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Putin Expresses Hope to Avoid Nuclear Option in Ukraine as War Drags On
We are buying gas and steel from Russia with the sanctions on?that would be news to me where’s the proof?now if you say India /china and the like I’d buy that.otherwise I think you are telling a porkie and if true it bolsters my point of trump should act more like an American than a tool for putin the enemy. -
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UK and EU Reaffirm Human Rights Commitment Despite Domestic Pressure
UK and EU Reaffirm Human Rights Commitment Despite Domestic Pressure Britain and the European Union are poised to make a joint commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) at an upcoming summit, marking a significant moment in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s efforts to reset the UK’s post-Brexit relationship with the bloc. According to a leaked draft of the joint statement prepared for the summit on May 19, both sides will emphasize the importance of upholding national law and international agreements, including the ECHR. The document states that the UK and EU are “committed” not only to United Nations accords but also specifically to the European Convention on Human Rights. This declaration comes despite growing pressure from some Right-leaning Labour MPs and figures representing Red Wall constituencies, who have urged Starmer to reconsider Britain’s adherence to the ECHR. Rather than aligning with these calls, the leaked draft underlines a continued partnership in upholding human rights obligations. The text also deliberately avoids controversial language around immigration, using the term “irregular” migration in place of “illegal” migration. “We recognise the shared challenge of irregular migration and the need to work across the whole route to address it,” the statement reads. “We note too the importance of securing our collective borders, while remaining committed to ensuring international protection for those who need it.” Starmer has framed the upcoming summit as the beginning of a broader “Brexit reset,” which he hopes will pave the way for improved UK-EU relations after years of tensions under Conservative leadership. One of the key goals of the summit is to establish a new defence and security pact with the EU. Additionally, the Labour government is aiming to initiate talks that would smooth trade across borders, particularly for food products, and facilitate energy exchanges between Britain and Europe. The leaked document emerges against a backdrop of ongoing debate around the role of the ECHR in UK immigration courts. Critics argue that the convention, particularly Article Eight which covers the right to a family life, has been exploited by lawyers to prevent the deportation of foreign criminals and undocumented migrants. Although Labour is working on proposals to reform how the ECHR is applied in court decisions, Starmer and his ministers have made clear that they have no intention of abandoning or circumventing the convention itself. This position has drawn sharp criticism from the Conservative opposition. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, condemned the Labour government’s approach, saying, “This document shows Labour will not take the action needed to secure our borders. They are more interested in the ECHR, which is twisted by immigration lawyers and judges to allow dangerous foreign criminals and illegal immigrants to stay in the UK, than they are about protecting our borders.” Philp also criticised the language used in the draft statement. “The reference to ‘irregular’ migration is also absurd – people crossing the Channel or Mediterranean are illegal immigrants. So long as we are led by Keir Starmer, a weak human rights lawyer, our borders will not be secure. It’s no surprise that 2025 so far has been the worst year in history for illegal immigrants crossing the channel under Starmer and Labour,” he said. Despite this criticism, the Labour government appears determined to strengthen cooperation with the EU, while upholding international legal standards. The summit is expected to serve as a litmus test for Starmer’s broader ambitions to reframe Britain’s global posture and reinforce diplomatic ties once strained by Brexit-era divisions. Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-05-07 -
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Correctional Officer Admits Guilt in Brutal Beating Death of Inmate Robert Brooks
Correctional Officer Admits Guilt in Brutal Beating Death of Inmate Robert Brooks A New York correctional officer has pleaded guilty to felony manslaughter in connection with the fatal beating of inmate Robert Brooks inside Marcy Correctional Facility, a case that has drawn widespread outrage and cast a harsh spotlight on the state’s prison system. Christopher Walrath, 36, entered his guilty plea on Monday in Oneida County Court before Judge Robert L. Bauer. Walrath is one of six correctional officers initially charged with second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter after Brooks was beaten to death in a medical examination room on December 9, 2023. During the hearing, Walrath responded “yes” to a series of pointed questions from the judge and prosecutor, confirming that he and his co-defendants assaulted Brooks, that he placed Brooks in a chokehold in violation of departmental policy, and that he failed to report the use of force. He further admitted that the repeated assaults ultimately led to Brooks' death. Walrath remains free on bond under the condition that he not commit any new offenses and that he appear in court as required. Sentencing is scheduled for August 4. The case gained significant public attention after the New York Attorney General’s Office released disturbing body camera footage showing the assault. In the video, Brooks, who was handcuffed to a bed, is seen being punched and kicked by multiple officers. At one point, an officer presses his foot into Brooks’ torso while others strike him. Brooks is later violently pulled from the bed by his shirt collar, with his face clearly bloodied as he is held above the ground. The footage shocked viewers and drew condemnation from state officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul, who labeled the incident a “brutal attack.” In response, she ordered the termination of 14 individuals connected to the assault, including officers, sergeants, and a prison nurse. "Robert Brooks should be alive today," Hochul said in a statement issued following the release of the footage and charges. In February, Hochul announced that six correctional officers, including Walrath, Anthony Farina, Mathew Galliher, David Kingsley, and Michael Mashaw, had been indicted for their roles in Brooks’ death. One additional officer’s name was redacted in the announcement. The five identified co-defendants all pleaded not guilty at their arraignment earlier this year. Walrath’s guilty plea marks the first significant legal development in the case since those charges were filed. Walrath has not entered a plea to the second-degree murder charge. His attorney has not publicly commented on the plea or the ongoing legal proceedings. Adpated by ASEAN Now from NBC News 2025-05-07 -
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Brutal Murder of Israeli Businessman in LA Tied to Illegal Immigrants
Brutal Murder of Israeli Businessman in Los Angeles Tied to Illegal Immigrants — One Freed by Sanctuary City The harrowing murder of an Israeli businessman in Los Angeles has shed light on growing concerns over immigration enforcement and sanctuary city policies. Authorities say that three men accused of brutally killing 47-year-old Alexander Modebadze in his home are all illegal immigrants from Georgia, one of whom was previously released by a sanctuary city despite a federal detainer request. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Modebadze was held captive for hours in his own residence before being savagely beaten to death. The suspects — Pata Kochiashvili, Zaza Otarashvili, and Besiki Khutsishvili — have been arrested and charged with murder. Each of them is now being held on $2 million bail, and federal immigration detainers have been placed on all three. Details have emerged revealing how the men entered and remained in the United States. Otarashvili and Khutsishvili crossed the southern border illegally during the Biden administration. Otarashvili was detained by border agents after illegally entering near Yuma, Arizona, on July 3, 2022. He was released soon afterward and instructed to report to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in New York, which he did about three weeks later. At that appointment, he was given another date a year out, which he failed to attend. He submitted an asylum application in October 2022, but his court hearing was cancelled for unknown reasons. Khutsishvili entered through San Luis, Arizona, on March 18, 2022. After being transferred to ICE, he was released 12 days later on a $3,000 immigration bond. He initially told officials he planned to move to New York, where he filed an asylum application. He later informed the immigration court of his intention to relocate to Van Nuys, California. His next hearing isn’t scheduled until 2028. Kochiashvili’s immigration history traces back even further. He entered the U.S. legally as a tourist on October 8, 2017, but was required to leave by April 2018 — a deadline he ignored. He later applied for asylum, though his case never led to his removal. In September 2020, he was arrested by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department in West Hollywood for burglary, but the case was dropped due to lack of evidence. Federal authorities filed a detainer the day after his arrest, yet local officials released him anyway. He was arrested again in August 2022 in Palmdale for marijuana cultivation, a case that remains pending. Again, ICE filed a detainer the next day, and once more, it was ignored. In a chilling twist, hours after Modebadze’s body was discovered, police found another Israeli businessman, Meni Hidhra — the brother of a prison warden in Israel — murdered in his home in the same neighborhood. The Jewish Journal reported on the second killing, which, although similarly brutal, appears to be unrelated to the Modebadze case. Authorities are currently seeking a Hispanic male suspect, believed to be between 30 and 40 years old, in connection to Hidhra’s death. As investigations continue, the case has stirred political debate over immigration policies and sanctuary jurisdictions. The release of individuals with prior arrests despite ICE detainers has become a focal point of criticism, especially in light of violent crimes like this. Adpated by ASEAN Now from NYP 2025-05-07 -
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Trump Administration Urges Dismissal of Abortion Pill Lawsuit, Aligns with FDA Defense
Trump Administration Urges Dismissal of Abortion Pill Lawsuit, Aligns with FDA Defense In a significant legal move, the Trump administration has called for the dismissal of a high-profile lawsuit targeting the abortion pill mifepristone, aligning itself with the Biden-era Department of Justice in defending the authority of the Food and Drug Administration. In a court filing submitted on Monday, the DOJ argued that the case brought forward by three states—Idaho, Missouri, and Kansas—should not proceed in the Northern District of Texas, emphasizing that the states have no substantial connection to the venue where the original lawsuit was filed. “Aside from this litigation, the States do not dispute that their claims have no connection to the Northern District of Texas,” the DOJ stated. “The states cannot keep alive a lawsuit in which the original plaintiffs were held to lack standing, those plaintiffs have now voluntarily dismissed their claims, and the States’ own claims have no connection to this District.” The legal origins of the case trace back to 2022, when a coalition of anti-abortion physicians and medical groups initially challenged the FDA’s approval and regulation of mifepristone. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ultimately rejected that lawsuit, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate personal harm resulting from the FDA’s actions. Without a direct injury, the justices determined that the conservative doctors lacked the legal standing required to bring the case forward. Rather than filing a separate complaint, the three Republican-led states were permitted to intervene in the existing lawsuit, essentially stepping into the shoes of the dismissed plaintiffs. But now, with the Supreme Court having ruled against the original case and the DOJ asserting that the intervening states have no legitimate jurisdictional claim in Texas, the case’s future appears increasingly uncertain. The issue of abortion access—particularly in relation to medication like mifepristone—has remained politically charged in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Despite mounting pressure from anti-abortion advocates, former President Donald Trump has taken a relatively moderate stance on abortion pills during his 2024 campaign, repeatedly stating that he would not impose federal restrictions on their availability. He has insisted that abortion policies, including access to medication, should be determined by individual states rather than the federal government. This position has disappointed and angered many anti-abortion groups that had strongly supported Trump’s reelection bid, and who continue to campaign for a national ban or tighter federal controls on mifepristone. The drug, which is used in combination with another medication to terminate pregnancies during the first 10 weeks, accounts for roughly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States. While the Trump administration’s legal position in this case does not necessarily mark a broader policy shift, it underscores the complexity of the ongoing legal battles over reproductive rights and the tension between federal regulatory authority and state-led challenges. With the states’ claims now under renewed scrutiny and the lawsuit’s foundation weakened, the path forward for opponents of mifepristone appears increasingly narrow. Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Hill 2025-05-07 -
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Angelina Jolie’s father ‘knockout blow’ to the UK industry: Trump's tariffs
Jon Voight Spurs Trump to Propose Foreign Film Tariffs, Alarming UK Film Industry President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose steep tariffs on foreign-made films, a move driven by actor Jon Voight, father of Angelina Jolie. The proposal has triggered serious concerns for the United Kingdom’s thriving film sector, which has become a major destination for international productions, including many American blockbusters. Voight, an 86-year-old Oscar-winning actor best known for roles in Midnight Cowboy and Deliverance, has been appointed by Trump as a “special ambassador” tasked with restoring American filmmaking to what the former president described as its “golden era.” According to Trump, Voight has been actively meeting with studio executives to discuss a revival strategy for domestic film production. The controversial announcement came via Trump’s Truth Social platform, where he wrote, “The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death” and blamed foreign governments for luring away U.S. productions with generous incentives. “Hollywood, and many other areas within the USA are being devastated,” he said. “Therefore, I am authorizing the Department of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative, to immediately begin the process of instituting a 100 per cent Tariff on any and all Movies coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.” His commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, responded simply, “We’re on it.” Trump later elaborated, claiming, “Other nations have been stealing the movie-making capability of the United States. If they are not willing to make a movie inside the United States, we should have a tariff on movies that come in.” He said foreign governments were offering “big money” to attract American filmmakers, calling it a “threat to our country.” UK officials were reportedly blindsided by the announcement. One senior government figure said, “No one had any inkling” and even senior Trump administration members seemed surprised. The proposed tariffs were not discussed in ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, though British negotiators are now pushing for a clause to make it harder for the U.S. to unilaterally impose such tariffs on UK exports. The British entertainment sector is deeply worried. Philippa Childs of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU), which represents 40,000 workers, said, “The government must move swiftly to defend this vital sector and support the freelancers who power it as a matter of essential national economic interest.” She warned the tariffs could be devastating to an industry “only just recovering.” The UK’s film, TV, and radio sector was worth £21 billion in 2023, employing around 250,000 people. British studios have flourished thanks to generous tax breaks and streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon investing heavily in UK-based production. British TV exports to the U.S. alone generate nearly £600 million annually. Tariffs could undercut this business model and impact major productions such as Jurassic World Rebirth, filmed in Hertfordshire, and future James Bond films. High-profile studios like Pinewood in Buckinghamshire, Shepperton in Surrey, and Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden have hosted blockbusters including Barbie, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Mission: Impossible. Pinewood even paused an £800 million expansion earlier this year amid a global downturn in production, a situation that could worsen with U.S. tariffs. It remains unclear how the proposed tariffs would be implemented, given that films are often made across multiple countries and typically controlled by U.S.-based studios like Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. While Trump’s directive represents an expansion of his push to re-shore economic activity, his administration has not made any final decisions. White House spokesman Kush Desai confirmed on Monday, “The administration is exploring all options to deliver on the president’s directive concerning Hollywood.” Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-05-07
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