The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: World News

  • Trump Admits US Deportation Policy May Have Been Too Harsh

    Trump Admits US Deportation Policy May Have Been Too Harsh

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    United States President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his administration’s mass deportation policy against undocumented immigrants may have been excessively harsh, admitting that the approach had political consequences for his party.

    Trump made the remarks during an interview with CBS programme 60 Minutes, an excerpt of which was released on Sunday ahead of the full broadcast.

    Asked about his administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement measures, the US president said the policy might have gone too far and ultimately worked against him.

    “I think it was too tough. I think it might be too tough,” Trump said.

    He also attributed part of the Republican Party’s poor performance in the midterm elections to what he described as ineffective communication of its policies.

    The interview was conducted following the Republican Party’s significant losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections.

    Although Trump’s efforts to strengthen security along the US southern border have received support from some Americans, his administration’s campaign to deport millions of undocumented immigrants has attracted widespread criticism.

    The crackdown has also drawn attention over reports of aggressive operations by federal immigration agents and concerns about the treatment of migrants.

    Despite acknowledging the possible shortcomings of the policy, Trump signalled his intention to maintain a hardline approach to immigration by appointing Stephen Miller, one of its principal architects, as his chief of staff on Friday.

    Miller has been a prominent figure in the administration’s immigration agenda and has faced criticism over his support for aggressive enforcement operations.

    His appointment is widely seen as an indication that Trump intends to maintain a tough stance following the Republicans’ electoral setback.

  • Trump Blames Republican Candidates For Midterm Election Losses

    Trump Blames Republican Candidates For Midterm Election Losses

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    United States President Donald Trump has dismissed suggestions that his leadership and policies contributed to the Republican Party’s poor performance in the midterm elections, blaming defeated candidates for failing to attract voters to the polls.

    The election, which saw the Democratic Party secure control of both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, has raised questions about Trump’s political influence and the future direction of his administration.

    Speaking during a live telephone interview with Fox News, Trump rejected the suggestion that the outcome represented a setback for him.

    “But I don’t view it as a hit on me,” he said, insisting that his administration had recorded significant achievements in the economy and other areas over the past two years.

    Trump attributed the Republican losses largely to the inability of individual candidates to mobilise supporters, rather than dissatisfaction with his administration’s policies, including its military involvement in Iran and tariff measures blamed for contributing to rising prices.

    He also criticised media coverage of Democratic candidates, particularly on Fox News, saying he had expected Republicans to perform better.

    “I thought they’d do better,” he said.

    The President further attributed the outcome to what he described as a prevailing public mood, while maintaining that his administration would continue pursuing its policy agenda despite the Democrats’ gains.

    During the election campaign, Trump had travelled to several Republican-leaning states to rally support for party candidates, urging voters to act as though he was also on the ballot.

    However, he argued that the candidates failed to generate enough enthusiasm among their supporters.

    “They just didn’t inspire the people to get out and vote,” Trump said, adding that his presence on the ballot would have improved their chances.

    Several unsuccessful candidates, including Darline Graham in South Carolina, Ken Paxton in Texas, Michael Whatley in North Carolina and Mike Collins in Georgia, had received Trump’s endorsement.

    Defending his decision to support Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in Texas, Trump said he had little choice, arguing that Paxton had remained loyal to him.

    In a post on his Truth Social platform, the President indicated that he intended to publicly examine the factors behind the Republican defeats.

    He also criticised Texas Governor Greg Abbott, accusing him of returning to an unsuccessful political strategy.

    However, in a separate interview with Politico, Trump said he was not interested in assigning blame, describing the election period as an experience from which he had learnt.

    The President also expressed willingness to cooperate with Democrats, who will now have greater influence over legislative decisions in Washington.

    He disclosed that he had already spoken with some Democratic politicians but did not identify them.

    Trump said he had several Democratic friends and was open to finding common ground with members of the opposition party.

    Meanwhile, he dismissed suggestions that he regretted the decision to launch military action against Iran, despite concerns that the conflict may have contributed to the Republicans’ poor electoral performance.

    In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump maintained that the decision was justified and said he would make the same choice again.

    “I don’t think about it. I did the right thing,” he said. “I would have done it again.”

  • Nigeria -Born Lawyer Dapo Akande Elected to ICJ Bench

    By  Tosin Oyediran Kindly share this story:

    A Nigerian-trained international lawyer, Professor Dapo Akande, has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice, following a United Nations vote on Tuesday.

    Akande, a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford, will serve a nine-year term at the world’s principal judicial organ, which settles legal disputes between states and provides advisory opinions on international legal questions.

    His election marks the return of a United Kingdom judge to the court after an absence of nine years, according to a statement published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Tuesday.

    The British government said Akande received the support of a majority of UN member states following what it described as a closely contested vote.

    The UK government said Akande’s election followed a campaign supported by the Prime Minister, ministers and British diplomats across the world.

    In a statement welcoming the development, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the election demonstrated Britain’s commitment to international law and its role in global affairs.

    “This election is a clear signal to our partners that the UK is back on the world stage and ready to play our part in ensuring global stability and upholding the rule of law,” Burnham said.

    “Professor Akande will bring integrity, legal rigour and independent expertise to the International Court of Justice and I am incredibly proud that he is representing the UK.”

    Reacting to his election, Akande said he was honoured by the confidence placed in him by UN member states and pledged to discharge his responsibilities independently.

    “I am deeply honoured to be elected to the International Court of Justice.

    “I am incredibly grateful to all the states that have put their faith in me. I pledge to serve with independence and to deciding cases on the basis of a faithful and impartial application of the law. I look forward to contributing to the ICJ’s vital work in helping to resolve disputes by peaceful means, alongside the other colleagues elected today,” he said.

    Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also congratulated the professor, expressing confidence in his legal expertise and commitment to international law.

    “Everywhere I go around the world, people tell me how impressive Professor Akande is and we have been proud to support his campaign. I am confident that his legal expertise, independence and commitment to international law will make him an asset to the Court and the international community,” Miliband said.

    According to the statement, Akande is a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission.

    Originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria, he has nearly three decades of experience as an international law scholar and practitioner.

    He has also served as counsel, adviser and expert in cases before international courts and tribunals, including the International Court of Justice.

    As an independent practitioner, Akande has advised governments from countries across all five UN regional groups, as well as international organisations, including the United Nations and the African Union.

    The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations and is responsible for settling legal disputes submitted to it by states and providing advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN bodies.

    British Foreign Secretary in 2021, Dominic Raab, announced the choice of the UK to nominate Akande, as the UK candidate for the International Law Commission from 2023 to 2027.

    Akande, an alumnus of the University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and Obafemi Awolowo University, was in 2024, nominated to represent UK as ICJ judge in an election. Punch

  • Small Plane Crash Near Trump’s Florida Residence Claims Nine Lives

    A Learjet plummeted into a neighbourhood in southern Florida miles from United States President Donald Trump’s resort home on Sunday, killing all nine people on board, officials said.

    Several unverified clips posted to social media depicting the deadly crash showed an aircraft nearly vertical slamming at high speed into the ground, creating a large fireball and leaving a flaming crater near a busy roadside.

    “Today’s plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, is a horrific tragedy,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement, confirming that all nine people on the aircraft were killed.

    Duffy said the plane, a Learjet 60, had departed from Austin, Texas and was headed for the Bahamas.

    The crash occurred near Cresthaven, a neighbourhood in Palm Beach County that is less than seven miles (11 kilometres) from Trump’s resort home Mar-a-Lago.

    “Obviously this is a cataclysmic plane crash,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters near the scene.

    “It looked like a missile going down,” he said, adding there were no reports of anyone on the ground being injured.

    Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday but departed from the nearby and newly renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport shortly after he boarded Air Force One at 11:55 am (1655 GMT), about an hour before the crash of the Learjet aircraft.

    The plane came down near the entrance to a mobile home park, Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said, noting about 600 residents were evacuated and relocated to shelters.

    “The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.

    Storms had been reported in the area. Trump carried an umbrella as he boarded Air Force One.

    In an audio recording posted to air traffic website liveatc.net, someone in the cockpit can be heard reporting “moderate turbulence” and saying the crew was “managing the ice.”

    The person said the plane was “picking up precipitation” and needed “to climb” shortly before saying: “Mayday, mayday, we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute.”

    Seconds later, the person said they were “declaring an emergency” as the plane descended 20,000 feet per minute.

    “We’re going to crash into the ground,” the person said, shortly before communications stopped.

    AFP

  • Prince Harry Expresses Desire to Reconcile With King Charles and Prince William

    The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has expressed his desire to repair his strained relationships with his father, King Charles III, and his elder brother, Prince William, saying reconciliation is important amid other challenges facing the world.

    In an interview with GQ magazine in New York released on Tuesday, Harry said he remained hopeful that the family rift could be resolved, despite opposition from some quarters.

    “Some people don’t want it to work out. I want it to work out. With everything else that’s going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile – that’s the key point,” he said.

    Harry also spoke about dealing with past hurts, encouraging people to let go of painful experiences and adopt a different perspective.

    “Scars stick around forever. But what your perception is, and what your mindset is to those things that have happened, letting go of the past, that’s something that I would encourage everybody to do,” he said.

    Harry acknowledged that the public remained interested in the family’s disagreements, describing them as “massively relatable”.

    “Sibling disagreements, broken relationships between kids and their parents, kids and one parent – that continues to come up with me the whole time with people that I speak to,” he said.

    Asked about his reasons for wanting to spend more time in the UK, Harry said the move would create opportunities for his family, particularly his children, Archie and Lilibet.

    “Opportunities for the family. Being able to put the kids in a British school has meant a lot to me. I didn’t know how important it was to me,” he said.

    He added, “They [Archie and Lilibet] are loving it, and it’s just giving them a whole different experience.”

    Harry also spoke about the importance of spending more time in his home country and being closer to his relatives.

    “To be back, closer to my family, and to be back on UK soil for longer than a few days or a week here or there,” he told the magazine.

    The Duke also gave an update on King Charles’s health following the monarch’s cancer treatment, saying, “He’s getting better.”

    Reflecting on the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, Harry said he had found a way to honour her memory through his work rather than remain weighed down by grief.

    “I love the fact that I’m able to now sort of carry the memory of my mother with me, with my work, rather than it hold me down, pull me back, or wallow in that grief,” he said.

    Harry also rejected the idea that he was seeking public sympathy over his personal experiences, pointing to the support and professional help he had received.

    “I certainly don’t want any sympathy. That’s where we’re way past that. Why? Because I’m a prince. I’ve got a support network around me, I’ve done different forms of therapy, and I put in the work. I wonder where I would be if I didn’t – it could be a very different situation,” he said.

    PUNCH Online reports that Harry and Meghan moved from the United Kingdom to the United States in 2020 after stepping back from their roles as working royals, in a departure that deepened tensions within the family.

    Harry’s memoir, Spare, published in 2023, detailed the breakdown in his relationships with members of the Royal Family, particularly his brother, William.

    Despite expressing a desire to be closer to his family, Harry’s relationship with William has shown little public sign of improvement. His latest comments, however, suggest he remains open to rebuilding those ties.

    He had previously expressed a similar desire for reconciliation during a BBC interview in May 2025, while living in the United States. Punch

  • Trump Signs Executive Order Halting New Tariffs and Sanctions on Russia

    US President Donald Trump smiles as he finishes his speach during a campaign rally at Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla, Alaska, on October 13, 2026. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / AFP)

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday that waived sweeping US sanctions and tariffs targeting Russia’s energy revenues after signing them into law last month.

    The Lindsey Graham Act — named after the deceased US senator who sponsored the bill — allowed Trump the authority to impose duties up to 100 percent on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

    “As described further in section 4 of this order, I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act,” the executive order said.

    The law targeted Russia’s energy and defense sectors, President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, as well as Moscow’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent Western sanctions.

    Trump’s reversal on the Russia sanctions comes in after a controversial deal he struck with Putin that would allow Russia diesel exports in exchange for US sanctions relief.

    Relations between Kyiv and Washington have soured since the deal, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it a “weak decision” and Ukrainian forces resuming attacks on Russian oil refineries. Channels

  • Trump’s Press Secretary Resigns Days After Appointment

    White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia was pushed out Friday after less than a week in the high-profile job following a series of blunders that added to distractions for her embattled boss, President Donald Trump.

    “Can confirm,” a White House official told AFP, after Fox News reported that Zacharia, 41, was “transitioning out.”

    The writing was on the wall earlier when Trump made clear he was ready to see his newly minted spokeswoman go amid criticism that she had pretended to be a lawyer and over her one, much-mocked press briefing.

    “I said, ‘Katie, is this for you?,’” Trump told reporters. “I said, ‘Katie, you don’t have to do this’…I said to her, ‘Honestly if I were you I’d reconsider.’”

    During Trump’s first term in office, the 11-day tenure of financier Anthony Scaramucci as White House communications director was widely mocked for its brevity, and even became an internet meme.

    Zacharia lasted less than half that long.

    “Records are made to be broken,” Scaramucci wrote on X, adding: “But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”

    She took over the role from the combative Karoline Leavitt, who helped Trump reshape White House coverage by bringing in more friendly outlets and fiercely attacking critical media.

    Zacharia had got off to a rocky start with her debut press room briefing Tuesday morning.

    It lasted less than 15 minutes, beginning with a remarkably slow reading out of what she said were Trump’s many accomplishments — then taking just three questions from journalists.

    She then was plunged into controversy when it emerged that her previous claims to be a lawyer were not true.

    The kerfuffle is a distraction for 80-year-old Trump as he flies around the country trying to boost Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 congressional midterm elections, with polls predicting a drubbing.

    The Republican leader himself also faces ever-lower polls as Americans sour over the war against Iran, inflation and perceptions of corruption.

    – Not a real lawyer –

    Zacharia had described herself as a lawyer during television appearances and on social media, and listed herself as general counsel of a California-based conservative nonprofit.

    While she does have a law degree from a California university, she acknowledged Thursday she had failed the bar exam, a prerequisite for practicing law in the United States.

    She embarked on a series of damage-control interviews on Trump-friendly outlets, but they did no good.

    In one of them, Fox News’ Sean Hannity, a close Trump ally, appeared dismissive of Zacharia.

    He asked the press secretary if she ever retook the bar exam. She replied: “I did not.”

    “It was never my intent to go into the practice of law,” she said.

    In another interview Thursday with pro-Trump outlet Real America’s Voice, Zacharia said she had registered to take the bar exam but was “distracted and overwhelmed” by plans to move to China with her husband.

    Zacharia said “many people in the field” had assured her that she could “label myself a lawyer,” given her law degree.

    – China’s toilets –

    “Fox and Friends,” which often conducts friendly interviews with Trump administration officials, was unusually direct Friday when a host asked Zacharia if she still had the confidence of the president.

    “I hope to be able to build the trust and confidence of everyone around me,” she said, sidestepping the question.

    Zacharia further stirred controversy on Thursday when she disparaged China, whose leader Xi Jinping was recently Trump’s guest in a pomp-filled Washington visit.

    The press secretary recalled the perception in 2016 was that China would soon overtake the United States.

    “I remember this very distinctly, having just come from China, thinking, ‘How is China the next country on the horizon? They don’t even have proper toilets,’” she told right-wing influencer Jack Posobiec in an interview.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning responded Friday that Zacharia should “visit China more often.”

    AFP

  • White House Blocks CNN From Travelling With Trump To Tennessee

    White House Blocks CNN From Travelling With Trump To Tennessee

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The White House has barred CNN from travelling aboard Air Force One with United States President Donald Trump for his Saturday trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, despite the network being scheduled to serve as the television press pool reporter.

    The latest restriction comes days after Trump’s administration banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the organisations of publishing coverage that was unfavourable to his administration.

    A federal judge, Timothy Kelly, subsequently ordered the administration to restore the three outlets’ access to the White House, ruling that they were likely to succeed in showing that their press credentials had been revoked without adequate due process.

    CNN reporters returned to the White House on Thursday following the ruling, although the network and MS NOW later reported being denied access to parts of an event marking Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit.

    Despite the restoration of access, CNN was excluded from Trump’s trip to Tennessee, where the President is scheduled to attend a college football game.

    CNN had been due to take its turn in the rotating television press pool, a system involving ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and CNN. The designated network provides video coverage of presidential events and distributes the footage to other television outlets because of limited space during presidential travel.

    However, a White House schedule released late Friday did not list CNN or another member of the traditional television pool as the primary TV pooler for Saturday.

    Instead, the schedule listed Real America’s Voice News, a conservative outlet, in a secondary television role. The Washington Post reported that the White House decision effectively prevented CNN from carrying out the pool duties it had been assigned for the trip.

    The dispute has already disrupted the White House television pool. After CNN was barred from the White House last week, ABC, CBS, Fox News and NBC joined CNN in suspending pooled video coverage in protest.

    The five networks said the public had an important interest in receiving independent information about the government and argued that news organisations should not be denied access because of disagreements over their reporting.

    The television pool resumed on Friday after CNN’s White House access was restored. CBS served as the designated pool network for most of the day, while CNN handled coverage of an event at the National Archives.

    The latest exclusion, however, has raised fresh questions about the future of the rotational pool and the administration’s approach to media access during presidential travel.

    CNN confirmed its exclusion from the Tennessee trip, while the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

  • 81st UNGA: Dozens Of Delegates Walk Out As Netanyahu Addresses Assembly

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Dozens of delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly chamber on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address at the 81st UNGA in New York.

    The walkout came as Netanyahu took the podium, with several Arab and Muslim-majority countries among those whose representatives left the chamber. Colombia and South Africa were also reported among the countries whose delegates walked out.

    The protest was accompanied by jeers and boos from some people in the chamber, while members of the Israeli delegation stood and applauded Netanyahu. The session chair repeatedly called for order.

    Responding to the departing delegates, Netanyahu described them as “moral cowards” and challenged others who remained in the chamber to leave as well.

    The Palestinian delegation had earlier called on other UN missions to join the protest against Netanyahu’s appearance.

    The Israeli Prime Minister used his address to defend his government’s actions and criticise several of its international opponents, including Iran, Turkey and France, while also attacking New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

    Netanyahu accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of supporting Hamas by allowing its leaders to operate from Turkey. He also criticised countries that have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, allegations Israel rejects.

    Turning to New York, Netanyahu said many Jewish residents no longer felt safe in the city following Mamdani’s election as mayor. Mamdani has rejected Netanyahu’s accusations against him.

    Netanyahu also addressed violence involving Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, describing some of those involved as “juvenile delinquents” and saying he opposed vigilantism.

    “What they cover is a handful of young juvenile delinquents,” Netanyahu said, referring to reports of attacks involving Israeli youths.

    He said his government had taken steps against such violence, adding that he would not tolerate vigilantism.

    The Prime Minister also defended Israel’s military actions in the region, including its operations against Iran, and said Israel was facing threats on several fronts.

    He praised United States President Donald Trump for what he described as strong support for Israel and said the two countries had worked together on military operations and efforts involving hostages held in Gaza.

    Netanyahu’s appearance came amid heightened international criticism of Israel over the war in Gaza and its actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

    The speech also coincided with protests outside the UN headquarters in New York, where demonstrators called for an end to the war and US support for Israel. More than 100 people were reportedly arrested during the protests.

    The walkout marked another highly contentious appearance by Netanyahu at the UN, where several countries have increasingly criticised Israel’s policies and military operations.

    Despite the protests inside and outside the UN headquarters, Netanyahu continued his address, defending Israel’s actions and arguing that the country would continue to protect its security and interests.

  • White House Restores CNN, Politico, MS NOW Access After Court Order

    White House Restores CNN, Politico, MS NOW Access After Court Order

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The White House has restored access to CNN, Politico and MS NOW after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to lift its ban on the three news organisations.

    The outlets regained access on Thursday, hours after US District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled that their exclusion from the White House press facilities was likely unconstitutional.

    CNN, Politico and MS NOW had sought an emergency court hearing after their journalists were reportedly turned away from the White House despite the judge’s ruling.

    The hearing was later cancelled after the White House restored their press access.

    The dispute began after President Donald Trump barred the three outlets, initially accusing them of publishing what he described as “fake news.” The administration later argued that their exclusion was justified by national security concerns.

    However, in his ruling, Kelly questioned the administration’s national security justification, noting that Trump had not cited national security when the ban was first announced.

    Kelly said the outlets were likely to succeed in their argument that the administration had failed to provide adequate due process before revoking their press passes.

    The judge ordered the immediate restoration of the journalists’ access and temporarily halted enforcement of the ban for 14 days.

    The White House director of operations subsequently informed the court that the outlets’ press passes and confiscated badges had been restored by 9:45am.

    The three organisations later confirmed that their journalists had been allowed back into the White House.

    The dispute occurred as Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House ahead of a state dinner, limiting some television networks’ coverage of the engagement.

    Fox News, NBC, CBS and ABC had earlier withdrawn from White House coverage in solidarity with the affected outlets. It was not immediately clear whether the networks would resume their regular White House broadcasts following the restoration of access.

    In court filings, the US Department of Justice had argued that reports published by CNN, Politico and MS NOW posed national security concerns. Government lawyers cited stories involving missile stockpiles, construction of a White House ballroom and the recent Republican midterm convention.

    The three media organisations rejected the administration’s position and accused the Trump administration of violating their constitutional rights.

    In a joint statement, they said their legal action was aimed at defending the principle that the government should not determine what the press reports.

    More than 50 media organisations from across the political spectrum also filed a brief supporting the lawsuit, including Fox News, The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

    The dispute is not the first instance of a US administration facing criticism over restrictions on media access.

    In 2009, the Obama administration attempted to exclude Fox News from a specific press pool interview with an administration official. Following objections from other networks participating in the pool, Fox News was ultimately allowed to attend.

  • UNGA: Iran Delegation Walks Out After Trump Threatens To Annihilate Country

    UNGA: Iran Delegation Walks Out After Trump Threatens To Annihilate Country

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    Iranian delegates walked out of the United Nations General Assembly during President Donald Trump’s address on Tuesday after the US leader warned that he could “annihilate” the Islamic Republic if Tehran failed to reach an agreement with Washington.

    Trump made the remarks during a wide-ranging speech at the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, where he defended the US military campaign against Iran and maintained that Washington would not allow Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.

    About 10 minutes into Trump’s speech, most members of the Iranian delegation left the General Assembly chamber as the US President turned his attention to the conflict with Iran. One lower-level Iranian diplomat reportedly remained in the hall for the rest of the address.

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were in New York for the UN gathering but were not present in the chamber during Trump’s speech.

    Trump told world leaders that he faced a choice between reaching an agreement that would allow Iran to rebuild or destroying the Islamic Republic.

    “I have a big decision to make,” Trump said, before outlining the two options he claimed were available to his administration.

    He said he believed an agreement could eventually be reached with Tehran, suggesting that negotiations could resume after the US midterm elections.

    Trump also urged countries to increase economic pressure on Iran and linked the conflict to the Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy route.

    The US President portrayed his military campaign as necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and argued that American military action had changed the balance of power in the Middle East.

    Hours after his address, however, Trump told reporters that US and Iranian officials had held a meeting in New York that lasted about three hours. He described the talks as positive but did not disclose detailed information about the discussions.

    The reported meeting came despite the sharply confrontational tone of Trump’s remarks at the UN and represented the first confirmed direct contact between US and Iranian officials in months, according to reports.

    Trump also turned his attention to Cuba during the speech, describing its communist government as a failing state and predicting that it would eventually fall.

    “It’s an absolutely failed state — it’s failing like never before, and it will fall,” he said.

    Members of the Cuban delegation subsequently left the General Assembly chamber.

    Trump’s comments on Iran and Cuba contrasted with calls from other world leaders for greater emphasis on diplomacy and international cooperation.

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who addressed the assembly before Trump, said military force could not provide lasting solutions to the conflicts confronting the international community.

    “We all know there will be no winners on the battlefield. Diplomacy is the only option,” Lula said.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres also urged member states to strengthen international cooperation, warning that military power alone could not guarantee peace.

    Trump devoted much of his approximately 40-minute address to defending his administration’s foreign policy, including its handling of conflicts involving Iran, Gaza, Ukraine and Venezuela.

    He also claimed that the United States had played a central role in efforts to end the conflict in Gaza, while negotiations over the next phase of the war continued.

    The Gaza conflict featured prominently in other speeches at the assembly. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sharply criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza, while Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, described the situation in the Palestinian territory as “a genocide in every sense of the word.”

    Israeli delegates left the General Assembly chamber during Erdogan’s speech.

    Trump’s appearance at the UN came as the conflict with Iran continued to raise concerns over regional security, global energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

    The US President also announced a new security arrangement involving the United States, Denmark and Greenland, under which Washington is expected to expand its military presence on the island while Greenland remains under Danish sovereignty.

    The agreement followed Trump’s repeated expressions of interest in acquiring Greenland and his administration’s push for greater US strategic presence in the Arctic.

    The 81st UN General Assembly is bringing together leaders and representatives from member states to discuss conflicts, international security, economic issues, development and other global challenges.

  • Trump Bars CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House Over Reports

    Trump Bars CNN, MS NOW, Politico from White House Over Reports

    US President Donald Trump has announced an immediate ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House, accusing the three news organisations of repeatedly publishing what he described as “fiction and lies” about his administration.

    Trump announced the move in a post on Truth Social on Friday, but did not specify the reports he considered false or explain how the restriction would be implemented.

    “Media outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” he wrote.

    He also accused Politico of receiving “an illegal and ridiculous $8 million subscription” from the US government during the administration of former President Joe Biden. Politico has denied the allegation.

    Despite Trump’s announcement, journalists from the three organisations were still working at the White House on Friday.

    CNN also reported that members of its television pool team were travelling with Vice President JD Vance when Trump announced the ban.

    CNN rejected the move, saying it had a right to report from the White House without government interference.

    The network described the proposed restriction as an “illegal assault” on press freedom and said it stood behind its White House journalists and their “fair and accurate reporting.”

    “Should the ban, which President Trump threatened, go ahead, it would be an illegal assault on that fundamental and constitutionally protected right,” CNN said.

    Politico also said it would continue covering the Trump administration and defend its constitutional rights.

    The US National Press Club criticised the move, saying that excluding news organisations because of disagreement with their coverage amounted to an attempt to control which journalists could witness and report on presidential activities.

    Trump’s latest announcement follows other disputes between his administration and major US news organisations over access to the White House and other government facilities.

    In January 2025, the administration barred Associated Press journalists from parts of the White House, including the Oval Office and Air Force One. The AP subsequently sued to restore its access, with the case still in litigation.

    In April 2025, Reuters and Bloomberg News lost their permanent positions in the small press pool covering the president.

    The White House also removed a Wall Street Journal reporter from the press pool for Trump’s trip to Scotland in July following the newspaper’s reporting on Jeffrey Epstein.

    In September, the Pentagon introduced a policy requiring journalists to agree not to report certain unauthorised information or risk losing their press credentials.