Briefly

UNITED STATES

Supreme Court weighs Trump immunity claim

The US Supreme Court appeared skeptical on Thursday of Donald Trump's claim that a former president is "absolutely immune" from criminal prosecution, but looked set to issue a ruling that could further delay his election subversion trial. During 2.5 hours of arguments, most of the justices seemed unlikely to embrace Trump's argument, but the conservative justices, who hold a 6-3 majority, indicated concern about presidents lacking any degree of immunity, especially for less egregious acts. The decision could further delay Trump's trial if the Supreme Court instructs lower courts to determine how to apply its newly formulated view of immunity.

AFRICA

US to remove troops from Chad, Niger

The United States will withdraw some troops from Chad, the Pentagon said on Thursday, a move that came just days after Washington was forced to agree to remove its troops from neighboring Niger. The US has about 100 troops stationed in Chad as part of its strategy to combat extremism in West Africa. Earlier this month, Chad's air force chief ordered the US to halt activities at an air base near the capital N'Djamena, according to a letter sent to the transitional government as seen by Reuters. In Niger, the majority of the 1,000 US personnel assigned there are also expected to depart.

INDIA

Election resumes as heat wave hits voters

India's six-week-long election resumed on Friday with millions of people lining up outside polling stations in parts of the country hit by a scorching heat wave. The second round of the poll — conducted in phases to ease the immense logistical burden of staging an election in the world's most populous country — includes districts that have seen temperatures above 40 C this week. Some 160 million people eligible to vote across 13 states and federal territories went to the polls on Friday, to cast votes for 88 seats out of the 543 in the lower house of parliament. Voter turnout around the halfway mark was 39 percent, an Election Commission spokesperson said.

Agencies Via Xinhua