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Lady Spikers begin push for top spot
Defending champion La Salle, after a slight stumble in the first round, wants some serious business to regain its rightful place on top when it begins its crucial second-round campaign in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum......»»
Republican Mike Pence withdraws from US presidential race
Former Vice President Mike Pence announced Saturday that he is withdrawing from the US presidential race, saying, "This is not my time." Speaking at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, Pence -- the first major 2024 candidate to suspend his campaign, said: "It's become clear to me: this is not my time." "After much prayer and consideration, I have decided to suspend my campaign for president." Pence, along with most of his rivals seeking to be the Republican Party's nominee for next year's White House race, never gained momentum in a contest overwhelmingly dominated by former president Donald Trump. The New York billionaire has overcome scandals and two impeachments and is currently battling multiple criminal prosecutions, yet retains fervent support from the party faithful. Pence's surprise exit marks a key moment in the campaign, underscoring the difficulty for even Trump's loyal lieutenant in overcoming his former boss in the race to see who challenges Democratic President Joe Biden. Pence, an establishment figure, ultimately refused to play along when tasked with overturning the results of the 2020 election that Trump falsely claimed to have won -- immediately becoming an object of scorn for Trump's followers. The post Republican Mike Pence withdraws from US presidential race appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
How nations allow or restrict legal gender change
A small number of countries have made it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender, while other nations have restricted such changes, notably Russia and Pakistan. Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world. Exception, not the rule According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), 24 UN member states have legally allowed people to change their gender on the basis of self-identification. In about 40 other countries, the legal and administrative process can take years and may include requirements such as psychiatric diagnosis, hormone treatment, gender confirmation surgery, or even sterilization. Making it easier Argentina has led the way on transgender rights, allowing a change of gender on national ID cards with a simple declaration since 2012. Several Latin American countries have followed suit. Denmark was the first European country in 2014 to allow adults to apply for a gender change without undergoing medical or psychological assessments, with Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and most recently Spain following suit. Since 2017, France has allowed transgender people to change their status on their ID documents without treatment, surgery, or sterilization but they must receive court approval. The issue of trans rights sparked a fierce row in 2022 in Scotland, where parliament passed a bill making it easier for people to self-identify their gender that was sensationally vetoed by London. The German cabinet in August 2023 signed off plans under which Germans will be able to change their name or legal gender by making a simple application to their local registry office. The law still has to go to parliament. Hesitating Sweden, one of the world's most liberal countries, was the first in the world to authorize physical and legal gender reassignment for adults in 1972. But last year it began restricting hormone therapy available for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, such as puberty blockers, citing the need for caution following a strong increase in demand. It also restricted access to mastectomies for teenage girls wanting to transition. Finland in 2020 had already restricted hormone treatment for minors. Making it harder Russia adopted new legislation in July 2023 banning "medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person" and "the state registration of a change of gender without an operation". President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly railed against transgender rights in his speeches. Pakistan's religious judiciary ruled in May that landmark transgender legal protections from 2018 are un-Islamic and therefore void. An appeal is being sought with the Supreme Court. Pakistan continues to recognize the existence of a third gender, neither masculine nor feminine, as do India and Nepal. Restricting gender-affirming treatment, such as puberty blockers for minors, has become a major campaign of US conservatives. Arkansas in 2021 became the first US state to ban physicians and health workers from offering transition-related treatment to transgender minors. A federal judge in June overturned the ban. Around 20 states, including Florida and Texas, have passed similar laws. Anti-LGBTQ sentiment in Hungary has escalated during the rule of Viktor Orban's right-wing government. In May 2020, the country passed a law making it impossible for transgender people to change their name and gender on their ID documents. The post How nations allow or restrict legal gender change appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PDEA: Drug-related deaths decrease
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency announced on Sunday that a 52-percent decrease in illegal drug fatalities was logged under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. PDEA director general Moro Virgilio Lazo stressed that the renewed drug approach the PDEA’s strategy — in line with Marcos’ anti-drug campaign thrust — is geared towards community rehabilitation, going after drug syndicates and getting rid of unscrupulous officials. “There was a 52 percent decrease in the number of drug-related fatalities during operations initiated by the PDEA, dropping from 40 deaths in the previous period of 2020-2021 to only 19 deaths recorded from July 2022 to September 2023,” the PDEA said in a statement. However, the agency disclosed that the volume of confiscated shabu experienced a substantial rise, going from 2,349 kilograms of shabu in 2020-2021 to 3,795 kilograms in 2022 to 2023, marking a remarkable 1,446-kilogram increase, equivalent to 61.58 percent, under the Marcos administration. On top of these, the recent bulk seizures of 532 kilograms of shabu in Pampanga, 274 kilograms of shabu at the Manila International Container Port and the 990 kilograms of shabu in the possession of PMSgt Rodolfo Mayo last year are indeed indicative of the continued efforts of the anti-drug campaign to target and combat large drug syndicates operating in the country. From July 2022 to September 2023, a total of 47,076 anti-illegal drug operations were conducted, reflecting a 2.56 percent increase compared to the 45,902 operations carried out for the same period from 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2021. These efforts to reduce the drug supply also led to a notable increase in the number of apprehended drug offenders. Specifically, during the period from July 2022 to September 2023, 64,862 drug suspects were arrested, compared to 64,143 arrests in the period from 2020 to 2021. The post PDEA: Drug-related deaths decrease appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia ‘interfering’ in global election
Russia is using its spy network, state-run media and social media to undermine public trust in elections around the world, according to a United States intelligence report released Friday that was shared with around 100 countries. “Russia is focused on carrying out operations to degrade public confidence in election integrity,” the report said, citing findings from the US intelligence community. “This is a global phenomenon. Our information indicates that senior Russian government officials, including in the Kremlin, see value in this type of influence operation and perceive it to be effective.” The assessment, which was sent in a cable to the embassies of around 100 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America, comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia engaged in a “concerted effort” between 2020 and 2022 to undermine public confidence in at least 11 elections across nine democracies, including the US, the report said. An additional 17 democracies were targeted through “less pronounced” methods involving Russian messaging and social media activity that sought to amplify domestic narratives related to election integrity, it added. Without naming the targeted countries, the report said the US government had shared with them information about the Russian operations. It alleged Russia utilizes both “covert and overt mechanisms” to influence elections. That includes influence networks managed by its security agency, the Federal Security Service or FSB, which covertly attempted to intimidate campaign workers in an unspecified European country’s 2020 election, it said. Russian state media amplified “false claims of voting fraud” in multiple elections in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and South America in 2020 and 2021, it added. Russia also exploited social media platforms and “proxy websites” to cast doubt about the integrity of elections in one South American country last year, the report said. “For Russia, the benefits of these operations are twofold: To sow instability within democratic societies, and to portray democratic elections as dysfunctional and the resulting governments as illegitimate,” the report said. The US recognizes its “own vulnerability to this threat,” the report said, reiterating that Russian actors sought to undermine public confidence in the 2020 election which President Joe Biden won against Donald Trump. In a media briefing, a US State Department official said Russia was encouraged to press ahead with election influence operations after its perceived success in spreading disinformation about the 2020 US election and the Covid-19 pandemic. “Russia is capitalizing on what it perceives as a relatively inexpensive success in 2020 in the United States to take this more broadly, globally,” the official said on condition of anonymity. WITH AFP The post Russia ‘interfering’ in global election appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
2 American hostages freed
Gaza’s Hamas rulers freed two Americans among the 200 hostages they kidnapped in the deadly 7 October attacks in Israel. More hostages may be released, the group hinted. According to the Israeli government, Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter, Natalie Shoshana Raanan, were returned to Israel late Friday. There was no word on their condition, but US President Joe Biden was “overjoyed” by the news. Biden called the two women after they were released. Hamas also announced it was working with Qatar and Egypt to free its “civilian” hostages, implying that more could be released. An Israeli emissary met the couple at the Gaza border and took them to a military base in central Israel “where their families are waiting to meet them.” The Ranaan family, like many of the captives, had begun a worldwide campaign to pressure Hamas to release them. Hamas said the “al-Qassam Brigades released two American citizens for humanitarian reasons” after being approached by Qatar and Egypt. The Islamist rulers of Gaza said they were “working with all mediators to implement the movement’s decision to close the civilian (hostage) file if appropriate security conditions permit.” It provided no specifics about its demands. Israel claims that Hamas militants took 203 people during the bloodiest attacks in Israel’s 75-year history, including Israelis, dual nationals and foreigners. According to the authorities, at least 1,400 individuals were killed, mostly civilians. Relentless bombing Israel has retaliated with a continuous bombing campaign against Gaza, killing at least 4,137 people, mostly civilians. The hostages have become a massive problem in Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stating that the government will use “any means available to locate all those missing and bring all those kidnapped home.” The International Committee of the Red Cross said it helped transport the freed Americans to Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for more releases “immediately and unconditionally.” “Every single one of them should be released,” said Blinken, adding that a team from the US Embassy would visit the two freed women. Qatar is a major aid donor to Gaza, and two Hamas leaders are based in the Gulf state. A Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said the country had mediated between Hamas and the United States and that the release followed “many days of continuous communication between all the parties involved.” The Israeli military said earlier Friday that most of those abducted to Gaza were still alive even though some dead bodies have been found on incursions into Gaza. The military said more than 20 hostages were minors, while between 10 and 20 were over the age of 60. Saudi factor Biden said Friday he believed Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel two weeks ago aimed to disrupt the warming ties between the country and Saudi Arabia. “One of the reasons they acted like they did... why Hamas moved on Israel... (was) because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” Biden told guests at a campaign fundraiser. “The Saudis want to recognize Israel... unite the Middle East,” he said. The momentum toward a landmark US-brokered deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia — the guardian of Islam’s two holiest sites — was shattered by the 7 October attack by Hamas militants on Israel. A bombing campaign launched in response by Israel has leveled entire city blocks in Gaza, so far killing 4,137 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Saudi officials announced on 14 October during a visit to Riyadh by US Secretary Blinken that the country had suspended talks with Israel on the normalization of relations. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had spoken of progress with Israel but also insisted on movement on the Palestinian cause. The Gulf kingdom has never recognized Israel and did not join the 2020 Abraham Accords, brokered by the United States, which led neighboring Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Morocco, to establish diplomatic ties with Israel. With AFP The post 2 American hostages freed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump business empire under threat as New York fraud trial opens
A combative Donald Trump appeared in a New York court on Monday to face civil fraud charges, denouncing the case as a "sham" intended to torpedo his campaign to retake the White House. The fraud trial, one of several legal battles against the 77-year-old Trump, could potentially see the former president barred from doing business in New York state. "This has to do with election interference, plain and simple," Trump said as he arrived for the opening day of what could be a three-month trial. "What we have here is an attempt to hurt me in an election." New York Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets of the Trump Organization for years. New York Attorney General Letitia James is now seeking $250 million in penalties and the removal of Trump and his sons from management of the family empire. "Justice will prevail," James told reporters before delivering opening arguments. "No matter how powerful you are, no matter how much money you think you may have, no one is above the law," she said. Trump, arriving in court, denounced the case as a "scam" and a "witchhunt." "It's a sham," he said. "My financial statements are phenomenal." Trump is scheduled to appear before a federal judge in Washington on March 4, 2024 on charges of trying to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden. Trump will then be back in New York state court, this time on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, and later in a Florida federal court, where he is accused of mishandling classified documents after leaving office. Finally, he will also have to answer to state charges in Georgia, where prosecutors say Trump illegally tried to get the southern state's 2020 election results changed in his favor. 'Major blow' In the New York case, Engoron ruled that Trump, his two eldest sons and other Trump Organization executives lied to tax collectors, lenders and insurers for years in a scheme that exaggerated the value of their properties by $812 million to $2.2 billion between 2014 and 2021. The judge revoked the business licenses that allowed the Trump Organization to operate some of its New York properties. Actually enforcing such penalties would be "a major blow to Donald Trump's ability to do business in the state of New York going forward," Will Thomas, a professor of business law at the University of Michigan, told AFP. Trump -- who made his reputation and fortune as a real estate mogul in the 1980s -- could eventually lose control over many of his company's flagship properties, such as his 5th Avenue Trump Tower in Manhattan. According to James, a Democrat, Trump's own apartment in that building is among the spaces that were fraudulently overvalued -- it was listed as three times bigger than its true size. Another Manhattan building, at 40 Wall Street, was overvalued between $200-$300 million in financial disclosures, James alleges. Trump's luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida -- the site of the classified documents drama -- and several other Trump Organization golf clubs also appear in James's complaint. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the New York civil allegations, calling James, who is Black, "racist," and labeling Engoron "deranged." There are likely to be dozens of witnesses called to testify at the trial, including Trump himself and three of his children, Eric, Don Jr and his oldest daughter Ivanka. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen -- now an outspoken critic of the former president -- and officials from Trump-linked financial institutions are also expected to appear. The post Trump business empire under threat as New York fraud trial opens appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age
Joe Biden, America's oldest president, received support from an unexpected ally over his age: Donald Trump said the Democrat was "not too old" to seek a second term, while quickly adding: "I think he's incompetent." The former president's comments, made in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" to be aired Sunday, come as America faces a profound debate over the aging of its political class, a major factor ahead of the 2024 elections -- when Biden will be just shy of 82 and Trump himself 78. Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about Biden's age, with one survey finding that three in four people doubt his ability to last a second term. That Trump ended his own term in office as the second-oldest president ever (Ronald Reagan was 77 at the end of his term) presents the real estate magnate with a challenge, however, in repeatedly portraying Biden as too "sleepy" to do the job. But that hasn't stopped the Republican, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, from trying to thread that needle. "Some of the greatest world leaders have been in their 80s," he told NBC. "I'm not anywhere very near 80, by the way. "And Biden's not too old," Trump added. "But I think he's incompetent, and that's a bigger problem." Biden, who overcame a stuttering problem as a youth, has often been mocked for his verbal stumbles. But he remains trim, physically active, does not drink and is often seen riding his bicycle during weekends at his Delaware home. Democrats say he also fares well on the competency front, having overseen the passage of major legislation, including a massive infrastructure bill, the largest gun-safety bill in decades, and the Build Back Better social spending program. Biden has also been active on the global stage. Indeed, during his just-ended trip to Vietnam -- which analysts say was staged partly to highlight his vigor -- that country's 79-year-old Communist leader smilingly complimented Biden on his relative youth. Trump, for his part, has gotten mostly positive marks during annual physicals -- though he has been classed as overweight and does no exercise other than golf. Like Biden, he does not drink. Trump, too, has had his share of bizarre verbal moments, mangled pronunciations and physical stumbles. But in the NBC interview, he said his own age does not concern him, noting that his parents had long lives. "So genetically, that's a good thing." His insistence on his own competency was ridiculed during the 2020 presidential campaign when Trump said he had scored an "amazing" result on what he said was a test of mental acuity. He said he had to remember, in order, these words: "Person, woman, man, camera, TV." His proud and repeated recitation of those five words was ridiculed by political rivals and went viral on social media. Still, in an apparent reference to that test made in the NBC interview, Trump said, "I aced it. I got everything right." The post Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age
Joe Biden, America's oldest president, received support from an unexpected ally over his age: Donald Trump said the Democrat was "not too old" to seek a second term, while quickly adding: "I think he's incompetent." The former president's comments, made in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" to be aired Sunday, come as America faces a profound debate over the aging of its political class, a major factor ahead of the 2024 elections -- when Biden will be just shy of 82 and Trump himself 78. Polls show that while the age gap between the two men is small, Americans worry more about Biden's age, with one survey finding that three in four people doubt his ability to last a second term. That Trump ended his own term in office as the second-oldest president ever (Ronald Reagan was 77 at the end of his term) presents the real estate magnate with a challenge, however, in repeatedly portraying Biden as too "sleepy" to do the job. But that hasn't stopped the Republican, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, from trying to thread that needle. "Some of the greatest world leaders have been in their 80s," he told NBC. "I'm not anywhere very near 80, by the way. "And Biden's not too old," Trump added. "But I think he's incompetent, and that's a bigger problem." Biden, who overcame a stuttering problem as a youth, has often been mocked for his verbal stumbles. But he remains trim, physically active, does not drink and is often seen riding his bicycle during weekends at his Delaware home. Democrats say he also fares well on the competency front, having overseen the passage of major legislation, including a massive infrastructure bill, the largest gun-safety bill in decades, and the Build Back Better social spending program. Biden has also been active on the global stage. Indeed, during his just-ended trip to Vietnam -- which analysts say was staged partly to highlight his vigor -- that country's 79-year-old Communist leader smilingly complimented Biden on his relative youth. Trump, for his part, has gotten mostly positive marks during annual physicals -- though he has been classed as overweight and does no exercise other than golf. Like Biden, he does not drink. Trump, too, has had his share of bizarre verbal moments, mangled pronunciations and physical stumbles. But in the NBC interview, he said his own age does not concern him, noting that his parents had long lives. "So genetically, that's a good thing." His insistence on his own competency was ridiculed during the 2020 presidential campaign when Trump said he had scored an "amazing" result on what he said was a test of mental acuity. He said he had to remember, in order, these words: "Person, woman, man, camera, TV." His proud and repeated recitation of those five words was ridiculed by political rivals and went viral on social media. Still, in an apparent reference to that test made in the NBC interview, Trump said, "I aced it. I got everything right." The post Trump says his problem with Biden is competence, not age appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Isabelle Daza raises funds for abused household helper
(Trigger warning: Physical assault/abuse) This Filipina actress proved that heroes do not have to wear capes. Isabelle Daza spearheaded a fundraising campaign for Elvie Vergara, a household helper in Occidental Mindoro who partially lost her eyesight after enduring severe maltreatment from her former employers for three years. On 8 September, Daza posted a statement on her Instagram to spread awareness about Vergara’s situation: “Elvi[e] Vergara is a domestic helper who has been allegedly physically, mentally, and verbally abused by her employers so much that she has been blinded in both eyes.” “She is currently going to have an operation in one of her eyes to try to recover her sight — but the outcome is unsure. Her compensation of P5,000 a month (equivalent to approx $87 USD) from her alleged abusive employers have been withheld since they claim she broke their TV,” she continued, adding that the government is doing everything they can to help Vergara gain her compensation and recover from other damages despite the lengthy and tedious process. Daza concluded in her statement the reason for initiating the fundraising campaign for Vergara. “I am raising funds for her to be able to live her life free from this abuse without having to worry about what she will eat the next day or if she had enough money to live with basic needs like housing, food and medical assistance,” she wrote. The funds that will be raised will be used for Vergara’s eye surgery, as well as post-recovery needs. The 35-year-old TV personality thanked everyone for donating and supporting the campaign. “To all those who donated, it’s only been 2 days but you guys have really opened your hearts and more importantly your wallets,” her Instagram post read. “Salamat!” Fellow celebrities and supporters have commended Daza’s initiative, applauding her for using her voice and platform to speak up on important issues and seek justice in her own ways. As of writing, Daza has exceeded her initial goal by raising over P700,000 for Vergara. Vergara’s case circulated on social media last month following allegations of physical and emotional abuse conflicted by her employers since 2020. After the viral case, the Senate has begun its motu proprio investigation. The former employers of Vergara denied all allegations of abuse, claiming that all her injuries were either self-inflicted or afflicted by fighting with her colleagues. They also cited that Vergara’s partial blindness could result from poor hygiene. Vergara and her family have filed criminal charges against her former employers, including serious physical injuries, illegal detention and violation of Republic Act 10361 or “Batas Kasambahay.” The post Isabelle Daza raises funds for abused household helper appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
FIBA World Cup experience: Springboard to greater heights
Congratulations are in order for the whole Gilas Pilipinas Team for their monumental win versus China (96-75), ending our FIBA World Cup 2023 campaign on a hopeful note. I have always believed in the capabilities of our athletes who have shown their mettle in international sports competitions. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, I am rallying all Filipinos to support our long-term roadmap to elevate the standing of our athletes in the global arena in all sporting events. Filipinos have excelled in the global stage not just in basketball, billiards, or boxing which are relatively the more popular sports in the country. Take for example Carlos Yulo in gymnastics, EJ Obiena in pole vaulting, Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, the late Lydia de Vega in track and field, and, of course, the Filipinas Football team who made us proud during the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup. Our very own Alex Eala is also a rising star in the world of tennis. We have many talented athletes, and we should support them in their quest to give honor to the country. However, success in any sporting event does not come easily. Any athlete will tell you that sports entails discipline, many hours of hard work, and even years of sacrifices. Hence, our efforts to strengthen our chances on the global stage must start at the grassroots level. This is the rationale behind RA 11470 or the National Academy of Sports or NAS law, which I authored and co-sponsored, and signed into law by former president Rodrigo Duterte in 2020. The NAS System will provide scholarships to qualified student-athletes from all regions and will allow them to balance academics and sports training by utilizing the state-of-the-art facilities at New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac. I am also advocating the approval of Senate Bill No. 423 or the Philippine National Games or PNG Act, to institutionalize the conduct of the PNG every two years as this will allow us to discover those with athletic potential at the grassroots level. We have talented athletes, but the government must invest in providing them with opportunities to compete if we want to produce champions on both the national and international stages. I am pushing for SBN 2116, which will amend Section 8 of RA 10699 or the “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act.” This will increase the incentives for para-athletes who will win medals in international competitions and make our approach more inclusive to all athletes regardless of their physical limitations. Our efforts to achieve victory in sports must reflect the diversity of our country. The government, together with the private sector and other stakeholders, must consistently provide all the support that our teams need to compete at the global level. Our focus must be on creating opportunities for all aspiring athletes, regardless of geographic or economic background, to excel in their chosen fields. Hence, we should bring our sports development programs closer to those who have the potentials and aspirations to represent our country and bring pride to every Filipino. More importantly, sports is not only a physical game but a means to uplift lives, keep our youth away from vices like illegal drugs, and strengthen camaraderie in our communities. Let us elevate sports as a viable tool in harnessing our citizens into disciplined, productive and patriotic individuals reflective of our Filipino pride. In the same way that we unite to support our athletes, let us also unite to support fellow Filipinos in need. That is why I have continued to engage with various sectors of society to listen to their concerns and help provide solutions to their daily struggles. Filipinos inherently have a “never say die” attitude, especially in sports which is reflective of our resilience as a society. But aside from this commendable trait, our resilience also stems from our inherent compassion for each other. Our “Tapang at Malasakit” must continue so that together, we can uplift the lives of Filipinos. As a Senator and public servant, I remain steadfast in supporting our athletes to reach greater heights while also exerting efforts to help bring government programs and services closer to those in need to provide them with opportunities for a better life. The post FIBA World Cup experience: Springboard to greater heights appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore ex-deputy PM Shanmugaratnam elected president
Singapore's former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam was elected president Friday, earning a landslide victory in the city-state's first contested vote for the largely ceremonial position in more than a decade. Singaporeans headed to the polls that were closely watched as an indication of support for the ruling party after a rare spate of scandals, but the longtime stalwart of the party won more than two-thirds of the vote over two rivals. "I believe that it's a vote of confidence in Singapore. It's a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans," the former finance minister said in a speech before the results were announced. "I'm humbled by this vote. It is not just a vote for me, it is a vote for Singapore's future." He won 70.4 percent of the vote to win a six-year term. His main rival Ng Kok Song, a former chief investment officer of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, which manages the country's foreign reserves, conceded after winning only 15.7 percent of the vote. "The result is clear," he told reporters, adding Shanmugaratnam "has indeed earned a mandate from the people of Singapore." Shanmugaratnam acknowledged the "changing and evolving" nature of Singapore, notably its diversity, and said he believes the election was seen as "another milestone in that process of evolution." There are stringent requirements for the position, which formally oversees the city's accumulated financial reserves and holds the power to veto certain measures and approve anti-graft probes. While the presidency is a non-partisan post under the constitution, political lines had already been drawn ahead of the election to replace incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed for her six-year term in 2017. 'Decisive margin' Shanmugaratnam was widely viewed as the favourite for the position and had resigned as a member of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) and as a senior minister in the cabinet ahead of the election as all presidential candidates must be independent. The 66-year-old economist is perceived as having the government's backing and was questioned about his independence during the campaign. The city-state's government is run by the prime minister, currently Lee Hsien Loong of the PAP, which has ruled Singapore continuously since 1959. "Singaporeans have chosen Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam to be our next President by a decisive margin," Lee said in a statement. Observers said the vote would indicate the level of PAP support ahead of general elections due in 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption probe into the transport minister and the resignations of two PAP legislators over an affair. "What we want is a prosperous Singapore," self-employed worker Patrick Low, 70, told AFP after casting his vote. Shifting sentiments Another candidate, former insurance executive Tan Kin Lian, 75, had gained the support of several opposition leaders but only picked up 13.88 percent of votes. "The presidential election is increasingly being treated as a general election," said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore. Voting is compulsory for Singapore's more than 2.7 million eligible citizens. As of 5:00 pm local time (0900 GMT), more than 2.3 million Singaporeans, or about 85 per cent of eligible voters, had cast ballots, according to the Elections Department. Long but orderly lines snaked from polling centres absent the raucous environment that can accompany elections in other countries, where supporters chant or distribute flyers to lobby for last-minute votes. Izzuddin said an increase in protest voting had been expected but Shanmugaratnam secured an overwhelming win despite what experts had said was shifting opinions about the ruling party. The PAP suffered its worst-ever election performance in 2020 but maintained its more than two-thirds majority. Singapore requires presidential candidates to have served either as a senior civil servant or the chief executive of a company with shareholder equity of at least 500 million Singaporean dollars ($370 million). Perhaps the president's most crucial function is to serve as a custodian of Singapore's financial reserves, which can only be drawn upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. The post Singapore ex-deputy PM Shanmugaratnam elected president appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore holds first contested presidential vote in over a decade
Singaporeans head to the polls Friday in the city-state's first contested presidential election in more than a decade, a vote being closely watched as an indication of support for the ruling party after a rare spate of political scandals. The president's role is largely ceremonial, but there are stringent requirements for the position, which formally oversees the city's accumulated financial reserves and holds the power to veto certain measures and approve anti-graft probes. While the presidency is a non-partisan post under the constitution, political lines were already drawn ahead of the election to replace incumbent Halimah Yacob, who ran unopposed for her six-year term in 2017. The city-state's government is run by the prime minister, currently Lee Hsien Loong of the People's Action Party, which has ruled Singapore continuously since 1959. Observers said the vote could indicate the level of PAP support ahead of general elections due by 2025 or discontent after recent scandals that include a corruption probe into the transport minister and the resignations of two PAP legislators over an affair. The frontrunner is former deputy prime minister and finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, a long-time PAP stalwart before he resigned ahead of his candidacy. The 66-year-old economist is widely perceived as having the government's backing and was questioned about his independence during the campaign. Another candidate, former insurance executive Tan Kin Lian, 75, has gained the support of several opposition leaders. The third candidate, Ng Kok Song, 75, is the former chief investment officer of Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, which manages the country's foreign reserves. "The presidential election is increasingly being treated as a general election," said Mustafa Izzuddin, a political analyst with consultancy Solaris Strategies Singapore. "An increase in protest voting is anticipated due to vacillating ground sentiments vis-a-vis the ruling government." The PAP was recently rocked by political scandals, a rarity in the city which has capitalized on its reputation for clean government to become an international hub for an array of industries like finance and aviation. The PAP suffered its worst-ever election performance in 2020 but maintained its more than two-thirds majority. Voting is compulsory for Singapore's more than 2.7 million eligible citizens. Those who do not vote without a valid reason risk being struck from the voters' list. Singapore requires presidential candidates to have served either as a senior civil servant or the chief executive of a company with shareholder equity of at least 500 million Singaporean dollars ($370 million). Perhaps the president's most crucial function is to serve as a custodian of Singapore's financial reserves, which can only be drawn upon in exceptional circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2009 global financial crisis. The post Singapore holds first contested presidential vote in over a decade appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case
Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on Thursday on racketeering and conspiracy charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state. During a brief session lasting less than 30 minutes, the 77-year-old Trump was booked on 13 charges at Atlanta's Fulton County Jail, according to records published by the sheriff's office. Trump's height was listed by the jail as six foot three inches (1.9 meters), his weight as 215 pounds (97 kilograms) and his hair color as "Blond or Strawberry." Other defendants in the racketeering case who have surrendered to the Georgia authorities in recent days have had a mugshot taken. The billionaire has been criminally indicted four times since April, setting the stage for a year of unprecedented drama as he tries to juggle multiple court appearances and another White House campaign. In posts on his Truth Social platform shortly before leaving his New Jersey golf club for the flight to Atlanta, Trump said he was being arrested for "having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED & STOLLEN (sic) ELECTION." "This is yet another SAD DAY IN AMERICA!" he added. Trump was able to dodge having a mugshot taken during his previous arrests this year: in New York on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, in Florida for mishandling top secret government documents, and in Washington on charges of conspiring to upend his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. But Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said standard procedure in Georgia is to take a defendant's photograph before they are released on bond -- set at $200,000 in Trump's case. The arrest comes one day after Trump spurned a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring eight of his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination -- all of whom lag well behind him in the polls. He still stole the spotlight, though, with all but two of the candidates saying they would support him as the party's nominee even if he were a convicted felon. During a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News talk show host Tucker Carlson -- which aired on social media at the same time as the debate -- Trump dismissed the criminal cases filed against him as "nonsense." Trump said the Justice Department had been "weaponized" under Biden to hamstring his White House bid. Court dates in election race A tight security perimeter was set up for Trump's booking at the Fulton County Jail, which is under investigation for a slew of inmate deaths and deplorable conditions. Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who filed the sweeping racketeering case, had set a deadline of noon (1600 GMT) on Friday for Trump and the other 18 defendants to surrender. Trump and 11 others have turned themselves in so far. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered on Thursday and was released on $100,000 bond. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as Trump's personal lawyer when he was in the White House and vigorously pushed the false claims that Trump had won the 2020 election, was booked and released on Wednesday. John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who is accused of drawing up a scheme to submit a false slate of Trump electors to Congress from Georgia instead of the legitimate Biden ones, has also been booked and released. A few dozen supporters of the former Republican president gathered outside the jail, including Sharon Anderson who spent the night in her car. "I think this is a political persecution and now that's turned into a political prosecution," Anderson told AFP. Trump is the first US president in history to face criminal charges. His various trials, if they take place next year, may coincide with the Republican presidential primary season, which begins in January, and the campaign for the November 2024 White House election. Special counsel Jack Smith has proposed a January 2024 start date for Trump's trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the last election with a lie-fueled campaign that culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. Trump's attorneys have countered with a suggested start date well after the election -- April 2026. Willis, the Georgia district attorney, initially proposed that the racketeering case begin in March next year, the same month Trump is scheduled to go on trial in New York on charges of paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. On Thursday, after one of the defendants asked for a speedy trial, she proposed that it begin for all 19 in October of this year, a move met with an immediate objection from Trump's lawyers. The Florida case, in which Trump is accused of taking secret government documents as he left the White House and refusing to return them, is scheduled to begin in May. The post Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The legal woes of Donald Trump
Former US president Donald Trump is facing four criminal indictments, all filed since March -- with the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 White House race possibly navigating a series of trials as he campaigns. On Thursday, he was formally arrested on 13 counts in the southern state of Georgia in connection with his alleged efforts to interfere with the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has already been indicted in federal court in connection with election interference in multiple states, and over his handling of classified documents, making him the first former US president to face federal criminal charges. The twice-impeached Trump has also been charged in New York with making election-eve hush money payments to a porn star. Here are the key cases involving the 77-year-old one-term president -- and others that could materialize: Georgia election meddling Trump stands accused in Georgia of pressuring state officials to overturn Biden's election victory -- incidents that were also referred to in a federal indictment. Evidence includes a taped phone call in which he asked Georgia's then-secretary of state to "find" enough votes to reverse the result. Fulton County's top prosecutor Fani Willis has charged Trump with 13 felony counts including violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged efforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public official and submit false statements and documents. Eighteen co-defendants also were indicted, including Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, for pressuring local legislators over the result after the election, and Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. 2020 election interference Special Counsel Jack Smith had already slapped Trump with four federal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as conspiracy to obstruct and obstruction of an official proceeding -- the January 6, 2021, meeting of a joint session of Congress held to certify Biden's election victory. He is also charged with conspiracy to deny Americans the right to vote and to have one's vote counted. The indictment mentions six co-conspirators but none are identified -- Trump, currently the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is the only named defendant. Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as Congress met to certify the presidential election results. Before what was ultimately a deadly attack, Trump delivered a fiery speech urging the crowd to "fight like hell." Classified documents Trump, in another indictment brought by Smith, is accused of endangering national security by holding onto top secret nuclear and defense documents after leaving the White House. Trump kept the files -- which included records from the Pentagon, CIA, and National Security Agency -- unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and thwarted official efforts to retrieve them, according to the indictment. Trump was initially charged with 31 counts of "willful retention of national defense information," each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. A count was added related to a classified document "concerning military activity in a foreign country." He also faces charges of conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements, and other offenses. The federal judge in the case has set a trial date of May 20, 2024, at the height of the presidential campaign. Stormy A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March over alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors say the money was paid prior to the 2016 election to silence Daniels over claims she had a tryst with Trump in 2006 -- a year after he married Melania Trump. Late in the campaign, Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen arranged a payment of $130,000 to Daniels in exchange for her pledge of confidentiality, prosecutors said. That case, in which he faces 34 felony counts, is due to go to trial next March, in the middle of the Republican primary election season. Other probes Trump was found liable in a civil case for sexually abusing and defaming a former magazine columnist, E. Jean Carroll, in 1996, and ordered to pay her $5 million in damages. In New York, state Attorney General Letitia James has filed a civil suit against Trump and three of his children, accusing them of fraud by over-valuing assets to secure loans and then under-valuing them to minimize taxes. James is seeking $250 million in penalties as well as banning Trump and his children from serving as executives at companies in the city. Trump has denied all wrongdoing. The post The legal woes of Donald Trump appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Absent Trump expected to steal show at Republican debate
Eight Republican presidential candidates face off for the first primary debate of the 2024 cycle on Wednesday -- with frontrunner Donald Trump bidding to steal the spotlight despite spurning the showdown. The former president announced at the weekend that he would not be in Milwaukee for the two-hour event, depriving a chasing pack of rivals -- whom he leads by a historic margin -- of the opportunity to take shots at him. "President Trump has already won this evening's debate because everything is going to be about him," said Chris LaCivita, a senior aide on the 77-year-old billionaire's campaign. "Only President Trump has the policy ideas, the fortitude, and the polling to go head-to-head with Crooked Joe Biden in the general election." With the largest polling lead in more than 40 years of Republican presidential nominating contests, Trump has made clear he sees no benefit to standing on a debate stage and opening himself up to hits from the rest of the field. He announced Wednesday that he is planning counterprogramming that will consist of a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, to be posted online just as the debate gets underway. "'SPARKS WILL FLY.' ENJOY!" he teased on his social network, Truth Social. Despite his no-show, Trump is expected to loom over the debate stage in Wisconsin's largest city, with his multiple prosecutions set to be the subject of questions from the Fox News hosts moderating the event. I can take it The former reality TV star is even planning to deprive his rivals of post-debate headlines as he surrenders to authorities in Atlanta Thursday afternoon over his fourth indictment of the year, for an alleged criminal conspiracy to steal the 2020 election. His former attorney Rudy Giuliani, who is charged with racketeering in the case alongside Trump and 17 other co-defendants, headed to Georgia's capital hours before the debate to turn himself in. "I'm a big boy. I can take it. I have fought battles much worse than this," Giuliani, a former federal prosecutor, told reporters outside his New York residence. For Trump's closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the name of the game will be to reverse his flagging poll numbers and demonstrate that he is a viable alternative to the frontrunner. Candidates will likely be asked about competition with China and America's foreign policy in Ukraine and Russia -- an issue that caused DeSantis to stumble early in the campaign. With a seismic shift needed to dethrone Trump, many commentators were viewing the debate as primarily a showcase for candidates angling to be Trump's running mate. Lower profile candidates like businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will see the debate as a chance to introduce themselves to the wider public -- and perhaps make their case for jobs in a future Trump administration. "Tonight's Republican undercard event really shouldn’t even be called a debate, but rather an audition to be a part of President Trump's team in his second term," LaCivita said. Not a coronation However, analysts have argued that with more than four months until the first nomination votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, it is way too early to call the race. "If the same person finishes first or second in Iowa and New Hampshire, this becomes a two-person race no matter how many other people (are) in it... Nobody's caught the wave yet but somebody's going to and when they do, Trump's going to have a race on his hands," former US senator Judd Gregg told political outlet The Hill. Trump dodged a debate in Iowa in 2016, ensuring that his closest rival Ted Cruz took all the heat, although the Texas senator went on to win the Iowa vote days later. The DeSantis team is expecting a similar dynamic on Wednesday, although US media reported that political newcomer Ramaswamy is also likely to be attacked over inconsistencies in his policy statements. Trump won't have it all his way, though, with distant underdogs Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson both hoping for a breakout moment skewering the former president and his former vice president Mike Pence unlikely to pull his punches. Christie is also expected to go after DeSantis over his awkwardness on the campaign trail and a memo posted online by the leading political organization supporting his campaign, urging him to defend Trump. "I think it's fair when these other candidates say it's not a coronation, it's an election," debate co-moderator Bret Baier said in an interview this week with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. The post Absent Trump expected to steal show at Republican debate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Art you can carry’
This is what homegrown brand FINO Leatherware calls its first collaborative artist-led project featuring the works of Kara Pangilinan. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="172271,172272"] Kara Pangilinan at work. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="172270,172273"] FINO Leatherware has always grounded its brand philosophy on Filipino artistry. FINO x KARA is a one-off collection of bags that features the artist’s hand paintings, dated and signed, and accompanied by a certificate of authentication. The 30-piece series is an ode to heritage with Pangilinan expressing the themes of local flora and fauna alongside the Filipina’s evolved identity. Slender palm fronds, gumamela and sampaguita flowers emerge from the bags’ panels, the leather’s varying colors from bright red to pastel hues setting off Pangilinan’s black and white strokes. The artist’s portraits of womenin traditional garb bridge generations, with one in particular revealing the gaze of a strong, modern Filipina. Since its founding back in 1992, FINO Leatherware has always grounded its brand philosophy on Filipino artistry, from the craftsmen to the creatives who’ve conceptualized collections. Its most recent campaigns paid tribute to Filipino culture, to include a wrist purse called Sipa, which is inspired by a local game, the Vinta bags and clutches that evoke the sailing tradition of Mindanao, and the Puso bags which takes its shape from a staple of Cebu’s street food — rice wrapped in banana leaves. Pangilinan was a student of architecture at the University of the Philippines when she began to try her hand at art. After earning her degree, she worked in an architectural firm for a few months before deciding on becoming a full-time artist. Murals and commercial works for brands such as Heineken, Globe and YouTube defined the early phase of Pangilinan’s journey. Simultaneously, she was developing a more personal practice, exploring various thematic concepts and her favored medium at that time, ink on paper. In the years that followed, Pangilinan diversified into acrylic painting to exploit the full color spectrum of the medium. For her collaboration with FINO, however, the artist returns to the palette that has defined the early phase of her career. The collection is introduced by none other than Miss Philippines Universe 2020 first runner-up Bella Ysmael, who epitomizes FINO’s ideal Filipina. She graces the FINO x KARA campaign which announces the release of the collection, available by the end of September in FINO’s flagship store in Rockwell’s Power Plant Mall. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="172279,172280"] “Having Bella on board was important for us,” says FINO co-founder Rose Ann Bautista. “We wanted the right woman to represent not just the new collection, but our new direction as well.” The post ‘Art you can carry’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump has 10 days to surrender
Former United States president Donald Trump and 18 others were charged Tuesday with racketeering over their attempt to overturn Georgia state’s presidential election result in 2020 and they were given 10 days to voluntarily surrender. “Rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis told reporters. Willis gave the 19 individuals named in Monday’s grand jury indictment until noon of 25 August to voluntarily surrender. Trump, who is running for president next year, called the indictment a witch hunt in a post on his Truth Social platform. “Why didn’t they indict 2.5 years ago? Because they wanted to do it right in the middle of my political campaign,” his post read. The Trump campaign released a statement as the charges were being processed calling Willis, who is a Democrat, a “rabid partisan” who was “persecuting” the former president with “bogus indictments.” In response, Willis said: “I make decisions in this office based on the facts and the law. The law is completely nonpartisan.” The indictment is the fourth and latest against the 77-year-old Republican, compounding the legal threats he is facing in multiple jurisdictions which may imperil his bid for a second White House term. He was already federally indicted over the alleged plot to subvert the election and is also facing prosecutions over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and keeping allegedly fraudulent business records. The twice-impeached Trump was charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged efforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public official and submit false statements and documents. He is also accused of lying in statements and filing fake documents, as well as solicitating public officials to break their oaths. Trump’s former personal lawyer and ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who pressured local legislators over the result after the election, and Trump’s White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, were among the 18 co-defendants. Giuliani faces 13 felony counts, including over accusations of harassment of two Fulton County poll workers. Other Trump allies were charged over the accessing of sensitive data from an election office in a rural county south of Atlanta, one day after the 2021 Capitol riot. Atlanta-area authorities launched the probe after Trump called Georgia officials weeks before he was due to leave the White House, pressuring them to “find” the 11,780 votes that would reverse President Joe Biden’s victory in the Peach State. WITH AFP The post Trump has 10 days to surrender appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Giuliani: ‘America’s Mayor’ threatened by anti-Mafia law he spearheaded
Forty years ago, Rudy Giuliani was the fearless Mafia-busting prosecutor whose aggressive use of racketeering laws brought down New York's Five Families. On Tuesday, he was fighting for his own freedom after being ensnared by the very legal strategy he had pioneered. The man once feted as "America's Mayor" for steering the US financial hub through the horror of the 11 September 2001 attacks has experienced a stunning fall from grace. Charged with 13 felonies over the help he is alleged to have given his client and longtime friend Donald Trump in trying to subvert the 2020 presidential election, the attorney is threatened with years behind bars as his 80th birthday approaches. "It's just the next chapter in a book of lies with the purpose of framing President Donald Trump and anyone willing to take on the ruling regime," Giuliani said on X, formerly known as Twitter, after he was charged Monday. It was a typically bombastic response from the 107th mayor of New York City, who played a starring role in Trump's post-election push to cling to power through an allegedly criminal campaign of lies about voter fraud. Giuliani was charged Monday under Georgia's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Practices (RICO) statute, the plaudits he once earned squandered in a series of increasingly bizarre media appearances around the 2020 election. He is one of 18 co-defendants charged alongside Trump. 'Person of the Year' They included an unwitting cameo in a Sacha Baron Cohen movie in which Giuliani was filmed lying on a hotel bed with his hands down his pants and a post-election press conference held outside a landscaping business surrounded by a crematorium and a sex shop. At another press event, Giuliani and his allies claimed mass voter fraud without a shred of evidence as hair dye streamed in dark rivulets down the attorney's cheeks. Born in an Italian American enclave of Brooklyn on 28 May 1944, Rudolph William Louis Giuliani made his name in his 40s as a pioneering US attorney for Manhattan, using RICO to bring down the high command of the New York mob. Giuliani captured the New York mayorship in 1993 and gained national prominence in the wake of the 9/11 attacks by helping salve the shocked city's soul, earning Time Magazine's prestigious "Person of the Year" honor. "We've undergone tremendous losses, and we're going to grieve for them horribly, but New York is going to be here tomorrow morning, and it's going to be here forever," he declared. The Republican suffered his first big setback in 2008 with a disastrous bid for the White House and appeared adrift until Trump eventually brought him back into the fold. Gaffes and walk-backs After Trump was elected, he appointed Giuliani to fight a federal probe into the campaign's extensive ties to Russia, and the lawyer became a constant TV presence. But gaffes and walk-backs were as much a feature of Giuliani's lawyering as his spirited talk show diatribes -- and he led Trump into trouble as often as steering him away. Never the most reliable spokesman, Giuliani proved susceptible to seemingly unforced admissions -- contradicting Trump's denials over hush money payments to a porn star and his pursuit of a business deal in Moscow before the 2016 election. But the effort to reverse Trump's clear election loss in 2020 appears, in the end, to have sealed Giuliani's downfall. One by one, his post-election court challenges were withdrawn or dismissed as groundless. Giuliani's license to practice has been suspended in New York over his "demonstrably false" claims of a stolen election and the Bar in the nation's capital is considering disbarring him. Long before attracting the attention of a legal system that once basked in his reflected glory, Giuliani acknowledged that representing Trump could end up being his legacy. "I am afraid it will be on my gravestone. 'Rudy Giuliani: He lied for Trump,'" he told The New Yorker in 2019. "If it is, so what do I care? I'll be dead. I figure I can explain it to St. Peter." The post Giuliani: ‘America’s Mayor’ threatened by anti-Mafia law he spearheaded appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference
Donald Trump was indicted Tuesday on charges of racketeering and a string of election crimes after a sprawling, two-year probe into his efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden in the US state of Georgia. The case -- relying on laws typically used to bring down mobsters -- is the fourth targeting the 77-year-old Republican this year and could lead to a watershed moment, the first televised trial of a former president in US history. Prosecutors in Atlanta charged the Republican leader with 13 felony counts -- compounding the legal threats he is facing in multiple jurisdictions as a firestorm of investigations imperils his bid for a second White House term. Eighteen co-defendants were indicted in the probe, including Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pressured local legislators over the result after the election, and Trump's White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows. "Trump and the other defendants charged in this indictment refused to accept that Trump lost, and they knowingly and willfully joined a conspiracy to unlawfully change the outcome of the election in favor of Trump," the indictment read. "That conspiracy contained a common plan and purpose to commit two or more acts of racketeering activity in Fulton County, Georgia, elsewhere in the state of Georgia, and in other states." With Trump already due to go on trial in New York, south Florida and Washington, the latest charges herald the unprecedented scenario of the 2024 presidential election being litigated as much from the courtroom as the ballot box. The Trump campaign released a statement as the charges were being processed calling Fulton County's chief prosecutor Fani Willis, who is a Democrat, a "rabid partisan" who was "persecuting" the former president with "bogus indictments." The twice-impeached Trump was charged with violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged efforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public official and submit false statements and documents. He is also accused of lying in statements and filing fake documents, as well as soliciting public officials to break their oaths. - Most serious threat - Georgia, which Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes, presents perhaps the most serious threat to Trump's liberty as he leads the field comfortably for his party's nomination to bid for reelection. Even if he is returned to the Oval Office, he would have none of the powers that presidents arguably enjoy in the federal system to pardon themselves or have prosecutors drop cases. The harsh penalties associated with RICO cases can be an incentive for co-defendants to seek cooperation deals, and the statutes are usually used to target organized crime. Under federal law, anyone who can be connected to a criminal "enterprise" through which offenses were committed can be convicted under RICO. The broader Georgia law doesn't even require the existence of the enterprise. Atlanta-area authorities launched the probe after Trump called Georgia officials weeks before he was due to leave the White House, pressuring them to "find" the 11,780 votes that would reverse Biden's victory in the Peach State. Meadows, who is accused of trying to get a public official to violate his oath, was on the call. Willis empaneled a special grand jury that heard from around 75 witnesses before recommending a raft of felony counts in a secret report in February. She alleges that Trump's team worked with local Republicans on a scheme to replace legitimate slates of "electors" -- the officials who certify a state's results and send them to the US Congress -- with fake pro-Trump stand-ins. - Criminal intent? - Giuliani, who faces 13 felony counts, was being investigated over accusations of harassment of two Fulton County poll workers while other Trump allies were charged over the accessing of sensitive data from an election office in a rural county south of Atlanta, one day after the 2021 Capitol riot. Trump is already facing dozens of felony charges after being federally indicted over the alleged plot to subvert the election, and further prosecutions over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and keeping allegedly fraudulent business records. Authorities in Atlanta installed security barricades outside the downtown courthouse in anticipation of a potential influx of Trump supporters and counter-protesters in the latest case. Lawmakers investigating Trump's efforts to cling to power heard evidence in a series of congressional hearings last summer that would challenge his potential defense that he genuinely believed he had been cheated of the election. ft/sst © Agence France-Presse The post Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»