
Close to half of Americans favor TikTok ban -Reuters/Ipsos poll
By Michael Martina and David Shepardson WASHINGTON Close to half of American adults support a ban on the
2023-08-17 04:29

Campaign fundraiser for George Santos is indicted for impersonating high-ranking aide to House Speaker McCarthy
A campaign fundraiser for indicted US Rep. George Santos has been charged for allegedly impersonating a high-ranking congressional aide to solicit contributions for the New York Republican's campaign in 2021, according to court documents.
2023-08-17 04:29

Abortion drug case likely headed to Supreme Court after Republican-appointed judges agree to restrict access
A high-stakes lawsuit over the future of a widely used abortion drug is likely heading to the US Supreme Court, set to determine the fate of abortion rights access across the country for a second time within two years. Three Republican-appointed judges on a federal appeals court have determined that the federal government did not follow proper procedures when it amended regulations for a commonly used medication abortion drug in 2016. But the restrictions will not immediately take effect. The panel partially upheld a ruling from a Donald Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas, whose sweeping decision earlier this year threatened to strip access to the drug altogether. Nothing in the ruling from a three-judge panel on 16 August will go into effect until the nation’s highest court weighs in. Wednesday’s ruling argues that the US Food and Drug Administration unlawfully expanded access to mifepristone, which was first approved by the federal government more than 20 years ago. Mifepristone was first approved by the FDA in 2000 and is approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. A vast majority of abortions occur within the first nine weeks of pregnancy. From 2019 through 2020, nearly 93 per cent of all abortions were performed before the 13th week, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The drug – part of a two-drug protocol for medication abortions, the most common form of abortion care in the US – is the subject of a lawsuit from a group of anti-abortion activists represented by right-wing Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, which joined efforts to overturn Roe v Wade at the Supreme Court last year. In April, US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk – a former right-wing activist lawyer who was appointed to the federal judiciary by Mr Trump – issued a ruling to suspend the FDA’s approval, which was immediately challenged by abortion rights advocates, providers, major medical groups, drug manufacturers and President Joe Biden’s administration. An initial ruling at the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit blocked part of that decision but struck down policies for mail-in prescriptions and rules that expanded the drug’s approval for pregnancies up to 10 weeks. On 21 April, the Supreme Court blocked the lower courts’ rulings from taking effect while the case plays out, retaining the status quo while the legal case plays out. Following the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority decision to revoke a constitutional right to abortion care in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, at least 15 states – mostly across the US South – have effectively banned most abortions and imposed criminal penalties against providers. Abortion rights advocates and providers have warned that eliminating or restricting access to mifepristone could drastically impact an already-fragile landscape for abortion care. A ruling that undermines the FDA’s drug approval process could also open the door for other activist-driven legal battles over other drugs wrapped up in political debates, potentially inviting other destabilising lawsuits to Covid-19 vaccines, contraception, HIV medication, gender-affirming care, and other life-saving drugs. Read More What is mifepristone? The widely used pill in the abortion rights battle at the Supreme Court Abortion rights advocates win major victory in Ohio as voters reject GOP plan to thwart ballot measure Texas women detailed agonising pregnancies after being denied abortions. The state blames doctors Some abortion drug restrictions upheld by in a case bound for Supreme Court Akram criticizes Pakistan Cricket Board for leaving Imran Khan out of Independence Day video Netanyahu voices support for Israel's military after his allies and son lambaste security officials
2023-08-17 04:25

Liverpool line up shock move for Stuttgart captain
Liverpool have opened talks with Stuttgart captain Wataru Endo in the hope of addressing midfield shortage.
2023-08-17 04:19

Garrett Wilson uses elite-level trolling to get best of Sean Payton
New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson could not say if he was trolling Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during the first preseason game.One of the newest rivalries in the NFL began this offseason between the New York Jets and Denver Broncos before the two teams even played a game. Payt...
2023-08-17 03:59

Wagner cements Belarus presence as 'educational organisation'
The Russian mercenary group registered earlier this month as a limited company, it has been revealed.
2023-08-17 03:55

DeSantis Braces for Onslaught at Debate With Trump Set to Skip
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign is bracing for a battle royale in next week’s Republican presidential debate as
2023-08-17 03:27

Factbox-North Korea cites race in US military over Travis King case
North Korea has said that detained U.S. soldier Travis King, who is Black, complained about mistreatment and racial
2023-08-17 03:25

Special prosecutor will investigate Georgia’s lieutenant governor in Trump indictment
A special prosecutor will likely be appointed to investigate one of 30 unnamed and “unindicted co-conspirators” inside a sweeping racketeering indictment in Georgia targeting Donald Trump and 18 of his allies. The state’s current Republican Lt Governor Burt Jones, who was a sitting state senator at the time of the alleged crimes, was one of 16 “alternate” electors who falsely swore that Mr Trump won the state in the 2020 presidential election. He also pushed for a special legislative session to overturn Joe Biden’s victory. But he was not among the 19 defendants in the grand jury case from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who was barred by a judge from indicting him. Last year, Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney determined that Ms Willis had a conflict of interest in prosecuting Mr Jones after she hosted a fundraiser for his Democratic rival in the 2022 election for lieutenant governor. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia is expected to appoint a special prosecutor to separately investigate whether Mr Jones should face criminal charges, according to the agency’s executive director Pete Skandalakis. Following the indictment, the council will “begin the process of finding a conflict prosecutor to review the case and, if necessary, perform additional investigations,” according to a statement from Mr Skandalakis shared with The Independent. “After discussing the matter with [Ms Willis], we felt it best that I file a petition with Judge McBurney requesting the release of the report to me to assist the conflict prosecutor in how they handle this matter,” he added. Mr Skandalakis said there is no timetable for that process, adding that because of the unprecedented scope of the case, “finding a special prosecutor with the resources to handle such a case will not be easy.” Mr Jones is likely the eighth unnamed and unindicted co-conspirator in the indictment unsealed on 14 August. Typically, prosecutors include “unindicted co-conspirators” who are believed to have conspired with the named defendants to commit a crime or multiple crimes, as indicated in the sprawling RICO case against the former president and his allies. But prosecutors have either provided them some immunity from prosecution in exchange for their testimony or have reached another arrangement. The indictment quotes a post from his Twitter account on 7 December, 2020, in which he calls on supporters to “sign the petition” for a special legislative session to review the outcome of the 2020 election. That same co-conspirator also was involved with correspondence about the fake elector plot with other co-defendants in the case, according to the indictment. The Independent has requested comment from Mr Jones’s office. Read More Trump claims mystery press conference report clears him of Georgia election charges – live updates Who are the 30 ‘unindicted co-conspirators’ in Georgia’s massive criminal case against Trump? Arrest, mugshot, cameras in court? What’s next for Donald Trump after his Georgia indictment
2023-08-17 03:23

Fulton County district attorney wants Trump trial to begin March 4, 2024
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has asked a judge to set a trial date of March 4, 2024, for former President Donald Trump and his 18 co-defendants.
2023-08-17 03:21

US says working to identify alternative paths for Ukraine grain exports
By Humeyra Pamuk and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday condemned Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine's
2023-08-17 03:18

Nick Jonas plays it 'cool' after tumbling into a hole on stage during Boston concert
Nick Jonas certainly knows how to play it "cool."
2023-08-17 03:17