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Donald Trump arrived Thursday at a federal courthouse in Florida, where a judge will hear arguments on whether to dismiss the criminal case accusing the former president of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House.

The motorcade carrying the 2024 Republican presumptive presidential nominee arrived shortly before the hearing was set to begin before U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump.

The dispute centers on the Trump team’s interpretation of the Presidential Records Act, which they say gave him the authority to designate the documents as personal and maintain possession of them after his presidency. Former President Donald Trump arrived in a Florida courthouse for his classified documents case. REUTERS

Special counsel Jack Smith’s team, by contrast, says the files Trump is charged with possessing are presidential records, not personal ones, and that the statute does not apply to classified and top-secret documents like those kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The Presidential Records Act “does not exempt Trump from the criminal law, entitle him to unilaterally declare highly classified presidential records to be personal records, or shield him from criminal investigations let alone allow him to obstruct a federal investigation with impunity, prosecutors wrote in a court filing last week.

It was not clear when Cannon might rule, but the outcome will determine whether the case proceeds or whether, as Trump’s lawyers hope, it is thrown out before ever reaching a jury a rare action for a judge to take.

Cannon is also expected to hear arguments Thursday on a separate but related Trump team motion that says the statute that forms the bulk of the criminal charges making it a crime to willfully retain national defense information is unconstitutionally vague as it applies to a former president.

It is not surprising that defense lawyers are seeking dismissal of the case based on the Presidential Records Act given that the legal team has repeatedly invoked the statute since the FBI’s August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago.

The law, enacted in 1978, requires presidents upon leaving office to transfer their presidential records to the U.S. government for management specifically, the National Archives and Records Administration though they are permitted to retain personal records, including diaries and notes that are purely private and not prepared for government business.

Trump’s lawyers have said that he designated as personal property the records he took with him to Mar-a-Lago, which prosecutors say included top-secret information and documents related to nuclear programs and the military capabilities of the U.S. and foreign adversaries.

Cannon has suggested in the past that she sees Trump’s status as a former president as distinguishing him from others who have held onto classified records.

After the Trump team sued the Justice Department in 2022 to get his records back, Cannon appointed a special master to conduct an independent review of the documents taken during the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search. That appointment was later overturned by a federal appeals court.

More recently, even while ruling in favor of Smith’s team on a procedural question, Cannon pointedly described the case as the first-ever criminal prosecution of a former United States President once the countrys chief classification authority over many of the documents the Special Counsel now seeks to withhold from him (and his cleared counsel) in a case without charges of transmission or delivery of national defense information.”

Trump faces 40 felony counts in Florida that accuse him of willfully retaining dozens of classified documents and rebuffing government demands to give them back after he left the White House. Prosecutors in recent court filings have stressed the scope of criminal conduct that they say they expect to prove at trial, saying in one that there has never been a case in American history in which a former official has engaged in conduct remotely similar to Trumps.

They allege, for instance, that Trump intentionally held onto some of the nations most sensitive documents only returning a fraction of them upon demand by the National Archives and then urged his lawyer to hide records and to lie to the FBI by saying he no longer was in possession of them. Hes also charged with enlisting staff to delete surveillance footage that would show boxes of documents being moved around the property.

The hearing is the second this month in the case in Florida, one of four prosecutions Trump confronts as he seeks to reclaim the White House this year. Cannon heard arguments on March 1 on when to set a trial date, but has not immediately ruled. Both sides have proposed summertime dates for the trial to begin.

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Politics

Patrick Spencer: Suspended Tory MP denies sexually assaulting two women at private members’ club

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Patrick Spencer: Suspended Tory MP denies sexually assaulting two women at private members' club

An MP has denied two counts of sexual assault allegedly carried out at a private members’ club in central London.

Patrick Spencer, who represents Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is accused of cupping the breasts of two women over their clothes at the Groucho Club in August 2023.

The 37-year-old confirmed his full name and date of birth before pleading not guilty to the offences at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

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The Groucho Club in Soho, London. Pic: PA
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The Groucho Club in Soho, London. Pic: PA

He is due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 14 July.

Spencer was suspended from the Conservative Party and had the whip withdrawn after the charges were brought.

Read more from Sky News:
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Patrick Spencer
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The MP pleaded not guilty to two offences. Pic: PA

The politician was first elected to parliament last year with a majority of 4,290.

Lawyers acting for the MP have previously said he “categorically denies the charges” and would defend against the allegations “robustly in court”.

The Groucho Club, on Dean Street, opened in 1985 and became a renowned meeting place for A-list celebrities and others, including actors, comedians and media executives.

The club was named after the comedian and actor Groucho Marx, who reportedly once said he would refuse to join any club that would have him as a member.

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World

Israel had ‘no choice’ but to attack Iran because it was ‘rushing’ to nuclear bomb, president Isaac Herzog claims

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Israel had 'no choice' but to attack Iran because it was 'rushing' to nuclear bomb, president Isaac Herzog claims

Israel had “no other choice” but to attack Iran because it was proceeding “dramatically” towards a nuclear bomb, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has claimed.

Speaking to Sky News’ Yalda Hakim, he said Iran was “rushing” to the bomb “under disguise”.

He also suggested the Israeli war cabinet was discussing Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid reports that President Donald Trump vetoed a plan to kill him.

It comes as Israel and Iran continue to fire missiles at each other after Israel launched an unprecedented strike on Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities.

Tehran has long denied that its nuclear program has been attempting to obtain a nuclear weapon.

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Sky’s Yalda Hakim interrupted by air raid sirens

Mr Herzog was asked why Israel attacked Iran when it did.

“When you take such decisions of historic magnitude and proportions, you have to analyse all facets and all facts,” he replied.

“The truth of the matter is there was no other choice.”

Isaac Herzog speaks to Yalda Hakim
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Isaac Herzog speaks to Yalda Hakim

He claimed Iran was proceeding “dramatically” towards the bomb, both in terms of the enrichment of uranium and, “clandestinely”, the armament part of the process.

“I’ve always been very crystal clear with regards to a nuclear capability of our enemies – it has to be removed at once.”

Mr Herzog added: “We have to remove the Iranian nuclear program because we see the negotiating process as being futile because they are lying whilst talking to us.

“They are lying whilst talking to the United States and other allies.”

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Iran ambassador: ‘This is about self-defence’

Read more:
Iran’s ambassador to UK speaks to Sky News
UK advises against all travel to Israel

He was questioned whether the strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure could provoke a response that causes a mass casualty event in Israel.

“(We are) very much aware of the risks of this war,” he replied. “Every night there are missile attacks, heavy missile attacks on Israel.

“We have our air defence systems, which are excellent.

“Unfortunately, we have casualties. Brothers and sisters of ours from toddlers all the way up to the age of 94.”

He continued: “No, we don’t accept it at all… That’s why we are fighting also, to eliminate their capability of firing at us.”

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He also suggested the Israeli war cabinet was discussing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after reports Mr Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill him.

“Let’s just remember that the Supreme Leader of Iran has for years called for the annihilation of Israel.”

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Environment

The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 has some seriously impressive range, more than the Kia EV4

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The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 has some seriously impressive range, more than the Kia EV4

Hyundai’s electric fastback is due for some major upgrades that could finally make it the Tesla Model 3 challenger it was designed to be. The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 is better than ever, featuring a stylish new look both inside and out, an NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers, and even more driving range than expected.

The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 is a long-range, stylish EV

It’s been just about three years since Hyundai unveiled the IONIQ 6 for the first time at the 2022 Busan International Motor Show.

Hyundai’s “electrified streamliner” arrived as what was expected to be a genuine rival to the Tesla Model 3, boasting over 350 miles of driving range, fast charging in under 20 minutes, and an affordable price tag.

Despite this, the electric sedan has failed to live up to its hype. In the US, IONIQ 6 sales fell 6% last year, with only 12,264 units sold. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla sold 189,903 Model 3s in the US last year, a decrease from 2023, partly due to the launch of the refreshed model.

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With the upgraded IONIQ due out later this year, Hyundai’s EV might finally match the Model 3 as another long-range, fast-charging, affordable electric sedan.

Hyundai-new-IONIQ-6-range
The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 (Source: Hyundai Motor)

The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 has just become Korea’s longest-range electric sedan. It was officially certified by the Ministry of Environment with a range of up to 568 km (353 miles), surpassing the Kia EV4 at 549 km (341 miles).

On the WLTP scale, that could translate to nearly 700 km (430 miles) range. The current IONIQ 6 is rated with a WLTP range of up to 614 km (382 miles).

Hyundai-new-IONIQ-6-range
The new Hyundai IONIQ 6 N-Line (Source: Hyundai Motor)

For those in the US, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 6 already provides an EPA-estimated range of up to 342 miles. The new model is expected to achieve a range of over 350 miles.

The new IONIQ 6 features an upgraded 84 kWh battery, similar to the 2025 IONIQ 5, providing increased driving range. Hyundai’s new IONIQ 5 is now rated with an EPA-estimated driving range of 318 miles, up from 303 miles in the 2024 model.

Like the IONIQ 5 refresh, the new IONIQ 6 is expected to arrive with a built-in NACS port, allowing access to Tesla Superchargers.

Hyundai-new-IONIQ-6-range
Hyundai teases the new IONIQ 6 N (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai unveiled the new IONIQ 6 design at the Seoul Mobility Show in April, saying it “enhanced every line and detail to make the IONIQ 6 simpler and more progressive.” And last week, Hyundai teased a sporty “N” line mode coming soon. We got a sneak peek of it in public a few days later after it was spotted driving in Korea. You can tell, it’s already shaping up to be a significant upgrade.

As for prices and final specs, we’ll have to wait until closer to launch later this year. Check back soon for more info. We’ll keep you updated with the latest.

Will Hyundai’s electric sedan finally compete with the Model 3? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: Yucca Post Korea

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