US Congress passes Donald Trump's ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' by narrow margin
©UK Independent
The US Congress yesterday passed president Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' after a whirlwind 24 hours of last-minute arm-twisting of hold-out Republicans – and a record-breaking floor speech from Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The final vote was a narrow margin of 218-214, with every Democrat and two Republicans – Kentucky's Thomas Massie and Pennsylvania's Brian Fitzpatrick – voting against the measure, which features sweeping cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance programmes.
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The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Iran's ‘medieval' fatwa demanding Trump be CRUCIFIED could spark homegrown terror attacks in West, top politicians warn
IRAN'S "medieval" regime demanding Donald Trump be crucified could provoke "homegrown terrorist attacks", top politicians warn. Warped Ayatollahs issued a call to arms to Muslims urging them to make the US president "regret his actions" - branding him an "enemy of God". Advertisement 6 Donald Trump was shot at during an assassination attempt last year Credit: AP 6 Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a horrifying Fatwa Credit: Alamy 6 A picture of the fatwa released by the Iranian mullah Fatwas - religious edicts - have been levelled against Trump and Sharia law states those charged must not only be killed but also tortured prior to death, including through crucifixion and limb amputation. Senior cleric Najmuddin Tabasi vowed Trump "must be executed" and said "the same hand that fired a shot past his ear can put a bullet through his throat" - referring to A sickening fundraiser has even been set up by hardline Iranian cleric Abdolmajid Kharahaani to hire an assassin to murder Trump and Israeli prime minister Netanyahu. Advertisement More on Iran It comes in the wake of the so-called 12-day war which saw Trump and Israel "obliterate" much of Iran's nuclear empire. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Chairman Governor Jeb Bush, CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, and Senior Advisor Rt. Hon. Tom Tugendhat MP insisted the mullahs must be urgently sanctioned. They also warned how high-ranking regime enforcers are in contact with individuals in both the US and Europe. In a statement shared exclusively with The Sun, Bush, Wallace and Tugendhat said: "The Iranian regime's medieval and barbaric threats against the US president and others cannot be ignored – and must not go unanswered. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking "The US government and its allies should immediately sanction Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei, Makarem-Shirazi, Hamedani, Tabasi, and Panahian, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. 'None of these men have been sanctioned to date under counterterrorism authorities. Iran executes three prisoners accused of spying for Israel in brutal crackdown in wake of 12-day war "Additionally, the US Justice Department should seek indictments against these me and American law enforcement should partner with its allies to request INTERPOL Red Notices for issuing threats to internationally protected individuals." The trio also urged US authorities to conduct national security-based immigration review on named clerics, Iranian officials and their families to stop them from traveling to America and allied nations. Advertisement "UANI has revealed that these senior Iranian regime mullahs are in direct communication with individuals and entities in the West, including in the US and Europe," they added. "Against this backdrop, there is an added urgency to implement stringent measures against them. "These calls are incitements to homegrown terrorist attacks and pose a serious threat to the president and US nationals—they should be treated accordingly." 6 Smoke rises from a fire following a strike on Tehran in June Credit: Reuters Advertisement 6 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei addressing the nation in June during Israel's strikes Credit: AFP What is a fatwa? A FATWA is a formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law by a Marja - a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric. It calls on all Muslims, including the Islamic governments and individuals, to ensure its enforcement. In countries where Islamic law is the basis of the legal system, a fatwa can be binding. A fatwa issued by Iran's first supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini led to the massacre of 30,000 prisoners including some as young as 13 in a shocking two-month purge. The 1988 executions were revealed in the memoirs of Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, one of Ayatollah Khomeini's closest advisors who went on to condemn his murderous act. In it, he accused prisoners of "waging war against God" and urged Death Commissioners in charge of the mass killings to "show no mercy". Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi unleashed the fatwa on Sunday in response to Trump's comments on possible intentions to kill Ayatollah Khamenei. It comes after the US leader, 79, warned last month that he knew where Khamenei was hiding but wouldn't target him - "at least not for now". A day earlier, Netanyahu had said killing the supreme leader would not "escalate the conflict", but instead "end it". Advertisement Furious Shirazi said 'any person or regime that threatens the leadership and religious authority' is considered a 'mohareb' – one who wages war against God. The sick fatwa also forbids any Muslim to cooperate with or support the two leaders - and says that any jihadist who is killed while attacking them will receive a reward from Allah. Shirazi's ruling came following an inquiry on how Muslims should react to threats made against the Supreme Leader and other Shia leaders. Timeline of assassination attempts on Donald Trump July 13 , 2024 - Thomas Crooks shot at Donald Trump after hiding on a roof overlooking the former President's outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Crooks was killed by Secret Service snipers after he fired eight shots at Trump and killed one rallygoer and injured two others. The bullet came less than a quarter of an inch from striking Trump's head, Ronny Jackson, the former president's physician, said. September 15 - Ryan Routh was seen by a Secret Service agent hiding in the bushes with a rifle at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida. Trump was playing a round of golf when the alleged would-be assassin managed to get within 400 yard of Trump. Routh fled the scene in an SUV but was caught by cops and arrested. September 25 - Donald Trump posts on social media that he's been informed of an Iranian plot against his life. October 7 - Farhad Shakeri is given an order by an official in Iran's Revolutionary Guard to come up with a plan to kill Donald Trump within seven days. He told the FBI that he never intended to devise a plan in that timeframe, but allegedly discussed it with two hired guns in New York. November 7 - Carlisle Rivera of Brooklyn and Jonathan Loadholt of Staten Island are arrested in New York for being part of the plot to kill Donald Trump along with three other Americans Iran deemed targets. Shirazi, one of Tehran's chief religious authorities, called on Muslims worldwide to "make these enemies regret their words and actions". Advertisement A fatwa was previously handed down on author Salman Rushdie in 1989 after his book The Satanic Verses infuriated then Ayatollah Khomeini - who put a $3million bounty on his head. The novelist, 77, faced numerous death threats and was forced to live largely in hiding for years before an assassination attempt in 2022. He lost sight in one eye after he was repeatedly stabbed on stage during a lecture in New York. It comes amid fears the fatwas are being used to stoke fears among domestic dissidents who dare to rebel against the regime. Advertisement Hundreds Campaigners have warned the wounded regime is ramping up repression of its own people in a bid to stamp out any chance of an uprising. At a funeral for military top brass killed during Israel's strike, haunting chants of "Death to America" rung out. 6 Advertisement United Against Nuclear Iran statement in full Chairman Governor Jeb Bush, CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace, and Senior Advisor Rt. Hon. Tom Tugendhat MP said: UANI vehemently condemns the Iranian regime's barbaric fatwas calling for thecrucifixion of President Trump and other US nationals. Over the last few days, some of the most senior Iranian regime ayatollahs and officials — Naser Makarem-Shirazi, Hossein Nouri Hamedani, Najmuddin Tabasi, and Alireza Panahian — have issued fatwas (religious decrees) calling on Islamists worldwide to carry out barbaric, homegrown terrorist attacks against President Trump and US nationals. Senior regime mullahs Makarem-Shirazi and Hamedani have specifically issued fatwas calling for the assassination and crucifixion of President Trump, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and others under the Islamic penal code of mohareb (waging war against God). Under Sharia law, all those charged as a mohareb must not only be killed but also tortured prior to death, including through crucifixion and cross-amputation. Panahian, who is a senior member of the Office of the Supreme Leader and a close associate of his son Mojtaba Khamenei, has amplified these calls for the killings of American officials. Likewise, Tabasi, who is a member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, proclaimed President Trump 'must be executed' and said, 'the same hand that fired a shot past his ear can put a bullet through his throat.' A mullah on Iran's state TV has even announced the creation of a fund to collect money for the 'killing of Trump and Netanyahu,' which he stated could be achieved with $10–20 million. The Iranian regime's medieval and barbaric threats against the U.S. president and others cannot be ignored – and must not go unanswered. The U.S. government and its allies should immediately sanction Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his son Mojtaba Khamenei, Makarem-Shirazi, Hamedani, Tabasi, and Panahian, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. None of these men have been sanctioned to date under counterterrorism authorities. Additionally, the US Justice Department should seek indictments against these men and American law enforcement should partner with its allies to request INTERPOL Red Notices for issuing threats to internationally protected individuals. The US government and its allies should also conduct national security-based immigration reviews on these clerics, Iranian officials, and their families to ensure they are prohibited from traveling to the territories of the U.S. and its allies. UANI has revealed that these senior Iranian regime mullahs are in direct communication with individuals and entities in the West, including in the US and Europe. Against this backdrop, there is an added urgency to implement stringent measures against them. Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa against the author Salman Rushdie was handed down in 1989. In 2022, Rushdie was almost killed after his eye was gouged out by an individual seeking to carry out the fatwa at a talk in Chautauqua, New York. "These calls are incitements to homegrown terrorist attacks and pose a serious threat to the president and US nationals—they should be treated accordingly.'
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
US tariff receipts surge in Donald Trump's trade war
US tariff revenues surged almost fourfold from a year earlier to a record $24.2 billion (€20.55 billion) in May, the first full month in which US president Donald Trump's 10 per cent global tariff was in effect. The figure represented a rise of more than 25 per cent from the previous month, while the total value of US goods imports remained broadly unchanged from April. The figures suggest the president's trade war could provide a much-needed boost to the US government's coffers as Republicans in Congress secured passage of his flagship tax and spending bill. The bill, which extends vast tax cuts from Mr Trump's first administration but makes steep cuts to public healthcare for low-income Americans, is forecast to add $3.4 trillion to the US government deficit over the next decade. READ MORE But the data also underscored the potential for his aggressive tariff increases to distort global trade flows. Imports to the US from China fell to $19.3 billion, a 21 per cent drop from the previous month and 43 per cent down from the same month in 2024, reflecting a significant decline in trade between the world's two largest economies. Earlier this year, Mr Trump imposed new tariffs of 145 per cent on all Chinese goods before cutting the rate to 30 per cent after US officials held talks with their Chinese counterparts in London and Geneva. The slump in trade brought Chinese imports destined for domestic consumption to their lowest level in 19 years. The US leader has particularly targeted China as he seeks to reshape global trade, saying both that he wants to bring manufacturing back to the US and that the levies will raise money and make the country 'very rich'. Mr Trump has insisted that the revenues raised from tariffs can reduce reliance on income taxes. But despite the rise in sums collected, the receipts represented only about 7.7 per cent of May's federal deficit of $316 billion. The deficit figure oscillates from month to month, however. The sum raised in May was equivalent to about 14.5 per cent of the typical $166 billion shortfall between federal spending and revenues over the past year. Despite singling out China for the steepest tariffs, Mr Trump triggered a global stock market rout with April's so-called liberation day, when he unleashed tariffs of 10 per cent to 50 per cent on most US trading partners, before later temporarily lowering them to 10 per cent for 90 days. Since April 9, a baseline rate of 10 per cent has been applied on almost all goods imports. Certain products, including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, are exempted but may face a separate tariff in future, while steel, aluminium and automobiles are charged a higher rate of 25 per cent to 50 per cent. If the 90-day pause expires as planned on July 9, the US is set to increase tariffs on dozens of countries without special agreements. Mr Trump has threatened the EU with a 50 per cent levy if a deal is not reached, while Vietnam has successfully negotiated a 20 per cent rate, down from the original 46 per cent the US had threatened to impose. The effective tariff rate, calculated as the average duty raised across all imports as a share of their value, increased to 8.8 per cent in May, its highest figure since 1946. For Chinese goods, the tariff rate reached a record 48 per cent. At the end of May, the US doubled steel and aluminium tariffs to 50 per cent and later expanded its definition to include steel derivative products such as freezers, dishwashers and washing machines. Analysis by Yale Budget Lab suggests that if the rates in place as of June 16 were to remain, with no further increase on July 9, the effective tariff rate would settle at about 15 per cent, even after accounting for changes in consumer behaviour. Taking into account various effects of the tariffs on the US economy, the think-tank projected that the current tariff policy would raise $2.2tn between 2025 and 2034, but thanks to reductions in tax revenue streams elsewhere, would result in net revenues of $1.8tn during those years. Although a large sum, it is significantly less than the $3.4 trillion forecast to be added to US federal debt over the same period by implementing Mr Trump's tax bill, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Irish Daily Star
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Star
Rome explosion: At least 10 injured as huge fireball erupts and locals run for their lives
At least 10 people have been injured in a huge explosion in Rome that sent an enormous plume of smoke billowing into the sky above the city. A loud boom was heard across several districts in the Italian capital after an accident at a gas station, local media reports. The explosion occurred at a gas station on Via dei Gordiani, in the Prenestino area, at around 8.15am. The incident was caused by the detachment of a pump from a tanker that was supplying the facility, according to initial information from the fire brigade. Emergency responders had reportedly been called out after a truck hit a pipeline and when they arrived, there was an explosion. Read More Related Articles Four urgent signs Donald Trump has a specific type of dementia expert warns Read More Related Articles Deranged Trump says 'water comes down from heaven' in mind-blowing rant Smoke has been billowing into the sky (Image: X) At least 10 people have been injured, including eight officers, a firefighter, and a 118 rescuer who were engulfed in flames, local media reports. At least five people have also been rushed to hospital, suffering burns and other injuries. Firefighters are working to secure the area and a nearby metro station has been closed. Terrifying video footage showed smoke already billowing from the scene before an enormous fireball suddenly erupted as an explosion rocked the area and locals ran for their lives. The blast has also damaged some nearby buildings. A black column of smoke visible from miles away following the explosion. Many locals who heard the blast frantically called emergency services. Describing the blast, Leandro, an employee in the area, told Il Messaggero : "I had just arrived at work, was settling at my computer to start my shift at 8:30 when I heard a bang, similar to an explosion, that shook the building's windows." Residents quickly fled their homes and motorists rushed to get away from the scene. "I woke up with a start, I heard a very loud explosion, it sounded like a bomb," one nearby resident told La Repubblica . "All the windows shook, I thought it was an earthquake," another witness said. One person said he 'saw pieces of iron flying in the air, perhaps from cars" from his terrace about a kilometer away from the blast. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said they are closely following rescue operations "with particular attention to people's health."
