US Supreme Court clears extradition of 26/11 Mumbai-attack convict Tahawwur Rana to India
The extradition of Tahawwur Rana, convicted in connection with the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, to India., has been approved by the US Supreme Court.
Mahakumbh Mela 2025: Fire breaks out in two parked vehicles near mela venue in Prayagraj
A fire broke out in two parked vehicles in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj on the main road leading to Mahakumbh Mela on Saturday morning.
‘Mysterious disease’ claims 17 lives in J-K’s Rajouri; all you need to know
To tackle the situation, the government’s health department has provided five child specialists and five anaesthesia specialists to GMC Rajouri.
US President Trump threatens to abolish FEMA during tour of North Carolina
United States President Donald Trump has attacked the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, threatening to dismantle the organisation altogether. In a visit to hurricane-ravaged North Carolina on Friday, Trump announced he would sign an executive order “to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA — or maybe getting rid of FEMA”. In place of the agency, the Republican suggested shifting the burden of disaster management to states. “ When there’s a problem with the state, I think that that problem should be taken care of by the state,” Trump said during Friday’s news conference. “That’s what we have states for. They take care of problems. And a governor can handle something very quickly, you know?” Trump was hazy about the timeline for his proposed changes to FEMA, despite repeated questions from reporters. But Friday’s remarks continue a track record of attacks on the agency, as well as his predecessor, former Democratic President Joe Biden, in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Advertisement On September 26, the powerful Category-4 storm struck the Big Bend region of Florida. But even after it made landfall, it continued to plough north, wreaking destruction on parts of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. A total of more than 200 people were killed, as the hurricane brought record rainfall, flooding and tornadoes, leaving places like Asheville, North Carolina, flattened. North Carolina was one of seven key swing states in the 2024 election that Trump eventually won. As he campaigned in the days and weeks after the disaster, Trump spread misinformation about the Biden-led disaster response, including that federal relief workers had refused to serve Republican residents — a false assertion. FEMA later reported that threats had been made to its staff, hampering a door-to-door wellness check operation in western North Carolina. And then-President Biden denounced the misinformation as “un-American”. “Former President Trump has led this onslaught of lies,” he said in October. But Trump has continued to hammer home his assertions that the disaster response in North Carolina was inadequate at best, including with a reference in his inaugural speech on Monday. On Friday, he once again launched into criticisms of both FEMA and Biden, blaming them both for the slow pace of recovery. “ FEMA is been a very big disappointment. And they cost a tremendous amount of money. It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow,” Trump said at one point. At another, he lashed out at his Democratic predecessor: “Biden did a bad job. Some residents don’t have hot water, drinking water or anything else. Many of them don’t have quarters. They don’t have anything.” Advertisement He also teased his trip later in the day to southern California, where wildfires continue to destroy areas in and around Los Angeles, amid unseasonably dry conditions. He emphasised that he would place conditions on disaster aid to the Democrat-led state, including that California implements a voter-identification law. While Trump has said such measures are necessary to prevent voter fraud — a favourite talking point — critics argue they can raise barriers for US citizens who might be eligible to vote but cannot afford or access ID cards. On the roadside, as Trump’s motorcade passed through western North Carolina, a small group of demonstrators had gathered to protest the president’s repeal of climate-change policies. They pointed out that the climate crisis is credited with exacerbating extreme weather events, like hurricanes and fires. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Fear is the point’: Immigrant rights groups brace for fight against Trump
Washington, DC – Immigrant rights groups have said they are digging in their heels and preparing for a protracted fight as the blueprint for United States President Donald Trump’s vast immigration crackdown takes shape. In a series of rapid-fire orders during his first week in office, Trump has sought to overhaul nearly every aspect of US immigration. He rescinded guidance limiting where immigration raids can take place, cancelled asylum claims at the southern border and grounded refugees already approved for entry into the US, as part of a wider suspension of the US refugee programme. Though widespread arrests have yet to materialise, immigration rights advocates on Friday said Trump has already caused mayhem for those seeking refuge in the US and sent a chill among immigrant communities already in the country. “Costly, cruel and chaotic are the words that characterise the wave of extreme policies that the Trump administration has unleashed in its efforts to purge immigrants from our country,” Vanessa Cardenas, the executive director of the advocacy group America’s Voice, said during a call with reporters. Advertisement “The chaos and fear is the point.” ‘Unprecedented powers’ After a campaign defined by dehumanising rhetoric about migrants and asylum seekers, Trump took his second oath of office on Monday, pledging immediate changes to the US immigration system. His administration has already issued over a dozen executive orders and policy changes establishing hardline policies. On Friday’s call with reporters, Nayna Gupta, the policy director for the American Immigration Council, said Trump’s actions reveal ambitions beyond his stated desire to arrest immigrants with criminal records. “What Trump’s orders make clear is that they are outlining immediate actions to hurt all immigrants: the 13 million undocumented people with years of life in the US, people with lawful protections, asylum seekers, those with non-immigrant visas already in our country, and those seeking to immigrate here legally,” she said. She said many of the administration’s early actions “invoke unprecedented powers”. Several have already been challenged in court, with more legal action expected. The policy changes have been vast. For undocumented immigrants already in the US, Trump is poised to increase deportations through expedited removals and increased cooperation with local law enforcement. His Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also removed a decade-old policy prohibiting immigration arrests at “sensitive” locations including schools, hospitals and churches. His Department of Justice, meanwhile, has ordered federal prosecutors to investigate local officials who obstruct immigration enforcement. Advertisement On Friday, US media reported Trump’s DHS has also given its agents power to remove individuals legally admitted into the country under former President Joe Biden’s humanitarian parole programme. Nationals from four countries — Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — would be affected. Meanwhile, those seeking safety at the US’s southern border face new obstacles under Trump. As one of his first moves in office, Trump declared a national emergency at the border and deployed troops there. The president also suspended asylum processing and cancelled the Customs and Border Protection agency’s CBP One app, used to schedule asylum appointments. An estimated 270,000 individuals who had used CBP One saw their meetings annulled this week, despite waiting for weeks, if not months, for their appointments in Mexico. Trump’s administration has also grounded refugees who have undergone lengthy security vetting and pre-approval for relocation, ahead of a 90-day suspension of the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), set to begin on Monday. ‘Utter propaganda’ While Trump had undertaken similar efforts during his first term from 2017, Gupta of the American Immigration Council said the first days of Trump’s second term have revealed an “even more premeditated and thought-out blueprint for how to upend the US immigration system”. Gupta added that Trump and his advisers “clearly have an understanding of where there are openings” in current US law to test the limits of the issue. Advertisement Many community advocates say they are bracing for the “mass deportation” campaign Trump officials have promised in media interviews in the coming days. One raid in Newark, New Jersey, has already attracted nationwide attention. On Friday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had entered a local business without a warrant one day prior. He accused them of detaining both undocumented individuals and US citizens and called the incident an “egregious act” in “plain violation” of the US Constitution. “I was appalled, upset, angry that this would happen here in this state, in this country,” Baraka said. The raid appears to be a departure from the policies of the Biden administration, which had placed a moratorium on workplace immigration enforcement. In its last official update on Thursday, ICE said it had made 538 arrests during the first four days of the Trump administration. The agency averaged about 310 arrests a day in 2024 under the Biden administration. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also posted on social media that “deportation flights have begun”, with photos showing a line of people boarding a military aircraft. Critics, however, noted that deportation flights were weekly occurrences under the Biden administration, with the only change under Trump being the use of military planes. In a response on the social media platform X, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, called the post “utter propaganda”. Another immigration activist, Thomas Cartwright, called it “theater of the absurd”. Advertisement Prolonged fight While advocates continue to monitor how Trump’s early orders will be carried out, the battle over their legality has already begun in the courts. An early victory came on Thursday, when a federal judge deemed Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship unconstitutional, blocking its implementation. Legal challenges have also been filed against Trump’s move to expand expedited removals and his cancellation of appointments scheduled via the CBP One app. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Karen Tumlin, the director of the Justice Action Center, predicted further challenges in the days ahead. She explained that Trump’s military deployment to the southern border, the policy change on “sensitive” locations, and his order to end
US suspends new funds for aid programmes, excepting Israel and Egypt
Trump administration freezes new funding for anti-HIV programme and other health services, excepts key food programmes. The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced a freeze on almost all new funding for foreign assistance programmes, with exceptions for allies Israel and Egypt. The order from the US State Department on Friday also includes exceptions for emergency food programmes, but not health programmes that supporters say provide vital, life-saving services. In an accompanying memo, newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed senior officials to “ensure that, to the maximum extent permitted by law, no new obligations shall be made for foreign assistance”. Humanitarian organisations immediately expressed alarm at the directive, voicing fears that it could contribute to global instability and loss of life. “By suspending foreign development assistance, the Trump administration is threatening the lives and futures of communities in crisis, and abandoning the United States’ long-held bipartisan approach to foreign assistance which supports people based on need, regardless of politics,” Abby Maxman, head of Oxfam America, said in a statement. Advertisement The temporary freeze is slated to last for a period of at least three months. In the first 85 days, Rubio is expected to make “decisions whether to continue, modify, or terminate programs”, according to the memo. Among the health programmes expected to experience a funding freeze is the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR. Established in 2003 under the administration of George W Bush, PEPFAR enjoyed broad bipartisan support for two decades, until Congress missed a deadline to renew its funding in 2023. Its funding got a one-year extension through March 2025, but that is set to expire within the three-month window. Experts estimate that PEPFAR has helped save as many as 25 million lives since it was first started. Left untouched by the freeze is aid for Israel and Egypt, two of the largest recipients of US military assistance. Both countries have faced scrutiny over their human rights records and calls to leverage US aid in exchange for substantial reforms. Friday’s memo made special mention of waivers for “foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative expenses, including salaries, necessary to administer foreign military financing”. There was no indication of a similar exemption for Ukraine, which largely relies on US weapons assistance in its fight to repel a Russian full-scale invasion launched in February 2022. The US spent more than $60bn in foreign assistance in 2023, more than any other country overall. Advertisement But that sum accounts for about 1 percent of US government spending. In the aftermath of Friday’s memo, some aid projects around the world received work-stop orders. “This is lunacy,” said Jeremy Konyndyk, a former official for the US Agency for International Development (USAID). He shared with the Reuters news agency his outrage. “This will kill people. I mean, if implemented as written in that cable … a lot of people will die.” Adblock test (Why?)
Kristi Noem beats Senate confirmation hurdle, advancing to final vote for DHS role
The nomination of Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., to be the next Homeland Security secretary defeated a key hurdle in the confirmation process on Friday night, advancing to a final vote later this weekend. Her confirmation vote is expected to take place early Sunday morning. PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE If confirmed, Noem will become the fourth of President Donald Trump’s picks to be advanced out of the Senate, behind Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and incoming Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Votes that are expected soon after Noem’s are those for Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent, followed by Transportation Secretary pick Sean Duffy. MODERATE REPUBLICAN MURKOWSKI WON’T BACK TRUMP PICK HEGSETH FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY The South Dakota governor is expected to receive bipartisan support for her confirmation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Her nomination advanced out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) by a vote of 13-2. Only two Democrats voted against her. TIM SCOTT EMPHASIZES ‘RESULTS’ OVER RECONCILIATION PROCESS AS HE STAYS OUT OF DEBATE “I was the first Governor to send National Guard troops to Texas when they were being overwhelmed by an unprecedented border crisis,” Noem told the committee during her confirmation hearing last week. “If confirmed as Secretary, I will ensure that our exceptional, extraordinary border patrol agents have all the tools and resources and support they need to carry out their mission effectively.”
Trump reinstates Mexico City Policy, separates taxpayer dollars and abortions
An executive order President Donald Trump signed Friday will overturn two Biden memorandums and reinstate the Mexico City Policy, which forbids using taxpayer dollars to fund nongovernmental organizations that perform or promote coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. The Mexico City Policy, initiated by the Reagan administration, has been rescinded by every Democratic president and reinstated by every Republican president since its creation. During the Biden administration, the Pentagon paid for service members to travel over state lines for abortions, and Veterans Affairs medical centers were allowed to offer abortion counseling and abortion procedures for service members and their beneficiaries, Fox News Digital previously reported. PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS The administration also provided abortion access to migrants detained at the border, offering transport of unaccompanied pregnant children to states without abortion restrictions. The White House said that, for nearly five decades, Congress annually enacted the Hyde Amendment and similar laws that prevent federal funding of elective abortion, “reflecting a longstanding consensus that American taxpayers should not be forced to pay for that practice.” BLUE STATE ‘RESISTANCE’ REPORTEDLY STOCKPILING ABORTION PILLS IN PREPARATION FOR ANOTHER TRUMP TERM “However, the previous administration disregarded this established, commonsense policy by embedding forced taxpayer funding of elective abortions in a wide variety of Federal programs,” the White House wrote in a statement. “It is the policy of the United States, consistent with the Hyde Amendment, to end the forced use of Federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion.” Biden’s Presidential Memorandum, Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad, was signed Jan. 28, 2021, and alleged the policy’s restrictions negatively affected women’s reproductive health and undermined U.S. partnerships in global health efforts. Trump’s order rescinds two Biden executive actions that promoted access to abortions and included abortion in the definition of “reproductive healthcare.” The language in the new order clarified the memorandum is “not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.” The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) told Fox News Digital the policy “will decrease abortion access in countries around the world.” “This far-reaching policy defunds health organizations in other countries that provide abortion services or information, even for victims of sexual assault,” CRR said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. “Many of these critical organizations will likely shutter as a result or be forced to stop providing or even talking about abortion services.” CRR representatives also referenced the administration’s Geneva Consensus Declaration Friday night, which is a joint initiative to “secure meaningful health and development gains for women; to protect life at all stages; to defend the family as the fundamental unit of society; and to work together across the UN system to realize these values,” according to a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The CRR called the declaration “an anti-reproductive rights and anti-LGBTQ political statement” that “intentionally misrepresents itself as an official international agreement, and attempts to undermine the broad legal basis for reproductive rights as human rights.” “The reinstatement of President Trump’s Global Gag Rule (GGR) and rejoining of the Geneva Consensus are direct assaults on the health and human rights of millions of people around the world,” said Rachana Desai Martin, CRR chief government and external relations officer. “We saw the devastating impact of the GGR during the last Trump administration when contraception and vital reproductive services were cut off,” Martin added. “There was a spike in pregnancy-related deaths, reproductive coercion and gender inequality worldwide. Many clinics and health programs shuttered, leaving vulnerable populations with nowhere to get birth control, pregnancy care and other vital health services.” Live Action, a global human rights movement dedicated to ending abortion, posted on X after the order was signed. “The Mexico City policy which ensures American tax dollars do not fund killing children internationally through abortion has been reinstated by President Trump!” the post said. Fox News Digital requested comment from Planned Parenthood and Physicians for Reproductive Health but did not immediately receive a response.
Pete Hegseth confirmed to lead Pentagon after VP Vance casts tie-breaking vote
The Senate voted to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee, Pete Hegseth, as defense secretary on Friday night after a high-tempered battle to sway lawmakers in his favor that was almost derailed by accusations about his behavior. The final vote came down to the wire: three Republicans opposed, making for a 50 to 50 vote. Vice President JD Vance was needed to break the tie in the upper chamber, putting the final tally at 51-50. “Congratulations to Pete Hegseth. He will make a great Secretary of Defense!” Trump wrote on Truth Social after Hegseth’s confirmation. The Senate’s two moderate Republican women: Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted no. As did Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the former GOP leader. MODERATE REPUBLICAN MURKOWSKI WON’T BACK TRUMP PICK HEGSETH FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis’ support was not a given, and he did not reveal his stance until the vote was already underway. He ultimately said he would back Trump’s pick, giving him enough support to be confirmed with Vance’s tie-breaking vote. In her reasoning, Murkowski cited infidelity, “allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking” and Hegseth’s previous comments on women serving in the military. The behaviors he has admitted to alone, she said, show “a lack of judgment that is unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.” Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), the nonprofit advocacy group at the center of many of the accusations brought up during Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, praised his confirmation in a statement. “The confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense presents a real opportunity to prioritize the security and prosperity of our citizens, champion prudence and effectiveness in our defense strategy, and focus our Department of Defense on America’s most vital interests,” the statement read. The New Yorker reported in December that Hegseth was forced out of CVA, the group he once ran, over allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual impropriety and personal misconduct. All Democrats opposed the confirmation, a far cry from an earlier vote this week, when Secretary of State Marco Rubio was confirmed unanimously, 99-0. Hegseth will now lead the government’s largest agency, having long promised to root out Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) measures across each branch. HEGSETH CLEARS SENATE HURDLE AND ADVANCES TO A FINAL CONFIRMATION VOTE The Pentagon under Trump, however, has not waited for a confirmed secretary. This week, the commander of the Air Force‘s 613th Air Operations Center in Hawaii, who had advocated for more women in roles like her own, was removed from her position. Gen. Kevin Schneider, commander of Pacific Air Forces, relieved Col. Julie Sposito-Salceies from the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, “due to loss of confidence in her ability to command the organization.” Shortly after Trump took office, Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Linda Fagan, the first uniformed woman to lead any military branch, was removed from her position. Trump this week also nominated former Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier and former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller to top Defense Department posts – both men who were deeply critical of the Biden administration’s policies at the Pentagon. Lohmeier, who had been nominated to serve as undersecretary of the Air Force, was fired as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force base, after he wrote a book and appeared on podcasts claiming Marxism had infiltrated the armed forces and criticizing diversity policies. Scheller made headlines for posting videos in uniform criticizing senior military leaders over the Afghanistan withdrawal. Scheller, the new senior advisor to the Department of Defense Under Secretary for personnel and readiness, was sent to the brig and court-martialed over the clips. Hegseth’s nomination was dealt a last-minute hurdle earlier this week when reports emerged that his ex-sister-in-law alleged he had abused his second wife. On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleged he had an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was previously married to Pete Hegseth’s brother and has no relation to Samantha. KEY SENATE CHAIRMAN CRITICIZES ‘ANONYMOUS SOURCES WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES,’ STANDS BY HEGSETH NOMINATION But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, by Pete against Samantha. Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News. Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said in a statement Wednesday night that reports “regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate,” and that he stands by Hegseth’s nomination. Earlier Thursday, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Republicans to join him in opposing the former Fox News host and Army national guardsman. HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW “Hegseth is so utterly unqualified, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forward,” Schumer said. Hegseth, who has been married three times, has admitted he was a “serial cheater” before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny. The 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran, who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is relatively young and inexperienced, compared to defense secretaries in the past, retiring as a major. But Republicans say they don’t want someone who made it to the top brass who’s become entrenched in the Pentagon establishment.
Mexico denies access to land for US deportation flight after miscommunication, State Dept. official says
Miscommunication and confusion about a Defense Department manifest resulted in Mexico rejecting a U.S. deportation flight transporting illegal immigrants to that country this week. Mexico was ready to accept the deportees and would have if not for the paperwork, a senior State Department official told Fox News. Citing two U.S. defense officials and a third person familiar with the situation, NBC News reported that two Air Force C-17s bound for Guatemala carrying about 80 people each flew deportees Thursday night out of the U.S. A third flight bound for Mexico never took off after Mexico declined to consent to the landing, the report said. Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C. ‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: TRUMP DECLARES AMBITIOUS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN IN INAUGURAL ADDRESS Flying deportees into a foreign country requires the cooperation of that nation’s government. Cooperation was not an issue, Fox News was told. Around 2,000 illegal immigrants were deported to Mexico on Thursday, both on the ground and in the air. In addition Mexico detained roughly 5,000 migrants within its borders. The incident occurred as tensions over the Trump administration’s tough illegal immigration policies have strained relations between the countries. TRUMP GOES TOE-TO-TOE WITH SANCTUARY CITIES OVER DEPORTATION AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN SET TO BEGIN Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said she opposes Trump’s executive orders to combat illegal immigration, including reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which requires migrants to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims play out in the U.S. Before taking office this week, Trump promised mass deportations, initially targeting criminal illegal immigrants and tougher immigration standards and vetting procedures. The State Department official told Fox News that Mexican cooperation has been successful all week, and that Mexico has agreed to re-implement the “Remain in Mexico” policy. Trump also ordered 1,500 active duty troops to the southern border to boost the military presence there. In recent days, federal immigration authorities have made hundreds of arrests, including gang members and others with criminal histories, as part of Trump’s mass deportation efforts.