Obama reiterates conclusion of attempted Russian interference in 2016 election
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The office of U.S. Democratic former President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that a document issued last week by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence does not undercut the conclusion that Russia tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election but that it did not manipulate any votes.
"Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes," Obama's office said in a statement.
President Donald Trump accused Obama of "treason" on Tuesday, blaming him, without providing evidence, for leading an effort to falsely tie him to Russia and undermine his 2016 presidential campaign.
"These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction," Obama's office said.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Leslie Adler)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
40 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
New Zealand moves to end same-day registration, ban prisoner voting; attorney general warns of rights impact
WELLINGTON, July 29 — The New Zealand government today introduced a law that will prevent people from enrolling to vote on election day and bar prisoners from casting their ballot while in jail, in a move critics say could reduce voter participation. The proposed law, which passed its first of three readings in parliament on Tuesday, will allow people to enrol to vote only up to 13 days before an election. Currently potential voters can enrol up to and on election day. The law will also ban all prisoners from voting and require voting to open 12 days ahead of the official election day. 'This bill overhauls a number of outdated and unsustainable electoral laws. The package of amendments will strengthen the system, helping to deliver timely election results, manage the costs, clarify rules and provide more efficient services to voters,' said Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith, who proposed the bill. However, a report by Attorney General Judith Collins concluded that the bill 'appears to be inconsistent' with the country's Bill of Rights, including the right to freedom of expression and the right to vote. The changes are, in part, prompted by delays in results at the 2023 election, when it took nearly three weeks before an official result was released due to the high number of special votes. Special votes are cast by New Zealanders living or travelling overseas, voting outside their constituency or newly enrolled. The Attorney General's report, which was released publicly on Friday, said in the last election special votes included over 97,000 people who registered for the first time during the voting period, and nearly 134,000 people who changed electoral districts during the voting period. 'This gives some indication of the number of people who may be affected,' said Collins, who is a member of the ruling party. Duncan Webb, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party opposing the bill, on Tuesday called it 'a dark day for democracy'. 'Politicians should be making it easier for people to vote, not harder. It's how we make sure that everybody's voice is heard, that everyone gets a say,' he said. — Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Trump says many starving in Gaza, vows to set up food centres
US President Donald Trump today suggested Israel could do more on humanitarian access. (AP pic) CAIRO : US President Donald Trump said today many people were starving in Gaza and suggested Israel could do more on humanitarian access, as desperate Palestinians hoped for aid a day after the Israeli military announced steps to improve supplies. As the death toll from two years of war in Gaza nears 60,000, a growing number of people are dying from starvation and malnutrition, Gaza health authorities say, with images of starving children shocking the world and fuelling international criticism of Israel over sharply worsening conditions. Describing starvation in Gaza as real, Trump's assessment put him at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said today 'there is no starvation in Gaza' and vowed to fight on against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. Trump, speaking during a visit to Scotland, said Israel has a lot of responsibility for aid flows, and that a lot of people could be saved. 'You have a lot of starving people,' he said. 'We're going to set up food centres,' with no fences or boundaries to ease access, Trump said. The US would work with other countries to provide more humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, including food and sanitation, he said. Today, the Gaza health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 88 children, most in just the last few weeks. Israel announced several measures over the weekend, including daily humanitarian pauses in three areas of Gaza, new safe corridors for aid convoys, and airdrops. The decision followed the collapse of ceasefire talks on Friday. UN agencies said a long-term steady supply of aid was needed. The World Food Programme said 60 trucks of aid had been dispatched – short of target. Almost 470,000 people in Gaza are enduring famine-like conditions, with 90,000 women and children in need of specialist nutrition treatments, it said. 'Our target at the moment, every day is to get 100 trucks into Gaza,' WFP regional director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, Samer AbdelJaber, told Reuters. Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, told Reuters the situation is catastrophic. 'At this time, children are dying every single day from starvation, from preventable disease. So time has run out,' he said. 'The catastrophe is here,' he said. 'Children are dying from starvation, and it's manmade by Israel from A to Z.' Netanyahu denied any policy of starvation towards Gaza, saying aid supplies would be kept up whether Israel was negotiating a ceasefire or fighting, he said. Hamas 'shall be there no more' Almost 470,000 people in Gaza are enduring famine-like conditions. (AP pic) 'We will continue to fight till we achieve the release of our hostages and the destruction of Hamas' military and governing capabilities. They shall be there no more,' Netanyahu said. Trump said Hamas had become difficult to deal with in recent days, but he was talking with Netanyahu about 'various plans' to free hostages still held in the enclave. The war began on Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas rebels attacked communities in southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 251 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. The Gaza health ministry said that 98 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours. In Gaza, Palestinians described the challenge of securing aid for their families living in tent encampments, a chaotic and often dangerous process. 'Currently aid comes for the strong who can race ahead, who can push others and grab a box or a sack of flour. That chaos must be stopped and protection for those trucks must be allowed,' said Emad, 58, who used to own a factory in Gaza City. While some manage to get aid, others are deprived, said Wessal Nabil, from Beit Lahiya. She said her husband was unable to bring aid because of an injured leg. She had tried herself several times but without success. 'So who will feed us? Who will give us to drink?' she told Reuters. The WFP said it has 170,000 metric tonnes of food in the region, outside Gaza, which would be enough to feed the whole population for the next three months if it gets the clearance to bring into the enclave. Cogat, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, said that over 120 trucks were distributed in Gaza yesterday by the UN and international organisations. Some of the trucks that made it into Gaza were seized by desperate Palestinians, and some by armed looters, witnesses said. More aid was expected today. Qatar said it had sent 49 trucks that arrived in Egypt en route for Gaza. Jordan and the UAE airdropped supplies. Israel cut off aid to Gaza from the start of March in what it said was a means to pressure Hamas into giving up dozens of hostages it still holds, and reopened aid with new restrictions in May. Hamas accuses Israel of using hunger as a weapon. Israel says it abides by international law but must prevent aid from being diverted by rebels, and blames Hamas for the suffering of Gaza's people.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Ukrainian drone attacks leave 1 dead, spark fire at train station in Rostov
Rostov's acting governor confirmed a car was damaged as a result of the attack, killing the driver. (EPA Images pic) MOSCOW : Multiple Ukrainian drone attacks across Russia's southern Rostov region have left one person dead, sparked a fire and suspended train traffic at a railway station, Russian authorities said on Tuesday. Russia's defence ministry, which reports only how many drones were destroyed, not how many Ukraine launched, said its defence units downed a total of 74 drones overnight, including 22 over the Rostov region. In the town of Salsk, a car was damaged as a result of the attack, killing the driver, Rostov's acting governor, Yuri Slyusar, said on the Telegram messaging app. A stationary freight train caught fire and power was disrupted at the train station in Salsk, forcing the suspension of train traffic, Russia's Railways said on Telegram. Reuters could not independently verify the report. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which has often said that its attacks inside Russia are in response to Moscow's relentless strikes on Ukraine. Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war that Russia started with its full-scale invasion in 2022.
