Despite being requested to leave by the UN Security Council, residents of Goma, the largest city in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were fleeing on Monday. The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group claimed to have taken control of the region’s largest city from Congolese forces as fighting raged.
Before dozens of rebels in military uniform marched into North Kivu province’s capital, which is located near Rwanda and is a volatile region rich in minerals that are important to a lot of the world’s technology, gunshots rang out across Goma overnight.
The Congolese government confirmed the presence of M23 rebels in Goma, 1, 500km (930 miles) east of the capital Kinshasa, but stopped short of saying they were in control of the city.
Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya issued a statement on X that advised Goma residents to remain at home and also urged Congolese citizens to mobilize to support the nation. No centimeter will be wasted, declares the statement! Muyaya wrote.
The March 23 Movement (M23) is one of about 100 armed groups vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich region in the decades-long conflict. According to Congo’s government and UN experts, the rebels briefly seized control of Goma in 2012 before being forced to resurface under international pressure. They reappeared in late 2021 with growing support from Rwanda. Rwanda has denied such support.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda claimed that the DRC had failed to engage in dialogue with M23, which it described as a “Congolese rebel group fighting to protect their community.”
CLIPPVE representatives continue to be skeptical despite recent information regarding prisoner release announcements. Some, like Sosa, were promised their loved ones would be freed, but that has yet to happen.
A representative from CLIPPVE, who also has a family member in prison, told Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity, “There is a lot of anger because the authorities have used the releases in a very opaque and obscure way.”
Some families have even been subject to arrest threats and reprimands for protesting their loved ones’ continued detention.
Rivas, who is part of CLIPPVE, underscored that continuing to fight is imperative. The government is under increasing pressure to release the prisoners as the public becomes less aware.
Rivas said, “I am well aware that oblivion is the worst thing that could happen to political prisoners.”
For Davila, the need to raise awareness is at the heart of her mission at Defiende Venezuela. She has documented Armas’s case as well as many others.
“At least by reporting to international organisations, we make sure that there is a record of the human rights violations that are occurring, because if we only relied on the organisations in Venezuela, we wouldn’t have any record”, Davila said.
Rivas, meanwhile, has not heard from her boyfriend in a month. He is no longer permitted to make calls or visits.
Even worse, Rivas is now a target of an arrest threat. In his weekly television program, Con El Mazo Dando, a religious reference loosely translated as “hitting with a club,” minister of justice and peace Diosdado Cabello called Rivas out by name.
Cabello has been accused of using the platform to pick political repression targets by critics.
“This has been quite distressing”, Rivas said. She added that she currently takes care of Armas’s elderly parents. “If we were both arrested, his parents would have no one to turn to”.
Despite the risks, Rivas is resolute that silence is not an option.
Firefighters attempting to contain the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles and the surrounding areas are hopeful as a result of the rains in southern California.
However, authorities have also cautioned residents about the possibility of toxic sludge runoff and mudslides as the rains were forecast to continue through Monday.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported in its most recent update late on Sunday that “the increase in shower and thunderstorm activity” across the area “may lead to localized areas of burn scar flash flooding, including debris flow activity.”
The warning applies to areas scorched by the still-active Palisades, Eaton, and Hughes fires, which together have burned more than 15, 300 hectares (38, 000 acres) in Los Angeles County.
Regions burned by the since-contained Franklin, Hurst, and Bridge fires, which first broke out in September of last year, are also at risk.
Joe Sirard, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Oxnard, west of Los Angeles, said that even a relatively small amount of rain can cause dangers.
“All these fresh burns are very susceptible to rapid runoff”, Sirard said. Once we cross those thresholds, that means there is a disproportionately high risk of mud and debris flows.
As of 3am local time (11: 00 GMT) on Monday, Los Angeles International Airport had reported a little under 2.5cm (1 inch) of rain over the previous 24-hour period.
According to officials, several schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were closed on Monday due to “hazardous road conditions and access challenges.”
According to the California Department of Transportation, mudflows in Topanga Canyon caused a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway to be closed as of Sunday afternoon.
Officials have further cautioned that the runoff from recent burn zones – an ashy mix of incinerated cars, batteries, building materials, pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead – can be toxic.
Despite the dangers, southern California’s forecast for the weather may be beneficial for firefighters tasked with igniting the last few pockets of the remaining fires.
As of Monday, the largest fire, the Palisades, was 90 percent contained. Taus thousands of homes have been destroyed by the fire, which started on January 7 and has claimed the lives of at least 11 people.
The Eaton fire, which began on the same day and has killed at least 16 people, was 98 percent contained.
And the Hughes fire, which was sparked on January 22, was 95 percent contained.
According to the US Drought Monitor maintained by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Southern California has experienced more severe drought conditions since December, with portions of Los Angeles County still experiencing “extreme drought.”
Extreme drought is the second-highest classification of the tracker.
Santa Ana winds, which transport warm and dry air to the California coast, have further exacerbated the blazes.
According to climate scientists, more frequent and severe wildfires are brought on by rising temperatures and the rise in human-caused climate change.
While continuing his attacks on Democratic leaders in the state, US President Donald Trump traveled to California last week to assess the fire damage.
Trump has falsely claimed that state officials could have used northern reaches to bring the fires under control.
The M23 rebel group’s declaration of Goma as its exclusive jurisdiction marks a significant blow to the Congolese army and a serious escalation of the years-long conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has resulted in hundreds of fatalities and millions of displacements.
Goma’s capture on Monday came after M23, which the UN claims is supported by neighboring Rwanda, advanced quickly on Congolese army positions last week. The city, which is the province’s capital and a regional hub for security and humanitarian efforts, was rocked by a barrage of gunfire and explosions throughout the day.
In a fit of panic, hundreds of thousands of residents and people who had previously been forced to flee to nearby towns. Large crowds of people were seen moving on foot and motorcycles, carrying luggage on their heads and backs in social media footage.
The crisis, which reignited in 2022, has displaced millions of civilians in the eastern DRC. In just one case, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 237, 000 people had fled in January alone.
Here’s what you need to know about M23’s ambitions and the latest fighting:
Who are the M23 rebels and who backs them?
One of the hundreds of armed organizations in eastern DRC that aims to control important mineral mines is M23, or the March 23 Movement. The organization, which is made up of Tutsi fighters, claims to be fighting for the minority Tutsi population in the DRC. It emerged in 2012 after a group from the armed forces of the DRC (FARDC) broke away, complaining of ill-treatment.
Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame is accused by the DRC government and the UN of supporting M23 with soldiers and weapons in an effort to control the mineral-rich eastern DRC. Rwanda, an anti-Kagame rebel group that was a part of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, denies the charge and accuses the DRC of housing members. Up to 4, 000 Rwandan soldiers are reportedly stationed in the DRC, according to the UN.
In 2012, M23 first seized Goma, but the Congolese army, supported by a UN force, pushed the rebels back into the eastern hills on the border with Rwanda in 2013.
However, the DRC faced a resurgence of M23 violence in 2022. Since then, the group has advanced in Goma, seizing territory from the Congolese army and conducting two peacekeeping operations, SADC Mission in the DRC and UN Mission in the DRC. South African troops, as part of the UN mission, were crucial in the 2013 defeat of M23.
The Congolese army is supported by European mercenaries from France, Romania, and Belarus.
People displaced by fighting with M23 rebels make their way to the centre of Goma on January 26, 2025]Moses Sawasawa/AP]
What happened in the lead-up to Monday’s events?
Since the beginning of the year, M23 has been launching an offensive against Goma, capturing nearby towns Sake and Minova along the way.
On Friday, Major General Peter Cirimwami, the military governor of North Kivu province, was killed on the front lines.
Civilians who were taken captive by M23 made the trip to Goma despite being uncertain about their safety there.
We are going to Goma, but I’ve heard there are bombs there as well, so we’re now at a loss, according to Adele Shimiye, who spoke to The Associated Press. Others eluded border crossings with Rwanda, where travel documents were carefully examined by immigration officials.
On Saturday, M23 said it would capture Goma and warned the army and peacekeepers to surrender by 3am (01: 00 GMT) on Monday.
At a Sunday UN Security Council emergency meeting, officials confirmed that 13 peacekeepers had been killed on Friday and Saturday. The UN reported that three Malawian soldiers and one Uruguayan were also killed, while South Africa claimed nine of its soldiers were killed in an attempt to stop M23’s advance on Goma.
UN Special Representative to the DRC Bintou Keita stated at the meeting that nonessential UN personnel had begun evacuating but that “we are trapped” as M23 declared Goma closed and the city’s roads were blocked.
As residents poured out of Goma, the governments of the United States, the UK, and France issued warnings to their citizens.
How did M23’s reported capture of Goma happen?
On Sunday night about 10: 30pm (20: 30 GMT), M23 fighters entered Goma amid heavy gunfire and explosions. Residents who were spotted patrolling the main streets of M23 fighters with heavily armed M23s posted videos on social media.
According to reports from Sky News, about 100 government soldiers gave their weapons to Uruguayan MONUSCO troops on Sunday night, and hundreds of European mercenaries are also believed to have turned in their weapons after M23 threatened to burn them alive.
“More than a hundred FARDC soldiers are sheltered in the facilities of the ‘ Siempre Presente ‘ base awaiting the]disarmament, demobilization and reintegration) process”, the Uruguay army said in a statement on X on Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, M23 said it had “liberated” Goma and urged those remaining in the city to “remain calm”. Additionally, the group mandated that Congolese troops “hand over” their weapons to MONUSCO and gather at the stadium’s central location.
Goma was largely quiet on Monday, but gunfire rang out in parts of the city, including near the airport, in the city centre and on the border, the Reuters news agency reported. Residents reported that M23 rebels were still being fought by Congolese special forces and government-aligned militia on the city’s fringes.
The Congo River Alliance leader Corneille Nangaa, who also includes the M23, claimed Goma to be under his command on Monday. “They]Congolese army soldiers] have started to surrender, but it takes time”, he said.
Meanwhile, there are reports that rebels looted and attacked infrastructure. A Goma prison was torched following a jailbreak, according to the AFP news agency.
“Goma’s capture by the M23 is a massive setback for the DRC authorities”, Vincent Rouget, an analyst at Control Risks, a global security consultancy, told Al Jazeera, adding that the layout and positioning of the city also present challenges.
“You have the volcano on one side, the lake on the other, and it’s in extremely close proximity to the Rwandan border. That means that once Goma is lost, the DRC army will have to use force to retake control of the city, he said.
Congolese soldiers deploy outside Goma as M23 rebels near the town]File: Moses Sawasawa/AP Photo]
What have the governments of Rwanda and DRC said?
The Rwandan army was formally stationed in Goma, according to Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya in a statement posted on X on Monday.
According to him, “the government is working to prevent carnage and the loss of human life in light of Rwanda’s manifest intentions,” urging residents to stay at home and refrain from looting and vandalism.
He demanded the protection of civilians in a video posted on X and claimed that the DRC was “in a war situation where the news is changing.”
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has not yet commented.
At the UN Security Council meeting on Sunday, Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner claimed Rwandan troops entering Goma were a “declaration of war” and that the DRC was severing all diplomatic ties. Wagnerer also urged nations to appoint sanctions against Rwanda.
Rwanda’s UN ambassador, Ernest Rwamucyo, did not confirm or deny the DRC’s claims at the meeting but said the DRC could have averted the crisis if it had “demonstrated a genuine commitment to peace”.
What have other nations said?
According to Kenyan President William Ruto, the head of the Eastern African Countries (EAC) regional bloc, to which the DRC and Rwanda belong, the region has a “critical responsibility” in de-escalating conflict and encouraging dialogue between all sides.
Ruto added that Tshisekedi and Kagame both confirmed their attendance at the EAC meeting after speaking with them on Sunday night.
“It’s the best prospect for a ceasefire”, an analyst in Goma who spoke on condition of anonymity told Al Jazeera. “At the moment, the situation is quite dicey because the weapons they’re using are not meant for urban warfare”.
During a heightened level of violence in the eastern DRC, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Angolan President Joao Lourenco, and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi are pictured from left.
Rouget said that in the lead-up to Monday, it looked like there was a “decisive push” by M23 and its backers to cut Goma off from resupply routes linking it to other Congolese cities, adding: “The timing of the push is probably not coincidental”.
“We had been saying for a while that Rwanda, the main supporter of M23, was not going to take the massive PR risk of an operation in Goma,” the UN group of experts said. However, he told Al Jazeera that the administration’s change may have altered the thinking that the diplomatic blowback may not be as severe as previously believed.
The US demanded a ceasefire and forbade Rwanda from donating its support to M23 at the Security Council meeting. Dorothy Shea, the acting US ambassador to the UN, cautioned that Washington would “consider all the means at its disposal” and held accountable those responsible for the ongoing conflict.
Meanwhile, France has sided with the DRC. France shows its support for the Democratic Republic of Congo and its territorial integrity as Goma prepares to fall. France firmly condemns the offensive”, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday.
What happens next?
Analysts are watching Ruto as they examine how the EAC will attempt to reach a truce. Previous ceasefires negotiated , by Angola were violated by both sides.
“]Capturing Goma] puts the M23 in a much stronger position to be able to continue its offensive”, Rouget said. “We’re not necessarily at the end of the group’s progression in eastern Congo. We can see further clashes, further progressions into other cities”.
Goma’s capture could also dramatically worsen one of Africa’s longest wars and displace thousands more civilians, analysts said. The UN estimates that more than a third of North Kivu’s population has been displaced.
After the peacekeepers passed away last week, diplomatic ties between Rwanda and South Africa are likely to get even worse, according to the unnamed analyst in Goma, adding: “Russo and SADC will no longer be business as usual.”
The two governments already have friendly but uneasy relations: In 2014, Rwandan dissidents were killed in Kigali, which caused both countries to temporarily sever diplomatic ties.
Jason Stearns, a researcher on the DRC, said countries like the US can take action to halt Rwanda’s support of M23. In the past, donors have used that leverage, according to Stearns, who cited 2012 as the US and other Western nations withdrew aid to Rwanda and the subsequent defeat of M23.
After hours of heated exchanges between their leaders in public, the US and Colombia pulled out of a trade dispute on Sunday.
Washington threatened tariffs and sanctions against Bogota after Colombia refused to accept two US military aircraft carrying Colombians who had been deported from the US. The US is Colombia’s largest trading partner.
Till late on Sunday, Colombia agreed to accept deportees and the US claimed victory in an online dispute that ended with Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro. What actually transpired and what was in danger for Washington and Bogota are more detailed below.
What was Trump’s row with Colombia about?
In response to Trump’s growing crackdown on immigration to the US, Colombian President Petro refused to let two US military aircraft carrying deported Colombian migrants land.
He claimed that Trump had disrespected the deported migrants. A video of deported detainees restrained in an airport in Brazil was reposted by Petroetro. If a nation sends migrants back, it must be with dignity and respect for them and for our country, he wrote. “I cannot allow them to stay in a country that doesn’t want them.”
According to a report released by the US Department of Homeland Security, there were 240, 000 unauthorised Colombian immigrants in the US in 2022.
Petro made an offer to fly the president’s plane to facilitate the migrants’ return, which he claimed was more dignified than the US’s return.
Trump hit back, accusing Petro of jeopardising US security.
Threatening tariffs and sanctions, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday: “These measures are just the beginning. We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal responsibilities in regards to the detention and deportation of the criminals they forced into the United States.
Marco Rubio, the US’s secretary of state, added on Sunday that he was enforcing visa restrictions for Colombian officials and their families, who “were to be involved in the US repatriation flight operations.”
What was Trump’s tariff threat?
As the back-and-forth continued, Trump upped his threats, ordering 25 percent tariffs on all Colombian goods coming into the US. These tariffs, he warned, would then be raised to 50 percent in the following week.
In addition, Trump said he would impose “visa sanctions” and a “travel ban and immediate visa revocations” on government officials and their family members and supporters, while tightening border inspections of all Colombian nationals and cargo.
What was Colombia’s reaction?
In retaliation to Trump’s threats, Petro threatened to also impose 25 percent tariffs on US goods.
The Colombian president posted a series of defiant messages on X on Sunday, responding to Trump’s threats.
“Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world”, he wrote in one of them.
“The US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals”, Petro wrote on X, also pointing out that there are “15, 660 Americans irregularly settled in Colombia”.
The row was resolved late on Sunday. According to Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, authorities have “overcomed the impasse” and will accept US citizens deported. He continued, “Colombia’s government has the presidential plane ready to facilitate the return of Colombians who were scheduled to travel there this morning on deportation flights.”
Colombia’s statement additionally said that Murillo and Colombia’s ambassador to the US would, in the upcoming days, travel to Washington to continue diplomatic dialogue and ease tensions.
Colombia adhered to all of Trump’s demands, including “unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay,” in a statement from the White House.
What does the US import from Colombia?
If the tariff war had continued, both sides would have suffered.
Between January and November 2024, the US imported goods worth $16bn from Colombia, according to US Census data.
The US receives its largest supply of cut flowers from Colombia, importing nearly two-thirds, or 66 percent of its cut flowers from the country, according to 2022 data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC). Valentine’s Day, coming up on February 14, would have pinched Americans more had the tariffs kicked in.
Colombia accounts for just under 20% of US coffee imports, only slightly behind Brazil, the country’s top coffee exporter.
The US also imports crude petroleum, gold, aluminium structures, bananas, and coffee and tea extracts from Colombia — but in much smaller quantities.
Colombia is one of the few nations with a trade deficit with Washington. In other words, the US exports more goods from Colombia than it does from the South American country.
What effects might Colombia have if the US and China trade?
While a trade war would have made specific goods — like flowers and coffee — costlier for US consumers,  , it would have had larger implications for Colombia’s economy, impacting both its exports and imports.
“These measures would have significant political and economic implications”, Victor Munoz, a visiting fellow at Germany-based think tank, European Council on Foreign Relations, told Al Jazeera.
“For Colombia, such actions could lead to the loss of thousands of jobs, particularly in sectors like oil and gas, gold, coffee, and flowers”, he explained.
According to OEC data from 2022, the US and Colombia trade both more heavily than they do in terms of imports and exports. A quarter of Colombia’s exports go to the US, and the imports from the US comprise 26.4 percent of Colombia’s total imports.
“Colombia has worked for decades to diversify its international relations and expand its commercial partnerships. However, it is unrealistic to anticipate Colombia’s ability to replace its export markets for its goods and services or the US investment’s growth rate in the near future, Munoz said.
According to US Census data, Colombia imported $ 17 billion worth of goods from the US between January and November 2024.
Petroleum products are the US’s most valuable export to Colombia, accounting for about $ 2.5 billion in exported goods in 2023. The next most valuable export was corn, at $1.2bn in 2023, and chemicals, at $1bn in the same year.
Colombia also imports soybean meal and planes, among other things, from the US.
According to Munoz, “taxes could also lead to a devaluation of the Colombian peso, heightened economic risks, and inflationary pressure caused by rising costs of imported goods and raw materials,” Munoz said.
According to the statement, “These measures would undoubtedly have significant economic and social effects in nations like Colombia.”
What are new deportation flights?
Unauthorized immigrants are transported to their country of origin on a deportation flight. However, this is the first time US military aircraft are being used to deport immigrants, according to an unnamed US official, Agence France-Presse reported.
Deportation is not new, and the US began deporting immigrants starting as early as 1892, when 2, 801 immigrants were removed, according to the Department of Homeland Security. However, the number skyrocketed starting in the 1990s.
Democratic US President Joe Biden had promised to end deportations in 2021 but instead he increased them. He most recently deported the most immigrants in nearly a decade, more than 271,000 over the past fiscal year.
Between 2021 and 2024, the US expelled 28, 635 Colombian citizens, according to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. The fiscal year of 2024 saw the occurrence of nearly half of these.
Trump, however, made false claims that the Biden administration had allowed “hordes” of undocumented immigrants to enter the country and that other nations were sending violent criminals to the US.
He vowed to carry out the “largest deportation operation in history” with a promise.
Donald Trump has already had a significant impact on Washington since his first week in office ended.
Trump deployed the military to the southern border during his first seven days, and he signed a number of executive orders, which included 26 that were issued shortly after taking office and addressed issues like the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.
One of his biggest promises during this term is to tackle , irregular immigration. What is expected on Monday and the most recent news from his presidency?
Avoided: Trade war with Colombia
Trump made the announcement that Colombia had resisted deportation flights for migrant workers on Sunday, declaring victory.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro resurrected the situation after earlier on Sunday, he had prohibited landing US military cargo aircraft carrying illegal immigrants.
Petro vowed to reject the flights unless the US treated detainees with respect and dignity. Trump retaliated by imposing tariffs on all imports from Colombia, a travel ban for Colombian citizens, the suspension of US immigration visa processing, and the suspension of processing for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas.
However, the US claimed that Colombia had agreed to accept migrant deportation flights, including those on military aircraft, and that the tariffs would be halted after hours of hostility with Bogota. Trump’s allies claimed Petro won while Petro lost, saying the outcome was a win or a loss.
Petro fell in line.
Thanks, President Trump! pic. twitter.com/FKTWKWrGlb
Prior to Trump’s election, US military aircraft were rarely used for deportation flights. Two flights, each carrying about 80 deported migrants, were made to Guatemala on Friday. A US military aircraft with migrants on board a landing request was turned down by Mexico last week. Previously, Trump suggested that he might impose 25-percent, across-the-board tariffs on Mexican goods starting in February.
In the near future, Trump may be able to win over Latin American nations, according to Oliver Della Costa Stuenkel, an international relations professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation  in Sao Paulo, Brazil. However, his aggressive tactics may prompt regional leaders to look for alternative partners.
“Leaders across Latin America will look at these situations and will, in my opinion, be becoming more aware of the danger of being too dependent on the US,” Stuenkel told Al Jazeera.
“They will try to diversify their partnerships because dealing with Washington is very difficult for weaker nations, and having alternatives to the US is the best way to increase your leverage when negotiating with Trump and increase your margin of manevrtitude. To avoid being so dependent that you have nowhere to run, Stuenkel said.
Trump’s ‘ clean out ‘ Gaza proposal
Trump said “cleaning out the whole thing” on Saturday, suggesting moving more than one million Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to other nations.
“I would like Egypt to take people”, Trump said. “You’re talking about probably a million and a half people, and we just clean out that whole thing and say, ‘ You know, it’s over. ‘”
Trump praised Jordan for welcoming Palestinian refugees in the past while expressing his gratitude to King Abdullah II, saying, “I would love for you to take on more,” as the Gaza Strip is a mess at the moment. It’s a real mess”. More than 2.39 million registered Palestine refugees reside in Jordan, which has a population of 11.1 million, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Israel’s 15-month war on Gaza has displaced almost all of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents, some of them multiple times. Trump said people in Gaza could move either temporarily or permanently.
Palestinians on Sunday overwhelmingly rejected the proposal.
Palestinian Nafiz Halawa, a resident of Nuseirat in central Gaza, told Al Jazeera, “It’s impossible for people to accept this.” “The weak might leave because of the suffering they have endured, but the idea of us leaving our country, … it’s absolutely impossible”.
Other things you might not have noticed:
JD Vance’s first interview:  , JD Vance gave his first interview since becoming the US vice president, discussing issues with CBS News that included Trump’s immigration policy and his executive order aimed at ending birthright citizenship. Vance disputed the Trump administration’s justification for the order despite legal experts’ claims that it needs to be changed to end it.
“Temporary residents, people who come in here, whether legally or illegally, and don’t plan to stay, their children shouldn’t become American citizens”, he said. “I don’t know any country that does that or why we would be different”. However, many countries offer birthright citizenship, including Canada, Mexico, Belize and Argentina.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, marking the Pentagon’s first interaction with a foreign official since taking up his position. In a statement from the Pentagon, Hagseth and Netanyahu “discussed the importance of advancing mutual security interests and priorities, especially in the face of persistent threats.”
Vance speaks during the swearing-in ceremony of CIA Director John Ratcliffe]File: Nathan Howard/Reuters]
What’s next for Trump and his administration on Monday?
Trump is scheduled to attend the Republican members of the House of Representatives’ annual retreat at his golf resort in Florida, Trump National Doral Miami, according to US media reports.
Legislators have the opportunity to discuss policies at party retreats and come together to discuss their best implementation strategies.
House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are expected to focus on crafting a bill that incorporates the administration’s key priorities – including energy, border security and tax policy.
Separately, a US Senate vote on the nomination of Trump’s Treasury secretary nominee, Scott Bessent, is planned for Monday afternoon.
The Department of Treasury has complete control over sanctions, international finance, public debt, and tax policy.
Bessent, a Wall Street financier who once worked for George Soros, was an early backer of Trump’s 2024 presidential bid, donating at least $3m to the campaign, according to records from the Federal Election Commission.
Bessent, founder of the Key Square Group investment firm, speaks at a campaign event for Trump]File: Jonathan Drake/Reuters]
