Latest news with #Laurent
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs hit with new $10 million lawsuit; dancer claims he was DRUGGED, given an STD
As jurors continue deliberations in Sean Diddy Combs' high-profile federal sex trafficking case, the music has been slapped with a new legal battle. According to a report on Variety, a new $10 million lawsuit has been filed against him in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging sexual abuse, drugging, and intentional transmission of a sexually transmitted disease. The complaint, filed Tuesday night by Edmond Laurent, a former model, actor, and exotic dancer, accuses Combs and several unnamed individuals of assault, battery, sexual battery, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and aiding and abetting. Laurent, a native of Dominica who performed under the name 'Islander,' claims the abuse began in the late 2000s after he was hired to perform at a private event at a Los Angeles hotel. According to the 32-page lawsuit, Laurent arrived at what he thought was a bachelorette party, only to find a masked man and woman waiting for a private dance. That man, he alleges, was Sean Combs . The suit details multiple alleged encounters in which Laurent says he was manipulated into consuming spiked drinks and forced into non-consensual sexual acts, including one incident where he lost consciousness after drinking orange juice that was allegedly laced with Rohypnol and ketamine. 'When Plaintiff regained consciousness, he was lying naked on the bed, slathered in baby oil, and felt immense pressure and pain in his rectum,' the complaint states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Laurent alleges that he later contracted condyloma and began experiencing severe health issues, including uncontrollable vomiting and an inability to retain solid food. These complications, according to the lawsuit, led to gastric surgery and a subsequent diagnosis of stomach cancer. The suit claims that Laurent, a heterosexual man once featured in music videos for Britney Spears , Tupac Shakur , Dr. Dre, Lil' Kim, and even an episode of Baywatch, was targeted and silenced by fear and shame for years before deciding to come forward. Combs is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as he awaits a verdict in a separate federal case involving charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution.
LeMonde
a day ago
- LeMonde
During French heatwave, homeless are on front line: 'We liked to sit in the shade here, but they put up a barrier'
By 11 am on Monday, June 30, it was already 30°C in the Paris's 14 th arrondissement. Two homeless friends, Christophe and Laurent (who did not wish to give their last names), had found a spot of shade across from a storefront closed for renovations. "Last week, I fell asleep in the sun," Christophe recounted, wearing a gray cap. "When I woke up, I felt really awful: I had heatstroke." Local shopkeepers and passersby know the two men well, greet them and offer their support, like Alice, a neighborhood resident, and the local pharmacist. Christophe, however, regretted the attitude of the fast-food restaurant on the street. Pointing to a small, narrow path that was now closed off but shaded, he said, "We liked to sit in the shade here, but they put up a barrier." Further on, at a bus stop, a homeless woman dressed in pink was surrounded by about 10 suitcases. "She has Diogenes syndrome," explained Eva Hamza, a social worker at the group Les Enfants du Canal (an NGO that supports the homeless). "She's exactly the kind of person we need to watch carefully, because she might wear several layers of clothing even when it's 30°C." But the woman does not appreciate contact with organizations.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Lego spaceman makes message in bottle sea voyage from Guernsey
A family said they "could not believe" a bottle they dropped in the sea containing a Lego spaceman, drawings and a letter was found on an island nearly 150 miles (240km) away. The bottle was thrown into the sea in Guernsey by six-year-old Leo and was found 40 days later by a family who were beachcombing on St Mary's in the Isles of Rhiannon and daughters Chloe and Eliza found the bottle and called a phone number contained inside it - putting them in touch with Laurent, Leo's said he "genuinely could not believe it" when he got the call, adding "it was a really nice phone call to receive". Laurent said Leo and his sister Célene had the idea to pack two jars with messages, drawings and small toys on the morning of Saturday 29 March."We stuffed them and taped them up nice and tight and we went to the lighthouse in St Peter Port and tossed them into the sea," he said."We never expected to hear any news soon, that's for sure."He said the children were "so happy" when he told them Leo's bottle had been found."It was so unexpected," he said, adding that the family tracked the route the bottle had taken on a said he, Chloe, 13, and Eliza, seven, had been exploring Darrity's Hole on St Mary's coastline on 8 May when he had spotted a jar covered in seaweed."At first I thought it had old paint in it or something like that but then I noticed the paper inside and I could see a little Lego man in there," he said the jar had stayed watertight so the letters and Laurent's phone number were legible."When we made the phone call to them they really couldn't believe it," he added. "We explained and they were in complete shock." 'Absolutely amazing' After the initial call, the two families met during a video call."If you could bottle the look on all the children's faces here and over there, honestly, it'd sell," Matt said the Isles of Scilly had sustained easterly winds which he thought had swept the bottle along, since Guernsey was 146 miles (235km) direct east of the Isles of said his daughters thought it was "absolutely amazing".He added: "We've talked about things that get washed up all the time growing up on an island but then for something like that to come true... they were so excited."Laurent agreed and said: "It's so much fun, it's very wholesome and a really fun way to get in touch with people in a physical way."
Qatar Tribune
08-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
US port fee fails to deter major shippers from Chinese shipyards
Agencies While a US port fee targeting ships linked to China has made some vessel buyers hesitant, major shipping companies – including Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world's largest – are opting to continue working with Chinese shipyards, saying their competitiveness cannot be easily matched in the short term. Despite the United States' determination to challenge China's dominance in global shipbuilding, MSC senior vice-president Marie-Caroline Laurent told the Nor-Shipping Forum in Oslo this week that the port fee would not be a barrier to ordering more vessels from China, the shipping news outlet TradeWinds reported. She said it was good to see the US trying to revive shipbuilding activity, but 'we will need new vessels with the energy transition'.'Those ships today are built to a large extent in China,' Laurent said. 'They have the competence, they have the capability, and this is where today we will still continue building our vessels.' The International Maritime Organisation wants the global shipping industry to achieve net-zero emissions in the next 25 years or so. In response, companies are increasingly investing in decarbonisation technologies – such as green fuels – leading to a notable rise in new ship orders in recent years. Laurent said any revival of America's shipbuilding sector would not happen overnight, and realising that ambition would require state subsidies and the retention of some strategic assets. 'So this is an interesting conversation to have, also with the US administration,' she said. 'Whether that will change our overall strategy in terms of shipbuilding – probably not at this stage.' MSC, which has its headquarters in Geneva, has vessels under construction at several major Chinese shipyards, including Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard, Guangzhou Shipyard International and Hengli Heavy is not the only shipowner saying that Chinese shipyards are irreplaceable in the near future. In response to media reports suggesting that major Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) would suspend orders for LNG carriers from China, the company said at the end of last month that it would consider both Chinese and South Korean shipyards. 'Taking the current geopolitical circumstances into account, the company will exercise prudent judgment in selecting shipyards for any new LNG carrier orders,' it said. 'There is only a limited number of shipyards in the world capable of building high-quality LNG carriers to provide stable LNG transportation, and Chinese shipyards are an important partner to ensure diversification and flexibility in procurement sources.' Geopolitical tensions have dampened new vessel orders this year. New orders for vessels with a compensated gross tonnage of 12.6 million were placed in the first four months of the year – down 48 per cent year on year – shipping data provider Clarksons Research said last week. China secured 54 per cent of those orders, followed by South Korea with 22 per cent. Recent US trade policies and global tariff actions had 'prompted our customers to adopt a wait-and-see approach, pushing back their ordering decisions', Ren Letian, the chairman of China's largest private shipbuilder, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, said when the Singapore-listed company released its first-quarter earnings late last month. By May 22, Yangzijiang had recorded US$290 million in new vessel orders this year – around 5 per cent of its annual target.
The Citizen
04-06-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Nearly 3% of school staff flagged for criminal activity
Despite being slightly lower than the previous year, the statistics still indicate that 1 in every 34 school employees had a criminal record. Almost 3% of South African school staff screened for employment between March 2024 and February 2025 were flagged for criminal activity. This is according to new data released by TPN, a leading provider of background screening services. The figures raise serious questions about the rigour of vetting procedures in schools and come as the Department of Justice pushes for phased public access to the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO). 'Between March 2024 and February 2025, 2.95% of school staff screened through TPN's systems were flagged for possible illicit activity,' said Ashleigh Laurent, Legal Counsel at TPN. 'This includes not just educators, but also grounds staff, temporary hires, coaches, and others in contact with minors. While slightly lower than the 3.08% recorded the previous year, the statistic still means that 1 in every 34 individuals working at schools had a criminal record. Convictions include assault, theft, and murder Of those flagged, 1.22% had criminal records related to abuse or sexual offences, a decrease from 2.63% in 2022, but still alarming. 'Theft emerged as the most prevalent crime, accounting for 18.29% of all convictions,' Laurent said. 43.9% of those with criminal records were convicted of serious offences such as: Assault (23.17%) Drug trafficking (12.2%) Housebreaking (3.66%) and Murder (2.44%) 'While there were no recorded convictions or pending trials for rape or child neglect between 2023 and 2025, over 1.06% of school employees screened are currently awaiting trial, a reminder that pre-employment checks must extend beyond convictions,' she said. ALSO READ: Gauteng education announces 2026 school admission dates: Here is what you need Assault and theft top the list According to Laurent, the TPN tracked the Case Awaiting Trial (CAT) indicators, revealing that 1.06% of school staff screened in the 2024–2025 period are facing legal proceedings. The most common charges pending court proceedings include: Road traffic violations (30.56%) Assault (19.44%) Theft (15%) Reckless driving (5.56%) Malicious damage to property (2.78%) 'While these individuals have not yet been found guilty, the nature of the allegations still raises cause for concern,' Laurent added. ALSO READ: Department scrambles to fix curriculum chaos at Gauteng school after delayed start Schools face legal duties in vetting staff Despite delays in fully opening the NRSO due to confidentiality laws under the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act (SORMAA), schools remain legally obligated to screen all staff using the NRSO and Part B of the National Child Protection Register. 'Failure to comply could result in criminal or civil liability and long-term reputational damage,' Laurent warned. According to Laurent, teachers registering with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) must submit a police clearance certificate that is no older than six months. The SACE Code of Professional Ethics enforces conduct standards and disciplinary processes. SORMAA also places responsibility on individuals to disclose past sexual offence convictions. 'An employee in the employ of an employer, who is or was convicted of a sexual offence against vulnerable persons, irrespective of whether or not such offence was committed or allegedly committed during the course of his or her employment, must without delay disclose such conviction or finding to his or her employer,' SORMAA ALSO READ: No party favourites: Minister defends appointment of Mantashe's son to Seta board Early intervention critical According to TPN, the decline in sexual offence-related convictions suggests that improved screening is beginning to take effect. However, even small percentages represent significant risks when children are involved. 'The protection of children cannot be compromised,' Laurent said. NOW READ: 'Looting using matric papers': Why did NW printing job price jump by around R100m?
