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Accident Elderly Man Killed, Wife Seriously Injured in Motorcycle Crash at Kanchanaburi Intersection
Picture courtesy of Khaosod. A traffic collision in Kanchanaburi province claimed the life of a 73-year-old man and left his 74-year-old wife seriously injured after the elderly couple made a sudden turn on their motorcycle, cutting across the path of an oncoming pickup truck at a busy intersection. The incident occurred around 10:20 on 12 May at the Nong Khaw traffic lights in Tha Muang district. Police Lieutenant Waraporn Kalpakdee of Nong Khaw Police Station, along with medical personnel from Somdet Phra Sangharaja Hospital and rescue workers from the Khun Rattanawut Foundation, responded swiftly to the scene. On arrival, emergency services found a damaged motorcycle lying in the middle of the intersection. Nearby, the lifeless body of Mr. Somchai, 73, who had been driving the motorcycle, was discovered. His wife, Mrs. Sutjai, 74, who had been riding pillion, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to hospital for urgent treatment. CCTV footage from the area revealed that the couple had been travelling from Kanchanaburi town towards their home in Ban Nong Khaw, initially riding in the far-left lane. However, they suddenly veered right across lanes in an attempt to turn, directly into the path of a blue Toyota pickup truck travelling at speed in the centre lane. The pickup collided forcefully with the motorcycle, causing the fatal crash. Ms. Nuengruethai, 24, the granddaughter of the couple, arrived at the scene in tears after learning of the crash. Visibly distraught, she shared that her grandparents had come into town earlier that morning to visit her at her workplace. After spending a short time together, they left to return home. Not long after, she received the devastating news of the crash. Authorities have sent Mr. Somchai’s body for a full forensic examination and are continuing to investigate the crash. The driver of the pickup truck has been taken in for questioning as part of standard legal procedures. Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-05-14. -
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UN Aviation Body Holds Russia Responsible for MH17 Tragedy
UN Aviation Body Holds Russia Responsible for MH17 Tragedy More than a decade after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, the United Nations’ aviation agency has delivered a landmark decision, ruling that Russia was responsible for the catastrophic event. The ruling by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) found that the Russian Federation failed to meet its international legal obligations to safeguard civilian aircraft. MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on July 17, 2014, when it was struck by a Russian-made missile while passing over the Donbas region, a conflict zone where pro-Russian separatists were engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces. All 298 people on board perished in the disaster. The passengers included 196 Dutch nationals, 38 Australians, 10 British citizens, as well as several Belgian and Malaysian passengers. Despite overwhelming evidence presented in multiple investigations, the Kremlin has consistently denied any role in the downing of the aircraft. However, the ICAO’s decision reinforces the findings of a Dutch court in 2022, which concluded that the plane was brought down by a Russian-controlled group. That court convicted two Russian nationals and one pro-Moscow Ukrainian of murder in absentia, sentencing them to life imprisonment. None of the individuals has been extradited, and they remain free. The case before the UN agency was initiated in 2022 by the governments of Australia and the Netherlands, who have long sought accountability for the deaths of their citizens. Reacting to the ICAO’s ruling, Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong declared, “We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct.” Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp described the decision as a crucial moment in the pursuit of truth and justice. “It marked an important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability,” he said. Veldkamp also emphasized the wider implications of the ICAO’s ruling, stating that “states cannot violate international law with impunity.” The ICAO’s resolution specifically cited Russia’s breach of Article 3 bis of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which obliges countries to avoid using weapons against civil aircraft in flight. Although the decision does not carry direct enforcement powers or criminal penalties, it carries significant moral and diplomatic weight, further isolating Moscow on the global stage. This latest ruling adds to the mounting international condemnation of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and in the skies above it. It also reinforces ongoing calls for compensation and accountability, both for the victims’ families and for the global community, which continues to reckon with the consequences of the incident. Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-05-14 -
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Diddy’s Dark Double Life: Trial Hears Disturbing Allegations of Abuse and Sex Trafficking
Title: Diddy’s Dark Double Life: Trial Hears Disturbing Allegations of Abuse and Sex Trafficking Sean “Diddy” Combs, once considered a towering figure in the music industry, is now at the center of a harrowing criminal trial that threatens to dismantle his legacy. Prosecutors in a Manhattan federal court painted a chilling picture of the 55-year-old rapper as a violent predator who abused his fame and fortune to dominate, exploit, and terrorize women over many years. Opening statements alleged that Combs referred to himself as “the king” and forced women to engage in drug-fueled sex marathons with male escorts while he watched and recorded them. These encounters, described as “freak-offs” or “wild king nights,” were filmed and used as blackmail material to control and silence victims. “He sometimes called himself the king, and he expected to be treated like one,” prosecutor Emily Johnson told the court. She said Combs “would force his victims to perform for hours and days at a time,” punishing them brutally when they failed to meet his demands. The charges against Combs include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution. If convicted on all counts, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and could be sentenced to life in prison. Combs has pleaded not guilty. Two of Combs’s former partners, singer Cassie Ventura and another woman identified only as “Jane,” are expected to play central roles in the trial. Johnson told the jury they would “tell you about some of the most painful experiences of their lives.” She described Ventura’s ordeal of being trapped in dark hotel rooms, high on drugs, and forced into sex acts she did not consent to. The prosecution claimed Combs threatened to ruin her career and leak explicit footage if she disobeyed him—“souvenirs of the most humiliating nights of her life.” The court also heard disturbing testimony from Daniel Phillip, a male escort who said he was paid thousands to have sex with Ventura while Combs directed the encounters. He described the rapper wearing a bandana over his face, orchestrating the scenes, and at one point violently dragging Ventura by her hair when she did not respond quickly enough. Phillip said that after one such assault, Ventura was “visibly upset” but Combs insisted they continue. “Her entire body was shaking like she was terrified,” Phillip testified. He claimed he was too afraid to go to the police, believing Combs’ power and influence put his life in danger. Prosecutors alleged that Combs’s criminal behavior extended beyond physical violence. Staff were said to supply escorts with drugs, fulfill his exacting demands for lighting and other conditions during the sex parties, and help conceal the abuse. In one instance from 2009, Ventura was allegedly stomped on and kept hidden in a hotel for a week to cover up her injuries. A 2016 tape of Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel, which the prosecution says he tried to suppress with a $100,000 bribe, is expected to be a pivotal piece of evidence. “Jane,” the second key witness, began a relationship with Combs in 2020. At first, the sex was consensual and private, but it soon evolved into coerced “freak-offs” fueled by drugs, the court heard. Combs sat quietly in court, wearing a white jumper, flanked by six of his seven children and his mother, Janice Combs. His defense lawyer, Teny Geragos, sought to reframe the narrative, arguing that prosecutors were turning consensual relationships and a “swingers lifestyle” into a criminal conspiracy. She admitted Combs was guilty of domestic violence but said he was not a sex trafficker. “What Combs did to Cassie on this videotape is indefensible,” she told the jury. “It is basically every bad word you can think of. It is not evidence of sex trafficking, it is evidence of sexual violence.” The defense also suggested that financial motivations played a role, pointing out that Ventura allegedly demanded $30 million from Combs in a previous settlement attempt. But the prosecution maintained that the women were manipulated, abused, and silenced by a man who used his status to shield a hidden life of exploitation. The trial continues. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-05-14 -
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Economy Thai craft beer boom: New regulations fuel brewery growth
There I was thinking it was just about getting pissed 😁 -
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Starmer’s Immigration Overhaul Faces Criticism for Ignoring Illegal Asylum Crisis
Title: Starmer’s Immigration Overhaul Faces Criticism for Ignoring Illegal Asylum Crisis In a bold yet contentious speech, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned that Britain risks becoming an “island of strangers” if current immigration levels are not curbed. While the address marked a significant rhetorical shift from Labour’s historical stance on migration, critics argue that the proposals fall short—particularly in tackling illegal asylum seekers arriving via small boats. Sir Keir’s remarks signaled a break from years of Labour orthodoxy, where concerns about the consequences of mass immigration were often sidestepped. Acknowledging the “incalculable” economic and societal damage caused by porous borders, he introduced a white paper aimed at reining in what he called unsustainable levels of legal immigration. With net migration figures currently nearing 700,000 annually, Starmer appears to be responding to growing public discontent—and political pressure following Labour’s recent losses to Reform UK, a party whose rise has been fueled by its hardline immigration stance. Despite the tough rhetoric, Starmer’s policy proposals focus almost exclusively on legal migration. Among the new measures are plans to extend the residency requirement for settlement and citizenship from five years to ten, introduce tougher English language requirements, penalize employers who fail to prioritize British workers, and reduce the time foreign students can remain in the country. Universities may also face fees for enrolling overseas students. One of the most striking proposals is the decision to end the recruitment of overseas care workers. In 2023 alone, 58,000 foreign nationals entered the UK on care visas—a significant share of the sector’s labor force. Under the new rules, care providers will be required to recruit from within the existing domestic population. While this could reduce migration numbers, it also risks causing major disruption to a sector that already suffers from chronic staff shortages. The government also plans to restore a requirement that skilled visa holders be university graduates, reversing a policy introduced under Boris Johnson. The Home Office estimates that these combined changes could cut net migration by 100,000. Yet even this figure leaves the UK’s immigration levels far above pre-Brexit targets. The Office for National Statistics forecasts that net migration could remain as high as 525,000—a number equivalent to the population of Leeds. While these steps mark a change in tone and policy for Labour, glaring omissions remain. Most notably, Starmer’s plan makes no mention of illegal migration. The government has yet to establish a promised returns agreement with European countries, leaving thousands of asylum seekers in limbo. Furthermore, there is still no replacement for the scrapped Rwanda scheme, nor a clear strategy to deal with legal challenges from the European Court of Human Rights, which has impeded deportations of foreign criminals. Starmer’s acknowledgment that high levels of immigration may not offer the economic benefits once assumed reflects a shift in mainstream economic thought. He has also, to his credit, addressed the broader societal implications. However, to implement these changes, he must confront resistance from within his own party, where many remain wary of tougher immigration controls. Calling past failures a “squalid chapter” in political history, the prime minister now faces the daunting task of proving he can deliver where others have not. Whether his proposals are enough to satisfy public demand—and whether he can find the political will to tackle illegal immigration head-on—will define the success of this new chapter in UK migration policy. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-05-14 -
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Redefining Identity: Why the Children of Celebrities Are Coming Out as Transgender
Redefining Identity: Why the Children of Celebrities Are Coming Out as Transgender In late April, Airyn De Niro, formerly known as Aaron, stepped into the public eye not as the child of Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, but as her own person—a transgender woman. In an interview with LGBTQ+ publication Them, she explained, “There’s a difference between visible and being seen. I’ve been visible. [But] I don’t think I’ve been seen yet.” Robert De Niro, a father of seven, voiced his support unequivocally. “I loved and supported Aaron as my son and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter,” he said. “I don’t know what the big deal is…I love all my children.” In Hollywood, the revelation met with little surprise. Airyn joins a growing number of children of celebrities who identify as transgender or non-binary, including those of Sting, Cher, Elon Musk, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, and Cynthia Nixon. While the reasons for such deeply personal decisions are varied and complex, some observers suggest that growing up in the unique pressure-cooker environment of fame may contribute to the search for self beyond inherited identity. Sascha Bailey, son of renowned photographer David Bailey and model Catherine Dyer, described this impulse succinctly: “By becoming trans, you can break out of the predefined role you were born into and create a new space for yourself. You become something unique and you are rewarded for it.” Now 30, Sascha once considered transitioning to a woman but reversed course after falling in love and confronting the potential sacrifices involved, such as losing the opportunity to become a biological parent. “It is important that people should be able to change their mind—if they want to—without people attacking them,” he said. Sascha has since chronicled his experience in a book, Try to Hit the Pool: Modern Man and the Behavioural Sink, exploring the tension of growing up in the shadow of fame. “Whatever you do in life, people are watching. If you go into the same profession as your parents, you are called a nepo baby. But if you work in Starbucks, people will take photos of you and ask, ‘Why are they working in Starbucks?’” he explained. “It can feel like people want to take something from you because you have something that they don’t have. You are vulnerable, and it can feel hard to make real friends, to form bonds.” Charlotte Falconer, a former teacher and child counsellor, agrees that gender identity can become a way for children of celebrities to reclaim their individuality. “The world of being a ‘celebrity’s child’ will come with attention drawn away from them to their parents,” she said. “So, this type of gender expression may be coming from a place of need; a place that parents may not be aware of or able to meet. Creating a gender difference is often something that can’t be ignored.” Others, like psychotherapist James Esses, take a more critical view. “The children of celebrities have the luxury of time and money to indulge in a never-ending fixation on their self-identity,” he said. “There is a reason why swathes of children from war-torn regions or facing abject poverty are not coming out as ‘trans.’ It’s because they have more pressing issues.” According to Esses, fame can amplify affirmation to such a degree that changing one’s mind becomes a daunting prospect. “We know that ‘coming out’ as ‘trans’ is often met with celebration and positive reinforcement, and with celebrity culture, these things are on steroids,” he said. For some families, this dynamic leads to regrets. A spokesperson for Bayswater, a UK support group for parents of trans-identifying youth, noted that many initially believed that name and pronoun changes were harmless. “What they tell us is that they never expected it to lead to requests for cross-sex hormones or surgery. Another theme we are increasingly seeing is desistance, which is more complicated for a child whose parents have publicly taken a position on their child’s identity.” Sascha found that out the hard way. “The fallout was massive,” he recalled after deciding not to transition. “Some of my friends abandoned me.” Yet the experience has given him a voice. “I started to get messages from parents and people who were transitioning and detransitioning saying that my story had made them reconsider things,” he said. “It is important for people to know there are options, whatever you want to do.” As for Airyn De Niro, she seems both humbled and dazed by the spotlight. “I’m not used to all these eyes on me,” she wrote on social media, thanking those who had shown support. For better or worse, the gaze that once belonged solely to her famous father now includes her too—this time, on her own terms. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-05-14
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