China blasts Pete Hegseth over 'Cold War' mentalityNew Foto - China blasts Pete Hegseth over 'Cold War' mentality

BEIJING − China protested to the United States against "vilifying" remarks made by Defense SecretaryPete Hegseth, the foreign ministry said June 1, while accusing Washington of deliberately ignoring calls for peace from regional nations. China has objected to Hegseth calling it a threat in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministry added, describing his comments at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31 as "deplorable". "Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat'," the ministry said on its website. More:Trump and China's Xi Jinping to speak soon, iron out trade fight, White House officials say "The United States has deployed offensive weaponry inthe South China Seaand kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg," it added in the statement. China's defence ministry also weighed in, saying the U.S. is "accustomed to using" the forum to "stoke disputes, sow discord and seek selfish interests." "China's armed forces will work with other countries in the region to oppose hegemonism harming the Asia-Pacific region," ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said in a statement posted on the ministry's WeChat account. Hegseth had urged allies in the Indo-Pacific region, including key security partner Australia, to spend more on defence after warning of the "real and potentially imminent" threat from China. Asked about the call to boost defence spending, Australian Prime MinisterAnthony Albanesesaid his government had pledged an extra ten billion Australian dollars (US $6 billion) to defence. More:Trump accuses China of 'totally' violating preliminary trade deal "What we'll do is we'll determine our defence policy," he told reporters on Sunday, a transcript of his remarks showed. As part of Washington's longstanding defence ties with the Philippines, the U.S. military this year deployed Typhon launchers that can fire missiles to hit targets in both China and Russia from the island of Luzon. China and the Philippines contest sovereignty over some islands and atolls in the South China Sea, withgrowing maritime run-insbetween their coast guards as both vie to patrol the waters. China's delegation at the forum said "external intervention" was the biggest risk for stability in the South China Sea, saying the country had shown "goodwill and restraint" through talks on the issue. "Some foreign powers have sent warplanes and warships to the South China Sea for so-called 'freedom of navigation,'" the state-backed Global Times newspaper cited Senior Colonel Zhang Chi from the PLA National Defence University as saying. Such actions infringed China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, he added. More:Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic The United States, Australia, Japan and the Philippines have conducted joint maritime operations in the busy waterway. China claims nearly all the South China Sea, including parts of the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal ruled Beijing's expansive claim had no basis in international law, however. China's foreign ministry also told the United States not to "play with fire" on the question of Taiwan. Any attempt by Chinato conquer Taiwan"would result in devastating consequences", Hegseth said in his speech to Asia's premier forum for defense leaders, military officials and diplomats. China has vowed to "reunify" with the separately governed island, by force if necessary. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, saying only the island's people can decide their future. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:China blasts Pete Hegseth over 'vilifying' remarks

byKonstantin Pynzar
in
June 02, 2025

China blasts Pete Hegseth over 'Cold War' mentality

China blasts Pete Hegseth over 'Cold War' mentality BEIJING − China protested to the United States against "vilifying" rem...
Read More
John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governorNew Foto - John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republican in Georgia's state Senate, on Monday joined a growing field of GOP candidates seeking to become the state's next lieutenant governor in 2026. Kennedy, a Macon lawyer, is banking on the support of Georgia's business community after helping pass a law this yearlimiting lawsuits and civil verdicts. Burt Jones, the current Republican lieutenant governor,is expected to run for governornext year instead of seeking reelection. He's could announce his candidacy later this summer. Kennedy was first elected to the state Senate in 2014. Majority Republicanselected him president pro tem, the No. 2 position in the Senate, in 2023. Before that, Kennedy had been chair of the majority caucus and led the redrawing of legislative and congressional districts after the 2020 Census, securing Republican majorities. Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonegaannounced last monththat he is running for lieutenant governor, saying he would model his candidacy onPresident Donald Trump. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery of Vidalia is raising money for a possible bid. Other Republicans could seek the office as well, including state Sen. Greg Dolezal, of Cumming. Kennedy didn't mention Trump in his announcement, saying his top priorities as lieutenant governor would be a strong economy, education and public safety. "Georgians can be confident that my leadership will be focused on delivering conservative results, not empty rhetoric," Kennedy said in a statement. "And I know that by working together, we will keep Georgia growing, keep Georgia learning and keep Georgia safe." This year, Kennedy sponsored a law that is meant to curb the number of student absences in schools. Like the onetime president, Kennedy's initials are JFK. But this 59-year-old Kennedy, born less than two years after the president was assassinated, is unrelated and bears the middle name of Flanders. Georgia's lieutenant governor presides over Senate sessions, but senators decide how much power the official has. When senators agree, lieutenant governors can be influential. As president pro tem, Kennedy already works with Jones to set the agenda for the Senate. On the Democratic side, the only declared candidate isstate Sen. Josh McLaurinof Sandy Springs.

byKonstantin Pynzar
in
June 02, 2025

John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor

John Kennedy, Georgia's top Senate Republican, joins race for lieutenant governor ATLANTA (AP) — John Kennedy, the top-ranking Republica...
Read More
ICE targets migrants for arrest at courthouses as Trump administration intensifies deportation pushNew Foto - ICE targets migrants for arrest at courthouses as Trump administration intensifies deportation push

Migrants are being detained by immigration agents in courthouse hallways nationwide, sometimes moments after pleading their cases, raising alarm among attorneys and advocates who say the practice is turning immigration courts from places of due process into zones of fear. It's the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to accelerate thepace of immigration arrestsand target migrants, including some who have been in the country for less than two years. The courthouse arrests have stunned immigration attorneys, advocates and lawmakers who argue it punishes people who are following the rules. The Department of Homeland Security recently rescinded long-held guidance that had limited immigration enforcement in or near courthouses. Trump officials have argued the guidance hampered the ability of immigration enforcement officers to apprehend dangerous individuals, deferring to agents' "common sense" when making arrests near what have been known as "sensitive locations." "The ability of law enforcement to make arrests of criminal illegal aliens in courthouses is common sense," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said ina news release. But internal documents obtained by CNN show the enforcement push is much broader, beyond just people deemed dangerous — and focused on migrants who are still in immigration proceedings but not in detention, known as the non-detained docket. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been directed to swiftly apprehend immigrants who have been ordered removed or whose cases have been dismissed, according to the internal documents obtained by CNN. Those who have been in the United States for less than two years should be placed in fast-track deportation proceedings, according to the documents. PresidentDonald Trumpexpanded the process known as expedited removal earlier this year, applying it to anyone who has resided in the country for less than two years. Under the new procedures, agents can coordinate directly with court staff to identify, locate and detain migrants — often with little warning. "It gets crazy when they [ICE] show up," said one staff member at an immigration court in Hyattsville, Maryland. Asked about the courthouse arrests, a senior DHS spokesperson said, "Secretary [Kristi] Noem is reversing Biden's catch and release policy that allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens to be let loose on American streets. This Administration is once again implementing the rule of law." "ICE is now following the law and placing these illegal aliens in expedited removal, as they always should have been. If they have a valid credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation," the spokesperson continued. In Phoenix, viral videos showed agents arresting immigrants outside courthouses and in public spaces. And in Maryland, a migrant was placed in handcuffs and restraints in the hallway of the Hyattsville immigration court and escorted out of the building, according to a video shared with CNN. Similar courthouse arrests have occurred in states such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York and California, CNN has confirmed. Critics warn that this practice threatens due process, deters migrants from attending hearings, and undermines the integrity of the immigration system. In a post on X, Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona criticized the ICE arrests in Phoenix, calling them "chaos that doesn't bring any more security" and saying they discourage court attendance, making the immigration system "less efficient — not more." Enforcement in and near courthouses has historically been discouraged and generally avoided among immigration enforcement officers — and allowed only in limited circumstances. "I don't know that any policy ever expressly covered immigration courts, because the idea of arresting people at an immigration court is bizarre and historically only happens if someone violated the terms of their release," said John Sandweg, former acting ICE director under the Obama administration. There are nearly 4 million immigration cases pending, based on data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review. In the fiscal year 2024 alone, 1.8 million new deportation cases were filed. Most migrants in those cases are not in detention, which helps explains why the Trump administration — which is eager to boost its deportation numbers — is targeting migrants for arrest when they show up in court. The arrestees have included migrants like Dylan, a 20-year-old Bronx high school student from Venezuela, who was detained by ICE after his routine hearing in an immigration court in lower Manhattan. He had no criminal record. Dylan's attorneys told CNN he completed high school in Venezuela but enrolled at Ellis Preparatory Academy in the Bronx to prepare for college. The Department of Homeland Security has said he entered the US illegally, was released under the Biden administration, and was arrested on May 21 for expedited removal proceedings. Immigration attorney Rachel Girod recounted the case of a client with no criminal record who was arrested outside the Baltimore Immigration Court. In 2024, he showed up for a routine ICE check-in, but officers told him they weren't taking appointments that day and instructed him to return in 2025. An officer wrote the new date on a scrap of paper, which the client brought home, Girod said. ICE later concluded that he had missed his 2024 check-in and flagged him for removal. Girod said it appears the agency never recorded the rescheduled date, since it was only written down by hand and not entered into their system. When he was detained, he no longer had the paper to prove what he'd been told. Her client was later arrested and taken to the George Fallon Federal Building in Baltimore, where advocacy groups say conditions are poor. Another of Girod's clients was detained following an asylum hearing and sent to a detention center in Louisiana. In the past four months, she said at least four of her clients have been detained by ICE — either following routine check-ins or after appearing in court. Attorney Adam Crandell said that while none of his clients have been arrested in court, some have been detained during ICE check-ins. "People who have been following the court rules, including those without legal representation, are being arrested outside courtrooms," said Kelli Stump, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "This tactic is not only morally wrong, but also self-defeating," Stump added. According to Sarah Rogerson, a professor at Albany Law School and founder of its Immigration Law Clinic, these tactics have also occurred at state courts. Migrants appearing for civil matters, including domestic violence or custody cases, are increasingly being arrested. "When immigrants fear arrest by ICE, they may avoid court altogether — even when seeking protection," Rogerson said. CNN's Dianne Gallagher and Polo Sandoval contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byKonstantin Pynzar
in
June 02, 2025

ICE targets migrants for arrest at courthouses as Trump administration intensifies deportation push

ICE targets migrants for arrest at courthouses as Trump administration intensifies deportation push Migrants are being detained by immigrati...
Read More
Max Verstappen blames frustration for a 'move that was not right' after colliding with RussellNew Foto - Max Verstappen blames frustration for a 'move that was not right' after colliding with Russell

Max Verstappen said Monday that frustration caused "a move that was not right and shouldn't have happened", a day after he initially seemed unrepentant over hiscollisionwith George Russell atFormula 1'sSpanish Grand Prix. Before the collision, Verstappen had been asked by his Red Bull team to give up a place to Russell. It followed an earlier incident between the two drivers when Russell had tried to get past Verstappen, who went off the track. The race stewards ruled Verstappen had "suddenly accelerated" before the collision and Russell said it "felt very deliberate". The stewards gave Verstappen a 10-second penalty which dropped him from fifth to 10th and left him 49 points off standings leader Oscar Piastri, whowon Sunday's race. "We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona, till the safety car came out. Our tire choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fueled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn't have happened," Verstappenwrote on Instagram. "I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you (at the next race) in Montreal." Initially in the aftermath of Sunday's race, Verstappen had said that "next time I will bring a tissue", responding to Russell claiming he set a poor example for young drivers. Russell finished fourth. A series of setbacks The collision followed a series of setbacks for Verstappen, who had been in third and pressuring the two McLaren drivers in front before the safety car came out. Red Bull decided to bring Verstappen into the pits for fresh tires, even though the only ones he had left were slower hard-compound tires, a type that no other driver used. At the restart, Verstappen lost grip and was overtaken by Charles Leclerc, whose Ferrari made contact with Verstappen's Red Bull. Neither driver was ruled at fault for that. Verstappen then went off the track while defending against Russell and Red Bull asked Verstappen to give up the place to Russell, apparently because the team expected Verstappen would be given a penalty. The stewards later ruled they wouldn't have taken action against the Dutch driver for that incident. Risking a suspension Verstappen needs to be careful in the next two races because the penalty for the collision with Russell also brought him penalty points on his licence, taking him to 11 in the last 12 months. Drivers get a one-race suspension if they hit 12 points in a year. Two of those points expire at the end of the month, but until then Verstappen needs to get through the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix without any further penalty points. ___ AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

byKonstantin Pynzar
in
June 02, 2025

Max Verstappen blames frustration for a 'move that was not right' after colliding with Russell

Max Verstappen blames frustration for a 'move that was not right' after colliding with Russell Max Verstappen said Monday that frust...
Read More
Scottie Scheffler cruises to victory at Memorial Tournament, joins Tiger Woods in exclusive clubNew Foto - Scottie Scheffler cruises to victory at Memorial Tournament, joins Tiger Woods in exclusive club

Scottie Scheffler joinedTiger Woodsas the only players to win consecutive Memorial Tournament titles after cruising to victory on Sunday. The world No. 1 carded a two-under 70 in his final round to secure a four-shot victory at the tournament in Dublin, Ohio, to finish at 10-under 278. With the victory, Scheffler joins Woods as the only repeat winners of the tournament, renowned as one of the hardest PGA Tour events on the schedule. Woods has won the Memorial five times, including three straight from 1999 to 2001. Scheffler is in dominant form now, having started the yearrecovering from a freak hand injury suffered while cooking Christmas dinner at home. He has now won three times in his last four starts, including at thePGA Championship last month, all by at least four shots. But despite being the best player in the world at the moment – he stretched his lead atop the world rankings leaderboard to a margin last seen when Woods was at his peak – the American says he takes "each tournament individually." "Every tournament's different, and I try to do my best to come out here and compete," Scheffler told reporters after his victory, sitting alongside golf legend Jack Nicklaus, the host of the Memorial Tournament. "That's what I love to do. I love being able to play the PGA Tour, and I love being able to compete against the best players in the world and play on great golf courses like this one and be able to play in these legacy tournaments, like Mr. (Arnold) Palmer's tournament, Mr. Nicklaus's tournament. "I always just dreamed of playing these tournaments. I never think about dominating. I don't – it's a waste of time for me to think about that kind of stuff. I'm just trying to be the best that I can be and work hard and use the gifts that I have for good and that's pretty much it." It wasn't all smooth-sailing for Scheffler though who, after embracing his wife Meredith in celebration, was handed his son Bennett to carry, only to find out the one-year-old had had a slight bathroom mishap. Meredithcould be heard saying: "He has poop all over his back," with Scheffler responding: "That'll happen." With his victory at the Muirfield Village Golf Club, Scheffler joined an exclusive group of players to have 16 PGA Tour victories, including multiple majors before the age of 32. The 28-year-old joined Woods, Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas. There was little jeopardy during Sunday's final round, even when Scheffler ended 31 holes without a bogey on the 10th hole which dropped his lead to just one shot. Ben Griffin, Scheffler's nearest rival, had an opportunity for a birdie on the par-5 11th but missed while Scheffler made his birdie putt to restore his lead. And from there it was a procession as Scheffler showed why he's the man to beat in golf at the moment, ahead of the US Open in two weeks at Oakmont Country Club. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Sepp Straka, who finished in third, said afterwards. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byKonstantin Pynzar
in
June 02, 2025

Scottie Scheffler cruises to victory at Memorial Tournament, joins Tiger Woods in exclusive club

Scottie Scheffler cruises to victory at Memorial Tournament, joins Tiger Woods in exclusive club Scottie Scheffler joinedTiger Woodsas the o...
Read More

 

KOS MAG © 2015 | Distributed By My Blogger Themes | Designed By Templateism.com