Bizman accused of selling admissions to top US colleges for $75,000
US prosecutors have charged around 50 people for allegedly selling admissions to top American universities like Yale and Stanford by manipulating exam results, among other things.
According to prosecutors, the scheme worked by faking students’ test scores, with parents paying between $15,000 and $75,000 to fudge exam results.
The alleged scamsters even helped students fake their athletic status by paying bribes to college athletic administrators and coaches. In several cases, students were allegedly found to have never played a sport they claimed to have aced.
A 59-year old businessman named William Singer, involved in the college preparatory business, is believed to be the mastermind of the scam.
Multiple deaths feared as two mosques attacked in NZ
“Multiple fatalities” were reported as two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, were attacked by gun-wielding assailants.
In a grim statement to the nation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, “Whilst I cannot give any confirmation around casualties or fatalities… what I can say is that this is one of New Zealand’s darkest days.”
Talking about the people being targeted, Ardern said, “Many of those who would have been directly affected by the violence maybe migrants to New Zealand or refugees. Many of them have chosen New Zealand as their home, and it is their home.”
Republicans help Democrats challenge Trump’s national emergency
Twelve Republicans sided with Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate, the upper chamber of the US Congress, to vote down President Donald Trump’s declaration of national emergency on the US-Mexico border wall 59-41.
They included prominent leaders like former presidential contender Mitt Romney, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio.
Right after the Senate rejection, Trump tweeted, “VETO”, an indication that he might invoke the presidential veto to override the bill, which has already been passed by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives.
The use of national emergency provisions for the wall, a key campaign promise of Trump meant to keep illegal immigrants out, is widely seen as an overreach of presidential powers. It allows him to override the Congress’ control on funds to gather money for the wall.
UK MPs vote in favour of delaying Brexit deadline
British MPs voted 413-202 in favour of pushing the Brexit deadline by three months, just two weeks before its due to expire on 29 March.
After two failed attempts to get the Theresa May government’s Brexit bill cleared by parliament, the legislators were finally asked to vote on whether the exit should be delayed.
According to Article 50 of the Treaty of the European Union, the consent of all the 27 EU member-states is needed for a deadline extension.