WorldNews24

Saturday, June 10, 2023

What's in the Trump indictment: US nuclear secrets and files kept in shower

Former President Donald Trump has been charged with mishandling hundreds of classified documents, including about US nuclear secrets and military plans.

The 37-count indictment accuses him of keeping the files at his Florida estate, including in a ballroom and a shower, and lying to investigators.

It alleges he then tried to obstruct the investigation into the handling of the documents.

Mr Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, denies any wrongdoing.

But legal experts say that the criminal charges against Mr Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, could lead to substantial prison time if he is convicted.

Could Donald Trump go to prison over secret files?

Charges have also been filed against Walt Nauta, a personal aide to Mr Trump. The former White House military valet is accused of moving files to hide them from the FBI.

The 49-page indictment contains the first-ever federal charges against a former US president. It says the classified documents Mr Trump stored in his boxes contained information about:

United States nuclear programmes
Defence and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries
Potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack
Plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack

Prosecutors say that when Mr Trump left office, he took about 300 classified files to Mar-a-Lago - his oceanfront home in Palm Beach, which is also an expansive private members' club.

The charge sheet notes that Mar-a-Lago hosted events for tens of thousands of members and guests, including in a ballroom where documents were found.

Prosecutors say Mr Trump tried to obstruct the FBI inquiry into the missing documents by suggesting that his lawyer "hide or destroy" them, or tell investigators he did not have them.

"Wouldn't it be better if we just told them we don't have anything here?" Mr Trump said to one of his attorneys, according to the indictment.

Mr Trump's first court appearance in the case will be in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday - the eve of his 77th birthday.

Files shown stored in a ballroom at Mar-a-Lago in Donald Trump indictment — Image caption,
Files were stored in a ballroom at Donald Trump's Florida property, Mar-a-Lago

Mar-a-Lago "was not an authorised location" for classified documents to be kept or discussed, the indictment says.

Some files were allegedly stored on stage in the ballroom, where events and gatherings took place - and later in a bathroom and a shower, an office space, and Mr Trump's bedroom.

On two occasions in 2021, the former president showed classified documents to people without security clearance, including a writer and two members of staff.

At his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, which was also an "unauthorised location", he is said to have displayed and described a "plan of attack" that he told others had been prepared for him by the Department of Defense.

"As president I could have declassified it. Now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret," Mr Trump allegedly said, according to an audio recording.

Watch: 'I did nothing wrong. We'll fight this out.'

Prosecutors say Mr Trump then showed off classified documents again in August or September 2021 at the Bedminster club.

The former US president "showed a representative of his political action committee who did not possess a security clearance a classified map".

This map "related to a military operation" and Mr Trump told the person "he should not be showing it" to them and they "should not get too close".

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the investigation, said on Friday that laws protecting national defence information were critical and must be enforced.

"We have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone," he said in a brief statement in Washington.

Boxes of papers are stacked in a bathroom with a chandelier and a toilet visible, at Mar-a-Lago — Image caption,
The indictment included images of files stored in a shower

In a social media post, Mr Trump blasted Mr Smith as a "deranged lunatic".

"He is a Trump hater - a deranged 'psycho' that shouldn't be involved in any case having to do with 'Justice,'" he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Mr Trump pointed out that classified files were also found in President Joe Biden's former office and Delaware home, including in his garage.

The White House has previously said it immediately co-operated with officials as soon as those files were discovered, contrasting with Mr Trump's alleged efforts to obstruct investigators.

A federal investigation into Mr Biden's handling of classified documents is being led by Special Counsel Robert Hur and is still under way.

Shortly before the Department of Justice made the criminal charges public, two of Mr Trump's lawyers suddenly quit the case without much explanation, saying this was a "logical moment" to resign.

This is the second criminal case for Mr Trump, who is due to go on trial in New York next year in a state case involving a hush-money payment to a porn star.

Spacewalkers install fifth roll-out solar blanket to boost space station power

Two astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station Friday and installed the fifth of six roll-out solar array blankets -- iROSAs -- needed to offset age-related degradation and micrometeoroid damage to the lab's original solar wings.

Floating in the Quest airlock, veteran Stephen Bowen, making his ninth spacewalk, and crewmate Woody Hoburg, making his first, switched their spacesuits to battery power at 9:25 a.m. EDT, officially kicking off the 264th spacewalk devoted to ISS assembly and maintenance and the seventh so far this year.

Hoburg, center, holds onto a rolled-up 750-pound iROSA solar blanket while the space station's robot arm carried them both to the installation site at the base of a degraded original-equipment array. Crewmate Bowen, with red stripes around the legs of his spacesuit, is visible at top right.NASA

NASA is in the process of upgrading the ISS's solar power system by adding six iROSAs to the lab's eight existing U.S. arrays. The first four roll-out blankets were installed during spacewalks in 2021 and 2022. Bowen and Hoburg installed the fifth during Friday's spacewalk and plan to deploy the sixth during another excursion next Thursday.

The two new iROSAs were delivered to the space station earlier this week in the unpressurized trunk section of a SpaceX cargo Dragon. The lab's robot arm pulled them out Wednesday and mounted them on the right side of the station's power truss just inboard the starboard wings.

The darker roll-out solar blanket unrolls as the space station was passing 260 miles above the Great Lakes.NASA/CBS NEWS

The astronauts had no problems removing the first 750-pound iROSA from its carrier pallet so Hoburg, anchored to the end of the robot arm, could carry it to the installation site. Bowen met him there and they attached it to an already-installed mounting fixture.

As the station sailed 260 miles above the Great Lakes, the 63-foot-long solar array slowly unwound like a window shade to its full length. Well ahead of schedule by that point, the spacewalkers carried out a variety of get-ahead tasks to save time next week when they float back outside to install the second new iROSA.

They returned to the airlock and began re-pressurization procedures at 3:28 p.m., bringing the 6-hour three-minute spacewalk to a close. With nine spacewalks totaling 60 hours and 22 minutes under his belt, Bowen now ranks fifth on the list of the world's most experienced spacewalkers.

"I want to say congratulations to the team on an exceptional EVA, you guys were fantastic today," radioed Canadian astronaut Jenni Sidey-Gibbons, the mission control CAPCOM, or communicator. "Congratulations to Woody on your first spacewalk and to Steve on your ninth. Finally, congratulations to all of Crew 6 on your 100th day on orbit. It's been a doozy."

The space station is equipped with four huge solar wings, two on each side of the lab's power truss. Each wing is made up of two 39-foot-wide blankets extending 112 feet in opposite directions. The first two-blanket wing was launched in December 2000 with additional sets delivered in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

The arrays feed power into eight electrical circuits, two per wing. When the station is in daylight, the arrays charge batteries and deliver power to the lab's myriad systems. During night passes, the batteries feed stored power to the station.

Solar cells degrade over time and NASA is adding the iROSAs, at a cost of $103 million, to the existing power system to compensate for their reduced output. When fully extended at an angle from the base of an original solar panel, each one of the new 20-foot-wide roll-out arrays can generate more than 20 kilowatts of power.

Combined with the 95-kilowatt output of the original eight panels, the station's upgraded system will provide about 215,000 kilowatts of power. While the iROSAs cast shadows on the underlying original-equipment arrays, the combined output will exceed what the older wings generated when they were new.

Friday, June 9, 2023

Manchester City: 'Insane and 'detested now and again's - Enthusiasm Guardiola is as of now the best

Pep Guardiola will turn into the primary director in history to win the High pitch two times in the event that his Manchester City side beat Entomb Milan to lift the Bosses Association prize on Saturday.

Having previously accomplished the sacred goal of association title, homegrown cup and European greatness with Barcelona in 2009, Guardiola and his City players are one win away from turning into the tenth group to at any point accomplish the accomplishment.

However, win or lose in Istanbul on Saturday, Guardiola is as of now the best mentor football has at any point known.

Not on the grounds that he wins things - 16 significant prizes and then some - but since he has changed football.

I as of late gotten together with quite possibly of Europe's most sought after youthful mentor and the discussion went to what made the 52-year-old Spaniard extraordinary.

"Pep gave a guidance to Joao Cancelo," the mentor told me. "I heard it and all I could believe was: 'I understand what you are going to do and I can't protect against it.'"

The mentor expressed out loud whatever made Guardiola so unique is his quest for flawlessness is steady, despite the fact that it needn't bother with to be. In any case, his group are sufficient to win. Be that as it may, he actually pushes for 100 percent.

Pep Guardiola will transform into the essential chief in history to win the High contribute twice the occasion that his Manchester City side beat Bury Milan to lift the Managers Affiliation prize on Saturday.

Having recently achieved the hallowed objective of affiliation title, local cup and European significance with Barcelona in 2009, Guardiola and his City players are one win away from transforming into the 10th gathering to anytime achieve the achievement.

Nonetheless, win or lose in Istanbul on Saturday, Guardiola is at this point the best tutor football has anytime known.

Not because he wins things - 16 critical awards to say the very least - however since he has changed football.

I actually gotten along with potentially of Europe's most sought after young coach and the conversation went to what made the 52-year-old Spaniard phenomenal.

"Pep gave a direction to Joao Cancelo," the guide told me. "I heard it and all I could accept was: 'I comprehend what you will do and I can't safeguard against it.'"

The guide communicated without holding back whatever made Guardiola so special is his mission for faultlessness is consistent, notwithstanding the way that it shouldn't for a second worry about to be. Anyway, his gathering are adequate to win. In any case, he really pushes for 100%.

Dam disaster: UN ‘committed to reaching all Ukrainians in need’, says top aid official

8 June 2023Humanitarian Guide

The UN's high ranking representative in Ukraine consoled the country's Unfamiliar Priest on Thursday that the Association has been attempting to offer help and help to regular folks impacted by the annihilation of the Kakhovka Dam starting from the primary hours of the calamity.

Denise Brown, Occupant and Helpful Facilitator, offered consolation to Dmytro Kuleba that UN organizations and other philanthropic accomplices have been conveying water, food and money to those dislodged or experiencing the effect of the dam break, and breakdown of the vital hydroelectric plant in the southeast locale close to the city of Kherson.

Tweet URL

Growing help

"Plans are presently being made, likewise in organization with oblast specialists, to arrive at the more extensive flood impacted regions as quickly as time permits, when the military considers it protected, given the dangers as quick water shifts mines and unexploded law to regions beforehand guarantees as cleared", said a public statement from her office.

The gathering fell off the rear of broadly revealed and basic remarks coordinated towards the UN and other significant philanthropic associations working in Ukraine, by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, who said the underlying aid project had been lacking.

"The UN is focused on arriving at all Ukrainians out of luck, on the two sides of the riverbank", said the UN Ukraine discharge, alluding to the Dnipro Waterway which fills in as the forefront between Russian occupiers on the left bank, and Ukrainian Government held domain inverse.

Rehashed demands for help access

The UN has "more than once mentioned admittance and wellbeing ensures", particularly from Russian leaders right now in charge of the areas which are purportedly experiencing the most horrendously awful effect of the flooding.

"We have not gotten that entrance, nor the important security ensures for compassionate staff and individuals they would help there", the assertion proceeded.

In a tweet gave on Thursday, UN help coordination office in Ukraine, OCHA, featured that nourishment for 18,000 individuals had been provided by the UN and accomplices; in excess of 100,000 jugs of water, cash for 5,000 individuals out of luck; a large number of cleanliness packs, including exceptional supplies for more established people; and portable wellbeing and psychosocial support.

In information delivered later in the day, OCHA detailed that Russian-introduced specialists had said somewhere around 4,000 regular citizens had been cleared from an area under their influence. The organization added that flooding would probably endure essentially seven days, as water gradually retreats.

In excess of 18,000 individuals altogether got help throughout the course of recent hours from the UN and accomplices

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin has bitterly condemned the downing of a Russian jet on the Turkey-Syria border.

He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists".He described it as a "stab in the back" committed by "accomplices of terrorists".
Turkey says its jets shot at the plane after warning that it was violating Turkish airspace. But Moscow says it never strayed from Syrian airspace.
Nato is holding an extraordinary meeting to discuss the incident at Turkey's request.
Mr Putin warned there would be "serious consequences" for Moscow's relations with Turkey.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said he was cancelling his visit to Turkey, where he was due on He also advised Russians not to visit Turkey and said the threat of terrorism there was no less than in Egypt, where a bomb attack brought down a Russian passenger plane last month.
In the latest response:

US President Barack Obama has said Turkey has a right to defend its territory and airspace, and that the incident pointed to ongoing problems with Russia's military operations in Syria. He said it was important to find out exactly what had happened and to take measures to "discourage any kind of escalation"
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Turkey's right to protect its borders must be respected
Nato's ambassadors have called on Turkey to show "cool-headedness" after downing Russian warplane, diplomatic sources are quoted by Reuters news agency as saying

· Mr Putin said the Su-24 was hit by an air-to-air missile fired by a Turkish F-16 while it was flying over Syrian territory.

· He said the plane had been attacked "at a height of 6,000 metres (20,000ft), 1km from the border".

· It crashed into Syrian territory 4km from the border, he added.

· It flew over a small piece of Turkey that projects into Syria that would have taken the jet only a few moments to fly over, correspondents say

· This was tough language from an icy-looking President Putin. Much of his comments were for domestic consumption. After all, he launched air strikes in Syria arguing that it would make Russia safer; instead, 224 people were blown out of the sky last month in a bomb attack - and now this.

· By rounding on Turkey, he is in part deflecting any suggestion that his own policy has backfired. But he is clearly furious too and it's not clear yet how that will translate into action.

· On state TV, there have been calls for a "tough response"; there's talk of economic sanctions - and the foreign ministry has issued a travel warning, proclaiming Turkey as dangerous as Egypt following the terror attack on tourists there.

· Since then, and the Paris attacks, there had been hints of a rapprochement between Russia and the West - uniting against a common threat. Ideally, Russia won't want to scupper that, but this latest incident presents a huge challenge.

· The two crew members ejected as their burning aircraft plunged into a Syrian hillside.

· Video footage has shown what appears to be the dead body of one of the flyers, surrounded by armed rebels.

· Another piece of video, obtained by a Turkish news network, has shown the pilots being shot at from the ground by unidentified rebels.

· "In any case, our pilots, planes did not threaten Turkish territory in any way. It is quite clear," Mr Putin said.

· "They were carrying out an operation against Isis [Islamic State] in the mountains of northern Latakia, where militants are focused - who mostly originate from the territory of Russia.

· "So they were carrying the key task of preventative attacks against those who could return to Russia at any time. These are people who must be directly qualified as international terrorists."

· Turkish military officials said the plane was engaged after being warned that it was violating Turkish airspace.

· It is the first time a Russian aircraft has crashed in Syria since Moscow launched air strikes against militants fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in late September.

· The Nato military alliance, to which Turkey belongs, said it was following the situation "closely" and was in contact with the Turkish authorities.

· The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the jet had crashed in the mountainous Jabal Turkmen area of Latakia, where air strikes and fighting between rebels and Syrian government forces had been reported earlier on Tuesday.

· Russian military helicopters searched for the pilot and navigator near the crash site in the predominantly Turkmen Bayir Bucak area, Turkey's Dogan news agency reported.

· A spokesman for a rebel group operating in the area, the 10th Brigade of the Coast, told the Associated Press that the jet's crew had tried to parachute into government-held territory, but that they came under fire from members of the group.

· One of them was dead when he landed on the ground, he added. The fate of the second was not immediately known.

· Turkey, a vehement opponent of Syria's president, has warned against violations of its airspace by Russian and Syrian aircraf

Saturday, November 7, 2015

The leaders of China and Taiwan have held historic talks in Singapore - their first in more than 60 years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou shook hands at the start of the talks, which were seen as largely symbolic.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province which will one day be reunited with the mainland.

But many Taiwanese see it as independent and are concerned at China's growing influence.

The awkward questions that could crop up

What's behind the China-Taiwan divide?

"Both sides should respect each other's values and way of life," Mr Ma said as the talks began at a luxury hotel.

Mr Xi told the Taiwanese leader: "We are one family."

The meeting "has opened a historic chapter in the cross-Strait relations, and history will remember today", he added.

The meeting took place in neutral territory on the sidelines of a state visit by Mr Xi to Singapore.

Relations between China and Taiwan have improved under Mr Ma since he took office in 2008, with better economic ties, improving tourism links, and a trade pact signed.

The two sides split in 1949 when the Kuomintang lost to the Chinese Communist Party in the civil war and set up a new government in Taiwan.

What wasn't discussed

Mr Ma described the talks as "positive and friendly", but no major agreements or deals appear to have been reached.

Mr Ma said in advance that the issue of the South China Sea disputes, which has dominated recent concerns in the region, would not be brought up.

What was discussed

Mr Ma proposed reducing hostility across the Taiwan Strait, expanding exchanges and establishing a cross-strait hotline, according to Taiwan's central news agency.

He said this was part of consolidating the "1992 consensus" - the agreement under which both sides recognise the principle of "one China" but define it in their own ways.

Similar remarks were made by Mr Xi, who said upholding the consensus would help "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".

Why are they meeting now?

It is not entirely clear why the meeting has happened at this time, as neither side has properly said.

Mr Ma has built his presidency on closer links with China, so there is a good reason for him to meet Mr Xi, says the BBC World Service's Asia editor, Michael Bristow.

There is also a presidential election in Taiwan in January. Mr Ma might think the meeting will give a boost to his party's candidate, who is trailing in the polls, our correspondent says.

China also has something to gain, and that also concerns Taiwan's election. Mr Xi's decision to talk reminds Taiwanese voters that China is far friendlier to a government of Mr Ma's nationalist party than one formed by the opposition, which leans towards independence for Taiwan.

It is a calculated gamble for Mr Xi, as China's attempts to influence Taiwanese voters have previously backfired, our correspondent adds.