Politics

Eight men in U.S. detention have lost their final legal challenge to avoid deportation to South Sudan, a country facing ongoing human rights concerns. On Friday, Judge Brian Murphy of Boston denied the last-minute appeal following extensive legal activity throughout the day. The men have been held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti since late May, when courts halted an earlier deportation flight to South Sudan. The U.S. Supreme Court has twice ruled that the Trump administration could deport the men to countries outside their homelands, with its latest decision issued Thursday. The appeal, filed that night, argued that repeated deportation attempts to South Sudan were "impermissibly punitive," citing the U.S. Constitution's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment." The U.S. State Department advises American citizens to avoid South Sudan due to ongoing armed conflict and has previously accused the […]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced he and US President Donald Trump agreed to collaborate on strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities during a phone conversation Friday. The two leaders had a "very important and fruitful conversation," Zelenskyy stated, adding they "spoke about opportunities in air defence and agreed that we will work together to strengthen protection of our skies." According to Axios, citing an unidentified Ukrainian official and a source familiar with the call, Trump expressed willingness to help Ukraine with air defense following escalating Russian attacks. Zelenskyy said the discussion included joint defense production, purchases, and investments. He emphasized Ukraine's readiness for "direct projects with the United States," particularly regarding drones and related technologies, calling such cooperation "critically important for security." The conversation occurred one day after Trump's call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which the US president described as […]

President Donald Trump signed his major policy legislation into law Friday afternoon, one day after Congress narrowly approved the controversial measure. The White House signing ceremony, held during July 4th celebrations, implements significant portions of Trump's agenda including tax reductions, defense spending increases, and immigration enforcement measures. Trump celebrated the achievement at an Iowa rally Thursday night, promising supporters it would drive economic growth. However, he faces the challenge of convincing skeptical Americans, as polling indicates widespread disapproval of the legislation. Several Republicans opposed the bill due to concerns about rising national debt, while Democrats argued it favors wealthy Americans at the expense of lower-income citizens. The 870-page legislation includes several key provisions: extending Trump's 2017 tax cuts from his first presidency, significant reductions to Medicaid spending for low-income and disabled Americans, new tax exemptions for tipped income, overtime pay, […]

The US government will begin sending letters to countries detailing higher tariff rates that take effect on August 1st, President Donald Trump announced Thursday. Between 10 to 12 letters will be sent Friday, with additional notifications following over the coming days, Trump told reporters. The new import duties will range from "60% or 70% tariffs to 10 to 20% tariffs," with the upper limit exceeding previously outlined rates. Trump has established a July 9th deadline for negotiations over import tax rates as countries work to secure agreements. He previously indicated a baseline tariff of 10% on many economies with a maximum of 50%. The president did not specify which countries' goods would face the US taxes or whether rates would apply only to certain products. "My inclination is to send a letter out and say what tariff they're going to […]

Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives face a critical standoff over President Donald Trump's comprehensive tax and spending legislation, with several party members refusing to support the bill that has unanimous Democratic opposition. House debate continues following the bill's passage through its final procedural hurdle early Thursday morning in Washington, D.C. The final vote is anticipated within hours. The impasse surrounding the Trump administration's primary domestic policy initiative, known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill," extended into Thursday's early hours as Republican leadership worked intensively to convince holdouts ahead of the Friday, July 4 deadline. Trump criticized the dissenting Republicans on social media platforms. "For Republicans, this should be an easy yes vote. Ridiculous!" Trump posted on Truth Social. He added, "Largest Tax Cuts in History and a Booming Economy vs. Biggest Tax Increase in History, and a […]

President Donald Trump has renewed his call for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to resign, escalating tensions over the independence of the US central bank. Trump demanded Powell "resign immediately" on Wednesday following criticism from his administration's top housing regulator. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, posted on X that Powell should be investigated for "political bias" and "deceptive testimony" regarding renovations at the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC. Responding to Pulte's comments, Trump posted on Truth Social that "Too Late" – his nickname for Powell – should resign. This criticism follows Trump's letter to Powell demanding the central banker lower the benchmark interest rate, currently set at 4.25 to 4.5 percent, by "a lot." Trump has consistently criticized Powell for not supporting faster rate cuts, arguing that the Fed chair's cautious approach constrains economic growth […]

A federal court has determined that President Donald Trump exceeded his constitutional authority by suspending asylum claims at the US southern border as part of his immigration enforcement measures. US District Judge Randolph Moss ruled Wednesday that Trump's actions risked establishing a "presidentially decreed, alternative immigration system" outside congressional oversight. The 128-page decision challenged the administration's interpretation of executive power over immigration law. Upon taking office for his second term on January 20, Trump issued a proclamation citing the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to justify the asylum suspension. The president argued that his authority "necessarily includes the right to deny the physical entry of aliens into the United States and impose restrictions on access to portions of the immigration system." Judge Moss, appointed by former President Barack Obama, rejected this interpretation in his ruling. "Nothing in the INA or […]

The Pentagon has stated that recent U.S. military strikes against Iran have set back the country's nuclear program by one to two years, supporting President Donald Trump's assertions about the operation's effectiveness. Defense Department spokesperson Sean Parnell announced Wednesday that three targeted Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed during what he called a "bold operation." "We have degraded their programme by one to two years at least," Parnell told reporters. "Intel assessments inside the department assess that." Since B-2 stealth bombers conducted strikes on June 21, Trump has repeatedly defended the attacks against suggestions they failed to significantly damage Iran's nuclear capabilities. The president has maintained that Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated like nobody's ever seen before." However, conflicting assessments have emerged. An initial U.S. intelligence evaluation leaked to media outlets last month suggested the strikes only delayed Iran's nuclear work […]

President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with Vietnam that will impose a 20 percent tariff on Vietnamese exports, significantly lower than the previously threatened 46 percent levy. The deal, announced Wednesday on Truth Social, establishes a 20 percent tariff on Vietnamese goods and a 40 percent levy on transshipments from third countries through Vietnam. In exchange, Vietnam will accept US products with zero percent tariffs. "It is my Great Honor to announce that I have just made a Trade Deal with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam," Trump said after speaking with Vietnam's leader To Lam. This announcement comes days before Trump's July 9 deadline to resolve negotiations before implementing higher tariffs on most imports. Under his April plan, US importers of Vietnamese goods would have faced a 46 percent tariff. The Vietnamese government confirmed the countries agreed on a […]

The United States Department of Justice has charged two Chinese citizens with espionage and attempting to recruit assets within the country's military. According to Tuesday's statement, Yuance Chen, 38, and Liren "Ryan" Lai, 39, are accused of operating on behalf of China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country's foreign intelligence service. The defendants allegedly conducted various "clandestine intelligence taskings," including facilitating payments for national security information, gathering intelligence on Navy installations, and attempting to recruit MSS operatives. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated that the case "underscores the Chinese government's sustained and aggressive effort to infiltrate our military and undermine our national security from within." An FBI affidavit reveals that Lai was part of an MSS network designed to "travel more easily" between China and the US "to facilitate clandestine operations." Beginning around 2021, he developed Chen, a legal permanent […]