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Kuwait Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
US ‘weaponizes' visas with curbs on opponents
WASHINGTON: The United States said Wednesday it will refuse visas to foreign officials who block Americans' social media posts, as President Donald Trump's administration wages a new battle over free expression. Secretary of State Marco Rubio – who has controversially rescinded visas for activists who criticize the Zionist entity and ramped up screening of foreign students' social media – said he was acting against 'flagrant censorship actions' overseas against US tech firms. He did not publicly name any official who would be denied a visa under the new policy. But last week he suggested to lawmakers that he was planning sanctions against a Brazilian Supreme Court judge, Alexandre de Moraes, who has battled X owner and Trump ally Elon Musk over alleged disinformation. The administration of Trump – himself a prolific and often confrontational social media user – has also sharply criticized Germany and Britain for restricting what the US allies' governments term hate and abusive speech. Rubio on Tuesday suspended further appointments for students seeking visas to the United States until the State Department drafts new guidelines on enhanced screening of applicants' social media postings. Rubio said the United States will begin to restrict visas to foreign nationals who are responsible for 'censorship of protected expression in the United States'. 'It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil,' Rubio said in a statement. 'It is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States,' he said. 'We will not tolerate encroachments upon American sovereignty, especially when such encroachments undermine the exercise of our fundamental right to free speech.' Rubio has said he has revoked the US visas for thousands of people, largely students who have protested against Israel's offensive in Gaza. Among the most visible cases has been Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University who had written an opinion piece in a student newspaper criticizing the school's position on Gaza. Masked agents arrested her on a Massachusetts street and took her away. A judge recently ordered her release. Social media regulation has become a rallying cry for many on the American right since Trump was suspended from Twitter, now X, and Facebook on safety grounds after his supporters attacked the US Capitol following his defeat in the 2020 election to Joe Biden. In Brazil, where supporters of Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro similarly stormed the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court in 2023 after Bolsonaro's election loss, Moraes has said he is seeking to protect democracy through his judicial power. Moraes temporarily blocked X across Brazil until it complied with his order to remove accounts accused of spreading disinformation. More recently he ordered a suspension of Rumble, a video-sharing platform popular with conservative and far-right voices over its refusal to block the account of a user based in the United States who was wanted for spreading disinformation. Germany – whose foreign minister met Wednesday with Rubio – restricts online hate speech and misinformation, saying it has learned a lesson from its Nazi past and will ostracize extremists. US Vice President JD Vance in a speech in Munich in February denounced Germany for shunning the far-right, noting the popularity of its anti-immigrant message. In an essay Tuesday, a State Department official pointed to social media regulations and said Europeans were following a 'similar strategy of censorship, demonization and bureaucratic weaponization' as witnessed against Trump and his supporters. 'What this reveals is that the global liberal project is not enabling the flourishing of democracy,' wrote Samuel Samson, a senior advisor for the State Department's human rights office. 'Rather, it is trampling democracy, and Western heritage along with it, in the name of a decadent governing class afraid of its own people.' The suspension of student visa processing came as Harvard students protested on Tuesday after the government said it intended to cancel all remaining financial contracts, Trump's latest attempt to force the institution to submit to unprecedented oversight. Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting his administration's push for oversight on admissions and hiring, amid the president's claims the school is a hotbed of anti-Semitism and 'woke' liberal ideology. A judge issued a restraining order pending a hearing on the matter scheduled for Thursday, the same day as the university's graduation ceremony for which thousands of students and their families had gathered in Cambridge, Massachusetts near Boston. The White House, meanwhile, doubled down in its offensive, saying that public money should go to vocational schools that train electricians and plumbers. 'The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools and programs and state schools where they are promoting American values, but most importantly, educating the next generation based on skills that we need in our economy and our society,' spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News Tuesday. Harvard itself has filed extensive legal challenges against Trump's measures. Alumni plan to file a legal brief against Trump on June 9, filmmaker Anurima Bhargava told a virtual meeting staged by Crimson Courage, a grassroots alumni group. The group is gathering thousands of signatures to show the courts the depth of support for the existing legal action. The Trump administration is also piling financial pressure on Harvard. It has announced the cutting of Harvard's government contracts, estimated by US media to be worth $100 million. – Agencies
Kuwait Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Paris fountain flows red to slam Gaza bloodbath
PARIS: Pro-Palestinian activists hold a Palestinian flag and placards reading 'Gaza: Emmanuel Macron must act', 'Gaza: Ceasefire' and 'Gaza: Stop the bloodshed' after pouring red paint into the Fontaine des Innocents during a demonstration on May 28, 2025. - AFP PARIS: French activists dyed a Paris fountain red Wednesday to symbolize what they called the 'bloodbath' of Palestinians in Gaza. Activists from Oxfam and Amnesty International poured dye into the Fontaine des Innocents in the heart of the French capital, while others held placards saying 'Cease fire' and 'Gaza: stop the bloodbath'. 'This operation aims to denounce France's slow response to an absolute humanitarian emergency facing the people of Gaza today,' the activists, which included the French branch of Greenpeace, said in a joint statement. 'France cannot limit itself to mere verbal condemnations,' said former minister Cecile Duflot, executive director of Oxfam France. Clemence Lagouardat, who helped coordinate Oxfam's humanitarian response in Gaza, denounced the Zionist blockade of the besieged territory. 'The people in Gaza need everything, it's a matter of survival,' she told AFP. The Zionist offensive has killed at least 53,977 people in Gaza, mostly civilians. Continued of Page 6 Israel has now stepped up a renewed campaign to destroy Hamas, drawing international condemnation as aid trickles in following a blockade since early March that has sparked severe food and medical shortages. 'There is a genocide going on and political inaction is becoming a kind of complicity in this genocide,' said Jean-Francois Julliard, head of Greenpeace France. 'We call on (President) Emmanuel Macron to act with courage, clarity and determination to put an end to this bloodshed.' The activists urged states 'with influence over (the Zionist entity)' to press for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, an arms embargo on the Zionist entity, the revision of a cooperation agreement between the EU and the Zionist entity and other measures. Macron has accused Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'unacceptable' and 'shameful' behavior in blocking aid to the Palestinians in Gaza. – AFP
Saba Yemen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Eye of Humanity" condemns crime of targeting Sana'a airport & destroying last plane of Yemenia Airlines
Sana'a - Saba: The Eye of Humanity Center for Rights and Development condemned in the strongest terms the heinous crime committed by the Israeli occupation entity, this morning, by targeting Sana'a International Airport with several airstrikes, which led to the destruction of the last remaining civilian plane of Yemenia Air, less than half an hour after it landed in preparation for transporting pilgrims to perform the Hajj. In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the Center explained that this heinous crime is a continuation of a series of flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, the latest of which was the systematic aggression earlier this month, which resulted in the destruction of three Yemeni civilian aircraft, in addition to the airport's reception and departure halls, which led to an almost complete disruption of civil aviation in the Republic of Yemen. The statement pointed out that the Zionist enemy's targeting of civilian aircraft in broad daylight, in full view of the international community, especially the targeting of the plane that was intended to transport Yemeni pilgrims, constitutes a full-fledged war crime and a blatant violation of the sanctity of religious rituals and the right of movement guaranteed by law. The Eye of Humanity Center held the United Nations, the Security Council, and international human rights organizations fully responsible for their shameful and suspicious silence regarding this repeated aggression against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Yemen. He called for breaking the silence, immediate and urgent action to stop the Zionist aggression on Yemen, and the opening of a transparent and independent international investigation into these crimes. He also called on all free people of the world, civil society organizations and human rights institutions to stand in solidarity with the Yemeni people in the face of this iniquitous aggression and to lift the unjust siege imposed on the country for years. He pointed out that what happened at Sana'a International Airport on Wednesday is a clear declaration that the occupation entity does not hesitate to hinder and obstruct one of the pillars of Islam, with its religious symbolism and sacred feelings for Yemenis, which reflects the nature of this terrorist entity based on killing, terrorizing and violating human and religious rights. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Saba Yemen
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Human" Organization condemns continued zionist aggression targeting Sana'a airport
Sana'a - Saba: "Human" Organization for Rights and Freedoms strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli aggression targeting Sana'a International Airport, including the bombing of the last remaining aircraft belonging to Yemen Airways, which has inflicted a new tragedy upon the Yemeni people at home and abroad. In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the organization emphasized that this crime is part of a series of unjustifiable violations lacking any military justification. The statement noted that less than a month ago, the Zionist enemy had targeted three civilian aircraft at Sana'a International Airport in its airstrikes, resulting in the complete destruction of the airport's infrastructure. The organization deemed the continued Zionist aggression against civilian facilities a grave violation of international humanitarian law. Despite the scale of destruction, the authorities in Sana'a—recognizing the suffering of citizens at home and abroad—quickly initiated the airport's reconstruction within a matter of days. This effort rekindled hope among Yemenis for the return of stranded nationals, enabling patients to travel for treatment, as well as pilgrims, students, and others to meet their essential travel needs. However, the statement added, "This joy was short-lived, as Israeli warplanes returned once again, exacerbating the suffering of tens of thousands of stranded Yemenis abroad and deepening the isolation of those at home." The "Human" Organization called on the international community, including human rights organizations and governments that champion democracy and human rights, to condemn Israel's crimes in Yemen—a country being punished today for its stance in support of Gaza. The organization stressed that the UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court must act to prevent genocide rather than remain silent or complicit. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Kuwait Times
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Swiss probe sought into Gaza aid foundation backed by US
GHF criticized over opaque funding sources, lack of Palestinian oversight GENEVA: Swiss authorities said on Sunday they were exploring whether to open a legal investigation into the activities of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed organization that plans to oversee aid distribution in the Palestinian enclave. The move comes after a Swiss NGO, TRIAL International, submitted a request for a probe into GHF's aid plan. TRIAL International said it asked Swiss authorities to explain if the GHF had submitted a declaration, in accordance with Swiss law, to use private security companies to distribute aid, and if it had been approved by Swiss authorities. The FDFA told Reuters it is investigating whether such a declaration would be required for the foundation. It said that the Federal Supervisory Board for Foundations cannot review whether foundations comply with their statutes until they start their activities. The GHF, which has said it hopes to start work in Gaza by the end of May, told Reuters it 'strictly adheres' to humanitarian principles, and that it would not support any form of forced relocation of civilians. The United Nations has opposed the plan, saying it is not impartial or neutral and forces further displacement and exposes thousands of people to harm. What is GHF? The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was established in February in Switzerland, according to the Geneva commercial registry. The foundation intends to work with private US security and logistics firms - UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions - a source familiar with the plan told Reuters. A second source said the GHF has already received more than $100 million in commitments. It was not immediately clear where the money was coming from. A New York Times report said the private firms have unclear backgrounds and funding. Supporters describe the initiative as an independent effort led largely by American contractors. Security operations will be overseen by a company run by Philip F Reilly, a former senior CIA officer, while fundraising efforts are headed by former US Marine Jake Wood. However, reporting reveals it was first discussed in late 2023 at private meetings of military, political, and business figures closely aligned with the Zionist government. Critics argue that the foundation's structure raises concerns about its neutrality and its alignment with political and military interests. How will GHF work? The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said initially there will be four secure distribution sites - three in the south and one in central Gaza - and that 'within the next month, additional sites will be opened, including in northern Gaza.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that construction of the first distribution zones would be complete in the coming days and that the Zionist entity intends 'to have large safe zones in the south of Gaza.' 'The Palestinian population will move there for their own safety, while we conduct combat in other zones,' Netanyahu said. 'The GHF will use security contractors to transport aid from border crossings to the secure distribution sites,' it said in a statement. 'Once the aid is at the sites, it will be distributed directly to the people of Gaza by civilian humanitarian teams.' How have aid organizations reacted? The Zionist entity's UN Ambassador Danny Danon has said a few aid groups have agreed to work with the GHF. The names of those groups are not yet known. A coalition of humanitarian and human rights organizations issued a joint statement last week rejecting the notion of GHF. The signatories said the foundation is a 'smokescreen for a deeply flawed and dangerous attempt to rebrand the delivery of aid in Gaza.' The statement criticizes the GHF's reliance on Zionist-controlled entry points—primarily the Port of Ashdod and the Karam Abu Salem crossing—and argues that the initiative legitimizes the blockade on Gaza rather than addressing the humanitarian crisis. The GHF told Reuters that though using private security firms represents a change from prior aid delivery frameworks, it would ensure aid is not diverted to Hamas or criminal organizations. 'The biggest barrier to humanitarian access in Gaza is not inefficiency or corruption, it is the deliberate restriction of aid by the (Zionist entity's) government,' said the coalition. The aid groups further warn that the plan's scope—initially targeting 1.2 million of Gaza's 2.2 million residents—could contribute to forced displacement. 'This is not a logistics problem. It is an admission that the plan includes the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, or worse, the abandonment of more than 1 million people to famine,' they said. 'If the strategy knowingly includes failing to feed an entire segment of the population, that is not humanitarianism. It is a crime.' In their statement, the organizations reaffirm the importance of the four foundational humanitarian principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. They argue that the GHF, by operating in coordination with one party to the conflict and excluding Palestinian civil society, undermines these principles. — Agencies
