Foreign News Archives - Page 6 of 11

US Appeal Court Rules Against Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

July 24, 2025 by admin

A US appeals court on Wednesday ruled that President Donald Trump’s order restricting birthright citizenship was unconstitutional and backed the decision of a lower court to block the nationwide order. The order has been mired in legal back-and-forth for months, and is currently halted by a federal court amid multiple legal proceedings. The Supreme Court ruled last month that lone judges had likely exceeded their powers by issuing nationwide injunctions against a string of Trump’s policies, including his move to end birthright citizenship. Several district judges had blocked Trump’s attempt to end the longstanding rule, guaranteed in the US Constitution, that anyone born on US soil is automatically an American citizen. But the Ninth District Court of Appeals ruled that an injunction issued by a district judge based in Seattle was not a case of judicial overreach. “We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in issuing a universal injunction in order to give the States complete relief,” Judge Ronald Gould wrote. According to Gould’s ruling, limiting an injunction to the state level would be as ineffective as not blocking the order at all, because of complications that could arise if people move between states with different citizenship rules. The appeals court also concluded that Trump’s birthright order went against the wording of the US Constitution. “The district court correctly concluded that the Executive Order’s proposed interpretation, denying citizenship to many persons born in the United States, is unconstitutional. We fully agree,” Gould wrote. Trump’s executive order decrees that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become citizens — a radical reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. The current Supreme Court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, avoided ruling last month on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order and only addressed the issue of nationwide injunctions, which was nevertheless claimed by Trump as a “giant win.” The Supreme Court also left open the possibility that executive orders could be blocked via broad class-action lawsuits against the government. A federal judge earlier this month granted class-action status to any child who would potentially be denied citizenship under Trump’s order, and issued a preliminary halt to it as legal proceedings carry on. AFP

Outrage As French Archbishop Promotes Catholic Priest Convicted Of Rape

July 13, 2025 by admin

A French archbishop’s decision to promote a priest who was sentenced to jail for raping a teenage boy has drawn new condemnation of the Roman Catholic Church for its record on sex abuse. Victim support groups and traditionalists have expressed outrage over the case of Dominique Spina, who was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old boy in 2006 and sentenced to five years in prison. The archbishop of Toulouse, Guy de Kerimel, set off the controversy in June when he named Spina as diocesan chancellor, putting him in charge of archives. The canonical code lays down that the chancellor must be “of honest reputation and above all suspicion”. Kerimel said he had acted out of “mercy” in making the appointment and that he had “nothing to reproach” the priest for in an “administrative function”. In a statement released Thursday in the face of mounting protests, Kerimel acknowledged the “incomprehension” and “questions” among Catholics but said again that without “mercy” Spina risked a “social death”. “This is in no way about downplaying a crime” and the victim must be “ “recognised and helped”, he insisted. Because of the sensitivity of the topic, Catholic leaders have been reluctant to speak publicly, but one bishop told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that the appointment was “a great shame” for the Church. “A priest convicted of serious sexual acts cannot hold a position of responsibility again. We should be able to say that,” the bishop added. In a joint statement, several groups of victims of sexual abuse in Catholic schools expressed their “deep indignation” and “anger” at the appointment. The Catholic media has also lambasted the appointment. La Croix, a Catholic daily newspaper, said that “the principle of mercy cannot be used as a hasty justification”. The traditionalist website Riposte Catholique called the appointment “unjustifiable” and said the Vatican should intervene. “Compassion does not consist of rehabilitating a condemned man to a canonical position,” commented the christian website Tribune Chretienne, known for its conservative line. France’s Catholic Church is already reeling from several sexual scandals in schools it runs and accusations of longtime sexual abuse made against Abbe Pierre, once an icon of the defence of the poor who died in 2007. The Church has set up two commissions on acknowledging and compensating for the widespread abuses uncovered by an independent inquiry released in 2021. Punch

US Urges China To Stop Iran From Shutting Key Trade Route

June 23, 2025 by admin

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, urged China on Sunday to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route, following American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. “I encourage the Chinese government in Beijing to call them about that because they heavily depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil,” Rubio said on Fox News. Analysts have said Iran may opt to retaliate to Washington’s early Sunday attack by shutting the Strait, a waterway through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. “If they do that, it will be another terrible mistake. It’s economic suicide for them if they do it, and we retain options to deal with that,” Rubio added. “But other countries should be looking at that as well, it would hurt other countries’ economies a lot worse than ours. It would be, I think, a massive escalation that would merit a response. Not just by us but from others,” he said. Meanwhile, Iran has threatened bases used by the US military, with an advisor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei saying they will be considered a “legitimate target for our armed forces.” However, it remains to be seen whether the US strikes will push Tehran to de-escalate the conflict or to widen it further. China has joined Russia and a chorus of Arab states in condemning the US attacks, saying that they “escalate tensions in the Middle East.” AFP

Chinese Student Jailed For Life In UK For Drugging, Raping 10 Women

June 20, 2025 by admin

A Chinese post-graduate student convicted of drugging and raping 10 women in the UK and China and suspected of having attacked more was on Thursday jailed for life by a London court. Police in London say they have evidence to suggest he may have targeted more than 50 other women. Serial rapist Zhenhao Zou, 28 — described in court as “calculated and predatory” — targeted young Chinese women whom he invited to his London flat for drinks or to study before drugging and attacking them. Zou filmed nine of the rapes with hidden or handheld cameras, but only three of the 10 victims have ever been identified. Sentencing him at Inner London Crown Court, Judge Rosina Cottage said there was “no doubt that you planned and executed a campaign of rape” that had caused “devastating and long term effects”. To the world he appeared “well to do, ambitious and charming” but this was a mask hiding a “sexual predator”, she said. He treated his victims “callously” as “sex toys” for his own gratification, and his desire to assert “power and control over women” meant that he would be a “risk for an indefinite period”, she added. Zou, wearing a dark suit and glasses, listened impassively in the dock to the sentence via a translator. He will serve a minimum of 22 years in jail, after accounting for time already spent in custody. The former engineering student at University College London was found guilty by a jury in March of 28 offences including 11 counts of rape — with two of the counts relating to one woman — three counts of voyeurism and one of false imprisonment. He was found guilty of raping three women in London and seven in China between 2019 and 2023. He was also convicted of three counts of possessing butanediol — an industrial solvent — with intent to commit a sexual offence and 10 counts of possession of an extreme pornographic image. – ‘Prolific’ rapist – Victims told the sentencing hearing in impact statements of the psychological damage they suffered including nightmares, self harm and a sense of despair and isolation. One recalled “wandering like a trapped animal trying to find an exit” after she was attacked. “What happened that night is etched into my soul forever,” she said, adding that Zou’s family was “very powerful in China” and she feared he would “seek revenge”. After the sentence, Saira Pike of the Crown Prosecution Service described Zou as a “serial rapist and a danger to women”. “His life sentence reflects the heinous acts and harm he caused to women and the danger he posed to society.” Analysis of footage and web chats showed the former student’s “meticulous planning and the horrifying execution of his crimes”. And Pike paid tribute to the “courageous women” who came forward to report his “horrific crimes” and whose evidence — combined with his own videos — helped secure his conviction and life sentence. Since he was convicted, and following an international appeal by UK police, some 24 women had come forward to say they might have been sexually assaulted by Zou. London’s Met police have said they have evidence to suggest he may have targeted more than 50 other women and urged possible victims to come forward, adding that he had also studied in Belfast in Northern Ireland in 2017. “Our investigation remains open and we continue to appeal to anyone who may think they have been a victim of Zou,” said Commander Kevin Southworth of the Metropolitan Police. “Please come forward and speak with our team -– we will treat you with empathy, kindness and respect.” AFP

Trump Extends Deadline For TikTok Sale By 90 Days

June 19, 2025 by admin

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he had given social media platform, TikTok another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. “I’ve just signed the Executive Order extending the deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025),” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, putting off the ban for the third time. A federal law requiring TikTok’s sale or ban on national security grounds was due to take effect the day before Trump’s January inauguration. The Republican, whose 2024 election campaign relied heavily on social media, has previously said he is fond of the video-sharing app. “I have a little warm spot in my heart for TikTok,” Trump said in an NBC News interview in early May. “If it needs an extension, I would be willing to give it an extension.” TikTok on Thursday welcomed Trump’s decision. “We are grateful for President Trump’s leadership and support in ensuring that TikTok continues to be available for more than 170 million American users,” said a statement issued by the platform. – Digital Cold War? – Trump said in May that a group of purchasers was ready to pay TikTok owner ByteDance “a lot of money” for the video-clip-sharing sensation’s US operations. Trump has repeatedly downplayed risks that TikTok is in danger, saying he remains confident of finding a buyer for the app’s US business. The White House had announced Monday that Trump would throw the wildly popular video-sharing app, which has almost two billion global users, another lifeline. During this new grace period the administration will work “to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure,” the administration said in a statement. The president is “just not motivated to do anything about TikTok,” said independent analyst Rob Enderle. “Unless they get on his bad side, TikTok is probably going to be in pretty good shape.” Trump had long supported a ban or divestment, but reversed his position and vowed to defend the platform after coming to believe it helped him win young voters’ support in the November election. Motivated by national security fears and a belief in Washington that TikTok is controlled by the Chinese government, the ban took effect on January 19, one day before Trump’s inauguration, with ByteDance having made no attempt to find a suitor. TikTok “has become a symbol of the US-China tech rivalry; a flashpoint in the new Cold War for digital control,” said Shweta Singh, an assistant professor of information systems at Warwick Business School in Britain. The president announced an initial 75-day delay of the ban upon taking office. A second extension pushed the deadline to June 19. Now the deadline is September 17. – Tariff turmoil – Trump said in April that China would have agreed to a deal on the sale of TikTok if it were not for a dispute over his tariffs on Beijing. ByteDance has confirmed talks with the US government, saying key matters needed to be resolved and that any deal would be “subject to approval under Chinese law.” Possible solutions reportedly include seeing existing US investors in ByteDance roll over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company. Additional US investors, including Oracle and private equity firm Blackstone, would be brought on to reduce ByteDance’s share in the new TikTok. Much of TikTok’s US activity is already housed on Oracle servers, and the company’s chairman, Larry Ellison, is a longtime Trump ally. Uncertainty remains, particularly over what would happen to TikTok’s valuable algorithm. “TikTok without its algorithm is like Harry Potter without his wand — it’s simply not as powerful,” said Forrester Principal Analyst Kelsey Chickering. Despite the turmoil, TikTok has continued with business as usual. The platform on Monday introduced a new “Symphony” suite of generative artificial intelligence tools for advertisers to turn words or photos into video snippets for the platform. AFP

US Embassy In Tel Aviv Damaged By Iranian Missile Strike

June 16, 2025 by admin

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, on Monday said an embassy building in Tel Aviv sustained minor damage from a nearby Iranian missile strike, reporting no injuries to US personnel. Iran unleashed a barrage of missiles on Israeli cities early Monday, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation. AFP images showed gutted buildings in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv, after Israel’s army warned people to take cover from incoming Iranian missiles. “Some minor damage from concussions of Iranian missile hits near Embassy Branch in @TelAviv but no injuries to US personnel,” Huckabee said on X. He said the US embassy in Jerusalem would remain closed on Monday as orders to “shelter in place (are still in effect. After decades of enmity and proxy wars, Israel’s assault on Iran last week has touched off the most intense fighting yet and triggered fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East. Israel says its attacks have hit military and nuclear facilities and killed many top commanders and atomic scientists. But a senior US official said Sunday that US President Donald Trump told Israel to back down from a plan to kill supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump has urged the foes to “make a deal”, but told reporters Sunday that “sometimes they have to fight it out” first. AFP

Trump Says US Could Get Involved In Iran-Israel Conflict

June 15, 2025 by admin

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday said it is possible that the US could become involved in the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. The Republican president, according to ABC News, also said talks over Iran’s nuclear programme were continuing and that Tehran would “like to make a deal,” perhaps more quickly now that the Islamic republic is trading massive strikes with Israel. “It’s possible we could get involved” in the ongoing battle between the Middle East arch-foes, Trump said in an off-camera interview with ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott that was not previously publicised. Trump also revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to mediate the conflict. “He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it,” Trump said. The remarks came amid a dramatic escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran. Early Sunday, Iran launched a barrage of missile strikes on Israeli cities, including Bat Yam and Tamra, in response to Israeli attacks that reportedly targeted key Iranian nuclear, military, and oil sites. The strikes have led to significant casualties, including several Iranian generals and multiple Israeli civilians. In Tamra, four people, including a child, were confirmed dead following the overnight missile attack. In Bat Yam, rescue teams continued to search through rubble for survivors. The confrontation marks the third consecutive day of mutual aerial bombardments between the two longtime adversaries. Trump also addressed ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning Iran’s nuclear programme. Despite the cancellation of a planned sixth round of US-Iran talks in Oman, he stated that communication between the two nations is continuing. “There’s no deadline,” Trump said when asked about a timeframe for reaching a deal. “But they are talking. They’d like to make a deal. They’re talking. They continue to talk,” he said according to Scott. Trump suggested that the intensifying military conflict might accelerate progress toward a nuclear agreement. “It may have forced a deal to go quicker, actually,” he said.

EU Extends Protection For Ukrainian Refugees Until 2027

June 13, 2025 by admin

EU countries on Friday approved a one-year extension of the temporary protection offered to Ukrainian refugees fleeing Russia’s war, allowing them to stay in the bloc until March 2027. Some 4.3 million Ukrainians are registered as refugees across the European Union, with Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic hosting the largest communities. “While Russia continues to terrorise Ukrainian civilians with indiscriminate air strikes, the EU continues to show its solidarity,” said Tomasz Siemoniak, the Interior Minister of Poland, which holds the European Union’s rotating presidency. “We will continue to offer protection for millions of Ukrainian refugees for another year.” The 27-nation bloc granted Ukrainians temporary protection in the weeks after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. After several roll-overs, the measure was set to expire next March — but it will now be extended until March 4, 2027. The move, proposed by the European Commission last week, was backed by the European Council representing member states during a meeting of interior ministers in Luxembourg on Friday with “unanimous support,” the council said. Ministers also started debating preparations for an end to the system — which is expected to see some Ukrainians return to their country, while others could seek the right to stay on in the bloc. “The Polish presidency also initiated discussion on a strategy to phase out temporary protection once a just peace is achieved,” said Siemoniak. “In the near future, we will work towards common, EU-wide solutions in this area, including in the context of returns to Ukraine.” People benefiting from temporary protection enjoy the same rights across the EU, including a residence permit, access to the labour market and housing, medical assistance, social welfare and access to education. EU states welcomed millions of Ukrainians with open arms in the early stages of the conflict, but there are signs of patience wearing thin in some countries — with peace efforts stuttering as the conflict drags into its fourth year. Poland — a staunch supporter of Kyiv throughout the war and host to one million Ukrainian refugees — recently elected a president who wants to cut back their benefits. And Germany — the largest single host with almost 1.2 million Ukrainian refugees — is also considering curbing benefits, as the national mood has hardened on immigration. Last week the commission said it was putting in place “an exit strategy,” stressing temporary protection was by definition temporary. AFP

Trump Unveils Website For $5m US Residency Visa

June 12, 2025 by admin

President Donald Trump touted a new website for his planned $5 million US residency permit on Wednesday, saying the waiting list for the golden visa has opened on TrumpCard.gov. “Thousands have been calling and asking how they can sign up to ride a beautiful road in gaining access to the Greatest Country and Market anywhere in the World,” Trump wrote in a social media post. Trump unveiled the first such visa aboard Air Force One in April, holding a golden prototype that bore his face and promising the special permit would probably be available “in less than two weeks.” The visas are not available yet, but the website announced Wednesday allows interested parties to submit their name, desired visa and email address under a header that says “The Trump Card is Coming.” Trump previously said the new visa, a high-price version of the traditional green card, would bring in job creators and could be used to reduce the US national deficit. The announcement comes as deportation raids are being ramped up across the country, prompting protests, and as Trump’s administration faces ongoing lawsuits and accusations of rights violations over its anti-immigration blitz. Trump has said the new card would be a route to highly prized US citizenship. He said in February that his administration hoped to sell “maybe a million” of the cards and did not rule out that Russian oligarchs may be eligible. AFP

Trump Unveils $1,000 Investment Accounts For Newborn Americans

June 10, 2025 by admin

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a policy proposal under his new legislative push—a $1,000 investment account for every American child born between 2025 and 2028. According to Daily Mail, the initiative, dubbed “Trump Accounts,” will be given to every US citizen born after December 31, 2024, and before January 1, 2029. Republicans reportedly changed the name of the programme from ‘MAGA accounts’ to ‘Trump accounts’ before the bill passed the House last month. The government’s $1,000 contribution would reportedly be placed in an index fund tied to the stock market and managed by the child’s legal guardians. Speaking at the White House on Monday, the president said the accounts “will make it possible for countless American children to have a strong start in life at no cost to the American taxpayer, absolutely no cost. It’s going to have a huge impact.” Trump called the accounts a “pro-family” initiative as he works to rally senators to support his proposed legislation. “It is a pro family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation, and they’ll really be getting a big jump on life, especially if we get a little bit lucky with some of the numbers and the economies,” he noted. The accounts will reportedly be accessible for additional financial contributions throughout the child’s life from family, friends, parents, employers, or other entities, while the recipient of the account could access some of the money when they turn 18 for things like education, training or a first-time home purchase, with full access granted at age 30. The Trump accounts will reportedly be funded by contributions from private businesses and the heads of Dell, Uber, Altimeter Capital, ARM Corp, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Robinhood and Goldman Sachs were said to have joined the president for the announcement. Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell Technologies said his company would “match the government’s contributions, dollar for dollar for every child born to a Dell team member.” “This is investment in our people, their families, our communities and America’s future, and it embodies our core belief that opportunity should begin at birth,” Dell was quoted as saying. Democrats are reportedly critical of the legislation, which they say will remove millions from Medicaid and add billions to the federal deficit. Some Republican senators, especially those who represent states with large rural areas, also have expressed concern about the cuts to Medicaid. The Senate can still amend the bill, which, if that happens, it would need to be re-approved by the House before it could go to Trump for his signature, the report noted. The president has also stated his hopes to have the bill on his desk by July 4. Punch