The U.S. is set to remove the $10 million bounty it had placed on de facto Syrian leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, formerly known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.Sharaa is the head of rebel group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which led the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad earlier this month. The decision follows meetings between U.S. diplomats and HTS in Damascus on Friday in which Sharaa committed to ensuring terrorist groups in Syria do not pose a threat to the U.S. and its allies, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf said. The high-level U.S. delegation’s visit to the Syrian capital was the first such trip since the fall of the regime. Leaf, who led the...
Coast Guard Leaders Allegedly Keep Sexual Assault Investigation Secret, Concerned Elected Officials Would Not Protect Victims’ Privacy.
Former top Coast Guard officials hid a years-long investigation into sexual assault and harassment at the service’s academy from both Congress and the public after leaders debated the fallout from a potential disclosure, according to a U.S. Senate committee report released Friday.Coast Guard officials also took steps to remove references to the investigation, named Operation Fouled Anchor, from records submitted to Congress, according to the report by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. The report followed similar findings released last week by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.“Today’s report confirms and provides additional powerful evidence that the cover-up of sexual assault in the...
Chinese National Charged with Acting as Beijing’s Agent in Local California Election
A Chinese national was arrested Thursday on charges of acting as an illegal agent for Beijing when serving as the campaign manager for an unnamed politician elected to a city council in Southern California two years ago.The arrest of Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, came at a time of rising concerns that the Chinese government has cultivated a network of operatives to influence local elections in the U.S. to install politicians who are friendly to Beijing and can help promote Chinese interests.According to a complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Sun is accused of conspiring with Chen Jun,...
Photo News: Senate President, Pastor Adeboye, Cardinal Onaiyekan, Others Attend Nigeria Police Force 2024 Carols and Nine Lesson
Senate president, Godswill Akpabio on Friday attended the Nigeria Police Force 2024 Carols and Nine Lessons, held at the Nigeria Police Force Resource Centre Jabi, FCT, Abuja.Akpabio read the first scripture from Genesis 1:1, 26-31Among the distinguished guests were Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, and Senators Osita Ngwu and Victor Umeh, along with various other notable figures.
NATO’s Secretary-General, European Commission’s President, U.S. V.P. Elect and Saudi-Arabia Expresses Condolences over German Christmas Market Attack.
A car plowed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, killing at least two people and injuring at least 60 others in what authorities called a deliberate attack.The driver was arrested at the scene shortly after the car barreled into the market at around 7 p.m., when it was teeming with holiday shoppers looking forward to the weekend.Verified bystander footage distributed by the German news agency dpa showed the suspect’s arrest on a walkway in the middle of the road. A nearby police officer pointing a handgun at the man shouted at him as...
Syria’s New Leader Tries To Reassure U.S. There Won’t Be Threat to the West under His Reigns
As U.S. diplomats arrived in Damascus on Friday, Syria’s de facto new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa will likely have greeted them with a clear message: Under his rule, there will be no threat to the West.Sharaa, who has dropped his nom de guerre of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has been pushing this line in meetings with Western diplomats and the media since rebel forces, led by his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. As his new administration takes charge, he has also called for the United States and other countries to drop sanctions against Syria.“Now, after all that has happened, sanctions must...
MOVIE TITLE: THE UPSIDE
‘The Upside’ movie is a true life story of a wealthy (Philip) quadriplegic who needs a caretaker to help him with his day-to-day routine in his New York penthouse. He decides to hire an ex-con (Dell) who’s trying to reconnect with his ex and young son.Dell is a deadbeat dad who needs to prove he’s still going on fruitless job interviews to appease his parole officer.A mix-up lands him at Phil’s just as he and his major-domo (Nicole Kidman) are taking applicants for a new aide specifically trained in the lifting, feeding and being an all-around lifeline for someone paralyzed...
FOOTAGE OF THE MOMENT A VEHICLE DROVE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE CHRISTMAS MARKET IN MAGDEBURG, GERMANY.
A driver rammed into a crowd at Magdeburg’s Christmas market near the town hall causing injuries and potential fatalities.Government spokesman Matthias Schuppe confirmed the attack. The driver was arrested, and the market was closed as authorities urged people to leave the area.