Skip next section Judge orders Georgetown scholar released
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Judge orders Georgetown scholar released
A federal judge in Virginia ordered the immediate release of Georgetown academic Badar Khan Suri from ICE detention.
Masked, plain-clothed officers arrested the scholar from India on the evening of March 17 outside his apartment complex in Arlington, Virginia.
Immigration authorities accused him of having ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, but no evidence was provided to support their claims.
He has since been held at the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas.
His attorneys had filed a petition against the Trump administration for wrongful arrest and detention in violation of the First Amendment and other constitutional rights.
US District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles in Alexandria said she was releasing him while he awaits the outcome of his petition because she felt that Khan Suri had substantial constitutional claims against the Trump administration.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uOc3
Skip next section US reportedly halts G20 engagement after Trump’s South Africa remarks
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
US reportedly halts G20 engagement after Trump’s South Africa remarks
The Washington Post reports that the White House National Security Council has directed United States agencies and departments to suspend participation in this year’s conference in .
On Monday, Donald Trump falsely claimed that South Africa was carrying out a “genocide” against white citizens and stated he would not attend the G20 leaders’ meeting in Johannesburg unless the “situation is taken care of.”
A small group of whom Trump believes have suffered under racist policies, also arrived in the US earlier this week.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said the group had ostensibly left the country because they opposed policies aimed at addressing racial inequality that has persisted since the end of apartheid, or white minority rule, three decades ago.
“We think that the American government has got the wrong end of the stick here, but we’ll continue talking to them,” he said.
South Africa is the first . Although Trump has repeatedly said he would boycott the summit later this year, U.S. officials had been participating in preparatory meetings until now.
The G20 is composed of 19 countries with the world’s largest economies, along with the and the European Union (EU).
https://p.dw.com/p/4uOMk
Skip next section Qatar sign Boeing deal worth $200 billion
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Qatar sign Boeing deal worth $200 billion
signed a deal to purchase 160 airplanes from US company Boeing worth $200 billion (€178 billion).
The deal was announced while was visiting the Gulf country. The US president and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani witnessed the deal’s signing ceremony in Doha.
Trump said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who signed the deal with Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, told him “it’s the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing, that’s good.”
It’s unclear which Boeing models are included in the deal.
Qatar is Donald Trump’s second stop in the Gulf after visiting Saudi Arabia, with a visit to the United Arab Emirates also being planned.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uNse
Skip next section Trump to ‘possibly’ attend Ukraine-Russia talks
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump to ‘possibly’ attend Ukraine-Russia talks
US President said he might attend the peace talks between in Turkey
Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, Trump said President would like him to attend the talks in person.
“I know he would like me to be there, and that’s a possibility.”
Trump is scheduled to visit the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, the last stop of his tour through the Gulf states, but the US leader said he could travel to Turkey anyway.
“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t do it to save a lot of lives,” Trump said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uNXw
Skip next section Trump arrives in Qatar
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump arrives in Qatar
US President Donald Trump has arrived in the capital, Doha, on his second stop during his Gulf tour.
He was met at the airport by Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who gave him a red-carpet welcome.
Trump’s visit comes amid some controversy at home over Qatar’s offer of a $400 million (€356 million) luxury Boeing jumbo jet to serve as a new Air Force One and then pass into his personal use.
and that it will be donated to his presidential library after his term ends, thus skirting constitutional rules on presents for US presidents.
Former US presidents typically have a library containing an archive of their documents and a publicly accessible museum housing items related to their term in office.
Critics from the Democratic Party have, however, said accepting the plane, described by media outlet ABC as a “flying palace,” would be “wildly illegal,” and even some Trump allies have balked at the idea.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMq2
Skip next section Trump calls on Iran to stop backing proxy groups as part of nuclear deal
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump calls on Iran to stop backing proxy groups as part of nuclear deal
US President told Gulf leaders on Wednesday that Tehran must stop supporting proxy groups in the Middle East as part of a .
Although he said he urgently wants “to make a deal” with , the country first had to “stop sponsoring terror, halt its bloody proxy wars and permanently and verifiably cease pursuit of nuclear weapons.”
He also called on other nations to join the US “in fully and totally enforcing the sanctions that I just placed on Iran” while no deal is in place.
Trump made his remarks at a Riyadh meeting of leaders from the Gulf Cooperation Council hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Washington and Tehran have since early last month, with Trump warning, however, that time for a deal is running out.
Iran supports a number of proxy groups, including in , in and the in .
In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called Trump’s remarks “deceitful” but gave no direct response to the call to cease support of proxy groups.
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMdJ
Skip next section Trump meets new Syrian leader, urges ties with Israel
05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Trump meets new Syrian leader, urges ties with Israel
US President Donald Trump has met with Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, saying that the encounter was urged by Saudi Crown Prince Mohanmmed bin Salman and Turkish President .
The meeting, which came a day after Trump announced he was lifting US sanctions on , is the first such one in 25 years and represents a major turn of events for the Middle Eastern country after years of international exclusion and internal repression while under the rule of former dictator .
According to the White House, Trump asked the Syrian leader to normalize ties with Israel by joining the so-called Abraham Accords signed by some Gulf Arab states and to deport Palestinian militants. He also reportedly requested that the new Syrian authorities take control of camps holding captured fighters, which are currently run by Kurdish guerrillas opposed by Ankara.
Al-Sharaa became Syria’s interim leader after leading rebels in a December uprising that toppled autocrat Assad’s government.
He was once imprisoned for years in Iraq for his role in the insurgency following the 2003 US-led invasion of that country, having joined the ranks of al-Qaeda rebels under his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Golani. He broke his ties with the terrorist group in 2016.
The lifting of the sanctions on Syria was opposed by Israeli Prime Minister , according to Israeli officials speaking to The Associated Press.
Israel fears that Syria under its and leader with an Islamist past could pose a threat on its northern border.
For his part, Trump has said that lifting the sanctions would “give them [Syrians] a chance at greatness.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4uMGG
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage05/14/2025May 14, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
US President kicked off a four-day Middle East tour on Tuesday with a first stop in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
There, he signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, securing billions in investment.
In a major turnaround of US policy, he also announced that imposed on over its repression of civilians during the country’s civil war from 2011 onward under the rule of former dictator .
On Wednesday, he then met with Syria’s interim leader, former insurgent Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once imprisoned by US forces in Iraq.
DW brings you running coverage of Trump’s tour, which is also to take him to and the but not , raising fears there of .
https://p.dw.com/p/4uLzr
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