A Moscow court has shot down an appeal by Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich challenging a decision to extend his pre-trial detention. Gershkovich, 31, was arrested almost six months ago in Russia on spying charges. Russian officials accused him of collecting state secrets about the military. He – along with the Wall Street Journal and the US government – denies these allegations. The decision to extend his pre-trial detention had been made in August. Last week, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Gershkovich’s family called for his immediate release from Moscow’s Lefortovo prison. The Moscow city court on Tuesday upheld its initial ruling. A judge in Lefortovo Court in Moscow extended the journalist’s pre-trial detention until 30 November. The hearing was held behind closed doors. The WSJ journalist will remain in jail until then, reported Russia’s Tass news agency. “The Moscow City Court considered the lawyers’ complaint in a closed court session and decided to remove the material regarding E Gershkovich from appeal consideration, and send the material to the Lefortovo District Court of Moscow to eliminate the circumstances impeding the consideration of the criminal case in the appellate court,” the court said in a statement. It remains unclear why the court refused to consider Gershkovich’s appeal. The case is expected to be returned to a lower court. The 31-year-old American citizen had been granted accreditation by Russia’s foreign ministry to work there as a journalist. He was arrested by agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor agency to the KGB, during a reporting assignment in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg on 29 March this year. This is the first instance of a Western journalist being arrested on espionage charges in Russia since the end of the Cold War. If Gershkovich gets convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. According to Russian law, people found guilty of espionage can potentially receive a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. US envoy to Russia Lynne Tracy, who was present in the courtroom on Tuesday, told the media: “The US position remains unwavering. The charges against Evan are baseless. The Russian government locked Evan up for simply doing his job. Journalism is not a crime.” “Evan is fully aware of the gravity of his situation, yet he remains remarkably strong,” she said. To mark Gershkovich’s 100 days in jail since July this year, the White House press secretary said: “The world knows that the charges against Evan are baseless – he was arrested in Russia during the course of simply doing his job as a journalist, and he is being held by Russia for leverage because he is an American.” After visiting the journalist in prison, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said: “No family should have to watch their loved one being used as a political pawn. And that’s exactly what President [Vladimir] Putin is doing. Russia’s actions are beyond cruel, and they are a violation of international law.” US president Joe Biden said in July that he was “serious on a prisoner exchange”. “And I’m serious about doing all we can to free Americans being illegally held in Russia, or anywhere else for that matter, and that process is underway,” he said. “President [Joe] Biden spoke to us and gave us a promise to do whatever it takes” to bring Gershkovich home, his parents, Ella Milman and Mikhail Gershkovich, said in a July interview with ABC News. “He told us he understands our pain,” said Ms Milman, the mother of the WSJ journalist. In a letter earlier this month to the UN’s working group on arbitrary detention, lawyers for the WSJ’s publisher accused Mr Putin of using Gershkovich as a pawn and of “holding him hostage.” The lawyers argue that Mr Putin wants to use Gershkovich “to gain leverage over – and extract a ransom from – the United States, just as he has done with other American citizens whom he has wrongfully detained”. The letter said Gershkovich’s ongoing detention “is a flagrant violation of many of his fundamental human rights”. In June this year, nearly three dozen US senators wrote a letter to Gershkovich expressing their “profound anger and concern” over his detention in the Russian prison. The letter said a “free press is crucial to the foundation and support of human rights everywhere” and that every day he spends in a Russian prison “is a day too long”. “We applaud you for your efforts to report the truth about Russia’s reprehensible invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has resulted in untellable atrocities, tragedies, and loss of life,” the letter read. It said the senators “understand the enormous burden you may feel as the Russian government uses you as a political tool”. Read More U.S. ambassador to Russia visits jailed WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich Father of imprisoned reporter Evan Gershkovich calls on world leaders to urge Russia to free him A new Iran deal shows the Biden administration is willing to pay a big price to free Americans The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Goh Jin Hian, the son of former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, was among four people charged

“Shady deals” with Russia must be stopped as Vladimir Putin cannot be trusted, Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky said in an emphatic address to the UN General Assembly. Notorious mercenary leader and Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin died in an unexplained crash when a plane carrying him and some of his top lieutenants went down while flying between Moscow and St Petersburg in late August. Western leaders have suspected the Kremlin’s involvement in his death as the mercenary leader had attempted a coup in Russia just weeks before. “Evil cannot be trusted – ask Prigozhin if one bets on Putin’s promises,” Mr Zelensky said on Tuesday, claiming he was aware of “attempts to make some shady deals behind the scenes”. “Please, hear me. Let unity decide everything openly,” he said. The war-time leader told the UN assembly that Russia has no rights to hold nuclear weapons while it continues to blackmail other nations by weaponising food. “History shows that it was Russia who deserved nuclear disarmament. Terrorists have no right to hold nuclear weapons,” he told the UN member states gathered in New York. He called for a global front on the war and warned of dangers from Russia to the UN General Assembly. “The goal of the present war against Ukraine is to turn our lands, our people, our resources into a weapon against you, against the international rules-based order. Many seats in the General Assembly hall may become empty if Russia succeeds with its treachery and aggression,” he said. Mr Zelensky was addressing the gathering at a sensitive point in his country’s campaign to maintain international support for its fight against the invasion. Nearly 19 months after Moscow launched its war, Ukrainian forces have stepped up a counteroffensive that has continued for three months now amid comments that it has not gone on as fast or as well as initially hoped. “We must stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” US president Joe Biden earlier told the assembly. The world must remain united in defending Ukraine, he said, warning that no nation can be secure if “we allow Ukraine to be carved up”. This is not the first time Mr Zelensky has blamed the Russian regime under Mr Putin for Prigozhin’s death. Earlier this month, he said Mr Putin orchestrated the killing of Wagner boss Prigozhin. “The fact that he killed Prigozhin – at least that’s the information we all have, not any other kind – that also speaks to his rationality, and about the fact that he is weak,” he had said. Russia will get its chance to address the General Assembly on Saturday. Its deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky was in Russia’s seat during Mr Zelensky’s address. “Did he speak?” Mr Polyansky said when an Associated Press reporter asked about his reaction to the address. “I didn’t notice he was speaking. I was on my phone.” Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin ‘weaponising’ food as troops target cargo ship in Black Sea Russia is ‘weaponising’ food, energy and children in war on Ukraine, Zelensky tells UN Drones shot down over Russian cities near Ukraine border in overnight attack Russia’s UN ambassador plays on phone as Biden addresses Assembly Republicans at war over Ukraine funding as Zelensky flies into town

Russia’s air defence units have shot down two Ukrainian drones flying over Belgorod and Oryol oblasts as Kyiv increases the pace of its counteroffensive against Moscow’s invasion. The drone attacks come as Ukraine overtook two key villages recently and has stepped up counter attacks on Russia. Drone and missile attacks deep inside Russia and on Russia-controlled territory have shot up drastically in recent months, with the Russian defence ministry blaming the “Kyiv regime” for what it calls “terrorist attacks”. While Ukraine has seldom responded to accusations of attacks, it has expressed satisfaction at the destruction of Russian military infrastructure and critical military sites. The drones were shot down at 10.30pm and 11.45pm local time on Tuesday night, the Russian defence ministry said in two separate posts on its Telegram channel on Wednesday. No immediate damage or casualties in the overnight attacks has been reported by the officials of both regions. It said “an attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack by an aircraft-type UAV on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped”. Kyiv has maintained that destroying Russian military infrastructure far away from the war’s frontlines targets Moscow’s war efforts while aiding Kyiv’s own efforts to reclaim land Russia has occupied. Belgorod, roughly 40km away from the Ukrainian border, has witnessed a wave of attacks in the last two months, with the most seen this month. In return, Russia has continued its campaign of air strikes and shelling across Ukraine. The regional governor of Belgorod, Vyacheslav Gladkov, confirmed attacks every day on the territory, stating either unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) dropping ammunition payloads in the region or being shot down by Russia’s active air defences heavily concentrated in the bordering city. A day earlier, Russia claimed its air defences shot down two unspecified aerial targets over Belgorod. The governor said initial reports indicated some damage to power lines but no casualties. Last month, three people were killed in a drone attack in Belgorod after another drone had targeted central Moscow. Read More Zelensky urges Trump to ‘not waste time’ and share proposal on ending Russian invasion of Ukraine Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin ‘weaponising’ food as troops target cargo ship in Black Sea Ukraine ‘has one month to hold knife to Crimea’s throat’ and force Putin into peace talks Zelensky says ‘Russian society has raised a second Hitler’ in attack on Putin

Russia is weaponising food, energy and abducted children in its war against Ukraine, president Volodymyr Zelensky told leaders at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. While there are agreements to restrict arms and trade, “there are no real restrictions on weaponisation”, he said. Mr Zelensky was addressing the gathering at a sensitive point in his country’s campaign to maintain international support for its fight. Nearly 19 months after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces are three months into a counteroffensive that has not gone as fast or as well as initially hoped. “We must stand up to this naked aggression today and deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow,” Joe Biden earlier told the assembly. The world must remain united in defending Ukraine, he said, warning that no nation can be secure if “we allow Ukraine to be carved up”. During his address, Mr Biden described the partnerships that the US government was fostering around the globe – from Africa to the Indo-Pacific – as creating economic and other advancements, even as he stressed that those relationships were not about “containing any country” – a clear reference to Beijing. “When it comes to China, let me be clear and consistent,” Mr Biden said. “We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict.” In his 30-minute address, Mr Biden repeatedly emphasised the value of institutions such as the United Nations and international coalitions that have helped the world confront significant challenges such as poverty and disease, as well as echoing his defence of democracy, a common theme of his presidency. “We will not retreat from the values that make us strong,” Mr Biden said. “We will defend democracy – our best tool to meet the challenges that we face around the world. And we’re working to show how democracy can deliver in ways that matter to people’s lives.” There were some notable absences as Mr Biden made his case before the assembly, including Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron, Chinese president Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin. Mr Biden’s message of unwavering support for Ukraine will play out as the US Congress is increasingly divided over providing additional funding for Kyiv. Mr Biden has sought a package of £10.5bn in additional military aid for Ukraine and £6.8bn for humanitarian support. But conservative Republican lawmakers have been pushing for broad federal spending cuts and some of those allied to Donald Trump are specifically looking to stop money to Ukraine. Mr Biden is scheduled to host talks on Thursday at the White House with Mr Zelensky. During his visit to New York, Mr Zelensky spent time at a Staten Island hospital where he awarded medals to Ukrainian military members who had lost limbs. With help from a New Jersey-based charity called Kind Deeds, 18 personnel have been fitted with prosthetic limbs and are undergoing outpatient physical therapy at the hospital. “We all will be waiting for you back home,” Mr Zelensky told them. “We absolutely need every one of you.” Associated Press contributed to this report Read More Russia is ‘weaponising’ food, energy and children in Ukraine, Zelensky tells UN Zelensky urges Trump to ‘not waste time’ and share ideas on ending war in Ukraine Putin ‘weaponising’ food as troops target cargo ship in Black Sea - Ukraine live

A former NFL player is missing after his mother was found dead in a creek behind her home in Illinois. Mystery erupted around Sergio Brown on Saturday after a concerned family member filed a missing persons report for the 35-year-old New England Patriots alum and his mother Myrtle Brown, 73. Myrtle was found dead less than 100 yards from her Maywood home the following day. Her death was ruled a homicide as the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office found injuries resulting from an assault. The case took a bizarre turn as videos emerged from an Instagram account linked to Mr Brown. In one video, a man identified as Mr Brown claims he’s been kidnapped by law enforcement as he goes on a long-winded rant against “fake news” and the FBI. He also claims that he thought his mother was on vacation. The Independent has not been able to independently verify the account. Maywood police told NBC that the department is aware of the social media account. “Currently this is an active investigation, and the department is unable to share any further details at this time. We appreciate your patience while our agency continues to investigate the matter,” police said. Read More Missing ex-NFL star posts bizarre Instagram about police and FBI after mother found dead in creek Ex-NFL star Sergio Brown and his mother went missing. Police say she was murdered and he has yet to be found

At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of “weaponising” everything from food and energy to abducted children in its war against Ukraine. In his first in-person appearance at the annual UNGA since Russia invaded his country in February 2022, Zelensky criticised Moscow for what he said was an “attempt to weaponise (a) food shortage on (the) global market in exchange for recognition of some, if not all, of captured territories.” Elsewhere, he accused Russia of committing genocide by kidnapping Ukrainian children and said Kyiv was working on preparing a global peace summit. “Ukraine is doing everything to ensure that after the Russian aggression, no one in the world would dare to attack any nation,” Zelensky added. “The occupier must return to his own land.” Meanwhile, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has confirmed that Putin’s forces targeted a cargo ship in the Black Sea. “The Russian military’s pattern of targeted attacks against civilian ships demonstrates Putin’s willingness to weaponise food at the expense of the rest of the world”, its statement read. Read More Zelensky urges Trump to ‘not waste time’ and share proposal on ending Russian invasion of Ukraine Ukraine ‘has one month to hold knife to Crimea’s throat’ and force Putin into peace talks How Ukraine’s battle for the Black Sea is inflicting serious pain on Putin’s forces

By David Lawder NEW YORK U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday that she trusts the leaders

On 24 August 2019, Elijah McClain was walking home from a convenience store, listening to music and wearing a ski mask, in Aurora, Colorado when a 911 caller reported him as “looking sketchy” — a call that would lead to the death of the 23-year-old and a social uprising against how race plays a role in policing. Police spotted McClain — who was not armed and had not committed any crime — and put him in a neck hold. Paramedics then arrived at the scene and injected the young man with ketamine. He died three days later. Now, just over four years after the incident, jury selection began on Friday for the trial of two Aurora police officers — Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt — who had interacted with McClain. The trials of a third officer and the two paramedics are also expected to happen later this year. Why is the trial happening now? The first coroner’s report in November 2019 said that the manner of death was “undetermined,” contributing to a local district attorney’s decision against pursuing charges against the officers involved in the incident. In response, Mari Newman, the lawyer representing McClain’s family told Denver7 ABC, “Whatever the report says, it’s clear that if the police had not attacked Elijah McClain, he would be alive today.” But the incident generated significant public backlash. In June 2020, an online petition demanding that the three officers involved be held accountable circulated, garnering nearly 6 million signatures. A GoFundMe page for McClain raised over $2m. Then, in June 2020, Colorado Gov Jared Polis signed an executive order designating a special prosecutor to determine whether “the facts support prosecution, criminally prosecute any individuals whose actions caused the death of Elijah McClain.” The coroner provided an amended version in July 2021, writing that she believed the “tragic fatality is most likely the result of ketamine toxicity.” Shortly thereafter, in September 21, a grand jury indicted three officers and two paramedics involved. A Colorado district judge ordered three separate trials for the five defendants, and now jury selection is underway for the trial of Mr Roedema, a suspended officer, and Mr Rosenblatt, who was fired in the wake of the incident. Who was Elijah McClain? McClain was a 23-year-old massage therapist. He had reportedly earned his GED from Emily Griffith Technical College in Denver and became a massage therapist at 19. Friends and family described him as a gentle person — to humans and animals. He taught himself to play guitar and violin, and would play his violin for cats in a rescue shelter during his lunch breaks, The Cut reported. “I don’t even think he would set a mouse trap if there was a rodent problem,” his friend Eric Behrens told the Sentinel. Another friend — and former client — Marna Arnett called McClain “the sweetest, purest person I have ever met,” she added, “He was definitely a light in a whole lot of darkness.” “He wanted to change the world,” his mother, Sheneen McClain, told the outlet. “And it’s crazy, because he ended up doing it anyway.” Who were the officers and paramedics involved? A grand jury indicted five involved in the incident. Two Aurora Police officers, Randy Roedema and Nathan Woodyard, and one former officer, Jason Rosenblatt, as well as former paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec were each indicted on charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. According to the 32-count indictment, Mr Woodyard placed the 23-year-old in a carotid hold, while Mr Roedema, the senior patrol officer on the scene, placed him in a bar hammer lock; he said he heard McClain’s shoulder pop three times as a result of the movement. Mr Roedema and Mr Rosenblatt were each indicted on one count of assault and one count of crime of violence. Mr Rosenblatt was fired not for his interaction with McClain directly, but for laughing at a photo sent to him from a fellow officer reenacting a neckhold that resembled the one used on McClain. Mr Woodyard was also allegedly sent the photo, but didn’t react to it and deleted it. He stopped McClain for supposedly looking suspicious and is set to go on trial later this year. The paramedics were each indicted on three counts of assault and six counts of crime of violence. Neither Mr Cooper nor Mr Cichuniec took McClain’s vitals, try talking to the 23-year-old, or touch him before diagnosing him with a widely disputed medical condition called “excited delirium,” prompting them to administer ketamine, according to the indictment. They have all pleaded not guilty. In May, a national organisation of coroners became the latest to denounce “excited delirium,” which is often cited as a cause of death by police in instances of violence from officers against community members. The National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) announced they would cease recognising the condition. What happened to Elijah McClain? Bodycam footage which was released months after the encounter captured the officers interacting with the 23-year-old. An officer approached McClain, who was listening to music, and demanded he stop walking. Eventually, he complied, as an officer apparently said he was stopping McClain for looking suspicious. When the officers tried to grab McClain, he resisted, saying, “I am an introvert. Please respect the boundaries that I am speaking.” The officers repeatedly told McClain to “stop tensing up.” Moments later, McClain was brought to the ground and held in a carotid hold. He can be heard moaning, sobbing, repeating that “it hurts” and pleading with the officers to stop. McClain then tried to turn to his side to vomit, prompting an officer to say: “If you keep messing around, I’m going to bring my dog out here and he’s going to bite you.” The 23-year-old vomited, and apologized. “I wasn’t trying to do that,” he says. “I just can’t breathe correctly.” According to a report from an independent panel, the paramedics “waited almost seven minutes after arriving to interact with Mr. McClain, and their first contact was to administer the sedative ketamine.” He suffered from cardiac arrest on his way to the hospital and died a few days later. The autopsy revealed that he was 5ft 6in tall and weighed just 140 pounds. The coroner’s amended report said, “Simply put, this dosage of ketamine was too much for this individual and it resulted in an overdose … I believe that Mr. McClain would most likely be alive but for the administration of ketamine.” The aftermath McClain’s parents reached a $15m settlement with the city of Aurora. “I hope Elijah’s legacy is that police will think twice before killing another innocent person,” his father, LaWayne Mosley, said after the settlement was announced. “There is nothing that can rectify the loss of Elijah McClain and the suffering his loved ones have endured,” Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said at the time. “I am committed to learning from this tragedy.” The 23-year-old’s death occurred around the same time as the deaths of Breanna Taylor and George Floyd, who were also Black Americans killed at the hands of police. Together and separately, the deaths propelled protests and sparked demands for police reform. And at least in Colorado, some policies were reformed. In 2020, the state banned police from using neck holds. The Colorado health department prohibited paramedics from implementing ketamine for those supposedly experiencing “excited delirium,” like in the case of McClain. Read More Trial begins in Elijah McClain death, which sparked outrage over racial injustice in policing Elijah McClain cause of death quietly ruled as ketamine as police face charges for violent 2019 arrest Elijah McClain: Colorado city to pay $15m to family in historic police misconduct settlement

The prime suspect in the Madeleine McCann case can be tried over a separate string of alleged sex offences in Portugal, a German court has ruled. The decision overrules the northern city of Braunschweig’s state court’s prior ruling that it did not have the jurisdiction, because suspect Christian Brueckner did not live there. The court had argued its supposed responsibility for the case had been based on the suspect’s last residence before he went abroad and subsequently to prison. However, further evidence of a later residence in the neighbouring state of Saxony-Anhalt, where Brueckner was registered as the owner of a property that he kept after going abroad, means it can hear the case. In October 2022, prosecutors charged the 45-year-old – who is currently serving a seven-year sentence for a rape he committed in Portugal in 2005 - in several separate cases involving sexual offences allegedly committed there between 2000 and 2017. Brueckner hasn’t been charged in the McCann case, but he remains under investigation for murder. He has denied any involvement in her disappearance but is believed to have lived in Portugal between 1995 and 2007. He was first named in connection with the unsolved mystery in summer 2020, and officially named as a suspect last year. His yellow and white VW T3 Westfalia campervan was reportedly identified as having been near to the Praia da Luz resort where Madeleine went missing. German prosecutors say telecomms data shows Brueckner received a phone call on 3 May 2007 – the day that Madeleine went missing - near the Praia da Luz holiday apartment. But he reportedly claims to have been miles from the scene with a young German woman. In April 2022, he was jailed for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in the same resort. In total, it is believed he has 17 convictions including burglary, and he has also been linked to other disappearances of children. Read More Madeleine McCann prime suspect case ‘on verge of collapsing’ Detectives searching for Madeleine McCann give update after scouring reservoir Madeleine McCann case: Timeline of the missing child’s disappearance How much has the Madeleine McCann investigation cost? Who is Christian Brueckner? Madeleine McCann suspect and the accusations against him Madeleine McCann suspect ‘said she didn’t scream’ when kidnapped, friend claims in explosive interview

A North Carolina woman who showed up at a church bloodied and in distress told a pastor she “thought she had hurt someone” before leading police to her friend’s dead body, according to authorities. Samantha Haines, 31, arrived at the Mt Carmel Church of God of Prophecy near Autryville as pastor Bryan Strickland was closing on Sunday night and asked for help, according to a statement posted to the church’s Facebook page. “I asked her what was going on and she said that she thought she had hurt someone,” Mr Strickland told WRAL. “She thought she had tried to kill someone.” Mr Strickland said he called 911, and Sampson County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to find Ms Haines “in distress” in a red Ford Mustang in the church’s parking lot. “Ms Haines reiterated her belief that she may have been responsible for a person’s death, but due to her unfamiliarity with Sampson County, she could not provide specific details about the location of the incident,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. Authorities learned the vehicle was registered to Daniel Faircloth, 32, and found his dead body outside his home less than a mile away. Faircloth had been stabbed to death, authorities say. Ms Haines was charged with murder and made a first appearance in court on Monday. She has been booked into the Sampson County Detention Centre without bond. Faircloth’s grieving family told WRAL they thought Ms Haines may have been homeless and staying with him at the time of the alleged murder. His stepmother Lauriel Renee told the news station Faircloth was a “respectful and sweet” person who would light up a room when he entered. Mr Strickland called on parishioners to pray for the Faircloth family as they dealt with their loss. Read More Alleged rapist’s plot to fake his own death falls apart as he forgets one crucial detail Family says 14-year-old daughter discovered iPhone taped to back of toilet seat on flight to Boston Sergio Brown posts second strange video about Finding Nemo while ‘missing’ after mother’s death

Donald Trump’s public statements have changed in line with advice from his lawyers, a legal expert has suggested. Harry Litman, a former US attorney and former deputy assistant attorney general for the Western District of Pennsylvania, wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Monday night that the former president “continues to employ the same braggadocio. But listen carefully, he’s begun to pepper his proclamations with hedges, such as ‘in my opinion’ or ‘that’s what I think.’ That’s lawyer-prescribed to try to shield him from outright lies”. One example of this came when Mr Trump was speaking to Megyn Kelly of SiriusXM. Mr Trump insisted that there’s no “ritual” to declassifying secret information as he argued that he was allowed to have the boxes of files found at Mar-a-Lago which led to one of the indictments against the former president. Mr Trump was speaking to Kelly when he returned to one of his familiar talking points, calling Special Counsel Jack Smith “deranged”. “We have a deranged guy named Jack Smith who has been overturned at the Supreme Court a number of times, and he gets overturned ... because he goes too far,” Mr Trump told Ms Kelly. “They don’t even mention the Presidential Records Act. This is all about the Presidential Records Act.” “I’m allowed to have these documents, I’m allowed to take these documents – classified or not classified. And frankly, when I have them, they become unclassified. People think you have to go through a ritual – you don’t, at least in my opinion, you don’t,” Mr Trump added. But a number of social media users didn’t seem to think slipping in “in my opinion” would help Mr Trump in the courts. Responding to Mr Trump’s comments to Ms Kelly, Jennifer Rubin, a Washington Post columnist, wrote that it was “another public confession. Like taking candy from a baby”. “Someone should tell him, that the US isn’t governed by opinions, it’s governed by laws,” one user said. Conservative anti-Trump lawyer George Conway also noted that Mr Trump appeared to be making comments putting him in further legal jeopardy, saying that “interviewers should be required to read him his rights”. “Credit to @megynkelly for letting him confess to the crimes in the indictment. She’ll see this played at the trial by the government,” Bradley Moss added. “I want Dude to say this to Jack Smith in open court during his criminal trial,” Tony Michaels said. Mr Trump’s shift in language comes as Mr Smith’s office has asked for a narrow gag order from Judge Tanya Chutkan in the federal election interference case against Mr Trump in Washington DC to prevent him from attacking possible witnesses and jurors. Read More Dominion’s $1.6bn defamation case against Newsmax will go to trial weeks before Election Day Trump ex-aide claims he wrote ‘to-do lists’ on back of classified documents – live updates White House hits back after House sets first Biden impeachment hearing for 28 September