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A US appeals court has struck down an attempt by President Donald Trump to bypass the customary Senate confirmation process and appoint his former personal lawyer to a post as a top federal prosecutor.A three-judge panel ruled unanimously that Alina Habba, 41, has been unlawfully serving as the US Attorney for the District of New Jersey.It was the second time in a week that a federal court has ruled that a US attorney picked by Trump was unlawfully appointed.Last week’s ruling led to the dismissal of criminal cases brought against two of Trump’s political foes – former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey and New York Attorney-General Letitia James.In that case, District Judge Cameron Currie disqualified Trump appointee Lindsey Halligan from serving as the acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and threw out the indictments she obtained against Comey and James.Federal prosecutors are subject to Senate confirmation.Currie said Halligan had been unlawfully appointed because her predecessor was also serving in an acting capacity and US law does not allow two successive interim prosecutors.Halligan’s predecessor as acting US attorney, Erik Siebert, stepped down after reportedly telling Justice Department leaders there was insufficient evidence to charge Comey and James.In Habba’s case, the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit panel upheld a lower court ruling that her appointment violated the law regarding the filling of federal vacancies.”Under the government’s delegation theory, Habba may avoid the gauntlet of presidential appointment and Senate confirmation and serve as the de facto US Attorney indefinitely,” the judges said.”This view is so broad that it bypasses the constitutional (appointment and confirmation) process entirely,” they said, and “should raise a red flag”.The Justice Department is weighing seeking new indictments against Comey and James, according to two people familiar with the matter.The department could seek new charges against Comey and James as soon as this week, though the timing was not yet clear, the people added, speaking anonymously in order to discuss non-public department deliberations.Representatives for James could not be immediately reached for comment. An attorney for Comey declined to comment.Both Comey and James have been longtime targets of Trump’s ire.Comey as FBI director oversaw an investigation into alleged ties between Trump’s 2016 election campaign and the Russian government, and was fired by Trump in 2017.James, an elected Democrat, successfully sued Trump and his family real estate company for fraud. Source link
A US admiral acting under the authority of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a second strike that targeted survivors of an initial attack on an alleged drug smuggling boat, the White House said on Monday.The legality of the Trump administration’s deadly strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific has been questioned, and reports of the follow-up attack on survivors triggered further accusations of a possible war crime.Venezuela’s leftist leader Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of using drug trafficking as a pretext for “imposing regime change” in Caracas and rejected a “slave’s peace” for the region, amid mounting fears of US military action.A total of 11 people were killed in the two strikes in early September, the first in a months-long military campaign that has so far left more than 80 dead.Trump’s administration insists that it is effectively at war with alleged “narco-terrorists”, and the White House said Admiral Frank Bradley, who currently leads US Special Operations Command, had acted legally and properly in ordering a second strike.Bradley “worked well within his authority and the law directing the engagement to ensure the boat was destroyed and the threat to the United States of America was eliminated”, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists.Hegseth “authorised Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes”, she said.With pressure on the Pentagon chief, Hegseth appeared to stress the decision was Bradley’s.”I stand by him and the combat decisions he has made – on the September 2 mission and all others since,” he posted on Monday evening on X, calling Bradley “an American hero”.Some military personnel under the condition of anonymity told the *Washington Post that this is “protect Pete (expletive)”.Another military official told the publication that Leavitt’s statement “left it up to interpretation” who was responsible for the second strike and implored the White House to provide more clarity.”We will eventually find out what really happened,” promised Republican Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who has opened an investigation into the matter.Democrats also pounced on the issue, with Senator Chris Murphy accusing Hegseth of “passing the buck”.”Both Republicans and Democrats are coming to the conclusion that this was an illegal, wildly immoral act, and he is shifting the blame,” Murphy told broadcaster CNN.Congressman Mike Turner, a Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said lawmakers have yet to be briefed on the “double-tap” strike.”People have been very concerned about how these strikes have been operated,” Turner said on the same news broadcast.US media reported last week that an initial September 2 strike left two people alive who were killed in a subsequent attack to fulfill Hegseth’s orders, but Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell insisted that “this entire narrative was false”.Subsequent strikes that left survivors were followed by search-and-rescue efforts that recovered two people in one case and failed to find another later in October.International humanitarian law prohibits attacks on incapacitated combatants.The Pentagon’s Law of War Manual states that shipwrecked persons cannot be knowingly attacked and must receive medical care unless they act with hostility or attempt escape.George Washington University law professor Laura Dickinson said most legal experts do not believe the boat strikes qualify as armed conflict, so lethal force would only be allowed as a last resort.”It would be murder outside of armed conflict,” she said.Even in war, the killing of survivors “would likely be a war crime”. Source link
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that US President Donald Trump is personally following up on efforts to end the war in SudanSpeaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Rubio described the current period as one of the most transformative years in US foreign policy since the end of World War II, stressing that President Trump has placed “America at the forefront of every decision” in Washington’s relations with the world.”For the first time in probably four decades, American foreign policy is driven by what is good for America and Americans, and that kind of clarity is transformational,” Rubio said.President Trump has recently expressed his intention to engage directly in efforts to resolve the Sudanese crisis and achieve peace.The war in Sudan, which broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and the displacement of nearly 14 million people, according to local and international reports. Related Story Source link
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution late Monday calling for Israel’s withdrawal from the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, and reaffirming the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to self-determination, the establishment of their independent state, and the achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee issue in accordance with Resolution 194 of December 11, 1948.The resolution was adopted with 151 votes in favor, 11 against, and 11 abstentions, during the General Assembly’s 80th session under agenda item 35.The resolution reaffirmed the permanent responsibility of the United Nations toward the question of Palestine until it is resolved in all its aspects in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions. It underscored that achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement, as the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict, is essential for peace and stability in the Middle East. It also emphasized that the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples constitutes a cornerstone of the UN Charter.The General Assembly further reaffirmed the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by force, stressing the need to respect the unity and territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. It stated that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated not to obstruct the Palestinian people from exercising their right to self-determination, including the establishment of their independent and sovereign state on all occupied Palestinian territory. It also stressed that all states must ensure, in accordance with international law, the removal of obstacles arising from Israel’s illegal presence that hinder the exercise of this right.The resolution also stressed the illegality of Israeli settlement activities and all unilateral measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and status of Jerusalem and the occupied Palestinian territory as a whole, including the wall and its associated regime, demanding their immediate cessation. It condemned the use of force against Palestinian civilians, particularly children, in violation of international law, and emphasized the necessity of ensuring the safety, protection, and well-being of all civilians across the Middle East, as well as rejecting all acts of violence and terrorism against civilians on all sides.The resolution reiterated the urgent need to end the Israeli occupation that began in 1967, and affirmed the right of all states in the region to live in peace within secure and internationally recognized borders. It renewed calls for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on relevant UN resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016), the Madrid terms of reference, the land-for-peace principle, and the Arab Peace Initiative, while reaffirming unwavering support for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security. Related Story Source link
The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) announced Tuesday that the Arirang-7 multi-purpose satellite successfully has reached its orbit after being launched from a spaceport in South America.In a statement, KASA said that the satellite separated from the Vega-C rocket 44 minutes after its launch from the Guiana Space Centre.The statement added that Arirang-7 is equipped with a high-resolution electro-optical camera and an infrared sensor, and will provide high-quality images for environmental monitoring and observation. Source link
China announced today that it has expelled a Japanese fishing vessel for illegally entering Chinese territorial waters.China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson Liu Dejun said a Japanese fishing vessel was warned and expelled after illegally entering the territorial waters of China’s Diaoyu Dao region, Xinhua news agency reported.The spokesperson added that the CCG had taken the necessary control measures in accordance with the law, issued warnings, and turned the ship away, while emphasizing that Diaoyu Dao and its islands are integral Chinese territory.”The CCG will continue to conduct rights-protection law enforcement operations in the waters of Diaoyu Dao to firmly safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the spokesperson added. Related Story Source link
Rubio (center L), flanked by Witkoff and Kushner, speaks during a meeting with Ukrainian officials headed by Umerov (center R) in Hallandale Beach, Florida Sunday A meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Florida Sunday was “very productive,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, adding that work still remains towards ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.”There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow, although we’ve also been in touch in varying degrees with the Russian side, but we have a pretty good understanding of their views as well,” Rubio told reporters.Rubio Sunday hosted high stakes talks with a Ukrainian delegation on Washington’s plan to end Russia’s war with its neighbour — discussions a source close to Kyiv’s team characterized as “not easy.”The talks in Florida come as Kyiv faces mounting military and political pressure, along with the fallout from a corruption scandal. They could set the stage for next week’s visit to Moscow by President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, who is expected to discuss Ukraine diplomacy.”This is not just about peace deals. It’s about creating a pathway forward that leaves Ukraine sovereign, independent and prosperous,” Rubio said at the start of the negotiations.Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were also attending the meeting in Hallandale Beach, north of Miami.Ukraine’s security council secretary Rustem Umerov led Kyiv’s delegation, which also included Andrii Hnatov, the chief of staff of Ukraine’s armed forces, and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz.”We are discussing about the future of Ukraine, about the security of Ukraine, about no repetition of aggression of Ukraine, about prosperity of Ukraine, about how to rebuild Ukraine,” Umerov said as the talks kicked off.A source close to the Kyiv delegation, however, cautioned that “the process is not easy because the search for formulations and solutions continues.” The exchanges had nevertheless been “constructive,” the source said.The US talks come amid turbulence for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government. A blockbuster corruption probe forced him to sack his chief of staff and top negotiator, Andriy Yermak, on Friday.Washington has put forward a plan to end the nearly four-year conflict and is seeking to finalize it with Moscow and Kyiv’s approval.An initial 28-point proposal — drafted without input from Ukraine’s European allies — would have seen Kyiv withdraw from its eastern Donetsk region and the United States de facto recognize the Donetsk, Crimea and Lugansk regions as Russian.The United States pared back the original draft following criticism from Kyiv and Europe, but the current contents remain unclear. …
French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky greet each other following a joint press conference at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris Monday.…
As a US envoy heads to Moscow to negotiate over a complex blueprint for peace in Ukraine, Russian Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov says a vital element is missing from the agenda. Borders, security guarantees, the fate of frozen Russian assets and the prospects for joint US-Russian investment ventures are all expected to be on the table when President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff sits down with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin today. But Muratov is worried about the fate of people — above all, the hundreds imprisoned in Russia under censorship laws passed after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that made it a crime to “discredit” the Russian army or spread “deliberately false information”. Monday he and 15 other past winners of Nobel prizes for peace, literature and the sciences sent an open letter to Putin, Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the European Union, calling for a release or exchange of political prisoners to form part of the proposed deal. “Look, they’re talking about money, deals, rare earth metals, borders, but have you ever heard anyone talk about people?” Muratov, a newspaper editor who continues to live and work in Russia despite being labelled a “foreign agent” by the authorities, told Reuters in a video interview. “I really don’t know what’s going on in Putin’s head, forgive me… I only know that people are dying in prisons, and they need to be saved,” he said. During the conversation, he held up before and after photographs showing how several prominent Russian dissidents, including activist Alexei Gorinov, theatre director Zhenya Berkovich and saxophonist Andrei Shabanov, have visibly aged in prison and suffered damage to their health. “I will show you what (these) people look like now. So that no-one has any doubt that many simply will not survive. They will die if the international community — Zelensky, Putin, Trump and the European Union — don’t decide the fate of these people now,” Muratov said. “How many faces do I have to show (you) so that politicians at the negotiations will say ‘yes, let’s also talk about the human rights to life, dignity, and freedom?’” The Kremlin does not comment on individual cases. It says Russia needs to uphold its laws to deal with people engaged in what it regards as subversive activity against the state, and that they are appropriately treated in the penal system. Trump has not publicly called for the release of political prisoners in Russia. That stands in contrast with his stance on Belarus, where he has urged President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Putin, to free more than 1,000 people he describes as hostages. He has, however, stated a commitment to bring home American citizens jailed in Russia, of whom several have been released during his second presidency. In a major East-West prisoner exchange last year under Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, 16 people — including US citizens Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, as well as some prominent Russian dissidents — were released from Russian and Belarusian jails, while Moscow got back eight prisoners held in the West. In their appeal, the 16 Nobel laureates said they were hopeful the current negotiations could bring an end to the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two. “We are confident that if Messrs. Putin and Zelensky demonstrate goodwill and mutually pardon at least a few dozen prisoners who are imprisoned merely for expressing their personal opinions and who have not committed violent crimes, this will hasten the advent of a lasting and just peace,” they said. The letter referred to more than 1,000 people held in Russian prisons for political crimes. It did not put a figure on the number jailed in Ukraine, who include people sentenced for treason or for collaborating with Moscow. The signatories included peace laureates Jose Ramos-Horta, Jody Williams, Maria Ressa and Yan Rachinsky and literature winner Svetlana Alexievich. “Until we put people at the centre of politics, wars will continue,” said Muratov. He said he hoped US First Lady Melania Trump — who has intervened with Putin to seek the repatriation of Ukrainian children whom Kyiv accuses Russia of abducting — would support the initiative to free political prisoners, which he said was in the tradition of Russian-American relations dating back decades. He told Reuters he believed that the negotiators would listen. “I am confident that they will hear this letter, and then we will see how they act. We will monitor their actions.” Related Story Source link
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s whereabouts. (AFP file photo) The sons of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan fear authorities are concealing “something irreversible” about his condition after more than three weeks with no evidence that he is still alive, one of them said. As court-ordered prison visits stay blocked and rumours swirl about possible prison transfers, his son, Kasim Khan, told Reuters the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Khan, despite a judicial order for weekly meetings. “Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured or even alive is a form of psychological torture,” he said in written remarks, adding that there had been no independently confirmed communication for a couple of months. “Today we have no verifiable information at all about his condition,” the son added. “Our greatest fear is that something irreversible is being hidden from us.” The family has repeatedly sought access for Khan’s personal physician, who has not been allowed to examine him for more than a year, he added. Pakistan’s interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a jail official told Reuters that Khan was in good health, adding that he was not aware of any plan for a move to a higher-security facility. Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of controversial cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote.His first conviction centred on accusations that he unlawfully sold gifts received in office, in a proceeding widely referred to as the Toshakhana case. Later verdicts added lengthy jail terms, including 10 years on accusations of leaking a diplomatic cable and 14 years in a separate graft case tied to the Al-Qadir Trust, a charity project prosecutors say figured in improper land deals. Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), says the prosecutions aim to exclude him from public life and elections. The family says the lack of communication has fuelled fears over what it calls a deliberate effort to push Khan out of public sight. Television channels have been told not to use Khan’s name or image, leaving only a single grainy court picture on the Internet as the only glimpse of him since his imprisonment. “This isolation is intentional,” Kasim said, referring to the authorities he believes are keeping his father cut off. “They are scared of him. He is Pakistan’s most popular leader and they know they cannot defeat him democratically.” Kasim and his older brother Suleiman Isa Khan, who live in London with their mother, Jemima Goldsmith, have kept a distance from Pakistan’s dynastic politics.The brothers have spoken publicly only sparingly mainly about Khan’s imprisonment. Kasim added that the last time they saw their father was in November 2022, when they visited Pakistan after he survived an assassination attempt. “That image has stayed with me ever since. Seeing our father in that state is something you don’t forget,” Kasim said. “We were told he would recover with time. Now, after weeks of total silence and no proof of life, that memory carries a different weight.” The family was pursuing internal and external avenues, such as appeals to international human rights organisations, and wanted court-ordered access restored immediately, he said. “This is not just a political dispute,” Kasim said. “It is a human rights emergency. Pressure must come from every direction. We draw strength from him, but we need to know he is safe.” Related Story Source link