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US Judge Blocks Trump From Tying Counterterrorism Grants to Election Rules

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Press Freedom: Judge Blocks Trump’s Ban on Three Major US Media Outlets
US President Donald Trump

US Judge Blocks Trump From Tying Counterterrorism Grants to Election Rules

A US federal judge has blocked the Donald Trump administration from conditioning counterterrorism grants for states and local governments on changes to how elections are administered.

US District Judge Amir H. Ali of the District Court for the District of Columbia issued the ruling on Monday, September 28, 2026, finding that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) exceeded the authority granted to it by Congress by attaching the election-related conditions to homeland security funding.

The case followed a lawsuit filed by Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee; Columbus, Ohio; and several Texas counties, including Harris, El Paso, Dallas and Travis counties.

The local governments challenged conditions FEMA had attached to its 2026 Homeland Security Grant Program, arguing that Congress authorised the programme to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to terrorism and other security threats, rather than to regulate routine election administration.

The programme provides more than $1 billion in federal funding to state, local and tribal governments. Under the policy challenged in court, FEMA planned to withhold 20 per cent of certain grant awards until recipients complied with specified election-related requirements.

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Among the requirements were plans to move away from voting systems that use QR codes or barcodes to count ballots and toward equipment that accepts hand-marked paper ballots.

Recipients also had to demonstrate that they conducted a manual audit of at least five per cent of ballots, reconcile the number of voters who participated in federal elections with the number of ballots cast, and use the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to verify citizenship information in voter-registration records.

The conditions also covered citizenship verification for people working at polling places or operating election systems.

The Trump administration defended the requirements as measures intended to strengthen election security against threats including foreign interference and cyberattacks.

However, Judge Ali ruled that the disputed conditions were not sufficiently connected to the purpose of the counterterrorism grants and that Congress had not authorised FEMA to use the programme to impose the election-administration requirements.

In his 24-page ruling, Ali distinguished between measures designed to protect election infrastructure from security threats and requirements governing routine election procedures, such as ballot formats, voter-roll administration and election audits.

The ruling prevents the administration from conditioning the affected Homeland Security Grant Program funding on compliance with the challenged election requirements while the litigation continues.

A separate lawsuit brought by a coalition of states challenging similar conditions remains pending.

The case comes ahead of the November 3, 2026 US midterm elections, adding another legal dispute to the wider debate over the division of authority between the federal government and states in administering US elections.

The latest ruling does not determine whether the individual election-security measures are effective or appropriate as policy. Instead, it addresses whether FEMA had the legal authority to make compliance with those measures a condition for receiving counterterrorism funding.

The broader Homeland Security Grant Program remains in place, while the administration and the plaintiffs may pursue further legal proceedings.

US Judge Blocks Trump From Tying Counterterrorism Grants to Election Rules

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BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House

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BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — One person has been killed and four others injured after a gunman opened fire at and around a fitness centre in Washington, D.C., triggering a massive security operation in the US capital.

The shooting occurred on Thursday morning, November 12, 2026, in the Logan Circle neighbourhood, approximately one mile from the White House.

The suspected gunman also died after barricading himself inside a nearby apartment and apparently shooting himself, according to police.

Authorities said the first emergency call came in at about 8 a.m. from people inside VIDA Fitness, a gym located around 15th Street and P Street Northwest.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reportedly arrived within 30 seconds and discovered a man who had been shot inside the fitness facility.

Additional emergency calls subsequently reported more gunfire and victims in the surrounding area, bringing the total number of people shot to five, including the deceased.

Police said four other victims sustained gunshot injuries, with one reportedly in critical condition, while the remaining three suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

Following the shooting, the suspect reportedly left the immediate scene and barricaded himself inside an apartment on the seventh floor of a nearby residential building.

Police officers and tactical teams subsequently surrounded the building as negotiators attempted to persuade him to surrender.

However, officers reportedly heard a gunshot during the negotiations. Upon entering the apartment, they discovered that the suspect had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Interim Metropolitan Police Chief Jeffery Carroll confirmed the development during a briefing, although authorities had yet to publicly disclose the identities of the victims or the suspected gunman.

The shooting prompted an extensive security operation involving local and federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Several surrounding streets were cordoned off, while residents and people working in the neighbourhood were advised to remain indoors as officers secured the area.

Nearby schools also implemented precautionary security measures during the emergency response.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the suspect knew any of the victims.

Preliminary information from police indicated that the suspect may have been involved in a dispute with the homeowners’ association of the residential building where he barricaded himself. However, investigators have yet to establish a definitive motive for the shooting.

The incident has renewed concerns about gun violence in the United States, with the attack unfolding in a busy residential neighbourhood within close proximity to the White House.

The investigation is ongoing.

 

BREAKING: One Killed, Four Injured As Gunman Opens Fire Near White House

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New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student

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New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student
Javits Badu Nkansah
New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student

Police in New York City have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student, Javits Frimpong, who was killed while walking to school in the Bronx.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, saying the suspect had been taken into custody and charged with murder over the October 29 killing.

The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed because he is a minor, is also reportedly facing manslaughter and firearm-related charges.

Frimpong was shot in the abdomen near Crotona Park, close to East 171st Street and Crotona Place, while making his way to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx.

He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

According to police reports, the teenager was walking to school when he was attacked. Investigators have not established the motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect knew the victim.

The arrest followed weeks of investigations and growing demands for justice from Frimpong’s family, members of the Ghanaian community and civil rights advocates.

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Police had previously indicated that three people might have been involved in the shooting and had been investigating possible motives, including robbery and alleged bullying at the victim’s school.

Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, had earlier said his son complained about being bullied by fellow students at DreamYard Preparatory School. Two students were reportedly suspended over the alleged harassment.

However, investigators have not established a connection between the alleged bullying and the fatal shooting.

The arrest was announced as the victim’s parents, civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, Reverend Al Sharpton and Ghana’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, gathered at a news conference in New York to demand justice.

Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, broke down in tears during the event as she appealed for justice for her son.

She reportedly travelled from Ghana following her son’s death, while New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier appealed to US President Donald Trump to facilitate arrangements for her to travel to the United States to mourn with her family.

Frimpong had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year before his death to reunite with his father and pursue better educational opportunities. He was a Grade 10 student and reportedly aspired to become a doctor.

The killing sparked protests and public demonstrations in New York, with demonstrators calling for accountability under the campaign slogan, “Justice for Javits!”

Crump, who is representing the family, acknowledged the arrest but said several questions surrounding the teenager’s death remained unanswered.

He called for a thorough investigation to establish why Frimpong was killed and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

Ghanaian authorities have also been engaging with their American counterparts over the case. Ghana’s government has engaged Crump to assist in seeking justice for its nationals killed in the United States.

The NYPD said investigations were continuing, with the possibility of other arrests not ruled out.

The arrest marks a significant development in the case, although the circumstances and motive behind the killing remain under investigation.

 

New York Police Arrest 17-Year-Old Over Murder of Ghanaian Student

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Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families

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Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families
Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families

Canada has announced plans to provide permanent residency opportunities for up to 100,000 foreign workers and their eligible family members already living in the country under a new immigration measure scheduled for 2027.

The initiative is part of the Canadian government’s efforts to address labour shortages, reduce immigration application backlogs and provide greater certainty for migrant workers who have established themselves in Canadian communities.

According to details released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the programme will create additional permanent residency admission spaces for eligible workers living outside Quebec, alongside their family members.

The measure is expected to benefit workers whose skills are needed in local economies, particularly in smaller communities, as the government works with provincial and territorial authorities to identify eligible applicants.

However, the announcement does not establish a new immigration pathway open to every foreign worker. It is designed to accelerate permanent residency for people who already meet specified eligibility conditions under existing immigration programmes.

Under the proposed arrangement, workers may qualify through two main routes. They must either be awaiting a decision on a permanent residency application submitted under selected immigration programmes that are now closed to new applicants, or be eligible to apply through Canada’s Provincial Nominee Program (PNP).

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The selected programmes include the Start-Up Visa Programme, Self-Employed Persons Programme, Agri-Food Pilot and Home Care Workers (Caregivers) immigration programme.

The government said the additional admission spaces would cover workers living outside Quebec and their eligible family members.

The initiative is intended to recognise the contributions of foreign workers who have established roots in Canadian communities, paid taxes and helped address labour shortages.

Beyond the workers’ initiative, Canada is also setting aside additional permanent residency spaces for other categories of applicants.

These include up to 45,000 spouses, common-law partners and dependent children of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who are already in Canada and awaiting decisions on their applications.

Another 12,600 applicants whose permanent residency cases have already received approval in principle on humanitarian and compassionate grounds are expected to benefit.

The government is also targeting outstanding applications under special immigration arrangements for Hong Kong residents and Ukrainians with family members in Canada.

According to IRCC, the measures are designed to provide stability for people who are already contributing to Canadian society while reducing outstanding immigration applications and improving processing times.

The department clarified that applicants do not need to submit separate applications or take additional steps to be considered under the temporary measures.

The 2027 initiative is time-limited and will operate outside Canada’s regular immigration admission targets. It is not a permanent expansion of immigration programmes.

The announcement is part of Canada’s wider effort to reform its immigration system, balance labour market requirements with sustainable population growth and prioritise applicants who are already living and working in the country.

The government said the additional admission spaces would help eligible migrants and their families secure greater certainty about their future in Canada.

Canada Announces Permanent Residency Plan for 100,000 Foreign Workers, Families

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