Sessions says hurt by Trump outbursts, but not quitting

By AFP  

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions leaves the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC on July 26, 2017. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions found himself in an increasingly untenable position Tuesday, as President Donald Trump once again publicly skewered his top law enforcement official, calling him “VERY weak” and saying he is “disappointed.” SAUL LOEB / AFP

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday called a barrage of criticism from President Donald Trump “hurtful” — but vowed to remain in his post.
The president has launched a series of attacks against his top law enforcement official in recent days, furious at Sessions for recusing himself from a probe into alleged Russian ties to Trump’s election campaign.
Sessions has remained largely silent in response but, in an interview with Fox News during a visit to El Salvador, he admitted to being stung by the president’s comments.
“It is kind of hurtful, but the president of the United States is a strong leader,” said Sessions, a former senator from Alabama who was one of the first senior politicians to endorse Trump.
Sessions said that Trump’s overwhelming desire was for “all of us to do our jobs. That’s what I intend to do.”
The attorney general stepped away in March from overseeing the FBI-led Russia probe after it emerged he had not disclosed during his Senate confirmation hearing that he met twice with the Russian ambassador to Washington.
In an interview with The New York Times last week, Trump said he would never have appointed Sessions had he known he would recuse himself from the Russia probe.
He later called him out on Twitter, saying he had been “VERY weak” for failing to open a criminal investigation into his defeated election rival Hillary Clinton.
The attacks, widely seen as designed to force Sessions into resigning, have upset leading figures in Trump’s Republican Party, who have sprung to the attorney general’s defense.
“If Jeff Sessions is fired, there will be holy hell to pay,” Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned Thursday.

Culled from Guardian in AFP

One dead after Fireball fairground ride sends riders flying through the air

Richard Hartley-Parkinson

The ride pictured moments before the accident happened

A swinging and spinning amusement park ride has broken apart on the opening day of the Ohio State Fair, hurling people through the air, killing a man and injuring seven others.
Three of the injured were in a critical condition, authorities said.

‘The fair is about the best things in life and tonight with this accident it becomes a terrible, terrible tragedy,’ said Ohio governor John Kasich.
The man who was killed was one of several people who were thrown off when the Fire Ball ride malfunctioned, Columbus Fire Battalion chief Steve Martin said.
Dramatic video captured by a bystander shows the ride swinging back and forth like a pendulum and spinning in the air when it crashes into something and part of the ride flies off, throwing riders to the ground.

People were treated at the scene where one person died and another seven were injured (Picture: Justin Eckard via AP)

A company providing rides at the Columbus fair this year describes the Fire Ball as an ‘aggressive thrill’ experience.
On its website, Amusements of America says that since its debut in 2002, the Fire Ball has become ‘one of the most popular thrill rides on the AOA Midway’.
The company description of the ride says it swings riders 40 feet above the midway while spinning them at 13 revolutions per minute.
Mr Kasich said he had ordered a full investigation and all fair rides to be shut down until additional safety inspections can be completed.
In a post on its Twitter page the fair said: ‘There has been a report of a ride incident. We are investigating and will report information as available.’

Some of the damaged chairs involved in the accident (Picture: Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

An investigation is now underway to work out why the ride malfunctioned in such a catastrophic way  (Picture: Justin Eckard via AP)

The Ohio State Fair runs until August 6.
State director of agriculture David Daniels said all the rides were checked several times when they were being set up to ensure it was the way the manufacturer intended.
‘We started out today with 11 rides that did not open because the inspection work was not done on them,’ he said.
Mr Daniels said four rides would not be operating because they did not meet the mechanical test.
Ride inspectors said the Fire Ball was inspected at a couple of different stages and signed off Wednesday.

The man who died was thrown 50ft from the ride (Picture: Jim Woods/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

Three of the people who were injured are in a critical condition – another four are stable (Picture: Justin Eckard via AP)

The riders were on seats attached to the end of a fast-rotating pendulum (Picture: Reuters)

All rides have been closed while investigations take place (Picture: Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch via AP)

People watch as authorities respond near the Fire Ball amusement ride (Picture: Justin Eckard via AP)

Culled from Metro