List of All Articles with Tag 'americas'

Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba has stepped down from her role defending the former president in the fraud lawsuit filed against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Ms Habba has taken up a new role with Mr Trump’s Save America leadership political action committee. A press release issued by the PAC says that Mr Trump appointed Ms Habba to be his legal spokesperson and general counsel to Save America, though she will also still assist the former president with “certain legal matters”. “Alina has worked diligently and tirelessly on many of the witch-hunt cases that have been unfairly brought against President Trump,” said Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump 2024 campaign. The statement continues: “While the Habba Madaio Law firm will continue to assist the President in certain legal matters, Ms Habba will withdraw from the New York Attorney General’s case against the Trump Organization and President Trump and other cases, in order to devote her time to Save America and her duties as his media representative on legal matters.” Ms Habba says: “It is an honour to be asked by such a leader as President Trump to help Save America. Being able to devote more time to addressing publicly his many legal matters is the privilege of a lifetime.” The appointment is effective immediately. Ms Habba is also tied to and more widely known for her role in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and was called before the federal grand jury. She spoke on Jesse Watters’ Fox News show amid news that the grand jury indicted Mr Trump on charges related to his allegedly unlawful retention of national defence information. The attorney claimed the indictment was a distraction from supposed impropriety on behalf of President Joe Biden of which House Republicans have so far failed to produce any evidence. “Every single time there is a coordinated dance that is becoming obvious to the American people because they are smart,” Ms Habba said. She added that the indictments of the twice-impeached former president were the equivalent of a “shiny ball” meant to distract the American public. “I’m embarrassed to be a lawyer at this moment,” she said. “Honestly, I am ashamed. I’m ashamed to be a lawyer. I’m ashamed that this is the state of our country.” Ms Habba claimed the indictment showed the United States had a two-tiered system of justice. “And it is so obvious that there’s this dual system of justice,” she said. “This is selective prosecution, selective persecution. It is absolute persecution. It is Russia third world stuff, and it should not be happening.” Read More Trump lawyer says she’s ‘ashamed’ and ‘embarrassed’ over secret papers indictment Trump attorneys worry some may snitch to feds as documents probe closes in, report claims Trump attorney Alina Habba reveals why his mugshot shouldn’t be released AOC says idea Trump is victim of a ‘two-tier’ justice system is an insult to Black and brown Americans

While the scuffles may be verbal as leading Republicans jostle to become the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, down at the state level things have actually turned physical — at least in Michigan, and not for the first time. Tensions boiled over within the Michigan Republican Party on Saturday resulting in an altercation at a hotel to which the police were called. The GOP’s state committee came together for a meeting at the Doherty Hotel in Clare as members have been feuding over the party’s direction and the leadership approach of the new chairwoman, Kristina Karamo, The Detroit News reports. Some Michigan Republicans arriving at the venue on Saturday were frustrated to find the meeting was limited only to members of the state committee and was taking place behind a locked door. In an interview with The Detroit News, James Chapman, a Republican from Wayne County, said he had travelled to Clare for the meeting but was forced to listen to it through a locked door. Mr Chapman said he and others said the Pledge of Allegiance together in the lobby outside the meeting, after which he jiggled the doorknob of the meeting room. It was then that Mark DeYoung, chairman of the Clare County Republican Party, approached the door, saw someone flip him off through a small window, and opened it. “He kicked me in my balls as soon as I opened the door,” Mr DeYoung said, adding that Mr Chapman ran at him and slammed him into a chair. Mr DeYoung gave his account to the outlet over the phone from an emergency room where he said he was being treated for a broken rib. For his part, Mr Chapman alleges that Mr DeYoung had swung at him and said: “I’ll kick your ass.” Mr DeYoung denies this happened. Continuing, Mr Chapman says he removed his glasses, took Mr DeYoung by the legs and knocked him down: “When you see me taking my glasses off, I’m ready to rock.” Multiple police officers were at the scene after the scuffle and Mr DeYoung said he intended to press charges against Mr Chapman. “We’re so divided,” Mr DeYoung said from the hospital. “I just wish we could come together.” This is also not the first time internal tensions have erupted. The Washington Post reported in June: “At least four county parties in Michigan have been at open war with themselves, with members suing one another or putting forward competing slates that claim to be in charge. The night before an April state party meeting, two GOP officials got into a physical altercation in a hotel bar over an attempt to expel members.” Other tension stems from criticism of Ms Karamo, who became the chairwoman in February, for not providing more information about fundraising and spending. The Post also reported that she has struggled to raise money and abandoned the party’s longtime headquarters. Ms Karamo had recently removed Matt Johnson, the budget committee chairman, citing “dereliction of duty and several other grievances”. Mr Johnson had said spending was “so far out of proportion with income as to put us on the path to bankruptcy”. The Michigan Republican Party was trounced in the 2022 midterms — Ms Karamo lost a run for secretary of state in November by 14 percentage points to her Democrat rival — and has found itself out of power in the state legislature for the first time in four decades. The Democratic Party also controls the state Senate and Governor Gretchen Whitmer comfortably won reelection by 11 points in November 2022. Continuing internal struggles will likely make it even harder for a Republican candidate to take the state in 2024’s presidential election. Read More Trump attorney who was key to election conspiracies retires from legal practice Forget everything else: These four states will decide the presidency Trump tells Michigan Republicans that EVs will ‘decimate’ state’s auto industry Prosecutors are prepared to hit Trump and his allies with new charges, sources say Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds at Michigan GOP dinner

President Joe Biden said on Sunday that Ukraine is not “ready” to be a part of the Nato alliance, a pronouncement that will likely chill some concerns raised by some members of the alliance ahead of a major summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The US president made the comments at the beginning of an interview with Fareed Zakaria of CNN, and is likely seeking to blunt the enthusiasm of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has insisted that his country should be admitted to the alliance as it passes the 500th day of a Russian assault into its heartland. Mr Zelenskyy has been relentless throughout the course of the war in rallying western support for his cause, including his seeking increasingly powerful shipments of weapons and war vehicles to his country’s military as it battles and pushes back a larger but underperforming Russian force. “I don’t think it’s ready for membership in Nato, but here’s the deal: I spent a great deal of time trying to hold Nato together,” said Mr Biden, adding that he believed Russia’s goal was to “break Nato” as an alliance. More follows... Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Donald Trump made a surprise appearance Saturday evening in Las Vegas, where he attended a UFC match alongside his longtime adviser Roger Stone. Photos posted by Mr Stone and others at the event showed Mr Trump greeting actor Mel Gibson and celebrity chef Guy Fieri. He also got a handshake from one of the fighters, Dricus Du Plessis. Meanwhile, the former president is teasing that he might choose to participate in the 2024 Republican primary debates despite having previously asked why he should bother with such a commanding lead. The former president posted on Truth Social: “Steve Cortes, the Ron DeSanctimonious top political strategist, thinks that Ron should get out NOW, while the getting is still good. He also said … Trump is the best Presidential debater ever, and can’t be beaten at the debate game.” He added: “Well, based on that, maybe I should enter the debates - But, then again, when you have a 40 to 50 point lead over the field, maybe I shouldn’t???” Mr Trump posted other attacks on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Saturday as he headed from Iowa to campaign in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read More Donald Trump high-fives fans at UFC 290 in Las Vegas Trump vows to keep ‘communists and markers’ out of the US in latest gaffe Trump inadvertently reveals he’s never been to a Dairy Queen in viral video: ‘What the hell is a Blizzard?’ Trump investigations into classified documents and efforts to overturn election have cost more than $9m

Voters in Uzbekistan cast their ballots on Sunday in a snap presidential election that is widely expected to extend the incumbent's rule by seven more years. The vote followed a constitutional referendum that extended a presidential term from five to seven years and allowed President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for two more terms in office. In 2021, Mirziyoyev was elected to his second five-year term, the limit allowed by the constitution at the time. A set of constitutional amendments approved in April’s plebiscite allowed him to begin the count of terms anew and run for two more, raising the possibility that he could stay in office until 2037. In May, the 65-year-old Mirziyoyev called for a snap election. He is set to win the vote by a landslide against three token rivals. More than 10,700 polling stations opened in Uzbekistan at 8 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) and were scheduled to close 12 hours later. By 11 a.m., more than 33% of voters have cast their ballots, election officials reported, which is enough to deem the vote valid in accordance with Uzbek laws. Since coming to power in 2016 after the death of longtime dictator Islam Karimov, Mirziyoyev has introduced a slew of political and economic reforms that eased some of the draconian policies of his predecessor, who made Uzbekistan into one of the region’s most repressive countries. At the same time, Uzbekistan has remained strongly authoritarian with no significant opposition. All registered political parties are loyal to Mirziyoyev. In April’s referendum, more than 90% of those who cast ballots voted to approve the amendments extending the presidential term. Similar constitutional amendments in recent years have been adopted in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Like the leaders of other Central Asian nations that have close economic ties with Moscow, Mirziyoyev has engaged in a delicate balancing act after Russian troops swarmed Ukraine, steering clear of backing what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” but not condemning it either. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. ———————————- ONLY ON AP ——————————— TEXAS-MASS-SHOOTING-SHERIFF — Sheriff Greg Capers was the picture of a Texas lawman as he announced the capture of a suspected mass shooter. But his turn in the national spotlight belied years of complaints about corruption and dysfunction previously unknown outside San Jacinto County. An Associated Press investigation led the sheriff’s office to disclose that deputies took nearly four times as long as Capers initially said to arrive at the April 28 mass shooting. Former deputies say Capers’ staff neglects basic police work while pursuing asset seizures. Capers’ second-in-command says the sheriff initially gave his “best guestimation” about the response time and that the accusations against him are lies. SENT: 1,840 words, photos. With TEXAS-MASS-SHOOTING-SHERIFF-TAKEAWAYS — Takeaways from AP’s investigation of a Texas sheriff’s history of alleged corruption and dysfunction (sent). PROVIDENCE-LEFT BEHIND LEAD — Many American cities have been excavating water mains, revealing lead pipes and leaving them there. The work’s disruption of the pipe can also spike lead levels, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. It’s a common practice that some people who study lead poisoning say is immoral. Many cities say they can leave the pipes and use chemical treatment instead. But that isn’t foolproof, and the Biden administration has said it wants all 9.2 million lead pipes in the U.S. replaced. By Michael Phillis. SENT 1,440 words, photos. With CHICAGO-LEFT-BEHIND-LEAD — Here’s why there is still so much lead pipe in Chicago (sent). —————————— TOP STORIES BIDEN-NATO — As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world’s biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations still lags behind longstanding goals. And an inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO’s next leader forced an extension of the current secretary general’s term for an extra year. By Chris Megerian, Lorne Cook and Seung Min Kim. SENT: 1,370 words, photos. BIDEN-BRITAIN — A dash of pomp and a dose of politics are on the agenda during a stopover visit to the U.K. where President Joe Biden will discuss the environment with King Charles III and the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. By Jill Lawless and Danica Kirka. SENT: 910 words, photos. HEAT-ILLNESS-LESSONS-LEARNED — With Earth breaking average heat records, cities are sure to be giving a fresh look at their readiness plans for temperatures that can kill. Dire heat waves in the past have prompted effective efforts by cities to do better at protecting people — especially their most vulnerable. A heat wave in Chicago in 1995 killed more than 700 people. The city responded by developing an emergency plan that includes a massive push to alert people to the coming danger — and connect people with the resources they may need to survive it. Many other cities have adopted similar measures. But experts say the inequality that makes some people more vulnerable to the heat is a problem that persists. By Melina Wallings and Isabella O'Malley. SENT: 1,080 words, photos. This story moved as the Monday spotlight. CALIFORNIA-LEGISLATURE-NEW-SPEAKER — California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has assumed one of the most influential political offices this month. He succeeded Speaker Anthony Rendon after a monthslong bitter fight last year that fractured the caucus. Rendon is still not happy about the power struggle. As speaker, Rivas wields tremendous power, controlling the flow of legislation, selecting committee assignments and negotiating the budget. The new speaker has said little about his specific plans, but emphasized the importance of engaging with his caucus. By Tran Nguyen. SENT: 1,190 words, photos. —————————— MORE NEWS —————————— FLORIDA KEYS-UNDERWATER MUSIC — Underwater music show in the Florida Keys promotes awareness of coral reef protection. SENT: 220 words, photos. CARGO-SHIP-FATAL-FIRE — Fire crews have continued to battle flames that have smoldered inside a cargo ship docked at the East Coast’s biggest port, days after the blaze claimed the lives of two New Jersey firefighters and injured five others. SENT: 610 words, photos. NEW-YORK-CITY-SCOOTER-SHOOTING — A scooter-riding gunman killed an 87-year-old man and wounded three others in a string of random shootings that stretched across two New York City boroughs, police say. SENT: 400 words, photos. OBIT-PETER-NERO — Peter Nero, a Grammy-winning pianist who interpreted pop songs through classical and jazz forms and served as the Philly Pops’ conductor for more than three decades, has died. Nero was 89. SENT: 640 words, photos. BBA-BLUE-JAYS-TIGERS — Three Detroit Tigers pitchers combined to no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays in a 2-0 win. It was the first combined no-hitter in Tigers history. SENT: 780 words, photos. ———————————————————- WASHINGTON/ POLITICS ———————————————————- ELECTION 2024-IOWA CAUCUSES — Iowa Republicans have scheduled the party’s presidential nominating caucuses for Jan. 15, 2024, putting the first votes of the next election a little more than six months away. The Iowa Republican Party’s state central committee voted unanimously Saturday to hold the leadoff contests on the third Monday in January — on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday. SENT: 525 words, photo. —————————— NATIONAL —————————— MASS-WEDDINGS-LINCOLN-CENTER — New York’s Lincoln Center is accustomed to hosting grand events, but Saturday’s was far from routine. There were bouquets everywhere. And there were 700 couples, all ready to exchange their vows in a mass wedding. Some were exchanging vows for the first time, while others came to renew their vows. It was just the second year for what could become an annual event. Last year, more than 500 couples took part. SENT: 710 words, photos. ————————————— INTERNATIONAL ————————————— SOUTH-KOREA-JAPAN-NUCLEAR — South Korean opposition lawmakers have sharply criticized the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for its approval of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. SENT: 770 words, photos. UZBEKISTAN-ELECTION — Uzbekistan is holding a snap presidential election Sunday, a vote that follows a constitutional referendum that extended the incumbent’s term from five to seven years. SENT: 400 words, photo. ISRAEL-POLITICS — Israel’s anti-government protest movement gained new momentum as tens of thousands of people spilled into the streets of cities across the country to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system. SENT: 470 words, photos. CHINA-EXTREME-WEATHER — Nine people are missing in central China after a landslide sparked by heavy rains amid flooding and searing temperatures across much of the country, authorities say. SENT: 380 words, photo. MEXICO-JOURNALIST-KILLED — The Mexican national newspaper La Jornada has said that its staff reporter in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit has been found dead. SENT: 360 words. BRAZIL-BUILDING-COLLAPSE — An apartment building condemned for more than a decade but used by homeless people collapsed in Brazil’s northeastern state of Pernambuco, killing 14 people, including six children, firefighters report. SENT: 280 words. —————————————— ENTERTAINMENT —————————————— Y2K-FASHION-REVIVAL — First came the supposed death of skinny jeans. Then, the resurgence of cargo pants, halter tops and baby tees. If there’s one thing retailers can agree on, it’s that Gen Z is hot for the early 2000s fashion trends now booming in popularity. SENT: 950 words, photo. ———————— SPORTS ——————— BKC-WEST-VIRGINA-HUGGINS — Bob Huggins says he never resigned as West Virginia’s basketball coach following a drunken-driving arrest and wants his job back, according to a letter from his attorney to the university. SENT: 520 words, photos. ——————————————- HOW TO REACH US ——————————————- At The Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine and the environment will top the agenda when Biden meets UK politicians and royalty NATO's unity will be tested at summit in Vilnius South Korean lawmakers berate IAEA chief over Japanese plans to release treated Fukushima wastewater

Donald Trump fumbled his words while speaking at his largest campaign event in Iowa on Friday. The former president appeared in Council Bluffs in the western part of the state that hosts the first caucus in approximately just over five months. Speaking about immigration, Mr Trump was relaying a campaign promise to deny entry to leftist ideologues when he accidentally referred to them as “communists and markers” rather than Marxists. Stumbling somewhat in his hurry to get to his next point — what can be done about those leftists already in the country — he then named a series of prominent elected Democrats with whom he has frequently sparred. Seeming to regain his rhythm, the former president then returned to his original point about immigration by saying he would “deny them access to our cunny”. Mr Trump has also said he would end birthright citizenship to those in the US illegally, as well as take a much harsher stance toward the southern border. Both the former and current presidents are of advanced age — Mr Trump is 77 and President Joe Biden is 80 — and such errors and flubs in speeches are common on the campaign trail and in office. Among his previous gaffes, Mr Trump once referred to Tim Cook, head of Apple, as Tim Apple; appeared to encourage people to treat Covid by injecting themselves with bleach; and asked that someone look at the “oranges” of the investigation into Russian collusion. For his part, some of Mr Biden’s slips of the tongue can be attributed to his struggle with a stutter, but he has forgotten words and names, referred to the war in Ukraine as the war in Iraq twice in 24 hours, and closed out recent remarks by curiously saying: “God Save the Queen.” Mr Trump often appears to let his temper and enthusiasm get the better of him in front of an audience, jumping from topic to topic when giving even prepared remarks while hurling out insults at his political rivals. Elsewhere in his speech on Friday, the former president also attacked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as an enemy of corn-based ethanol. He criticised his top 2024 Republican presidential rival for voting as a member of Congress to oppose the federal mandate for the fuel additive that Iowa leads the nation in producing. Mr Trump declared himself “the most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” at the event, which was aimed at promoting his administration’s agricultural record and touting his oversight of clawbacks of regulations on farmers. “I fought for Iowa ethanol like no president in history,” he said. On a rainy Friday, Trump spoke to more than 1,000 Iowans and Nebraskans packed into the event hall inside Mid-America Center, with hundreds more huddled under umbrellas in line outside the arena. As a congressman from Florida, Mr DeSantis co-sponsored a bill in 2017 that would have immediately ended the renewable fuel standard, a position consistent with fiscal conservatives who see such mandates as government overreach. “Iowa also needs to know that Ron DeSanctus totally despises Iowa ethanol and ethanol generally,” Trump said, intentionally mispronouncing his rival’s name as he routinely does. “He’s been fighting it for years. Don’t forget, as a congressman he was voting against it, and fighting for years to kill every single job.” DeSantis’ campaign described the attack as a distortion. “As president, Governor Ron DeSantis will be a champion for farmers and use every tool available to open new markets,” campaign press secretary Bryan Griffin said in an emailed statement. With reporting by the Associated Press Read More Trump inadvertently reveals he’s never been to a Dairy Queen in viral video: ‘What the hell is a Blizzard?’ Ethics board recommends Rudy Giuliani be disbarred for ‘destructive’ attempts to undermine 2020 results Chris Christie says Trump took secret documents so he could keep pretending he was president White House attempts to explain Biden’s ‘God save the Queen’ remark Trump appears to wield infamous Sharpie to sign bond document at arraignment Tennessee can enforce ban on transgender care for minors, court says Trump investigations into classified papers and 2020 election have cost more than $9m Trump makes awkward ‘markers’ gaffe at farmers campaign event – latest

Uzbekistan holds a snap presidential election on Sunday, a vote that follows a constitutional referendum that extended the incumbent's term from five to seven years. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was elected in 2021 to a second five-year term, the limit allowed by the constitution. But the amendments approved in April's plebiscite allowed him to begin the count of terms anew and run for two more, raising the possibility that he could stay in office until 2037. The 65-year-old Mirziyoyev is set to win the vote by landslide against three token rivals. “The political landscape has remained unchanged, and none of the parliamentary political parties stand in open opposition to the president’s policies and agenda,” the elections observer arm of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in a pre-voting report. Since coming to power in 2016 after the death of longtime dictatorial leader Islam Karimov, Mirziyoyev has introduced a slew of political and economic reforms that eased some of the draconian policies of his predecessor, who made Uzbekistan into one of the region's most repressive countries. Under Mirziyoyev, freedom of speech has been expanded compared with the total suppression of dissent during the Karimov era, and some independent news media and bloggers have appeared. He also relaxed the tight controls on Islam in the predominantly Muslim country that Karimov imposed to counter dissident views. At the same time, Uzbekistan has remained strongly authoritarian with no significant opposition. All registered political parties are loyal to Mirziyoyev. In April’s referendum, more than 90% of those who cast ballots voted to approve the amendments extending the presidential term. As part of his reforms, Mirziyoyev has abolished state regulation of cotton production and sales, ending decades of forced labor in the country’s cotton industries, a major source of export revenues. Under Karimov, more than 2 million Uzbeks were forced to work in the annual cotton harvest. Mirziyoyev has also lifted controls on hard currency, encouraging investment from abroad, and he moved to improve relations with the West that soured under Karimov. He has maintained close ties with Russia and signed a number of key agreements with China, which became Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Like the leaders of other ex-Soviet Central Asian nations that have close economic ties with Moscow, Mirziyoyev has engaged in a delicate balancing act after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, steering clear of backing the Russian action but not condemning it either. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigations of President Donald Trump's retention of classified records and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election have cost more than $9m over the first several months, according to documents released Friday. The special counsel's office spent more than $5.4m on things like employees' salaries, travel and transportation, rent, supplies and materials from Mr Smith’s appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 through the end of March, Justice Department statement of expenditures show. Justice Department agencies spent another $3.8m to support the special counsel. Those expenses include the cost of the protective details for the special counsel's office as well as hours worked by agents and analysts on the probes. Mr Trump was indicted last month on 37 felony counts alleging he illegally kept classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and refused government demands to give them back. Mr Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta — who was charged alongside the former president — have both pleaded not guilty. Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing and slammed the prosecution as an attempt to hurt his bid to reclaim the White House in 2024. Mr Smith has also been digging into efforts by Mr Trump and his allies to undo President Joe Biden's election victory. Since Mr Smith’s appointment, he has cast a broad net in demanding interviews and testimony related to fundraising,Mr Trump’s rally that preceded the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021, and communications between Trump associates and election officials in battleground states. In December, Mr Smith subpoenaed local election officials in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona and Pennsylvania, asking for communications with or involving Mr Trump, his 2020 campaign aides and a list of allies who were involved in his efforts to try to overturn the results of the election. Read More Trump news - live: Trump attacks DeSantis and makes awkward ‘markers’ gaffe at farmers campaign event More bad news for Trump as judge rules his son can be subpoenaed in Trump Organization case Chris Christie says Trump took secret documents so he could keep pretending he was president

Six people were charged Friday in an alleged scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars in public funds to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign months before his election. The indictment announced by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg does not implicate Mr Adams or any other city employees. Rather, it describes a straw donor scheme orchestrated by individuals with business before the city who hoped to maximize their donations to the future mayor in exchange for political favors. “We allege a deliberate scheme to game the system in a blatant attempt to gain power,” Mr Bragg said in a statement. “The New York City Campaign Finance Board program is meant to support our democracy and amplify the voices of New York City voters. When the integrity of that program is corrupted, all New Yorkers suffer.” Prosecutors said the scheme was led by Dwayne Montgomery, a former NYPD inspector currently listed as the director of integrity for the Teamsters Local 237, which represents municipal workers. According to the indictment, Mr Montgomery recruited friends and relatives to take advantage of the city’s generous matching funds system, which provides an eight-to-one match for the first $250 donated by a city resident. In addition to Mr Montgomery, the indictment names as defendants Shamsuddin Riza, Millicent Redick, Ronald Peek, Yahya Mushtaq, and Shahid Mushtaq. According to prosecutors, between 2020 and 2021, those who made donations in their own name were reimbursed by Mr Montgomery, who provided more than $40,000 of his money. He worked with a string of co-defendants to help recruit donors, including Mr Riza, who indicated he was hoping to secure work from the city. “FYI ! This is the one I want , Safety , Drywall , and Security one project but we all can eat,” Mr Riza wrote in a July 2021 email to Mr Montgomery, sending along the information for a construction project called Vital Brooklyn, prosecutors allege. Mr Montgomery also worked alongside a campaign representative to organize a virtual fundraiser for Mr Adams in August, 2020, prosecutors contend. The representative is not named in the indictment. None of the defendants could immediately be reached for comment. Mr Adams' campaign released a statement denying any involvement in the alleged scheme. “There is no indication that the campaign or the mayor is involved in this case or under investigation,” a spokesperson for Mr Adams’ campaign, Evan Thies, said in a statement. “The campaign always held itself to the highest standards and we would never tolerate these actions.” The defendants each face charges of conspiracy, attempted grand larceny, and offering a false instrument. Read More NYC Mayor Eric Adams accused of doctoring photo of police officer friend killed in the line of duty Ex-NYC mayor Bill de Blasio and wife are separating – but will still live with each other New York City's Rikers Island, facing possible federal takeover, found violating safety standards NYC mayor accused of doctoring photo of murdered police officer friend Ex-NYC mayor Bill de Blasio and wife are separating – but will still live together

The Scottish government has proposed decriminalizing possession of all drugs for personal use to tackle one of Europe’s highest overdose death rates. The suggestion was almost instantly blocked by the Conservative U.K. government in London, which said it had “no plans” to soften drug laws. The semi-autonomous Edinburgh government, led by the pro-independence Scottish National Party, said Friday that removing criminal penalties for drug possession would “allow for the provision of safe, evidence-based harm reduction services.” Scotland’s death rate from drug overdoses is three times the rate in the U.K. as a whole and the highest in Western Europe. Last year there were almost 1,100 drug-related deaths in Scotland, which has a population of 5.5 million, according to government figures. “The war on drugs has failed,” Scottish drugs minister Elena Whitham said at a news conference alongside former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and ex-Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, both advocates of drug law reform. “Our current drug law does not stop people from using drugs, it does not stop people from experiencing the harm associated and, critically, it does not stop people from dying,” Whitham said. The Scottish government said decriminalization would free “individuals from the fear of accessing treatment and support, reducing drug-related harms and, ultimately, improving lives.” It cited the example of Portugal, which ditched criminal penalties for drug possession more than two decades ago and focused on treatment. Whitham said the government also wanted to change the law so it could create supervised drug consumption rooms and would consider introducing the regulated supply of drugs. She said the crisis would worsen without radical change. She said Scotland was “facing down the barrel of a storm in terms of synthetic opioids and new and novel street benzodiazepines that are heading to our shores.” “If we are not prepared for that arriving here, with 21st century drug laws in place, I’m terrified as to what that could look like," she said. But Russell Findlay, justice spokesman for the Scottish Conservative Party, said “essentially legalizing heroin, crack and other class-A drugs” would not solve Scotland’s drug deaths problem. Scotland already allows people caught with illegal drugs to be given a police warning rather than being prosecuted, but decriminalizing drugs would require support from the U.K. government. Max Blain, spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said that was not going to happen. “There are no plans to alter our tough stance on drugs,” he said. The Scottish government has often taken more liberal positions on social issues than the Conservative administration in London. Last year a law passed by the Scottish parliament that would make it easier for people to officially change gender was blocked by Sunak’s government. The governing SNP uses such disagreements to bolster its argument that Scotland would be better off leaving the United Kingdom and becoming an independent country.

The US on Friday announced it had completed the more than three-decade process of destroying its chemical weapons stockpiles. “Today—as we mark this significant milestone—we must also renew our commitment to forging a future free from chemical weapons,” Joe Biden said in a statement. “I continue to encourage the remaining nations to join the Chemical Weapons Convention so that the global ban on chemical weapons can reach its fullest potential,” he added. “Russia and Syria should return to compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention and admit their undeclared programs, which have been used to commit brazen atrocities and attacks.” The US and Soviet Union agreed in 1989 in principle to destroy their stores of the deadly weapons, condemned following their widespread use in wartime atrocities in conflicts like World War I. Later, in 1997, the US Senate ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention. The US chemical weapons stock included cluster bombs and land mines with verve agent, mustard gas artillery shells, and poison that could be sprayed via jet, according to the New York Times. The effort to destroy the weapons was decades behind schedule and cost an estimated $42bn, according to the paper. “Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said in a statement, the AP reports. “Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil. The news of the destruction of the stockpile comes as the US offloaded some of its other controversial weapons to Ukraine. The US will be sending cluster munitions to the country as part of a $800m aid package to help its beleagured armed forces fend off the Russia invastion. More than 120 countries, including numerous US allies in Europe, have joined a convention banning the use of such rounds, because they can cause a high number of civilian casualties. Read More U.S. destroys last of its declared chemical weapons, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell says Global chemical weapons watchdog says it found no evidence to back Syrian claim of 2017 gas attack US will provide Ukraine with cluster munitions, White House says The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary