Al Jazeera

Court rules former presidents are shielded from prosecution for actions taken within their constitutional authority, as opposed to a private capacity.

The United States Supreme Court has for the first time recognised that former presidents have immunity from prosecution for certain actions taken in office, as it threw out a judicial decision rejecting Donald Trump’s bid to shield himself from criminal charges involving his efforts to undo his 2020 election loss.

The court on Monday ruled 6-3 that while former presidents enjoy immunity for actions they take within their constitutional authority, they do not for actions taken in a private capacity.

The ruling marked the first time since the nation’s 18th-century founding that the Supreme Court has declared that former presidents may be shielded from criminal charges in any instance.

Hurricane Beryl batters Caribbean with Category 4 winds

DW

Hurricane Beryl destroyed homes on islands from Grenada to St Lucia. Authorities have warned people to exercise caution over the coming days because the storm could strengthen to a Category 5 hurricane.

Hurricane Beryl left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean after it made landfall on Monday. The Category 4 storm ripped doors off their frames, shattered windows and upended roofs off people’s homes, scattering debris from Grenada up to St Lucia.

“This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation. Take action now to protect your life!” the US National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

Ukrainian air base under fire as Russia aims at F-16 arrivals

Reuters

Explosions reverberated across the pre-dawn sky as Ukrainian air defences fended off a Russian attack on this small city in western Ukraine, home to an important air base and a frequent target of Moscow’s strikes. Hours after the assault, the tidy streets of Starokostiantyniv had returned to a semblance of normality.

But the June 27 attack was a stark reminder of the challenges Kyiv faces as it rebuilds its depleted air force and deploys the first U.S.-designed F-16s – fighter aircraft that Russia will be determined to ground or destroy.

The Bank of Japan’s $3 trillion problem

Japan Times

As interest rates rise, the Bank of Japan will have to pay more on deposits, resulting in a mismatch between what it pays out and how much it receives on bonds it holds. | REUTERS

The Bank of Japan could become unprofitable as interest rates rise and the deposits it holds become far more expensive.“It’s quite possible that the BOJ will run in the red,” said Hideo Kumano, executive chief economist at Dai-Ichi Life Research Institute.Analysts add that the independence of the institution could be threatened if it becomes a money-losing entity. The BOJ is now in a race to cut the size of its bond holdings so it can reduce its deposit obligations and the risk that comes with them, they note.