EU sanctions and new U.S. tariffs increase pressure on Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are facing renewed Western scrutiny after the EU expanded sanctions targeting Russia's supply chains and the U.S. introduced...
U.S. federal prosecutors urged a judge on Tuesday to sentence Sean "Diddy" Combs to more than 11 years in prison this week following the hip-hop mogul's conviction on prostitution-related charges.
The prosecutors sought "at least 135 months' imprisonment" and asked the court to fine Combs $500,000, according the court filing.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian is due to sentence Combs during a hearing on Friday in Manhattan.
Combs, 55, faces up to 20 years behind bars after a jury on 2 July found him guilty following a two-month trial on two counts of transporting male prostitutes across state lines to engage in drug-fueled sexual performances with his girlfriends while he watched and recorded video.
The jury acquitted Combs on the most serious counts he faced, racketeering and sex trafficking, charges that could have landed him in prison for life. Combs pleaded not guilty to all charges and is expected to appeal his conviction.
His defence lawyers last week urged the judge to impose a 14-month sentence, arguing Subramanian should not consider evidence of abuse by Combs of his former girlfriends because jurors acquitted him of coercing them into sex.
Under such a sentence, Combs would be released by the end of the year because he would be credited for the time already spent in jail at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center following his 16 September, 2024 arrest.
Combs founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with popularising hip-hop in American culture.
During the trial, prosecutors said Combs coerced two of his former girlfriends to take part in the performances, sometimes known as "Freak Offs."
Both women testified that Combs physically attacked them and threatened to cut off financial support if they resisted the encounters.
Lawyers for Combs argued there was no direct link between what they called domestic violence and the women's participation in the "Freak Offs", a strategy that ultimately resulted in their client's acquittal on the sex trafficking and racketeering counts.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 23rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. strikes on Iran entered a 12th consecutive night, while Yemen's Houthis said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, urging President Donald Trump to warn Tehran it would be held responsible for any future Houthi attacks.
The U.S. military said it completed a fresh wave of strikes on Iran late on Thursday, marking the 13th consecutive night of American attacks. The latest operation lasted more than two hours, according to U.S. Central Command.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Aleksandar Vučić's visit to Kyiv on 15 July appeared to send a geopolitical signal. But the significance of the trip lies less in the journey itself than in the limits Serbia carefully observed.
U.S. singer Chris Brown pleaded guilty on Friday to affray over a 2023 incident at a London nightclub after prosecutors dropped more serious assault charges. Brown and his co-defendant admitted using or threatening unlawful violence during the altercation.
Türkiye and Syria have signed an agreement allowing Yunus Emre cultural centres to resume operations in Syria, focusing on Turkish-language education and cultural programmes designed to strengthen ties between the two countries.
The 2026 Venice Film Festival has unveiled a programme with a stronger focus on independent and auteur-driven cinema, featuring fewer films from major Hollywood studios than in recent years. Despite that, organisers expect another star-studded edition when the festival runs from 2 to 12 September.
The Louvre Museum reopened its Apollo Gallery to visitors on Wednesday, nine months after the theft of crown jewels worth $102 million exposed major security failings. The historic gallery is open again, but its jewels have been moved to a more secure location.
Prosecutors on Tuesday began outlining in graphic detail their murder case against the indie pop vocalist known as D4vd, accused of fatally stabbing and dismembering his 14-year-old girlfriend after she threatened to make their relationship public.
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