List of All Articles with Tag 'americas'

Donald Trump, fresh off being indicted alongside his allies in Georgia for conspiring to subvert the state’s 2020 presidential election results, has shared a moody new campaign video which seems to obliquely reference his recent legal troubles. In a clip shared on his Truth Social account, the former president appears in a black and white montage, as the poem The Proof of Worth by Edgar Albert Guest is read in the background. The poem centres around themes of persisting through adversity. One stanza reads: The test of a man is how much he will bear/ For a cause which he knows to be right,/How long will he stand in the depths of despair,/How much will he suffer and fight?/There are many to serve when the victory’s near/And few are the hurts to be borne,/But it calls for a leader of courage to cheer/The men in a battle forlorn. The following section continues: It’s the way you hold out against odds that are great/That proves what your courage is worth,/It’s the way that you stand to the bruises of fate/That shows up your stature and girth./And victory’s nothing but proof of your skill,/Veneered with a glory that’s thin,/Unless it is proof of unfaltering will,/And unless you have suffered to win. The message of the video is likely in reference to Mr Trump’s recent Monday indictment, which accused him and 18 other defendants of attempting to illegally overturn Joe Biden’s 2020 election win in Georgia. In addition to the former president facing charges, the indictment in Fulton County also names a number of other high-profile figures including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Trump lawyer and ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, attorney Sidney Powell, John Eastman, along with former US Department of Justice official Jeffrey Clark, and those falsely appointed as “alternate” Georgia electors. Mr Trump has claimed he will unveil an “irrefutable” report that will exonerate him from the charges laid out in the indictment, which he has previously branded as a politically motivated “witch hunt.” “A Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT on the Presidential Election Fraud which took place in Georgia is almost complete & will be presented by me at a major News Conference at 11:00 A.M. on Monday of next week in Bedminster, New Jersey,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday. Read More Giuliani is too ‘busy’ to address Georgia indictment - after he reacted to it on livestream Trump claims mystery press conference report clears him of Georgia election charges: Live updates What is racketeering? Donald Trump charged with Mafia-busting law Giuliani is too ‘busy’ to address Georgia indictment - after reacting to it live What is racketeering? Donald Trump charged with Mafia-busting law Georgia case against Trump presents problems from the start: from jury selection to a big courtroom

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen confirmed on Monday that she unwittingly ate a dish containing hallucinogenic mushrooms at a restaurant during a visit to China last month. “So I went with this large group of people and the person who had arranged our dinner did the ordering. There was a delicious mushroom dish,” she said on Monday. “I was not aware that these mushrooms had hallucinogenic properties. I learned that later.” “I … read that if the mushrooms are cooked properly, which I’m sure they were, at this very good restaurant, that they have no impact,” she added. “But all of us enjoyed the mushrooms, the restaurant and none of us felt any ill effects from having eaten them.” During the Treasury official’s visit to China last month, she and her team stopped at a location of Yi Zuo Yi Wang, a restaurant chain specialising in dishes from the Yunnan province, where a food blogger on Weibo spotted the top official eating a variety of Chinese dishes. “When I walked by their table on my way to the washroom, I slowed down to take a glance at the dishes they ordered,” the blogger wrote. That included an order of potentially hallucinogenic jian shou qing mushrooms, a delicacy in Yunnan province. “Our staff said she loved mushrooms very much,” the restaurant wrote on social media. “She ordered four portions of jian shou qing (a Yunnan wild mushroom species). It was an extremely magical day.” The mushrooms are “considered poisonous as they can be hallucinogenic,” Dr Peter Mortimer, a professor at Kunming Institute of Botany who studies the region’s mushrooms, told CNN. “However, scientists have not, as of yet, identified the compounds responsible for causing the hallucinations,”he added. “It remains a bit of a mystery, and most evidence is anecdotal. I have a friend who mistakenly ate them and hallucinated for three days.” Chinese state media quoted diners praising Ms Yellen for her interest in Chinese cuisine and warning about the impacts of the mushrooms. “You thought you were walking straight but you just fell sideways,” one person who had eaten a similar dish told the Xinhua state news agency. The restaurant where the secretary ate was quickly flooded with reservations. "We received a larger number of inquiries about bookings. We are fully booked for Friday and Saturday," a staff member told the state-owned Global Times. Read More Biden signs order barring US investment in Chinese chips, quantum computing and AI sectors Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reportedly ate hallucinogenic mushrooms at restaurant during China visit China's Xi tells Kissinger that China-US ties are at a crossroads and stability is still possible

Brian Laundrie’s family will be deposed this week in a civil lawsuit filed by Gabby Petito’s parents for causing emotional distress when the doomed couple was considered to be missing. Joe Petito and Nichole Schmidt claim Christopher and Roberta Laundrie knew Gabby was dead when she vanished in August 2021 while on a road trip with their son Brian, but chose not to take any action other than saying they hoped she would be found. They are set to be questioned by the Laundries’ legal counsel team, as well family attorney Steven Bertolino, who is also named in the suit, according to WFLA. It’s not yet known if the Laundries will be present for the depositions, but if they are, it’ll be the first time the two sets of parents have come face-to-face since Laundrie’s suicide shortly after Gabby was murdered. Cassie Laundrie, Brian Laundrie’s sister, is the only family member who has spoken publicly since Gabby’s death. “Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe,” Cassie Laundrie said in 2021. “She’s like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and sound and this to be just a big misunderstanding.” She is set to be questioned by the legal team for Mr Petito and Ms Schmidt on 6 November as part of the series of depositions leading up to a trial in May 2024 in Sarasota County court. The Petitos sued Brian Laundrie’s parents, accusing them of knowing that their son had murdered Gabby and then helped him with the coverup for nearly a month before her body was found in western Wyoming in September 2021, causing mental anguish, pain and suffering. Gabby, 23, was reported missing in August 2021. She had been on a road trip with her fiancé Brian, who returned to his Florida home without her. The couple had traveled by van across the US in the summer of 2021, visiting scenic places in Colorado and Utah before heading north. They documented their trip in detail, in real time, on social media. But their happy travels were not as they made it out to be online. Police in Moab, Utah, pulled over the van after it was seen speeding and hitting a curb at the entrance to Arches National Park in August 2021. Petito told police she and Laundrie had been fighting. Officers separated the couple for the night and didn’t pursue charges. Petito’s body was found a month later near a campground on the edge of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park. A coroner determined she’d been strangled a few weeks earlier. A month later, Laundrie was found dead in Florida. Earlier this year, a handwritten note by Roberta Laundrie in an envelope that read “burn after reading” was released after a Florida judge ruled that it could be used as evidence in a lawsuit. The undated note reportedly informed her son that she would “dispose of a body” if needed because she loved him so much, according to copies of the note shared publicly by attorneys for Petito’s parents. The letter reads in part: “We will always love each other. If you’re in jail, I will bake a cake with a file in it. If you need to dispose of a body, I will show up with a shovel and garbage bags.” Roberta Laundrie claims in a sworn statement in the Florida case that she gave it to her son just before he and Petito left on a cross-country van trip. “I was trying to connect with Brian and repair our relationship as he was planning to leave home," the statement said. “I had hoped this letter would remind him how much I loved him.” The Petito family expressed doubt about Roberta Laundrie’s claimed timing of her letter, suggesting it was in fact written after Petito’s death. Read More Mother of man who killed Gabby Petito said in letter she would help son 'dispose of a body' Bombshell letter where Brian Laundrie’s mother vowed to ‘dispose of body’ is given to Gabby Petito’s parents Brian Laundrie’s mom ‘offered to bake him a cake with a shiv’ if he was jailed for Gabby Petito murder

House Republicans raged against former president Donald Trump’s fourth indictment in Georgia, saying that it was politically targeted. Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who voted to object to the 2020 election results, said “Americans see through this desperate sham.” Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, who replaced Rep Liz Cheney after Ms Cheney’s repeated critiques of Mr Trump, said Mr Trump “will defeat these bogus charges and win back the White House in 2024.” But for the most part, Senate Republican leadership stayed silent amid the news of Mr Trump’s latest indictment. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Whip John Thune, Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barasso and many other senior Republican leaders in the Senate remained mum. Some of the Senate’s most ardent conservatives did speak out, including Sen Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Tthe top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee said on Fox News that Mr Trump’s fate “should be decided at the ballot box and not in a bunch of liberal jurisdictions trying to put the man in jail.” Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX), who led efforts in the Senate to overturn the 2020 election results, told Sean Hannity on Monday evening that he was “pissed.” But for the most part, Senate Republican leadership stayed quiet. When asked on Fox News about the indictment, Sen Joni Ernst (R-IA) brushed off the question of Mr Trump’s indictment. “I honestly think that Iowans are becoming desensitised to this,” said Ms Ernst, who at one time was vetted to be Mr Trump’s running mate and won re-election in 2020 when Mr Trump won Iowa a second time. “I don't even know that they are paying attention to it. It’s the third indictment. It’s the fourth indictment.” Ms Ernst parroted the oft-repeated line by Republicans that Mr Trump’s indictments show that the US justice system had two tiers. “One if your name is Trump, and there is one if your name is Biden,” she said. “But again, it seems to be politically motivated so much that Iowans just throw up their hands anymore.” Sen Steve Daines (R-MT), who endorsed Mr Trump earlier this year, slammed the indictment. “The latest indictment of President Trump is brought by a rogue DA who is following in the footsteps of the rogue DOJ, further cementing the two systems of justice in America today,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Mr Daines leads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is responsible for defending Republican incumbents and flipping Democratically-held Senate seats in swing states. “The justice system should be—it must be—blind, not weaponized against political opponents.” The contrasting approaches between House and Senate GOP leadership parallel how Republicans approached Mr Trump and his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. While 139 House Republicans, including members of House Republican leadership such as now-House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Mr McCarthy and Ms Stefanik voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, only eight Republican senators, led by Mr Cruz and Sen Josh Hawley (R-MO) voted to object to the election results. Meanwhile, House Republicans condemned Ms Cheney and now-former Rep Adam Kinzinger for their participation in the January 6 select committee. No Republicans faced serious consequences from leadership for voting to impeach Mr Trump for inciting the January 6 riot. Similarly, while Mr McCarthy previously said that Mr Trump “bears responsibility” for the attack despite not voting to impeach him, he has largely welcomed Mr Trump’s support. Conversely, after the impeachment trial in the Senate, Mr McConnell condemned Mr Trump. “There's no question — none — that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day,” he said. But Mr McConnell said so after he decided against voting to convict the former president. Read More ‘I’m pissed’: Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz lead Republican reaction to Trump’s fourth indictment Trump claims mystery press conference report clears him of Georgia election charges: Live updates Trump charged with racketeering by Fulton County grand jury: Live updates The damning phone call that may have led to the downfall of Trump and his cronies Prosecutors in the Hunter Biden case deny defense push to keep gun charge agreement in place

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has swiped the second spot in the upcoming New Hampshire primary from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis even as former President Donald Trump remains dominant. A new poll from Emerson College released on Tuesday shows Mr Christie at nine per cent support, while Mr DeSantis is at eight per cent, down from 17 per cent in March. Mr Christie’s lead is within the poll’s 3.4 per cent margin of error. Mr Trump received 49 per cent. Spencer Kimball, the executive director of Emerson College Polling, said that “DeSantis has been the alternative to Trump in Emerson polling this presidential cycle. This is the first time we have seen DeSantis drop out of second place in our polling, and fall back into the pack of candidates”. Meanwhile, the 2024 election looks set to be a rematch between President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump. Despite his mounting legal problems, Mr Trump is by far the most popular candidate in the Republican field. The Republican primary is scheduled to begin with the Iowa caucuses on 15 January and the New Hampshire primary on 23 January. Read More Who are the 2024 presidential election candidates? Meet the Republicans and Democrats campaigning Trump lashes out on Truth Social over Georgia election plot charges – and spells ‘indicted’ wrong Will Donald Trump go to prison? Trump indictment live: Trump reacts as he and 18 allies charged over Georgia election plot Was Fulton County Court hacked? How did a Trump charge sheet get published hours before grand jury vote

Hunter Biden’s defence attorney asked to withdraw from the federal case against his client – regarding tax offenses and a gun possession charge – because he said he could be called as a witness in the future. Christopher Clark, Mr Biden’s lawyer, filed a motion with the Delaware judge on Tuesday. “Based on recent developments, it appears that the negotiation and drafting of the plea agreement and diversion agreement will be contested, and Mr Clark is a percipient witness to those issues,” the filing states. “Under the ‘witness-advocate’ rule, it is inadvisable for Mr Clark to continue as counsel in this case,” it continued. “Withdrawal will not cause a substantial hardship to Mr Biden because counsel from the other firms that have entered an appearance will continue to represent Mr Biden in this matter,” the filing said. The move comes after an 11 August filing by prosecutors, led by David Weiss, who was granted special counsel status, asking the court to cancel its request that both sides reach a renewed agreement on the plea deal “since there is no longer a plea agreement or diversion agreement for the Court to consider.” Both parties are at an “impasse” regarding the tax charges and the parties haven’t reached a “diversion agreement” regarding the gun possession charge, Mr Weiss wrote. Days later, on Sunday, Mr Biden’s attorneys argued in a filing that the Justice Department decided to “renege” on its side of the deal on tax charges; the gun charge agreement also contains an immunity clause against federal prosecutions for some other potential crimes. His lawyers also wrote that the parties have a “valid and binding bilateral Diversion Agreement.” In response on Tuesday, prosecutors wrote in a filing that it “did not ‘renege’ on the ‘previously agreed-upon Plea Agreement.’” The special counsel wrote that because the Chief United States Probation Officer “did not approve the now-withdrawn diversion agreement, it never went into effect and, therefore, none of its terms are binding on either party.” Read More Prosecutors in the Hunter Biden case deny defense push to keep gun charge agreement in place Hunter Biden’s lawyer fight to keep plea deal Hunter Biden’s attorney doesn’t expect new charges from special counsel probe

A new sketch of the last known victim of the notorious “Candy Man” serial killer Dean Corll has been released 50 years after he was discovered in a mass grave. For decades, the young man whose mutilated body was found in belted brightly-colored swim trunks has only been known as “Swimsuit Boy” or “John Houston Doe” – but now officials are hoping the new sketch will finally be able to give the victim his name back. The facial rendering was released by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) last week, on the 50th anniversary of the day many of the bodies were found in mass graves on 9 August 1973. Corll, who was infamously nicknamed “The Candy Man” because he was known to hand out free candy to kids at his parents’ candy store, terrorised young men in the Houston area in the early 1970s. Between 1970 and 1973, Corll and his accomplices David Owen Brooks, then 17, and Elmer Wayne Henley, then 18, kidnapped, tortured, raped and killed at least 28 males between the ages of 13 and 20. It’s believed the number of slayings, known as the “Houston Mass Murders,” were far more than 28. The victims’ remains were found after Henley led Houston police to a boat storage shed, where 17 bodies were found wrapped in plastic or sheets and buried under a layer of lime plaster, according to Dean Corll: The True Story of The Houston Mass Murders: Historical Serial Killers and Murderers, by Jack Rosewood. On 8 August 1973, a day before the bodies were found, Henley shot and killed 33-year-old Corll with the killer’s own .22 pistol, allegedly screaming: “I can’t go on any longer! I can’t have you kill all my friends!”, Texas Monthly reported. Henley admitted direct involvement in six of the killings, and is serving six consecutive terms of 99 years of imprisonment with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He will be eligible for parole in October 2025 at the age of 70. Brooks died from COVID-19 in 2020 in a Galveston hospital while serving a life sentence. Over the past 50 years, investigators have been able to identify 27 of Corll’s known victims, giving each of “The Lost Boys” a name – except one – John Doe 1973. The latest attempt to identify the final victim from the 1970s horror was revived this year after Corll’s house was razed in February. At least eight victims were shot and killed at that house, officials have said. John Doe, who police believe was white possibly Hispanic, and between 15 and 18 when he was killed, was one of the 17 bodies found at the boat shed, according to NCMEC’s website. He was found with belted “Catalina” swim trunks that had bright red, turquoise, gold, and dark blue stripes. The shorts also had the letter "C" with golden wings on the silver buckle. The victim was wearing a khaki-colored long sleeved 70s style shirt that tied in the front, with a large red, white, and blue peace symbol and the letters “USA.” Dark blue corduroys, a knotted leather ankle bracelet, and brown leather cowboy boots that were 12 inches in length and had the word "NEOLITE" on the heel, were also found. It was later determined that the young man had a mild form of spina bifida, according to NCMEC. Carol Schweitzer, supervisor of NCMEC’s Forensic Services Unit, said they “remain hopeful that this young man’s family and friends are still looking for him.” “This young man’s friends and classmates would be in their late 60s to early 70s, and we hope that this new imagery reaches them and helps bring in that one single lead needed to resolve this case,” Ms Schweitzer said in a statement. “He may have siblings, cousins, classmates, neighbors, or friends who have always wondered what happened to him. This young man’s friends and classmates would be in their late 60s to early 70s and we hope that this new imagery reaches them and helps bring in that one single lead needed to resolve this case.” Anyone with information on “John Doe 1973,” is asked to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST or the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences and reference case number ML73-3356. Read More California judge charged in wife's murder expected to appear in Los Angeles court Rachel Morin – latest: Bel Air mother-of-five’s killer remains at large as Maryland police step up patrols Alex Murdaugh planned a birthday party for his son Paul from jail 10 months after killing him, book claims

Social media users mocked Rep Lauren Boebert (R-CO) for her appearance at a Rico fire department amid former president Donald Trump being charged in Georgia under a law that shares the same likeness. The right-wing firebrand congresswoman posted images of her visit to the Rico Fire Protection District in her district. “Honored to spend time with firefighters from the Rico Fire Protection District – true heroes dedicated to keeping our community safe,” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Their bravery and commitment are truly remarkable. Grateful for their sacrifice and service!” But the post came as a grand jury indicted the former president and his associates under Georgia’s Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, among other charges. The RICO statute charges people who take part in actions in service of a criminal enterprise. Mr Trump faces 13 RICO charges, which he shares with 18 other criminal defendants. Social media users were quick to mock the moment. “@realDonaldTrump could use the RICO Fire & Rescue right now. Maybe Lauren could send them in?” Jason Rollinson tweeted. “Rico. That’s funny, your owner is about to be charged with crimes of the same name,” another person tweeted. “On the day Trump is indicted on RICO charges, Bobo tweeted this gem,” another person tweeted. “She's painfully stupid.” The former president also faces 12 other charges including conspiracy to impersonate a public officer; two counts of conspiracy to commit forgery; two counts of conspiracy to make false statements under oath; two counts of conspiracy to file false documents; two counts of solicitation of a public officer; filing false documents; conspiracy to solicit false documents; and making false statements. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said each of the defendants’ RICO charges accused them of “participation in a criminal enterprise in Fulton County, Georgia, and elsewhere, to accomplish the illegal goal of allowing Donald J. Trump to seize the presidential term of office, beginning on January 20, 2021.” Read More Trump and 18 allies indicted on RICO charges in Georgia election case: ‘The law is completely nonpartisan’ Who is Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor who could take down Trump In 'Bidenomics,' Congress delivered a once-in-generation investment — with political promise, peril Lauren Boebert slammed for attacking Biden over Maui wildfires Trump's attack on 'filth and decay' in nation's capital just the latest in his personal feud with DC

Donald Trump was indicted for the fourth time in less than five months and now faces 91 criminal counts which carry a possible total of more than seven centuries behind bars. While it’s unlikely that the former president will be sentenced to hundreds of years in prison, the risk of some prison time is very real. Mr Trump was hit with his latest indictment on Monday night, where a grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, charged him alongside 18 others for scheming to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. It came just weeks after the twice-impeached president was charged by the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith on the federal level in cases related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6 insurrection. In June, Mr Trump was federally charged with 32 counts for mishandling of classified documents in Florida, with six more counts handed down in early August in a superseding indictment. Mr Trump’s first indictment was at the state level in late March, when he was charged with 34 counts by the Manhattan District Attorney for making hush money payments to adult actor Stormy Daniels and others ahead of the 2016 election. Here’s a rundown of all the charges Mr Trump faces - and the possible jail time they carry on conviction: Prosecuting office Charge Counts Maximum prison time per count Manhattan District Attorney (New York) Hush money payments 34 - Falsifying business records Four years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Mishandling of classified information 32 - Willful retention of national secrets 10 years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Mishandling of classified information Six - Obstruction of justice 20 years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Mishandling of classified information Two - False statements Five years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Efforts to overturn 2020 election Two - Obstructing an official proceeding 20 years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Efforts to overturn 2020 election One - Conspiracy against the right to vote 10 years Special Counsel’s Office (Federal) Efforts to overturn 2020 election One - Defrauding the United States Five years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia One - Violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) 20 years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia Three - Soliciting violation of oath by a public officer Three years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia One - Conspiring to commit impersonating a public officer Two and a half years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia Two - Conspiring to commit forgery in the first degree Seven and a half years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia Two - Consiring to commit false statements and writing Two and a half years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia One - Conspiring to commit filing false documents Five years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia One - Filing false documents 10 years Fulton County District Attorney (Georgia) Efforts to overturn 2020 election in Georgia Two - False statements and writings Five years TOTAL 91 COUNTS 717.5 YEARS Read More Who is Fani Willis, the Georgia prosecutor who could take down Trump The biggest problem facing Donald Trump? His ‘mafia’ mouth Trump indictment - live: Trump in new voter conspiracy rant as Georgia issues arrest warrant for racketeering

Watch live as Joe Biden delivers a speech highlighting his “Bidenomics” economic policies in the battleground state of Milwaukee on Tuesday, 15 August. The US president’s visit comes a week after Republicans will descend upon the state for the first GOP presidential debate. “Bidenomics,” named by the White House, is the Biden administration’s plan to “grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up” centred around three pillars: making smart public investments, empowering and educating workers to grow the middle class, and promoting competition to lower costs and help entrepreneurs and small businesses thrive. On Tuesday, Mr Biden will also tour clean energy manufacturer Ingeteam, a company which the White House says has plans to hire 100 workers using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money to start producing EV charging stations domestically. Republicans will hold their first presidential primary debate in Milwaukee on 23 August. It is not confirmed whether former president Donald Trump will boycott or hold a competing event. Read More Christie takes second place from DeSantis in New Hampshire: poll What is an arraignment and what is an indictment? In 'Bidenomics,' Congress delivered a once-in-generation investment — with political promise, peril

More than a week after mother-of-five Rachel Morin was found dead on a popular trail in Maryland, authorities have yet to make any arrests in the investigation into her death. Morin, 37, was last seen heading to the Ma & Pa Trail at around 6pm on 5 August. Her boyfriend reported her missing that night after she failed to return home and her body was found the following day. On Thursday, Harford County Sheriff’s Office said investigators had been made aware of potential witnesses who may have seen Morin on the Ma & Pa Trail in Bel Air on Saturday. The witnesses – either three men, two women and two dogs or two men, three women and two dogs – were urged to come forward. Officials said that these individuals had been identified and were contacted by investigators. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office told The Independent on Tuesday that the department had increased patrol on the Ma & Pa Trail area to reassure the community in the aftermath of Morin’s tragic death, but noted that there is no perceived threat at this time. Read More Rachel Morin was found dead on a popular Maryland hiking trail. Her sister says she ‘did not go willingly’ Rachel Morin’s mother breaks silence on daughter’s killing Man who described grisly state of Rachel Morin’s body never actually saw it, sheriff says

Critics of Donald Trump believe he may be using racist dogwhistles while discussing Black litigators and political opponents in the wake of his latest indictment. Mr Trump was indicted yet again, this time in Georgia. On Monday, Fulton County prosecutors accused him of trying to manipulate the 2020 presidential election results in the Peach State. He took to Truth Social to announce that a "large, complex, detailed but irrefutable REPORT" proving his election fraud claims in Georgia would be presented on 21 August. In addition to the grand announcement, he also dropped a weird noun that left some observers sceptical of its intended use. "There will be a complete EXONERATION!" Mr Trump wrote of his upcoming presser. "They never went after those that Rigged the Election. They only went after those that found to find the RIGGERS!." Whether or not Mr Trump intended to describe his political enemies using a word that is one letter away from being an exceptionally offensive slur is unclear. What is clear is that plenty of observers noted his use of the word. Arieh Kovler, a current affairs and politics writer, collected a sampling of responses from a group of Trump supporters who post anonymously at a Reddit-like forum. "I don't know if Trump deliberately uses 'RIGGERS!' as a dog-whistle, but his supporters hear it either way," he wrote. “Worth noting here that the ‘riggers’ as a racist codeword has been used for a while in MAGA circles.” Mr Kovler included a screenshot from the site showing one user who said "I love [Trump] so much" because "he just used the word RIGGERS!" In other posts, supporters made clear they were not discussing alleged election manipulators while using the word. Similar responses could be found on Twitter when searching about Mr Trump’s use of the word. Mr Trump making racist-adjacent remarks is hardly novel. During his presidency he reportedly questioned why the US would allow Haitians and African immigrants to cross the border, referring to their homes as "s***hole countries." His niece, Mary Trump, has stated publicly that she heard the former president use racial slurs growing up and claimed racism was normal for his family. And he has given special nicknames for his Black opponents — like calling New York Attorney General "peekaboo James," which may or may not be a reference to a racist insult aimed at Black people. He also called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg an "animal" and a "criminal" who works for George Soros. He called both Ms James and Mr Bragg "racists" and extended that charge to the woman leading Georgia's case against him, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Williams. Ms Williams is Black, and Mr Trump has baselessly accused her of having an affair with a "gang member" she was prosecuting. “They say there’s a young woman, a young racist in Atlanta. She’s a racist. And they say, I guess they say that she was after a certain gang and she ended up having an affair with the head of the gang or a gang member,” Mr Trump said in his remarks to a group of veterans on 8 August. “And this is the person that wants to indict me. She’s got a lot of problems.” In contrast, when referring to DOJ special counsel Jack Smith, the white litigator leading the federal government's case against Mr Trump, the former president refers to him as "psycho" and "unhinged." Mr Trump has denied all accusations of being racist. Read More MAGA conspiracy theorist Kari Lake rails against Trump indictment – with conspiracy about Epstein’s death How ‘gangster’ Trump could be destroyed by one explosive phone call Trump lashes out on Truth Social over Georgia election plot charges – and spells ‘indicted’ wrong Christie takes second place from DeSantis in New Hampshire: poll Watch live view of Georgia courthouse after Donald Trump’s indictment Kari Lake rails against Trump indictment – with conspiracy about Epstein’s death