Latest news with #JuliaDemareeNikhinson
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida's Alex Condon is staying in school, boosting the chances of the NCAA champs repeating
President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington, as head coach Todd Golden, listens at right. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Members of the team arrive on stage as President Donald Trump hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Alex Condon talks to media at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Alex Condon talks to media at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington, as head coach Todd Golden, listens at right. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Members of the team arrive on stage as President Donald Trump hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Alex Condon talks to media at the 2025 NBA basketball Draft Combine in Chicago, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida forward Alex Condon has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to school for his junior season, significantly boosting the Gators' chances of repeating as national champions. Coach Todd Golden said last week he was 'cautiously optimistic' the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian would be back for another season. He got the news Tuesday, a day before the deadline for players to withdraw from draft consideration. Advertisement Condon averaged 10.6 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds last season. He also blocked 49 shots. He notched seven double-doubles, scored in double figures 18 times and grabbed at least 10 boards 10 times. Condon previously said he planned to stay in the NBA draft if it looked like he would be selected between 20th and 35th overall in the two-round draft. His return nearly completes Golden's revamped roster, which includes replacing its top three guards: Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard. Golden landed Princeton's Xaivian Lee, a 6-foot-4 Toronto native who averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game last season. He added guard AJ Brown from Ohio University a week later. Advertisement But the biggest addition came last week, when former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland signed to play for the Gators. Fland averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals as a freshman with the Razorbacks last season. Now, Lee and Fland will be paired together in a backcourt that could be even more explosive than the one that set the top two scoring marks in school history the last two years behind Clayton. Condon was considered the final piece of the puzzle. He joins Rueben Chinyelu, Micah Handlogten and Thomas Haugh in what is expected to be one of the deepest frontcourts in the country. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
Mail & Guardian
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
The legal position of the 49 Afrikaner ‘refugees': Sorts facts and misinformation
Afrikaner refugees from South Africa holding American flags arrive, Monday, May 12, 2025, at Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) In recent months, the case of the 49 white South Africans, widely described as Afrikaner 'refugees', has ignited a global conversation. They were granted asylum in the United States after It is important that we clarify that these claims are not only false; they are dangerous. Let us be clear, there is no white genocide in South Africa. There is no legally valid refugee claim to be made by these individuals under either South African law or international conventions. And there is no monolithic, endangered 'Afrikaner' identity under siege. What we have here is a cynical distortion of fact, history and law. A distortion that threatens to undermine South Africa's social cohesion and the integrity of international refugee systems. South Africa's crime levels are high. But these numbers must be contextualised. The overwhelming majority of murder victims are black South Africans. Farm attacks, though often politicised, make up less than 0.3% of total murders annually. It is true that violent crime affects everyone in South Africa. But there is no statistical or credible factual basis for the claim that white South Africans face racial extermination. Quite to the contrary. Statistically a white South African is proportionally less likely to be murdered than a black South African is. This is not genocide. This is a national crime problem that affects all citizens, regardless of race. Regarding international law, the legal framework for determining refugee status is unambiguous. Article 1(A)(2) of the This definition excludes people fleeing general crime, economic hardship or declining social standing. For a refugee claim to be valid, there must be state persecution or a credible fear thereof based on protected grounds. In the case of the 49 who went to the US, no such evidence exists. Under the The Act explicitly excludes those fleeing general crime or economic insecurity, aligning with the There is no South African law, government policy or public practice that targets white South Africans. The South African government is meant to protect all citizens equally under the White people continue to occupy leading positions in business, law and agriculture. They remain represented economically and politically, and not oppressed. Even if generalised crime were a basis, which it is not, the state's ability to offer protection must be considered. The police services, albeit overstretched, do respond to and investigate crimes involving white victims, including farm attacks. No credible evidence suggests that white South Africans are refused police assistance because of their race. Finally, The US's decision to grant these 49 refugee status was not the product of legal merit. It was a political gesture. Respected analysts have pointed out the hypocrisy. Bill Frelick, of the Human Rights Watch, The 49 were flown out of a middle-income democracy in under three months. Compounding this failure is the international media's role in amplifying the false narrative. While some reputable outlets such as The New York Times and radio broadcaster NPR contextualised the situation, many others It is also important to note that the refugee narrative rests on a narrow, racially defined conception of the term 'Afrikaner' — a conception that does not pass historical or linguistic muster. People of mixed origin at the Cape referred to themselves as Afrikaners because they no longer could identify with the countries they originally came from. Afrikaans is a South African language with deep multicultural roots. It evolved not only from 17th-century Dutch, but also from Malay, Khoisan, Portuguese and African influences. The first written Afrikaans was an Arabic script, used by Muslim scholars at the Cape. To claim persecution of 'Afrikaners' as a racial group ignores the inclusive and evolving reality of Afrikaans identity. The language is one of South Africa's 12 official languages. It thrives in literature, music and education, and particularly in historically brown communities. The claim that 'Afrikaner culture' is being extinguished is not only false, it is dismissive of the millions of non-white South Africans who have built and sustained that culture. This case matters not just because of the lies being told, but because of the harm they cause. Every false claim of genocide trivialises the plight of genuine refugees around the world. Every false claim of racial persecution damages the credibility of international law and undermines the real transformation work still needed in South Africa. The FW de Klerk Foundation stands firmly against these distortions. We affirm that no South African citizen is being persecuted on the basis of race. We affirm the integrity of our Constitution, the legitimacy of our courts and the shared future of all South Africans, whether black, brown, Indian or white. As President FW de Klerk Let the world take note: South Africa is not perfect, but it is not a country of racial persecution. It is a country working — daily, deliberately and democratically — towards a future where truth matters more than fear and unity matters more than political spectacle. Ismail Joosub is a research intern at the FW de Klerk Foundation.
Toronto Sun
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Justice Department reaches deal to allow Boeing to avoid prosecution over 737 Max crashes
Published May 23, 2025 • 1 minute read The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a press conference with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at the Justice Department in Washington. Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP WASHINGTON —- The Justice Department has reached a deal with Boeing that will allow the company to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed and killed 346 people, according to court papers filed Friday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Justice Department said in a court filing that it had reached an 'agreement in principle' that will require the company to pay and invest more than $1.1 billion. In return, the department will dismiss the criminal case against the aircraft manufacturer. The deal still needs to be finalized. 'The Agreement guarantees further accountability and substantial benefits from Boeing immediately, while avoiding the uncertainty and litigation risk presented by proceeding to trial,' Justice Department lawyers wrote in court papers. Paul Cassell, an attorney for many of the families in the long-running case, had previously said said his clients strongly oppose dropping the criminal case. 'Dismissing the case would dishonor the memories of 346 victims who Boeing killed through its callous lies,' Cassell said in a recent statement. Many relatives of the passengers who died in the crashes, which took place off the coast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, have spent years pushing for a public trial, the prosecution of former company officials, and more severe financial punishment for Boeing. Music Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Music Celebrity
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump hosts NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Alijah Martin as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump and head coach Todd Golden poses with a jersey as Attorney General Pam Bondi watch as Trump hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump shakes hands with Alijah Martin as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump and head coach Todd Golden poses with a jersey as Attorney General Pam Bondi watch as Trump hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump honored the 2025 NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House on Wednesday, proclaiming that 'lesser teams would have crumbled' during its nail-biting title game victory. 'It was looking bad,' Trump said, noting that Houston led by as many as 12 points in a game Florida rallied to win 65-63 in San Antonio in April. 'Did you think you were going to win?" Advertisement Florida (36-4) delivered four come-from-behind victories in six March Madness wins. The Gators led the finale for a total of 64 seconds, including the last 46 ticks of a contest that was in limbo until the final sequence. Trump recounted Alijah Martin making two free throws to put the Gators ahead to stay with 46.5 seconds left, and asked Martin if he was nervous. 'Lesser teams would have crumbled,' the president said. Florida secured the program's third title in basketball, and Trump noted that it is the only school to have a trio of NCAA titles in that sport and in football. When the Gators basketball team won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2006 and 2007, they visited President George W. Bush at the White House. Advertisement Wednesday's East Room ceremony featured top Trump administration leaders from Florida, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Mentioning Rubio, Trump said there's 'no bigger Florida fan.' Also on hand were Florida Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody, as well as assorted House members from the state and former Florida football standout Tim Tebow. Trump described Tebow 'as a college player, maybe the best ever' and said he was a big fan despite Tebow having spent part of his professional career with the NFL's New York Jets. The team gave Trump an autographed basketball and No. 47 jersey with his name on the back. The president also hailed the Gators' 39-year-old coach, Todd Golden, as 'great" and 'young' while joking, 'Boy, would I like to be his agent.' Last year, President Joe Biden held a joint ceremony honoring the 2024 NCAA men's and women's basketball winners, honoring South Carolina and Connecticut. Since taking office in January, Trump has hosted a series of championship teams, including the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles. His April ceremony in the Rose Garden with the NCAA football champion Ohio State Buckeyes is best remembered for Vice President JD Vance — an Ohio State graduate and Buckeye fan — fumbling the team's championship trophy.
Japan Today
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
DHS asks for 20,000 National Guard troops for immigration roundups
FILE - A deportation officer with Enforcement and Removal Operations in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's New York City field office conducts a brief before an early morning operation, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File) By TARA COPP and REBECCA SANTANA The Department of Homeland Security has asked for 20,000 National Guard troops to assist with immigration roundups across the country, and the Pentagon is reviewing the unusual request, a U.S. official confirmed to The Associated Press. DHS asked for the troops to help carry out President Donald Trump's 'mandate from the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens,' department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said. She said DHS will 'use every tool and resource available" to do so because the 'safety of American citizens comes first.' Unlike the troops deployed at the southern border, these National Guard units would come from the states and be used to assist in deportation operations in the interior of the country. How the troops would be used may depend on whether they remain under state governors' control. Under the Posse Comitatus Act, troops under federal orders cannot be used for domestic law enforcement, but units under state control can. The addition of 20,000 National Guard troops would provide a huge boost to immigration enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the DHS agency responsible for immigration enforcement in the interior of the country, has a total staff of about 20,000 people spread across three divisions. Enforcement and Removals Operations, which is the division directly responsible for arresting and removing people who do not have the right to stay in the country, has a total staff of roughly 7,700 people, including a little over 6,000 law enforcement officers. It was unclear why the request was made to the Defense Department and not to the states. The U.S. official spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. Trump has been carrying out a wide-ranging crackdown on illegal immigration, issuing a series of executive orders designed to stop what he has called the 'invasion' of the United States. The U.S. already has as many as 10,000 troops under state and federal orders along the U.S.-Mexico border, including some who are now empowered to detain migrants they encounter along a newly militarized narrow strip of land adjacent to the border. So far, these troops have largely been limited to providing airlift, bolstering the wall, surveillance and administrative support to free up border agents for arrests or detentions. Along the newly militarized zone, troops have put up warning signs and accompanied border agents but left the detention of migrants crossing the border to other agencies. In New Mexico, where the new militarized zone was first created, federal magistrate judges have started dismissing national security charges against migrants accused of crossing the southern U.S. border through the newly designated military zone, finding little evidence that they were aware of the zone. The request for 20,000 troops was first reported by The New York Times. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
