‘London is open': Mayor Sadiq Khan offers alternative to students shut out of US by Donald Trump
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has extended an open invitation to international students excluded by US universities under the Trump administration, calling on them to choose London as a welcoming, inclusive, and forward-thinking alternative.
Speaking at the Concordia Europe Summit on Monday, Sadiq Khan said, as per a repot in ABC News, 'If the U.S. is closed to you, we'll make sure that London is open.' He praised the British capital as a 'beacon of hope, progress and possibility,' adding that the city values the contributions of overseas students to 'our society, our economy and our culture.'
Without naming US President Donald Trump directly, Khan warned against rising nationalism and inward-looking politics. He criticised governments that 'want to cut themselves off from the world, abdicate their responsibilities under the rule-based global order and stoke a narrow form of nationalism that divides their populations into insiders and outsiders.'
He argued that efforts to reverse globalisation are 'an entirely self-defeating exercise that will do immense damage to your own economy and those of your allies and trade partners.'
Addressing those disillusioned by the political climate in their home countries, Khan said, "come to London, because we're ready to roll out the red carpet to business leaders, tech entrepreneurs, high net-worth individuals, creatives, students, whoever it may be."
While Khan did not name Trump directly, his remarks come as the US President pushes for funding cuts to diversity and inclusion programs at US universities and pressures campuses over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests. These moves have been broadly criticised as stifling academic freedom.
Khan concluded with a direct appeal: 'If you value certainty and stability, freedom and democracy, pluralism and mutual respect, then London is the place to be.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ballymena riots: Fires rage as protests over alleged assault fuel anti-immigrant unrest in Northern Ireland
More than 30 police officers have been injured in Northern Ireland after two nights of violent rioting in Ballymena, triggered by the court appearance of two 14-year-old boys charged with the attempted sexual assault of a teenage girl. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The unrest, which police described as 'hate-fuelled acts and mob rule,' has targeted homes, businesses and vehicles prompting fears of further escalation across the region. The violence began Monday, shortly after the accused teens appeared in court and denied the charges through a Romanian interpreter. The case has inflamed anti-immigrant sentiments in the town of about 31,000 people, amplified by far-right social media accounts that celebrated the riots and shared live footage. By Tuesday night, police in Ballymena came under 'sustained attack' from rioters using petrol bombs, bricks, and fireworks. Seventeen officers were injured that night alone, while by Wednesday, the total number of injured officers had risen to 32. A pregnant woman had to be evacuated from a burning home, local politician Sian Mulholland told BBC's Good Morning Ulster. 'People are waking up today feeling genuine fear for their lives and their livelihoods,' said Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). 'We have seen a number of calls over social media for protest activity this evening... It can be difficult to assess how much and where that will be.' Clonavon Terrace, the epicentre of the unrest, was quiet by Wednesday afternoon, but its charred remains spoke volumes: smashed windows, burned-out furniture, and flags on homes identifying the nationalities of those inside. One sign read, 'British household,' a symbol of fear within immigrant communities trying to avoid becoming targets. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police have declared the attacks on four homes, believed to be racially motivated, as hate crimes. 'When I watch families having their doors kicked in who happen to be from our diverse communities, I have to call that out for the racist behaviour that it is,' Henderson said. The riots quickly spread beyond Ballymena. Protesters blocked roads and clashed with police in Belfast, Newtownabbey, and Carrickfergus. In response, officers in riot gear deployed water cannon and fired non-lethal rounds known as attenuated energy projectiles. Cars were set alight, bins torched, and masonry hurled at officers. Police are now requesting reinforcements from mainland Britain to cope with the unrest. Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill called the attacks 'abhorrent,' adding, 'No one, now or ever, should feel the need to place a sticker on their door to identify their ethnicity just to avoid being targeted.' The British and Irish governments also condemned the violence. 'This appalling violence and vandalism must cease immediately,' said UK Northern Ireland Minister Hilary Benn, warning that those responsible would face justice.
Mint
18 minutes ago
- Mint
Federal judge says Donald Trump cannot detain Columbia University protester Mahmoud Khalil, then does this...
A US federal judge passed a ruling on Wednesday stating that the Donald Trump administration cannot keep using US foreign policy interests as a means to justify the detention of Columbia University student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. However, he then delayed the release order, saying that the ruling will not come into effect until Friday, according to a Reuters report. Judge Michael Farbiarz was quoted saying in his order that the ruling would not immediately take effect, and that the administration has until 9:30 am Friday to respond to this latest ruling. This new ruling comes soon after another order passed last Thursday, preventing the Trump administration from arresting a Columbia University student, Yunseo Chung, 21, whom it is seeking to detain and deport to South Korea ever she participated in a pro-Palestinian demonstration earlier this year. According to reports, Chung never lived in South Korea since she was 7 years of age. Meanwhile, in another development, Noor Abdalla, 28, wife of Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, was interviewed by Reuters, after which she appeared for a portrait.
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Iran claims US bases to be targeted if conflict breaks out between countries
Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while President Donald Trump said he was "less confident" about reaching a nuclear deal. Amid escalating tensions, a US official said staff levels at the embassy in Iraq were being reduced over security concerns, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations, run by the British navy, advised ships to transit the Gulf with caution. Watch: Iran swears to annihilate Israel in revenge: who will strike first & why? Here are 5 deadly triggers Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails. Also Read: Trump travel ban shows 'deep hostility' towards Iranians, Muslims, says Iran "All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries," Iran's Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said in response to US threats of military action if the talks fail. "God willing, things won't reach that point, and the talks will succeed," the minister said, adding that the US side "will suffer more losses" if it came to conflict. The United States has multiple bases in the Middle East, with the largest located in Qatar. Also Read: Why has Iran been banning people from walking dogs in public? Iran and the United States have recently been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a "non-negotiable" right and Washington calling it as a "red line". Trump had previously expressed optimism about the talks, saying during a Gulf tour last month Washington was "getting close" to securing a deal. But in an interview published Wednesday, Trump said he was "less confident" the United States and Iran could reach a deal, in response to a question on whether he believed he could stop Tehran from enriching uranium. 'A shame' Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. Western countries, including the United States and its ally Israel, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes. Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said enrichment is "key" to Iran's nuclear programme and that Washington "cannot have a say" on the issue. During the interview with the New York Post's podcast "Pod Force One", which was recorded on Monday, Trump said he was losing hope a deal could be reached. "I don't know. I did think so, and I'm getting more and more -- less confident about it. They seem to be delaying and I think that's a shame. I am less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago," he said. "Something happened to them but I am much less confident of a deal being made... Maybe they don't wanna make a deal, what can I say? And maybe they do. There is nothing final." Trump maintained that Washington would not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, saying "it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying". On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received "elements" of a US proposal for a nuclear deal, with Araghchi later saying the text contained "ambiguities". Iran has said it will present a counter-proposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticised for failing to offer relief from sanctions -- a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. On Monday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog began a Board of Governors meeting in Vienna that will last until Friday to discuss Iran's atomic activities and other issues. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting followed a report issued by it criticising "less than satisfactory" cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. Iran has criticised the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on "forged documents" provided by its arch-foe Israel. In January 2020, Iran fired missiles at bases in Iraq housing American troops in retaliation for the US strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani days before at Baghdad airport. Dozens of US soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries.
