Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Donald Trump's indictment makes 2024 Presidential race uniquely volatile

Donald Trump's indictment makes 2024 Presidential race uniquely volatile

US voters woke on Wednesday (5) to a uniquely volatile 2024 presidential election landscape, where Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate, now faces trial and the incumbent, Joe Biden, has not even confirmed he's running.

Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday (4) to 34 felony charges linked to alleged attempts to silence damaging personal information during his triumphant 2016 race for the White House.

The man who went from 1980s playboy real estate magnate, to TV reality show star in the 2000s, then right-wing populist president, made history as the first serving or former commander in chief to face a criminal trial.

But while he had to go through the humiliating process of arrest in a New York courtroom, polls show Trump remains by far the strongest Republican candidate. In fact, his numbers have only improved as his legal scandals grow, making it hard for his closest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to gain traction.

Far from cowed, Trump is doubling down on extreme rhetoric, painting himself in a speech after his release on Tuesday as victim of a "Trump-hating judge" and "massive election interference."

On Wednesday, he called on his Truth Social app for Republicans in Congress to "DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI" in response to what he claimed is the "ABUSE OF POWER" by the Department of Justice and chief federal law enforcement body.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche said his client is "upset."

But "I'll tell you what: he's motivated and it's not going to stop him and it's not going to slow him down."

Troubles pile up

For all the bravado, 76-year-old Trump is in serious trouble.

During his decades in the public eye, he has shown astonishing ability to escape legal peril, whether during his many business disputes or even as president when Republicans acquitted him in an unprecedented two impeachment trials.

But Trump is now in the hands of the New York state court system, where Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is mounting an aggressive prosecution.

He also risks the wrath of Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing his case in New York and cautioned against "comments that have potential to incite violence, create civil unrest or jeopardise the state or well-being of any individuals."

Even if some analysts have questioned the strength of the New York case, Trump's real problems may lie elsewhere.

Reports indicate that a high-level probe into his hoarding of top secret White House documents at his private Florida Mar-a-Lago residence is gathering pace. Another criminal probe is underway in Georgia over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Biden but refused to concede.

Next year, the legal calendars will likely collide with the political calendar, sparking new levels of unpredictability.

The Manhattan court is set to reconvene December 4, with a trial expected sometime early in 2024. Trump, meanwhile, would in theory be campaigning hard for Republican presidential nomination - with the first contests scheduled February 5 and 13 in Iowa and New Hampshire.

'Not a focus'

At the White House, Biden appears content to sit back and watch the fall of a man he has branded a "toxic presence."

Asked if Biden, like millions across the country, was watching live coverage of Trump's court appearance, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted he was busy working.

He might "catch part of the news when he has a moment," she said, but "this is not something that's a focus for him."

Biden and his party got another piece of good news overnight on Tuesday with victory for the Democratic candidate in an especially fierce battle for a vacant Wisconsin Supreme Court seat. This creates a liberal majority on the court, which will play a key role refereeing electoral disputes in 2024 in one of the tightest swing states in the country.

But Biden is also injecting uncertainty into 2024.

His age is a constant source of concern, even to allies. Now 80, he would be 86 by the time he left office after a second term.

And he has yet to confirm he is running, despite strongly hinting on several occasions that he will. After repeated delays to the expected announcement, Axios has reported that it may now only land in July or even later.

(AFP)

More For You

 electricity-pylons-iStock

From 2026, households within 500 metres of new or upgraded electricity infrastructure will receive bill reductions of up to £2,500 over 10 years. (Representational image: iStock)

Residents near new electricity pylons to get bill reductions

THE GOVERNMENT announced on Monday that households living near new electricity pylons will receive discounts on their energy bills.

The move is part of efforts to expand electricity infrastructure, despite opposition to large-scale projects needed to connect renewable energy to the grid.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump had said the US has been economically and financially 'ripped off' by several countries, including India. (Photo: Getty Images)

India denies pledge to lower tariffs following Trump’s statement

INDIA has said it has not committed to reducing import duties on US goods, following US president Donald Trump’s claim that New Delhi had agreed to "cut their tariffs way down."

Trump, in the early weeks of his second term, has taken a tough stance on global trade, imposing tariffs on several countries, including India, and accusing trading partners of unfair practices.

Keep ReadingShow less
most polluted cities

India, home to six of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, saw a 7% reduction in air pollution between 2023 and 2024

iStock

Only 7 countries meet WHO air quality guidelines, UK falls short


Air pollution is a silent killer, claiming millions of lives annually and leaving nearly every corner of the globe gasping for clean air. According to the latest annual report by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, only seven countries worldwide met the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for safe levels of PM2.5 pollution in 2024. These countries- Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Iceland, and a handful of small island states- stand as rare exceptions in a world where dirty air has become the norm.

Keep ReadingShow less
London-ULEZ-iStock

Signs indicating Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on a street in London. (Photo: iStock)

London ULEZ expansion cuts pollution, increases compliance

LONDON’s air quality has improved following the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) across all 33 boroughs in August 2023.

The ULEZ requires vehicles that do not meet specific emission standards to pay a daily charge of £12.50. The scheme aims to tackle air pollution, climate change, and congestion.

Keep ReadingShow less
NHS England to Restructure: Workforce to Be Reduced by 50%

The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). (Representational image: Getty)

Getty Images

NHS England to cut workforce by half in major restructuring

NHS ENGLAND will reduce its workforce from 13,000 to about 6,500 as part of a restructuring led by Health Secretary Wes Streeting.

The changes aim to cut costs and eliminate duplication with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less