The US Supreme Court has rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s last-minute bid to halt his sentencing on Friday in the criminal hush-money case.

Trump had urged the top court to consider whether he was entitled to an automatic stay of his sentencing, but the justices rejected the application by 5-4.

Trump was found guilty of falsifying records to disguise reimbursements for a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels as legal expenses in 2016.
Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, has indicated he will not consider a jail term for Trump.

Reacting on Thursday evening, the president-elect told reporters the case was a “disgrace”, although the Supreme Court decision was a “fair decision, actually.”

“It’s a judge that shouldn’t have been on the case,” he said, apparently referring to Justice Merchan, and adding “they can have fun with their political opponent”.
“The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us,” he posted later on his Truth Social platform.
Two of the Supreme Court’s conservative justices – John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett – joined the three liberals to deny Trump’s request for a delay.
The remaining four judges – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – would have allowed Trump’s bid to postpone sentencing.

South Korea’s presidential security chief resigned Friday as he faced questioning over why his guards prevented the detention of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol and investigators prepared to make a fresh arrest attempt.

Yoon has refused questioning and last week resisted arrest in a stand-off between his guards and investigators after his short-lived power grab on December 3 plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades.

Yoon’s Presidential Security Service (PSS) chief Park Chong-jun submitted his resignation on Friday morning “as he attended a police questioning”, a PSS official told AFP.

It was later accepted by acting president Choi Sang-mok, an official from the interim leader’s office told reporters.

It came as investigators and police prepare to mount a new bid to arrest Yoon over his martial law declaration after securing a new warrant this week.

Earlier on Friday, Park told reporters there must be no bloodshed if investigators attempt another arrest of Yoon.

“I understand many citizens are concerned about the current situation where government agencies are in conflict and confrontation,” he said.

“I believe that under no circumstances should there be physical clashes or bloodshed,” he added, before being questioned at the Korean National Police Agency.

Rival protest camps in sub-zero temperatures are calling for Yoon’s impeachment to be declared invalid on one side, and for him to be immediately detained on the other.

Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested if investigators are able to detain him.

His legal team have said they will not comply with the current warrant.

The Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) said it will “prepare thoroughly” for the second arrest attempt.

Police on Friday held a meeting of its commanders to plan for the renewed effort, Yonhap news agency reported.

Park twice ignored police requests to appear for questioning over allegations of obstruction of public duty since his team blocked investigators from arresting Yoon on January 3.

The UK’s new visa-waiver entry system took effect on Wednesday for passengers from dozens more countries, including millions of annual visitors from the United States, Canada and Australia.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme — similar to the ESTA system in the United States — requires visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to acquire pre-travel authorisation.

Costing £10 ($12.50) and allowing stays of up to six months at a time over two years, it first launched in 2023, with Qatar, before being extended last year to five regional Gulf neighbours.

Now, it has been expanded to include citizens of around 50 more countries and territories, from Argentina, Brazil and New Zealand to Japan, South Korea and Caribbean nations.

With the system kicking in for them on Wednesday, they have been able to apply since last November.

The scheme, aimed at tightening border security, will next be extended to dozens of EU and European countries and territories on April 2.

Citizens covered by the scheme will be able to apply for the new ETA — which is digitally linked to the traveller’s passport — via an app, from March 5.

Around six million people from the US, Canada and Australia visit Britain each year, according to the UK government.

Eligible travellers will need one even if they are just using the UK to connect to an onward flight abroad. ETA also applies to children and babies.

London’s Heathrow Airport has opposed the scheme, saying its rollout has reduced the number of passengers transiting through the UK, and that it makes the country “less competitive” and harms economic growth.

The new requirement does not apply to British and Irish citizens, those with passports from British overseas territories and legal UK residents.

It does not change the requirements for citizens of countries who need a visa to visit Britain, such as Chinese, Ecuadorian and South African travellers.

Previously, most visitors not requiring a visa could arrive at a British airport and proceed through immigration control with their passport.

The new UK entry scheme mirrors the imminent ETIAS scheme for visa-exempt nationals travelling to 30 European countries, including France and Germany, which will cost seven euros ($7.40) and last three years.

The European Commission expects the system — which will apply to around 60 countries, including the US, Canada, Brazil and the UK — to become operational in the middle of this year.