The French Top 14 season comes to a climax on Saturday as Toulouse face La Rochelle in the final with players from nine...

Happy Fourth of July eve everyone, or as it’s better known, July 3. Other than Joey Chestnut, the MLB owns this time of year and the only thing that could make shooting off fireworks and downing lite beers any better is cashing in on some MLB bets.You might not have the whole night to sit ...

By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken goes to Beijing this weekend with expectations low that

Conditions aboard could be experienced differently person-to-person, experts say.

For the aspirational middle classes, it seemed a no brainer: buy property in one of Britain’s holiday hot-spots

HONG KONG China's National Bureau of Statistics will conduct a nationwide sample survey in November to help better

The countdown to Max Verstappen’s likely third straight Formula One title begins on Sunday at the Netherlands Grand Prix

The House is holding a test vote on whether to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

Pope Francis presided over a Way of the Cross reenactment at a Lisbon park on Friday before hundreds of thousands of flag-waving pilgrims, part of...

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced criminal charges against 16 people who signed certificates falsely declaring that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election, part of a nationwide scheme to upend the results in states that the former president lost to Joe Biden. The outcomes of presidential elections rest on slates of electors who decide their votes based on the outcome of their states’ popular vote. As then-President Trump sought a spurious legal effort to reject the outcome, his allies arranged slates of “alternate” electors in several states to cast their votes for him, despite his loss. Ms Nessel’s announcement arrived the same day that the former president said he has received a target letter from federal prosecutors indicating that he is the subject of an investigation into his efforts to overturn election results, suggesting that he could imminently be facing charges. The criminal charges in Michigan against the so-called “fake” electors appear to be the first. They each face eight felony counts, including election law forgery and conspiracy. Her office also has not ruled out charges against other potential defendants, she said. Those 16 people met in the basement of the state’s Republican Party headquarters and signed certificates falsely claiming that they were “the duly elected and qualified electors for president and vice president of the United States of America for the state of Michigan,” Ms Nessel said in prepared remarks on 18 July. “That was a lie,” she said. “They weren’t the duly elected and qualified electors, and each of the defendants knew it.” Those electors then attempted to deliver those documents to the state Senate and to the US Senate, where Vice President Mike Pence presided over the congressional certification of electoral college votes, and where Mr Trump and his allies allegedly pressured him to use those false slates of electors to overturn the election’s outcome and keep Mr Trump in office. “This plan – to reject the will of the voters and undermine democracy – was fraudulent and legally baseless,” Ms Nessel said. “The false electors’ actions undermine the public’s faith in the integrity of our election, and not only violate the spirt of the laws enshrining and defending our democracy, but, we believe, also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan and peaceably transfer power in America.” Ms Nessel, an elected Democratic official, dismissed arguments that the prosecutions are politically motivated. “But where there is overwhelming evidence of guilt, in respect to multiple crimes, the most political act I can engage in as a prosecutor is to take no action at all,” she said. Ms Nessel’s office had previously referred the cases to the US Department of Justice but indicated earlier this year that she was reopening the “parallel investigation” into election crimes in the state, citing “clear evidence” for a prosecution. Prosecutors in Georgia have also indicated that fake electors from that state may also face criminal charges, as Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis pursues a separate investigation into the former president’s efforts to reject election results in that state. “Every serious challenge to the election had been denied, dismissed, or otherwise rejected by the time the false electors convened. There was no legitimate legal avenue or plausible use of such a document or an alternative slate of electors,” Ms Nessel said in a statement accompanying the announcement of charges. “There was only the desperate effort of these defendants, who we have charged with deliberately attempting to interfere with and overturn our free and fair election process, and along with it, the will of millions of Michigan voters,” she added. “That the effort failed and democracy prevailed does not erase the crimes of those who enacted the false electors plot.” Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has focused his office’s attention in several states, including interviews with the office of Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who provided a tranche of documents that included communications between the state’s election officials and Mr Trump’s former lawyers and members of his campaign as the former president’s allies targeted the critical battleground state. Mr Smith is investigating an array of schemes pursued by Mr Trump and his allies to reject 2020 results, including the fake electors plot. This is a developing story Read More Trump news – live: Trump could be indicted for a third time as soon as this week in Jan 6 probe Trump says he is about to be arrested again after letter confirms he’s target of Jan 6 grand jury

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has urged for fans to be patient with their new signings, claiming that even the great Zinedine Zidane struggled when he first joined Real Madrid. The Blues have spent over £1bn on transfers over the last year.

Joel Ward’s late equaliser ensured the points were split as Crystal Palace salvaged a 2-2 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage. Odsonne Edouard opened the scoring for the Eagles in the first half but Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot kick in stoppage time ensured the sides were level at the break. The Serbian striker, who had returned to the Cottagers’ starting line-up for the first time since his eight-match ban, then looked to have ignited a comeback win when he fired in his 14th of the season. The hosts, however, were denied a final home victory of the campaign when Ward levelled from his own rebound to send the Eagles back to Selhurst Park with a point. Roy Hodgson was without the services of Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha, who is out of contract at the end of this season and might have played his last game as an Eagle after aggravating an injury last time out. Palace defender Joachim Andersen collided with Mitrovic soon after kick-off, leading to a bloody nose for the Cottager who was deemed fit to continue after swapping for a blank shirt. Kenny Tete lifted a cross well above the woodwork and his side failed to make anything of two free-kicks, both from dangerous positions, as the first period ticked past its halfway point. Palace remained in search of their first shot after Joao Palhinha’s well-timed tackle broke up Eberechi Eze’s threatening run, while Issa Diop’s clearance ended a scramble from Jordan Ayew’s cross at the back post. Though Fulham seemed likelier to break the deadlock it was the visitors who took the lead on 34 minutes. Eze’s lovely through ball to Edouard, starting in place of the injured Zaha, set up the opener, the Frenchman clipping the underside of the crossbar as he finished. Palace looked to be taking the 1-0 lead into the break before Tyrick Mitchell was punished for fouling Harry Wilson late in three minutes of added time and the referee pointed to the spot. Mitrovic stepped up and gave Sam Johnstone no chance as he fired in the equaliser to ensure it was all to play for after the break. He somehow missed making it two to start the second half, collecting Harrison Reed’s cross at the left post but sent his effort from six yards out wide before Willian saw a shot picked out of the air by the Palace keeper. The Eagles had not registered a second shot by the time Fulham took the lead through Mitrovic, ensuring the hosts finally made the most of a set piece when he nodded Willian’s free-kick past Johnstone’s right post. It took a fine save from the Eagles keeper to ensure his side did not fall further behind when he just managed to tip Willian’s curled effort over the bar. Everything looked to be going Fulham’s way until Palace won a free-kick. Olise’s initial delivery bounced around the box before landing at the feet of Joel Ward. Leno stopped the initial effort, but the Palace skipper was alert to his own rebound and equalised with a left-footed effort to seal the result. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Callum McGregor rescues point for Celtic from dramatic draw with St Mirren Casemiro goal puts Manchester United on verge of Champions League qualification Yerry Mina’s last-gasp equaliser at Wolves gives Everton hope of survival