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Trump sentenced, spared jail, days before inauguration
US President-elect Donald Trump will not go to jail or pay a fine over his criminal conviction stemming from hush money paid to a porn star, a judge ruled on Jan 10, but the sentencing will place a judgment of guilt on his record.
Justice Juan Merchan’s sentencing of Trump, 78, to an unconditional discharge closes a case that had loomed over his bid to retake the White House just days before his Jan 20 inauguration.
By granting an unconditional discharge, the judge would place a judgment of guilt on Trump’s permanent record – without any other legal penalty such as custody, a fine or probation.
Trump pleaded not guilty and has vowed to appeal against the guilty verdict. He appeared with his lawyer on TV screens beamed to the courtroom with two American flags in the background.
US hits Russian oil with toughest sanctions yet
US President Joe Biden’s administration imposed its broadest package of sanctions so far targeting Russia’s oil and gas revenues on Jan 10, in an effort to give Kyiv and Donald Trump’s incoming team leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine.
The move is meant to cut Russia’s revenues for continuing the war that has killed or wounded tens of thousands and reduced cities to rubble since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February, 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X that the measures announced on Jan 10 will “deliver a significant blow” to Moscow.
English (US)