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Ghana’s inflation rate unexpectedly rose in May, adding pressure on the central bank to resume rate hikes next
2023-06-14 18:28

Bartolo Colón celebrated for 21-year career, announcing retirement 5 years after last pitch
Bartolo Colón wanted to say goodbye to the major leagues with the New York Mets and, of course, his home run was going to be celebrated
2023-09-18 04:26

Japan nuclear watchdog ask Fukushima plant operator to assess risk from reactor damage
A nuclear watchdog has asked the operator of Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant to assess potential risks from damage found in a key structure inside the worst-hit of the three melted reactors
2023-05-25 17:56

Jason Blum 'scared to death' of Taylor Swift
Jason Blum moved the release of 'The Exorcist: Believer' because it was "too risky" to go up against Taylor Swift's 'Eras' film.
2023-09-29 15:18

Tina Turner defined herself as more than an abuse survivor. And we should too
While Tina Turner chose to share her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, she also defined herself beyond it.
2023-05-26 23:47

Morgan Stanley urges higher quality corporate bonds as 2024 maturities approach
By Matt Tracy Investment bank Morgan Stanley is recommending that corporate bond investors focus on higher quality investment-grade
2023-11-21 06:53

Trump, January 6 and a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election: The federal investigation, explained
Indictments are imminently expected following a federal investigation into efforts from Donald Trump and his allies to subvert the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. The former president announced he received a target letter – a document formally indicating he is the subject of an investigation – in connection with a sprawling US Department of Justice special counsel probe into an alleged scheme to preserve Mr Trump’s presidency against the wills of millions of voters. A case will not likely be revealed in full until an indictment is unsealed in US District Court, but a wealth of evidence uncovered by members of Congress and in other documents suggests that the former president and potential co-defendants could be prosecuted in what would be a second round of federal charges against him. A House select committee spent a year and a half investigating the events surrounding and leading up to the attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, 2021, including a series of blockbuster public hearings laying out evidence and witness testimony describing the depth of Mr Trump’s attempts to remain in office at whatever cost. The panel’s final 845-page report provides a detailed account of Mr Trump’s refusal to cede power – regardless of the outcome of a democratic election – while privately acknowledging that he lost, as his baseless “stolen election” narrative fuelled his supporters to riot in the halls of Congress, an argument that also bolstered his second impeachment in the House of Representatives. In December, lawmakers on the House committee unanimously voted to recommend charges against the former president, claiming that there is enough evidence to prosecute him for at least four crimes – including aiding or providing comfort to an insurrection aimed at toppling the United States government. The panel also referred Mr Trump to the Justice Department for the obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the US, and conspiracy to make a false statement to the federal government. John Eastman, the attorney who argued that Mr Pence could reject election results, and Kenneth Chesebro, who helped develop the fake elector scheme, were also implicated in the committee’s report, along with former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorney Rudy Giuliani, and former assistant US Attorney General Jeffrey Clark. It was a mostly symbolic vote, marking the culmination of the committee’s months-long investigation, but it sent a powerful signal from a bipartisan group of lawmakers bolstered by mountains of evidence that a former president should be held accountable for his alleged crimes against the government. That report and countless investigations into the events surrounding January 6 have painted the attack on the Capitol as part of a much-larger effort to preserve a fragile American democracy in a volatile battle to determine the truth and who wields it. Who is under investigation? The Justice Department, meanwhile, had separately been investigating Mr Trump’s rejection of 2020 results, building on the years of work from federal prosecutors to investigate more than 1,000 people in connection with the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, fuelled by the former president’s ongoing false claims that the election was rigged against him. Prosecutors have talked to a number of chief aides and officials in Mr Trump’s circle, including Mr Pence, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former attorney Rudy Giuliani, former White House counsel Pat Cipollone, his former deputy Pat Philbin, and former National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, among several others. They also have spoken with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was on the other end of a call with Mr Trump demanding that the state’s top elections official “find 11,780 votes” – enough for him to overturn Mr Biden’s victory in the state. That call, which was taped, also is at the centre of a separate investigation from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis into election interference in the state. Arizona – ground zero for an election denialism movement that gave rise to leading GOP candidates for the top three statewide offices, including failed candidate for governor Kari Lake – was a focal point for the Trump campaign and his allies, who filed several lawsuits against the state and some counties in an attempt to overturn the lawful results. Mr Biden won the state by roughly 10,000 votes. Federal prosecutors have talked to former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who silenced a call from Mr Trump while Mr Ducey was in the middle of certifying his state’s election results – a process that was being live-streamed and carried across news outlets. Mr Smith’s office also subpoenaed the office of Arizona Secretary of State and has met with top elections officials in Wisconsin, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. Prosecutors also have interviewed Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, whose office 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. Central to the investigation is whether Mr Trump knew that he lost but pressed ahead with spurious efforts to overturn results anyway, with federal prosecutors reportedly speaking to his son-in-law and former adviser Jared Kushner and former communications directors Hope Hicks and Alyssa Farah Griffin with those questions in mind. What charges could prosecutors bring against Trump? Based on evidence uncovered by the select committee and other filings and reporting, prosecutors are likely investigating several key elements of the sprawling effort to reverse the 2020 election: Mr Trump’s lies about the outcome, his campaign’s attempts to pressure state officials and push false slates of electors to obstruct the certification of the results, a failed attempt to persuade Mr Pence to refuse the outcome, and Mr Trump’s failure to stop a mob of his supporters from breaking into the Capitol. Mr Trump knew he had lost the election but continued to pursue efforts to remain in power, including the so-called alternate elector scheme to fraudulently certify the results submitted to Congress, prosecutors are likely to argue. On 18 July, Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel charged 16 “fake” electors in that state, marking the first criminal charges brought against so-called “alternate” electors who sought to overturn 2020 results. Charges against Mr Trump and others connected to those allegations and similar attempts in other states could include conspiracy to defraud the United States in the administration of elections, the obstruction of an official proceeding, and wire and mail fraud. Obstruction The target letter from federal prosecutors to Mr Trump cites three statutes that the former president likely violated in his attempts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election. One charge – obstruction of an official proceeding – has already been brought against hundreds of people in connection with the Capitol attack. The House select committee and a federal judge who was involved in cases stemming from its inquiry argued that there is evidence that Mr Trump sought to corruptly obstruct the certification of electoral college votes in Congress – a crime punishable up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. Conspiracy That same federal judge and the House select committee also have argued that there is evidence to convict Mr Trump on a charge of conspiracy to defraud the government, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. Mr Trump’s efforts through his legal team and his inner circle to block the certification of Mr Biden’svictory in states that he lost, while falsely claiming widespread voter fraud and manipulation had stolen the election from him, would likely form the basis for that charge. The former president also is charged under this statute in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, where he is accused of using a lawyer to lie to the Justice Department. “The illegality of the plan was obvious,” California Judge David O Carer wrote in a ruling from a civil lawsuit involving John Eastman, who was central to the so-called “alternate” electors scheme. Mr Trump, ignoring the nation’s history of the peaceful transition of power, “vigorously campaigned for the vice president to single-handedly determine the results of the 2020 election,” the judge wrote. Fraud The special counsel investigation suggests that prosecutors are scrutinizing Mr Trump’s vast fundraising arm and the tens of millions of dollars it raised after pleas to supporters for donations to combat election fraud, despite no evidence to defend those claims. In May 2020, with the presidential election still months away, Mr Trump said it would be “rigged” against him if he were to lose. That June, he said the election would be the “scandal of our times”, called it “inaccurate and fraudulent” and the “greatest election disaster in history”. Not a single ballot had yet been cast. His own Justice Department and campaign found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and dozens of lawsuits filed by his campaign and allies to overturn results were withdrawn or dismissed, while his attorneys and the right-wing network amplifying their false claims face massive defamation lawsuits from the voting machines companies and election workers at the center of them. Lawmakers on the House select committee argued that Mr Trump’s campaign “misled donors as to where their funds would go and what they would be used for,” US Rep Zoe Lofgren said during hearings. “So not only was there the ‘Big Lie,’” she said. “There was the ‘Big Rip-off.’” Is there a case for insurrection? After Mr Pence refused Mr Trump’s argument for his vice president to toss out the results, then-President Trump “went to his last resort: triggering an insurrection in the hope that it would throw Congress off course, delaying the transfer of power for the first time in American history,” according to legal experts at Just Security, outlining a model prosecution memorandum similar to what federal prosecutors would also likely be reviewing. And after delivering remarks to a rally of his supporters while a joint session of Congress convened to certify 2020 election results, a speech that allegedly incited his supporters to storm the Capitol, then-President Trump stood by for 187 minutes before he told them to go home. The House select committee unanimously agreed that Mr Trump should be charged for inciting an insurrection and giving aid or comfort to insurrectionists – a rare and severe charge that prosecutors will approach only with extreme caution, if they decide to prosecute at all. “We believe there is sufficient evidence to pursue it – as did the Select Committee in making a criminal referral of Trump under that statute – but prosecutors may make different choices,” experts at Just Security noted. A conviction on that charge mandates a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and would prohibit Mr Trump from holding office. None of the more than 1,000 people arrested in connection with the attack are facing this charge. What has Trump said about the probe? The former president has repeatedly characterised the multiple investigations against him, including the January 6 probe, as a politically motivated “hoax” and an attempt to “steal” the 2024 election from him. On 23 July, Mr Trump published several posts on his social network Truth Social, once again calling the special prosecutor “deranged”. He claimed that investigations into him were a “coordinated HOAX,” pointing to the probe into allegations of collusion between the Trump 2016 campaign and Russia. Mr Trump also went after President Joe Biden, claiming without providing evidence that he’s a “criminal” before going on to call him “the most corrupt and incompetent President in United States history”. “Get smart, Republicans, they are trying to steal the Election from you!” he wrote before referring to Democrats and federal and state prosecutors as “monsters” who are “destroying our country”. This story was initially published on 19 July and has been updated with developments Read More Trump news – live: Trump claims he’s ‘not frightened’ by Jan 6 target letter as potential indictment looms
2023-07-25 02:58

Brits get itchy feet in their home after five years, study finds
The average Brit starts to get itchy feet in their home after five years, a study has found. Researchers revealed after living happily in their homes for years, the five-year-itch hits, resulting in property owners browsing websites and estate agent windows for their next buy. Looking online at property websites (59 per cent) and taking an interest in ‘for sale’ homes in your neighbourhood (32 per cent) are the major tell-tale signs people are considering a move. And 31 per cent admit thinking about what they can do to get their home ready to sell (31 per cent) is another indication they’re ready to make the switch. Anthony Ward Thomas, of Anthony Ward Thomas Removals, which commissioned the study of 2,000 adults, said: “Moving can be a challenging task, but it doesn’t need to be. “It’s not a surprise for 54 per cent of people, cost is the most important factor when making a move.” The research, carried out by OnePoll, found Londoners get itchy feet the quickest of any region – as they want to move less than four years in. Those in the capital aren’t as willing to stay put in their property either, as they said they could stay at their current home for another seven years at a push – compared to those in the East Midlands who would live at their current abode for more than 13 years. Other top signs people are looking to move home include getting fed up with the neighbours (24 per cent), not having enough storage space (23 per cent) and no longer enjoying spending time in your home (22 per cent). However, one of the major factors putting people off moving was the thought of shifting their stuff (55 per cent). Despite this, only 43 per cent of people who moved home previously said they used a removal company to help them. Yet 59 per cent said if they were to move now, they’d get outside help from a specialist – highlighting just how important they are. In fact, a staggering show of support, 92 per cent of those who had used a removal company said they would use one again. Among the major benefits included not having to do the heavy lifting (62 per cent), being less stressful (50 per cent) and having one less thing to worry about (45 per cent). Others included saving time (42 per cent) and not getting injured lifting heavy things (40 per cent). Anthony Ward Thomas added: “As our results show, one of the major factors which puts people off moving is having to move their belongings. “Using a professional company to help you pack up, move out and move in buys you peace of mind. “It should be any delivery firm’s number one priority to ensure every single item is looked after as if it were their own and to care about every move.” FIVE TELLTALE SIGNS YOU’VE GOT ITCHY FEET: Looking online at property websites Taking an interest in ‘for sale’ signs in your neighbourhood Getting fed up with the neighbours Not having enough storage space No longer enjoying spending time in your home TOP 5 TIPS FOR MOVING HOME, FROM ANTHONY WARD THOMAS: Make a move plan – include all tasks on it and assign them to people and/or companies helping you Clear the clutter – give yourself 5 categories: keep, sell, bin, store or giveaway Hire professionals – don’t cut costs and do a DIY move, it pays to have peace of mind Pack from the top down – start at the top and work downwards, labelling your boxes with what’s in them, where they’ve come from and where they’re going to Box of essentials – from a kettle, mugs and coffee to bedding for the first night and the kid’s iPads, pack up useful items in one box. Read More What is Cheese-pulling? New world record set for highest pull Zombie ant parasite is ‘even more cunning’ than previously thought, scientists say NASA astronaut Frank Rubio breaks US record for longest spaceflight Mother explains decision to breastfeed her four-year-old son ‘My baby’s blue eyes drew praise - but their colour was a warning sign’ What the world’s happiest children tell us about where Britain is going wrong
2023-09-18 23:23

What is 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' about? Plot of Harrison Ford's action-packed adventure film explained
'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny' is all set to hit the theaters with Harrison Ford returning as the main character for the last time
2023-06-08 16:29

China may be behind social media accounts seeking to sway US voters, Microsoft says
Microsoft researchers said on Thursday they found what they believe is a network of fake, Chinese-controlled social media
2023-09-07 21:21

Dad lashes out after discovering his wife lied about their child’s gender
A dad-to-be has admitted to flying off the rails when he discovered his wife had lied about the sex of their unborn child. The 32-year-old wrote about the confrontation on Reddit, admitting that he’d “reacted in ways [he’s] now questioning.” The man explained that he was away on an “essential business trip” during his partner’s first pregnancy appointments and so she attended them with her adopted mother. “Upon my return, she excitedly told me we were having a boy,” he recounted. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter He said the couple "invested emotionally and financially" in the projected image of their baby: creating a blue nursery, buying "boy-themed items", and "even naming him after my late grandfather". However, he continued: “A chance remark from her mother disclosed we're having a girl. “My wife admitted she knew from the beginning but didn't tell me, thinking she was protecting my feelings.” The Redditor revealed that he had suffered a “tumultuous” childhood and that, growing up, he had “always craved a strong male figure in my life”. “I never had that bond with my father and always envisioned having it with a son,” he explained, adding: “My wife was aware of this deep-rooted desire.” Upon learning the truth, he admitted that he felt “devastated”, saying that it brought up “the weight of past hurts and fresh betrayals”. “In my pain, I cleared out the nursery and, in a moment I regret, told her mother she wasn't welcome at upcoming family events, seeing her as part of the deceit,” he confessed. Ending his post, he said: “I acted out of deep-seated emotions and past traumas. I love my wife and regret my reactions, but I feel lost.” The original poster (OP) then asked members of the AITA subreddit whether he should be condemned for his actions, prompting more than 6,400 comments in just three days. “The way OP is acting about having a daughter comes across like he's going to have the same kind of relationship with her that he had with his own father,” one fellow Redditor wrote. “Little girls need their daddy to be their first male role model too.” Another agreed, saying: “The fact that men are often disappointed by our very existence as woman, even in utero, continues to highlight society's s***ty view of woman [sic].” She added: “Sorry we exist? Sorry you think you can’t live out your field of dreams fantasies with us? [...] It’s actually you that doesn’t want to include us due to archaic gender roles.” A vast number insisted that both husband and wife were in the wrong, with one saying: “I cannot imagine why she thought it would be less painful for you to think you were having a boy and then disappoint you later. Getting your hopes up accomplishes nothing.” “That said,” they continued: “You very much did overreact in clearing out the nursery and disinviting her mother from coming over. “This reaction is crazy and you talking about this pain and devastation surrounding having a girl is probably the reason she was afraid to tell you. Because she probably wants to be excited about this child and didn’t want to deal with you acting like it’s something devastating that it’s a girl.” They went on: “Also, you are projecting wayyyy too much on an unborn child. What if you did have a boy, but he wasn’t as interested in this intense father-son relationship that you are craving? Can any real-life father-son relationship actually even live up to the one in your head that is supposed to heal your past wounds?” Concluding their lengthy response, they added: “Your kids are real people, don’t set them up for failure by having all these weird expectations for how they will better your existing traumas.” Meanwhile, another commentator offered a more succinct summary of the whole thing: “I’m not sure what [the mother] expected to happen at the birth,” they said. “But I totally get why she lied.” Still, some Redditors were more forgiving of the heartbroken dad, with one writing: "I think OP is mainly upset that [his] wife lied, not necessarily that it's a girl. He's had no chance to even get his head around that." 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.
2023-08-13 22:55

Erik ten Hag: Sir Bobby Charlton will always remain an inspiration to Man Utd
Erik ten Hag believes Sir Bobby Charlton will always remain an inspiration to Manchester United as they prepare for their first home game since the World Cup-winner died on Saturday. Tributes to Charlton, who was 86, will take place before Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against Copenhagen, in the form of a minute’s silence, a wreath being placed on Charlton’s seat in the directors’ box and players and club staff wearing black armbands. Charlton will also be remembered in the official programme for both the Copenhagen match and Sunday’s derby against Manchester City. There will be a minute’s applause prior to the City match as well as expressions of remembrance via flags and banners in the stadium. Fans have already been flocking to Old Trafford to leave flowers, scarves and messages around the statue of Charlton, Denis Law and George Best – the ‘United Trinity’ – which is located outside the ground. And when asked if Charlton would be an inspiration for his side not only on Tuesday but beyond, Ten Hag pointed to the statue. “He is in front of Old Trafford,” Ten Hag said. “With Denis Law and George Best. He is always with us. They are always a huge inspiration for us, every day, and in every game.” Ten Hag cited Charlton as an inspiration for his players in Saturday’s 2-1 win away to Sheffield United, secured by Diogo Dalot’s winner, but a match at Old Trafford will be an opportunity for the entire club to pay tribute on and off the pitch. Ten Hag wants to mark the occasion with a victory, something United badly need in the Champions League after opening their Group A campaign with defeats against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, while they have stuttered in the Premier League too. “First we want to win as a tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton, but also you want always to do that in a certain way and that is what we are aiming for,” Ten Hag added. “It is not always possible in football, sometimes you don’t play that well but you have to find a way to win. “I was happy on Saturday that we could show tribute with a win but also with the way we scored that second goal.” Although they ground out the victory, United were again far from their best in Saturday’s win over the Blades, with social media full of grumbling from fans amid a pedestrian start to the campaign. But Ten Hag said he continues to feel the firm backing of the supporters inside Old Trafford, and expects a special atmosphere on Tuesday night. “It’s always special every night at Old Trafford, the fans are always so behind us,” the Dutchman said. “I remember the last game, the home game against Brentford, even when the game is not going in our direction they stayed behind us in difficult moments and moments of adversity around Manchester United the fans are still with us and we are with the fans, we are fighting together. “Definitely tomorrow after the passing away of Sir Bobby Charlton, their hero, their legend, their giant, I’m sure there will be an even more emotional evening tomorrow.” Read More Mikel Arteta hopes to be talking about football after Arsenal’s trip to Sevilla Jean Kleyn: RWC final with South Africa ‘outside realm of thinking’ months ago Joe Root acknowledges growing uncertainty surrounding future of ODI cricket 5 things we learned from England’s progress through the Rugby World Cup Jonny May backs ‘genius’ Steve Borthwick to crack the code of rugby with England Muddled selection, ageing squad and no new blood – England’s World Cup problems
2023-10-24 11:56
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