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Fashion mogul categorically denies serial rapes accusations
Finnish-Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, on trial in Toronto for alleged serial rapes, categorically denied any sexual misconduct as he wrapped up several days of defense testimony on Friday. The 82-year-old founder of Nygard International has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting four women and a 16-year-old girl in Canada's largest city between 1988 and 2005. In court, defense attorney Brian Greenspan asked Nygard how he could firmly reject the allegations given that he could not recall dealings with any of his accusers. "The type of allegations that were said and were described is the type of conduct that I know that I have never done, I never would do," Nygard replied. On the stand, he also disputed elements of the complainants' testimonies including that he attended a Rolling Stones concert with one of them, offered an emergency birth control pill to a girl after allegedly raping her, or called another from a plane to arrange a date. Nygard said he didn't own a private jet in the late 1980s and said phones on commercial aircraft "in those years, to my recollection, were almost nonexistent. In other words, you couldn't even do that." He took issue also with characterizations of him as "always being with young women. Well, well, it isn't true." He pointed to a one-time travel companion in the late 1980s who was six years older than him, as an example. The prosecution has accused Nygard of having used his "power and status as a wealthy fashion designer to lure and sexually assault young women." Nygard is to face cross-examination next week. He also faces sexual assault charges in Quebec and Manitoba, as well as extradition to the United States, where he has been accused of raping dozens of women and girls, racketeering and trafficking. The post Fashion mogul categorically denies serial rapes accusations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Manhunt for US shooter presses on, leaving small town in fear
Thousands of anxious small-town Maine residents began a second day under lockdown Friday as police waging a sprawling manhunt struggled to find a US Army reservist accused of killing 18 people in America’s deadliest mass shooting this year. Dozens of law enforcement agents surrounded the family home of the suspect, Robert Card, 40, but by mid-evening agents left the property in Bowdoin, near Lewiston, Maine, to hunt for him elsewhere. A wide area around Lewiston remained locked down Friday, more than 24 hours after Card allegedly went on a rampage in which 13 people were also wounded. People in Lewiston were on edge, buzzing with talk of Card and the massacre. "Uneasy," said resident Jeremy Hiltz, when asked how he felt. "It's a small community . When something like this happens, everybody knows somebody" affected." Authorities erected roadblocks, ordered schools and businesses closed, and told residents to stay indoors. Governor Janet Mills said the suspect was considered armed and dangerous. Card was seen in surveillance footage pointing a semi-automatic rifle as he walked into the Just-in-Time bowling alley on Wednesday. In early evening, law enforcement agents surrounded the Card family home in Bowdoin, bringing in armored vehicles, and sending up drones and a helicopter. State police warned "please come outside" and "we don't want anyone to get hurt" over a loudspeaker near the home, but later said the warnings were routine and not confirmation that Card was inside. One longtime neighbor, Dave Letarte, said news of the shooting "floored me." "I would have never expected that from him," he told AFP of Card. Joseph Walker, a manager at the Schemengees Bar & Grille, was among those killed Wednesday night, his father, Leroy Walker, told NBC News. Walker said his family was "suffering and dying in a nightmare we don't understand." "We were up all night. We didn't know where to go, who to turn to," he said. Terror at bowling alley One survivor told television reporters that he was 15 feet (5 meters) from the gunman when he opened fire at the bowling alley. He thought at first it was a balloon popping. "And as soon as I turned and saw it was not a balloon and he was holding a weapon, I just booked it down the lane and I slid basically into where the pins are and climbed up into the machine and was on top of the machines for about 10 minutes until the cops got there," he said. Card is a member of the US Army Reserve, but had not been deployed in any combat zone. US media reported that he had recently been sent for psychiatric treatment after he said he was hearing voices. Hundreds of police in military style camouflage gear, as well as FBI agents, flooded the search zone in what Lewiston police chief David St. Pierre called "an all-hands-on-deck approach." Republicans oppose new laws This latest shooting is one of the deadliest in the United States since 2017, when a gunman opened fire on a crowded music festival in Las Vegas, killing 60 people. Mass shootings are common in the United States, a country with more privately owned guns than people, and strong political opposition to even minor restrictions on access. The country has recorded at least 565 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nongovernmental organization that defines a mass shooting as four or more people wounded or killed. President Joe Biden called Maine's governor to offer federal support, and ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff at the White House and all government buildings. Biden added that the gun violence that plagues the United States "is not normal, and we cannot accept it," urging lawmakers to pass a bill banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. A Maine Democrat who holds a seat in the US House of Representatives, Jared Golden, flipped on this ban, saying that after the shooting in his state his previous opposition to such a restriction, which is supported by most in his party, was a mistake. "I have opposed efforts to ban deadly weapons of war, like the assault rifle used to carry out this crime," Golden said Thursday. "The time has now come for me to take responsibility for this failure," he added. But in a reminder that Congress will not be considering stronger gun ownership laws anytime soon, the newly installed Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, told Fox News that the reason for so many mass shootings in the United States "is the human heart, not guns." The post Manhunt for US shooter presses on, leaving small town in fear appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Netanyahu says Israel ‘preparing’ Gaza ground war
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel is readying a ground war in Gaza, pressing ahead with plans that have troubled allies and threaten to worsen an already cascading humanitarian crisis. Facing ever-louder international calls to temper Israel's ferocious 19-day bombing campaign in the Hamas-controlled territory, Netanyahu delivered a nationally televised address. He told fellow Israelis still grieving and angry after Hamas's bloody attacks: "We are in the midst of a campaign for our existence," while insisting Israel will decide how the war is prosecuted. On 7 October, throngs of Hamas gunmen poured from Gaza into Israel, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 222 more, according to official tallies. US President Joe Biden is among the foreign leaders stepping up public calls for Israel to "protect innocent civilians" and to follow the "laws of war" as it pursues Hamas targets. Thousands of Gazans are already believed to have died in Israel's aerial assault, with the toll expected to rise substantially if tens of thousands of Israeli troops massed around Gaza move in. Biden on Wednesday said he had privately suggested Israel should get hostages out if possible before any ground invasion. "It's their decision, but I did not demand it", Biden said, as he called on Congress to allocate more money for Israeli defense. Speaking in Cairo, French President Emmanuel Macron warned: "A massive intervention that would put civilian lives at risk would be an error." But boasting of "raining down hellfire on Hamas" and killing "thousands of terrorists", Netanyahu said his war cabinet and the military would determine the timing of a "ground offensive" to "eliminate Hamas" and "bring our captives home." "I will not detail when, how, or how many," he said. 'It's a massacre' Gaza's Hamas-controlled health ministry puts the number of Palestinian deaths at 6,500, including many children and 700 people killed in a single 24-hour window this week. AFP could not independently verify the ministry's claims, and US President Biden has stated he has "no confidence" in the Hamas ministry figures. While the exact toll from the war in Gaza is unclear, the depth of the suffering is not in question. Entire neighborhoods have been razed, overflowing hospitals carry out procedures without anesthetic, and residents have been forced to use ice cream trucks as makeshift morgues. "They're not waging war on Hamas, they're waging war on children," raged Abu Ali Zaarab, after his family home was bombed in the southern town of Rafah. "It's a massacre." About 1.4 million people -- more than half the population -- have been displaced, according to the United Nations. The UN says 12 of the territory's 35 hospitals have closed due to damage or insufficient fuel, and a key UN aid agency serving almost 600,000 Palestinians "began to significantly reduce its operations." Israel has cut off Gaza's normal supply corridors for water, food, and other necessities, and fewer than 70 relief trucks have entered the impoverished territory since the war began. None contained fuel, which Israel fears Hamas will use for rockets and explosives. Aid agencies have warned that more people will die if medical equipment, water desalination plants, and ambulances stop operating because of a lack of fuel. Once the generators stop, hospitals will "turn into morgues", the Red Cross has warned. Hospitals are also struggling with a shortage of medicines and equipment. "There's not enough anesthetic," said Ahmad Abdul Hadi, an orthopedic surgeon working at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. "The wounded are in severe pain but we can't wait for the procedure, so we're forced to do the operation. We performed a number of surgeries without anesthetic. It's tough and painful, but with the lack of resources, what can we do?" A regional 'explosion' The war has sparked fears of a regional conflagration if it draws in more of Israel's enemies. Since October 7, Israel has launched thousands of reprisal strikes in Gaza, but it has also hit targets in Lebanon and Syria. Late Wednesday, Lebanon-based Hezbollah fired what Israel said was a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli drone. Israel's military said it had intercepted the missile and "struck the source of the launch" in retaliation. Hamas, Hezbollah, and Syria's government are backed by Iran, which denies Israel's right to exist. Tehran's top diplomat on Wednesday accused Israel of carrying out "genocide" in Gaza. Jordan's King Abdullah became the latest leader to warn that ongoing violence could "lead to an explosion" in the region. His wife Queen Rania accused Western leaders of a "glaring double standard" for not condemning Israel's killing of Palestinian civilians in its bombardment of Gaza. Violence has also risen sharply in the occupied West Bank, where health officials said more than 100 Palestinians had been killed, mostly in raids by Israeli troops or in clashes with Israeli settlers. The post Netanyahu says Israel ‘preparing’ Gaza ground war appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Russia’s Lavrov to visit Iran for regional talks Monday
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit the Iranian capital Tehran on Monday for talks with regional counterparts, his ministry's spokeswoman has confirmed. Iran's official IRNA news agency reported earlier that the foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia had been invited to meet for the talks. "We confirm Lavrov's planned talks in Tehran on Monday," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the TASS and RIA news agencies. The talks come amid tensions over the Middle East and unresolved disputes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which launched a lightning offensive against Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh last month. Armenia later confirmed that its foreign minister would attend the meeting. A full list of attendees has not yet been released, but Armenia's northern neighbor Georgia said Sunday that it would not be attending, its foreign ministry told the Interpressnews agency. Georgia applied for EU membership together with Ukraine and Moldova after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbor in February 2022. Since launching its assault, Russia has turned to Iran for military support and economic partnerships as both countries face a raft of Western sanctions. Western countries have accused Tehran of supporting Russia's offensive in Ukraine by providing it with large quantities of drones and other weaponry. The post Russia’s Lavrov to visit Iran for regional talks Monday appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Drones attack U.S. forces in Iraq
Drones attacked American and coalition forces in Iraq in the last 24 hours but all unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down with troops suffering only minor injuries. The United States Central Command reported the attacks Wednesday but did not say the source of the drones. Pro-Iranian forces have threatened to attack American troops in Iraq because of Washington’s support for Israel in its war with Hamas. “In western Iraq, US forces engaged two drones, destroying one and damaging the second, resulting in minor injuries to coalition forces. Separately in northern Iraq, US forces engaged and destroyed a drone, resulting in no injuries or damage,” CENTCOM said. There are around 2,500 American soldiers and a thousand troops from other members of the anti-Islamic State coalition in Iraq in a training and advisory role, after the official end of their combat mission in December 2021. A US defense official said earlier on Wednesday that two “one-way drones” had been downed when they attempted to attack American and coalition forces in Iraq, while Kurdish counter-terrorism forces said in a statement that an explosives-laden drone had crashed Wednesday in the Arbil governorate in the country’s north. The drone shootdowns came a day after a strike on a hospital in Gaza left hundreds dead, with Hamas blaming Israel, which in turn said another Palestinian armed group was responsible. Hamas launched a surprise assault inside Israel on 7 October, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking hostages back into Gaza. After Israel declared war and began retaliatory strikes, nearly 3,500 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip, mostly civilians as well, according to Hamas health authorities. Pro-Iranian factions in Iraq have accused Israel and the US of carrying out a “massacre” in Gaza, with one of them — the powerful Ketaeb Hezbollah group — demanding that American forces leave Iraq or face attack. The post Drones attack U.S. forces in Iraq appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
War in Israel a new front in US election campaign
The surprise Hamas assault on Israel has opened up a new front in the US election campaign as Republicans accuse President Joe Biden of being soft in his defense of Israel and in his handling of Iran. "I think this is a great opportunity for our candidates to contrast where Republicans have stood with Israel -- time and time again –- and Joe Biden has been weak," Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, said Saturday on Fox News. Americans will choose a new president and control of Congress in November 2024, with Biden, 80, seeking another term in a race that looks likely to pit him against former president Donald Trump as the Republican candidate. Trump used the stunning Hamas attack by land, sea, and air at dawn Saturday to target Biden. “The Israeli attack was made because we are perceived as weak and ineffective and with a very weak leader,” he said. Other Republican presidential hopefuls, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, also dismissed Biden as weak. US stands with Israel A stern-faced Biden gave a short speech from the White House on Saturday to stress firm US support for Israel. "Today, the people of Israel are under attack, orchestrated by a terrorist organization, Hamas," Biden said. "In this moment of tragedy, I want to say to them and to the world and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel. We will not ever fail to have their back." Republicans zeroed in on a recent decision by the Biden administration to release $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue frozen in South Korea in exchange for the release of five Americans who were being held prisoner in Iran. Tehran is the main sponsor of Hamas, which the United States and other countries classify as a terrorist group. Senator Rick Scott, for instance, said that in unfreezing that money -- it was transferred to a bank account in Qatar for use only for humanitarian purposes -- the United States had in effect financed the Hamas attack, which won praise from Iran. That charge angered the White House, which called it a "shameful lie" and insisted that the money was tightly controlled in how it could be used and none of it had been spent. A senior administration official speaking to reporters on Saturday accused Republicans of spreading disinformation. Help from congress The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stressed it was too early to say whether Iran was directly involved in Hamas' large-scale attack, but that there was "no doubt Hamas is funded, equipped and armed by Iran and others." Aside from the 2024 election, the Republican attacks pose political problems for Biden. The United States already provides billions of dollars a year for Israel but Biden will need Congress if he wants to send more now that Israel has declared itself at war with Hamas. That means Biden has to work with the Republicans, who are blocking passage of a yearly budget. Making matters worse, the House of Representatives is in chaos and limbo now because of the ouster of its speaker, Kevin McCarthy, last week in a revolt by a handful of far right Republicans. The White House would also like the Senate to approve Jack Lew soon to be the new American ambassador to Israel. His nomination was announced more than a month ago. This will require goodwill from the Republican minority in that chamber. The post War in Israel a new front in US election campaign appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trial of disgraced crypto star Bankman-Fried begins
The trial of Sam Bankman-Fried, former CEO of one of cryptocurrency's biggest exchanges, began Tuesday with a jury set to determine if he committed massive fraud by stealing billions of dollars from clients. The 31-year-old -- once one of the most respected figures in crypto -- now faces decades in prison and could see his name stand alongside Bernie Madoff and Elizabeth Holmes as the era's most prominent fraudsters. The first day of the trial was devoted to jury selection for a case that is set to last about six weeks. Bankman-Fried faces seven counts including wire fraud, securities and commodities fraud, and money laundering. He risks more than 100 years behind bars if he is found guilty on all charges. Bankman-Fried entered the courtroom alone -- without being escorted by security guards -- uncuffed, and took his place alongside his lawyers, an AFP journalist observed. Dressed in a dark suit and striped tie, his usually long curly hair was cut short, reportedly by a fellow inmate at the Brooklyn jail where he is being detained. "You have the right to testify in your defense in this case. The decision is up to you," US District Judge Lewis Kaplan told Bankman Fried. In just a few years, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate turned his FTX platform into the world's second-biggest crypto exchange, making him a tech world billionaire wunderkind. FTX became a global name through a marketing campaign that included celebrity partnerships with stars such as supermodel Gisele Bundchen and basketball legend Stephen Curry, and buying the naming rights for the home arena of the Miami Heat basketball club. Bankman-Fried also stepped in as a kind of savior of the industry when other crypto companies faced difficulties, with FTX swooping in to offer a financial lifeline. At the height of his career, Bankman-Fried was thought to be worth $26 billion as he attracted droves of small investors to invest in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. But his steep rise was matched by his ignominious downfall, which saw him escorted last year by police from his luxury apartment in the Bahamas and extradited to face charges in the United States. 'Gambling at own casino' His empire began to crumble last November when a news report pointed to unhealthy ties between the FTX platform and Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried's personally owned-trading company. The revelations kept growing and major investors pulled their money out of FTX, sinking it swiftly into bankruptcy. Once the dust had settled, some $8.7 billion in client funds was still unaccounted for and Bankman-Fried was accused of using FTX deposits to buy luxury real estate or donate more than $100 million to US politicians through Alameda. "He was gambling in his own casino and it created conflicts of interest," Michael Lewis, an author who followed Bankman-Fried closely during the period, told CBS. Everything "unravels because the depositors at FTX want their money back and it's not all there," the author of "Liar's Poker" and other titles added. The climax of the trial is expected to be when his former friends and colleagues take the stand, including Carlonie Ellison, his one-time romantic partner and Alameda executive, and Gary Wang, his closest associate. Ellison and Wang have also been indicted in the case and agreed to cooperate with US authorities, which may prove Bankman-Fried's undoing. After his spectacular arrest in the Bahamas, Bankman-Fried was initially held under house arrest but was ordered behind bars in August over alleged attempts at witness intimidation. According to prosecutors, while holed up at his parents' home in California, Bankman-Fried spoke regularly to journalists and passed documents to The New York Times in an effort to influence the testimony of Ellison. The post Trial of disgraced crypto star Bankman-Fried begins appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mexico says ex-diplomat accused of sex crimes arrested in Israel
Mexican writer and former diplomat Andres Roemer, who faces multiple accusations of sex crimes, has been arrested in Israel, Mexico's president said Monday. Roemer "will be extradited," Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said at his regular morning press conference. The allegations against Roemer, which number about 60 according to activists, began in February 2021 when the Mexican dancer Itzel Schnaas accused him of sexual assault. The 60-year-old former Mexican consul in San Francisco and goodwill ambassador to UNESCO "categorically" denied the first accusation. But he withdrew from social media in the face of mounting allegations that he had touched women inappropriately after meeting them on a work pretext. Mexico requested Roemer's extradition in June 2021. Its foreign ministry confirmed in a statement that Israeli police detained Roemer on Sunday "for extradition purposes, at the request of the Mexican Government." "Although there are no extradition treaties with the State of Israel, the arrest... was carried out based on the principle of reciprocity and international cooperation, based on the good bilateral relationship that exists in all areas between both countries," it said. The post Mexico says ex-diplomat accused of sex crimes arrested in Israel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Comelec begins filing disqualification cases vs BSKE bets
The Commission on Elections began filing disqualification cases yesterday against candidates in the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections accused of engaging in premature campaigning......»»
French rapper MHD faces verdict over youth’s murder
Acclaimed French rapper MHD was on Saturday awaiting with eight co-accused a verdict in the trial over the murder of a young man in Paris in 2018. MHD, whose real name is Mohamed Sylla, once again insisted on his innocence as he made his final statements before the court retired to render the verdict after three weeks of proceedings. "From the beginning, I have maintained my innocence in this case and I will continue to maintain my innocence," he told the packed court. The prosecutor has asked for an 18-year prison sentence for the rapper, acquittals for two of the accused, and jail sentences of 13-20 years for the others. The verdict is due to be delivered later in the day. His seven co-accused present in court -- an eighth is being tried in absentia -- have also insisted they were not involved in the violent attack on Loic K. in July 2018 that resulted in his death. The death of the 23-year-old man has been portrayed by investigators as a settling of scores between rival gangs. MHD, who rose to fame with a distinctive blend of West African sounds with US-style hip-hop, was charged with homicide in January 2019 and imprisoned. He has denied taking part in the assault, which saw the victim rammed by a black Mercedes and then beaten up and stabbed by around a dozen people in a gritty part of the capital's 10th arrondissement. But a local resident filmed the incident from his window, and the Mercedes was quickly identified as belonging to MHD. Other witnesses identified the rapper by his haircut or a Puma sweatshirt, for which he was a brand ambassador, according to investigative reports seen by AFP. The incident concerns the Cite des Chaufourniers, a low-income estate in the area that the former pizza delivery driver continued to frequent despite his fame. He was released in the summer of 2020 after a year and a half in custody as the investigations continued and released a new album. MHD is seen as a pioneer of afro-trap, which mixes hip-hop and African traditions. The football-mad performer, who was born in France to Guinean and Senegalese parents, is best known for "Afro Trap Part 3 (Champions League)", a song in praise of the Paris Saint-Germain football club. The post French rapper MHD faces verdict over youth’s murder appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week
British comedian and actor Russell Brand on Friday spoke of an "extraordinary and distressing week" in his first public comments since rape and assault allegations were aired against him, but did not address the claims. "Obviously it's been an extraordinary and distressing week and I thank you very much for your support and for questioning the information you are being presented with," he said on a video posted to his YouTube channel, which has 6.64 million subscribers. "I need your support now more than ever, more than I ever imagined I would," he added. But he did not comment on the joint investigation by The Times, Sunday Times and Channel 4 television in which four women made claims of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse against him. Then on Thursday, a woman accused Brand of exposing himself to her in 2008. Brand criticized the British government for asking tech companies to take action against him. Denouncing what he described as "deep state and corporate collusion" and "media corruption and censorship", he said he would post a longer video on Monday. In a video released last week, just before the story broke, Brand, 48, denied the allegations against him, which are said to have taken place between 2006 and 2013. He said his relationships had always been "consensual", even during a period when he admitted he was "very, very promiscuous". Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman called the allegations "very serious and concerning". Sunak "has been clear there should never be any space for harassment, regardless of where it is found", he added. Brand's publisher Bluebird announced that "all future publishing" with the comedian had been put on hold. Video-sharing platform YouTube has also demonetized his content. /jj © Agence France-Presse The post Accused of rape, Russell Brand speaks of ‘distressing’ week appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
British comedian Russell Brand accused of rape, sexual assault: media
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has been accused of rape, sexual assaults and emotional abuse during a seven-year period, according to the results of a media investigation published Saturday......»»
Women’s tennis returns to China after Peng Shuai boycott
Professional women's tennis tournaments return to China on Monday, less than two years after the WTA vowed to boycott the country out of concern for player Peng Shuai and risks to its players and staff. The WTA tournament opening Monday in the southern metropolis of Guangzhou will be the first in mainland China since 2019 -- and while no top-20 stars are expected to attend, it is set to attract plenty of attention. The WTA suspended activities in China in December 2021, when former world doubles number one Peng briefly disappeared after making -- and then withdrawing -- accusations of sexual assault against a senior Chinese leader. Saying the issue was "bigger than business", the tennis body insisted it would not hold events in China until Beijing guaranteed the safety of Peng. "Given the current state of affairs, I am also greatly concerned about the risks that all of our players and staff could face if we were to hold events in China," WTA chief Steve Simon said at the time. Peng published a long social media post in November 2021 saying she had been "forced" into sex during a years-long, on-and-off relationship with Zhang Gaoli, a married ex-vice premier of China 39 years her senior. She has since denied she accused anyone of sexual assault and described the situation as a "huge misunderstanding". Peng has not been seen outside China since the allegations were made. In April this year though, the WTA announced the resumption of tournaments, admitting its "principled stand... a powerful message to the world" had not been able "to bring about change". "It was, in my opinion, a complete capitulation, because it was pretty obvious to anyone who knows anything about China that China wasn't going to offer a free or fair investigation into the sexual assault claims," China-based sports expert Mark Dreyer told AFP. "I really do feel they've undone all that good will that they had gained by taking a principled stance." Dreyer added that the suspension had been largely symbolic as most international sporting events were put on hold during the pandemic under China's strict zero-Covid policy. - An economic choice - China is a crucial market for the WTA, given the quality of local infrastructure and investment as well as TV rights and sponsorship deals with mainland partners. "The choice to return is an economic one," Lionel Maltese, a former member of the executive committee of the French Tennis Federation, told AFP. "The income generated in China has a strong impact on the financing and income of all players." Before the pandemic, the WTA organized 10 tournaments in China each year -- with a total of $30 million in prize money -- out of more than 60 tournaments globally. These included the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, which in 2019 offered the largest tennis prize in history: $4.4 million. China is also home to five players on the world's top 100 list. They include 20-year-old Zheng Qinwen, world number 22 and recent quarter-finalist at the US Open, and 21-year-old Wang Xinyu, this year's French Open women's doubles winner. These stars have boosted the popularity of tennis in China, along with the market's economic potential. "If you have enough big names, the money will come, the tournaments will come," Dreyer told AFP. - 'Convictions' - The headliners in Guangzhou are likely to be world number 24 Magda Linette from Poland and Romania's Sorana Cirstea, currently world number 26. It is unclear if any players will be vocal about Peng, with Maltese saying there was "no leadership among players on ethical issues". "Very few athletes are taking a stand," he said. But France's Alize Cornet, ranked 99th globally, announced this week she would skip the tournament. "Staying true to my convictions and careful about my health, I decided that I will not be playing in China this year," she wrote on social media. Peng herself could make an appearance. After her initial disappearance from public view, she has made what appeared to be orchestrated appearances at multiple sporting events, including the Beijing Winter Olympics in February 2022. ehl-tjx/reb/qan © Agence France-Presse The post Women’s tennis returns to China after Peng Shuai boycott appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis apologize for letters of support for Masterson
Husband and wife Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have apologized for writing character testimonials for Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years, Thursday, 8 September. All three starred in "The 70's Show", a sitcom hit that aired in 2000s. Kutcher and Kunis' letters went viral after the conviction and the severe backlash and condemnation of the public has left them addressing the issue on Kutcher's Instagram. "We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson," began Kutcher, and Kunis followed with, "We support the victims and we have done this historically through our work..." The couple, particularly Kutcher, has been branded as a hypocrite especially since he even testified in Congress on behalf of victims of human trafficking. Commenters have said it is typical for people to pay lip service, supporting victims of sexual assault until it's their friend who's accused and/or convicted. A lot of the tongue-in-cheek comments said, what can be expected of parents who don't bathe their kids? In reference to their admission a couple of years ago that Kutcher and Kunis don't bathe their kids until they smell. The other members of the cast have remained silent, save for Debra Joe Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, who also wrote letters on Masterson's behalf. The post Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis apologize for letters of support for Masterson appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese carmakers confront European industry at Munich show
Chinese manufacturers will be out in force at next week's IAA auto show, one of the industry's biggest, revving their new electric models on the turf of German carmakers, which have been lagging in the e-mobility race. Elon Musk's Tesla, usually a hold-out from such events, will also make an appearance at the show in Munich, joining the jostle to steal the spotlight from Europe's biggest brands. The industry fair, which opens Tuesday with a speech from Chancellor Olaf Scholz, comes with clouds gathering for the automotive sector in Europe and in particular, Germany. While suffocating supply chain problems have eased from the pandemic years, European auto giants are struggling to cope with increased energy costs in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year. Although sales in the European Union have steadily improved over the last 12 months, they remain around 20 percent below their pre-coronavirus levels as inflation and higher interest rates dampen appetite for new vehicles. At the same time, European manufacturers are facing increasingly stiff competition from Chinese carmakers which are touting their vehicles at far lower prices. Local upstarts have captured an increasingly large part of the prized Chinese market and are threatening to dominate the growing trade in electric vehicles. Chinese groups were starting "their assault on Europe with the IAA", said industry analyst Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer from the Center Automotive Research in Germany. "The IAA 2023 maps out a new automobile world in Europe. Competition will be tougher. After the Chinese battery factories, their automobile makers are coming," he said, calling it a "turning point" for the industry. In all, 41 percent of exhibitors at the industry fair have their headquarters in China, including brands such as BYD and Leapmotor which will hope to steal the spotlight from German giants Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Contrary to the Asian onslaught, participation from other European makers is muted. Opel will be US-European conglomerate Stellantis's lone ambassador in Munich, while Renault is showcasing only its eponymous marque at the show. In contrast, Musk's Tesla was slowly falling in line with traditional manufacturers as "the brand that doesn't do marketing begins to do exactly that" with its first appearance at the IAA, said independent analyst Matthias Schmidt. - Petrol protest - Over the week, around 700,000 visitors are expected to attend the show, split between exhibition halls and the city center. The move away from combustion engines to electric vehicles -- and the bigger climate question -- will take center stage inside and outside the exhibition halls. As carmakers roll out their latest offerings, climate groups have vowed protests at the fair, including "civil disobedience" aimed at disrupting the IAA. The last edition of the show in 2021 was already troubled by small-scale protests. This time around, some 1,500 people are expected at a camp in a suburban Munich park promoting a "revolution in mobility". Car manufacturers were "destroying the lives of countless people worldwide with their growth imperative", one of the climate groups said ahead of the fair. Automotive groups have not helped their case recently by recording massive profits on the back of strong inflation. Manufacturers -- particularly those at the high end of the market -- have been able to benefit from rising prices to boost their margins. A growing climate consciousness movement is increasingly pitting environmental activists against carmakers. Mindful of society's changing views on automobiles, the IAA upped sticks from Frankfurt to Munich in 2021 and restyled itself as a festival for all forms of "mobility" -- bringing bikes and scooters into the fold. As well as cleaning up its image, the move was an attempt to reinvigorate traditional motor shows. The marquee events have struggled to attract manufacturers, who are doubtful that they create enough publicity to be worth the bother. In 2022, the Paris Motor Show saw visitor numbers dwindle, as it was cut in length from two weeks to one. Many big European names, such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Ferrari were absent from the French fair, to which Chinese carmakers like BYD by contrast turned up. The post Chinese carmakers confront European industry at Munich show appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case
Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at a Georgia jail on Thursday on racketeering and conspiracy charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state. During a brief session lasting less than 30 minutes, the 77-year-old Trump was booked on 13 charges at Atlanta's Fulton County Jail, according to records published by the sheriff's office. Trump's height was listed by the jail as six foot three inches (1.9 meters), his weight as 215 pounds (97 kilograms) and his hair color as "Blond or Strawberry." Other defendants in the racketeering case who have surrendered to the Georgia authorities in recent days have had a mugshot taken. The billionaire has been criminally indicted four times since April, setting the stage for a year of unprecedented drama as he tries to juggle multiple court appearances and another White House campaign. In posts on his Truth Social platform shortly before leaving his New Jersey golf club for the flight to Atlanta, Trump said he was being arrested for "having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED & STOLLEN (sic) ELECTION." "This is yet another SAD DAY IN AMERICA!" he added. Trump was able to dodge having a mugshot taken during his previous arrests this year: in New York on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, in Florida for mishandling top secret government documents, and in Washington on charges of conspiring to upend his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. But Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said standard procedure in Georgia is to take a defendant's photograph before they are released on bond -- set at $200,000 in Trump's case. The arrest comes one day after Trump spurned a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring eight of his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination -- all of whom lag well behind him in the polls. He still stole the spotlight, though, with all but two of the candidates saying they would support him as the party's nominee even if he were a convicted felon. During a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News talk show host Tucker Carlson -- which aired on social media at the same time as the debate -- Trump dismissed the criminal cases filed against him as "nonsense." Trump said the Justice Department had been "weaponized" under Biden to hamstring his White House bid. Court dates in election race A tight security perimeter was set up for Trump's booking at the Fulton County Jail, which is under investigation for a slew of inmate deaths and deplorable conditions. Fani Willis, the Fulton County district attorney who filed the sweeping racketeering case, had set a deadline of noon (1600 GMT) on Friday for Trump and the other 18 defendants to surrender. Trump and 11 others have turned themselves in so far. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows surrendered on Thursday and was released on $100,000 bond. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as Trump's personal lawyer when he was in the White House and vigorously pushed the false claims that Trump had won the 2020 election, was booked and released on Wednesday. John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who is accused of drawing up a scheme to submit a false slate of Trump electors to Congress from Georgia instead of the legitimate Biden ones, has also been booked and released. A few dozen supporters of the former Republican president gathered outside the jail, including Sharon Anderson who spent the night in her car. "I think this is a political persecution and now that's turned into a political prosecution," Anderson told AFP. Trump is the first US president in history to face criminal charges. His various trials, if they take place next year, may coincide with the Republican presidential primary season, which begins in January, and the campaign for the November 2024 White House election. Special counsel Jack Smith has proposed a January 2024 start date for Trump's trial on charges of conspiring to overturn the last election with a lie-fueled campaign that culminated in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters. Trump's attorneys have countered with a suggested start date well after the election -- April 2026. Willis, the Georgia district attorney, initially proposed that the racketeering case begin in March next year, the same month Trump is scheduled to go on trial in New York on charges of paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels. On Thursday, after one of the defendants asked for a speedy trial, she proposed that it begin for all 19 in October of this year, a move met with an immediate objection from Trump's lawyers. The Florida case, in which Trump is accused of taking secret government documents as he left the White House and refusing to return them, is scheduled to begin in May. The post Trump arrested in Georgia racketeering case appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant
Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Thursday in an operation it insists is safe but has generated a fierce backlash from China. The beginning of the discharge of around 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water into the Pacific over several decades is a big step in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed engineers behind computer screens and an official saying -- after a countdown -- that the "valves near the seawater transport pumps are opening." Monitors from the UN atomic watchdog, which has endorsed the plan, were due to be on site for the procedure, while TEPCO workers were scheduled to take water samples later on Thursday. Ahead of the operation, about 10 people held a protest near the site and around 100 others gathered outside TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, AFP journalists said. "It's like dumping an atomic bomb in the ocean. Japan is the first country that was attacked with an atomic bomb in the world, and the prime minister of the country made this decision," said Kenichi Sato, 68. China's environment ministry on Thursday blasted Japan's plan as "extremely selfish and irresponsible", saying it would "track and study" the impact on its waters. - Multiple meltdowns - With around 1,000 steel containers holding the water, TEPCO has said it needs to clear space for the removal of highly dangerous radioactive nuclear fuel and rubble from the wrecked reactors. Three of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people in 2011. Since then, TEPCO has collected 1.34 million cubic metres of water contaminated as it cooled the wrecked reactors, along with groundwater and rain that has seeped in. TEPCO will carry out four releases of the treated water from Thursday until March 2024. The first discharge will take about 17 days. About 5 trillion becquerels -- a measure of radioactivity -- of tritium will be released this fiscal year, TEPCO added. Japan insists that all radioactive elements have been filtered out except the tritium, levels of which are harmless and lower than what is discharged by operational nuclear power plants, including in China. This is backed by most experts. "When released into the Pacific, the tritium is further diluted into a vast body of water and would quickly get to a radioactivity level which is not discernibly different from normal seawater," said Tom Scott from the University of Bristol in England. "Hence, it poses very little risk and the risk itself decreases with time due to the relatively short radioactive half-life... meaning that the amount of tritium (and hence the risk) continually reduces." - Sushi safety - Not everyone is convinced, with environmental group Greenpeace saying that the filtration process is flawed, and China and Russia suggesting the water be vaporised and released into the atmosphere instead. China has accused Japan of treating the Pacific like a "sewer", and even before the release, Beijing banned food imports from 10 out of 47 Japanese prefectures and imposed radiation checks. Hong Kong and Macau, both Chinese territories, followed suit this week. Restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong serving sushi and sashimi are already reeling from the restrictions. "About 80 percent of the seafood products we use come from Japan," Hong Kong caterer Jasy Choi, who runs a small kitchen for takeaway Japanese food, told AFP. "If more than half of my Japan-imported ingredients are affected, then it would be difficult for me to continue to operate." Analysts said that while China may have genuine safety concerns, its strong reaction is also at least in part motivated by its economic rivalry and frosty relations with Japan. The South Korean government, which is seeking to improve ties with Japan, has not objected although many ordinary people are worried and have staged protests. Social media posts in China and South Korea have included false claims about the release including doctored images of deformed fish with claims they were linked to Fukushima. burs-stu/cwl © Agence France-Presse The post Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant
Japan began releasing wastewater from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Thursday in an operation it insists is safe but has generated a fierce backlash from China. The beginning of the discharge of around 540 Olympic swimming pools' worth of water into the Pacific over several decades is a big step in decommissioning the still highly dangerous site 12 years after one of the world's worst nuclear accidents. Live video provided by plant operator TEPCO showed engineers behind computer screens and an official saying -- after a countdown -- that the "valves near the seawater transport pumps are opening." Monitors from the UN atomic watchdog, which has endorsed the plan, were due to be on site for the procedure, while TEPCO workers were scheduled to take water samples later on Thursday. Ahead of the operation, about 10 people held a protest near the site and around 100 others gathered outside TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, AFP journalists said. "It's like dumping an atomic bomb in the ocean. Japan is the first country that was attacked with an atomic bomb in the world, and the prime minister of the country made this decision," said Kenichi Sato, 68. China's environment ministry on Thursday blasted Japan's plan as "extremely selfish and irresponsible", saying it would "track and study" the impact on its waters. Multiple meltdowns With around 1,000 steel containers holding the water, TEPCO has said it needs to clear space for the removal of highly dangerous radioactive nuclear fuel and rubble from the wrecked reactors. Three of the reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi facility in northeastern Japan went into meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people in 2011. Since then, TEPCO has collected 1.34 million cubic metres of water contaminated as it cooled the wrecked reactors, along with groundwater and rain that has seeped in. TEPCO will carry out four releases of the treated water from Thursday until March 2024. The first discharge will take about 17 days. About 5 trillion becquerels -- a measure of radioactivity -- of tritium will be released this fiscal year, TEPCO added. Japan insists that all radioactive elements have been filtered out except the tritium, levels of which are harmless and lower than what is discharged by operational nuclear power plants, including in China. This is backed by most experts. "When released into the Pacific, the tritium is further diluted into a vast body of water and would quickly get to a radioactivity level which is not discernibly different from normal seawater," said Tom Scott from the University of Bristol in England. "Hence, it poses very little risk and the risk itself decreases with time due to the relatively short radioactive half-life... meaning that the amount of tritium (and hence the risk) continually reduces." Sushi safety Not everyone is convinced, with environmental group Greenpeace saying that the filtration process is flawed, and China and Russia suggesting the water be vaporised and released into the atmosphere instead. China has accused Japan of treating the Pacific like a "sewer", and even before the release, Beijing banned food imports from 10 out of 47 Japanese prefectures and imposed radiation checks. Hong Kong and Macau, both Chinese territories, followed suit this week. Restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong serving sushi and sashimi are already reeling from the restrictions. "About 80 percent of the seafood products we use come from Japan," Hong Kong caterer Jasy Choi, who runs a small kitchen for takeaway Japanese food, told AFP. "If more than half of my Japan-imported ingredients are affected, then it would be difficult for me to continue to operate." Analysts said that while China may have genuine safety concerns, its strong reaction is also at least in part motivated by its economic rivalry and frosty relations with Japan. The South Korean government, which is seeking to improve ties with Japan, has not objected although many ordinary people are worried and have staged protests. Social media posts in China and South Korea have included false claims about the release including doctored images of deformed fish with claims they were linked to Fukushima. The post Japan begins release of water from Fukushima nuclear plant appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Singapore Thursday at the start of a three-nation regional tour, Beijing's embassy in the city-state said, as tensions flare with the Philippines in the South China Sea. His three-day trip, after returning to the post last month following the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, also includes Malaysia and Cambodia. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy confirmed to AFP on Thursday morning that Beijing's top diplomat had arrived in the financial hub. "China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit," China's foreign ministry said when it announced the trip on Wednesday. Wang will visit until Friday and hold separate meetings with his counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's government said. His visit comes after Beijing and Manila clashed at the weekend when the Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of blocking and firing water cannon at its boats on a resupply mission to Filipino marines stationed on a World-War-II-era ship. China has since insisted the Philippine navy vessel grounded on a reef in the Spratly Islands be removed from the hotly contested waters that have long been a flashpoint between the two. Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is in talks with China over a code of conduct in the sea that Beijing claims as almost entirely its own. Other ASEAN members Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei all claim parts of the sea, too. Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US as their rivalry grows across the Asia-Pacific region. Wang will travel to Malaysia on Friday where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet with Beijing's envoy in the northern state of Penang, Malaysia's Star newspaper reported. Anwar is on the campaign trail ahead of local elections on Saturday in six states. Wang will finish his trip in Cambodia, which has become one of China's strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment. mba/jfx/aha © Agence France-Presse The post Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Singapore Thursday at the start of a three-nation regional tour, Beijing's embassy in the city-state said, as tensions flare with the Philippines in the South China Sea. His three-day trip, after returning to the post last month following the unexplained disappearance of predecessor Qin Gang, also includes Malaysia and Cambodia. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy confirmed to AFP on Thursday morning that Beijing's top diplomat had arrived in the financial hub. "China hopes to strengthen strategic communication with the three Southeast Asian countries through this visit," China's foreign ministry said when it announced the trip on Wednesday. Wang will visit until Friday and hold separate meetings with his counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore's government said. His visit comes after Beijing and Manila clashed at the weekend when the Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard vessels of blocking and firing water cannon at its boats on a resupply mission to Filipino marines stationed on a World-War-II-era ship. China has since insisted the Philippine navy vessel grounded on a reef in the Spratly Islands be removed from the hotly contested waters that have long been a flashpoint between the two. Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines are all members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is in talks with China over a code of conduct in the sea that Beijing claims as almost entirely its own. Other ASEAN members Vietnam, Indonesia and Brunei all claim parts of the sea, too. Singapore has for decades juggled ties with China and the US as their rivalry grows across the Asia-Pacific region. Wang will travel to Malaysia on Friday where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he will meet with Beijing's envoy in the northern state of Penang, Malaysia's Star newspaper reported. Anwar is on the campaign trail ahead of local elections on Saturday in six states. Wang will finish his trip in Cambodia, which has become one of China's strongest allies in the region under the rule of outgoing ruler Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment. The post Chinese FM begins SE Asia tour as South China Sea tensions flare appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»