24/05/2025

SATURDAY | MAY 24, 2025

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Trump bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students

US judge blocks mass govt layoffs

WASHINGTON: A federal judge extended on Thursday a temporary block on a bid by US President Donald Trump’s administration to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees, saying he needed permission from Congress before restructuring the US government. In her order, US district judge Susan Illston barred agencies from mass layoffs, a key part of Trump’s plans to downsize or eliminate many federal agencies, pending the outcome of a lawsuit by unions, non-profits and municipalities. On May 9, Illston blocked about 20 agencies from making mass layoffs for two weeks and ordered the reinstatement of workers who had lost their jobs. In Thursday’s order, she continued the relief provided in the temporary restraining order, with some refinement. The administration has asked the US Supreme Court to pause Illston’s temporary ruling, saying she improperly infringed on Trump’s constitutional powers to control the executive branch. That bid is likely to be moot after Thursday’s ruling, which the Trump administration can immediately appeal. Federal agencies have broad authority to implement large-scale layoffs, said government lawyer Andrew Bernie. Trump’s executive order merely asked agencies to determine what cuts can be made without calling for any concrete actions, such as layoffs or office closures, that plaintiffs could sue over, he added. Danielle Leonard, who represented the plaintiffs, said directives from Trump and other White House officials made clear that agencies had little say in whether to gut their workforces. “They are saying what to cut, when to cut, where to cut, and all they are asking the agencies to do is come forward with a plan.“ Trump has urged agencies to eliminate duplicative roles, unnecessary management layers and non-critical jobs while automating routine tasks, closing regional offices and cutting back on outside contractors. About 260,000 federal workers, most of whom have taken buyouts, have left or will leave by the end of September. Several agencies have been earmarked for deep cuts. – Reuters Global crackdown on dark web AMSTERDAM: A global operation coordinated by the European Union’s (EU) Europol law enforcement agency against criminals using the dark web has resulted in 270 arrests in 10 countries, German Press Agency reported. Europol reported on Thursday that officers in the United States, EU member states, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Switzerland seized more than €184 million (RM882 million) in cash and cryptocurrencies, more than two metric tonnes of drugs, more than 180 firearms, 12,500 counterfeit products and more than four tonnes of illegal tobacco. “Known as Operation RapTor, this sweep has dismantled networks trafficking in drugs, weapons and counterfeit goods, sending a clear signal to criminals hiding behind the illusion of anonymity,“ said Europol. Of the 270 arrests, 130 were in the United States and 42 were in Germany. European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner said: “This operation is proof of how criminal gangs operate today, offline and online, internationally and locally, using technology to their full advantage.” Coordinated action of the kind provided by Europol is essential for countering this, said Brunner. – Bernama-dpa

NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s option to enrol foreign nationals, that represent more than a quarter of the student body, in an escalation of Trump’s fight against the university. The school in Cambridge, Massachusetts slammed the move as “unlawful” and said it would hurt the campus and the country. Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting his demand that it submit to oversight on admissions and hiring over his claims that it is a hotbed of antisemitism and “woke” liberal ideology. The loss of such a large proportion of the student body could prove to be a huge financial blow to Harvard. “Effective immediately, Harvard University’s o University says ‘unlawful’ move would hurt campus and country

our international students in the process. Universities cannot acquiesce to such extortion,” it said. Last month, Trump threatened to stop Harvard from enrolling foreign students if it did not agree to government demands that would put the private institution under outside political supervision. “As I explained to you in my April letter, it is a privilege to enrol foreign students,” Noem wrote. “All universities must comply with Homeland Security Department requirements, including reporting requirements under the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme regulations, to maintain this privilege. “As a result of your refusal to comply with multiple requests to provide the department pertinent information while perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ policies, you have lost this privilege.” – AFP

Student and Exchange Visitor Programme certification is revoked,” wrote Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in a letter to the Ivy League institution, referring to the main system by which foreign students are permitted to study in the United States. Harvard, which has sued the government over a separate raft of punitive measures, quickly fired back. “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars,” it said, adding that it was working to offer students guidance and support. “This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.” American Association of University Professors Harvard chapter leaders called the move “the latest in a string of authoritarian and retaliatory moves against America’s oldest institution of higher education”. “The Trump administration is unlawfully seeking to destroy higher education in the United States. It now demands that we sacrifice

First responders at the site of the crash. – REUTERSPIC

Several dead in California plane crash SAN DIEGO: Several people were killed when a small plane crashed into a California neighbourhood on Thursday, destroying a home and setting more than a dozen cars on fire. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by the tragedy.” There was no official confirmation of the death toll but first responders at the scene said the plane had been totally destroyed and they expected the toll to rise.

Jeremy Serna, 31, who is in the Navy, said he and his wife had been awoken by a loud bang. “We looked outside and the sky was orange. I came running outside to see what it was and everything was on fire. “I saw the corner house was engulfed in flames. I went back and told my wife we had to get out of there.” Investigators were combing the scene on Thursday, picking through the scattered debris of the plane, which appeared to have broken into hundreds of pieces. Bits of fiberglass were scattered among the charred remains of cars and the smell of fuel hung in the air. The incident happened in thick fog when the plane, which had come via Kansas, was nearing the Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. It is not immediately clear what happened but Eddy said a nearby power line appeared to have been clipped. The plane went down at 3.45am (1045 GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration, striking the Murphy Canyon neighbourhood. – AFP

At least 10 houses were hit by debris and vehicles on both sides of one street went up in flames when the Cessna 550 slammed into the ground, spewing burning jet fuel in a part of San Diego that is home to military families. San Diego Fire Department Assistant Chief Dan Eddy told reporters that one house was badly damaged but no one on the ground was seriously hurt. “When (the plane) hit the street, the jet fuel took out every single car that was on both sides of the street. “We have jet fuel all over the place.” One of the dead was named as Dave Shapiro, a music agent who founded San Diego-based Sound Talent Group (STG). The company said two other staff members who were aboard the plane also died. “We are devastated by the loss of our cofounder, colleagues and friends,“ an STG spokesperson told US media.

Yasmine Sierra, 35, told AFP that she had helped her neighbours escape their burning house in the middle of the night after being awakened by what she initially thought was an earthquake. “It looked like all the homes were on fire because I could see the smoke and the flames. It looked like the trees were on fire.“ Moments later, she heard screams from her neighbours who were trapped in their back garden. “Me and my son grabbed a ladder, we jumped on our trampoline to throw the ladder over so that they could climb into our backyard.“ A woman, two children and two small dogs climbed to safety using the ladder. “She was distraught when she came over. I brought her to the front of the house and I told her we needed to leave.”