Author: Fatimah Idera

Hadi Matar, 27, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for stabbing and partially blinding author Salman Rushdie onstage at a Western New York Arts Institute in 2022. The attack also wounded Henry Reese, co-founder of the City of Asylum. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt said Rushdie has been traumatized and experiences nightmares. Matar was found guilty of attempted murder and assault in February. The prosecution argued that Matar’s actions were a major setback for Rushdie, who had been in hiding due to death threats since the publication of his novel “The Satanic Verses” in 1988. Ayatollah Ruhollah…

Former US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink resigned from her role in April, citing disagreement with President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that US officials will send letters to countries within the next two to three weeks, outlining the costs of doing business in the United States. The letters, expected to be sent by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, will detail what countries will be paying to operate in the US. However, Trump didn’t provide further clarification on the matter during his speech in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. This development comes after China and the US announced a truce in their trade war on…

Tesla announced on Friday that Chipotle executive Jack Hartung will join its board of directors and audit committee in June.

The World Bank announced on Friday that Syria’s $15.5 million in outstanding debt has been cleared, thanks to payments from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The ancient Croatian town of Dubrovnik, famous for its stunning fortresses and cobbled streets, attracts numerous tourists eager to visit the iconic locations from the Game of Thrones television series and the Star Wars had been threatened. However, recent comments by President Donald Trump imposing a 100% tariff on all movies produced outside the United States have sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and among locals in Dubrovnik. Many fear that directors may no longer consider filming in this picturesque town due to the proposed tariffs. Croatian film producer, Igor Aleksandar Nola expressed his concerns, stating that the planned tariffs…

Sir Keir Starmer is facing the biggest rebellion of his premiership over planned benefits cuts, with more than 100 Labour MPs saying they won’t back his sweeping welfare reforms in a vote expected next month. The proposals, outlined in the Spring Statement, aim to bring down the benefits bill by £4.3 billion. Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has drawn concern with plans to restrict Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to only the most disabled adults and make under-22s ineligible for Universal Credit. Around 130 MPs have signed a letter to Alan Campbell, the Government’s Chief Whip, stating that Sir Keir must change…

The U.S. Supreme Court wrestled on Thursday over Donald Trump’s attempt to broadly enforce his executive order to limit birthright citizenship, a move that would affect thousands of babies born each year as the Republican president seeks a major shift in how the U.S. Constitution has long been understood. The justices are considering the administration’s emergency request to scale back injunctions issued by federal judges in Maryland, Washington, and Massachusetts blocking Trump’s directive nationwide. The judges found Trump’s order, a key part of his hardline approach toward immigration, likely violates citizenship language in the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. U.S. Solicitor…

Productivity growth in Britain’s economy weakened in the first quarter of this year compared to the final three months of 2024 and was down compared with a year previously, official data showed on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that output per hour worked increased by 0.2% in the January-to-March period, weaker than the 0.7% growth in the fourth quarter of last year. Compared with a year earlier, output per hour was down 0.2%. Despite this slowdown, Britain outpaced the US, where the economy contracted, and the eurozone, which grew 0.4% over the period. On an annualised basis,…

US President Donald Trump announced that Qatar will invest $10 billion in the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, over the coming years. Trump made this announcement during a speech to US troops at the base in Doha, Qatar’s capital. The investment is part of a broader deal that includes $42 billion in Qatari defence purchases signed on Wednesday. The deal is significant for the US military’s presence in the region. Trump emphasised the importance of the partnership between the US and Qatar during his speech. This development comes as part of Trump’s…