The Vice President has sharply criticised Beijing, accusing it of coercion and intimidation in the South China Sea
Kamala Harris made the remarks during a major foreign policy speech in Singapore, as part of her second overseas trip since taking office.
The Vice President accusing Beijing of continuing “to coerce, to intimidate and to make claims to the vast majority of the South China Sea”.
“These unlawful claims have been rejected by the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, and Beijing’s actions continue to undermine the rules based order and threaten the sovereignty of nations,” Harris says.
Harris says the U.S. stands with its allies and partners in the face of these threats.
At the same time, Harris is seeking to reassure nations in the region that the Biden administration won’t force them to choose between China and the U.S.
“I must be clear: Our engagement in Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific is not against any one country, nor is it designed to make anyone choose between countries.”
KAMALA HARRIS
Harris says U.S. engagement is “about advancing an optimistic vision that we have for our participation and partnership in this region”.
The U.S. has deep and enduring strategic interests in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific, which is why our security presence matters. Thank you to our sailors and all our servicemen and women for your service and sacrifice, and the work you do every day to protect the country. pic.twitter.com/JK85NPi7zi
The messy and chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has raised concerns about the credibility of the United States’ foreign policy commitments, making this task even more important.
Appearing alongside the Vice President at a media conference on Monday, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was asked about U.S. reliability, following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.
“What will influence perceptions of US resolve and commitment to the region will be what the US does going forward – how it repositions itself in the region, how it engages its broad range of friends and partners and allies in the region, and how it continues the fight against terrorism.”
Lee Hsien Loong
Kamala Harris will also make a historic trip to Vietnam this week, becoming the first U.S. Vice President to visit the nation.
An intruder who carried a crossbow into the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas Day 2021 has been charged under the UK’s Treason Act
20 year old Jaswant Singh Chail was charged under the 1842 Treason Act.
He is accused of ‘wilfully producing a loaded crossbow with intent’ to harm the Queen.
THE QUEEN DELIVERING HER 2021 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
Police say he was stopped within moments of entering the grounds of Windsor Castle on Christmas morning 2021, and did not enter any buildings.
The Queen was in residence at Windsor Castle that Christmas, instead of her usual Christmas stay at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.
Under the Treason Act of 1842, people are prohibited from “discharging or aiming firearms, or throwing or using any offensive matter or weapon, with the intent to injure or alarm her Majesty”.
Mr Chail will appear before Westminster Magistrate’s Court on August 17.
Without waiting for backup the ‘hero’ policeman allegedly rushed to the scene when the shooting was reported.
Police say the gunman barricaded himself inside a classroom shooting anyone that got in his way.
The officer was allegedly wounded during the confrontation but was able to leave the school without sustaining further harm.
He was reportedly part of an elite tactical unit.
Authorities say Ramos shot his grandmother then drove and crashed his vehicle in a ditch near the school before going on the rampage.
Tuesday’s massacre was America’s worst elementary school shooting since Sandy Hook in 2012.
The school shooting in Texas is heartbreaking. No parent should worry that their child isn’t safe at school. We must come together and act now so this never happens again.
Day 19: Amber Heard’s witnesses testify at trial about Johnny Depp’s drug and alcohol use
Heard’s ex-best friend, former agent, and former business manager, as well as her former attorney, provide an account of Depp’s ‘erratic behaviour’ in court on Thursday.
Ellen Barkin who had a sexual relationship with the actor in 1994 also testified that he was a “jealous man“ who was “controlling” as well as “angry and demanding”.
— Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) May 19, 2022
A former long-time close friend testifies
Bruce Witkin was the first witness to be called on Thursday for Heard’s defence.
Witkin was Depp’s former long-time friend from 1982 and ‘best friend’ by 2018.
When recalling what ended their friendship Witkin says he wasn’t sure, except that he received a text from Depp saying Witkin had “stabbed him in the back.”
Witkin also says that during their friendship he observed Depp abusing substances and recommended Depp get sober, which he did on a few occasions.
However, Witkin alleged that during his sobriety from opiates the star continued using other substances.
Witkin testified saying, “it just seemed weird to me there was weed and wine in soberness.”
He also spoke of his surprise when he saw his friend begin using cocaine for the first time in 2014, and then again in 2016.
Depp’s former agent Tracey Jacobs who helped him to become ‘the biggest star in the world’ appeared via a video link in the star’s multi-million dollar defamation suit against his ex-wife.
Testifying about the difficulties of representing the actor for roughly 30 years and her experience of his problematic behaviour during the last decade of their professional relationship.
Jacobs told the court that Depp displayed “unprofessional” conduct on sets which included being unprepared and escalating anger issues due to increased alcohol and drug use.
“Showing up late to set consistently on virtually every movie,” says Jacobs.
“I would get yelled at. I never said to him, ‘you’re a difficult client,’ but I was very honest with him and said, ‘you’ve got to stop doing this, this is hurting you.’ And it did.”
Jacobs testifying about Depp’s fall from grace says the actor’s “star had dimmed” due to his bad reputation.
On the topic of Depp ending their professional collaboration in 2016 Jacobs says, “all I know is he essentially terminated everyone in his life, and I was along for the ride, I guess”.
Former business manager
Depp’s former business manager Joel Mandel who met the actor around 1999 and worked with him until 2016, testified that he saw the actor’s behaviour become ‘erratic’.
In addition to displaying “disproportionate” reactions to things, Mandel also attested to Depp’s income and spending during the time they worked together.
He describes the star’s lifestyle as having changed when he rose to fame, saying the increase in income was followed by increased spending to maintain the new lifestyle.
Mandel says that there came a point where Depp’s income could no longer support his lifestyle, requesting that the business manager make severe cutbacks.
As a result, Mandel says he was unable to pay the actor’s taxes in October 2015.
“His financial circumstances in 2015 had reached a point where I was extremely concerned and was on a very regular basis expressing that concern,” says Mandel.
However, he says that his concerns about the dire circumstances were not met favourably by the star as he fired him.
Defamation lawsuit continues in court
In 2018, Depp sued Heard for $50 million over an op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post, in which she described surviving domestic violence — without mentioning her ex-husband by name.
Heard filed a counter-suit against the actor for $100 million in 2020, which is ongoing and nearing its end with testimony expected to end next week and closing arguments set for Friday, May 27.