terça-feira, 30 de junho de 2026
German political leaders, state officials, and labor unions have unified to fiercely oppose Volkswagen's bombshell plan to cut up to 100,000 jobs and close four domestic manufacturing plants.
German
politicians vow to stop VW’s mass layoff plans
German
political leaders, state officials, and labor unions have unified to fiercely
oppose Volkswagen's bombshell plan to cut up to 100,000 jobs and close four
domestic manufacturing plants.
The
Escalation
The conflict
erupted after internal reports revealed that Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume plans
to present a radical restructuring proposal to the company's supervisory board.
- The Scope: The plan seeks to eliminate
nearly 15% of VW’s global workforce and shutter plants in Hanover,
Zwickau, Emden, and Audi's Neckarsulm site.
- The Drivers: Volkswagen is facing
intensifying financial pressure from cheaper Chinese EV rivals, new U.S.
tariffs, and overall weak consumer demand across Europe.
- The Acceleration: This proposal doubles previous
restructuring projections from late 2024, which had capped long-term job
reductions at 50,000 and ruled out compulsory layoffs through 2030.
Political
and Labor Pushback
Volkswagen
features a unique corporate governance model where the state and labor unions
wield immense power, creating significant hurdles for corporate executive
mandates.
- Lower Saxony: The German state of Lower
Saxony holds 20% of Volkswagen’s voting rights. State Premier Olaf Lies
and Economy Minister Grant Hendrik Tonne flatly rejected the proposal,
stating that factory closures are entirely "unacceptable".
- Federal Government: Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s
coalition government stated its goal is to completely prevent the domestic
closures. A federal spokesperson noted that Berlin aims to provide
competitive "framework conditions" and economic incentives to
keep the sites profitable. However, the administration also acknowledged
that final operational decisions legally rest with the company.
- Unions and Works Council: The VW General Works Council
and Germany’s powerful industrial union, IG Metall, declared they are "ready for war"
and will use every legal mechanism at their disposal to block the cuts.
Together with Lower Saxony, labor representatives control a majority on
the supervisory board.
Broad
Economic Context
The
political panic reflects growing desperation over Germany's industrial core.
The auto sector's struggles are not isolated; major manufacturing giants like
Bosch and Mercedes-Benz have also recently announced tens of thousands of job
cuts, heightening domestic political anxieties
German politicians vow to stop VW’s mass layoff plan
German
politicians vow to stop VW’s mass layoff plan
The giant
automaker’s planned cuts are among the clearest signs yet of Germany’s
industrial decline.
June 29,
2026 8:36 pm CET
By James
Angelos and Nette Nöstlinger
https://www.politico.eu/article/volkswagen-german-politicians-vow-to-stop-vws-mass-layoff-plan/
BERLIN —
German political leaders are responding to Volkswagen's bombshell plan to slash
100,000 jobs — potentially one of the largest corporate layoffs in history —
with predictable pledges to prevent the cuts, even as Germany's economic
reality grows darker.
That sets
up a clash between VW's increasingly aggressive corporate management and the
politicians and unions that sit on the automaker's supervisory board — and who
have the power to block the plans. It's a fight that ties the survival of
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ever-more-unpopular coalition government to
Germany's increasingly bleak and potentially inescapable economic reality.
VW's push
to cut nearly one in six workers and shut down four German plants is the most
poignant sign yet of the growing desperation of Germany's manufacturing sector
and its once-vaunted car industry, which have been hit particularly hard by
competition from China and U.S President Donald Trump's tariff wars.
The plan
also shows that the problems inside Germany's largest and most iconic automaker
are even deeper than previously acknowledged — and that Chief Executive Oliver
Blume is growing more forceful in his push to restructure the company and cut
costs.
Leaders
of the parties in Merz's coalition vow to resist the plan, and because Lower
Saxony — home to VW's headquarters in the city of Wolfsburg — is the company's
second-largest voting shareholder, they have considerable power to try to stop
it.
“The
primary goal is to preserve the production sites of German manufacturers and to
safeguard jobs,” Stefan Kornelius, Merz's spokesperson, said Monday.
The news
of VW's plan to cut 100,000 jobs, first reported Friday by Germany’s Manager
Magazin and expected to be presented to VW's supervisory board in July, could
hardly have come at a worse time for Merz's weak coalition government —
consisting of the chancellor's conservatives bloc and the center-left Social
Democrats.
The
far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party — which has been hitting Merz's
coalition hard over the shedding of industrial jobs — holds a considerable lead
over the chancellor's conservatives in national polls — and is even further
ahead in two state elections set for September in AfD strongholds in the former
East Germany.
“Germany’s
industrial base is crumbling at a dramatic pace right before our eyes,” said
Alice Weidel, one of the leaders of the AfD, in a statement on Monday. “Even
long-established companies are fleeing the economic mismanagement of this
federal government.”
How far
will VW go?
Because
of VW's unique corporate structure — and its partial ownership by the state of
Lower Saxony — politicians and workers' representatives have an outsize role in
how the company is run. The state, with its large number of factory laborers,
is also one of the few remaining strongholds for the SPD, a party that has
traditionally had close ties to labor unions.
Olaf
Lies, the SPD premier of Lower Saxony, sits on the supervisory board, along
with the deputy state premier, Julia Willie Hamburg, a politician of the
center-left Greens. Both have vowed to resist VW's cost-cutting plans, and
argue that its management instead needs a better plan to recapture lost market
share.
“Our task
must be to ensure that we don’t seek solutions through simplistic measures like
‘We’ll lay off employees or close locations,’” Lies told public broadcaster ZDF
on Sunday. “We have to be competitive; we have to be technological leaders. And
we also have to be able to secure and capture markets again. And personally,
that’s what I expect from the executive board of a company like this.”
VW’s
supervisory board would need to approve the reported layoffs and factory
closures with a vote scheduled for July 9, according to the Manager Magazin
report.
But
representatives of the workers’ side and state politicians currently hold a
majority of 11 out of 19 votes on the supervisory board. It therefore appears
unlikely that the proposed plans will be approved without significant
amendments or the inclusion of additional safeguards for workers.
The
question will be how far VW's management is willing to go in confronting
politicians and trade unionists over its cost-cutting drive.
One of
the most potentially explosive elements of VW's reported plan is the possible
spin-off of at least parts of the company into a separate entity. Experts say
management may be seeking to create a corporate structure that would give it
greater freedom to decide the future of factories and jobs, without the
constraints of state ownership or trade union representation. Under the current
law regulating VW's governance model, management would need a two-thirds
supervisory board majority to close one of its western German factories.
“It would
be very radical,” Helena Wisbert, professor of automotive economics at Ostfalia
University of Applied Sciences, said of a possible spinoff attempt. Wisbert
said such a step would be extremely difficult to pull off — in great part
because the current supervisory board would have to approve a spinoff. Still,
she added, if such a step were truly under consideration, “it would really show
just how intense the pressure to cut costs is right now.”
In an
emailed statement to POLITICO sent on Friday, VW said it would "not
comment on internal, confidential documents," but added that “the entire
Group — including its brands and subsidiaries — must undergo a profound
transformation. To this end, the Group Executive Board has been working
intensively over the past few months on a strategic plan for the company’s
restructuring.”
VW's woes
became clear in 2024, when management announced a plan to close three factories
in Germany for the first time in the automaker's then 87-year history. But
after marathon negotiations at the end of that year — which labor unions hailed
as a “Christmas miracle” — factory closures were averted. Both parties agreed
that 35,000 jobs would be cut by 2030.
But as
the company's outlook soured, VW announced this March it would increase job
cuts to 50,000 by 2030 — an announcement met with relatively muted reaction.
Now, plans to cut double that amount are facing far stiffer resistance.
"As
a state, we have a clear expectation that VW management will put forward a
viable plan for the future," Grant Hendrik Tonne, the SPD economy minster
of the state of Lower Saxony, told POLITICO. "Plant closures are not a
plan for the future and are therefore unacceptable."
Romanus
Otte contributed reporting.
EU 'FURIOUS' as 'panicked' Spain BEGS for help as '1 million' migrants to arrive after amnesty
.jpeg)
EU
'FURIOUS' as 'panicked' Spain BEGS for help as '1 million' migrants to arrive
after amnesty
In
January 2026, Spain approved a royal decree to regularize undocumented migrants
already living and working in the country. This measure has sparked intense
debate within the European Union and internally within Spain.
The
"Amnesty" and the 1 Million Figure
Government
Estimate: The Spanish government officially estimates that roughly 500,000
undocumented migrants will receive legal status through this regularisation
process.
Internal
Leak: A leaked confidential report from Spain's National Centre for Immigration
and Borders (CNIF) suggests the number of eligible individuals could actually
be between 1 million and 1.35 million.
Eligibility:
To qualify, individuals must have been in Spain for at least five months before
December 31, 2025, and possess a clean criminal record. Applications are
expected to open in April 2026.
EU and
International Reaction
European
Union Debate: The European Parliament held a debate on February 11, 2026,
regarding the plan's implications for the Schengen area and overall EU
migration rules. While the European Commission acknowledges that regularization
is a national responsibility, it has cautioned Spain to ensure the move does
not compromise security or the integrity of the Schengen zone.
Contrasting
Policies: Spain’s approach stands in sharp contrast to other EU member states
that are currently tightening border controls or proposing offshore processing
centers—a policy Spain officially opposes.
Domestic
"Panic" and Criticism
Administrative
Strain: Police unions in Spain have warned of a possible "collapse"
in their ability to process such a high volume of applications.
Political
Backlash: The conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox have
criticized the move, claiming it will create a "pull effect" that
encourages further irregular migration and "overwhelms" public
services.
One million migrants in Spain apply to regularise status in new scheme
One
million migrants in Spain apply to regularise status in new scheme
Programme
offering a one-year residence and work permit attracts double expected number
of applicants
Sam Jones
in Madrid
Tue 30
Jun 2026 13.43 BST
More than
1 million undocumented migrants and asylum seekers have applied to regularise
their status in Spain under a government programme to harness and defend the
benefits of immigration at a time when most European countries are pulling up
the drawbridge.
Although
the massive regularisation initiative, announced by the socialist-led
government in January, was originally intended to benefit about 500,000 people,
it had attracted more than twice that number of applicants by the time the
registration period ended on Tuesday.
The
scheme offers a residence and work permit, initially valid for one year, to
applicants who can prove that they do not have a criminal record and that they
had lived in Spain for at least five months – or had sought international
protection – before 31 December 2025.
Speaking
in Madrid on Tuesday, Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said the huge
take-up of the programme revealed how sorely it was needed. “The fact that more
than 1 million people submitted applications shows just how necessary this
recognition of rights and responsibilities was,” he said.
Sánchez
said Spain needed immigration to grow economically, to tackle its demographic
crisis and to finance its welfare state.
“Without
immigration, Spain’s GDP would be 19% lower in 2050,” he said. “And what does
that mean in business terms? It means, for example, that 90,000 bars would have
to close, that 50,000 primary and secondary classrooms would find themselves
without students, and that around 220,000 farms would disappear.”
He added
that without immigration, Spain would be “poorer, emptier, weaker and without
the resources to fund its welfare state”.
Although
similar extraordinary regularisation programmes have been introduced by
previous socialist and conservative governments in Spain, the latest scheme has
been fiercely criticised by the rightwing People’s party (PP) and the far-right
Vox party.
The PP
has suggested the move will overwhelm Spain’s public services, while Vox has
claimed that Sánchez is trying to bring about “the demographic, social, labour
and electoral transformation of Spain”.
The PP
regional governments of Valencia and Aragón have lodged appeals against the
regularisation programme. On Tuesday, the court said it was considering asking
the European court of justice whether aspects of the Spanish government’s
regularisation decree could be at odds with EU law.
Alberto
Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the PP, has also taken issue with the government’s
decision to introduce a democratic memory law four years ago that offered
Spanish citizenship to the descendants of Spaniards who were forced into exile
during the Spanish civil war and the subsequent Franco dictatorship. More than
2.4 million people applied for citizenship under the law and more than 544,000
people have already been approved.
In a
radio interview on Monday, Feijóo accused Sánchez of engaging in “electoral
engineering” in the hope of securing more socialist voters.
“What’s
behind this [the descent law] is an obvious interest in getting new voters,” he
told Es Radio. “Seeing as the current voters aren’t working out, let’s see if
manufacturing [new] voters pans out.”
The
government dismissed Feijóo’s accusations, saying they reeked of desperation.
“I find
them incredibly irresponsible,” said Elma Saiz, Spain’s minister for inclusion,
social security and migration. “They demonstrate the desperation and
frustration of someone who has no political project for our country and who
already seems to sense an electoral defeat.”
Sánchez
has been a staunch and sustained defender of the need for migration at a time
when other European leaders have adopted the language of the far right in an
effort to convince voters they are also taking immigration seriously.
Addressing
parliament in October 2024, Sánchez said the country was at a demographic
crossroads and needed migration to grow its economy and maintain its welfare
state.
“Throughout
history, migration has been one of the great drivers of the development of
nations while hatred and xenophobia have been – and continue to be – the
greatest destroyer of nations,” he said. “The key is in managing it well.”
On
Tuesday, Sánchez unveiled a €500m (£431m) “integration and citizenship” plan to
help manage the flow of migrants and ensure they are well integrated. “Spanish
society must guarantee equal treatment, combat discrimination, and offer
opportunities,” he said. “And those who arrive must respect our laws, learn our
official languages, and share the democratic values that define us.”
Morocco fans overjoyed in cities after beating Oranje; Fireworks thrown at Hague police
Tuesday,
30 June 2026 - 07:30
Morocco
fans overjoyed in cities after beating Oranje; Fireworks thrown at Hague police
Fans of
Morocco’s football team took to the streets in many Dutch cities after
defeating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout in the World Cup. The
atmosphere was largely celebratory, though in some places the gatherings ended
quickly after police intervened. In The Hague, riot police began breaking up
crowds and making arrests after fireworks were thrown at officers.
The match
was held in Mexico, and started at 3 a.m. for football fans in the Netherlands,
with many staying up to see Cody Gakpo's goal to put Oranje in front in the
second half, followed by Issa Diop's 90th minute strike to send the match into
extra time. Morocco took the victory on penalties, sending fans out into the
streets in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and around the country.
Supporters
honked their horns to celebrate Morocco's win in the Utrecht neighborhoods of
Overvecht, Lombok, and Kanaleneiland. Similar sounds were heard from Amsterdam
Nieuw-West through Amsterdam-Oost even two hours after the match ended just
before 6 a.m.
In The
Hague’s Schilderswijk district, hundreds of Morocco supporters gathered on the
Vaillantlaan after the match. They set off fireworks, waved Moroccan flags, and
drove through the area while honking car horns, according to reporters at the
scene. People danced and embraced as they celebrated.
Many
supporters watched the match in cafes in Schilderswijk or on outdoor screens,
including near the nearby Marktweg. The street is traditionally decorated
during Dutch national team tournaments. Celebrations of Morocco’s victories in
Schilderswijk have become a recurring tradition. In previous years, they have
also led to unrest and confrontations with police.
Police
had already maintained a heavy presence in Schilderswijk during the match.
Mounted officers patrolled the area. Bicycle officers were stationed at
intersections along the Vaillantlaan. Police vans were placed across the
neighborhood and riot police units were also on standby near a police station.
The
atmosphere shifted around 6:30 a.m. Fireworks, rocks, and at least one football
were thrown toward police officers, and riot police moved in shortly afterward.
Officers used a water cannon to disperse the crowd on the Vaillantlaan, a main
road through the neighborhood. At least one person was arrested.
The bars
in Amsterdam's Rembrandtplein, and the square itself, cleared out awfully fast,
according to AT5. But in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, hundreds of supporters gathered
on and around Plein '40-'45. Fireworks were set off. Cars drove through the
area with horns blasting.
Some
supporters displayed Moroccan flags from car windows. Many had watched the
match on outdoor screens or in nearby cafes. Shortly after 6:00 a.m., smoke
bombs were also set off. Around that time, an estimated several hundred people
had gathered at an intersection near the square. Police directed traffic
through the area as celebrations continued.
In
Amersfoort, supporters gathered on the Van Randwijcklaan near the De Stier
roundabout, a regular post-match gathering point where disturbances have
occurred before. Police closed the roundabout with police vans. Cars drove
through the area honking their horns, and fireworks were set off. Officers
monitored the situation from a distance
Dangerously high temperatures forecast to return to western Europe next week
Europe
Dangerously
high temperatures forecast to return to western Europe next week
Parts of
central, eastern and southern Europe are sweltering this week with Budapest
forecast to exceed 40 degrees today
Aleksandar
Vasovic
Gavin
Jones
Tue Jun
30 2026 - 10:54
Temperatures
are forecast to soar across much of western Europe early next week, just days
after a record-breaking heatwave caused hundreds of excess deaths and disrupted
daily life across the Continent.
Luca
Mercalli, the president of Italy’s Meteorological Society, said temperatures
are set to rise again in western Europe from July 5th-6th.
“The
areas affected look broadly the same as in the first wave, including France,
Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and to some extent Britain,” he said.
“With the
extreme heat the risk of forest fires increases, but we are also seeing a lot
of rainstorms, which obviously mitigates that risk,” he added, noting that
storms were very localised so rainfall amounts could vary greatly.
The
heatwave scorching Europe, the most severe and widespread ever, is only
possible due to the climate crisis driven by fossil fuel burning, scientists
have said.
[
France’s hottest day: ‘We had 44 degrees. I have a photo of the
thermometer’Opens in new window ]
Meanwhile,
parts of central, eastern and southern Europe are sweltering this week as the
“heat dome” behind last week’s record-breaking temperatures shifts east.
Budapest
is forecast to exceed 40 degrees on Tuesday, according to models from the
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
Belgrade
and Bucharest reached 38 and 37 degrees, respectively, on Monday as the
heatwave, which has been linked to hundreds of deaths in western Europe, moved
east.
Slovakia
set a new temperature record, reaching 40.5 degrees in a southern border town,
beating a previous record of 40.3 degrees set in 2007.
“The two
hardest days of the heatwave are coming. Let’s show that we are capable of
complete national unity. Let’s look out for each other,” Hungary’s prime
minister, Péter Magyar, wrote on X on Monday.
Hungarian
authorities published a list of more than 2,000 air-conditioned cooling centres
across the country for people unable to find relief from the heat in their
homes.
Hungary’s
energy minister granted a temporary exemption for a nuclear
power plant from cooling-water temperature rules to prevent another steep cut in power output amid the
heatwave, the plant’s
operator said.
Red
warnings for extreme heat have been issued across Hungary, Poland, Romania,
Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with authorities urging
people to stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day.
Germany
recorded its highest temperature for a third consecutive day on Sunday, with
preliminary data from the DWD weather service showing 41.7 degrees in Coschen,
Brandenburg. The extreme heat disrupted transport in several cities after tram
tracks buckled, while Berlin police deployed water cannon to cool crowds
gathering in public spaces.
In
Croatia, the weather service issued a red alert on Monday for regions including
the capital, Zagreb, and the tourist destinations of Split and Dubrovnik.
In Italy,
22 cities from Bolzano in the north to Palermo on the southern island of Sicily
were covered on Monday by a red heat warning.
Pilgrims
at the Vatican used fans to cool themselves and sheltered under umbrellas for shade as Pope Leo
delivered his Angelus message from a balcony to the crowd below on the Feast of
Saints Peter and Paul, a holiday in the city of Rome.
Further
south, Albania contained a wildfire that has consumed many hectares of bushes
and olive trees near the southern village of Klos over the weekend.
The
heatwave, which began on June 20th, set records for early summer and the
blistering conditions disrupted power generation, damaged infrastructure and
overwhelmed healthcare systems.
France
has reported 1,000 excess deaths blamed on the heatwave. The French public health agency said most of the heat-related fatalities
involved older people and warned the number was expected to rise.
French
media reported that funeral homes in Paris and the surrounding area were
overwhelmed by the number of bodies they had to deal with.
The
heatwave would have been “virtually impossible” without human-caused climate
change, which has made this week’s soaring night-time temperatures 100 times
more likely than they would have been just two decades ago, according to
scientists.
Daniele
Mocio, a meteorologist with the Italian Air Force, said the heatwave was
expected to persist for a few more days in central and eastern Europe, with
temperatures running 8-10 degrees above average.
Further
tragedies related to the heat were reported at the weekend.
Two boys
aged 8 and 10 from Bulgaria were found dead in a hot car in Cyprus on Sunday
afternoon, police said. Cyprus is experiencing temperatures of around 38
degrees, which is not classified as a heatwave on the east Mediterranean
island for the time of year.
Elsewhere,
two cyclists, aged 30 and 71, died while taking part in an event in the Poland Bike
Marathon series in Marki near Warsaw on Sunday. – Reuters/Guardian
Yes, meteorologists forecast that another extreme heatwave will return to Western Europe starting this weekend, around July 5, 2026.
Heatwave
coming back to western Europe?
Yes,
meteorologists forecast that another extreme heatwave will return to Western
Europe starting this weekend, around July 5, 2026.
While the
intense "heat dome" that broke all-time records last week has
temporarily shifted east into Central and Eastern Europe, weather models
indicate a rapid return of dangerously high temperatures.
Expected
Timing and Affected Areas
- The Return Date: Temperatures are projected to
spike again starting Sunday, July 5, 2026.
- Regions Impacted: The upcoming secondary wave
will target the same primary zones hit by the June crisis: France,
Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and parts of the United Kingdom.
- Interim Relief: For the next few days (early
July), Western Europe will experience a brief respite with more average
summer temperatures while the current high-pressure system pummels
countries like Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia.
What is
Driving the Heat?
The extreme
weather is being caused by a persistent atmospheric pattern known as an Omega
block. This pattern distorts the jet stream, locking a massive ridge of
high pressure (a heat dome) over the continent while trapping hot air moving up
from North Africa.
Climate
scientists from groups like World Weather Attribution (WWA) note that the
baseline frequency of these events has accelerated dramatically, making severe,
back-to-back heatwaves the new normal for the European summer.
Summary
of Last Week's Record-Breaking Wave
To
contextualize the danger of the incoming system, the June 2026 wave that just
passed was labeled the most severe ever recorded for that time of year
in Europe:
- France: Hit an all-time record national
average temperature of 30°C on June 24, with local peaks reaching 44.3°C
in the southwest.
- United Kingdom: Broke June temperature records
for three consecutive days, peaking provisionally at 36.4°C.
- Infrastructure & Health: The previous week's heat
resulted in over 1,300 excess deaths continent-wide, caused severe train
cancellations due to buckling tracks, and forced French nuclear plants to
curb power output.
Local
authorities across France, Spain, and Germany are advising residents and
travelers to check regional meteorological updates and prepare cooling
strategies ahead of the weekend
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin clarified the Trump administration's stance on deporting Haitian immigrants, emphasizing that the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will proceed as planned.
Trump DHS Chief BACKTRACKS on Haitians and TPS
Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin clarified the Trump
administration's stance on deporting Haitian immigrants, emphasizing that the
end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will proceed as planned. While a televised appearance briefly
led to confusion, Mullin and the administration have doubled down on their
efforts to end the program following a major legal victory at the Supreme
Court.
The
Confusion and "Backtrack" Clarification
The
perception that the DHS chief backtracked stems from an interview on CNN's State of the Union.
- The Interview: Secretary Mullin was pressed
heavily regarding the severe gang violence and safety issues in Haiti.
Initial statements during the broadcast left some viewers with the
impression that the administration might allow affected Haitians to stay
in the United States.
- The Clarification: On Sunday night, Mullin issued
a firm clarification. He reaffirmed that the administration is not
backing down from its plans to terminate TPS and enforce deportations.
The
Supreme Court Ruling
The
administrative push follows a major 6-3 Supreme Court ruling.
- Broad Executive Discretion: The high court concluded that
federal judges have little-to-no authority to review or block executive
decisions regarding the termination of TPS.
- Overturning Restrictions: This ruling essentially
dismantled lower-court injunctions that had previously prevented the
administration from ending the legal protections.
Next
Steps for Haitian TPS Holders
Mullin
stated that the administration views TPS as a strictly "temporary"
program that was never intended to serve as permanent residency.
- Deportation Flights: Despite limited commercial
travel into Port-au-Prince due to safety concerns, Mullin noted that DHS
will use targeted non-commercial deportation flights to return
individuals to Haiti.
- Departure Assistance: The administration plans to
offer travel assistance and a $2,100 stipend for affected
individuals who choose to repatriate voluntarily.
- Alternative Statuses: Officials noted that
beneficiaries have had years to apply for alternative options, such as
standard work visas or Legal Permanent Residency (LPR).
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship, delivering a major defeat to his administration's immigration agenda.
.jpeg)
MAJOR Trump
LOSS as Supreme Court REJECTS his bid to end birthright citizenship
The U.S.
Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump's executive order attempting
to end birthright citizenship, delivering a major defeat to his administration's
immigration agenda. In a 6-3 decision issued on June 30, 2026, the high
court upheld the 150-year-old precedent that guarantees automatic citizenship
to nearly all children born on U.S. soil.
Key
Details of the Ruling
- The Vote Breakdown: The conservative-majority court
split 6-3. Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion. Five
justices ruled that the order violated the 14th Amendment. Justice
Brett Kavanaugh concurred with the outcome but argued the policy violated
federal statutory law rather than the Constitution.
- The Dissent: Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil
Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito dissented from the majority.
- The Blocked Policy: Trump signed the executive
order on January 20, 2025, his first day in office. It directed federal
agencies to deny automatic citizenship to babies born in the U.S. unless
at least one parent was a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. [1, 2,
3]
- The Impact: According to research from the
Migration Policy Institute cited by PBS NewsHour, the order would have stripped
citizenship from roughly 250,000 babies born each year.
Constitutional
Context
Chief
Justice Roberts wrote that children born to parents unlawfully or temporarily
present in the U.S. are still "subject to the jurisdiction" of the
United States under the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. The
ruling heavily reinforced the landmark 1898 Wong Kim Ark precedent,
which originally cemented birthright citizenship for children of foreign
nationals.
Trump's
Response
Trump, who
made history by attending the oral arguments in person in April 2026, reacted
on Truth Social by calling the ruling "too bad for our country". He
claimed that a constitutional amendment is not necessary and urged Congress to
pass a federal statute to end the practice. However, legal scholars note that
changing this standard would realistically require a two-thirds majority in
Congress to amend the Constitution, making legislative paths highly unlikely
segunda-feira, 29 de junho de 2026
Regina: A New History of Women and Power English edition by Kate Williams
Regina: A
New History of Women and Power
English
edition by Kate Williams (Author) Format: Hardcover
In this
new book, celebrated historian Kate Williams leads us into the world of queens,
empresses, princesses, mistresses and ladies-in-waiting, as she unveils their
hidden stories and remarkable achievements in this enthralling historical
journey.
From the
ancient civilisations of Egypt and Mesopotamia to the opulent courts of
medieval Europe, this book delves deep into the lives of royal women, lifting
the veil on both their trials and triumphs as they navigate political intrigue,
family rivalries and personal sacrifices. From Hatshepsut and Cleopatra,
through Tudor queens Catherine of Aragon and Lady Jane Grey, via Queen
Victoria''s contemporaries Yaa Asentewaa of Ghana and Queen Lilioukulani of
Hawaii and right up to Princess Diana, this is an inspiring celebration of the
oft-overlooked women who played pivotal roles in shaping history, and can teach
us much about the place of royal women in society today.
Paul Burrell served as Princess Diana’s butler and trusted confidant for ten years until her death. Dubbing himself her "rock," he became a central figure in royal media due to his books and public claims about her personal life, though his ongoing revelations have frequently sparked controversy and polarized public opinion.
.jpeg)
Paul Burrell
served as Princess Diana’s butler and trusted confidant for ten years until her
death. Dubbing himself her "rock," he became a central figure in
royal media due to his books and public claims about her personal life, though
his ongoing revelations have frequently sparked controversy and polarized
public opinion.
The Royal
Insider's Access
Beginning
his royal service at just 18 years old, Burrell quickly moved up the ranks to
become the Queen’s personal footman before transferring to Princess Diana's
household at Highgrove House in 1987.
- The Confidant: He became deeply integrated
into Diana's inner circle, frequently assisting her with personal matters
during periods when she felt isolated.
- The Aftermath: Following her tragic death,
Burrell was left $50,000 in her final will. He later cemented his status
as the "keeper of her secrets" by publishing several
best-selling tell-all memoirs.
Controversy
and the Inquest
Burrell’s
relationship with Diana's memory has been fraught with legal and ethical
challenges.
- Legal Battles: In 2002, he was put on trial
for allegedly stealing hundreds of the Princess's personal items. The
trial collapsed dramatically after it was revealed he had informed the
Queen he was holding the items for safekeeping.
- The Inquest: During the 2008 Diana inquest,
Burrell's credibility was heavily scrutinized after it was discovered he
had secretly copied private letters and admitted on tape to throwing in
"red herrings".
Public
Perception and Recent Claims
Public and
royal perception of Burrell is highly polarized, with many perceiving his
continuous monetizing of Diana's memory as opportunistic.
- Public Consensus: Many followers of the royals
view him critically, frequently expressing sentiments on platforms like Reddit Royals Gossip that he reworks known public
domain information into "new" claims.
- New Revelations: Decades later, Burrell
continues to make television appearances and release memoirs—partly driven
by his public disputes with Prince Harry regarding the handling of Diana's
estate
Recent scandals have deeply shattered the historically beloved and accessible image of Norway's monarchy.
Recent
scandals have deeply shattered the historically beloved and accessible image of
Norway's monarchy. The institution is facing a historic crisis of confidence,
largely driven by criminal trials and troubling historical revelations that
have sparked intense public debate about the family's future.
The
Double Crisis
- The Marius Borg Høiby Trial: Marius Borg Høiby (the son of
Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship) is facing trial
on 38 severe criminal charges. These allegations include multiple counts
of rape against unconscious or intoxicated women, as well as assault,
threats, and drug-related offenses.
- Jeffrey Epstein Connections: Crown Princess Mette-Marit is
facing intense scrutiny over recently released email exchanges from 2011
to 2014 with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. While she has
publicly apologized and stated she was deceived, the revelations have
severely damaged public trust, with polls showing a majority of Norwegians
believe she should not become queen.
Institutional
Fallout
- Health and Transition Struggles: The crisis is compounded by the
declining health of Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is on a waiting list
for a lung transplant due to chronic pulmonary fibrosis.
- Public Sentiment: While the Norwegian parliament
recently rejected a bill to abolish the royal family, the double scandal
has stripped the monarchy of its "humble fairytale" veneer. The
fallout has sparked broader national soul-searching and an independent
inquiry into Epstein's political ties within the country
.jpeg)
