
Thousands rally, block highways as final vote on Israeli judicial bill looms
By Dan Williams TEL AVIV (Reuters) -Israeli protesters blocked highways and briefly mobbed the stock exchange on a "Day of
2023-07-18 17:28

Foxconn Founder Gou Urges Taiwan to Restart Talks With China
Foxconn Technology Group founder Terry Gou called for Taiwan and China to resume direct talks, while also criticizing
2023-07-18 16:51

China’s New Consumption Plan May Do Little to Boost Growth
China released a plan to boost household spending on everything from electric appliances to furniture as economic growth
2023-07-18 15:25

Ukraine Recap: Drone Attacks Reported Over South Ukraine, Crimea
Massive drone attacks were reported in southern Ukraine and over Russian-occupied Crimea hours after President Vladimir Putin vowed
2023-07-18 14:45

ECB’s Doubts on Taxing Russian Assets Are Misplaced, Latvia Says
Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins pushed back against the European Central Bank’s warning that taxing profits from sanctioned
2023-07-18 14:25

Pentagon leak suspect uses Trump classified documents case to argue for release
The Pentagon leak suspect has contested a judge’s ruling for his continued detention and used Donald Trump’s classified documents case to argue for his release. Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira, who is alleged to have leaked secret military papers, told the judge on Monday of the contrasting treatment received by him and Mr Trump. He pointed to the pretrial release of the former president and other individuals facing charges in similarly high-profile cases involving classified documents. In May, a magistrate judge ruled that 21-year-old Mr Teixeira must stay in custody throughout the duration of the case, as there was a concern that releasing him could lead to a potential flight from the country or obstruction of justice. Mr Teixeira’s legal team is currently seeking to challenge this decision by requesting a different judge to overturn the ruling. The attorneys for Mr Teixeira argue that the government “greatly over exaggerates” his “risk to national security”. Mr Teixeira’s lawyers pointed out a notable inconsistency in the treatment of their client compared to the former president and his co-defendant, Walt Nauta. They highlighted that the prosecutors did not pursue detention for Mr Trump or Mr Nauta, despite both individuals having significant resources and “extraordinary means to flee the United States”. This discrepancy raises questions about the fairness and equal application of the law in their client’s case, the attorneys argued. “Former president Trump and the Trump Organization own properties in multiple foreign countries, and former president Trump has access to a private plane. Yet, the risk of flight posed by their knowledge of national security information, and their abnormal ability to flee, didn’t even result in a request that either surrender their passport,” Mr Teixeira’s lawyers wrote. “The government’s disparate approach to pretrial release in these cases demonstrates that its argument for Mr Teixeira’s pretrial detention based on knowledge he allegedly retains is illusory,” Mr Teixeira’s lawyers wrote. Mr Teixeira faces accusations of sharing classified military documents pertaining to Russia’s war in Ukraine and other sensitive national security subjects on Discord, a social media platform widely used by individuals engaged in online gaming. Last month, Mr Teixeira entered a plea of not guilty to six counts of wilful retention and transmission of national defence information. If convicted on each count, he could face a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison for each offence. Read More After secret documents leak, Pentagon plans tighter controls to protect classified information Pentagon documents leak suspect Guardsman Jack Teixeira is due back in court on federal charges National Guardsman Jack Teixeira indicted for sharing classified defence documents on Discord Citing Trump case, Pentagon leak suspect Teixeira urges judge to release him while he awaits trial House Republicans propose planting a trillion trees as they move away from climate change denial Trump loses bid to throw out Georgia election interference case – live
2023-07-18 12:20

Marcos Signs Philippines’ Wealth Fund Bill Into Law
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday signed into law a bill creating a sovereign wealth fund, marking
2023-07-18 10:50

Kemp rules out 2024 presidential bid and calls on GOP candidates to stop talking about 2020
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp ruled out running for president in 2024 and warned Republicans -- including frontrunner Donald Trump -- that they can't win Georgia if they continue to spout false claims about election fraud from 2020.
2023-07-18 09:21

Georgia Supreme Court tosses Trump attempt to challenge 2020 election investigation over vote call
Georgia’s Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an attempt from Donald Trump to shut down key parts of a probe from state officials investigating him for potential interference in the 2020 election. The high court found in a unanimous ruling that the former president hadn’t shown the kind of “extraordinary circumstances” that would require the Georgia Supreme Court to intervene in the case and toss out key portions of evidence. “(Trump) has not shown that this case presents one of those extremely rare circumstances in which this Court’s original jurisdiction should be invoked, and therefore, the petition is dismissed,” the ruling states. The judges also were not persuaded by Mr Trump’s arguments that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should be removed from the case. On 11 July, a new set of grand jurors were sworn in for the long-running investigation who could potentially be the ones to approve an indictment against the former president. Since February 2021, officials in Fulton County have been investigating the conduct of Mr Trump and his allies in the state during the hotly contested 2020 election, where Joe Biden narrowly carried the state. The investigation has focused on an infamous 2 January, 2021, call Mr Trump placed to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, urging the top official to “find” enough votes for him to overturn his defeat in the state, but has expanded to cover a wide-ranging influence campaign Mr Trump and his allies exerted in Georgia. Another key area of focus is a December 2020 plot, allegedly directed by Trump campaign officials and potentially the former president himself, to organize a slate of unauthorised Republican electors to cast the state’s Electoral College votes, rather than the Democratic slate Georgia voters had selected. The group of false electors included the chair of the Georgia GOP and Republican members of the state legislature. They’ve defended their efforts as a back-up in case the original election results were tossed out in court. Mr Trump has denied wrongdoing. Ms Willis has suggested a decision on charges against Mr Trump could come as soon as August. Charges in Georgia would join the other unprecedented sanctions against the former president, including felony charges in New York for a hush money scheme involving a porn star and federal charges against Mr Trump for his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Read More Trump news – live: Manchin run could help Trump as ex-president eyes two of his GOP 2024 rivals for VP Citing Trump case, Pentagon leak suspect Teixeira urges judge to release him while he awaits trial Senior ex-intelligence official warns second Trump term could fatally destabilise US, new book says Georgia's top court rejects Trump attempt to thwart prosecutor in 2020 election investigation 9th Circuit denies bid by environmentalists and tribes to block Nevada lithium mine Trump praises judge overseeing classified documents case: ‘She loves our country’
2023-07-18 08:58

Manchin refuses to rule out third party presidential campaign, says 'if I get in a race, I'm going to win'
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin on Monday defended his flirtation with a third-party presidential campaign, telling voters at a No Labels forum at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire that he had no plans to play "spoiler" in the 2024 election.
2023-07-18 07:51

RFK Jr's conspiracy theories and Republican supporters
Robert F Kennedy Jr is under fire over comments suggesting Covid-19 was "ethnically targeted".
2023-07-18 06:50

Husband of ‘pink beret’ rioter arrested over January 6 Capitol riot
The husband of the viral “pink beret” protester at the Capitol riot has been identified and arrested. Spencer Geller was photographed wearing a red Maga hat and a puffy black coat and carrying a big blue flag on 6 January alongside the “pink beret” rioter, according to an FBI affidavit. Mr Geller “can be seen pushing bike racks into a line of officers during the time of the initial breach on the West side of the U.S. Capitol,” the affidavit said. After the breach, the affidavit continued, he can be seen “at various other points within the restricted area” at the Capitol building, accompanied by photographs of his movements. “He was one of the first individuals to arrive at the West Plaza,” the FBI wrote. Mr Geller was previously referred to as #CaliGreat. The “pink beret” rioter was previously identified as Jennifer Vargas Geller. Photos of her went viral after the FBI tweeted them out asking for tips in April. Mrs Geller’s ex reported her to the FBI in a complaint in May, the document said, and she was charged with multiple counts. The affidavit also said that the tipster believed that the two are now married and may have been travelling to Japan. Mr Geller also faces multiple counts, according to the affidavit, which was dated 13 July. Read More Capitol riot suspect arrested near Barack Obama's home indicted on firearms charges Special counsel issues criminal warning to Trump Organization employee over alleged obstruction, report says FBI director shoots down ‘ludicrous’ January 6 conspiracy theory
2023-07-18 06:49