Category: International

A US federal judge on Tuesday suspended the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, citing the principle of equality and dealing a blow — if only temporary — to the US president’s agenda.

Referencing the US Declaration of Independence, which states that all humans are “created equal,” Judge Ana C. Reyes suspended President Donald Trump’s late January order that excluded transgender people from the armed forces.

That suspension, however, will be put on pause until March 21 to give the government time to file an emergency stay at a higher court, according to Reyes’ decision.

The order will nonetheless come as a blow to Trump’s administration, which has made it a priority to strip protections for minorities since he took office.

Trump’s January 27 executive order stated that “expressing a false ‘gender identity’ divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service.”

Since taking office, he has also declared that the US government will only recognize two sexes — male and female — that “are not changeable.”

The number of transgender people in the US military is estimated at about 15,000 out of around two million.

Reyes’s order used unusually strong language in parts to criticize the order banning transgender Americans from serving in the military.

“The Military Ban is soaked in animus and dripping with pretext,” the judge wrote. “Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact.”

The judge said Trump “could have crafted a policy that balances the Nation’s need for a prepared military and Americans’ right to equal protection. They still can. The Military Ban, however, is not that policy.”

In February, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memo preventing transgender people from joining the military and halting gender transition treatment for others who are already in uniform.

The Pentagon has also said it would begin removing transgender troops from the military unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis, according to a February memo.

The US military lifted a ban on transgender troops in 2016, during Democrat Barack Obama’s second term as president — but policies have seesawed under his successors Trump, Joe Biden and now Trump again.

Transgender issues have roiled US politics in recent years, as states controlled by Democrats and Republicans have moved in opposite directions on policies ranging from medical treatment to what books on the topic are allowed in public or school libraries.

Tuesday’s order was in a case brought by a group of transgender people, either in the military or wishing to become so, to challenge Trump’s latest executive order.

US President Donald Trump is considering imposing sweeping travel restrictions on citizens from dozens of countries as part of a new ban, according to sources familiar with the matter and an internal memo seen by Reuters.

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, noted that the list is subject to change and has not yet been approved by the administration, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The New York Times first reported on the list of affected countries.

On January 20, Trump issued an executive order requiring heightened security screening for foreigners seeking entry into the U.S. The order instructed cabinet members to submit by March 21 a list of countries for partial or full travel suspensions due to inadequate vetting processes.

The directive aligns with Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, which he initiated at the beginning of his second term. In an October 2023 speech, he previewed plans to restrict travel from Gaza, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and other regions deemed security threats. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

According to the memo, the proposed travel restrictions would affect 41 countries, divided into three categories:

Full visa suspension (10 countries): Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Venezuela, and Yemen.

Partial suspension on tourist, student, and some immigrant visas (5 countries): Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan.

Potential partial suspension if security concerns aren’t addressed (26 countries): Algeria, Angola, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Pakistan, Senegal, Tanzania, and Turkmenistan.

Ukraine will present the United States on Tuesday with a plan for a partial ceasefire with Russia, hoping to restore support from its key benefactor, which under President Donald Trump has demanded concessions to end the three-year war.

The talks in Saudi Arabia come as Russia has ramped up attacks and with Ukraine hitting back with a deadly overnight attack on Moscow and across the country involving more than 330 drones, according to Russian officials.

The meeting due later Tuesday between Ukrainian and US officials in the Saudi port city of Jeddah will be the most senior since a disastrous White House visit last month when Trump berated Kyiv’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for purported ingratitude.

Since Trump’s dressing down of Zelensky, Washington has suspended military aid to Ukraine as well as intelligence sharing and access to satellite imagery in a bid to force it to the negotiating table.

Zelensky, who wrote a repentant letter to Trump, was in Jeddah on Monday to meet Saudi rulers but left the talks to three top aides.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will be joined in Jeddah by Trump’s national security advisor Mike Waltz, said the aid suspension was “something I hope we can resolve” in the talks.

“Hopefully, we’ll have a good meeting and good news to report,” Rubio said.

Rubio said that the United States had not cut off intelligence for defensive operations.

Zelensky left the White House without signing an agreement demanded by Trump that would give the United States access to much of Ukraine’s mineral wealth as compensation for past weapons supplies.

Zelensky has said he is still willing to sign, although Rubio said it would not be the focus of Tuesday’s meeting.

Russia has since escalated its strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure and retaken villages in its Kursk region that Ukraine had captured in a bid for bargaining leverage.

On the eve of the Saudi talks, Ukraine carried out what Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin described as a “massive” attack with 337 drones shot down across the country, including 91 around the Russian capital.

At least one person was killed and three others injured, according to Andrei Vorobyov, governor of the Moscow region.

– Forced into concession –

In the White House meeting, Zelensky refused to bite his tongue in the face of criticism from Vice President JD Vance, with the Ukrainian leader questioning why his country should trust promises from Russia which launched a full-scale invasion in 2022 despite previous diplomacy.

But faced with Washington’s pressure, Ukraine will lay out its support for a limited ceasefire.

“We do have a proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and ceasefire at sea,” a Ukrainian official told AFP on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“These are the ceasefire options that are easy to install and to monitor, and it’s possible to start with them.”

Rubio signalled that the Trump administration would likely be pleased by such a proposal.

“I’m not saying that alone is enough, but it’s the kind of concession you would need to see in order to end the conflict,” he told reporters.

“You’re not going to get a ceasefire and an end to this war unless both sides make concessions.”

“The Russians can’t conquer all of Ukraine and obviously it will be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to force the Russians all the way back to where they were back in 2014,” Rubio said, referring to when Russia seized the Crimea peninsula and backed a separatist offensive in eastern Ukraine.

In a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ahead of the US-Ukraine talks, Zelensky’s office said he discussed Ukraine’s conditions for any permanent peace deal, including the release of prisoners and the return of children Kyiv accuses Moscow of abducting.

The two leaders “discussed the possible mediation of Saudi Arabia in the release of… prisoners and the return of deported children”, the Ukrainian statement said.

They also “exchanged views on the formats of security guarantees and what they should be for Ukraine so that war does not return again”, it added.

– Reporting back to Russia –

Rubio said he did not expect to be “drawing lines on a map” towards a final deal in the Jeddah meeting, but said he would bring ideas back to Russia.

Rubio and Waltz met last month, also in Saudi Arabia, with counterparts from Russia, ending a freeze in high-level contacts imposed by former president Joe Biden after Russia defied Western warnings and launched its invasion.

Trump last week also threatened further sanctions against Russia to force it to the table as it carried out strikes on Ukraine.

But Trump’s abrupt shift in US policy has stunned many allies. Rubio said the United States was objecting to “antagonistic” language on Russia at an upcoming gathering of Group of Seven foreign ministers.

The escalating trade tensions between the United States and China are reshaping global agricultural trade flows, presenting Brazil with a significant opportunity to expand its market share in China. However, this potential windfall carries the risk of exacerbating domestic food inflation, a pressing concern for the Brazilian economy and its citizens.

China’s recent imposition of tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods, including meat and soybeans, marks a decisive response to President Trump’s renewed trade measures. As China seeks alternative suppliers, Brazil, a dominant force in global agricultural exports, is strategically positioned to fill the void. This situation echoes the previous trade war, where Brazil successfully captured a substantial portion of China’s soybean market, a share the U.S. has yet to fully recover.

“Rising U.S.-China tensions are likely to prompt China to source more grains and proteins from Brazil, potentially lowering commodity demand and in turn prices in the U.S., while increasing demand and prices in Brazil,” analysts at Santander noted. This statement highlights the immediate impact on commodity markets, with Brazilian soybean prices already experiencing a surge. “Any additional demand from China could result in stronger exports from Brazil at healthier prices,” Itau BBA analysts confirmed in a note to clients.

This surge in demand benefits Brazilian agricultural giants like SLC Agricola and BrasilAgro. However, the increased export volume inevitably reduces domestic supply, leading to higher feed costs for local meatpackers such as JBS and BRF. This dynamic creates a delicate balancing act between capitalizing on export opportunities and managing domestic price pressures.

Read Also: China Warns US: “Ready to Fight Any War” as Trade Tensions with US Escalate

The potential for heightened food inflation presents a significant challenge for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, whose approval ratings have been impacted by rising living costs. Food and beverage prices in Brazil have seen a consistent upward trend, with recent data indicating continued increases. “Brazil will end up benefiting, especially in terms of prices and profitability,” Ricardo Santin, head of meat lobby group ABPA, told Reuters, acknowledging the potential gains. Yet, the central bank has expressed concerns about the impact of rising meat prices on overall inflation, highlighting the adverse short-term scenario.

Historically, Brazil has experienced inflationary pressures during periods of increased agricultural exports to China. The consumer price index rose significantly in 2018 and 2019, mirroring the current situation. “China will seek to obtain as much as possible from Brazil,” Carlos Cogo of agribusiness consultancy Cogo stated, reinforcing the expectation of increased export volumes.

While the long-term outlook for Brazil’s agribusiness sector remains positive, with record-breaking production forecasts for soybeans, beef, poultry, and pork, the government must address the potential for domestic inflation. The meeting between Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and food industry leaders underscores the urgency of finding solutions to mitigate rising food costs.

I understand the importance of presenting complex economic issues in a clear and accessible manner. When we look at the potential for Brazil to capitalize on the trade war, we must also examine the implications for the average Brazilian consumer. The increased demand from China, while beneficial to exporters, directly affects the prices of essential goods within Brazil. I have seen the way these price increases affect the average person, and it is a serious issue.

In essence, Brazil finds itself at a pivotal juncture, poised to reap the rewards of global trade shifts while navigating the complexities of domestic economic stability. The delicate dance between export growth and inflation control will ultimately determine the long-term success of Brazil’s agricultural sector and the well-being of its citizens.