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Donald Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba has stepped down from her role defending the former president in the fraud lawsuit filed against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Ms Habba has taken up a new role with Mr Trump’s Save America leadership political action committee. A press release issued by the PAC says that Mr Trump appointed Ms Habba to be his legal spokesperson and general counsel to Save America, though she will also still assist the former president with “certain legal matters”. “Alina has worked diligently and tirelessly on many of the witch-hunt cases that have been unfairly brought against President Trump,” said Steven Cheung, communications director for the Trump 2024 campaign. The statement continues: “While the Habba Madaio Law firm will continue to assist the President in certain legal matters, Ms Habba will withdraw from the New York Attorney General’s case against the Trump Organization and President Trump and other cases, in order to devote her time to Save America and her duties as his media representative on legal matters.” Ms Habba says: “It is an honour to be asked by such a leader as President Trump to help Save America. Being able to devote more time to addressing publicly his many legal matters is the privilege of a lifetime.” The appointment is effective immediately. Ms Habba is also tied to and more widely known for her role in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and was called before the federal grand jury. She spoke on Jesse Watters’ Fox News show amid news that the grand jury indicted Mr Trump on charges related to his allegedly unlawful retention of national defence information. The attorney claimed the indictment was a distraction from supposed impropriety on behalf of President Joe Biden of which House Republicans have so far failed to produce any evidence. “Every single time there is a coordinated dance that is becoming obvious to the American people because they are smart,” Ms Habba said. She added that the indictments of the twice-impeached former president were the equivalent of a “shiny ball” meant to distract the American public. “I’m embarrassed to be a lawyer at this moment,” she said. “Honestly, I am ashamed. I’m ashamed to be a lawyer. I’m ashamed that this is the state of our country.” Ms Habba claimed the indictment showed the United States had a two-tiered system of justice. “And it is so obvious that there’s this dual system of justice,” she said. “This is selective prosecution, selective persecution. It is absolute persecution. It is Russia third world stuff, and it should not be happening.” Read More Trump lawyer says she’s ‘ashamed’ and ‘embarrassed’ over secret papers indictment Trump attorneys worry some may snitch to feds as documents probe closes in, report claims Trump attorney Alina Habba reveals why his mugshot shouldn’t be released AOC says idea Trump is victim of a ‘two-tier’ justice system is an insult to Black and brown Americans

US Reaper drones in Syria were able to seek out and destroy a top Isis commander on Friday despite interference from the Russian military, the Pentagon said on Sunday. In a statement to The Associated Press, the Defense Department said that a group of Reaper aircraft destroyed a motorcycle being ridden by Usamah al-Muhajir, thought by US forces to be a top commander of Islamic State forces remaining in the Aleppo region of Syria. Isis has been pushed out of every inch of territory over which it once claimed military control, but pockets of fighters and leaders of the terrorist group remain dispersed around the region, plotting attacks against Syrian forces and the west. The Independent has reached out to the Pentagon for further comment. Photos and video released by the agency showed the moment that the aircraft were confronted by Russian fighter jets carrying out “unsafe” maneuvers as they sought their target, which according to defence officials took place just hours before the successful strike. More follows... Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

While the scuffles may be verbal as leading Republicans jostle to become the party’s 2024 presidential nominee, down at the state level things have actually turned physical — at least in Michigan, and not for the first time. Tensions boiled over within the Michigan Republican Party on Saturday resulting in an altercation at a hotel to which the police were called. The GOP’s state committee came together for a meeting at the Doherty Hotel in Clare as members have been feuding over the party’s direction and the leadership approach of the new chairwoman, Kristina Karamo, The Detroit News reports. Some Michigan Republicans arriving at the venue on Saturday were frustrated to find the meeting was limited only to members of the state committee and was taking place behind a locked door. In an interview with The Detroit News, James Chapman, a Republican from Wayne County, said he had travelled to Clare for the meeting but was forced to listen to it through a locked door. Mr Chapman said he and others said the Pledge of Allegiance together in the lobby outside the meeting, after which he jiggled the doorknob of the meeting room. It was then that Mark DeYoung, chairman of the Clare County Republican Party, approached the door, saw someone flip him off through a small window, and opened it. “He kicked me in my balls as soon as I opened the door,” Mr DeYoung said, adding that Mr Chapman ran at him and slammed him into a chair. Mr DeYoung gave his account to the outlet over the phone from an emergency room where he said he was being treated for a broken rib. For his part, Mr Chapman alleges that Mr DeYoung had swung at him and said: “I’ll kick your ass.” Mr DeYoung denies this happened. Continuing, Mr Chapman says he removed his glasses, took Mr DeYoung by the legs and knocked him down: “When you see me taking my glasses off, I’m ready to rock.” Multiple police officers were at the scene after the scuffle and Mr DeYoung said he intended to press charges against Mr Chapman. “We’re so divided,” Mr DeYoung said from the hospital. “I just wish we could come together.” This is also not the first time internal tensions have erupted. The Washington Post reported in June: “At least four county parties in Michigan have been at open war with themselves, with members suing one another or putting forward competing slates that claim to be in charge. The night before an April state party meeting, two GOP officials got into a physical altercation in a hotel bar over an attempt to expel members.” Other tension stems from criticism of Ms Karamo, who became the chairwoman in February, for not providing more information about fundraising and spending. The Post also reported that she has struggled to raise money and abandoned the party’s longtime headquarters. Ms Karamo had recently removed Matt Johnson, the budget committee chairman, citing “dereliction of duty and several other grievances”. Mr Johnson had said spending was “so far out of proportion with income as to put us on the path to bankruptcy”. The Michigan Republican Party was trounced in the 2022 midterms — Ms Karamo lost a run for secretary of state in November by 14 percentage points to her Democrat rival — and has found itself out of power in the state legislature for the first time in four decades. The Democratic Party also controls the state Senate and Governor Gretchen Whitmer comfortably won reelection by 11 points in November 2022. Continuing internal struggles will likely make it even harder for a Republican candidate to take the state in 2024’s presidential election. Read More Trump attorney who was key to election conspiracies retires from legal practice Forget everything else: These four states will decide the presidency Trump tells Michigan Republicans that EVs will ‘decimate’ state’s auto industry Prosecutors are prepared to hit Trump and his allies with new charges, sources say Trump mocked for bursting into bizarre moaning sounds at Michigan GOP dinner

President Joe Biden said on Sunday that Ukraine is not “ready” to be a part of the Nato alliance, a pronouncement that will likely chill some concerns raised by some members of the alliance ahead of a major summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The US president made the comments at the beginning of an interview with Fareed Zakaria of CNN, and is likely seeking to blunt the enthusiasm of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has insisted that his country should be admitted to the alliance as it passes the 500th day of a Russian assault into its heartland. Mr Zelenskyy has been relentless throughout the course of the war in rallying western support for his cause, including his seeking increasingly powerful shipments of weapons and war vehicles to his country’s military as it battles and pushes back a larger but underperforming Russian force. “I don’t think it’s ready for membership in Nato, but here’s the deal: I spent a great deal of time trying to hold Nato together,” said Mr Biden, adding that he believed Russia’s goal was to “break Nato” as an alliance. More follows... Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Leaders of the 31 countries that comprise the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will gather in Vilnius, Lithuania, for

Donald Trump made a surprise appearance Saturday evening in Las Vegas, where he attended a UFC match alongside his longtime adviser Roger Stone. Photos posted by Mr Stone and others at the event showed Mr Trump greeting actor Mel Gibson and celebrity chef Guy Fieri. He also got a handshake from one of the fighters, Dricus Du Plessis. Meanwhile, the former president is teasing that he might choose to participate in the 2024 Republican primary debates despite having previously asked why he should bother with such a commanding lead. The former president posted on Truth Social: “Steve Cortes, the Ron DeSanctimonious top political strategist, thinks that Ron should get out NOW, while the getting is still good. He also said … Trump is the best Presidential debater ever, and can’t be beaten at the debate game.” He added: “Well, based on that, maybe I should enter the debates - But, then again, when you have a 40 to 50 point lead over the field, maybe I shouldn’t???” Mr Trump posted other attacks on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Saturday as he headed from Iowa to campaign in Las Vegas, Nevada. Read More Donald Trump high-fives fans at UFC 290 in Las Vegas Trump vows to keep ‘communists and markers’ out of the US in latest gaffe Trump inadvertently reveals he’s never been to a Dairy Queen in viral video: ‘What the hell is a Blizzard?’ Trump investigations into classified documents and efforts to overturn election have cost more than $9m

Russian air defense shot down a cruise missile near Kerch on the east coast of Crimea, Interfax reported.

Investors who stuck with bonds from countries that defaulted or are on the brink are betting the double-digit

Voters in Uzbekistan cast their ballots on Sunday in a snap presidential election that is widely expected to extend the incumbent's rule by seven more years. The vote followed a constitutional referendum that extended a presidential term from five to seven years and allowed President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for two more terms in office. In 2021, Mirziyoyev was elected to his second five-year term, the limit allowed by the constitution at the time. A set of constitutional amendments approved in April’s plebiscite allowed him to begin the count of terms anew and run for two more, raising the possibility that he could stay in office until 2037. In May, the 65-year-old Mirziyoyev called for a snap election. He is set to win the vote by a landslide against three token rivals. More than 10,700 polling stations opened in Uzbekistan at 8 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) and were scheduled to close 12 hours later. By 11 a.m., more than 33% of voters have cast their ballots, election officials reported, which is enough to deem the vote valid in accordance with Uzbek laws. Since coming to power in 2016 after the death of longtime dictator Islam Karimov, Mirziyoyev has introduced a slew of political and economic reforms that eased some of the draconian policies of his predecessor, who made Uzbekistan into one of the region’s most repressive countries. At the same time, Uzbekistan has remained strongly authoritarian with no significant opposition. All registered political parties are loyal to Mirziyoyev. In April’s referendum, more than 90% of those who cast ballots voted to approve the amendments extending the presidential term. Similar constitutional amendments in recent years have been adopted in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Like the leaders of other Central Asian nations that have close economic ties with Moscow, Mirziyoyev has engaged in a delicate balancing act after Russian troops swarmed Ukraine, steering clear of backing what the Kremlin calls a “special military operation” but not condemning it either. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

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Here are the AP’s latest coverage plans, top stories and promotable content. All times EDT. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit Coverage Plan. ———————————- ONLY ON AP ——————————— TEXAS-MASS-SHOOTING-SHERIFF — Sheriff Greg Capers was the picture of a Texas lawman as he announced the capture of a suspected mass shooter. But his turn in the national spotlight belied years of complaints about corruption and dysfunction previously unknown outside San Jacinto County. An Associated Press investigation led the sheriff’s office to disclose that deputies took nearly four times as long as Capers initially said to arrive at the April 28 mass shooting. Former deputies say Capers’ staff neglects basic police work while pursuing asset seizures. Capers’ second-in-command says the sheriff initially gave his “best guestimation” about the response time and that the accusations against him are lies. SENT: 1,840 words, photos. With TEXAS-MASS-SHOOTING-SHERIFF-TAKEAWAYS — Takeaways from AP’s investigation of a Texas sheriff’s history of alleged corruption and dysfunction (sent). PROVIDENCE-LEFT BEHIND LEAD — Many American cities have been excavating water mains, revealing lead pipes and leaving them there. The work’s disruption of the pipe can also spike lead levels, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. It’s a common practice that some people who study lead poisoning say is immoral. Many cities say they can leave the pipes and use chemical treatment instead. But that isn’t foolproof, and the Biden administration has said it wants all 9.2 million lead pipes in the U.S. replaced. By Michael Phillis. SENT 1,440 words, photos. With CHICAGO-LEFT-BEHIND-LEAD — Here’s why there is still so much lead pipe in Chicago (sent). —————————— TOP STORIES BIDEN-NATO — As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world’s biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations still lags behind longstanding goals. And an inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO’s next leader forced an extension of the current secretary general’s term for an extra year. By Chris Megerian, Lorne Cook and Seung Min Kim. SENT: 1,370 words, photos. BIDEN-BRITAIN — A dash of pomp and a dose of politics are on the agenda during a stopover visit to the U.K. where President Joe Biden will discuss the environment with King Charles III and the war in Ukraine with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. By Jill Lawless and Danica Kirka. SENT: 910 words, photos. HEAT-ILLNESS-LESSONS-LEARNED — With Earth breaking average heat records, cities are sure to be giving a fresh look at their readiness plans for temperatures that can kill. Dire heat waves in the past have prompted effective efforts by cities to do better at protecting people — especially their most vulnerable. A heat wave in Chicago in 1995 killed more than 700 people. The city responded by developing an emergency plan that includes a massive push to alert people to the coming danger — and connect people with the resources they may need to survive it. Many other cities have adopted similar measures. But experts say the inequality that makes some people more vulnerable to the heat is a problem that persists. By Melina Wallings and Isabella O'Malley. SENT: 1,080 words, photos. This story moved as the Monday spotlight. CALIFORNIA-LEGISLATURE-NEW-SPEAKER — California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas has assumed one of the most influential political offices this month. He succeeded Speaker Anthony Rendon after a monthslong bitter fight last year that fractured the caucus. Rendon is still not happy about the power struggle. As speaker, Rivas wields tremendous power, controlling the flow of legislation, selecting committee assignments and negotiating the budget. The new speaker has said little about his specific plans, but emphasized the importance of engaging with his caucus. By Tran Nguyen. SENT: 1,190 words, photos. —————————— MORE NEWS —————————— FLORIDA KEYS-UNDERWATER MUSIC — Underwater music show in the Florida Keys promotes awareness of coral reef protection. SENT: 220 words, photos. CARGO-SHIP-FATAL-FIRE — Fire crews have continued to battle flames that have smoldered inside a cargo ship docked at the East Coast’s biggest port, days after the blaze claimed the lives of two New Jersey firefighters and injured five others. SENT: 610 words, photos. NEW-YORK-CITY-SCOOTER-SHOOTING — A scooter-riding gunman killed an 87-year-old man and wounded three others in a string of random shootings that stretched across two New York City boroughs, police say. SENT: 400 words, photos. OBIT-PETER-NERO — Peter Nero, a Grammy-winning pianist who interpreted pop songs through classical and jazz forms and served as the Philly Pops’ conductor for more than three decades, has died. Nero was 89. SENT: 640 words, photos. BBA-BLUE-JAYS-TIGERS — Three Detroit Tigers pitchers combined to no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays in a 2-0 win. It was the first combined no-hitter in Tigers history. SENT: 780 words, photos. ———————————————————- WASHINGTON/ POLITICS ———————————————————- ELECTION 2024-IOWA CAUCUSES — Iowa Republicans have scheduled the party’s presidential nominating caucuses for Jan. 15, 2024, putting the first votes of the next election a little more than six months away. The Iowa Republican Party’s state central committee voted unanimously Saturday to hold the leadoff contests on the third Monday in January — on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday. SENT: 525 words, photo. —————————— NATIONAL —————————— MASS-WEDDINGS-LINCOLN-CENTER — New York’s Lincoln Center is accustomed to hosting grand events, but Saturday’s was far from routine. There were bouquets everywhere. And there were 700 couples, all ready to exchange their vows in a mass wedding. Some were exchanging vows for the first time, while others came to renew their vows. It was just the second year for what could become an annual event. Last year, more than 500 couples took part. SENT: 710 words, photos. ————————————— INTERNATIONAL ————————————— SOUTH-KOREA-JAPAN-NUCLEAR — South Korean opposition lawmakers have sharply criticized the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for its approval of Japanese plans to release treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant. SENT: 770 words, photos. UZBEKISTAN-ELECTION — Uzbekistan is holding a snap presidential election Sunday, a vote that follows a constitutional referendum that extended the incumbent’s term from five to seven years. SENT: 400 words, photo. ISRAEL-POLITICS — Israel’s anti-government protest movement gained new momentum as tens of thousands of people spilled into the streets of cities across the country to oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious plan to overhaul the country’s judicial system. SENT: 470 words, photos. CHINA-EXTREME-WEATHER — Nine people are missing in central China after a landslide sparked by heavy rains amid flooding and searing temperatures across much of the country, authorities say. SENT: 380 words, photo. MEXICO-JOURNALIST-KILLED — The Mexican national newspaper La Jornada has said that its staff reporter in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit has been found dead. SENT: 360 words. BRAZIL-BUILDING-COLLAPSE — An apartment building condemned for more than a decade but used by homeless people collapsed in Brazil’s northeastern state of Pernambuco, killing 14 people, including six children, firefighters report. SENT: 280 words. —————————————— ENTERTAINMENT —————————————— Y2K-FASHION-REVIVAL — First came the supposed death of skinny jeans. Then, the resurgence of cargo pants, halter tops and baby tees. If there’s one thing retailers can agree on, it’s that Gen Z is hot for the early 2000s fashion trends now booming in popularity. SENT: 950 words, photo. ———————— SPORTS ——————— BKC-WEST-VIRGINA-HUGGINS — Bob Huggins says he never resigned as West Virginia’s basketball coach following a drunken-driving arrest and wants his job back, according to a letter from his attorney to the university. SENT: 520 words, photos. ——————————————- HOW TO REACH US ——————————————- At The Nerve Center, Vincent K. Willis can be reached at 800-845-8450 (ext. 1600). For photos, (ext. 1900). For graphics and interactives, ext. 7636. Expanded AP content can be obtained from AP Newsroom. For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues, contact apcustomersupport@ap.org or call 844-777-2006. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine and the environment will top the agenda when Biden meets UK politicians and royalty NATO's unity will be tested at summit in Vilnius South Korean lawmakers berate IAEA chief over Japanese plans to release treated Fukushima wastewater

Just months after he was tapped to oversee Ukraine’s arms industry, Oleksandr Kamyshin says it produced more mortar