Politics
US appeals court says Trump cannot continue foreign aid cuts
- Appeals court blocks Trump’s foreign aid cuts.
- Trump loses bid to freeze $4bn foreign aid.
- Laws binding unless Congress changes them: judge
A US appeals court on Friday declined to block a lower court ruling that said President Donald Trump’s administration could not unilaterally cut billions of dollars of foreign aid, requiring the administration to quickly move to spend funds on projects authorised by Congress.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit made its ruling just days after a lower court ruled that the administration should take steps to spend roughly $11 billion on foreign aid projects before Congressional authorisation for the spending expires in September.
The appeals court did not explain its decision, saying only that the Trump administration had not “satisfied the stringent requirements” to pause the ruling pending an appeal. Circuit Judge Justin Walker, a Trump appointee, dissented and said he would have paused the lower court decision.
After being sued by aid groups that expected to compete for the funding this year, the Trump administration said it intended to spend $6.5 billion of the funds appropriated for foreign aid in 2024. But it moved to withhold $4 billion in funding appropriated for the US Agency for International Development, which the Trump administration has largely dismantled.
US District Judge Amir Ali in Washington, DC, ruled on Wednesday that the administration cannot simply choose not to spend the money, and said it remains under a duty to comply with appropriations laws unless Congress changes them.
Ali’s order, if it survives throughout the appeal process, would prevent Trump from effectively bypassing Congress to cancel foreign aid funding.
While the lawsuit proceeded, Trump sought to block $4 billion in disputed funding through a “pocket rescission” that bypasses Congress.
Trump budget director Russell Vought has argued that the president can withhold funds for 45 days after requesting a rescission, which would run out the clock until the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The White House said the tactic was last used in 1977.
The money at issue was earmarked for foreign aid, United Nations peace-keeping operations, and democracy-promotion efforts overseas.
Ali ruled that merely asking Congress to rescind the $4 billion is not enough, saying that the spending should proceed unless Congress affirmatively acts to stop it.
Ali said he ruled quickly to provide higher courts time to weigh in before the funds reach their expiration dates. The 6-3 conservative majority US Supreme Court has already intervened once in the case, requiring the Trump administration to pay foreign aid organisations for work they already performed for the government.
- Muslim countries’ joint statement back Somalia’s sovereignty.
- Express grave concern over recognition of parts of states.
- Statement also dismisses attempts to forcibly expel Palestinians.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other countries, in a joint statement issued on Sunday, slammed Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, terming it a threat to international peace and security.
The joint statement, backed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Iran, Egypt, Qatar and others, highlights the serious repercussions of such an unprecedented measure on peace and security in the Horn of Africa, the Red Sea, and its serious effects on international peace and security as a whole, which also reflects Israel’s full and blatant disregard to international law.
The joint statement comes against the backdrop of Tel Aviv’s becoming the first country to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology and the economy.
In a statement, he congratulated Somaliland’s president, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, praised his leadership and invited him to visit Israel.
Netanyahu said the declaration was “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Trump”.
Meanwhile, Abdullahi said in a statement that Somaliland would join the Abraham Accords, calling it a step toward regional and global peace.
However, the Muslim countries’ joint statement today terms Israel’s recognition “a grave violation of the principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, which explicitly stipulates the imperative of protecting the sovereignty of states and their territorial integrity, and reflects Israel’s expansionist”.
Backing Somalia’s sovereignty, the joint statement unequivocally rejects “any measures that undermine the unity of Somalia, its territorial integrity or its sovereignty over its entire territory”.
“The recognition of parts of states constitutes a serious precedent and threatens international peace and security, and violates the cardinal principles of international law and the UN Charter,” it read.
Furthermore, the statement dismisses “any potential link between such measure and any attempts to forcibly expel the Palestinian people out of their land,” which it said is unequivocally rejected in any form as a matter of principle.
A day earlier, the Foreign Office (FO) had also denounced Israel’s announcement recognising the independence of the so-called Somaliland region of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
- Airline flight cancellations, delays mount.
- Up to a foot of snow fell in New York state.
- Officials warn of treacherous road conditions.
NEW YORK: A mix of snow and ice bore down on the US Northeast early on Saturday, disrupting post-holiday weekend airline traffic and prompting officials in New York and New Jersey to issue weather emergency declarations even as the storm ebbed by mid-morning.
People in much of the Northeast were advised to stay off the roads because of treacherous conditions, with states of emergency declared in New York and New Jersey.
“The safety of New Yorkers is my top priority, and I continue to urge extreme caution throughout the duration of this storm,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
By early Saturday, about six to 10 inches (15 to 25 centimetres) of snow had fallen across an area from Syracuse in central New York to Long Island in the southeast of the state, as well as Connecticut, said Bob Oravec, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Centre near Washington, DC.
New York City received two to four inches of snow overnight, with 4.3 inches reported at Central Park, Oravec said, the most since 2022.
“The good news is that the heaviest snow is done,” he said. “Only a few flurries remain this morning and those will taper off by the afternoon.”
But the effects were felt by travellers. More than 9,000 domestic US flights on Saturday were cancelled or delayed as of early-evening, with many in the New York area, including at John F Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, according to the tracking site FlightAware.
Representatives from American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue Airways told Reuters that the carriers had waived change fees normally charged to rebook for passengers whose travel plans may be affected by weather-related disruptions.
Ice storm warnings and winter weather advisories were also posted for most of Pennsylvania and much of Massachusetts.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania issued commercial vehicle restrictions for some roads, including many interstate highways.
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” New Jersey’s acting governor Tahesha Way said in a statement. “We are urging travellers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to roads.”
DUBAI: As the countdown to 2026 begins, Dubai is preparing to light up the sky with an awe-inspiring spectacle of fireworks.
In a celebration set to captivate the world, Dubai will host 48 dazzling fireworks displays across 40 iconic locations.
From the towering Burj Khalifa to the stunning Palm Jumeirah, Dubai is set to ring in the New Year with a glittering display that promises to leave spectators breathless.
The Dubai authorities have announced the list of key locations where the celebrations will take place.
The main venues include iconic landmarks such as:
- Burj Khalifa
- Dubai Frame
- The World Islands
- Dubai Festival City
- Burj Al Arab
- Palm Jumeirah
- Dubai Creek Harbour
- Global Village
- Al Seef
- Hatta
- Bluewaters
In addition, fireworks displays are also set to take place in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, with over ten locations across these emirates also joining the celebrations.
Earlier, it was reported that the Dubai Mall was also set to dazzle with a spectacular light display to complement the grand fireworks at the Burj Khalifa.
Mohammed Al Abbar, the Emirati businessman whose construction company built the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and the iconic Dubai Mall, is personally supervising the preparations for this year’s New Year’s Eve celebration.
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