U.S. and world news for Sept. 26

White House calls Capitol attacker: Denver Riggleman, a former conservative Republican congressman who worked as an investigator for the House committee looking into the Jan. 6 attempted coup, said on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” last night that the committee is aware that someone from the White House was on the telephone with one of the rioters while the assault on Congress was underway. He said they identified the rioter but not the caller at the White House. Riggleman also said that the White House and various departments in the Trump Administration were deeply involved in organizing the attempt to overthrow the government and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows”™ text messages provide irrefutable evidence of that.

New ground in next hearing: Rep. Adam Schiff, a member of the House Jan. 6 Committee, said on CNN yesterday that the committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday will cover ground about Trump”™s effort to overturn the election that have not been covered before.

Fiona cleanup continues: The cleanup continues today in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec from Hurricane Fiona which battered the North Atlantic areas over the weekend. Almost 700,000 customers had their electric power knocked out by the storm.

North Korea missile: North Korea fired a missile into waters off its eastern coast yesterday, apparently to protest the arrival in South Korea of the U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ronald Reagan. The aircraft carrier will take part in military exercises with the South Koreans.

More demonstrations in Russia: New demonstrations broke out in Russia yesterday as citizens resisted President Vladimir Putin”™s call up of 300,000 reserves to join the fight in Ukraine. The Russian military attacked civilian targets in 35 Ukrainian settlements over the weekend as well as hitting the port city of Odessa. The Russians used with missiles as well as drones made by Iran.

Right-wing wins in Italy: Italy is on track to have a right-wing prime minister with the right-wing Brothers of Italy party winning majorities in both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Party leader Giorgia Meloni has claimed victory for the party in the weekend”™s elections and is expected to be selected as Italy”™s new prime minister.