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      Surprising alliance of Donald Trump, Viktor Orban and Pope Francis that could derail support for Ukraine

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseA surprising trinity of Donald Trump, Hungary’s right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban and Pope Francis could spell the end to hopes for continued support for Ukraine in fighting the war against Vladimir Putin’s Russia.The Independent has spoken to Hungary’s ambassador to the Vatican, Eduard Habsburg-Lothringen, who has been critical in attempting to create an international coalition to find a so-called “peace deal” to end the war.He has spoken about how Pope Francis has played an important role in supporting a deal which will probably see Mr Trump push for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to cede territory to Russia. It comes as Sir Keir Starmer held talks in Paris with French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday. Ukraine and the need for a European security pact as part of a post-Brexit reset was at the top of the agenda as the leaders vowed to ensure support for Kyiv continued.Pope Francis stands with President Donald Trump on Ukraine More

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      in UK Politics

      Boris Johnson ‘fired’ from Channel 4’s US election coverage after being branded ‘cheap’ for book plug

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseBoris Johnson was “fired” from Channel 4’s US election coverage after being criticised for plugging his book.The former prime minister was booked to commentate on the results of the presidential race alongside Republican supporter and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner, and Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Mr Trump’s hush money trial.But, after repeatedly shoe-horning in references to his memoirUnleashed, host Krishnan Guru-Murthy said Mr Johnson had been “fired for banging on about his book too much”.Just minutes into America Decides: US Presidential Election, Mr Guru-Murthy had told Mr Johnson to “put it away” and “stop it, enough” as he twice referenced his new book and attempted to hold it up to viewers.Guru-Murthy described the former prime minister’s actions as “so cheap”. Mr Johnson hit back, saying: “There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me… I’m allowed to plug my book.” Eventually, Channel 4 replaced the former PM with Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former lawyer. It remains unclear if Mr Johnson’s exit was planned.Elsewhere on the show, Mr Johnson was grilled by Ms Daniels about whether he still considers Mr Trump a friend. Mr Johnson revealed he had spoken to Mr Trump “quite recently”.Co-host Emily Maitlis challenged Mr Johnson after the exchange in which Ms Daniels spoke of her court case and asked Mr Johnson if he had children. Donald Trump claimed victory on Wednesday morning More

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      Mother of jailed Egyptian-British activist hopes she doesn’t die in hunger strike to secure his release

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe mother of a jailed British-Egyptian activist has not had a meal for close to a month – a hunger strike that she hopes will lead to her son’s release before she starves to death.Laila Soueif, a 68-year-old maths professor born in London but who now lives in Cairo, is in the UK to call for Alaa Abdel Fattah’s release.Fattah, 42, is one of Egypt’s most prominent pro-democracy voices and has spent much of the last decade in prison. In 2021, he was charged with spreading false news for sharing a Facebook post about torture in Egypt, having already spent more than two years in pretrial detention. He had also already served five years on similar charges between 2014 and 2019. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have decried the charges and called his trials a sham.His mother has been on hunger strike since a day after Fattah’s second five-year sentence ended on 29 September without his release. The Egyptian government has justified keeping Mr Fattah in prison by claiming his pre-trial detention does not count towards his time served.“I hope I won’t die in this attempt,” says Soueif during a sit down with The Independent, her daughter Sanaa Seif and Fattah’s cousin, Omar Robert Hamilton.“I don’t particularly want to leave my children with the memory of a martyred mother,” she says, talking about existing on water, rehydration salts, sugarless tea or coffee, and cigarettes. She adds that she is feeling fine, “but I know the other part is coming”, a reference to when her starving body will start to consume her muscle tissue for energy. Her daughter winces next to her as she speaks.Soueif gets to see Fattah, whose 13-year-old son, Khaled, lives in Brighton, for 20 minutes once a month. She says Fattah remains as positive as he can in prison but refuses to talk about the future.Laila celebrates her 63rd birthday alongside her son Alaa and her grandson Khaled in Cairo, Egypt, in May 2019, months before Mr Fattah was arrested again More

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      in UK Politics

      Trump campaign files complaint over ‘foreign interference’ by ‘far-left’ Labour Party in US election

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseDonald Trump’s presidential campaign has accused Sir Keir Starmer’s “far-left” Labour Party of interfering in the US election.The Trump-Vance campaign filed a complaint with the US Federal Election Commission (FEC) accusing Labour of illegal foreign campaign donations.In a statement, the campaign’s co-manager Susie Wiles campaign claimed: “The far-left Labour Party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric.“In recent weeks, they have recruited and sent party members to campaign for Kamala in critical battleground states, attempting to influence our election.”The complaint referenced a Washington Post report that suggested “strategists linked to Britain’s Labour Party have been offering advice to Kamala Harris about how to earn back disaffected voters and run a winning campaign from the center left”.The Trump campaign has accused Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party of interfering in the US presidential election More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

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      Zelensky demands UK extradites political opponent in Ukraine Orthodox Church row

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentA Ukrainian MP sheltering in London is set to appear in court to fight an extradition request from the Zelensky government.Artem Dmytruk, a former member of Volodymyr Zelensky’s party, told The Independent he was forced to flee Ukraine because of his opposition to a controversial law attempting to close down the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).The extradition request is based on “hooliganism” charges from an incident he was involved in 2020 when he tried to force his way into a political meeting.Artem Dmytruk is fighting an extradition demand from Ukraine More

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      Biden scolds Sky News journalist over question about Putin’s threat of war

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentUS president Joe Biden scolded a British journalist in a fiery exchange during a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Washington.Mr Biden told Sky News US correspondent James Matthews to be quiet as he shouted a question about Vladimir Putin’s threat of war over Kyiv’s use of long-range missiles.The US president and UK prime minister met at the White House on Friday amid reports they could allow Ukraine to launch Western missiles deep inside Russian territory.When asked what he thought about Mr Putin’s warning that doing so would bring Russia into conflict with Nato, Mr Biden snapped back: “You be quiet while I speak, OK?”The veteran reporter asked a second time what he made of Mr Putin’s remarks, to which Mr Biden again replied: “You have got to be quiet now I have got to make a speech, OK.”Sir Keir travelled to Washington on Thursday where he met US president Joe Biden to discuss the war in Ukraine, as well as the ongoing conflict in Gaza More

    • 138 Shares189 Views

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      Russia expels six British diplomats it accuses of spying and sabotage

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      Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentRussia has revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow, accusing them of spying and sabotage.As president Vladimir Putin warned that Nato will be at war with Moscow if Western nations allow Ukraine to use their long-range missiles to strike deep inside Russian territory, Russia’s FSB security service accused British diplomats of working to ensure Moscow’s defeat in the 30-month conflict.The FSB claimed to have documents showing a British foreign office department in London was coordinating what it called “the escalation of the political and military situation” and was tasked with ensuring Russia’s strategic defeat against Ukraine.Vladimir Putin has issued a new threat as Keir Starmer travels to Washington to discuss Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles More

    • 113 Shares189 Views

      in UK Politics

      Biden was opponent Trump prayed for, ex-UK ambassador says

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      Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorDonald Trump will have harboured hopes of winning a landslide US election victory against Joe Biden, who was the opponent he would have “prayed for”, the UK’s former ambassador to Washington has suggested.The 81-year-old incumbent announced on Sunday that he would cede to calls to end his re-election bid, which had reached a fever pitch over the 25 days since his disastrous TV debate against Mr Trump sparked concerns about his mental fitness.With just 105 days left until the election, all eyes are now on who will replace Mr Biden as the Democratic Party nominee set to face up against an increasingly feverish Trump campaign, which is in the ascendancy after his defiant reaction to an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month.Endorsed by Mr Biden, vice president Kamala Harris has emerged as the most likely frontrunner. But others have called for a wider contest to be decided at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on 22 August – a selection process abandoned more than 50 years ago in favour of primaries and caucuses.Sir Kim Darroch – who was forced to resign as the UK’s ambassador in 2019 after leaked cables showed him labelling Mr Trump an “incompetent” and “inept” president – urged Democrats on Monday not to “rush to a decision” on anointing Ms Harris as their candidate.The ex-diplomat said: “The tide at the moment is flowing strongly with Kamala Harris. I’m not sure if it’s sensible to rush to a decision on that, because what the Democrats have to do is look at three key swing states – Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania – and think ‘who is the best placed Democrat to take those?’.“So they need to just pause a little bit and think about this.”Speaking to LBC, Lord Darroch said he believed it had been “a mistake” for Mr Biden, already the oldest president in US history, to initially insist on putting his name forward for a second term in the Oval Office.Sir Kim Darroch was appointed to the House of Lords by Theresa May in 2019 More