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Straits Times
29 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Vance, Hegseth greet troops in Washington, face jeers from protesters
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox US Vice President JD Vance speaking with members of the National Guard at Union Station in Washington on Aug 20. WASHINGTON - Top Trump administration officials on Aug 20 thanked troops deployed in the nation's capital and blasted demonstrators opposed to the aggressive anti-crime efforts as 'stupid white hippies'. At Union Station, Washington's central train hub, Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, accompanied by White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, shook hands with National Guard soldiers at a Shake Shack restaurant. 'You're doing a hell of a job,' Mr Vance said, as demonstrators drowned him out with jeers and shouts of 'Free D.C.!' He urged troops to ignore the 'bunch of crazy protesters,' while Mr Miller dismissed them as 'stupid white hippies'. The unfamiliar scene - the country's vice-president and top defence official visiting troops deployed not to a war zone but to an American city's tourist-filled transit hub - underscored the extraordinary nature of the Trump administration's crackdown in the Democratic-led District of Columbia. Thousands of Guard soldiers and federal agents have been deployed to the city over the objections of its elected leaders to combat what Mr Trump says is a violent crime wave. City officials have rejected that assertion, pointing to federal and city statistics that show violent crime has declined significantly since a spike in 2023. The president has said, without providing evidence, that the crime data is fraudulent. The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether the numbers were manipulated, the Washington Post reported on Aug 19, citing unnamed sources. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Business Chinese brands like Pop Mart, BYD, Joocyee expanding into S'pore as gateway to Asean market Life Why should we bear the burden of budget meals and app discounts, some S'pore hawkers ask Singapore Religion growing in importance for Singaporeans: IPS study Asia 'Disastrous, useless': New Zealand to overhaul high school qualification to lift falling standards World Google unveils latest Pixel 10 phones packed with AI Amid the crackdown, federal prosecutors in the District have been told to stop seeking felony charges against people who violate a local law prohibiting individuals from carrying rifles or shotguns in the nation's capital. The decision by District of Columbia US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, which was first reported by the Washington Post, represents a break from the office's prior policy. In a statement, Ms Pirro said prosecutors will still be able to charge people with other illegal firearms crimes, such as a convicted felon found in possession of a gun. 'We will continue to seize all illegal and unlicensed firearms,' she said. The White House has touted the number of firearms seized by law enforcement since Mr Trump began surging federal agents and troops into the city. In a social media post on Aug 20, US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the operation had taken 76 illegal guns off the streets and resulted in more than 550 arrests, an average of 42 per day. The city's Metropolitan Police Department arrested an average of 61 adults and juveniles per day in 2024, according to city statistics. The Trump administration has not specified whether the arrest totals it has cited include those made by MPD officers or only consist of those made by federal agents. A District of Columbia code bars anyone from carrying a rifle or shotgun, with narrow exceptions. In her statement, Ms Pirro, a close Trump ally, argued that the law violates two US Supreme Court decisions expanding gun rights. In 2008, the court struck down a separate D.C. law banning handguns and ruled that individuals have the right to keep firearms in their homes for self-defence. In 2022, the court ruled that any gun-control law must be rooted in the country's historical traditions to be valid. Unlike US attorneys in all 50 states, who only prosecute federal offences, the US attorney in Washington prosecutes local crimes as well. D.C. crime rates have stayed mostly the same as they were a year ago, according to the police department's weekly statistics. As of Aug 19, the city's overall crime rate is down 7 per cent year over year, the same percentage as before the crackdown. D.C. has also experienced the same declines in violent crime and property crime as it did beforehand, according to the data. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
PlayStation prices rise as US tariffs bite
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The new price for PS5 will be US$550 (S$707), with a 'Digital Edition' priced at US$500 and a Pro version for US$750. SAN FRANCISCO - Sony on Aug 20 said it is bumping up the price of PlayStation 5 video game consoles by US$50 (S$64.26) in the United States due to a 'challenging economic environment.' Tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump hike the cost of goods brought into the US, leaving companies like Japan's Sony to decide whether to pass that on to consumers. 'Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment,' Sony Interactive Entertainment vice-president of global marketing Isabelle Tomatis said in a post. After initially being threatened with a 25 per cent hike, Japan negotiated a 15 per cent tariff with the Trump administration. 'As a result, we've made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the US.' The new price for PS5 will be US$550, with a 'Digital Edition' priced at US$500 and a Pro version for US$750, according to Ms Tomatis. In May, Sony warned it was considering tweaking prices in the US, estimating that tariffs could wind up costing the company about US$680 million in the fiscal year. American companies are feeling the crunch, too. New York-based cosmetics giant Estee Lauder recently estimated the impact of the new tariffs at around US$100 million for the 2026 financial year and plans to adjust its prices to offset the additional cost. US snack giant PepsiCo could increase prices of its soft drinks about 10 per cent to mitigate effects of US tariffs, particularly those on imported aluminium used to make soda cans, according to trade magazine Beverage Digest. Meanwhile, California-based energy drink maker Monster Beverages is considering raising prices due to a 'complex and dynamic customs landscape,' according to chief executive Hilton Schlosberg. The Commerce Department this week said the US broadened its steel and aluminum tariffs , impacting hundreds more products that contain both metals such as child seats, tableware and heavy equipment. Since returning to the presidency, Mr Trump has imposed tariffs on almost all US trading partners. Though the impact of Mr Trump's tariffs on consumer prices has been limited so far, economists warn that their full effects are yet to be seen. Some businesses have coped by bringing forward purchases of products they expected will encounter tariffs. Others have passed on additional costs to their consumers, or absorbed a part of the fresh tariff burden. AFP
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Jailed French researcher faces Russian espionage charge, court says
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox French researcher Laurent Vinatier, who is suspected of illegally collecting sensitive Russian military information, sits inside an enclosure for defendants before a court hearing in Moscow, Russia October 14, 2024. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina French researcher Laurent Vinatier, already jailed in Russia on charges of violating the country's "foreign agent" laws, now faces a new espionage charge, according to court documents cited by Russian news agencies. Vinatier was jailed for three years last October for failing to comply with laws requiring individuals deemed "foreign agents" to register and meet a number of stipulations. His appeal against the sentence was thrown out in February. The FSB security service had accused Vinatier of failing to register as a foreign agent in Russia while collecting military information of value to foreign intelligence services. Russian news agencies quoted documents from Moscow's Lefortovo Court as saying he would now be charged under espionage laws, without providing further details. A hearing was set for next Monday. Vinatier, 49, is one of several Westerners to have been charged under Russian security laws at a time of tense confrontation between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine. He told the court at his trial that he loved Russia and apologised for breaking the law. France said Vinatier had been arbitrarily detained and called for his release. President Emmanuel Macron denied that Vinatier worked for the French state and has described his arrest as part of a misinformation campaign by Moscow. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Israel says it has taken first steps of military operation in Gaza City Singapore 3 Sengkang Green Primary pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with 1 of them caned: MOE Singapore 18 persons nabbed and 82 vapes seized in HSA ops in Raffles Place and Haji Lane Business Chinese brands like Pop Mart, BYD, Joocyee expanding into S'pore as gateway to Asean market Life Why should we bear the burden of budget meals and app discounts, some hawkers ask Singapore Religion growing in importance for Singaporeans: IPS study Asia 'Disastrous, useless': New Zealand to overhaul high school qualification to lift falling standards Opinion Malaysia: The cost of public doubt over high-profile criminal cases Vinatier is an employee of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a Swiss-based conflict mediation organisation. Fellow academics who know him told Reuters he was a respected scholar involved in legitimate research. REUTERS
