World
Jury finds Donald Trump sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll, awards her $5m
Former United States President Donald Trump sexually abused E Jean Carroll, a writer, in a New York department store changing room 27 years ago, a New York jury has found.
The decision officially labels a former US president as a sexual predator for the first time.
However, because it stems from a civil case rather than a criminal one, Trump will only be subject to monetary fines.
The jury awarded Carroll $5 million for battery and defamation.
Carroll filed the lawsuit last November under the “New York state adult survivors act,” a state bill that opened a look-back window for sexual assault allegations with long-expired statutes of limitation.
The writer said Trump raped her in the Bergdorf Goodman department store and then defamed her when he denied her claim, suggesting she made up the story to boost sales of her book.
She said he led her into a dressing room under the guise of trying on a bodysuit he intended to buy for another woman.
Carroll said she saw no problems with following him to the lingerie store because she was “absolutely enchanted” by Trump’s amusing chatter.
However, the situation “turned absolutely dark” soon, she added.
“He immediately shut the door and shoved me up against the wall. He shoved me so hard my head banged. I was extremely confused,” Carroll told the jury.
“He leaned down and pulled down my tights. I was pushing him back. It was quite clear I didn’t want anything else to happen.”
Carroll said she could not escape Trump’s grip, adding that he raped her.
Trump, on his social media site Truth Social, called the jury’s verdict a “total disgrace” and said it was “continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time”.
He reiterated that he did not know who Carroll was.
Trump, who announced his re-run bid for presidency, is the subject of multiple investigations into his conduct before, during, and after his first term as president.
The investigations include allegations of fraud by his family business, his role in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol, his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, and the stashing of classified documents at his residence at Mar-a-Lago.
Recently, the former president was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
He was also found guilty of a payout to Stormy Daniels, an adult actress, in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair.
World
Israel launches counterattack on Iran
Oil prices have surged by nearly 4 percent as Israel launched a missile attack on a target in Iran, according to international media reports.
Explosions were reported in Isfahan province in central Iran, where the country’s nuclear plant is located.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later announced that there was no damage to the plant.
Israel had promised a response to missile and drone attacks by Iran last weekend.
Iran had launched the attacks in response to the April 1 strike that killed its senior security officials at its embassy in Syria apparently carried out by Israel.
A US official told ABC News that Israel carried out a strike inside Iran, confirming reports of the explosion by the Asian country’s media.
There were also reports of blasts in Iraq and southern Syria.
Commercial flights we re-routed as parts of the Iranian airspace were closed.
Iran says it activated its air defence systems.
Israel is not planning further attacks and Iran is not going to retaliate either, according various officials quoted by the media.
Brent crude price is now over $90 per barrel, up from $87 before the strike.
World
Dubai international airport cancels flights as flood ravages runway, UAE
A year’s worth of rainfall in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, left the city flooded and disrupted airport operations.
A video posted online showed the tarmac of Dubai International Airport — recently crowned the second busiest in the world — underwater as massive aircraft attempted to navigate floodwaters.
CNN reports that nearly four inches (100 mm) of rain fell over the course of just 12 hours on Tuesday, according to the weather observations at the airport.
According to United Nations data, the rainfall was around what Dubai usually records in an entire year.
The flooding disrupted airport operations in the city, with multiple airlines announcing flight delays and cancelled flights on Wednesday.
Jets were said to have looked more like boats moving through the flooded airport, while other parts of the UAE also recorded heavy rainfall.
“Operations continue to be significantly disrupted. There is major flooding on access roads around Dubai leading to the airport,” the airport was quoted as saying.
The rain reportedly fell so heavily and quickly that motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the floodwater rose and roads turned into rivers.
Dubai, like the rest of the UAE, has a hot and dry climate. As such, rainfall is infrequent and the infrastructure to handle extreme events is not in place.
Many roads and other areas have insufficient drainage due to the lack of regular rainfall, causing flooding.
The rain that ravaged the city is associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula, moving across Oman and Iran.
Experts said torrential rainfall will become frequent in the region due to human-driven climate change.
World
SEE FULL LIST: Fireboy, Osimhen, Amusan make Forbes Africa’s ‘30 Under 30’ list
Fireboy DML, the singer, Victor Osimhen, Super Eagles footballer, and Veekee James, a fashion designer, are among the six Nigerians listed in the 2024 edition of Forbes Africa’s ‘30 Under 30’.
Forbes ’30 Under 30′ is an annual listicle by Forbes magazine spotlighting prominent business and industry figures.
In the tenth edition of the list recently released, the business magazine featured Africans under 30 who are shaping the continent in entertainment, education, sports, technology, healthcare, art, and other industries.
Other Nigerians on the list include Josiah Akinloye, founder and CEO of Mainlogix Technology; Tobi Amusan, track and field athlete; and Abioye Oyetunji; founder and CEO FXKudi.
Africans on the list include Tyla Laura Seethal, South African singer; Peace Wutawunashe, founder of Trigershot Engineering; Kenneth Njeru, director and founder of Africa Afya Healthcare; and Calvin Usiri, co-founder and CTO of Ramani, among others.
To curate the 2024 list, the finalists were drawn after a “rigorous vetting process” by the editorial team led by Under 30 curator Chanel Retief, alongside a panel of independent external judges such as Mo Abudu.
Other judges are Kate Kallot, Chris Maurice, Tlaleng Mofokeng, Helena Ndume, and Desiree Ellis.
Forbes said the evaluation process commenced in late 2023, with the support of its audit partner, SNG Grant Thornton.
Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Rema are among Nigerians who have made the list in the past.
The magazine earlier announced that Omah Lay, the singer, will be performing at the Under 30 summit in Botswana in May.
Below is the Forbes Africa ’30 Under 30′ list for 2024:
- Alex Mativo, 29, Kenya, CEO and Co-founder, E-LAB, Nanasi and Duck, Industry: Multiple ventures
- Ann-Kathrin Joos, 28, South Africa, CEO and Founder, Standard Beauty, Industry: Beauty
- Vimbai Masiyiwa, 29, Zimbabwe, CEO, Batoka Hospitality, Industry: Tourism
- Andrew Ddembe, 28, Uganda, Co-founder and CEO, MobiKlinic, Industry: Healthtech
- Chad Jones, 28, South Africa, Social Media Content Creator and Brand Influencer, Industry: Social media
- Adedamola Oyinlola Adefolahan (Fireboy DML), 28, Nigeria, Singer-songwriter, Industry: Entertainment
- Tyla Laura Seethal, 22, South Africa, Singer-Songwriter, Industry: Entertainment
- Ayushi Chandaria, 26, Kenya, Founder, Design Thinking Program (Kenya), Industry: Education
- Ama Qamata, 25, South Africa, Actress, Producer, Industry: Entertainment
- Daniel Novitzkas, 28, South Africa, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Specno, Industry: Software development and technology solutions
- Prisca Wegesa Magori, 29, Tanzania, CEO and Co-founder, TenTen Explore and Smart EFD, Industry: Software development
- Luke Mostert,27, South Africa, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, CatalyzU, Industry: Venture Capital
- Kenneth M. Njeru, 25, Kenya, Director and Founder, Africa Afya Healthcare, Industry: Health investment services Services
- Arooj Sheikh, 28, Kenya, Founder and CEO, Beyond Kenyan Bars, Sector: Social development
- Cayley Jorgensen, 29, South Africa, CEO and Founder, Ingage Support; Registered Counselor, Sector: Mental health
- Hildah Magaia, 29, South Africa, Forward for Mazatlán F.C Femenil and Banyana Banyana, Industry: Sport-football
- Victor Osimhen, 25, Nigeria, Footballer and Striker for Super Eagles, Industry: Sport-football
- Tobi Amusan, 26, Nigeria, Track and Field Athlete, Industry: Sport – athletics
- Damian Willemse, 25, South Africa, Stormers and Springboks Rugby Player, Industry: Sport – rugby
- Ricardo Lognath, 29, South Africa, Co-Founder and CEO, Omninela Medical, Industry: Healthcare/E-commerce
- Nicolas Lognath, 27, South Africa, Co-Founder and Director, Omninela Medical, Industry: Healthcare/E-commerce
- Ruth Erikan James, 29, Nigeria, Founder, Veekee James, Industry: Fashion
- Shaun Maswanganyi, 23, South Africa, Track and Field Athlete, Industry: Sport – athletics
- Jeremiah Thoronka, 24, Sierra Leone, Founder and CEO, Optim Energy, Sector: Climate change and sustainability (Social Impact)
- Calvin Usiri, 28, Tanzania, Co-founder and CTO, Ramani, Industry: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Peace Wutawunashe, 27, Zimbabwe, Founder, Trigershot Engineering, Industry: Solar/Renewable Energy
- Esethu Cenga, 29, South Africa, Co-founder and CEO, Rewoven, Industry: Fashion
- Josiah Akinloye, 29, Nigeria, Founder and CEO, Mainlogix Technology, Industry: Automation and technology
- Abioye Oyetunji, 29, Ghana, Founder and CEO, FXKudi, Industry: Fintech
- Nadine Roos, 27, South Africa, South African Rugby Union (Springboks) and Sevens player, Industry: Sport – rugby
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