newsweek--2020-12-27--Anthony Warner, Nashville Bomber, Flew Under FBI's Radar Until RV Image Was Released

The Nashville bombing suspect flew under the radar of FBI officials until authorities released an image of an RV from the scene of the Christmas Day explosion on Second Avenue North .
Two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation told Newsweek on Sunday that Anthony Quinn Warner , the 63-year-old suspect killed in the 6:30 a.m. explosion in downtown Nashville , had not been monitored by or known to the FBI 's Guardian Program—which tracks possible counter-terrorism threats with the Counterterrorism Division ( CTD ) and Guardian Management Unit ( GMU ) —until a tip linked his RV to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He is either a criminal mastermind or a dude who flew completely under the radar , '' one law enforcement officer told Newsweek .
`` He sounds like an extremely sad guy who wanted to die in an elaborate fashion on Christmas Day . ''
The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the case on the record .
Warner had not been a person of interest to the federal law enforcement agencies in the past ; it is unclear whether local or state authorities had considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet released any details about the bomb detonated .
`` It 's not just what material he used for a bomb , but how did he accumulate enough without drawing suspicion ? ''
one law enforcement official told Newsweek .
A search for Anthony Warner in historic Davidson County criminal records showed that a male born on January 17 , 1957 , who would now be 63 years old , was arrested and charged with a felony offense linked to possession of a controlled substance on January 29 , 1978 .
Authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the suspect , nor have they publicly speculated on any clues as to a motive .
But authorities are looking into a possible link to Warner 's deceased father 's former employment with BellSouth , which merged into AT & T in 2006 .
The RV detonated outside an AT & T transmission building , damaging over 40 businesses and causing service outages to residents in the area , including to emergency lines .
`` They 're definitely pulling the dad 's employment record to see if there is any nexus between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior law enforcement official told Newsweek on Saturday evening .
About 75 percent of the AT & T cellular networks affected by the blast were back up on Sunday .
`` Mobility service in the Birmingham and Huntsville , Alabama areas is now operating normally , '' the company said in a statement .
Federal , state and local investigators received over 500 leads in the first 24 hours following the explosion .
It was a `` cowardly bombing on Christmas morning , '' U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said of the attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the suspect at 115 Bakertown Road in Antioch on Saturday , and confirmed his DNA matched human remains found at the Second Avenue North scene on Sunday .
The latest development confirmed suspicions of a suicide bombing in an RV .
Officials said on Sunday that the suspect appeared to have acted alone , the Associated Press reported .
The ongoing investigation is still shrouded in mystery , with limited information about Warner available in the public sphere .
A recorded warning , urging people near the scene to evacuate the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 minutes before the bomb detonated .
State and local authorities said more people could have been injured if they were not able to evacuate before the bomb blew up .
Officers had also moved their vehicles to outside the blast radius .
Online LexisNexis records on Warner 's family obtained by Newsweek suggest the suspect lived with his parents , Charles B. Warner and Betty Christine Lane , for years at 3724 Bakertown Road in Antioch until his father passed away in July 2011 .
He continued to live with his mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location on the same street .
Property deeds show the suspect engaged in a series of unexplained property transfers with members of his family and Michelle Swing , a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman .
One month before the bombing , on November 25 , Warner sold the 115 Bakertown Road property to Swing for $ 0.00 , according to a quitclaim deed .
The FBI declined Newsweek 's request for further information on Sunday .

The Nashville bombing suspect flew under the radar of FBI officials until authorities released an image of an RV from the scene of the Christmas Day explosion on Second Avenue North.
Two law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation told Newsweek on Sunday that Anthony Quinn Warner, the 63-year-old suspect killed in the 6:30 a.m. explosion in downtown Nashville, had not been monitored by or known to the FBI's Guardian Program—which tracks possible counter-terrorism threats with the Counterterrorism Division (CTD) and Guardian Management Unit (GMU)—until a tip linked his RV to an image authorities released following the attack.
"He is either a criminal mastermind or a dude who flew completely under the radar," one law enforcement officer told Newsweek. "He sounds like an extremely sad guy who wanted to die in an elaborate fashion on Christmas Day."
The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the case on the record.
Warner had not been a person of interest to the federal law enforcement agencies in the past; it is unclear whether local or state authorities had considered him a dangerous person.
Officials have not yet released any details about the bomb detonated.
"It's not just what material he used for a bomb, but how did he accumulate enough without drawing suspicion?" one law enforcement official told Newsweek.
Police close off an area damaged by an explosion on Christmas morning on December 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. Terry Wyatt/Getty
A search for Anthony Warner in historic Davidson County criminal records showed that a male born on January 17, 1957, who would now be 63 years old, was arrested and charged with a felony offense linked to possession of a controlled substance on January 29, 1978.
Authorities have not released any information or photos of the suspect, nor have they publicly speculated on any clues as to a motive. But authorities are looking into a possible link to Warner's deceased father's former employment with BellSouth, which merged into AT&T in 2006. The RV detonated outside an AT&T transmission building, damaging over 40 businesses and causing service outages to residents in the area, including to emergency lines.
"They're definitely pulling the dad's employment record to see if there is any nexus between this bombing and his employment," a senior law enforcement official told Newsweek on Saturday evening.
About 75 percent of the AT&T cellular networks affected by the blast were back up on Sunday. "Mobility service in the Birmingham and Huntsville, Alabama areas is now operating normally," the company said in a statement.
Federal, state and local investigators received over 500 leads in the first 24 hours following the explosion. It was a "cowardly bombing on Christmas morning," U.S. Attorney Don Cochran said of the attack.
Law enforcement searched a house linked to the suspect at 115 Bakertown Road in Antioch on Saturday, and confirmed his DNA matched human remains found at the Second Avenue North scene on Sunday. The latest development confirmed suspicions of a suicide bombing in an RV.
Officials said on Sunday that the suspect appeared to have acted alone, the Associated Press reported.
The ongoing investigation is still shrouded in mystery, with limited information about Warner available in the public sphere. A recorded warning, urging people near the scene to evacuate the area, began playing from the RV about 15 minutes before the bomb detonated. State and local authorities said more people could have been injured if they were not able to evacuate before the bomb blew up. Officers had also moved their vehicles to outside the blast radius.
Online LexisNexis records on Warner's family obtained by Newsweek suggest the suspect lived with his parents, Charles B. Warner and Betty Christine Lane, for years at 3724 Bakertown Road in Antioch until his father passed away in July 2011. He continued to live with his mother for a while before moving to another location on the same street.
Property deeds show the suspect engaged in a series of unexplained property transfers with members of his family and Michelle Swing, a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman.
One month before the bombing, on November 25, Warner sold the 115 Bakertown Road property to Swing for $0.00, according to a quitclaim deed.
The FBI declined Newsweek's request for further information on Sunday.


newsweek--2020-12-27--'90 Day Fiancé' Season 8 Spoilers: Are Stephanie and Ryan Still Together?

One of the worst tropes about The 90 Day Fiancé lives on in Season 8 as Stephanie and Ryan enter the storyline on Sunday night .
Their story will see yet another older , blonde woman fall in love with a 20-something who is , very likely , just using them for money .
We 've seen it before : Usman and Lisa , Angela and Michael , Aladdin and Laura ... now , it 's Stephanie 's turn to try to convince her loved ones that she is n't being scammed by a younger man who comes from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a life for himself in America .
Stephanie is a 52-year-old spa owner from Grand Rapids , Michigan .
She 'll be welcoming 27-year-old Ryan into her American life when he moves to the States from Belize via the K-1 Visa .
This story does n't involve a dating app .
Stephanie actually met Ryan in Belize and fell in love quickly .
Teasers for Season 8 show that even Stephanie is a little wary of Ryan , though .
She appears to be his main financial support , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flirtatious behavior with other women .
So , will they last ?
There 's a lot more to learn about the couple on 90 Day , especially given that their storyline is only just starting on Sunday .
But we can find hints about the couple 's current relationship status from their Internet presence .
At this point in time , it seems unlikely that Stephanie and Ryan are still dating .
That 's based on Stephanie 's Instagram presence .
There 's not one trace of Ryan on her feed or Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two that seems to be a contractual requirement of the show .
Every other cast member has shared pictures and videos of their time on 90 Day before appearing .
Stephanie has posted some images of them togther on her Facebook fan account , which has only 45 followers .
But her Instagram ?
Entirely void of Ryan .
Instead , to promote her appearance on the show on Instagram , she shared a text shot that features neither of their faces .
This is uncommon for couples who have remained together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from even before 90 Day filming , like another Season 8 couple , Yara and Jovi , whose Instagram feeds are full of travel photos from the years that they 've been together previously .
It seems unlikely that , after falling in love with Ryan in person , on vacation , Stephanie would n't have one photo of their meeting on her page .
Of course , there 's a possibility that Stephanie just is n't a big social media person .
But that does n't appear to be the case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram account every day this week .
So , we 're willing to bet that Stephanie and Ryan have split post-filming .
We 're also taking into account some of Stephanie 's own doubts .
If she was already questioning Ryan 's intentions while they were on the show , that does n't inspire a ton of confidence .
It 's only a matter of time before we see how it all unfolds .

One of the worst tropes about The 90 Day Fiancé lives on in Season 8 as Stephanie and Ryan enter the storyline on Sunday night. Their story will see yet another older, blonde woman fall in love with a 20-something who is, very likely, just using them for money.
We've seen it before: Usman and Lisa, Angela and Michael, Aladdin and Laura... now, it's Stephanie's turn to try to convince her loved ones that she isn't being scammed by a younger man who comes from the other side of the world, looking to make a life for himself in America.
Stephanie is a 52-year-old spa owner from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She'll be welcoming 27-year-old Ryan into her American life when he moves to the States from Belize via the K-1 Visa. This story doesn't involve a dating app. Stephanie actually met Ryan in Belize and fell in love quickly.
Stephanie will welcome her younger, long-distance boyfriend Ryan to America on Sunday night's episode of "90 Day Fiance." TLC
Teasers for Season 8 show that even Stephanie is a little wary of Ryan, though. She appears to be his main financial support, and the pair also have problems with Ryan's flirtatious behavior with other women. So, will they last?
There's a lot more to learn about the couple on 90 Day, especially given that their storyline is only just starting on Sunday. But we can find hints about the couple's current relationship status from their Internet presence.
At this point in time, it seems unlikely that Stephanie and Ryan are still dating. That's based on Stephanie's Instagram presence. There's not one trace of Ryan on her feed or Instagram story—not even a promotional TLC photo of the two that seems to be a contractual requirement of the show. Every other cast member has shared pictures and videos of their time on 90 Day before appearing.
Stephanie has posted some images of them togther on her Facebook fan account, which has only 45 followers. But her Instagram? Entirely void of Ryan.
Instead, to promote her appearance on the show on Instagram, she shared a text shot that features neither of their faces.
This is uncommon for couples who have remained together. Usually, a couple has photos from even before 90 Day filming, like another Season 8 couple, Yara and Jovi, whose Instagram feeds are full of travel photos from the years that they've been together previously.
It seems unlikely that, after falling in love with Ryan in person, on vacation, Stephanie wouldn't have one photo of their meeting on her page.
Of course, there's a possibility that Stephanie just isn't a big social media person. But that doesn't appear to be the case, either. She's been using her Instagram account every day this week.
So, we're willing to bet that Stephanie and Ryan have split post-filming. We're also taking into account some of Stephanie's own doubts. If she was already questioning Ryan's intentions while they were on the show, that doesn't inspire a ton of confidence. It's only a matter of time before we see how it all unfolds.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Why Nashville Bomb Investigators Feared Copycat Attacks by 5G Conspiracists

The theory that fears of 5G technology might have been behind the Nashville bombing on Christmas Day prompted federal , state and local law enforcement officials to focus on the possibility of additional or copycat threats to U.S. telecommunications infrastructure , according to restricted government threat warnings exclusively obtained by Newsweek .
Domestic intelligence agencies have warned that conspiracy theorists might attack `` critical infrastructure , '' including the electrical grid near vulnerable quarantine areas , health care facilities , government buildings , and 5G cell towers .
Anti-5G conspiracies have steadily grown since 2016 , when telecommunications companies began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology infrastructure throughout America .
Social media has been awash with conspiracy theories about 5G , a movement that has grown in size and intensity with the COVID-19 pandemic .
The first large 5G networks were activated in 2018 .
The nationwide buildout will eventually include thousands of new towers and small cells ( signal relays ) on pre-existing infrastructure .
Early in 2020 , conspiracy theories about 5G technology were considered the greatest domestic threat to critical infrastructure , according to homeland security reports .
As U.S. domestic intelligence agencies increasingly focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentiments were already thought to be responsible for almost 200 attacks in the U.K. and the Netherlands .
Through the first half of 2020 , there have been more than 80 attacks on cellphone towers in the two countries as well as over 100 additional incidents involving arson attacks on telecommunications infrastructure or cases where 5G workers were harassed .
In the United States , Tennessee has been a particular hotbed of anti-5G activity , leading the FBI to initially suspect that this was the motive for Anthony Warner 's intentional demolition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & T building in downtown Nashville .
Last December 4 , according to reporting from the Bureau , arson caused an estimated $ 120,000 in damages after fire was set to several cellphone towers in the Memphis area , the first 5G physical attacks in America .
Through February 17 , four additional 5G cell tower attacks occurred in Tennessee , and local fire departments investigated more than a half dozen additional arsons in March and April , many of the latter attacks now connected to COVID-19 and an anti-5G constituency obsessed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of New York ( FDNY ) issued a `` Watchline '' report in April explaining that : `` The online conspiracy consists of false information that 5G electromagnetic energy suppresses the immune system by breaking apart chemical bonds in DNA and that in the presence of bacteria can cause human cells to release free radicals . ''
According to domestic threat reports , other 5G conspiracy theories suggest that the cell signal weakens the respiratory system , leaving people susceptible to becoming infected by the novel coronavirus .
As part of its reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Homeland Security included anti-5G chatter and activity as growing and dangerous in May .
Their reporting said the Internet was awash with `` false narratives '' that said that the technology `` suppresses immune systems and that 5G spectrum bands spread the virus . ''
Secretly , at the same time , the Department of Homeland Security was monitoring social media activity—including encrypted sites—which , they reported , were showing a marked COVID-related uptick in threats against 5G technology .
On Twitter , suspected U.S.-based individuals were using the hashtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or inciting arson attacks .
`` YOU THINK ITS A CORONAVIRUS OUT THERE ITS THE 5G TOWERS TAKE EM DOWN ‼ '' , an April 8 DHS report quoted one social media poster as saying .
On an unnamed `` encrypted messaging channel '' , homeland security also reported that Islamic State ( ISIS ) supporters were circulating messages and images encouraging Muslims to destroy 5G infrastructure and attack non-believers `` in the name of Allah . ''
The Russian-owned news media station RT America also posted a YouTube video of a news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 5G technology .
On May 12 , the NYPD circulated a comprehensive `` Law Enforcement Sensitive '' threat warning on 5G , saying that `` conspiracy theories about the purported dangers of 5G technology may increasingly resonate with racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists ( REMVEs ) , anti-government malicious actors , and ideologically-unaffiliated individuals susceptible to disinformation campaigns . ''
The report cited data from studies of online posts across Twitter , Facebook , YouTube , and other sites saying that there had been one million mentions between January 1 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused COVID-19 .
The report noted , `` The data also indicated an overlap between anti-vaccination and 5G conspiracies , suggesting that some 5G conspiracy theorists may ultimately refuse a COVID-19 vaccine . ''
Since then , the DHS 's Homeland Security Information Network , an intelligence-sharing platform , has circulated more than 400 reports on the threat of 5G conspiracies , almost all of them warning of conspiracy theories circulating amongst `` far-right '' users .
Those reports refer to the `` Stop 5G '' movement , the most prominent campaign against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member across multiple social media platforms .
One such instigator in this movement is the so-called `` Deep State Mapping Project , '' which has compiled a 5G-focused COVID word chart and other infographics detailing 5G symptoms and claiming a vast conspiracy tying 5G to every other known theory and culprit .
And 5G has also become a rallying cry for COVID-19 naysayers , extremists and anti-vaxxers to whip up support for their causes or just to provide general chaos , the Department of Homeland Security says .
On May 1 , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a small , accidental fire caused by a transformer spark .
Three days later , a U.S.-based anarchist group self-described as the `` Bristling Badger Brigade '' claimed responsibility , saying that it targeted the tower due to concerns over 5G .
The FBI concluded that this was a false claim , and that the group intended to spur others to attack telecommunications infrastructure .
A user on a U.S.-based neo-Nazi `` Vorherrschaft Division 's '' private Telegram group wrote that the health crisis `` is the perfect time to launch a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fellow users should leverage `` hysteria over 5G spreading '' to stimulate panic and violence .
`` We assess conspiracy theories linking the spread of COVID-19 to the expansion of the 5G cellular network are inciting attacks against the communications infrastructure , '' the DHS Counterterrorism Mission Center reported in a `` for official use only '' report on May 13 , predicting that such threats `` probably will increase as the disease continues to spread , including calls for violence against telecommunications workers . ''
But then , domestic security analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presidential election shifted focus and energy away from the burgeoning anti-5G activity .
Anti-5G postings began to be censored by the big social media companies .
This prompted a shift , DHS now says , to anti-5G agitators migrating to underground Telegram chat sites and the Russian social media platform VKontakte ( VK ) , which began supplanting U.S. social media in September , bringing the active anti-5G threat back into play .
Another `` law enforcement sensitive '' critical infrastructure threat report also called out `` social media influencers and celebrities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories and are spreading the message as well to their respective audiences . ''
`` The FBI 's assumption of a 5G connection was n't coincidental nor completely baseless , '' a Homeland Security analyst told Newsweek .
The analyst requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the ongoing investigation .
`` But the anti-5G movement is strong , and its meld with anti-vaxxers and MAGA supporters is sure to cause many headaches in the months and years ahead . ''

The theory that fears of 5G technology might have been behind the Nashville bombing on Christmas Day prompted federal, state and local law enforcement officials to focus on the possibility of additional or copycat threats to U.S. telecommunications infrastructure, according to restricted government threat warnings exclusively obtained by Newsweek.
Domestic intelligence agencies have warned that conspiracy theorists might attack "critical infrastructure," including the electrical grid near vulnerable quarantine areas, health care facilities, government buildings, and 5G cell towers.
Anti-5G conspiracies have steadily grown since 2016, when telecommunications companies began installing Fifth Generation (5G) wireless technology infrastructure throughout America. Social media has been awash with conspiracy theories about 5G, a movement that has grown in size and intensity with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first large 5G networks were activated in 2018. The nationwide buildout will eventually include thousands of new towers and small cells (signal relays) on pre-existing infrastructure.
Early in 2020, conspiracy theories about 5G technology were considered the greatest domestic threat to critical infrastructure, according to homeland security reports. As U.S. domestic intelligence agencies increasingly focused on the threat last April, anti-5G sentiments were already thought to be responsible for almost 200 attacks in the U.K. and the Netherlands. Through the first half of 2020, there have been more than 80 attacks on cellphone towers in the two countries as well as over 100 additional incidents involving arson attacks on telecommunications infrastructure or cases where 5G workers were harassed.
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In the United States, Tennessee has been a particular hotbed of anti-5G activity, leading the FBI to initially suspect that this was the motive for Anthony Warner's intentional demolition of his RV in front of the AT&T building in downtown Nashville. Last December 4, according to reporting from the Bureau, arson caused an estimated $120,000 in damages after fire was set to several cellphone towers in the Memphis area, the first 5G physical attacks in America. Through February 17, four additional 5G cell tower attacks occurred in Tennessee, and local fire departments investigated more than a half dozen additional arsons in March and April, many of the latter attacks now connected to COVID-19 and an anti-5G constituency obsessed with a 5G-COVID-19 connection.
The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) issued a "Watchline" report in April explaining that: "The online conspiracy consists of false information that 5G electromagnetic energy suppresses the immune system by breaking apart chemical bonds in DNA and that in the presence of bacteria can cause human cells to release free radicals." According to domestic threat reports, other 5G conspiracy theories suggest that the cell signal weakens the respiratory system, leaving people susceptible to becoming infected by the novel coronavirus.
As part of its reporting on COVID-19 "Disinformation Activity", the Department of Homeland Security included anti-5G chatter and activity as growing and dangerous in May. Their reporting said the Internet was awash with "false narratives" that said that the technology "suppresses immune systems and that 5G spectrum bands spread the virus."
Secretly, at the same time, the Department of Homeland Security was monitoring social media activity—including encrypted sites—which, they reported, were showing a marked COVID-related uptick in threats against 5G technology. On Twitter, suspected U.S.-based individuals were using the hashtag "burn them down" and threatening or inciting arson attacks.
"YOU THINK ITS A CORONAVIRUS OUT THERE ITS THE 5G TOWERS TAKE EM DOWN ‼", an April 8 DHS report quoted one social media poster as saying.
On an unnamed "encrypted messaging channel", homeland security also reported that Islamic State (ISIS) supporters were circulating messages and images encouraging Muslims to destroy 5G infrastructure and attack non-believers "in the name of Allah."
The Russian-owned news media station RT America also posted a YouTube video of a news report repeating the purported health risks associated with 5G technology.
On May 12, the NYPD circulated a comprehensive "Law Enforcement Sensitive" threat warning on 5G, saying that "conspiracy theories about the purported dangers of 5G technology may increasingly resonate with racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists (REMVEs), anti-government malicious actors, and ideologically-unaffiliated individuals susceptible to disinformation campaigns." The report cited data from studies of online posts across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and other sites saying that there had been one million mentions between January 1 and April 20 saying that 5G technology actually caused COVID-19. The report noted, "The data also indicated an overlap between anti-vaccination and 5G conspiracies, suggesting that some 5G conspiracy theorists may ultimately refuse a COVID-19 vaccine."
Since then, the DHS's Homeland Security Information Network, an intelligence-sharing platform, has circulated more than 400 reports on the threat of 5G conspiracies, almost all of them warning of conspiracy theories circulating amongst "far-right" users. Those reports refer to the "Stop 5G" movement, the most prominent campaign against the technology of having more than 50,000-plus member across multiple social media platforms. One such instigator in this movement is the so-called "Deep State Mapping Project," which has compiled a 5G-focused COVID word chart and other infographics detailing 5G symptoms and claiming a vast conspiracy tying 5G to every other known theory and culprit.
And 5G has also become a rallying cry for COVID-19 naysayers, extremists and anti-vaxxers to whip up support for their causes or just to provide general chaos, the Department of Homeland Security says.
On May 1, a cell tower in the Philadelphia Navy Yard had a small, accidental fire caused by a transformer spark. Three days later, a U.S.-based anarchist group self-described as the "Bristling Badger Brigade" claimed responsibility, saying that it targeted the tower due to concerns over 5G. The FBI concluded that this was a false claim, and that the group intended to spur others to attack telecommunications infrastructure.
A user on a U.S.-based neo-Nazi "Vorherrschaft Division's" private Telegram group wrote that the health crisis "is the perfect time to launch a widespread psychological warfare campaign," saying that fellow users should leverage "hysteria over 5G spreading" to stimulate panic and violence.
"We assess conspiracy theories linking the spread of COVID-19 to the expansion of the 5G cellular network are inciting attacks against the communications infrastructure," the DHS Counterterrorism Mission Center reported in a "for official use only" report on May 13, predicting that such threats "probably will increase as the disease continues to spread, including calls for violence against telecommunications workers."
But then, domestic security analysts say, the George Floyd protests and the presidential election shifted focus and energy away from the burgeoning anti-5G activity. Anti-5G postings began to be censored by the big social media companies. This prompted a shift, DHS now says, to anti-5G agitators migrating to underground Telegram chat sites and the Russian social media platform VKontakte (VK), which began supplanting U.S. social media in September, bringing the active anti-5G threat back into play.
Another "law enforcement sensitive" critical infrastructure threat report also called out "social media influencers and celebrities who have become adherents to these conspiracy theories and are spreading the message as well to their respective audiences."
"The FBI's assumption of a 5G connection wasn't coincidental nor completely baseless," a Homeland Security analyst told Newsweek. The analyst requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the ongoing investigation. "But the anti-5G movement is strong, and its meld with anti-vaxxers and MAGA supporters is sure to cause many headaches in the months and years ahead."


newsweek--2020-12-27--J.J. Watt Tells Teammates Not Being Professional, 'You Shouldn't Be Here'

Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt let the emotions of a poor defensive performance by his team and a bad season roll into Sunday 's post-game press conference .
Watt said the team played `` horrendously '' in Sunday 's 37-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals , and even called his team 's 4-11 record `` trash . ''
He did n't call out any players by name , but said there was an extreme lack of professionalism with some of the players .
He cited missing workouts , missing the weights and not showing up on time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a whole lot of money , '' Watt said .
`` If you ca n't come in and put work in in the building , go out to the practice field and work hard , do your lifts and do what you 're supposed to do , you should not be here .
This is a job .
We are getting paid a whole lot of money . ''
Watt continued railing into the team , even using some expletives that are bleeped out in this video .
`` There are a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their time and their money into buying our jerseys and buying a whole bunch of s*** , and they care about it .
They care every single week .
`` We 're in Week 16 and we 're 4-11 , and there 's fans that watch this game , that show up to the stadium that put in time and energy and effort and care about this .
So if you ca n't go out there and you ca n't work out , you ca n't show up on time , you ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out there and win , you should n't be here .
Because this is a privilege .
It 's the greatest job in the world .
You get to go out and play a game .
And if you ca n't care enough , even in Week 17 , even when you 're trash , when you 're 4-11 .
If you ca n't care enough to go out there and give everything you 've got and try your hardest , that 's bulls*** . ''
Sunday 's game was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season .
After the team started the season 0-4 , they fired coach Bill O'Brien .
Romeo Crennel took over as the interim coach , and the Texans have won just four games—two of those came against the Jacksonville Jaguars , who are 1-14 on the season with a 14-game losing streak .
The Texans gave 540 yards to the Bengals , who are playing with backup quarterback Brandon Allen after rookie starter Joe Burrow had a season-ending injury last month .
Still , fans still let Watt know they 're pulling for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There are people every week that still tweet you , that still come up to you and say , 'Hey , we 're still rooting for you ; we 're still behind you . '
They have no reason whatsoever to .
We stink .
But they care and they still want to win and they still want you to be great .
That 's why.
, '' Watt continued .
`` Those people are n't getting paid .
We 're getting paid handsomely .
That 's why .
And that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most bad for , is our fans and the people who care so deeply and the city and the people who love it and who truly want it to be great .
And it 's not .
And that sucks as a player to know that we 're not giving them what they deserve . ''

Houston Texans star defensive end J.J. Watt let the emotions of a poor defensive performance by his team and a bad season roll into Sunday's post-game press conference.
Watt said the team played "horrendously" in Sunday's 37-31 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and even called his team's 4-11 record "trash."
He didn't call out any players by name, but said there was an extreme lack of professionalism with some of the players. He cited missing workouts, missing the weights and not showing up on time.
"We're professional athletes getting paid a whole lot of money," Watt said. "If you can't come in and put work in in the building, go out to the practice field and work hard, do your lifts and do what you're supposed to do, you should not be here. This is a job. We are getting paid a whole lot of money."
Watt continued railing into the team, even using some expletives that are bleeped out in this video.
"There are a lot of people that watch us and invest their time and their money into buying our jerseys and buying a whole bunch of s***, and they care about it. They care every single week.
"We're in Week 16 and we're 4-11, and there's fans that watch this game, that show up to the stadium that put in time and energy and effort and care about this. So if you can't go out there and you can't work out, you can't show up on time, you can't practice, you can't want to go out there and win, you shouldn't be here. Because this is a privilege. It's the greatest job in the world. You get to go out and play a game. And if you can't care enough, even in Week 17, even when you're trash, when you're 4-11. If you can't care enough to go out there and give everything you've got and try your hardest, that's bulls***."
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt didn’t call out any players by name, but said there was an extreme lack of professionalism with some of the players on his team. Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Sunday's game was the fourth-consecutive loss for the second time this season. After the team started the season 0-4, they fired coach Bill O'Brien. Romeo Crennel took over as the interim coach, and the Texans have won just four games—two of those came against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are 1-14 on the season with a 14-game losing streak.
The Texans gave 540 yards to the Bengals, who are playing with backup quarterback Brandon Allen after rookie starter Joe Burrow had a season-ending injury last month.
Still, fans still let Watt know they're pulling for the team despite their tough year.
"There are people every week that still tweet you, that still come up to you and say, 'Hey, we're still rooting for you; we're still behind you.' They have no reason whatsoever to. We stink. But they care and they still want to win and they still want you to be great. That's why.," Watt continued.
"Those people aren't getting paid. We're getting paid handsomely. That's why. And that's ... that's who I feel the most bad for, is our fans and the people who care so deeply and the city and the people who love it and who truly want it to be great. And it's not. And that sucks as a player to know that we're not giving them what they deserve."


newsweek--2020-12-27--'90 Day Fiancé': Yara's Old Reality TV Appearance Hints She Might Not Be Looking for Love

A young couple on 90 Day Fiancé Season 8 may not be what they seem .
According to a clip that recently resurfaced , one person in the pair has been on reality TV before , and it 's an appearance that raises major questions .
Season 8 of 90 Day Fiancé shows Yara , 25 , and Jovi , 29 , attempting to make their relationship work when Yara moves from Ukraine to the United States .
But a Reddit post from earlier this month reveals that , years ago , Yara appeared on a show called Fashion to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which premiered in Ukraine when Yara was just 19 , she described her dream type of man : a foreigner with money .
Well , now , she may have found that in Jovi .
You can watch a clip from Yara 's episode of Fashion to the People below .
Yara 's initial comments in the clip , translated from Ukrainian to English for subtitles , read as follows : `` My name is Yaroslava , I 'm 19 years old .
I 'm a big party girl .
I love nightclubs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , foreigners preferably . ''
Later in the clip , she says , `` It 's very hard for me to believe in love . ''
She continues , saying , `` At first , I think it 's love , but in fact it turns out to be just sympathy for a person and it fades very quickly .
Usually I meet foreigners when I walk down Khreshchatyk street , for example , it happens very often ...
It seems to me that they are , I do n't know , better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Well , Yara found a foreigner .
Jovi , who embraces an American , southern lifestyle in Louisiana , proposed to Yara after they met on a traveling app .
The couple has already traveled much of the world together—a perk that comes from Jovi 's job , as he explains on Season 8 .
Yara 's only just arrived in America in the series .
Viewers saw tensions rise between Jovi and Yara immediately after she 's exhausted from her 30-hour flight to America .
Jovi wanted to introduce Yara to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orleans 's Bourbon Street upon landing , but a disagreement ensued wherein Yara asked if she could shower and go to sleep .
Later , Yara met Jovi 's mother for the first time .
Soon enough , there was another disagreement , one about whether the couple should sleep at his mom 's house , or return to their own home after dinner .
Foreshadowing on the show also suggests that Jovi 's mother wants the couple to have a big wedding , while Yara does n't want any American festivities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple claim that they 're both immature and unsure of how to best communicate their needs and wants in their relationship .
But there 's still a ways to go this season , so they could sort things out .
No matter what , though , Yara and Jovi will have to officially tie the knot in just 90 days , should Yara want to extend her American visa .
90 Day Fiancé Season 8 airs each Sunday night at 8 p.m .
ET on TLC .

A young couple on 90 Day Fiancé Season 8 may not be what they seem. According to a clip that recently resurfaced, one person in the pair has been on reality TV before, and it's an appearance that raises major questions.
Season 8 of 90 Day Fiancé shows Yara, 25, and Jovi, 29, attempting to make their relationship work when Yara moves from Ukraine to the United States. But a Reddit post from earlier this month reveals that, years ago, Yara appeared on a show called Fashion to the People. On that show, which premiered in Ukraine when Yara was just 19, she described her dream type of man: a foreigner with money.
Well, now, she may have found that in Jovi. You can watch a clip from Yara's episode of Fashion to the People below.
Yara's initial comments in the clip, translated from Ukrainian to English for subtitles, read as follows: "My name is Yaroslava, I'm 19 years old. I'm a big party girl. I love nightclubs very much I also love rich men, foreigners preferably."
Later in the clip, she says, "It's very hard for me to believe in love."
Yara moved to America in the first episode of Season 8. TLC
She continues, saying, "At first, I think it's love, but in fact it turns out to be just sympathy for a person and it fades very quickly. Usually I meet foreigners when I walk down Khreshchatyk street, for example, it happens very often ... It seems to me that they are, I don't know, better, more intelligent than Ukranian men."
Well, Yara found a foreigner. Jovi, who embraces an American, southern lifestyle in Louisiana, proposed to Yara after they met on a traveling app. The couple has already traveled much of the world together—a perk that comes from Jovi's job, as he explains on Season 8.
Yara's only just arrived in America in the series. Viewers saw tensions rise between Jovi and Yara immediately after she's exhausted from her 30-hour flight to America. Jovi wanted to introduce Yara to his friends and take her to New Orleans's Bourbon Street upon landing, but a disagreement ensued wherein Yara asked if she could shower and go to sleep.
Later, Yara met Jovi's mother for the first time. Soon enough, there was another disagreement, one about whether the couple should sleep at his mom's house, or return to their own home after dinner. Foreshadowing on the show also suggests that Jovi's mother wants the couple to have a big wedding, while Yara doesn't want any American festivities.
So far, fans who criticize the couple claim that they're both immature and unsure of how to best communicate their needs and wants in their relationship. But there's still a ways to go this season, so they could sort things out. No matter what, though, Yara and Jovi will have to officially tie the knot in just 90 days, should Yara want to extend her American visa.
90 Day Fiancé Season 8 airs each Sunday night at 8 p.m. ET on TLC.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Anthony Warner, Nashville Bomber, Engaged in Flurry of Mystery Property Deals Before Attack

The Nashville bombing suspect and his family engaged in a flurry of unexplained property transactions in the months and years before the blast that injured three people on Christmas Day .
A spokesperson for Nashville Police Chief John Drake on Sunday identified the suspect connected to the bomb detonated in downtown Nashville as Anthony Quinn Warner , 63 , confirming Newsweek 's previous reporting .
Authorities said Warner `` was present when the bomb went off and he perished in the bombing . ''
A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told Newsweek that officials searched the suspect 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tennessee , on Saturday after receiving a tip linking Warner to an RV matching an image released by authorities .
Online LexisNexis records on Warner 's family and deeds obtained by Newsweek suggest that the suspect lived with his parents , Charles B. Warner and Betty Christine Lane , for years at 3724 Bakertown Road until his father 's death in July 2011 .
He continued to live with his mother for a while after Charles ' death before moving to another house on the same street .
The documents also revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warner , members of his family , and Michelle Swing , a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman with ties to Tennessee .
The suspect purchased the Antioch property that police searched on Saturday from a Charles Steven Warner—believed to be his brother—in 2010 , and the other property on the same street , where he lived with his family , in 2018 , according to property records .
On November 25 , one month before the bombing , Warner sold the 115 Bakertown Road property to Swing for $ 0.00 , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warner and Swing were both unmarried at the time of the transaction .
The RV that detonated outside an AT & T transmission building at around 6:30 a.m. local time on December 25 , injuring three people , damaging over 40 businesses and causing service outages that affected customers and 911 operations in the area .
Newsweek confirmed Saturday evening that the suspect 's late father worked for BellSouth , a telecommunications company that merged with AT & T in 2006 , before his death .
A senior law enforcement official said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether `` there is any nexus between this bombing and his employment . ''
Authorities have not released any information or photos of the suspect , nor have they publicly speculated on any clues as to a motive .
The ongoing investigation is still shrouded in mystery .
A recorded warning , urging nearby people to evacuate the area , began playing from the RV roughly 15 minutes before it detonated .
Authorities say more people could have been injured if they were not able to begin evacuations before the bomb went off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to outside the blast zone .
Officials said tissue , possibly human remains , was located at the scene of the incident , suggesting a suicide bombing had occurred .
Two senior law enforcement sources told Newsweek on Saturday that federal investigators would swab Warner 's mother to determine a match to the possible remains found at the scene .
If her DNA is determined to be linked to the remains found in the RV , one law enforcement official said , the blast is likely to have been a suicide bombing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Warner 's , according to WKRN .
The FBI declined Newsweek 's request for further information on Sunday .
Update 6:46 p.m .
ET : This story has been updated to include that authorities confirmed Warner was killed in the blast on Sunday .

The Nashville bombing suspect and his family engaged in a flurry of unexplained property transactions in the months and years before the blast that injured three people on Christmas Day.
A spokesperson for Nashville Police Chief John Drake on Sunday identified the suspect connected to the bomb detonated in downtown Nashville as Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, confirming Newsweek's previous reporting. Authorities said Warner "was present when the bomb went off and he perished in the bombing."
A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told Newsweek that officials searched the suspect's address at 115 Bakertown Road in Antioch, Tennessee, on Saturday after receiving a tip linking Warner to an RV matching an image released by authorities.
Online LexisNexis records on Warner's family and deeds obtained by Newsweek suggest that the suspect lived with his parents, Charles B. Warner and Betty Christine Lane, for years at 3724 Bakertown Road until his father's death in July 2011. He continued to live with his mother for a while after Charles' death before moving to another house on the same street.
Law enforcement officers investigate the house belonging to Anthony Quinn Warner, a 63 year-old man who has been reported to be of interest in the Nashville bombing, on December 26, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. Terry Wyatt/Getty
The documents also revealed a series of unexplained property dealings between Warner, members of his family, and Michelle Swing, a 29-year-old Los Angeles woman with ties to Tennessee. The suspect purchased the Antioch property that police searched on Saturday from a Charles Steven Warner—believed to be his brother—in 2010, and the other property on the same street, where he lived with his family, in 2018, according to property records.
On November 25, one month before the bombing, Warner sold the 115 Bakertown Road property to Swing for $0.00, according to a quitclaim deed. The deed confirmed that Warner and Swing were both unmarried at the time of the transaction.
The RV that detonated outside an AT&T transmission building at around 6:30 a.m. local time on December 25, injuring three people, damaging over 40 businesses and causing service outages that affected customers and 911 operations in the area.
Newsweek confirmed Saturday evening that the suspect's late father worked for BellSouth, a telecommunications company that merged with AT&T in 2006, before his death. A senior law enforcement official said that investigators would pursue the lead to determine whether "there is any nexus between this bombing and his employment."
Authorities have not released any information or photos of the suspect, nor have they publicly speculated on any clues as to a motive.
The ongoing investigation is still shrouded in mystery. A recorded warning, urging nearby people to evacuate the area, began playing from the RV roughly 15 minutes before it detonated. Authorities say more people could have been injured if they were not able to begin evacuations before the bomb went off. Officers had also moved their vehicles to outside the blast zone.
Officials said tissue, possibly human remains, was located at the scene of the incident, suggesting a suicide bombing had occurred. Two senior law enforcement sources told Newsweek on Saturday that federal investigators would swab Warner's mother to determine a match to the possible remains found at the scene.
If her DNA is determined to be linked to the remains found in the RV, one law enforcement official said, the blast is likely to have been a suicide bombing.
The DNA of the human remains matched with Warner's, according to WKRN.
The FBI declined Newsweek's request for further information on Sunday.
Update 6:46 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include that authorities confirmed Warner was killed in the blast on Sunday.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Anthony Warner ID'd as Nashville Bomber, Died in the Blast, Officials Say

Authorities have identified Anthony Quinn Warner as the Nashville bomber from Christmas morning and said he died in the explosion that injured three people .
`` Anthony Warner is the bomber , he was present when the bomb went off and he perished in the bombing , '' said U.S. Attorney Donald Cochran at a press briefing Sunday afternoon .
According to WKRN , DNA of human remains from the blast scene matched with Warner 's .
The explosion happened in a downtown area of Nashville where there were several shops and restaurants , and law enforcement officials sifted through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The explosion emanated from an RV , and officials stated that no `` suspicious '' person was ever seen leaving the vehicle that exploded .
Law enforcement officers first responded to shots being fired around 5:30 a.m. on 2nd Avenue on Christmas Day .
Meanwhile , the camper van broadcast messages that warned people to leave the area .
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department ( MNPD ) was en route to the scene when the RV exploded outside of an AT & T transmission building .
Six MNPD officers helped evacuate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their efforts .
The blast not only caused extensive damage to businesses in the nearby downtown area , it affected cell phone coverage and disrupted hospital and police service systems throughout Tennessee and parts of Alabama and Kentucky .
Authorities on Saturday visited the home of Warner , 63 , in nearby Antioch , Tennessee .
No motive is known at the time , but authorities are looking into a possible link to Warner 's father 's former employment with BellSouth , which merged into AT & T in 2006 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same company is definitely a lead investigators would pursue , '' an official , who wished to remain anonymous , told Newsweek .
`` In an investigation of this magnitude it would be logical to see if there is a nexus between adverse employment action of the father , and the location of where the bombing took place . ''
There is speculation about Warner 's possible ties to conspiracy theories concerning 5G technology , as previously reported .
`` We 're looking at every possible motive that could be involved , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in charge of the FBI 's Memphis field office .
`` It 's just going to take us some time .
Our investigative team is turning over every stone . ''
This is a developing story .
More details will come as they are released .

Authorities have identified Anthony Quinn Warner as the Nashville bomber from Christmas morning and said he died in the explosion that injured three people.
"Anthony Warner is the bomber, he was present when the bomb went off and he perished in the bombing," said U.S. Attorney Donald Cochran at a press briefing Sunday afternoon.
According to WKRN, DNA of human remains from the blast scene matched with Warner's.
The explosion happened in a downtown area of Nashville where there were several shops and restaurants, and law enforcement officials sifted through dozens of hours from local surveillance cameras.
FBI and first responders work the scene after an explosion on December 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. Authorities have identified Anthony Quinn Warner as the Nashville bomber from Christmas morning, and they say he died in the explosion. Photo by Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images
The explosion emanated from an RV, and officials stated that no "suspicious" person was ever seen leaving the vehicle that exploded.
Law enforcement officers first responded to shots being fired around 5:30 a.m. on 2nd Avenue on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, the camper van broadcast messages that warned people to leave the area.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) was en route to the scene when the RV exploded outside of an AT&T transmission building. Six MNPD officers helped evacuate the area, and they were later praised for their efforts.
The blast not only caused extensive damage to businesses in the nearby downtown area, it affected cell phone coverage and disrupted hospital and police service systems throughout Tennessee and parts of Alabama and Kentucky.
Authorities on Saturday visited the home of Warner, 63, in nearby Antioch, Tennessee.
No motive is known at the time, but authorities are looking into a possible link to Warner's father's former employment with BellSouth, which merged into AT&T in 2006.
"The fact that the father worked in the same company is definitely a lead investigators would pursue," an official, who wished to remain anonymous, told Newsweek.
"In an investigation of this magnitude it would be logical to see if there is a nexus between adverse employment action of the father, and the location of where the bombing took place."
There is speculation about Warner's possible ties to conspiracy theories concerning 5G technology, as previously reported.
"We're looking at every possible motive that could be involved," said Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI's Memphis field office. "It's just going to take us some time. Our investigative team is turning over every stone."
This is a developing story. More details will come as they are released.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Texas GOP Lawmaker Long Infuriated by Anti-Maskers Gets COVID-19, Along With Wife

Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend , shortly after his wife , Kim Bonnen , contracted the viral respiratory disease .
The outgoing state legislator , a Republican , confirmed the news in a post shared to his official Facebook page on Sunday afternoon .
`` 2020 just keeps on giving ! ''
Bonnen wrote .
While he described his wife 's symptoms as `` difficult but manageable , '' the politician said his own `` have so far been mild . ''
The pair , alongside sons Gregory and Jackson , are continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both children have undergone diagnostic COVID-19 tests in the meantime .
Bonnen said his family is taking these necessary precautions as a means to `` keep those around us safe '' in Sunday 's update .
Bonnen underscored the importance of widespread mask use and compliance with risk-reduction protocols in Sunday 's statement .
After announcing his positive test result , the lawmaker said he has not identified the source , or sources , of his family 's infections .
Texas is one of a number of U.S. states that saw COVID-19 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall .
`` We are unable to pinpoint our initial exposure , as we – like so many other families – made the difficult decision to celebrate Christmas with just our own household this year and have diligently followed all health protocols since March , thanks to my wife 's adamant reminders , '' Bonnen 's post read .
`` This disease is no joke in its unpredictability and severity , so please continue to keep your guard up and your loved ones protected .
Mask up and social distance , avoid large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another . ''
The Texas representative , who has served on that state 's legislature for more than two decades , often participates in the national conversation surrounding COVID-19 and how to mitigate its ongoing spread .
Bonnen 's Twitter account features recurring public health reminders , including recent advisory notices from state bureaus that emphasize the importance of mask use and physical distancing during holiday celebrations .
Over the summer , the House Speaker released a forthright statement condemning public opposition to face coverings , as Texas confronted a significant spike in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become increasingly infuriated by so-called advocates are who ditching the mask in the middle of a pandemic as an expression of freedom and liberty , while expressly killing the freedoms and liberties we cherish , '' Bonnen said in the June statement .
He went on to point out that failing to wear masks in public settings effectively ensures that restrictions on workplaces , businesses and other group gathering spaces will persist , since face coverings reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission .
Although Texas Governor Greg Abbott initially hesitated to impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader ultimately implemented one at the beginning of July .
Newsweek reached out to Bonnen for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication .

Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, shortly after his wife, Kim Bonnen, contracted the viral respiratory disease. The outgoing state legislator, a Republican, confirmed the news in a post shared to his official Facebook page on Sunday afternoon.
"2020 just keeps on giving!" Bonnen wrote. While he described his wife's symptoms as "difficult but manageable," the politician said his own "have so far been mild." The pair, alongside sons Gregory and Jackson, are continuing to quarantine inside their home, and both children have undergone diagnostic COVID-19 tests in the meantime. Bonnen said his family is taking these necessary precautions as a means to "keep those around us safe" in Sunday's update.
Bonnen underscored the importance of widespread mask use and compliance with risk-reduction protocols in Sunday's statement. After announcing his positive test result, the lawmaker said he has not identified the source, or sources, of his family's infections. Texas is one of a number of U.S. states that saw COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and fatalities climb rapidly this fall.
"We are unable to pinpoint our initial exposure, as we – like so many other families – made the difficult decision to celebrate Christmas with just our own household this year and have diligently followed all health protocols since March, thanks to my wife's adamant reminders," Bonnen's post read. "This disease is no joke in its unpredictability and severity, so please continue to keep your guard up and your loved ones protected. Mask up and social distance, avoid large gatherings, and take care of one another."
The Texas representative, who has served on that state's legislature for more than two decades, often participates in the national conversation surrounding COVID-19 and how to mitigate its ongoing spread. Bonnen's Twitter account features recurring public health reminders, including recent advisory notices from state bureaus that emphasize the importance of mask use and physical distancing during holiday celebrations.
Over the summer, the House Speaker released a forthright statement condemning public opposition to face coverings, as Texas confronted a significant spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Outgoing Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen confirmed that he tested positive for COVID-19 in a Sunday announcement. Here the Texas Capitol building is seen on July 14 in Austin. Montinique Monroe/Getty
"I have become increasingly infuriated by so-called advocates are who ditching the mask in the middle of a pandemic as an expression of freedom and liberty, while expressly killing the freedoms and liberties we cherish," Bonnen said in the June statement.
He went on to point out that failing to wear masks in public settings effectively ensures that restrictions on workplaces, businesses and other group gathering spaces will persist, since face coverings reduce the risks of COVID-19 transmission. Although Texas Governor Greg Abbott initially hesitated to impose a statewide mask mandate, the Republican leader ultimately implemented one at the beginning of July.
Newsweek reached out to Bonnen for comment but did not receive a reply in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Driver of Truck Playing Audio Similar to Nashville RV Blast Message Detained

A driver of a white box truck was detained Sunday afternoon on Highway 231 in Lebanon , Tennessee , after `` playing audio similar to what was heard before the Christmas Day explosion , '' local investigators said .
The Rutherford County Sheriff 's Office said the truck was pulled over on Murfreesboro Road about a half-hour east from where the downtown Nashville RV explosion took place just two days prior .
Residents in the nearby area were evacuated , sheriff 's cars blocked off the highway and an explosive material detection robot was deployed to search the vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Wilson County where he was stopped by deputies and detained .
As a precaution , nearby residents were evacuated during the active investigation .
Rutherford and Wilson County Sheriff 's Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are working together in the ongoing investigation , '' the Rutherford County Sheriff 's Office said in a statement Sunday detailing the incident .
As of 4:40 p.m. local time , the highway reopened after having been closed down over the suspicious vehicle search since about 11 a.m. No explosives were found in the suspicious truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tennessee , authorities announced around 4 p.m. local time following hours of searching the vehicle with machines as sheriff 's deputies closed off the road .
Authorities confirmed to the Associated Press Sunday that the box truck was playing similar audio to what the RV was broadcasting before it exploded .
Live news feeds and local news reporters said the white box truck was playing an `` evacuation message '' from a loudspeaker , which was similar to the audio played by the RV in Nashville on Christmas morning .
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Highway 231 southbound out of the Cedars of Lebanon State Park entrance remains shut down due to the suspicious vehicle , the Wilson County Sheriff 's Office announced Sunday afternoon at 1:29 p.m. local time .
`` Please avoid the area and seek an alternate route , '' the department 's official Twitter account urged .
The Rutherford County Sheriff 's Office announced that the truck was playing the audio around 10:30 a.m. local time at the Crossroads Market in Walter Hill .
The person in the vehicle drove the truck out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled over by deputies in nearby Wilson County .
Newsweek has reached out to both local sheriff 's offices for additional details Sunday afternoon .
This story was updated with additional information at 5:43 ET .

A driver of a white box truck was detained Sunday afternoon on Highway 231 in Lebanon, Tennessee, after "playing audio similar to what was heard before the Christmas Day explosion," local investigators said.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said the truck was pulled over on Murfreesboro Road about a half-hour east from where the downtown Nashville RV explosion took place just two days prior. Residents in the nearby area were evacuated, sheriff's cars blocked off the highway and an explosive material detection robot was deployed to search the vehicle.
"The driver traveled from Rutherford County into Wilson County where he was stopped by deputies and detained. As a precaution, nearby residents were evacuated during the active investigation. Rutherford and Wilson County Sheriff's Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol are working together in the ongoing investigation," the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Sunday detailing the incident.
As of 4:40 p.m. local time, the highway reopened after having been closed down over the suspicious vehicle search since about 11 a.m.
No explosives were found in the suspicious truck that shut down Highway 231 South Sunday in Tennessee, authorities announced around 4 p.m. local time following hours of searching the vehicle with machines as sheriff's deputies closed off the road.
Authorities confirmed to the Associated Press Sunday that the box truck was playing similar audio to what the RV was broadcasting before it exploded.
Live news feeds and local news reporters said the white box truck was playing an "evacuation message" from a loudspeaker, which was similar to the audio played by the RV in Nashville on Christmas morning. There is no direct connection between the two incidents.
Highway 231 southbound out of the Cedars of Lebanon State Park entrance remains shut down due to the suspicious vehicle, the Wilson County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday afternoon at 1:29 p.m. local time.
"Please avoid the area and seek an alternate route," the department's official Twitter account urged.
The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office announced that the truck was playing the audio around 10:30 a.m. local time at the Crossroads Market in Walter Hill. The person in the vehicle drove the truck out of the parking lot and was then pulled over by deputies in nearby Wilson County.
Newsweek has reached out to both local sheriff's offices for additional details Sunday afternoon.
This story was updated with additional information at 5:43 ET.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Chris Christie Praises Prosecutors' Work in Charles Kushner Case Despite Trump's Pardon

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie , a Republican , praised the work of prosecutors in the case of Charles Kushner after President Donald Trump pardoned the disgraced businessman , the father of his daughter Ivanka Trump 's husband Jared Kushner .
Trump controversially pardoned Charles Kushner , along with several other close associates , on Wednesday .
Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison in 2005 after he pled guilty to 18 counts , including tax evasion and witness tampering .
The prosecution and investigation took place while Christie served as New Jersey 's district attorney from 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC News ' This Week on Sunday , Christie commented on the pardon and highlighted the work he and other prosecutors had done on Kushner 's case .
`` What it does n't overshadow is the extraordinary work that my office did 16 years ago , with assistant U.S. attorneys Ralph Marra and Scott Resnik , who were professional prosecutors who brought that case , '' Christie said in regard to Trump 's pardon .
`` Let 's remember that the case was not tried .
Mr. Kushner pled guilty , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will stand on the record of our—of our prosecution at that time and of the conduct that was engaged in the case .
And that 's the only thing that really matters to me .
The responsibility I had at the time was to prosecute federal crimes that occurred in New Jersey without fear or favor . ''
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response .
Before he pled guilty to a range of crimes , Kushner had discovered that his brother-in-law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then decided to hatch a plan to intimidate his brother-in-law , by paying a prostitute to lure him to a hotel room .
That room had hidden cameras set up to record the encounter .
Kushner had the video sent to his sister , the wife of his brother-in-law .
`` I mean it 's one of the most loathsome , disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney .
And I was U.S. attorney in New Jersey , '' Christie told PBS News last year .
Christie alleged in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's transition team because Jared Kushner , who serves as a close adviser to his father-in-law the president , held a grudge against him over the elder Kushner 's prosecution .
`` Mr. Kushner pled guilty .
He admitted the crimes , '' Christie told PBS .
`` And so what am I supposed to do as a prosecutor ?
I mean , if a guy hires a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law , and videotapes it , and then sends the videotape to his sister to attempt to intimidate her from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I really need any more justification than that ? ''
In announcing the pardon for Charles Kushner , the White House pointed to his `` record of reform and charity . ''
The White House said this `` overshadows Mr. Kushner 's conviction and 2 year sentence for preparing false tax returns , witness retaliation , and making false statements . ''

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, praised the work of prosecutors in the case of Charles Kushner after President Donald Trump pardoned the disgraced businessman, the father of his daughter Ivanka Trump's husband Jared Kushner.
Trump controversially pardoned Charles Kushner, along with several other close associates, on Wednesday. Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison in 2005 after he pled guilty to 18 counts, including tax evasion and witness tampering. The prosecution and investigation took place while Christie served as New Jersey's district attorney from 2002 to 2008.
During an appearance on ABC News' This Week on Sunday, Christie commented on the pardon and highlighted the work he and other prosecutors had done on Kushner's case.
"What it doesn't overshadow is the extraordinary work that my office did 16 years ago, with assistant U.S. attorneys Ralph Marra and Scott Resnik, who were professional prosecutors who brought that case," Christie said in regard to Trump's pardon.
Chris Christie on Sunday praised prosecutors' work in the Charles Kushner case despite President Donald Trump's pardon. Here the former New Jersey governor attends a news conference at the White House on September 27. Joshua Roberts/Getty
"Let's remember that the case was not tried. Mr. Kushner pled guilty," the former Republican governor added. "So, we will stand on the record of our—of our prosecution at that time and of the conduct that was engaged in the case. And that's the only thing that really matters to me. The responsibility I had at the time was to prosecute federal crimes that occurred in New Jersey without fear or favor."
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Before he pled guilty to a range of crimes, Kushner had discovered that his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal investigators. He then decided to hatch a plan to intimidate his brother-in-law, by paying a prostitute to lure him to a hotel room. That room had hidden cameras set up to record the encounter. Kushner had the video sent to his sister, the wife of his brother-in-law.
"I mean it's one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney. And I was U.S. attorney in New Jersey," Christie told PBS News last year. Christie alleged in a 2019 book that he was fired from Trump's transition team because Jared Kushner, who serves as a close adviser to his father-in-law the president, held a grudge against him over the elder Kushner's prosecution.
Charles Kushner walks to the U.S. District Courthouse with his wife on August 18, 2004 in Newark, New Jersey. Chris Hondros/Getty
"Mr. Kushner pled guilty. He admitted the crimes," Christie told PBS. "And so what am I supposed to do as a prosecutor? I mean, if a guy hires a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, and videotapes it, and then sends the videotape to his sister to attempt to intimidate her from testifying before a grand jury, do I really need any more justification than that?"
In announcing the pardon for Charles Kushner, the White House pointed to his "record of reform and charity." The White House said this "overshadows Mr. Kushner's conviction and 2 year sentence for preparing false tax returns, witness retaliation, and making false statements."


newsweek--2020-12-27--'A Sound I'll Never Forget': Hero Nashville Cops Recall Moments Before and After Blast

During a Sunday press conference , Officer Amanda Topping , one of the police responders who went to the scene in Nashville just before a Christmas morning explosion there , described the recording warning that the blast was imminent as unforgettable .
Six police officers form the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to the scene , where a recreational vehicle ( RV ) later exploded around 6:30 a.m. on Friday , after they received a call about shots fired in the area .
Although it 's unclear whether any bullets were actually fired , the blast—which is believed to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 buildings .
Three people were hospitalized and released following treatment .
At the press briefing Sunday , five of the six officers recounted what occurred in the minutes before and after the blast .
Topping said her wife had called her after police received what she described as an `` odd call . ''
The officer then responded to the area of Second Avenue and Commerce Street , hearing a recording that warned people in the area to evacuate .
`` That 's a sound I 'll never forget , '' Topping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the first responders suggested that the recorded message was bizarre .
`` Is this really what we 're hearing right now , '' Hosey said she recalled thinking .
A song played at one point alongside the recorded warning .
In addition to Topping and Hosey , Officers Tyler Luellen , Michael Sipos and James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were first responders to the scene .
`` Officers responded to a shots fired call .
Unknowing anything else at the time , they began hearing announcements that something was about to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chief John Drake said at the press event .
`` Immediately they did n't think about their own lives , they did n't think about protecting themselves , they thought about the citizens of Nashville that protected them .
They went about knocking on doors , and had they not made their efforts , we 'd be talking about the tragedy of people and lives lost , '' he said .
Following the press conference , Drake joined the first responders in a group hug .
The police department shared an image of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` emotional . ''
Anthony Quinn Warner , 63 , has been identified as a person of interest in the Christmas morning bombing .
Officers and federal agents have investigated his home over the weekend , and sources told Newsweek that they planned to take a swab from his mother .
They will test this sample against possible human tissue remains found in the blast area .
`` We do n't have any additional information to provide at this time , '' the FBI told Newsweek in an email on Sunday when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motivations for the bombing .
The MNPD did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment .
Nashville Mayor John Cooper suggested in an interview Sunday that an AT & T building in the area was possibly the target .
AT & T service was temporarily disrupted following the blast .
`` To all of us locally , it feels like there has to be some connection with the AT & T facility and the site of the bombing .
You know , and that 's a bit of just local insight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something to do with the infrastructure , '' Cooper told CBS News ' Face the Nation .

Police close off an area damaged by an explosion on Christmas morning on December 25 in Nashville, Tennessee
During a Sunday press conference, Officer Amanda Topping, one of the police responders who went to the scene in Nashville just before a Christmas morning explosion there, described the recording warning that the blast was imminent as unforgettable.
Six police officers form the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to the scene, where a recreational vehicle (RV) later exploded around 6:30 a.m. on Friday, after they received a call about shots fired in the area. Although it's unclear whether any bullets were actually fired, the blast—which is believed to have been "intentional"—damaged more than 40 buildings. Three people were hospitalized and released following treatment.
At the press briefing Sunday, five of the six officers recounted what occurred in the minutes before and after the blast. Topping said her wife had called her after police received what she described as an "odd call." The officer then responded to the area of Second Avenue and Commerce Street, hearing a recording that warned people in the area to evacuate.
"That's a sound I'll never forget," Topping said.
Photos shared by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department of the officers who responded ahead of a Christmas morning blast. From top right to bottom left: Officers Brenna Hosey, Tyler Luellen, Michael Sipos, Amanda Topping, James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller. MNPD
Officer Brenna Hosey, another of the first responders suggested that the recorded message was bizarre. "Is this really what we're hearing right now," Hosey said she recalled thinking.
A song played at one point alongside the recorded warning.
In addition to Topping and Hosey, Officers Tyler Luellen, Michael Sipos and James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were first responders to the scene.
"Officers responded to a shots fired call. Unknowing anything else at the time, they began hearing announcements that something was about to detonate coming from an RV," Chief John Drake said at the press event.
"Immediately they didn't think about their own lives, they didn't think about protecting themselves, they thought about the citizens of Nashville that protected them. They went about knocking on doors, and had they not made their efforts, we'd be talking about the tragedy of people and lives lost," he said.
Following the press conference, Drake joined the first responders in a group hug. The police department shared an image of the hug on Twitter, describing it as "emotional."
Chief John Drake joined the five officers in an emotional group hug after this morning's news conference. pic.twitter.com/7eECAJYNBQ — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 27, 2020
Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, has been identified as a person of interest in the Christmas morning bombing. Officers and federal agents have investigated his home over the weekend, and sources told Newsweek that they planned to take a swab from his mother. They will test this sample against possible human tissue remains found in the blast area.
"We don't have any additional information to provide at this time," the FBI told Newsweek in an email on Sunday when asked for details about Warner and possible motivations for the bombing. The MNPD did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper suggested in an interview Sunday that an AT&T building in the area was possibly the target. AT&T service was temporarily disrupted following the blast.
"To all of us locally, it feels like there has to be some connection with the AT&T facility and the site of the bombing. You know, and that's a bit of just local insight, because it's got to have something to do with the infrastructure," Cooper told CBS News' Face the Nation.


newsweek--2020-12-27--U.S. Needs Better Approach to COVID Sequencing to Find New Strains: Ex-FDA Chief

Scott Gottlieb , former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , suggested that genome sequencing efforts should be ramped up nationwide in order to identify new strains of COVID-19 before they proliferate .
With virus mutations surfacing across multiple continents , Gottlieb reasoned that an emerging COVID-19 variant is already present in the U.S. during a Sunday morning appearance on CBS News ' Face the Nation .
The physician , who served as FDA chief from 2017 until 2019 , told host Margaret Brennan that national endeavors to sequence COVID-19 samples are scarce compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's probably here in the United States , and ... it could be here in a reasonable number , at this point , '' Gottlieb said , referencing the mutation that public health officials in the United Kingdom and Canada recently identified among members of their respective populations .
Following the detection of an initial COVID-19 variant earlier this month , U.K. officials discovered a second mutation ahead of last week 's holiday .
Both variants are thought to be more easily transmissible than previously detected strains .
Dozens of countries , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to and from the U.K. , after mutated virus sequences first surfaced in the country 's southern and eastern regions in mid-December .
Residents of London were placed under a strict lockdown in an attempt to mitigate further spread .
Health officials in the U.K. were able to identify COVID-19 mutations , and draw a potential link between the variant strains and infection spikes recorded in areas where they were detected , through genomic sequencing .
This process examines an organism 's genetic material and offers a more complete picture of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for mutations , and can inform early identification of its variants .
The U.S. sequences less than 1 percent of all COVID-19 samples collected , reported The Washington Post , a much smaller fraction than most countries with active outbreaks .
In the U.K. , for example , data shows roughly 10 percent of virus specimens are sequenced , according to the COVID-19 Genomics U.K. Consortium .
Following his term at the FDA , Gottlieb joined the board of directors at Illumina , a biotechnology company that develops tools to help analyze genetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sequencing for COVID-19 .
`` A lot of that sequencing that does get done [ in the U.S. ] , gets done in private labs , and does n't get aggregated into public ... databases .
That needs to be fixed , '' Gottlieb said on Sunday , calling for `` a better approach '' to detecting `` systematically sequenced strains . ''
Doing so , he added , would allow the U.S. `` to track changes and new variants '' of COVID-19 before infections become widespread .
`` We 're not doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so we probably would n't be detecting it if it was here in sort of low numbers , which I suspect it is . ''
Newsweek reached out to the FDA for comment , but did not receive a reply in time for publication .

Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), suggested that genome sequencing efforts should be ramped up nationwide in order to identify new strains of COVID-19 before they proliferate.
With virus mutations surfacing across multiple continents, Gottlieb reasoned that an emerging COVID-19 variant is already present in the U.S. during a Sunday morning appearance on CBS News' Face the Nation. The physician, who served as FDA chief from 2017 until 2019, told host Margaret Brennan that national endeavors to sequence COVID-19 samples are scarce compared with other countries.
"I think it's probably here in the United States, and...it could be here in a reasonable number, at this point," Gottlieb said, referencing the mutation that public health officials in the United Kingdom and Canada recently identified among members of their respective populations.
Following the detection of an initial COVID-19 variant earlier this month, U.K. officials discovered a second mutation ahead of last week's holiday. Both variants are thought to be more easily transmissible than previously detected strains.
Dozens of countries, including the U.S., imposed restrictions that regulate travel to and from the U.K., after mutated virus sequences first surfaced in the country's southern and eastern regions in mid-December. Residents of London were placed under a strict lockdown in an attempt to mitigate further spread.
Health officials in the U.K. were able to identify COVID-19 mutations, and draw a potential link between the variant strains and infection spikes recorded in areas where they were detected, through genomic sequencing. This process examines an organism's genetic material and offers a more complete picture of its biological makeup. Next-generation sequencing screens genomes for mutations, and can inform early identification of its variants.
The U.S. sequences less than 1 percent of all COVID-19 samples collected, reported The Washington Post, a much smaller fraction than most countries with active outbreaks. In the U.K., for example, data shows roughly 10 percent of virus specimens are sequenced, according to the COVID-19 Genomics U.K. Consortium.
Scott Gottlieb, former chief of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said heightened efforts to sequence COVID-19 samples collected in the U.S. are necessary to detect possible variants during a Sunday interview. As commissioner of the FDA, Gottlieb testifies during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing concerning federal efforts to combat the opioid crisis, October 25, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Drew Angerer/Getty
Following his term at the FDA, Gottlieb joined the board of directors at Illumina, a biotechnology company that develops tools to help analyze genetic variations, including technology to facilitate next-generation sequencing for COVID-19.
"A lot of that sequencing that does get done [in the U.S.], gets done in private labs, and doesn't get aggregated into public...databases. That needs to be fixed," Gottlieb said on Sunday, calling for "a better approach" to detecting "systematically sequenced strains." Doing so, he added, would allow the U.S. "to track changes and new variants" of COVID-19 before infections become widespread.
"We're not doing that," he noted. "And so we probably wouldn't be detecting it if it was here in sort of low numbers, which I suspect it is."
Newsweek reached out to the FDA for comment, but did not receive a reply in time for publication.


newsweek--2020-12-27--Nashville Explosion Preceded by 1960s Song 'Downtown' Playing From RV Speakers: Officer

During a news briefing on Sunday , officers at the Metro Nashville Police Department ( MNPD ) said music played from the suspect 's RV before the Nashville Christmas Day explosion .
Metro Officer Tyler Luellen , one of six officers who spoke during the MNPD 's briefing , said right before the blast in Nashville , the suspect or suspects alleged RV made an announcement to evacuate the area followed by a countdown .
After the countdown , the officer claimed that music began to play from the RV .
`` What I remember was 'downtown , where the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , referencing the song that was playing , as he and his fellow officers worked quickly to evacuate people in the Second Avenue North and Commerce Street area .
The officer said he looked up the song later and found out it was the 1960s hit `` Downtown '' by British singer Petula Clark .
`` When you 're alone and life is making you lonely/You can always go downtown/When you 've got worries , all the noise and the hurry/Seems to help , I know , downtown , '' Clark sings at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's hit song was also featured in the television series Lost multiple times , as it was used to eerie effect during the show .
During the briefing , police officer James Wells also revealed the RV had cameras mounted about the car 's mirrors .
`` There was also cameras on the RV like surveillance cameras about the mirror , '' said Wells .
`` It felt like whoever was behind it was watching us . ''
Wells said he suffered from temporary hearing loss following the explosion and Luellen was knocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were sent to the area 's hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening , according to the MNPD .
Investigators are trying to establish a motive for the explosion caused by the suspect , Anthony Quinn Warner .
Some speculate the blast was likely a result of a suicide bombing , as reported human remains were found in the RV following the explosion .
Senior law enforcement officials previously confirmed to Newsweek that investigators are set to take a DNA test from Warner 's mother to determine whether the remains found belonged to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the bomber , the FBI labs are in 48-72 hour turnaround for confirmation , '' one of the senior law enforcement sources previously told Newsweek .
The FBI is also looking into whether Warner acted in response to 5G conspiracy theories .
The MNPD told Newsweek they did n't have any further comment and said to refer to Luellen 's remarks made during the news conference .
Newsweek reached out to Clark , but did n't hear back in time for publication .

Officers at the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said music played from the recreational vehicle that exploded downtown early on Christmas Day.
Officer Tyler Luellen, one of six officers who spoke during the MNPD's news briefing Sunday, said that right before the blast an announcement from the RV said to evacuate the area, followed by a countdown.
After the countdown, the officer said, music began to play from the vehicle.
"What I remember was 'downtown, where the lights shine bright,'" said Luellen, who noted that a song was playing as he and his fellow officers quickly worked to evacuate people in the Second Avenue North and Commerce Street area.
The officer said he later looked up the song and found out it was the 1964 hit "Downtown" by British singer Petula Clark.
"When you're alone and life is making you lonely/You can always go downtown/When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry/Seems to help, I know, downtown," Clark sings at the beginning of the track.
Clark's hit song was also used to eerie effect in the television series Lost multiple times.
In this handout image from the Metro Nashville Police Department, surveillance footage shows the recreational vehicle suspected of being used in the Christmas Day bombing downtown. Officers said music was playing from the RV before the blast. Photo by Metro Nashville Police Department via Getty Images
During the briefing, police officer James Wells said, "There was also cameras on the RV like surveillance cameras above the mirror," said Wells. "It felt like whoever was behind it was watching us."
Wells said he suffered from temporary hearing loss following the explosion, and Luellen was knocked to the ground.
Three other people were sent to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, according to the MNPD.
Investigators are trying to establish a motive for the explosion caused by the suspect, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner. Some speculated the blast was likely a suicide bombing, as human remains were found in the RV following the explosion.
Senior law enforcement officials previously confirmed to Newsweek that investigators are going to take a DNA test from Warner's mother to determine whether the remains found are his.
"Assuming this is the mother of the bomber, the FBI labs are in 48-72-hour turnaround for confirmation," one of the senior law enforcement sources told Newsweek.
The FBI is also looking into whether Warner acted in response to 5G conspiracy theories.
The MNPD told Newsweek it didn't have any further comment beyond Luellen's remarks made during the news conference.
In statement to Newsweek that was also posted to the singer's Facebook page, Clark questioned why Warner used her song.
"I was told that the music in the background of that strange announcement was me singing 'Downtown'! Of all the thousands of songs, why this one?" said Clark. "Millions of people all over the world have been uplifted by this joyful song. Perhaps you can read something else into these words, depending on your state of mind."
This story was updated on December 29 with a comment to Newsweek from Petula Clark.