When Viktor Shevchenko was called forward to receive his medal from President Volodymyr Zelensky at a special ceremony in Kyiv earlier this year, his appearance seemed to come as a surprise to the Ukrainian leader.

FBI agents have arrested a Texas businessman at the center of the scandal that led to the historic impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton

Allies of former president Donald Trump quickly came to his defence on Thursday after he revealed he was facing a federal indictment related to a Department of Justice investigation into his mishandling of classified documents. The indictment comes after a months-long investigation into whether Mr Trump knowingly kept sensitive materials at his Mar-a-Lago home and / or misled investigators looking into the matter. According to reports, Mr Trump will face seven charges related to the federal indictment. On Twitter, allies of Mr Trump remained loyal to him and downplayed the severity of the indictment. Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) claimed the indictment was a form of “election interference” on Twitter “This phony Boxes Hoax indictment against President Trump reflects the most severe election interference on the part of the federal government that we have EVER seen!” he tweeted. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said the indictment came because Democrats fear Mr Trump will win re-election. "Democrats must literally shake with sweats when they see amazing packed out Trump rallies and overwhelming winning poll numbers week after week," she tweeted. "They must awake in the night with panic at the thoughts of us winning in 2024." Ms Greene added that the indictment was meant to distract from Mr Biden’s supposed crimes, for which she provided debunked claims or those with little evidence. She also noted how Mr Biden currently faces an investigation from Special Counsel Robert Hur for having classified documents at multiple locations, including his private residence. "Joe Biden has classified documents everywhere," she tweeted. "Literally on the garage floor next to the garage door that opens and closes, but the corrupt and complicit FBI and DOJ do nothing." Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) tweeted: "There is no limit to what these people will do to protect their power & destroy those who threaten it, even if it means ripping our country apart & shredding public faith in the institutions that hold our republic together.” In a statement posted to her Twitter, Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) echoed other GOP congressional members’ statements, saying the indictment was an interference with Mr Trump’s campaign. Right-wing activist Mike Cernovich tweeted: “This is the JFK assassination all over again - they are killing Trump by other means.” In another post he said: “The deep state killed JFK with bullets. Now they are using briefcases to assassinate those who stand in their way.” The indictment comes as Mr Trump is seeking a third bid for the White House. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ), one of the leaders of the insurgent House Freedom Caucus, railed against the Justice Department for the indictment "We ought to defund and dismantle the DOJ," he tweeted. "I stand with President Trump." Additional reporting by Eric Garcia Read More ‘A criminal not a victim’: Trump critics mock his cries of ‘witch-hunt’ as he is indicted over secret papers Trump indictment - live: Trump says he’s ‘an innocent man’ as he faces seven charges in documents case Will Donald Trump be arrested and jailed after classified documents indictment? 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

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the chamber's top Republican, said on Thursday that the indictment of Donald Trump

Former president Donald Trump’s attorney Alina Habba said on Fox News that she is “ashamed” and “embarrassed” to be a lawyer after the former president was indicted. Ms Habba spoke on Jesse Watters’s show amid news that a federal grand jury indicted Mr Trump on charges related to his allegedly unlawful retention of national defence information. Mr Trump’s attorney said the indictment was a distraction from supposed impropriety on behalf of President Joe Biden, pointing to the fact that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer was planning to hold FBI Director Christoper Wray, whom Mr Trump nominated to lead the bureau in 2017, in contempt of Congress for supposedly withholding documents. But Mr Comer retracted the contempt vote after the FBI agreed to share documents, The New York Times reported. “Every single time there is a coordinated dance that is becoming obvious to the American people because they are smart,” she said. Ms Habba said that the indictments of the twice-impeached former president were the equivalent of a “shiny ball” meant to distract people. “I'm embarrassed to be a lawyer at this moment,” she said. “Honestly, I am ashamed. I'm ashamed to be a lawyer. I'm ashamed that this is the state of our country.” Ms Habba said the indictment showed the United States had a two-tiered system of justice. “And it is so obvious that there's this dual-system of justice,” she said. “This is selective prosecution, selective persecution. It is absolute persecution. It is Russia third world stuff, and it should not be happening.” Mr Trump first broadcast the indictment on his Truth Social networking platform on Thursday, one day after The Independent had reported that federal prosecutors planned to ask a grand jury to indict Mr Trump. “I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election,” Mr Trump said, denying his guilt and proclaiming he is an “innocent man.” Mr Trump said he has been summoned to appear at a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday by 3.00 pm ET. Read More Trump indictment - live: Trump says he’s ‘an innocent man’ as he faces seven charges in documents case Donald Trump has been indicted in Mar-a-Lago classified documents 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

Critics of Donald Trump mocked the former president on Twitter on Thursday night after it was revealed a grand jury chose to indict Mr Trump on charges stemming from a Department of Justice investigation into his handling of classified materials. “Trump will cry witch-hunt, and play the victim again. He is not,” Illinois representative Adam Kinizinger tweeted. He added: “He is corrupt If in fact he was the victim (he’s not) he would be one of the weakest men ever, since he just continually gets victimized and can’t stop it. But he’s a criminal not a victim.” Mr Kinizinger’s tweet comes just moments after CNN reported that Mr Trump will face seven charges regarding the investigation. In response to the news, Mr Trump took to Truth Social where he asserted he was an “innocent man”. Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election.” This is the second time Mr Trump has been indicted, the first being in New York earlier this year. But the first time he will face a federal indictment. Peter Strzok, the former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent who led the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election tweeted a photo of handcuffs following the news. Michael Steele, the former chairperson for the Republican National Committee, tweeted: “Remember: he is in this position because of his own actions; there was no “witch-hunt”; a federal judge ruled there was probable cause Trump committed a crime. HE owns this.” More follows Read More Trump indictment - live: Trump says he’s ‘an innocent man’ as he faces seven charges in documents case Trump says he’s been indicted again: Here are all of the major lawsuits and investigations he is facing Donald Trump has been indicted in Mar-a-Lago classified documents 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

An 18-year-old Massachusetts man was arrested Thursday for orchestrating an alleged gift card scheme to raise money for terrorist group ISIS, federal authorities said.

Special counsel Jack Smith's monthslong investigation into Donald Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents has entered a new chapter with a grand jury voting to indict the former president, sources familiar told CNN Thursday.

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are reiterating their commitment to help Ukraine repel Russia’s ongoing invasion, while agreeing to step up cooperation on the clean energy transition and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON U.S. Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg is taking over as acting head of the

Reagan administration Interior Secretary James Watt has died at age 85

Months after his identity was gleaned by online sleuths working to track down the names of those who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, a Long Island funeral home director has been arrested. The arrest of Peter Maloney – of Bayport, New York – was announced on Wednesday in a press release from the Department of Justice, which accused him of “spray[ing] police officers with ... insecticide” on at least two occasions, and also helping other rioters gang up on and violently assault persons who they mistook for news reporters. He was dubbed #BlackBonoHelmet online by the group, which has identified other Americans yet to be arrested in connection to the attack He faces two felony counts and five misdemeanors for his participation in the assault; the felony charges include assault of a police officer, a more serious charge than many others who simply followed the mob into the Capitol, illegally, before leaving would later receive. It’s a far lighter list of charges than members of the far-right Oathkeepers militia received, however; leaders of that group were charged with seditious conspiracy against the United States. FBI agents who compiled evidence against him argued that Mr Maloney’s decision to come equipped with insecticide and body armour showed his intent to commit violence before the attack even began. His arrest coincides with a much more high-profile nabbing of a January 6 conspirator this week — Bob’s Burgers and Arrested Development fans reacted with disbelief and disgust as actor Jay Johnston, known for his roles on the shows, was arrested and charged with felony obstruction of peace officers among several misdemeanors. He was previously fired from the former show after being ID’d online by Sedition Hunters, the very same group responsible for sniffing out Mr Maloney’s identity. Apparently indicating the limits of the Justice Department’s capabilities, spokespersons for the group noted on Twitter just last month that it had been more than two years since Mr Maloney’s identity had been confirmed positively by the website’s sleuths. Read More Bank records raise questions about home remodel in Texas Attorney General Paxton's impeachment Trump knew how to correctly declassify documents, White House official tells prosecutors Bob’s Burgers actor arrested and charged in connection with Jan 6 Capitol riot