Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial court
A man set himself on fire on April 19 outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
The man burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras that were set up outside the courthouse, where the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president is being held.
“I see a totally charred human being,” a CNN reporter said on the air.
Officials said the man survived and was in critical condition at a local hospital.
US House advances $95b Ukraine-Israel aid package
The US House of Representatives advanced a US$95 billion (S$130 billion) legislative package on April 19 providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific in a broad bipartisan vote, overcoming hardline Republican opposition that had held it up for months.
A procedural vote on April 19 - which passed 316-94, with more support from Democrats than the Republicans who hold a narrow majority - advanced a package similar to a measure that passed the Democratic-majority Senate in February.
In addition to the aid for allies, the package includes a provision to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, and sanctions targeting Hamas and Iran, and to force China’s ByteDance to sell social media platform TikTok or face a ban in the US.
Ukraine needs at least seven Patriot air defence systems
President Volodymyr Zelensky told Nato members on April 19 that Ukraine needed a minimum of seven Patriot or other high-end air defence systems to counter Russian air strikes, exhorting them to step up their military assistance for Kyiv.
In an emotional speech by video link to the Nato-Ukraine Council, the Ukrainian leader described the current level of foreign aid as “very limited” and said Israel had not been left to fend for itself during Iran’s massive air strike on April 13.
“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin must be brought down to earth, and our sky must become safe again.. And it depends fully on your choice... (the) choice whether we are indeed allies,” Mr Zelensky said in his speech.
United Airlines ‘deeply disturbed’ by cockpit access
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating an incident where a passenger was apparently granted unauthorised access to the cockpit of a United Airlines charter flight travelling from Denver to Toronto.
The moment, involving a man accompanying the Colorado Rockies baseball team on April 10, was caught on video that was posted online.
Since the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, passengers have been strictly prohibited from entering the cockpit during flight.
Man City are not machines, says Pep Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola knows there is no time to dwell on his side’s Champions League exit, as the games come thick and fast with a big FA Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea at Wembley on April 20.
City’s dreams of a second successive treble were dashed in midweek when they lost on penalties to Real Madrid after ending the two-legged quarter-final tie 4-4 on aggregate.
Guardiola’s men dominated the match, but it was not to be and they will now turn their attention to the FA Cup and the English Premier League, where they lead Arsenal and Liverpool by two points.
