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Year: 2025

LA mayor announces curfew amid protests over Trump’s immigration crackdown

LA mayor announces curfew amid protests over Trump’s immigration crackdown

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has announced a curfew for part of the United States’s second-largest city amid protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The curfew applies to 1 square mile (2.6sq km) of the downtown area, and will be in effect from 8pm on Tuesday to 6am on Wednesday (03:00 GMT to 13:00 GMT Wednesday), Bass said. “Many businesses have now been affected or vandalised. Last night, there were 23 businesses that were looted, and I think if you drive through downtown LA, the graffiti is everywhere and has caused significant damages to businesses and a number of properties,” Bass told a news conference. “So my message to you is: If you do not live or work in downtown LA, avoid the area. Law enforcement will arrest individuals who break the curfew and you will be prosecuted.” Bass said she expected the curfew to remain in effect for several days, but stressed that the order only applied to a small portion of the city, which covers 502 square miles (1,300sq km). Advertisement “I think it is important to point this out, not to minimise the vandalism and violence that has taken place there – it has been significant – because it is extremely important to know that what is happening in this 1 square mile is not affecting the city,” Bass said. “Some of the imagery of the protests and the violence gives the appearance that this is a city-wide crisis, and it is not.” Bass’s order came as protests against the Trump administration’s raids on suspected undocumented migrants entered a fifth night in Los Angeles, and as demonstrations spread to dozens of other US cities, including New York, Chicago and Atlanta. Trump’s immigration crackdown and deployment of the National Guard and Marines against protesters have drawn condemnation from California officials, who have accused the president of abusing his authority and fanning tensions. In an address to Californians on Tuesday night, California Governor Gavin Newsom blasted Trump’s use of military force as a “brazen abuse of power”. “That’s when the downward spiral began. He doubled down on his dangerous National Guard deployment by fanning the flames even harder, and the president – he did it on purpose,” Newsom said. Newsom, who has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s deployment of troops against his wishes, said the president had unleashed a “military dragnet” targeting “dishwashers, gardeners, day labourers and seamstresses” rather than violent criminals. “That’s just weakness – weakness masquerading as strength. Donald Trump’s government isn’t protecting our communities, they’re traumatising communities, and that seems to be the entire point,” Newsom said. “California will keep fighting.” Advertisement “If some of us can be snatched off the streets without a warrant, based only on suspicion or skin colour, then none of us are safe,” he added. “Authoritarian regimes begin by targeting people who are least able to defend themselves. But they do not stop there.” Reporting from a vigil against the raids in Los Angeles, Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo said that protesters are rejecting the Trump administration’s characterisation of the raids as being aimed at violent criminals. “Many of the people we have spoken to here say that they are wrong – that they are working people who have come to this country to find a better life,” Bo said. “That’s why most of the people who are here are extremely angry, and they are demanding an end to the raids.” Bo said the activists she spoke to also stressed the need to keep the demonstrations peaceful. “This is something that we’ve been hearing over and over,” she said. “They say that the main reason they need to be peaceful is because violence gives Donald Trump an excuse to use the military, to the use National Guard on the streets of Los Angeles.” Earlier on Tuesday, Trump doubled down on his decision to mobilise troops against protesters amid growing condemnation. “Generations of army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our country be destroyed by invasion and third-world lawlessness here at home, like is happening in California,” Trump told US Army soldiers during a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. “As commander-in-chief, I will not let that happen. It’s never going to happen.” Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)

Police injured, houses burned in second night of riots in Northern Ireland

Police injured, houses burned in second night of riots in Northern Ireland

Rioters said to target ‘foreigners’ in Northern Ireland town following alleged sexual assault of local teenage girl. Hundreds of masked rioters have attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in Northern Ireland’s Ballymena in the second night of disorder described as “racially motivated” by police following a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town. Police said they were dealing with “serious disorder” on Tuesday night in the town, located about 45km (30 miles) from the capital Belfast, and urged people to avoid the area. Officers in riot gear and driving armoured vehicles responded with water cannon and firing plastic baton rounds after being attacked with Molotov cocktails, steel scaffolding poles and rocks that rioters gathered by knocking down nearby walls, the Reuters news agency reports. One house was burned out and rioters attempted to set a second home alight, according to reports, while several cars were set on fire. The Belfast Telegraph newspaper said that some residents in Ballymena have started to mark their front doors to indicate their nationality to avoid attack, while Irish media outlets report that a call has gone out for protests to be held in other towns and cities in Northern Ireland, currently part of the United Kingdom. Police vehicles are parked as flames rise during a second night of riots, in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, on June 10, 2025 [Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters] During earlier violence on Monday, four houses were damaged by fire and windows and doors were smashed in other homes and businesses, in what police said they are investigating as racially-motivated hate attacks. Advertisement “The terrible scenes of civil disorder we have witnessed in Ballymena again this evening have no place in Northern Ireland,” the UK’s Northern Ireland minister, Hilary Been, said in a post on social media. “There is absolutely no justification for attacks on PSNI [Police Service of Northern Ireland] officers or for vandalism directed at people’s homes or property,” he said. Unrest first erupted on Monday night after a vigil in a neighbourhood of Ballymena where an alleged sexual assault occurred on Saturday. The trouble began when people in masks “broke away from the vigil and began to build barricades, stockpiling missiles and attacking properties”, police said. Two teenage boys, charged by police with the attempted rape of a teenage girl, had appeared in court earlier in the day, where they had asked for a Romanian interpreter, local media reports said. Tensions in the town, which has a large migrant population, remained high throughout Tuesday, with residents describing the scenes as “terrifying” and telling reporters that those involved were targeting “foreigners”. “This violence was clearly racially motivated and targeted at our minority ethnic community and police,” Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it was investigating “hate attacks” on homes and businesses and that 15 officers were injured in the rioting on Monday, including some who required hospital treatment. Cornelia Albu, 52, a Romanian migrant and mother-of-two who lives opposite a house targeted in the attacks, said her family has been “very scared”. Advertisement “Last night, it was crazy, because too many people came here and tried to put the house on fire,” Albu, who works in a factory, told the AFP news agency. She said she would now have to move, but was worried she would not find another place to live because she was Romanian. Adblock test (Why?)

US journalist dropped by ABC over Trump administration ‘hater’ comment

US journalist dropped by ABC over Trump administration ‘hater’ comment

Veteran correspondent for the US broadcaster, Terry Moran, had called Trump aide Stephen Miller a ‘world-class hater’. Veteran journalist Terry Moran will not be returning to ABC News after he was suspended by the broadcaster for a social media post that called United States President Donald Trump and his deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller “world-class haters”. In a statement, the US network said on Tuesday that Moran’s quickly-deleted post on X was “a clear violation of ABC News policies”, the Associated Press news agency reports. It added that Moran’s contract was ending, and “based on his recent post… we have made the decision not to renew”. The post on Sunday night was primarily directed at Miller, whom Moran described as “the brains behind Trumpism”. “Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater,” Moran had said on X. Moran, who had recently interviewed Trump in his role as Senior National Correspondent for ABC News, also described the US President as a “world-class hater”, but said that in Trump’s case, it was only a “means to an end” of “his own glorification”. Advertisement In Miller’s case, however, Moran said, “his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate”. The Trump administration quickly condemned Moran’s post, with Vice President JD Vance describing it as an “absolutely vile smear of Stephen Miller”. Moran, 65, had worked at ABC News since 1997. He was a longtime co-anchor of “Nightline”, and covered the Supreme Court and national politics. During an interview with Trump that was broadcast a month ago, the president told Moran, “You’re not being very nice” in the midst of a contentious exchange about deportations. Trump aide Steven Cheung responded to Moran’s exit on Tuesday with a post on X, simply saying: “Talk s***, get hit.” Miller, meanwhile, has been focused on the Trump administration’s decision to send 4,000 National Guard soldiers and a Marine battalion to Los Angeles, amid anti-immigration enforcement protests in California’s capital city. In one post on X on Tuesday, Miller said that California has become a “criminal sanctuary for millions of illegal alien invaders” and that “huge swaths of the city where I was born now resemble failed third world nations.” The AP news agency reported that Moran’s contract with ABC had been due to expire on Friday, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Moran’s post also comes at what was already a sensitive time for ABC News. The network agreed to pay $15m towards Trump’s presidential library in December to settle a defamation lawsuit over George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate claim that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E Jean Carroll. Advertisement Moran leaves ABC as major television networks in the US struggle to retain audiences amid the soaring popularity of some podcasters and subscription-based newsletters. The shift has also been embraced by some journalists, such as Mehdi Hasan, who started his own media network in early 2024, after quitting MSNBC when it cancelled his show in late 2023. Adblock test (Why?)

Trump administration prevails as appeals court pauses lower court decision blocking contested tariffs

Trump administration prevails as appeals court pauses lower court decision blocking contested tariffs

President Trump’s tariffs will remain in effect for now after a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday to pause a lower court decision that had blocked them.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted the stay and scheduled an expedited review of the case, which centers on whether Trump exceeded his authority under federal law. The case involves challenges from five small businesses and a coalition of states who argue that President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs was unlawful.  TARIFF FIGHT ESCALATES AS TRUMP APPEALS SECOND COURT LOSS The U.S. Court of International Trade sided with the plaintiffs earlier this year, issuing an order to block the tariffs. That decision is now on hold pending further review. The Federal Circuit found that both sides raised substantial arguments and that a stay was appropriate under the legal standards used to evaluate such motions.  The court’s brief order noted that the stay was necessary to preserve the status quo while the appeal proceeds. The case will now be heard by the full bench of active judges in an en banc session, a rare move reserved for matters of exceptional legal significance. Oral arguments are scheduled for July 31 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 201 at the Federal Circuit courthouse in Washington, D.C. TRUMP TARIFF PLAN FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE AS COURT BATTLES INTENSIFY The Liberty Justice Center, which represents the five businesses, criticized the court’s decision to allow the tariffs to remain temporarily but welcomed the accelerated review. “We’re disappointed the federal circuit allowed the unlawful tariffs to remain in place temporarily,” said Jeffrey Schwab, Senior Counsel and Director of Litigation at the Liberty Justice Center.  “It’s important to note that every court to rule on the merits so far has found these tariffs unlawful, and we have faith that this court will likewise see what is plain as day: that IEEPA does not allow the president to impose whatever tax he wants whenever he wants. We are glad the federal circuit recognized the importance of this case, and agreed to hear it before the full court on an expedited schedule.” The full opinion can be read here. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP White House spokesman Kush Desai defended the Trump administration’s executive powers in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying it welcomed the US Circuit Court of Appeals’ stay order. “The Trump administration is legally using the powers granted to the executive branch by the Constitution and Congress to address our country’s national emergencies of persistent goods trade deficits and drug trafficking. The US Circuit Court of Appeals’ stay order is a welcome development, and we look forward to ultimately prevailing in court,” Desai said. 

Trump dances with soldiers at Fort Bragg as crowd erupts in patriotic ‘USA’ chants

Trump dances with soldiers at Fort Bragg as crowd erupts in patriotic ‘USA’ chants

President Donald Trump thrilled soldiers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Tuesday when he broke out his iconic dance moves. Trump gave a speech to attending soldiers commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary. After the speech, Trump began to acknowledge and thank the soldiers. Accompanying him walking out was his anthem, “Y.M.C.A.” by Village People. TRUMP WARNS ANY POTENTIAL PROTESTERS AT HIS MILITARY PARADE WILL BE ‘MET WITH VERY BIG FORCE’ As Trump began to walk the stage, the crowd cheered him on. Trump began to do his viral dance, getting even louder cheers from the crowd. He turned to head off the stage and acknowledged the soldiers who were sitting behind the stage. PRESIDENT TRUMP SUPPORTERS SING ‘GOD BLESS THE USA’ ON FLIGHT LEAVING INAUGURATION IN DC Trump then made a hugging motion with his arms and a gesture after to thank them. The crowd once again erupted, but this time, “USA” chants followed. The chants became more infectious as Trump continued to walk towards the exit of the stage. He stopped once more for the troops in front of the stage, pointing and raising his fist and saying, “thank you very much, thank you.” As Trump continued walking, two soldiers in the crowd were doing his viral dance, which appeared to catch the president’s attention. Trump turned and immediately began doing his dance as well. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump continued on after clapping, pointing and thanking the soldiers as the cheers continued to roar.

Trump admin approves waivers for 3 states to ban soda, other junk food from public food programs

Trump admin approves waivers for 3 states to ban soda, other junk food from public food programs

Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins signed waivers with three states on Tuesday, allowing them to prohibit participants of the government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from buying junk food, like soda and candy, through the social welfare program.  Arkansas, Idaho and Utah became the latest states to obtain waivers from the federal government to begin banning junk food within the federally administered, but state-operated, public assistance program that provides food stamps to low-income individuals.  The three states have become the latest to obtain waivers from the Trump administration that allow states to restrict what type of food SNAP funds are eligible to be used on.  Other mostly GOP-led states, like Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa, have also obtained waivers to reform their SNAP programs. Last month, during a Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event at the White House, Rollins indicated that several states were lining up to get the waivers. NEBRASKA BECOMES FIRST STATE APPROVED TO BAN SODA PURCHASES WITH FOOD STAMPS “Since my confirmation, [the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)] has encouraged states to think differently and creatively about how to solve the many health issues facing Americans,” Rollins said at a press conference announcing the new waivers Tuesday afternoon. “One way is disallowing taxpayer-funded benefits to purchase unhealthy items, like soda, candy and other junk food.” Tuesday’s waivers bring the total number of states that have moved to ban junk food from their SNAP programs to six. Rollins indicated several other states, including Colorado, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Florida and Louisiana, are also working through procedural steps in hopes of getting waivers approved. WEST VIRGINIA PASSES FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND LAW BANNING FOOD DYES AND PRESERVATIVES; GOV CITES MAHA MOVEMENT Texas, however, may not even need the waiver after its legislature passed Senate Bill 379 during the last week of its legislative session that ended on June 2. The new bill, which prohibits SNAP participants in the state from using the public assistance program to buy junk food, is expected to be signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, especially after he wrote a letter to Rollins in May seeking a USDA waiver. “The Trump Administration is unified in improving the health of our nation. America’s governors have proudly answered the call to innovate by improving nutrition programs, ensuring better choices while respecting the generosity of the American taxpayer,” Rollins added Tuesday. “Each waiver submitted by the states and signed is yet another step closer to fulfilling President [Donald] Trump’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.” On average, 42 million low-income Americans receive food-stamp assistance each month, according to the MAHA report released last month. It added that one-in-five American children under 17 receive SNAP benefits.