Headline

Former NBA Player Ben McLemore Convicted Of Raping Incapacitated Woman

Published

2 months ago

July 4, 2025

An Oregon jury found former Houston Rockets guard Ben McLemore guilty on Thursday of raping a woman in while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2021.

Deliberations lasting around 10 hours after an 11-day trial concluded with the jury in Clackamas County finding McLemore, 32, guilty on one charge of first-degree rape, one charge of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and one count of second-degree sexual abuse. He was found not guilty on an additional count of second-degree sexual abuse.

McLemore pleaded not guilty to all four counts before the verdict. His sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 9.

The charges stem from a report of sexual assault in Lake Oswego, Oregon, on Oct. 3, 2021. McLemore was identified as a suspect during a police investigation.

A Clackamas County grand jury heard evidence in the case in February 2024, which included testimony from the woman who said McLemore assaulted her. He was indicted and an arrest warrant was issued, according to Lake Oswego police. McLemore was arrested by U.S. Marshalls two months later.

Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy reportedly told jurors the victim found herself being sexually assaulted by McLemore while partially conscious the morning after a party.

Healy said that the victim had been drinking heavily at the party and had passed out on a living room couch at the party around 2 a.m.

McLemore’s attorneys reportedly disputed the victim’s account, claiming she had initiated sexual contact with McLemore and had consented to it. They also claimed that despite the victim and McLemore both being intoxicated, the victim was sober enough to consent.

McLemore played parts of two seasons with the Rockets from 2019-2021. He was the seventh pick in the 2013 draft out of Kansas and played for five teams across nine NBA seasons. After playing the 2021-2022 season with the Trail Blazers, McLemore went overseas to continue his playing career. He has played for teams in China, Greece, Spain and Turkey over the last three years.

Headline

David Lammy Appointed UK’s Deputy PM

Published

12 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a major cabinet reshuffle following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, in a move that could reshape the direction of his administration.

As part of the shake-up, David Lammy, a senior Labour figure and former Foreign Secretary, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, taking over key roles previously held by Rayner.

The cabinet reshuffle comes at a politically sensitive time for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose leadership is under growing pressure from both within the Labour Party and the broader electorate.

The sudden resignation of Angela Rayner, a high-profile figure with strong working-class support, has exposed internal tensions and sparked concerns over the party’s unity and electoral strategy.

According to BBC News on Friday, the reshuffle is seen as a crucial test for Starmer’s leadership, especially as Rayner had been a prominent and working-class figure whose departure may weaken his appeal to core Labour voters.

Key Cabinet reassignment

-Lammy transitions from Foreign Secretary to Deputy PM and Justice Secretary.

-Yvette Cooper moves from Home Secretary to Foreign Secretary.

-Shabana Mahmood is promoted from Justice Secretary to Home Secretary.

Other notable appointments include:

-Steve Reed as Housing Secretary

-Pat McFadden as head of a newly expanded Work and Pensions department

-Douglas Alexander as Scotland Secretary

-Liz Kendall moves to Science and Technology

-Emma Reynolds becomes Environment Secretary

-Peter Kyle appointed Business Secretary

-Jonathan Reynolds named Chief Whip

-Alan Campbell becomes Leader of the House of Commons

Meanwhile, Lucy Powell and Ian Murray were removed from their cabinet roles.

Political Fallout and Internal Tensions

Labour now faces mounting political pressure. Observers note Rayner’s exit leaves a vacuum for constituents drawn to her working-class credentials, possibly intensifying internal party divisions.

Her resignation also triggers a deputy leadership contest, opening up a battleground between the party’s centrist and left-leaning factions.

Moreover, Labour’s popularity has waned, with opposition to policies on welfare and immigration increasing support for Reform UK.

Starmer’s government’s handling of economic pressures and an upcoming £40 billion budget shortfall deepen the political stakes.

Lammy Steps into Key Role at a Crucial Juncture

Lammy’s appointment is viewed as strategically significant. Known for his reform credentials and advocacy for criminal justice reform, his new position comes as Parliament prepares for the Sentencing Bill.

The Prison Reform Trust welcomed his appointment, noting the timing offers “an important opportunity to move away from the failed cycle of overcrowding and crisis management.”

This reshuffle represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of Keir Starmer’s administration. With Labour under heightened scrutiny and internal frictions rising, the effectiveness of the newly configured cabinet will be a litmus test of Starmer’s leadership, particularly as the party approaches a difficult budget season, rising populist pressures, and internal power shifts ahead of the next deputy leadership election.

Headline

Nigerian Arrested In Poland For Using Fake Residence Permit

Published

13 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

Polish authorities have confirmed the arrest of a 26-year-old Nigerian citizen on charges of using a counterfeit residence document.

The individual was detained by the Polish Border Guard, known as Straż Graniczna, as part of ongoing efforts to combat irregular migration and document forgery.

This information, which was obtained by PUNCH Online on Friday, was published on the Border Guard Headquarters’ news outlet on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

The BG HQs of Poland is the central unit which services the Border Guard Commander in Chief by supporting and coordinating actions of the BG units.

The report indicated that, “the Nigerian man admitted that he ordered the document online while still in the UK, received it by post, and paid €2,000 for it.

“It turned out that the Nigerian had no legal basis for staying in Poland as he had been in the country illegally for four days.”

Consequently, the Commander of the Border Guard ordered him to leave the country within 20 days and imposed a three-year ban on entry to the Schengen Area.

In addition, he was charged under Article 270 § 1 of the Penal Code – for using a counterfeit document.

The man pleaded guilty and voluntarily submitted to the penalty, but declined to provide further explanation.

According to sources specialising in immigration law, many individuals who use these fake documents are victims of elaborate scams.

As one legal expert noted in a report, “Until the situation was clarified, Ibrahim was detained in prison.”

Law enforcement agencies across Poland have been actively working to dismantle these criminal networks.

A recent, large-scale operation supported by Europol led to the arrest of dozens of suspects and the seizure of thousands of counterfeit documents, including residence permits, visas, and other identification.

Headline

US To Cut Military Aid To European Countries Near Russia — Official

Published

13 hours ago

September 5, 2025

Editor

The United States is to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia, as it pushes the continent to play a greater role in its own defence, an official in one of the countries confirmed on Friday.

“Last week, the US Defense Department informed the countries that, starting from its next financial period, funding will be reduced to zero,” the defence policy director in Lithuania’s defence ministry, Vaidotas Urbelis, told reporters.

The decision comes as US President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.

Urbelis confirmed reports in The Washington Post and The Financial Times, citing unnamed officials saying the move was part of Trump’s efforts to cut US expenditure abroad.

The FT said US officials had told European diplomats last week that Washington would no longer fund programmes to train and equip eastern European militaries along Russia’s border.

The Washington Post said the funding to be cut was worth several hundred million dollars.

In Lithuania’s case, the cuts would impact “the purchase of US weapons and other equipment, and training”, Urbelis said.

He added that it “will not have an impact on the US troop presence in the region”, which was funded through a separate US budget allocation.

A White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Trump had signed that reevaluated US foreign aid.

“This action has been coordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s longstanding emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defence,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Trump has long been sceptical of both US defence spending in Europe and aid for Ukraine, pushing some of Washington’s closest allies to play a greater role on both fronts.

The Lithuanian defence ministry official said that the US funding for training and equipping its military covered between a third and 80 percent of total military aid received by the country.

Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees daily that he viewed the US move as “especially symbolic, in a negative way.

AFP