Former president Donald Trump escalated his attacks on competitor Ron DeSantis as the Florida governor began his presidential campaign in Iowa following his glitch-laden Twitter announcement. The 45th president on Wednesday claimed that Mr DeSantis was looking to "change his name". "Have you heard that 'Rob' DeSanctimonious wants to change his name, again," Mr Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. "He is demanding that people call him DeeeSantis, rather than DaSantis. Actually, I like “Da” better, a nicer flow, so I am happy he is changing it. "He gets very upset when people, including reporters, don’t pronounce it correctly. Therefore, he shouldn’t mind, DeSanctimonious?" The Florida governor pronounced his name both as “dee-santus and “duh-santus", but reportedly settled on the latter. Mr Trump in a subsequent post, wrote: "ELECTION INTERFERENCE!" The one-time president continued his diatribe against Mr DeSantis by reposting a statement from Republican representative Mike Keyy, accusing the governor of “ingratitude” after Trump endorsed him in 2018. "There was a time when Ron DeSantis begged for president Trump's support. Our president gave Mr DeSantis that put him in a position to win the Florida governor's race...," the statement read. Mr Trump persisted. He then shared a post with a link to an article that called Mr DeSantis a "Trump knockoff". That followed another post linked to an article calling Mr Trump’s support “unmovable". A third post with a link claimed "Trump showed that he can capably lead America and protect the unborn”. Mr DeSantis, meanwhile, blitzed through Iowa during his first full day of presidential campaigning, stepping up his verbal swipes at the former president. The governor accused MrTrump of abandoning “America First” principles on immigration, supporting coronavirus pandemic-related lockdowns and generally having “moved Left”. Mr DeSantis also laughed off frequent criticism from the former president over his leadership in Florida, particularly on the state’s response to Covid-19. “Hell, his whole family moved to Florida under my governorship,” Mr DeSantis said. “This is a different guy than 2015, 2016,” Mr DeSantis previously told The Daily Wire, a conservative news website. Read More Reports: Prosecutors have tape of Trump discussing holding onto classified doc after leaving office Trump news - live: Trump caught on tape revealing he kept classified papers after presidency, report says DeSantis news – live: Florida governor attacks ‘wokeness’ but avoids saying Trump’s name at Iowa rally 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

Germany's government says it expects the country’s economy to shrink by 0.4% this year

Orlando Mitchell can be seen in the clip stepping behind the deputy and keeping his hands around Deputy John Durm’s neck

Former UK leader David Cameron sensationally returned to the British government as foreign secretary on Monday, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shook up his top team with...

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The leader of Spain’s soccer federation marred the country’s Women’s World Cup victory after kissing a player on the lips during the medal ceremony, drawing criticism for inappropriate conduct in a sport that has struggled to overcome sexism

The White House said it had information that Russia was executing its own soldiers who retreated from an offensive in Ukraine or refused to follow orders. “We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders,” White House spokesperson John Kirby told a media briefing on Thursday. “We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire,” he added. The US also claimed that some of the Russian casualties near Avdivvka were “on the orders of their own leaders”. Ukrainian forces have been fighting a Russian military onslaught in the frontline town of Avdiivka – a few kilometres north of occupied Donetsk – for several weeks since mid-October. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation as “particularly tough” earlier this week. Russia’s ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, made no reference to the White House statement but said that the latest military aid package of $150m to Ukraine by the US was “provocative and inflammatory actions in the international arena that look more like pouring oil on the fire”. He wrote on Telegram: “It is long past time to halt the mindless multi-billion dollar flow to the bankrupt Kyiv regime. Time to stop showing total disdain towards the opinions of your own citizens and indifference to the growing number of victims dying from American weaponry.” Mr Kirby confirmed that since 11 October Russia lost “at least 125 units of armoured vehicles around Avdiivka and more than a battalion’s worth of military equipment”. White House also said that the Russian troops in Avdivvka are struggling with “low morale”. Mr Kirby warned that Russia will likely continue to attack around Avdiivka and “may be able to achieve some tactical gains” in the coming months. However, he added that this will come at the cost of “thousands of casualties” as the Russian soldiers are thrown into battle without proper training and with “poor morale”. Mr Kirby said threats to execute the soldiers were barbaric, according to Reuters. “I think it’s a symptom of ... how poorly Russia’s military leaders know they’re doing and how bad they have handled this from a military perspective.” Additional reporting with agencies Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary As the Turkish Republic turns 100, here's a look at its achievements and challenges ahead White House says Russia is executing its own soldiers for not following orders Russia recruits prisoners for Ukraine war as Putin replicates Wagner

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Former White House resident Donald Trump Jr has weighed in after the Secret Service closed its investigation into the discovery of cocaine in the building - suggesting he would not have “gotten away with that”. The eldest son of former president Donald Trump made the comments at the Turning Point Action Conference on Sunday, when he assured the crowd that snorting cocaine was not his “thing”. “My guys who I stayed in touch with — many of them just dear friends — they’re like, ‘Hey dude, there’s no way you would’ve gotten away with that,’” he animatedly told the crowd. “I go, ‘I know!’ Luckily, I don’t snort, er, cocaine! It’s just not my thing.” Mr Trump has previously denied being a drug user. On his Triggered podcast earlier this year, he described to former Trump White House official Kash Patel the price of his getting involved in politics, in the process making a series of unsubstantiated claims about President Biden’s son Hunter. “I look at what they called me: a traitor,” Mr Trump said. “Adam Schiff wanted to try me for treason, a crime punishable by death, but Hunter Biden can take a billion from China, work for Ukraine oligarchs, work for Russian oligarchs, money launder, be paid in diamonds off the books, not declare anything in taxes, drop guns in dumpsters across from high schools, and it’s like, ‘He’s an upstanding human being. And then I give an impassioned speech, and it’s ‘Don Jr is on coke.’” A small amount of cocaine (around .007oz – enough for a misdemeanour charge) – was discovered in the White House, but the Secret Service said their investigation would have involved 500 people, not a short enough list of suspects to draw any concrete conclusions. However the lack of investigation has lef to criticisms levelled at President Joe Biden for not doing enough to find the culprit, as well as at White House staff in general. Conservative pundits have speculated – without evidence – that the drug may have belonged to the president’s son, Hunter Biden, who is a recovering drug addict. Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social: “Despite all of the cameras pointing directly at the ‘scene of the crime,’ and the greatest forensics anywhere in the World, they just can’t figure it out? They know the answer, and so does everyone else!” He subsequently took to calling President Biden a “crackhead”. Read More ‘Don Jr is on coke’: Trump’s son mocks accusations of drug use over his ‘impassioned’ speeches Trump finally reveals how he thinks he could end Russia’s war in Ukraine in a day Judge in Trump documents case under the spotlight after case intensifies following controversial ruling Rudy Giuliani sparks backlash with bizarre appearance at Gilgo Beach murder suspect’s home Donald Trump brands US a ‘third-world hellhole’ run by ‘perverts’ and ‘thugs’ ‘Stoned’ DeSantis canvasser’s lewd rant caught on doorbell camera as 2024 campaign rushes to cut costs

Pope Francis says he will go to Dubai for three days during the COP28 climate conference hosted there

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters have staged marches in Belgrade and other Serbian towns against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic