Ex-New York Mayor joins Trump's legal team
New York, April 20: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani will join President Donald Trump's legal team, which is also acquiring two other new members, his attorney, Jay Sekulow said.
Sekulow, who along with attorney Ty Cobb is representing Trump in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, made the announcement after Giuliani confirmed the decision to The Washington Post.
Giuliani, who said he had made the decision last week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida, joins the legal team that had been reduced to a bare minimum at a key time in the probe, given that Mueller wants to question the president in the very near future, Efe news reported.
According to Sekulow's statement, Trump emphasised the long friendship between him and the Republican ex-mayor, saying "Rudy is great. He has been my friend for a long time and wants to get this matter quickly resolved for the good of the country."
"It is an honour to be a part of such an important legal team, and I look forward to not only working with the President but with Jay, Ty and their colleagues," Giuliani said in a statement.
Sekulow also announced that Jane Serene Raskin and Marty Raskin, whom he described as very respected former federal prosecutors with decades of experience, will also be joining Trump's legal team.
Giuliani's law firm, Greenberg Traurig, said on Thursday that the former mayor will be taking a "leave of absence ... for an unspecified period of time to handle matters unrelated to the law firm or its clients.
Giuliani told the Post that on Thursday he spoke with Trump and Sekulow about the strategy the legal team will pursue, although he said it was too early to say whether the president would agree to be interviewed by Mueller.
The ex-mayor said that his advice regarding Mueller to Trump had been to let the special counsel do his job.
The additions to Trump's legal team come after the March resignation of John Dowd, who had been the president's main lawyer on issues relating to the Russia probe.
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Al Jazeera condemns Palestinian Authority's decision to bar it from operating in occupied West Bank
Dubai, Jan 2: Al Jazeera has condemned the Palestinian Authority's decision to bar it from operating in the occupied West Bank, saying the decision was “in line” with similar actions taken by Israel.
In a statement Thursday, the Qatar-based broadcaster accused the Western-backed authority of seeking to “hide the truth about events in the occupied territories, especially what is happening in Jenin and its camps.”
The Palestinian Authority, which cooperates with Israel on security matters, launched a rare crackdown on anti-Israel group in the urban Jenin refugee camp last month. The authority has international support but is unpopular among many Palestinians, with critics portraying it as a subcontractor of the Israeli occupation.
The Palestinian Authority announced the suspension of Al Jazeera's activities on Wednesday, accusing it of incitement and interfering in Palestinian internal affairs. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited autonomy in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel banned Al Jazeera last year, accusing it of being a mouthpiece of Hamas. Israeli strikes have killed or wounded several Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza, and Israel has accused some of them of being Hamas members. Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera's West Bank headquarters last year, but the broadcaster has continued to operate in the territory.
Al Jazeera denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its coverage. Its 24-hour reporting from Gaza has focused on the deaths of Palestinian civilians. It has also broadcast Hamas and other group videos in their entirety, showing attacks on Israeli forces and hostages speaking under duress.
Al Jazeera deplores the Palestinian Authority's decision to close its office in the West Bank and considers it in line with the occupation's actions against its staff. pic.twitter.com/VrGHiM9UzC
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 2, 2025
