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USA Trump Hails Court Ruling on National Guard Deployment as “BIG WIN” Amid LA Protests
Trump Hails Court Ruling on National Guard Deployment as “BIG WIN” Amid LA Protests President Donald Trump is celebrating a federal court decision that allows his administration to continue using National Guard troops in Los Angeles to counter protests against federal immigration raids. The ruling, issued Thursday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, permits Trump to maintain the deployment despite objections from California state officials. Trump wasted no time in declaring victory on his Truth Social platform, writing, “BIG WIN — Great decision for our country.” He praised the ruling as a validation of his authority to protect cities across America. “The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared,” Trump wrote, using a derogatory play on Governor Gavin Newsom’s name. “But this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done.” The court’s opinion, issued without a named author, marks a reversal of a lower court’s earlier decision. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer had previously ruled in favor of California Governor Newsom’s legal challenge, which argued that Trump lacked the authority to federalize the National Guard over the state's objections. The new appellate court decision blocks that ruling for now and allows the deployment to continue while the legal case proceeds. In its unsigned opinion, the court wrote, “It is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority.” The judges noted that their conclusion was based on giving “appropriate deference to the President’s determination,” ultimately deciding that “he likely acted within his authority in federalizing the National Guard.” The case centers on Trump’s decision to deploy approximately 4,000 National Guard soldiers and more than 700 Marines to respond to unrest in Los Angeles sparked by a wave of federal immigration raids. The move, which bypassed state consent, has intensified already strained relations between the Trump administration and California officials. Governor Newsom has fiercely opposed Trump’s mass deportation plan and has repeatedly clashed with the federal government over immigration enforcement. His lawsuit aimed to halt what he described as an unconstitutional use of military force on U.S. soil without state approval. While the court has allowed the federal deployment to proceed for now, it also emphasized the temporary nature of the ruling. The three-judge panel will continue to deliberate on the legal merits of the case in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has clarified the role of the deployed troops, stating that U.S. soldiers will not directly engage in law enforcement activities during the protests. Instead, they will focus on protecting federal buildings and personnel. The ruling has further ignited the political divide over federal authority, immigration enforcement, and the role of the military in domestic affairs — issues that remain deeply contentious as Trump positions himself for a potential return to the White House. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Independent 2025-06-21 -
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UK Watch: Activists Claim Damage to RAF Military Aircraft in Protest Against Gaza Operations
Activists Claim Damage to RAF Military Aircraft in Protest Against Gaza Operations Two pro-Palestine activists say they infiltrated RAF Brize Norton and caused damage to military aircraft in protest against British involvement in the war in Gaza. The incident, which reportedly took place on 20 June, was captured on video and released by the protest group Palestine Action. The footage shows the activists approaching the aircraft on electric scooters before spraying red paint into the turbine engines using what appear to be modified fire extinguishers. They are then seen using crowbars to cause further physical damage to the planes. Palestine Action stated that the target was chosen due to the airbase’s regular flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a key hub for British military operations in the Middle East. "Flights leave daily from the base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus," the group said. "From Cyprus, British planes collect intelligence, refuel fighter jets and transport weapons to commit genocide in Gaza.” The group claims that the two individuals involved in the sabotage managed to leave the base without being apprehended. “The two activists escaped undetected,” Palestine Action reported. RAF Brize Norton, the largest station in the Royal Air Force and a vital point for air transport, aerial refuelling, and strategic airlift, has yet to issue a statement in response to the incident. The protest highlights growing tensions over Britain’s perceived military role in the conflict in Gaza. The activists’ use of symbolic tactics—red paint to mimic blood, for instance—echoes previous Palestine Action demonstrations aimed at raising awareness of what the group alleges is UK complicity in Israeli military actions. While the authenticity of the activists' claims and the extent of the damage have not yet been independently verified, the incident marks a serious breach of security at one of the UK’s most important military installations. RAF Brize Norton has been contacted for comment. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Independent 2025-06-21 -
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UK Stephen Fry and the Cultural Elite’s Contempt for Dissenting Women
Stephen Fry and the Cultural Elite’s Contempt for Dissenting Women Stephen Fry’s recent comments about JK Rowling have added yet another voice to the chorus of celebrities condemning the author over her views on sex and gender. Speaking on The Show People podcast, Fry remarked that Rowling “seems to be a lost cause for us,” accusing her of making comments that are “inflammatory and contemptuous, mocking and add to a terribly distressing time for trans people.” He even went so far as to claim that she had “been radicalised by TERFs” — a slur often used against feminists who assert the importance of biological sex. It’s not the first time Fry has taken aim at Rowling. In 2022, on another podcast, he attempted a more diplomatic approach, calling Rowling a friend while lamenting that his “trans friends and intersex friends” were “deeply upset by her.” He suggested a truce of sorts, calling on Rowling and trans activists to “retreat” and consider that both trans people and women should be able to live full lives with dignity. That request, couched in civility, failed to mask the underlying presumption: that Rowling’s concerns should be shelved to preserve the comfort of his social circle. Fry’s misunderstanding of the political and cultural stakes in the so-called “gender wars” is telling. This is not about table manners or polite disagreement; it’s about rights, definitions, and material realities. The notion that Rowling is simply stirring controversy for its own sake ignores the substance of her arguments — arguments rooted in longstanding feminist thought and, as recently affirmed by the UK Supreme Court, biological fact. Perhaps Fry’s renewed criticism was prompted by that very ruling, which defined “woman” in biological terms, a victory Rowling celebrated publicly. Her celebratory mood — champagne and cigars — may have rankled Fry. Some men, after all, don’t like to see women win arguments, especially when they defy the expectations of their cultural class. Fry’s desire for Rowling to “retreat” is not just misguided — it’s a reflection of the cultural elite’s impulse to control who gets to speak and how. He himself has faced criticism in the past, including a 2023 scandal involving off-color jokes about women and Muslim terrorists. One might think that someone who has tasted the wrath of the outrage machine would be more cautious about demanding silence from others. Instead, Fry now appears eager to stay in the good graces of a new cultural establishment — one that prizes ideological conformity over open debate. His image as a modern Oscar Wilde rings hollow when paired with such cowardice. At best, his remarks betray a shallow understanding of what Rowling actually says. At worst, they represent a willful attempt to isolate her for refusing to submit to the social orthodoxy of the moment. Most revealing was Fry’s complaint that Rowling fails to show “love” to trans people. “You have to let people love you,” he said, arguing that to be labeled “transphobe” over mere disagreement is counterproductive. But demanding “love” from political opponents is not only unrealistic — it’s also a tactic used to shame women into silence. It reframes principled disagreement as a failure of etiquette or kindness. What Fry and others seem to want is not genuine dialogue, but docility. They want women like Rowling to defer, apologise, and recede. When they refuse, it is framed as cruelty or bigotry. But women have every right to defend their boundaries, their spaces, and their vocabulary. They don’t need love — they need freedom, dignity, and respect. If that’s too much for Fry and others to stomach, then so be it. JK Rowling has endured years of criticism from powerful figures, but she remains undeterred. She is used to being told to be quiet. And, thankfully, she continues to speak anyway. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-06-21 -
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Science Three Years to the Brink: Climate Scientists Warn of Imminent 1.5C Breach
Three Years to the Brink: Climate Scientists Warn of Imminent 1.5C Breach The planet is just three years away from surpassing the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold if carbon dioxide emissions remain at current levels, according to a dire new warning issued by more than 60 of the world’s top climate scientists. Their latest study, the most comprehensive update yet on the trajectory of global warming, signals that without swift and severe cuts to emissions, the world will overshoot its most important climate target. In 2015, nearly 200 nations signed the landmark Paris Agreement, pledging to limit global temperature increases to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels in hopes of staving off the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, a continued reliance on fossil fuels and widespread deforestation have pushed that target dangerously close to being breached. "Things are all moving in the wrong direction," said Professor Piers Forster, lead author of the study and director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures at the University of Leeds. "We're seeing some unprecedented changes and we're also seeing the heating of the Earth and sea-level rise accelerating as well." He added that these shifts are no surprise. "These changes have been predicted for some time and we can directly place them back to the very high level of emissions." At the start of 2020, climate scientists estimated humanity had around 500 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide left to emit to retain a 50% chance of staying within the 1.5C limit. But by early 2025, this “carbon budget” will have shrunk dramatically to just 130 billion tonnes, according to the new findings. With current emissions averaging 40 billion tonnes per year, that budget would be depleted in roughly three years, potentially locking the planet into breaching the Paris threshold. Although this would not immediately result in a global temperature rise of 1.5C, the trajectory suggests that threshold will likely be passed around the year 2030. While 2024 saw the first-ever 12-month period where average global air temperatures exceeded 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, this alone does not constitute a formal breach of the Paris Agreement. However, researchers found that last year’s temperature—1.36C above historical norms—was overwhelmingly driven by human-caused emissions. The planet is currently warming at a pace of about 0.27C per decade—an unprecedented rate in Earth’s geological history. While some propose removing carbon from the atmosphere as a potential solution after breaching 1.5C, experts caution that such technologies remain largely theoretical and may not fully reverse the warming. "For larger exceedance [of 1.5C], it becomes less likely that removals [of CO2] will perfectly reverse the warming caused by today's emissions," warned Professor Joeri Rogelj of Imperial College London. One of the most striking findings of the study is the acceleration in the Earth’s “energy imbalance”—the rate at which the planet is absorbing more energy than it emits. Dr. Matthew Palmer of the UK Met Office and University of Bristol explained, "That's a really large number, a very worrying number" over such a short time frame. This energy is manifesting in multiple ways—warming land and air, melting glaciers, and, most significantly, heating oceans. Approximately 90% of the excess heat is absorbed by the seas, contributing not only to marine disruption but also rising sea levels. The pace of sea-level rise has doubled since the 1990s, further endangering coastal populations around the world. Despite the grim projections, there is a faint glimmer of hope. The rate of emissions growth appears to be slowing, partly due to the expansion of cleaner technologies. Scientists stress that now is the time for urgent action. "Reductions in emissions over the next decade can critically change the rate of warming," said Professor Rogelj. "Every fraction of warming that we can avoid will result in less harm and less suffering of particularly poor and vulnerable populations and less challenges for our societies to live the lives that we desire." Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-06-21 -
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EU Pope Leo’s Surprising Family Tree: From Pop Stars to Revolutionaries
Pope Leo’s Surprising Family Tree: From Pop Stars to Revolutionaries Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, has a family tree more intertwined with modern celebrity and historical upheaval than many might expect. According to new genealogical research, the Pope shares a distant ancestral link with global pop icon Madonna—making the two ninth cousins through a common ancestor born around six generations ago. The discovery is particularly striking given Madonna’s contentious history with the Catholic Church. The singer has frequently courted controversy for her provocative use of religious symbols in music videos and stage performances, most notably in her 1989 hit “Like a Prayer.” Despite their opposing public personas—one a conservative spiritual leader and the other a rebellious pop provocateur—they are bound by shared heritage. This familial connection is just one of many uncovered by a deep investigation conducted by The New York Times Magazine in collaboration with genealogists from American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami. Their five-century sweep through Pope Leo’s lineage uncovered a host of well-known relatives. Pop singer Justin Bieber, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, Canadian political figures Justin and Pierre Trudeau, and Beat Generation author Jack Kerouac all share ancestry with the pontiff, through the same 16th-century forebear—Louis Boucher de Grandpré, a Canadian born in the 1590s. The researchers describe Pope Leo’s ancestry as a mosaic of nobility, enslavement, and resistance. “Noblemen, enslaved people, freedom fighters and slaveholders are all part of the family tree of the first American pope,” the magazine stated on social media. One of the most striking revelations was that Pope Leo has 17 identified African American ancestors, a finding the team called “earthshattering.” This complex background includes ancestors who were both enslaved and slaveholders. Pope Leo’s maternal fourth-great grandmother, Marie Jeanne, was enslaved by François Lemelle, who fathered at least six of her children. In 1772, Lemelle freed her and two of their daughters. When he died in 1789, he left Marie Jeanne one-fifth of his estate, which included 15 slaves. Pope Leo also descends from military and revolutionary figures. His fourth-great grandfather, Charles Louis Boucher de Grandpré, served as a militia commander in Louisiana during the American Revolution and was responsible for capturing several British outposts in 1777. Another ancestor, Antonio José de Sucre, was a Venezuelan general who fought alongside Simón Bolívar in the liberation of Latin America from Spanish colonial rule. Sucre’s decisive victory at the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824 helped secure Peru’s independence. He later became Bolivia’s first constitutionally elected president in 1825, only to be assassinated in Colombia five years later. What emerges is a portrait of a Pope whose background defies expectations—marked by unexpected celebrity connections, deep American roots, and a lineage threaded through both the darkest and most triumphant chapters of history. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph 2025-06-21 -
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USA Majority of Democrats Say Party Leadership Must Go, Survey Finds Amid Internal Strife
Majority of Democrats Say Party Leadership Must Go, Survey Finds Amid Internal Strife A growing number of Democrats are voicing dissatisfaction with the direction of their party, with more than 60 percent now believing that its leadership should be replaced, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The findings come at a turbulent time for the Democratic Party, which has been struggling to regroup after a devastating loss in the 2024 elections. The survey, conducted between June 11 and June 16 and including responses from 1,293 self-identified Democrats out of 4,258 participants, revealed that 62 percent of Democrats support replacing the current leadership. Only 24 percent opposed such a change, while 14 percent were undecided or did not respond. The poll has a margin of error of three percentage points. The party has been engulfed in internal chaos since losing both the presidency and control of the Senate in November. As Democrats scramble to identify the causes of their political downfall, they have also struggled to coalesce around a coherent vision for the future. The Democratic National Committee (DNC), once a symbol of unity and strategy, has instead become a site of increasing infighting. In just the past week, tensions boiled over again when a major teachers union leader stepped down from a party leadership role. This came just days after former DNC Vice Chair David Hogg declared he would not seek re-election in a forthcoming leadership vote. These high-profile exits have only intensified scrutiny of current DNC Chair Ken Martin, whose leadership has drawn criticism from within the party ranks. Fractures are also clearly visible on Capitol Hill, especially when it comes to messaging on divisive issues like transgender rights and how best to counter former President Trump’s political narrative. Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware, who made history as the first openly transgender member of Congress, emphasized the need for a more inclusive approach within the party. “We must make more space for disagreement when it comes to trans rights and welcome ‘imperfect allies’ into the discussion to bring about long-term and substantial change,” McBride said this week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not escaped criticism either. Earlier this year, Schumer faced backlash from progressive members of his own party after supporting a Republican-led funding bill. Among the most vocal critics was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who denounced Schumer’s actions. “There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal,” Ocasio-Cortez said at the time. The Reuters/Ipsos poll further revealed that 49 percent of Democrats are dissatisfied with the party’s current leadership, while 41 percent still support them. The remaining 10 percent either did not respond or were unsure. These numbers reflect a deepening schism within the party base and highlight the urgent need for a recalibration of Democratic strategy heading into 2026 and beyond. As calls for change grow louder, the Democratic Party faces a pivotal moment—one that may determine not only the future of its leadership but also its identity in an increasingly polarized political landscape. Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Hill 2025-06-21
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