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The chairman of the House Oversight Committee didn’t bother spending a single minute listening to testimony from a former business partner of Hunter Biden who he’d hyped up as a star witness who could prove many of the salacious allegations he and his Republican colleagues have levelled at the 46th president. According to a transcript of the closed-door interview that committee members and staff conducted with Devon Archer, the convicted fraudster who once had a business relationship with President Biden’s youngest and only surviving son, Mr Comer was not among the Republican committee members who participated in the session. Only two Republican members, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan and Arizona Representative Andy Biggs, deigned to make themselves available for the interview with Archer, who will soon begin a year-and-a-day prison sentence stemming from a 2019 conviction for attempting to defraud a Native American tribe. Yet Mr Comer had no problem allowing himself to be portrayed as having led the session, which House Republicans had suggested would provide them with proof that President Joe Biden had engaged in the unlawful activities they claim he is guilty of despite lacking any proof for the allegations. On Monday, Mr Comer appeared on Newsmax to discuss the interview, and he did not make clear that he didn’t attend when pressed on what had happened by host Greg Kelly. When Kelly stated that Mr Comer had been “in the room” and asked if Democrats were “recognising that this is beyond their control now,” the Kentucky Republican replied: “The walls are closing in on the Bidens”. He did not correct Kelly’s assertion that he’d participated in the interview. The Independent has requested comment from Mr Comer. According to The Daily Beast, the Oversight Committee chairman had spent the weekend before the interview at a family barbeque and playing golf. And while Congress is on recess until the end of August, his committee arranged the interview with Archer, who Mr Comer subpoenaed to testify in June. Archer repeatedly denied that President Biden spoke with any of his son’s business partners, but he did tell the panel that the president frequently was put on speakerphone by his son so he could sell the “illusion” of access to his father. Read More Fox Business deflects from Trump indictment with ‘Biden’s scandal distractions’ graphic House Oversight chair admits GOP can’t back up Biden bribery accusations Biden recognises Hunter’s daughter Navy as his seventh grandchild in first interview

The Cleveland Cavaliers are bonafide contenders on paper, but last season ended with a rather embarrassing first-round exit. Now it's up to J.B. Bickerstaff andcompanyto avoid the same outcome in 2023-24.The Cleveland Cavaliers finished last season with the fifth-best record in the NBA. By ...

Pittsburgh Penguins core players Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang have reportedly endorsed Kyle Dubas trading for San Jose Sharks star defenseman Erik Karlsson.Rumors about an Erik Karlsson trade have circulated all summer. The San Jose Sharks defenseman has been pursued by multiple NHL teams. Karl...

In his latest Truth Social post, just hours before he appears in court for his third arraignment, Donald Trump has vowed revenge for being criminally charged during the 2024 campaign. The former president hit out at “Crooked Joe Biden”, accusing him of telling his attorney general, Merrick Garland, to charge him with “as many crimes as can be concocted”, forcing him to spend large amounts of time and money to defend himself. Mr Trump claims this is a Democrat tactic as the party does not want to go head-to-head with him in the 2024 election reasoning that they otherwise “would not be doing this unprecedented weaponization of ‘Justice’”. He then adds: “BUT SOON, IN 2024, IT WILL BE OUR TURN. MAGA!” The full post reads: “Look, it’s not my fault that my political opponent in the Democrat Party, Crooked Joe Biden, has told his Attorney General to charge the leading (by far!) Republican Nominee & former President of the United States, me, with as many crimes as can be concocted so that he is forced to spend large amounts of time & money to defend himself.” It continues: “The Dems don’t want to run against me or they would not be doing this unprecedented weaponization of “Justice.” BUT SOON, IN 2024, IT WILL BE OUR TURN. MAGA!” Mr Trump was indicted on four charges stemming from a Department of Justice investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the subsequent January 6 attack on the Capitol earlier this week Trump indictment – live: Trump posts ominous video as court arraignment nears for 2020 election charges The ex-president argues the indictment is politically motivated and an attorney for Mr Trump accused the DoJ of having “criminalised” Mr Trump’s First Amendment right to free speech. There is wide disagreement with this assessment, notably from Mr Trump’s attorney general from his own administration, Bill Barr. “As the indictment says, they’re not attacking his First Amendment right, he can say whatever he wants he can even lie, he can even tell people that ‘the election was stolen’ when he knew better but that does not protect you from entering into a conspiracy,” Mr Barr said on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins. He added: “Free speech doesn’t give you the right to engage in a fraudulent conspiracy.” Mr Trump is due in federal court in Washington, DC at 4pm on 3 August. Read More Bill Barr delivers devastating takedown of Trump’s Jan 6 indictment defence Security ramps up as Trump returns to alleged scene of the crime Trump supporters falsely claim that former president faces death penalty Trump’s arraignment over efforts to overturn 2020 election: How historic day will unfold What is Trump appearing in court today for? Live footage of the Capitol as Donald Trump scheduled for arraignment Watch the court where Trump is due for arraignment – live

While the US team has endured an underwhelming group stage at the Women's World Cup, one positive for the defending champion has been defender Naomi Girma's form.

Moderna Inc. raised its Covid-19 vaccine sales outlook for the year, finalizing contracts with Japan and several American

Final respects have been paid at the funerals for two teenage best friends who died in a car crash on the way to their school’s prom in Ireland. Kiea McCann, 17, and Dlava Mohamed, 16, were killed outside the town of Clones in Co. Monaghan, when their vehicle left the N54 and crashed into a tree. The pair had been travelling with three others who were injured in the crash. It came hours after they were pictured in their prom dresses that they were set to wear that night for the Debs Ball. A funeral service for Dlava was held at the Clonskeagh Mosque and Culture Centre in Dublin on Thursday and she will be laid to rest in Newcastle Muslim Cemetery. Father John Chester said the deaths have "shocked and saddened the nation". There was a pause for silence at Sacred Heart Chapel in Clones, Co Monaghan ahead of the funeral for Kiea for those who were injured in the same crash. Representatives for Irish President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar attended the funeral, as well as the Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher Ian Ellis. Father Chester added that the hands of both girls were touching at the scene. "The hands of the two girls touching as though they knew they were off to heaven together," he said. "No father should have to witness such a terrible scene." Half an hour after Dlva’s service, a funeral mass was held for Kiea McCann at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Clones. She will be laid to rest in Mount St Oliver’s Cemetery. Both girls’ obituaries detailed how they came from large families who were heartbroken following the crash. Sheikh Hussein Halawa said: “I would like to my offer sincere condolences to the father, mother and all family members.” The prayer service for Dvala heard the fatal crash in which she died “shook the entire Muslim community and the entire people of Ireland”. Meanwhile, scores of motorbikes revved at the Sacred Heart Chapel in Clones ahead of the arrival of the hearse carrying the remains of Kiea, a motor racing fan. Her family and loved ones walked behind the hearse topped with floral tributes. Many of the mourners wore light blue T-shirts bearing a photograph of the teenager wearing her red formal dress. Students from Largy College lined the steps as her coffin was brought into the church. Father Frankie McCann told the Irish Independent how celebrations had unfolded at the family home hours before the tragedy. “There was great excitement here in the house before they went out,” he said. “We had food and champagne and balloons, and it was going to be a great night.” Kiea had been pictured in a red dress in front of a celebratory balloons display while Dlava was seen softly smiling in a blue gown before heading out. The images were shared by family members left shocked by the double tragedy. “I love you so so much Kiea,” heartbroken sister Michaela wrote next to several pictures from the evening. Irish police are still investigating the crash and closed the road for several hours while forensic teams carried out searches. The force thanked those who stopped by the scene to try and help. At the time of writing, another young woman, 18, is in a critical but stable condition at Cavan General Hospital, after the crash. A 60-year-old man remains in a critical condition in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital and an 18-year-old man suffered non life-threatening injuries. Visiting Largy College on Tuesday, Social Protection Minister and local TD Heather Humphreys said that there was “a cloud over the town of Clones”. “It is every parent’s worst nightmare because nobody expects to get that phone call,” she said. Read More Tragic last photos of best teenage friends killed in car crash on way to school prom Weather warnings issued as heavy wind and rain expected Man Booker Prize long list features 4 Irish writers, 4 debut novelists Tragic last photos of best teenage friends killed in car crash on way to school prom Mother of man murdered in mistaken identity killing says dealing with ‘lazy’ Met Police was ‘horrendous’ Mother who stabbed her newborn baby to death in bathroom dies in prison

Security has ramped up in Washington DC as Donald Trump prepares to return to the alleged scene of the crime to face charges over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot. The former president is scheduled to appear for his arraignment at 4pm ET on Thursday at the E Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington DC – just a few blocks away from the US Capitol where a mob of his supporters staged a violent insurrection to try to overthrow democracy back on 6 January 2021. Metal barricades were seen being erected outside the courthouse on Wednesday night while the Secret Service confirmed that it is working with multiple law enforcement agencies to “ensure the highest levels of safety and security”. “While the Secret Service does not comment on specific protective means or methods, we have the utmost confidence in the dedication and commitment to security shared by all of our law enforcement and government partners,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the US Secret Service, said in a statement. “We are working closely with the Metropolitan Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police, U.S. Capitol Police and the Federal Protective Service to ensure the highest levels of safety and security for the former president, while minimizing disruptions to the normal court process.” The agency warned Washington DC residents that they could face “short-term traffic implications” in the centre of the capital on Thursday. Mr Trump is expected to surrender to authorities at the DC courthouse at 4pm ET where he will be formally arrested on the charges, have his fingerprints taken and be processed. He will then appear for his arraignment before Magistrate Judge Moxila A Upadhyaya where he is expected to plead not guilty to the charges. The former president does have the option of appearing virtually – instead of in-person – but is expected to travel to the hearing. The hearing will see Mr Trump return to the centre of his alleged attempts to upturn American democracy to face criminal charges over the plot. The courthouse is just a stone’s throw from the US Capitol – the scene of one of America’s darkest day 31 months ago when hundreds of Mr Trump supporters stormed the building to try to stop the certification of the election for President Joe Biden. Since then, hundreds have been charged and convicted over their role that day. This historic day marks the first time that their leader Mr Trump has been held to account. Mr Trump and his attorneys are already demanding that his “fake” criminal case be moved out of Washington DC to “unbiased” West Virginia, claiming he cannot get a fair trial in the capital. The former president is accused of conspiring with his allies to overturn the 2020 election, in a bid to sabotage the vote of the American people. A grand jury, which has spent months hearing evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, returned a federal indictment on Tuesday hitting him with four federal charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. The Justice Department alleges that Mr Trump and his circle of co-conspirators knew that he had lost the election but launched a multi-prong conspiracy to do everything they could to enable him to cling to power. This included spreading “knowingly false claims of election fraud to get state legislators and election officials to subvert the legitimate election results and change electoral votes for the Defendant’s opponent, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to electoral votes for the Defendant”, the indictment states. Mr Trump and his allies also allegedly plotted to send slates of fake electors to seven “targeted states” of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin which President Joe Biden had won – to get them to falsely certify the election for Mr Trump. The indictment also alleges Mr Trump tried to use the DOJ to “conduct sham election crime investigations”, sending letters to the seven states claiming that “significant concerns” had been found in the elections in those states. As well as the false claims about the election being stolen from Mr Trump, the scheme also involved pushing false claims that Vice President Mike Pence had the power to alter the results – and pushing Mr Pence to “fraudulently alter the election results”. When Mr Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in a violent attack that ended with five deaths, Mr Trump and his co-conspirators “exploited” the incident by “redoubling efforts to levy false claims of election fraud and convince Members of Congress to further delay the certification based on those claims,” the indictment claims. At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Smith placed the blame for the January 6 attack on the US Capitol firmly on Mr Trump’s shoulders. “The attack on our nation’s capitol on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy,” he said. “As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies. Lies by the defendant targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the US government – the nation’s process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the presidential election.” The indictment marks Mr Trump’s second federal indictment, his third criminal indictment overall – and potentially his most serious. While the former president is the only person charged in the case, the indictment also refers to six co-conspirators who worked with him to try to overturn the 2020 presidential election. The six individuals – four attorneys, one Justice Department official and one political consultant – have not been named in the charging documents because they have not yet been charged with any crimes. However, based on the details in the indictment and records already known about the events leading up to the Capitol riot, the identities are apparent as Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Kenneth Chesebro and Boris Epshteyn. Read More Trump arraignment – live: Trump to appear in court today as he demands ‘fake’ Jan 6 case be moved out of DC Who are Trump’s six alleged co-conspirators in the 2020 election probe case? When is Donald Trump’s arraignment? What is Trump appearing in court today for? Live footage of the Capitol as Donald Trump scheduled for arraignment Watch the court where Trump is due for arraignment – live

Former Auburn football player Robert Shiver, whose wife Lindsay Shiver was charged with plotting to murder him, helped her and her alleged accomplices post bail. On 21 July, Lindsay Shiver, 36, her alleged lover Terrance Bethel, 28, and the purported hired hitman Faron Newbold, 29, were charged with plotting to murder the former football player. After their application for emergency bail was rejected on 28 July, the prosecution withdrew an objection to the trio’s release after hearing from Mr Shiver, according to Bahama Court News. All three of the accused were granted emergency bail on 1 August. According to Fox News, the three have been held at the Fox Hill Prison – the only detention centre in the Bahamas – since their arrest. Ms Shiver was granted $100,000 bail, and is required to wear an ankle monitor and stay in the Bahamas until her next court date: 5 October. The other two men each posted $20,000 bail, Bahama Court News reported, and also must wear monitoring devices. Mr Bethel and Mr Newbold will also be required to check in at the Marsh Harbour Police Station three times a week before 6pm. The men were also forced to stay in the Bahamas, as they had to surrender their travel documents. The accused will have to stay in detention until the court approves their bonds, the outlet said. Mr Shiver posting bail for his wife is a shocking turn of events as the Shivers are in the midst of a contentious divorce and custody battle over their three children. In addition to their home in the Bahamas, the couple also have a mansion in Georgia valued at $2.5m, which the pair are also arguing over. Mr Shiver filed for divorce for “adulterous conduct,” according to reports, while attorneys for Lindsay Shiver denied the affair, writing: “Any extramarital relationship defendant has had was during the parties’ separation and legally condoned by husband.” The next divorce hearing will be held on 31 October, Fox News previously reported. Read More A football star’s wife bragged of her ‘perfect marriage’. Now she’s charged with hiring a hitman to kill him American mother-of-three arrested in Bahamas over alleged plot to kill ex-football star husband Mother, 18, accused of trying to hire hitman to kill three-year-old son

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. has agreed to buy the EOne film and TV studio from toymaker Hasbro Inc.

Russia will prolong a cut in its crude exports into September, while tapering the size of the supply

Long-dated US Treasuries headed for their worst week of the year amid signs of unexpected resilience in the