WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors moved Monday to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Special counsel Jack Smith. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press, file The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month, despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. The decision, revealed in court filings, also amounts to a predictable but nonetheless stunning conclusion to criminal cases that had been seen as the most perilous of the multiple legal threats Trump has faced. It reflects the practical consequences of Trump’s victory, ensuring he enters office free from scrutiny over his hoarding of top secret documents and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Smith’s team emphasized that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and had vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. But it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and the justices sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of using “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Trump says if he takes office, he’ll fire special counsel Jack Smith ‘within 2 seconds’ We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousSri Lanka has met most structural benchmarks, says IMF
Subsea Technology & Rentals (STR) has secured STAR Capital Partnership LLP (STAR) as its new majority shareholder, as the global subsea sensor equipment and solutions provider sets out an ambitious growth strategy, targeting offshore energy, infrastructure and marine science markets. The investment will enable STR to further evolve its equipment and service offering through organic and acquisition-led growth. It will also expand the company’s geographical presence to clients across growing global offshore energy and infrastructure markets, with a new base in Norway set to open early next year. Steve Steele will continue to lead STR as Chief Executive Officer alongside Chief Financial Officer, Stuart Bannerman. Uniti Bhalla, managing partner and Philipp Moy, principal of STAR will join the STR board. Steve Steele, CEO, said: “Securing STAR as our new majority investor will unlock significant growth potential as we plan to enter new markets and further boost our disruptive technology offering. We have undergone a significant transformation over the last few years from an equipment rental business to be one of the most trusted international providers of subsea sensor technology and services across the offshore energy, infrastructure and marine markets, and we intend to go much further. “This deal signals confidence in the long-term role we will play in offshore energy transformation. The investment enables us to further enhance our product and service offering, extend our geographic footprint and pursue complementary acquisitions. It creates opportunities for STR’s loyal clients, employees and suppliers around the world. Steve Steele “I’m also very pleased to be welcoming Uniti and Philipp to the board. These high calibre additions will bring a wealth of experience as we seek to deliver our growth ambitions.” STR operates globally with technology and service facilities in Aberdeen, Great Yarmouth, Houston, Perth and Singapore – with plans to have a presence in Norway early in 2025 and further expansion on the horizon. The company has nearly doubled headcount in the last three years, with 110 people globally and expects to add a further 20 people in the coming year, with further growth to be delivered through strategic acquisitions. Uniti Bhalla, managing partner of STAR, commented: “We are thrilled to partner with STR and assist the company’s global growth ambitions. We were attracted to STR due to its innovation and solutions-based approach, providing highly technical and mission critical sensor equipment into offshore markets, which are set to continue expanding through investment into energy transformation, including subsea power and communications. “The characteristics of the business match our specialist rental and ‘assets as a service’ investment theme, and we are excited to support Steve and his talented team on their vision and growth strategy to benefit STR’s clients worldwide.” STR has 22 dedicated design engineers and production technicians based at its £1 million Global Technology and Innovation Centre of Excellence developing new products for launch in 2025. The company has plans to further increase revenue through a focus on sustained research and development, displacing legacy subsea technologies with innovative challenger products. Baird Capital, an investor of STR since January 2022, has now exited the business following STAR Capital’s investment. Source: STAR CapitalA Romanian hard-right NATO critic and leftist Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu are neck and neck after the first round of presidential elections, in a shock result threatening Romania's staunchly pro-Ukraine stance. Login or signup to continue reading After nearly 90 per cent of votes were counted, Calin Georgescu, 62, was at 22 per cent, while Ciolacu had 21.7 per cent. However, ballots from the sizeable Romanian diaspora, which are not included in the main tally on Sunday, show centre-right politician, Elena Lasconi, 52, first with 33.4 per cent and Georgescu second. Romania's president has a semi-executive role with control over defence spending - likely to be a difficult issue as Bucharest comes under pressure to uphold NATO spending goals during Donald Trump's second term as US president while trying to reduce a heavy deficit. Lasconi told supporters after exit polls were released giving her a small lead over Georgescu, with Ciolacu in first place, that she was optimistic about making the runoff. "But as you can see, the results are very tight, let us wait until tomorrow's results to rejoice." Campaigning focused largely on the soaring cost of living, with Romania having the EU's biggest share of people at risk of poverty. Georgescu is a former prominent member of the hard-right Alliance for Uniting Romanians party. In 2021 he has called NATO's ballistic missile defence shield in the Romanian town of Deveselu a "shame of diplomacy" and said the North Atlantic alliance will not protect any of its members should they be attacked by Russia. Lasconi, a former journalist, joined the Save Romania Union in 2018 and became party head this year. She believes in raising defence spending and helping Ukraine, and surveys suggest she would beat Ciolacu in a runoff. Romania shares a 650km border with Ukraine and since Russia attacked Kyiv in 2022, it has enabled the export of millions of tonnes of grain through its Black Sea port of Constanta and provided military aid, including the donation of a Patriot air defence battery. "It will be a tight run-off, with the Social Democrat leader more vulnerable to negative campaigning due to him being an incumbent PM," political commentator Radu Magdin said. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. 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Silo Pharma stock hits 52-week low at $0.83 amid market challengesAct II PV Wraps Up The Season With FolliesMeet the Arizona Daily Star’s fall high school Student-Athletes of the WeekReports of unexplained drone sightings in New Jersey have spiked in recent weeks, stirring public intrigue. After an anonymous Reddit poster claiming to be an experienced radar operator offered connections to secret military exercises, the story grew more complex. The individual submitted a thorough report online, identifying themselves as a 25-year veteran radar operator for a big agency. They said the drones were a part of a U.S. Space Force-led covert military operation. The report claims that the drills have involved unannounced satellite launches and major disruptions to civilian communication infrastructure. Allegations of Military Activity The activities, according to the Reddit user, included "full lockout" drills, in which military command momentarily takes precedence over civilian radar and aircraft communications. They said that these drills will go on intermittently until Christmas Eve. The user voiced worries about the operations' secrecy, saying they may be connected to a "big show" for the general public. Additionally, they indicated that, starting in October, there were strange satellite launches that were not made public. A CNN team was allegedly spotted shooting at their building, gathering material for an unreleased article, which fueled more rumors. Viral Claims and Conspiracy Theories Online conspiracy theories concerning the reason behind the drone sightings were stoked by the article. One social media user hypothesized that "Project Blue Beam" may be connected to the incidents. According to this hypothesis, governments may attempt to create a one-world government and religion by simulating a heavenly event or extraterrestrial invasion using sophisticated hologram technology. “Look for videos of drones transforming from balls of light to planes,” the commenter urged. They warned people to be wary of any exceptional demonstrations in the upcoming weeks, implying that the government was directing the activities. What Is Project Blue Beam? A conspiracy theory known as Project Blue Beam first surfaced in the 1990s and claimed that there were plans to use staged celestial occurrences to control humanity. According to the notion, there are four main goals: Abolishing traditional religions to create a single world religion.Replacing national identities with a unified global identity.Dismantling traditional family structures for collective allegiance to a global authority.Using staged “miraculous” events to achieve these aims. The notion has been mostly rejected by critics as speculative and unfounded. It continues to be a focus point for people who are wary of military and governmental secrecy, nevertheless. Government Response These allegations have not yet been directly addressed by authorities. Regarding recent drone activities or associated training, neither the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) nor any military agency have released remarks. Speculation has flourished due to the lack of official comments. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.