Senin, 29 April 2024

Russia will sink Britain under nuclear tide with Satan 2 missiles if NATO intervenes in Ukraine, vows top... - The Sun

VLADIMIR Putin will sink Britain under a nuclear tidal wave if Nato sends troops to Ukraine, a Russian propagandist has warned.

Top Putin crony Dmitry Kiselyov warned that any bid by the West to "inflict a strategic defeat on Russia” would result in Armageddon.

A top Putin crony has threatened a nuclear attack on Britain
A top Putin crony has threatened a nuclear attack on Britain
Top Putin crony Dmitry Kiselyov warned Russia will sink Britain under a nuclear tidal wave if Nato sends troops to Ukraine
Top Putin crony Dmitry Kiselyov warned Russia will sink Britain under a nuclear tidal wave if Nato sends troops to UkraineCredit: East2West
Putin has been stuffing both Belarus and its westerly enclave of Kaliningrad with nuclear-capable missiles
Putin has been stuffing both Belarus and its westerly enclave of Kaliningrad with nuclear-capable missilesCredit: AFP

Kiselyov - a TV presenter who is also overall chief of Russia’s largest propaganda empire - said Putin would unleash his Satan-2 and other deadly nuclear missiles.

The hardliner warned the West not to drive Putin into a corner.

Speaking on national television, Kiselyov said: "If NATO countries send their troops into Ukraine in order to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, then the very moment about which Putin once said, ‘Why do we need the world, if there is no Russia in it?’ would come.

“Then everything [all types of missile] would be launched by us, in every direction - Sarmats, Yars, and Avangards.

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“American decision-making centres and launchers on land and at sea are already in their sights. France as a nuclear power will have to be disarmed instantly.

“The British Isles will simply go underwater. We have all the required technology for this….but it’s better not to let things get to that point.”

Kiselyov has previously threatened that Britain could be drowned by Russia’s underwater Poseidon weapon.

“There is no way to stop this underwater drone," he warned

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“It has a warhead with a capacity of up to 100 megatons. The explosion of this thermonuclear torpedo close to Britain's shores will raise a giant wave, a tsunami.”

"This tidal wave is also a carrier of extremely high doses of radiation.

“Surging over Britain, it will turn what is probably left of them into radioactive desert. Permanently unusable for anything.”

How dangerous is Putin's nuclear arsenal?

HYPERSONIC Sarmat, also known as Satan 2, is the world's biggest Balistic missile capable of cruising at 15,880mph.

The 208-ton doomsday intercontinental nuclear weapon is the size of a 14-storey building.

It is hailed by Putin as "unstoppable", that can attack the West after flying into space over the south or north pole.

Meanwhile, Russia also has the nuclear-capable hypersonic missile system Avangard that can shoot missiles at targets at 27 times the speed of sound.

At the centre of Russian strategic nuclear force is the Yars missile that currently Putin boasts.

With a range of whopping 7,500 miles, it is a missile capable of striking the US from Russian soil.

Despite being hyped by the dictator, Russia has not yet unleashed Sarmat or Avangard missiles.

He said the threat was not propaganda - and claimed Russia could turn the US into radioactive ash.

"Russia is the only country in the world that is truly capable of turning the United States into radioactive ash," he said.

NUCLEAR ESCALATION

Moscow previously warned that Nato's nuclear weapons and facilities would be targeted if they were deployed in Poland.

The threats follow Warsaw declaring its "readiness" to host the alliance's nuclear warheads - a major move that has provoked furious responses from the Kremlin.

In a sneering statement, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that joint Nato nuclear missions near the Russian border would be considered a threat to its security.

"Let alone permanent deployment [that] hotheads in Warsaw are speaking about," he adds, referring to the possible new nuclear deployment to Poland.

"Any steps in this direction will not add to Poland's security and relevant facilities will inevitably be a target. And they will be in the form of our military planning," Ryabkov added.

Poland said it was ready to host nuclear weapons for Nato on Putin's doorstep in response to Russia moving its own closer to Europe's powerhouses.

The nation sits in a crucial position as it shares a border with both Belarus and the Russian military playground of Kaliningrad - a Baltic enclave wedged between both Poland and Lithuania.

Russia has moved tactical nuclear weapons into Belarus, its biggest ally in Europe, while also stuffing Kaliningrad, its most westerly territory, with nuclear-capable missiles.

SUNAK RAMPS UP UK'S DEFENCE

It comes after PM Rishi Sunak jetted off to Poland along with Nato chief Yens Stoltenberg for urgent security talks.

Sunak seized the moment to pledge to raise the UK's defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030 as he said Britain was on a "war footing".

It marks the biggest defence boost in a generation with a cash injection of £75billion across the next six years.

Sunak hailed it as the “biggest strengthening of national defence in a generation” to combat a growing axis of evil between Russia,  IranChina and North Korea.

A record £500million was earmarked for President Zelensky’s war effort, as the PM warned Putin will not stop at the Polish border should the despot win in Ukraine,

The power-package will include further ammunition, air defence and drones and take the UK’s support for Kyiv to £3billion this financial year.

The Sun also spoke to three senior military experts about what the UK needs to shore up its own defences and build a war chest ready to take on Russia.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

His comments come in the face of repeated warnings of nuclear escalation from Russia.

PUTIN'S NUCLEAR THREATS

NATO is headed for a nuclear showdown with the rest as Nato could be considering moving nukes to Putin's doorstep.

Below is a timeline of some of the thinly veiled threats the Kremlin has made against the West since invading Ukraine two years ago.

  • Feb 24, 2022 - Vladimir Putin: “No matter who tries to stand in our way or all the more so create threats for our country and our people, they must know that Russia will respond immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history."
  • March 26, 2022 - Putin crony Dmitry Medvedev: “We have a special document on nuclear deterrence. This document clearly indicates the grounds on which the Russian Federation is entitled to use nuclear weapons. … [This includes] when an act of aggression is committed against Russia and its allies."
  • April 20, 2022 - Vladimir Putin: “[The new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads] will force all who are trying to threaten our country in the heat of frenzied, aggressive rhetoric to think twice."
  • Feb 29, 2024 - Vladimir Putin: “They must understand that we also have weapons that can hit targets on their territory... All this really threatens a conflict with the use of nuclear weapons and the destruction of civilization. Don’t they get that?”

March 12, 2024 - Vladimir Putin declared that weapons like nukes "exist in order to use them".

chilling nuclear war simulator has also revealed how a Russian nuclear strike could trigger a global conflict - killing 35 million people in just a matter of hours.

The model predicts a catastrophic war escalating from an initial Russian nuclear strike, which quickly draws in other powers.

Known as "Plan A", the four-minute animation aims to highlight the horrific potential consequences of conflict between Russia and NATO countries as all nations would fire strikes against one another.

The model predicts that almost 35 million people would die within hours - many of those in the first 45 minutes.

The trigger-happy tyrant has even started talking about how he could deploy nukes in space, saying that Russia can be "proud" of its work on a "nuclear power plant... for operation in space".

A bombshell warning from US intelligence in February suggested Vlad could be hoping to arm his existing anti-satellite weapon with nukes and launch it into space.

Last year, Putin was said to be readying a deadly 20,000mph "meteorite" hypersonic missile for combat.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov threatened to wipe out Nato's nuclear weapons if they were deployed to Poland
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov threatened to wipe out Nato's nuclear weapons if they were deployed to Poland
Russian military equipment has been seen moving towards Belarus as Putin stocks up the puppet state with his tactical nuclear weapons
Russian military equipment has been seen moving towards Belarus as Putin stocks up the puppet state with his tactical nuclear weapons
Polish president Andrzej Duda said his country will host nuclear arms if they are asked to by Nato
Polish president Andrzej Duda said his country will host nuclear arms if they are asked to by Nato

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Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will not resign after allegations against wife - BBC

Spanish PM SánchezEPA

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has said he will stay on as Spain's leader, following five days of speculation over his future.

Mr Sánchez cancelled official engagements last week after a court opened an initial inquiry into his wife over corruption claims.

He denounced them as a harassment campaign by right-wing media.

Mr Sánchez said he decided to stay on following "expressions of solidarity from all sections of society".

A series of demonstrations were held around Spain over the weekend, calling for the prime minister to continue in his post. More than 10,000 people gathered in front of the Socialist Party (PSOE)'s headquarters in Madrid in a show of support from the prime minister.

"Thanks to this mobilisation, I have decided to continue leading the presidency," Mr Sánchez said, vowing to carry on "with more strength if possible".

"This isn't about the destiny of one leader - it's about deciding what kind of society we want to be. Our country needs this self-reflection. We have let the mud soil our public life for too long," he said.

The accusations against Mr Sánchez's wife, Begoña Gómez, were brought against her by the organisation Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), led by a man linked to the far-right called Miguel Bernad.

On Thursday, Madrid's public prosecutor called for the probe to be shelved for lack of evidence. Manos Limpias also acknowledged the allegations might be incorrect because they were based on online newspaper stories - one of which has already proven to be false.

In his speech, Mr Sánchez also acknowledged that his statement announcing his decision to take time off to reflect may have been "disconcerting" but said that "there are times when the only way to move forward is to stop, reflect and decide what way we want to go."

Many had expected Mr Sánchez to either resign or to call a confidence motion.

Monday's announcement was met with jubilation by the leader's allies.

"Thank you for defending democracy, for championing decency and for fighting for a supportive and courageous Spain," PSOE spokesperson Esther Peña Camarero said on X.

But members of the opposition were less supportive.

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the opposition Popular Party (PP)'s leader of the Madrid region, accused him of being "shameless".

She said the prime minister had taken five days to decide "how to attack judges, political rivals and the free press" and added: "He should give fewer speeches without journalists and more press conferences where he can be asked questions."

For his part, Miguel Bernad of Manos Limpias said Mr Sánchez's decision to stay in his post could hurt the PSOE "tremendously" and claimed more evidence would appear that incriminated Mr Sánchez himself. "I believe that in the coming days there may be events that will make him reconsider his position," Mr Bernad said.

Last week, Conservative Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused the prime minister of creating "a political survival operation" and turning the allegations against his wife and his subsequent response into a show ahead of crucial elections.

Indeed, Mr Sánchez's decision to suspend public duties came at a tense time for his Socialist Party ahead of European Parliament elections in June and elections in the Catalonia region of north-eastern Spain next month.

Pedro Sánchez leads an awkward coalition that includes two Catalan separatist parties, which were persuaded to support the government in return for an amnesty that covered a banned Catalan referendum on secession in 2017.

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2024-04-29 09:20:22Z
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Europe live: Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez says he will not resign - The Guardian

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister, has announced that he staying on in his role.

His decision comes days after the Spanish leader abruptly announced he was considering resigning from office, after a Madrid court said it had opened an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez.

The investigation followed a complaint from the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), which is known to have had links in the past to Spain’s far right.

In a dramatic speech this morning, Sánchez said he decided to continue as prime minister and called for a collective reflection, as well as cleaning up what he described as toxic practices in public life.

He called on Spanish society to become an example and inspiration for the world.

Santos Cerdán León, the Socialist party’s secretary, said “we are going to continue working tirelessly.”

Salvador Illa, a former socialist health minister and candidate for regional president for the Catalan branch of the socialist party in the upcoming 12 May Catalan election, welcomed Pedro Sánchez’s decision.

“This is the best news for Catalonia,” Illa wrote. “A brave decision to recover the dignity of politics and a commitment to stop those who try to undermine our democracy,” he added.

Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister, has announced that he staying on in his role.

His decision comes days after the Spanish leader abruptly announced he was considering resigning from office, after a Madrid court said it had opened an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez.

The investigation followed a complaint from the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), which is known to have had links in the past to Spain’s far right.

In a dramatic speech this morning, Sánchez said he decided to continue as prime minister and called for a collective reflection, as well as cleaning up what he described as toxic practices in public life.

He called on Spanish society to become an example and inspiration for the world.

Spanish media outlets are highlighting that no one knows which path Pedro Sánchez will choose.

Pedro Sánchez is expected to speak in a few minutes. Stay tuned.

Pedro Sánchez’s big announcement will be an “institutional declaration”, which means a televised statement with no questions from the media.

He is set to speak in approximately 20 minutes.

RTVE reports that Pedro Sánchez has already communicated his decision to the king.

Spanish opposition parties have stepped up their attacks on the socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, as he prepares to announce whether he will resign.

Sánchez accused his political opponents – chiefly Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the conservative People’s party (PP), and Santiago Abascal, the leader of the far-right Vox party – of “collaborating with a far-right digital galaxy and with Manos Limpias”.

Ppposition parties have accused Sánchez of cynical manoeuvring, melodrama and self-obsession.

“We citizens shouldn’t be the ones focusing on Sánchez’s navel; Sánchez should be focusing on the citizens,” Feijóo said on Saturday. “Mr Sánchez, the question isn’t whether being prime minister of Spain is worth it or not. The question is whether or not Spain deserves a prime minister like you.”

Vox said the fact that Sánchez still had not resigned was “a democratic anomaly”, and that “Europe is asking itself how Sánchez can carry on being prime minister when his wife faces such serious allegations”.

Read the full story here.

Thousands of people gathered over the weekend to show their support for Pedro Sánchez and urge him to stay on as prime minister.

A man holds a placard reading 'Sanchez, keep it up!' amid other supporters gathering at a demonstration organized by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) in support of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on April 27, 2024 in Madrid.
People march to show support for Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in Madrid, Spain, April 28.

Ahead of today’s announcement, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the conservative People’s party (PP), criticised Spain’s socialist party for being focused on the future of its leadership and accused Pedro Sánchez of undermining democracy.

What’s next?

Now, there would appear to be three possible scenarios.

Sánchez’s public letter last week – which he is understood to have written himself and without consulting his advisers – has been described by his allies as a deeply personal measure of last resort from a man sick of the attacks on his wife, which have escalated over recent years.

“Now that we’ve reached this point, the question I quite legitimately ask myself is: is it all worth it? I sincerely don’t know,” the prime minister wrote in his letter. “I need to stop and think about it.”

Sánchez insisted on his wife’s innocence and openly accused the conservative People’s party (PP) and the far-right Vox party of colluding with Manos Limpias and hostile sections of the media in an attempt to bring about his “personal and political collapse” by attacking his wife.

On Wednesday night, Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, abruptly announced he was cancelling his public duties for the rest of the week and considering resigning from office.

He is expected to announce his decision today at approximately 11am CET.

What prompted the shock announcement?

Although Spanish politics has become increasingly polarised, personal and bitter over recent years, Sánchez said he had felt compelled to consider his position after what he called a baseless “harassment and bullying operation” conducted against him and his wife by political opponents and hostile sections of the rightwing and far-right media.

The announcement came hours after a Madrid court said it had opened an investigation into Sánchez’s wife, Begoña Gómez, “for the alleged offence of influence peddling and corruption”. The investigation followed a complaint from the pressure group Manos Limpias (Clean Hands).

Read the full explainer here.

Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez next to his wife, Begona Gomez, gives a thumb up during a campaign closing meeting in Madrid, Spain, Friday, 21 July 2023.

Good morning and welcome back to the Europe blog.

Today we will be looking at the latest in Spain, where the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, is expected to make an announcement today about his future.

Will he stay or will he go? Sánchez’s decision is being closely watched both in Spain and around Europe.

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2024-04-29 08:12:00Z
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At least five killed after tornadoes strike central US states - BBC

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At least five people, including a four-month-old baby, have been killed after dozens of tornadoes ripped through the central US causing serious damage.

Tens of thousands of residents were left without power following separate storms that began on Friday.

Four of the deaths happened in Oklahoma, where a state of emergency has been declared in a dozen counties.

A fifth person died from their injuries in Iowa after a separate storm system hit the Midwest, local media reported.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said a preliminary investigation had confirmed some of Saturday's tornadoes had gusts of above 136 miles (218km) an hour.

The storms - which swept from Texas to Missouri - also saw up to seven inches (18cm) of rain fall in some places within hours, the AFP news agency reported.

The town of Sulphur, in eastern Oklahoma, was hit particularly hard. Video of the aftermath showed flattened homes and overturned vehicles.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, around 100 injuries were reported.

The towns of Holdenville and Marietta were also badly damaged.

The speaker of the Oklahoma state House of Representatives, Charles McCall, insisted that the affected areas would recover.

"We will rise, we'll clean up, we'll rebuild and we'll move forward," he told a news conference in Sulphur on Sunday.

The state's Governor, Kevin Stitt, also visited the town and said the damage there was the worst he had seen in his six years in office.

"You just can't believe the destruction," he said.

"It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed."

The White House said US President Joe Biden had spoken with Mr Stitt and offered the federal government's full support.

An aerial view of buildings damaged in tornadoes
USA Today Network/Reuters

It comes after a separate weather system brought more than 70 tornadoes to the Midwestern states of Nebraska and Iowa on Friday.

Most happened around the city of Omaha, where one resident described his ordeal.

"Saw this big tornado coming and just had to cover with the kids and wife as fast as we could," Brent Richardson told the Associated Press.

"Loudest freight train you've ever heard in your life coming right through your house."

"Utter destruction, just chaos. A neighbourhood that's trying to band together to help people out and you have some people trapped in houses that we're trying to get out and there's houses that aren't standing any more."

Nebraska's governor issued emergency declarations for three counties on Sunday, making them also eligible for extra funding towards rescue and recovery operations.

Further severe weather has been forecast.

"The threat of tornadoes appears to be lower, but instances of damaging winds and hail are still expected, especially across north-eastern Texas, northern Louisiana, Arkansas and southern Missouri," meteorologist Brandon Buckingham from the commercial forecaster AccuWeather reported.

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Have you been affected by a tornado in your area? If it's safe to do so, you can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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Minggu, 28 April 2024

Palestinian leader appeals to US to stop Israel's Rafah offensive - BBC

RafahEPA

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the US is the only country that can stop Israel from attacking Rafah, the southern Gaza city where more than a million people are taking refuge.

Mr Abbas, who runs parts of the occupied West Bank, said any attack could see Palestinians flee Gaza.

Israel has consistently vowed to carry out an offensive in Rafah.

US President Joe Biden "reiterated his clear position" on Rafah to Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu in a call on Sunday.

The US has repeatedly said it cannot support a large-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah without seeing a credible plan to keep civilians out of harm's way.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Saudi capital Riyadh earlier, Mr Abbas - whose Palestinian Authority is not present in Gaza, which has been under Hamas rule since 2007 - urged the US to intervene.

"We appeal to the United States of America to ask Israel to stop the Rafah operation because America is the only country capable of preventing Israel from committing this crime," he said, adding that only a "small strike" on Rafah would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza strip.

"The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people's history would then happen."

More than half of Gaza's population is in Rafah and conditions in the overcrowded southern city are already dire, with displaced people there telling the BBC there was a lack of food, water and medication.

While the White House did not elaborate on what specifically Mr Biden's latest comments to Mr Netanyahu were regarding the planning offensive in Rafah, national security spokesman John Kirby told the ABC network that Israel had agreed to listen to US concerns and thoughts before going in.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to arrive in Riyadh later on Sunday and hold talks with Mr Abbas.

Meanwhile, the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a potential ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages in Gaza, which have gained new momentum recently, have been further exposing divisions in Israel's governing coalition.

War cabinet member and opposition figure Benny Gantz on Sunday said that the current government "would not have the right to continue to exist" if a reasonable deal to return the hostages was not accepted.

"Entering Rafah is important in the long struggle against Hamas. The return of our abductees, is urgent and of far greater importance," Mr Gantz wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, however, said the government should resign if it accepted a deal in which the planned offensive in Rafah was cancelled.

Their comments come after Israel's foreign minister said that the country could suspend the incursion, which Mr Netanyahu has said is the next step in its battle against Hamas, if there was a hostage deal.

The Israeli military said its chief Herzi Halevi had approved plans to continue the war, with Israeli media saying this referred to the Rafah operation.

Long-running talks mediated by Egypt and Qatar have largely stalled because of the gaps between the Israeli and Hamas positions, but on Sunday Hamas said it would send representatives to Cairo to give a response to the latest proposal.

US media have quoted unnamed Egyptian officials as saying the latest ceasefire proposal given to Hamas involved a several-week period of calm intended to lead to the end of the war, in return for the release of 20 hostages.

Hamas wants a permanent end to the war and withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza, while Israel insists Hamas must be destroyed in Gaza and all hostages freed.

Egypt and other Arab states have previously said an influx of Palestinian refugees fleeing the war would be unacceptable because it would amount to the expulsion of Palestinians from their land.

Satellite pictures have shown new tent encampments being built near the Gaza coast, to the west of Rafah and the city of Khan Younis slightly further north, which has been left largely in ruins. Media reports say the tents are to accommodate people displaced from Rafah.

map

The current war began when Hamas attacked Israeli communities near Gaza, killing about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and taking about 250 hostages. Some 133 hostages are believed still to be in Gaza, of whom about 30 are thought to be dead, after a brief truce in November saw some hostages released.

This week Hamas's armed wing released two videos showing the first proof of life of three hostages since they were abducted last October.

Israel's campaign of aerial bombardment and ground operations in Gaza since 7 October has killed 34,454 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there.

Over the six months of war, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have entered and taken control of all of northern Gaza including Gaza City and most of central and southern Gaza including Khan Younis.

They have since withdrawn from almost all of those areas but troops remain stationed on a road Israel has built that separates northern and southern Gaza.

However, Palestinians displaced to southern Gaza - where the Israeli military told them to go for their own safety earlier in the war - have been unable to return to homes further north, a key demand Hamas is making in ceasefire talks, and Israel has given no indication when they will be allowed to.

Meanwhile, deadly Israeli bombardment has continued across Gaza, including in Rafah, with the Israeli military saying it has been striking launch sites for projectiles.

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2024-04-28 21:58:21Z
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Biden cracks Stormy Daniels joke aimed at Trump during White House dinner - The Independent

Joe Biden wasted no time taking aim at Donald Trump during last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner (27 April), bringing up his ongoing Stormy Daniels hush money trial.

The president poked fun at jibes about his age, remarking that he was “running against a six-year-old”, before acknowledging Trump’s ongoing legal battle.

“Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it Stormy weather”, he told the crowd.

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to the adult film star.

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2024-04-28 10:42:00Z
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Australians call for tougher laws on violence against women after killings - BBC

melbourne protest 28 AprilGetty Images

Rallies have taken place across Australia in response to a wave of recent violence against women.

Demonstrators want gender-based violence to be declared a national emergency and stricter laws put in place to stop it.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the issue was a national crisis.

In Australia, a woman has been killed on average every four days so far this year.

Organiser Martina Ferrara said: "We want alternative reporting options for victim survivors to let them own their stories and own their healing and reporting journey.

"And we want the government to acknowledge this is an emergency action and take immediate action."

Speaking at a march in the capital Canberra attended by thousands of protesters, Mr Albanese admitted the government at all levels needed to do better.

"We need to change culture, the attitudes, the legal system and the approach by all governments," he said.

"We need to make sure that this isn't up to women, it's up to men to change men's behaviour as well," he added.

Anthony Albanese
EPA

Responding to calls by protestors for violence against women to be classified as a national emergency, Mr Albanese said the classification was normally used during floods or bushfires to release a temporary injection of cash.

"We don't need one month or two months - we need to address this in a serious way, week by week, month by month, year by year," he said.

His comments were met with mixture of heckles and cheers,

But Australia's federal attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has rejected holding a royal commission into gender-based violence.

Mr Albanese has repeatedly called gender-based violence an epidemic but it's not new: in 2021, marches took place across the country over allegations of sexual misconduct within the government.

In Adelaide, it was estimated around 3,000 people rallied outside the city's parliament building on Saturday.

Protests have also taken place in Brisbane, Melbourne, the Gold Coast and Newcastle over Friday and Saturday, 9News reported.

Recent killings have put the issue back in the spotlight.

Earlier this month, a man stabbed six people to death in a Sydney shopping centre. Five of the victims were women and the police are looking at whether they were the target.

New South Wales Police Force commissioner Karen Webb said "the offender focused on women and avoided the men".

The rallies also coincided with the charging of a man with the alleged murder of 30-year-old mother-of-four Erica Hay, who was found dead after a house fire in Perth earlier this month.

In all, 27 women have been killed in the first 119 days of 2024, according to data compiled by the campaign group Destroy the Joint.

sydney protest 27 april
Getty Images

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2024-04-28 07:33:50Z
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