Marc a cohen

More than a week after Donald Trump had angrily predicted - incorrectly and with no specific evidence - that he would be arrested, the former president had grown cautiously optimistic. Advisers had counseled him that a possible indictment by a Manhattan grand jury involving hush-money payments to an adult-film star would not come for some time - if at all - and Trump had even begun joking about "golden handcuffs," said one person who spoke with him in recent days. But on Thursday, the news that Trump had simultaneously resigned himself to and believed he could wish away finally broke: A Manhattan grand jury had voted to indict him over hush-money payments to adult-film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, making him the first ex-president charged with a crime. Trump's team had long been preparing for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation to end in a possible indictment. His top political advisers, including Chris LaCivita and Jason … [Read more...] about Trump and advisers caught off guard by New York indictment

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 6 WASHINGTON (AP) — The indictment against former President Donald Trump involving a 2016 hush money payment is raising concerns that it could undermine public confidence in what democracy experts view as far more important investigations. Trump is facing multiple investigations related to his refusal to accept his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. That includes whether he pressured election officials to overturn the results, encouraged fake electors from battleground states and his role in the events that led to the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Jeffrey Engel, founding director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University, called the indictment this week from a New York grand jury “the appetizer to their main course still to come." “That main course, literally, is democracy at stake and who we are as a nation,” he said. … [Read more...] about Worries grow that Trump indictment will eclipse other probes

Listen to this article Threats of rain stayed away as the hour-long second practice at Rio Honda got underway, with 2022 Argentina GP winner Aleix Espargaro taking over from team-mate Maverick Vinales to head the field. A late surge of time attack laps as the field tried to bag a place in the top 10 to get directly into Saturday’s Q2 qualifying session led to Espargaro producing a 1m38.518s to end Friday fastest of all by 0.162 seconds. As the Aprilia’s bathed in glory, misery dominated the Yamaha garage as 2021 world champion Quartararo continued to battle grip issues on his M1 this afternoon. Despite his best efforts, Quartararo could only go 14th quickest in FP2, 0.746s off the pace as his Yamaha team-mate Franco Morbidelli sneaked through in ninth. After 10 minutes of the session, only three riders had found any lap time gains from their FP1 best – though nothing to trouble the top 10. The first significant improvement came with 35 minutes to go when LCR … [Read more...] about MotoGP Argentina GP: Aleix Espargaro fastest in FP2, Quartararo misses Q2

Listen to this article The 2023 MotoGP season continues just five days after the dramatic opening round of the season in Portugal, with the opening 45-minute session of the Argentina weekend taking place in dry conditions under threateningly grey clouds. Having broken its MotoGP victory duck one year ago at the Rio Honda circuit, Aprilia set the early pace as Vinales ended FP1, 0.284 seconds clear of 2022 Argentina winner Aleix Espargaro . With rain a threat for this afternoon’s hour-long practice, the final throes of FP1 were a mini qualifying, with Vinales setting a 1m39.207s on a fresh medium tyre. Espargaro’s 1m39.491s ensured an Aprilia 1-2 in FP1, with the injured Jorge Martin on the leading Pramac Ducati completing the top three. The opening stages of FP1 were topped by Yamaha’s Franco Morbidelli , who set the early pace with an unrepresentative 1m41.048s. This was quickly usurped by Vinales, who made his first of several appearances at the top of the … [Read more...] about MotoGP Argentina GP: Vinales leads Aprilia 1-2 in FP1, Quartararo struggles to 15th

Franco Colapinto won a stop-start Formula 3 sprint race which finished under a fourth Safety Car period in Melbourne. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The Williams junior started in sixth, but took control of the race after a brilliant pass on Sebastián Montoya through the turns nine and ten complex in the early stages. He subsequently survived two safety car restarts for his first victory of the season and was joined on the podium by Zak O’Sullivan, also a Williams junior, and Montoya in an incident-packed sprint race. After Gabriel Bortoleto was fastest in a red-flag affected qualifying, Sebastián Montoya lined up in pole on a partially-reversed grid for F3’s first ever Melbourne outing. The Hitech driver made an excellent start and the wheel-to-wheel battling behind him allowed Montoya to build a sizeable lead. However, the drivers failed to make it beyond sector two before the Safety Car was deployed on lap one. Approaching turn three, Luke … [Read more...] about Franco Colapinto wins Formula 3 sprint race at Albert Park