Donald Trump’s lawyers plan to request the judge presiding over a criminal trial into alleged hush money payments to Stormy Daniels be removed due to his campaign donations and family’s ties to the Democrat Party, according to a report. It’s the latest in a series of legal manoeuvres by the former president to move the Manhattan criminal trial slated to begin next March away from New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to the 34 counts of falsifying business records related to alleged payments to conceal negative stories about him prior to the 2016 presidential election. Mr Trump attorneys Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche noted in a statement to the New York Times that Justice Merchan’s daughter was the chief operating officer of Democratic consulting firm Authentic Campaigns. They also claimed that the judge had donated $15 to Joe Biden’s Act Blue online fundraising platform during the 2020 presidential campaign, and $10 to two other pro-Democrat groups. The lawyers also took issue with Justice Merchan’s oversight of a tax fraud trial which saw the Trump Organization found guilty and fined $1.6m in January. They claimed that Justice Merchan had encouraged former Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg to turn against his longtime boss. “President Trump, like all Americans, is entitled under the Constitution to an impartial judge and legal process,” lawyers Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche, said in a statement to the Times. The attorneys have not yet filed a formal motion for recusal. Mr Blanche did not immediately respond to a request for comment by The Independent. Mr Trump’s lawyers recently filed to have the criminal case shifted to federal court, which Manhattan District Attorney Melvin Bragg has opposed. Under New York laws, judges must recuse themselves if they or a relative has “an interest that would be substantially affected by the proceeding”. In April, Mr Trump became the first sitting or former president in US history to be criminally indicted. He is alleged to have directed his fixer Michael Cohen to pay Ms Daniels to suppress a planned story about an affair in 2006. Ms Daniels claimed she and Mr Trump had sex, and that she later accepted $130,000 in the days before the 2016 election. Mr Cohen also allegedly had the National Review pay for a story about an affair Mr Trump had with former Playboy model Karen McDougal, only to never publish her account. In 2018, Mr Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance violations for his role in the hush money payments and was sentenced to three years in federal prison. Mr Trump’s trial is due to begin during the 2024 presidential campaign. Read More Trump news - live: Trump caught on tape revealing he kept classified papers after presidency, report says Trump caught on tape discussing classified documents he kept after leaving White House, reports say Prosecutors have recording of Trump speaking to witness in hush money criminal case Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

Manchester City have finalised the signing of Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal. The 21-year-old completed his medical with City on Friday afternoon after the Premier League champions agreed a fee of 90million euros (£77.6m) with Leipzig. City announced on their official website: “Manchester City are delighted to confirm the signing of Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal. “The 21-year-old becomes the second signing of the summer transfer window ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, following in the footsteps of fellow Croatian international Mateo Kovacic.” Gvardiol has spent the last two seasons at Leipzig, making 87 appearances in all competitions, and was key to Croatia’s run to the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar at the end of last year. He said: “I have always dreamed of one day playing in England and to be doing so now with Manchester City – after the season they have just had – is a real honour for me. “Anyone who saw Manchester City play last season knows they are the best team in the world. To win the treble says everything you need to know about the quality this team has. “To be joining City is something very special for me and my family. To have the chance to work with Pep Guardiola, too, will be amazing. I know I am not yet the finished article and I am sure my game will progress under the best coach in football.” Gvardiol will add competition on the left side of City’s defence, having helped Croatia reach the last four at the World Cup and then the final of the Nations League, where they were beaten by Spain. He started out at Dinamo Zagreb, making his senior debut for his hometown club aged 17 in 2019, and, after turning down an approach from Leeds, joined RB Leipzig for £13.8million in the summer of 2021. Gvardiol returned on loan to Zagreb for the remainder of the 2020-21 season and helped them win the domestic double. In his first season at the Red Bull Arena, Leipzig won the their first major trophy – the DFB-Pokal – and qualified for the Champions League after finishing runners-up to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. Gvardiol made 59 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig, who also reached the semi-finals of the 2022 Europa League and ensured a second season in the Champions League last season. After making his first senior international start for Croatia in their opening group defeat to England at Euro 2020, Gvardiol played every minute for Zlatko Dalic’s side as they finished third at the 2022 World Cup.

A ton of 4K TVs are on sale before Prime Day 2. Here are a

MADISON,Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2023--

Rico Lewis is a surprise omission from the England Under-21s squad for their Euro 2023 campaign this summer. Lee Carsley’s Young Lions head to Romania and Georgia hoping for a first European Championship success since 1984, but they will be without the young City star after he was not included in the 23-man squad. Lewis, just 18, played 23 times for City during their treble-winning season. Folarin Balogun is a notable absentee following his recent decision to represent the United States. Head coach Carsley had been hopeful that Balogun would decide on his future after this summer’s tournament, but the 21-year-old informed the Football Association of his choice to play for the US last month. His absence means Cameron Archer is the only out-and-out striker in the squad, with Rhian Brewster injured. Tottenham right-back Djed Spence, City forward James McAtee, who is injured, and Club Brugge goalkeeper Joe Bursik also missed out. But there is a plethora of Premier League experience in there, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Emile Smith Rowe, Oliver Skipp, Anthony Gordon, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott among the 23-man squad gunning for glory. England begin their campaign against the Czech Republic in Georgia on June 22. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

The trending cinnamon roll recipe on TikTok makes the process of baking the rolls much easier than its traditional counterpart

The Minnesota Vikings own the NFL's longest active winning streak at five games despite losing Kirk Cousins to a season-ending injury

Three men who have served over two decades in prison for the murder of a 70-year-old woman in her home outside Philadelphia asked a judge to throw out their convictions, citing new DNA evidence they say points to an unknown man as the killer.

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce reported a decline in third-quarter profit on Thursday as the bank set aside

A Montana man who was mauled by a grizzly bear that bit off the front of his lower jaw will be returning home after five weeks in a Utah hospital

Being one of the most popular users on TikTok, Dixie D'Amelio's 56.9 million followers take great interest in her relationship status

For the world’s most-accurate predictor of the British pound, it all started with the wake-up call of Brexit.