Trump sues justice department over Mar-a-Lago search
Former US President Donald Trump has asked a judge to freeze a justice department investigation of files seized from his home in an FBI search, BBC reported.
In a lawsuit, his legal team asked that an independent lawyer be appointed to oversee documents that agents removed from Mar-a-Lago in Florida this month.
Eleven sets of classified files were taken from Mr Trump's estate on 8 August, according to the FBI.
Mr Trump is being investigated for potentially mishandling documents.
On Monday, his lawyers asked that a "neutral" third-party attorney - known as a special master - be appointed to determine whether the seized files are covered by executive privilege, which allows presidents to keep certain communications under wraps. Special masters are normally appointed in criminal cases where there are concerns that some evidence may be protected under attorney-client privilege, or other protections that could make it inadmissible in court.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) said in a brief statement that prosecutors were aware of Mr Trump's lawsuit, and would respond in court. The "search warrant at Mar-a-Lago was authorised by a federal court upon the required finding of probable cause", said spokesman Anthony Coley.
The 27-page legal action was filed in West Palm Beach, Florida, before a judge that Mr Trump nominated to the bench in 2020.It says: "President Donald J Trump is the clear frontrunner in the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary and in the 2024 General Election, should he decide to run."
"Law enforcement is a shield that protects Americans," it continues. "It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes."
The "shockingly aggressive move" on Mar-a-Lago by about two dozen FBI agents took place "with no understanding of the distress that it would cause most Americans", said Mr Trump's lawyers, according to BBC.
His legal team accused the government of leaking "ever-changing, and inaccurate, 'justifications'" for the search to favoured media outlets.
In a separate statement, Mr Trump maintained he had done nothing wrong, arguing that all of documents he took from the White House when he left office in January 2021 had already been declassified by himself.
Monday's legal action says that the former president and his team want the justice department to provide a more detailed list of what was taken during the FBI search.
The lawsuit says the justice department "simply wanted the camel's nose under the tent so they could rummage for either politically helpful documents or support efforts to thwart president Trump from running again".
The court filing argues that Mr Trump had been co-operating with agents before the FBI turned up unannounced at his home.
His lawyers say the warrant was overly broad and the search violated the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects Americans against unreasonable search and seizure.
The brief message recorded in Monday's lawsuit said that Mr Trump had heard "from people around the country about the raid".
"If there was one word to describe their mood, it is 'angry'," the message from Mr Trump continued.
"The heat is building up. The pressure if building up.
"Whatever I can do to take the heat down, to bring the pressure down, just let us know."
The judge that approved the warrant - an unprecedented criminal investigation of a former US president's home - is still determining whether to release the affidavit, the sworn evidence that was presented as a justification for the FBI search, BBC reported.
On Monday, Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart said proposed government redactions to the affidavit were so extensive as to make it "meaningless" if disclosed, though he said he still believed it should not remain completely sealed given public interest in the case.
Gold price drops by Rs 200 per tola on Monday
The price of gold has dropped by Rs 200 per tola in the domestic market on Monday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 95, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 95, 500 per tola on Sunday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 94, 800 per tola. Similarly, the price of silver has decreased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,165 per tola today.
Rajput ends hunger strike following three-point deal with government
Niharika Rajput ended her hunger strike on Sunday night following a three-point agreement with the government. Chief District Office of Kathmandu Govinda Prasad Rijal made an agreement with Rajput to address her demands. Rajput, who had been staging a hunger strike for the past 17 days, ended her strike in the presence of Minister for Law Govinda Prasad Koirala. Rajput, a single mother, has long been staging the protest demanding justice for her and her son. She has been accusing Shivaraj Shrestha of Janakpur of raping her when she was 17-year-old. Also Read: Niharika Rajput attempts self-immolation outside President’s office
Two held with pistols from Morang
A team of the Armed Police Force (APF) arrested two persons in possession of two pistols from Morang on Sunday. The suspects have been identified as Arif Miya Alam (28) of Hadangadhi, Sunbarsi Municipality-8 and Nabin Dhimal (29) of Tarun Chok, Urlabari Municipality-6. Alam was arrested first. SP Raj Kumar Lamichhane of the Armed Police Force, Morang said that Alam was apprehended while he was heading towards Nepal from India on a motorbike (Ko 27 Pa 406) at around 5 pm. He said that Alam was nabbed with a Chinese pistol, a magazine and a round of bullet and a sixer pistol. During the interrogation, Alam said that Dhimal had ordered all the weapons from him. Later, a team of the Armed Police Force detained Dhimal from Damrabhitta, Ratuwamai Municipality-8. SP Lamichhane said that Dhimal was arrested with a motorbike (Ko 22 Pa 6707) and Rs 47, 770 in cash. DIG Kamal Giri, Chief of the Armed Police Force Province 1, said that the duo have been handed over to the Area Police Office, Rangeli for investigation.
US, S. Korea open biggest drills in years amid North threats
The United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years Monday as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat, Associated Press reported.
The drills could draw an angry response from North Korea, which has dialed up its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year while repeatedly threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will continue through Sept. 1 in South Korea and include field exercises involving aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially tens of thousands of troops.
While Washington and Seoul describe their exercises as defensive, North Korea portrays them as invasion rehearsals and has used them to justify its nuclear weapons and missiles development.
Ulchi Freedom Shield, which started along with a four-day South Korean civil defense training program led by government employees, will reportedly include exercises simulating joint attacks, front-line reinforcements of arms and fuel, and removals of weapons of mass destruction. The allies will also train for drone attacks and other new developments in warfare shown during Russia’s war on Ukraine and practice joint military-civilian responses to attacks on seaports, airports and major industrial facilities such as semiconductor factories.
The United States and South Korea in past years had canceled some of their regular drills and downsized others to computer simulations to create space for the Trump administration’s diplomacy with North Korea and because of COVID-19 concerns, according to Associated Press.
Tensions have grown since the collapse of the second meeting between former President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in early 2019. The Americans then rejected North Korean demands for a major release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions in exchange for dismantling an aging nuclear complex, which would have amounted to a partial surrender of the North’s nuclear capabilities. Kim has since vowed to bolster his nuclear deterrent in face of “gangster-like” US pressure.
South Korea’s military has not revealed the number of South Korean and US troops participating in Ulchi Freedom Shield, but has portrayed the training as a message of strength. Seoul’s Defense Ministry said last week that Ulchi Freedom Shield “normalizes” large-scale training and field exercises between the allies to help bolster their alliance and strengthen their defense posture against the evolving North Korean threat, Associated Press.
Newcastle and Man City draw six-goal thriller
English champions Manchester City produced a brilliant fightback as they came from 3-1 down to draw at Newcastle in a pulsating match featuring six goals and an overturned red card, BBC reported.
Newcastle were two goals ahead after 54 minutes but Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva scored within four minutes of each other to preserve City's unbeaten start to their Premier League title defence.
The England goalkeeper made a number of saves before the hosts equalised with Miguel Almiron sliding in to meet Allan Saint-Maximin's cross, with the goal given after a video assistant review overruled an original offside decision.
The excellent Saint-Maximin ran at the City defence before finding Callum Wilson, who took a touch to create space and shot Newcastle into the lead, according to BBC.
The visitors had a chance to equalise but Pope pushed Haaland's effort on to the post and Kieran Trippier, sold by City in 2012 after coming through their academy, grabbed a brilliant third with a stunning 25-yard free-kick.
Haaland pulled one back, finishing from inside the six-yard box after Rodri's pass, before Silva equalised following Kevin de Bruyne's superb through ball.
Newcastle thought they had gone down to 10 men with Trippier shown a red card for a knee-high trip on De Bruyne. But referee Jarred Gillett downgraded it to a yellow after watching the incident again on a pitchside monitor - and both teams finished with a point, BBC reported.
377A: Singapore to end ban on gay sex
Singapore will repeal a law that bans gay sex, effectively making it legal to be homosexual in the city-state, BBC reported.
The decision, announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on national TV, comes after years of fierce debate.
LGBT activists in Singapore have hailed the move as "a win for humanity".
The city-state is known for its conservative values, but in recent years an increasing number of people have called for the colonial-era 377A law to be abolished.
Singapore is the latest place in Asia to move on LGBT rights, after India, Taiwan and Thailand.
The government's previous stance was to keep 377A - which bans sex between men - but it also promised not to enforce the law in an effort to appease both sides.
But on Sunday night, Mr Lee said they would abolish the law as he believed "this is the right thing to do, and something that most Singaporeans will accept".
He noted that "gay people are now better accepted" and scrapping 377A would bring the country's laws in line with "current social mores, and I hope, provide some relief to gay Singaporeans".
"We finally did it, and we're ecstatic that this discriminatory, antiquated law is finally going to be off the books. There's a sense that maybe it took a little too long, but it had to happen, you know. Today we are very, very happy," gay activist Johnson Ong told the BBC.
A coalition of LGBT rights groups called it a "hard-won victory and a triumph of love over fear", adding it was the first step towards full equality.
But they also expressed concern over another announcement Mr Lee made in the same speech.
He had said the government would ensure better legal protection for the definition of marriage as one between a man and a woman. This would effectively make it harder for gay marriage to be legalised.
He said Singapore remains a traditional society with many keen on maintaining family and social norms, according to BBC.
LGBT activists called this "disappointing" and warned that it would only further entrench discrimination in society.
Meanwhile Protect Singapore, a conservative group, said they were "deeply disappointed" that the repeal was going ahead without assurance of "comprehensive safeguards".
They called for the definition of heterosexual marriage to be fully enshrined in the constitution, as well as laws banning "LGBT promotion" to children.
Imran Khan: Pakistan police charge ex-PM under terrorism act
Pakistan's police have charged the country's former prime minister, Imran Khan, under anti-terror laws, BBC reported.
Their investigation comes after he accused the police and judiciary of detaining and torturing his close aide.
Tensions are high in the country, with the former leader's supporters gathering outside his house vowing to "take over" if he is arrested.
Since being ousted from power in April, Mr Khan has been a vocal critic of the government and the country's army.
Police announced the charges after the cricketer-turned-politician accused authorities of torturing his close aide, who is himself being detained under sedition charges.
In a public speech on Saturday, Mr Khan condemned Islamabad's police chief and a female judge for the detention and alleged mistreatment of his party colleague.
"You should also get ready as we will take action against you," he said in the speech, referring to the pair directly.
Officials accused Mr Khan of breaching the country's anti-terrorism act for allegedly making threats against the state officials, according to BBC.
Hundreds of the former prime minister's supporters gathered outside his home in Islamabad after news of the investigation broke, vowing to "take over" the capital if police tried to detain him.
Police who were present at the scene said they were not there to arrest the former leader, but to maintain law and order.
The case comes at a time of heightened tension between Pakistan's government and Mr Khan, who was ousted from power in April in a no-confidence vote.
Since then, the former leader has toured the country to deliver a series of fiery speeches calling for fresh elections and fiercely criticising both the government and the army.
On Saturday, Pakistan's media regulator announced that television channels would be banned from broadcasting his speeches live, accusing Mr Khan of hate speech against state institutions.
The former leader claims the government is trying to censor him. On Sunday, he criticised the ban at another political rally in the city of Rawalpindi.
"What crime has Imran Khan committed? I will never accept this gang of thieves," he told his supporters.
Mr Khan later accused the government of blocking access to YouTube halfway through the speech in an effort to prevent people from listening to him live.
Despite being ousted from power in a no-confidence vote earlier this year, Imran Khan continues to count on the support of many Pakistani voters, BBC reported.
Last month, his PTI party stunned rivals by taking control of a crucial provincial assembly in Punjab, defeating the PML-N party in what was expected to be an easy win for them.
Many saw July's by-election victory as a signal of Mr Khan's continued popularity at the ballot box - and a foretaste of what could happen if the early elections that he is seeking were to be held.
The charismatic politician was elected prime minister in 2018, but fell out with Pakistan's powerful army towards the end of his tenure. After a series of defections, he lost his majority in parliament.
