North Korea says US space shield is ‘nuclear war scenario'
U.S. President Donald Trump on May 20 said he had picked a design for the Golden Dome missile defense system and named a leader of the ambitious $175 billion program.
The Golden Dome plan 'is a typical product of 'America first', the height of self-righteousness, arrogance, high-handed and arbitrary practice, and is an outer space nuclear war scenario,' said the Institute for American Studies of North Korea's foreign ministry, according to state KCNA news agency.
The aim is for Golden Dome to leverage a network of hundreds of satellites circling the globe with sophisticated sensors and interceptors to knock out incoming enemy missiles after they lift off from countries like China, Iran, North Korea or Russia.
China last week said it is ' seriously concerned ' about the project and called for Washington to abandon its development.
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The South African
3 hours ago
- The South African
'No food, job or phones': Afrikaner 'refugee' family 'stranded' in US
An Afrikaner 'refugee' family have reportedly been left stranded in the US, and is appealing for help on Facebook. The startling revelation was made by a South African expat on TikTok. Two groups of white South Africans have taken up 'refugee status' in the US in recent weeks, as part of a programme open to 'persecuted' people. On her TikTok account, South African expat @catmpt revealed that she had come across an Afrikaner 'refugee' family in dire need of help. The family of four was reportedly stranded at a hotel in Montana without food, money, or a cellphone. Instead, they had reached out to a Facebook group for help. The woman said of the 'refugees': 'They were understanding that they would be arriving here for complete assistance. People thought they would be arriving at a house, a job, medical insurance, and other things. It isn't that way at all. She added: 'Because of the political situation, they are really struggling to get jobs'. The woman revealed that she had left South Africa more than a decade ago, but had gone through a lengthy process. She also criticised Afrikaner 'refugees' for having unrealistic expectations. She continued, 'One side of me is like, 'F**k that. 'My husband and I went through all of the red tape, and we got our visas…we've got our green card. We've been here ten years. We did everything the right way. 'Here, these people, regardless of what they were promised, just came here expecting everything'. @catpmt What would you do? #traumatok #southafricanrefugees #southafricatiktok #tsek #anxiety #livingintheusa ♬ original sound – Cat's Tales Last month, the Department of International Relations (DIRCO) stated that South African 'refugees' in the US would not have access to any diplomatic assistance whilst abroad. The 'persecuted' South Africans would instead be assisted by the US Refugee Admissions Programme (USRAP), which was signed as an Executive Order by President Donald Trump. As part of the Afrikaner Act, the group was also given Priority-2 refugee status, which provides them with start-up assistance like money, jobs, and even a house. According to DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri, refugees 'simply can't return home for a braai and go back'. He added: 'Even the word itself refugee suggests that you are seeking refuge from a particular country. 'You can't be seeking refugee status, then go back home, have a braai, then go back. It defeats the purpose of you being protected and a refugee of a particular country,' he said For Afrikaner 'refugees' hoping to return home willingly for good, voluntary repatriation is always an option. Organisations like the UNHCR help those who wish to travel back to their countries by providing financial assistance. DIRCO added that 'refugees' would be welcomed back as citizens. However, they would have to revoke their status in order for this to happen. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Ramaphosa's National Dialogue to discuss divisions caused by Trump's Afrikaner resettlement project
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the National Dialogue will be held in August. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers President Cyril Ramaphosa's national dialogue to address the pressing issues in the country will address the divisions created by US President Donald Trump's offer of resettlement to white Afrikaners as well as issues on unemployment and poor governance. On Tuesday, Ramaphosa announced the appointment of an 'eminent persons group' made up of 31 prominent South Africans who will lead the National Dialogue, set to take place on 15 August 2025. The dialogue will also recent comments made by US President Donald Trump, who invited white Afrikaners to relocate to the US based on false claims of white genocide - an issue that has become a divisive factor in the country. One of the eminent persons, who requested anonymity, said the dialogue can be seen as a response to these concerns, aiming to address the country's challenges and promote national building. 'The issue should definitely come up, although everybody has a choice to leave the country…We are way beyond the colour lines now and should focus on nation building with the people who are in the country, instead of dwelling in the past. 'Sure, it's a bone of contention but we do have bigger problems," she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading However, not all are on board with Ramaphosa's dialogue initiative. The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has rejected the dialogue as an "elitist farce," saying it is a "staged theatre for the political elite". In a statement on Wednesday, its spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela asked why there were no ordinary South Africans, such as shack dwellers, represented? 'We reject this dialogue as a tone-deaf charade engineered by a regime clinging to power, desperately trying to manufacture consent through elitist backroom dealings. 'The so-called Eminent Persons Group, handpicked by the very same ruling class responsible for mass unemployment, deepening poverty, collapsing infrastructure and the ongoing betrayal of the Freedom Charter, is a mockery of the suffering endured daily by millions of destitute and despondent South African,' Ndhlela wrote. The EFF has also expressed skepticism, questioning the government's motives and the selection process for the Eminent Persons Group. "The challenges Ramaphosa's National Dialogue seek to address are not a product of triumph of human sacrifice against evil, which require collective national reconstruction, but are a product of man-made destruction and corruption of which he and the party he leads have been at the centre of," the EFF said in a statement. The DA's national spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, welcomed the National Dialogue saying his party would embrace the opportunity. 'I think it's high time that we as a nation get together and discuss collectively what we see as a road forward for this country,' he said. Build One South Africa (BOSA) described the announcement as a positive and necessary step forward for the country at a time of great political uncertainty, public anxiety, and economic malaise. The GOOD Party's general secretary Brett Herron said it was long overdue as the wait had been frustrating. 'Nearly a year has passed since political parties signed the Statement of Intent of the Government of National Unity (GNU), which explicitly committed to convening a National Dialogue to tackle the country's deep and urgent delay in giving effect to this promise has been frustrating, but the time for talking has finally arrived, and it must now be time for action too,' Herron said.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Is ‘Trump always chickens out' worth repeating?
President Donald Trump holds a chart on reciprocal tariffs during an event titled 'Make America Wealthy Again', at the White House in Washington, DC. Trump backed down days later. Pat Dennis Every day is 'TACO Tuesday' for Democrats this week. Ever since President Donald Trump angrily dismissed a reporter's question about the 'Trump always chickens out' trade theory - the market's bet that Trump will back off his trade bluster - it has become a nonstop meme, complete with a taco truck to taunt Republicans. I'm head of a progressive opposition research shop, so you might assume I'm celebrating this outbreak of trolling. You'd be wrong. Democrats need to drop it immediately. I understand that the claim that 'Trump always chickens out' on trade policy feels vindicating. To see his political allies on Wall Street call him weak and goad him into a Truth Social tantrum scratches a particular itch. But this attack enrages Trump only when it's coming from his own base - and when Democrats repeat it, they're helping him squirm his way out of a political disaster he has created for himself. Trump hasn't 'chickened out' on his tariffs. He is - at this very second - inflicting great harm on American workers, families and the entire U.S. economy. With Trump in charge, prices are up, small businesses are struggling, loan delinquencies are rising, and economic growth has slowed. Polling from Navigator last month showed that only 30 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Trump's tariffs, including an abysmal 20 percent of independent voters. But when the Democratic Party yells 'TACO,' Americans feel hope that these harmful tariffs are only a negotiation tactic, rather than the economic suicide mission they are. The entire conversation feeds into the decades-old, TV-fueled perception of Trump as a master businessman, just as Democrats are finally gaining traction with a more negative impression. The Working Class Project by American Bridge is listening to voters in 21 states across the country to understand why working-class Americans moved away from the Democratic Party. Here's what a male voter in North Carolina had to say about Trump's shifting tariffs: 'I know Canada kind of backed down, and I think that's what he's banking on. I don't think China will back down, but they will eventually reach an agreement. And it will create a bunch of jobs and industries if he's successful.' This response was typical among people we've talked to: Voters see the give-and-take of tariff news - especially Trump 'backing down' off tariffs to talk to other countries - as a sign of progress. Many mistakenly believe his policies have not gone into effect, even as the temporarily scaled-back tariffs are still at levels unseen since World War II. Yet Democrats are on TV, in newspapers and on social media boosting a message that's helpful for Trump. We must remind voters that Trump's tariffs aren't just empty social media posts or a game of global chess - they are real and harmful. Small businesses are laying off workers or shuttering doors. Experts are telling newlyweds to add up to 15 percent more to their wedding budgets. New parents are paying more for car seats and strollers. We desperately need new housing, but costs of construction materials are skyrocketing. The message should be relentless: Trump's trade policies are a failure, and Americans are suffering the consequences. He promised a manufacturing boom; Mack Truck cut hundreds of jobs in Pennsylvania. He promised to lower inflation, then told families that they should buy fewer Christmas presents for their kids if toys are too expensive now. He promised to strengthen small businesses; one small-business owner in Ohio said she's bracing for 'mass extinction of small businesses' as a result of these tariffs. In a world of political branding, it's tempting to hit Trump where he appears weakest - his inconsistency, his ego, his impulsiveness. But on trade, that strategy plays right into his strengths. The smarter path is to argue that Trump's trade policies are a disaster because he followed through. The party can't get complacent and hope the real-life tariffs will do all their messaging work for them, either. Despite four months of chaos, Republicans still retain a 10-point lead on the economy. Democrats need to stop talking about TACO and start hammering home the truth: Trump is making life more expensive for everyone, and he's not going to stop.
