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Reactions As Trump Gets Indicted By A Grand Jury

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Reactions continue to follow news of the indictment of former U.S President, Donald Trump by a grand jury in Manhattan from all sides.

 

In a statement, Mr. Trump lashed out at the district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, a Democrat, and portrayed the case as the continuation of a politically motivated witch hunt against him.

 

“This is political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history,” Mr. Trump said in the statement, calling Mr. Bragg “a disgrace” and casting himself as “a completely innocent person.”

 

Mr. Trump, who has consistently denied all wrongdoing, has already called on his followers to protest his arrest, in language reminiscent of his social media posts in the weeks before the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by his supporters. He has also denied any affair with the porn star, Stormy Daniels, who had been looking to sell her story of a tryst with Mr. Trump during the 2016 campaign.

 

Online conversations about the indictment on Thursday seemed to reflect the absence of clear direction. QAnon accounts on Telegram began posting slogans associated with the conspiracy theory, such as “trusting the plan” and “the storm is upon us,” in support of Mr. Trump. Dan Bongino, a radio host who has echoed Mr. Trump’s false claims of voter fraud, wrote on Truth Social that “the police state is here.” Some users claimed that the indictment would only strengthen support for Mr. Trump and help him win re-election in 2024.

 

Mike Pence, who was Donald J. Trump’s vice president, defended his former running mate on Thursday night, describing Mr. Trump’s indictment in a hush-money case as “an outrage.”

 

“The unprecedented indictment of a former president of the United States on a campaign finance issue is an outrage,” Mr. Pence told the host Wolf Blitzer on CNN.

 

“President Trump did not commit any crime,” Mr. Trump’s lawyers, Susan R. Necheles and Joseph Tacopina, said in a statement. “We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”

 

Chris Kise, a lawyer who represents Trump in a civil case brought by New York State, called the indictment “the lowest point in history for our criminal justice system. What was once the most respected and revered district attorney’s office in the nation has been fully bastardized by an opportunistic politician seeking, like many others, to cash in on the Trump brand. The complete lack of legal basis, coupled with the politically targeted nature of the prosecution, should strike fear into every citizen in this country irrespective of their views of President Trump.”

 

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, who is expected to run but has not yet announced his campaign, called the indictment of Mr. Trump “un-American.” Vivek Ramaswamy, one of the lesser-known Republican contenders, also weighed in, condemning the indictment in a statement as undermining “public trust in our electoral system and our justice system” and urging other candidates to join him in denouncing it.

 

“This indictment is a long-overdue step in holding Trump accountable for his flagrant disregard for our laws and democracy,” said Jessica Velasquez, chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. “The legal system is finally holding him accountable for past transgressions, but it’s up to the voters to hold him accountable in his current run for president.”

 

“Trump is being held accountable for breaking the law,” added Jane Kleeb, her counterpart in Nebraska.

 

“In America we believe in the rule of law,” Representative Ruben Gallego, who is running for the Senate in Arizona, said in a statement. “We should wait to hear from the grand jury before jumping to conclusions.”

 

Mayor Randall L. Woodfin of Birmingham, stressed that “grand juries are a serious matter.”

 

“Since 2016, American politics have been a mess, an embarrassing mess,” he said in an interview, saying that Mr. Trump had done things “where many just thought he was above the law. I want to be totally clear when I say this: Nobody’s above the law.”

 

In a statement, the Democratic National Committee made only a passing reference to the development before shifting to lash Republicans over more traditional political fare concerning abortion rights and the social safety net, as well as Republican efforts to undermine “free and fair elections.”

 

“No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans,” said Ammar Moussa, a representative for the D.N.C. “We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda.”

 

Others, like Representative Adam B. Schiff, didn’t hold back. Mr. Schiff, who is running for the Senate in California and who led the first impeachment trial of Mr. Trump, is already fund-raising off the development.

 

“Donald Trump was just indicted,” the appeal said. “Adam has always championed progressive values and led the fight to protect our democracy. Now, taking his fight to Trump’s biggest defenders in the Senate is more important than ever.”

 

The National Republican Congressional Committee said that “the Deep State thinks this will destroy our movement and keep you quiet,” and invited supporters to “prove them wrong.”

 

An early evening email from the Defeat Republicans PAC reminded recipients that the indictment did not prevent Mr. Trump from being elected president in 2024, and that Mr. Trump still had the support of a substantial slice of the Republican base. The Fight for Progress PAC put things in more dire terms: “We need to do everything we can to STOP Trump and his enablers in Congress from destroying our democracy.”

 

On Steve Bannon’s War Room online broadcast, an influential program among Trump supporters, the former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka called for supporters to “peacefully protest” the indictment. “We are going to see who are the politicians, who are the grifters, and who are the America First patriots,” he said. “This is a time of sorting.”

 

At 9 p.m., about 20 Trump supporters gathered just outside Mar-A-Lago in Florida in a show of solidarity. When asked why she made the trek to Palm Beach, Loxahatchee resident Georgia McGeerey said she had come to “fight for America.”

 

Lake Worth resident Nancy Sparks, 83, said the indictment was set off by Trump’s presidential run. “They said they would get him and they’re trying. It’s going to backfire and the Democrats are going to wish they didn’t mess with him,” she said.

 

The scattered response reflects the shift in Mr. Trump’s power since a large group of his supporters stormed the Capitol after he lost the 2020 election. In the years since, Mr. Trump’s political movement experienced multiple electoral defeats. Some supporters were jailed after the attack on the Capitol. The social media landscape shifted, and Mr. Trump’s digital reach remains limited by an obligation that he first post on Truth Social, the social network he started last year that has far fewer users than Twitter and Facebook.

International News

Deadly Fire Engulfs Kenyan Girls’ School Dorm, 16 Confirmed Dead

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A devastating fire has swept through a girls’ boarding school in central Kenya, leaving at least 16 students dead and dozens more injured in one of the country’s worst school tragedies in recent years.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Utumishi Girls Academy, located in Nakuru County, roughly 120 kilometres north of Nairobi. Authorities said the fire broke out around 1:00 a.m. while about 220 students were asleep inside the dormitory.

ALSO READ: Over 1,000 Kenyans Tricked Into Fighting For Russia In Ukraine

Emergency responders, including the Kenyan Red Cross and local security agencies, rushed to the scene and evacuated survivors.

At least 73 students have been hospitalised with varying degrees of burns and smoke inhalation, while rescue operations and search efforts continued into the morning.

Police sources said the cause of the fire remains unknown, and investigations have been launched to determine what triggered the deadly blaze.

The affected dormitory has since been cordoned off as forensic teams examine the scene.

Parents gathered anxiously outside the school as authorities worked to account for all students. Officials have urged calm, assuring that full details will be released once investigations are completed.

The tragedy adds to a troubling history of school dormitory fires in Kenya, where boarding schools remain common.

In previous years, similar incidents have raised serious concerns about safety standards and emergency preparedness in educational institutions.

Government officials are expected to revisit school safety regulations following the latest disaster.

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International News

New US Strike on Iran Sends Oil Prices Soaring as Middle East Tensions Escalate

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Global oil prices climbed sharply on Thursday following reports of a new United States military strike on Iran, raising fresh concerns over stability in the Middle East and possible disruptions to global energy supplies.

Brent crude rose significantly in early trading, while West Texas Intermediate also recorded gains as investors reacted to renewed hostilities and uncertainty around the fragile ceasefire in the region.

ALSO READ: Renewed US-Iran Tensions Drag Oil Price Northwards

According to reports, the latest US action included targeted strikes on Iranian positions following a series of drone and maritime incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military described its operations as “measured and defensive,” aimed at preventing further escalation and protecting strategic interests in the region.

The developments triggered immediate reactions across global financial markets, with Asian stocks mostly declining amid fears that prolonged conflict could disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for nearly a fifth of global crude supply.

Market analysts warn that sustained instability could push energy prices even higher, fueling inflationary pressures worldwide and potentially forcing central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies.

In Asia, major indices recorded losses, while tech-driven gains in select markets were overshadowed by broader investor caution. Safe-haven assets strengthened slightly as traders moved away from riskier positions.

Economists say the situation remains highly volatile, with conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran adding to uncertainty.

Any further escalation, they caution, could send oil prices even higher and deepen global economic pressure.

For now, investors are closely watching diplomatic developments and military activity in the region, as the world braces for possible further shocks to energy markets.

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International News

U.S. Issues Highest-Level Travel Warning for Uganda Over Deadly Ebola Outbreak

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The United States has issued its strongest travel advisory against Uganda, warning citizens to completely avoid travel to the country due to an ongoing outbreak of Ebola virus disease.

In the updated alert, the United States Department of State upgraded Uganda’s travel status to Level 4, the highest risk classification, which is widely understood as a “Do Not Travel” warning.

The decision was based on serious health threats and the rapid spread of the virus in affected areas.

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Authorities also warned of the risk of cross-border transmission, noting that continued movement across neighbouring countries could worsen the situation despite ongoing containment efforts.

Previously, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had placed Uganda under a lower-level health advisory, advising travellers to take standard precautions.

However, a surge in infections and deteriorating conditions led to the tightening of restrictions.

Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities have stepped up emergency response measures, including stricter border surveillance, movement restrictions in affected zones, and reductions in public transportation and market activities in high-risk areas.

Health agencies remain on high alert as the outbreak continues to raise concern over possible regional spread across East Africa.

 

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