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Lawmakers call on US Secret Service boss to resign
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers called on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to step down in the wake of the assassination attempt of Donald Trump.
The demand came during and after a tense House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday that questioned Ms Cheatle about her agency’s security preparations ahead of a 13 July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that led to the attempt on Trump’s life.
The shooting left one person dead and three other wounded – including the former president.
Monday’s hearing was bruising for Ms Cheatle, as lawmakers ridiculed her answers and the lack of information the agency had made public, but it was also a rare show of bipartisanship on an increasingly polarised Capitol Hill.
For nearly six hours, members sought to answer lingering questions about the shooting, including how suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to get onto a nearby rooftop and why Trump was allowed to take the stage once a suspicious person was reported.
After the hearing, the leading Republican and Democrat from the committee – Reps James Comer and Jamie Raskin – sent a letter to Ms Cheatle that concretely laid out their belief that she should vacate her office.
“In the middle of a presidential election, the Committee and the American people demand serious institutional accountability and transparency that you are not providing,” the letter says. “We call on you to resign as Director as a first step to allowing new leadership to swiftly address this crisis and rebuild the trust of a truly concerned Congress and the American people.”
While Ms Cheatle took responsibility during the hearing for the security lapses and acknowledged that the Butler incident marks “the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades”, she left many lawmakers frustrated.
Ms Cheatle pushed back on calls to resign and said she remains “the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time”.
The Secret Service director also answered few questions directly – citing the ongoing investigation.
“The American people have questions, and they deserve answers,” Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer told Ms Cheatle during his closing. “You were required to provide answers and, ma’am, you did not.”
At times, the tense hearing on Monday seemed to devolve into fury. Lawmakers used expletives, shouted at the witness and questioned the director’s honesty and competence.
“I’m disgusted by your performance,” Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna said.
Ms Cheatle’s answers seemed to continuously spark the ire of lawmakers on the committee, many of whom said she should be dismissed if she continued to refuse to resign. “It looks like you won’t answer some pretty basic questions,” Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, a Trump ally, said. “And it looks like you cut corners when it comes to protecting one of the most well-known individuals on the planet.”
Throughout the hearing, some Representatives groaned loudly, rolled their eyes, or muttered audibly in response to Cheatle’s comments.
In one of the tensest moments of the hearing, South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace uttered a string of expletives in response to another one of Ms Cheatle’s answers, specifically about how her opening remarks were leaked to US media outlets over the weekend. “You are being dishonest or lying,” Mace said. “You’re just dodging!”
Another Republican, Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, shouted at Ms Cheatle, referring to her as a “total failure”. “The entire country is demanding you resign,” Ms Greene said.
Ms Cheatle also acknowledged that, to date, no Secret Service officers or employees have been disciplined for what took place in Butler.
According to Ms Cheatle, a preliminary report on the shooting will be released in the next 60 days – a timeline that committee members scoffed at.
New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, said that the delay of such a report during a tense election season was “not acceptable”.
“This is not theatre, this is not about jockeying, this is about the safety of some of the most highly targeted and valued targets internationally and domestically,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. There needs to be answers. We need to make policy decisions. Without that, we’re flying blind,” she added.
Despite the relative show of unity regarding Ms Cheatle’s future, there were some points of disagreement between Republicans and Democrats on the committee.
Several Republicans, for example, characterised Ms Cheatle as a “DEI” – diversity, equity and inclusion – hire and questioned, without evidence, whether female agents assigned to Trump’s security detail were able to do the job properly.
Others, such as Colorado’s Lauren Boebert and Ms Luna of Florida, hinted at conspiracy theories that have appeared online.
Florida Republican Michael Waltz blamed Ms Cheatle for the rumours, arguing that misinformation “flies” in the absence of information. “I would have fired you just by how you handled this,” Mr Waltz said, “because you should have been the first to the mics.”
The hearing ended with Mr Comer acknowledging that the hearing did little to answer the questions that Congress had. “I don’t think we answered too many questions that the American people have,” he said.
Several eyewitnesses to the shooting in Butler told the BBC that Ms Cheatle’s answers left them feeling frustrated and angry.
“She’s trying to pass the buck,” said Jean Vincent, a Butler resident. “I’m actually amazed at how insufficient her answers were. She needs to be held accountable for her total lack of competency… she put our lives at risk and needs to take responsibility.”
Another witness, former US Marine Teresa Wilson, said that while she understands that there are active investigations still taking place, Ms Cheatle was far too “evasive”.
“The only acceptable thing she could have done is take responsibility and step down,” Ms Wilson said. “All the rest is noise.”
[BBC]
The Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrived in Sri Lanka today, 9 September 2026, on a replenishment visit.
The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in accordance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is a 180m long Landing Helicopter Aircraft Vessel commanded by Captain Marco GUERRIERO.
During the ship’s stay in Sri Lanka, the Commanding Officer of ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ is scheduled to call on the Commander Western Naval Area.
Leah Poulton the former Australia batter turned coach and administrator, will join England Women as managing director, succeeding Clare Connor.
Poulton will be charged with overseeing the success of the international team and pathways after the ECB cited her “impressive track record driving women’s cricket forward in Australia”.
Poulton earned 90 caps for Australia before retiring in 2015 and has spent the past six years as head of elite female cricket at Cricket New South Wales. There, she oversees cricket performance operations across two WBBL franchises, women’s state cricket and one of the world’s largest women’s cricket talent pathways.
Before that, she spent three years at Cricket Australia as a High Performance Coach, where she was instrumental in setting up Australia’s enviable women’s high-performance pathway, which included developing the Australia A and Under-19s women’s teams.
In her new role, she will be accountable for the performances of England Women, England Women A, England Women Under-19s and the overall women’s high-performance system.
Poulton will start in her new role in November with England set to host the Women’s Ashes next summer. She fills the role vacated by Connor, who announced earlier this year that she would be leaving the ECB after a career spanning 18 years, and will work closely with England Women’s head coach Charlotte Edwards and captain Nat Sciver-Brunt.
“I’m incredibly excited and honoured to be joining England, and to have the opportunity to help shape our programmes and, most importantly, invest in our people,” Poulton said. “I’m looking forward to working with Charlotte, Nat and the wider team, building on the strong foundations already in place and taking the programme forward.
“I know how vital strong pathways and a healthy domestic game are to sustained success, so I’m looking forward to connecting with people across the game and helping give the next generation of English players every opportunity to thrive. It’s a huge privilege to be part of England Women, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Richard Gould, the ECB’s CEO, said that with the senior women’s team had made under Edwards, appointed last year, and having reached the final of their recent home T20 World Cup, England Women were well placed for a successful era.
“I’m delighted to welcome Leah on board to help us build on this and take us to the next level,” Gould said. “She has a deep understanding of international cricket from her playing career and has built an impressive reputation in her time in administration.
“I believe she and Lottie will be a formidable combination, and will continue the team’s progress and development as we compete for the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy and Women’s Ashes in 2027.”
[Cricinfo]
University of Sri Jayewardenepura weightlifter Avindu Liyanagedara made history yesterday by becoming the first Sri Lankan university student to win a gold medal at a World University sports event, as Sri Lanka made a spectacular start to the 2026 World University Weightlifting Championship in Doha, Qatar.
Liyanagedara won the men’s 60kg title, while Sabaragamuwa University’s Nipun Dissanayake added a bronze medal in the 65kg category on the opening day of the championship.
Liyanagedara lifted 105kg in the snatch and 132kg in the clean and jerk for an impressive combined total of 237kg.
Spain’s Gomez Martinez took the silver with 228kg, while Chun-Yen Tang of Chinese Taipei won bronze with 227kg.
Dissanayake also secured a podium finish in the 65kg class with a total of 220kg, comprising a 100kg snatch and a 120kg clean and jerk.
Iran’s Mohhadov Tehran won the gold with 289kg, with Moldova’s Ion Badanev taking silver with 288kg.
Liyanagedara’s achievement represents a landmark breakthrough for Sri Lankan university sport. His gold is the first gold medal won by a Sri Lankan university student at a World University sports event, while Dissanayake’s bronze further strengthened the country’s historic opening-day showing.
The Sri Lanka University Sports Association has entered five male and two female athletes for the championship, with University of Colombo’s Sujan Walgampaya serving as team manager and coach.
The championship continues in Doha until September 12, with Sri Lanka already assured of a memorable place in the history of World University sport through Liyanagedara’s historic gold medal.
Italian Naval Vessel ‘ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi’ arrives in Colombo
England Women appoint Leah Poulton as managing director
Bangladesh bank on bowlers in bid to bring India down
Avindu makes history with first World University gold for Sri Lanka
Establishment of National Trade Negotiation Committee (NTFC) and Trade Policy Consultation Committee.
Showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts
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