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Straits Times
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' lawyer says prosecutors trying to criminalise his ‘private sex life'
Sean "Diddy" Combs listens as his lawyer Marc Agnifilo makes his closing arguments during Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, on June 27, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. PHOTO: REUTERS Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer says prosecutors trying to criminalise his 'private sex life' Sean 'Diddy' Combs' defense lawyer urged a jury on June 27 to find the former hip-hop mogul not guilty in his sex trafficking trial, saying prosecutors are trying to criminalise his unusual sexual preferences. The lawyer, Mr Marc Agnifilo, said during his closing argument in Manhattan federal court that over the past two months prosecutors had presented a 'fake trial' to use Combs' sexual proclivities as evidence of a criminal conspiracy centered on his businesses. 'They take the baby oil and the Astroglide and make it the evidence in this case, because there's nothing wrong with his businesses,' Mr Agnifilo said, adding that the 'crime scene' in the case was Combs' 'private sex life'. Combs, a former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, the Bad Boy Records founder faces a minimum 15-year prison term and could be sentenced to life behind bars. Mr Agnifilo peppered his closing argument with sarcastic questions, including asking how the women who testified against Combs could have been sex trafficked if they agreed to fulfill Combs' sexual fantasies partly out of love for him. 'If we're at Freak Off number 75, and 75 of them have been consensual, what would have to happen at Freak Off 76 to say, now it's sex trafficking?' Mr Agnifilo said, referring to Combs' ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura and using Combs' term for drug-fueled sexual performances with male escorts. During her rebuttal on June 27 , prosecutor Maureen Comey told jurors that Agnifilo repeatedly tried to blame prosecutors and Combs' victims for his grave legal jeopardy, rather than Combs himself. 'He's tossing up excuse after excuse for inexcusable criminal behavior, trying to explain away the devastating evidence,' Ms Comey said. 'Make no mistake: this trial is about how in Sean Combs' world, 'no' was never an option,' Ms Comey added. Over more than six weeks of testimony in Manhattan federal court, jurors heard two of Combs' former girlfriends testify that they took part in days-long, drug-fueled sex parties sometimes called 'Freak Offs' with male sex workers while Combs watched, masturbated, and occasionally filmed. Combs did not testify. The jury saw hotel surveillance footage of Combs beating one of the women in a hallway, and heard Combs' employees describe setting up hotel rooms and buying drugs for the performances. Jurors are expected to start deliberations either late on June 27 or June 30 . To convict Combs, they must vote unanimously. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hindustan Times
42 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Large barricades erected around White House and Treasury? Video sparks speculation
A video circulating on social media shows construction crews erecting large anti-scale barricades around the White House and the US Treasury building. This has prompted widespread speculation about the reason behind the sudden security measures. A video showing construction crews erecting barricades around the White House has surfaced. (REUTERS) While some users suggested the barricades could be related to preparations for upcoming July 4 celebrations, others speculated they might be tied to potential protests or political developments. One person commented, 'I believe they're getting ready for the new Kings protest on July 3 or fourth.' Another user added, 'Yeah... when they break out the anti-scale fencing at night, it's never because they're prepping for a bake sale. That's usually code for: Some kind of announcement is coming, possibly with serious public blowback. A trial verdict, indictment, or legal action.' A third person commented, '4th of July protests, planned in DC, likely to be a riot. Don't leave your bricks out.' Another user wrote, 'I never saw the White House barricaded for the 4th of July parade or celebration in the 3 years I was stationed there from 2021-2024. Very odd.' Another commented, 'I do recall seeing a post somewhere talking about a No Kings 2.0 Day on July 4th. This is likely in response to that among many similar things.' Adding to the speculation, AI chatbot Grok responded to a user by citing a planned protest: 'There is a planned 'National March on Washington' protest against U.S. military action in Iran on June 28, 2025, likely prompting the barricades around the White House and Treasury. The event, organized by the ANSWER Coalition, is expected to draw large crowds. No official statements confirm this, but the timing and anti-scale barriers suggest crowd control for this protest. Other possibilities, like unannounced events or routine security, lack evidence.' Also Read: Is White House on fire today? Debunking viral post At this time, the video remains unverified, and Hindustan Times has not independently confirmed its authenticity. The White House has not issued a statement in response to the footage.
GMA Network
an hour ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
US Supreme Court hands Trump 'giant' win on powers of judges
US President Donald Trump attends the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., April 21, 2025. REUTERS/ Leah Millis/ File photo WASHINGTON, United States — US President Donald Trump hailed a "giant win" Friday after the Supreme Court curbed lone judges from blocking the Republican's raft of controversial policies. The 6-3 ruling, with the court's liberal justices all dissenting, stemmed from Trump's bid to end birthright citizenship. The court said individual district judges had likely exceeded their powers by issuing nationwide injunctions, which have also blocked a string of Trump's hardline policies on immigration, diversity and firing federal employees. "The Supreme Court has delivered a monumental victory for the Constitution, the separation of powers and the rule of law," 79-year-old Trump told a hastily arranged press conference at the White House. Trump said he would now proceed with "so many policies" that had been "wrongly" blocked, including stopping funding for transgender people and "sanctuary cities" for migrants. His initial reaction to the ruling came in a post on Truth Social, welcomed it as a "GIANT WIN." US Attorney General Pam Bondi, standing alongside Trump at the podium, said the ruling would stop "rogue judges striking down President Trump's policies across the entire nation." Trump separately hailed a "great ruling" by the Supreme Court to let parents opt their children out of LGBTQ-themed books at public schools. Critics say the move threatens secular education by opening the door to religious objections. 'Step toward authoritarianism' The Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality of Trump's executive order seeking to end automatic citizenship for children born on US soil. But the broader decision on the scope of judicial rulings removes a big roadblock to Trump's often highly contested policy agenda and has far-reaching ramifications for the ability of the judiciary to rein in Trump—or future US presidents. The Supreme Court's majority decision was authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointee, and joined by the other five conservative justices. "Federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch," wrote Barrett, who has previously been a frequent target of Trump loyalists over previous decisions that went against the president. The Supreme Court's three liberal justices dissented. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the ruling was "nothing less than an open invitation for the government to bypass the constitution." Democrats swiftly blasted the decision, saying it would embolden Trump as he pushes the boundaries of presidential power in his second term. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called it a "terrifying step toward authoritarianism." Trump however rejected concerns about the concentration of power in the White House. "This is really the opposite of that," Trump said. "This really brings back the Constitution." Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship is just one of a number of his moves that have been blocked by district court judges around the country—both Democratic and Republican appointees—since he took office in January. Courts have, for example, blocked or slowed down his hardline immigration crackdown, firing of federal employees, efforts to end diversity programs and punitive actions against law firms and universities. 'Lawless actions' Past presidents have also complained about national injunctions shackling their agenda. But such orders have sharply risen under Trump, who saw more in his first two months than Democrat Joe Biden did during his first three years in office. The case was ostensibly about Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship, which was deemed unconstitutional by courts in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state. But it actually focused on whether a single federal district court judge has the right to issue a nationwide block to a presidential decree with a universal injunction. The issue has become a rallying cry for Trump and his Republican allies, who accuse the judiciary of impeding his agenda against the will of voters. Steven Schwinn, a law professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, told AFP that the court's ruling "sharply undermines the power of federal courts to rein in lawless actions by the government." Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship decrees that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become citizens. Trump said that the policy "was meant for the babies of slaves," dating back to the US Civil War era in the mid 1800s. — Agence France-Presse
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Kylie Jenner's dress draws attention at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are officially married. The Amazon founder and Emmy-winning journalist exchanged vows in a glamorous black-tie wedding on Friday, 27 June, on the picturesque island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy, per People Magazine. Kylie Jenner leaves Gritti Palace, on the second day of the wedding festivities of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 27, 2025. REUTERS/Yara Nardi(REUTERS) The couple wasn't the only ones wearing white; there was another one. Can you guess the name? All eyes shifted when Kylie Jenner arrived, wearing a dress that raised some eyebrows. Earlier photos showed Jenner arriving in a boat with an off-white dress on her way to the ceremony. Although admittedly fashionable, the colour of the dress and its design rapidly started a discussion on the Internet about the dress being too close to the bride. ASLO READ| Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are now married: First pic from their star-studded Venice wedding 'While fashion icons flocked to Venice, one outfit stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons,' influencer Mario Nawfal commented on X, cited by The Daily Beast. 'Ivanka Trump and Oprah Winfrey were among the A-listers turning heads at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's star-studded ceremony. Then, Kylie Jenner showed up in a white, form-fitting dress ... breaking the number one rule of wedding guest etiquette.' Fashion publication InStyle also weighed in, describing Jenner's dress as a 'creamy white frock that featured a daringly-low plunging neckline, spaghetti straps, black bow details, lace accents throughout, a corset bodice, and a slinky silhouette.' Rest of the A-listed guest list opted for more traditional attire in Bezos-Sanchez wedding Oprah Winfrey, Tom Brady, and musician Usher were spotted heading to the island together by boat. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner also made the trip, while Leonardo DiCaprio arrived with model Vittoria Ceretti. Orlando Bloom looked dapper in a tuxedo, and Sydney Sweeney turned heads in a sleek black mini dress. The extravagance of the weekend festivities, which are likely to cost about $50 million, is heavy even by billionaire standards, but a pittance to the fourth-richest man in the world, whose wealth is estimated to be $232 billion. ALSO READ| Lauren Sánchez's huge social media statement: Wipes old Instagram posts, shares pics from wedding with Jeff Bezos Sanchez has not released anything about her wedding dress to the public, though reports confirm it was custom-designed by Dolce & Gabbana. The couple reportedly travelled to Milan to get fittings in March before the big wedding..
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Coach Ivankovic fired by Chinese following World Cup elimination
HONG KONG - Branko Ivankovic has been fired as China's national team coach following his side's elimination from the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup this month, the Chinese Football Association announced on Friday. The 71-year-old Croatian coach was removed from the post as a result of China finishing fifth in Group C of the continent's preliminaries for next year's 48-team finals, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada. "The Chinese Football Association expresses gratitude to Mr. Branko Ivankovic and his coaching staff for their dedicated efforts during their tenure with the men's national team and their contributions to Chinese football," a CFA statement said. "We wish Mr. Ivankovic all the best in his future work and life." Ivankovic, who led Iran at the World Cup finals in Germany in 2006, was appointed China's coach in February 2024, replacing Aleksandar Jankovic. He steered the country into the third phase of Asia's World Cup qualifying. His team recovered from a poor start, which included a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Japan, to maintain their hopes of a place at their first World Cup since the nation's debut appearance at the finals in 2002. Wins over Indonesia and Bahrain kept China in contention for a berth in the fourth round of qualifying, but losses to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia were followed by a defeat against Indonesia on June 5 that ended any prospect of progressing. The Chinese association said Dejan Djurdjevic, who led China to the quarter-finals of the Under 20 Asian Cup in Shenzhen in February, will take over on a caretaker basis for next month's East Asian Championship in South Korea. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
