The governor of the Mexican state of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila, said on social media Sunday that the United States withdrew tourist visas from her and her husband. Though the governor did not disclose the reason for the withdrawn visa and a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy said that visa records are confidential and that the details of individual cases cannot be discussed. Baja California borders California and day-to-day commercial ties between the two states run deep. ”I fully trust that the situation will be satisfactorily clarified for both of us,” Ávila said on X. Her husband, Carlos...
South Korea Returns A Buddhist Statue Stolen From A Japanese Temple Nearly 13 Years Ago
A 14th century Korean Buddhist statue stolen from a Japanese temple nearly 13 years ago was returned on Monday, following a years-long legal battle between Japan and South Korea over its ownership that had further strained sensitive ties between the two Asian neighbors. Dozens of temple members and local residents standing by the roadside applauded to welcome the statue as a truck carrying a wooden container with it arrived at Kannonji, a temple on Japan’s western island of Tsushima. The statue is expected to be kept at a local museum following a ceremony at the temple later in the day. The gilt...
Founder Of Crypto Platform Celsius Network Is Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison
The founder and former CEO of the cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison after a prosecutor labeled him a predator who “preyed on hope” by enticing vulnerable customers to risk their life savings for a supposedly safe investment. Alexander Mashinsky, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who said a substantial term in prison was necessary for someone who engaged in “extremely serious” crimes that enabled him to pocket over $45 million while some of his customers lost everything and suffered severe psychological harm. Celsius declared bankruptcy in 2022, exposing...
Freed Palestinian Student Accuses Columbia University Of Inciting Violence
A Palestinian student arrested as he was about to finalize his U.S. citizenship, accused Columbia University on Thursday of eroding democracy with its handling of campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war. Mohsen Mahdawi, 34, who led anti-war protests at the Ivy League school in New York in 2023 and 2024, spent 16 days in a Vermont prison before a judge ordered him released on April 30. On Friday, an appeals court in New York denied the government’s request to halt that order, saying the Trump administration’s jurisdictional arguments were unlikely to succeed and that it hadn’t shown that Mahdawi’s release has caused irreparable harm....
The PKK Kurdish Militant Group Will Disband And Disarm As Part Of A Peace Initiative With Turkey
The PKK Kurdish militant group announced Monday that it will disband and disarm as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey, ending four decades of armed conflict. The decision by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which promises to put an end to one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East and could have significant impact in Turkey, Syria and Iraq, was announced by the Firat News Agency, a media outlet close to the group. It comes days after the PKK convened a party congress in northern Iraq. In February, PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged...
Nigerians Accuse EFCC Of Double Standard, As Tompolo Video Of Naira Mutilation Surfaces Online
Nigerians have accused the EFCC for being selective in law enforcement are speculating that the EFCC may turn a blind eye to the viral video. This is coming after the former Nigerian militant commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta and the chief priest of the Egbesu deity, Oweizidei Thomas Ekpemupolo widely known as Tompolo video of naira abuse surfaced. OurFavOnlineDoc had called the commission out on X stating: “Dear @officialEFCC come out o. Here is Tompolo mutilating the Naira. “I know the eyes of that your eagle will suddenly go blind but I am bringing...
‘India’s Weapons Worked, China’s Didn’t’: Top US Expert Praises Make-In-India, Says It’s A Model Of Military Readiness
Spencer said that India’s growing defense self-reliance, driven by the ‘Make in India’ initiative, has led to a major leap in indigenous production India’s domestic defence systems have delivered a decisive message — not just to its adversaries, but to the world watching closely, John Spencer, retired United States Army officer, said on Monday. Spencer, who is also the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute, said that India’s domestically produced weapons worked, China’s did not After the terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan. Pakistan...
Obi Meets With Former Governor Of Kaduna State At University Of Cambridge, Speaks On “The Making Of A Future President.”
The 2023 Labour party presidential aspirant and former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi met with former governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir El-Rufai during the Fireside Chat Briefing at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to appear on a distinguished panel discussion alongside South Africa’s Julius Malema, under the theme: “The Making of a Future President.” Unfortunately, Mr. Julius Malema was unable to participate due to a visa denial by UK authorities. Obi in a post on Sunday revealed he had conversations with a broad range of participants at the conference, including...