CharlieH

Prince Andrew "spent weeks" at sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein's Florida mansion, according to a third batch of unsealed court files. Juan Alessi, who managed Epstein's residence in Palm Beach, testified that the Duke of York stayed in the guest bedroom and had daily massages. The testimony appears in around 1,300 pages of evidence released on Friday. The records also paint a disturbing picture of how Epstein procured victims for sexual exploitation. Hundreds of pages of legal filings have been unsealed this week under order from a federal court. The legal papers are part of a 2015 defamation lawsuit by one accuser, Virginia Giuffre, against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend. In a 2009 deposition, Mr Alessi told investigators that Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, were "friends" of Epstein and Maxwell. The duchess is not accused of any wrongdoing and Prince Andrew has denied misconduct. Asked if they ever had "massages" during visits to the Palm Beach mansion, Mr Alessi answered: "Prince Andrew did." He added that the duchess once briefly visited the house, but "Prince Andrew spent weeks with us", receiving "daily massages". "I can't remember if he had more than one [per day], but I think it was just a massage for him," he added. In one of the court filings unsealed this week, one accuser, Jane Doe 3, believed to be Ms Giuffre, alleges she was "forced to have sexual relations" with Prince Andrew while she was 17 in Maxwell's London apartment, in New York and on Epstein's private resort in the US Virgin Islands in an "orgy" with other under-aged girls. This allegation is not new, and the British royal has long denied any wrongdoing. In a 2019 interview with the BBC, the Duke of York said he had no memory of ever meeting Ms Giuffre. In 2022, he paid her an undisclosed financial settlement to settle her sex assault lawsuit against him, but did so with no admission as to liability. Who is named in Jeffrey Epstein files and why? Recruitment of girls detailed in second Epstein batch Prince Andrew and Clinton named in Epstein files Also in the documents unsealed on Friday, witnesses describe how people in Epstein's orbit were directed to "pick up girls" to "bring back for Jeffrey". FULL STORY

In his first campaign speech of 2024, President Joe Biden cast his likely election opponent, Donald Trump, as a fundamental threat to American democracy. "Whether democracy is still America's sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time," Mr Biden said. "It's what the 2024 election is all about," he added. The speech saw Mr Biden returning to a theme he has invoked over and over in recent years. This time, he explicitly drew a line to the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol to make his case. That day, Mr Trump's supporters violently stormed Congress to stop lawmakers from certifying the presidential election results for Mr Biden, just weeks before he was set to take office. Mr Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, frequently repeats the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. The former president has also attempted to reframe the 6 January attack as a "beautiful day." He has referred to the individuals who participated as "patriots" and political prisoners, and vowed to pardon them if he returns to the White House. Taking direct aim at this rhetoric, Mr Biden accused Mr Trump of trying to "steal history", attacking his rival by name repeatedly. "Trump's mob wasn't a peaceful protest, it was a violent assault," Mr Biden said. "They were insurrectionists, not patriots. They were not there to uphold the Constitution, they were there to destroy the Constitution." The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jason Miller, a senior Trump campaign adviser, wrote on X that Mr Biden "has given up on running an issues-based campaign for 2024". "Rather than help those suffering from Bidenomics or our porous southern border, Biden plans on weaponising government against his leading political opponent," Mr Miller wrote. The day that still divides America, three years on What happened on 6 January at the Capitol riot? Mr Biden has returned to the theme of preserving democracy again and again. In 2020, he campaigned as the candidate capable of restoring America to normalcy. Before the 2022 midterms, Mr Biden described that election as a "battle for the soul of this nation". On Friday the venue in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, a key site in the American Revolutionary War, was chosen to underscore the themes of Mr Biden's address. FULL STORY

The US Supreme Court has said it will hear a historic case to determine if Donald Trump can run for president. The justices agreed to take up Mr Trump's appeal against a decision by Colorado to remove him from the 2024 ballot in that state. The case will be heard in February and the ruling will apply nationwide. Lawsuits in a number of states are seeking to disqualify Mr Trump, arguing that he engaged in insurrection during the US Capitol riot three years ago. The legal challenges hinge on whether a Civil War-era constitutional amendment renders Mr Trump ineligible to stand as a candidate. The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution bans anyone who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding federal office, but the former president's lawyers argue it does not apply to the president. His lawyers have argued: "The Colorado Supreme Court decision would unconstitutionally disenfranchise millions of voters in Colorado and likely be used as a template to disenfranchise tens of millions of voters nationwide." Mr Trump has also appealed against a decision by electoral officials in Maine to remove him from the ballot. The split 4-3 decision by Colorado's high court last month marks the first time in US history that the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate from the ballot. This is the first time the Supreme Court will consider how to interpret the clause. Mr Trump is the current Republican front-runner for a likely rematch against President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in this November's election. Courts in Minnesota and Michigan have dismissed attempts to disqualify Mr Trump. Other cases, including in Oregon, are pending. The US Supreme Court has a conservative majority - with three justices appointed by Mr Trump when he was president. What Maine and Colorado rulings mean for Trump's campaign New York attorney general seeks $370m from Trump But they overwhelmingly ruled against him in his lawsuits challenging his defeat to Mr Biden in 2020. The court on Friday agreed to take up the case in an expedited manner, with oral arguments scheduled for 8 February. FULL STORY

TROLL TOPIC Contravenes community guidelines CLOSED.

A second batch of court papers linked to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein shows how dozens of girls were recruited at his beachfront mansion. A Florida detective says in testimony that 30 women had spoken to him about "performing massage and work" there. Some were paid to bring their friends. The court filings have been made public under order by a judge. They are part of a lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's imprisoned former girlfriend. She was jailed in 2022 for trafficking girls for Epstein and much of the material in this batch and the 900 pages unsealed on Wednesday had already come to light during her trial. In a 2016 deposition, Joseph Recarey, a police detective in Palm Beach, Florida, said that approximately 30 women had spoken to him about "performing massage and work at Epstein's home" in the beachfront community. He said Maxwell was involved in recruiting the girls. Mr Recarey testified that only two of the girls had any massage experience and the majority of them were under the age of 18. When asked how Epstein was able to gain access to so many underage girls the detective said: "Each of the victims that went to the home were asked to bring their friends to the home." Some were paid to recruit, he said, adding: "When they went to perform a massage, it was for [Epstein's] sexual gratification." Judge Loretta Preska ruled last month there was no longer any legal justification to withhold the names of more than 150 people mentioned in the defamation case filed by Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein accuser, against Maxwell. People are mentioned in passing as part of various legal proceedings and their inclusion does not necessarily suggest wrongdoing related to Epstein. The court records unsealed on Wednesday and Thursday both contain references to the UK's Prince Andrew and former US President Bill Clinton. Prince Andrew and Clinton named in Epstein files Who is named in Jeffrey Epstein files and why? Prince Andrew named in grope claim in Epstein house Among the previously detailed claims against Prince Andrew is that he sexually abused a minor in London, New York and on Epstein's island in the Virgin Islands, after the teenager was told to do it by Maxwell. The Duke of York has already denied these allegations. FULL STORY

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been freed on parole from a South African jail, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Officials confirmed Pistorius was "at home" on Friday morning, having served half of his more than 13-year sentence. Ms Steenkamp's mother said she accepted the decision to release the former athlete - but added her family was the one "serving a life sentence". Pistorius, now 37, shot Ms Steenkamp multiple times in 2013 through a door. The double amputee later claimed he had mistaken her for a burglar. Pistorius was eventually convicted of murder in 2015 after an appeal court overturned an earlier verdict of culpable homicide. What next for Oscar Pistorius? My friend Reeva Steenkamp Parole conditions Under South African law, all offenders are entitled to be considered for parole, meaning early release under certain conditions, once they have served half their total sentence, which for Pistorius was finally set at 13 years and five months. Until his sentence expires in 2029, he will live under strict rules - confining him to the home for certain hours of the day, as well as banning him from drinking alcohol. He is also not permitted to speak to the media. In addition, Pistorius will be required to have therapy to help deal with issues around gender-based violence and anger. He is believed to have gone to live at the home of his uncle Arnold Pistorius in an upmarket suburb of the capital, Pretoria. While in prison, Pistorius drove a tractor in the grounds, worked in the library and cleaned inmates' cells, according to legal documents cited by South African journalist Karyn Maughan. Social workers and psychologists also wrote positive reports about him, she told the BBC's Newsday programme. FULL STORY

Prince Andrew has been reported to the police by an anti-monarchy campaign group after allegations of sexual assault were made against him in unsealed court documents. The Duke of York, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was reported to the Metropolitan Police by Republic after he was referenced multiple times in files relating to disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. This was matched by similar calls from a US attorney who represented some of Epstein's victims, who said police in Britain have a duty to investigate Andrew as he 'still refuses to fully account for his time' with the paedophile. The unredacted documents, which were released on Wednesday in the United States, included allegations Andrew had an orgy with underage girls and touched a woman's breast while posting with a puppet of himself. It is a fresh setback for the late Queen's second son who, just 10 days ago, walked to church on Christmas Day with the King and the rest of the royal family, symbolising his gradual rehabilitation within the monarchy after his public appearance at his brother's coronation in his garter robes in May. It may see the end of his bid to reenter the royal fold, with well-placed sources telling the Mail that while the court claims were not a surprise, they will have served to 'crystallise' King Charles's determination to solve the 'Andrew problem' decisively. Plans were already in train to evict him from Royal Lodge, his ten-bedroom Windsor home since 2003, and move him to a smaller residence in keeping with his 'downgraded' status. The newly released court documents are believed to have strengthened the King's resolve that Andrew will never be allowed to resume royal duties. The 63-year-old prince, who has previously strenuously denied the allegations, paid millions a year ago to settle a civil case out of court with Virginia Giuffre with no admission of guilt after she accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17. But he is mentioned more than 70 times in nearly 1,000 pages of interviews and transcripts released in the US in connection with a 2015 defamation case brought by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell, who was jailed for sex trafficking young girls for Epstein. FULL STORY

Prince Andrew will NEVER return to the royal fold and will be 'forced out' of the Royal Lodge after documents relating to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein detailing sexual assault allegations 'crystallise' King Charles's determination to act Papers released by a New York court in the early hours of yesterday thrust the Duke of York's relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein back into the spotlight with claims that the prince committed 'acts of sexual abuse' and took part in an 'underage orgy'. Andrew has vehemently and repeatedly denied all allegations against him. Yesterday well-placed sources told the Mail that while the court claims were not a surprise, they will have served to 'crystallise' King Charles's determination to solve the 'Andrew problem' decisively. Plans were already in train to evict him from Royal Lodge, his ten-bedroom Windsor home since 2003, and move him to a smaller residence in keeping with his 'downgraded' status. The newly released court documents are believed to have strengthened the King's resolve that Andrew will never be allowed to resume royal duties. SOURCE RELATED:

Russia has started using ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea to attack Ukraine, the White House has said. Washington also alleged Russia was in talks with Iran to buy short-range ballistic missiles. The US intelligence assessment is that Iranian missiles have not yet arrived in Russia, but that the deal will eventually be done. The US’s national security council spokesperson, John Kirby, said on Thursday that Russia fired a North Korean ballistic missile into Ukraine on 30 December, but it landed in an open field. However, Kirby said Russian forces had launched more such missiles as part of a large salvo on 2 January, and their impact had yet to be assessed. “Due in part to our sanctions and export controls, Russia has become increasingly isolated on the world stage, and they’ve been forced to look to like-minded states for military equipment. As we’ve been warning publicly, one of those states is North Korea,” Kirby told reporters at the White House, adding it was a “significant and concerning escalation” in Pyongyang’s support for Moscow. Kirby said the range of the North Korean missiles was 900km (560 miles), and that in return for the weapons, Russia was expected to supply fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armoured vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment and other advanced technologies. “This would have concerning security implications for the Korean peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region,” he said. FULL STORY

A US airstrike in Baghdad on Thursday killed the commander of an Iranian-backed Shia militia that Washington blames for attacks on American forces in the region, according to US officials. One official said that a leader of Harakat al-Nujaba, later named by the Pentagon as Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari, was killed in his car as he was about to enter the garage at his group’s Baghdad headquarters. News footage from Baghdad showed damage to the building. Harakat al-Nujaba, which has been active in Syria and Iraq, is loyal to Tehran but also forms part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a collection of largely autonomous militias. The Pentagon said that Jawari, also known as Abu Taqwa, had been involved in planning and carrying out attacks on American forces. The Nujaba group had also claimed responsibility for a drone strike on an Israeli school in the southern coastal city of Eilat. Maj Gen Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, said that one other Harakat al-Nujaba member was killed and added: “No civilians were harmed. No infrastructure or facilities were struck.” The airstrike prompted outrage from the Iraqi government, who called it a “dangerous escalation and aggression”. The PMF issued a statement describing the airstrike as “brutal American aggression”. Two people were killed in the attack and five were injured, according to militia officials. The killing of an Iranian proxy commander came on the day the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, was due to leave on a new tour of the Middle East, at a time when it is in ever-rising danger of sliding into a regional conflict. In the days before the Baghdad strike, more than 80 Iranians were killed in an apparent suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State, Israel killed a Hamas leader with a missile strike in the Beirut suburbs, and the US issued a joint threat with 11 of its allies to attack positions held by the Iranian-backed Houthi forces in Yemen if there were further Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. FULL STORY

Not really a Visa question, better to ask in the local forum for road conditions. MOVED

CLOSED.

Ukraine and Russia have announced the largest exchange of prisoners since the start of the war, involving the return of more than 200 soldiers from each side in a deal mediated by the United Arab Emirates. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said on Wednesday in a message on social media, along with images of some of the freed PoWs: “230 of our people. Today, 213 soldiers and sergeants, 11 officers, and six civilians returned home.” Zelenskiy said some of the returned soldiers had “fought in Mariupol and Azovstal”, referring to the siege of the Azovstal steel plant during the Ukrainian defence of Mariupol, a southern Ukrainian port city now occupied by Russia. Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement that 248 Russian prisoners of war had been returned from Ukraine as a result of “complex” negotiations involving “humanitarian mediation” by the UAE. Abu Dhabi, which retains friendly relations with Moscow, was last year similarly involved in helping mediate a sensitive prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine involving dozens of PoWs on each side. Russia and Ukraine have periodically exchanged groups of prisoners in the course of the war, which is now in its 22nd month, but the swaps have become less frequent and the last took place in early August. At the time, Ukraine’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said 2,576 Ukrainians had been freed in prisoner swaps since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. More than 4,000 Ukrainian service personnel are believed to remain in captivity in Russia as prisoners of war, but the precise numbers of PoWs on the Ukrainian and Russian sides remain unknown as the military of neither country discloses such data. Ukrainian families are often deprived of even elementary information about their location and wellbeing. Prisoners who have returned in exchanges have given extensive accounts of mistreatment, humiliation and torture in Russian captivity. FULL STORY

A US court has released a list of people connected to the financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Some of those named are accused of wrongdoing, while others on the list - which was expected to include some high-profile individuals - are making allegations or are potential witnesses. A judge ordered the release as part of a lawsuit related to Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell. She is serving a 20-year jail term for crimes she committed with Epstein. The BBC is currently reviewing the 943 pages of documents, which were released on Wednesday evening. Some of the 187 people who were previously known as "J Doe" in court papers have been identified. But other names have remained sealed, including those belonging to child victims. When ordering the release of the list, New York Judge Loretta Preska said many of those named in the lawsuit had already been identified by the media or in Maxwell's criminal trial. She added that many others did not raise an objection to the release of the documents. Source

So someone who isnt even on the forum won, a previously banned figment of the imagination, well done,. Never even made a post and wins POTY...

On Wednesday, a tragic incident unfolded in the Iranian city of Kerman, resulting in the loss of at least 103 lives and leaving 141 individuals injured, as reported by state media. The calamity occurred near the burial site of the late military commander Qasem Soleimani and has been labeled a terror attack by officials. The initial explosion occurred approximately 2,300 feet (700 meters) from Soleimani's grave, followed by a second blast 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) away. These blasts struck as pilgrims were visiting the revered site, intensifying the impact of the tragedy, as per IRNA. Qasem Soleimani had met his demise four years ago on the same day, succumbing to a US airstrike ordered by former President Donald Trump at Baghdad International Airport. The repercussions of that event continue to reverberate, now compounded by this distressing attack. As of now, no group has come forward to claim responsibility for the twin blasts, adding an element of uncertainty to the investigation into this grievous incident. Videos circulated on Iranian state media captured the chaotic aftermath of the explosions, portraying large crowds desperately running in the area to escape the unfolding disaster. The scenes reflect the shock and chaos that ensued in the wake of this tragic event in Kerman. Once a formidable figure in Iran, Qasem Soleimani held the position of head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, an elite unit responsible for overseeing Iran's overseas operations. Designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, the Quds Force, under Soleimani's leadership, was accused by the Pentagon of being accountable for the deaths of numerous American and coalition service members, along with the injury of thousands more. Referred to as Iran's "shadow commander," Soleimani had commanded the Quds Force since 1998 and played a pivotal role in orchestrating Iranian military endeavors in Iraq and Syria. His death in the US airstrike ordered by former President Donald Trump in Baghdad added another layer of complexity to the volatile situation in the region. The recent blast near Soleimani's grave occurred against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the area, with Israel engaged in a three-month conflict against Hamas in Gaza. This conflict, triggered by an October 7 attack by the militant group on Israel, has resulted in a substantial death toll, exceeding 23,000 individuals in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health. Beyond the immediate conflict zone, skirmishes involving Iran-backed militias have unfolded, further contributing to the regional unrest. A notable event preceding the blast was the killing of a senior Hamas leader in a Beirut suburb on Tuesday, reportedly through an explosion attributed to Israel by a US official. While Israel neither confirmed nor denied involvement, both Hamas and Hezbollah, the latter controlling the suburb, attributed the incident to Israel and vowed retaliation. The cumulative effect of these events underscores the precarious and tense state of affairs in the region. Based on a story by CNN

The United States government's debt has exceeded $34 trillion for the first time, just weeks before Congress faces deadlines to reach an agreement on new federal funding plans. According to data released by the Treasury Department, the "total public debt outstanding" reached $34.001 trillion on December 29. This figure, also referred to as the national debt, represents the cumulative amount of borrowing by the U.S. federal government throughout the nation's history. This milestone comes within three months of the U.S. national debt surpassing $33 trillion, driven by an expanding budget deficit – the disparity between government expenditures and tax revenues. Maya MacGuineas, the president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a fiscal watchdog, labeled the record-breaking figure as a "truly depressing achievement." She emphasized the perilous impact of the escalating debt on the economy and national security, expressing concern that the U.S. continues to amass debt despite the risks. The national debt has become a significant point of contention between Republicans and Democrats, exacerbating disputes over the federal budget that pose periodic threats of government shutdowns. Republicans argue that the spending programs advocated by the Biden administration are excessively costly, while Democrats contend that tax cuts supported by the GOP have diminished revenue. White House spokesperson Michael Kikukawa attributed the escalating debt to "Republican giveaways" favoring major corporations and the wealthy, resulting in cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid adversely affecting ordinary Americans. Kikukawa conveyed President Joe Biden's plan to reduce the deficit by $2.5 trillion, focusing on ensuring the wealthy and large corporations contribute their fair share and cutting wasteful spending on special interests, including prominent pharmaceutical and oil companies. Regardless of the attribution of blame, the growing debt and political brinksmanship have already impacted America's credit rating. Fitch downgraded its rating on U.S. sovereign debt from AAA to AA+ in August, while Moody's issued a warning in November that it might also downgrade the U.S.' last remaining AAA rating. Based on a CNN article.

Decisions kicking former President Trump off the ballot in two states — Colorado and Maine — are amping up the pressure on the Supreme Court to resolve questions about Trump’s eligibility under the 14th Amendment. The Trump campaign appealed the Maine ruling Tuesday and is expected to do the same in Colorado, the latter of which especially puts the spotlight on the Supreme Court and its 6-3 conservative majority, which includes three justices Trump nominated during his first term in the White House. The looming decisions for the Supreme Court risk thrusting the justices into the political spotlight at a fraught time for the nation’s highest court, which has already been forced to confront other matters implicating Trump and the future of the 2024 race. A battle over Trump’s criminal immunity is expected to soon return to the justices, and they already agreed to weigh in on the scope of an obstruction charge used against Trump and hundreds of Jan. 6 defendants. But the 14th Amendment issue could distinctively stand out. Legal experts long anticipated the patchwork of challenges would reach the Supreme Court, which has never squarely resolved the meaning of the 14th Amendment’s insurrection ban, with many observers believing the justices will ultimately keep Trump’s name on the ballot one way or another. Some state courts tossed lawsuits challenging Trump’s primary ballot listing, kicking the can down the road to the general election. But the Colorado Supreme Court’s extraordinary ruling knocking Trump off the ballot suddenly provided the justices in Washington with a major vehicle to resolve the weighty legal questions soon, rather than closer to Election Day. The amendment prohibits someone from holding “any office … under the United States” if they “engaged in insurrection” after taking an oath to support the Constitution. Citing Trump’s actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, more than two dozen challenges to his ballot eligibility have been filed across the country. FULL STORY

Actually states in the OP he's in the UK.

More off topic wanderings removed. The topic is: You can't get a good pizza Stay on topic or the topic can be closed.

I havent read thruogh all the previous comments but I can well imagine the content, this having been raised so many times. You have never been here, come , enjoy the holiday. Yu have experienced ONE Thai woman in a video chat. Come here and "fill ya boots" ! You will very quickly realise that she is just one blade of grass in a field of grass. As for furthering that relationship, keep it at arms length. The members here will have filled you in on many of the common issues raised. I'll add one, if her kids have kids, it is more than an even chance those kids will be YOURS !! Thats the Thai way (generally). The kids are dropped on the Grandparents while they have a life. So bare that in mind when chldren are involved. You may not want babies in your future. Think hard, back off, come view the rest of the field and experience Thailand.

More than a third of US adults believe Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president in 2020, according to a new poll. According to the Washington Post and the University of Maryland, 62% of American adults say they believe Biden’s win was legitimate – down from 69% in the same poll in December 2021. Thirty-six per cent say they do not accept Biden’s win. This week brings the third anniversary of the deadly January 6 attack on Congress, which Donald Trump incited in his attempt to overturn his conclusive defeat by Biden the year before. Nine deaths have been linked to the attack, including law enforcement suicides. More than a thousand people have been charged and hundreds convicted in relation to the riot, some with seditious conspiracy. Trump was impeached for inciting an insurrection but acquitted when enough Senate Republicans stayed loyal. Colorado and Maine have moved to bar Trump from the ballot under section three of the 14th amendment to the US constitution, a post-civil war measure meant to prevent insurrectionists running for state or national office. Trump is expected to appeal. Maintaining his lie that Biden’s win was the result of electoral fraud, and using four federal and 13 state criminal election subversion charges (alongside 74 other criminal counts and assorted civil threats) to motivate supporters, Trump dominates polling for the Republican nomination this year. Reporting its poll, the Post said that among Republicans, only 31% now say Biden’s win was legitimate – down from 39% in 2021. The poll also showed Republicans becoming more sympathetic to the January 6 rioters and more likely to absolve Trump of responsibility for the attack, the Post said. Analysing the poll, Aaron Blake, a senior political reporter for the Post, said it mostly showed that Trump’s message over the 2020 election and January 6 had resonated with voters already disposed to believe it. Nonetheless, Michael J Hanmer, director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, told the paper: “From a historical perspective, these results would be chilling to many analysts.” FULL STORY

The killing of Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut is the first strike in a campaign of assassinations overseas promised by Israeli officials for several months. The target was carefully chosen – one of the most senior Hamas leaders and the organisation’s main link to Iran and the Lebanon-based militia Hezbollah. Arouri was also influential in the occupied West Bank, where he was born and where violence has soared in recent months. Some Israeli officials also believe that the 57-year-old may have known in advance about the plan to launch bloody attacks into Israel before the assault on 7 October, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis, mainly civilians. Arouri became involved in Islamist activism when a student at Hebron university in the mid-1980s, a time when such ideologies were surging across the Middle East. He joined Hamas soon after its foundation in the immediate aftermath of the first intifada and helped create Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassem brigades. Jailed by Israel in 1992, Arouri spent almost all the next 18 years in prison. In 2010, he helped negotiate the release by Israel of more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in return for a single kidnapped Israeli soldier. Based first in Syria, then in Qatar and finally in Lebanon, Arouri built a reputation as an astute operator with contacts throughout the Middle East but particularly with Iran. He also extended Hamas networks and influence in the West Bank and negotiated with Fatah, the veteran secular party that dominates the Palestinian Authority. Political promotion followed. Already a member of Hamas’s powerful “politburo”, Arouri was elected deputy to Ismail Haniyeh, the organisation’s leader, in 2017. Since then, he has been a high-profile emissary for the group, involved in almost all major political decisions, and a key spokesperson. FULL STORY