Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on May 6, 2025
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AsiaOne
6 days ago
- AsiaOne
New Jersey mayor sues Trump officials over arrest at immigration centre, World News
WASHINGTON - The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, who was arrested by US immigration agents at a detention centre last month, sued two law enforcement officials on Tuesday (June 3), alleging the arrest was part of a politically motivated move by President Donald Trump's administration. Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat who is now running for New Jersey governor, alleges in the lawsuit that he was wrongly arrested for trespassing without cause and maliciously prosecuted following a tense confrontation at a privately run immigration detention centre in Newark on May 9. The encounter drew widespread attention at a time of growing clashes between the Trump administration and Democrats over Trump's hardline approach to immigration. Baraka was arrested after US authorities said he refused to leave the facility, known as Delaney Hall, where US Representative LaMonica McIver and two other Democratic members of Congress from New Jersey were conducting an oversight visit. His complaint names as defendants Alina Habba, the acting US attorney in New Jersey who brought the case and is a former personal lawyer to Trump, and Ricky Patel, a Department of Homeland Security official in Newark, who allegedly ordered the arrest. In a post on X following reports that Baraka planned to sue, Habba said Baraka should "join me in prioritising violent crime and public safety." "Far better use of time for the great citizens of New Jersey," she wrote. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement: "The American people saw with their own eyes his actions that put the safety of our law enforcement agents and the staff at Delaney Hall at risk." Prosecutors dropped the case against Baraka 10 days after his arrest. Habba said the decision was made "for the sake of moving forward" but offered no further explanation. Her office then charged McIver with assaulting and resisting officers who were trying to arrest Baraka. McIver has not yet entered a plea but has denounced the charges as political intimidation. Baraka's lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in New Jersey, alleges a guard invited Baraka onto the property and he agreed to leave after he was threatened with arrest. Stephen Demanovich, one of the prosecutors assigned to the McIver case and the now-dismissed case against Baraka, is not a career member of the office, and was tapped by Habba in May to serve as her counsel. Shortly before joining her office, he moderated a panel hosted by conservative legal group the Federalist Society entitled "The Weaponisation of DOJ?" Baraka's case is likely to face legal barriers given broad protections for US officials acting in an official role. His complaint alleges Habba and Patel acted outside their formal responsibilities. The lawsuit alleges violations of the US Constitution and defamation. It seeks an unspecified sum in damages for emotional distress, reputational damage and other harms. [[nid:718472]]
Straits Times
6 days ago
- Straits Times
Netherlands 'obligated' to top World Cup qualifying group, says Koeman
The Netherlands are obligated to win their World Cup qualifying group, coach Ronald Koeman said on Tuesday as they began preparation for their opening Group G clash against Finland in Helsinki on Saturday. It will be their first match in their bid to qualify for next year's finals in North America, followed by a second fixture on Tuesday when they host Malta in Groningen. The Dutch belatedly kick off their qualifiers because they played in the Nations League quarter-finals in March where they drew twice with Spain before being eliminated on penalties. "Maybe it is easier to play football against Spain," Koeman told a press conference. "Because no one expects anything from us then. "Finland and Malta are different types of opponents. We will have more of the ball, and they try to stop us. "We are obligated to finish first in this group, but we do not underestimate anyone and we need to bring the energy that we have shown in our last few matches." The group also includes Lithuania and Poland, who top the standings after two wins in March. The winners qualify for the World Cup while the runners-up advances to a playoff competition. "We want to be good for all the matches and perform much more consistently," Koeman said. "We have shown that against one of the best countries in the world, which gives us confidence." One problem Koeman admitted, however, was the lack of a recognised centre forward. "We don't have top strikers now. I don't know what is coming through the ranks with the 15-16-year-olds, but it is clear that at the moment we do not have the classic striker of the past. Players like (Patrick) Kluivert, (Klaas-Jan) Huntelaar, and (Ruud) Van Nistelrooy. You don't see players like them around anymore." Koeman is not sure who would lead the line in the qualifiers over the next week. "It will probably be Memphis (Depay) or Wout (Weghorst) at the top of the attack," he said. "But (Cody) Gakpo and (Donyell) Malen are all possibilities in that position." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Times
19-05-2025
- Business Times
Trump Organization eyes Trump Tower in Ho Chi Minh City, government document says
[HO CHI MINH CITY] Executives at Trump Organization, a privately owned business of US President Donald Trump, are going to visit Ho Chi Minh City to survey potential sites for a Trump Tower project, according to a Vietnamese government document seen by The Business Times. The delegation led by executive vice-president Eric Trump – President Trump's third eldest child – will arrive on Thursday (May 22), with plans to meet the city leadership at a dinner at a central hotel in the city. They are going to inspect sites at Thu Thiem, a peninsula that lies across the Saigon River from downtown Ho Chi Minh City. The city authority has recently earmarked vacant land parcels in this area to woo multibillion-dollar investments for the development of the country's new international financial centre. This comes amid the ongoing trade negotiations between Washington and Hanoi as the latter has sought to avoid a reciprocal tariff of 46 per cent – one of Asia's highest rates – imposed by the Trump administration and currently on hold until early July. Trump Organization is operating or licensing its name to dozens of Trump-branded properties around the world. These projects often encompass a mix of luxury residential, commercial, and hospitality developments. For example, The Trump International Hotel & Tower in Dubai, announced in late April under a licensing deal with UAE-based developer Dar Global, is an 80-storey skyscraper scheduled for completion in 2031. It is planned to feature luxury residences starting at US$1 million, a five-star hotel and a private members' club called the Trump. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up US$1.5b golf complex approved Another executive group led by Charles James Boyd Bowman, general director of the Trump Organization's Vietnam project, is set to visit Ho Chi Minh City on Monday (May 19), the internal document says. Earlier in March, Bowman met Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, who urged the Trump Organization to consider Vietnam as a business base and broaden its investments into other localities, particularly in sectors aligned with Vietnam's priorities. Last Friday, state newspaper Tuoi Tre reported that the US$1.5 billion project co-developed by Trump Organization and Vietnam's real estate developer Kinhbac City had received approval from the Vietnamese government. The project, spanning 990 hectares of land in Hung Yen province near Hanoi, involves developments of golf courses, hotels, resorts, and a modern residential complex. Reuters reported in March that it would break ground in May, with a second golf and hotel project expected to be announced this year. Both are planned to be operational by mid-2027. Besides Vietnam, Trump Organization has partnered to develop golf resorts in Indonesia as its first venture into South-east Asia since 2014. South-east Asia is home to more than 1,000 operational 18-hole golf courses, with Thailand leading the pack with 306 courses, based on data compiled by consulting firm Asia Golf Journey. Among them, Vietnam and Indonesia currently have more than 80 and 180 courses, respectively.
