Romania's next president will not be a MAGA populist after all
AT A TIME when democratic politics are dominated by battles between liberal cosmopolitans and populist nationalists, Romania's presidential election on May 18th seemed to come straight from central casting. George Simion of the hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), a MAGA-backed rabble-rouser who built his party on resentment of the political establishment, faced off against Nicusor Dan (pictured), a Paris-trained mathematician and mayor of Bucharest, the capital. Mr Simion had won the election's first round two weeks earlier with 41% of the vote to Mr Dan's 21%. A win for the Bucharest mayor would reaffirm Romania's position in the mainstream of the European Union. A win for Mr Simion would add to the ranks of populist leaders who are fracturing the bloc.
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Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Why Imane Khelif is set to KEEP Olympic boxing gold medal, despite calls for title to be stripped after 'leaked medical report proving champion is a biological male'
A legal expert has revealed why Imane Khelif is unlikely to be stripped of her Olympic gold medal despite the emergence of a 'leaked' medical report. The alleged medical test on Khelif at the 2023 World Championships claimed that the boxer was in fact 'biologically male' and comes less than two days after World Boxing ruled Khelif would need to undergo sex screening to be eligible for any future appearances in female events. Last summer, Khelif was deemed eligible to compete in France despite World Boxing having known about the test, with IOC president Thomas Bach previously questioning the test's legitimacy. Despite the controversy surrounding Khelif, the 26-year-old went on to win a women's boxing gold medal representing Algeria boxing at the Paris Games. However, since the emergence of the reports about the 'leaked' medical report, critics have stepped forward and called for Khelif to be stripped of the medal. Now, a legal expert has revealed why that will not be the outcome and why Khelif will, instead, be allowed to keep the medal from Paris. Speaking to Newsweek, Doraine Lambelet Coleman, a Thomas L. Perkins Distinguished Professor of Laws at Duke Law School, explained: 'The IOC would not revoke medals won by athletes who were eligible according to the rules it set for the boxing competition in Paris. 'Unlike the eligibility rules set by the IBA and now WB, those rules did not require competitors to be biologically female.' One of those who called for Khelif to have the medal taken away was former Team GB star Sharron Davies who, during an interview with GB News, claimed: 'The truth was always there'. She explained: 'We all knew that this person had two positive sex screening tests. And the people that are to blame for all of this are the IOC. 'If you look back to those press conferences during the Olympic Games last summer, the things that Thomas Bach was saying are never excusable. They allowed male on female violence for the whole world to watch. 'The fact that they turned around and said that those tests that they had been informed about, a year prior, were not legitimate - when they were performed and accredited by the US College of Pathology. 'When people ask, do I have sympathy? No I don't because Khelif knew that they were biologically male. They knew they were cheating. 'They knew they had an unfair advantage and nobody cared. They didn't care what damage they might have inflicted on a female'. Davies also highlighted the moment which she believes proved that Khelif and her team 'knew' she was biologically male. During the interview, she said: 'All of that which you saw at the Olympic Games in Paris last year was an utter lie. 'You only had to see the pictures of Khelif up on the shoulders of their coaches afterwards to know this is not somebody they are treating as a female because they wouldn't have done that. 'Everyone knew and yet we were being lambasted. The people that were saying 'This is not fair and most importantly it's incredibly dangerous'. That's what - above and beyond everything - was criminal negligence, I think'. Khelif grew up in the northwestern rural town of Biban Mesbah in the Tiaret province of Algeria and was raised as a devout Muslim. In Islam it is forbidden for a believer to touch a member of the opposite sex that they are not related to. In a similar instance on Saturday night, UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov - who is also a devout Muslim - refused to shake the hand of female TV presenter Kate Scott at the UEFA Champions League. In a similar response to the news, JK Rowling branded the news 'a win for women'. The document seen by 3 Wire Sports via Telegraph Sport, states: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.' Rowling, who has weighed in heavy on the debate in the past, has taken to social media to give her view on the news. 'It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men,' wrote the Harry Potter series author. 'If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over.' Broadcaster Piers Morgan was among the first to respond to reports of the test, writing on social media site X: 'The biology-denying woke brigade abused and shamed me for saying it was outrageous and dangerous for Khelif to be beating up women at the Olympics. 'I'm ready for their apology, but won't hold my breath.' Former Olympian Sharron Davies was similarly convinced by the report, writing: 'When did we stop believing in our eyes & gut! Oh yeah when we decided women's sport didn't matter…' Conservative activist Riley Gaines also weighed in, referring to Khelif with male pronouns and saying: 'To all the people that insisted Imane Khelif was a woman because his passport said so, 'You were wrong. We were right. Sincerely, People with functioning eyes and a shred of honesty.' The results reportedly have a date of being collected of March 17, 2023 - the same year that Khelif was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA), the former governing body for the sport for 'failing gender eligibility tests'. It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men. If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. Any more moronic questions, wing them over. — J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 2, 2025 The document claims to have come from Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, a laboratory which is accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the International Organisation for Standardisation. The report was initially published by the journalist Alan Abrahamson, who first brought reports of Khelif's alleged failed gender eligibility test to public attention at the Paris Games. Mail Sport has contacted Khelif's representatives for comment. Khelief has previously stated that she planned to defend her gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics in three years time. World Boxing does have some Olympic authority, as they have been announced to provisionally run testing for the Los Angeles games, with any person over 18 required to undergo PCR testing to determine their sex. The governing body said the PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, with the SRY gene revealing the presence of the Y chromosome, which is an indicator of biological sex. The test can be conducted by nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood. The governing body said the testing will be part of a new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight', which it claims will ensure a safe and competitive playing field. World Boxing revealed the contents of a letter sent to the Algerian Boxing Federation, confirming Khelif is unable to compete in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup or any World Boxing event until she undergoes sex testing. 'Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at the Eindhoven Box Cup, 5-10 June 2025 and any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures,' the letter read. 'In accordance with the World Boxing Statutes, amendments to the Competition Rules are typically made by Congress. However, under special or emergency circumstances, the World Boxing Executive Board holds the authority to make immediate amendments when a rule is deemed no longer functional or when evolving conditions necessitate a change. 'In May 2025, the Executive Board exercised this authority and adopted new eligibility criteria for participation in sex-specific boxing categories. These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing. 'Please be advised that, per World Boxing policy, '…in the event the athlete's sex certification is challenged by the athlete's federation or by World Boxing, the athlete shall be ineligible to compete until the dispute is resolved…' Khelif was not the only controversial boxer in Paris, as Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting also won a gold medal in women's boxing despite having been banned by the IBA in 2023. Morgan previously weighed in on Khelif's alleged gender ineligibility in November, when a 'leaked' report published in German outlet Bild claimed that she was a 'biological male'. He posted to his 8.8m followers at the time: 'Confirmation of what some of us said at the time: Khelif is a biological man. The gold medal should now be stripped and awarded to the best actual woman.' It remains unclear whether the report was legitimate, with Algerian Olympic Committee calling out 'unsubstantiated allegations (which aimed) to tarnish the image of an athlete who has brought honor to our nation on the international stage.' Piers Morgan, Sharron Davies, and Riley Gaines were all quick to weigh in on the alleged results The report was initially put together in 2023 via collaboration between French and Algerian expert endocrinologists working at the Kremlin-Bicetre hospital in Paris, and the Mohamed Lamine Debaghine hospital in Algiers. The unverified report alleges that Khelif has male characteristics. But Jacques Young, an endocrinologist at Bicetre Hospital in Paris who reportedly co-authored the document, has told DW in Germany that he feels his name is being used to spread false information. Young also hinted he had been used to disseminate an anti-trans agenda. 'I think your statement perfectly reflects reality,' when he was asked whether his name was being used for those purposes.
Glasgow Times
29 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries
The ban takes effect Monday at 12.01am, a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Mr Trump, who signalled plans for a new ban upon taking office in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him. Afghanistan Myanmar Chad Republic of Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Haiti Iran Libya Somalia Sudan Yemen Some, but not all, of 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in Mr Trump's first term. The new ban includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. There will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. In a video released on social media, Mr Trump tied the new ban to Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan Venezuela The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Mr Trump's restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa. Mr Trump said some countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. His findings rely extensively on an annual Homeland Security report of visa overstays of tourists, business visitors and students who arrive by air and sea, singling out countries with high percentages of remaining after their visas expired. 'We don't want them,' Mr Trump said. The inclusion of Afghanistan angered some supporters who have worked to resettle its people. The ban makes exceptions for Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas, generally people who worked most closely with the US government during the two-decade war there. Afghanistan was also one of the largest sources of resettled refugees, with about 14,000 arrivals in a 12-month period through September 2024. Mr Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. 'To include Afghanistan – a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years – is a moral disgrace. It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold,' said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of #AfghanEvac. Mr Trump wrote that Afghanistan 'lacks a competent or co-operative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures'. He also cited its visa overstay rates. Haiti, which avoided the travel ban during Mr Trump's first term, was also included for high overstay rates and large numbers who came to the US illegally. Haitians continue to flee poverty, hunger and political instability deepens while police and a UN-backed mission fight a surge in gang violence, with armed men controlling at least 85% of its capital, Port-au-Prince. 'Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States,' Mr Trump wrote. The Iranian government offered no immediate reaction to being included. The Trump administration called it a 'state sponsor of terrorism', barring visitors except for those already holding visas or coming into the US on special visas America issues for minorities facing persecution. Other Middle East nations on the list – Libya, Sudan and Yemen – all face ongoing civil strife and territory overseen by opposing factions. Sudan has an active war, while Yemen's war is largely stalemated and Libyan forces remain armed. International aid groups and refugee resettlement organisations roundly condemned the new ban. 'This policy is not about national security – it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,' said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. The travel ban results from a January 20 executive order Mr Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the director of national intelligence to compile a report on 'hostile attitudes' toward the US and whether entry from certain countries represented a national security risk. During his first term, Mr Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the US by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travellers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the US or detained at US airports after they landed. They included students as well as businesspeople, tourists and people visiting friends and family. The order, often referred to as the 'Muslim ban' or the 'travel ban', was retooled amid legal challenges, until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. The ban affected various categories of travellers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families. Mr Trump and others have defended the initial ban on national security grounds, arguing it was aimed at protecting the country and not founded on anti-Muslim bias. However, the president had called for an explicit ban on Muslims during his first campaign for the White House.
Daily Mirror
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Trump travel ban - full list of all 12 countries barred from entering the US
Donald Trump has confirmed a new travel ban will take effect from Monday. He tied the new ban to Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, claiming it showed the dangers posed by visitors who overstay visas Donald Trump has imposed a controversial ban on citizens from 12 countries entering the US - and seven others are facing restrictions. The US president confirmed the new ban will take effect from Monday at 12.01am. In a video released on social media, Trump tied the latest ban to Sunday's terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, saying it showed the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. However, the suspect in the attack is from Egypt; a country that is not on Trump's restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security claims he overstayed a tourist visa. Trump said some countries had 'deficient' screening and vetting or have historically refused to take back their own citizens. The president's findings rely on an annual Homeland Security report of visa overstays of tourists, business visitors and students who arrive by air and sea, singling out countries with high percentages of remaining after their visas expired. 'We don't want them,' Trump said. The inclusion of Afghanistan angered some supporters who have worked to resettle its people. The ban makes exceptions for Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas, generally people who worked most closely with the US government during the two-decade-long war there. Afghanistan was also one of the largest sources of resettled refugees, with about 14,000 arrivals in a 12-month period through September 2024. Trump suspended refugee resettlement his first day in office. 'To include Afghanistan — a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years — is a moral disgrace. It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold,' said Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of #AfghanEvac. Trump wrote that Afghanistan 'lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.' He also cited its visa overstay rates. Haiti, which avoided the travel ban during Trump's first term, was also included for high overstay rates and large numbers who entered the US illegally. Haitians continue to flee poverty, hunger and political instability deepens while police and a UN-backed mission fight a surge in gang violence, with armed men controlling at least 85% of its capital, Port-au-Prince. 'Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States,' Trump wrote. The Iranian government offered no immediate reaction to being included. The Trump administration called it a 'state sponsor of terrorism', barring visitors except for those already holding visas or coming into the U.S. on special visas America issues for minorities facing persecution. Other Mideast nations on the list — Libya, Sudan and Yemen — all face ongoing civil strife and territory overseen by opposing factions. Sudan has an active war, while Yemen's war is largely stalemated and Libyan forces remain armed. The full list of banned countries Afghanistan Myanmar Chad The Republic of Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Haiti Iran Libya Somalia Sudan Yemen Countries with 'restrictions' Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan Venezuela
