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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
WorldPride parade-goers march through Washington in defiance of Trump
Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas Members from the DC Public Schools group marching in the parade, sort pride flags for distribution, ahead of the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis A person wearing a costume pulls a cart with an animal figure, during the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis WASHINGTON - LGBTQ+ people and supporters from around the world marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday with a mixture of joyful celebration and a show of defiance in the face of President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route passed within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration, as revelers waved rainbow flags, including one stretching several blocks long, and danced to pulsating beats. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Since returning to office in January, Trump has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Thousands lined the parade route, marched or gathered for a festival on Pennsylvania Avenue with the U.S. Capitol in the background. Neither parade organizers nor police in the District of Columbia estimated the size of the crowd. Parade-goers pledged to preserve remaining rights and fight the Republican president's agenda. "We're going backwards," said Patricia Johnson, 70, who works for a nonprofit group supporting seniors in Washington. "But never give up hope." As the Pride Month of June began, the U.S. Navy took steps to rename an oil tanker that had been named after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk, in the Pentagon's latest measure against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. "That pissed me off more than anything. Harvey Milk is one of our heroes," said Mike Brubaker, a retired business analyst from Long Beach, California. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. 'LET THEM SERVE' Parade organizers gave prominent space near the head of the parade to displays of patriotism including military veterans with the banner "Operation Resist" and a group carrying flags for each branch of the armed forces with signs reading, "Let them serve." Washington's Metropolitan Police Department had its own contingent marching in the parade, as did the district's fire department, carrying a sign that said, "Fire doesn't discriminate. Neither do we." The parade route was lined with members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies like Carrie Blanton, a 58-year-old school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was attending her first event for LGBTQ+ rights, saying her religious beliefs previously kept her from showing support. "I wanted to grow as a Christian and realized my own hard-heartedness. This is a way to give back to the community for having been so cold-hearted in the past. God is here for everyone," said Blanton, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election and for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. Lisa Tusick, 62, an accounting clerk from Delaware, said she feared how far Trump may go. "He started with trans kids and he's going to keep going until he gets rid of gay marriage," Tusick said. "We don't want to think about it too much. We just want to enjoy the day." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
WorldPride paraders march through Washington in defiance of Trump
Workers place barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Barricades are placed at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura The Dupont Circle Fountain stands behind barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura A barricade stands at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Workers place barricades at the Dupont Circle park, ahead of weekend WorldPride events in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas People take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Gabriel V. Cardenas Members from the DC Public Schools group marching in the parade, sort pride flags for distribution, ahead of the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis Members of Gay Men's Choruses around the country, take part in the WorldPride parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 7, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis WASHINGTON - LGBTQ+ people and supporters from around the world marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday in a joyful celebration meant to show defiance of President Donald Trump's rollback of queer rights. The parade route passed within one block of the White House grounds in one of the final main events of the weeks-long WorldPride celebration. On Sunday a more political event, dubbed a rally and march, will convene at the Lincoln Memorial, a revered space in the U.S. civil rights movement as the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. The parade route was lined with members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies like Carrie Blanton, a 58-year-old school teacher from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who was attending her first event for LGBTQ+ rights, saying her religious beliefs previously kept her from showing support. "I wanted to grow as a Christian and realized my own hard-heartedness. This is a way to give back to the community for having been so cold-hearted in the past. God is here for everyone," said Blanton, who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election and for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 2020. Girard Bucello, 30, a queer writer from Washington, staked out a position near the White House before the head of the parade arrived, saying there was "no better place" than the U.S. capital for WorldPride. "Showing up in D.C. is a way for us to feel safe in a moment that does not feel safe," Bucello said. Washington was chosen as the site for WorldPride before Trump won the 2024 election. Since returning to office in January, the Republican president has issued executive orders limiting transgender rights, banning transgender people from serving in the armed forces, and rescinding anti-discrimination policies for LGBTQ+ people as part of a campaign to repeal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. While proponents of DEI consider it necessary to correct historic inequities, the White House has described it as a form of discrimination based on race or gender, and said its transgender policy protects women by keeping transgender women out of shared spaces. Moreover, the White House said it has appointed a number of openly gay people to cabinet posts or judgeships, and noted that the Trump administration took steps to decriminalize homosexuality globally, and that its 2019 initiative "Ending the HIV Epidemic" aimed to cut HIV infections by 90% by 2030. "The President is honored to serve all Americans," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement. 'FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED' Event organizers said they were unaware of any counterprotests or anti-LGBTQ+ demonstrations planned for Saturday or Sunday. The National Park Service, however, fenced off Dupont Circle, a popular public space, until Sunday night at the request of the U.S. Park Police, which said closure was necessary to "secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences." Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride events, said it was "frustrated and disappointed" at the closure. "This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting First Amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting," the alliance said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Here are the countries targeted in Trump's new travel ban
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a "Summer Soiree" held on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 4, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday banning the nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States, saying the move was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. WHEN DOES IT COME INTO EFFECT? The proclamation signed by Trump comes into effect on June 9, 2025 at 12:01 am EDT (0401 GMT). WHO DOES IT APPLY TO? The proclamation states that the full and partial travel bans apply to foreign nationals of the designated countries who: - are outside the United States on June 9, and - do not have a valid visa on June 9 The proclamation also states: No immigrant or non-immigrant visa issued before June 9 "shall be revoked pursuant to this proclamation." WHICH COUNTRIES ARE SUBJECTED TO A FULL TRAVEL BAN? The following countries are subject to full bans on entry: Afghanistan Myanmar Chad Republic of the Congo Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Haiti Iran Libya Somalia Sudan Yemen WHICH COUNTRIES ARE SUBJECTED TO A PARTIAL TRAVEL BAN? The following countries are subjected to the suspension of the entry of immigrants, and people on the following temporary visas: B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas. Burundi Cuba Laos Sierra Leone Togo Turkmenistan Venezuela ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE TRAVEL BANS? Exceptions to the travel ban include: - Any lawful permanent resident of the United States - Dual nationals - Diplomats traveling on valid non-immigrant visas - Athletes or members of an athletic team and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event - Immediate family immigrant visas - Adoptions - Afghan Special Immigrant Visas - Special Immigrant Visas for United States government employees - Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran (Reporting by Kristina Cooke and Michelle Nichols; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
The Star
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
US trade court blocks Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs
REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo NEW YORK: A U.S. trade court on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs from going into effect, ruling that the president overstepped his authority by imposing across-the-board duties on imports from nations that sell more to the United States than they buy. The Manhattan-based Court of International Trade said the U.S. Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate commerce with other countries that is not overridden by the president's emergency powers to safeguard the U.S. economy. "The court does not pass upon the wisdom or likely effectiveness of the President's use of tariffs as leverage. That use is impermissible not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because [federal law] does not allow it," a three-judge panel said in the decision. The ruling came in a pair of lawsuits, one filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the duties and the other by 13 U.S. states. The companies, which range from a New York wine and spirits importer to a Virginia-based maker of educational kits and musical instruments, have said the tariffs will hurt their ability to do business. At least five other legal challenges to the tariffs are pending. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, a Democrat whose office is leading the states' lawsuit, called Trump's tariffs unlawful, reckless and economically devastating. "This ruling reaffirms that our laws matter, and that trade decisions can't be made on the president's whim," Rayfield said in a statement. The White House and lawyers for groups that sued did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump has claimed broad authority to set tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which is meant to address "unusual and extraordinary" threats during a national emergency. The law has historically been used to impose sanctions on enemies of the U.S. or freeze their assets. Trump is the first U.S. president to use it to impose tariffs. The Justice Department has said the lawsuits should be dismissed because the plaintiffs have not been harmed by tariffs that they have not yet paid, and because only Congress, not private businesses, can challenge a national emergency declared by the president under IEEPA. In imposing the tariffs in early April, Trump called the trade deficit a national emergency that justified his 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports, with higher rates for countries with which the United States has the largest trade deficits, particularly China. Many of those country-specific tariffs were paused a week later. The Trump administration on May 12 said it was also temporarily reducing the steepest tariffs on China while working on a longer-term trade deal. Both countries agreed to cut tariffs on each other for at least 90 days. Trump's on-and-off-again tariffs, which he has said are intended to restore U.S. manufacturing capability, have shocked U.S. financial markets. The U.S. dollar rose against both the Swiss franc, a traditional currency safe-haven, and the Japanese yen following the court decision. Wednesday's decision can be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, D.C., and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court. - Reuters
Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US House passes bill on Trump's Gulf of America
President Trump holds a cap with the words \"Gulf of America\" embroidered as he walks to board Marine One to depart for Michigan to attend a rally to celebrate his first 100 days in office, from the South Lawn of the White House. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo WASHINGTON - The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to formally change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, following President Donald Trump's executive order, though the measure is unlikely to succeed in the Senate. The House voted 211-206 to change the name of the body of water that borders five southeastern U.S. states and a major swath of Mexico and flows into the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Enshrining the name Gulf of America, if also approved by the Senate, would make it more difficult for a future president to tinker with Trump's executive order. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, where it normally takes a super-majority of at least 60 votes to advance legislation. The House bill is sponsored by firebrand Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a vocal Trump supporter. The water has been referred to as the Gulf of Mexico for more than 400 years and is internationally recognized as such. U.S. presidents have the power, however, to declare geographic names, which applies within federal government usage. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
