Latest news with #Biological
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge grants Mines student injunction against DHS
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A district judge granted a preliminary injunction for a graduate School of Mines student's immigration records and visa after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempted to terminate her status before graduation. On May 13, the western district court of South Dakota held an evidentiary hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction. The court granted the motion on May 15, according to court documents. COURT DOCS: 8 arrested in Madison ICE raid Court documents said Priya Saxena can stay in the U.S. under her current F-1 student visa, which is set to expire in 2027, and DHS cannot take immigration enforcement action to terminate her SEVIS records or revoke her student visa retroactive to April 4. Further, DHS cannot transfer Saxena out of the jurisdiction of the District of South Dakota. If DHS found a lawful reason to terminate Saxena's immigration records or visa, then DHS must provide notice to her and the court 15 days prior to termination. Originally from India, Saxena lawfully obtained a student visa in January 2020 to enroll at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, court documents said, and she graduated with a doctoral degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering on May 10, 2025. But the path to her degree wasn't easy after a possible deportation in April. On April 4, 2025, DHS terminated Saxena's SEVIS record and revoked her student visa, due to a 'criminal records check,' according to court documents. In 2021, Saxena faced a DUI charge, according to court documents, but a court dismissed the charge after Saxena plead guilty and paid a fine. Court documents said her visa was renewed in 2022 after a hearing. According to court documents, DHS failed to inform Saxena about the update to her immigration status, as her designated school official (DSO) informed her on April 7. On April 16, the School of Mines told Saxena that she couldn't graduate in May without lawful immigration status. More importantly, the record and visa termination threatened Saxena's ability to apply for optional practical training (OPT), a resource that would further her academic opportunities and future career, court documents said. The next day, Saxena filed a lawsuit against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Court documents said Saxena's lawsuit raised two claims: Unlawful termination of her SEVIS record, violating the Administration Procedure Act (APA); Violation of her rights to due process, violating the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, Saxena moved for a temporary restraining order (TRO), as well as a preliminary and permanent injunction. Local News Rapid City teen assaults train operator On April 18, the court granted a TRO, requiring Noem and Lyons to reinstate Saxena's immigration records and status retroactive to April 4, and take no further action to terminate such. The TRO expires on May 16, according to court documents. Afterwards, Saxena's immigration records and visa were reinstated, and she was able to complete her program and graduate on May 10. On May 15, the court granted Saxena' preliminary injunction. A preliminary injunction is a court order requiring the preservation of the status quo until the courts decides on the final merits of the case, court documents said. The court must consider the following factors to grant a preliminary injunction, as defined by court documents: The threat of irreparable harm on the plaintiff The state of balance between this harm and the injury that granting an injunction will inflict on defendants The probability that the plaintiff will succeed on the merits Public interest According to court documents, the court granted a preliminary injunction on the following merits: Threat of irreparable harm: the court agreed with Saxena's claims of harm, if her status were terminated again, on the basis of loss in academic progress, such as the previous threat to a timely graduation and potential inability to apply for OPT to further her career. Balance of hardships and public interest: The court found that the defendants showed no evidence that they'd receive harm if a preliminary injunction were to be placed, while Saxena proved there would be harm to her if it weren't in place. Further, the court found that the defendants' enforcement of immigration law was unlawful and likely to cause Saxena irreparable harm, which gives Saxena more favor of public interest. Likelihood of success on the merits: the court found four reasons for this merit: mootness, finality of agency actions, the court's jurisdiction, and the APA claim. First, although Saxena's SEVIS record was reinstated, her claims are not moot because the defendants failed to show that re-termination of her record is not reasonably expected to reoccur. Second, the court agreed that the termination of a F-1 student visa as a final agency action. Third, the court can rule on the matter of Saxena's immigration record and visa because she's not challenging a decision to go forward with removal proceedings. And finally, the court agreed that Saxena can succeed on her APA claim because she hasn't committed violations for lawful termination of her visa. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Paranoid Putin sends Salisbury poisonings suspect to peace talks in his place
GRU chief Igor Olegovich Kostyukov has gone to Istanbul while Vladimir Putin stays home - Kostyukov was sanctioned by the UK following the deadly Salisbury poisonings A Russian spook accused of the 'reckless use of a chemical weapon' in the 2018 Salisbury poisonings has travelled for ceasefire talks with Ukraine this week, according to reports. Igor Olegovich Kostyukov has gone to the talks in Istanbul, while Russian President Vladimir Putin remains at home, following speculation the Kremlin leader fears an assassination attempt. Kostyukov, 64, is the chief of the Russian military intelligence service the GRU. Two members of the GRU, Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, are suspects in the 2018 nerve agent poisonings of Sergei Skripal and his daughter. The Kremlin has always denied their involvement in the poisonings. The attack also killed 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess, who came into contact with the deadly Novichok substance. In sanctioning Kostyukov in January 2019, then-Tory foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said the GRU 'put innocent British citizens in serious danger in Salisbury'. Now, reports say Kostyukov is among the Russian contingent that travelled in a special Kremlin aircraft to Turkey for the peace talks that have been shunned by Putin, despite an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet face-to-face. Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the former commander of the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, told the Mirror there are 'analysts' who believe Putin is a 'dead man walking' because of his war in Ukraine. 'I don't think there is a chance in hell that he would or will turn up to Istanbul to face Zelensky as he would believe he could be in danger or face arrest for war crimes,' he said. 'Things are looking very bad in Russia as even the US now seems to be looking at conciliation with Ukraine as Trump is realising he has been played by Putin. 'Putin cannot keep playing for time and his bluff has been called brilliantly by Zelensky's challenge to meet him face-to-face in Turkey.' Col de Bretton-Gordon said Putin is 'incredibly paranoid' and has increased his security as Russia faces considerable troop losses in its war, as well as a continued slump in oil prices. Its revenues from exported oil has fallen to the lowest in nearly two years, according to the International Energy Agency. US President Donald Trump, who will not attend the talks, downplayed Putin's decision to skip the Istanbul meetings. 'I didn't think it was possible for Putin to go if I'm not there,' he said after previously floating the possibility he may attend earlier. Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks after a push for direct talks between Zelensky and Putin came amid a flurry of negotiations aimed at producing a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Zelensky, who is in Turkey, will only meet directly with Putin. Among the Russian negotiators is Vladimir Medinsky, a vocal critic of the West and someone who has made statements calling Ukraine's existence a 'historical phantom'. He will lead the Russian delegation. Colonel General Alexander Fomin Russia's deputy defence minister, is also in attendance with deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzhin. The UK, meanwhile, has accused Putin of sending a 'low-level' delegation to peace talks on Ukraine rather than agreeing to a face-to-face meeting with Zelensky. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Nato counterparts including the US's top diplomat Marco Rubio are taking part in a separate meeting in Turkey. Mr Lammy said: 'We come with one single message to stand by Ukraine and to ensure that we get a just and lasting, enduring peace. And the readiness for that peace is demonstrated by President Zelensky being here in Turkey as well. And of course, we watched closely as we head to these talks, noting the Russian low-level individuals who are coming to represent the Russian side.' Overnight, Ukraine's air force downed 62 of the 100 Shahed-type attack drones and other drones fired by Russia. Local authorities in Sumy said a missile strike on an industrial site killed three people and injured six others, while two others were killed in attacks on Kupiansk and Torske respectively.
International Business Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- International Business Times
Putin's Name Not on List of Officials Attending High-Stakes Peace Talks in Turkey to End Ukraine War, Raising Concerns About His Health
Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending the high-stakes meeting scheduled to be in Turkey this week that will focus on resolving the ongoing three-year war in Ukraine. This came as several British military experts claimed that Putin is a "dead man walking" who is severely ill and rarely steps out of the Kremlin these days. Putin had suggested holding direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul, his name does not feature in the list of Russian delegates attending the negotiations, which was released by the Kremlin on Wednesday, according to the BBC. Kremlin did not give any reason for the Russian President not attending the meeting. Putin's Absence Raises Eyebrows Zelensky, who hasn't had a meeting with Putin in person since 2019, is scheduled to be in Istanbul for Thursday's negotiations. He will be accompanied by a senior U.S. delegation headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. President Donald Trump, who is currently on a trip to the Middle East, is also not likely to take part in the high-stakes meeting, despite having suggested earlier this week that he might attend. The Russia's delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a senior advisor to President Putin, Kremlin announced on Wednesday. On Sunday, Putin—who launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022—proposed that Russia and Ukraine hold direct talks "without pre-conditions" in Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city. Shortly after the suggestion was made public, Trump urged Zelensky to accept Putin's offer. "Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY," Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday. "At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!" "HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!." the president added. That same day, Zelensky announced that he would "be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally." Hopes of Peace Amid Growing Concerns over Putin's Health Trump, who promised during his 2024 campaign to quickly bring an end to the deadliest war in Europe since World War II, remains hopeful about the upcoming talks. "I think we're having some pretty good news coming out of there today and maybe tomorrow and maybe Friday, frankly," he said in Qatar on Wednesday. "But we'll see about that." However, amid all the hopes concerns about Putin's health have grown. Concerns about the declining health of Putin, 72, have circulated for years as he grows older, and now experts claim that the brutal war in Ukraine has drained much of his remaining strength. Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, former head of the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, shared with the Mirror, "There are analysts, people who know better than I, who believe Putin is now a dead man walking, a spent force whose war in Ukraine will cause his end." Bruce Jones, one of the UK's leading analysts of Russia, said: "Things never end democratically in Russia and the situation is bad for Putin. He has had people killed for years and some in his military have already been dealt with in such a way - he knows the way this goes for a leader in Moscow who is not making good decisions. So he is probably right to be paranoid." Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Wednesday that he would try to urge Putin to take part in the discussions. Lula has maintained strong ties with Putin even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine—a stance that has strained ties with Kyiv and drawn concern from Western nations.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin could be a ‘dead man walking' and face assassination over 'disaster' war
The Russian despot has tightened his security and rarely leaves his Kremlin security bubble out of fear of a Ukrainian kill squad, anti-Kremlin plotters or killers from within his inner-circle Russian leader Vladimir Putin could be a 'dead man walking' and face assassination because of his disastrous war on Ukraine, experts believe. The 72 year-old despot has tightened his security and rarely leaves his Kremlin security bubble out of fear of a Ukrainian kill squad, anti-Kremlin plotters or killers from within his inner-circle. It comes as Russian society is learning they have suffered close to a million casualties, troops either killed, missing in action or wounded by fighting in Ukraine, Experts say the terrified ex-KGB man's reticence over facing Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey this week has hugely exposed his weakness. Western intelligence analysts now believe Putin not only fears being assassinated but that it could actually happen because of his 'meat grinder' conflict. Former commander of the UK's Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, Col Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, told the Mirror: 'There are analysts, people who know better than I, who believe Putin is now a dead man walking, a spent force whose war in Ukraine will cause his end. 'I don't think there is a chance in hell that he would or will turn up to Istanbul to face Zelensky as he would believe he could be in danger or face arrest for war crimes. Things are looking very bad in Russia as even the US now seems to be looking at conciliation with Ukraine as Trump is realising he has been played by Putin. 'Putin cannot keep playing for time and his bluff has been called brilliantly by Zelensky's challenge to meet him face-to-face in Turkey. Russia in the coming months will lose a third of its income through decreased oil prices and it has lost probably a million troops to the conflict. 'He is incredibly paranoid, as we see with his increased security and I am very reliably informed by people who would know that he has at least two dopplegangers or lookalikes. He has been acting like a worried Czar and the Bolsheviks are gathering at the gates because internally things are looking really terrible. Russians cannot even buy a loaf of bread.' Bruce Jones, one of the UK's leading analysts in Russian intelligence and the military said: 'Things never end democratically in Russia and the situation is bad for Putin. He has had people killed for years and some in his military have already been dealt with in such a way - he knows the way this goes for a leader in Moscow who is not making good decisions. So he is probably right to be paranoid.' Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of UK forces in Afghanistan, added: 'There are plenty of people who would want to have Putin bumped off. But his security is so tight that there is a real question over whether that is at all achievable and I believe that for the moment it is unlikely to happen.' Zelensky challenged Putin to showdown talks this week that could bring an end to the grinding war that has decimated both countries. The Ukraine leader travels to Turkey on Thursday hoping to negotiate the first steps to "true and lasting peace" in Eastern Europe, his chief of staff has announced. Putin had suggested a meeting between officials from Kyiv and Moscow to be held in Istanbul, but it is highly unlikely he would attend. The Ukrainian president said that should Putin refuse to go it would show the Kremlin chief does not want peace. A former British intelligence officer told the Mirror: 'Putin is a very diminished person. But there are questions over whether him being killed would serve any purpose.' US President Donald Trump has offered to attend the talks, although Washington is not clear whether any Kremlin officials would show up. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov previously said it would make an announcement about whether anyone would attend "as soon as the president sees fit." Kyiv has been willing to show Washington it is prepared to end the conflict, having signed a minerals deal with the US and regularly stating it wants to bring the war to an end. Russian mercenary organisation, the Wagner Group staged an armed revolt against the country over concerns about how the war was being conducted. Its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led a mutiny against Russia, steering his forces from Ukraine toward Moscow Putin branded it "treason" but agreed with Prigozhin to let him live should he bring the mutiny to an end. Prigozhin died in a plane crash two months later in August 2023. Putin is so desperate for troops North Korea is estimated to have sent about 12,000 including members of its special forces. It is possible thousands of North Korean soldiers have died in the conflict. And last week it emerged that North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-Un has agreed to send a further 15,000 workers to help Putin bolster his dwindling industrial employee base and help in Far East Russian factories.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Exclusive: Trump administration banned chosen names at FDA, CDC, NIH under new gender policy
Employees of the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are being told to use their legal names in official systems, a move the agencies say is in response to President Donald Trump's executive order that reversed protections for transgender people. The policies affect transgender employees who use a name that aligns with their gender identity rather than the sex they were assigned at birth. But the policies can also affect married women who choose to go by their maiden names at work, and people who go by middle names, initials, or shorten their first names, for example, from James to Jim. The FDA, CDC, and NIH policies go beyond a January directive from the Office of Personnel Management that ordered agencies to purge contracts and content related to gender identity and turn off features on email platforms 'that prompt users for their pronouns.' Both agencies are part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Media representatives for the White House, the HHS, NIH, and the CDC did not respond to USA TODAY's request for comment. The FDA website refers media inquiries to HHS. A March 14 memo to FDA employees obtained by USA TODAY said HHS policy only allows employees to use 'full legal name' in their email signatures and cannot use pronouns or what the agency calls 'nicknames.' The memo said it was in response to Trump's Jan. 20 executive order called 'Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.' The order declared that the government only recognized two sexes ‒ male and female ‒ that it says are determined at conception. The CDC and the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases told employees March 13 in nearly identical memos that employees had until the end of the day to remove pronouns and "nicknames" from email signatures, and that they could only use "full legal names." Both memos cited guidance from HHS. The NIH sent a similar memo March 21 announcing that the agency was removing 'preferred name' information in an internal contact system in order to comply with HHS policy on 'nicknames' and the 'Defending Women' executive order. The email also warned employees against changing their legal names in the system: 'Please be aware that any change to your legal name in (the database) will trigger a new background check and a new HHS badge request.' HHS news: RFK Jr.: Chronic diseases need top billing, not infectious diseases like measles and COVID "It's showing how far they're willing to go for an anti-trans agenda," said Adrian Shanker, the former deputy assistant secretary for HHS under former President Joe Biden, who led LGBTQ+ policymaking. An NIH employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation criticized the move as an attack on transgender employees that goes against the agency's tradition of trans inclusion. "They work with scientists and scientists tend to be people who understand the basics of the diversity of humans," Shanker said. He said that meant the agency historically "brought in a workforce that believe in being an inclusive work environment and I think that's one of the reasons it's so shocking." Lindsay Dhanani, an associate professor of human resource management at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said choosing a name and pronouns is a big step for transgender people, and when people around them don't use those names or pronouns, 'that causes a lot of damage for people.' She said not honoring a person's name or pronouns is one of the most common forms of transphobia, and transphobia can lead to anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. However, 'when firms adopt policies that encourage all employees to bring their whole selves to the workplace, they tend to be more productive and may benefit by becoming an employer of choice,' a 2017 study published in the academic journal Human Resources Management found. Another NIH employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of losing her job, said the policy has confused colleagues who could not find her in the employee database, since she has always used her maiden name at work to maintain consistency in her scientific publications. Her legal name is her married name. USA TODAY requested a full copy of HHS policy on 'nicknames' that is referenced in the NIH and FDA memos, but the department did not provide it, instead pointing to a press release about what the administration calls 'gender ideology.' 'This administration is bringing back common sense and restoring biological truth to the federal government,' HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. said in the release. 'The prior administration's policy of trying to engineer gender ideology into every aspect of public life is over.' Trump's executive order required agencies to make sure identification documents such as passports and visas "accurately reflect" a person's sex. The order also questioned a 2020 Supreme Court case that made it illegal for employers to fire someone for being gay or transgender, and ordered the attorney general to "correct the misapplication" of the Supreme Court decision. The Office of Personnel Management ordered agencies to "disband or cancel" employee resource groups that "promote gender ideology," and make sure that bathrooms are "designated by biological sex and not gender identity," among other things. HHS news: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggests compensating families of some people with autism Websites for agencies within HHS now often show formal names for their leaders. The head of the FDA, who is often called Marty, is listed as Dr. Martin Makary on the official website. Kennedy's official bio lists him by his full name and briefly references him as 'Bobby Jr.' But Dr. Jayanta Bhattacharya, who went by 'Jay' in his previous academic position, is continuing to use his nickname in government. It appeared in the headline of an April 1 press release, his official biography, and multiple tweets published on official social media accounts. An essay published last week also used Bhattacharya's nickname in the signature. Dhanani criticized Bhattacharya's use of his nickname, and said it 'demonstrates that the rule isn't for everybody' and 'to me, it demonstrates the intention behind the policy.' 'If the rule isn't motivated by disallowing trans people to be themselves, then it has to apply to everybody, and if you're in a leadership position, the modeling of this applying to everybody starts with you,' she said. (This article has been updated to include additional information.) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Exclusive: FDA, NIH, CDC ban chosen names due to Trump gender order
