Bad Biden polls stoke third-party angst for Democrats
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USA NYC mayoral election becoming a full-blown proxy war over the future of the Democratic Party
New York Mayor’s Race Becomes High-Stakes Battle for Democratic Identity The upcoming New York City mayoral election is shaping up to be more than just a local contest—it’s becoming a full-blown proxy war over the future of the Democratic Party. While Democrats continue to fret over losing blue-collar voters in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, they may be ignoring trouble brewing in their urban heartlands. In cities they already govern, internal divisions are threatening to implode the party from within. New York, America’s largest city, is at the center of this drama. As Democrats pour time and resources into abstract policy ideas and messaging strategies aimed at reclaiming the heartland, they risk neglecting power bases they already control. “Such efforts give the sensation of activity and purpose without actually having to do anything,” a pointed critique of Democratic inertia notes. “It’s like the profoundly pointless Republican autopsy of 2013,” one observer remarked, “good for explaining what happened before, but famously bad at predicting what happens next.” While strategists craft theories, real political battles are being fought in places like Los Angeles, where Mayor Karen Bass faces increasing public dissatisfaction, or Chicago, where Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval ratings have cratered. Johnson, elected on a promise of “bold progressive movement,” seems to have misjudged the direction—“boldly downward,” critics now quip. But no city matters more to the national narrative than New York. Despite its population decline, the city continues to lead discussions within the Democratic Party. And with the mayoral primary just a week away, the stakes couldn’t be higher. The winner of the Democratic primary will almost certainly become the next mayor, making this a defining moment for the party. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who left the Democratic Party to run as an Independent after President Trump helped him avoid public corruption charges, is still in the mix, although his association with Trump—who only earned 30 percent of the city’s vote in 2024—may hurt more than help. Nevertheless, Adams remains a potential spoiler, especially in a chaotic field. The city’s ranked-choice voting system further complicates matters. With 11 candidates in the Democratic race, an outright majority is unlikely in the first round. Under this system, voters rank five candidates in order of preference. If no one gets a majority, the last-place candidate is eliminated and votes are redistributed based on subsequent choices until someone clears the 50 percent mark. Leading the Democratic field is former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is attempting a comeback after resigning in 2021 amid sexual harassment allegations. Progressives had long viewed Cuomo as too moderate, and his return bid has sparked intense backlash from the party’s left wing. Choosing New York City for his political resurrection pits Cuomo against one of the most energized progressive communities in the country. His main rival is State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, who is backed by a broad progressive coalition that includes former Mayor Bill de Blasio and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Stopping Cuomo is essential to progressives’ national ambitions for the party,” Ocasio-Cortez has said. Mamdani’s platform includes rent control, city-run grocery stores, and reducing police powers—ideas that stir left-wing excitement and mainstream anxiety in equal measure. The New York Times editorial board has come out strongly against Mamdani, urging voters to back anyone but the 33-year-old legislator. Their concern is that a Mamdani victory could open the door for Adams to win reelection, or push New York down the same troubled path Chicago is currently navigating. Cuomo, at 67, is hardly the fresh face many Democrats hope for in a post-#MeToo era, but New York politics rarely deals in uncomplicated options. When former Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Cuomo—despite their rocky history—it underscored the seriousness of this contest. The mayoral primary is shaping up as a decisive clash between progressive populists and establishment Democrats. Whatever the outcome, this race is likely to speak volumes about the direction of the Democratic Party in the years ahead—far more than any consultant-driven strategy memo or post-election panel ever could. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Hill 2025-06-18 -
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Ukraine Zelensky Condemns “Pure Terrorism” as Russia Launches One of Its Largest Attacks on Ukraine
Zelensky Condemns “Pure Terrorism” as Russia Launches One of Its Largest Attacks on Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin for what he described as “pure terrorism” following a devastating overnight assault on Ukraine. The attack, which included more than 440 drones and 32 missiles, left at least 15 people dead and 116 others wounded across multiple cities. “This was one of the most horrific attacks of the war,” Zelensky said, speaking in the aftermath of the assault. Ukrainian officials confirmed that 14 people were killed in Kyiv alone, while another fatality was reported in the southern port city of Odesa. “Such attacks are pure terrorism. And the whole world, the United States, and Europe must finally respond as a civilised society responds to terrorists,” the Ukrainian leader urged, emphasizing the need for decisive international action. He also noted that emergency responders were still trying to locate victims trapped beneath the rubble. The barrage, which Ukrainian officials said was one of the largest since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February 2022, destroyed a nine-storey residential building in Kyiv. Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, said 14 lives were lost in the capital and 99 people were injured. Emergency workers remained at the site through the night, searching for survivors amid the wreckage of dozens of ruined apartments. In Odesa, drone strikes killed one person and injured 17, according to Oleh Kiper, who heads the regional administration. The overnight bombardment spanned several hours, sending shockwaves across the country and raising alarms about the increasing intensity of Russia’s military campaign. The attack came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump remarked that removing Russia from the G8 was a strategic blunder, hinting that the exclusion may have contributed to the current war. “This was a big mistake,” Trump said, suggesting that Russia’s 2022 invasion might not have occurred had Moscow remained part of the prominent group of industrialized nations. “Putin speaks to me. He doesn’t speak to anybody else ... he’s not a happy person about it,” Trump added. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, alongside its G7 partners, is preparing to introduce a new round of sanctions targeting Russia. The move aims to escalate economic pressure on Moscow and cut off funds fueling its war machine. "We are finalising a further sanctions package – and I want to work with all of our G7 partners to squeeze Russia’s energy revenues and reduce the funds they are able to pour into their illegal war," said British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a statement. The UK has already sanctioned more than 2,300 individuals, entities, and ships since Russia’s invasion began. Sir Keir stressed the importance of maintaining and intensifying this pressure. "We should take this moment to increase economic pressure and show President (Vladimir) Putin it is in his – and Russia’s interests – to demonstrate he is serious about peace." As Ukraine reels from the latest wave of destruction, calls for stronger global action continue to grow louder, with Zelensky at the forefront, urging allies not to let such acts of violence go unanswered. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Independent 2025-06-18 -
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UK Divided Voices: UK Abortion Law Faces New Reckoning Amid Rising Activism
Divided Voices: UK Abortion Law Faces New Reckoning Amid Rising Activism As Parliament prepares to vote on two pivotal amendments to abortion legislation, the longstanding debate over reproductive rights in the UK has surged back into public consciousness. While polling shows the majority of Britons remain pro-choice, anti-abortion activism has been invigorated by political developments across the Atlantic, especially under the influence of the Trump administration. In Birmingham’s city centre, a small but diverse group of people recently gathered in a quiet vigil. Among them were older community members, students, friends, and families, forming a scene marked by candlelight and rosary beads. Hymns echoed through the square, revealing a protest against abortion, a reflection of a growing, if still minor, movement challenging the status quo. Despite nearly 90% of the UK public identifying as pro-choice, the anti-abortion movement has gained momentum. Activists, both young and old, are finding renewed energy, with some taking cues from the reversal of Roe v Wade in the United States nearly three years ago—a seismic moment that legalized abortion bans across several U.S. states. That political shift has inspired similar ideological battles on UK soil. One flashpoint in this debate has been the UK's introduction of abortion clinic buffer zones—areas around clinics where police can prevent harassment of patients. US Vice President JD Vance recently criticised these zones, citing the case of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a longtime anti-abortion campaigner. Vaughan-Spruce, who has spent two decades distributing leaflets outside clinics, now returns weekly to silently pray due to the restrictions. In 2022, she was arrested for praying silently near a clinic. Though charges were dropped, she later received £13,000 in a civil claim against West Midlands Police, who did not admit liability. “They actually asked me what I was doing, and I said, well, I'm just physically standing here. I might be praying in my head, but nothing out loud. And on that basis, they made an arrest. I was heavily searched, I was taken to the police station, locked in a police cell for hours before being questioned under caution. And then, eventually, I went to court,” she recalled. “I believe that abortion centres are like the modern-day Calvary. This is where the innocent are being put to death.” But for those like Ailish McEntee, who works at a London abortion clinic, such demonstrations are harmful distractions. She supports a proposed amendment that would decriminalise abortion for women seeking it up to 24 weeks. “The law itself works very well for the majority of people, but for those individuals in those kind of really high-risk domestic abuse situations... they maybe can't make it to a clinic, they might seek abortion care from those kind of unregulated providers,” she said. “So this amendment would take away that decriminalisation of women themselves. And it's a really strange part of the law that we have.” McEntee also believes anti-choice rhetoric has been emboldened. “I think particularly in recent years, with Roe v Wade overturning and Donald Trump winning the election again, I think it's really pushed forward the anti-choice rhetoric that has always been there, but it's absolutely ramping up.” A Sky News and YouGov poll found that 55% of the public support changing the law to prevent women from being criminalised for abortions before 24 weeks. However, 22% believe women should still face investigation or imprisonment for terminating a pregnancy after that period. Labour MP Stella Creasy is among those proposing the amendment to decriminalise abortion. “There's no other health care provision that we see with a criminal foundation in this way and it has a very real practical consequence,” she argued. “We've seen some incredibly vulnerable women and girls who didn't even know that they were pregnant who have late-term miscarriages finding themselves with police officers rather than counsellors at their hospital beds... and I just don't think that's where the British public are at.” Yet others, like Rachel from Rachel’s Vineyard UK, see the proposed changes as misguided. Her organisation, which helps people cope with what it calls the trauma of abortion, takes a moral and faith-based stance. “With all sudden deaths, whether you are 80 years of age or you're 26 weeks born, you know, out of the womb, and you've died, you've sadly died, we need to be able to investigate that. For us to have compassion, we need to have justice.” As the Commons prepares to cast its votes, the country finds itself at a crossroads, balancing public support for reproductive rights against a vocal minority determined to challenge them. Adapted by ASEAN Now from Sky News 2025-06-18 -
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USA Social Media Overtakes Traditional Outlets as America’s Primary News Source
Title: Social Media Overtakes Traditional Outlets as America’s Primary News Source Social media and video platforms have now become the leading sources of news in the United States, surpassing both traditional television and news websites, according to new research from the Reuters Institute. The findings indicate a significant shift in how Americans consume information, with 54% of respondents now turning to platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube for their news. This compares to 50% who still rely on TV and 48% who use news sites and apps. “The rise of social media and personality-based news is not unique to the United States, but changes seem to be happening faster – and with more impact – than in other countries,” the report noted. This transformation in media consumption is reshaping not only how people access news but also the kind of content they engage with. One of the most influential figures in this new media environment is podcaster Joe Rogan. The study found that nearly a quarter (22%) of the U.S. population encountered news or commentary from Rogan in the past week, highlighting the growing power of individual personalities over traditional outlets. Report author Nic Newman said this shift toward social video and personality-driven news “represents another significant challenge for traditional publishers.” The report also spotlighted how some politicians are bypassing mainstream media in favor of interviews with sympathetic online personalities. “Populist politicians around the world are increasingly able to bypass traditional journalism in favour of friendly partisan media, 'personalities', and 'influencers' who often get special access but rarely ask difficult questions, with many implicated in spreading false narratives or worse,” it said. Despite their popularity, these online influencers are also seen as a major source of misinformation. Nearly half (47%) of people worldwide identified them as a key contributor to false or misleading news—putting them on par with politicians. This suggests that the public is increasingly aware of the risks associated with consuming news from non-traditional, often partisan figures. X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, continues to hold a strong position in the news landscape. Its usage for news remains “stable or increasing across many markets,” with the biggest surge happening in the United States. Since Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022, the user base has shifted dramatically, with more right-leaning users—especially young men—joining, while some left-leaning individuals have either reduced their usage or left altogether. In fact, the proportion of users in the U.S. who identify as politically right-wing has tripled since Musk’s takeover, while in the UK, this demographic has nearly doubled. Meanwhile, alternative platforms such as Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon have struggled to gain traction. The report found that these networks each reach just 2% or less of users seeking news, suggesting that despite the growing dissatisfaction with mainstream platforms, alternatives have yet to offer a compelling replacement. Among other notable findings, TikTok is emerging as the fastest-growing news source on social media, now used by 17% of people globally for news, up four percentage points from last year. AI chatbots are also becoming a more common tool for accessing news, particularly among those under 25, who use them at twice the rate of the general population. However, the report also revealed deep concerns about artificial intelligence and news. Most respondents fear that AI will reduce transparency, accuracy, and trust in journalism. Still, across all age groups, there remains a strong appreciation for established news brands that are known for their credibility, even if those sources are not used as frequently as in the past. Now in its 14th year, the Reuters Institute’s annual report surveyed nearly 100,000 people across 48 countries, offering a comprehensive look at the evolving global news landscape. Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-06-18 -
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UK Baroness Casey Demands Truth and Justice for Grooming Victims
Baroness Casey Demands Truth and Justice for Grooming Victims Baroness Louise Casey has expressed deep outrage over the persistent failure to protect young girls from grooming gangs across England, stating, “I have rage on behalf of the victims.” Her latest findings show that, more than a decade after initial revelations of systemic abuse, the same failures are repeating, with victims still unsupported and abusers often unaccounted for. Casey’s investigation exposed not just the horrifying abuse—where vulnerable, mainly white girls are plied with drugs and alcohol and coerced into sex by men, often through violence—but also a national reluctance to confront the scale and dynamics of the crimes. She uncovered what she called an “appalling lack” of ethnicity data on perpetrators, a failure rooted in fears of reputational damage and cultural sensitivity. “Without a doubt,” she said, “there’s a fear that if you get to the bottom of this then it turns out to be something you don’t want to hear.” Pakistani ethnic population South Yorkshire’s (2.4%) or Rotherham (4%) but account for 64% (!) of all child sex abusers Despite the devastating exposure of grooming in Rotherham years ago, where Casey and others had previously laid bare the extent of abuse and institutional neglect, she found that most local authorities have resisted further inquiry. “Everywhere I went, I found people saying, ‘Oh we don’t need an inquiry’. Apart from Oldham, nowhere else embraced the idea of doing a local inquiry. And I realised, ‘We haven’t got this right’,” she said. She is calling for a national inquiry to enforce accountability, stating, “We have let victims down. And they’re children. There isn’t this willingness to look at the history and say ‘Did we get this right?’ And so I moved very much to the conclusion that we need national grip.” Casey emphasized the trauma these girls endure, referring to the official term—“group-based child sexual exploitation”—as deeply insufficient to capture the reality of “child victims of rape, often gang rape, having to have abortions, contracting sexually transmitted infections, having children taken from them at birth.” Worse still, when victims do report their abuse, they are frequently retraumatized by systems that disbelieve or disregard them. She was especially disheartened by the lack of institutional accountability. “Nobody has been held accountable for the decisions they made. Nobody is learning the lessons they should learn to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” Casey recalled the pioneering work of journalist Andrew Norfolk, whose 2011 investigations into predominantly Pakistani grooming gangs in towns like Rotherham were met with resistance and accusations of racism. His reporting was critical in helping her understand both the scale and the cover-up of the crimes. Norfolk passed away last month, and Casey expressed her belief that his work should have sparked long-term institutional reform. “I presumed that the government, police, councils and other agencies would wake up to the fact that these were abused children and do their damnedest to make sure these victims were given as much care, respect and chance at justice as possible.” But, she added, “That has not happened.” She attributes this ongoing failure to three core issues: cultural sensitivities, fear of reputational damage, and societal indifference to poor and vulnerable adolescent girls. She recalled an incident where a Rotherham official had redacted the word “Pakistani” from a children’s services file, saying, “I thought, ‘Oh God, the person that did this is well-meaning but utterly stupid’.” Casey added, “People’s ability to put their reputation above everything else is quite profound,” noting the anxiety among public officials about being publicly scapegoated. “I understand that nervousness,” she said, but insisted it cannot override the duty to protect children. Perhaps most damningly, she criticized society’s apathy. “If they were our children, the three of us who are women here in this room, there would be outrage. We would not put up with this if they were children that belonged in middle-class families.” She believes it is the responsibility of those in public life, especially in government, to ensure the voiceless are finally heard and protected. Casey is adamant that examining the ethnicity of offenders is necessary for effective crime prevention and is not an act of racism. “Do I want kids who happen to be Asian walking around the streets of this country thinking that I or anybody else has said they are more likely to be a perpetrator of these heinous crimes? I do not think that and I do not want them to think that,” she said. “But it is the right thing to do to collect the data sufficiently and start having the difficult conversations locally and nationally. I think everybody needs to be measured and calm.” Full Report: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/684ffae201d3b0e7b62da722/National_Audit_on_Group-based_Child_Sexual_Exploitation_and_Abuse.pdf Related Topics: Casey Report Exposes Asylum Seekers’ Involvement in Grooming Gang Investigations Labour Under Fire as Grooming Survivors Condemn Minister’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Remark Labour Revises Plans on Grooming Gang Investigations Amid Backlash The Controversy Over Islamophobia and Grooming Gang Investigations Starmer Faces Rising Pressure as Labour MPs Demand Grooming Gangs Inquiry The Silenced Truth: How Political Correctness Delayed Justice for Grooming Victims Grooming Networks Persist in Oxford, Warns Former Investigator Britons Overwhelmingly Support a New Grooming Gang Inquiry Politicians Must Address the Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Says Whistleblower’s Aide David Lammy Criticizes Sajid Javid for Remarks on Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs Rift Between Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper Over Grooming Gangs Crisis Deepens Labour Faces 'conspiracy of silence' on Grooming Gangs Inquiry UK Ex-MP Claims Grooming Gang Ethnicity Was Suppressed to Protect Votes Kemi Badenoch Urges National Inquiry into UK Grooming Scandal Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-06-18 -
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UK Casey Report Exposes Asylum Seekers’ Involvement in Grooming Gang Investigations
Casey Report Exposes Asylum Seekers’ Involvement in Grooming Gang Investigations A newly released report by Baroness Casey has revealed that asylum seekers and foreign nationals are involved in a “significant proportion” of ongoing police investigations into grooming gangs, reigniting public debate about failures in addressing child sexual exploitation. The 200-page audit, commissioned earlier this year amid mounting outrage over previous scandals, found that authorities have still not fully learned lessons from cases like Rotherham more than a decade ago. Baroness Casey sharply criticised police and local council leaders for having remained in “denial” about the true scale and nature of the grooming problem. The report claims that since 2009, when concerns were first raised, efforts to tackle the issue have been undermined by fears of being accused of racism—particularly in cases involving Asian or Pakistani men grooming vulnerable white girls. She wrote that agencies had “consistently failed” to acknowledge the ethnic background of suspects or collect necessary data to examine patterns, thus stalling efforts to understand the full scope of the abuse. One of the most disturbing revelations came as Lady Casey reviewed around a dozen live grooming cases and found that “a significant proportion of these cases appear to involve suspects who are non-UK nationals and/or who are claiming asylum in the UK.” However, she also noted that the lack of systematic data collection made it difficult to assess the full extent of foreign national involvement. Neither the Office for National Statistics nor the Ministry of Justice currently record specific data on crimes committed by asylum seekers or other non-UK nationals. The report has prompted political backlash and renewed calls for stronger border controls. Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, stated: “I am deeply troubled to read that a significant proportion of these cases involve non-UK nationals and asylum seekers. This underlines the importance of securing our borders, which the Government has completely failed to do. I also call on the Government to prevent perpetrators from using human rights laws—not just asylum laws—to avoid deportation.” The scale of migration into the UK continues to grow. Last year alone saw a record 84,200 asylum applications. As of the end of May this year, more than 14,600 people had crossed the English Channel in small boats, representing a 30 percent increase compared to the same time in 2024. It marks the highest recorded number of crossings in the first five months of a year since the phenomenon began in 2018. In response to the Casey report, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper addressed the House of Commons, expressing regret over two decades of failure in confronting grooming crimes. She announced that any asylum seekers found guilty of grooming or sexual offences would have their claims rejected. “Those vile perpetrators who have grown used to the authorities looking the other way must have no place to hide,” she said. Cooper also pledged to accept all of Lady Casey’s recommendations, including mandatory data collection on the ethnicity and nationality of all suspects in child sexual exploitation and abuse cases. She emphasised the need for improved data gathering on victims as well, to provide a clearer picture of the problem and guide effective policy responses. The findings have forced Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer into a notable policy U-turn. After previously dismissing calls for a national inquiry as a “far-Right bandwagon” back in January, he has now ordered the National Crime Agency to conduct a comprehensive, nationwide investigation into grooming gangs. His reversal has been described by critics as a political embarrassment, but supporters argue it reflects a necessary and overdue recognition of the seriousness of the crisis. Baroness Casey’s report lays bare not only the failings of past policies but also the uncomfortable realities surrounding immigration and child protection. Her findings challenge political leaders, law enforcement, and local authorities to confront difficult truths without fear or favour—and to put the safety of children first. Related Topics: Baroness Casey Demands Truth and Justice for Grooming Victims Starmer Orders National Grooming Gangs Inquiry After Casey Review Prompts Policy Reversal Labour Under Fire as Grooming Survivors Condemn Minister’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Remark Labour Revises Plans on Grooming Gang Investigations Amid Backlash The Controversy Over Islamophobia and Grooming Gang Investigations Starmer Faces Rising Pressure as Labour MPs Demand Grooming Gangs Inquiry The Silenced Truth: How Political Correctness Delayed Justice for Grooming Victims Grooming Networks Persist in Oxford, Warns Former Investigator Britons Overwhelmingly Support a New Grooming Gang Inquiry Politicians Must Address the Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs, Says Whistleblower’s Aide David Lammy Criticizes Sajid Javid for Remarks on Ethnicity of Grooming Gangs Rift Between Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper Over Grooming Gangs Crisis Deepens Labour Faces 'conspiracy of silence' on Grooming Gangs Inquiry UK Ex-MP Claims Grooming Gang Ethnicity Was Suppressed to Protect Votes Kemi Badenoch Urges National Inquiry into UK Grooming Scandal Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-06-18
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