Depending on who you ask, the most recent round of legal arguments against Donald Trump's travel ban has either been a success for the administration or a failure. As always with questions of law, it hasn't really been either.
This week, after several attempts by Mr Trump and legal challenges, the United States Supreme Court finally approved a partial ban on citizens from six Muslim-majority countries entering the United States for 90 days, pending a final agreement on the technicalities of the order in autumn. That allowed parts of the revised order to go ahead and be implemented yesterday, before the Court considers the full case later this year.
To understand what has changed, what it means and who will be affected, it is important to start with the original order, issued by Mr Trump days after taking office. That order barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days. It also stopped refugees from those countries who had been accepted.
There was, naturally, enormous uncertainty about who was affected, resulting in heart-breaking stories of people denied entry at ports around the US, or before they boarded planes in other countries. The new order removes some uncertainty – it will not affect anyone with a valid visa or green card, nor dual nationals.
The countries under the ban are Libya, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Iran – Iraq has been removed from the list. Visas that have already been approved won't retroactively be revoked.
But a new caveat has been introduced, that of a "bona fide" connection. The court has explained that those who have a close family relationship, or a relationship with an institution (university, company, etc), or have a job offer or university place, would all be exempted from the ban. That said, it remains to be seen in the coming days how consular and border officials interpret and apply guidelines sent out on Wednesday.
The exemptions, nevertheless, should mean that thousands fewer will be affected by the executive order, but that parts of it will stand, allowing both sides to claim victory.
Still, there will almost certainly be court cases to decide what constitutes a "bona fide" relationship. While acceptable family ties are clear – parents, spouse and children, for example, but not grandparents, grandchildren and aunts and uncles – less clear are business links. For instance, would a business trip to a potential client be considered bona fide or could it be seen as only for the purpose of avoiding the rules?
But for all that, the ban may yet be struck down. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the legality of the new order in the autumn. Which means that nationals of affected countries, as well as lawyers for groups concerned by the ban, will face a long, hot summer of disrupted travel, broken family meetings, and suspended studies. Whither, then, the idea of America as the ultimate open country?
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PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
Famous left-handers
- Marie Curie
- Jimi Hendrix
- Leonardo Di Vinci
- David Bowie
- Paul McCartney
- Albert Einstein
- Jack the Ripper
- Barack Obama
- Helen Keller
- Joan of Arc
Empire of Enchantment: The Story of Indian Magic
John Zubrzycki, Hurst Publishers
