Author: niyidaram

Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro is set to appear again in a U.S. federal court as a dispute over how his legal defense will be funded takes center stage. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are facing U.S. charges including drug trafficking and “narco-terrorism” after being captured in a January operation and transferred to New York, where they remain in custody. Both have pleaded not guilty. The latest hearing focuses on whether Maduro can access funds to pay his legal team. His lawyers argue that U.S. sanctions are blocking the Venezuelan government from covering his legal costs, which they say…

Details of the United States’ 15-point proposal, which was sent to Iran with the aim of resolving the ongoing conflict, has been revealed. Reuters reports that the plan has been communicated to Iran. Also, the New York Times cited two officials who indicated that the proposal was conveyed to Iran through Pakistan. The Guardian UK however reports that the extent to which the plan has been disseminated among Iranian officials remains uncertain, as does the likelihood of Iran accepting it as a foundation for negotiations. But, as reported by Israel’s Channel 12 news, the 15 points outlined in the plan…

A California jury found Bill Cosby guilty of sexually abusing Donna Motsinger after inviting her to attend one of his comedy shows in 1972. Mostsinger is a former waitress at a Sausalito restaurant. She accused Cosby of raping her after giving her wine and a pill that caused her to lose consciousness. The jury awarded Motsinger $59.25 million in damages. An expert witness called to the stand before the jury’s final decision estimated that Cosby was worth about $128 million. The jury first awarded Motsinger $19.25 million in compensation for her pain and suffering. Then the jury awarded an additional…

A federal judge halted construction on President Trump’s massive $400 million ballroom with gilded gold columns at the White House. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington, DC, granted a preservationist group’s request to halt construction on the ballroom until the blueprint plans are reviewed and congressional approval is obtained. After Trump’s historic reelection in 2024, he announced plans to build a 90,000sq ft ballroom on the site of the demolished East Wing. However, the judge said Trump will need congressional approval to move forward with construction. During a news conference in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump…

Four ambulances belonging to a Jewish volunteer emergency service were set on fire in north London in what police are treating as an antisemitic hate crime. The attack took place in Golders Green, a predominantly Jewish area, where the vehicles were parked near a synagogue. Explosions caused by gas cylinders inside the ambulances shattered nearby windows and forced evacuations, but no injuries were reported. The ambulances belonged to Hatzola, a community-based emergency medical organisation that provides free response services. Police said the fire was deliberate and confirmed an investigation is underway, with early indications pointing to three suspects. The incident…

An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of people. The aircraft, a CRJ-900 operated by Jazz Aviation, was arriving from Montreal with 72 passengers and four crew members on board when it struck a fire truck on the runway. The fire truck had been responding to a separate incident involving another aircraft and had been cleared by air traffic control to cross the runway moments before the collision. Controllers were heard urgently instructing the vehicle to stop, but the jet hit it at…

A home affairs official stationed at the South African High Commission Abuja has been flagged over alleged security and immigration fraud involving her Nigerian partner. The official, Boitumelo Shounyane, is accused of facilitating a five-year business visa for her boyfriend, Musa Abdulmuminj Ahmed, using fraudulent documentation. According to findings by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), the issue was uncovered by the foreign mission investigations unit of the State Security Agency (SSA), which identified fraud and corruption within the immigration and civic affairs section at the Abuja mission. However, the report indicates that no immediate action was taken until the SIU…

A photograph of King Charles posing with Caribbean officials at a London reception has triggered criticism after it showed the group standing beneath a portrait of a British monarch linked to slavery. The image was taken during a Commonwealth Day event at St James’s Palace on March 10, where Charles hosted representatives including foreign ministers from Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago. The controversy centers on the large portrait of King George IV displayed above the group. Historical research shows George IV received income from enslaved labour on Crown-owned plantations in Grenada, with funds equivalent to about…

Three weeks into the Iran war, the conflict is expanding in ways that U.S. President Donald Trump is struggling to control, with rising global consequences and weakening international support. Despite early claims of progress, Iran continues retaliatory missile strikes and has effectively disrupted energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route. This has driven sharp increases in global energy prices and intensified economic pressure worldwide. The United States is increasingly isolated diplomatically. Key allies, particularly in Europe, have refused to join military operations, criticizing Washington’s unilateral approach and lack of coordination. At the same time, the…

Ifenyinwa Chizube Ndulue-Nonso began working as a Band 6 Rotational Dietitian with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust on 19 February 2024, which is considered a specialist role