Conservatives on Supreme Court give Trump major wins
The conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has given two immigration policy victories to Donald Trump. On a 6 to 3 vote, the court has ruled that the administration can go ahead with its plan to remove Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Haitian and Syrian immigrants who have been living and working legally in the U.S. The ruling also sets the stage for the administration to remove the protected status from immigrants from 11 other countries it is targeting. Immigrants from a total of 17 countries were granted Temporary Protected Status. In a separate decision, also with the six conservative justices supporting the administration, the court cleared the way for the administration to resume its controversial policy of systematically turning away migrants from the southern border. Trump’s aide Stephen Miller, who is an architect of the policies to deport immigrants, hailed the decisions.
Vance rewrites Watergate history
Vice President Vance, in an appearance at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California, during which he promoted his new book, made another effort in the Trump administration’s campaign to rewrite American history by claiming that the Watergate scandal was not a big deal. He said Watergate was only a half-day news story, not the major scandal is was. Vance said that Nixon was the victim of a deep state conspiracy. Nixon resigned the presidency after the crimes he committed became public knowledge as a result of many months of reporting and investigation by the Washington Post, other news media and Congress. Vance said that Donald Trump is a victim of the same sort of conspiracy.
Earthquake toll rises in Venezuela
Rescuers continue desperately searching through piles of rubble in Venezuela after the country was rocked by two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday. At least 235 people have died, 4,300 more have been injured and many remain missing in the largest earthquake event to hit the country in more than a century. The toll is expected to climb much higher as crews dig through twisted debris. An estimated 250 buildings have collapsed or endured damage, with the coastal state of La Guaira hardest hit and now declared a disaster zone, said acting Venezulean President Delcy Rodriguez. Thousands of residents in Caracas slept outdoors or in their cars overnight, fearful of the aftershocks that kept hitting the city even after the major quakes had subsided.
Iranian drone hits ship in Strait of Hormuz
A drone fired by Iran has hit a ship in the Strait of Hormuz, forcing a pause in the reopening of the waterway. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned that vessels would only be given safe passage under Iranian control, challenging the Trump administration’s claim that the strait is open the way it was before Donald Trump started the war with Iran that brought about its closure. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors ship traffic in the region of the strait, said that the ship was struck on its starboard side and the ship’s bridge was damaged. The attack forced the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization to halt its mission to evacuate hundred of ships and more than 11,000 mariners who’ve been stranded in Persian Gulf region since the war broke out.
Texas to require Bible reading in schools
The Republican-controlled Texas State Board of Education was expected to vote today to establish Bible stories and verses as required reading by students in public school grades kindergarten through 12. Texas last year became the largest state with a law to require classrooms to display the Ten Commandments, a law recently upheld in federal court. Opponents say Texas is favoring Christianity over other religions by its religious mandates for Texas classrooms. The school board also is expected to vote to rewrite the state’s social studies curriculum, to change what’s taught about global history and cultures. The proposals if adopted would go into effect in 2030.
State of emergency in Crimea
The Russian puppets who control Crimea on Friday declared a state of emergency in the country due to intensified Ukrainian strikes that have led to widespread power outages and fuel shortages. Blackouts have plagued Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-controlled Crimea, for days. The Kremlin-installed governor of the city, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said Friday that restrictions to electricity supply would continue because repair work to the power grid had been suspended following air raid alerts prompted by Ukrainian drone activity. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, a move widely condemned by the international community. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said he wanted to regain control of Crimea. In recent weeks, Ukraine has escalated its military efforts there.
