Another country has called Xi a 'dictator' and China is not happy with that description
China has lashed out at Germany after its foreign minister called Xi Jinping a "dictator" and summoned Berlin's ambassador for a dressing down, in the latest flaring of tensions with a western democratic power over how the Chinese leader is described overseas.
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Sierra Leone's iconic cotton tree felled by storm
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Andrew Tate breaks silence on 'desperate' woman who got Top G's name tattooed labeling him her 'husband', fans say 'stalker vibes'
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US Senate panel moves toward ending abortion-related military promotions blockade
By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A Democratic-led U.S. Senate committee advanced legislation on Tuesday that would clear the way for
2023-11-15 06:24
Australia Walks Away from Trade Talks With EU Over Agriculture
Australia has walked away for the second time in three months from talks with the European Union toward
2023-10-30 01:18
Adin Ross shares thoughts on Fousey's Subathon controversy amid arrest: 'This is a really f**king big issue'
Fousey gained widespread attention on August 23, during the 12th day of his Subathon
2023-08-25 21:15
Czech labor unions stage a day of action in protest at spending cuts and taxes
Labor unions have staged a day of protests and strikes across the Czech Republic to voice their opposition to the government’s package of cuts and austerity measures meant to keep the ballooning deficit under control
2023-11-27 19:26
Thailand's Pita defeated in parliament in bid for PM
By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK Thailand's Pita Limjaroenrat failed on Thursday in his initial bid to
2023-07-13 19:23
Saudi Budget Deficit Blows Out to $9.5 Billion as Revenues Slip
Saudi Arabia posted a budget deficit in the third quarter that was almost seven times larger than in
2023-11-02 15:28
Thousands converge on National Mall to mark the March on Washington’s 60th anniversary
Thousands have gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in the nation’s capital to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” speech
2023-08-27 02:16
Obstruction, false statements and unlawfully retaining documents: The charges against Donald Trump
Donald Trump is expected to face seven counts in a federal indictment stemming from the US Department of Justice investigation into his possession of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago property. Federal prosecutors are expected to charge him with the willful retention of national defense secrets in violation of the Espionage Act, making false statements, obstruction and witness tampering. Mr Trump will surrender, face arrest, and be formally charged in US District Court in Miami, as soon as next week, after a federal grand jury believed there was enough evidence to bring charges against him. A potential sentence, if convicted, could include decades in prison. The exact charges against Mr Trump have not been announced, and it is unclear whether an indictment against him will remain sealed until it is formally presented in federal court. Mr Trump said he was due in federal court in Miami at 3pm ET on Tuesday 13 June. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and declared the investigations against him a “witch hunt”. An investigation from special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed to lead the Justice Department’s probe into the former president’s alleged mishandling of documents after leaving the White House, reportedly is looking into whether his lawyers falsely certified that he returned classified records to the government, or whether he concealed them, illegally, and lied to his legal team. Federal prosecutors are expected to present compelling evidence that the former president knowingly and deliberately misled his attorneys about his retention of sensitive documents after leaving the White House in January 2021 after losing his re-election bid. Unauthorised retention of national security documents The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination will face charges under the Espionage Act, which the Justice Department invoked against now-former National Security Agency translator Reality Winner while Mr Trump was president in 2018. Julian Assange and Daniel Hale also were charged under the Espionage Act in 2019. Mr Trump is now expected to face that same charge, according to his lawyer James Trusty. One of the six sections under the Espionage Act, Section 793, prohibits “gathering, transmitting or losing” any “information respecting the national defence”. The use of Section 793, which does not make reference to classified information, is understood to be a strategic decision by prosecutors that has been made to short-circuit the former president’s ability to claim that he used his authority as president to declassify documents he removed from the White House and kept at his Florida property long after his term expired on 20 January 2021. That section of US criminal law is written in a way that could encompass Mr Trump’s conduct even if he was authorised to possess the information as president. It states that anyone who “lawfully having possession of, access to, control over, or being entrusted with any document … relating to the national defence” and “willfully” transmits such information in any way can face a prison sentence of up to 10 years. Obstruction A charge of obstruction in this case likely involves the “destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations.” In a case before a jury, federal prosecutors must prove whether Mr Trump knowingly retained documents under the National Archives and Records Administration’s custody, and willfully defied the Justice Department’s subpoena for classified documents in his possession. A conviction includes a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. An additional charge of conspiracy, which would need to include another person in order to commit a crime, could carry a sentence of five years. Making false statements Mr Trump could face additional charges for making false statements, or allowing his legal team to make false statements, if prosecutors determine that he lied to law enforcement about the documents in his possession at the subject of the subpoenas against him. That could include an additional five-year sentence, if convicted. Witness tampering Section 1512 under Title 18 includes a broad prohibition against tampering with a witness, victim or informant involved in a federal investigation. It applies to matters before Congress as well as federal agencies and civil and criminal judicial proceedings, including grand jury proceedings. A conviction includes a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal indictment against Mr Trump arrives days after a last-ditch attempt by his legal team to convince Justice Department officials against charging him. Investigators launched a probe early last year after officials with the National Archives and Records Administration discovered more than 100 documents bearing classification markings while reviewing 15 boxes retrieved from Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. US Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Mr Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor at The Hague, as special counsel to lead the probe. An indictment serves as a formal accusation, among a prosecutor’s first steps before a case can be brought to trial. Grand jurors heard evidence and testimony brought forward from prosecutors and witnesses they chose to present. In a trial, a jury will hear from defence attorneys. Following Mr Trump’s formal indictment, prosecutors will share evidence with his legal team and likely begin motions to dismiss the case. Andrew Feinberg contributed reporting Read More Trump indictment - live: Trump says he’s ‘an innocent man’ as he faces seven charges in documents case Read Trump’s furious reaction to federal indictment in classified documents case Trump has been indicted again: Here are all of the major lawsuits and investigations he is facing
2023-06-09 10:58
What is a Storm Shadow cruise missile?
British defence minister Ben Wallace announced that the top-tier, air launched Storm Shadow cruise missiles lent to Ukraine were striking targets with precision as the country continued to fight off Russia’s full-scale invasion clocking nearly 500 days. “The Storm Shadow missile has had a significant impact on the battlefield,” Mr Wallace said in a statement to the House of Commons on Monday this week, marking the first public acknowledgement of the missile’s use in the continuing war. "Its accuracy and ability to deliver successfully the payload, as sent and designed by the Ukrainians, has been almost without fault,” the defence minister said. “It has had an effect on the Russian army, mainly around its logistics and command and control. That shows the importance of deep fires,” he said. Ukraine’s counter-offensive is evidently in its early stages with the country’s forces repulsing attacks using several western weapon systems to boost its defence operations to stand up against Russia. In its arsenal of striking targets alongside top-tier rocket launcher systems sent from the West, including the HIMARS, are the British Storm Shadow cruise missiles. Manufacturer MBDA has said that the missile, which is fired from an aircraft, carries a range exceeding 155 miles and is designed to evade detection despite flying low after being launched. By contrast, the US-supplied Himars missiles currently used by Ukraine only have a range of around 50 miles. The longer range means Ukrainian pilots will be able to remain further from the front lines. But is still short of the 185-mile range of the US built Army Tactical Missile System, which Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s staff had reportedly asked for. Powered by a turbo-jet engine, the 1,300kg Storm Shadow travels at speeds of more than 600mph, is just over five metres long and has a wingspan of three metres. After launch, the weapon, equipped with its own navigation system, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking on to its target using an infra-red seeker. On final approach the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target. On impact, it penetrates the target before a delayed fuse detonates the main warhead. Storm Shadow missiles have been used by British and French air forces in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya. In May this year, the UK confirmed it will supply Ukraine with the long-range Storm Shadow missiles it requested for its fight against invading Russian forces. Mr Wallace had touted that the weapons will give Ukraine the “best chance” of defending itself. Read More Ukraine has an array of new Western weapons. What advantages could they offer in a counteroffensive? Russia-Ukraine – live: Putin may take ‘formal control’ of Wagner in wake of attempted coup Tanks, missiles and keeping Russia guessing: The week Ukraine’s counteroffensive truly began What are Storm Shadow cruise missiles and what other weapons has the UK sent to Ukraine?
2023-06-30 18:22
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