sept. 15, 2024, at the Trump International Golf Club, less than two months before he won the presidency for a second time. His historic trial in Fort Pierce federal court gets underway Monday with jury selection, followed by opening statements Thursday.

Routh, who was appointed a federal public defender because of his indigent circumstances, dismissed his taxpayer-funded lawyer over the summer and will be defending himself at trial.

“I will be representing myself moving forward,” Routh wrote U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in late June. “It was ridiculous from the outset to consider a random stranger that knows nothing of who I am to speak for me. That was foolish and ignorant, and I am sorry — a childish mistake.”

In the letter, Routh delves into the fantastical idea of being used as a pawn in a prisoner swap with Hamas, Iran or Russia, “so I could die being of some use and save all this court mess — but no one acts. Perhaps you have the power to trade me away.”

—Miami Herald

Alaska Air pilot who endangered flight pleads guilty

Almost two years after off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot Joseph Emerson tried to shut off a plane’s engine midflight, the California man has pleaded guilty to related charges in Portland, Oregon, as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.

Emerson also has a plea hearing on state charges Friday afternoon, where he is expected to enter a no-contest plea as part of an agreement with state prosecutors, according to The Associated Press. He wants to take responsibility for his actions and hopes to avoid further time behind bars, his attorney Noah Horst told the AP.

During a Friday morning hearing at U.S. District Court in Portland, Emerson pleaded guilty to one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants, a felony. Federal prosecutors plan to recommend that Emerson serve a 12 month jail term, followed by court supervision, when he is sentenced in coming months.

Emerson, now 46, was arrested Oct. 22, 2023, after the Embraer E175 regional jet landed in Portland. He was indicted in Oregon state court two months later on multiple counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering aircraft. Emerson pleaded not guilty and was released on $50,000 bail.

Federal prosecutors charged Emerson with one count of interfering with flight crew members and attendants.

Emerson’s arrest made international headlines and sparked conversations about pilot mental health.

On that October day, the pilot hitched a ride on Horizon Airlines Flight 2059 headed from Everett to San Francisco. The crew allowed him to sit in the cockpit jump seat directly behind the captain and first officer, according to an affidavit by an FBI agent.

Emerson made casual conversation with pilots before he threw his headset across the cockpit, said, “I’m not OK,” and pulled red engine shut-off handles used for fires, according to the affidavit. The pilots wrestled the handles — which would have cut fuel to each of the plane’s engines had Emerson been able to pull them down fully — away from him.

—The Seattle Times

Judge tosses lawsuit against Fox News. But Newsmax can try again

A federal judge has rejected Newsmax's lawsuit alleging Fox News violated U.S. antitrust laws by squeezing out rival conservative news networks.

The court's decision came two days after the case was filed.

However, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon said she would give Newsmax a do-over. The Boca Raton, Fla.-based network has until Thursday to refile its lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's media company and top-rated cable news network to comply with judicial style.

In her two-page ruling on Friday, Cannon said Newsmax's lawyers inappropriately tried to build their case by stringing together allegations to compound their effect.

"We understand this is just a technical matter and our law firm is refiling," Newsmax said in a statement.

Newsmax sued Fox News and its parent Fox Corp. on Wednesday, accusing Murdoch's television company of anticompetitive behavior to maintain its "unlawful monopolization of the right-leaning pay TV news market."

Lawyers for Newsmax alleged Fox used its market clout to discourage pay-TV distributors from carrying or promoting Newsmax and other rival conservative news outlets. Newsmax claimed Fox News resorts to intimidation campaigns, including by pressuring guests not to appear on Newsmax.

"But for Fox's anticompetitive behavior, Newsmax would have achieved greater pay TV distribution, seen its audience and ratings grow sooner, gained earlier 'critical mass' for major advertisers and become, overall, a more valuable media property," Newsmax said in its lawsuit.

Fox News scoffed at the allegations.

"Newsmax cannot sue their way out of their own competitive failures in the marketplace to chase headlines simply because they can't attract viewers," the company said in a statement.

Murdoch's company declined further comment on Friday.

—Los Angeles Times

Anutin Charnvirakul elected new Thai premier as political turmoil eases

Thailand’s parliament elected Anutin Charnvirakul prime minister on Friday, the nation’s third leader since 2023, in a move that may offer only a brief period of political calm.

Anutin, 58, secured at least 273 votes in the lower house, more than the 247 required for a win. His challenger Chaikasem Nitisiri, a candidate of a bloc led by the influential Shinawatra family, got 132 votes. The voting was still underway at 3:56 p.m. in Bangkok.

The former construction magnate secured the top spot only with the support of the pro-democracy People’s Party, which demanded he commit to hold elections within months.

He succeeds Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of influential politician Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the Constitutional Court last week for ethical violations.

Adding to the political drama, Thaksin flew to Dubai on Thursday night for what he said was for a medical checkup. But the visit came just days before a court ruling that could see him jailed, raising fresh uncertainty over the future of the clan that has dominated Thai politics for decades.

Anutin is set to lead a minority coalition that includes the pro-establishment parties which blocked Move Forward — the predecessor of the People’s Party — from taking power after the 2023 polls. His agreement with the People’s Party stipulates he must dissolve parliament within four months of being sworn in and delivering his policy statement.

“Today’s vote ends the immediate drama and likely avoids the risk of snap elections this year,” said Peter Mumford, Southeast Asia Practice Head at Eurasia Group. “But the political games in Thailand will likely continue, not least as Anutin seeks to expand his coalition and clouds hover over the outlook for Pheu Thai.”

The challenges awaiting the new leader include a sputtering economy, hit particularly by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and a simmering border dispute with neighboring Cambodia. The government had already forecast growth to average 2% this year, less than half the pace of expansion of regional peers such as Indonesia and the Philippines.

—Bloomberg News