Headline

Biden Slams Supreme Court Decision On Race-based College Admissions

Published

2 years ago

June 29, 2023

US President Joe Biden on Thursday expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action in college admissions, insisting the country “cannot let this decision be the last word.”

“While the court can render a decision, it cannot change what America stands for,” he said from the White House.

The court’s ruling in a pair of cases involving the admissions practices of Harvard College and the University of North Carolina fell along ideological lines, with the conservative majority finding that the use of race as a factor in accepting students violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

CBS News reported that Biden said he “strongly, strongly” disagrees with the court’s decision.

“For 45 years, the United States Supreme Court has recognized colleges’ freedom to decide how to build diverse student bodies and to meet their responsibility of opening doors of opportunity for every single American,” the president said.

“In case after case … the court has affirmed and reaffirmed this view — that colleges could use race, not as a determining factor for admission, but as one of the factors among many in deciding who to admit from an already qualified pool of applicants. Today, the court once again walked away from decades of precedent, as the dissent has made clear.”

Biden has long expressed support for affirmative action, and his administration urged the Supreme Court to decline to hear Harvard’s case. He urged schools to continue prioritising diversity and laid out “guidance” for how the nation’s colleges and universities should navigate the new legal landscape.

“They should not abandon their commitment to ensure student bodies of diverse backgrounds and experience that reflect all of America,” Biden said. “What I propose for consideration is a new standard, where colleges take into account the adversity a student has overcome when selecting among qualified applicants. Let’s be clear, under this new standard, just as was true under the earlier standard, students first have to be qualified applicants.”

This new “adversity” standard, Biden noted, would comply with Chief Justice John Roberts’ majority opinion.

“[The students] need the GPA and test scores to meet the school’s standards,” the president said. “Once that test is met, then adversity should be considered, including students’ lack of financial means, because we know too few students of low-income families, whether in big cities or rural communities, are getting an opportunity to go to college.”

Biden said he is also directing the Department of Education to review what practices help build more inclusive student bodies, and which practices work against that goal.

“Practices like legacy admissions and other systems expand privilege instead of opportunity,” he said.

Biden said he knows Thursday’s court decision “is a severe disappointment to so many people, including me.”

“But we cannot let the decision be a permanent setback for the country,” he concluded.

As he was leaving, a reporter asked the president whether he thinks the court is a “rogue court.”

“This is not a normal court,” he replied.

Headline

Taliban Attacks Kill 23 In Northwestern Pakistan

Published

18 minutes ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Pakistani Taliban on Saturday claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in several northwestern districts that killed 20 security officials and three civilians.

The attacks, which included a suicide bombing on a police training school, were carried out on Friday in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

Militancy has surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the withdrawal of US-led troops from neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021 and the return of the Taliban government in Kabul.

Eleven paramilitary troops were killed in the border Khyber district, while seven policemen were killed after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the gate of a police training school, which was followed by a gun attack.

Five people, including three civilians, were killed in a separate clash in Bajaur district, security officials told AFP on Saturday.

The Pakistani Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attacks in messages on social media. The group is separate from but closely linked with the Afghan Taliban.

The attacks came hours after Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of “violating Kabul’s sovereign territory”, a day after two explosions were heard in the capital.

Pakistan did not say if it was behind the blasts in Kabul, but said it had the right to defend itself against surging border militancy.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel militants using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, an accusation that authorities in Kabul deny.

The TTP and its affiliates are behind most of the violence — largely directed at security forces.

Including Friday’s attacks, at least 32 Pakistani troops and three civilians have been killed this week alone in the border regions.

AFP

Headline

US Threatens To Sanction Countries That Vote For Shipping Carbon Tax

Published

25 minutes ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The United States on Friday threatened to impose sanctions and take other punitive action against any country that votes in favor of a carbon tax on maritime transportation to be implemented through a UN agency.

“We will fight hard to protect our economic interests by imposing costs on countries if they support” the Net Zero Framework, said a joint statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts at the departments of energy and transportation.

Members of the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) are set to vote next week on the adoption of the Net Zero Framework (NZF) agreement aimed at reducing global carbon emissions from the shipping sector.

Washington, however, described the proposal as imposing “a global carbon tax on the world.”

Since returning to power in January, US President Donald Trump has reversed Washington’s course on climate change, denouncing it as a “scam” and encouraging fossil fuel use by deregulation.

In the statement, Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Trump administration “unequivocally rejects” the NZF proposal.

They threatened a range of punishing actions against countries that vote in favor of the framework, including: visa restrictions; blocking vessels registered in those countries from US ports; imposing commercial penalties; and considering sanctions on officials.

“The United States will be moving to levy these remedies against nations that sponsor this European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations,” the statement said.

Headline

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries In The World In 2025 And Why

Published

51 minutes ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Power in the global arena is no longer measured by military strength alone; for powerful countries, it encompasses economic resilience, political influence, technological advancement, cultural impact, and the ability to shape international alliances.

A new ranking by US News, developed in partnership with the BAV Group (a division of WPP) and Professor David Reibstein from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, highlights the countries that command the greatest global influence in 2025.

How the Rankings Were Compiled
The Power Sub-Ranking by US News was determined based on an equally weighted average of five key attributes that signify a country’s global might:

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries in the World (2025)

United States – With a GDP of $30.34 trillion and a population of about 347 million, the U.S. remains the world’s most powerful nation, driven by its unmatched military, technological innovation, and global leadership.

China – The Asian powerhouse holds the second spot with a $19.53 trillion GDP and 1.415 billion people, maintaining significant influence in global trade, manufacturing, and diplomacy.

Russia – Despite economic challenges, Russia retains its strategic importance and military dominance, with a GDP of $2.2 trillion and a population of 143.8 million.

United Kingdom – The UK’s global clout stems from its strong economy ($3.73 trillion GDP) and active role in international politics and defense alliances.

Germany – As Europe’s largest economy, Germany boasts a GDP of $4.92 trillion and a population of 83.9 million, solidifying its leadership in technology, industry, and diplomacy.

South Korea – With a $1.95 trillion GDP and a population of 51.6 million, South Korea’s rise reflects its technological innovation and growing military strength.

France – A key European player with a $3.28 trillion GDP, France continues to wield influence through its diplomatic reach, defense capabilities, and global culture.

Japan – Boasting a $4.39 trillion GDP and 123.7 million people, Japan remains a technological and economic force in Asia.

Saudi Arabia – The kingdom’s $1.14 trillion economy and control over global energy markets reinforce its growing geopolitical importance.

Israel – With a $550.91 billion GDP and a population of 9.38 million, Israel earns its place among the top 10 thanks to its advanced military and leadership in innovation and technology.