Curtis Sliwa for NYC Mayor
Monday, September 1, 2025, on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York.
Andrew Cuomo for NYC Mayor.
Curtis Sliwa’s 2025 NYC Mayor Campaign Highlights
Australia news LIVE: IS-linked families leave Syria for Australia; Iran war and inflation hit jobs market; Australians released from Israeli prison allege mistreatment
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has left the door open to altering contentious tax changes announced in the budget.
Following reporting in this masthead that Albanese would be open to walking back proposed changes to taxing discretionary testamentary trusts – which the opposition have labelled a “death tax” – Albanese said today the government would “work through the legislation”.
The government announced in last week’s budget that a 30 per cent rate would soon apply to all discretionary trusts to better align earnings from investments with income tax.
There are about 10,500 testamentary trusts in the country, created within a person’s will so they can manage their assets and the income derived from them after they die.
In Wollongong this morning, Albanese said: “Let’s be very clear that we’ve said, when it comes to some of the misreporting that’s there, we’re not interested and there’s no measures in there that are going to hurt inheritances.
“So we’ll work through the legislation we’ve said will be introduced in the second half of the year. On trusts, there will be a consultation period about that, and we made that clear on budget night.”
‘Muttatthengu’ in Tamil Nadu: DMK takes ‘bent coconut tree’ jibe at VCK over CM Vijay’s cabinet
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu is witnessing a literary war between the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after senior DMK leader A Raja used the metaphor of a ‘coconut tree bending into a neighbour’s house’ to take a swipe at VCK and Indian Union Muslim League joining the cabinet of chief minister Vijay under the newly formed TVK government.The political confrontation comes amid a major realignment in Tamil Nadu politics following the recent assembly elections, where actor-turned-politician Vijay led the TVK to emerge as the single largest party with 108 seats, ending decades of dominance by the DMK and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).The tensions escalated after VCK MLA Vanni Arasu and IUML MLA A.M. Shahjahan were inducted into Vijay’s cabinet following the recommendation of the chief minister.Soon after the induction, A Raja posted a literary jibe on X targeting the changing political alignments.Also read: DMK’s Stalin takes jibe at Tamil Nadu CM Vijay: ‘Became CM by influencing children through Instagram’Referring to the Tamil literary expression ‘muttatthengu’- loosely meaning a coconut tree planted in one’s courtyard that bends towards the neighbour’s house to offer fruit and water, Raja wrote:“If the coconut in my home gardenbends overand offers tender waterto the opposite house,in literature,that would be named‘muttatthengu’!What name should we give it in politics?Long live Tamil!”The post quickly triggered sharp responses from VCK leaders and the ruling TVK camp.
VCK hits back at DMK
Responding strongly, the VCK accused the DMK of arrogance and treating alliance partners merely as vote banks despite depending on their support for electoral victories.In a sharply-worded social media post, the party said: “The VCK did not grow because of the mercy of other parties! It was the hard work of the Panthers that shed blood and sweat across every corner of Tamil Nadu, safeguarded the vote bank of oppressed communities, and helped alliance parties secure victories.”Questioning the DMK’s criticism over alleged ‘party hopping’, the VCK further said: “What qualification do leaders of other parties have to speak about ‘party hopping’? Who allied with the Sangh Parivar (BJP) to defeat the Congress? Who was part of the Vajpayee cabinet and later opposed the very same BJP out of political self-interest? Tamil Nadu has witnessed many such political dramas.”The party also attacked the DMK on the issue of ‘power sharing’ and representation for marginalised communities.“We joined hands for ideology, and we have not even officially announced that we are leaving the alliance yet… then why this irritation already? Keep your so-called ‘social justice’ to yourselves — the same justice where you take votes from oppressed communities but refuse to share power with them!”The VCK added that the party’s growth came through decades of grassroots struggles.“The VCK movement has grown through the hard work of ‘Ezhuchi Thamizhar’ and the blood and sweat of millions of Panthers. Our respected leader Thol. Thirumavalavan knows very well what political strategy should be adopted at what time for the welfare of the party and the people,” the post added.VCK leader SS Balaji also responded poetically to the DMK leadership.“Power to the humble—What rage is there in it?Helplessness flings aboutSlander that will not sway you—Cross it in peace,To avoid the uncouth.If injustice persistsAnd you voice it all,Unable to damThe flames, you will burn up.”Also read: ‘Don’t do BJP politics’: DMK fumes as Vande Mataram played before state anthem at Vijay govt oath event
TVK accuses DMK of ‘arrogance of power’
The ruling TVK also entered the confrontation and accused the DMK of crossing the limits of political decency.In a strongly-worded statement posted on X, the party said Raja’s remarks mocking VCK and IUML’s stand on ‘power sharing’ reflected ‘the height of indecency’.“The tweet posted by DMK MP A Raja on his social media page mocking the positions taken by the VCK and IUML regarding the democratic principle of ‘power sharing’, and crossing the boundaries of political decency and ethics, is the height of indecency,” the statement read.The party further accused the DMK of displaying ‘arrogance of power’.“When parties rooted in social justice raise their rights or present alternative political views, criticising them in a degrading manner and speaking in a threatening tone only reflects the arrogance of power within the DMK.”The TVK also claimed that the DMK feared Vijay’s emerging political model and coalition politics.“The DMK leaders have begun losing their composure and ranting out of fear that the honest and inclusive political philosophy of power-sharing proposed by the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam will dismantle their monopoly of family politics. You have now revealed your true face yourselves,” the statement added.
Why VCK backed Vijay government?
The VCK’s decision to support the TVK government marks one of the most significant political shifts in recent Tamil Nadu politics.Though no party secured a clear majority, VCK and IUML both long-time allies of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance extended support to Vijay’s government to prevent political instability and a possible President’s Rule situation in the state.VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan had earlier said the party decided to join the TVK-led cabinet after consultations with party office-bearers, adding that there was overwhelming support within the organisation.The VCK, which enjoys strong Dalit support, had contested the Assembly elections as part of the DMK-led alliance and won two seats.Following the fractured verdict, the party initially extended outside support to Vijay while continuing formally within the DMK-led alliance.Explaining the move, Thirumavalavan had said the decision was taken to ensure political stability and prevent President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu.“We are extending support to TVK for two reasons. VCK should not be a factor hindering Vijay from becoming CM, and Tamil Nadu should not come under President’s Rule,” he had said after handing over the support letter to TVK leaders in Chennai.Even while extending support, VCK leaders had insisted the move was a ‘functional necessity’ and not an ideological shift.“Our support is a functional necessity to prevent a constitutional vacuum, not a validation of ideology,” VCK general secretary D Ravikumar had said earlier.
Man who sued IMH after being detained gets case thrown out as court finds abuse of process
SINGAPORE: A man who was detained and treated at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) on three occasions sued IMH, the Ministry of Health and other defendants from the government.
Mr Frank Lee sought an injunction against IMH prohibiting it from “ever confining anyone ever again” and a declaration outlining “the truth” about what happened to him and a related party.
In a judgment made available on Friday (May 22), Justice Andre Maniam dismissed the case, ordering Mr Lee to pay IMH and the defendants from the government costs of S$47,000 (US$36,700) and S$27,000 respectively.
Justice Maniam found that Mr Lee’s statement of claim disclosed no reasonable cause of action and some of his actions revealed a “shocking abuse of process”.
THE CASE
Mr Lee was arrested in July 2024 for wrongfully confining a woman listed as a defendant in the current suit.
This led to Mr Lee being warded in IMH from July to August that year.
He was also warded in IMH on two subsequent occasions in November to December 2024 and April to May 2025.
In his statement of claim, Mr Lee said he was not seeking compensation because “compensation for the things done to me does not exist”.
He wrote that his lawsuit’s primary goal was “to prevent the things that were done to me from being done to others in Singapore”.
He asked for an injunction against IMH prohibiting it from “ever confining anyone ever again, protecting me from further harm and hurt” and a declaration outlining “the truth”.
He also wrote that he was “constantly consciously aware that, at any given point in time, there are hundreds of human beings suffering at the hands of IMH employees in similar ways that I have”.
He also included an affidavit titled “The Truth About Psychiatry”, claiming that psychiatry is harming human beings and is “the most evil hoax in the history of mankind”, the judgment said.
IMH and the other government defendants filed an application to strike out Mr Lee’s action.
Justice Maniam said Mr Lee did not accept that IMH can detain or treat anyone, because the existence of the human mind and the existence of mental diseases “are not facts”.
“The claimant is wrong that the burden of proof rests on IMH to prove that there is such a thing as the human mind, and mental disorders, or to prove that the claimant has a mind or has or had a mental disorder,” said Justice Maniam.
“The claimant sued IMH claiming that IMH had acted unlawfully – it is for him to prove his claim. If proving his claim involves proving that there is no such thing as the human mind, or mental disorders, or that he does not have a mind, or never had a mental disorder, it is for him to prove that.”
He said that, in any event, parliament and the courts have accepted the existence of the human mind and mental disorders. The Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act is premised on the existence of these, said the judge.
He found that Mr Lee’s statement of claim disclosed no reasonable cause of action. In fact, it included only claims against IMH and not against any other defendant.
SUED FOR ATTENTION: JUDGE
“It is moreover clear that the claimant has not sued the other remaining defendants for any legitimate purpose: he has sued them because he wants to get their attention, but that is not a legitimate reason for suing someone,” said Justice Maniam.
For example, Mr Lee wrote in his statement of claim that his primary reason for including MOH as a defendant was to “make it aware of how the IMH is harming the health of Singapore citizens”.
Mr Lee had initially included the Attorney-General’s Chambers as a defendant but dropped it later. However, he kept the attorney-general as a defendant and made a “settlement proposal” that if the AG would read through his statement of claim and personally send him an email proving he read it, and asked Mr Lee to drop him as a defendant and compensate him S$20,000 for “his time”, Mr Lee would do so.
“This only goes to show that the claimant never had any claim for relief against the Attorney-General, nor was he a necessary or proper party to this suit. The claimant just wanted his attention,” said Justice Maniam.
The same offer was made to the prime minister but for S$50,000.
Justice Maniam noted that Mr Lee’s detention at IMH for treatment was on the basis, among other things, that it was necessary in the interests of his own health or safety, or for the protection of others.
Justice Maniam also noted that the ulterior motive of another action sought by Mr Lee was an appeal against decisions of a registrar. Mr Lee had asked to “point out to the Supreme Court” that the registrar “is a criminal” and to strongly recommend he be dismissed and reported for criminal prosecution.
Justice Maniam said this was “unacceptable behaviour”.
“If a litigant is dissatisfied with a registrar’s decision, he does have a right to appeal; but to use that appeal not to genuinely seek relief in relation to the decisions under appeal, but rather to agitate for criminal action, dismissal, and for a change of registrar, is a shocking abuse of process,” he said.
“At this juncture, I shall say no more about the claimant’s allegation of criminal conduct, as the claimant says he has initiated criminal proceedings by a magistrate’s complaint.”
Malaysia’s tourism-dependent Langkawi fears rising costs are deterring visitors
On Cenang Beach, Mohamad Zaki Najmi sells fun and adventure activities that have powered Langkawi’s tourism economy for years – jet ski rides and boat tours on the Malaysian island’s turquoise waters.
But costs are rising fast at the popular island resort, and the sea sports operator has been forced to pass it on to his customers, a last resort for tourism players in Malaysia as competition for international visitors in Southeast Asia heats up.
Higher fuel prices, triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran, have forced Zaki to increase boat packages – a 30-minute ride now costs US$30, compared with US$25 previously.
“The cost for operating boats and jet skis on the sea is higher than for regular vehicles on the road,” the Langkawi resident said.
Zaki, who has operated Seeman Motorsport on Cenang Beach since 2006, is also experiencing another setback as tourist arrivals in Langkawi appear to have fallen in recent months.
“There aren’t many tourists these days, and we don’t have set targets any more,” Zaki said.
Africa Urged to Fix Logistics Gaps to Unlock Markets for Smallholder Farmers
Agricultural experts, lenders and corporate executives are calling for increased investment in rural logistics and transport systems across Africa, warning that weak infrastructure is preventing millions of smallholder farmers from accessing profitable markets despite gains in farm productivity.
Speaking during the 2026 Africa CEO Forum 2026 in Kigali, panelists said post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage, poor feeder roads and fragmented supply chains continue to undermine food security and rural incomes across sub-Saharan Africa.
The discussions focused on what participants described as Africa’s “midstream” agricultural challenge the movement, storage and distribution of produce between farms and consumers.
Max Müller, Global Head of Public Affairs at Bayer, said improving yields alone would not be enough without reliable transport and market access systems.
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“Infrastructure is key for African markets,” said Müller.
“Addressing these midstream issues is exactly what will open doorways for smallholder farmers to access stable, lucrative markets.”
Smallholder farmers account for up to 80 percent of food production in sub-Saharan Africa, but nearly 40 percent of harvests are lost before reaching consumers due to poor logistics and storage systems.
The inefficiencies also contribute to higher food prices in urban areas while reducing earnings for rural farmers.
Hajar Alafifi, Chief Executive Officer of OCP Africa, said improving agricultural value chains will require investment beyond farm inputs and production.
“True transformation must rely on an integrated approach combining soil science, innovation, agricultural mechanization, and broader access to international markets,” Alafifi stated.
She added that structured value chains and policies supporting intra-African trade would help integrate smallholder farmers into commercial markets.
OCP Africa cited a Nigerian programme that connected 750,000 farmers directly to agro-processors.
Ousmane Dione, Regional Vice President at the World Bank, called for more coordinated infrastructure investments tied to regional trade corridors under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
“Corridors are not just about transportation. They must connect industries, logistics, agriculture, and energy systems.”
Panelists contend that improving cross-border trade systems and rural transport networks could help reduce food losses and improve market access for farmers across the continent.
Singapore ministers say Bloomberg had ‘unprecedented’ malice in property story
Financial news outlet Bloomberg harboured “unprecedented” malice in the publication and handling of an article about the purchase of good class bungalows in Singapore, lawyers for two Singaporean cabinet ministers alleged on Friday during closing statements in a defamation lawsuit.
Senior counsel Davinder Singh said the case was unprecedented in terms of ill intent and aggravation, seeking damages exceeding those against The Online Citizen chief editor Terry Xu, who was ordered to pay S$574,000 (US$73,254) to K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng in another defamation case related to the article.
Last January, the coordinating minister for national security and Tan, the manpower minister, filed separate suits against Bloomberg and its reporter Low De Wei over a story titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy”.
The claimants said that parts of the article were false, baseless and calculated to disparage and impugn them.
On Friday, Singh said malice was “blatantly obvious”, noting that Bloomberg did not challenge the order to remove the article under Singapore’s fake news law, while publicly standing by its reporting and dropping the article’s paywall.
The case was on “a completely separate scale”, said Singh, adding that damages “should exceed” those ordered against Xu, who defamed the two ministers in a related article citing Bloomberg’s reporting.
Australia news LIVE: IS-linked families leave Syria for Australia; Iran war and inflation hit jobs market as unemployment surges; Australians released from Israeli prison allege mistreatment
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has left the door open to altering contentious tax changes announced in the budget.
Following reporting in this masthead that Albanese would be open to walking back proposed changes to taxing discretionary testamentary trusts – which the opposition have labelled a “death tax” – Albanese said today the government would “work through the legislation”.
The government announced in last week’s budget that a 30 per cent rate would soon apply to all discretionary trusts to better align earnings from investments with income tax.
There are about 10,500 testamentary trusts in the country, created within a person’s will so they can manage their assets and the income derived from them after they die.
In Wollongong this morning, Albanese said: “Let’s be very clear that we’ve said, when it comes to some of the misreporting that’s there, we’re not interested and there’s no measures in there that are going to hurt inheritances.
“So we’ll work through the legislation we’ve said will be introduced in the second half of the year. On trusts, there will be a consultation period about that, and we made that clear on budget night.”
US sanctions Lebanese lawmakers, security officials over Hezbollah influence
WASHINGTON — A group of Hezbollah-affiliated parliamentarians, state security officials, and allies of the militant group were hit with U.S. sanctions Thursday, for allegedly seeking to preserve the Iran-backed group’s influence over Lebanese state institutions and obstruct disarmament efforts.
It’s the first time Washington has sanctioned sitting Lebanese state security officials, one from the country’s General Security agency and the other from the military intelligence, both of them accused of providing Hezbollah with “illicit support” and intelligence during the ongoing conflict.
The announcement comes as pressure mounts on Beirut to take more decisive action in disarming the group.
Included in Thursday’s sanctions are former cabinet minister and senior Hezbollah official Mohammed Fneish, senior Hezbollah parliamentarians Hassan Fadlallah, Ibrahim al-Moussawi and Hussein Hajj Hassan. All have pushed against efforts for disarmament.
Mohammad Reza Sheibani, the Iranian Ambassador designate to Lebanon — who was ordered to leave Beirut by Lebanon’s foreign ministry — was also hit with sanctions.
Treasury accuses the men of undermining Lebanon’s ability to disarm the Iranian-backed Shiite militant organization.
The announcement comes as Lebanese and Israeli officials continue holding low-level talks in Washington in a bid to end the monthslong war between Israel and Hezbollah. Military officials from both sides are expected to hold their first direct talks in the Pentagon on May 29 as Israel mounts pressure on Lebanon to disarm the powerful group, and Beirut urges Israel to end its daily airstrikes and to withdraw its troops from large swaths of southern Lebanon.
Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon on Tuesday killed at least 19 people, including four women and three children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.
Hezbollah has dismissed the ongoing talks, instead backing Iran’s talks with the U.S. mediated by Pakistan. It rejects calls, both locally and internationally, for its disarmament. Lebanon’s president and prime minister in early 2025 came to power on a reformist platform vowing to disarm all non-state groups, including Hezbollah. Washington and Israel have been critical of the slow process, but the authorities fear a more confrontational approach could risk armed conflict in the tiny Mediterranean country.
The sanctions announced Thursday deny the parties access to any property or financial assets held in the U.S. Its unclear what kind of ties they have with the U.S. financial system.
Hezbollah has been designated a “foreign terrorist organization” under the authority of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act since 1997.
“Treasury will continue to take action against officials who have infiltrated the Lebanese government,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement, adding that Hezbollah has waged a “senseless campaign of violence against the Lebanese people.”
—
Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert ‘authorised spying on other teams’
Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert authorised spying on other teams, with an independent disciplinary commission ruling the club’s covert surveillance of rival Championship clubs constituted a “contrived and determined plan from the top down”.
The 33-year-old German, who took charge at St Mary’s midway through the season, “accepted that he had specifically authorised the observations,” according to the commission’s written reasons published by the English Football League.
Southampton have been thrown out of the Championship play-offs and will begin next season with a four-point penalty after admitting to secretly monitoring opponents’ training sessions.
The commission ruled such espionage “seriously violated” the competition’s integrity, warranting the severe punishment imposed on the club.
The commission described Southampton’s use of junior employees to carry out the secret surveillance as “deplorable,” noting these staff members “were put under pressure” to participate in the scheme.
“It involved far more than innocent activity and a particularly deplorable approach in its use of junior members of staff to conduct the clandestine observations at the direction of senior personnel,” the commission stated.
The situation came to light only after a young member of staff was discovered secretly observing Middlesbrough at their training facility.
“There was transmission and internal dissemination and analysis of footage and observations,” the commission added.
A commission ruled Tonda Eckert ‘authorised the observations’ of other teams
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REUTERS
Southampton admitted to spying on three Championship rivals during the campaign.
Oxford United and Ipswich Town were spied on earlier in the season, followed by Middlesbrough ahead of the play-off semi-final first leg.
The commission revealed Eckert approved the Oxford surveillance specifically to uncover their tactical formation following a managerial change at the club.
For the Middlesbrough spying, the head coach sought to find out if a marquee player was playing.
The commission revealed that Eckert approved the spying on Oxford United
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REUTERS
The commission stated: “Mr Eckert accepted that he had specifically authorised the observations to obtain information about formation (in the Oxford incident) and about the availability of a key player [in the Middlesbrough spying].”
Southampton argued the gathered intelligence neither influenced team selection nor provided any sporting benefit, pointing to their poor first-half display at Middlesbrough as evidence.
The commission dismissed this defence entirely.
It concluded “it is inherent in having information which your opponent would wish to keep private that you have a sporting advantage”.
The commission stated the coach ‘accepted he had specifically authorised the observations’
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REUTERSSouthampton’s removal from the play-offs resulted in Middlesbrough, who they had defeated in the semi-final, being reinstated to the competition.
Boro will now face Hull City in Saturday’s final for a place in the Premier League.
The club’s appeal against their expulsion proved unsuccessful. Southampton had cited Leeds United’s £200,000 fine for similar conduct in 2019, but the commission noted this occurred before current regulations were introduced.
The panel determined that any financial penalty would be “meaningless” given the potential rewards of top-flight promotion. At the same time, additional point deductions would fail to serve as an effective deterrent against future spying.
Southampton had their appeal rejected, describing the punishment in a club statement as “manifestly disproportionate”.
Police issue fresh update on investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
UK police say the ongoing investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is broad and could cover alleged sexual misconduct
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