By Viktoriia Lakezina KHERSON, Ukraine Hundreds of people were evacuated from settlements along the southern stretch of Ukraine's

China’s manufacturing activity contracted for a second straight month in May, providing more evidence the post-Covid recovery in

A Southern California school board has resolved a dispute with Gov. Gavin Newsom over a social studies curriculum

A storm set to brew off the southeastern US coast late this week will bring gusty winds, heavy rain and hazardous seas from Florida to New England.

The Texas attorney general currently suspended and facing an impeachment trial in the state’s Senate is lashing out at lawmakers, vowing not to participate in a process he has called illegal and politicised — despite all involved being Republicans. Ken Paxton vowed on Monday that he would not testify in the upcoming trial set to be held in the Texas state Senate over a list of accusations that paints a damning picture of corruption in his office. The embattled Mr Paxton, a known warrior for conservative causes in the court system as part of his efforts to build a statewide profile, has been accused of taking bribes from a campaign donor, then using his office’s power to shield that same donor from legal action. He’s also alleged to have retaliated against whistleblowers in his office who came forward to speak about the supposed scheme. The statement, first reported by the Texas Tribune, came via Mr Paxton’s attorney Tony Buzbee. “We will not bow to their evil, illegal, and unprecedented weaponisation of state power in the Senate chamber,” said Mr Buzbee. He added: “​​The House has ignored precedent, denied him an opportunity to prepare his defense, and now wants to ambush him on the floor of the Senate. They had the opportunity to have Attorney General Paxton testify during their sham investigation but refused to do so.” Mr Paxton has long denied the allegations against him — though evasively, as the Tribune and other state media have noted, and has focused the majority of his efforts in recent weeks on criticising the individuals behind his impeachment in the state House of Representatives. At a May press conference addressing the issue, he accused his Republican critics in the House of working to thwart his efforts to champion conservative causes in the courts. “The corrupt politicians in the Texas House are demonstrating that blind loyalty to Speaker Dade Phelan is more important than upholding their oath of office,” he said at the time. “They are determined to ignore the law. They have denied me the opportunity to present the evidence which contradicts their politically motivated narrative.” “The House is poised to do exactly what Joe Biden has been hoping to accomplish since his first day in office: sabotage our work, my work, as attorney general of Texas,” Mr Paxton added at that press conference. He has proceeded to also level unfounded charges of alcohol abuse by the speaker of the Texas House, Dade Phelan, and called for Mr Phelan’s resignation. Others, during the House impeachment process, claimed that they received threatening phone calls from Mr Paxton ahead of the vote. Lawmakers in the House and Senate of the state of Texas have shown no sign, however, of relenting in the face of his bluster. Mr Paxton’s trial is due to begin on 5 September. His wife, a state senator, will be barred on voting for or against his conviction. Read More Should domestic abusers have the right to be armed? The Supreme Court could upend protections for survivors Texas businessman at center of AG Ken Paxton's impeachment pleads not guilty to federal charges Texas Sen. Angela Paxton says she will 'carry out my duties' in husband's impeachment trial Ted Cruz accuses new Barbie movie of ‘pushing Chinese propaganda’ Conservatives go to red states, Democrats to blue as the country grows more polarized Biden renews call for assault weapons ban after ‘tragic and senseless’ spate of July 4 shootings

Europe's support for Ukraine faced an unexpected curveball this week as Poland -- hitherto Kyiv's staunchest ally on the continent -- seemed to declare it would stop sending arms to its neighbor.

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Rudy Giuliani has flipped out over Donald Trump’s latest indictment on charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election, after he was identified as an unnamed co-conspirator in the charging documents. In a bizarre rant on right-wing network Newsmax on Tuesday night, the man said to be “co-conspirator 1” in the indictment furiously claimed that special counsel Jack Smith should be indicted for indicting Mr Trump. “The people lying are the people bringing this… They should be indicted for conspiracy against rights,” he fumed. The attorney – who is facing calls from an attorney disciplinary committee to be disbarred – went on to accuse Mr Smith of being an “unethical lawyer”. “So here’s what I say to Jack Smith,” he fumed. “After the Supreme Court threw out your case, which should have been a disgrace... you should have gone and found another profession because you don’t belong in this one.” “This one will be your legacy, violating the rights of free speech of an American citizen. Nevermind whether he was president or not.” He continued: “It could be anybody. It could be a homeless person. You don’t get to violate people’s first amendment rights, Smith. No matter who the hell you are, no matter how sick you are with Trump derangement syndrome.” In a somewhat unhinged moment, the former New York City mayor then brandished a copy of Mr Trump’s indictment to the camera before slamming it back down on the table. “This isn’t the first time you’ve acted like an unethical lawyer,” he said. “It should be the last.” On Tuesday, a grand jury which has spent months hearing evidence in special counsel Mr Smith’s investigation returned a federal indictment against the former president. Mr Trump was charged with four counts of: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. The indictment – Mr Trump’s second federal indictment and third overall – allegedly conspired with his allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election in an attempt to sabotage the vote of the American people. While the former president is the only person charged, the indictment refers to six co-conspirators who worked with him to try to overturn the election. The six individuals – four attorneys, one Justice Department official and one political consultant – have not been named in the charging documents because they have not yet been charged with any crimes. But based on the details in the indictment and records already known about the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot, the identities of five of the six co-conspirators are clear. The individual known as co-conspirator number one appears to be former New York City mayor and Mr Trump’s former attorney Mr Giuliani. The indictment refers to co-conspirator 1 as an “attorney who was willing to spread knowingly false claims and pursue strategies that the Defendant’s 2020 re-election campaign attorneys would not”. Multiple quotes attributed to co-conspirator 1 match those previously attributed to the former New York City mayor. On 6 January 2021, co-conspirator 1 left a voicemail for a US senator, according to the indictment. “We need you, our Republican friends, to try to just slow it down so we can get these legislatures to get more information to you,” he said. “I know they’re reconvening at 8 tonight, but it … the only strategy we can follow is to object to numerous states and raise issues so that we get ourselves into tomorrow – ideally until the end of tomorrow.” The quotes match a previously-obtained transcript of a call made by Mr Guiliani to Senator Tommy Tuberville that day. Mr Giuliani’s attorney Robert Costelllo acknowledged to The New York Times that it “appears that Mayor Giuliani is alleged to be co-conspirator No. 1”. He went on to denounce the indictment as “election interference” and a violation of the first amendment. Mr Giuliani is widely-known to have been a key player in Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and last week admitted in a lawsuit settlement that he had made false statements about two Georgia election workers who he falsely accused of rigging votes. Read More Trump indictment – live: Trump hit with 2020 election probe charges as he likens it to ‘Nazi persecution’ Who are Trump’s six alleged co-conspirators in the 2020 election probe case? Jack Smith held nothing back. Here’s what the Trump indictment really means Republicans rage against Jack Smith after latest indictment of Donald Trump Trump called Pence ‘too honest’ after vice president refused to join 2020 scheme Jesse Watters calls latest Trump indictment ‘political war crime’ on Fox News

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Jewish refugees from the war between Israel and Hamas are finding safety in an unused lakeside resort in the Hungarian countryside