News & Current Events

[ad_1] Luigi Mangione’s lawyers slam Trump admin’s push for death penalty in UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case (Picture credit: AP) Lawyers for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a shocking daylight attack in December 2024, are urging a federal judge to block the Trump administration from pursuing the death penalty, calling it a "political stunt" motivated by the president’s crime agenda.According to news agency AFP, in a court filing submitted Friday in Manhattan federal court, Mangione’s defence team sharply criticised attorney general Pam Bondi, who earlier this month directed federal prosecutors to seek capital punishment in the high-profile case. Bondi labelled the killing “an act of political violence” and claimed it aligned with US President Donald Trump’s pledge to “Make America Safe Again” by cracking down on violent crime.Mangione's lawyers argued the government had […]

[ad_1] ‘New artwork at White House’: Donald Trump’s new painting replaces Barack Obama's portrait in foyer The White House on Friday swapped the portrait of former US President Barack Obama from a prominent spot in the foyer of the State Floor with a new painting of US President Donald Trump, depicting the dramatic aftermath of the assassination attempt on him last summer. According to news agency AP, the decision, made without public notice, has again highlighted Trump’s break with long-standing White House traditions.The painting, by artist Marc Lipp, captures the moment Trump raised his fist and shouted “fight, fight, fight!” after being grazed by a bullet during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024, a phrase that went on to become a defining slogan of his reelection bid. The White House unveiled the painting on X with the […]

[ad_1] <p>Mahmoud Khalil can be deported out of US, a judge ruled. <br></p> An immigration judge in Louisiana on Friday ruled that Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil can be deported out of the country as a national security risk. Khalil's case was one of the first and major immigration crackdown cases of the Donald Trump administration and all eyes were on today's judgement. The government’s contention that Khalil’s presence in the United States posed “potentially serious foreign policy consequences” was enough to satisfy requirements for his deportation, Immigration Judge Jamee E. Comans said at the conclusion of a hearing. Comans said the government had “established by clear and convincing evidence that he is removable.”Lawyers for Khalil said they plan to keep fighting and will seek a waiver. And a federal judge in New Jersey has temporarily barred Khalil’s deportation.Khalil's arrest […]

[ad_1] <p>The pilot of the doomed helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River has been identified as 36-year-old Sean Johnson. <br></p> The pilot of the private helicopter that crashed into the Hudson River on Thursday was identified as 36-year0old Sean Johnson, who was a Navy SEAL veteran and a former celebrity bodyguard. The pilot died along with the five members of the family of Agustin Escober, an executive of Siemens who came to New York from Barcelona to celebrate one of his children's birthday. Johnson, who recently moved to New York City to continue his aviation career, was operating a Bell 206 on Thursday as part of a sightseeing tour for a family of five from Barcelona. He previously lived in states including Illinois, Virginia and Montana."I'm just at loss for words. I don't even know what happened,' Johnson's wife, […]

[ad_1] Migrant crossings through Darien Gap plunge 99% under Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown (Picture credit: AP) Migrant crossings through the once-notorious Darien Gap have dropped by a staggering 99% since US President Donald Trump returned to office and enacted his sweeping immigration crackdown, reported the New York Post. Only 408 migrants were recorded traversing the perilous jungle route in February, down sharply from the 37,166 who made the journey during the same month in 2024 under President Joe Biden, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) data.The Darien Gap, a rugged 70-mile stretch of jungle between Colombia and Panama, had become a heavily trafficked corridor for migrants from around the world, especially during Biden’s term. But since Trump’s inauguration, photos show the river port of Lajas Blancas, previously overwhelmed by migrants, now eerily empty, its tents abandoned and its riverbanks […]

[ad_1] The next German government consisting of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU) alliance and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) will abolish a 3-year expedited path to citizenship for "well-integrated" immigrants, according to the parties' coalition agreement released this week. No more 'turbo' naturalization after conservative push That 3-year path to citizenship became available to applicants last June, after the previous governing coalition of the SPD, environmentalist Greens and business-focused Free Democratic Party passed a reform on German naturalization. The 3-year option requires applicants to not only possess an advanced C1 level of German, but also to show other achievements of strong integration in German society, such as volunteer work or high achievements at work or in their studies. The conservative CDU and its Bavarian sister party the CSU had often criticized the 3-year path, calling […]

[ad_1] Did Donald Trump undermine Elon Musk's DOGE work? Amid speculations over Elon Musk's exit from the Department of Government Efficiency as he and his company Tesla have come under massive attack because of his involvement in the government, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not need Elon for anything. But the comment was more of a praise for Musk and not any indication of any conflict brewing between them as Trump said he does not need Elon Musk for anything apart from the fact that he likes him. "I don't need Elon for anything other than I happen to like him," Trump said after the cabinet meeting. The 'don't need Elon for anything' comment came as Elon Musk's DOGE has unearthed what they called a major unemployment insurance scam. It claimed that 24,500 people over 115 […]

[ad_1] Marjorie Taylor Greene said all her trading transactions are transparent amid insider trading accusation. Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene has been accused of insider trading as she made a series of major stock purchases amid the tariff turmoil. According to a newly filed financial disclosure accessed by CBS News, MTG purchased stocks of Dell, Amazon, Lululemon when all of them were down nearly 40 per cent. And as the market bounced back on Donald Trump's pause on tariffs, she was one of the major gainers, triggering accusations of insider trading. Greene said all her investments are reported with full transparency.“I have signed a fiduciary agreement to allow my financial advisor to control my investments,” Greene said in a statement to the Associated Press when asked whether she made the stock buys herself. “All of my investments are reported with full […]

[ad_1] US President Donald Trump on Friday provided an update on how the tariff policy was faring and said that it was "very exciting for America and the world"."We are doing really well on our TARIFF POLICY. Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly," he said in a post on Truth Social.This comes as US dollar sharply declined, hitting a three-year low against the euro, largely due to concerns over Trump’s unpredictable trade policies. This slide marks a significant turnaround from the post-election surge in 2016, when investors were optimistic about Trump’s economic plans. As a weaker dollar raised fears of rising inflation, reduced corporate profits, and declining foreign investment in US markets, Trump shared a report on inflation being down. The consumer price index rose only 2.4% in April compared to March 2024, marking […]

[ad_1] Agustin Escobar came to New York with his family to celebrate the birthday of one of their children. Agustin Escober, an executive of Siemens Mobility, arrived in New York City from Barcelona, Spain, to celebrate one of their three children, Spanish newspaper El Diario reported. The helicopter ride that killed all five of them was part of the celebration as on the first day in the city they planned to tour Manhattan, taking a trip overlooking the Statue of Liberty. Escobar, his wife Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three kids -- ages 4,5,11, were killed along with the unidentified pilot when the chopper split mid-air and splashed into the murky, cold waters of the Hudson River. Before their trip, they took a family photo standing in front of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger IV helicopter that eventually took all of […]