Archive May 22, 2025

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ ex-assistant reveals ‘final straw’ that made him quit dream job

By in Entertainment News, News

George Kaplan, who worked as Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ personal assistant, told the court about the ‘final straw’ that made him quit working for the disgraced music mogul

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial has entered its second week(Image: Getty Images)

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ former personal assistant has been called to the stand as part of the disgraced rapper’s trial, where he delved into what it was like working for the music mogul. George Kaplan started working for Combs in 2013 but walked away from the position two years later.

Combs, who is known as Diddy, Puff Daddy and various other aliases, is currently on trial for a number of serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex ­trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He was arrested in September and strongly denies all allegations made against him. Combs has been in prison since his arrest, and a number of bail requests have been rejected.

His trial has since entered its second week, with Kaplan, 34, first taking to the stand on Wednesday. Kaplan testified he worked around 80 to 100 hours per week.

George Kaplan
George Kaplan started working for Combs in 2013(Image: Getty Images)

He travelled with Combs and would set up his hotel rooms with a bag that included clothes, a speaker, candles, liquor, baby oil, and lubricant.

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The assistant said he came to understand his role was to protect Combs’ image as he would tidy up the rooms once he left. He said there would be sports drink bottles, liquor bottles and baby oil strewn around the hotel room after Combs left.

Kaplan also testified that he picked up drugs for Combs with cash he gave him. He said it happened once in Miami and once in Los Angeles.

During Thursday’s court session, Kaplan said he quit his dream job working for Combs after seeing his boss attack yet another girlfriend in 2015.

He said he was staying at Combs’ guesthouse in Miami and late one night he saw the music star throwing green apples “very hard” at a woman named Gina.

Kaplan said he wasn’t sure if the apples were real and testified that Gina was “trying to shield herself with her arms.” He was later called to Combs’ bedroom to bring a medicine bag, and Kaplan said the mood was tense.

The former assistant told the court that Gina stood in the corner of the room and Combs “seemingly on edge”. He later heard a woman screaming at the front gate of Combs’ Miami estate, along with male voices Kaplan took to be the security team.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey asked why Kaplan didn’t do anything to intervene, while he repeated that he was young and ambitious at the time.

“I thought it might be normal,” he said. Kaplan shifted in his chair, crossed his arms and looked at the floor.

Kaplan said the attack on Gina proved to be “the final straw,” and he gave Combs his notice shortly after. “I was not comfortable or aligned with the physical behavior that I had seen pieces of,” Kaplan told the jury.

Prior to taking to the stand, Kaplan had invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not testify citing potential self incrimination. However, Judge Arun Subramanian indicated that he would sign an immunity order which would require Kaplan to take the stand.

For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk

If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999

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Why are the number of flights reduced at Newark airport in the US?

By in News, World News

EXPLAINER

To ease a wave of cancellations and delays at Newark Liberty international airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has limited the number of hourly arrivals and departures in an effort to reduce congestion for the foreseeable future.

The Department of Transportation has asked the airport – a major hub for United Airlines, which serves New York City – to reduce operations from 77 to 56 departures and arrivals per hour. The change could significantly affect air travellers and carriers that rely on the airport.

Newark has faced numerous challenges that have hindered air traffic and led to this drastic shift. These include a shortage of air traffic controllers, glitches in radio and radar systems, and ongoing runway construction. The FAA says daily construction will end on June 15, after which it will occur only on Saturdays through the end of the year. During non-construction periods, operations will increase to 68 arrivals and departures per hour.

Radar and radio glitches

Newark’s cascade of problems began on April 28, when air traffic controllers at a Philadelphia-based facility, which monitors traffic heading into Newark Liberty, lost both radio and radar contact with planes for 90 seconds. A similar incident occurred at Newark itself – also lasting 90 seconds – during the early morning hours of May 9. Another occurred on May 11, and a brief two-second outage happened the following Monday.

In an op-ed, the sole air traffic controller working on May 9 told the newspaper The Times of London that “it is only a matter of time before a fatal crash”.

NBC News, citing an unnamed source, said similar incidents have occurred at least eight times since August and prior to the April event.

Newark is not the only US airport facing glitches. Last week, air traffic controllers in Denver, Colorado, also lost contact with planes for 90 seconds, impacting 20 different pilots. Denver, like Newark, is a hub for United Airlines.

Last Monday, following the Newark incident, The New York Times reported that only three flights passed through Newark-area airspace during a period when the goal was 14. At times, there were only one or two fully certified controllers on duty.

As a result of the incident, 20 percent of air traffic controllers went on trauma leave, citing the event itself, the use of outdated equipment, and a longstanding staffing shortage. United CEO framed it as air traffic controllers having “walked off the job”. Controllers are entitled to 45 days of paid trauma leave.

Air traffic control in the New York area has been chronically understaffed. A 2023 Department of Transportation report (PDF) found staffing levels to be dangerously low at 20 of the 26 critical air traffic control facilities across the US. The FAA mandates that at least 85 percent of controller positions be filled to maintain safe operations. The New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility was operating at just 54 percent. In 2024, control of Newark’s approach operations was moved to Philadelphia, a move that exacerbated certified controller shortages, as there were fewer of those personnel in Philadelphia.

The FAA said that it is in the process of ramping up staffing efforts.

“The area in the Philadelphia TRACON that handles Newark traffic has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training. Ten of those 21 controllers and supervisors are receiving on-the-job training. All 10 are certified on at least one position, and three are certified on multiple positions. We have a healthy pipeline with training classes filled through July 2026,” an FAA spokesperson told Al Jazeera.

“Secretary Duffy has made air traffic controller hiring and building a new state-of-the-art air traffic system top priorities.”

What does this mean for travellers?

The reduced capacity will lead to fewer flights at the major hub. United Airlines, which accounts for 75 percent of Newark’s daily traffic, announced last week that it would cancel 35 roundtrip flights per day.

“Reducing the number of flights scheduled at Newark will help ensure that we can safely and reliably operate the flights that remain on the schedule, which is why we proactively reduced our schedule earlier this month,” a spokesperson for United Airlines told Al Jazeera in an emailed statement.

United serves 76 US destinations and 81 international destinations from Newark. The airline told Al Jazeera that the affected flights are primarily to cities that already have a high frequency of service, such as Orlando and Las Vegas.

United said that customers can be easily re-accommodated on other flights, and that flyers who typically transit through Newark can use alternative hubs like Washington Dulles.

Despite the cutbacks, United is launching new service to 10 destinations this summer, including two flights that have launched in the last week.

FG Files Criminal Charge Against Natasha, Akpabio, Yahaya Bello To Testify

By in News, Nigeria News

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, is facing legal action from the Federal Government for allegedly making defamatory remarks on live television.

Akpoti-Uduaghan is the only defendant in the lawsuit that was filed on May 16, 2025 before the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

The senator was charged by the government of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that making imputation will harm a person’s reputation,” citing Section 391 of the penal code, CAP 89, and the 1990 federal laws. Section 392 of the same law imposes penalties for the offense.

According to the witness list, Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, and Godswill Akpabio, the Senate president, will testify during the trial.

One of the allegations is connected to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that she accused former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to kill her and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

READ ALSO: [Shadow Govt] Court Fixes June 25 For Hearing, Orders Service On Utomi

The Senator is being accused of making an imputation after knowing or having cause to believe that it will harm a person’s reputation, according to Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990. Section 392 of the same law imposes penalties for the offense.

The Senator was accused of fabricating Senator Akpabio’s accusations in the TV interview, saying that “It was part of the meeting, the discussions that Akpabio had with Yahaya Bello that night eliminate me.”

Let’s ask the Senate President: “If not to make me more vulnerable to attacks, why did he first withdraw my security?” Then he emphasized that Kogi should kill me, but that I should also be.

Who will receive justice for me if the dead men who tell no tales don’t want to stay alive? According to a statement from the Senator, the Senator was aware of the possibility that such imputations would harm the Senate President’s reputation.

In violation of Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap. 2, Akpoti-Uduaghan was charged with making an imputation knowing or having cause to believe that such imputation would harm a person’s reputation. 1989, and are subject to Section 392 of the same Law, according to the 1990 Laws of the Federation.

That you, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, made the following imputation regarding former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Adoza Bello, on or about the third day of April 2025, during the same Politics Today program on Channels Television in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

“It was a part of the meeting,” Akpabio said during a meeting that night to “eliminate me.” He then stated in his meeting that I should be killed in Kogi but that I should be killed.

You “were aware or had cause to believe” that Yahaya Adoza Bello, a former governor of Kogi State, would suffer as a result of these claims, the charge continued.

Additionally, she was charged with making the following imputation about Senator Akpabio in a two-way telephone conversation with one Sandra C. Duru in Abuja:

Because the wife was seriously ill when they killed the girl, and her organs were used for the wife, Imoren Iniubong, is what she is known as.

In the complaint brought by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, the Federal Government claimed that “you knew or had reason to believe that such imputation would harm Senator Godswill Akpabio’s reputation.”

East-West Road Ready By December, Eleme Road To Open In 10 Days – FG

By in News, Nigeria News

By December 2025, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians that Section 3 of the East-West Road, which runs 15 kilometers from Eleme Junction to Onne Junction in Rivers State, will be finished and accessible to the public.

During a tour of the project site in Rivers State, the minister of works, Dave Umahi, gave the assurance.

In addition, he further stated that the awaited Eleme section will be operational within the next ten days.

After conducting a press tour of the area, Umahi spoke about the economic significance of the road corridor, particularly its ability to facilitate the movement of important oil and gas infrastructure to the Onne region.

READ MORE: Tinubu Submits $1.48 billion in 2025 Rivers Budget to NASS For Approval.

The minister spoke with representatives of Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), the project’s contractors, while accompanied by Tarilade Enwereama, the controller of works for Rivers State.

Enwereama boldly claimed that the road’s restoration project will last between 50 and 100 years.

Enwereama noted that “we expect this road to serve Nigerians for many decades” because it is being built to the highest engineering standards.

Umahi once more confirmed that Section 3 will be completed on time, including those that have been designated for flyovers.

He affirmed the Tinubu administration’s commitment to completing high-impact infrastructure projects by estimating the total cost of the ongoing construction work at 156 billion.

We are determined to finish this because it is a national economic asset. Umahi predicted that the entire Onne stretch will be accessible in 10 days and the Eleme portion will be open by December.

Since the work has begun, the Minister has made his ninth appearance at the site. His frequent inspections and tangible improvements on the ground indicate that Nigeria’s South-South region is now putting more emphasis on infrastructure development.