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Tag: Reuters

  • UK Expects Continued Favourable Trade With U.S. After Supreme Court Ruling

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    LONDON, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Britain expects its privileged ⁠trading ⁠position with the United ⁠States to continue after the U.S. Supreme Court struck ​down President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, the government said on Friday.

    In April ‌last year, Trump announced “reciprocal” tariffs ‌on goods imported from most U.S. trading partners, including Britain, invoking ⁠the ⁠International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. On Friday, the Supreme ​Court said Trump’s use of IEEPA exceeded his authority.

    The baseline tariff that Britain faced under the reciprocal tariffs was 10%.

    However, Friday’s ruling will not impact ​most bilateral trade under Britain’s separate tariff deal with Washington, which largely ⁠involves ⁠specific sectoral duties under ⁠different ​U.S. powers.

    “The UK enjoys the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally, and under any scenario ​we expect our ⁠privileged trading position with the US to continue”, a British government spokesperson said in a statement.

    “We will work with the (U.S.) Administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the UK and the rest ⁠of the world.”

    The spokesperson said the government would support British businesses when ⁠further details are announced.

    William Bain, head of trade at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said the ruling did “little to clear the murky waters for business.”

    It was also unclear how U.S. businesses could reclaim import levies paid and whether British businesses would be entitled to a share of any rebate, Bain said.

    “For the UK, the  priority  remains  bringing  tariffs down wherever possible,” he said, citing an agreement to ⁠bring down steel tariffs under the U.S.-UK tariff deal which has yet to be implemented.

    “Any competitive advantage that we can secure is likely to help boost our exports to the single country, ​globally, we do most trade with.”

    (Reporting by Alistair Smout ​and Muvija MEditing by William Schomberg)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Trump Ally Ties up With Russia’s Novatek on Natural Gas in Alaska, NYT Reports

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    MOSCOW, Feb 20 (Reuters) – American financier Gentry ⁠Beach, ⁠who has ties to U.S. ⁠President Donald Trump’s family, signed an agreement with ​Russia’s energy giant Novatek last autumn to develop natural gas in Alaska amid Western ‌sanctions against Russia, the New ‌York Times reported on Friday.

    In August, Trump and Russian President ⁠Vladimir Putin ⁠met in Alaska for talks aimed at ending Russia’s war ​in Ukraine.

    U.S. and Russian officials discussed several potential energy deals on the sidelines of the negotiations. Sources familiar with the talks said the business proposals were ​designed to encourage the Kremlin to agree to a peace deal ⁠in Ukraine ⁠and for Washington to ⁠ease ​sanctions on Russia.

    The war is still raging in Ukraine after four years.

    The ​New York Times, which ⁠spoke to the Texas financier, said he had quietly signed an agreement for Novatek to develop natural gas in Alaska.

    He told the newspaper that the project was in its early stages and faced significant ⁠hurdles, declining to disclose the financial details.

    Novatek told the newspaper it was “indeed ⁠having negotiations on the potential use” of its technology to liquefy natural gas in remote northern Alaska, but it did not confirm that it was working with Beach.

    Novatek did not reply to a request for comment from Reuters. Beach was not immediately available for comment.

    Beach is chairman and CEO of investment firm America First Global that holds interests in energy, mining and ⁠infrastructure. He helped raise funds for Trump’s election campaign in 2016 and contributed to shaping  the administration’s “America First” economic and diplomatic agenda.

    Beach is also a college friend of Trump’s son, Donald ​Trump Jr., according to the New York Times. 

    (Reporting by ​Vladimir Soldatkin, editing by Andrei Khalip)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Journalist With Germany’s Deutsche Welle Detained in Turkey

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    FRANKFURT, Feb 20 (Reuters) – Turkish ⁠authorities ⁠have detained a ⁠veteran correspondent of German state-backed international ​broadcaster Deutsche Welle in Ankara, accusing him of “disseminating ‌misleading information” and “insulting the ‌president”.

    Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said ⁠in ⁠a statement late on Thursday it detained Alican Uludag ​and launched a criminal investigation based on some of his social media posts. He will ​be brought before prosecutors on Friday.

    Deutsche Welle, or ⁠DW, ⁠said the correspondent, who ⁠has ​been working for the broadcaster for several years, ​was arrested in ⁠Ankara and taken to Istanbul police on Thursday.

    DW Director General Barbara Massing called the accusations baseless and said the arrest ⁠was “a deliberate act of intimidation and shows how severely the ⁠government is suppressing press freedom”.

    DW said the allegations against Uludag relate to his criticism of Turkish government measures that led to the release of suspected Islamic State militants in a post on social media platform X he made about ⁠a year and a half ago.

    DW added that his apartment was searched and IT equipment was confiscated.

    (Reporting by Ludwig Burger in ​Frankfurt and Ezgi Erkoyun in Istanbul, ​editing by Thomas Seythal)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Eric Dane, Who Played ‘McSteamy’ on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, Dies at 53

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    Feb 19 (Reuters) – Actor Eric Dane, ⁠who ⁠played the handsome Dr ⁠Mark Sloan on the hit television series “Grey’s Anatomy,” died on ​Thursday aged 53, his family said, less than a year after revealing that he ‌suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ‌or ALS.

    For 15 years, Dane played a plastic surgeon nicknamed “McSteamy” by ⁠female characters ⁠in the show. He also starred in the series “Euphoria,” and said after ​the diagnosis he would still return to the set for its third season.

    “Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” his family said ​in a statement, according to People magazine and other media.

    “He spent his ⁠final days ⁠surrounded by dear friends, ⁠his devoted ​wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center ​of his world.”

    ALS is ⁠a progressive disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with the muscles. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease after the Hall of Fame baseball player who died from it in 1941 at age 37. 

    “Throughout his ⁠journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, ⁠determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight,” Dane’s family added.

    Dane and his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, the mother of their two children, separated in 2018 after 14 years of marriage.

    But last March, just before Dane announced his diagnosis, Gayheart sought to dismiss her petition for divorce, People said, citing court documents.

    Eric William Dane, the older of two brothers, was born on November 9, 1972, in ⁠San Francisco, to an architect father and homemaker mother, his biography on IMDB.com shows. 

    His first television role was in “The Wonder Years” in 1993, while 2005 brought his big break with “Grey’s Anatomy.” His big screen credits ​include “Marley & Me” and “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

    (Reporting by Daniel Trotta in ​Carlsbad, California; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • US Labor Secretary’s Husband Barred From Department Over Sexual Assault Allegations, NYT Reports

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    Feb 19 (Reuters) – U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s husband has ⁠been ⁠barred from the department’s headquarters ⁠after allegations by at least two female staff members that he had ​sexually assaulted them, the New York Times reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the decision and ‌a police report.

    The women told department ‌officials that Chavez-DeRemer’s husband Shawn DeRemer, an anesthesiologist, had touched them inappropriately at the department’s ⁠building on ⁠Constitution Avenue in Washington, according to the Times.

    Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department on ​January 24 filed a police report that said a complainant reported a sexual contact against her will at the Labor Department’s Constitution Avenue building on December 18, a copy of the police report seen by Reuters ​showed.

    Asked by Reuters about the report, a police spokesman said the department’s sexual assault unit ⁠was ⁠investigating the incident but did ⁠not confirm ​whether it was the same incident involving DeRemer. The spokesman said the police report was the ​only one associated with ⁠the Labor Department’s address from the last three months.

    The Labor Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. DeRemer could not be reached for a comment.

    The New York Times said one of the incidents occurred on the morning of December 18 and was recorded on office security ⁠cameras. The video showed DeRemer giving one of the women an extended embrace. It ⁠was reviewed as part of a criminal investigation, the paper said.

    DeRemer was barred from entering the department premises after women described the incidents to investigators, the newspaper said.

    The women’s concerns about DeRemer were raised in January as part of an internal probe by the department’s inspector general into alleged misconduct by Chavez-DeRemer and her senior staff, the Times said.

    The New York Post was first to report about the investigation at the Labor Department that had forced several members in Chavez-DeRemer’s inner circle onto administrative and investigative leave. 

    A Labor Department ⁠spokesperson told the NY Post on January 9 that “unsubstantiated allegations” against Chavez-DeRemer are “categorically false.” A spokesperson for the department’s inspector general’s office told the NY Post then it was its policy not to confirm or deny the existence of any investigation or complaint ​beyond what had been published on its website.

    (Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in ​Toronto; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Lincoln Feast.)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Venezuela Legislature Passes Limited Amnesty Bill Critiqued by Rights Groups

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    Feb 19 (Reuters) – Venezuela’s ruling party-controlled legislature on Thursday ⁠approved ⁠a limited amnesty bill that ⁠human rights organizations say falls short of offering relief for hundreds ​of political prisoners in the country, as some family members of detainees completed a fifth day ‌on hunger strike.

    Interim President Delcy ‌Rodriguez, who took power last month after the U.S. ouster of President Nicolas Maduro, ⁠has bowed ⁠to Trump administration demands on oil sales and released hundreds of ​people who human rights groups class as political prisoners, as part of a normalization in relations between the two countries.

    The government has always denied holding political prisoners and says those jailed have committed ​crimes. 

    The law was approved after a second debate in the legislature, headed by Rodriguez’s ⁠brother ⁠Jorge Rodriguez. 

    The approved law provides ⁠amnesty for ​involvement in political protests and “violent actions” which took place during a brief coup in ​2002 and demonstrations or ⁠elections in certain months of 2004, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025. People convicted of “military rebellion” for involvement in events in 2019 are excluded. 

    The law does not detail the exact crimes which would be eligible for amnesty, though a previous draft laid ⁠out several – including instigation of illegal activity, resistance to authorities, rebellion and treason.

    It ⁠also does not return assets of those detained, revoke public office bans given for political reasons or cancel sanctions against media outlets, as at least one previous draft would have.

    Many members of the opposition and dissident former officials live in other countries to escape arrest warrants they say are politically motivated.

    Though the law allows people abroad to appoint a lawyer to present an amnesty request on their behalf, they would have to appear in person in Venezuela to have ⁠it granted and the law will only cover “people who have ceased the execution of the actions which constitute crimes,” a specification which may leave out many who have continued their activism from other countries. The law removes international arrest ​warrants for those granted amnesty.

    Tribunals must decide on amnesty requests within 15 ​days, according to the law.

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Trump Administration Moves to End Housing Assistance for Mixed Immigration Families

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    WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) – ⁠The ⁠Trump administration took steps ⁠on Thursday toward ending federal housing assistance ​for households with mixed immigration status, as it seeks to stop ‌ineligible migrants from benefiting ‌from the funding.

    The U.S. Department of Housing and ⁠Urban Development ⁠said it estimates approximately 24,000 undocumented migrants, ineligible migrants ​and “fraudsters” in 20,000 mixed-status households benefit from HUD assistance. 

    Under the proposed rule, a family would not be eligible for assistance unless ​every member residing in a household is determined to ⁠have eligible ⁠status.

    Families with at least ⁠one ​family member with U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status would ​be eligible for ⁠prorated assistance.

    It would also require verification of citizenship and eligible immigration status for people seeking federal housing assistance.

    The department acknowledged the rule would adversely affect some tenants but ⁠said this would ultimately be offset by the reallocation of HUD ⁠funds to the intended recipients.

    “HUD’s proposed rule will guarantee that all residents in HUD-funded housing are eligible tenants,” Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner said in a statement. 

    National Housing Law Project executive director Shamus Roller decried the move, which he said would evict tens of thousands of families with ⁠mixed immigration status from HUD housing and put many other federally-assisted tenants at risk.

    In 2019, President Donald Trump’s first administration sought to implement a similar rule, ​but it was later withdrawn.

    (Reporting by Jasper Ward ​in WashingtonEditing by Rod Nickel)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Chilean Authorities Raid Homes of Former Codelco Executives in El Teniente Investigation

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    SANTIAGO, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Chilean ⁠authorities ⁠on Thursday raided ⁠the homes of two recently ​dismissed executives of state copper miner Codelco ‌as they continue their ‌investigation into a deadly collapse ⁠at ⁠the El Teniente mine last year.

    Officials during the ​searches seized digital equipment from ex-Chief Operations Officer Mauricio Barraza and former mine manager ​Claudio Sougarret, Chile’s prosecutor’s office said in ⁠a ⁠statement.

    Codelco facilities were ⁠also ​searched, with some equipment voluntarily handed over by ​the company. ⁠Codelco declined to comment.

    Authorities added that items belonging to Rodrigo Andrades, former El Teniente projects manager, had been ⁠seized in October.

    The three executives were removed from their ⁠jobs last week after an internal audit found inconsistencies tied to a 2023 rock explosion at El Teniente, including in Codelco’s following reports to mining regulator Sernageomin.

    Sernageomin said earlier this week it would file formal ⁠complaints to authorities.

    Last year, the same mine was the site of a collapse that killed six people.

    (Reporting by Kylie ​Madry and Fabian Cambero; Editing by ​Daina Beth Solomon)

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  • France Says Surprised by European Commission Presence at Board of Peace

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    PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) – France said on Thursday it was ⁠surprised ⁠that the European Commission had ⁠sent a commissioner to the Board of Peace in Washington saying it ​did not have the mandate to represent member states, its foreign ministry spokesperson said. 

    Pascal Confavreux said as far ‌as Paris was concerned, the ‌Board of Peace needed to recentre to focus on Gaza in line with a United Nations ⁠Security Council ⁠resolution and that until that ambiguity was lifted, France would not take ​part. 

    “Regarding the European Commission and its participation, in reality we are surprised because it does not have a mandate from the Council to go and participate,” he told reporters, referring to the Council of the European ​Union’s members.

    U.S. President Donald Trump is presiding over the first meeting of his Board of Peace ⁠on ⁠Thursday with the event expected ⁠to include ​representatives from more than 45 nations.

    Most European governments have opted to not send top-level representatives to ​the gathering, but the European Commission ⁠has said that its commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Suica, is attending. 

    “Our objective is clear: coordinated action, accountable governance, and tangible results for the Palestinian people,” Suica wrote on social media platform X on Thursday ahead of the meeting. 

    While Suica is attending as an observer, several EU member states have ⁠raised concerns about an EU commissioner participating in a meeting of a body many ⁠EU governments see as undermining international law.

    Some diplomats have also questioned whether the European Commission has a mandate to decide on sending a representative without approval from capitals. 

    “It is surprising that the Commission has decided to be represented at the event, given that numerous countries have expressed concerns about its potential instrumentalisation and have questioned the credibility of an initiative that appears to seek to supplant the United Nations,” a Belgian diplomat said. 

    Europeans have also been divided on how to approach the U.S.-led gathering, with some sending ⁠officials in an observer capacity. The United Kingdom and Germany have sent ambassadors to the event, while France has opted not to be represented. 

    The Commission has defended Suica’s attendance as in line with its commitment to the implementation of a ceasefire and part of ​the institution’s efforts to support Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction.

    (Reporting by John Irish ​and Lili Bayer, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Explainer-What Is at Stake in Italy’s Referendum on Judicial Reform?

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    ROME, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Italy will hold a constitutional referendum on March ⁠22–23 ⁠on a government overhaul of the justice ⁠system, which is stoking tensions between the judiciary and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s conservative coalition.

    WHAT ​IS THE AIM OF THE REFORM?

    The proposed changes would separate the careers of judges and public prosecutors, ending the current system in ‌which both roles share a single entry ‌exam, operate within the same career track and may switch roles early in their professional life.

    Under the reform, prosecutors and judges ⁠would follow two ⁠distinct career paths from the start, with no possibility of movement between them.

    The plan ​also calls for splitting the High Council of the Judiciary (CSM) into two independent bodies: one for judges and one for prosecutors. Membership selection rules would change, introducing the use of sortition, or lottery.

    In addition, the reform creates a new High Disciplinary Court to oversee misconduct cases.

    Successive governments have discussed separating judicial careers since the late 1980s, but the debate has always been snarled ⁠by fierce ⁠partisan politics preventing change.

    Proponents say ⁠the reform will modernise ​the system and better align Italy with other democracies, such as France and Germany, reinforcing impartiality within the judiciary ​by cutting ties between judges and ⁠prosecutors.

    Introducing a method of random selection for members of the new CSM bodies will make it harder for influential factions, often with political affiliations, to gain traction within the judiciary, the government says.

    They say the disciplinary court will make it easier to hold prosecutors and judges accountable for any misconduct.

    Critics say the reform will weaken judicial independence, making it easier for a government to impose ⁠control over prosecutors and decide what investigations they should pursue. They add that choosing members of the ⁠CSM by drawing lots risks reducing the quality or motivation of those selected.

    WHY DOES THIS NEED TO GO TO A REFERENDUM?

    The reform has already been approved by both houses of parliament twice, as is required with constitutional changes. However, a referendum is also needed by law if a two-thirds majority is not achieved in parliament. Meloni’s government failed to reach the required two-thirds majority so was forced to submit the measure to voters.

    Because it is a so-called confirmatory referendum it does not require any sort of quorum. A “Yes” vote would enact the changes; a “No” vote would leave the current system in place.

    WHO DO THE POLLS SAY WILL WIN?

    The ‘Yes’ camp was leading the ⁠field up until last year, but a recent poll by Corriere della Sera newspaper showed the two sides were neck-and-neck, with the turnout seen as crucial.

    A high abstention rate is likely to help opponents of the reform. This is a concern for Meloni because centre-right voters have traditionally been less motivated to vote in referendums.

    The centre-left ​is additionally motivated, seeing the ballot as an opportunity to weaken Meloni ahead of a parliamentary ​election set for 2027.

    (Reporting by Crispian BalmerEditing by Gareth Jones)

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  • Despite Trump Attacks Against Europe, Americans Flocked to France in 2025

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    PARIS, Feb 19 (Reuters) – Despite growing animosity ⁠between ⁠U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration ⁠and the French government, Americans flocked to the country in ​2025, with U.S. visits rising 17% on the previous year, the French tourism ministry said on ‌Thursday.

    The jump in U.S. visitors is ‌also notable as it came despite a weaker dollar, with the greenback falling ⁠more than ⁠10% against the euro in 2025 after years of a highly beneficial ​exchange rate for Americans visiting the eurozone.

    More than 5 million Americans came to France in 2025, part of a record 102 million foreign tourists during the year, Tourism Minister Serge Papin said. ​One hundred million foreigners visited in 2024, when Paris hosted the Olympics.

    Tourists also spent ⁠9% ⁠extra in 2025 – 77.5 ⁠billion euros ($91.34 billion) – ​as they splurged on more upmarket hotels, he said.

    “France is a great tourist destination. ​Let’s be proud of ⁠it and, above all, let’s remain so,” Papin said. “France continues to attract, lure and make the entire world dream.”

    The jump in U.S. tourists suggests many Americans are nonplussed by Trump’s worsening relations with Europe.

    Since taking office, Trump and his team have escalated trade tension with ⁠the EU, threatened to annex Greenland, clashed with European governments over the Russia-Ukraine ⁠war and criticised EU digital regulation.

    It remains to be seen if the U.S. visitor surge will continue.

    The European Travel Commission said on Wednesday it expected U.S. visits to the continent to drop in 2026, in what would be the first sign of a slowdown in the post-pandemic boom in American travel to Europe, driven by a strong U.S. dollar and economic resilience in North America.

    The commission said it expected the fall in U.S. visitors to be compensated by a ⁠rise in Chinese and Indian tourists who should push up international arrivals by 6.2% in 2026.

    The French tourism ministry said early 2026 flight booking data from countries such as Mexico and China was encouraging, but did not disclose comparable ​U.S. data.

    (Reporting by Inti Landauro; Additional reporting by Corina Pons ​and Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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  • Trump Administration Expands ICE Authority to Detain Refugees

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    By Ted Hesson and Devika Madhusudhanan Nair

    WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – ⁠The ⁠Trump administration has given immigration ⁠officers broader powers to detain legal refugees awaiting a green card to ​ensure they are “re-vetted,” an apparent expansion of the president’s wide-ranging crackdown on legal and illegal immigration, according to ‌a government memo.

    The U.S. Department of ‌Homeland Security, in a memo dated February 18 and submitted in a federal court filing, ⁠said refugees must ⁠return to government custody for “inspection and examination” a year after their admission ​into the United States.

    “This detain-and-inspect requirement ensures that refugees are re-vetted after one year, aligns post-admission vetting with that applied to other applicants for admission, and promotes public safety,” the department said in the memo.

    Under U.S. ​law , refugees must apply for lawful permanent resident status one year after their arrival in ⁠the ⁠country. The new memo authorizes ⁠immigration authorities to ​detain individuals for the duration of the re-inspection process.

    The new policy is a shift from ​the earlier 2010 memorandum, which ⁠stated that failure to obtain lawful permanent resident status was not a “basis” for removal from the country and not a “proper basis” for detention.

    The DHS did not respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

    The decision has prompted criticism from refugee advocacy groups.

    AfghanEvac’s president Shawn VanDiver called the ⁠directive “a reckless reversal of long-standing policy” and said it “breaks faith with people the United States ⁠lawfully admitted and promised protection.”

    HIAS, formerly known as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, said the “move will cause grave harm to thousands of people who were welcomed to the United States after fleeing violence and persecution.”

    Under President Donald Trump, the number of people in ICE detention reached about 68,000 this month, up about 75% from when he took office last year.

    Trump’s hardline immigration agenda was a potent campaign issue that helped him win the 2024 election.

    A U.S. judge in January temporarily blocked a recently announced Trump administration policy ⁠targeting the roughly 5,600 lawful refugees in Minnesota who are awaiting green cards.

    In a written ruling, U.S. District Judge John Tunheim in Minneapolis said federal agents likely violated multiple federal statutes by arresting some of these refugees to subject them to additional vetting.

    (Reporting ​by Ted Hesson in Washington, Devika Nair, Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru and Kristina ​Cooke in San Francisco; editing by Lincoln Feast.)

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  • Trump Basks in Black History Month Praise, Dodging Racism Claims

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    WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday highlighted top Black administration ⁠officials, ⁠rejected accusations of racism and promised “a century more” ⁠of success for African Americans during a White House celebration marking 100 years of Black History Month.

    The president’s upbeat remarks ​stood in contrast to criticism of the administration’s ongoing efforts to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The event also came nearly two weeks after an uproar over a social media ‌post on the president’s account that featured a ‌racist depiction of former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as apes.

    At the time, Senator Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, quickly called the video, “the most racist ⁠thing I’ve seen out ⁠of this White House.” The White House, despite growing outrage, initially defended the post, criticized the “fake outrage,” ​and then ultimately, deleted it.

    The president said he didn’t see the clip of the Obamas, blamed a staffer for the post, declined to apologize and later said no one was disciplined.

    Trump, who is in his second term, has a history of sharing racist rhetoric. He long promoted the false conspiracy theory that Obama, the president from 2009 to 2017, was not born in the ​United States. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a Wednesday briefing said members of the media have “smeared” the president as a racist.

    On Wednesday, Trump warmed ⁠up ⁠the invite-only crowd of around 100 ⁠guests by floating compliments to notable ​Black Americans.

     The president twice complimented Scott, the South Carolina senator, and welcomed to the podium multiple Black administration officials, including Housing and Urban Development ​Secretary Scott Turner, who Trump called “exceptional,” former presidential ⁠rival and first-term Cabinet secretary Dr. Ben Carson, who Trump said would soon receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and White House pardon czar Alice Johnson, who Trump issued a pardon to in 2020.

    “When I met her, I fell in love,” Trump said about meeting Johnson.

    Trump was cheered as he discussed criminal justice reform from his first term and strict immigration enforcement policies in recent months. “It’s no wonder that in 2024 we won more African American voters than any Republican presidential candidate in history,” he responded.

    Trump in the past ⁠year has been criticized for rhetoric targeting immigrant communities, including Somali Americans and immigrants of Latin descent, often framing them within ⁠broader arguments about crime, as he did on Wednesday by inviting a Washington, D.C.-area grandmother on stage whose grandson was killed in 2017. 

    Civil rights advocates and experts have also said Trump’s efforts to curb diversity programs and policies could erase decades of progress.

    “He keeps it real, just like grandma,” Forlesia Cook said at the podium, thanking Trump for urging the National Guard to patrol the capital to keep up the tough approach to crime. 

    “I love him,” Cook said, as the president patted her back, “I don’t want to hear nothing you got to say about that ‘racist’ stuff…get off the man’s back. Let him do his job, he’s doing the right thing, back up off him!”

    Trump, for a second day in a row, touted decades-long relationships with prominent Black Americans to discredit accusations of racism towards him.  At the celebration event, the president complimented the loyalty of fighter Mike Tyson for defending him.

    After ⁠the death of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson on Tuesday, Trump posted 11 photos online of himself next to Jackson and other Black celebrities, and wrote that “despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way.” 

    Following a chant of “four more years,” the president ended Wednesday’s event looking ahead.

    “This is a ​very special group of people,” Trump said, “So happy Black History Month, happy Black History Year, and happy Black History Century.”

    (Reporting by Bo ​Erickson, Steve Holland, and Bianca Flowers; Editing by Kat Stafford and Lincoln Feast)

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  • Trump Signs Order on Domestic Herbicide Supply for Defense Purposes, White House Says

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    WASHINGTON, ⁠Feb ⁠18 (Reuters) – U.S. ⁠President ​Donald ‌Trump on ‌Wednesday ⁠signed an ⁠executive order invoking ​the ​Defense Production ⁠Act to ⁠ensure ⁠an adequate ​U.S. supply ​of ⁠elemental ⁠phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides, ⁠the White House said.

    (Reporting by Jasper ⁠Ward in Washington; editing ​by Costas ​Pitas)

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  • Trump to Host Board of Peace Meeting on Thursday, White House Says

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    WASHINGTON, Feb ⁠18 (Reuters) – ⁠U.S. President ⁠Donald Trump will ​host a ‌Board of Peace ‌meeting ⁠on ⁠Thursday in Washington, where he ​will announce that member states ​have pledged more ⁠than $5 billion ⁠for ⁠reconstruction and humanitarian ​efforts in Gaza, ​the ⁠White House said.

    White House press ⁠secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that member ⁠states had committed to provide thousands of personnel for an international stabilization force for ⁠Gaza.

    (Reporting by Steve Holland, writing by Andrea Shalal; ​Editing by ​Doina Chiacu)

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  • Poland Issues European Arrest Warrant for Former Deputy Minister Granted Asylum in Hungary

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    WARSAW, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Poland has ⁠issued ⁠a European Arrest Warrant ⁠for former deputy justice minister Marcin Romanowski ​who was granted asylum in Hungary, as Warsaw pursues PiS-era ‌officials accused of abusing public ‌funds, a PAP news report said, citing a ⁠Warsaw ⁠court press office.

    In 2024, Hungary angered Poland by granting ​asylum to Romanowski, a member of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party cabinet accused of misusing public funds.

    Hungary’s self-styled “illiberal” Prime Minister ​Viktor Orban was an ally of Poland’s PiS, with ⁠both ⁠countries having EU funds ⁠frozen ​over rule-of-law concerns. The funds for Warsaw were released after Polish ​Prime Minister Donald ⁠Tusk’s pro-European coalition came to power in December 2023.

    Tusk has been very critical of Orban, particularly of his position on the war in Ukraine and policies Poland ⁠considers to be pro-Russian. He has also vowed to bring ⁠PiS figures accused of wrongdoing to justice.

    Budapest also granted asylum to former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, the most high-profile figure targeted by prosecutors, who faces 26 charges including abuse of power and leading an organised criminal group.

    Ziobro and Romanowski say they are victims of a political witch hunt. Hungary has also ⁠repeatedly accused the pro-EU government that replaced PiS in Poland of persecuting its political foes.

    Tusk’s government dismisses accusations it is persecuting political opponents, saying it is ​upholding the rule of law.

    (Reporting by Anna ​Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Ukraine Imposes Sanctions Against Belarus’ Lukashenko for Aiding Russia’s War

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    KYIV, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Ukraine imposed a package of ⁠sanctions ⁠against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on ⁠Wednesday, vowing to “increase countermeasures” against Minsk for its wartime assistance to ​Russia.

    Belarus, one of Russia’s closest allies, served as a staging ground for Moscow to launch its 2022 ‌invasion, allowing Russian forces to get ‌close to the Ukrainian capital before they were pushed back.

    “We will significantly intensify countermeasures against ⁠all forms ⁠of (Lukashenko’s) assistance in the killing of Ukrainians,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on ​social media.

    The press service of the Belarus presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Zelenskiy said Belarus, which shares a border of over 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) with Ukraine, had aided Moscow’s extensive drone ​attacks on Ukraine.

    Although there has not been active fighting along the Ukraine-Belarus border, Zelenskiy ⁠said Minsk ⁠had allowed Russia in ⁠the second half ​of 2025 to deploy a system of relay stations in Belarus to control its drones ​in attacks on Ukraine.

    “The ⁠Russians would not have been able to carry out some of the attacks, particularly on energy facilities and railways in our regions, without such assistance from Belarus,” said Zelenskiy, whose order also banned Lukashenko from entering Ukraine.

    With Lukashenko already under U.S. and European sanctions, the move ⁠is largely symbolic, although Zelenskiy said Ukraine would work with its partners to ensure ⁠the new measures have a “global effect”.

    U.S. President Donald Trump last December granted limited sanctions relief to three Belarusian companies producing potash – a key component in fertilisers – after the former Soviet state released 123 political prisoners.

    One of those former prisoners, Maria Kalesnikava, urged European countries on Tuesday to follow Trump’s lead and engage in a dialogue with Lukashenko on the grounds that failing to do so would only further strengthen Russian influence over Belarus.

    Zelenskiy said more than 3,000 Belarusian businesses were providing supplies for Russia’s ⁠war effort, including missile components, and also cited Minsk’s plans to host Russia’s Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.

    Russia released video in December of what it said was the deployment of the Oreshnik missile system in Belarus. Lukashenko said at the time that the ​missile had been deployed to Belarus and entered active combat duty.

    (Reporting by ​Max HunderEditing by Daniel Flynn and Gareth Jones)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Kremlin Says Neither China Nor Russia Have Carried Out Secret Nuclear Tests

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    MOSCOW, Feb 18 (Reuters) – The Kremlin ⁠said ⁠on Wednesday that ⁠neither China nor Russia havecarried out ​secret nuclear tests, noting Beijing had denied U.S. accusations ‌that it had done ‌so.

    The United States this month accused ⁠China ⁠of conducting a secret nuclear test in 2020 as ​it called for a new, broader arms control treaty that would bring in China as well ​as Russia.

    “We’ve heard many references to certain tests. ⁠Both the ⁠Russian Federation and ⁠China ​have been mentioned in this regard. Neither the Russian ​Federation nor China ⁠has conducted any nuclear tests,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

    “We also know that these allegations were categorically denied by a representative ⁠of the People’s Republic of China, so that’s the ⁠situation,” added Peskov.

    U.S. President Donald Trump is pressing China to join the U.S. and Russia to negotiate a replacement pact to New START, the last U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control agreement which expired on February 5.

    The treaty’s expiration has fuelled concerns among some experts ⁠that the world is on the verge of an accelerated nuclear arms race, though other arms control experts say such fears ​are exaggerated.

    (Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix ​LightEditing by Andrew Osborn)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • US Judge Tosses Buffalo Wild Wings Lawsuit That Has ‘No Meat on Its Bones’

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    NEW YORK, Feb 17 (Reuters) – A ⁠U.S. ⁠federal judge threw out ⁠on Tuesday a lawsuit against Buffalo Wild ​Wings that alleged the restaurant and sports bar chain deceived ‌consumers by selling boneless ‌wings that are not actually de-boned chicken wings. 

    Judge ⁠John ⁠Tharp Jr. in Chicago dismissed the proposed class action ​lawsuit brought in 2023 by a man named Aimen Halim who claimed he was misled into purchasing the disputed menu ​item that is essentially a chicken nugget.  

    “Halim sued (Buffalo Wild ⁠Wings) over ⁠his confusion, but ⁠his ​complaint has no meat on its bones,” Tharp wrote in his ​ruling.

    “Despite his best ⁠efforts, Halim did not ‘drum’ up enough factual allegations to state a claim,” the judge added.

    Halim alleged that the marketing and advertising of “boneless wings” is false, duping ⁠consumers in violation of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive ⁠Business Practices Act, among other claims. 

    Tharp said reasonable consumers are not deceived into thinking boneless wings are truly made of wing meat. “If Halim is right, reasonable consumers should think that cauliflower wings are made (at least in part) from wing meat. They don’t, though,” the judge added.

    Despite granting the chain’s request ⁠to dismiss the case, Tharp gave Halim until March 20 to amend his lawsuit to present any additional facts that would allow the case to ​go ahead.

    (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New ​York; Editing by Saad Sayeed)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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  • French Police Arrest Hard-Left Members Over Killing of Far-Right Activist

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    PARIS, Feb 17 (Reuters) – Four people, including ⁠an ⁠aide to a French ⁠hard-left lawmaker, have been arrested on suspicion of ​involvement in the killing of a far-right activist that has jolted the ‌country’s political class, a police ‌source said on Tuesday.

    Quentin Deranque, 23, died on Saturday ⁠after he ⁠was beaten to death by hard-left activists outside a conference ​in Lyon given by Rima Hassan, a far-left member of the European Parliament. Videos of the deadly fight were widely shared on social ​media. 

    Although conflicts between the hard left and far right are common ⁠in ⁠France, Deranque’s killing has ⁠laid bare ​some of the broader political tensions in a country reeling from ​nearly two years of ⁠institutional crises. 

    It has also hardened views towards the extreme-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, while allowing the far right to portray itself as a victim of political violence. 

    Among those arrested was a parliamentary assistant ⁠to LFI lawmaker Raphael Arnault, said the source, who spoke on ⁠condition of anonymity. Arnault did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Speaking on social media, LFI leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for calm. “Let’s not fuel the incitement to take the law into one’s own hands,” he said.

    On Monday, Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran said a murder probe had been opened into Deranque’s killing, which has led to widespread condemnation ⁠of the LFI.

    Jordan Bardella, party president of the far-right National Rally, said Mélenchon had “opened the doors of the National Assembly to presumed murderers.”

    After Deranque’s killing, French President Emmanuel Macron also ​appealed for calm. 

    (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout and Sophie ​Louise, Editing by Jonathan Oatis)

    Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.

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