Latest news with #politicalassassination
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Ex-Philippine lawmaker's arrest in East Timor seen as linked to Asean membership
A former Philippine lawmaker who is accused of orchestrating a political assassination has been arrested in East Timor, in a move that analysts say is a sign of Dili's desire to resolve an extradition dispute with Manila ahead of its expected entry into Asean Arnolfo Teves Jnr was apprehended in Dili in a joint operation by East Timorese police and immigration officials at his residence in the capital on Tuesday night, his son confirmed in a post on social media on Wednesday. Teves, who has been on the run for more than a year, is wanted in the Philippines over the killing of Roel Degamo, then-governor of Negros Oriental, in March 2023. He faces multiple counts of murder and attempted murder. He left the country days before Degamo's assassination, citing medical reasons, and later sought political asylum in East Timor. The application was rejected, but Teves remained in the country amid a prolonged legal battle over his extradition. His lawyer in Dili, José Ximenes, denounced the arrest as unlawful, claiming it had been carried out without a valid warrant. 'The arrest carried out by authorities is inhumane and illegal,' Ximenes told local reporters. The Philippines' Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Wednesday it was ready to arrange Teves' return 'by the most expeditious means' but was awaiting clarity on the matter.
New York Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
For Washington's Jewish community, the killings are ‘the nightmare that we've all been afraid of.'
Rabbi Shira Stutman, the founder of the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in Washington, showed up midmorning on Thursday at the Capital Jewish Museum to pray and mourn. It was something she just needed to do, she said, after two Israeli Embassy aides — a young couple — were shot and killed the night before while leaving the museum, where the American Jewish Committee was hosting a reception for young diplomats. Several hundred thousand people compose the Jewish community in the Greater Washington area, including Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland, making it one of the biggest Jewish population centers in the country. Yet it is a very close community, the rabbi said. 'This could have been one of our kids,' Rabbi Stutman, who lives in Washington but now leads a congregation in Colorado, said of the shootings. For many young people, politically active or not, Wednesday night's reception at the Capital Jewish Museum would have been a networking opportunity — or even a chance to find a potential husband or a wife, Rabbi Stutman said. Such events are very popular in the Washington area among young Jewish people who want to socialize while supporting a cause. But no one thought the night would end as it did. Not here. Not in the nation's capital. Ron Halber, chief executive of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, called the killings 'a political assassination' and 'the nightmare that we've all been afraid of.' He said he had always told friends that he was lucky to live in the Washington area because violence against the Jewish community was uncommon there. 'We haven't, in 50, 60 years, seen a major incident,' Mr. Halber said. 'Unfortunately, that record has been broken now.' Jewish organizations in the area are still trying to process what happened, some leaders say, and several expect to hold official vigils for the couple.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Farage is running a cult, says ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe
Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has accused Nigel Farage's party of being "the cult of Nigel" and says he was the victim of a "political assassination attempt".Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Newsnight, Lowe suggested his relationship with Reform UK changed when "Elon Musk came out and was complimentary about me and less complimentary about Nigel"The Great Yarmouth MP made the comments in his first broadcast interview since the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges over threats he was alleged to have UK declined to comment on Lowe's latest attack on Farage, who has previously dismissed the row as irrelevant to the continued advance of the party. Sarah Pochin, who earlier this month won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election for Reform, described herself as Lowe's "replacement" on the party's benches in Parliament and also played down the Lowe spat."I really think it is white noise around what is a huge, energetic movement now, Reform, coming across the country and coming for the other two parties," she told the was elected as a Reform MP in last year's general election but was suspended by the party in March, amid claims of threats towards its chairman Zia his Newsnight interview, Lowe said of Farage's "brutal" leadership style "If people become, if you like, too tall a poppy, he tends to lop off the head of the poppy". On Reform UK's leadership, Lowe said Farage has "a team of what I call, very long-term lightweight sort of servants, which is what you tend to find in a cult."The independent MP added that he didn't think Farage is "fit to be leader"."I think he's ultimately a very good, what I would call, ballroom entertainer. And he stands up and he entertains, and he's extremely good at that."On Wednesday, Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS, said it made the decision not to press charges on Mr Lowe "following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence". Although the CPS statement does not name Lowe, the case relates to an incident at the Palace of Westminster in December 2024. Lowe maintains that the claims made against him are untrue. "Why did they do it? I think it was a political assassination attempt.""I think Nigel is running a cult. That's what I concluded, and I think it's the cult of Nigel. And anyone who basically has a different opinion, is effectively expunged from, being a threat to, to the cult."Lowe also revealed that his firearms were confiscated from his home by police, following his row with Reform. "We had an unannounced visitation from four armed police officers in three cars", he said."They came and they took all my guns away."Lowe declined to say if he would launch a new political party, suggesting instead that "the most powerful instrument for change probably would be reformed Tory party"."I could join the Tories tomorrow if I wanted to. I don't have an issue with the Tories," he Lowe also suggested he would "make sure there's an alternative" to the existing political offerings, adding "if people think I'm going to pack up my tent to leave the field, they're very wrong." When asked about what support this "alternative" might gain, Lowe suggested Elon Musk "broadly, would consider supporting us" in a future political venture."I can't speak for him, but would I be grateful and would I feel good about his verbal support? Yes. Financial support? Yes. If he chose to do that, it would be fantastic."Watch Rupert Lowe's interview on Newsnight on BBC Two at 22:30 BST.
