Latest news with #Damocles
Sydney Morning Herald
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Americans have seen this movie before. Trump playing the hero doesn't fool anyone
I was six years old when 9/11 happened. From my classroom in South Carolina, I watched Flight 175 hit the South Tower of the World Trade Centre at 9.03am. For those of us who came of age during this era, it destroyed our image of America as an untouchable fortress. It's a kind of anxiety that we will always live with, that an attack can come out of nowhere at any time. Growing up under the shadow of the Iraq War, the anger felt justified at the time. Our leaders told us that we had to march into battle, and we believed them because we knew nothing else. When we found out we had been lied to and that our friends, our siblings, our neighbours had been sent to fight in a conflict that did nothing to advance our own interests – and made the world a less safe place – it set the stage for the defensive and aggrieved America we have today. Now the world sits under the nuclear sword of Damocles, with Donald Trump, a president who is nursing a bruised ego looking to make his mark on the world. In some ways, the past few days have felt like a kind of horrendous time warp back to 2003. We're heading closer towards what feels like the United States walking into another war in the Middle East. Trump's White House address to the nation after the bombing had taken place felt eerily similar to the night George W. Bush spoke from the Oval Office to announce the invasion of Iraq. Then, as now, our cause was not defending the rights of innocent people, but rather exerting a kind of needless power. But while Bush at least spoke about the illusive goal of creating a better country for Iraqis, Trump talked only of going after the 'many targets left' in Iran. Loading Things also feel different, too. The rest of the world does not appear to be lining up to follow the US into conflict. Leaders among US-ally nations have been elected on mandates that, at some level, include an expectation to establish distance from the chaos that Trump's centrifuge is spinning out. Of course, when necessary, the use of force is beneficial – especially if it is being used to defend a nation's right to self-determination. But let us not forget that the US helped resolve the Troubles in Ireland through diplomatic negotiation and played a significant role in the signing of the Oslo Accords. Then, our power was derived from our ability to bring people together and advance the common cause of global interests, leaving our military as a last resort. But no one in their right mind trusts Trump to negotiate in good faith, and now it appears that the kinetic power of the world's most powerful military is becoming a toy for a dangerous man at the helm.
The Age
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Americans have seen this movie before. Trump playing the hero doesn't fool anyone
I was six years old when 9/11 happened. From my classroom in South Carolina, I watched Flight 175 hit the South Tower of the World Trade Centre at 9.03am. For those of us who came of age during this era, it destroyed our image of America as an untouchable fortress. It's a kind of anxiety that we will always live with, that an attack can come out of nowhere at any time. Growing up under the shadow of the Iraq War, the anger felt justified at the time. Our leaders told us that we had to march into battle, and we believed them because we knew nothing else. When we found out we had been lied to and that our friends, our siblings, our neighbours had been sent to fight in a conflict that did nothing to advance our own interests – and made the world a less safe place – it set the stage for the defensive and aggrieved America we have today. Now the world sits under the nuclear sword of Damocles, with Donald Trump, a president who is nursing a bruised ego looking to make his mark on the world. In some ways, the past few days have felt like a kind of horrendous time warp back to 2003. We're heading closer towards what feels like the United States walking into another war in the Middle East. Trump's White House address to the nation after the bombing had taken place felt eerily similar to the night George W. Bush spoke from the Oval Office to announce the invasion of Iraq. Then, as now, our cause was not defending the rights of innocent people, but rather exerting a kind of needless power. But while Bush at least spoke about the illusive goal of creating a better country for Iraqis, Trump talked only of going after the 'many targets left' in Iran. Loading Things also feel different, too. The rest of the world does not appear to be lining up to follow the US into conflict. Leaders among US-ally nations have been elected on mandates that, at some level, include an expectation to establish distance from the chaos that Trump's centrifuge is spinning out. Of course, when necessary, the use of force is beneficial – especially if it is being used to defend a nation's right to self-determination. But let us not forget that the US helped resolve the Troubles in Ireland through diplomatic negotiation and played a significant role in the signing of the Oslo Accords. Then, our power was derived from our ability to bring people together and advance the common cause of global interests, leaving our military as a last resort. But no one in their right mind trusts Trump to negotiate in good faith, and now it appears that the kinetic power of the world's most powerful military is becoming a toy for a dangerous man at the helm.
Economic Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
From explicit messages to groping: What we know about Derek Dixon's sexual harassment lawsuit against Tyler Perry
AP Filmmaker Tyler Perry has been sued by actor Derek Dixon accusing him of sexual harassment. Actor and screenwriter Derek Dixon has filed a $260 million sexual harassment lawsuit against filmmaker Tyler Perry in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging a series of unwanted advances, groping incidents, and an alleged attempt by Perry to use professional opportunities to conceal sexual misconduct. The claims span from 2019 to 2021 and include allegations of sexually explicit messages, coercive behavior, and inappropriate physical contact. Perry's legal team has denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit a 'scam' aimed at financial gain. In the 46-page complaint, Dixon paints Perry as someone who allegedly believed his power and success could entitle him to whatever he desired — including a secret sexual relationship. 'Mr. Perry sought the one thing his wealth and influence could not purchase — a sexual relationship with a man who would remain silent,' the suit states. According to the filing, Perry offered Dixon his first acting job in 2019 while Dixon was working at an events company. Later that year, Perry allegedly invited him to his Georgia home, served him drinks, and encouraged him to stay overnight. That evening, Perry reportedly entered Dixon's guest room and began groping him, despite Dixon making it clear he wasn't interested. The lawsuit claims Perry continued sending sexually explicit texts and became more aggressive when Dixon ignored him. After Dixon joined the cast of Perry's BET series The Oval , the alleged harassment intensified. The suit accuses Perry of frequently calling or texting him, referring to him as a personal "pet," and making lewd remarks about his sex life. Dixon's character was initially written to be killed off at the end of the season, but Perry allegedly hinted that his fate could change depending on how he handled their 'relationship.' The suit claims Perry warned Dixon not to speak about their interactions with anyone on set. Among the most serious allegations are two groping incidents in 2020, including one during a cast trip to the Bahamas, and a 2021 encounter at Perry's home in which he allegedly assaulted Dixon while he was naked. Following that alleged incident, one of Perry's lawyers reportedly praised Dixon's performance on The Oval , saying 'Christmas came early,' and he was later given a raise. The lawsuit also claims Perry bought the rights to Dixon's script Losing It as a form of leverage, with no intention of actually producing it. The show was filmed but never developed further. Perry allegedly used the project to manipulate Dixon, holding it over his head like 'the sword of Damocles.' Eventually, Perry offered Dixon a writing role, which Dixon declined. He later filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), though its status remains unclear. In response, Perry's lawyer dismissed the claims as a baseless extortion attempt, saying: 'Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.'
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From explicit messages to groping: What we know about Derek Dixon's sexual harassment lawsuit against Tyler Perry
Actor and screenwriter Derek Dixon has filed a $260 million sexual harassment lawsuit against filmmaker Tyler Perry in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging a series of unwanted advances, groping incidents, and an alleged attempt by Perry to use professional opportunities to conceal sexual misconduct. The claims span from 2019 to 2021 and include allegations of sexually explicit messages, coercive behavior, and inappropriate physical contact. Perry's legal team has denied the accusations, calling the lawsuit a 'scam' aimed at financial gain. In the 46-page complaint, Dixon paints Perry as someone who allegedly believed his power and success could entitle him to whatever he desired — including a secret sexual relationship. 'Mr. Perry sought the one thing his wealth and influence could not purchase — a sexual relationship with a man who would remain silent,' the suit states. According to the filing, Perry offered Dixon his first acting job in 2019 while Dixon was working at an events company. Later that year, Perry allegedly invited him to his Georgia home, served him drinks, and encouraged him to stay overnight. That evening, Perry reportedly entered Dixon's guest room and began groping him, despite Dixon making it clear he wasn't interested. The lawsuit claims Perry continued sending sexually explicit texts and became more aggressive when Dixon ignored him. After Dixon joined the cast of Perry's BET series The Oval , the alleged harassment intensified. The suit accuses Perry of frequently calling or texting him, referring to him as a personal "pet," and making lewd remarks about his sex life. Live Events Dixon's character was initially written to be killed off at the end of the season, but Perry allegedly hinted that his fate could change depending on how he handled their 'relationship.' The suit claims Perry warned Dixon not to speak about their interactions with anyone on set. Among the most serious allegations are two groping incidents in 2020, including one during a cast trip to the Bahamas, and a 2021 encounter at Perry's home in which he allegedly assaulted Dixon while he was naked. Following that alleged incident, one of Perry's lawyers reportedly praised Dixon's performance on The Oval , saying 'Christmas came early,' and he was later given a raise. The lawsuit also claims Perry bought the rights to Dixon's script Losing It as a form of leverage, with no intention of actually producing it. The show was filmed but never developed further. Perry allegedly used the project to manipulate Dixon, holding it over his head like 'the sword of Damocles.' Eventually, Perry offered Dixon a writing role, which Dixon declined. He later filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), though its status remains unclear. In response, Perry's lawyer dismissed the claims as a baseless extortion attempt, saying: 'Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.'
Local France
12-06-2025
- Business
- Local France
What's happening in France in summer 2025
Rail strikes - the Sud-Rail union has filed a three-month strike notice, running from June 12th to September 8th. This doesn't mean three solid months of disruption, but it means that the union can call one-day or multi-day strikes at any time during this period, although they say they intend to give at least five days notice of planned actions. Find the latest updates here . Airline strikes - The busy summer holiday period is normally peak strike season for workers in the airline industry, whether that is airport staff, workers at individual airlines or air traffic controllers. At the time of writing no industrial action has been announced, but you can keep up with the latest in our strike section . Paris transport closures - every year the Paris public transport operators have a schedule of repairs and maintenance for the summer which involves line closures and disruption. The logic behind this is that public transport is a lot quieter in the summer as so many Parisians are away - this year there is a particularly extensive schedule of closures on the Metro, tram and RER lines - full details here . Elections? - last summer president Emmanuel Macron called snap parliamentary elections to try and break the deadlock in the Assemblée nationale. This did not work as planned, and in fact the deadlock is now worse. The Constitution states that the president must wait a year before calling fresh elections - Macron could, therefore, call elections from July, although it would be very unlikely that they would be held over the summer. Advertisement One thing we do know is that Macron will be giving the traditional presidential TV address to the nation on July 14th, in which he may or may not announce an election or policy changes. Debt plan - France is currently sitting under the 'sword of Damocles', according to prime minister François Bayrou, because of the country's spiralling deficit. Bayrou has issued several warnings about the deficit and its impact on the country, and has said that he will present a detailed plan of spending cuts "at the beginning of July". School holidays - French schoolkids get a decent chunk of holiday in the summer. The school year ends on Friday, July 4th (or July 5th for those schools that have Saturday morning classes), and restarts on Monday, September 1st. Public holidays - French adults get some holiday too, there are two public holidays over the summer period; the Fête nationale (aka Bastille Day) on Monday, July 14th and the Christian festival of Assumption on Friday, August 15th. Red letter days on the roads - with all that holiday travel, things get busy on the roads and the railways. Keep an eye on the French traffic forecaster Bison futé for the detailed traffic predictions but key travel weekends are the weekend of July 4th/5th, as the schools break up, the two above mentioned public holiday weekends and the final weekend of July, first of August - known as the chasé-croisé or crossover weekend as the July holidaymakers return and the August ones set out. Advertisement Property tax declaration - one for property-owners in France, if you've moved house in France or otherwise changed your status in the past year you may have complete the property tax declaration known as the déclaration d'occupation or déclaration des biens immobilers. It must be submitted by June 30th. Summer sales - the second of France's state-controlled sales periods is in the summer. This year the sales run from Wednesday, June 25th, until Tuesday, July 22nd. Festivals - summer is peak festival season in France with dozens of festivals all over the country each week - here's out pick of 29 of the best. Tour de France - this year won't have the excitement of the Paris Olympics, but when it comes to high-level sport there is still the Tour de France. This year, the famous cycle race returns to its traditional finish point on the Champs-Elyées, with an added loop through the historic Paris district on Montmartre .
