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Crime Cyber Police Raid Three Major Gambling Sites
Picture courtesy of Khaosod. The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) has dismantled a major online gambling operation with an estimated Bt274 million in circulation, following coordinated raids on three locations across Chiang Rai and Phayao provinces. The operation, led by Pol Lt Gen Trirong Phiwphan, Commissioner of the CCIB, along with several senior officers including Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan and Pol Maj Gen Kritach Boonratanayot, targeted key figures believed to be behind three illicit gambling websites. Acting on intelligence, police identified that the networks were operating from rented houses used as makeshift offices to manage customer interactions and handle transactions. After obtaining search and arrest warrants, cyber police launched simultaneous raids across the two provinces. The main operation took place at a residence in Moo 12, Wiang Chai subdistrict, Chiang Rai. Officers arrested 27-year-old Ms. Prokaysiri, alleged administrator of the gambling website CS68, which boasted over 110,000 registered users and a transaction volume exceeding Bt240 million. Police also raided a house in Moo 5, Mae Sai subdistrict, arresting two suspects, 27-year-old Mr. Pinit and 31-year-old Mr. Pornphat. The pair allegedly managed the DRAGON88 gambling platform, with over 25,000 players and Bt12 million in circulation. In Moo 1, Mae Sai subdistrict of Phayao, cyber officers discovered an operation linked to Webdee999, another online gambling site with more than 40,000 users and Bt22 million in financial activity. Pol Lt Gen Trirong described the bust as one of the most significant in the northern region, revealing the extent to which illegal online gambling operations are growing in sophistication and scale. All suspects have been charged with “collaborating to organise or advertise gambling activities via electronic media without official permission”, a serious offence under the law. Investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest other key individuals involved, including site owners, profit beneficiaries, and money mule account holders. Authorities vowed to continue the crackdown and ensure all involved are brought to justice. Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-05-16. -
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Crime British Teen Thought as Missing in Thailand Found Arrested in Georgia
Yeah sorta, I have lived Thailand for 20+ years. Not what that has to do with Gerogia though. -
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Milwaukee Judge indicted for Aiding Immigrant's Escape from ICE Custody
Milwaukee Judge Faces Federal Charges for Aiding Immigrant's Escape from ICE Custody Judge Hannah Dugan of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court has been indicted by a federal grand jury and now faces up to six years in prison on charges that she helped an undocumented immigrant evade arrest by federal immigration authorities. The indictment, handed down Tuesday, accuses Dugan of concealing a person from arrest and obstructing justice under federal statutes 18 U.S.C. Section 1071 and 18 U.S.C. Section 1505. Dugan, who was arrested by FBI agents in April, is alleged to have knowingly assisted Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national, in avoiding detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Flores-Ruiz was appearing in Dugan’s courtroom on three misdemeanor battery charges at the time. According to the federal indictment, Dugan told ICE officers they required a warrant to enter her courtroom and directed them to the chief judge’s office. The indictment further alleges that she then personally escorted Flores-Ruiz out of the courthouse through a side exit, effectively helping him evade arrest. The charges have triggered a heated legal and political battle. Dugan’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the case on Wednesday, arguing that the judge was acting within her official capacity and is entitled to judicial immunity. “The government cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts,” her attorneys stated. “The government has no basis in law to prosecute her.” If convicted on both counts, Dugan could face a maximum sentence of six years behind bars and fines totaling up to $350,000. She is expected to appear in court Thursday, where she will enter a plea of not guilty. “Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge,” her legal team said in a statement Tuesday. “She asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court.” Dugan’s arrest has drawn national attention and ignited fierce criticism from officials aligned with the Trump administration, which has taken a hardline stance on immigration enforcement. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem weighed in Tuesday night, saying, “She will be held accountable for that. That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. We shouldn’t be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions.” At the same time, the case has drawn support for Dugan from prominent members of the legal community. Her defense team includes former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, a high-profile litigator who has argued over 100 cases before the Supreme Court and was once on Donald Trump’s shortlist for the Supreme Court. Clement joins a formidable legal lineup that includes Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. Attorney appointed by President George W. Bush, as well as Craig Mastantuono of Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas, and Jason Luczak and Nicole Masnica of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown. With the case heading to court and political tempers flaring, the legal proceedings promise to be as much a referendum on the boundaries of judicial discretion as on the broader national debate over immigration enforcement. Related Topic: Wisconsin Judge Faces Federal Charges After Allegedly Aiding Immigration Suspect Adapted by ASEAN Now from NYP 2025-05-16 -
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Millions Owed to Government by Asylum Housing Firms Amid Soaring Profits
Millions Owed to Government by Asylum Housing Firms Amid Soaring Profits Three private companies contracted to house asylum seekers in the UK have failed to repay the government tens of millions of pounds in excess profits, despite contractual obligations requiring them to do so. Executives from Serco, Clearsprings Ready Homes, and Mears admitted to a parliamentary committee that they have not yet made any payments to the Home Office, even though their profits have exceeded agreed limits. During a session of the Commons Home Affairs Committee, the companies were questioned about the growing cost of asylum accommodation and their compliance with the profit-sharing clauses in their government contracts. These contracts, signed in 2019, included stipulations that any profits above 5 per cent must be shared with the Home Office. However, none of the firms has fulfilled this obligation. The National Audit Office recently disclosed that the ten-year deals with the three companies are now projected to cost taxpayers £15.3 billion—triple the original estimate by the Home Office. Since acquiring the asylum housing contracts, each company has reported record profits, with margins between 5 and 7 per cent. Clearsprings Ready Homes currently owes the Home Office £32 million. Its managing director, Steve Lakey, said the company was ready to transfer the funds but had been waiting on a final audit. "The money was 'ready to go'," Lakey told MPs. Jason Burt, director of health and safety compliance at Mears, revealed his firm owes £13.8 million but has similarly delayed payment pending an audit. Serco's representative, Claudia Sturt, director of immigration and prisons, was unable to specify how much her company owes but acknowledged that no payments had been made. Sturt estimated that Serco stands to earn £385 million over the duration of its contract, with a portion of that—“several million”—being subject to profit-sharing with the government. As of December, government figures show that 109,882 asylum seekers were in taxpayer-funded accommodation across the UK, with 38,213 housed in hotels. Clearsprings had the largest share, providing hotel accommodation to 22,869 asylum seekers, primarily in the south of England. Lakey noted that his company plans to obtain 15,000 beds in more affordable, self-catered housing in communities to help reduce the number of migrants in costly hotel placements by around 40 per cent. The executives said that the unanticipated surge in small boat arrivals had driven up operational costs. On one day alone, 601 migrants arrived on UK shores in ten boats, pushing the 2025 total to 12,407—nearly one-third higher than at the same point in 2024 and a record for this time of year. Reacting to the figures, shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticised the Labour government’s handling of immigration. “On the very day Keir Starmer rolled out his feeble immigration white flag, 601 illegal migrants crossed the Channel, pushing 2025’s total past 12,000. 2025 so far has been the worst year in history for illegal immigrants crossing the Channel,” he said. “Labour made a catastrophic mistake by cancelling the Rwanda removals deterrent before it even started. We have seen from Australia how this approach completely stopped illegal maritime crossings a decade or so ago.” In response, the government has pledged to intensify efforts against people smuggling networks, including granting law enforcement agencies new powers modelled on those used for counterterrorism. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that further reforms to border security and the asylum system will be unveiled later this summer. A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the government’s commitment to curbing irregular migration: “We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security. That is why this government has put together a serious plan to take down these networks at every stage.” Related Topic: From Caravan Parks to a Billionaire’s Empire: The Rise of the UK’s 'Asylum King' Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times 2025-05-16 -
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GLAAD Condemns Social Media Giants for Failing LGBTQ Communities
GLAAD Condemns Social Media Giants for Failing LGBTQ Communities In a blistering new report, the LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD has accused major social media platforms of rolling back essential protections for LGBTQ users, calling recent policy changes “appalling” and a threat to community safety. The findings were released as part of GLAAD’s annual Social Media Safety Index, which evaluates platforms on their efforts to protect LGBTQ people from online hate, harassment, and violence. “Recent years undeniably illustrate how online hate speech and misinformation negatively influence public opinion, legislation, and the real-world safety and health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. She highlighted the damaging effects of relaxed content moderation policies, particularly by industry giants Meta and YouTube. Jenni Olson, senior director of GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Program, echoed this concern, describing the shifts in moderation policy as “extreme” and out of step with best practices. “It’s just appalling to see such extreme shifts away from best practices in trust and safety,” Olson told Axios. She added, “Execs and employees at these companies owe the LGBTQ community answers about what their next steps are going to be to address these issues and stand up for the safety of their LGBTQ users.” GLAAD’s report assessed six major platforms—TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, and X (formerly Twitter)—based on 14 indicators, including protections against misgendering, deadnaming, promotion of so-called conversion therapy, and overall transparency. All six platforms received failing grades. TikTok scored the highest with a 56 out of 100, while X ranked lowest at 30. Facebook and Instagram both scored 45, YouTube followed at 41, and Threads came in at 40. Although TikTok was noted for banning misgendering, deadnaming, and conversion therapy content, the report criticized the platform for its lack of transparency. “Major ideological shifts from Meta have been particularly extreme,” Ellis said, pointing to the company’s decision to allow previously banned content, including “debunked allegations of mental illness or abnormality” relating to gender and sexual orientation. Meta’s decision in January to ease its moderation policies drew immediate criticism from human rights advocates, who warned it could embolden real-world violence. Even Meta’s own Oversight Board urged the company to investigate the human rights impact of these policy changes. Meanwhile, YouTube came under fire for quietly removing “gender identity and expression” from its list of protected characteristics. Though a YouTube spokesperson insisted that the platform’s policies remained unchanged, GLAAD countered, saying, “It is an objective fact that the gender identity protection is no longer expressly present in its public-facing policy.” “This type of backpedaling is not only dangerous, it’s irresponsible,” Olson said, underscoring how policy changes at these massive platforms reverberate far beyond the digital space. “They set the tone for what is acceptable discourse globally.” The report also notes that GLAAD has revised its scoring methodology, so direct year-to-year comparisons are not applicable. However, the overall message remains clear: major platforms are failing to meet the moment when it comes to protecting LGBTQ users. YouTube responded in a statement, saying, “We confirmed earlier this year our hate speech policy hasn’t changed. We have strict policies against content that promotes hatred or violence against members of the LGBTQ+ community and we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to quickly detect and remove this content,” according to spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle. Other companies, including Meta, TikTok, and X, did not respond to Axios’ requests for comment. Among its recommendations, GLAAD urged platforms to collaborate with independent researchers to provide transparency in content moderation, community guidelines, AI use, and enforcement reporting. Whether social media giants will act on these recommendations remains to be seen—but for GLAAD, the message is urgent and unmistakable: the safety of LGBTQ people is non-negotiable. Adapted by ASEAN Now from AXIOS 2025-05-16 -
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Robert De Niro Slams Donald Trump in Cannes Acceptance Speech
Robert De Niro Slams Donald Trump in Cannes Acceptance Speech In a fiery speech that merged cinematic celebration with political critique, Robert De Niro used his moment of honor at the Cannes Film Festival to denounce former President Donald Trump, labeling him a "philistine" and urging global resistance to his policies. The legendary 81-year-old actor, known for his intense performances in films such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the prestigious event. The award was presented at the Grand Theatre Lumière by his longtime collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio, with fellow Hollywood heavyweights Halle Berry, Juliette Binoche, and Quentin Tarantino sharing the stage. While the festival traditionally emphasizes film over politics, De Niro’s speech turned sharply critical when he addressed Trump’s recent decision to impose steep tariffs on foreign films. “America’s philistine president has had himself appointed head of one of America’s premier cultural institutions. He has cut funding and support to the arts, humanities and education. And now he announced a 100 per cent tariff on films made outside the United States,” De Niro said, receiving both gasps and applause from the crowd. He continued, “You can’t put a price on creativity, but apparently, you can put a tariff on it.” The actor used the platform to call on artists and citizens alike to resist what he sees as a dangerous attack on artistic freedom and global collaboration. “Everyone who cares about liberty” must protest against Trump, he urged. The context for De Niro’s remarks lies in Trump’s controversial announcement that all movies produced outside the United States would now be subjected to a 100 percent tariff. Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Hollywood, defended the move by saying the American film industry was being undercut by overseas incentives. “We want movies made in America again!” Trump declared on social media, claiming that Hollywood was suffering a “very fast death.” Though Cannes organizers have repeatedly emphasized their desire to keep the focus on cinema rather than politics, De Niro’s remarks underscored how deeply interconnected art and political policy can be. For De Niro, the moment was not just about recognition of his artistic legacy, but a call to arms for the cultural world to stand up against what he described as an administration indifferent—or even hostile—to the value of art. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-05-16
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