State’s highest court declares former president ineligible for White House under US constitution’s insurrection clause. Plus, how chemical exposures affect sperm health
Good morning.
The Colorado supreme court yesterday declared Donald Trump ineligible to hold office again under the US constitution’s insurrection clause.
In a historic decision, the justices ordered that he be removed from the state’s presidential primary ballot, after determining that he engaged in insurrection on 6 January 2021. The ruling sets up a likely showdown in the country’s highest court to settle whether the January 6 attack on the Capitol amounted to an insurrection, and whether Trump’s involvement disqualifies him from running for office.
The 4-3 decision by the Colorado supreme court marks the first time a presidential candidate has been deemed unqualified for office under a rarely used provision that bars insurrectionists from holding office.Intensive talks under way on possible new Gaza truce, source tells Reuters
Intensive Qatari and Egyptian-mediated talks are under way for a possible second Gaza truce under which Hamas would return some hostages in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters this morning.
While the number of people likely to be freed was still being discussed, Israel was insisting that women and infirm male hostages be included, said the source, adding that Palestinians jailed for serious offences could also be on the roster.
Meanwhile, a vote on a Gaza ceasefire resolution was postponed for a second time at the UN security council last night, amid reported policy differences inside the Biden administration.
The UN draft resolution, drafted by the United Arab Emirates, had been changed yesterday in an effort to avoid a third US veto since the conflict began more than two months ago. Instead of calling for an “urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities,” the amended text referred to “the urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access, and for urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities”.
