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Tag: US

  • TRADE WAR! Trump laments ahead EU tarriff proposal, says is against US

    TRADE WAR! Trump laments ahead EU tarriff proposal, says is against US

     

    US President Donald Trump has said the European Union’s proposal for an exemption from tariffs on industrial products, including cars, is not enough to account for the transatlantic trade deficit.

    The European Union has been very, very bad to us, they don’t take our cars, like Japan in that sense, they don’t take our agricultural product. They don’t take anything practically,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

    Last week, Trump announced a 20 percent tariff on European goods, in his all-out protectionist offensive, which is set to take effect April 9.

    Trump’s comments came in response to the proposal announced Monday by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, seeking a bilateral tariff exemption for cars and other industrial goods.

    “We have proposed zero tariffs on industrial products… Europe is always ready to strike a good deal” with the United States, von der Leyen said during a press conference in Brussels.

    But “we are also ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests” against Trump’s trade offensive, she warned.

    In comments Monday, Trump added that the EU’s trade deficit would “disappear fast” if European countries moved to purchase American energy.

    “They have to buy and commit to buy a like amount of energy (to this trade deficit),” Trump said.

    Trump, who did not specify if such a purchase would mean the lifting of tariffs against the EU, said a deal would have to be worth $350 billion to cancel out the United States’ trade deficit with the EU.

  • US revokes visas of hundreds of foreign students

    US revokes visas of hundreds of foreign students

    In an effort to crack down on student activists who support Palestinians, the U.S. has revoked hundreds of visas, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday at a press conference. He is delivering on President Trump’s promise to deport noncitizens whose activism he claims supports Hamas terrorism and is antisemitic. This week, over a thousand people outside of Boston took to the streets to call on the government to free Tufts University PhD student Rumeysa Ozturk. Federal agents in plain clothes and face masks arrested her. The agents plan to deport her.

    A video of the student, Rumeysa Ozturk, being taken away by masked, plain-clothes officers to an unmarked car outside Boston, Massachusetts, has gone viral and sparked protests online.

    Ms Ozturk is a Fullbright Scholar on an F-1 student visa and is in a doctoral program for Child Study and Human Development at Tufts.

    Rubio was asked on Thursday why the Turkish student’s visa was revoked.

    “Here’s why: I’ve said it everywhere, and I’ll say it again,” Rubio said. “If you apply for a student visa to come to the United States and you say you’re coming not just to study, but to participate in movements that vandalize universities, harass students, take over buildings, and cause chaos, we’re not giving you that visa.”

  • Trump’s tarrifs war: We’ll hit back at US, new Canadian PM vows

    Trump’s tarrifs war: We’ll hit back at US, new Canadian PM vows

    New Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney said on Thursday that his country would wait until next week to strike back against the latest US threat of tariffs, stating that nothing is off the table regarding possible countermeasures.

    This is as he warned Canadians that tough times lay ahead, lamenting what he said was the end of a long, mutually beneficial economic and security relationship with the United States.

    “We will fight the US tariffs with retaliatory trade actions of our own that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impacts here in Canada,” he said.

    The prime minister said he would speak to provincial premiers and business leaders on Friday to discuss a coordinated response to the auto sector tariffs that US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday.

    “It doesn’t make sense when there’s a series of U.S. initiatives that are going to come in relatively rapid succession, to respond to each of them. We’re going to know a lot more in a week, and we will respond then.

  • Experts kick as Trump signs Order requiring citizenship proof in elections

    Experts kick as Trump signs Order requiring citizenship proof in elections

    US President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered tighter controls on federal elections, including requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote, as the Republican continues to attack a system he insists remains tilted against him.

    Experts swiftly denounced his executive order as an abuse of presidential power that could ultimately prevent millions of Americans from casting ballots, and rights groups already have vowed to challenge it in court.

    Trump, now in his second term, has never acknowledged his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, and he maintains baseless claims of massive election fraud — particularly in absentee voting, a method which has become widely used across the United States.

    “Perhaps some people think I shouldn’t be complaining, because we won in a landslide” last November, Trump said as he signed the executive order in the White House.

    “But we’ve got to straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections,” he said. “And we’re going to straighten it out, one way or the other.”

    Several states allow absentee ballots to be counted if they arrive after Election Day, provided they are postmarked before the polls close in their state.

    For law professor Richard Hasen of the University of California, Los Angeles, this “dangerous” executive order could “potentially disenfranchise millions of voters.”

    On his Election Law blog, Hasen calls Trump’s directive “an executive power grab,” and notes that federal elections are largely the responsibility of the states, with Congress setting rules for the conduct of elections.

    The Brennan Center, a nonprofit public policy institute, denounced the executive order, posting on X that it “would block tens of millions of American citizens from voting. Presidents have no authority to do this.”

    The powerful civil liberties group ACLU also slammed the order as “an extreme abuse of power” and suggested legal challenges would be filed. “We’ll see him in court,” it said.

    Voting in US federal elections by non-citizens has been a criminal offense for decades, with the law threatening fines, imprisonment and deportation.

    AFP

  • US threatens ban on Nigerians for overstaying visas

    US threatens ban on Nigerians for overstaying visas

    The United States government has issued a stern warning to Nigerian travellers about the severe consequences of overstaying their visa, emphasising that violators could face permanent bans from re-entering the country.

    The US Mission in Nigeria posted the warning via its X on Monday.

    The immigration authorities clarified that consular officers can access an individual’s full immigration history, making it nearly impossible to avoid penalties for past violations.

    They further emphasised that travellers are responsible for adhering to the terms of their visa and that ignorance of visa regulations will not be accepted as an excuse.

    “If you overstay your US visa, you could face a permanent ban on travelling to the United States. Consular officers have full access to your immigration history and will know about past violations. There is no such thing as an ‘honest mistake’ – it is your responsibility to use your visa correctly,” the US Mission stated.

    It is learnt that those who overstay their visa for more than 180 days but less than a year may face a three-year re-entry ban.

    If the overstay exceeds one year, the penalty could be a 10-year ban.

    Repeat offenders or those with serious violations risk a permanent lifetime ban.

  • Breakthrough! Gene therapy delivers alternative sickle cell cure in US

    Breakthrough! Gene therapy delivers alternative sickle cell cure in US

    21-year-old Sebastien Beauzile from Laurelton, Long Island, has become the first person in New York State to be cured of sickle cell anaemia using the innovative Lyfgenia gene therapy.

    This pioneering treatment, administered at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, offers a beacon of hope for countless individuals battling this debilitating disease, Forbes reports on Sunday.

    Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder characterized by misshapen red blood cells that can obstruct blood flow, leading to severe pain and potential organ damage.

    Beauzile’s battle with this condition began at just four months old, with frequent hospitalizations due to intense pain crises.

    According to New York Post, he described the agony as “10 out of 10,” with his back feeling “like somebody was either pulling on it or hanging on it,” and his chest feeling “like somebody is sitting on it.”

    Lyfgenia, developed by Bluebird Bio, represents a significant advancement in gene therapy.

    Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2023, Lyfgenia works by extracting the patient’s own blood stem cells, genetically modifying them using a virus to insert functional copies of the hemoglobin gene, and then reintroducing these modified cells into the patient’s bloodstream

  • Annexation of Canada by US not under my watch, Carney vows

    Annexation of Canada by US not under my watch, Carney vows

    Mark Carney has slammed President Donald Trump of the US, saying Canada cannot be annexed under his watch.

    This is as the newly elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party stated that Canada will never be a part of US.

    Carney is set to replace Justin Trudeau.

    He will now be expected to lead the party into the next federal elections which must be held before October, where he is likely to face stiff competition from the Conservative party, which is currently leading in the polls.

    US President, Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Canada for illegal immigration into the US, threatened to turn Canada into a 51st state, and imposed steep tariffs on Canadian imports, which the White House says is necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl over its borders.

    In his first remarks following the result of the vote, Carney referenced the tensions with the US, saying his government would “create new trading relationships with reliable trading partners.”

    He also vowed to keep retaliatory tariffs on the US “until the Americans show us respect.”

    “New threats demand new ideas and a new plan,” he told the Liberal Party convention on Sunday.

    “Canada will never be part of the US“

    Slamming the Trump administration’s tariff plans, Carney said of the US president, “He’s attacking Canadian families, workers, and businesses and we cannot let him succeed and we won’t.”

    “In trade as in hockey, Canada will win,” he added.

    The ripple effects of the tense relations with the US have spread through Canadian society, with fans at NHL and NBA games in Canada even booing the US national anthem.

    Carney will now face off with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has previously been compared to Trump but now seeks to distance himself from the US leader, reiterating at a press conference earlier this week that he is “not MAGA.”

    At a rally on Sunday ahead of the Liberal vote, Poilievre delivered scathing remarks about Carney, a former governor of both the Bank of England and Bank of Canada, portraying him as a leader ill-equipped to deal with Trump.

    “Working for Trudeau, Carney made Canada weaker and poorer; working for himself Carney made the United States richer and stronger,” Poilievre said.

    In his remarks following the results of the vote, Carney shot back at his conservative opponent.

    “Donald Trump thinks he can weaken us with his plan to divide and conquer. Pierre Poilievre’s plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered,” Carney said.

    In some of his last remarks as Liberal Party leader, Trudeau warned Sunday that Canadians face an “existential challenge” from the US.

    “This is a nation-defining moment,” he told the Liberal leadership convention in Ottawa, ahead of Carney being announced as his successor.

    “And now, as Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of,” Trudeau said.

  • US visa Drop Box Policy not suspended as 201 deportees to arrive soon – Envoy

    US visa Drop Box Policy not suspended as 201 deportees to arrive soon – Envoy

    The US Visa Drop Box Policy is still very much in force as Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr debunks recent media reports that has been suspended.

    The US envoy also said no fewer than 201 Nigerians are in the immigration camps set to be deported home from the United States (U.S.) in line with President Donald Trump’s immigration policy.

    Eighty-five of them have been cleared for immediate eviction from the country.

    According to the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills Jr., among the first batch of deportees are those serving jail terms in U.S. prisons.

    The envoy said the deportees would be taken to Lagos but did not indicate when.

    He spoke during a meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at her office.

    The U.S. President has been fulfilling his campaign promise to deport illegal immigrants.

  • DEPORTATION! Expect convicted criminals in first batch – US-Envoy put Nigeria on notice

    DEPORTATION! Expect convicted criminals in first batch – US-Envoy put Nigeria on notice

    The United States envoy to Nigeria, Ambassador Richard Mills Jr. has said first set of deportees from US will be convicted Nigerians.

    He also revealed that Nigerian deportees would be dropped in Lagos.

    Mills Jr. also explained that convicted prisoners would be among the first set of Nigerian deportees.

    He spoke during an audience with Nigeria Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

    The envoy said: “Those to be repatriated would be dropped in Lagos.

    There wouldn’t be room for whether it should be in Port Harcourt or Abuja.

    “The first group will be convicted prisoners. Those who committed crimes and are in US prisons. Some of them are those who have clearly violated US immigration laws. They appealed but were denied yet they are still in the US. They have committed immigration crime, people who have been ordered to leave.”

    He also spoke on AGOA which ends September this year but noted that it is left for the parliamentary group to push for its renewal.

    I think this administration will concentrate more on trade and commerce. This relationship is strong and we want it sustained,” he stated.

    Meanwhile, Odumegwu-Ojukwu has called on the US government to follow laid down conventions on deportation of persons in repatriating immigrants in their country.

    Odumegwu-Ojukwu stressed that Nigerians in the US deserved dignified repatriation.

    Odumegwu-Ojukwu asked the US Government to find a way of ameliorating the trauma of those to be deported including allowing them ample opportunity to retrieve their assets in America.

    Nigeria also expressed concerns over the likely suspension of the Drop Box Visa System of the US Government.

    Amb.Odumegwu-Ojukwu bemoaned the emotional and financial pains that many Nigerians in the United States were already experiencing since the new administration of the country indicated its resolve to repatriate some categories of people from the US.

    She explained that the effect was far-reaching even to the hinterlands of Nigeria where for instance, several families including children relied on remittances from the US for their survival and education.

    “With the new administration in the US, we want a situation where there will be commitments. If there will be repatriation, we want a dignified return.

    “At the moment, we’re told that about 201 Nigerian nationals are in US immigration camps, and about 85 have been cleared for deportation.

    Will there be any way of ameliorating their pains? This has been of great concern to not just Nigerian nationals in the US but family members in Nigeria who depend on them for survival, children whose school fees are paid for by these diasporans.

    “We are asking as a country whether they will be given ample time to handle their assets or will they just be bundled into planes and repatriated? It will really be traumatic especially for those who had not committed any violent crime,” Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.

    The minister also urged Washington DC to reconsider its possible suspension of the Drop Box Visa Policy such that Nigerians who had been travelling to the US for genuine reasons would not have to suffer unduly in procuring US Visa.

  • Venezuela sends planes to bring back irregular migrants in US

    Venezuela sends planes to bring back irregular migrants in US

    Venezuela on Monday sent two planes to bring undocumented migrants back from the United States, days after it came to an agreement with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

    Recall that immediately Trump made his order to flush out irregular migrants, Venezuela promised to provide planes for it’s citizens.

    The planes were on their way home, a foreign ministry statement said, after President Nicolas Maduro — keen for an end to crippling US sanctions — agreed with a visiting Trump envoy to accept the return of deported migrants and offered to provide the transport.

    The government had been notified by the United States, the statement added, that some of the deportees were suspected of having ties to the Tren de Aragua gang or other criminal groups.

    It did not specify how many Venezuelans were being brought home.

    The day after Maduro met US envoy Richard Grenell in Caracas on January 31, Trump announced the South American country “has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua.”

    “Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.

    Grenell had traveled to Caracas despite Washington having not recognized Maduro’s reelection in a vote last year he is widely accused of stealing.

    The envoy returned home with six Americans who had been detained in Venezuela.

    It was not clear what Caracas had gained from the talks, after which Maduro called for a “new beginning” in bilateral relations.

    Trump has pledged to carry out the largest deportation campaign in US history, vowing to expel millions of undocumented immigrants, many from Latin American nations.