01/02/2026

WORLD 8 theSun on Sunday FEB 1, 2026

Immigration anger boils

Israel to partially reopen Rafah crossing TEL AVIV: Israel announced it would reopen the crucial Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt today after months of urging from the UN, humanitarian organisations and ordinary Palestinians – but only for the “limited movement of people”. Earlier on Friday, Hamas had called for the “immediate transition to the second phase” of the US-brokered truce in Gaza, namely its provision for the reopening of Rafah, as well as the entry of a technocratic Palestinian committee to administer the territory. “The Rafah Crossing will open this coming Sunday in both directions, for limited movement of people only,” said Cogat, an Israeli Defence Ministry body overseeing civil affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories. In Johannesburg, South Africa ordered Israel’s top diplomat to leave the country within 72 hours on Friday, citing a “series of violations” and prompting the Israeli government to expel Pretoria’s diplomatic representative. The South African Foreign Ministry said it had informed Israel that its charge d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, was “persona non grata” and “required to depart from the Republic within 72 hours”. The Israeli Foreign Ministry swiftly responded that South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Shaun Byneveldt, “is persona non grata and must leave Israel within 72 hours”. In Gaza City, Israeli airstrikes killed 11 people yesterday, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, including people sheltering in a tent in the south. Ministry Director-General Munir al-Barsh said 11 people were killed and 20 more were wounded “as a result of strikes carried out by the occupation targeting civilians in a tent and an apartment”. Munir said the wounded arrived at hospitals in Gaza City in the north and Khan Younis in the south. – AFP whether there is a link between the death of two infants and the recalled formula products. On Thursday, consumer group Foodwatch said it had filed a criminal complaint in Paris on behalf of eight families whose babies it says fell ill after consuming contaminated infant formula. – Reuters

MINNEAPOLIS: Thousands of protesters rallied in Minneapolis on Friday in the latest show of anger over US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, as a prominent journalist was charged over his coverage of protests in the northern city. Crowds marched with signs blasting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency leading Trump’s mass deportation drive, in response to a call for a “national shutdown” across the United States. Minneapolis has become the epicentre of the immigration policy backlash after two residents, both US citizens, were shot dead by federal agents this month. “I don’t think our federal government should be terrorising our people like this,” said Sushma Santhana, 24, as demonstrators chanted “our streets!” around her. The crowd gathered in freezing temperatures after Bruce Springsteen performed at an anti-ICE concert in the city. The US rock legend recently released Streets of Minneapolis , a tribute to the pair who were gunned down in separate incidents. Another protester, 24-year-old Max Maffor, said he was demonstrating “to preserve what we would consider our democracy and all the liberties that we get in America”. Thousands rally in Minneapolis

Lemon outside the federal court in Los Angeles on Friday. – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFPPIC

information about them still remained in the files, “while the men who abused us remain hidden and protected”. The letter was signed by 19 people, some using aliases or initials, and demanded “the full release of the Epstein files” and that Attorney-General Pam Bondi directly address the matter when she testifies before Congress next month. A wealthy US financier, Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking of underage girls. His death was ruled a suicide. – AFP lead to further withdrawals in France in the coming days. The recalls illustrate how a single compromised ingredient can spread through the infant nutrition supply chain despite tight regulation, and cause rapid market jitters. French investigators said on Jan 23 they are looking into referencing the constitutional protection for freedom of expression, including religion. Lemon was released from custody after a short court hearing in Los Angeles, US media reported. His next hearing is in Minneapolis on Feb 9. “I will not stop now,” he said after his release. “In fact, there is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.” – AFP

CNN anchor Don Lemon and eight others with civil rights violations, after Lemon and other reporters covered a protest at a church where an ICE official is a pastor. The journalist’s lawyer said he was taken into custody in Los Angeles, adding that his work covering the protest “was no different to what he has always done”. Lemon faces two charges of conspiracy to deprive rights and interfering with First Amendment rights, a DHS spokesperson told AFP,

Demonstrators also held rallies in New York and across Los Angeles, where immigration raids last year sparked protests, with thousands carrying signs outside City Hall. In Washington, the federal government entered a partial shutdown at midnight on Friday following Democratic anger over the violent immigration crackdown, which derailed talks over new funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Earlier on Friday, the Trump administration charged former

Abusers ‘remain hidden’, say Epstein victims WASHINGTON: Victims of Jeffrey Epstein said their alleged abusers “remain hidden and protected” after the US government released millions of new pages from files related to the convicted sex offender on Friday, adding fuel to the case that has dogged President Donald Trump. redact, what to not redact,” Blanche told a news conference. More than three million documents were released on Friday that included mention of powerful figures, including suggestions that embarrassing material about the president had been redacted from the newly released files, which included at least 180,000 images and 2,000 videos. “We did not protect President Trump,” he said.

79-year-old Trump, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. The Justice Department said some of the documents contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” about Trump that were submitted to the FBI before the 2020 presidential election. Blanche, formerly Trump’s personal lawyer, denied detected in ingredients from a factory in China supplying a large number of baby formula makers including Nestle, Danone and Lactalis, triggering recalls in dozens of countries and raising concerns among parents. The new threshold will be of 0.014 microgrammes of cereulide per kg of body mass, compared

Blanche said all images of girls and women had been redacted aside from those of Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of trafficking underage girls for Epstein and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. However, a statement from victims of Epstein’s alleged abuses claimed identifying with microgrammes currently, the ministry said in a statement. France’s move follows a European Union meeting on Wednesday and is in line with an updated guidance from the European Food Safety Authority that will be released tomorrow. The lower threshold is likely to 0.03

Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche said the White House played no role in the Justice Department’s review of the extensive files on Epstein, a former friend of Trump. “They did not tell this department how to do our review... what to look for, what to

France tightens infant milk rules PARIS: France has lowered the safety limit for cereulide toxin in infant formula, aiming to strengthen protections after several major groups ordered worldwide recalls

over contamination concerns, the Farm Ministry said yesterday. Cereulide, which can cause nausea and vomiting, has been