Good morning.
Donald Trump has formally announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, likely sparking another period of tumult in US politics and especially his own political party.
“In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States,” Trump said from the ballroom of his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, last night, where he stood on a stage crowded with US flags and make America great again banners.
Vowing to defeat Joe Biden in 2024, he declared: “America’s golden age is just ahead.”
The long-expected announcement by a twice-impeached president who incited a deadly attack on Congress seems guaranteed to deepen a stark partisan divide that has fueled fears of increased political violence. But it also comes as Trump’s standing in the Republican party has suddenly been put into question.
Will Trump’s legal battles stand in the way? Federal and state authorities are investigating his personal, political and financial conduct, and that of his business empire. How any indictment would affect Trump’s run remains unclear – he is experienced in using delaying actions in the courts and in using political or investigatory moves against him as fuel to fire up his base.
Just a few months ago it was received wisdom that the Republican nomination was his for the taking. What happened? The star of the former president was already waning among the party faithful before the midterms, as Cas Mudde explores.
Poland missile ‘unlikely’ to have been fired from Russia, Biden says
Joe Biden has said the missile that landed in Poland, killing two people, was unlikely to have been fired from Russia because of its trajectory.
The US president was speaking at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, after convening an emergency meeting of western leaders to discuss the explosion on Nato territory that has the potential to take the war in Ukraine into a even more dangerous dimension.
Asked whether the missile was fired from Russia, Biden said: “There is preliminary information that contests that. I don’t want to say that until we completely investigate. But it is unlikely in the minds [sic] of its trajectory that it was fired from Russia.” He added: “But we will see, we will see.”
The Polish foreign ministry described the rocket as “Russian-made” missile, a phrase that could include one from S-300 surface-to-air systems in the possession of Ukraine.
What might have happened? Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said he took Russian denials of involvement in the attack seriously, adding it was likely to be a technical error.
Gay Qataris physically abused then recruited as agents, campaigner says
Gay Qataris have been promised safety from physical torture in exchange for helping the authorities to track down other LGBTQ+ people in the country, a prominent Qatari gay rights campaigner has told the Guardian.
Dr Nasser Mohamed, who lives in the US but retains contact with hundreds of gay Qataris, said some secret networks had been compromised after arrests by the Gulf state’s preventive security department.
“A lot [of gay Qataris] don’t know about each other,” Mohamed said. “And it’s safer that way because when the law enforcement finds one person, they actively try to find their entire network. But some of the people who were captured and physically abused were then recruited as agents.
“Now there are agents in the gay community that were promised safety from physical torture in exchange for working for the preventive security department and helping them find groups of LGBTQ+ people.”
Mohamed said foreign gay football fans would not be persecuted while at the World Cup finals in Qatar. However, he warned that local LGBTQ+ supporters faced a very different reality.
What has Fifa said in response? The world football governing body said it was committed to inclusivity and that it was “confident that all necessary measures” would be in place for LGBTIQ+ fans “and allies to enjoy the tournament in a welcoming and safe environment, just as for everyone else”.
What about Qatar? In a statement, the country’s supreme committee for delivery and legacy promised the World Cup would be free of any discrimination. “The SC is committed to delivering an inclusive and discrimination-free Fifa World Cup experience that is welcoming, safe and accessible to all participants, attendees and communities in Qatar and around the world,” it said.
In other news …
Two hurricanes, two months and a number of technical fixes since previous launch attempts were thwarted, Nasa’s Artemis 1, the most powerful space rocket in history, is finally on course for the moon after lifting off from Florida early today.
More than 1 billion teenagers and young adults may be at risk of hearing loss because of their use of earphones and attendance at loud music venues, a study suggests. An international team of researchers estimate 24% of 12- to 34-year-olds are listening to music at an “unsafe level”.
Rishi Sunak has played down the prospect of any US trade deal in the near future, just days after suggesting he was in no rush to complete a deal with India before he had re-examined the package. The prime minister also denied Brexit was playing a role in the UK’s economic downturn.
People struggling to grasp why a former University of Virginia football player allegedly shot dead three team members on a bus last Sunday have found few answers, though the suspect’s father has said his son had become “paranoid” as he faced potential school discipline.
Harvey Weinstein’s most prominent accuser faced a grueling cross-examination on Tuesday, as Weinstein’s defense attorney hammered her on details, casting doubt on her memory and demanding clarification on the most graphic details of the alleged rape.
Stat of the day: Taylor Swift tour tickets listed for as much as $22,000 as Ticketmaster crashes
Millions of Taylor Swift fans swarmed Live Nation’s Ticketmaster website yesterday to try to score seats for her first tour in five years, causing periodic outages as some tickets were quickly posted for resale for thousands of dollars. The ticket-selling site said in a statement that “historically unprecedented demand” had seen millions of people attempt to buy presale tickets. While presale tickets were initially only open to people selected as “verified fans” – a system set up to deter bots and scalpers – some tickets were already being listed on resale sites such as StubHub for as much as $22,700 each.
Don’t miss this: What does $5,000 a month get you? The viral star barging into New York apartments
Come inside a shoebox studio apartment with a stripper pole in downtown Manhattan that rents for $2,095 (£1,764) a month. Or an $800 housing project unit with hand-painted kitchen walls. What about a luxury $5,000 rental with marble countertops? Curious voyeurs can see them all on Caleb Simpson’s TikTok, and they won’t be alone, writes Alaina Demopoulos. Nearly 6 million people follow his short-form house tours, romps that he bills as “this generation’s MTV Cribs”.
… or this: Pakistani trans actor tells of deep sadness over film ban
The transgender star of an award-winning Pakistan film that depicts a love affair between a man and a trans women has said she is very sad at the government’s decision to ban the movie and hopes it will be reversed. Alina Khan, who stars in Joyland, the first major Pakistani motion picture to feature a trans actor in a lead role, said: “I’ve been very sad. There’s nothing against Islam and I don’t understand how Islam can get endangered by mere films.” Joyland, which is Pakistan’s contender at the Oscars, was to go on national release on Friday, but was banned after pressure from hardline Islamic groups who called the film “repugnant”.
Climate check: Fear of backsliding on Glasgow pledges dominates Cop27
Fear of countries backsliding on their commitments to tackle the climate crisis dominated the Cop27 UN climate talks in Egypt yesterday. Governments are supposed to be building on pledges made last year at Cop26 in Glasgow. These include limiting global heating to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and doubling the amount of financial assistance for poor countries to adapt to the impacts of extreme weather. However, documents and proposals seen by the Guardian, and accounts from negotiating teams, showed some countries attempting to unpick agreements and water down commitments.
What else is happening at Cop27? Follow our live coverage here.
Last Thing: Virginia McLaurin, who danced with Obamas as centenarian, dies at 113
Virginia McLaurin, a woman from Washington DC who was 106 when in 2016 she visited and danced with Barack and Michelle Obama in the White House, has died. She was 113 years old. A family statement said she had died after receiving hospice care for a few days, adding: “She lived an incredibly full life and appreciated all the love she received from people.” When McLaurin visited the Obamas, footage of the joyous encounter quickly went viral. On the White House Facebook page, the video has been viewed 70m times. When McLaurin started dancing, the then president said: “She’s dancing! Come on! What’s the secret to dancing at 106?”
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