US AND CANADA

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Two people have reportedly died after a plane collided with a fire engine on the runway of a New York’s LaGuardia Airport. 

Officials did not immediately say how many people may have been injured or whether anyone was killed in the incident on Sunday night, March 22, however NBC News is reporting that two people have died in the incident.

There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, the airline said.

The US’ Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.

The flight originated at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.

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A United States federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reopen Voice of America and reinstate hundreds of journalists after ruling that the broadcaster’s closure was unlawful. The decision marks a significant development in a dispute that has raised concerns about press freedom and government authority over publicly funded media.

District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ruled that the shutdown of Voice of America was illegal and gave authorities one week to restore the international broadcaster to full operation. The ruling follows months of uncertainty for more than a thousand employees who were removed from their roles after the administration moved to dismantle the agency.

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Robert S. Mueller III, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who later led the high-profile investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 U.S. election, has died at the age of 81. His family confirmed his passing on Friday, March 20,  but did not disclose the cause of death.

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday sharply criticized NATO allies for their reluctance to participate in the ongoing conflict in Iran, while insisting the United States is fully capable of continuing operations without external assistance.

Speaking during an Oval Office meeting with Ireland's prime minister, Trump described the alliance's stance as a "very foolish mistake," underscoring long-standing frustrations with NATO burden-sharing. He emphasized that while many countries support U.S. actions politically, they have stopped short of committing military resources.

Trump framed the situation as a defining moment for the alliance, arguing that despite their hesitation, the U.S. has achieved significant military success. He reiterated that Washington never depended on NATO involvement, adding that current operations would proceed regardless of allied participation.

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DoorDash has launched a standalone app called "Tasks" that allows its 8 million U.S. gig workers to earn money by training AI and robotics. Announced on Thursday, the app enables couriers to record themselves performing various physical activities. This data is intended to help artificial intelligence models better understand and navigate the physical world.

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US Attorney General Pam Bondi has been formally subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee to answer questions regarding her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Committee Chairman James Comer issued the summons to probe "possible mismanagement" of the case. Bondi is expected to provide testimony on her oversight and decision-making during the long-running inquiry into the convicted sex offender.

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Unidentified drones were detected above the Washington Army base where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reside, according to a Thursday report from The Washington Post.

A senior administration official told the Post that the military is increasingly monitoring potential threats, as alert levels rise in the US amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Over the past 10 days, multiple drones were spotted flying over Fort McNair in a single night, though their origin remains unknown.

Fort McNair, which houses the National Defense University and some of the Pentagon’s top officials, is located near Capitol Hill and the White House. However, unlike other bases in the region, it lacks the same safety buffer, as noted by The Washington Post.

In response, a meeting was held at the White House to discuss the situation and consider relocating Rubio and Hegseth. The official clarified that neither official has been moved.

As global security threats mount, alerts have been issued for U.S. diplomatic posts worldwide, and several domestic military bases have been placed on lockdown. On Tuesday, the State Department ordered all US diplomatic posts to conduct immediate security assessments, citing the "potential for spillover effects" from the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The report noted that this week, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida raised their force protection level to Charlie, a designation indicating that intelligence suggests an attack or danger is possible.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined to comment on the drones, stating, "The department cannot comment on the secretary’s movements for security reasons, and reporting on such movements is grossly irresponsible."

The report also highlighted that US Central Command (CENTCOM) headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base was placed on lockdown twice this week. The FBI is investigating a suspicious package that led to the closure of the base's visitors center on Monday. The base was also placed under a shelter-in-place order for several hours on Wednesday following an unspecified security incident.

An Air Force spokesperson explained, "To ensure the safety and security of our people and the mission, commanders adjust their installation’s security posture in accordance with local threat assessments."

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Bank of America has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by victims of Jeffrey Epstein who accused the bank of facilitating his sex trafficking operation. The terms of the agreement remain confidential and the deal is currently awaiting court approval.

Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for the victims, said in a statement that the resolution was "one more step on the road to much deserved justice".

It marks the third such settlement by a major bank, after JP Morgan Chase and Deutsche Bank agreed to pay out $290m and $75m respectively.

The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in October by a Florida woman who says she was abused by Epstein "on at least 100 occasions" between 2011 and 2019 and held two accounts at Bank of America at the direction of his business team.

It alleged that the bank had "a plethora of information regarding Epstein's sex trafficking operation but chose profit over protecting the victims".