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On an atypical, historic day that saw former President Trump walk into a New York courthouse to be arraigned on 34 felony counts, it was business as usual at the White House.

President Biden and his team all but ignored the developments that enraptured much of Washington, D.C., on Tuesday as Trump — Biden’s predecessor and likely 2024 opponent — surrendered to authorities as both pro and anti-Trump protesters swarmed lower Manhattan.

“The president’s going to focus on the American people like he does every day, this is not something that is a focus for him,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said as she fielded a host of questions from reporters during the daily briefing that was occurring at the same time the nation was transfixed on Trump’s surrender.

Moments after Trump arrived for his arraignment, Jean-Pierre took questions from reporters on gun laws, the detention of a Wall Street Journal reporter in Russia, gas prices and a Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down in February.

Afterward, Biden met with a group of science and technology advisers about the future of artificial intelligence, the type of low-key White House event that garners little national attention.

The dueling scenes amount to a very intentional effort by the White House to show Biden is focused on what he believes matters to the public while his predecessor and potential 2024 opponent is at the center of a legal circus, dragging much of the GOP with him.

“This is unquestionably the right playbook. Between hush money to a porn star and campaign finance violations, each move Trump makes in this ridiculous saga turns off independents and moderates on both sides and presumably turns them right toward Biden,” said Scott Mulhauser, a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive and former senior aide to then-Vice President Biden.

“So there’s not much of a better move than letting Trump focus on himself … while Biden continues to show what being a president who actually does the job can mean for economic growth in states across the country,” he said.

When news of Trump’s indictment broke last Thursday, Biden was preparing for a tour of tornado damage in Mississippi. Over the weekend, his administration declared a disaster declaration for the state of Arkansas which also faced devastating tornado damage, highlighting that the president had spoken to that state’s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who also happens to be Trump’s former White House press secretary.

On Monday afternoon, when cable networks were all fixated on Trump’s plane landing in New York City, Biden was touting the benefits of a new manufacturing investment during a trip to Minnesota. He briefly addressed a reporter’s question that day about potential unrest in New York due to Trump’s indictment, saying only that he had confidence in the New York Police Department to keep things from getting out of hand.

Also on Tuesday, the president’s Twitter account stayed far away from Trump news, instead being filled with posts about his economic agenda, the lack of a budget proposal from House Republicans and the results of the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments.

“I think they are doing it correctly so far, and I hope it continues, which is basically to not get into the story,” said Matt Bennett, a co-founder of the centrist think tank Third Way.

While Democrats widely agree it is in the White House’s best interest to stay out of the way while Trump reminds voters of his various legal issues, there is some frustration within the party that Biden’s efforts to focus on his agenda and issues relevant to the public is being drowned out by media coverage of the former president.

“If folks want to talk about Trump and 2024 that’s fine. But wall to wall coverage of his motorcade to the airport, his plane landing, bags being taken off the plane, and then his caravan to his apartment? C’mon. Do better,” Democratic National Committee chairman Jaime Harrison tweeted.

The efforts to contrast the Trump saga with Biden’s competence and focus on the job hearken back to the 2020 campaign, when Biden’s team was happy to sit back and let Trump grab the spotlight with incendiary remarks about the pandemic or civil unrest.

The president has largely not commented on the Trump indictment, aside from the short comments about potential unrest. 

Jean-Pierre repeatedly rebuffed questions at the White House on Tuesday, refusing to answer why the administration would barely acknowledge the historic event, citing repeatedly the “ongoing” nature of the investigation.

Fox News and The New York Times both questioned Jean-Pierre on why she didn’t have more to say, noting that it is the biggest news story in the country and that Biden has never shied away from commenting on the riots at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, despite those also being ongoing investigations.

“I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case like this one, that we’re just not commenting,” Jean-Pierre said in response.

When it comes to Jan. 6, she said, “the president will never shy away when it comes to our democracy … it was a different, different moment and a different time.” Officers discuss moments before taking down Nashville school shooter Tim Scott gets Senate GOP nudge for 2024 bid

She added though that Biden inevitably will stay up to date on the developments, giving the nature of the media coverage of the former president.

Biden allies insist the White House declining to comment on Trump is a better strategy.

“Why put energy on something that was in the past and done by someone who knows better?” said a former official under former President Obama. “At the end of the day, the White House has to run the country, not entertain foolishness. No person is above the law.”

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Jury shown CCTV and bodycam footage of brothers allegedly assaulting police at Manchester Airport

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Jury shown CCTV and bodycam footage of brothers allegedly assaulting police at Manchester Airport

CCTV and police bodycam footage allegedly showing three police officers being assaulted at Manchester Airport has been played to jurors.

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his brother, Muhammad Amaad, 26, are said to have struck out after police were called to the airport on 23 July last year, following Amaaz allegedly headbutting a customer at a Starbucks in Terminal 2.

Minutes later, three police officers approached the defendants at the paystation in the terminal’s car park.

A jury at Liverpool Crown Court today watched CCTV footage from opposite angles, which captured what the prosecution says was a “high level of violence” being used by the siblings.

The prosecution says Amaaz resisted as officers tried to move him to arrest him, and Amaad then intervened.

Junior counsel Adam Birkby suggested Amaaz threw 10 punches, including one to the face of PC Lydia Ward, which knocked her to the floor.

His brother Amaad is then said to have aimed six punches at firearms officer PC Zachary Marsden.

Amaaz also allegedly kicked PC Marsden and struck firearms officer PC Ellie Cook twice with his elbow.

He is said to have punched PC Marsden from behind and had a hold of him, before PC Cook discharged her Taser.

Human Rights lawyer Aamer Anwar (centre) arrives with Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (left) and Muhammed Amaad (right) at Liverpool Crown Court, where
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Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (left) and Muhammed Amaad (right) arrive at the court with their lawyer. Pic: PA

The bodycam and CCTV footage, submitted as evidence by the prosecution, allegedly shows the officers’ arrival in the Terminal 2 car park and their attempts to arrest the siblings, as well as their exchanges with them.

PC Ward can be heard saying “Oi, you b*****d” in footage from her bodycam, the prosecution evidence appears to show.

She then appears to fall to the floor and screams.

PC Cook, who is pointing her Taser at one of the defendants, then allegedly says: “Stay on the floor, stay on the floor whatever you do.”

“Get back, get back,” PC Ward appears to say.

The bodycam footage, shown to the jury by the prosecution, shows PC Marsden, who is also pointing his Taser, appear to approach the defendant who is lying on the ground and kick out at him.

Mr Birkby said: “Mr Amaaz, while prone, lifts his head towards the officers. PC Marsden kicks Mr Amaaz around the head area.

“PC Marsden stamps his foot towards the crown of Mr Amaaz’s head area but doesn’t appear to connect with Mr Amaaz.”

Amaaz denies three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to the three police officers and one count of assault to Abdulkareem Ismaeil, the customer at Starbucks.

Amaad denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to PC Marsden.

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Stephen Doohan: Paramedic who secretly gave pregnant woman abortion drug jailed for more than 10 years

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Stephen Doohan: Paramedic who secretly gave pregnant woman abortion drug jailed for more than 10 years

A paramedic who secretly gave a pregnant woman an abortion drug during sex has been jailed for more than 10 years. 

Stephen Doohan, 33, was married when he met the woman on holiday in Spain in 2021 and began a long-distance relationship.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how the victim travelled to Edinburgh in March 2023 to visit Doohan after learning she was pregnant.

During consensual sex, Doohan twice secretly administered the tablets which led to the woman suffering a miscarriage.

In May, Doohan pleaded guilty to sexual assault and causing the woman to have an abortion. He returned to the dock on Monday where he was jailed for 10 years and six months.

Lord Colbeck said Doohan caused “long-term psychological injury” to his victim.

The judge said: “You put her through considerable pain over a number of days and left her facing a lifetime of pain and loss.”

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The court heard how the woman found tablets hidden under the mattress after she became suspicious over Doohan’s behaviour in bed.

Lord Colbeck said: “The complainer then carried out an internet search for abortion tablets and confronted you over your actions.”

After the woman fell ill, Doohan convinced her to lie to medics at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh amid fears he would be arrested if she told the truth.

The victim later attended another hospital with her sister and was told she was having a miscarriage.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) said Doohan sent the woman gifts including perfume, socks, facial cleansing oil, money to get her hair done and bought tickets for them to attend a football match.

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The woman complained to the Scottish Ambulance Service in May 2023, sparking an investigation.

The court heard that on 14 March 2023, the day the woman told Doohan she was pregnant, the paramedic used a work intranet to search for abortion drugs.

Lord Colbeck said: “You planned out what you did to your victim using resources available to you as a paramedic.”

In addition to his prison sentence, Doohan was also added to the sex offenders’ register and banned from contacting his victim.

Fiona Kirkby, procurator fiscal for high court sexual offences, said: “Stephen Doohan’s calculated and heinous actions caused the loss of the victim’s pregnancy, robbing her of plans she had for the future.

“He has now been held accountable for this fundamental breach of trust.

“While offences like this are thankfully rare, I hope this prosecution sends a clear message to all those who seek to inflict sexual harm towards women.

“Our thoughts remain with the victim, who must be commended for reporting her experience and seeking justice.

“We recognise that reporting sexual offending can be difficult but would urge anyone affected to come forward and seek support when they feel ready to do so.”

The Scottish Ambulance Service branded it an “appalling case”.

A spokesperson added: “We recognise the courage it must have taken for the victim to come forward and speak out.

“As soon as we learned of these very serious allegations and charges, we immediately took action, providing ongoing support to her whilst liaising with Police Scotland throughout the investigation.

“We know nothing will change what has happened to the victim and all we can hope is this sentence provides some comfort to them.”

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UK farmers have ‘nothing more to give’ as they fear govt will compromise welfare in US-UK trade deal

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UK farmers have 'nothing more to give' as they fear govt will compromise welfare in US-UK trade deal

UK farmers have “nothing more to give” as they fear the government will use agriculture to further reduce US tariffs in a trade deal with the White House.

The UK is trying to reduce steel tariffs to zero, from a current reduced rate of 25%, but Downing Street refused to confirm if it was confident ahead of Donald Trump’s deadline of 9 July.

Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), said UK agriculture had already been used to reduce Trump-imposed tariffs on cars but any other concessions would have serious repercussions for farmers, food security and the UK’s high animal welfare standards.

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He told Sky News: “It just feels like we, as the agricultural sector, had to shoulder the responsibility to reduce the tariffs on cars from 25%.

“We can’t do it anymore, we have nothing more to give.

“It’s clear the steel quotas and tariffs aren’t sorted yet, so we just want to be very clear with the government: if they’re sitting around the negotiating table – which we understand they are – they can’t expect agriculture to give any more.”

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Tom Bradshaw, the head of the NFU, speaking to Sky News
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Tom Bradshaw, the head of the NFU, said farmers cannot give any more

‘Massively undermine our standards’

Since 30 June, the US has been able to import 13,000 tonnes of hormone-free British beef without tariffs under a deal made earlier this year, which farmers feel was to reduce the car import levy Mr Trump imposed.

The UK was also given tariff-free access to 1.4bn litres of US ethanol, which farmers say will put the UK’s bioethanol and associated sectors under pressure.

Allowing lower US food standards would “massively undermine our standards” and would mean fewer sales to the European Union where food standards are also high, Mr Bradshaw said.

It would leave British farmers competing on a playing field that is “anything but fair”, he said, because US food can be produced – and sold – much cheaper due to low welfare which could see a big reduction in investment in UK farms, food security and the environment.

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‘The US will push hard for more access’

He said the US narrative has always suggested they want access to British agriculture products “as a start and they’ll negotiate for more”.

“The narrative from the White House on 8 May, when a US-UK trade deal was announced, was all about further access to our agriculture products – it was very different to what our government was saying,” he added.

“So far, the UK has stood firm and upheld our higher welfare standards, but the US will push very hard to have further access.

“No country in the world has proved they can reduce the 10% tariffs further.”

US poultry welfare is lower than the UK, with much more intensive farming that means the meat has to be washed with antimicrobials. Pic: AP
Image:
US poultry welfare is lower than the UK, with much more intensive farming that means the meat has to be washed with antimicrobials. Pic: AP

US ‘will target poultry and pork’

The Essex farmer said he expects the US to push “very hard” to get the UK to lower its standards on poultry and pork, specifically.

US poultry is often washed with antimicrobials, including chlorine, in an attempt to wash off high levels of bacteria caused by poor hygiene, antibiotic use and low animal welfare conditions not allowed in UK farming.

US pig rearing methods are also quite different, with intensive farming and the use of feed additive ractopamine legal, with both banned in the UK.

A government spokesperson told Sky News: “We regularly speak to businesses across the UK to understand the impact of tariffs and will only ever act in the national interest.

“Our Plan for Change has delivered a deal which will open up exclusive access for UK beef farmers to the US market for the first time ever and all agricultural imports coming to the UK will have to meet our high SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) standards.”

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