
Analysis-For Spain's Socialists, regional elections a rehearsal for national vote
By Belén Carreño MADRID In speeches across the country ahead of regional elections on Sunday, Spanish Prime Minister
1970-01-01 08:00

Who is Casey DeSantis? What we know about Florida governor Ron’s wife who could become America’s first lady
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is widely expected to announce his run for the Republican presidential nomination this week, putting him in direct competition with Donald Trump. As US president, Mr Trump campaigned for Mr DeSantis’s election in 2018 but the men have since become enemies, with the former regularly attacking his rival with childish nicknames on social media and at rallies. Mr DeSantis rose to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic through his opposition to social restrictions and has since marketed himself as a younger, less complicated party figurehead than Mr Trump, winning admirers on the right with his regressive policies on LGBT+ rights in Florida’s schools. The men will fight for the GOP nomination against the likes of Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Vivek Ramaswamy and Larry Elder, with Mr Trump’s ex-vice president Mike Pence also likely to enter the race. As Mr DeSantis prepares to take the national stage, interest will inevitably turn towards his personal life and that of his wife, Casey DeSantis, as prospective US first lady. Jill Casey Black was born on 26 June 1980 in Zanesville, Ohio, the daughter of Robert Black and Jeanne Caponigro. Her father is an optometrist and ex-US Air Force officer, and her mother is a speech pathologist and the daughter of a Sicilian immigrant. She graduated from the historic College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in French and competed on the equestrian team. After graduating, she went on to become a television host, initially on the Golf Channel programmes On The Tee and PGA Tour Today. She first met Mr DeSantis on a golf course – he serving as an officer in the US Navy at the time – and the couple married in September 2009, their wedding taking place at Walt Disney World Resort, which the groom admits is now “kind of ironic” given his bitter disputes with the Walt Disney Corporation as governor. While her husband entered the political arena, Ms DeSantis continued her media career by becoming a local news anchor with WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida, working in various roles including as a morning presenter and crime reporter. From there, she hosted the roundtable discussion show The Chat on Jacksonville stations WTLV and WJXX. Other lifestyle programmes she has presented include First Coast Living and The American Dream and she is also known as the producer of The JT Townsend Story, an award-winning documentary about the high school football star. Ron and Casey DeSantis have three small children together: five-year-old Madison, four-year-old Mason and two-year-old Mamie, the latter said to be the first baby to be born in the Florida governor’s mansion in more than half a century. As the state’s first lady, Ms DeSantis has been involved in such projects as the Hope Florida initiative – promoting economic self-sufficiency – and Resiliency Florida, a scheme to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health in professional sport. In October 2021, it was announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, although she confirmed the following March that treatment had been successful and that she was now cancer-free. She has since dedicated herself to raising awareness of the disease. According to a recent profile of Ms DeSantis published by Politico – and since angrily denounced as a “hit piece” by The Nation – the couple are said to be so close as to be known collectively as “The DeSanti”, with the first lady taking it upon herself to “humanise the robot” (Mr DeSantis has a reputation for being something of an awkward communicator) and to influence her husband’s policy positions. “She is both his biggest asset and his biggest liability,” donor Dan Eberhart told the publication. “And I say biggest asset in that I think she does make him warmer, softer.” “But he needs to be surrounded with professional people, not just her. I’ve heard from staffers frustrated that they think the governor’s made a decision, he talks to her, comes back, the decision is the opposite or different.” He added: “The sad part is I think she’s very smart. I think she’s very talented. But she also needs to realise if they want to play on this stage, they need serious help.” Read More DeSantis asks that judge be disqualified from Disney's free speech lawsuit DeSantis super PAC tackles tricky task of organizing support for him in Iowa without the candidate DeSantis meets New Hampshire lawmakers, greets voters ahead of expected 2024 announcement
1970-01-01 08:00

Major differences remain over spending cuts and other key issues as debt limit deadline looms
Negotiations are continuing to unfold in an attempt to reach a debt limit deal, but major differences between House Republicans and the White House have yet to be bridged, and the pressure is only intensifying as the risk of default grows ever more real with each day.
1970-01-01 08:00

Braverman Avoids Ethics Probe as Sunak Says She Didn’t Break Ministerial Code
Rishi Sunak will not refer Home Secretary Suella Braverman to an ethics probe over her handling of a
1970-01-01 08:00

Russian PM Says China Ties at ‘Unprecedented’ High Level
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told China’s premier that bilateral relations are stronger than ever, as Moscow looks
1970-01-01 08:00

How conservative activists worked to kill an effort to protect Florida election workers from harassment
Florida lawmakers were poised this year to protect election workers from harassment. Then, conservative "election integrity" activists worked to kill the effort.
1970-01-01 08:00

Supreme Court approval rating declines amid controversy over ethics and transparency: Marquette poll
Americans' approval of the Supreme Court has fallen since the start of the year, according to a new poll released Wednesday, with 41% of the country saying it approves of the nine justices amid a barrage of media reports and watchdog complaints concerning ethics and transparency at the nation's highest court.
1970-01-01 08:00

German police conduct nationwide raids against climate activists
German investigators have launched a nationwide raid against members of the Last Generation climate activist group, the Munich State Prosecutor's Office said Wednesday.
1970-01-01 08:00

Clashes reported in Sudan's capital on second day of ceasefire
KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Clashes between rival military factions could be heard overnight in parts of Sudan's capital, residents said on Wednesday,
1970-01-01 08:00

South Africa Weighs Extending Lives of Larger Coal Power Plants
South Africa is considering extending the lives of some of its biggest coal-fired power plants as the government
1970-01-01 08:00

Pakistan considering banning Imran Khan's party - defence minister
ISLAMABAD Pakistan is considering banning former Prime Minister Imran Khan's political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Defence Minister Khawaja
1970-01-01 08:00

Bangladesh in a Position to Pay Back IMF Loan, PM Says
Bangladesh is in a position to pay back the loan taken from the International Monetary Fund to shore
1970-01-01 08:00