Pentagon strips activist Harvey Milk’s name from Navy ship in latest diversity purge
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Friday that the USNS Harvey Milk will be renamed after a Second World War sailor who received the Medal of Honour, stripping the ship of the name of a slain gay rights activist who served during the Korean War. In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said he was “taking the politics out of ship-naming.” The ship’s new name will honour Navy chief petty officer Oscar V. Peterson, who was awarded the highest military decoration posthumously for his actions during the 1942 BattleRead more
Congo, Rwanda sign peace deal to end fighting – and help U.S. access critical minerals
Congo and Rwanda on Friday signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the decades-long deadly fighting in eastern Congo while helping the U.S. government and American companies gain access to critical minerals in the region. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “an important moment after 30 years of war.” Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said at a news conference that he was able to broker a deal for “one of the worst wars anyone’s ever seen.” “I was able to get them together andRead more
Thousands march in Hungary as 2SLGBTQ+ rally becomes anti-government protest
Tens of thousands of protesters marched through Hungary’s capital on Saturday as a banned 2SLGBTQ+ rights rally swelled into a mass demonstration against the government. Crowds filled a square near Budapest’s city hall before setting off across the city, some waving rainbow flags, others carrying signs mocking Prime Minister Viktor Orban. “This is about much more, not just about homosexuality…. This is the last moment to stand up for our rights,” Eszter Rein Bodi, one of the marchers, said. “None of us are free until everyone is free,” one signRead more
U.S. Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions, in case on Trump birthright citizenship order
The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump a major victory on Friday by curbing the power of federal judges to impose nationwide rulings impeding his policies, but it left unresolved the issue of whether he can limit birthright citizenship. The court’s 6-3 ruling, authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, did not let Trump’s birthright citizenship order go into effect immediately, directing lower courts that blocked it to reconsider the scope of their orders. The ruling also did not address its legality. The justices granted a request by theRead more
32 nations but only one man matters – Nato’s summit is all about Trump
Getty Images Nato’s chief Mark Rutte (left) wants to give Donald Trump what he wants – higher defence spending by America’s allies Nato summits tend to be “pre-cooked”, not least to present a united front. Secretary General Mark Rutte has already settled on the menu for their meeting at The Hague: one that will avoid a row with Nato’s most powerful member, the US. A commitment to increase defence spending by European allies is the dish that President Donald Trump wants served – and that’s exactly what he’ll be getting.Read more
Carney’s push for ‘nation-building’ projects moves ahead despite some Indigenous opposition
Prime Minister Mark Carney promised during the election campaign to “build big, build bold” and the legislation that would enable federal fast-tracking of major projects appears poised to clear the House of Commons despite some Indigenous opposition. The legislation, Bill C-5, essentially gives cabinet the ability to pick certain projects to speed through the regulatory process, with an eye to projects that can deliver an economic boost to Canada, help strengthen the country’s autonomy and resilience and, notably, “advance the interests of Indigenous peoples” and contribute to “clean growth.” WhileRead more
British Parliament votes in favour of assisted dying legislation
Britain’s Parliament voted on Friday in favour of a bill to legalize assisted dying. The result came after hours of emotional debate and references to personal stories in the chamber, and it followed a vote in November that approved the legislation in principle. This vote was closer: 314 lawmakers in favour with 291 against the bill, compared to a 330-275 split eight months ago. The “Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life)” law would give mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less left to live the rightRead more
Judge halts Trump’s attempt to keep international students from Harvard
A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to keep Harvard University from hosting international students, delivering the Ivy League school another victory as it challenges multiple government sanctions amid a battle with the White House. The order from U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston preserves the ability of Harvard to host foreign students while the case is decided. Harvard sued the Department of Homeland Security in May after the agency withdrew the school’s certification to host foreign students and issue paperwork for their visas. The action would have forced Harvard’s roughly 7,000 foreign students — aboutRead more
Canadian demonstrators held, passports confiscated ahead of planned global march to Egypt-Gaza border
More than 40 Canadians planning to participate in the global march to Gaza, alongside thousands of other foreign activists, have been detained in Egypt and had their passports confiscated by authorities, organizers told CBC News. A group of 83 Canadians arrived in Cairo on Wednesday and Thursday, ahead of the scheduled march to Egypt’s border with Gaza, an attempt to draw attention to the deepening humanitarian crises facing Palestinians under Israel’s blockade of the war-torn territory more than 20 months after attacks began. The Global March on Gaza was slated toRead more
Air India crash investigators recover plane’s black box from a rooftop
Indian investigators on Friday recovered the digital flight data recorder, or the black box, of the Air India flight that fell from the sky and killed 241 people on board and several people on the ground, authorities said. The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel when the plane crashed into a residential area of the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday. The plane’s black box was recovered from a rooftop near the crash site and India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said that it had begun itsRead more