Erdogan backers bullish in his German stronghold
"I voted for Erdogan because he deserves to be re-elected," says Esra Kose, 45, who like the majority of Turkish voters in...
2023-05-23 20:22
Trump Organization ordered to hand over foreign real estate deal records as part of classified documents probe
The Trump Organization has been ordered to hand over records related to foreign real estate deals made since Donald Trump entered the White House – as the investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents continues to heat up. Two sources told the New York Times that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office has subpoenaed the business empire for documents on real estate licensing and development dealings made in seven countries since he was sworn into office in 2017. The countries are: China, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It is not clear what Mr Smith’s office is expecting to find in the records, when the subpoena was issued or what material may have been turned over as a result. However, a source said that several of the classified documents found at Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate were related to Middle Eastern nations. During his time in office, the Trump Organization swore off any foreign business deals. After Mr Trump left the White House, he struck a deal with Saudi- backed golf venture LIV Golf – a deal that the Times previously revealed Mr Smith’s office had subpoenaed the Trump Organization for records over. Now, the latest move from federal prosecutors reveals they are expanding the probe into the handling of classified documents and suggests they are looking into whether there are any connections between Mr Trump’s foreign business dealings and the particular documents he took with him when he left office, the Times reported. It’s the latest sign that the investigation into the classified documents Mr Trump took to Mar-a-Lago is heating up. Last week it emerged that the National Archives had found a trove of records proving the former president knew he shouldn’t have taken classified documents to Mar-a-Lago. The National Archives sent a letter, obtained by CNN, to Mr Trump revealing that it had found 16 presidential records showing he and his top advisers were aware of the correct declassification process when he was in the White House. “The 16 records in question all reflect communications involving close presidential advisers, some of them directed to you personally, concerning whether, why, and how you should declassify certain classified records,” wrote archivist Debra Steidel Wall. Those records will now be turned over to Mr Smith by 24 May. Mr Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed that he was allowed to take classified documents with him when he left the Oval Office. He has also falsely claimed that the documents “automatically” became declassified when he took them with him from the White House. “I had every right to under the Presidential Records Act,” he said just last week, during the disastrous CNN town hall. “You have the Presidential Records Act. I was there and I took what I took and it gets declassified.” He later added: “And, by the way, they become automatically declassified when I took them.” In reality, under the Presidential Records Act, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has legal control of all presidential records as soon as a president leaves office. Now, this trove of presidential records appears to pour cold water on Mr Trump’s claims that he doesn’t think he did anything wrong by taking the documents – instead suggesting that he was fully aware of the protocol but chose to disregard it. Mr Trump’s attorney Jim Trusty insisted that he had the “constitutional authority” to take the documents. “At the end of his presidency, he relied on the constitutional authority as commander-in-chief, which is to take documents and take them to Mar-a-Lago while still president as he was at the time, and to effectively declassify and personalise them,” he told CNN. “He talked about declassifying them, but he didn’t need to.” Meanwhile, the letter also revealed that Mr Trump’s legal team had tried to block NARA from handing over the records to Mr Smith’s office, citing “constitutionally based privilege”. Mr Smith had issued NARA with a subpoena in January for records relevant to the grand jury investigation. Notwithstanding any legal action to stop the handover, the special counsel will likely receive the records in question this week. News of the damning evidence comes amid trouble inside Mr Trump’s leagl team after one of his attorneys Tim Parlatore representing him in the probe resigned earlier this month – amid in-fighting in the team. The National Archives had first contacted Mr Trump in 2021 not long after he left office asking for documents that they had found to be missing from its records. His team handed over boxes of documents – some including classified papers – but held onto troves more. On learning, the FBI executed a raid on Mar-a-Lago in August 2022, seizing 27 boxes including 11 containing classified information. Some of the information was of the highest possible top secret classification, meaning it should never have left the custody of the government. Read More Trump news – latest: Trump to appear in court by video in hush money case as E Jean Carroll seeks new damages E Jean Carroll sues Trump over CNN town hall insults Ron DeSantis news – live: Florida governor slams NAACP ‘stunt’ travel advisory as 2024 campaign launch nears Donald Trump faces virtual hush money appearance as E Jean Carroll sues again – live Who is Tim Scott? 5 things to know about the newest 2024 GOP presidential candidate Is Ron DeSantis running for president in 2024?
2023-05-23 20:21
The cyber gulag: How Russia tracks, censors and controls its citizens
It's becoming increasingly difficult for Russians to escape government scrutiny
2023-05-23 20:17
What is the curse of Grimaldi? 14th-century hex linked to tragic deaths, sudden divorces in Monaco's royal family
The Grimaldi family, which has ruled Monaco for over seven centuries, has been plagued by a curse: none of their marriages had a happy ending ever
2023-05-23 20:15
Singapore country profile
Provides an overview of Singapore, including key dates and facts about this South East Asian state.
2023-05-23 19:59
Stock market today: Wall Street futures tick down after US debt talks fail to break impasse
Wall Street dipped modestly in premarket trading after more talks in Washington on government debt ended with no deal to avoid a potentially jarring default
2023-05-23 19:58
El Salvador's Alianza: Fans banned from club stadium after deadly crush
Twelve people died in a crush during a football match between Alianza and Fas at Cuscatlán stadium.
2023-05-23 19:56
GQG’s Jain Raises Adani Stake to $3.5 Billion, Plans to Buy More
Veteran investor Rajiv Jain’s GQG Partners LLC has raised its stake in billionaire Gautam Adani’s conglomerate by about
2023-05-23 19:48
$793 Billion Fund Is Betting on Rerun of US Debt Drama
As US politicians hold talks to avoid a historic debt default, PGIM Fixed Income has spotted an opportunity
2023-05-23 19:27
8 tips for parents and teens on social media use — from the U.S. surgeon general
Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, is calling for “immediate action” by tech companies and lawmakers to protect kids’ and adolescents’ mental health on social media
2023-05-23 19:26
Trump to make virtual appearance in hush money case – so judge can warn him about Truth Social ranting
Donald Trump will make a virtual appearance in court today for the second hearing in his landmark criminal case – so that a New York judge can warn him about posting evidence on social media. The former president will appear via video in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday afternoon where Judge Juan Merchan can make sure he understands the terms of the protective order issued in the case. The judge imposed the order after Mr Trump took aim at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Judge Merchan himself after being charged with 34 felonies for falsifying business records during the 2016 race for the White House. The order, issued on 8 May, bars Mr Trump and his attorneys from publishing information in the case and the names of certain Manhattan DA personnel that is not already public once the information is handed over to his legal team. It even limits Mr Trump’s access to some of the information – with some evidence only to be shared with Mr Trump while he is in the presence of his attorneys and the former president banned from making copies, photographing or transcribing the documents. While Mr Trump’s legal team have slammed the order – claiming it is “a muzzle” on the former president – Judge Merchan stopped short of issuing a gag order, meaning it does not bar Mr Trump from speaking about the case. While his lawyers and prosecutors in the case must appear in person, Mr Trump can join remotely – avoiding the sensationalism and heightened security when he surrendered to New York authorities back on 4 April and became the first US president in American history to ever be arrested and charged with a crime. Though he can avoid showing up in person, the judge is taking the extra step of personally instructing Mr Trump about the terms of the protective order – after he made a series of social media posts attacking the investigation, Judge Merchan and DA Bragg. In a historic day for America, Mr Trump was arrested and arraigned on 34 criminal charges in New York back on 4 April. According to Manhattan prosecutors, Mr Trump and his former fixer anf attorney Michael Cohen carried out a “catch and kill” scheme in the lead-up to the 2016 election. Cohen allegedly made hush money payments on Mr Trump’s behalf to suppress negative information about him by silencing individuals over alleged affairs he had with women. Mr Trump “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election,” the charging documents read. Three specific alleged affairs and hush money payments were mentioned in the charging documents – a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, a $150,000 to former playboy model Karen McDougal and a $30,000 payment to a doorman at Trump Tower who claimed he had information that Mr Trump had fathered a child with a woman while married to Melania Trump. Mr Trump then allegedly reimbursed Cohen but falsely recorded the payments as legal fees. Each of the 34 criminal charges relates to an individual entry in the Trump Organization’s business records. Cohen has already served jail time for his part in the hush money case and has now become prosecutor’s star witness in the case against Mr Trump. Read More Trump news – latest: Trump to appear in court by video in hush money case as E Jean Carroll seeks new damages Trump Organization ordered to hand over foreign real estate deal records as part of classified documents probe E Jean Carroll sues Trump over CNN town hall insults 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
2023-05-23 19:21
Death of Russian minister on return from Cuba is latest unexplained incident involving Moscow's elites
A Russian mister died of -- as of yet -- unknown causes after falling ill on a plane on Saturday, the latest in a string of mysterious deaths among Russian elites.
2023-05-23 19:20