List of All Articles with Tag 'pol'

Pheu Thai, a party linked to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, said it will seek to form a new

An attorney for Donald Trump has indicated that another indictment for the former president is imminent in the investigations into his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential elections in Georgia. Alina Habba told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo that Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis, who is spearheading a criminal investigation into Mr Trump, will “want her moment” through the case. “Are you expecting an indictment in the coming two or three weeks from Georgia?” the Fox News anchor asked her. “Yes, I think that it’s been highly spoken about,” Ms Habba replied. “I think if you look at the barricades, the fact that she’s got her PR team doing fresh pictures for her, it’s a good indicator that Fani wants her moment, and she will get on the bandwagon with the rest of the corrupt DAs and AGs that we’ve seen out of this country.” After an extensive investigation spanning more than two and a half years into Mr Trump’s purported efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the Fulton County grand jury is nearing a decision regarding another potential indictment. If Mr Trump gets indicted again, it will become his fourth one this year following federal charges in New York state court for hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, an indictment by a Washington DC court into efforts to overturn the 2020 elections and another over the mishandling of classified documents. The charges in Georgia stem from Mr Trump’s leaked phone call to Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger in which he asked officials to “find” votes for him, as well as the breach of voting machines by a group of Trump-connected operatives. Prosecutors also could charge Mr Trump or others with voter fraud-related crimes. Mr Trump, who has denied wrongdoing in any of the cases, chose to criticise the state of the nation’s capital – the latest in his personal feud with Washington DC’s administration. “It was also very sad driving through Washington, DC, and seeing the filth and the decay and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti,” he said on the tarmac of Reagan National Airport in Virginia, just a few miles away. “This is not the place that I left. It’s a very sad thing to see it.” Read More Trump goes after judge in Jan 6 indictment as Pence undermines key defence – latest news Trump demands Judge Tanya Chutkan be removed from election case after ruling against him Queen Latifah, Chuck D and more rap legends on 'Rapper's Delight' and their early hip-hop influences Trump insists he isn’t a ‘scared puppy’ in defiant attack on Nancy Pelosi Iran opens registration for candidates in next year's parliament election, the first since protests Inside the courtroom, it was clear this indictment is different for Donald Trump

If Chandrayaan-3 succeeds, India will be the first country to land near the Moon's little-explored south pole.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan's popular opposition leader, is now an inmate at a high-security prison after being convicted of corruption and sentenced to three years. It's the most dramatic twist yet in months of political and legal wrangling between Khan and his political rivals since he was toppled in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Khan's party said it will appeal what government critics describe as a flimsy case, aimed at removing the former cricket star from politics ahead of a general election meant to be held this fall. The government defended the conviction as lawful and denied that Khan is a victim of political persecution. If the conviction stands, the 70-year-old Khan would be prohibited by law from running for office or leading Pakistan Tehreek e-Insaf, the party he founded in the 1990s. However, polls indicate a strong election showing for PTI, and Khan's imprisonment could further boost its standing. WHAT WAS THE CASE AGAINST HIM? An Islamabad court ruled Saturday that Khan failed to report income from gifts he received from foreign dignitaries and heads of state while he was in power. In Pakistan, government leaders are allowed to keep such gifts after leaving power, in exchange for paying a portion of the value for them. The court said Khan sold some of those gifts and failed to state those earnings in a report last year to Pakistan's election commission. The court convicted Khan of corruption, handed down a three-year sentence and fined him 100,000 rupees, or roughly $350. Shortly after the verdict, Khan was detained at his home in the eastern city of Lahore and taken to a high-security lockup in the town of Attock, about an hour's drive from the capital of Islamabad. WHAT OTHER CASES ARE PENDING AGAINST KHAN? Since Khan's ouster, more than 150 cases have been filed against him by various government agencies on charges ranging from contempt of court to terrorism and inciting violence. Critics say this flurry of legal filings is part of an attempt by the governing coalition to sideline Khan, who as opposition leader has been able to mobilize huge crowds of loyal supporters. The government, in turn, portrays Khan as a corrupt trickster who has employed legal maneuvers to stay out of prison. The government has backers in Pakistan's powerful military, which has controlled the country for much of its 75-year history. HOW IS THIS ARREST DIFFERENT? Khan is being held in Attock, a notorious lockup for convicted militants and violent criminals. Officials familiar with conditions there said he has his own cell with a fan and separate bathing facilities, a step up from the prison's generally harsh conditions. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to brief the media. This is in marked contrast to Khan's brief detention in May, after he was dragged from a court hearing on a different set of corruption charges by anti-graft officials. The Supreme Court intervened swiftly, declaring the detention illegal. Khan was allowed to stay at a guest house in a police compound and could receive visitors while the legal arguments over his detention played out. Khan eventually returned to Labore, where his car was showered with rose petals. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The Supreme Court could overturn Khan’s conviction and sentence on appeal — an outcome that political analyst Imtiaz Gul believes is likely. “There was absolutely no solid case against Imran Khan, who had to face this conviction because of a technical mistake,” said Gul, who heads the Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based think tank. Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed in a statement defending the conviction that support for Khan is eroding. “He may deceive a few naive, gullible supporters, but the general public now recognizes his true nature,” she wrote. “His pretense has been stripped away, revealing the face of an individual who evaded the law, exploited state gifts for trivial profits.” If Khan's conviction stands, he won't be able to lead his party into an election because those with criminal convictions are barred from running for office. But even from behind bars, he could wield significant political influence. After his detention in May, his supporters demonstrated their ability to disrupt public life. Tens of thousands of Khan loyalists rampaged through cities, some of them destroying military and government property. The government cracked down, detaining more than 7,000, with some prosecutions still ongoing. By comparison, the reaction to Khan’s arrest this weekend was much more muted, possibly because of fears of another crackdown. His calls for peaceful protests failed to rouse widespread support. WHAT IS THE POLITICAL FALLOUT? Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to dissolve parliament in the coming weeks, possibly paving the way for elections by mid-November. The government could delay the vote by several months if it decides to redraw constituencies based on recent census results. Khan's imprisonment could win him and his party greater electoral support. It would also feed into the political persona he created after losing power — that of a fearless campaigner for Pakistan's disadvantaged. “The next elections are likely to be held without active participation of Imran Khan, but even from jail, he has the potential to effectively run a campaign for his candidates,” said political analyst Azim Chaudhry. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister spends night at high-security prison after sentencing Bill apparently aimed at halting criticism of Pakistani intelligence figures expected to become law Beijing has invested $25.4B in Pakistan over the last decade, Chinese vice premier says

The Western-educated Hun Manet is appointed in a formality long signposted by his father Hun Sen.

Former vice president Mike Pence has described a moment when he believes Donald Trump legitimately considered – albeit briefly – accepting the lawful and valid results of the 2020 election. Mr Pence was speaking to CBS’s Major Garrett on Sunday about the newly filed indictment against Mr Trump, charging him with several crimes related to the former president’s efforts to overturn the presidential election. Among the crimes Mr Trump is accused of is depriving Americans of their right to a duly elected president via his efforts to interfere in the legal process of transferring power between administrations. The former vice president was central to that effort. As president of the Senate, the vice president presides over the special session of the chamber wherein the results of the election are certified. Mr Trump attempted to persuade Mr Pence throughout the latter part of 2020 to interfere in that process and demand that the election certification be halted while Republican-led state legislatures in states where Mr Trump lost would supposedly work to throw out the lawful election results and substitute their own. Mr Pence refused, however, and the transfer of power went ahead following an unsuccessful attempt by a mob of Trump supporters to invade the Capitol and prevent the process from taking place. During his interview on Sunday, Mr Pence recounted a conversation with Mr Trump that took place in December 2020 – just weeks before the attack on Capitol Hill – where he says he thinks his boss may have considered not going ahead with his effort to interfere in the transfer of power should his court challenges fail, which they eventually all did. “I remember one occasion before Christmas, where the president asked me what... he thought we ought to do. We were just the two of us in the Oval Office, Major,” Mr Pence told Garrett. “And I remember, I looked at him and I said, look, let all the lawsuits play out, let the Congress do their work to consider objections, but I said at the end of the day, if the election goes the other way, I said we ought to take a bow, we ought to travel around the country. And I remember, I remember, the president is standing in front of his desk, listening very intently to me, and I'll never forget the way he just kind of pointed at me as if to... say, that's worth thinking about.” Mr Trump’s legal team has denied any wrongdoing in the Jan 6 case and has warned that they will call Mr Pence to testify. The ex-president faces dozens of criminal charges while he campaigns for a second term in office. Despite his professed innocence, his legal team separately said on Sunday that they expect indictments to be handed down in Georgia’s investigation into the president and his campaign’s efforts to overturn the election in that state. Read More Pence skirts crucial questions about Trump’s election indictment Trump lawyer calls Trump request to Pence for Jan 6 ‘aspirational’ Inside the courtroom, it was clear this indictment is different for Donald Trump Ohio election that revolves around abortion rights fueled by national groups, money Trump's attack on 'filth and decay' in nation's capital just the latest in his personal feud with DC Trump lawyer calls Trump request to Pence for Jan 6 ‘aspirational’

Donald Trump and his legal team are escalating efforts to discredit and delay a trial over his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election, as his fight to avert criminal convictions becomes ever more indistinguishable from his presidential campaign.

A Russian and Chinese naval patrol consisting of several vessels operated off the coast of Alaska last week, defense officials and lawmakers said over the weekend -- a show of force that prompted a US military response but did not pose a threat to the US or Canada, a US Northern Command spokesperson told CNN.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wanted the biggest annual festival of Indigenous Australians to re-ignite his legacy-defining referendum on

New Zealand plans to build three tunnels under Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour to ease traffic congestion in its largest

Families of Belarusian political prisoners say loved ones are being denied any outside contact.

Donald Trump’s lawyer on Sunday previewed a legal defence his client may make in court when his upcoming trial for his actions leading up to January 6 begins next year. Appearing on all the major networks, John Lauro fielded questions from journalists about the idea that Mr Trump was acting illegally when he approached then-Vice President Mike Pence with his plan for Mr Pence to halt or reverse the Senate’s certification of the 2020 election, allowing slates of false electors to be named to replace those set to vote for Joe Biden. Mr Lauro told journalists on NBC that Mr Trump had not directed his vice president to use his power as president of the Senate to interfere with the chamber’s process — instead, he characterised it as an “aspirational” request by the president. “Asking is aspirational. Asking is not action. It’s core free speech,” argued Mr Lauro on CNN. He went on to argue that Mr Pence’s refusal to comply with the request or demand was evidence itself that it had been the former. “I’m not saying that [the January 6 riot] was in any way appropriate, but the ultimate power of the presidency was transferred to Mr Biden,” he told CNN’s Dana Bash. It was the exact same language he used to describe Mr Trump’s overtures to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who was revealed to have been pressured by the president to intercede in that state after Joe Biden was declared the lawful victor. On a now-famous phone call, Mr Trump suggested that Mr Raffensperger would be able to “find” more than 10,000 votes for him that would push him past Mr Biden’s total in the state. "That wasn't a threat at all,” Mr Lauro claimed on NBC. “He was asking for [him] to get the truth...That was an aspirational ask." He would go on to claim that asking Mr Pence to commit an act that violated the US Constitution was not inherently a crime. However, some crimes simultaneously represent violations of one’s constitutional rights, and in the case of Mr Trump this argument could falls flat given that the government will argue that an obstruction of the Senate’s ability to certify the election essentially represented a violation of every American’s right to be represented by the lawfully-elected president. Mr Lauro’s whirlwind Sunday media tour comes as he and the Trump legal team are set to respond to a new filing by the Justice Department seeking to limit what Donald Trump can say publicly about his ongoing prosecution. The federal government has argued that Mr Trump’s recent comments on Truth Social vowing vengeance against those involved with the investigation will have a chilling effect on witnesses; the ex-president is already charged with witness tampering among the dozens of counts he faces. Read More Inside the courtroom, it was clear this indictment is different for Donald Trump Pence and Trump lawyer share opposite stories of what ex-president said ahead of January 6 Trump insists he isn’t a ‘scared puppy’ in defiant attack on Nancy Pelosi Pence and Trump lawyer share opposite stories of what Trump said ahead of January 6 Pence skirts crucial questions about Trump’s election indictment Inside the courtroom, it was clear this indictment is different for Donald Trump