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France 24
5 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Trump trip to Scotland combines diplomacy and golf
The president is expected to split his time between two seaside golf courses bearing his name, Turnberry and Aberdeen. Trump is due to arrive in Scotland Friday at 8:20 pm local time (1920 GMT) and has no public events scheduled for Saturday or Sunday, the White House said. An avid golfer, Trump is expected to tear himself away from the greens to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at some point, but details of that meeting have not been released. Starmer is not reputed to be as passionate about golf as the 79-year-old Republican, and may have other concerns to tee off on. The US and the UK announced a trade agreement in May, but London is worried about Trump's stated intention to "refine" the deal. The British leader, who has dodged the exorbitant tariffs other countries have been saddled with, will aim to stay in the good graces of the unpredictable American leader. Trump is also expected to return to the UK in September for a state visit -- his second -- at the invitation of King Charles III, which promises to be lavish. Trumpist discontent The trip to Scotland puts physical distance between Trump and the latest twists in the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier accused of sex trafficking who died in prison in 2019 before facing trial. In his heyday, Epstein was friends with Trump and others in the New York jet-set, but the president is now facing backlash from his own MAGA supporters who demand access to the Epstein case files. Many support a conspiracy theory under which "deep state" elites protected rich and famous people who took part in an Epstein sex ring. But Trump is urging his supporters to move on and drop the case. The Wall Street Journal, which published an article detailing longstanding links between Trump and the sex offender, is being punished by the White House. Its reporting staff plans to travel to Scotland on its own and join the White House press pool. But it has now been denied a seat on Air Force One for the flight back home. Protests During a previous visit in 2023, Trump said he felt at home in Scotland, where his mother Mary Anne MacLeod grew up before emigrating to the United States at age 18. The affection is not necessarily mutual in Scotland, where protests are planned Saturday in Edinburgh and Aberdeen to oppose his visit. A significant police presence will be deployed. Residents, environmentalists and elected officials have also voiced discontent over the Trump family's construction of a golf course in Balmedie, a village in Aberdeenshire. While Trump's family has undertaken many development projects worldwide, the president no longer legally controls the family holdings. But opponents and watchdog groups have accused him of many conflicts of interest and using his position as US president to promote private family investments, especially abroad. The American NGO Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said in May that 21 development projects were already underway abroad during Trump's second term. The group also noted that the Trump Organization revised its own ethical charter in January to remove any prohibition from launching new international ventures with private actors, departing from the moratorium it had imposed during Trump's first term.
Buzz Feed
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
21 Major Global News Stories American Media Isn't Covering
With campaign chaos, courtroom drama, and climate disasters dominating US headlines, it's easy to miss how rapidly the rest of the world is evolving, let alone what those shifts could mean for us. From trade wars and tech crackdowns to diplomatic shakeups and human rights backslides, global power is being renegotiated in real time. In this edition, I've pulled together 21 international stories you probably didn't see in your feed — along with context on why they matter, what they reveal, and where they might be heading: Trump has nominated Nick Adams, a self-described "alpha male" conservative influencer from Australia, as the next US ambassador to Malaysia, sparking outrage in the Muslim-majority nation. Adams, who became a naturalized US citizen after immigrating in 2012, has built a following through inflammatory social media posts, misogynistic remarks, and vocal support for Israel. Malaysian officials have denounced the appointment as an "insult," with one calling Adams "an extreme right-wing propagandist, a Trumpist and vocal supporter of Israel's Zionist regime" whose rhetoric is "full of hatred, racism and Islamophobic sentiments." Adams has previously claimed that Trump's opponents sought to "teach Islam in schools" and has regularly courted controversy with his provocative online presence. The nomination has alarmed Southeast Asian diplomats who see Trump prioritizing political loyalty over diplomatic expertise. Why it matters: Adams's nomination shows how Trump's habit of rewarding online loyalists is quietly reshaping America's diplomatic corps. While his domestic picks dominate headlines, these embassy appointments directly shape how the US is perceived abroad. Malaysia, a key trading partner along shipping routes that carry 25% of global trade, has already denounced the choice — a rare public rejection that underscores how Trump's approach to diplomacy is damaging US credibility in a region increasingly pulled between Washington and Malaysia lashes out at Trump's pick of 'Zionist' envoy Nick Adams: 'not welcome here' [South China Morning Post] In a major reversal, President Trump announced that the US will send billions of dollars' worth of weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot air defense systems, via NATO, while also threatening secondary sanctions and 100% tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian oil, giving a 50-day window for Moscow to agree to a peace deal. The announcement comes after months of Trump's attempts at direct talks with Putin and amid growing frustration over Russia's continued attacks. Ukrainian and European officials cautiously welcomed the shift, while financial analysts noted that the delay gives Russia room to maneuver diplomatically and economically. Why it matters: Trump's about-face marks a pivotal shift in US strategy and suggests that even his "America First" agenda has limits as Russia's war drags on. The weapons deal and threat of secondary sanctions could upend battlefield dynamics and global trade, especially if China and India are pushed to rethink their oil imports from the delay gives Moscow some breathing room, it shows just how hard it is to pressure Putin without destabilizing energy markets. This shift could redefine not only the war effort but also America's role in NATO, the global sanctions regime, and the future of oil In reversal, Trump arms Ukraine and threatens sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil [Reuters] A new Senate Foreign Relations Committee report says China is rapidly filling the diplomatic and humanitarian void left by deep US retrenchment under the Trump administration. Since January, the US has slashed billions in foreign aid, gutted USAID, and laid off thousands of State Department staff, all while promoting an "America First" agenda. In the wake of those cuts, China has stepped in with food aid, health supplies, infrastructure investment, and high-profile diplomatic visits, especially in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. From HIV testing kits in Zambia to railroad deals in Vietnam, the report details dozens of examples where Beijing is expanding its global influence as Washington pulls back. Why it matters: While the Trump administration frames the cuts as trimming waste and putting "America First," they've resulted in a power vacuum that China is quickly filling. Through infrastructure deals, vaccine shipments, and food donations, China is steadily cementing long-term influence in regions central to global supply chains, military access, and future erosion of US foreign aid also chips away at two of America's biggest assets: national security and soft power. Foreign assistance has long been a tool to shape global norms, secure trade access, and project stability without firing a shot. As the US pulls back, it loses leverage in trade deals, multilateral negotiations, and peacekeeping, especially as other nations grow more aligned with the cost-cutting rhetoric, the blowback could be felt domestically. Foreign aid often opens markets for US businesses and helps stabilize regions that would otherwise require costly military or emergency intervention. Walking away now could mean fewer trade opportunities, more global volatility, and a lasting decline in American influence, all while China quietly builds China steps in as US pulls back from diplomacy, report says [Reuters] In a rare coordinated rebuke, 27 former EU ambassadors to the Middle East and North Africa have issued an open letter urging the European Union to suspend its trade agreement with Israel, citing alleged war crimes in Gaza, illegal settlement expansion, and the treatment of Palestinians. While the letter condemns Hamas's October 7 attack, it criticizes the EU's "reluctance to take serious action" in response to Israel's military operations and aid restrictions in Gaza, which, the ambassadors argue, violate international law and humanitarian principles. It also faults the EU for failing to follow through on its own review finding "indications" that Israel has breached its human rights obligations, and warns that the bloc's current posture risks exposing a double standard, particularly given its stance on Russia's war in Ukraine. The intervention comes days before EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet in Brussels to consider potential action. Why it matters: This is a striking rebuke, not from activists or fringe figures but from seasoned diplomats who helped shape EU policy in the region. The letter puts real institutional pressure on the bloc to close the gap between its values and its actions. It also comes at a time when the EU is already facing criticism for what many see as a double standard — defending international law in Ukraine while hesitating to confront Israel. That perceived hypocrisy has fueled frustration in the Global South and increasingly strained the West's moral letter also targets the humanitarian aid system co-managed by Israel and the US, which could spark tensions between allies if Europe decides to take a harder line. More than anything, it points to a larger trend. Gaza is becoming a global fault line, exposing growing divides inside Western institutions and forcing a reckoning with long-standing diplomatic EU's 'reluctance' to act over Israel criticised by 27 former ambassadors [Euronews] Malaysia has imposed mandatory trade permits for all high-performance AI chips from the US, requiring 30 days' advance notice for any exports, transshipments, or transits through the country. The move comes as Malaysia scrambles to negotiate down Trump's 25% tariffs set to kick in August 1, part of broader levies hitting Southeast Asian nations with rates ranging from 20% to 40%. The chip permit requirement follows allegations that four Chinese engineers traveled to Malaysia in March, used local data centers packed with advanced Nvidia chips to train an AI model, then returned the data to China, potentially circumventing US export controls. Malaysia's trade ministry warned it would take "strict legal action" against attempts to skirt export controls and said all entities must comply with international obligations to avoid secondary sanctions. Why it matters: Malaysia is now scrambling on two fronts: tightening chip controls to show it's not enabling China's workarounds, while also trying to negotiate down Trump's steep new tariffs, which were framed around trade deficits, not technology. Allegations that Chinese engineers trained AI models on US-made Nvidia chips in Malaysian data centers reveal just how creative Beijing has become. This workaround underscores why the US needs allies not only to block chip sales but to actively police what happens after the chips leave American hands. As the global AI supply chain becomes a geopolitical battleground, Malaysia's new permit system shows how smaller nations are being forced to choose sides in a much bigger tech Malaysia imposes trade permits for US-linked AI chip shipments [South China Morning Post] Australia has refused to commit in advance to backing the US in a potential conflict with China over Taiwan, with senior officials stressing that any decision to go to war would rest with the sitting government. The statement follows reports that the US is pressuring allies like Australia and Japan to outline their positions on a hypothetical conflict as part of broader AUKUS (Australia, UK, and US) defense talks. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed the US's own stance of "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan and emphasized Australia's support for regional peace, while Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy underscored the country's sovereignty in military decisions. The comments come during Albanese's visit to China and amid a US review of the AUKUS submarine pact — both unfolding against a backdrop of rising strategic tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Why it matters: As US-China relations grow more volatile, Washington is looking to shore up its alliances. However, Australia's stance reflects how even close partners are wary of being pulled into a future conflict. The situation exposes a key fault line in the AUKUS pact, which is not only about sharing submarines and tech but strategic alignment. Albanese and Conroy's comments ultimately serve as a reminder that the Indo-Pacific balance of power is shifting, and that allies navigating their own relationships with China may not always move in lockstep with American Australia rebuffs calls to commit to joining hypothetical US–China conflict [The Guardian] Sweden's Migration Minister Johan Forssell publicly confirmed this week that his 16-year-old son had been involved with violent far-right groups, following an alert from the national security service. The teen allegedly tried to recruit peers into a white supremacist organization and participated in activities with the neo-Nazi group Aktivklubb Sverige, according to Expo magazine. Though Forssell said his son is remorseful and no longer involved, the revelation has triggered political fallout, especially given that Forssell's Moderate Party governs with support from the far-right Sweden Democrats — a party with roots in white nationalist movements. Opposition lawmakers are now demanding Forssell appear before parliament. However, many observers have praised the minister for addressing the situation head-on and acknowledging the broader issue of youth radicalization. Why it matters: The radicalization of Forssell's son lays bare how far-right extremism isn't confined to the political fringe — it can surface even in the homes of the people tasked with shaping democratic policy. The fact that Sweden's migration minister is both aligned with a far-right-backed government and grappling with extremism within his own family underscores how deeply these ideologies have penetrated mainstream society. It spotlights a familiar challenge: the online radicalization of young men, often in plain sight, and the political reluctance to confront far-right violence with the same urgency as other threats. It also echoes broader debates about political normalization, parental responsibility, and the real-world cost of platforming Swedish migration minister 'shocked and horrified' by teenage son's far-right links [Euronews] With President Trump's 50% copper tariff set to kick in on August 1, global traders are scrambling to reroute shipments that won't clear US customs in time. Many are now turning to China, the world's biggest copper buyer, and offering cargoes at a discount, with sellers redirecting thousands of tons initially bound for the US. The surge has already pushed down the Yangshan premium — a benchmark for China-bound copper — by 5%. Why it matters: Trump's new tariff is already reshaping global supply chains in real time. Traders who spent months routing copper to the US are now scrambling to reroute unsold shipments, offering steep discounts to Chinese buyers to avoid missing the August 1 deadline. The last-minute pivot highlights how quickly protectionist policies can ripple across markets and inadvertently hand pricing power to competitors. It's also a reminder of China's endurance as the world's top commodity consumer, and how US tariffs meant to protect domestic industry can end up strengthening strategic rivals. Moreover, the copper scramble raises broader questions about inflation, industrial policy, and what a politically driven global economy looks like when every shipping lane becomes a pressure Copper traders look to Chinese buyers in post Trump-tariff world [Reuters] The UK and France are finalizing a "one in, one out" migration deal that would allow Britain to return up to 50 asylum seekers per week — mostly those who arrive via small boats across the English Channel — back to France. In exchange, the UK would formally resettle an equal number of asylum seekers currently in France who have verified family ties in Britain. The agreement is part of a larger push to curb illegal Channel crossings, a longstanding flashpoint between the two countries. It would also expand UK financial support for French policing efforts, including drone surveillance, and test the legal limits of immigration enforcement in both countries. If the pilot succeeds, officials say it could be scaled up significantly. Why it matters: This is the latest in a growing trend of bilateral migration deals — often framed as cooperative deterrence but drawing criticism for externalizing asylum processing and displacing responsibility. While the numbers are small, the symbolism is big: this would mark the first formal UK–EU migration coordination since Brexit, potentially laying groundwork for future alignment. It also mirrors policies being tested in the US, like third-country agreements and offshore asylum pacts, making it a bellwether for how liberal democracies are recalibrating asylum norms under political UK and France set to unveil 'one in, one out' migration deal to combat small boat crossings [Euronews] India's aviation regulator has ordered all airlines operating Boeing aircraft to inspect cockpit fuel switches after a preliminary report on last month's deadly Air India crash revealed that fuel to both engines was cut off seconds after takeoff. The early findings suggest the engines were starved of fuel, either due to human error, sabotage, or a potential failure of the switch locking mechanisms. Boeing hasn't been formally implicated, but the FAA issued an advisory in 2018 warning that some fuel switches may have been installed with their locking features disengaged. Investigators emphasized that the cause remains undetermined, and Air India urged against speculation. Nevertheless, scrutiny is mounting as global carriers begin their own inspections. Why it matters: While the investigation is still ongoing, the crash and the questions now surrounding Boeing's cockpit systems revive lingering concerns about aircraft safety and accountability, particularly following past high-profile incidents involving Boeing. The 787 Dreamliner is widely used by global airlines, giving any design flaw or maintenance oversight far-reaching implications. Source: Indian regulator orders airlines to check Boeing fuel switches after plane crash report [The Guardian] France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are testing a new age verification app designed to protect children online, the European Commission announced Monday. Built using the same technical foundation as the EU's forthcoming Digital Identity Wallet, the app aims to help platforms comply with the bloc's Digital Services Act — landmark legislation that requires companies like Meta, TikTok, and X to curb harmful content and addictive design features. The pilot comes amid mounting global concern over social media's impact on kids' mental health, with EU regulators investigating whether top platforms are doing enough to protect minors. Why it matters: If this pilot is successful, the EU's age verification model could become a blueprint for how platforms — and governments — handle online identity, not only for children but potentially for broader use in areas such as healthcare, travel, and voting. It also signals a shift in how liability is assigned. Rather than asking parents or kids to police their screen time, lawmakers are now forcing tech companies to redesign their systems from the ground EU has often led the way on digital regulation (see: GDPR). If this model proves to be workable, it could reshape how platforms function globally, especially if it gives compliant European apps a competitive edge over US tech giants. Source: Five EU states to test age verification app to protect children [Reuters] Bhutan has become the world's first country to launch a nationwide, government-backed cryptocurrency payment system for tourists, allowing visitors to pay for everything from visa fees to hotel rooms using digital currencies. More than 1,000 vendors now accept crypto payments through Binance Pay, up from just 100 two months ago, with QR codes appearing in shops, restaurants, and even ancient dzongs. The Bhutanese government has been mining bitcoin since 2018 using its abundant hydroelectric power, accumulating $1.28 billion in holdings that now rank fifth globally. In 2023, Bhutan sold $100 million worth of bitcoin to fund a 50% salary increase for civil servants, dramatically reducing government worker resignations. Officials hope the crypto payment system will attract tech-savvy tourists and digital nomads to help boost tourism from 5% to 20% of the economy, while the government has halved its daily tourist fee to $100 to encourage more visitors. Why it matters: Bhutan's crypto experiment offers a compelling look at how small nations can harness emerging technology to punch above their weight economically. By turning its natural advantage — cheap, clean hydropower — into large-scale bitcoin mining, Bhutan has quietly built one of the world's biggest government crypto reserves. Now, it's using that foundation to reinvent its tourism industry and tackle domestic challenges like retaining civil servants. Source: Bhutan's big crypto tourism push aims to revolutionise Himalayan travel [South China Morning Post] Ursula von der Leyen and her European Commission narrowly held onto power after surviving a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament. The motion, led by far-right and nationalist lawmakers, failed to gain traction, with 175 MEPs voting in favor and 360 against, falling short of the two-thirds threshold. But while von der Leyen stays in office, the vote exposed deep fractures within the centrist coalition that supported her reappointment last year. The Greens and Socialists expressed frustration over her rightward pivot and her cozying up to conservative figures like Italy's Giorgia Meloni. With the next EU budget proposal due this week — and Ukraine aid, environmental reforms, and social funds all in the crosshairs — von der Leyen faces an uphill battle to rebuild trust. Why it matters: As president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen leads the EU's executive branch — a role that puts her at the center of policymaking on Ukraine, climate, trade, and digital regulation. While the no-confidence vote fell far short, it surfaced real frustration from lawmakers who once supported her reappointment, including Greens and Socialists who now accuse her of drifting right and sidelining Parliament. This tension could complicate key upcoming decisions, including a new EU budget and continued support for Von der Leyen's EU Commission survives Parliament confidence vote [Euronews] Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Israel's proposed "humanitarian city" in Gaza a potential "concentration camp" and warned that forcing Palestinians into such a space would amount to ethnic cleansing. In a striking interview with The Guardian, Olmert accused the Netanyahu government of committing war crimes in Gaza and the West Bank, and said its extremist ministers posed a greater threat to Israel than any external enemy. He also condemned settler violence in the West Bank, described government-backed rhetoric as a cover for forced displacement, and urged stronger international pressure in the face of escalating atrocities. Despite backing the initial military response to October 7, Olmert now says the war has crossed into something else, and that continued global support for Israel can't be taken for granted. Why it matters: Olmert's comments are extraordinary not just for their content, but for their source. As a former Israeli leader and longtime centrist, he reflects a broader — and growing — disquiet within Israeli society. His warnings arrive as the West faces increasing scrutiny over its support for Israel's military campaign, and as debates about red lines, accountability, and the meaning of "never again" take center stage broadly, the proposed "humanitarian city" echoes the language of benevolence historically used to justify segregation, forced transfer, and other rights abuses. Coming amid international legal investigations and mounting death tolls, this moment is testing how far Israel's allies are willing to go to defend a war that some former leaders now openly 'Humanitarian city' would be concentration camp for Palestinians, says former Israeli PM [The Guardian] For the first time since 2020, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar traveled to Beijing and told his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, that lifting "restrictive trade measures" — especially on critical tech and rare earth materials — is key to restoring normal ties between the two nations. India and China share a disputed 2,400-mile border and have been in a military standoff since a deadly border clash four years ago. While recent negotiations have slightly eased tensions, Jaishankar emphasized that real progress depends on troop withdrawals and fewer trade barriers. Wang struck a conciliatory tone, urging both sides to "properly handle differences" and build mutual trust. Why it matters: While the meeting between Chinese and Indian foreign ministers signals progress on peace talks, its stakes go well beyond the border. The two countries are edging toward a new era of "practical cooperation" on trade, supply chains, and rare earth minerals — the backbone of EVs, semiconductors, and defense tech. India, which holds the world's fifth-largest rare earth reserves, is actively positioning itself as a counterweight to China's dominance and ramping up domestic output. A warmer Beijing-New Delhi relationship could reshape not just regional diplomacy but the global tech race, with ripple effects across everything from chip production to geopolitical power in the Avoiding trade curbs vital for normalisation of ties, India tells China [Reuters] In July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were murdered by Bosnian Serb forces, in what remains Europe's only legally recognized genocide since the Holocaust. Thousands gathered this week in the town of Srebrenica to mark the 30th anniversary of the massacre, held in a UN-declared "safe area" that international peacekeepers ultimately failed to defend. Seven newly identified victims were buried at the memorial cemetery in Potočari, bringing the total number of interred victims to more than 6,700. About 1,000 people are still missing. Dozens of individuals — including top wartime leaders Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić — have been convicted of crimes related to the killings. Why it matters: Srebrenica has become both a symbol of Europe's post-Cold War reckoning and a test case for the international community's willingness — or failure — to prevent atrocity. The genocide happened within a UN-protected zone, and despite subsequent trials and convictions, the slow pace of justice and continued denialism in some quarters have fueled tensions in the Balkans ever since. The anniversary comes at a time of renewed global focus on ethnic violence, transitional justice, and the erosion of multilateral norms, forcing a reckoning with the limits of international protection and the long shadow of Thousands gather to mark the 30th anniversary of genocide in Srebrenica [Euronews] A new UNAIDS report warns that key populations at higher risk for HIV — including gay men, transgender people, sex workers, and people who inject drugs — are facing record levels of criminalization globally, reversing years of progress. Countries like Mali, Uganda, Trinidad, and Tobago have introduced or reinstated laws targeting LGBTQ+ communities, while the Middle East and North Africa have seen a 94% spike in new HIV cases since 2010. Meanwhile, abrupt US aid cuts (including the suspension of funding through PEPFAR) have devastated prevention programs across Africa. Nigeria, for example, saw the number of people receiving HIV-prevention drugs drop from 43,000 to under 6,000 in just five months. Activists warn that the combination of legal crackdowns and vanishing international support is pushing the global AIDS response to a breaking point. Why it matters: The global fight against HIV/AIDS has long relied on a fragile balance of medical advances, international cooperation, and political will, and that balance is tipping. UNAIDS warns that record levels of criminalization targeting LGBTQ+ people and other high-risk groups, combined with abrupt US funding cuts, are threatening decades of hard-won progress. Much of the global response has depended on PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief — a landmark US initiative launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush and widely regarded as one of the most successful global health programs in history. But in 2023–2024, its reauthorization became politically contentious, with conservative lawmakers falsely accusing it of supporting abortion access resulting funding freeze gutted programs crucial for HIV prevention, testing, and treatment, especially for marginalized communities that already face stigma and legal risk. As countries ramp up punitive laws and US support evaporates, the gap left behind is already costing lives. Source: High-risk HIV groups facing record levels of criminalisation as countries bring in draconian laws [The Guardian] Pakistan has announced the creation of a new nationwide paramilitary force, the Federal Constabulary, just weeks before the party of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan plans to stage mass protests on August 5, the anniversary of his arrest. The move rebrands and expands the existing Frontier Constabulary, previously a regional force near the Afghan border, into a body tasked with internal security, riot control, and counter-terrorism across the country. Officials say the move is necessary for national stability, but critics — including human rights groups and opposition leaders — warn it may be a tool to suppress dissent. Ousted in 2022 and jailed in 2023 on corruption charges, Khan maintains his prosecutions are politically motivated. His party, which remains wildly popular, has faced sweeping crackdowns since his arrest. Why it matters: Pakistan's increasingly repressive tactics reveal a deeper democratic backslide in a nuclear-armed US ally that borders Afghanistan, China, and India. The timing of Pakistan's new paramilitary force — just weeks ahead of nationwide protests planned by Imran Khan's party — is raising red flags among opposition leaders and human rights groups. The protests, set for August 5, will mark two years since Khan's 2023 arrest on corruption charges, a turning point that sparked widespread unrest and a heavy-handed state crackdown. By expanding the Frontier Constabulary into a federal force with broad powers over riot control and internal security, the government is signaling a more centralized and potentially more repressive approach to political dissent. Critics say the move echoes previous crackdowns, in which thousands of PTI supporters were detained and peaceful demonstrations were met with waning US influence in the region, Pakistan remains a major non-NATO ally, and its political stability has ripple effects across South Asia, particularly as it navigates tensions with both the Taliban and an increasingly assertive Pakistan to create new paramilitary force ahead of more protests by Imran Khan's party [Reuters] South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended his police minister, Senzo Mchunu, and launched a high-level judicial inquiry into allegations that top law enforcement officials have colluded with criminal syndicates. The move follows shocking public accusations from KwaZulu-Natal's provincial police chief, who claims Mchunu and Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya interfered with sensitive investigations, including politically motivated killings allegedly orchestrated by drug cartels. A key crime-fighting unit was reportedly disbanded after it uncovered connections between organized crime and politicians, police, prosecutors, and even judges. However, critics say Ramaphosa's move to suspend — not fire — Mchunu falls short of real accountability. Why it matters: This scandal exposes the extent to which criminal syndicates may be embedded within South Africa's political and judicial institutions, raising fears about state capture beyond just the financial sector. It also threatens to further destabilize the ANC, which is already struggling with declining public trust and its worst electoral showing since apartheid ended. With the KwaZulu-Natal province being both a political stronghold and a flashpoint for violence, these revelations could exacerbate instability ahead of national South Africa is the most industrialized economy in Africa, a key player in BRICS, and a regional leader in security and diplomacy. The erosion of public institutions — especially law enforcement — could hamper foreign investment, worsen migration and trafficking issues, and reduce the country's ability to act as a stabilizing force in southern South African president suspends police minister and launches probe into alleged links to criminals [AP News] Syria's Sweida province has erupted in deadly sectarian violence between Druze militias and Sunni Bedouin clans, with dozens killed and nearly 100 injured in clashes that began over kidnappings and robberies. Government security forces sent to restore order have also clashed with local armed groups, while Israel struck Syrian military tanks in the area, citing its protection of Druze minorities. The fighting started after Bedouin tribesmen set up a checkpoint where they attacked and robbed a young Druze man, sparking tit-for-tat kidnappings and escalating violence. Syria's new government, led by Sunni Islamist groups since Assad's fall in December, is struggling to maintain control as Druze communities express suspicion about the new authorities and demand international protection. Why it matters: Syria's post-Assad transition is fracturing along sectarian lines, exposing how fragile the country's unity remains even after the civil war's apparent end. The Druze, a religious minority caught between Syria's new Sunni-led government and their historic ties to Israel, are testing whether Syria can protect its minorities or whether outside powers will intervene. Israel's strikes signal it won't hesitate to act militarily if it sees threats to Druze communities, potentially dragging the region into broader conflict. This violence illustrates the complex aftermath of regime change, as even "successful" transitions can unleash new instabilities, especially in diverse societies where trust between communities has been shattered by years of war. The Trump administration's push for Syrian-Israeli normalization now faces the reality that Syria's government may lack the authority to deliver on any agreements, raising questions about the feasibility of Middle East peace deals when states can't control their own Israel strikes military tanks in southern Syria, where government forces clash with Druze militias [AP News] The US has sanctioned Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other top officials for human rights violations, marking the fourth anniversary of the largest protests on the island nation in recent decades. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions alongside visa restrictions on Cuban judicial and prison officials "responsible for, or complicit in, the unjust detention and torture" of July 2021 protesters. The rare demonstrations in Cuba erupted after repeated blackouts and economic hardship, with human rights groups estimating over 1,000 arrests. Cuban prosecutors investigated 790 people for protest-related acts, and advocacy groups say 554 people are still serving sentences, though some received conditional release in January after an appeal from Pope Francis. Cuba's Foreign Ministry fired back at Rubio, calling him a "defender of genocide, prisons and mass deportations." Why it matters: By sanctioning Cuba's president directly, the Trump administration is putting Díaz-Canel in the same category as Putin and Iran's Supreme Leader, essentially declaring Cuba a pariah state. It's a sharp reversal from Biden's more cautious approach and reflects the influence of Cuban-American communities, particularly in Florida, on US foreign move could also push Cuba further into the arms of China and Russia, both of which are already expanding their presence in Latin America. While the sanctions are framed as human rights enforcement, they raise broader questions about US sanctions Cuban President Díaz-Canel and other officials for human rights violations [AP News] What do you make of this round of stories? Are there any that shifted your understanding of what's happening? I'm curious to know what surprised you, what resonated, or what you think more people should be paying attention to. Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
Time Magazine
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
The Revolt Over the Epstein Files Is Snowballing
This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME's politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Here's the thing about conspiracy theories: once they take hold, there's no turning back. And when you layer over them a political ideology and make Donald Trump the lead pitchman, they metastasize at a pace beyond control. Trump has openly flirted with nearly every major conspiracy theory of the last half century, and championed one of the most reckless through his insistence without evidence that the 2020 election was stolen. Add to those doozies this latest from the Trumpist legions: that the MAGAverse is being denied the truth about how registered sex-offender billionaire Jeffrey Epstein lived and died after years of a promised epiphany if only Trump were given back control of state secrets. Like so much else that grew into a headache for Trump, this started with his chase of a quick headline without thinking through how it might end. The Epstein saga has become a snowball racing down Mount MAGA that the President has lost the capacity to stop. In the snowball's immediate path? Some of the highest profile members of his administration, all of whom have gone quiet on what they had previously characterized as a dangerous conspiracy that needed to be brought to light. But there are signs that this MAGA kerfuffle may be different from the ones before it. The cleft in the MAGA Movement is pronounced. Trump's base may not so easily move on to the next culture war battle or shiny conspiracy theory. This could reverberate into next year's midterm election and beyond, potentially shaping the second half of Trump's term. Former Trump strategist Steve Bannon is warned that as many as 10% of Trump supporters may defect over feeling short-changed, perhaps costing House Republicans a dozen seats next November. In a sign that this is eclipsing almost everything else, even those eyeing a 2028 campaign are taking the bait and weighing in. 'Release the Epstein files and let the chips fall where they may. This is why people don't trust government,' former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley posted on X. 'You can never go wrong with being transparent. Redact victims' names but release the rest.' And Charlie Kirk, who leads the populist Turning Point USA powerhouse with younger MAGA activists and has churned plenty of content out of the Epstein saga, has abruptly adopted a nothing-to-see-here approach and said he was done talking about it. Let's rewind the tape. Epstein was at the center of a network of super-rich and -priveledged people rumored to exploit young women and girls as part of a sex-trafficking scheme that was said to include a whole host of bold-faced names. Trump, who counted Epstein as a friend for over a decade, fed suspicion about the former Mar-a-Lago regular at campaign rallies and in online posts. In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida on two state felony charges, paid restitution to three dozen victims, and registered as a sex offender. A decade later, Epstein pleaded not guilty in New York to multiple charges, including sex trafficking. Epstein died in 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell; officials ruled it a suicide, yet many Trump fans were convinced he was murdered to protect the hyper-connected insiders who might have been implicated should Epstein turn on his former pals. After all, there is a missing minute of video on the footage of his door the night he is said to have killed himself. (Epstein's former girlfriend and associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy. She was accused of helping Epstein recruit and abuse minors. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.) For years, Trump hinted there was an Epstein client list. Weeks into Trump's second term, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced it was on her desk, and MAGA influencers were handed binders of documents that they waved for cameras. (Those binders carried no real bombshells, just documents that were already mostly out there.) But last week, Bondi and her fellow Trumpers Kash Patel and Dan Bongino—the director and deputy director at the FBI—released a statement saying no further disclosures about Epstein was in the offing: 'It is the determination of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,' the organizations said in a joint statement. The memo went off like a bomb within the President's political base. Trump's biggest boosters were unswayed by his contention that the findings were penned by former President Barack Obama, who left office in early 2017, and 'Crooked Hillary' Clinton, who has held no government job since 2013. Trump bristled during a Cabinet meeting last week when Bondi was asked about the so-called Epstein files, saying no one was really interested in that old chestnut. He then unfurled an unhinged social media rant, essentially telling his supporters to back the heck off. Trump understands the power of the rumble—and the unpredictable nature of sparked kindling. Over a decade ago, he fed the wrong and racist trope that Obama was not born in the United States and thus an illegitimate President. He promised to release the files linked to John F. Kennedy's assassination, along with those of his brother Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. He promised to release the files on 9/11, which he famously claimed without factual basis included Muslims dancing in the streets and on roofs in metro New York that day. He similarly suggested someone needs to audit Fort Knox for missing gold. Trump now faces this ugly reality: he promised the goods, and either the goods don't exist or they are potentially embarrassing to him or his buddies. Either way, it has triggered his conspiracy-addled allies in a way we did not see in his first term. Fellow agitator Laura Loomer—a conspiracy theorist who accompanied Trump to Ground Zero on the 9/11 anniversary last year—has been calling for Bondi to get the boot if she can't pony-up proof of l'affair Epstein. In the interim, Loomer proposed taking it off her desk and passing it to a special counsel. Another influencer, Benny Johnson, suggested that Trump's law-and-order team haul former President Bill Clinton in for questioning. And Bongino, who spent years peddling Epstein innuendo and out-nuendo alike, was so palpably angry that he and Bondi clashed in the West Wing and he skipped work on Friday while contemplating leaving a job he has openly hated. For their part, Democrats are cautiously capitalizing on the opposition party's disarray. On Monday night, they forced a vote on the House Rules Committee on requiring the release of the Epstein files, leading the Committee's Republicans to be the ones to block it to avoid overriding Trump. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters on Monday he may get behind efforts to force the White House or Justice Department to provide a fuller accounting of what it knows about Epstein, saying either they lied about having the goods before or are lying about it now. For now, Democrats seem happy to help this snowball of a crisis keep rolling and allow it to distract Trump from a moment when he should be taking a victory lap on major domestic legislation. 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Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
What is fueling the LA riots: Trump's fascism or Newsom's incompetence?
Editor's note: Welcome to Double Take, a regular conversation from opinion writers Melinda Henneberger and David Mastio tackling news with differing perspectives. MELINDA: When L.A. really was burning, Donald Trump sent water, which was never an issue, somewhere else that it wasn't needed. When there really was an insurrection, intended to keep Himself in power illegally, he intentionally whipped up the mayhem, tweeting, 'Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done.' And only reluctantly, hours into cops being beaten and our democracy getting pooped on, literally and figuratively, did he ask his followers to maybe mosey on. I'm not ever for looting or setting cars or anything else on fire, in Los Angeles or elsewhere. But the response to protests against the ICE detention of day laborers in Home Depot parking lots is wildly disproportionate to what's actually happening in Los Angeles. It may yet explode, as our arsonist president seems to be hoping it does. But for now, we've seen far worse, there and across the country, without calling in the military. DAVID: I think you need to look a little more closely at what is happening in Los Angeles. Gov. Gavin Newsom was concerned enough that he sent in 800 more police officers and the police chief himself said that he was reconsidering whether the city needed help after the violence on Sunday. Here's what The New York Times reported: 'Chief McDonnell, asked whether the National Guard was needed, said, 'This thing has gotten out of control.' He said that although the LAPD would not have initially requested assistance from the National Guard, 'looking at the violence today, I think we've got to make a reassessment.' MELINDA: Oh, I'm looking closely. Today, for instance, I looked closely at the appalling sight of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla being physically pushed out of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's LA press conference. They threw down and handcuffed a U.S. senator for showing up to speak. Imagine how bummed her boys were that they couldn't send him to El Salvador. Here's the proof that this whole exercise has nothing to do with quelling violence: 'We are not going away,' Noem said at her news conference, which certainly did make news. 'We are staying here to liberate this city from the socialist and burdensome leadership that this Gov. Newsom and this mayor,' Karen Bass, 'placed on this country and tried to insert into this city.' She's come right out and said this is a political operation, and an occupation. It galls me, David, that some protesters are being charged with attacking local law enforcement in a time of civil unrest, which I guess means that unlike those who attacked local law enforcement officers on J6, they didn't do it for Donald Trump and so won't be pardoned later. And Trump has called these protesters 'paid insurrectionists.' Unlike his insurrectionists, who did it for free? I'll never forget the one poor Trumpist rioter who testified that a world in which Donald was not in charge was not a world worth living in. DAVID: When I do this, our readers call it whataboutism. I agree the Jan. 6 insurrection was awful and Trump's pardons, particularly of insurrectionists who assaulted police officers, were sickening. But that is no excuse for what is going on in Los Angeles. MELINDA: Fair enough, but I said already that there's no excuse for violence, there or anywhere. When I was watching Portland, Oregon, supposedly ablaze five years ago, my friends who live there said it was only like that on TV; they were having dinner outside blocks away from the nightly theatrical presentation and feeling no fear. My former New York Times colleague Todd Purdum, who's been in California for a long time now, told me that the way this current provocation is being broadcast to the nation is similarly cynical: 'If you're living in Los Angeles, you're not afraid for your life.' Unless, of course, you're a dreaded day laborer. Or somebody's beloved nanny. This is happening on a few streets and could have been handled by the city and state, except that it suited Trump's agenda to pretend that only the U.S. Marines could address looting and cars on fire. DAVID: So what do you want? A return to the open border policy of the Biden administration? I think there is a need to restore order to the immigration system and that starts with getting out millions of people who shouldn't be here at all. MELINDA: If you've spent any time at all in Southern California, you know that its economy would collapse without immigrant labor. Just like the economy in western Kansas, where the meatpacking industry couldn't function, right? So much hypocrisy, so few willing to own what's happening. But maybe the failure of California's economy is the goal? I wonder all the time what Trump hasn't done, from canceling lifesaving medical research to smashing alliances, that I'd do if what I really wanted was America's failure. DAVID: Even with the flood of illegal labor, California's economy is no great shakes under Newsom. The state hasn't created a net new job outside government and government-funded sectors of the economy in years. Well-off people are actually fleeing the state in droves to move to Texas and Florida while lower-income people move in. Major businesses are decamping, too. One thing I would like to see Trump do is bring criminal charges against the businesses that are hiring all these undocumented workers. Those jobs are the magnet that brings them into the country in the first place. MELINDA: I'm telling you, not only would Los Angeles be unable to build for the 2028 Olympics with no immigrant workers, but if you really were able to send everyone back, the whole country would suffer. They pay taxes and contribute so much in every way. Of course ICE is already sweeping up innocents like that third grader in New York and a beloved waitress in Kennott, Missouri, and guys standing outside California Home Depots just waiting for work so they can feed their families. Because, as I've been saying forever, there were never going to be enough violent criminals to fulfill Trump's promise of the mass deportation of 11 million people. You could, of course, send people back to their countries without all this televised drama or ruinous trauma, like Barack Obama did, but what fun would that be? Obama deported 3.1 million in eight years, compared to the 1.2 million Trump deported in his first four. This is America, so naturally there are protests. As an authoritarian — I think we can stop calling him an aspiring one — Donald Trump is happy for any excuse to shut down constitutionally-protected speech and the right to assemble. When, that is, it's speech he doesn't like and protesters who don't agree with him, not only in California but everywhere. Because he's definitely taking this show on the road after its world premiere in Los Angeles. Turning the military on civilians is a horrible thought. But it's not a shocking one, since Trump's own people reported that during his first term, he asked why cops couldn't just shoot peaceful protesters in the legs. What he wants to shut down is not really any violence; having pardoned even the J6 rioters who did the most harm, he's shown that he's OK with that. Instead, he wants to stop expressions of disagreement with him. DAVID: That's baloney. The Gestapo isn't showing up at critical columnists' houses and taking them away to reeducation camps. Trump didn't send in the National Guard until police cars were burning and immigration enforcement officers needed a backstop that local police couldn't provide. And Newsom has no problem sending in the National Guard to help law enforcement when he wants to do it. He sent hundreds into San Francisco and elsewhere to help deal with crime by backing police and prosecutors in the state. . One thing I am worried about is sending in the Marines. National Guardsmen are rooted in the communities of the state they protect. The training and experience they have includes civil matters. Active duty Marines, on the other hand, are razor sharp at killing people and breaking things. That is a dangerous move. MELINDA: Of course it is. It's a move many applaud, and if you don't think he's trying to shut down dissent, listen again to what he says about anyone who would come out to disagree with the parade he's throwing for himself this weekend: 'If there's any protester who wants to come out, they will be met with very big force. I haven't even heard about a protest, but (there are) people that hate our country.' To disagree with his disregard for the U.S. Constitution is the opposite of hating our country. I'm going to spend his birthday covering the protest of some women living in a retirement home. To me, you have to love your country quite a lot to get out, as one of their daughters told me, 'on their walkers and wheelchairs to protest the Medicaid cuts, birthday parade debacle, ICE tragedy, Ugly Bill, etc.' The one thing I would really like to see come out of this disaster? I would love to see Trump debate Gavin Newsom, someone he has said should be arrested for doing a bad job.
LeMonde
26-06-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Zohran Mamdani's meteoric rise in New York signals a widespread desire for change among Democrats
The shockwaves reached far beyond New York. They rippled through the Democratic Party, shook its leadership, drew the attention of the media and sparked a mix of ridicule and concern in Trumpist circles. By winning the Democratic primary for mayor on Tuesday, June 24, Zohran Mamdani, 33, delivered a spectacular victory to the progressive camp. Born in Uganda and a Muslim, the young elected representative from Queens and member of the New York State Assembly defeated the embodiment of the local elite, seen as immobile and marked by collusion: former governor Andrew Cuomo, 67, the favorite in the race. Cuomo quickly conceded defeat, with 36.4% of the vote to Mamdani's 43.5%. As noted by The New York Times, Cuomo ran a campaign limited to churches, synagogues and labor union meetings in front of sympathetic audiences. He resigned as governor in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment. That same year, Mamdani went on a 15-day hunger strike in front of City Hall in solidarity with taxi drivers who were heavily in debt. Six months ago, few residents knew his name. This gives some idea of the scale of his achievement. In November 2024, Mamdani is expected to face, among others, a former Democrat who became an independent after falling out of favor with his own party: the current mayor, Eric Adams, who was indicted for corruption in 2024, before Donald Trump personally ordered the charges dropped as a personal favor.
