Donald Trump’s lawyers plan to request the judge presiding over a criminal trial into alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels be removed due to his campaign donations and family’s ties to the Democrat Party, according to a report. It’s the latest in a series of legal manoeuvres by the former president to move the Manhattan criminal trial slated to begin next March away from New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 counts of falsifying business records related to alleged payments to conceal negative stories about him prior to the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump attorneys Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche noted in a statement to the New York Times that Justice Merchan’s daughter was the chief operating officer of Democratic consulting firm Authentic Campaigns. They also claimed that the judge had donated $15 to Joe Biden’s Act Blue online fundraising platform during the 2020 presidential campaign, and $10 to two other pro-Democrat groups. The lawyers also took issue with Justice Merchan’s oversight of a tax fraud trial which saw the Trump Organization found guilty and fined $1.6m in January. They claimed that Justice Merchan had encouraged former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg to turn against his longtime boss. “President Trump, like all Americans, is entitled under the Constitution to an impartial judge and legal process,” lawyers Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, said in a statement to the Times. The attorneys have not yet filed a formal motion for recusal. Mr Blanche did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Independent. Mr Trump’s lawyers recently filed to have the criminal case shifted to federal court, which Manhattan District Attorney Melvin Bragg has opposed. Under New York laws, judges must recuse themselves if they or a relative has “an interest that would be substantially affected by the proceeding”. In April, Mr Trump became the first sitting or former president in US history to be criminally indicted. He is alleged to have directed his fixer Michael Cohen to pay Ms Daniels to suppress a planned story about an affair in 2006. Ms Daniels claimed she and Mr Trump had sex, and that she later accepted $130,000 in the days before the 2016 election. Mr Cohen also allegedly had the National Review pay for a story about an affair Mr Trump had with former Playboy model Karen McDougal, only to never publish her account. In 2018, Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations for his role in the hush money payments and was sentenced to three years in federal prison. Mr Trump’s trial is due to begin during the 2024 presidential campaign. Read More Trump news - live: Trump caught on tape revealing he kept classified papers after presidency, report says Trump caught on tape discussing classified documents he kept after leaving White House, reports say Prosecutors have recording of Trump speaking to witness in hush money criminal case Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

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England reached a Women’s World Cup semi-final for the first time on this day in 2015 after holding on to beat tournament hosts Canada 2-1 in Vancouver. Early goals from Jodie Taylor and Lucy Bronze set the Lionesses up for a historic win, but they were forced to dig deep after Christine Sinclair pulled one back for Canada just before half-time. It was the first time a senior England side – men or women – had reached the World Cup’s last four since 1990. The Lionesses had won a World Cup knockout game for the first time by defeating Norway 2-1 in the last-16 and followed it up against the Canadians in front of a crowd of 54,027 at BC Place. Taylor gave England an 11th-minute lead when she pounced on Canada skipper Lauren Sesselmann’s slip and raced on to drill a low angled finish into the bottom corner. The Lionesses extended their lead three minutes later. Fara Williams’ diagonal free-kick into the penalty area picked out Bronze and the full-back’s header bounced down over the line after hitting the crossbar. Canada lifted the home support by reducing the deficit three minutes before the interval when England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley failed to hold on to Ashley Lawrence’s cross and Sinclair turned home the rebound. Taylor was denied a second goal after the restart as her goal-bound curling effort forced a brilliant save from Canada goalkeeper Erin McLeod. England’s World Cup dream was halted in agonising fashion in their semi-final, as defender Laura Bassett’s stoppage-time own goal clinched a 2-1 win for Japan, who went on to lose 5-2 to the United States in the final. The Lionesses secured a third-place finish after beating fellow semi-final losers Germany 1-0 after extra-time thanks to Williams’ 108th-minute penalty. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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The wild card series of the MLB Playoffs are underway, but every team made at least one mistake with their postseason roster. MLB insider Robert Murray breaks down the blunder for each club.

Every beauty buff knows that exfoliation is a key part of any skincare routine. Whether you use a physical scrub or a hydroxy acid solution that penetrates below the surface, sloughing away dead skin cells is essential for maintaining a smooth, glowing complexion. When it comes to hair care, it’s easy to forget the importance of looking after your scalp, but experts warn the consequences of neglecting the skin on your head can be serious. “How healthy your scalp is has a direct effect on how healthy your hair grows,” says says trichologist and Viviscal ambassador Hannah Gaboardi. “Scalp issues such as dandruff and psoriasis are linked to hair breakage. Having poor scalp health can also lead to premature hair loss.” While we talk about washing our hair, lathering up with shampoo is about keeping the scalp clean too. “Our scalps collect dust, dirt, oils and dead skin cells which can all lead to a breeding ground for fungi and bacteria,” says Anabel Kingsley, trichologist and brand president at Philip Kingsley. “Malassezia yeast – the root cause of dandruff – breeds in an oily scalp environment, contrary to popular belief that it’s a dry scalp issue.” How can you tell if your scalp health is suffering? “Some of the first things I tell my clients to look out for if they are having issues with their scalp is if it becomes itchy, starts to burn, hair loss and dandruff,” Gaboardi says. Kingsley says others signs may include: “Irritation, flaking, pustules, odour, scabbing, bleeding and excessive oil.” She continues: “Perhaps it’s because we cannot see our scalp, but it’s very often neglected, and common sense tends to go out of the window when it comes to looking after it.” So what does a sensible scalp care routine look like? The good news is that it’s not complicated, and only requires two steps. The first step is cleansing, which you’re probably already doing if you shampoo your hair regularly. “A clean scalp promotes good cell turnover, leading to super healthy strands,” says Gaboardi. “When your hair and scalp aren’t covered in the build-up – whether it be dead skin cells or product, you are less likely to suffer from dandruff.” Contrary to the recent TikTok trend for ‘hair training’ – leaving your locks unwashed for as long as possible so they produce less oil – frequent shampooing is best, according to our experts. “Daily if your hair is fine, or at least every third day if you have coarse or coiled hair textures,” says Kingsley. “You wouldn’t leave three days between washing your face, and you likely wouldn’t wear the same outfit more than a few times before washing it – apply the same thinking to your hair.” The second step is exfoliation, which can be done in tandem with your shampoo. “I always recommend incorporating a scalp massage into your routine which increases hair thickness and stretches the cells of hair follicles to produce fuller strands,” says Gaboardi. “It’s also thought that direct stimulation and stretching of human dermal papilla cells may help dilate blood vessels beneath the skin encouraging hair growth.” She likes to use a massaging tool with spiky (but soft) plastic bristles once or twice a week: “Put the shampoo on first, then massage it into your scalp. This is a great way at exfoliating the scalp and removing any dead skin cells.” Alternatively, you can apply a specially formulated scalp serum or mask. “Scalp masks containing gentle chemical exfoliants are great for general scalp health, but especially for those who suffer from dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis as they help to remove dead skin cells,” says Kingsley. Don’t be too heavy-handed, she warns: “You should not scrub a scalp mask into your skin – gently but firmly massage it in. “Most masks are formulated to be left on for up to an hour, but read the directions on the packaging as this will vary.” There’s one other benefit to giving your scalp a bit of TLC, Gaboardi adds: “Your hair products are able to penetrate your scalp better and easier, leading to more effective results.” Skincare for hair: 8 effective products to cleanse and exfoliate your scalp 1. The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo Bar, £10 2. Ffør Purify: Scalp Cleanse, £22 3. Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Anti-Dandruff Mask, £20 4. Boots Ingredients Exfoliating Scalp Serum With Salicylic Acid, £2.55 5. Arkive The Root-ine Scalp Scrub, £6, Boots 6. Ful Detox Scalp Treatment, £30 7. Ful Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush, £9.50 8. Body Proud Sami the Duck Scalp & Body Brush, £8.95 Read More Why do some people love horror movies? TikTok influencers warn about ‘potent’ steroid cream risks among black women – dermatologist explains the risks House of the Year 2023 shortlist revealed by Royal Institute of British Architects Fatima Whitbread supporting new fostering campaign, as research finds ‘misconceptions put people off’ 5 key coat trends to complete your autumn/winter wardrobe 12 ways to weave some woodland wonder into your home

A day after being controversially disqualified from the French Open for inadvertently hitting a ball girl with a ball, an emotional Miyu Kato struggled to answer questions about the incident.

He may be one of Hollywood's legendary directors, but Martin Scorsese has also proven to be a big hit on TikTok - and now he has claimed to have been "tricked" into becoming a viral sensation. The 80-year-old has directed some of the iconic films of our time such as Shutter Island (2010), Goodfellas (1990), and The Wolf of Wall Street(2013), to name just a few. But recently, Scorsese has found a new audience on TikTok who love seeing him guess the meaning of slang words, ranking movies, guess feminine hygiene products or just generally acting like a 'silly goose.' @francescascorsese He’s a certified silly goose. ??#CapCut #fyp #trailer #martinscorsese #scorsese #bestdad #bestdadever #sillygoose And we all have Francesca Scorsese to thank - Scorsese's 24-year-old daughter who has roped her dad into making some entertaining content. Now, the director has jokingly claimed his daughter "tricked" into becoming a viral star. “I was tricked into that,” the director told the LA Times. “That was a trick. I didn’t know those things would go viral. They say it’s viral. I didn’t know.” “I was just doing it in the other room with her. I don’t know what they’re going to do. They always have those iPhone cameras in their hands. You’re not aware. I honestly did not know she was going to post it. They use the words ‘post it’, right?” Perhaps Scorsese can be convinced to make a TikTok account of his own, he would certainly have the audience to become an influencer if he wants to give up the day job... How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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A Connecticut man was sentenced Wednesday to 28 years in federal prison in connection with a string of robberies and carjackings in a three-month span in 2021, federal officials said.

The complete head-to-head record between Arsenal in Brentford, including the high-profile Premier League meetings between Mikel Arteta and Thomas Frank's teams.