Trump says prison could be ‘breaking point’ for supporters

Update Trump says prison could be ‘breaking point’ for supporters
A combination photo shows adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels speaking in New York City, and then- U.S. President Donald Trump speaking in Washington, Michigan, U.S. on April 16, 2018 and April 28, 2018 respectively. (Reuters)
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Updated 02 June 2024
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Trump says prison could be ‘breaking point’ for supporters

Trump says prison could be ‘breaking point’ for supporters
  • Former president tells Fox News he is personally ‘OK with’ the idea of being imprisoned over the 34 felony counts in his hush money trial

WASHINGTON DC: Donald Trump has warned that sending him to prison could prove a “breaking point” for his supporters — remarks that will fuel concerns of political violence around the US presidential election on November 5.
In an interview aired Sunday on Fox News, the former president and current Republican White House hopeful acknowledged the possibility of jail time or house arrest following his historic criminal conviction in a hush money trial.
“I’m ok with it,” Trump said, but added he was “not sure the public would stand for it.”
“I think it would be tough for the public to take. You know at a certain point there’s a breaking point,” he added.
The warning will resonate in a country already concerned about the prospect of civil unrest and political harassment in the run-up to the November ballot.
Trump will now be running as a convicted felon, and he has repeatedly made it clear he will not accept the result should he lose to President Joe Biden.
A New York jury on Thursday convicted Trump on all 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign to cover up a sex scandal involving porn star Stormy Daniels.
It was the first criminal conviction of a former president in US history, and sentencing has been set for July 11 — just days before the Republican convention that will formally anoint Trump as the party’s presidential nominee.
Although each charge carries a possible four-year jail term, experts say it is extremely unlikely that the judge will hand down a custodial sentence.
Trump faces three other criminal trials, including one related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election he lost to Biden.
Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 after he delivered a fiery speech urging the crowd to “fight like hell.”
Speaking to Fox, Trump repeated his assertions that the hush money trial was a “scam” and that his political opponents had “weaponized” the justice system to keep him from returning to the White House.
Biden has called Trump’s attacks on the judiciary and his trial judge reckless, irresponsible and “dangerous.”
Breaking her silence following Trump’s conviction, Stormy Daniels said the former president should be put in prison.
“I think he should be sentenced to jail and some community service working for the less fortunate, or being the volunteer punching bag at a women’s shelter,” Daniels said in an interview with the British tabloid The Mirror published late Saturday.
After years of exchanging insults with Trump on social media, Daniels now says she finally has been “vindicated,” although she admitted she was “shocked” at how quickly the jury rendered its verdict.
Daniels also accused the White House hopeful of being “completely and utterly out of touch with reality” and compared him to a child at one point in the interview.
The former adult film actor and director helped bring Trump down in court with her gripping testimony, which included graphic descriptions of what she says was a casual sexual encounter in 2006.
“Being in court was so intimidating with the jurors looking at you,” she said in the interview, adding that she was glad it was proved that she had been “telling the truth the entire time.”
“It’s not over for me. It’s never going to be over for me. Trump may be guilty, but I still have to live with the legacy.”
Trump has continued to deny the sexual encounter, which prosecutors at his trial said had taken place shortly after his wife Melania had given birth.
In his interview with Fox News, Trump said the criminal trial had taken a toll on his wife, who was notably absent as other close family members attended the court proceedings in support.
“She’s fine, but I think it’s very hard for her,” Trump said. “She has to read all this crap.”
Melania Trump has barely engaged with her husband’s current White House campaign, failing to appear at a single Trump rally, and rarely joins him in public.


Man arrested over TikTok posts threatening US President Trump

Man arrested over TikTok posts threatening US President Trump
Updated 25 January 2025
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Man arrested over TikTok posts threatening US President Trump

Man arrested over TikTok posts threatening US President Trump
  • 23-year-old Douglas Thrams reportedly posted multiple videos on Tiktok since Monday, threatening anti-government violence, according to a criminal complaint

WASHINGTON: A man who allegedly said US President Donald Trump "needs to be assassinated" and posed on TikTok holding a rifle has been arrested, authorities said.
Douglas Thrams, 23, posted multiple videos on Tiktok between Monday, when Trump was inaugurated, and Wednesday threatening anti-government violence, according to a criminal complaint Thursday.
"Every US government building needs be bombed immediately," Thrams was quoted as saying in one of the videos.
Referring to Trump, Thrams went on to say, using an expletive, "He needs to be assassinated and this time, don't... miss."
Trump was the target of two assassination attempts last year including one at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was wounded in the ear.
In another video, Thrams held a rifle and tapped it, an FBI agent said in an affidavit.
Thrams, from the midwestern state of Indiana, was arrested on Thursday and charged with making "interstate communications with a threat to injure."


UNICEF deputy director urges innovative partnerships to protect the world’s children 

UNICEF deputy director urges innovative partnerships to protect the world’s children 
Updated 24 January 2025
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UNICEF deputy director urges innovative partnerships to protect the world’s children 

UNICEF deputy director urges innovative partnerships to protect the world’s children 
  • By collaborating with private sector, UNICEF is better able to combat challenges of conflict and climate change, says Kitty van der Heijden
  • Aid agency executive says partnerships with insurers and logistics firms facilitates the rapid deployment of resources to crisis zones

DUBAI: Kitty van der Heijden, deputy executive director of the UN children’s fund, has praised the collaboration between UNICEF and the private sector to address the many urgent challenges facing the world’s children.

In an interview with Arab News on the fringes of the World Economic Forum in Davos, van der Heijden explained how UNICEF’s partnerships are aiding its response to conflicts, mass displacements, climate change, and natural disasters.

“We are here in Davos to meet with the private and corporate entities who are present,” van der Heijden said. “We are already in partnership with some across a range of sectors like humanitarian aid, education, AI, and non-communicable diseases, among others.

“We see that a lot of companies are willing to work with UNICEF as we are able to reach where they can’t necessarily go.

“We have more conflicts than ever around the world that are destroying humanity’s ability to survive and thrive. We need to deliver prosperity and keep environmental triggers and human misery under control.”

To confront crises, van der Heijden says UNICEF has now partnered with insurance companies, as well as logistics and shipping firms that prioritize humanitarian aid over their commercial goods in times of need.

“We developed the first ever parametric climate insurance with a focus on children. For example, hurricanes are routine problems in some countries and small islands. Whenever a hurricane takes place, not only are the communities there extremely affected but so is the GDP of the country.

“The moment wind speeds go up to a certain level, the parametric tool detects the change and automatically submits a cash deposit to UNICEF.”

Van der Heijden says this rapid response ensures that financial support reaches those in need without bureaucratic delays and complications.

“We are able to offer cash directly to affected communities, ensuring that aid arrives right when it’s needed. This builds resilience in the face of recurring disasters, while also providing an early warning system to help communities prepare for future events.”

Another cross sector collaboration between UNICEF and private companies focuses on mental health.

“Prevention is the mother of all cures,” said van der Heijden. “UNICEF is joining forces with lots of health companies such as AstraZeneca and Zurich Foundation to address obesity and mental health issues.

“These problems are prevalent across all societies and all ages. The reasons might be different, but it is there.

“Seventy percent of preventable deaths stem from risk exposure and unhealthy behaviors as a child. If you approach this issue holistically, you can prevent so many negative cycles between mental health, anxiety, and obesity.”

Van der Heijden also said children are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. From heatwaves that affect maternal health to pollution that exacerbates respiratory problems, the risks children face are not only immediate but long term.

Children, particularly in disadvantaged communities, lack access to cooling systems or safe environments, leaving them at higher risk of heat related illnesses.

“Children breathe twice as fast as adults, and their exposure to pollution can be devastating,” said van der Heijden. “They don’t have the physical ability to cool down through sweating, which makes them vulnerable during extreme heat events.

“The effects of climate change are already being felt by the world’s most vulnerable populations, and children are bearing the brunt.”

small village of Gelhanty in Agig locality, Red Sea state. (UNICEF photo)

The repercussions of climate change extend beyond health, as related economic shocks often lead to unintended social consequences, such as an increase in child marriages.

In regions impacted by heatwaves, families may marry off young girls to reduce financial burdens. The economic strain caused by extreme weather events can push parents to take drastic steps “to have one less mouth to feed.”

Van der Heijden stressed the urgency of integrating children’s needs into global climate policies. While countries around the world are set to submit their new climate plans this year, UNICEF is leading a global campaign to ensure that these plans are child-centric.

“The year 2025 is a pivotal year,” she said. “We will have a number of opportunities to act and set the record straight. Unless we understand the unique vulnerabilities of children, we cannot craft effective policies.

“We need to make sure that every country’s climate plan reflects the impacts on children and ensures that their needs are front and center.”
 

 


Thais send over 100 smuggled tortoises home to Tanzania

Thais send over 100 smuggled tortoises home to Tanzania
Updated 24 January 2025
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Thais send over 100 smuggled tortoises home to Tanzania

Thais send over 100 smuggled tortoises home to Tanzania
  • The smuggler fled Thailand but was eventually tracked down and arrested in Bulgaria, Interpol said

BANGOK: More than a hundred baby tortoises, most of them dead, have been returned to Tanzania from Thailand as evidence in a case against a wildlife smuggling network, the international police organization Interpol said Friday.
The 116 tortoises were discovered hidden in the luggage of a Ukrainian woman at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport more than two years ago, it said. Of the total, 98 have since died, but all were handed over Thursday for use in criminal proceedings in a ceremony attended by Thai and Tanzanian officials,
Interpol said. No reason was given for the deaths.
They included endangered or vulnerable species such as pancake tortoises, radiated tortoises and Aldabra giant tortoises. All are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Tortoises are commonly removed from the wild for sale as exotic pets.
The smuggler fled Thailand but was eventually tracked down and arrested in Bulgaria, Interpol said. Her arrest helped police map a larger wildlife trafficking network, resulting in the arrests of 14 additional suspects in an operation involving Thai and Tanzanian police and officers from Interpol.
The surviving tortoises will be quarantined and cared for while experts assess whether they can be put back into their natural habitat.

 


Indian munitions factory blast kills at least eight workers

Indian munitions factory blast kills at least eight workers
Updated 24 January 2025
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Indian munitions factory blast kills at least eight workers

Indian munitions factory blast kills at least eight workers
  • Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning, lax enforcement of safety rules
  • Nine workers were killed in a 2023 blast at a factory in Maharashtra that manufactured drones and explosives

MUMBAI: At least eight workers were killed in a blast at a munitions factory in western India, government officials said Friday, with several others still trapped inside the building.
The explosion happened Friday morning in Bhandara, around 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of India’s financial hub Mumbai, and caused the factory’s roof to collapse.
“In an unfortunate incident today, a blast at Bhandara munitions factory has killed at least eight people and injured seven others,” India’s cabinet minister Nitin Gadkari said.
Gadkari, a lawmaker from Maharashtra state where the explosion occurred, offered his condolences.
Maharashtra’s chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said earlier on X that up to 14 workers had been trapped after the blast and emergency rescue operations were underway.
Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened” by the blast.
“My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Singh said on X.
Industrial disasters are common in India, with experts blaming poor planning and lax enforcement of safety rules.
Nine workers were killed in a 2023 blast at a factory in Maharashtra that manufactured drones and explosives.


Leading British Muslims back new community network in UK

Leading British Muslims back new community network in UK
Updated 24 January 2025
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Leading British Muslims back new community network in UK

Leading British Muslims back new community network in UK
  • Early discussions with the government and opposition parties are underway, and the launch event is expected to feature senior political figures

LONDON: A new national body, the British Muslim Network, launches next month with the aim of providing a mainstream voice for Britain’s Muslim communities and engaging directly with the government, The Times newspaper reported on Friday.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, the first Muslim cabinet minister and a crossbench peer, is among its most prominent supporters, while Mishal Husain, a former BBC Radio 4 presenter and upcoming Bloomberg host, is understood to support the initiative, although she will not play a formal role.

Early discussions with the government and opposition parties are underway, and the launch event is expected to feature senior political figures.

“The British Muslim community is hyper-diverse in class, culture, background, ethnicity, religiosity, age,” Warsi told The Times. “It is such a vibrant, clever, and engaged community. But what we’ve had for nearly 17 years (is) a policy of disengagement with British Muslim communities by successive governments.”

The network will have a governing board co-chaired by a man and a woman, bringing together Muslim figures from broadcasting, the arts, sport, academia, and religious leadership. A source described it as “the most high-profile network of British Muslims that has ever existed.”

Warsi stressed the need for a group that could represent the full spectrum of British Muslims and their contributions and concerns, moving beyond what she called the government’s past focus on counter-terrorism.

“Governments have only really spoken to representatives from the UK’s Muslim communities through the prism of counter-terrorism,” she said.

Akeela Ahmed, founder of the She Speaks We Hear online platform, and who was recently honored with an MBE for services to Muslim women, emphasized the network’s focus on everyday issues. “We want to bring together expertise and insight and share this with policymakers,” she said.

The initiative has also won the backing of Brendan Cox, co-founder of the Together Coalition and widower of Jo Cox, who was murdered by a right-wing extremist in 2016.

He described it as “an incredibly influential group.”

The Right Rev. Toby Howarth, the bishop of Bradford, said: “The British Muslim Network is a much-needed voice, and I look forward to working with them.”