We are sorry, the requested page does not exist
PNP colonel faces admin raps over sex video
A police colonel accused of documenting his sexual encounters with a woman he had an illicit affair with is facing administrative cases before the Office of the Ombudsman......»»
4 life sentences for human trafficker
In the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 33 of Davao City, American national John F. Stanfield, also known as Bill Rush, has been found guilty on multiple counts of heinous crimes, including four counts of qualified trafficking in persons, five counts of rape through sexual assault, one count of attempted rape, and four counts of child abuse. His victims were four minor Filipino children, the youngest being just five years old at the time of the offenses. Stanfield has been sentenced to four life imprisonment terms, coupled with a maximum of 89 years in prison. In addition, he faces a substantial fine totaling P8,000,000 and has been ordered to pay the victim-survivors an aggregate of Php3,850,000 as civil damages......»»
CA junks hazing accused’s inhibition plea
The Court of Appeals has denied the plea of one of the accused in the fatal hazing of University of Santo Tomas freshman law student Horacio Castillo III seeking to compel Regional Trial Court of Manila City Branch 20 acting presiding judge Shirley Magsipoc- Pagalilauan to inhibit from the case. In a 75-page decision promulgated on 22 September 2023 and written by Associate Justice Rafael Antonio Santos, the appellate court’s First Division held that the claim of Ralph Trangia that the judge acted with grave abuse of discretion in refusing to inhibit has no basis. The CA also did not give weight to Trangia’s claim the alleged failure of the judge to address the issues he raised in his demurrer to evidence shows that she would not be able to decide with utmost partiality. It added that after a careful review of the record of the case and the applicable laws and jurisprudence, it finds that petitioner failed to prove his allegation that the court committed grave abuse of discretion when it denied his motion for inhibition. “Rather it is evident that petitioner’s claim of bias and partiality is merely based on the denial of his Demurrer to Evidence, which in itself is not sufficient to prove that the court a quo acted with bias, bad faith, malice, or corrupt purpose,” said the CA’s decision. “For these reasons, the Court rules that petitioner miserably failed establish that the court a quo acted with manifest impartiality in issuing the assailed Orders,” it added. In denying Trangia’s demurrer, the Manila RTC in an order dated 4 February 2022 held that the evidence presented by the prosecution established all the elements of the offense of hazing as well as the presence and participation of all accused, including petitioner, during the hazing of Castillo by members of the Aegis Juris Fraternity. To recall, Trangia — one of the accused in the death of Castillo — has sought the inhibition of Pagalilauan at the CA on the ground of alleged partiality in denying his motion for demurrer evidence last 24 February 2022, which seeks the immediate dismissal of the case on the ground of insufficiency of evidence. On 10 March 2022, the respondent judge issued an order denying Trangia’s motion prompting the latter to move for the reconsideration of the said order but the same was denied on 28 March 2022. This prompted Trangia to elevate his plea before the CA arguing that Pagalilauan committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction in denying his motion for inhibition and the subsequent motion for reconsideration considering that she showed partiality in denying his demurrer to evidence despite clear showing that the prosecution failed to prove its case against him. The post CA junks hazing accused’s inhibition plea appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
3 wanted suspects fall in Rizal sting
Three wanted persons were arrested in separate manhunt operations on Tuesday, the Rizal police provincial office said Wednesday. Rizal police provincial director P/Col. Rainerio de Chavez said the three individuals were nabbed for various cases in the towns of Rodriguez and Tanay, and Antipolo City. In Rodriguez, the 42-year-old accused, identified only as alias Zaldy, was arrested by operatives of the Rodriguez Municipal Police Station by virtue of a warrant of arrest for the crime of frustrated murder. It can be recalled that the accused was allegedly tagged behind the stabbing incident against alias Ryan who miraculously survived the attack after he was rushed to a nearby hospital. In Antipolo, rape suspect alias Junior was nabbed by the police by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Jose Bayani Usman of Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court Branch 50 (Family Court) for the crime of two counts of rape, acts of lasciviousness, and violation under Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law. The post 3 wanted suspects fall in Rizal sting appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Lawyer disbarred after refusing child support
The Supreme Court has disbarred a lawyer after refusing to provide child support. The high bench said the protection of women and children extends to the cleansing of the ranks of lawyers with the audacity to evade the duty to support one’s family and who violate court directives, including those who unlawfully conceal properties beyond the reach of their families and the courts. Sitting en banc, the Supreme Court in a Per Curiam Decision, imposed the supreme penalty of disbarment on then Atty. Wilfredo A. Ruiz for economic and emotional abuse; gross immorality; committing falsehood and exploiting court processes; unduly delaying a case; impeding the execution of a judgment; and misusing court processes. In 2008, AAA sued her husband, then Atty. Ruiz, for violation of Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act (AntiVAWC Law). AAA accused Ruiz of inflicting on her physical violence, emotional stress, and economic abuse by depriving her and her children of support. She also applied for a Permanent Protection Order granted by the Pasig City Regional Trial Court granted the PPO, which included a directive to Ruiz to provide AAA and their children, BBB and CCC, support equivalent to 50 percent of his income. His employers were thus directed to withhold and automatically remit directly such amount to AAA. Despite the said directive in the PPO, however, Ruiz still failed to provide for his family. This prompted AAA to enforce the PPO, resulting in the issuance by the RTC of a writ of execution in 2013. But Ruiz continued to refuse to provide support even with the writ of execution from the RTC. The RTC also had difficulty enforcing the writ of execution as Ruiz could not be found on the five different addresses he provided the Court. Ruiz also attempted to hide his earnings and properties by executing an agreement with Radelia C. Sy, a woman he was living in with as his common-law spouse. The post Lawyer disbarred after refusing child support appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bill Richardson, globe-trotting US diplomat, dead at 75
Bill Richardson, a veteran Democratic politician and former US ambassador to the United Nations who later spent decades negotiating the release of Americans detained around the world, has died at age 75, his associates said Saturday. Richardson, who also served as governor of New Mexico and the US energy secretary, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday night, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement said in a statement. Richardson was one of the highest-profile Latinos in the US political world. He made his name as the "Indiana Jones" of US diplomacy and was famed for daring head-to-head encounters with strongmen leaders on the US pariah list, including Iraq's late president Saddam Hussein, Cuba's late leader Fidel Castro, and Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. More recently he was involved in efforts that led to the release of US basketball star Brittney Griner in December from a Russian prison after she was convicted of a drug offense. The statement from the Richardson Center said, "He lived his entire life in the service of others -– including both his time in government and his subsequent career helping to free people held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad." 'A titan' Gabe Vasquez, a Democratic member of Congress from New Mexico, was among those paying tribute to their late colleague and mentor. "Governor Bill Richardson was a titan in New Mexico and abroad... one of the most powerful Hispanics in politics that this nation has seen," Vasquez said on the platform now called X. In private, US officials more than once suggested they were frustrated by Richardson's freelance activism, and expressed concern that it could undermine official efforts. But as the Richardson Center said in its statement: "There was no person that Governor Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom." Diplomatic gunslinger Born on November 15, 1947, Richardson -- son of a Mexican mother and American father -- showed an early flair for baseball, and was drafted as a pitcher by the Kansas City Royals. When a professional career in sports did not pan out, Richardson earned a Master's degree at Tufts University's prestigious Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Richardson was the first Latino to run for the US presidency, with a fleeting bid in the Democratic primaries in 2007 -- a process that eventually yielded Barack Obama as the party's candidate. Richardson backed Obama, but ended up withdrawing his name from consideration to be his commerce secretary when a federal investigation over campaign finance derailed his nomination in 2009. Over the years, Richardson developed a reputation as a diplomatic gunslinger. He had several notable successes in freeing hostages or prisoners held abroad, but also a few setbacks. His work with authoritarian figures sometimes elicited criticism from rights activists who accused him of offering legitimacy to unsavory regimes. "I don't legitimize governments," Richardson once told AFP. "I'm just one person that is trying to make a difference." The post Bill Richardson, globe-trotting US diplomat, dead at 75 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Men accused of mauling British chef Jason Atherton to face charges in court
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Five of the six individuals accused of mauling British celebrity chef Jason Atherton last year will be facing charges of child abuse, sexual harassment, and physical injuries in court. The Cebu City Prosector’s Office has recommended elevating the complaints Atherton lodged against the men he engaged in a fistfight inside a The post Men accused of mauling British chef Jason Atherton to face charges in court appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Huge mass in Lisbon ahead of pope’s arrival for ‘Catholic Woodstock’
A sea of flag-waving pilgrims from around the world packed a Lisbon park on Tuesday for an open-air Mass that kicked off a week-long jamboree of Catholic youth on the eve of the arrival of Pope Francis. Lisbon's patriarch, Cardinal Manuel Clemente, delivered the homily at the service held at the hillside Eduardo VII Park with sweeping views of the Portuguese capital and the Tagus River. "Lisbon welcomes you wholeheartedly," he told the crowd as pilgrims waved national flags in the air. Local authorities expect some 300,000 people to attend the opening Mass of World Youth Day, which is actually a week of religious, cultural, and festive events held every three years in a different city. Francis is set to arrive in Lisbon on Wednesday morning to join the event, which has been dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock". The 86-year-old pontiff is by Church standards the most liberal pope in decades and is very popular with young people. During his papacy, he has tried to create a more compassionate church, reaching out to the gay community and talking frankly to youngsters about abortion, divorce, and gender identity. "Pope Francis is open to young people," said Cristina Kelly, a 39-year-old who came from Brazil, just before the start of the Mass. "He called on us and we came. People need that today, for young people to be called to God," she told AFP. 'Recharge spiritual battery' In Portugal, the pope has a typically packed schedule for his five-day visit, despite having spent nine nights in hospital after undergoing hernia surgery in June. Francis, the first Latin American pope, is due to make 11 public pronouncements and hold numerous meetings, and on Saturday will visit the shrine of Fatima north of Lisbon. Church organizers expect one million faithful will attend the event's closing mass which will be delivered by the pope on Sunday at a waterside park on the outskirts of Lisbon. Images of the pope were on display on banners across the city as well as on screens on automatic bank machines along with the message: "I am with you". A Lisbon pastry shop is even selling cookies with the image of the smiling pontiff wearing a crucifix. "My goal is to recharge my spiritual battery because sometimes, as young people, we let it run low," Xochilt Cecilia Velis, a 24-year-old from El Salvador, told AFP in central Lisbon. World Youth Day is part of the Vatican's efforts to galvanize young Catholics at a time when secularism and disgust over clerical child sex abuse cause some faithful to abandon the Church. Meeting with abuse victims The gathering comes as the Portuguese Catholic Church is reckoning with its legacy of clerical sexual abuse. A report released in February by an independent commission determined that at least 4,815 children had been abused by clergy members in Portugal since 1950. The inquiry -- similar to audits elsewhere in Europe and the Americas -- concluded that the Church hierarchy "systematically" tried to conceal the abuse. Pope Francis is scheduled to meet privately with abuse victims during his visit but the date of the encounter or other details has not been released. Initially scheduled for August 2022, but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Lisbon World Youth Day is the 16th international edition of what has become the largest gathering of Catholics worldwide. Church organizers said there are pilgrims registered to take part in this year's event from every country in the world except the Maldives. A brainchild of the late Pope John Paul II, the event started in 1986. The current one is the fourth presided over by Pope Francis, who became head of the Catholic Church in 2013. The last three events took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013, in Krakow, Poland in 2016, and in Panama City, Panama in 2019. The post Huge mass in Lisbon ahead of pope’s arrival for ‘Catholic Woodstock’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
‘Catholic Woodstock’ kicks off in Lisbon ahead of Pope arrival
The world's largest Catholic gathering, a week-long religious festival known as World Youth Day, kicks off in Lisbon on Tuesday, a day before Pope Francis arrives on his first foreign trip since recent surgery. Around 300,000 people are expected to attend the opening mass at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) at the hillside Eduardo VII park, which offers sweeping views of the Portuguese capital and the Tagus river. The 86-year-old pontiff is set to arrive in Lisbon on Wednesday morning to celebrate World Youth Day, a week of religious, cultural and festive events held about every three years in a different city. He has a typically packed schedule for his five-day visit to Portugal, despite having spent nine nights in hospital after undergoing hernia surgery in June. Francis, the first Latin American pope, is due to make 11 public pronouncements and hold numerous meetings, and on Saturday will visit the shrine of Fatima north of Lisbon. Church organizers expect one million faithful will attend the event's closing mass held by the pope on Sunday at a waterside park on the outskirts of Lisbon. Images of the pope were on display on banners set up across the city as well as on screens on automatic bank machines along with the message: "I am with you". A Lisbon pastry shop is even selling cookies with the image of the smiling pontiff wearing a crucifix. "I think it is going to be amazing experience to be in the same spot as the pope," said Barbara Weisz, a 19-year-old student from the United States, part of a group of 37 youths who came from a San Diego parish. "It is a great feeling to be among so many young people who share your beliefs," she added as the group, who wore matching red t-shirts, gathered in the lobby of their hotel before going sightseeing before attending the opening mass. World Youth Day, which has been dubbed the "Catholic Woodstock", is part of the Vatican's efforts to galvanize young Catholics at a time when secularism and disgust over clerical child sex abuse cause some faithful to abandon the Church. In recent days groups of event volunteers, decked out in their distinctive yellow T-shirts, could be seen outside of churches in Lisbon to welcome pilgrims who have flocked to the city. "It is a special moment that you should experience at least once in your life," said Samuel Navarro, a 19-year-old student from Spain. - Meeting with abuse victims - Pope Francis is expected during his visit to meet privately with victims of sexual abuse by members of the Portuguese clergy. A report published in February by an independent commission found at least 4,815 children were sexually abused by clergy members -- mostly priests -- since 1950. The inquiry, based on testimony from over 500 victims, concluded that the Church hierarchy in Portugal "systematically" tried to conceal the abuse. "I know (the meeting) will take place... but I don't know where it will happen or how many people will take part," Lisbon's patriarch, Cardinal Manuel Clemente, told a news conference Monday. "There is a total commitment on the part of the Portuguese Church to settle this issue," he added. Around 16,000 members of law enforcement, civil protection and medical staff are being deployed for the pope's visit, officials said. Initially scheduled for August 2022, but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Lisbon World Youth Day is the 16th international edition of what has become the largest gathering of Catholics worldwide. The brainchild of late Pope John Paul II, this year's event is the fourth presided over by Pope Francis, who became head of the Catholic Church in 2013. The last three events took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013, Krakow, Poland in 2016 and Panama City, Panama in 2019. lf-tsc/ds/yad © Agence France-Presse The post ‘Catholic Woodstock’ kicks off in Lisbon ahead of Pope arrival appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Woman who accused Biden of assault asks for Russian citizenship
A woman who accused Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential race of sexual assault appeared Tuesday in Moscow, where she said she was asking President Vladimir Putin for Russian citizenship. Tara Reade, who worked in Biden's congressional office for a short period in 1993, said she wanted to stay in Russia after a Republican lawmaker told her she was in physical danger. Reade, 59, said in a streamed interview with the Sputnik media group that she had arrived in Russia as a vacationer. However, she said, "When I got off the plane in Moscow, for the first time in a very long time I felt safe, and I felt heard and felt respected." Reade sparked headlines in early 2020 by claiming that then-senator Biden sexually assaulted her in a Capitol Hill corridor in August 1993, when she was 29. Her accusation came just as Biden was ramping up his campaign against incumbent president Donald Trump, who himself has faced accusations of sexual abuse and rape. Biden categorically denied her claim. "It is not true. I'm saying unequivocally it never, never happened," he said. Reade said she filed a complaint after the alleged incident, but no record of it has been found. But a 1996 court document records her ex-husband mentioning that she had complained of sexual harassment while working in Biden's office. It is not clear if her allegations have ever been formally investigated. Reade, who called herself a geopolitical analyst, said in the Sputnik interview that after making her allegations public in 2020, she was threatened with prison, her life was threatened, and she was called a Russian agent. Sitting alongside Maria Butina, a Russian lawmaker who was arrested and imprisoned in Washington in 2018 as an alleged spy, Reade told the interviewer she has "always loved Russia." "I do not see Russia as an enemy nor do many of my fellow American citizens," she said. She had one "large" request. "I'd like to apply for citizenship in Russia, from the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin," she said. "I do promise to be a good citizen," she said, adding that she also wants to hold onto her US citizenship. The post Woman who accused Biden of assault asks for Russian citizenship appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ageing maestros and strong women at epic Cannes film fest
This year's Cannes Film Festival has been an epic mix of ground-breaking women's perspectives and nostalgic homages to icons of the 20th century. As it heads into awards night on Saturday, the 76th edition of the French Riviera festival has been a feast for film-lovers. Here are some of the highlights. Old masters At times, Cannes felt like a sort of dream retirement home populated by ageing male film icons. Harrison Ford, 80, showed he still had stamina in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", and got weepy when given an honorary Palme d'Or. Martin Scorsese, 80, and Robert De Niro, 79, brought their new film, "Killers of the Flower Moon". European auteurs Ken Loach, 86, Marco Bellocchio, 83, Wim Wenders, 77, and Victor Erice, 82, all premiered new films -- Erice with his first in 40 years. It was notable that many of the starriest attendees made their names in the 1980s and 1990s: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Johnny Depp, Sean Penn, Jude Law. "Over the last 10 years, we've done a really sh--ty job of creating a new generation of movie stars," one Hollywood agent moaned to Variety. Female gaze Michael Douglas, 78, who also got an honorary Palme d'Or, regaled the festival with memories of showing erotic thriller "Basic Instinct" here in 1992. "Watching those sex scenes on the biggest screen I'd ever seen... we had a very quiet dinner afterwards," he quipped. But it underlined how things have changed, with many films this year presenting more of a woman's perspective. "The entire range of human behavior should be accessible to women," said Portman, whose new film "May December" is a campy but complex look at a loving mother with a buried past as a sex offender. While Jude Law grabbed headlines as a tyrannical King Henry VIII in "Firebrand", the film's spotlight was really on Alicia Vikander as Catherine Parr, trying to escape the fate of the king's previous wives. Among many other examples were "Four Daughters" about a mother's role in the radicalisation of her children, and "How to Have Sex", a nuanced look at assault and consent among boozed-up Brits abroad. Hueller's double It was a strong competition this year and Germany's Sandra Hueller starred in two of the most stand-out films. In "The Zone of Interest" from British director Jonathan Glazer, she chillingly played the wife of a Nazi camp commandant, proud to be known as "the queen of Auschwitz". The unique film never shows the horrors of the camp, leaving them to be implied by background noises and small visual details. She also starred in "Anatomy of a Fall", another women-focused film, lauded by critics, about a wife accused of her husband's murder. Long films Audience patience was tested repeatedly, with Oscar-winner Steve McQueen presenting "Occupied City", a four-hour documentary about Amsterdam. Scorsese's Native American epic was widely praised though everyone felt the 210-minute runtime was a bit much. Ditto "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", which stretched the action out for more than two-and-a-half hours. A documentary about Chinese workers, "Youth (Spring)" also clocked in at 210 minutes, and director Wang Bing warned he plans two more chapters that will make it over nine hours. Fashion Helen Mirren got the ball rolling in style with a blue updo on opening night -- but the red carpet was often more understated after that. The on trend "naked look" was adopted by models Julia Fox and Irina Shayk. Otherwise, vintage scored the biggest hits: Portman in a recreation of Christian Dior's famous 1949 Junon dress, and Lily-Rose Depp in a classic black sequin number from the Chanel archives. The post Ageing maestros and strong women at epic Cannes film fest appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Zelensky seeks diplomatic, military support in Hiroshima
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will plead for diplomatic and military support in Hiroshima Sunday as he addresses G7 allies and a few nations who have pointedly declined to condemn Russia's invasion. In a surprise trip to a city synonymous with the horror of nuclear war, Zelensky began his day huddling with G7 leaders. Later he will address assembled leaders from India, Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia and is expected to give a speech to rally support for Ukraine's defense against Moscow's 15-month onslaught. His appearance at the G7 summit has firmly shifted the spotlight onto Russia's aggression and comes after a victory in his long-running campaign to win US backing for the supply of American-made advanced fighter jets. Zelensky bounded down the stairs from a French government plane on Saturday and began a punishing schedule of talks, meeting leaders from Europe, India, Indonesia, and Canada over several hours. While Zelensky is assured the support of long-standing G7 backers, he is on shakier ground with others in Hiroshima, including Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has accused the West of "encouraging the war" and is yet to confirm he will even meet his Ukrainian counterpart. The reception was warmer from India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who told Zelensky: "I understand your pain and the pain of Ukrainian citizens very well." "I can assure you that to resolve this India and, me personally, will do whatever we can do." Zelensky offered an upbeat assessment of the encounter, saying he believed India "will participate in the restoration of the rules-based international order that all free nations clearly need." French President Emmanuel Macron praised the trip as "a way to build peace," calling it an "honor" to have supplied the plane that carried the Ukrainian leader to Hiroshima. Zelensky is looking for support for a ten-point peace plan, centred on the demand that Russia retreat from Ukrainian territory. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the message from Ukraine and its allies was clear: "Russia must withdraw troops". Any peace plan, he said, "can't simply be linked to a freeze of the conflict." "Russia should not bet that if it holds out long enough, it will end up weakening support for Ukraine." Zelensky had previously been scheduled to attend the G7 summit remotely but arrived on the back of a major breakthrough in his battle to wrest advanced weaponry from the West. The White House dropped its longstanding reluctance to allow allies to supply Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets, opening the way for Ukraine to receive its most sophisticated material yet. Washington insisted the aircraft were part of a US strategy to support Ukraine "in a way that avoids World War III," and deflected criticism that their decision was too long coming. Zelensky acknowledged the jets would not help the war effort immediately, but hailed the decision as "a great result". "It really will help our society, our people to save houses, families." Mick Ryan, a strategist and retired Australian major general, called the decision "very significant". "F-16s have the sensors and weapon systems that are either equal to, or overmatch, Russian fighters," he told AFP, saying the jets would make life "more difficult" for Russian missile-launching aircraft operating in and around Ukraine. Zelensky meets Biden later Sunday, though the White House has declined to confirm US media reports it could announce a new package of weapons for Ukraine. While Ukraine has dominated the summit, the leaders have also taken aim at China, with a thinly veiled statement denouncing efforts to "weaponize" trade and supply chains, and warning they would "fail and face consequences". The grouping also warned China against its "militarisation" in the South China Sea and urged Beijing to press Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine. It insisted however that it still seeks "constructive and stable relations" with China. China hit back late Saturday, expressing its "strong dissatisfaction" with the G7's final communique, and Russia too lashed out at the group. "Look at the decisions discussed and taken today at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, which aim to contain both Russia and China," Moscow's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov said. The post Zelensky seeks diplomatic, military support in Hiroshima appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump found liable for sexually abusing writer
A New York jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing and defaming an American former magazine columnist and ordered the ex-president to pay her $5 million in damages. The nine jurors rejected E. Jean Carroll's accusation of rape but unanimously upheld her other complaints in the closely watched civil trial, following less than three hours of deliberations. It marks the first time Trump has faced legal consequences over a string of sexual assault allegations dating back decades -- and the former leader immediately rejected the verdict as a "disgrace." Carroll, 79, sued Trump last year, alleging that he raped her in the changing room of the luxury Bergdorf Goodman store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue in 1996. The former columnist for Elle magazine also claimed that Trump defamed her when he called her "a complete con job" after she went public with the allegation in 2019. Trump, the 76-year-old frontrunner for the Republican nomination in next year's presidential election, called her case a "hoax" and "a lie." The jury determined that Carroll had proved sexual abuse -- effectively sexual contact without consent -- by a preponderance of the evidence and awarded her $2 million. The six men and three women on the jury also said Trump should pay Carroll nearly $3 million for defamation. Following the verdict, Carroll left the Manhattan federal court smiling but did not speak to reporters. "We're very happy," said her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. Trump slammed the outcome on his social media platform Truth Social. "I have absolutely no idea who this woman is," he wrote, using all capital letters. "This verdict is a disgrace -- a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time." Trump's 2024 campaign team said in a statement that the case was a "political endeavor" intended to derail Trump's bid to regain the White House, and that he would appeal. Carroll told the two-week-long civil trial that the assault had left her feeling "ashamed" and unable to have romantic relationships. She said it took her more than 20 years to go public because she was "frightened" by Trump. Her lawyers called to the witness stand two other women who testified that Trump sexually assaulted them decades ago. Former businesswoman Jessica Leeds said that Trump groped her in the business class section of a flight in the United States in the 1970s. Journalist Natasha Stoynoff said Trump kissed her without her consent during an interview at his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2005. Around a dozen women accused Trump of sexual misconduct ahead of the 2016 election that sent him to the White House. He has denied all the allegations and has never been prosecuted over any of them. No criminal case can stem from Carroll's lawsuit. Trump did not testify during the proceedings, nor did his defense team call any witnesses. A video of a sworn deposition he gave in October was played to the jury. In it, Trump called Carroll "a liar" and "really sick person." His lawyers argued that Carroll invented the allegation "for money, for political reasons, and for status." She filed her lawsuit under a New York law that gave victims of sexual assault a one-year window to sue their alleged abusers decades after attacks may have occurred. The burden of proof in civil proceedings is lower than in criminal trial cases when prosecutors must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The case was one of several legal challenges threatening to complicate Trump's bid to regain the presidency -- although the Republican's supporters have broadly stayed loyal to their champion up until now. Last month, Trump pleaded not guilty to criminal charges related to a hush-money payment made to a porn star just before the 2016 vote -- allegedly to cover up an affair. Trump is also being investigated over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the southern state of Georgia, his alleged mishandling of classified documents taken from the White House and his involvement in the storming of the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. The post Trump found liable for sexually abusing writer appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
U.S. special forces evacuate Americans in Khartoum
United States special forces in helicopters evacuated staff of the US embassy in Khartoum as fighting between rival military factions of Sudan intensified in the capital city. More than 100 American troops rescued fewer than 100 people from the US embassy using three Chinook helicopters and flew to Djibouti, where other foreign governments are staging rescue mission for their own citizens caught in the crossfire in Khartoum. US President Joe Biden condemned the fighting and called for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday. Ferocious battles between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group — which has seen fighter jets launch airstrikes and street fighting with tanks in densely populated Khartoum — have killed more than 400 people and left thousands wounded. Khartoum’s airport has been the site of heavy fighting with aircraft destroyed on the runway and is under the control of the Rapid Support Forces. More than 150 people from various nations reached the safety of Saudi Arabia. Heavy fighting broke out on 15 April between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary RSF. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia unleashed in Darfur by former strongman leader Omar al-Bashir, where they were accused of war crimes. Burhan and Daglo seized power in a 2021 coup but later fell out in a bitter power struggle. US Undersecretary of State John Bass said that the RSF “cooperated to the extent that they did not fire on our service members.” Bass warned that a coordinated US government effort to evacuate other American citizens was unlikely in the coming days. More than 150 people from various nations reached the safety of Saudi Arabia after naval forces launched a rescue across the Red Sea on Saturday, collecting 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries from Port Sudan, in the first announced evacuation of civilians. A ceasefire declared on Friday by the two sides for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was shortlived. Meanwhile, civilians shelter inside their homes in Khartoum, with power largely cut amid sweltering heat in the city of five million people. Many have ventured out only to get food and water, supplies of which are dwindling, or to flee the city. Adding to residents’ woes was a “near-total collapse of internet connectivity” across the country, according to web monitor NetBlocks. The post U.S. special forces evacuate Americans in Khartoum appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pinoys among those evacuated as Sudan fighting enters 2nd week
Sudan's Rapid Support Forces said Sunday it had "coordinated with" American troops to evacuate Washington's embassy in the country, where fighting between the paramilitary group and the army entered a second week following a brief lull. More than 150 people from various nations had already reached the safety of Saudi Arabia in the first announced evacuation of civilians. Foreign countries have said they are preparing for the potential evacuation of thousands more of their nationals, even though Sudan's main airport remains closed. "The Rapid Support Forces Command has coordinated with the U.S Forces Mission consisting of 6 aircraft, for evacuating diplomats and their families on Sunday morning," said a tweet by the heavily armed paramilitary group. The RSF pledged "full cooperation with all diplomatic missions, and providing all necessary means of protection, and ensuring their safe return to their countries". The group previously said it was ready to "partially" open "all airports" in Sudan to evacuate foreign citizens. It was not possible to verify which airports the RSF controls. Fighting has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded, while survivors cope with shortages of electricity and food. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry announced the "safe arrival" of 91 of its citizens along with nationals from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Canada and Burkina Faso. As the kingdom's naval forces transported the civilians, including diplomats and international officials, across the Red Sea from Port Sudan to Jeddah, fighting resumed in Sudan's capital Khartoum after a temporary truce saw gunfire momentarily die down on Friday, the first day of Eid al-Fitr. Eid is normally a major celebration for Sudanese marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. This year it is marked by fear, grief and hunger. Earlier on Saturday, Sudan's army said its chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had received calls from leaders of multiple countries to "facilitate and guarantee safety for evacuating citizens and diplomatic missions". It noted that the evacuations were expected to begin "in the coming hours", adding that the US, Britain, France and China were planning to airlift their nationals out of Khartoum using military planes. Burhan told Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV that the army was in control of "all airports, except for Khartoum airport" and one in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. Urban warfare began on 15 April between forces loyal to Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Daglo commands the RSF, which emerged from the Janjaweed fighters unleashed in Darfur by former strongman Omar al-Bashir, drawing accusations of war crimes. The former allies seized power in a 2021 coup but later fell out in a bitter power struggle. On Saturday morning, heavy gunfire, loud explosions and fighter jets were heard in many parts of the capital, according to witnesses. The army announced Friday agreement to a three-day ceasefire. Daglo said in a statement he had "discussed the current crisis" with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and was "focused on the humanitarian truce, safe passages, and protecting humanitarian workers". Five humanitarians, including four from UN-linked agencies, have so far been killed. Two 24-hour ceasefires announced earlier in the week were also ignored. In Khartoum, a city of five million people, the conflict has left terrified civilians sheltering inside their homes. Many have ventured out only to get urgent food supplies -- stocks of which are dwindling -- or to flee the city. While Khartoum has seen some of the fiercest battles, they have occurred across the country. Late Friday, the army accused the RSF of attacks in the capital's twin city of Omdurman where they released "a large number of inmates" from a prison, accusations the group denies. Battles have raged in Darfur, where Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in the city of El Fasher said their medics had been "overwhelmed" by the number of patients with gunshot wounds, many of them children. More plans are being made to evacuate foreigners, with South Korea and Japan deploying forces to nearby countries, and the European Union weighing a similar move. The German ministers of defence and foreign affairs held a crisis meeting Saturday on a possible evacuation, after three military transport planes had to turn back Wednesday, according to German weekly Der Spiegel. The World Health Organization (WHO) said 413 people had been killed and 3,551 wounded in the fighting across Sudan, but the actual death toll is thought to be higher. More than two-thirds of hospitals in Khartoum and neighbouring states are now "out of service", and at least four hospitals in North Kordofan state were shelled, the doctors' union said. The World Food Programme said the violence could plunge millions more into hunger in a country where one-third of the population needs aid. Burhan and Daglo's dispute centred on the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army, a key condition for a deal aimed at restoring Sudan's democratic transition after the military toppled Bashir in April 2019 following mass citizen protests. In October 2021, Burhan and Daglo joined forces to oust a civilian government installed after Bashir's downfall. Daglo now says the coup was a "mistake", while Burhan believes it was "necessary" to include more groups into politics. The post Pinoys among those evacuated as Sudan fighting enters 2nd week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1)
A puzzling statement was issued that couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were dead. It was not an assumption but a confirmation made by the faceless spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines, Marco Valbuena, on Thursday that their top-ranking leaders did not die from a sea encounter in Catbalogan, Samar but were tortured and killed by the military. Ahead of DNA test results on human remains believed to be the Tiamzons, Valbuena made a premature claim. Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said the PNP Forensic Group has yet to release its official DNA report which is also being awaited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Tiamzons were traveling with eight members of a guerilla group on a boat off Catbalogan City when they figured in a firefight with Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident and the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on 22 August 2022. The military believed the group perished after their boat exploded. Human remains were found in the water in the succeeding days but were not identified. Who really are the Tiamzons? Benito, 71, National Democratic Front consultant, was the vice chairman, executive committee member, and political bureau member of the CPP–New People’s Army-NDF. Wilma, 70, was CPP secretary general and, like her husband, was a member of the executive committee and political bureau of the CPP-NPA-NDF. She was also NDFP negotiating panel national consultant and the National Finance Commission secretary. The couple were arrested on 22 March 2014 and detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Two years after, they were granted bail when the peace talks with the government resumed under the Duterte administration in August 2016. When the peace talks collapsed in 2017, the couple refused to surrender and went into hiding until a Quezon City court ordered their re-arrest in 2018. On 27 November 2020, Benito and Wilma were sentenced to up to 40 years in prison after being convicted of the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of Lt. Abraham Claro Casis and three other Army officers in Quezon in 1988. They were also ordered arrested for 15 counts of murder, issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Manila on 17 September 2017, in connection with the alleged 1985 purge in Leyte of communist rebels accused of being military informants, known as the “Inopacan massacre.” After running around headless since the death of its ideological founder in December 2022, timing is everything for the orphaned communist groups. Yes, everything happens at the perfect time. And, yes, the NDF’s 50th anniversary on Monday, 24 April is the perfect time. According to security forces, on occasions like this, CPP-affiliated organizations are expected to continue propagating issues and propaganda to portray them as still winning against the government and to expedite their recruitment of new revolutionaries. This is their strategy to portray the AFP as the primary violator of human rights in the country; and that the Philippine and American governments are conspiring to execute the apprehended terrorists. True enough, their digital spokesperson, whose face is always left to everyone’s imagination, announced that at the break of dawn on 24 April, all NPA units have been ordered to stand in formation and silently perform a 21-gun salute to pay respects and give the highest salute to the Tiamzon couple — their heroes for a day. (To be continued) The post The Tiamzons, dead or alive? (1) appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia hits Odesa, warns U.S. ambassador
Russia launched a drone attack on Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa early Wednesday as Moscow warned the American ambassador against inciting discord in the country. “At night, the enemy carried out an attack by UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) of the Shahed-136 type on the Odesa region,” Yuriy Kruk, head of the Odesa district military administration, said in a statement on Telegram, according to Agence France-Presse. “According to preliminary information, there were no casualties. Measures are being taken to contain the fire, units of the State Emergency Service and other structures are working on the spot,” Kruk said, adding that air defenses had destroyed most of the drones. The attack followed Russia’s foreign ministry’s warning on United States Ambassador Lynne Tracy for her alleged provocative statements in support of opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday. “It was emphasized that any steps taken by the American side aimed at inciting discord and enmity in Russian society, as well as using the diplomatic mission to cover up subversive work, will be severely suppressed,” the ministry said. British ambassador Deborah Bronnert and Canadian ambassador Alison LeClaire were also summoned by the ministry over their statements. The ministry accused the three ambassadors of interfering in the internal affairs of Russia. The post Russia hits Odesa, warns U.S. ambassador appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The story of the Waco siege — from the lawyer who got inside
Blood had already been spilled during the armed standoff between US agents and the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, when lawyer Dick DeGuerin got a phone call. The worried mother of cult leader David Koresh said her son needed legal help. She hired DeGuerin. He was the first outsider to pass through the security cordon and enter the Mount Carmel compound, where the Davidians were holed up. DeGuerin came face to face with a badly wounded Koresh, and was in position to try to broker an end to the stalemate. Three decades later, as the story pours forth from the 82-year-old lawyer, he remains convinced that the 51-day siege could have ended peacefully without the deaths of nearly 80 people. DeGuerin's account strikes a chord in today's deeply polarized United States, where some see Waco as a symbol of government overreach. Even now, a memorial at the scene of those killed draws hundreds of visitors a month. When DeGuerin got the call from Koresh's mother, he knew that the case was of a "magnitude" beyond anything he'd ever faced. "I had handled some big cases, but nothing like this," DeGuerin recalled from his office in Houston. "The world was watching." The Branch Davidians were founded in 1959 as a splinter from the Seventh Day Adventist church. They believed in the imminent return of Jesus, and Koresh emerged as their charismatic leader in the 1980s. In 1993, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) accused the group of stockpiling weapons, and obtained an arrest warrant for Koresh and a search warrant for the compound, where there were also allegations of child abuse. On February 28, ATF agents raided the complex, a gun battle erupted, several people died, and a tense weeks-long standoff set in. As he prepared to enter the compound in late March, DeGuerin thought he had worked out a deal with Texas Rangers law enforcement officers to manage Koresh's surrender. FBI agents took the lawyer close to the compound in the back of a tank, stopping about 100 yards away. "My handler said, 'Would you like some body armor?' I said, 'No, I'm not afraid of the Davidians... I just don't want you FBI snipers shooting at me.'" DeGuerin didn't know what to expect, but said he found Koresh, 33, to be intelligent and articulate, and could see he had gunshot wounds to his torso and wrist. Koresh was "very angry" at the siege by the FBI and ATF agents. DeGuerin saw it as his mission to get Koresh out of the compound and into court "without anybody else dying." "I told him, of course, that the law is the law and he had to obey the law even though it might conflict with his religious beliefs. He understood that," he said. As negotiations ground on, DeGuerin returned to the compound with another lawyer, Jack Zimmerman, who represented one of the other cult members. Patience was wearing thin, particularly among federal agents. "There were the negotiators that wanted it to end peacefully. And then there were the tactical people that just wanted to rush in and kill anybody and arrest him," DeGuerin said. "The tactical people won." As a final showdown loomed, DeGuerin sought to go back and make a final appeal for Koresh to surrender to authorities. But he was turned away. "This FBI agent told me, 'We don't need you anymore.'" On that day -- April 19, 1993 -- FBI agents in armored vehicles smashed into the compound buildings and pumped in tear gas. The causes of the subsequent fires are still disputed, but the compound burnt to the ground, claiming more than 70 lives, including some 20 children. Investigations cleared law enforcement of wrongdoing, but Waco became a rallying cry for Americans accusing their government of abuse of authority, and it spurred growth of militias across the country. In 1995, on the second anniversary of the raid, Timothy McVeigh, who had driven to Waco to witness the siege, carried out the Oklahoma City bombing killing 168 people. For DeGuerin, 30 years on, the lessons of Waco are clear. The federal agents had grown convinced that Koresh "was fooling them again" and would not surrender, he said. "They didn't wait. I believe if they'd waited, it would have ended peacefully. But it didn't." The post The story of the Waco siege — from the lawyer who got inside appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Two brothers from Cebu, wanted for rape, child abuse, nabbed in Negros Occ.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Two brothers, one wanted for raping a 17-year-old girl while the other wanted for child abuse for having knowledge of the rape and not reporting it, were arrested in Escalante City, Negros Occidental at around 2 p.m., today, May 24. Police Major Welther Grapa, Medellin Police Station chief, identified the accused […] The post Two brothers from Cebu, wanted for rape, child abuse, nabbed in Negros Occ. appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Lapu-based Japanese businessman accused of physical abuse
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines – A Japanese businessman in Lapu-Lapu City took an audience with Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan on Thursday, January 7, 2021, after one of his employees accused him of physical abuse. Masashi Nataga owns a restaurant and a travel and tour business and has been living in the city for 16 years already. […] The post Lapu-based Japanese businessman accused of physical abuse appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»