‘Plaintiff cannot buy his citizenship back' – US attorney general shoots down Irish tycoon's gun request
The Trump administration has shot down an Irish billionaire's request to be excused from a law banning him from bearing arms in the US, saying the rules shouldn't change for him 'simply because he has money'.
In February, John T Dorrance III, Irish citizen and an heir to the Campbell's Soup fortune, took a legal action against US attorney general Pam Bondi complaining he can't legally hunt with a firearm because he renounced his US citizenship.
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The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Dublin Airport confirm major new improvements to both terminals amid liquid rule shake-up hint before record summer
OVER 121,000 passengers per day are expected to travel through Dublin Airport during the busy travel season. Advertisement 1 Dublin Airport has announced new improvements to both terminals ahead of summer Credit: Dublin Airport This The destinations cover up to 130 top destinations in Due to the greater demands, the officials stated that they aim for at least 90 per cent of passengers to get through security screening in under 20 minutes, similar to last summer. This came after DAA announced that the security staff had increased by more than 1,000. Advertisement READ MORE ON DUBLIN AIRPORT However, Terminal 1 requires tech and liquids to be taken out, while Terminal 2 requires passengers to keep their tech in luggage but take out liquids for scanning at security. DAA CEO Kenny Jacobs revealed that the new ruling by the And there are changes to the terminals that will be underway to meet the demands, including more seating, water refill stations and Advertisement MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN Exclusive A further 1,000 seats for passengers throughout the terminals have been added, including 420 new seats at boarding gates, over 100 comfortable dwell seats with charging facilities, 150 seats for People with Reduced Mobility, and 350 new seats in landside areas. Dublin Airport announce arrival of two new food options ahead of busy summer season as passengers say it 'looks lovely' 23 of the free water refill stations in both terminals have been replaced by new and improved units in time for summer. ENTERTAINMENT AREAS Three new kids' entertainment areas have been added at Departure Gates in T1 and T2, bringing the total to five across both terminals. A gaming zone for teens containing game consoles will be added later in the summer. Advertisement The Pet Relief room in Terminal 2 has been fully upgraded for passengers travelling with service and emotional support animals. A second Pet Relief room is also being added on Pier 2 in Terminal 1 and will open later this year. A new Dublin Airport app has been launched, which features real-time flight updates for arrivals and departures, security wait times and details about gate numbers and check-in areas. There are also 15 new and improved outlets for passengers, including Arthur Guinness Bar, Pret A Manger, Boxx, Kimbok and The Garden Terrace in Terminal 1, which will be followed in mid-summer by the brand new San Marco Italian sit-down restaurant. Advertisement In Terminal 2, the newly opened Roasted Notes and Butler's cafes will soon be joined by a new Irish bar and a wine bar called The Reserve (both airside). Lastly, the Liffey Lounge and the Martello Lounge both fully revamped. TRAVEL ADVICE The DAA chiefs have issued travel advice for passengers ahead of the busy summer season. Passengers are advised to be in their terminal two hours before a short-haul flight and three hours before a long-haul flight. Advertisement They are also urged to check in with their airline when available to do so and see if night-before bag check-in is possible to reduce the waiting times at the airport. For those who are driving to Dublin Airport, the advice is to book in advance due to demand.
Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Thousands attend pro-Palestine and anti-immigration rallies in Cork
A major policing operation was in place in Cork City this afternoon as thousands of people marched in two separate rallies. Dozens of uniformed gardaí, backed up by dozens of members of the Garda Public Order Unit — all deployed in soft cap mode — and members of the Garda Mounted Unit were on duty on the Grand Parade in Cork. Thousands gathered in one area for a Munster-wide pro-Palestine march, and nearby for what was billed as a "national protest for Ireland," organised by anti-immigration campaigners. Several prominent far-right agitators were involved in that event, including former Ireland First leader Derek Blighe. Hermann Kelly of the Irish Freedom Party was among those attending. Garda Mounted Unit at Grand Parade Cork to support the Garda Public Order Unit as two protest marches take place on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Rebel News, a Canadian-based far-right online news website, had a reporter on the ground covering what it described as a rally of Irish patriots opposed to the Government's mass immigration policies. Crowd control barriers were in place to keep both sides apart. The Garda Air Unit patrolled the skies above, and with road closures and diversions in place, there was widespread disruption to public transport timetables. Following initial chanting, some verbal insults were traded back and forth between sections of both crowds before the marches began. Protest march to City Hall, Cork on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins The pro-Palestinian campaigners were marshalled in one direction — down St Patrick's Street, onto Oliver Plunkett Street, and back to the Grand Parade for speeches and music — while the anti-immigration protest marched in the other direction, down the South Mall at around the same time, to gather on MacSwiney Quay outside City Hall for speeches. Gardaí have not given out official crowd estimates, but organisers of the pro-Palestine march, the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign — who record attendance at their weekly rallies — have put their numbers at just over 4,500 people. They heard calls on the Irish Government to place sanctions on Israel, pass the Occupied Territories Bill, and stop the Central Bank of Ireland from authorising the sale of Israeli bonds in Europe. Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign weekly protest march in Cork City against the atrocities in Gaza. Picture Larry Cummins Naser Swirki, a theatre and film director who was born in Gaza and now lives in Skibbereen spoke of the horror that Israel is inflicting on people who are trying to survive in his country. 'In Gaza, death spares no one — doctors, children, the displaced, and even hope itself,' he said. 'In Gaza, instead of saying, "See you tomorrow," they say, "See you in heaven." 'Parents memorise their children's clothes to identify their remains later. 'They struggle to get a piece of bread, offering it before bed, so their children don't die while they're still hungry.' Protest march to City Hall, Cork on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Limerick-based Palestinian poet Tamar, 26 — whose four brothers and parents are still in Palestine — and activist Tadhg Hickey were also among the speakers. It is estimated that around 3,000 people marched in the 'national protest for Ireland' rally, with many carrying tricolours. They heard speakers criticising government immigration and housing policy. Mr Blighe also addressed the Irish diaspora and said Irish nationalists want to give them a 'homeland to return to.' Garda Mounted Unit at Grand Parade Cork to support the Garda Public Order Unit as two protest marches take place on Saturday afternoon. Picture: Larry Cummins Wearing a set of blue rosary beads on his left wrist, he said the government wants to put climate, diversity and foreigners first. 'What counts in my heart is to put the Irish first,' he said. The organisers of both events encouraged participants to behave responsibly. Both events passed off peacefully and there was just one arrest for an alleged public order offence. Read More Stricter regulations needed at Cork camper van site after excrement dumped in fields, council hears
Irish Independent
6 hours ago
- Irish Independent
From banning X to killing government contracts – all the ways Musk and Trump could hurt each other as they go nuclear
Within a few hours on Thursday, the public spat between Donald Trump and Elon Musk exploded into debates over the president's impeachment and Musk's accusation that the president is implicated in a sexual abuse scandal. But how they choose to escalate from here could have far-reaching impacts – and not just for the fate of a massive bill that sparked their break-up. Trump and Musk command the world's attention, own competing social media platforms, and are each in a position to wield the power of the presidency and spend, and lose, billions of dollars against one another. How Trump could go after Musk Kill government contracts Trump has already suggested yanking government contracts for Musk's companies Tesla and SpaceX, which are due to receive at least $3bn in contracts from 17 agencies. 'The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. On his War Room podcast, Trump ally Steve Bannon urged Trump to retaliate against the world's wealthiest man by, among other things taking control of SpaceX. 'The US government should seize it,' Bannon said on Thursday. Cut off Elon's access to the White House Musk ended his 130-day 'special government employee' term in the Trump administration last week after serving as an 'adviser' to the president for the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk unleashed across the federal government to make drastic cuts to spending and the workforce. But Trump left the door open for Musk to return. That 130-day term can be renewed next year. Trump could sever that arrangement at any time. Bannon also called on Trump to strip Musk's top-secret clearances, which he is granted in conjunction with his work on SpaceX and NASA. Make X illegal With more than 220 million followers on a social media platform under his control, Musk can use that audience and ability to shift media narratives against the president to advance his agenda. Trump, whose entire campaign was built on retribution, possesses executive authority to shut X down, according to experts. ADVERTISEMENT Trump could declare X a national security risk, 'which would permit him to ban the platform outright', claims Devan Leos, from platform Undetectable AI. He can ban Trump from X in retaliation, but that would almost certainly trigger an executive response from the White House The president could invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on national security grounds to prevent X from operating, which would probably trigger a high-profile legal battle. 'Musk now faces a difficult choice. He can ban Trump from X in retaliation, but that would almost certainly trigger an executive response from the White House,' according to Leos. The president, meanwhile, owns more than 100 million shares, or roughly 53pc, of Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of social media platform Truth Social. His stake in the company is worth billions of dollars. Investigate Musk's immigration status and drug use Musk was born in South Africa before he emigrated to Canada and later the US. Last year, the Washington Post reported that the billionaire worked in the country illegally before gaining citizenship. Bannon called on the president to deport him. 'Elon Musk is illegal. He's got to go too,' Bannon said on his podcast. Trump also could wield the power of his office to initiate other investigations under a Department of Justice controlled by his fierce ally Attorney General Pam Bondi, including into allegations of his drug use at the campaign trail and within the administration. How Musk could go after Trump Flood opponents with cash The world's wealthiest person spent tens of millions of dollars supporting Trump's 2024 campaign. On Thursday, he took credit for his victory. But this year, his multi-million dollar effort to support a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate blew up in his face, with his DOGE efforts tanking his – and Tesla's – appeal. 'Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80 percent in the middle? Still, Republican candidates fear being his target. Musk and his allies have threatened to fund primary challenges against any GOP member of Congress who supports legislation he doesn't. 'Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80 percent in the middle?' Musk asked on Thursday. Democrats agree with Musk that Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' is a disaster, but aren't necessarily welcoming him to the party after the right-wing billionaire torched government agencies and helped but Trump back in office. 'We should ultimately be trying to convince him that the Democratic Party has more of the values that he agrees with,' California Democratic representative Ro Khanna, whose district represents Silicon Valley, told Politico. 'A commitment to science funding, a commitment to clean technology, a commitment to seeing international students like him.' Wield social media against the president It took just four hours for a feud playing out on two different social media platforms for Musk to drop what he called a 'bomb' against the president. 'Time to drop the really big bomb,' he wrote on X. 'Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' That loaded accusation – Musk's suggestion that Trump was involving the sex offender's trafficking scheme – appeared to be the tipping point in their feud. Musk, who just days ago seemed to have no problem associating with a man he is now alleging is implicated in Epstein's crimes, could launch a humiliation campaign against the president for an audience that has been largely disappointed with the Trump administration's approach to the Epstein case. Far-right influencers have turned on top federal law enforcement officials over the case, accusing Trump of continuing what they believe is a 'deep state' conspiracy theory covering up powerful people. Musk could leverage that hostility. Use DOGE against Trump Musk hired a small army of young loyalists and old allies for his government-wide operation to not only eliminate jobs and spending but extract reams of data from millions of Americans. DOGE's unprecedented access to Americans' data 'is alarming, made worse by the complete absence of meaningful oversight,' according to Ben Zipperer, a senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute. 'That unrestrained access to data will likely worsen the problem of identity theft in the United States, which could cost working families tens of billions of dollars annually.' A report from Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren's office also uncovered more than 100 instances that Musk allegedly abused his role as a 'special government employee' overseeing DOGE to benefit his private interests. Musk violated 'norms at an astonishing pace,' amounting to 'scandalous behaviour regardless of whether it subjects him to criminal prosecution.' The report accuses Musk of using the government to promote his businesses, including turning the White House lawn into a Tesla showroom, and allegedly discovered roughly two dozen instances where the government 'entered or explored new lucrative contracts' with the billionaire while halting enforcement actions against his companies.
