Month: May 2025

Cassie Ventura — the ex-girlfriend of Sean “Diddy” Combs — took the stand on Tuesday at his racketeering and sex trafficking trial in New York. Ventura, who performed under the name Cassie, rose to fame with the single “Me & U” on her self-titled debut album, which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart back in 2006. Ventura and Combs dated on/off from 2007-2018.

Security video of Combs attacking Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 is a key piece of evidence in the trial. The video, obtained and published by CNN last year, shows Combs throwing Ventura onto the floor before kicking and dragging her. Combs is accused of sexually assaulting, trafficking and exploiting women over multiple decades before he was arrested last September.

The prosecution alleging in its opening arguments that Combs “used lies, drugs, threats and violence to threaten and coerce first Cassie” and then another unnamed person “to have sex with him in front of male escorts.”  However, the defense insisted that Ventura and the other alleged victim are both “capable, strong” women who chose to remain with Combs, adding that Ventura was “not coerced to engage in this sex life.”

The 38-year-old Ventura is pregnant with baby No. 3 with husband Alex Fine, to whom she has been married since 2019.  Ventura took the witness stand to testify, marking the first time Ventura and Combs are seeing one another in person since their 2018 split. Ventura testified Combs controlled every aspect of her life, telling jurors she often did things out of fear, since physical abuse was frequent. Ventura alleged violent arguments with Combs that she said “would usually result in some physical abuse … He would bash my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head when I was down.”

She concluded her first day of graphic testimony by recalling the time she says she tried to leave a “freak off” before it was over, referring to the March 2016 incident at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City (which was depicted on video shown to jurors Monday and Tuesday). She said: “There’s an instance in Los Angeles where it got violent and I chose to leave. There was a lot of drinking, a lot of partying. I’m not sure what happened but in the middle of it I got hit by Sean and got a black eye. When I chose to leave, I grabbed what I could and got out and Sean followed me into the hallway by the elevators, grabbed me, tried to drag me back to the room .. That’s me,” Ventura said, referring to the footage, adding that she made it to the elevators when “the next thing I knew I was just thrown to the ground.”

A full recap of the day’s testimony can be found HERE.  Ventura is expected to testify the entire week.

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President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to begin an official visit to the Middle East, and revealed plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, explaining that the move is meant to give the embattled nation “an opportunity to achieve greatness.”  The decision comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to build closer diplomatic relationships with Saudi Arabia and its regional partners.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, widely regarded as Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, hosted Trump in Riyadh with full state honors, including a ceremonial lavender carpet welcome and a state dinner in Dir’iyah. Trump’s address took place at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum, hosted at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. The event gathered top business executives, including Elon Musk and representatives from Palantir, Uber, Google, Amazon, and other major firms, alongside Trump’s Cabinet members.

During his address, Trump laid out an optimistic vision for the Middle East, one focused on economic growth, innovation, and business partnerships. He portrayed these goals as a path toward overcoming the region’s longstanding conflicts and divisions. Trump praised the crown prince as “wise beyond his years” and credited his leadership for the kingdom’s rapid modernization, and jokingly said during his address: “Oh, the things I do for the Crown Prince,” directing his comment toward the Crown Prince, who sat in the front row with his arms folded — in what appeared to be a gesture of appreciation.  Trump added: “The moment belongs to Syria now, let’s see them rise to the occasion. Look at the progress in Saudi Arabia — truly impressive. Now it’s Syria’s turn. They’re good people, and we’re rooting for them.”

Trump lauded Saudi Arabia’s rapid development, framing it as a model for Middle Eastern progress. He credited the kingdom’s advancements to “homegrown ambition,” rejecting the notion that foreign powers could impose successful governance through external influence: “this remarkable transformation wasn’t delivered by outsiders in expensive suits flying in with lectures. It was built by the people of this region, their vision, and their determination. I imagined a Middle East that leaves behind the scourge of terrorism and extremism — a region that rises to become one of the most prosperous and respected in the world.”  Trump again addressed Mohammed bin Salman with a rhetorical question: “Mohammed, do you ever sleep? Or do you stay up at night thinking, ‘How can I make it even better?’”

The light-hearted exchange followed the announcement of a sweeping $600 billion investment agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The landmark deal was described by the White House as “the largest defense sales agreement in history.”

The investment package, which includes significant defense and technology components, highlights the Trump administration’s strategic focus on fortifying ties with Riyadh.  Among the agreements signed were initiatives to enhance judicial cooperation between the U.S. Department of Justice and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Justice, defense modernization efforts coordinated with the Pentagon, and expanded partnerships between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior and the FBI. The deal also features extensive training programs for the Saudi military and billions of dollars in investments in American data infrastructure.

Trump’s visit also spotlighted his personal business connections to Saudi Arabia. The Trump Organization has announced plans for real estate projects in Jeddah and Riyadh, further cementing business interests alongside diplomatic engagements.   At the investment forum, Trump touted Riyadh’s emergence as a global hub for business, technology, and culture. “Riyadh is not just the seat of government anymore — it’s becoming a capital of innovation and commerce for the entire world.”

Following bilateral meetings with Crown Prince Mohammed, Trump participated in a business luncheon and held private discussions on regional security, energy markets, and efforts to revive nuclear negotiations with Iran. Later this week, Trump is scheduled to continue his Middle East tour with visits to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

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A jury was selected Monday in the sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in Manhattan federal court. Combs is accused of sexually assaulting, trafficking, and exploiting multiple women over a span of decades leading up to his arrest in September. Combs has been held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest. Despite being offered a plea agreement during the final pre-trial proceedings, Combs declined the deal. If found guilty on all charges, he could face a life sentence.  The trial is expected to continue for approximately eight to ten weeks.

Judge Arun Subramanian delivered instructions to the jurors, comprised of eight men and four women, and turned the proceedings over to the lawyers for opening statements. Prosecutors have charged Combs, 55, with several serious offenses, including racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transporting individuals for prostitution-related purposes. Combs has entered a not guilty plea to all allegations.

The case will focus on testimonies from four women, one of whom is Combs’ former girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura. The other three women are expected to testify under the protection of anonymity. Prosecutors alleged in their opening statement that Combs used his fame and power to run a criminal enterprise that facilitated his “freak offs,” drug-fueled orgies involving paid sex workers. He allegedly used violence and coercion to force the participation of victims in the freak offs, including Cassie.

In his defense, Combs has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that all sexual encounters were consensual. His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, argued that Combs was simply engaged in consensual activities within the swinger community, rejecting any claims of coercion or abuse. In its opening statement, Combs’ defense admitted that while he was jealous and occasionally violent, Combs’ alleged victims were all willing participants.

The prosecution’s first witness was Israel Florez, a Los Angeles police officer, who worked at the hotel in LA’s Century City area where the 2016 security tape of Combs and his then-girlfriend Ventura came from.  Testimony ended on Day 1 of the trial, after the cross-examination of male escort Daniel Phillip by defense attorney Xavier Donaldson; Phillip will return to continue cross-examination on Tuesday. In addition, Cassie Ventura is expected to be the next witness called later Tuesday morning to testify for the prosecution.

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American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander was released on Monday after successful negotiations between the U.S. and the terrorist organization, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).   Alexander had been held captive by Hamas in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023; he is believed to be the last living American citizen held captive by Hamas.  The terror group is believed to also be holding the bodies of four dead American hostages, according to U.S. officials.

Alexander, a New Jersey native, moved to Israel at the age of 18 and was serving in the IDF when captured from his base close to the Gaza frontier during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack; he was 19 when abducted.

The International Committee of the Red Cross transferred Alexander, now 21, from Gaza to Israeli special forces in the enclave’s southern city of Khan Younis, and he has since crossed into Israeli territory.  Israeli security officials told ABC News that there would be a temporary pause in combat, airstrikes and aerial reconnaissance in the area of Gaza where Alexander was to be released. The pause was expected to last until Alexander crossed into Israeli territory, where “he will undergo an initial medical assessment and meet with his family,” according to the statement from the IDF.

Hamas confirmed the release of Alexander earlier in the day, with the militant group stating in a news release that the move was part of “the steps being taken to achieve a ceasefire, open the crossings, and allow aid” into the Gaza Strip, adding that “we urge the Trump administration to continue its efforts to end this brutal war.”

Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s envoy, confirmed that he had traveled to the region in anticipation of Alexander’s release. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday met with Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, per a readout from his office. Netanyahu also spoke with President Donald Trump, the statement said, with the Israeli leader thanking Trump for his assistance in securing Alexander’s release: “the prime minister discussed the last-ditch effort to implement the outline for the release of the hostages presented by Witkoff, before the escalation of the fighting. To this end, the prime minister instructed that a negotiating delegation be sent to Doha tomorrow. The prime minister clarified that the negotiations will only take place under fire.”

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