List of All Articles with Tag 'person'

By Leah Douglas WASHINGTON U.S. lawmakers from both parties are pushing legislation that would limit who can own

Former Made In Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo attempted to praise David Cameron on social media and it went as well as you might expect. Toffolo, who is also known by the name “Toff”, rose to fame as a reality star and became friends with Stanley Johnson, father of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during an appearance on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. But, in a recent tweet, Toff found receiving pushback after sharing her praise for another former Tory PM, Cameron. She shared a picture of Cameron addressing a room full of people and wrote: “I can confirm that David Cameron has still got it.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter It didn’t take long for many people to point out some of Cameron’s decisions made as a leader that they believe had a devastating effect on the country. Political commentator, Supertanskiii, wrote: “By ‘it’ you presumably mean the sheer audacity to show his face in public after absolutely destroying Britain with austerity and Brexit?” In a similar vein, Dom Joly, asked: “By ‘it’ I presume you mean eternal shame for panicking about empty threats from Farage and enabling Brexit, sending us into an economic death spiral?” Someone else joked: “Don’t get too close or your might catch it…” “Hope he keeps it to himself then !!!” another commented. One Twitter user asked: “The ability to f*** everything up and then walk away like it wasn't his fault? Is that 'it'?” Cameron famously called for the 2016 EU referendum that paved the way for Brexit, which many believe has been negative for the country and its economy. 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.

Nigeriens awoke to a divided country after mutinous soldiers claimed to have ousted the president

The moment Sinead O'Connor ripped up a photo of the Pope has resurfaced as the singer has died. The Grammy-winning singer who shot to international stardom in 1990 with the hit ballad 'Nothing Compares 2 U', and released 10 studio albums between 1987 and 2014 has died aged 56, her family confirmed. As well as being famous for her music, she also was known for some controversial moments. O'Connor was performing on Saturday Night Live on October 1992 when she ripped up the photo of the head of the Catholic church. The then 26-year-old singer performed an a cappella rendition of Bob Marley’s 'War' to bring attention to the issue of child abuse. As she finished singing, the singer held up a picture of Pope John Paul II and tore it to pieces in front of the camera. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter She then blew out the candles on stage and walked off. The stunt was reportedly to protest the issue of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, long before such allegations were widely reported. The network received complaints after the stunt and O'Connor also received death threat, boos, and had to cancel lots of gigs. Remembering the incident in her 2021 autobiography, Rememberings, she wrote: "'When I walk backstage, literally not a human being is in sight. "All doors have closed. Everyone has vanished. Including my own manager, who locks himself in his room for three days and unplugs his phone." And in 2010, when Pope Benedict XVI apologized to Ireland to atone for decades of abuse, O'Connor condemned the apology for not going far enough and called for Catholics to boycott Mass until there was a full investigation into the Vatican's role. Announcing the singer's death in a statement yesterday, O'Connor's family said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. "Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time." They did not report the cause of her death. 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.

Moldova has expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff members in Chisinau, citing Moscow’s "unfriendly actions" amid further deteriorating relations over the war in neighbouring Ukraine. “We agreed on the need to limit the number of accredited diplomats from Russia, so that there are fewer people trying to destabilise the Republic of Moldova,” foreign minister Nicu Popescu said at a cabinet meeting. The foreign ministry said the decision was based on "numerous unfriendly actions" towards Moldova, "which are not related to the diplomatic mandate, as well as attempts to destabilise" the country. Russia has been given the 15 August deadline to cut its embassy staff to 25 from the strength of 80 currently. “For many years we have been the object of hostile Russian actions and policies. Many of them were made through the embassy,” Mr Popescu said. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said the move was just another step towards “bilateral relations", and said the "unjustified and unfriendly actions ... will not go unanswered". The Kremlin said Moldova’s decision is regretted while accusing its accused leadership of encouraging “Russophobia”. “Unfortunately, ChiÈ™inău is deliberately driving our relations into a very miserable state,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Once part of the Soviet Union, the relations between Russia and Moldova reached a new low after president Maia Sandu opposed Russia for invading Ukraine and accused Russian leadership of hatching a plan to overthrow her government. The latest move comes just days after two local media outlets published an investigative report accusing the Russian embassy in the capital of spying with their dozens of satellite dishes and antennas installed in the building. The joint investigation was published by the Russian investigative media site Insider and Moldova’s Jurnal TV channel. It said that 28 antennas installed on the roof of the embassy and an adjacent building could have been used for spying activities. Russia denied the claims as “a fantasy which has nothing to do with reality”. It prompted Moldova to summon Russia’s ambassador to the country. Moldova‘s government spokesman, Daniel Voda, said: "In circumstances where employees are not involved in promoting bilateral relations, it becomes obvious that their diplomatic and administrative-technical representation is excessive.” Moldova shares its borders with both Romania and Ukraine. It is one of the poorest European countries which has been heavily impacted by the war in Ukraine. It has accused Russia of backing separatist groups which control Transnistria, a breakaway territory in Moldova witnessing conflict since 1990s. The invasion has put a strain on its resources and services as several Ukrainian refugees arrived in the country to escape the fighting. Read More Russia-Ukraine war – live: Kyiv gains around Bakhmut as Putin’s forces fire missiles at Odesa port Paris 2024 Olympics will be bold, original and sustainable – but it might not deliver world peace North Korea’s Kim Jong-un shows Russia’s defence minister banned ballistic missiles The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Mitch McConnell froze and briefly appeared to be unable to continue speaking during a Senate Republican press conference. He was led away by colleagues and returned not much later, stating that he was “fine”. This is not the first time that the 81-year-old has had a health scare. The scene occurred on Wednesday as Republicans held their last weekly press briefing before the August recess, and discussed remaining business including the chamber’s effort to pass a defence spending bill before the holiday begins. Mr McConnell was seen freezing at the podium for several seconds before a number of senators, including Joni Ernst of Iowa, approached him and encouraged him to step away. He did so, only to come back a few minutes later. He refused to elaborate on what had just occurred. “Can you address what happened here at the start of the press conference? Was it related to your injury from earlier this year when you suffered a concussion?” asked CNN’s Manu Raju. “I’m fine,” responded the senator. “You’re fine? You’re fully able to do your job?” Raju asked in response, to which the minority leader replied: “Yeah.” Mr McConnell entered the Senate in 1985 and has been the top Republican since 2007. Mr McConnell’s freezing at the press conference is likely to be looked at with scrutiny given the renewed interest in the issues presented by the increasingly advanced ages of many of the members of the upper chamber of Congress. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, in particular, has been the subject of intense criticism on the matter as many have argued that the 90-year-old, who has sometimes appeared confused in interactions with reporters and staff, is no longer up to serving. This is a rundown of Mr McConnell’s previous health issues: Childhood polio He continues to walk with a limp, a residual issue caused by his battle with polio at a young age. When Mr McConnell was two years old in 1944, his upper left leg was paralyzed by polio and he was treated at the Warm Springs Institute in Georgia established by Democratic World War II President Franklin Delano Roosevelt for his own struggle with the same disease. “When I was a child and my dad was in World War II, I got polio. I recovered, but my family almost went broke,” Mr McConnell said in a 1990 re-election ad. “Today, too many families can’t get decent, affordable health care. That’s why I’ve introduced a bill to make sure healthcare is available to all Kentucky families, hold down skyrocketing costs, and provide long-term care.” Since that ad, Mr McConnell has been criticized by his political opponents for working against affordable healthcare. In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic was underway, Mr McConnell told the AP that it reminded him of having polio as a child. “Why does this current pandemic remind me of that? I think number one is the fear,” he said. “And the uncertainty you have when there’s no pathway forward on either treatment or a vaccine and that was the situation largely in polio before 1954.” At the time of the AP interview, only 16,000 people in the US had died of Covid-19. As of today, more than 1.1 million have died in the US as a result of the pandemic, according to the WHO. “There’s hope that we’re going to get on top of this disease within a year, year and a half,” Mr McConnell told the AP in 2020. Speaking about his childhood polio, Mr McConnell grew emotional as he said he was “lucky” to have a mother “who was determined to see me walk again”. “Tenacity, hard work and not giving up – my mother instilled all that in me before I was four years old and I think it’s been a guiding principle in how I lead my life,” he added. Asked how his mother could afford his polio treatment, Mr Connell told the AP: “Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that.” He recalled the relief at the arrival of the polio vaccine. “I’ve had a normal life, but I’ve been acutely aware of the disease that I had and the relief that the country had when they found the vaccine,” he said in 2020, months ahead of the Covid-19 vaccine’s arrival. “We’re going to get that relief.” Triple heart bypass surgery Mr McConnell had a triple heart bypass surgery in February 2003 in connection to blocked arteries. The procedure was conducted at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside Washington, DC. A fall that caused a concussion The 81-year-old Mr McConnell returned to the Senate in March of this year after suffering a fall that caused a concussion. “Leader McConnell tripped at a dinner event,” communications director David Popp said at the time, adding that Mr McConnell would be in hospital for “a few days of observation and treatment”. The event was at the Waldorf Astoria DC – previously the Trump International Hotel from 2012 to 2022. One of the colleagues at Mr McConnell’s side guiding him away after he froze on Wednesday, Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, a physician by training, said at the time that he expected that Mr McConnell would make a full recovery. Mr McConnell also fell at his home in Louisville, Kentucky in August 2019, suffering a shoulder fracture. Read More Mitch McConnell leaves press conference abruptly after appearing unable to speak Kevin McCarthy denies he made any deal with Trump to try to expunge his impeachments Kentucky attorney general can’t explain why he hasn’t used key to his office in three years Mitch McConnell recently ‘fell in airport and was using wheelchair’ before blackout Trump wants to see Biden impeached, and other Republicans are quick to pile on Mitch McConnell’s health history reveals previous issues after briefing freeze

The world's first atomic bomb was detonated at the well-known Los Alamos test site in New Mexico in July 1945

Sinead O’Connor's son Shane took his life in January 2022 after escaping from the hospital where he was on suicide watch

Travis Kelce candidly expressed feeling hurt after failing to give Taylor Swift a personalized bracelet during her Arrowhead Stadium concert

Donald Trump is said to be preparing for the federal grand jury to potentially vote to indict him on charges over the January 6 Capitol riot and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election today. Sources told NBC News that the former president’s legal and political teams are getting ready for the possibility that the vote will take place on Thursday – and that Mr Trump will be hit with his third criminal indictment. Last week, Mr Trump said he had received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office saying he is the target of a grand jury investigation. Former New York City Police Department commissioner Bernie Kerik, a Rudy Giuliani ally, has since agreed to turn over hundreds of documents to the DOJ as part of its probe, court documents reveal. Ahead of the potential looming indictment, Mr Trump has gone on the attack against his political rivals and Mr Smith, and also posted a video begging Congress to help save him from his escalating legal troubles. This comes as Melania Trump is reportedly distancing herself from her husband’s 2024 campaign, rejecting multiple requests to join him at campaign stops. Read More What Donald Trump’s trial date means for the 2024 election Trump demands cameras in courtroom for potential election fraud case Trump legal team tries again to block Georgia election interference grand jury probe Is Donald Trump a legal unicorn?

Ukrainian troops are inching closer to the eastern city of Bakhmut, the scene for some of the fiercest fighting in the continuing invasion, officials in Kyiv have said. Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar said fierce fighting raged near the villages of Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka and Andriivka on the southern flank of Bakhmut, a small city reduced to ruins in a bloody, months-long battle that gave Russian forces control of the area for now. Despite steady Western military aid, Ukrainian military officials have said Russia still has an advantage in artillery, tanks and manpower. But Volodymyr Zelensky’s military is about to receive a consignment of 1,700 strike and reconnaissance drones to help with its counteroffensive. It comes as Russian forces struck port infrastructure in Ukraine‘s Odesa region in an overnight missile attack, killing a security guard and damaging a cargo terminal, the region’s governor said on Thursday. Odesa’s ports have been regular targets for Russian attacks since Moscow withdrew on July 17 from a U.N.-brokered deal that allowed Ukrainian grain to be exported via the Black Sea. Read More Angry Russia refuses to speak at UN meeting on its attacks on Ukraine's key port city of Odesa. Putin’s forces pushed back around Bakhmut as Ukraine’s troops press on with counteroffensive Wrongfully detained in Russia and injured fighting in Ukraine. Everything we know about Trevor Reed Russian fighter jet strikes another American drone over Syria in the sixth incident this month

By Boureima Balima and Moussa Aksar NIAMEY (Reuters) -Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum took to social media on Thursday with a