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Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Key Moments From Trump's Whirlwind Tour of the Middle East
President Trump meets officials at the Amiri Diwan in Doha, Qatar, on May 14, 2025. Credit - Win McNamee—Getty Images President Donald Trump has wrapped up his three-country tour of the Middle East, during which significant moves were made to transform the United States' relationship with the region. The President solidified investment agreements, conducted the first meeting between U.S. and Syrian Presidents in 25 years, hinted at the potential for a nuclear deal with Iran, and much more. Trump kickstarted his visit on Tuesday, May 13, when he landed in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, and was greeted by luxury at the Royal Saudi Palace. He signed deals and agreements worth billions of dollars, covering a number of industries. Qatar was Trump's next stop. He landed in the capital city of Doha on Wednesday, May 14. Another flurry of agreements were made—including a $96 billion Boeing deal—followed by a roundtable with business leaders, where Trump resurfaced his idea of a U.S. takeover of the Gaza strip. Trump arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, May 15, for the final leg of his tour, during which he signed an agreement on AI worth around $1.4 on his trip, Trump lamented that future Presidents may well take credit for what he has achieved. 'Somebody's going to be taking the credit for this. You remember, press, this guy did it,' Trump told reporters during the flight home on Air Force One. As Trump returns to Washington, D.C., here's a look back at the key moments from his whirlwind tour of the Middle East: Trump's trip started off with a glitzy welcome from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The President was joined by Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) lead Elon Musk, as well as other important U.S. business figures including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. In Riyadh, Trump announced that the U.S. had agreed to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion. The two leaders also signed agreements on security and intelligence cooperation, technology, and energy. The White House has said that Saudi investments signed during Trump's visit are worth a total of $600 billion. In an unexpected announcement during a U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum on Tuesday, May 13, Trump said he plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria, some of which have been in place for over 45 years. Trump called the sanctions 'brutal and crippling,' but noted their necessity before the collapse of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024. Trump said that now, in this new era, it's time for Syria to 'shine.' Many experts, including Benjamin Feve, a senior research analyst at Karam Shaar Advisory, have said that Trump's plan to list the sanctions may not be straightforward. 'He [Trump] cannot just declare it, you have to go through a specific process which involves barriers in the Administration. You have the Secretary of State, the Treasury, Congress,' Feve tells TIME. 'They have to be re-thought, redesigned in order to continue who they will be imposed upon.' The collapse of the Assad regime in December occurred when Ahmed al-Sharaa's group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a rebel coalition. Assad fled Syria with his family and sought asylum in Russia. HTS has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, and al-Sharaa had a $10 million reward for his arrest placed on him by the U.S. government, before it was lifted in December. On Wednesday, May 14, Trump and al-Sharaa met in Riyadh. They were accompanied by the Saudi Crown Prince, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined remotely via telephone. Talking to reporters afterwards on Air Force One, Trump described the Syrian leader, a former militant, as a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter… He's got a real shot at holding it together.' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later revealed that Trump had urged al-Sharaa to normalise ties with Israel, clamp down on terrorism in Syria, and work with the U.S. to stop any resurgence of ISIS. Read More: Trump Meets With Syria's President After Announcing Plans to Lift U.S. Sanctions on Country Trump's plan to accept a luxury Boeing from Qatar had caused controversy before the President left for his tour of the Gulf. Valued at roughly $400 million, the gifted plane—and the potential of Trump going through with accepting it—has raised ethical, legal, and security concerns.'He's going to turn Air Force One into Bribe Force One,' Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts told TIME. 'Congress has to be involved with such a clear threat to our national security.' Republicans, such as Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, also raised concerns. Read More: Trump Doubles Down on Plan to Receive Qatar's Plane Gift: 'Only a Fool Would Not Accept This' But the President has doubled down on his intentions to accept the plane, which he says will be used as a temporary Air Force One while two more jets are still in production to replace current models. In a May 14 post on his social media platform, TruthSocial, Trump said: 'The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years… 'Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our country.' He also defended his stance during an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Air Force One. Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani gave his take on the gift controversy during an interview with CNN. 'It's still under legal review. I don't know why it became so big as news… We have done a lot together with the U.S.,' he said, adding that it was just a case of 'very simple government-to-government dealing.' When asked whether this was an instance of 'buying influence' with the U.S., the Qatari leader said: 'Why would we buy influence in the United States? If you look at the last 10 years of the U.S.-Qatar relationship, Qatar has always been there for the U.S. when it's needed... We believe this friendship needs to be mutually-beneficial for both countries. It cannot be a one-way relationship.' A notable absence from Trump's list of stops during his Middle East tour was Israel, but the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has still been a central point of discussion for the President. Trump expressed hope for the 'safety and dignity' for Palestinians in Gaza during a Gulf Cooperation Council Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday. The next morning, at a roundtable discussion with business leaders in Doha, Trump once again raised his idea for a U.S. takeover of Gaza. It's an idea that has been previously condemned by many world leaders, as it would likely involve the displacement of the entire Palestinian population. 'I think I'd be proud to have the United States have it, take it, make it a freedom zone,' Trump said. 'They've never solved the Gaza problem and if you look at it, I have aerial shots, I mean there's practically no building standing, there's no building. People are living under the rubble of buildings that collapsed, which is not acceptable, it's tremendous death. And I want to see that be a freedom zone.' Trump's remarks came amid another series of airstrikes on Gaza. Israel has previously announced plans to expand military occupation over the entire Gaza Strip indefinitely. Read More: Trump Suggests U.S. Should 'Take' Gaza and Turn It Into a 'Freedom Zone' The President's trip to the Gulf also involved discussions on Iran and the potential progress of a deal with the country. In his first term, Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal the Obama Administration had secured with Iran after years of negotiations. 'I want to make a deal,' Trump said Wednesday during the GCC Summit. He stipulated that a deal would be dependent on Iran halting its support for terrorism and fueling proxy wars in the region, as well as the country not having nuclear weapons. In an interview with NBC on Wednesday, Ali Shamkhani—a key political, military and nuclear adviser to the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—said that the country is ready to sign a nuclear deal with the U.S., subject to conditions. Shamkhani said that if a deal were to take place, Iran would not make nuclear weapons, would reduce stockpiles of enriched uranium to a level only needed for civilian use, and would allow international inspectors to supervise the process. In return, all economic sanctions on Iran would need to be lifted. Shamkhani said that if those conditions were met, Iran would sign an agreement on the day. During Thursday's roundtable in Doha, Trump said that talks between Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, and Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister, were progressing as 'very serious negotiations.' However, Araghchi later said that enriching uranium was a core right for Iran and it was a red line regarding negotiations. On Friday, after departing the UAE, his final stop of the tour, Trump said that Iran had received a proposal from the U.S. regarding the nuclear programme. Talking to reporters on Air Force One, he said: 'They have a proposal, but more importantly, they know that they have to move quickly, or something bad, something bad's gonna happen.' Contact us at letters@
Black America Web
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
Even Republicans Don't Want Trump Taking A Plane From Qatar
Source: Win McNamee / Getty When President Donald Trump isn't busy setting Black civil rights back to the pre-Civil Rights Movement, he's taking personal planes from terrorist countries. On Tuesday, the president of people who understand Remmick's position in Sinners , took a moment to explain that he's accepting the $400 million Boeing 747 from the Qatari family after everyone with eyes was like, 'Fam, what makes you think that you can accept a lavish gift and not owe anything for it?' 'Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done,' he wrote in a Truth Social post. Trump plans on using the $400 million dollar 'gift' as a replacement for Air Force One and claims that it isn't actually a gift to him but to his library, which hasn't been built and will most likely be located in hell. From Politico: Trump has repeatedly sought to make the case for the plane in recent days even as critics, including some of his own allies, have noted the poor optics and dubious legality of accepting such a lavish gift and the high cost of installing secure communications and making classified upgrades required for the plane to serve as an aerial White House. The U.S. is already paying Boeing billions to refurbish two aircraft to replace the two aging planes that currently serve as Air Force One, but that project is years behind schedule. You know that the president of people who love the acting of Steven Seagal has messed up when prominent Republicans, 'including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and MAGA commentator Laura Loomer, have panned the president's plans to accept the luxury airliner from Qatar,' Politico reports. 'I do think the jet probably sends the wrong signal to people, and I don't like the look or the appearance [of it], so I would hope he rejects it,' Paul told Fox News. Trump continues to try and paint the 'gift' as a win for America, but unless he's letting all of America fly in it, I don't see how. 'This big savings will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country,' Trump wrote. People familiar with this type of 'gift' noted that even if taxpayers don't buy the jet they will still spend millions having to conduct a 'massive overhaul, outfitting it with secure communications and classified upgrades — and to ensure that the jet hasn't already been embedded with listening devices,' Politico reports. Trump claimed Monday that the plane would be moved to his library once he was finished destroying America, which would most likely be after his four years in office. He claimed that the plane would then be moved to his library, where he could show it off to his mistresses. 'The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!' he wrote. SEE ALSO: Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Will Destroy Medicare, Food Stamps SEE ALSO Even Republicans Don't Want Trump Taking A Plane From Qatar was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Black America Web
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Black America Web
19 States Are Suing The Trump Administration Over Its ‘Illogical' Anti-DEI Agenda
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE Source: Win McNamee / Getty Over the past month, America has seen a steady increase in the number of states where officials are pushing back against the Trump administration's propaganda-reliant war on DEI. They're declaring, almost in unison, that President Donald Trump does not have the constitutional authority to impose anti-DEI directives on them under threat of federal defunding, nor does he have logical reason to do so. On Friday, attorney generals from 19 states filed a lawsuit against the White House, seeking to block its plans to withhold billions in federal funding over diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in K-12 schools. When a sitting president who already has the lowest 100-day mark approval rating of any president in the better part of a century is being sued by more than a third of the country — maybe he's just a really bad president. From Politico: The lawsuit, led by California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York, argues that an ultimatum delivered by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this month to comply with the Trump administration's interpretation of federal anti-discrimination law was unconstitutional and unlawful. Under the directive, states are required to certify their schools will adhere to a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibits the use of race in a range of decisions, including admissions, financial aid and other aspects of education. 'Claiming that diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs are a form of discrimination is entirely illogical,' California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a news briefing. 'It makes no sense and has no substance. It's a tight soundbite Trump can use to fuel his campaign to dismantle America's education system and roll back progress across the nation.' Bonta is exactly right. Nothing about the GOP's war on DEI has ever been based in reality, which is why it's never been presented with unambiguous evidence that diversity initiatives were discriminating against anyone or lowering standards in hiring or education. Trump and his minions just kind of keep repeating the lie and trusting that the power of white grievance will shield them from being challenged on it. In fact, the lawsuit notes that the Trump administration has 'repeatedly failed to define the conduct that they seek to punish or prohibit.' It argues that the White House has not been clear on what constitutes 'illegal DEI,' and that 'this ambiguity pressures Plaintiff States to curtail lawful, congressionally sanctioned and required, initiatives and programs that support diversity, equity, and inclusion, in order to dispel all fear of losing federal funds or becoming a target of enforcement.' In other words: What the administration is doing is wrong, but also — what the hell is this administration even doing? Federal judges had already temporarily blocked Trump's federal funding freeze against non-compliant states, and teacher unions and civil rights groups had already filed lawsuits against the administration over the matter, but Bonta says new lawsuit takes things a step further by challenging the legal basis of a letter sent by the Department of Education in February threatening to pull funding from schools that failed to end all diversity programs. 'We have different claims that we think are very strong claims,' Bonta said. 'It could be the winning claims. We have spending clause and separation of powers and appropriations clause claims. Sometimes, you will see different plaintiffs bringing causes of action based on similar action by the federal government.' Other state leaders like New York Attorney General Letitia James — who consistently draws the president's ire and who has already beaten Trump in the courtroom — also released statements in support of the lawsuit, which claims Trump's directives put more than $18.7 billion of federal funding for education at risk. 'We are filing this lawsuit today to protect our schools and our students from yet another one of President Trump's attacks, and we again, will not be bullied or targeted just because our schools work hard to ensure that every student is accepted and welcome here in the great state of New York,' James said. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was gracious enough to at least note that he and the president agree that education is a pathway to opportunity. 'But here's the thing: if somebody believes that only they deserve an opportunity, and you never do, they'll go out of their way to close every door available to your success,' Ellison said. 'And so in my view, that's why we have to fight off these attacks to diversity, equity and inclusion. It's not because the programs don't work. It's because they do.' Exactly. It's worth mentioning that the DEI-related lawsuit is the second joint suit to be filed against the Trump administration by a dozen or more state attorneys general. Last week, 12 states filed a lawsuit against the White House over Trump's abysmal tariff agenda. Again, maybe America simply elected a really bad president for the second time. The first part of solving a problem is admitting we have one. SEE ALSO: Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois And Other States Refuse To Comply With The Trump Administration's Anti-DEI Directives The 100-Day Challenge: Biden And Trump Side By Side SEE ALSO 19 States Are Suing The Trump Administration Over Its 'Illogical' Anti-DEI Agenda was originally published on
Toronto Sun
28-04-2025
- General
- Toronto Sun
Army pilot missed flight instructor's order seconds before deadly D.C. crash: Report
Several mistakes were made by the Black Hawk crew, the New York Times reported Investigators walk the grounds of the Reagan National Airport as they work near the crash last night of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River as it approached the Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. Photo by Win McNamee / Getty Images The Army Black Hawk pilot involved in a mid-air collision with a plane in Washington, D.C., failed to heed her instructor's warning 15 seconds before the deadly crash. 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 There is still no answer as to why the U.S. Army Black Hawk continued flying towards an American Airlines passenger jet near Reagan National Airport, killing 67 people, just before 9 p.m. on Jan. 29. But moments before the crash, Capt. Rebecca Lobach missed an order from co-pilot Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves — an Army flight instructor who was overseeing her training mission — to change course and avoid the plane that was trying to descend, the New York Times reported. The Times , which used dozens of records and interviews with aviation experts for its investigation, noted that it appeared several mistakes were made by the Black Hawk crew, which also included Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara. Officials found that 'some of the controller's instructions were 'stepped on' — meaning that they cut out when the helicopter crew pressed a microphone to speak — and important information likely went unheard' over the radio, according to the publication. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It was also reported that aviation experts believe the controller did not issue 'clear, urgent instructions to the Black Hawk to avert the crash.' At 8:46 p.m., Eaves requested and received approval for the helicopter's pilots to use their own visuals instead of air-traffic control to avoid other air traffic — a move that is common practice to speed things up, but also comes with the risk of more human error. Investigators believe that during that moment, Eaves and Lobach failed to hear that the American Airlines plane was 'circling' because one of them was pressing the microphone key to speak to air traffic control when the message came through. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Just 20 seconds before the crash occurred at 8:47:59 p.m. , the air-traffic controller asked the chopper pilots spotted American Airlines flight 5342, which was coming up on Runway 33 — where the helicopter was approaching. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'PAT two-five, do you have the CRJ in sight?' he asked, using the abbreviation for the American Airlines aircraft, in the last communication between the plane and air-traffic control. The passenger jet, flying in from Wichita, Kansas, was preparing to land in D.C. when it collided with the military chopper, sending both aircrafts plunging into the Potomac River. 'There is no indication that (Capt. Rebecca Lobach) was suffering from health issues at the time or that a medical event affected her during those final moments aboard the Black Hawk, according to friends and people familiar with the crash investigation, which included autopsies and performance log reviews,' the Times noted. Read More Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the army's director of aviation, told the outlet that he believes investigators will find that a number of things contributed to the fatal crash. 'I think what we'll find in the end is there were multiple things that, had any one of them changed, it could have well changed the outcome of that evening.' The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement to the Times that it could not discuss 'any aspect' of the ongoing investigation being led by the National Transportation Safety Board. The final report on the causes of the crash won't be released until 2026. Federal Elections Celebrity NFL Celebrity Sunshine Girls
Business Mayor
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Education Department to resume 'involuntary collections' of defaulted student loans
The headquarters of the Department of Education on March 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee | Getty Images The U.S. Department of Education announced Monday that its Office of Federal Student Aid will resume 'involuntary collections' on May 5 for federal student loans that are in default. Collections will be made through the so-called Treasury Offset Program, which can reduce or withhold payments from the government — such as tax refunds, Social Security benefits, federal salaries and other benefits paid through a federal agency — to satisfy a past-due debt to the government. 'American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,' U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. 'The Biden Administration misled borrowers: the executive branch does not have the constitutional authority to wipe debt away, nor do the loan balances simply disappear.' More from Personal Finance: Is college still worth it? It is for most, but not all How to maximize your college financial aid offer Top colleges roll out more generous financial aid packages The Department has not collected on defaulted student loans since March 2020. After the Covid pandemic-era pause on federal student loan payments expired in September 2023, the Biden administration offered borrowers another year in which they would be shielded from the impacts of missed payments. More than 5 million borrowers are currently in default, according to the Education Department, with another 4 million borrowers in 'late-stage delinquency,' or over 90 days past-due on payments. All borrowers in default will be notified via email by Office of Federal Student Aid in the next two weeks, the Department said. These borrowers can contact the government's Default Resolution Group to make a monthly payment, enroll in an income-driven repayment plan, or sign up for loan rehabilitation. Read More The 7 Stages of Financial Independence Borrowers who remain in default will be subject to 'involuntary collections' and may eventually face administrative wage garnishment, the Education Department said. 'Borrowers who graduated during the pandemic may have no experience with loan repayment, so it is important to educate them about the process, including their rights and responsibilities,' said Higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. 'Payment is due even if you are dissatisfied with the quality of the education you received,' he said. READ SOURCE
