March 31, 2023

*) New York grand jury votes to indict Donald Trump A New York grand jury has voted to indict former US president Donald Trump over hush money payments made to an adult movie actress, Stormy Daniels, ahead of the 2016 election. He is the first ever US president to face a criminal charge. Within minutes of the indictment, Trump issued a statement raging against the decision, which comes as he makes a bid to return to the White House in the 2024 election. Trump is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday, his lawyer said. *) Türkiye parliament ratifies Finland's NATO membership Türkiye becomes the final NATO nation to ratify Finland's membership of the defence alliance in the wake of Russia's offensive in Ukraine. Turkish lawmakers unanimously backed the Nordic country's accession. Türkiye's ratification leaves Finland — which shares over a thousand kilometres of border with Russia — only a few steps from becoming the 31st member of the world's most powerful military bloc. Following the vote, the Finnish president thanked NATO's member states for "their trust and support." *) Malaysia court rejects Najib Razak's bid to review 1MDB graft conviction Malaysia's top court has rejected with finality ex-prime minister Najib Razak's bid to overturn a conviction for corruption. Najib, who is the son of another former prime minister, had appealed his case claiming that he did not receive a fair hearing while accusing the judge of conflict of interest. His wife Rosmah, who was also found guilty of graft last year, attended the proceedings on Friday. With the decision, the 69-year-old former leader will continue to serve his 12-year jail sentence for abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over the transfer of millions of dollars to his personal bank account. *) India temple collapse leaves 35 dead, 16 injured At least 35 people have been killed and 16 others injured after the roof of a temple collapsed in central India. The incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh state where devotees gathered at