Latest news with #LucCohen
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Guyana lawmakers pass bill making companies liable for oil spill damages
Vessels carrying supplies for an offshore oil platform are seen, south of Georgetown, Guyana, January 23, 2020. REUTERS/Luc Cohen/File Photo GEORGETOWN - Guyana's parliament passed an oil pollution bill late on Friday that holds parties liable for damages caused by oil spills, including from vessels. The bill, which passed with a majority of votes cast in a simple voice vote, is expected to soon be signed into law by President Irfaan Ali. Guyana, whose oil production is controlled by an Exxon Mobil-led consortium is expected to surpass 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year. The South American country is trying to reinforce oversight of its nascent energy industry, where all crude and gas output comes from offshore fields. The legislation stipulates that responsible parties provide financial assurance to cover spills, conduct regular inspections and audits, and address any issues found. It also includes penalties for companies that fail to comply with regulations, including the suspension of licenses to explore and produce oil for those that do not provide the financial assurance required. Guyana, whose oil production is controlled by an Exxon Mobil-led consortium is expected to surpass 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year. Last year the country became Latin America's fifth largest oil exporter after Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. The Exxon group, which includes U.S. Hess and China's CNOOC, produced an average of 631,000 bpd of oil in the first quarter, 3% higher than in the same period last year. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sex trafficker or 'swinger'? Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs goes on trial
By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial is due to kick off with opening statements on Monday, with prosecutors set to argue that the Bad Boy Records founder used his fame and fortune to abuse women and the defense expected to counter that there is nothing criminal about a "swingers" lifestyle. Over the course of a two-month trial, jurors are expected to hear testimony from three and possibly four of the rapper's female accusers, as well as his former employees who prosecutors say helped arrange and cover up his actions. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted on all counts, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and could face life in prison. On Monday, the jury of 12 jurors and six alternates is expected to be finalized, paving the way for opening statements by the government and then the defense. The prosecution would then call its first witness. Allegations of sexual abuse in the criminal charges brought against Combs by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office last year, as well as more than 50 civil lawsuits filed against him starting in November 2023, made him the latest powerful man in the entertainment industry to be accused of sexual misconduct in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which encouraged women to speak up about abuse. Combs is known for turning rap and rhythm and blues artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige into stars, and in the process elevating the mainstream appeal of hip-hop in American culture in the 1990s and early 2000s. Born in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood and raised by a single mother, Combs went on to live in mansions in Miami and Los Angeles and host lavish parties for the cultural elite in destinations like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez. Prosecutors say his success concealed a dark side. Over two decades, Combs used violence and threats to force women to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs," according to the indictment. Combs would often watch the performances, masturbate and film them, sometimes using the recordings as blackmail to ensure his alleged victims did not report his abuse, prosecutors say. In one 2016 incident that was captured on hotel surveillance footage that prosecutors plan to show the jury, Combs was seen kicking and dragging a woman as she was trying to leave a "Freak Off," prosecutors say. CNN last year broadcast footage that appeared to show Combs attacking his former girlfriend, the rhythm and blues singer Casandra Ventura, in 2016 in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Combs apologized after the video aired. CASSIE AMONG FIRST WITNESSES Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, is among the first witnesses expected to testify against Combs. Combs' defense lawyers are expected to argue that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual, and say there is nothing illegal about a "swingers" lifestyle in which Combs and his girlfriends occasionally brought a third person into their relationships. Their strategy at trial will hinge on undermining the credibility of the women who testify against Combs, including by arguing they were motivated by money to accuse him of wrongdoing and have unreliable memories. Marc Agnifilo, Combs' lead lawyer, has said the 2016 hotel incident depicted the aftermath of a dispute over infidelity and was not evidence of sex trafficking. In a court hearing on Friday, Agnifilo said Ventura had a history of domestic violence, undercutting prosecutors' argument she was a victim. Ventura's lawyer declined to comment.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial kicks off with jury selection
By Luc Cohen and Jack Queen NEW YORK (Reuters) -A year and a half after Sean "Diddy" Combs' former longtime girlfriend accused him of sex trafficking in a bombshell civil suit, the hip-hop mogul is heading to court on Monday for jury selection in a criminal trial that offers him the chance to challenge allegations against him but could see him sent to prison for life. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied abuse allegations in more than 50 civil lawsuits filed against him starting in November 2023 when his romantic partner of 10 years, the R&B singer Casandra Ventura, filed her suit. The case settled for an undisclosed amount of money. The accusations dealt a swift and severe blow to the onetime billionaire's reputation. Once known for elevating hip-hop in American culture and hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, Combs is now the latest powerful man in the entertainment industry to be accused of sexual misconduct since the #MeToo movement encouraged women to speak up about abuse. His rags-to-riches life story saw the New York City native move from an upbringing by a single mother to living in mansions in Los Angeles and Miami. But last year, Combs returned a symbolic key to his hometown at the behest of Mayor Eric Adams, and since September he has been held in a Brooklyn jail about an hour by subway from the Harlem neighborhood where he was born. On Monday, Combs will be driven across the East River by U.S. Marshals to the federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan, and is due to arrive in U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian's courtroom at 8:30 a.m. EST (1230 GMT). There, the judge is expected to begin questioning prospective jurors one-by-one in a bid to seat a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates who can be fair and impartial despite heavy media coverage of the case so far. Hundreds of prospective jurors have already filled out questionnaires designed to elicit any bias they may have about the case. Prosecutors say Combs used his business empire to coerce women into taking part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers, which the mogul called "Freak Offs." Combs' defense lawyers and prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office agreed on about 150 who could proceed to in-person questioning by the judge, known as voir dire. Subramanian said in a May 1 hearing that the goal will be to choose 45 potential jurors who are qualified to serve, and lawyers for both sides will then have the opportunity to dismiss jurors without stating a reason, known as peremptory strikes. The jury will be anonymous, which is frequently the case in high-profile trials in which jurors could face threats or harassment if their identities are known. Voir dire is expected to finish by the end of the week, and opening statements are scheduled for May 12. Over the course of the two-month trial, Combs' lawyers are expected to argue that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual and to try to undermine the credibility of the four alleged victims expected to testify against him. In a hearing last month, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said there was nothing criminal about a "swingers" lifestyle in which Combs and his girlfriends sometimes brought a third person into their relationships. Any jury verdict must be unanimous. If convicted on all counts, Combs faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and could face life in prison, though any sentence would be imposed by Subramanian at a later date.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs due in court for hearing over jury in sex trafficking trial
By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sean "Diddy" Combs is due in court on Thursday for a hearing over the jury selection process for his upcoming sex trafficking trial, where the hip-hop mogul is facing the prospect of life in prison if convicted on all counts. At the 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) conference in Manhattan federal court, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian is expected to resolve any disputes between prosecutors and Combs' defense lawyers about which of the hundreds of prospective jurors who filled out questionnaires this week should proceed to the next round of jury selection. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's office say he used his business empire to coerce women to take part in lengthy drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs" over a two-decade period. The Bad Boy Records founder's defense lawyers have argued that the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual, and that there was nothing criminal about Combs and his longtime girlfriends occasionally bringing in a third person to their relationships as part of a "swingers" lifestyle. Starting on Monday, New York residents summoned for jury duty were asked on questionnaires what they already know about the case, part of an effort toward seating a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates who can be impartial despite intense media coverage of the case so far. Those prospective jurors who make it past initial screening will return to court starting on May 5 for in-person questioning, known as voir dire. Opening statements are due to kick off on May 12, and the trial is expected to last at least eight weeks. Also known throughout his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs is known for elevating hip-hop in American culture and turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige into stars. But his reputation has taken a nosedive after being hit with dozens of civil lawsuits over alleged sexual abuse starting in 2023, and then being criminally indicted last September. He denies all wrongdoing.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Venezuelan migrants seek further deportation protections after Supreme Court ruling
By Luc Cohen (Reuters) - Venezuelan migrants will seek to bolster their protections against deportation under a wartime law this week, after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a group of migrants with an emergency ruling over the weekend. At a court hearing scheduled for Monday, two Venezuelan men in immigration custody in Denver, Colorado are expected to ask U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney to extend her order preventing them and other Venezuelans within her jurisdiction from being deported under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. It is the first of several similar hearings at courthouses across the country scheduled for this week as the American Civil Liberties Union, which is representing Venezuelan migrants, seeks to require Republican President Donald Trump's administration to provide migrants with 30 days' notice of their looming deportations under the law and the opportunity to challenge their removals in court. Trump, who won election last November after promising to take a hard line on illegal immigration, on March 15 invoked the Alien Enemies Act - best known for being used to intern and deport people of Japanese, German and Italian descent during World War Two - to swiftly deport hundreds of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua outside of normal immigration procedures. Many of the deportees' lawyers and family members have denied they had ties to the gang, and said they were not given the chance to challenge the administration's assertions in court. After those deportations, the Supreme Court on April 7 ordered the Trump administration to give migrants meaningful advance notice that they had been designated under the Alien Enemies Act and to make sure they had the chance to challenge their deportations in court. During the early hours on Saturday, the high court again weighed in on the case, blocking in a 7-2 decision any deportations of Venezuelans from the Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Texas after lawyers warned their deportations under the Alien Enemies Act were imminent. That ruling only applies to northern Texas, but judges in other areas where Venezuelans targeted for removal under the law are being held - including New York and southern Texas - have temporarily blocked deportations. The White House responded that Trump would stay the course in his immigration crackdown but gave no immediate indication that the administration would defy the Supreme Court, appearing for now to avert a potential constitutional crisis between coequal branches of government. The Venezuelan migrants' case is one of several legal battles, many involving immigration, in which Democrats and some legal observers say the Trump administration has dragged its feet in complying with unfavorable court rulings, sparking concerns that the government would openly defy the courts. Administration officials have said they are complying with judicial orders, and have accused the courts of overstepping and interfering with the president's broad authority over foreign policy. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Greenbelt, Maryland is investigating whether the administration violated her order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man from El Salvador who officials have acknowledged was deported there in error. Four Democratic U.S. Representatives arrived in El Salvador on Monday to call for Abrego Garcia's return. Last week, Chris Van Hollen, a U.S. senator from Maryland, went to El Salvador and met with Abrego Garcia, also calling for his release. A State Department official said in a court filing on Sunday that Abrego Garcia had been transferred from El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center - a mega-prison where rights groups have criticized harsh conditions - to another facility in the country, where he has his own bed and furniture.
