One man is revered in Western capitals for standing up to Russia's full-scale invasion...

By Ellen Zhang and Joe Cash BEIJING (Reuters) -China's factory output and retail sales grew at a faster pace in

Donald Trump sat down with Sean Hannity for a town hall in Iowa on Thursday evening to answer questions from local voters, although almost all of the questions came from the Fox News host himself. Before a raucous and adoring crowd, the Republican former president was asked about domestic and foreign policy topics, claiming he would solve most within six months of retaking office, boasting of his tough stance towards Russia and Iran. When other GOP primary candidates like Ron DeSantis and Asa Hutchinson were brought up, he dismissed the threat they posed as his audience booed and jeered the very mention of their names. But there was no mention whatsoever of Fox’s recent $787m settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over the former’s coverage of Mr Trump’s bogus claims that the 2020 presidential election fraud was “rigged” against him by a vast Democrat-led conspiracy to deprive him of a second term. Mr Trump did use the opportunity provided to try to shoot down the latest allegations that he knowingly stored classified Pentagon documents from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, insisting: “I don't know anything about it. All I know is everything did was right.” Read More Trump’s Fox and CNN town halls expose media’s inability to fact-check a fountain of nonsense Trump plays down legal threat of secret papers recording at Fox News town hall Trump surprises crowd by mocking people who say ‘woke’ – including his own son who runs businesses off it

Former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday said that Ukraine's membership in NATO should not be considered until Russia's war in the country ends.

By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Thursday that the Justice Department is monitoring

Israeli warplanes are striking targets across Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive in the besieged Hamas-ruled territory. Fears of a widening war have grown as Israel struck targets in the occupied West Bank, Syria and Lebanon and traded fire with Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. Two aid convoys arrived in the Gaza Strip over the weekend through the Rafah crossing from Egypt. Israel said the trucks carried food, water and medical supplies. Israel has not allowed in fuel, which is critically needed for water and sanitation systems and hospitals. The war, in its 17th day Monday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Sunday that at least 4,651 people have been killed and 14,254 wounded in the territory. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly civilians who died in the initial Hamas rampage into southern Israel. In addition, 222 people including foreigners were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, Israel's military has said. Two of those have been released. Currently: 1. Premature babies hooked up to incubators are at risk of dying because of dwindling fuel in the Gaza Strip 2. Biden walks tightrope with support for Israel as allies and the left push for restraint 3. A second convoy of trucks carrying desperately needed aid reaches Gaza 4. Blinken and Austin say the U.S. is ready to protect American forces should the war escalate 5. Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Here’s what’s happening in the latest Israel-Hamas war: EUROPE MINISTERS DISCUSSING GETTING AID INTO GAZA BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers are meeting Monday to discuss ways to help vital aid get into Gaza, particularly fuel, after two convoys entered over the weekend. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that “in normal times, without war, 100 trucks enter into Gaza every day. So it’s clear that 20 is not enough.” Borrell said the emphasis must be on getting power and water-providing desalination plants running again. “Without water and electricity, the hospitals can barely work,” he told reporters in Luxembourg, where the meeting is taking place. He said the ministers will also look at ways to resolve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians longer term. “The great powers have forgotten about the Palestinian issue, thinking it was going to be solved alone, or it doesn’t matter. Yes, it matters,” Borrell said. WORLD LEADERS CALL FOR ADHERENCE TO HUMANITARIAN LAW Several world leaders on Sunday spoke about the was between Israel and Hamas, reiterating their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians. U.S. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom also welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza. The leaders welcomed the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in need in Gaza and committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs. They also said they would continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER WARNS HEZBOLLAH TO STAY OUT OF WAR Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops stationed near the border with Lebanon, where the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants also have traded fire during the Hamas-Israel war. A top official with Iran Hezbollah vowed Saturday that Israel would pay a high price whenever it starts a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and said Saturday that his militant group based in Lebanon already is “in the heart of the battle.” Speaking to troops in the north on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel would react more fiercely than it did during its short 2006 war with Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon. “If Hezbollah decides to enter the war, it will miss the Second Lebanon War. It will make the mistake of its life. We will cripple it with a force it cannot even imagine and the consequences for it and the Lebanese state are devastating,” the Israeli leader said. ISRAEL SAYS 2ND BATCH OF HUMANITARIAN AID ENTERED GAZA Israel says Sunday that a second batch of humanitarian aid was allowed into Gaza, at the request of the U.S. and according to instructions from other political officials. On Saturday, 20 trucks entered in the first shipment into the territory since Israel imposed a complete siege two weeks ago. Sunday's batch included only water, food, and medical equipment, with no fuel, Israel said. U.S. President Joe Biden and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel “affirmed that there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance into Gaza,” the White House said in a statement after a phone call between the leaders. Earlier Sunday, Egypt’s state-run media had reported that 17 aid trucks were crossing into Gaza on Sunday, but the United Nations said no trucks had crossed. On Sunday, Associated Press journalists saw seven fuel trucks head into Gaza. Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, and the Israeli military said those trucks were taking fuel that had been stored on the Gaza side of the crossing deeper into the territory, and that no fuel had entered from Egypt. UNRWA SAYS THERE WILL BE NO HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE WITHOUT FUEL AMMAN, Jordan — The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says it will run out of fuel in Gaza in three days. “Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries. Without fuel, aid will not reach many civilians in desperate need. Without fuel, there will be no humanitarian assistance,” Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner General, said in a statement Sunday. A first delivery of aid that was allowed to cross into Gaza from Egypt on Saturday did not include any fuel. “Without fuel, we will fail the people of Gaza whose needs are growing by the hour, under our watch. This cannot and should not happen,” Lazzarini said. He called on “all parties and those with influence” to allow fuel into Gaza immediately, while ensuring that it is only used for humanitarian purposes. Read More Israel strikes across Gaza after allowing another small aid convoy into the besieged enclave A price cap on Russian oil aims to starve Putin of cash. But it's largely been untested. Until now Stock market today: Asian stocks fall as concerns rise over Israel-Hamas war and high yields Sen. Menendez returns to New York court to enter plea to new conspiracy charge Japan's Kishida plans an income tax cut for households and corporate tax breaks Australians' rejection of the Indigenous Voice in constitutional vote is shameful, supporters say

Chris Russo slammed Travis Kelce on ESPN's ‘First Take’ for visiting Taylor Swift in Argentina on his bye-week

She provided candid advice normalising sex to Canadian and US audiences for decades.

President Putin moved his £75million superyacht three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine to avoid having it seized as part of war sanctions, a new investigation has claimed. Secret documents released by Russian investigative journalist Maria Pevchikh, who heads the anti-corruption foundation set up by Alexei Navalny, show the Russian president had his yacht ‘Graceful’ sail from from Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany to the Russian semi-exclave of Kaliningrad two weeks before the invasion. The documents show an email was sent by an employee of Russia’s largest shipping company, the SCF Group, to Blohm & Voss saying the owner of Graceful is unhappy with an on-going “refit” and wants the ship to sail out of the Hamburg port on February 1, 2022. The email does not provide any reason why the owner of the yacht was unhappy with the on-going “refit”, which added two new balconies to the vessel and extended the pool. “The owner is not happy with the retrofit. He is dissatisfied with the delays in the construction process,” the email says. “The owner wants the Graceful to be brought to the Russian Federation on February 1st (...). Please mobilise an uninterrupted crew – 2 shifts.’ The email, sent on January 19, 2022, adds: “Please accelerate all works which may interfere with Graceful sailing out on 01 February. “Please calculate the amount to be paid by Owners due to early departure. Crew and myself will provide full assistance to prepare Graceful for Towing.” According to investigators, Blohm & Voss was set to work on Graceful for another year to fix open holes in its surface. But the company was forced to cancel its work and get the ship ready to set sail in just 12 days. The yacht’s crew, based in Hamburg, were also forced to move out of their homes so they could move the vessel. Reports suggest the company did not meet the deadline of February 1, with pictures showing Graceful being towed out of Hamburg on February 7. Sanctions imposed by the UK, US, European Union and other allied nations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have seen Putin and his allied Oligarchs have their assets seized across the world, including numerous superyachts and houses. But president Putin was preparing for this eventuality by ordering Graceful - which has since been renamed Kosatka (Russian for ‘killer whale’) - to return to a friendly port well in advance, according to investigators. Graceful is alleged to have cost the Russian president 87 million euros (£75 million) and has a 50-foot indoor swimming pool that turns into a theatre and dance floor with the press of a button, a helipad, a gym, and a wine cave that can store 400 bottles. It also features a large library, spa and plunge pools and a cocktail bar. President Putin allegedly owns three yachts, however, his officials deny this. As well as Graceful, Mr Putin is alleged to own the Olympia, gifted to him by a top oligarch almost two decades ago, and the £550 million ‘floating palace’ Scheherazade - seized by the West. Read More Scheherazade: Giant £570m superyacht ‘owned by Vladimir Putin’ is seized by Italian authorities Vladimir Putin owns £500m superyacht moored in Italy, Alexei Navalny allies claim Wealthy Russian businessman loses fight over detained superyacht The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Donald Trump is demanding that his “fake” criminal case over his attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election be moved out of Washington DC to “unbiased” West Virginia. In a late-night Truth Social rant on Wednesday, the former president fumed that it is “IMPOSSIBLE to get a fair trial” in the capital and demanded it be relocated to “the politically unbiased nearby State of West Virginia”. “The latest Fake “case” brought by Crooked Joe Biden & Deranged Jack Smith will hopefully be moved to an impartial Venue, such as the politically unbiased nearby State of West Virginia!” he wrote. “IMPOSSIBLE to get a fair trial in Washington, D.C., which is over 95% anti-Trump, & for which I have called for a Federal TAKEOVER in order to bring our Capital back to Greatness. “It is now a high crime embarrassment to our Nation and, indeed, the World. This Indictment is all about Election Interference!!!” The former president is scheduled to appear in Washington DC’s E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse on Thursday for his arraignment on charges over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and role in the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot. A grand jury, which has spent months hearing evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, returned a federal indictment on Tuesday hitting him with four federal charges: 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 marks Mr Trump’s second federal indictment, his third criminal indictment overall – and potentially his most serious. The former president is accused of conspiring with his allies to overturn the 2020 election, in a bid to sabotage the vote of the American people. The Justice Department alleges that Mr Trump and his circle of co-conspirators knew that he had lost the election but launched a multi-prong conspiracy to do everything they could to enable him to cling onto power. This included spreading “knowingly false claims of election fraud to get state legislators and election officials to subvert the legitimate election results and change electoral votes for the Defendant’s opponent, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., to electoral votes for the Defendant”, the indictment states. Mr Trump and his allies also allegedly plotted to send slates of fake electors to seven “targeted states” of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin which President Joe Biden had won – to get them to falsely certify the election for Mr Trump. The indictment also alleges Mr Trump tried to use the DOJ to “conduct sham election crime investigations”, sending letters to the seven states claiming that “significant concerns” had been found in the elections in those states. As well as the false claims about the election being stolen from Mr Trump, the scheme also involved pushing false claims that Vice President Mike Pence had the power to alter the results – and pushing Mr Pence to “fraudulently alter the election results”. When Mr Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol in a violent attack that ended with five deaths, Mr Trump and his co-conspirators “exploited” the incident by “redoubling efforts to levy false claims of election fraud and convince Members of Congress to further delay the certification based on those claims,” the indictment claims. At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Smith placed the blame for the January 6 attack on the US Capitol firmly on Mr Trump’s shoulders. “The attack on our nation’s capitol on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy,” he said. “As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies. Lies by the defendant targeted at obstructing a bedrock function of the US government – the nation’s process of collecting, counting and certifying the results of the presidential election.” While the former president is the only person charged in the case, the indictment also refers to six co-conspirators who worked with him to try to overturn the 2020 presidential 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. However, based on the details in the indictment and records already known about the events leading up to the Capitol riot, the identities are apparent as Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Jeffrey Clark, Kenneth Chesebro and Boris Epshteyn. Mr Trump is expected to surrender to authorities at the DC courthouse at 4pm ET where he will be arraigned before Magistrate Judge Moxila A Upadhyaya. The former president does have the option of appearing virtually – instead of in-person – but is expected to travel to the US capital for the hearing. Security has been ramped up outside the courthouse in anticipation of his appearance. Read More Trump arraignment – live: Trump to appear in court today as he demands ‘fake’ Jan 6 case be moved out of DC Trump supporters claim special counsel seeking death penalty in indictment over 2020 election Can Donald Trump still run for president after charges over 2020 election? Can Donald Trump still run for president after charges over 2020 election? Trump to appear in court today as he demands Jan 6 case be moved from DC – live Six months after East Palestine derailment, Congress deadlocked on new rules for train safety

BERLIN (Reuters) -Berlin is ready to station a 4,000-strong army brigade in Lithuania permanently in coordination with NATO defence planning

The swimming stage of a triathlon in Paris's Seine River was cancelled on Sunday due to pollution, organisers announced, raising further questions about holding competitions...