Author:

Judge orders reinstatement of USAID functions, says DOGE effort to shutter agency likely unconstitutional

A federal judge in Maryland has ruled that the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) were likely unconstitutional, and has ordered it to ultimately reinstate the agency’s lawful functions. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang concluded DOGE’s efforts “to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis, including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID officer, likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways.” Chuang said these actions “not only harmed the plaintiffs, but also the public interest, because they deprived the public’s elected representatives in Congress of their constitutional authority to decide whether, when, and how to close down an agency created by Congress.” The judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking DOGE and the administration from further actions against USAID, likely an emergency Department of Justice (DOJ) appeal to the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, then potentially to the Supreme Court. FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO PAY ‘UNLAWFULLY’ RESTRICTED USAID FUNDS In his ruling, Chuang, a 2014 Obama bench appointee, also ordered immediate restoration of email and computer access to all USAID employees, including those placed on administrative leave. DOGE is now prohibited from any further cuts to USAID. The lawsuit was filed by current and former agency employees and contractors. Chuang’s decision marks the first time a judge has ruled that Musk is likely exercising enough independent authority to require him to be confirmed by the Senate under the Constitution’s Appointments Clause, the Hill reported.  SCOTUS RULES ON NEARLY $2B IN FROZEN USAID PAYMENTS This decision comes after a different federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay the remainder of foreign aid owed to contractors for completed work last week, noting in a new court ruling that the administration likely violated the separation of powers doctrine by “unlawfully impounding” nearly $2 billion in funds appropriated by Congress. U.S. District Court Judge Amir Ali, a Biden appointee, said in the ruling that the Trump administration likely exceeded its constitutional authority in attempting to block the payments owed by the State Department and USAID to grant recipients and foreign aid contractors. “Here, the executive has unilaterally deemed that funds Congress appropriated for foreign aid will not be spent,” Ali said. “The executive not only claims his constitutional authority to determine how to spend appropriated funds, but usurps Congress’ exclusive authority to dictate whether the funds should be spent in the first place.” Ali had previously ordered the Trump administration to pay all owed foreign aid funds for previously completed work, totaling $1.9 billion, by Feb. 26, at 11:59 p.m.  USAID HEAD PETER MAROCCO TELLS LAWMAKERS HE’S EYEING POTENTIAL CRIMINAL CHARGES FOR FOREIGN AID FRAUD: REPORT The Supreme Court took up the case for emergency review last week, but ruled 5-4 to reject the administration’s request to extend the freeze. Instead, the court remanded the case back to the D.C. federal court and Ali to hash out the specifics of what must be paid and when. USAID aid became an early target of the Trump administration, with the president being a longtime critic of overseas spending, arguing that it does not benefit the American taxpayer and going so far as to call those who run the top agency “radical lunatics.” Republicans argue it is wasteful, promotes liberal agendas and should be enfolded into the State Department, while Democrats say it saves lives abroad and helps U.S. interests by stabilizing other countries and economies. In all, the Trump administration said it will eliminate 5,800 of 6,200 multi-year USAID contract awards, for a cut of $54 billion. Another 4,100 of 9,100 State Department grants were being eliminated, for a cut of $4.4 billion, according to a State Department memo reviewed by the Associated Press. Several examples of questionable spending have been uncovered at USAID, including more than $900,000 to a “Gaza-based terror charity” called Bayader Association for Environment and Development and a $1.5 million program slated to “advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia’s workplaces and business communities.” Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

New GOP proposal unshackles victims of sanctuary policies to demand accountability: ‘Reset our system’

EXCLUSIVE: Victims of sanctuary policies could soon be able to sue the state, county and local governments that enacted them, according to a new proposal by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif. The Sanctuary City Accountability Act (SCAA) would allow Americans nationwide to sue over the policies that limit the ability of local law enforcement to comply with federal immigration laws. Specifically, the bill would permit victims and their immediate families to take legal action over crimes that impacted them as a direct result of the policies. “For years, sanctuary cities have openly defied federal law and endangered the American people by not only shielding illegals from the consequences of their crimes, but also ensuring they are allowed to remain free to victimize even more innocent Americans,” Issa told Fox News Digital in a statement. “It’s time to reset our system and put the law on the side of American citizens, not criminal illegals. ‘BRING IT ON’: SHERIFF PUSHES BACK AFTER BLUE STATE LEADERS SUE TO STOP IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT The legislation is expected to go through the House Judiciary Committee, of which Issa is a senior member. “Any individual who is a national of the United States may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States against a sanctuary jurisdiction in which an alien was located if that alien commits a crime against that individual, or an immediate family member of that individual, in the sanctuary jurisdiction, or in any other jurisdiction to which the alien later relocates, for such injunctive relief or compensatory damages as may be appropriate,” the bill’s text states. In the legislation, sanctuary policies are considered ones that limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement “detainer compliance” and not allowing ICE “access to interview incarcerated aliens.” RED STATE HUNTS TREN DE ARAGUA TERRORISTS AS JUDGES LIGHT ‘CREDIBILITY ON FIRE’ FIGHTING DEPORTATIONS: SENATOR CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGE  It is also meant to build on the proposed Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act, which would make it federal law to allow local authorities to work with the federal government on illegal immigration issues. The proposal comes as San Diego County, which Issa represents parts of, failed to scrap its “super sanctuary” policy established in December during a vote earlier this month. “This is deeply disappointing,” Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond said in a statement about the failed repeal vote. “This was not about politics. This was about ensuring that criminals—rapists, child abusers, burglars, and violent offenders—are removed from our communities. Instead, fear and misinformation won the day, leaving law-abiding residents at greater risk.” LAKEN RILEY ACT UNLEASHES FEDS TO HUNT VENEZUELAN GANG MEMBERS IN FLORIDA: LAWMAKER Desmond and Supervisor Joel Anderson voted to get rid of the policy that was put in place by the board’s Democratic majority in December, Democratic Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe argued that repealing it would then give a role outside the scope of the county’s purview. The vote for the repeal was 2-1-1, meaning that nobody reached the necessary majority, as there was also a vacancy on the five-person board. “Even in the very wording of policy L-2, it doesn’t protect criminals. What it was about is ensuring that this county stays in its lane and protects our region and that the federal government stays in its lane,” Montgomery Steppe said before voting “no.” Her Democratic colleague, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, abstained. Recent legislative policy changes have been prompted by crimes committed by illegal immigrants, including the Laken Riley Act, which prompts the Department of Homeland Security to detain illegal immigrants facing charges or conviction for a range of crimes, including burglary, assault and “any crime that results in death or serious bodily injury to another person.” The bill passed with some bipartisan support. 

Schumer says ‘oligarchs’ keep him up at night, despite his own ties to billionaires

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the hosts of “The View” on Tuesday morning that “oligarchs” running the United States keep him up at night, despite his ties to the billionaire Soros family.  “I wake up at 3 in the morning sometimes so worried about the future of this country under these oligarchs,” Schumer said on “The View.”   Mega-donor George Soros donated millions to Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC during the 2024 election, and Schumer maintains a well-documented relationship with the billionaire’s son, Alex Soros.  Campaign finance reports revealed Democracy PAC II, primarily funded by Soros, gave $2.5 million to Senate Majority PAC in 2024, Fox News confirmed. Democracy PAC II gave $3.5 million in calendar year 2022, and $2.5 million in calendar year 2021, for a combined $6 million, records show.  SUNNY HOSTIN SCOLDS SCHUMER THAT HE ‘CAVED’ ON SHUTDOWN FIGHT A 2023 Fox News Digital review of Alex’s Instagram found dozens of pictures with top Democrats in the House and the Senate between 2018 and 2022, including at least nine meetings with Schumer. SOROS, OTHER LEFT-WING BILLIONAIRES POUR TENS OF MILLIONS INTO SCHUMER PAC IN BID FOR DEMS TO HOLD THE SENATE “Good to see majority leader [Schumer] earlier this week! Energized to elect at least two more Democratic senators so we can secure voting rights and a woman’s right to chose!” Soros posted on his Instagram in July 2022 along with a picture of the pair. In a December 2021 Instagram post, Alex called Schumer his “good friend” and said he had a “great meeting” with him at the Capitol. A few months earlier, Alex took a selfie with Schumer wearing a bicycle helmet and said it was “good to see our senate majority leader [Schumer] the other day, biking and in good shape, and so focused on [voting rights] legislation.” A Fox News Digital review of visitor logs found Alex visited the White House six times from October 2021 to December 2022, during former President Joe Biden’s administration. A White House official confirmed to Fox News Digital that two of the visits were with Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff.  Alex’s social media presence has consistently showcased his relationship with leading Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and candidates from the most contested down-ballot races of 2024, such as Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.  Biden awarded George Soros with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in January, which Alex accepted in his honor.  “His inspiring generosity reminds us all of our capacity and our obligation to stand up to the abuse of power and to be guardians of democracy and all people yearning to be free,” Biden said during the ceremony.  GEORGE SOROS’ SON BECOMES KINGMAKER WITH TOP DEMS AS HE MAKES MULTIPLE BIDEN WH VISITS, MEETS WITH LAWMAKERS “A travesty that Biden is giving Soros the Medal of Freedom,” Elon Musk, who has been at the center of Democrats’ accusations of rising oligarchy, posted on X in response to Soros accepting the nation’s highest civilian honor.  MoveOn.org, a group that has accepted millions from Soros and his Open Society Policy Center in recent years, led the “Congress Works for Us, Not Musk” initiative that shut down town halls and Republican offices across the country.  National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP), a national organization on the forefront of the pro-Palestine Columbia University protests, accepted fiscal sponsorship from the Westchester Peace Action Committee Foundation (WESPAC). Fox News Digital reported last year that WESPAC received a six-figure donation from a nonprofit funded by Soros’ network. The Democratic Party also leaned on wealthy surrogates on the campaign trail in 2024. Former Vice President Kamala Harris hosted events with celebrities, including Beyoncé, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen and Mark Cuban.  FEC filings show the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Oprah Winfrey’s production company on Oct. 15, a month after Winfrey appeared with Harris at a town hall event and weeks before Oprah was on stage with Harris at a Philadelphia rally before election day. ‘$1 BILLION DISASTER’: HERE’S WHAT FEC FILINGS SHOW ABOUT HARRIS CAMPAIGN’S 3-MONTH SPENDING SPREE Despite the Democrats’ own recorded ties to billionaire donors, the term “oligarchy” has been used by Democrats to describe President Donald Trump‘s second term.  Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has drawn thousands of supporters to his “Fighting Oligarchy” rallies across the country, with stops in Michigan and Wisconsin this past weekend. The events are billed as an opportunity to “discuss how we take on the greed of the billionaire class and create a government that works for all and not just the few.” Democrats were outraged by Trump inviting billionaires like Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg to his inauguration, and Biden used the term “oligarchy” in his farewell address to the nation.  “Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden told Americans on Jan. 13.  Schumer defended his leadership on “The View” following his decision to vote for a Republican spending bill to avert a government shutdown and subsequently canceling stops on his book tour over “security concerns.” “We are fighting them tooth and nail in every way we can, but you’ve got to fight them smart and if you led yourself into a shutdown, which, by the way, Musk, DOGE, Vought, they wanted a shutdown. They said they wanted a shutdown, and they thought we’d play into their hands,” Schumer continued to “The View” on Tuesday.  Schumer said “MAGA right-wing Republicans,” including Musk and Director of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought, wanted to shut down the government to deliver “tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.” “The MAGA right-wing Republicans dream of decimating the government. You know why they do it? They want tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. They want to destroy government, give it all to the wealthy and get rid of any regulations they might

GOP lawmakers praise Trump call with Putin after Biden ‘refused to even pick up the phone’

Republican lawmakers hailed President Donald Trump after a nearly two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a peace deal in Ukraine, drawing contrasts between his efforts and those of former President Joe Biden.  “I’m encouraged by President Trump’s willingness to engage in diplomacy to negotiate peace between Ukraine and Russia — especially after Biden refused to even pick up the phone to try,” Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., said of the call. The House Foreign Affairs Committee, in reaction to the discussion, wrote, “President Trump got Vladimir Putin to agree that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is necessary,” and that “Iran cannot be in a position to destroy Israel.” “This is called THE ART OF THE DEAL!” the committee wrote. UKRAINE’S ZELENSKYY REPLACES TOP MILITARY OFFICIAL AHEAD OF TRUMP-PUTIN CALL Trump spoke with Putin over the phone earlier Tuesday “about the need for peace and a ceasefire in the Ukraine war,” according to a readout of the meeting shared by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. “This conflict should never have started and should have been ended long ago with sincere and good faith peace efforts. The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace,” it continued. “These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East.” Democrats, however, remained skeptical about whether Russia would honor a peace deal. “Imagine a robber breaking into your home twice—each time blaming you for the break-in. Would you trust them to stop?” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. said. “Vladimir Putin has never kept a promise or honored a deal. Any deal must be fair & enforceable.” TRUMP ‘HOPES’ PUTIN AGREES TO CEASEFIRE AS MOSCOW SIGNALS NO TRUCE YET Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said that “from these readouts, it’s clear that Russia remains the obstacle to peace in Europe.” “I’m glad to see a halt on infrastructure strikes, but many of Putin’s ‘requests’ like a ban on arms or intel sharing make clear what he is after—a neutered Ukraine that cannot defend itself,” Coons wrote. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes, in a statement shared with Fox News Digital in response to the Democratic lawmakers, said that under Trump, a deal is even closer to being reached. “Just two weeks ago, both Ukraine and Russia were miles apart on a ceasefire agreement, and we are now closer to a deal thanks to the leadership of President Trump,” Hughes said. “The goal remains the same: stop the killing and find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.”  Trump, in a Truth Social post following the call, described the meeting as “very good and productive.” “Many elements of a Contract for Peace were discussed, including the fact that thousands of soldiers are being killed, and both President Putin and [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy would like to see it end,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “That process is now in full force and effect, and we will, hopefully, for the sake of Humanity, get the job done!” Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for a response to Perry’s criticism but did not immediately hear back.

Dem gov says MD, with $3B deficit, has been doing DOGE ‘before anyone knew what [it] was’

Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, whose tenure predates the second Trump administration by two years, claimed he had begun engaging in DOGE-type governance soon after Republican Gov. Larry Hogan Jr. departed in 2023. Moore, a purported 2028 presidential contender who has sought to stifle such talk and instead focus on a potential second term, spoke to news outlet Semafor about potential parallels between his work and that of the Trump administration. Editor Ben Smith asked Moore about addressing “fiscal burden[s]” within the Annapolis bureaucracy in a manner similar to the federal DOGE, while also discussing solutions to Maryland’s $3 billion budget deficit—an issue where Republicans and Democrats each blame the other. “I come from the business world. And I do believe that in this moment we have to think about what type of [public] workforce is necessary and required,” Moore said, adding that when he took office, there were 10,000 vacancies in Annapolis, and many “basic functions” weren’t getting done. MD GOV DEFENDS $190K TRUMP-CENTRIC IRISH CONSULTANT CONTRACT AS POTUS MOVES IN NEXT DOOR Moore said that while some politicians may want to immediately hire 10,000 people, he saw it as an opportunity to “right-size” the government and eliminate waste. “One of the first hires I made was a chief performance officer. We’ve been doing DOGE in Maryland long before anyone knew what that word was,” Moore said. In previous comments to Fox News Digital, the Moore administration stated its intent to collaborate with Trump and the White House when possible, but emphasized its commitment to protecting Marylanders—particularly in light of how DOGE’s federal workforce cuts will disproportionately impact the Old Line State. Moore had hired an Irish consulting mega-firm to be Annapolis’ eyes and ears on the White House just 35 miles westward. “Where there is common ground to be found, he will find it,” a spokesman for Moore said in response to claims the Irish contract foreshadowed a confrontational relationship with their new neighbors. Moore told Smith that Maryland is so inextricably tied to the federal government that “when the country catches a cold, the DMV [DC-MD-VA] catches pneumonia.” LAWMAKERS FROM STATE WITH MOST FEDERAL WORKERS PER CAPITA WARN AGAINST TRUMP BUYOUT BID Moore added that his 2025 budget is smaller than his 2024 budget, and has recently taken issue with Hogan’s reported contention that he left his successor a surplus that has been squandered into a $3 billion deficit. Hogan said in a recent social media post he left Moore a $5 billion surplus and hoped it would not go to waste.  Moore has claimed some of that “surplus” was miscategorized as leftover COVID-19 funds which are not structural in nature. Hogan also produced a set of budget recommendations at the end of his term for the new administration to take on, which Democrats in Annapolis saw as pitches for future “priority items” they instead deemed fiscally reckless. In that regard, a Moore spokesman told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that the Democrat remains focused on DOGE-ing Annapolis even amid the $3 billion deficit. “While it’s clear the governor inherited an economic flatline, he is committed to growing Maryland’s economy by reducing waste, investing in working Marylanders, industries of the future, and businesses across the state,” the spokesman said. “The governor’s new government modernization initiative will cut real waste, and save taxpayers money—something Governor Moore believes DOGE and even other states can learn from.” Maryland House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Cumberland, disagreed. “It’s not very credible to claim that we’ve been cutting the size and scope of Maryland government and rooting out fraud and waste when you look at our budget chock-full of new hires and increased spending, balanced only by massive tax increases proposed by Governor Moore and Democrats in Annapolis,” said Buckel.  Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, R-Chestertown, told Fox News Digital that Marylanders are “still waiting” for Moore’s stated efforts to cut waste, fraud and abuse à la DOGE. “There are claims of saving $50 million, but so far, there’s been no data to prove his performance cabinet has made government more efficient or saved taxpayers money,” Hershey said. “Governor Moore appears unwilling to make tough decisions and stand up to rein in state spending. His thinly veiled assurance to not support the new business-to-business service tax went over like a lead balloon.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Hershey claimed Moore did not consider a statewide hiring freeze to help with the deficit, but instead added more bureaucrats while risking future furloughs. “His administrative departments have been plagued with atrocious audits since taking office—hundreds of millions have been mismanaged and misspent. We are still waiting to see the necessary course corrections,” Hershey added. Meanwhile, Moore predicts that Maryland will see that $50 million in savings through FY-2026 via “government modernization” and reinvestment of resources toward top state priorities. A Moore spokesman suggested that previous Republican leadership was responsible for Maryland’s reported economic underperformance, citing a 3% growth rate for the state between 2017 and 2022—compared to the national average of 11%. Fox News Digital reached out to DOGE leaders in Congress and the White House for comment. White House spokesperson Liz Huston responded to Moore’s claim Tuesday: “President Trump led the charge to make government more efficient, and all state leaders should want to end waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

Republican state AGs back Trump on Tren de Aragua flights; judges ‘basically supporting’ terrorists

FIRST ON FOX: A group of Republican state attorneys general is filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on Tuesday afternoon, urging the circuit court to reverse a judge’s order blocking Trump from deporting alleged Tren de Aragua gang members, with one AG saying “the judges are basically supporting foreign terrorist organizations over the public safety of the American citizen.” The supporting court documents, led by South Carolina and Virginia Attorneys General Alan Wilson and Jason Miyares, respectively, are concerned that the judge’s order – issued by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg – will contribute to crimes committed by violent illegal immigrants in their states.  “When a judge unilaterally steps in and does a temporary restraining order on a nationwide injunction, basically that prohibits the president from performing the one function that the states really can’t do themselves, that undermines our ability to better protect our citizens,” Wilson told Fox News Digital. RED STATE HUNTS TREN DE ARAGUA TERRORISTS AS JUDGES LIGHT ‘CREDIBILITY ON FIRE’ FIGHTING DEPORTATIONS: SENATOR “In this particular case, the judges are coloring way outside the law lines of their authority,” Wilson said in an interview Tuesday. “They are inhibiting the ability of federal law enforcement to support the initiatives of state law enforcement.” “The judges are basically supporting foreign terrorist organizations over the public safety of the American citizen,” he added. Miyares said Trump acted “fully within his constitutional and statutory authority” when he did not ground airplanes deporting alleged migrant gang members to El Salvador as Boasberg requested. Trump’s Department of Justice cited the Alien Enemies Act, which gives him the ability to deport any illegal immigrant without a court process, and filed an emergency petition in the D.C. appellate court, urging it to “halt this massive, unauthorized imposition” on the president’s “authority to remove people that Defendants had determined to be members of TdA.” “TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization responsible for heinous crimes across the United States,” Miyares said. “The law is clear, and so is our position.” TRUMP INVOKES WARTIME ALIEN ENEMIES ACT OF 1798 TO TARGET VIOLENT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT STREET GANGS In the supporting brief of Trump’s appeal, Wilson said there’s an incident in Charleston where several Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested. Last August, during a visit to the southern border in El Paso, Texas, Wilson said he met with DEA agents, Texas public safety officers and Border Patrol, who showed a heat map of the country. At that time, there were no known Tren de Aragua members in South Carolina. However, as Wilson points out in the brief, by early February, several gang members were arrested in the state. “Just six or seven months ago, they weren’t here, but now they are,” Wilson said. “Trump did a great job, and this administration did a great job of plugging the hole in the boat when they shut down the border, but all the water is still in the boat, and we’re trying to bail it out, and the judges are trying to prevent us from doing that,” Wilson said. The Trump administration has designated Tren De Aragua a Foreign Terrorist Organization.  The Republican attorneys general who signed the amicus brief represent Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Utah. 

Turkiye’s Istanbul University annuls Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s diploma

Opposition leader slams the university’s move as ‘unlawful’, saying it does not have the power to make the decision. Turkiye’s Istanbul University has annulled Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s diploma, citing irregularities with Council of Higher Education regulations and threatening his chances of running in the 2028 presidential election. The university said on Tuesday that 38 people, including Istanbul’s mayor, had irregularly transferred to its Management Faculty’s English-language programme in 1990. It added that 10 of those with the irregularity had their transfer annulled, and the degrees of 28 graduates, including Imamoglu, “will be withdrawn and cancelled on the grounds of … obvious error”. Imamoglu slammed the move as “unlawful” and promised to fight the decision in court. “They [the university] do not have the authority to make such a decision. The authority lies solely with the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Business Administration. “The days when those who made this decision will be held accountable before history and justice are near. The march of our nation, thirsty for justice, law and democracy, cannot be stopped.” Advertisement Murat Emir, a lawmaker from Imamoglu’s Republican People’s Party, said the decision “dealt a heavy blow to our democracy”. Musavat Dervisoglu, the opposition Good Party chairman, said the annulment was “beyond purging a political rival”. 2028 election The ruling could hurt Imamoglu’s plans to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 election and came days before the opposition was expected to select Imamoglu as its presidential candidate. Under the Turkish Constitution, presidential candidates must have a higher education degree. Imamoglu, currently in his second term as the mayor of Istanbul, is the subject of multiple investigations and cases. The vocal opponent of Erdogan in January slammed what he called “harassment” after leaving an Istanbul court for questioning as part of an open investigation on his criticism of the city’s public prosecutor. In 2022, Imamoglu was sentenced to two years and seven months in jail and banned from political activities for “insulting” members of Turkiye’s High Election Council, a sentence that Imamoglu has appealed. Adblock test (Why?)

Putin may well get what he wants in Ukraine

After the long telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, which followed on the heels of US-Ukrainian talks in Jeddah last week, the war in Ukraine seems to be entering its final stages. Both Moscow and Kyiv appear to agree with Trump’s pursuit of a peace settlement, though the details of their positions regarding the specifics remain hazy. Kyiv has agreed to Washington’s proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire followed by peace talks. Freezing the conflict before starting peace talks was not what Ukraine had wanted, but the prospect of losing more territory, infrastructure, human lives, and – very likely – American support, has brought it onboard. Russia, for its part, has agreed to suspend missile attacks on the Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days, while continuing discussions for a full-fledged ceasefire. Earlier, Moscow expressed concern not only about the logistics of implementing the ceasefire and guarantees to prevent violations, but also about what comes after. Advertisement The caution is due to the fact that Russia has an advantage on the battlefield, which it is not very keen to lose before the framework of a settlement is set in stone. In any case, Russian officials sounded very upbeat about the prospects of settlement after the Trump-Putin call. If the ceasefire negotiations move forward, the question that arises is whether Putin is likely to get all that he wanted in February 2022 when he launched the brutal all-out invasion of Ukraine. The rough framework of a realistically attainable peace settlement is clear to all sides by now. Moscow has stated repeatedly that the peace deal is to follow the outline of the Istanbul agreements that were developed by the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in the spring of 2022 but were eventually ditched by Ukraine under British and American pressure. These agreements envisaged Ukraine’s military neutrality, a cap on the size of its army and measures to protect Russian speakers living in Ukraine. After three years of war, Moscow now wants Kyiv to recognise the loss of four Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia – which Russia formally proclaimed its territory although it has not fully occupied any of them yet. It is possible, however, that the Kremlin will walk away from its maximalist demand of Ukraine withdrawing from the unoccupied parts of these regions. US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have signalled that territorial talks will include the fate of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, which is currently occupied by Russia and is quite close to the front line. If Russia becomes a part of that conversation, it will mean that it’s no longer claiming the unoccupied north of Zaporizhia and – by extension – the unoccupied territory of the other three regions. Advertisement The discussions on the nuclear plant are a good sign because they indicate a shift to realistically attainable concessions the West and Ukraine could extract from Russia as opposed to the entirely unrealistic demands of NATO boots on the ground in the guise of “peacekeepers”, which the United Kingdom and France are pushing for. The key to understanding Putin’s logic is accepting that he is not fighting for territory. He sees the all-out invasion, which has now resulted in the occupation of a fifth of Ukrainian territory, as a punishment for Ukraine derailing the 2015-2016 Minsk agreements, which had envisaged the two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, remaining under formal Ukrainian control. Russia’s annexation of these two regions, alongside Kherson and Zaporizhia, was punishment for Ukraine walking away from the Istanbul agreements. While the nuclear power plant could be feasibly swapped for some other territory or – more likely – political concessions pertaining to the rights of Russian speakers and the Moscow-affiliated Ukrainian Orthodox Church, what is nonnegotiable for Putin is NATO countries retaining any security infrastructure or influence on Ukrainian security bodies. Rooted in the West’s decision in the 1990s to confront rather than integrate the newly emerged democratic Russia, this conflict is really about drawing a thick red line beyond which the American-led West is not going to expand – at least until the time when the conversation about Russia’s westward integration becomes possible again. Advertisement For now, though, Putin will insist not just on Ukraine’s neutrality but also on the removal of what he describes as “NATO infrastructure”, which includes military training and logistical facilities as well as CIA listening stations along the Russian border. He will also likely demand the de-Westernisation of Ukrainian security structures strongly affiliated with the CIA and MI6, such as the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) and some directorates of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Crucially, he will insist on Kyiv and NATO reneging on the 2008 NATO Bucharest summit promise that Ukraine would become a member of the alliance. That commitment, imposed on European allies by US President George W Bush, triggered tectonic changes in Russian foreign policy, leading to conflict with Georgia and subsequently Ukraine. Judging by signals emanating from Trump’s administration, all of these goals are attainable along with the lifting of sanctions against Russia – at least by the US itself. The Kremlin for its part has signalled that it could agree the $300bn in frozen Russian assets in the West could be used for post-war reconstruction in Ukraine. It sees this money as already lost and perhaps considers that a benevolent gesture like that could help it start mending relations with the now very hostile neighbour. If he can get all of that, Putin will see his decision to become a war criminal by launching the brutal aggression against Russia’s closest neighbour in social, ethnic, cultural and economic terms as justified. Advertisement Besides securing the neutrality of Ukraine and pushing NATO further from Russian borders, Putin also appears bound to fulfil another goal: the restoration of Russia’s superpower status in the eyes of the entire world. For Western leaders, the failure to rein in Russia will lead to a belated realisation: that a major nuclear

Netanyahu: ‘From now on, negotiations will only take place under fire’

NewsFeed “From now on, negotiations will only take place under fire.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Hamas that Israel’s breaking of the Gaza ceasefire with widespread aerial attacks is “only the beginning.” Published On 18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025 Adblock test (Why?)

Former Republican governor of key swing state mulls bid to flip Senate seat

EXCLUSIVE: NEWFIELDS, N.H. — Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu says he’s holding a dialogue with national Republican leaders about potentially running next year in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Sununu, who enjoys a large national profile thanks to his regular appearances the past few years on the cable news networks and Sunday talk shows, said in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital that he aims to make a decision regarding a 2026 campaign in the “next few weeks.” The former governor, who for a couple of years was a vocal Republican critic of President Donald Trump, said, “I have no doubt I’d have the president’s support,” if he decides to make a bid for the Senate. WHY THIS LONGTIME DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ISN’T RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION NEXT YEAR And Sununu, who was elected and re-elected to four straight two-year terms as governor of the key New England swing state, touted that “I have no doubt I can win.” The 78-year-old Shaheen, the first woman in the nation’s history to win election as governor and as a U.S. senator, announced this week that she would retire at the end of next year rather than seek a fourth six-year term in the Senate. ONLY ON FOX NEWS: SENATE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S AIMING FOR IN 2026 Even before Shaheen’s announcement, her seat in swing state New Hampshire was considered one of the GOP’s top pickup opportunities in the 2026 midterms – along with Michigan, where Sen. Gary Peters is also retiring, and Georgia, where Republicans consider first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff vulnerable – as Republicans hope to expand their current 53-47 majority. Sununu’s comments in recent interviews are a switch from last year, when he repeatedly said he wouldn’t seek to run for the Senate in 2026. In a November interview with Fox News Digital, the then-governor reiterated what he had first said in a July interview. SUNUNU OPENS UP ABOUT WHAT’S NEXT AFTER HE FINISHES HIS TERM AS GOVERNOR “Definitely ruling out running for the Senate in 2026. Yeah, definitely not on my dance card,” Sununu said in an interview along the sidelines of the Republican Governors Association winter meeting in Florida. The 50-year-old Sununu, who when he was first elected in 2016 was the nation’s youngest governor, was asked again about a 2026 Senate run in a Fox News Digital interview in early January, in his last full day in office. “I’m not planning on running for anything right now. I’m really not, at least for the next two, four, six years,” he said. “Who knows what happens down the road? But it would be way down the road and nothing, nothing I’m planning on, nothing my family would tolerate either short term.” But Sununu, in his interview on Tuesday, shared that “some folks in New Hampshire, some folks in Washington, have asked me to really take a few weeks and think about it at this point.” “The door’s open,” he said, before adding, “It’s not open a lot, to be honest.  Among those he’s talking with is Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who’s the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the Senate GOP’s campaign arm. “Tim is a great friend. We’ve talked a lot, not just about me running, but other opportunities.” And he described his talks as “an ongoing discussion.” Sources tell Fox News that Sununu’s headed to the nation’s capital in the coming days for a dinner with Scott and other Senate Republicans. Sununu four years ago expressed interest in running for the Senate against his predecessor as governor, Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan, who was up for re-election in 2022. And the popular governor was heavily courted by national Republicans to take on Hassan. But on Nov. 9, 2021, Sununu announced that he would instead run for a fourth term as governor, upsetting many Republicans in the nation’s capital. TOP POLITICAL HANDICAPPER REVEALS DEMOCRATS CHANCES OF WINNING BACK THE SENATE MAJORITY And he heavily criticized the Senate. “When you look at what their (senators’) job is and what a governor’s job is … it’s not even close. I can’t tell you how many senators told me, ‘You’re just going to have to wait around a couple of years to get anything done.’ Can you imagine me sitting around a couple of years?” Sununu said at the time. “They debate and talk and nothing gets done. … That’s not the world I live in.” Asked if he has changed his mind, Sununu on Tuesday responded, “Not really, no….I think Washington has been really stagnated. Hasn’t done a whole lot, doesn’t deliver.” But with Trump back in the White House, Sununu pointed to a “fundamental change in the past two months,” and that now Congress is “talking about things that I care very passionately about.” Those things include a balanced budget and government efficiency. “Whether you like them or not, you got to give credit to Trump, to DOGE, to folks driving this conversation, this narrative. We have $36 trillion in debt. It’s a very real number. You owe it. I owe it. Your viewers owe that money, not the government. We’re going to have a car crash in the next couple of years with Social Security going bankrupt, Medicare going bankrupt, more debt on the books. So, there has to be a plan and a strategy out of this, and the administration is really leading that effort,” Sununu argued. He said “that gives me hope that…maybe there is an opportunity to have a leadership role in something that is very critical and vital to the country, something I believe very passionately in, and something we’ve been very successful with here in New Hampshire.” Following Trump’s first term in the White House and in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters aiming to upend congressional certification of former President Biden’s 2020 election victory, Sununu became a leading vocal