by Tage

Buoyed by Trump’s promises, Uzbeks seek closer ties to US

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN/WASHINGTON — Uzbekistan is expected to push to deepen relations with the United States in the coming year, a position that is broadly popular among Uzbeks across the country, VOA found during a recent reporting trip. With more than 37 million people, Uzbekistan, Washington’s strategic partner in Central Asia, accounts for more than half of the population of the region, which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. “I understand that the U.S. prefers dealing with us in the C5+1 format — five republics plus Uncle Sam — but we want more bilateral attention, at least for now,” said Sherbek Artikov, a young Uzbek hoping to study political science in America. Artikov is aware that many of his fellow Uzbeks are often denied U.S. visas and that hundreds of them have been deported since 2019 as undocumented immigrants. Yet, he remains optimistic: “I believe over time, Washington will see that Uzbeks are not only reliable strategic partners but also hardworking, compassionate people — both as migrants and visitors.” In recent conversations with a VOA reporter traveling across Tashkent, Ferghana, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya, most Uzbeks expressed enthusiasm about U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House. They hoped his administration would foster stronger connections with the people of Uzbekistan, not just its government. From journalists and activists to entrepreneurs and educators, they want Trump to fulfill his promises to end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. “We are a peaceful region, despite the continuous turmoil in neighboring Afghanistan, but these conflicts deeply trouble us,” said Zuhra Amonova, an English teacher in Bukhara. Calls for new approach As relations between Washington and Central Asian nations have evolved, there have been some calls by American experts for creating a new diplomatic approach, shifting the U.S. government away from grouping the countries with South Asian nations and instead aligning them more with the Caucasus. Veteran bureaucrats who have worked with these regions at the State Department and the Pentagon told VOA that Washington’s view of this part of the world has increasingly been seen through a Russian lens since the U.S. exit from Afghanistan. Ikboljon Qoraboyev, a professor at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, says the Central Asia-Caucasus proposal reflects the region’s crucial role between China and Russia and the growing significance of the Middle Corridor, a transit route across the Caspian Sea that carries goods westward to European markets. … “Buoyed by Trump’s promises, Uzbeks seek closer ties to US” →

by Mirits

One of last Auschwitz survivors makes telling the stories his mission

HAIFA, ISRAEL — Naftali Furst will never forget his first view of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, on Nov. 3, 1944. He was 12 years old. SS soldiers threw open the doors of the cattle car, where he was crammed in with his mother, father, brother, and more than 80 others. He remembers the tall chimneys of the crematoria, flames roaring from the top. There were dogs and officers yelling in German “Get out, get out!” forcing people to jump onto the infamous ramp where Nazi doctor Josef Mengele separated children from parents. Furst, now 92, is one of a dwindling number of Holocaust survivors able to share first-person accounts of the horrors they endured, as the world marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazis’ most notorious death camp. Furst is returning to Auschwitz for the annual occasion, his fourth trip to the camp. Each time he returns, he thinks of those first moments there. “We knew we were going to certain death,” he said from his home in Haifa, northern Israel, earlier this month. “In Slovakia, we knew that people who went to Poland didn’t return.” Strokes of luck Furst and his family arrived at the entrance to Auschwitz on Nov. 3, 1944 -– one day after Nazi leader Heinrich Himmler ordered the cessation of the use of the gas chambers ahead of their demolition, as the Soviet troops neared. The order meant that his family wasn’t immediately killed. It was one of many small bits of luck and coincidences that allowed Furst to survive. “For 60 years, I didn’t talk about the Holocaust, for 60 years I didn’t speak a word of German even though it’s my mother tongue,” said Furst. In 2005, he was invited to attend the ceremony to mark the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald, where he was liberated on April 11, 1945, after being moved there from Auschwitz. He realized there were fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors who could give first-person accounts, and he decided to throw himself into memorial work. This will be his fourth trip to a ceremony at Auschwitz, having also met Pope Francis there in 2016. Some 6 million European Jews were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust — the mass murder of Jews and other groups before and during World War II. Soviet Red Army troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau on Jan. 27, 1945, and the day … “One of last Auschwitz survivors makes telling the stories his mission” →

by Tage

App provides immediate fire information to Los Angeles residents

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA — From his home in northern California, Nick Russell, a former farm manager, is monitoring the Los Angeles-area fires. He knows that about 600 kilometers south, people in Los Angeles are relying on his team’s live neighborhood-by-neighborhood updates on fire outbreaks, smoke direction, surface wind predictions and evacuation routes. Russell is vice president of operations at Watch Duty, a free app that tracks fires and other natural disasters. It relies on a variety of data sources such as cameras and sensors throughout the state, government agencies, first responders, a core of volunteers, and its own team of reporters. An emergency at his house, for example, would be “much different” from one at his neighbor’s house .4 kilometers away, Russell said. “That is true for communities everywhere, and that’s where technology really comes in.” Watch Duty’s delivery of detailed localized information is one reason for its success with its 7 million users, many of whom downloaded the app in recent weeks. It acts as a virtual emergency operations center, culling and verifying data points. Watch Duty’s success points to the promise that technologies such as artificial intelligence and sensors will give residents and first responders the real-time information they need to survive and fight natural disasters. Google and other firms have invested in technology to track fires. Several startup firms are also looking for ways to use AI, sensors and other technologies in natural disasters. Utility firms work with Gridware, a company that places AI-enhanced sensors on power lines to detect a tree branch touching the line or any other vibrations that could indicate a problem. Among Watch Duty’s technology partners is ALERTCalifornia, run by the University of San Diego, which has a network of more than 1,000 AI-enhanced cameras throughout the state looking for smoke. The cameras often detect fires before people call emergency lines, Russell said. Together with ALERTCalifornia’s information, Russell said, “we have become the eyes and ears” of fires. Another Watch Duty partner is N-5 Sensors, a Maryland-based firm. Its sensors, which are placed in the ground, detect smoke, heat and other signs of fire. “They’re like a nose, if you will, so they detect smoke anomalies and different chemical patterns in the air,” Russell said. Watch Duty is available in 22 states, mostly in the western U.S., and plans to expand to all states. While fire has been its focus, Watch Duty also plans to … “App provides immediate fire information to Los Angeles residents” →

by Tage

Trump says US government is behind California during visit to fire-stricken state

U.S. President Donald Trump said the federal government is standing behind California 100% in the aftermath of devastating wildfires and said during a visit to the state on Friday that he would come back as much as needed. “The first lady and I are in California to express a great love for the people of California,” Trump told a gathering of local leaders at a fire station in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The neighborhood was one of the worst hit by the recent fires, with rows of homes left in ashes. Trump participated in a walking tour of the area earlier in the day and also surveyed recovery efforts from a helicopter as firefighters in the Los Angeles area continued to confront multiple blazes amid high winds and dry conditions. “I don’t think you can realize how rough it is, how devastating it is, until you see it,” Trump said after the tour. The Palisades Fire is about 77% contained and has burned through nearly 9,500 hectares of land, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Trump has criticized California leaders for water policies that he says have exacerbated the recent wildfires. He said before traveling to California that he would “take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn’t let the water flow.” California Governor Gavin Newsom has rejected the president’s assertion, and other state legislators have said the fierce wildfires placed extreme demand on a municipal system not designed to battle such blazes. Newsom greeted Trump as he arrived on the tarmac in Los Angeles on Friday. The two were cordial and shook hands. “I have all the expectations we’re going to be able to work together,” Newsom said. Trump responded: “We’re going to get it fixed.” During the gathering with community leaders, Trump said that Los Angeles residents who lost homes should be allowed back onto their properties immediately, challenging Mayor Karen Bass to speed up the cleanup process. “People are willing to get a dumpster and do it themselves and clean it up. There is not that much left, it is all incinerated,” Trump said. Bass said, “the most important thing is for people to be safe,” but promised residents should be able to return home within the week. Trump promised that federal permits to rebuild would be granted promptly … “Trump says US government is behind California during visit to fire-stricken state” →

by Mirits

Russian deepfake videos target Ukrainian refugees, including teen

New online videos recently investigated by VOA’s Russian and Ukrainian services show how artificial intelligence is likely being used to try to create provocative deepfakes that target Ukrainian refugees.  In one example, a video appears to be a TV news report about a teenage Ukrainian refugee and her experience studying at a private school in the United States. But the video then flips to footage of crowded school corridors and packets of crack cocaine, while a voiceover that sounds like the girl calls American public schools dangerous and invokes offensive stereotypes about African Americans.  “I realize it’s quite expensive [at private school],” she says. “But it wouldn’t be fair if my family was made to pay for my safety. Let Americans do it.”  Those statements are total fabrications. Only the first section — footage of the teenager — is real.  The offensive voiceover was likely created using artificial intelligence (AI) to realistically copy her voice, resulting in something known as a deepfake.  And it appears to be part of the online Russian information operation called Matryoshka —‚ named for the Russian nesting doll — that is now targeting Ukrainian refugees.  VOA found that the campaign pushed two deepfake videos that aimed to make Ukrainian refugees look greedy and ungrateful, while also spreading deepfakes that appeared to show authoritative Western journalists claiming that Ukraine — and not Russia — was the country spreading falsehoods.  The videos reflect the most recent strategy among Russia’s online disinformation campaign, according to Antibot4Navalny, an X account that researches Russian information operations and has been widely cited by leading Western news outlets.  Russia’s willingness to target refugees, including a teenager, shows just how far the Kremlin, which regularly denies having a role in disinformation, is prepared to go in attempting to undermine Western support for Ukraine.  Targeting the victims   A second video targeting Ukrainian refugees begins with real footage from a news report in which a Ukrainian woman expresses gratitude for clothing donations and support that Denmark has provided to refugees.  The video then switches to generic footage and a probable deepfake as the woman’s voice begins to complain that Ukrainian refugees are forced to live in small apartments and wear used clothing.  VOA is not sharing either video to protect the identities of the refugees depicted in the deepfakes, but both used stolen footage from reputable international media outlets.   That technique — altering … “Russian deepfake videos target Ukrainian refugees, including teen” →

by Mirits

Driver rams anti-government rally in Serbia’s capital, hurts protester 

BELGRADE, SERBIA — A woman rammed a car into a crowd of anti-government protesters in Serbia’s capital and injured one of them Friday, police said, as a student-led strike shut down businesses and drew tens of thousands of people to demonstrations around the country. The nationwide protests took place on the same day that President Aleksandar Vucic held a big afternoon rally with thousands of supporters in the central town of Jagodina, his coalition stronghold, to counter the persistent anti-government protests that have challenged his tight grip on power for nearly three months. Vucic told his supporters that the country has been “attacked both from outside and inside” by the anti-government protests. “It is not accidental that that they have attacked Serbia from abroad,” Vucic said, pointing out Serbia’s friendly relations with Russia and China, and a refusal to impose sanctions on Moscow because of the war in Ukraine. “That is what they want to crush, but we must not allow it. That is our strength,” he told the cheering crowd. Call for talks Vucic also called for a dialogue with the striking students, who have received widespread support from all walks of life in Serbia, at the same time weakening popular support for his party. The students have rejected negotiations on their demands with Vucic. The protesters have blocked traffic daily in Serbia to protest the deaths of 15 people killed in the November collapse of a train station canopy that critics have blamed on government corruption. The government denies blame for the deaths. Police in Belgrade said that they detained the 24-year-old driver who rammed into a crowd of protesters in a section of the city called New Belgrade. The injured victim, a 26-year-old woman, was hospitalized; her condition was described as stable. A similar incident took place during a blockade last week in Belgrade, when a car rammed into protesting students, seriously injuring a young woman. Many in Serbia believe the huge concrete canopy at a train station in the northern city of Novi Sad fell down because of sloppy reconstruction work that resulted from corruption. Weekslong protests demanding accountability for the crash have been the biggest since Vucic came to power more than a decade ago. He has faced accusations of curbing democratic freedoms despite formally seeking European Union membership for Serbia. It wasn’t immediately possible to determine how many people and companies joined the students’ call … “Driver rams anti-government rally in Serbia’s capital, hurts protester “ →

by Tage

Afghan refugees in Pakistan worry as US suspends resettlement program

WASHINGTON — The Sultani family was nearing the final stages of their case to resettle in the U.S., though their plan was disrupted after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 suspending the relocation of refugees to the U.S. “My family and I couldn’t sleep at night” since the executive order was signed, said 50-year-old Ahmad Zahir Sultani, who fled to Pakistan alongside his wife and four children a few months after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021. “We are very worried … as we face an uncertain future,” said Sultani, who worked with U.S.-run projects in Afghanistan before the U.S. pulled out of the country in 2021. Just hours after his swearing-in as the 47th President of the U.S., Trump signed the executive order suspending the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program beginning Jan. 27. The Sultani family was identified as a Priority 1 case for resettlement under that program. “This order suspends the USRAP until such time as the further entry into the United States of refugees aligned with the interest of the United States,” stated the order. The order calls on the secretary of the Homeland Security Department, in consultation with the secretary of state, to report to the president within 90 days if the program “would be in the interests of the United States.” The order added that every 90 days, a report would be submitted to the president until he “determine[s] that resumption of the USRAP is in the interests of the United States.” Sultani and other Afghan refugees who have been waiting in Pakistan for resettlement in the U.S. told VOA that staying in Pakistan would be “very difficult” for them as the crackdown on Afghan refugees continues in Islamabad, where the Sultanis currently reside. “We are facing harassment and arrests by the police [in Pakistan]. And we can’t go back to Afghanistan as we fled because of the threats there,” Sultani said. According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office in July, among more than 44,000 Afghans living in Pakistan to be relocated to third countries, about 25,000 Afghan refugees are waiting to be resettled in the U.S. Fahimi Zahid, an Afghan activist living in Islamabad, told VOA that after the suspension of their relocation program to the U.S., Afghan refugees in Pakistan are “very concerned” about their future in Pakistan. “In the past, refugees had a hope that the U.S. was in … “Afghan refugees in Pakistan worry as US suspends resettlement program” →

by Tage

Search for missing American journalist continues in Syria

Now that President Bashar al-Assad’s long rule in Syria has ended, family members and hostage aid groups are taking the search for missing journalist Austin Tice to Damascus, checking abandoned prisons for signs of the American. Cristina Caicedo Smit has more. Camera: Hasan Aljani and Yan Boechat …

by Tage

Nigerian journalist misleads on Trump’s ability to travel internationally

Some countries have laws that refuse entry to convicted felons. They can still allow entry to a felon with a valid reason. Canada, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom have already invited Trump. …

by Tage

US cities get creative clearing snow, ice after rare winter storm

Days after a winter storm dropped ice and record-breaking snow, cleanup efforts were underway Thursday in several major Southern U.S. cities such as New Orleans, Louisiana, where crews were removing snow the same way they remove trash, drink cups and plastic beads after Mardi Gras celebrations.  Temperatures were gradually rising across the U.S. South, bringing hopes that remaining snow and ice would melt away.  “We have to be honest with ourselves — we’re from Louisiana, we know crawfish, we know football, but we don’t really know snow and ice and that’s okay,” said Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development spokesperson Daniel Gitlin. “It’s going to go away and we’re better off letting Mother Nature do what she needs to do right now.”  Up to 320 kilometers (200 miles) of interstate highways were expected to remain closed until Friday due to treacherous patches of black ice, Gitlin said. Louisiana has nearly run out of its salt supply after treating roads, he added.  In New Orleans, a private waste management firm has been contracted to repurpose equipment that’s typically used to clean up Mardi Gras beads and cups to clear snow from the streets.  IV Waste President Sidney Torres said his company has deployed a 15,000-liter (4,000-gallon) “flusher” truck to spray water on the ground to soften the ice for removal in the historic and festive French Quarter. The truck normally sprays lemon-scented fragrance “to get rid of that funky liquor, urine, puke smell from the night before,” Torres said. “We’re finding new solutions and better techniques to dealing with this.”  Arkansas sent Louisiana snowplows, dump trucks, salt spreaders and other equipment, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said.  Snow likely breaks records The snowfall likely broke several records across the region, including in Florida where a preliminary report of 25 centimeters (10 inches) in one town would set a record for the state, if confirmed.  Snow totals reached 8 centimeters (3 inches) this week in Savannah, Georgia, the most that the state’s oldest city has recorded since December 1989.  The snow was lighter in metro Atlanta, Georgia, where the southern suburbs saw more snow and ice than areas north of the city. In Covington, southeast of Atlanta, Jesse Gentes used a flame thrower to de-ice the roads in his subdivision. In better weather, he typically uses the flame thrower for brush removal, he told television station WSB-TV.  Light freezing rain was forecast Thursday … “US cities get creative clearing snow, ice after rare winter storm” →

by Mirits

Ahead of election, media group accuses Belarus of crimes against humanity

WASHINGTON — Ahead of Belarus’ presidential election this weekend, a media advocacy group filed a complaint Friday with the International Criminal Court accusing the country’s longtime leader of crimes against humanity against journalists. The complaint, filed by Reporters Without Borders, known by French acronym RSF, accuses President Alexander Lukashenko of orchestrating a harsh crackdown on independent media that began after he claimed victory in the disputed 2020 election. That election was widely seen as rigged, with opposition candidates jailed or forced to flee. Security forces violently suppressed the subsequent mass protests. Paris-based RSF cited in its complaint the imprisoning and persecution of journalists and displacement of media workers as examples of crimes against humanity. “RSF calls on the ICC Prosecutor to include these crimes against journalists in its preliminary investigation,” Antoine Bernard, RSF’s director of advocacy and assistance, said in a statement. Since the crackdown on independent media began, Belarus has ranked among the worst jailers of journalists in the world, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Belarusian media experts say the dire environment has made it harder to access credible information. “The Belarusian information space is tightly controlled by the government,” Natalia Belikova, the head of international cooperation at Press Club Belarus, told VOA from Warsaw. Repression against journalists and activists has been increasing in the lead up to the election, she said. Press Club Belarus counts more than 40 journalists currently jailed in the country. The European Parliament and exiled Belarusian leader Svetlana Tikhanovskayahave condemned the upcoming election in Belarus as a sham. Since 2020, the Belarusian government has pressured independent media through raids on news outlets, blocking websites and designating media organizations as “extremist.” The harsh environment forced some reporters to quit their jobs. Meanwhile, hundreds of other journalists fled into exile, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. “For five years, the Belarusian regime has systematically persecuted independent voices, starting with journalists,” Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk, said in a statement. Belikova said she thinks the complaint to the ICC is significant. “On the level of raising the profile of repression in Belarus, especially against journalists and free press, I think this is a very important move,” she said. But Belikova added that she wasn’t sure whether the complaint will improve the crisis facing Belarusian journalists. The office of the ICC prosecutor said it does not comment on complaints … “Ahead of election, media group accuses Belarus of crimes against humanity” →

by Tage

Court bars Oath Keepers founder from Washington without approval

WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday barred Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes from entering Washington without the court’s approval after U.S. President Donald Trump commuted the far-right extremist group leader’s 18-year prison sentence for orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Capitol four years ago. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta issued the order two days after Rhodes visited the Capitol, where he met with at least one lawmaker, chatted with others and defended his actions during a mob’s attack on Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes was released from a Maryland prison a day earlier. Mehta’s order also applies to other Oath Keepers members who were convicted of charges that they participated in a violent plot to attack the Capitol. …

by Mirits

London court says US mom can be extradited in children’s killings

LONDON — A London judge on Friday rejected a U.S. mother’s challenge to be extradited to Colorado to face murder charges in the deaths of two of her young children. Judge John Zani said in Westminster Magistrates Court that it would now be up to the British Home Secretary to order Kimberlee Singler returned to the United States. Singler, 36, is accused of two counts of first-degree murder in the December 2023 shooting and stabbings of her 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, and one count of attempted murder in the knife slashing of her 11-year-old daughter. She also faces three counts of child abuse and one count of assault. Singler’s attorney had argued that sending her back to the U.S. would violate European human rights law, in part, because she faces a sentence of life in prison without parole in Colorado if convicted of first-degree murder. Such a sentence would be inhumane because it offers no prospect for release even if she is rehabilitated, attorney Edward Fitzgerald said. Fitzgerald said that despite an option for a Colorado governor to commute her sentence at some point, it was “political suicide” to do so. Experts for the defense had originally said that a life sentence had never been commuted in Colorado. But prosecutors later found that Governor John Hickenlooper in 2018 commuted life sentences of five men convicted of murder. The defense countered that three of those sentences were not life without parole and two were for men who committed their crime between the ages of 18 and 21, which is sometimes considered a mitigating factor at sentencing because of their relative youth. “This defendant, Kimberlee Singler, has no real prospect of release no matter what progress she makes” behind bars, Fitzgerald said. Prosecutor Joel Smith said the judge only had to consider if there is a mechanism that could allow Singler to be freed someday. “Prospect of release — that is not your concern,” Smith told the judge at a hearing in December. Zani said in his ruling that there was an option in Colorado to release an inmate serving a life sentence. “I am satisfied that the defendant has failed to vault the hurdle necessary in order to succeed in the challenges raised,” the judge said. Fitzgerald said he planned to appeal. Singler has denied that she harmed her children. She told police that her ex-husband had either carried out the … “London court says US mom can be extradited in children’s killings” →

by Mirits

Reclaiming Rudolf Hoss’s House as center countering hate, extremism and radicalization

Near Auschwitz’s walls, the former home of the concentration camp’s commandant, Rudolf Hoss, stands as a symbol of denial and complicity, its windows overlooking the site of some of the Holocaust’s worst atrocities. As the world marks the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation (Jan. 27), plans are under way to transform the house into a research center on hate, extremism, and radicalization. VOA’s Eastern Europe bureau chief, Myroslava Gongadze, visited the house and has the story. Camera: Daniil Batushchak …

by Mirits

Russia, Ukraine report large-scale overnight drone attacks

Officials in Ukraine say Russia launched a barrage of drones in an overnight attack Friday killing at least two civilians, wounding several others and damaging commercial and residential buildings. The interior ministry said two victims were killed by drone debris in the central Kyiv region. It said a multistory residential building and commercial buildings were among the infrastructure that sustained damage during the attack. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses intercepted and destroyed some 120 drones over a dozen regions, including Moscow, overnight Friday, launched by Ukraine. No casualties were reported. U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he would talk soon with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to push the Russian leader to end his nearly three-year war on neighboring Ukraine. “Millions of young lives are being wasted. That war is horrible,” Trump, via video link from Washington, told global business leaders meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He said that “Ukraine is ready to make a deal,” although no peace negotiations have been announced. “This is a war that never should’ve started.” Trump, three days into his second term in the White House, said he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to cut global oil prices, now about $77 a barrel, to curb Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to fund the war. “If the price comes down,” Trump said, “the war in Ukraine will end immediately.” “It’s so important to get that done,” he said. “It’s time to end it.” Trump’s new remarks on the war came a day after he described the conflict as a “ridiculous war” and told Putin in a social media message that if he didn’t move to end it, the U.S. would impose new tariffs, taxes and sanctions on Russian exports to the West. But the Kremlin was unmoved by Trump’s threat, saying Thursday it did not see any particularly new elements in U.S. policy toward Russia. “He likes these methods, at least he liked them during his first presidency,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Peskov said Russia remains ready for “mutually respectful dialogue” with the United States as Trump starts a four-year term in the White House. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. …

by Tage

US agents raid New Jersey worksite as Trump escalates immigration crackdown

WASHINGTON — U.S. immigration agents rounded up undocumented migrants as well as American citizens in a raid of a Newark, New Jersey, worksite on Thursday that the city’s mayor said involved detaining a military veteran and violations of the people’s rights. The raid in New Jersey’s most populous city, hailed in the past by Mayor Ras Baraka for its “sanctuary” policies protecting migrants, follows President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. Trump issued a raft of executive orders after taking office on Monday that aim to clamp down on illegal immigration. He has taken steps to punish officials who resist enforcement of his sweeping crackdown. In a raid of a business establishment in Newark, outside New York City, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents failed to produce a warrant as they detained “undocumented residents as well as citizens,” Baraka said in a statement. “One of the detainees is a U.S. military veteran who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned,” Baraka said. In a statement, an ICE spokesperson said that agents “may encounter U.S. citizens while conducting field work and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite today in Newark.” The spokesperson said that ICE was investigating the incident. Baraka said the raid had violated the citizens’ rights under the U.S. Constitution. “Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized,” he said. Neither Baraka nor ICE identified the business raided by name. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on X that the Trump administration arrested 538 people Thursday, describing all of them as “illegal immigrant criminals.” She said they included members of a Venezuelan prison gang and people convicted of sex crimes. Leavitt did not provide more details. A range of studies by academics and think tanks have shown that immigrants do not commit crime at a higher rate than native-born Americans. Other studies find that immigrants in the U.S. illegally also do not commit crimes at a higher rate. Sanctuary cities Baraka, the Newark mayor, is one of the first local officials in the U.S. to issue a statement on a specific raid following the start of Trump’s immigration crackdown. In 2017, he signed an executive order cementing Newark’s sanctuary status and was a vocal opponent of Trump’s immigration policies … “US agents raid New Jersey worksite as Trump escalates immigration crackdown” →

by Tage

US Air Force looks to upgrade Cyprus airbase as humanitarian staging post for the Middle East

NICOSIA, CYPRUS — Experts from the U.S. Air Force are looking at ways to upgrade Cyprus’ premier air base for use as a humanitarian staging post in future operations in the Middle East, a Cypriot official told The Associated Press on Thursday. Cyprus, which is only 184 kilometers from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has acted as a transit point for the repatriation of foreign nationals fleeing conflict in the Middle East and beyond on numerous occasions in the past. It has also served as a transit point for humanitarian aid to Gaza. Experts from the 435th Contingency Response Group based out of Ramstein, Germany, will spend the next few days at Andreas Papandreou Air Force Base to assess the upgrade needed to accommodate a wide array of U.S. air assets and other forces. A key priority is to ensure air traffic safety in and around the base, which abuts the island’s second-largest civilian airport, the official said. The base’s location makes it easy to transfer evacuees onto civilian aircraft at the adjacent airport for their trip home. The official spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he’s not authorized to speak publicly about the details of the experts’ visit. Air traffic safety would need to be enhanced through new high-tech installations, including state-of-the-art radar, to ensure the independent operation of civilian and military aircraft at safe distances. “The Americans are very specific on safety issues and want to make some upgrades to further improve the base’s safety,” the official said. Other essential upgrades include expanding both the base itself and the runway to accommodate more transport and fighter aircraft. Hardened shelters to protect those air assets are also envisioned. The Cyprus government agreed to the air base upgrade assessment following the recent deployment of a U.S. Marine contingent at the base. The Marines, who were equipped with V-22 Osprey tiltrotor military transport and cargo aircraft, were on stand-by in the event of a swift evacuation of US citizens from nearby Lebanon during Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah targets late last year. Deputy government spokesman Yannis Antoniou told the state broadcaster Thursday that any use of the base by the forces of the U.S. or other nations would require prior Cyprus government approval. He insisted the air base would not act as a forward base for military strike operations against targets in the region. “We’ve shown interest in working with … “US Air Force looks to upgrade Cyprus airbase as humanitarian staging post for the Middle East” →

by Mirits

Trump to global businesses: Make products in US or pay tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday invited global businesses to manufacture their products in the U.S. and promised them lower taxes but warned if they chose to produce their goods elsewhere, they would have to pay tariffs to export them to the United States. “America is back and open for business,” Trump, in a video linkup from Washington, told corporate leaders meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “My message to every business in the world is very simple: Come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth,” Trump said. “But if you don’t make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then, very simply, you will have to pay a tariff.” Trump, three days into his second term in the White House, said he wants to cut the U.S. corporate tax rate from 21 to 15%, although that needs approval from his political allies in the Republican-controlled Congress. Lawmakers have begun debating how to extend and reshape personal and corporate tax cuts enacted in 2017 during Trump’s first term in office. Trump promised the U.S. would supply Europe with the liquified natural gas it needs but contended that the European Union treats the United States “very, very unfairly” with the extent of regulations it imposes on American businesses operating in the 27-nation bloc. The president complained specifically about tariffs and environmental impact statements for new construction projects, calling them “things you shouldn’t have to do.” Trump promised that his administration would make the U.S., already the world’s biggest economy, “a manufacturing superpower” and said the government during his four-year term would eliminate 10 business regulations for every new one that is imposed. He said he plans to ask Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut the price of oil they produce to boost the global economy. He contended that if the current global oil price — about $77 a barrel — is cut, “the war in Ukraine will end immediately.” Russia uses revenue from its own oil production to help fund its three-year war on neighboring Ukraine. Trump said that in the global economy, the U.S. “just wants to be treated fairly by other countries.” He said the U.S. wants to have a “fair relationship” with China, the world’s second-biggest economy. “We don’t want to take advantage,” he said of … “Trump to global businesses: Make products in US or pay tariffs” →

by Tage

Italy’s highest court upholds slander conviction of Amanda Knox

Italy’s highest court on Thursday upheld the slander conviction of American defendant Amanda Knox in a case related to the sensationalized 2007 murder of her British roommate.   Knox was convicted of slandering her former boss, Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba, by falsely accusing him of murdering Meredith Kercher.   A 21-year-old exchange student, Kercher was found stabbed to death in 2007 in the Perugia apartment she shared with Knox.   While being interrogated, Knox, who was 20 at the time, signed two statements prepared by police regarding her accusation against Lumumba. Knox later wrote a handwritten note questioning her false accusation.  Last year, an appeals court in Florence handed Knox a three-year sentence for wrongly accusing Lumumba.   Knox, now 37 years old, had already served nearly four years during the investigation, initial murder trial and first appeal. She was convicted twice before Italy’s highest court finally exonerated her of the crime in 2015. She is not at risk of any more jail time.   Knox had appealed the slander conviction based on a European Court of Human Rights ruling that said her rights had been violated by police failure to provide a lawyer and adequate translator during a lengthy night of questioning just days after Kercher was killed.   With the appeal, Knox was aiming to clear her name in Rome’s Court of Cassation in the last remaining legal case against her following a nearly two-decades-long legal saga.   But on Thursday, Judge Monica Boni confirmed the slander conviction.   Knox, who did not attend the court, maintained her innocence in a post on X.   “It’s a surreal day,” Knox said. “I’ve just been found guilty yet again of a crime I didn’t commit.”  Knox’s lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, said he was surprised by the conviction.  “We cannot believe it. A totally unjust decision for Amanda and unexpected in our eyes,” he said. “We are incredulous.”  But Lumumba said he was satisfied with the verdict.   “Amanda was wrong. This verdict has to accompany her for the rest of her life,” he told The Associated Press.   Rudy Guede, originally from the Ivory Coast, was eventually found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in prison for killing Kercher. He was released in 2021 after serving most of his sentence. He denied killing Kercher.   Knox’s lengthy legal saga was fodder for tabloids around the world and spawned … “Italy’s highest court upholds slander conviction of Amanda Knox” →

by Tage

Multiple blazes continue in southern California

Firefighters in southern California continued to confront multiple blazes on Thursday amid high winds and dry conditions. The Hughes Fire in the mountains northwest of Los Angeles near Castaic Lake broke out Wednesday, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for more than 50,000 people. Health advisories for smoke and windblown dust and ash have been issued for areas near the Hughes Fire. “Smoke and ash can harm everyone, even those who are healthy,” Dr. Muntu Davis, L.A. County’s health officer, said in a statement. The Laguna Fire in Ventura County resulted in evacuation orders for California State University Channel Islands and University Glen, but the orders were downgraded to warnings Thursday afternoon. The evacuation warning for the Sepulveda Fire near Interstate 405 late Wednesday was lifted after firefighters stopped the fire’s progress after it had burned through less than 1 square kilometer. The U.S. Storm Prediction Center said Thursday the “very gusty” offshore Santa Ana winds will continue in southern California with gusts that could reach as high at 105 kph in some mountain ranges. The winds, combined with Southern California’s “very low humidity and dry antecedent conditions,” prompted the center to continue a Critical Risk of Fire Weather alert for Thursday and an Elevated Fire Weather Outlook for Friday. Firefighters received help fighting the Hughes Fire with overnight aerial water drops from helicopters. The fire, northwest of Los Angeles, swelled to burn an area of more than 41 square kilometers near the Lake Castaic recreation area. The fire was about 14% contained early Thursday as forecasters warned of another day of dry and windy conditions that could make it difficult to keep fires from spreading. There is a chance for some relief in the coming days. The National Weather Service said some rain is expected in the area beginning Saturday. Forecasters expect up to a centimeter of rain across much of the Los Angeles area, while localized thunderstorms could bring even more rain in limited locations. The potential for those storms has prompted concerns about the possibility of mudslides, with debris flowing down hilly areas that have been scorched by several weeks of wildfires. In addition to the Hughes Fire, crews are still battling the Palisades Fire on the western side of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in the foothills to the north of the city. The Palisades fire, at 95 square kilometers, is about 70% contained, while … “Multiple blazes continue in southern California” →

by Tage

Trump orders release of last JFK, RFK, King assassination files

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the declassification Thursday of the last secret files on the assassination of the late U.S. President John F. Kennedy, a case that still fuels conspiracy theories more than 60 years after his death. Trump signed an executive order that will also release documents on the 1960s assassinations of JFK’s younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy, and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. “That’s a big one, huh? A lot of people have been waiting for this for years, for decades,” Trump told reporters as he signed the order in the Oval Office of the White House. After signing the order, Trump passed the pen he used to an aide, saying, “Give that to RFK Jr.,” JFK’s nephew and the current president’s nominee to become secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The order Trump signed requires the “full and complete release” of the JFK files, without redactions that he accepted back in 2017 when releasing most of the documents. “It is in the national interest to finally release all records related to these assassinations without delay,” the order said. Trump had previously promised to release the last of the files, most recently at his inauguration on Monday. The U.S. National Archives has released tens of thousands of records in recent years related to the November 22, 1963, assassination of President Kennedy but held thousands back, citing national security concerns. It said at the time of the latest large-scale release, in December 2022, that 97% of the Kennedy records — which total 5 million pages — had now been made public. The Warren Commission that investigated the shooting of the charismatic 46-year-old president determined that it was carried out by a former Marine sharpshooter, Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone. But that formal conclusion has done little to quell speculation that a more sinister plot was behind Kennedy’s murder in Dallas, Texas, and the slow release of the government files has added fuel to various conspiracy theories. A gesture to RFK Jr. Trump’s move is partly a gesture to one of the most prominent backers of those conspiracies — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. himself. RFK Jr. said in 2023 there was “overwhelming evidence the CIA was involved” in his uncle JFK’s murder and “very convincing” evidence the agency was also behind the 1968 assassination of his own father, Robert F. Kennedy. The former attorney … “Trump orders release of last JFK, RFK, King assassination files” →

by Mirits

Will Trump spark a mineral ‘gold rush’ in Greenland?

NUUK, GREENLAND — The mineral wealth on the Arctic island of Greenland is in the global spotlight after U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to take control of the territory from Denmark, prompting alarm from European allies. Trump’s words were echoed in a January 12 interview on “Fox News Sunday” by Vice President JD Vance, who said, “There is a deal to be made in Greenland,” and that the island has “a lot of great natural resources.” Until now, Greenland’s mining industry has struggled to turn a profit, but could that be about to change? ‘Full of minerals’ Greenland currently has only one active commercial mine — White Mountain —located north of the capital, Nuuk, and gets its stark, monochrome color from anorthosite rock, which is rich in calcium deposits and other minerals. The mine’s operator, Lumina Sustainable Materials, ships the rock from Greenland’s western coastline to Asia, Europe and North America, where it is used to make a variety of products such as fiberglass, paint, fillers, cement and polymers. Efforts are under way to exploit aluminum deposits within the anorthosite. “Greenland is a country full of minerals. We have, literally, minerals available all over the place,” Bent Olsvig Jensen, Lumina’s managing director in Greenland, told VOA in an interview. Dozens of other mining companies from around the world are conducting exploration and feasibility studies across Greenland, although White Mountain remains the only commercial operation currently trading. China competition The minerals include plentiful rare earth elements such as lithium and scandium, which are critical for devices such as batteries. Global supply chains for those elements are currently dominated by China. Trump has repeatedly said that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary for “international security.” His comments caused a political storm in Greenland and Denmark, but mining companies see an opportunity. “His interest in Greenland can actually help the industry get access to further investment, which is needed for the industry to develop in Greenland,” Jensen said. “So, yes, I definitely welcome it. And I think it’s important that both from the industry side but also from the political side in Greenland that we position ourselves towards Trump and the U.S.” ‘Not for sale’ Greenland’s government is largely autonomous, although Denmark is responsible for the island’s security. Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister for resources, emphasized the government’s long-held response to Trump’s interest: Open for business, but not for sale. “We do want … “Will Trump spark a mineral ‘gold rush’ in Greenland?” →

by Mirits

Will Trump spark a rush on minerals in Greenland?

Greenland’s mineral wealth is in the global spotlight after U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to take control of the island from Denmark. But until now, Greenland’s mining industry has struggled to turn a profit. Could that be about to change? Henry Ridgwell reports from Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. …

by Mirits

UK teenager jailed for at least 52 years for girls’ murders

LONDON — A British teenager who murdered three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event was jailed for at least 52 years on Thursday, for an atrocity prosecutors said was so violent it appeared he had tried to decapitate one of the victims.  On Monday, Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted carrying out the killings last July in the northern English town of Southport, a crime which was followed by days of nationwide rioting.  Rudakubana will likely spend the rest of his life in jail for the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, who were among 26 children attending the summer vacation event.  He also pleaded guilty to 10 charges of attempted murder, as well as to producing the deadly poison ricin and possessing an al-Qaida training manual.  Two of his victims suffered “horrific injuries which … are difficult to explain as anything other than sadistic in nature,” prosecutor Deanna Heer told Liverpool Crown Court.  Judge Julian Goose described Rudakubana’s actions as “evil,” saying: “I am sure that Rudakubana had a settled and determined intention to carry out these offenses and that, had he been able to, he would have killed each and every child, all 26 of them, as well as any adults who got in his way.”  The judge sentenced Rudakubana in his absence after he refused to return to court, having twice been removed for interrupting the hearing.  Goose said he was not allowed by law to impose a life sentence without the possibility of parole as Rudakubana was 17 at the time of his crimes, but added: “It is likely that he will never be released and that he will be in custody for all his life.” …