US opens criminal probe into New York mayoral candidate Cuomo
WASHINGTON : The US department of justice has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Cuomo, a Democratic frontrunner in the New York mayoral race, after Republicans accused him of lying to Congress about his actions as governor during the Covid-19 pandemic, US media reported.
The reported probe comes after the Trump administration dropped corruption charges last month against the current New York mayor Eric Adams, who is running for reelection and has been accused of cozying up to president Donald Trump for political gain.
Adams – a Democrat who had been accused of wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign donations and a bribery conspiracy – has vowed to assist Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration, sparking criticisms of an alleged quid pro quo between the mayor and Trump's administration.
The US attorney's office in Washington began the inquiry against Cuomo about a month ago, the New York Times reported yesterday, citing two unnamed people familiar with the matter.
Republican members of Congress have pushed for the justice department to investigate Cuomo, alleging he lied while testifying during a congressional probe into Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic.
In 2021, Cuomo resigned in disgrace after 10 years as governor of New York following accusations of sexual harassment. A prosecutor dropped related charges against him in Jan 2022.
Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi told CBS the former governor had not been contacted by law enforcement about the investigation related to the Covid deaths case, and questioned why it would be leaked now.
'The answer is obvious: This is lawfare and election interference plain and simple – something President Trump and his top department of justice officials say they are against,' Azzopardi said, according to CBS.
New York, the largest US city, is a bastion of the Democratic party, and the party's candidate – chosen in a June primary – will be the favorite to win November's mayoral election.
Adams, the Democratic incumbent, has said he will run as an independent.
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The Star
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Still in turmoil a year after uprising
The country was on the cusp of charting a new beginning last year after its former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in a student-led uprising, ending her 15-year rule and forcing her to flee to India. As the head of a new interim government, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus promised to hold a credible election to return to democracy, initiate electoral and constitutional reforms and restore peace on the streets after hundreds were killed in weeks of violence that began on July 15, 2024. A year later, the Yunus-led administration has struggled to contain the fallout of the uprising. Bangladesh finds itself mired in a growing political uncertainty, religious polarisation and a challenging law-and-order situation. Here's what to know about Bangladesh a year after the protests that toppled Hasina. Uncertainty about the future of democracy looms large in Bangladesh. The student protesters who toppled Hasina formed a new political party, promising to break the overwhelming influence of two major dynastic political parties – the Bangladesh Nationalists Party, or BNP, and Hasina's Awami League. But the party's opponents have accused it of being close to the Yunus-led administration and creating chaos for political mileage by using state institutions. New leadership: Yunus taking the oath of office as the head of Bangladesh's interim government on Aug 8, 2024. — AP Meanwhile, Bangladesh's political landscape has further fragmented after the country's largest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, returned to politics more than a decade after it was suppressed by Hasina's government. Aligned with the student-led party, it's trying to fill the vacuum left by the Awami League, which was banned in May. Its leader, Hasina, is facing trial for crimes against humanity. 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But this is especially difficult to do as an unelected government without a public mandate.' Yunus has delayed an election because he wants reforms – from changes to the constitution and elections to the judiciary and police. Discussions with political parties, except Hasina's Awami League, are ongoing. Some of the reforms include putting a limit on how many times a person can become the prime minister, introduction of a two-tier parliament, and appointment of a chief justice. Students clashing with police during a protest in Dhaka in this file photo. — AP There appears to be little consensus over some basic reforms. While both the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami parties have agreed to some of them with conditions, other proposals for basic constitutional reforms have become a sticking point. The Jamaat-e-Islami also wants to give the interim government more time to complete reforms before heading into polls, while BNP has been calling for an early election. 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The Star
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Peru seizes 4 tons of black market mercury bound for illegal gold mines
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The Star
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US House Speaker Johnson says Epstein case 'not a hoax'
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