Author: Olive Metuge
Reporting Highlights Chokeholds: We found over 40 cases of agents using chokeholds and other moves that can block breathing. “I felt like I was going to pass out and die,” said a 16-year-old citizen. Former Police Are Appalled: We showed former police and immigration officials videos of incidents. They said agents are out of control. One said it’s “the kind of action which should get you fired.” Banned Tactics, No Punishment: There is a federal ban on chokeholds and similar tactics. But there is no sign of punishment for officers who’ve used them. These highlights were written by the reporters…
US Senator Mark Kelly has sued Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, arguing that the Pentagon illegally tried to demote him in retaliation for criticising the Trump administration.Kelly, a former Navy captain, drew the ire of Hegseth and President Donald Trump after he filmed a video that told military personnel they could refuse unlawful orders.Trump accused Kelly of “sedition”, and Hegseth said he would open proceedings to lower Kelly’s retirement grade, which could result in a reduction in his pay.The actions violated Kelly’s right to free speech and due process, and did not follow military procedure, his case alleges. The defence department…
Iranians could call abroad on mobile phones Tuesday for the first time since communications were halted during a crackdown on nationwide protests in which activists said at least 646 people have been killed.Several people in Tehran were able to call The Associated Press and speak to a journalist there. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back. The witnesses said SMS text messaging still was down and that internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally but nothing abroad. The witnesses gave a brief glimpse into life on the streets of…
When I joined the SCOTUSblog team in June, I assumed that my days of working through dinner and into the night were behind me. The Supreme Court, I reasoned, conducts most of its business during normal working hours, unlike the sports teams I helped cover as part of my previous job. Oral arguments happen in the morning, as do opinion releases for merits cases. What could possibly disrupt my evening plans? The interim docket, that’s what. As requests for such relief have become more common, so too have late nights for Supreme Court reporters. I failed to account for that…
The countdown is on, OFFLIMITS Music Festival brings music lovers together in Abu DhabiOFFLIMITS Music Festival is coming back to Abu Dhabi in April 2026, after a debut that pulled serious crowds and put the capital firmly on the festival map.When OFFLIMITS launched last year, it arrived with a clear point of difference. It mixed genres in one open-format space, jumping from pop to rock to electronic and alternative without apology. That anything-goes approach helped it stand out in a busy live music calendar.Image: OFFLIMITS Music FestivalLast year’s OFFLIMITS line-up read like a playlist you would never skip. Ed Sheeran…
Macquarie UniversityRanda Abdel-Fattah says a decision to exclude her from the Adelaide Festival was racistOne of Australia’s biggest cultural festivals has been left in disarray after a decision to disinvite a prominent Australian-Palestinian writer, triggering a massive backlash and mass exodus from fellow authors.The board of the Adelaide Festival last week said Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a vocal critic of Israel, had been removed from its Writers’ Week lineup due to “sensitivities” after the shooting of 15 people – by gunmen allegedly inspired by the Islamic State militant group – at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in December.Though the Adelaide…
The United States is telling its citizens to leave Iran, as Washington maintains its pressure on Tehran to cease its crackdown on protesters and U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to strike the Iranian government over the issue.”Leave Iran now,” the U.S. stated in an alert published on its “virtual embassy” website for Iran. “Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help.”For U.S. citizens unable to leave Iran, the advice is to “find a secure location,” to stock up on food and other essential items and to stay aware of their surroundings.Adding to threats of…
The Supreme Court on Monday morning grappled with a dispute in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana over whether oil and gas companies can move a lawsuit seeking to hold them responsible for damage to the Louisiana coast to federal court. A lawyer for the companies told the justices that they should be allowed to do so under a federal law, known as the federal officer removal statute, that gives federal courts the power to hear state court cases filed against “any officer (or any person acting under that officer) or the United States or of an agency thereof,…
Dubai’s real estate property market continues its record-breaking riseDubai has reached a major milestone in its property market, with total real estate transactions hitting Dhs917 billion, according to an announcement by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.The update was shared by Sheikh Mohammed on his Instagram story, where he highlighted the strength of Dubai’s real estate sector and its continued growth compared to 2024 figures.The figure, achieved by the end of 2025, shows strong momentum across the emirate’s property market and places Dubai well ahead of its long-term goal.Sheikh…
Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado will meet President Donald Trump on Thursday, the White House has confirmed.The visit comes just weeks after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was seized in Caracas by US forces. But Trump declined to endorse Machado, whose movement claimed victory in 2024’s widely contested elections, as its new leader. The US instead backed Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former vice-president.Machado said last week she hoped to thank Trump personally for the action against Maduro and would like to give the Nobel Prize to him. Trump called it “a great honour”, but the Nobel…