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The US Supreme Court appeared sympathetic Wednesday towards moves by President Donald Trump’s administration to strip humanitarian protections from hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants, part of his signature immigration crackdown. The justices heard arguments in the administration’s appeal of rulings by federal judges in New York and Washington, DC, halting its actions to terminate Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, previously provided by the US government to more than 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,100 from Syria. The legal dispute presents a test of Trump’s executive power and the Supreme Court’s traditional deference to presidents on matters of immigration, national security and foreign policy. The court last year let the administration end TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. US Solicitor General D John Sauer, arguing for the Trump administration, said the lawsuits challenging the TPS revocation are meritless and barred by federal law. The lawsuits before the Supreme Court “challenge the very kind of foreign policy-laden judgments that are traditionally entrusted to the political branches,” Sauer said. Revoking TPS and other humanitarian protections is part of Trump’s broader rollback of legal and illegal immigration since he returned to office in January 2025. In defending its actions on TPS, the administration has said such protections were always meant to be temporary. The United States first provided these protections to Haitians after a major earthquake in 2010 and to Syrians after their country descended into civil war in 2012. Under US law, TPS is a designation that allows migrants from countries stricken by war, natural disaster or other catastrophes to live and work in the United States while it is unsafe for them to return to their home countries. Ahilan Arulanantham, the lawyer representing the Syrian immigrants, said the administration’s position “contravenes the text, bedrock administrative law and common sense,” adding that “the government reads the statute like a blank check.” The administration has said it followed proper procedures, and has made the broader argument that courts cannot second-guess its TPS decisions in the first place, an assertion that if accepted by the court could doom challenges going forward. The law governing TPS “bars judicial review of both the (Department of Homeland Security) secretary’s ultimate decision, whether to designate, extend or terminate and of each antecedent step along the way to that determination,” Sauer told the justices. “That provision means what it says,” Sauer said, adding that “attempts to carve out exceptions to the review bar would eviscerate it.” The Trump administration has drawn parallels between the revocation of TPS and Trump’s travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries during his first term, which the Supreme Court declined to block in a 2018 decision known as Trump v. Hawaii. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the three liberal justices, said the administration’s position is at odds with the relevant federal statute and the US Constitution. “Congress could have said any termination of TPS status is unreviewable, but it didn’t,” Sotomayor said. The relevant statute may not allow a challenge to the “substantive conclusions” of whether TPS should be terminated, but it does seem to allow challenges to the procedural steps undertaken to get there, Sotomayor said. “What you are basically saying is Congress wrote a statute for no purpose,” Sotomayor said. Federal law, Sotomayor said, clearly “set forth procedural steps that had to be followed.” TPS recipients, until the termination, “are here lawfully with permission,” Sotomayor added. “They are entitled to due process, and now Congress has given them a process — it may not be a court process, but that’s okay, it’s a process — and you are saying it is unreviewable whether the president has followed that process.” The Supreme Court has granted the Republican president’s requests to immediately implement various hardline immigration policies while legal challenges continue to play out in courts. For instance, it let Trump deport immigrants to countries where they have no ties and let federal agents target people for deportation based in part on their race or language. The legal dispute could have wide implications, affecting 1.3 million immigrants from all 17 countries currently designated for TPS, according to the plaintiffs. Trump’s administration has sought to rescind the protections for 13 of those countries so far. Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked Sauer why Congress would have wanted to prohibit judicial review of TPS determinations. Sauer responded that revoking a TPS determination is “the sort of foreign policy-freighted decision that lies at the heartland” of the executive branch’s competence. “Those sort of determinations being second-guessed at the district courts – it’s almost like these district court judges (are) appointing themselves junior varsity secretaries of state,” Sauer said. Lower courts ruled against the TPS terminations, finding that administration officials failed to follow mandatory protocols to assess conditions in a country before revoking its designation. The Trump administration has argued that courts should not be second-guessing whether government agencies engaged in sufficient consultant with each other before terminating TPS. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito seemed to endorse that argument, saying “it is always going to be possible to raise procedural objections to what’s been done.” When TPS for Syrians was terminated, “there was some consultation,” Alito said. “It was very brief, and maybe it was not what one would hope for, but still.” At issue are actions taken last year by Kristi Noem, Trump’s former Department of Homeland Security secretary, to revoke the TPS designations for Syria and Haiti, stating that providing this status to them was contrary to US national interests. Related Story Source link
Artefacts recovered from the US following a repatriation operation are displayed during a presentation at the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, in Rome,…
When regional tensions escalated, students across Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City found themselves navigating uncertainty, disruption, and concern. For many students, the greatest difficulty came in the early days, when the future felt unclear and routines suddenly shifted. During this intense period, QF ensured to safeguard its community through clear communication and swift co-ordination, while ensuring academic continuity during a challenging period. Usama Aliyu, a PhD candidate in Genomics and Precision Medicine at QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), described the initial moments as “deeply unsettling”. He said: “The biggest challenge was the initial panic and not knowing what might happen next and how it could affect our academic life and safety.” Beyond personal concerns, Aliyu also carried responsibilities as a student leader, acting as a link between students and administrators. “I was supporting others, answering questions, and providing reassurance, often without having complete information myself. Being the bridge between students and management during such a tense period required composure, clarity, and emotional resilience.” With families of students watching events unfold from afar, Aliyu feels that studying abroad during a time of regional tension carries additional emotional responsibility. “My main concern was reassuring my family that we were safe, despite what they were seeing on international news. Balancing their concerns while staying focused on my studies required emotional strength, but the strong support system at QF made that much easier.” For Kareem Fanous, a final-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar, QF partner university, the uncertainty came at a particularly critical moment. “Being so close to graduation, there was constant concern about how the situation would evolve and impact the remainder of the semester,” he said. Fanous explains that logistical changes compounded these concerns. “Rapid transitions to online learning and multiple evacuations from student housing highlighted how unpredictable the situation was.” Despite these challenges, Fanous emphasised that Qatar Foundation’s response played a significant role in reducing anxiety and maintaining order, describing clear and frequent communication as “a recurring theme across student experiences”. Ameer Shamyl Ahmed, a Pakistani student completing his Master’s degree in Islam and Global Affairs at HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies this year, shared that the support he received went far beyond operational measures. Having lived in Qatar for two years, he noted that Student Housing at Education City demonstrated exceptional flexibility and care throughout the period. He also emphasised the value of community building efforts. “Initiatives such as creating gaming areas and organising small gatherings, including group Suhour and Iftar during Ramadan, offered moments of comfort and normalcy during a challenging time.” A similar sense of disruption was felt by Aya Abdelhamid, an Information Systems student at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar and a Class of 2026 graduate. Born and raised in Qatar, Abdelhamid had spent most of her life immersed in a vibrant campus and social environment. Abdelhamid echoed QF’s consistent presence throughout the transition. “What I really appreciated was how responsive QF was,” she said. “It never felt like we were left to figure things out on our own.” “Even beyond academics, just knowing there were support systems in place made a big difference during such an uncertain time,” she added. Related Story Source link
The State of Qatar affirmed that serious dialogue and adherence to the principles of international law and good neighbourliness are the fundamental pillars for resolving crises and avoiding their dangerous repercussions.This came in a statement delivered by Her Excellency Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, before the United Nations Security Council’s quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question at the UN headquarters in New York.Her Excellency noted that the Council meeting is being held amidst the current situation in the Arabian Gulf region, since Feb. 28, and the subsequent serious and multifaceted repercussions for it has on international peace and security.She reaffirmed Qatar’s condemnation of attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Qatar and Gulf states, as well as all violations targeting the national sovereignty of Qatar and the countries of the region, including attacks on residential areas, vital infrastructure, and energy facilities, which resulted in civilian casualties and material losses, constituting violations of international law and international humanitarian law.The UN Security Council Resolution 2817, submitted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and Jordan and backed by 136 countries, underscored strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of these states, Her Excellency said, adding that it also emphasized respect for navigational rights and freedoms in accordance with international law, particularly concerning vital maritime routes.Regarding developments in the Strait of Hormuz, HE Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN stressed the importance of ensuring security of maritime routes, freedom of navigation and international trade in line with international law. The Strait’s security is linked to global energy security and supply chains, calling for concerted efforts to guarantee freedom of navigation and the opening of maritime routes, as it has regional and international implications.She noted that Qatar welcomed the US-Iran ceasefire announcement on April 8, expressing appreciation for mediation efforts by Pakistan and other parties, and stressed the importance of full commitment to consolidating de-escalation and creating suitable conditions for dialogue.Regarding the occupied Palestinian territories, Qatar condemned the illegal Israeli occupation’s measures in the West Bank, including reclassifying Palestinian land as so-called Israeli “state land,” accelerating settlement activity, approving legislation allowing the death penalty, and restricting freedom of worship in occupied Jerusalem. It reaffirmed its support for a two-state solution based on international legitimacy, ensuring the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the necessity of ending the occupation, settlement activity, and all illegal Israeli practices in the occupied territory.Regarding the current situation in the Gaza Strip, Her Excellency explained that the State of Qatar emphasizes the necessity for all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and to open the crossings to ensure the sustainable and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid to the Strip. She affirmed Qatar’s full and unwavering commitment to the Peace Council since the inception of mediation efforts, up to and including the signing of the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement with partners. She also reiterated Qatar’s continued coordination of humanitarian efforts with partners in the United Nations and the Peace Council, supporting the recovery and reconstruction process and enhancing the prospects for sustainable peace.As for the situation in the Gaza Strip, Qatar stressed the need for full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the opening of crossings to ensure sustained and unhindered humanitarian aid, and reaffirmed its continued commitment to mediation efforts and coordination with UN partners to support recovery, reconstruction, and prospects for lasting peace. HE affirmed Qatar’s unwavering commitment to the Peace Council up to, and including, the signing of the Sharm El-Sheikh Agreement with partners.She also reiterated Qatar’s continued coordination of humanitarian efforts with partners in the United Nations and the Peace Council to support the reconstruction process and enhance the prospects for sustainable peace.Her Excellency stated that Qatar reaffirms its support for the sovereignty and unity of Syria, condemning Israeli attacks that violate international law, and affirmed its firm stance on the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Lebanon, expressing full solidarity with measures taken to preserve its security and stability.HE Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations also pointed out that Qatar welcomes the ceasefire as an initial step toward de-escalation and appreciates mediation efforts, including those by US President Donald Trump, stressing the need to uphold and build on the ceasefire. 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International organizations warned that the escalating hunger crisis in South Sudan will push 7.8 million people into high levels of acute food insecurity between April and July 2026.The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) stated in their latest Integrated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report that this figure represents 56 percent of the total population and is among the highest levels of acute food insecurity currently recorded globally.The report explained that 73,300 people are facing the “catastrophe” phase (Phase 5 of the IPC, the most severe level of acute food insecurity), adding that this figure represents a staggering 160 percent increase compared to previous estimates.It also noted that 2.5 million people are living in the “emergency” phase (Phase 4 of the IPC), while 5.3 million people are living in the “crisis” phase (Phase 3 of the IPC).The three UN agencies stated that this crisis is exacerbated by escalating conflicts, mass displacement, economic decline, climate shocks, flooding, and below-normal agricultural production levels, which contribute to reduced food availability and limit families’ ability to access sufficient food.The IPC report is a global initiative involving UN agencies, regional partners, and aid organizations. It classifies food insecurity into five phases, with famine being the most severe. Source link
Donald Trump’s picture will soon appear in some US passports, officials said Tuesday, shattering another norm as the president aggressively puts his personal stamp on government institutions. The State Department, following reports by Fox News and The Bulwark, confirmed it would offer a limited-edition passport to mark this year’s 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence. The articles included two images set to appear inside the passports, one of Trump’s official photo imposed over the Declaration of Independence, with his signature — in gold — underneath.The second showed a historic painting of the US Founding Fathers. “As the United States celebrates America’s 250th anniversary in July, the State Department is preparing to release a limited number of specially designed US passports to commemorate this historic occasion,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said on X, linking to the Fox News piece. Another State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Trump-themed passports would only be available in Washington “for as long as there is availability” and at no additional cost.It was not immediately clear if passport applicants could refuse the special edition. There are few modern precedents anywhere in the world, let alone in a democracy, of sitting leaders’ pictures appearing in passports, with most countries preferring to depict historical imagery or nature.Current US passports depict multiple scenes from the country’s history such as the Moon landing along with historic sites such as the Statue of Liberty. Since returning to office last year, Trump has slapped his name and image on government institutions in an unprecedented way. Several government buildings in the capital have put up banners of the president, while officials have added his name onto the Kennedy Center performing arts center and the dismantled US Institute of Peace.Last month the Treasury Department also said Trump’s signature would soon start appearing on the dollar, in another first. Britain and other Commonwealth countries feature on their currency the likeness of King Charles III, who is a head of state without direct involvement in politics. The king met with Trump on Tuesday during a state visit to Washington. Source link
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth will make his first testimony before Congress on the Mideast war Wednesday, as efforts to end the conflict stalled with the United States reportedly skeptical of Tehran’s latest offer to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.Iran has blockaded the waterway — a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments — since the start of the US-Israeli offensive two months ago, sending shockwaves through the global economy.US officials did not dispute accounts by CNN and The Wall Street Journal that US President Donald Trump was skeptical of the proposal. During a White House state dinner Tuesday, Trump told Britain’s King Charles III and other guests that Iran has been “militarily defeated.”He added that “Charles agrees with me even more than I do — we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”But an Iranian army spokesman told state TV on Tuesday that “we do not consider the war to be over,” saying Tehran had “no trust in America.””We have many cards that we have not yet used… new tools and methods of fighting based on the experiences of the past two wars, which will definitely allow us to respond to the enemy more decisively” should the fighting resume, Amir Akraminia said in an interview.Efforts to end the war have stalled in recent days, with Vice President JD Vance last week preparing to fly to Pakistan for new talks but then staying home.The latest Iranian proposal, passed along by Pakistan and studied by Trump administration officials in a meeting Monday, laid out red lines including on nuclear issues and Hormuz, according to Iran’s Fars news agency. The plan would reportedly see Tehran ease its chokehold on the strait and Washington lift its retaliatory blockade on Iranian ports while broader negotiations continue, including over the thorny question of Iran’s nuclear program. Source link
Militants and Tuareg separatists were advancing in northern Mali yesterday, three days after launching unprecedented attacks against the ruling junta, in what the government’s Russian allies said remained a “difficult” situation. The attacks were the largest in nearly 15 years and saw two former foes — insurgents and Tuareg separatists — join forces against the military junta and its Russian paramilitary backers, analysts say. Defence Minister Sadio Camara — seen as the mastermind behind the junta’s pivot to Russia — was killed in two days of fierce fighting between the army and Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) allied with the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM). Russia’s defence ministry said yesterday that the rebels, who have captured a key town in the mostly desert north, were “regrouping” and the situation “remains difficult”.The fighting saw “attempts made to seize key facilities in the capital, Bamako — first and foremost, the presidential palace”, the ministry said. It confirmed that mercenaries from Russia’s Africa Corps, controlled by the government in Moscow and sent to back up the Malian junta, had been forced to withdraw from the northern town of Kidal, now under the armed groups’ control. The Kremlin, separately, said it urgently wanted peace and stability in Mali, which has battled more than a decade of violence and other conflict.Abandoned and withdrawn The large-scale attacks at the weekend raise questions about the junta’s ability to tackle the armed groups, despite its insistence that its strategy, foreign partnerships and increased military efforts have stemmed the threat. The notable absence of Goita, who seized power in 2020 pledging to combat the militants, has prompted uncertainty about the future of the country’s military leaders.A Malian security source told AFP that Goita was not taking any risks for “security reasons”. “The military leadership is currently drawing lessons from the prevailing situation,” an elected official in Bamako said on condition of anonymity.In a sign of the high tensions in the west African nation, the army has abandoned several positions in the northern Gao region, local sources told AFP yesterday. Gao is the army’s second-largest military stronghold after Kati, a garrison town near Bamako which is home to several senior junta officials and was targeted in the weekend attacks.“The military have abandoned their position in Labbezanga, near the Niger border. They have withdrawn to Ansogo,” a local politician told AFP on condition of anonymity. As well as Kati, the simultaneous weekend attacks targeted the towns of Kidal and Gao in the north, and Sevare in the centre.Two loud blasts were heard late on Monday near the airport on the outskirts of Bamako, an AFP journalist said.The cause of the blasts could not immediately be identified. “It wasn’t an exchange of gunfire and the explosions were coming from the area of Base 101 at the airport,” a resident told AFP.Diversion? The attacks near the centres of Malian power have been seen by some analysts as a diversion to seize Kidal.Kidal, a pro-independence stronghold, was controlled by Tuareg rebel groups for years before being retaken in November 2023 in an army offensive, supported by Russian mercenaries from Africa Corps’ predecessor, the Wagner Group. Central Mali, where Mopti is located, was also targeted and the security situation remained unclear yesterday.The attacks are reminiscent of a crisis that rocked Mali in 2012, when Tuareg rebels joined forces with jihadists to capture strategic hubs in the vast, remote north. That offensive was repelled by forces from former colonial ruler France, who have since left the Sahel country.The alliance between the militants and Tuareg rebels eventually unravelled when they turned on each other and the jihadists drove the Tuareg separatists out.The latest attacks are the result of a new alliance forged a year ago.Although the two groups have different goals, according to experts, they are united against a common enemy — the military junta that has ruled since 2020 and its Russian paramilitary backers.A Source link
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attend a meeting at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library in Saint Petersburg, yesterday. (Reuters) Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday praised the Iranian people for battling to stay independent in the face of US and Israeli pressure and said Moscow would do all it could to help Tehran. Russia has offered to mediate to try to help restore calm to the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes, which Moscow has strongly condemned. It has also repeatedly offered to store Iran’s enriched uranium as a way of defusing tensions, a proposal spurned by the US. “We see how courageously and heroically the Iranian people are fighting for their independence and sovereignty,” Putin told Araghchi, saying he hoped they could get through what he called a “difficult period” and that peace would prevail. “For our part, we will do everything that serves your interests and the interests of all the peoples of the region to ensure that peace is achieved as quickly as possible,” said Putin.Putin received Araghchi in the presidential library in Russia’s former imperial capital St Petersburg as sources from mediator Pakistan said work had not halted to bridge gaps between the US and Iran. Putin said he received a message from Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, last week, and asked Araghchi to convey to him that Russia intended to continue its strategic partnership with Tehran. That 20-year agreement was sealed last year. Russia is building two new nuclear units at Bushehr — the site of Iran’s only nuclear power plant — and Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones for use against Ukraine, the production of which Moscow has since localised. Araghchi, who said he wanted to brief Putin on the situation around his country, thanked Putin for Moscow’s support.“It has also been proven to all that Iran has friends and allies, such as the Russian Federation, who stand by Iran precisely in difficult times,” he said.Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, said that Moscow wanted to see the US and Iran continue negotiations. There should be no return to military action, he added, something he said was not in anyone’s interests. Source…
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP party strengthened its position in parliament’s upper house after seven opposition lawmakers joined it, a parliamentary list showed yesterday, a shift that could ease the government’s passage of legislation. All seven defectors are from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by one of Modi’s most high-profile critics, Arvind Kejriwal. The party governs the northern state of Punjab and previously ran the national capital territory of Delhi. The defections leave the AAP with just three seats in the Rajya Sabha house, while Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party now has 113 members, 10 short of a simple majority in the 245-member chamber. Modi’s broader National Democratic Alliance coalition holds about 140 seats in the house, also known as the Council of States. Rajya Sabha members are elected for six-year terms by elected members of state legislatures and federal territories with legislatures, using a proportional representation system. Modi’s coalition rules 19 of India’s 28 states and two of its three federal territories with legislatures. The defectors include former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh and Raghav Chadha, the de facto leader of the group who gained prominence by raising middle-class concerns such as the high cost of food at airports.Chadha accused the party of being run by “corrupt and compromised” people. The AAP said the defectors were being opportunistic. All but one of the former AAP members were elected from Punjab, where state polls are due next year and Modi’s party has never won a majority on its own. Several other AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, have faced court cases over corruption allegations. A New Delhi court in February declined to proceed with a trial against Kejriwal and other party colleagues in one such case, which the AAP has described as politically motivated. The matter is now before a higher court. Source link