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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday suggested that indicting former president Donald Trump for any crime stemming from his attempt to remain in office against the wishes of voters after losing the 2020 election would mean the Department of Justice is “criminalising political differences” and going after Mr Trump because prosecutors dislike him. Mr DeSantis, who currently trails Mr Trump in most polls of 2024 Republican primary voters, was speaking to CNN anchor Jake Tapper when he was asked about Mr Trump’s claim that he has received a letter from prosecutors informing him that he could soon be indicted a second time by a Washington, DC grand jury that has been investigating events leading up to the January 6 attack on the Capitol, when a riotous mob of the ex-president’s supporters tried to stop certification of his loss to Joe Biden. The Florida governor replied: “ So here's the problem. This country is going down the road of criminalising political differences, and I think that’s wrong”. Rather than address the possibility of charges against Mr Trump stemming from the January 6 investigation, Mr DeSantis instead pivoted to attack Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who earlier this year charged Mr Trump with multiple felony counts of having allegedly falsified business records relating to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Mr DeSantis claimed that Mr Bragg “stretched” the statute under which he charged the ex-president in order to “target” him, and said “most people, even people on the left” have agreed that such a case wouldn’t have been brought had Mr Trump been “a normal civilian”. He also invoked the 2016-2018 Justice Department probe into Russia’s 2016 campaign of interference in that year’s presidential election as a “number one example” of both the DOJ and FBI being “weaponised against people they don’t like,” and called that investigation — which found that the Russian government’s efforts on Mr Trump’s behalf had been “sweeping and systematic” — “not a legitimate investigation” and alleged, falsely, that it had been opened to “drive Trump out of office”. Mr DeSantis then claimed his aim as president would be to “restore a single standard of justice” and “end weaponisation of these agencies” by firing FBI Director Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee who has become a conservative hate object for failing to protect Mr Trump while not acting to target the ex-president’s Democratic enemies. Asked whether he was advocating for ignoring evidence of criminality on Mr Trump’s part, he replied that what he was actually saying was that “going after somebody on the other side of the political spectrum” was “wrong”. “I think we've gone down the road in this country of trying to criminalise differences in politics rather than saying, okay, you don't like somebody then defeat them in the election, rather than trying to use the justice system,” he said. Read More Michigan charges 16 fake electors for Donald Trump with election law and forgery felonies DeSantis pushes AI-generated attack ad featuring fake Trump voice Matt Gaetz launches bill to defund Jack Smith probe as Trump asks Capitol allies help

Rep Matt Gaetz of Florida said on his podcast Tuesday morning that he will in the coming days introduce a bill to defund Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump. “In the coming hours, the coming days, I will be introducing legislation under my name, in the House of Representatives, as a freestanding bill, to defund the Jack Smith investigation,” Mr Gaetz said. “And one reason why is the election interference feature. Another reason why: the lack of transparency.” Mr Gaetz’s announcement comes just hours after Mr Trump said he’s recieved a letter from Mr Smith’s investigation into the events of January 6 informing him that he is the target of a grand jury investigation in Washington, DC. “Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, and giving me a very short 4 days to report to the grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and indictment,” Mr Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. It is as of now unclear what charges Mr Trump may face, though he’s already been indicted for allegedly mishandling classified documents in Florida and allegedly participating in a hush money payment scheme in New York. But if Mr Trump is indicted again for his participation in efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election and subvert American democracy, it could dampen his odds of being returned to office in next year’s election — a prospect he and his supporters are arguing amounts to election interference. Mr Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly attacked Mr Smith, who was appointed as special counsel by Attorney General Merrick Garland last year. Mr Smith has been charged with overseeing two Department of Justice investigations into the former president, one regarding January 6 and the other regarding his handling of classified material. Read More Democratic lawmaker screams at ‘exhausting’ Matt Gaetz on House floor House Ethics Committee revives ‘misconduct’ probe into rep Matt Gaetz Christopher Wray hits back at Gaetz after Republican presses him on trust in the FBI

BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, said Monday it has appointed Amin Nasser, chief executive of oil giant Saudi Aramco, to its board of directors — despite the New York-based firm's pledge to accelerate investment in climate-friendly companies.

Steve Bannon, once a senior adviser to Donald Trump, was confronted by a Ron DeSantis supporter who demanded to know when the far-right podcaster would pay back money he allegedly collected in a fraudulent fundraiser aimed at funding the construction of a southern border wall. The supporter, Chris Nelson, is a known right-wing provocateur who is vocal in his support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's 2024 presidential run. He posted a video of himself approaching and confronting Mr Bannon on Sunday during the Turning Point Action conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to Newsweek. As Mr Nelson approaches Mr Bannon, he calls out to him and asks when he will give back the money he allegedly took for the failed "Build the Wall Fund." "Hey Steve Bannon! When are you going to get back that money you took from the Build the Wall Fund?" Mr Nelson asks. "When are you going to give that money back?" Mr Bannon claimed that "there's not one penny, dude." The former Trump adviser was charged in September 2022 with money laundering allegations tied to a GoFundMe campaign claiming donations would be used to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. The construction of a wall at the southern border — paid for by Mexico — was a key promise Mr Trump made during his 2016 presidential campaign. The wall was only partially built, and Mexico did not pay for any of its construction. Mr Bannon was also charged in a near-identical federal investigation, but Mr Trump pardoned him in January 2021 just before leaving office. Manhattan prosecutors brought state charges — which presidential pardons do not cover — against Mr Bannon in September 2022. That trial is expected to begin in May 2024. Mr Nelson also accused Mr Bannon of lying about Mr DeSantis, and said Andrew Brietbart — the founder of right-wing Breitbart News, which Mr Bannon took over after his death — would be embarrassed by his successor. "Andrew Breitbart would be rolling in his grave right now to see what you're doing," he said. "Why are you lying about Ron DeSantis? Aren't you concerned that Trump does not have any ground game to win and that he has no plan to do anything differently and that Ron DeSantis has gotten victory after victory with election integrity?" Before walking away from the confrontation, Mr Bannon said that Mr DeSantis only has "$3 million left," citing an NBC news report on the candidate's war chest. After his confrontation with Mr Bannon, Mr Nelson claims that security at the event was trying to toss him out because he is a DeSantis supporter. "Because if somebody's not in your little club, then you throw them out," Mr Nelson says. "You can't stand dissenting viewpoints." Mr Bannon spoke at the conference, telling the audience that Mr Trump and his GOP allies would face years of "political warfare." "We got a fight ahead of us," Mr Bannon said. "There's still the primary, the RNC and the donors are gonna try and [block] Trump, so we gotta get through that. The general election, and I don't have to believe Biden will be the nominee, I think they'll trade him out, but we've got nothing but a war in the general election, and then we gotta make sure they can't steal it. And by the way, that's the easy part. We've got six to eight years ahead of us of absolute political warfare." Read More Steve Bannon ordered to pay nearly $500K in unpaid legal bills Ex-Congressman suggests Hunter Biden alleged laptop data fabricated Trump says he would consider two of his Republican 2024 rivals as his running mates Steve Bannon ordered to pay nearly $500K in unpaid legal bills Former Trump chief of staff says ex-president is ‘scared s***less’ Steve Bannon’s trial in ‘We Build the Wall’ scheme set for May 2024

Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie has mocked rival Donald Trump’s take on ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, quipping: “Move over Churchill”. The former president announced he had a “one-day” plan for ending the war in Ukraine, stating in an interview with Fox News that he knew the leaders of Ukraine and Russia “very well” and that he would “have the deal done in one day”. But Mr Trump’s comments were ridiculed by Mr Christie, who invoked British wartime leader Winston Churchill in his mockery of his foe. “Breaking news… Donald Trump has released his Top-Secret plan for ending the war in Ukraine in 24 hours,” Mr Christie tweeted. “The Plan: He knows Putin and Zelensky “very well” and will make a couple calls. Move over Churchill, Trump is here to save the day.” Mr Trump’s unique approach to foreign policy saw him enter into a war of words with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his tenure as US president, while his relationship with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky saw the US president impeached for the first time after offering Mr Zelensky a quid-pro-quo if Ukraine looked into Hunter Biden. Asked about being able to end the war, Mr Trump referenced the call that led to his impeachment. “I know Zelensky very well. I felt he was very honourable because when they asked him about the perfect phone call I made, he said it was indeed perfect ... he didn’t even know what they were talking about,” he said. “I know Zelensky very well and I know Putin very well – even better. And I had a good relationship, very good, with both of them. I would tell Zelensky ‘No more – you gotta make a deal’, I would tell Putin, ‘If you don’t make a deal we’re gonna give em a lot – we’re gonna give ‘em more than they ever got, if we have to.’” “I would have the deal done in one day. One day.” Read More Trump 2024 rivals urge him to bow out of race amid news he’s set to be indicted in Jan 6 probe Next Trump indictment could drop as soon as this week Ron DeSantis news - live: Florida governor giving interview to CNN as 2024 primary campaign stagnates

Candidates in the Republican Party primary field have given their initial reaction to the news that lead 2024 contender Donald Trump has been notified by the Department of Justice of his status as a target of the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot. It is the first real confirmation that he could face criminal charges for his role in the 2021 siege of Capitol Hill. Mr Trump wrote in a lengthy statement delivered via his Truth Social platform that special counsel Jack Smith had notified him via letter on Sunday about the development; The Independent had previously reported that Mr Smith was preparing a superseding indictment for the former president related to the Jan 6 attack. Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley was interviewed on Fox News shortly after the news broke and used it as an opportunity to reiterate the need for a generational change in the party to move on from the distractions of the Trump era. “The rest of this primary election is going to be in reference to Trump, is going to be about lawsuits, is going to be about legal fees, it’s going to be about judges and it’s going to continue to be a further and further distraction,” she said. “And that is why I am running. It’s because we need a new generational leader. We can’t keep dealing with this drama. We can’t keep dealing with the negativity.” Among the first to react was former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson who reiterated his call for Mr Trump to suspend his 2024 campaign. In a statement released by Asa for America, he said: “I have said from the beginning that Donald Trump’s actions on January 6 should disqualify him from ever being President again. As a former federal prosecutor, I understand the severity of Grand Jury investigations and what it means to be targeted by such an investigation.” He continued: “Donald Trump has confirmed that he is a target of this investigation and will likely be indicted once again. While Donald Trump would like the American people to believe that he is the victim in this situation, the truth is that the real victims of January 6th were our democracy, our rule of law, and those Capitol Police officers who worked valiantly to protect our Capitol. Mr Hutchinson concluded: “Anyone who truly loves this country and is willing to put the country over themselves would suspend their campaign for President of the United States immediately. It is disappointing that Donald Trump refuses to do so.” Meanwhile, speaking at a campaign event in South Carolina, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said about Mr Trump’s reaction to January 6: “I think it was shown how he was in the White House and didn’t do anything while things were going on. He should have come out more forcefully,” he said. “But to try to criminalise that, that’s a different issue entirely.” He adds: “Criminal charges is not just because you may have done something wrong. It’s: Did you behave criminally? .... I think what we’ve seen in this country is an attempt to criminalise politics and to try to criminalize differences.” Read More Next Trump indictment could drop as soon as this week Trump says he is about to be arrested again after letter confirms he’s target of Jan 6 grand jury Trump is hoarding Israeli antiquities at Mar-a-Lago, report claims DeSantis becomes first major party candidate to enter South Carolina's 2024 presidential primary Next Trump indictment could drop as soon as this week Ron DeSantis giving interview to CNN as 2024 primary campaign stagnates - latest Trump says he is about to be arrested as letter confirms he’s target of Jan 6 probe

In-N-Out employees in five US states will no longer be allowed to wear masks as part of new company guidelines that "emphasize the importance of customer service," notably showing their smiles, according to a new policy issued by the fast food chain.

Fox News host Jesse Watters received a lot of advice from his mother on air on the very first night of his show on the network in which he replaced a primetime slot previously hosted by Tucker Carlson. Watters’ mother has sent critical text messages to her son since 2017, when he became co-host of The Five. Later, producers introduced a segment called “Mom Texts” in which he regularly read aloud his mother’s texts to him. On his first night as Carlson’s replacement on the 8pm ET slot on 17 July, his mother started by congratulating him. “Congratulations, honeybun. We are so proud of you and your accomplishments ... Now let’s aim to have you keep your job. And to that end, I do have some suggestions,” she told her son on his Jesse Watters Primetime. “Do not tumble into any conspiracy rabbit holes. We do not want to lose you and we want no lawsuits, OK?” she said. Carlson, the previous regular 8pm Fox host, was fired by Fox News earlier this year after the network agreed to a $787.5m legal settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. The lawsuit filed by the company alleged Carlson and other Fox News personalities and their guests amplified bogus statemenets and conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election. “I want you to seek solutions, versus fanning the flames,” Ms Watters told her son. She told him to “use your voice responsibly, to promote conversation that maintains a narrative thread.” “There really has been enough Biden bashing. And the laptop [Hunter Biden’s laptop controversy] is old,” she added. “Perhaps you could suggest that your people take less interest, for example, in other people’s bodies, and talk about that,” she said, a likely reference to his ongoing segments ridiculing transgender people and his commentary on abortion. (Last year, Watters called a very real story about a 10-year-old girl who needed abortion care a ”hoax” and “politically timed disinformation”, then tried to take credit for putting “pressure” on the investigation after a suspect was arrested.) She also mocked Donald Trump by referring to him as “that Bedminster friend” of her son’s. “You could encourage that Bedminster friend of yours to return to his earlier career on television. Everyone in his audience could wear a red hat and I’m sure the ratings would soar, although never as high, my darling, as yours,” she said. Ms Watters also urged her son to take cognisance of the Hippocratic Oath – “do no harm” – and to “be kind and respectful”, even though she acknowledged that her son mentioned the idea of him being “humble” might be “a stretch”. Watters’ honed his reputation on the network with brash, offensive man-on-the-street interview segments and deliberately provacative commentary that has drawn widespread criticism and accusations of sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and election denialism, including incendiary statements aired days before the attack on the US Capitol. Unlike Carlson, who arrived at Fox after on-air roles at competing networks, Watters is something of a Fox company man, moving up in the ranks over more than 20 years while adopting the hostile posture and talking points of some of its biggest stars, with a self-satisfied grin. Read More Far-right pundits and lawmakers evangelise and crown Trump and Tucker at Turning Point’s Florida conference US support for Ukraine emerges as key dividing line between GOP 2024 hopefuls in Tucker Carlson-hosted forum Tucker Carlson and Mike Pence clash in heated exchange over Ukraine at GOP 2024 forum Meet Jesse Watters, the Fox News host helming Tucker Carlson’s primetime slot He was a loyal Fox News viewer before he starred in a conspiracy theory. Now Ray Epps is suing

Turkish savers still get far higher interest on deposits than lenders charge for commercial credit, an anomaly that’s

Special counsel Jack Smith's team and lawyers for Donald Trump will appear Tuesday for the first time in front of the judge who will preside over the criminal case Smith has brought against the former president, for a hearing that will be procedural nature but could provoke clashes over how quickly the classified documents case should move to trial.

Police in New York City have revealed they are exploring potential links between Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect Rex Heuermann and other unsolved murders outside of Long Beach. An NYPD official told ABC News the 59-year-old is being looked at in connection to missing persons cases and murders across all five boroughs of New York City. The married father-of-two’s DNA has been entered into a statewide database and his alleged MO is being compared to other cases – including those during the period he was allegedly active in Gilgo Beach. Mr Heuermann is charged with the murders of three women who vanished between 2007 and 2010, and is the prime suspect in a fourth murder. It’s not clear whether he committed any more alleged crimes between the discovery of the bodies in 2010 and his arrest 13 years later. He lived close to Gilgo Beach in Massapequa Park but worked in the heart of Midtown Manhattan where he runs an architecture firm. He also has ties to South Carolina and Las Vegas, owning properties in both locations. Mr Heuermann’s attorney released a statement on Monday, insisting he is innocent and that officials have ignored “more significant and stronger leads”. Read More Police release haunting 911 call from woman later found dead as possible serial killer probe continues: ‘There’s somebody after me’ Long Island police search for ‘body parts’ in storage unit tied to Gilgo Beach murders suspect Rex Heuermann Rex Heuermann’s lawyer dismisses evidence against ‘loving father and husband’ in Gilgo Beach murders case

At least six people are dead after rising river waters swept away homes in Cundinamarca province.