South Sudan says 8 men deported from the US are now in its custody
Apuk Ayuel, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, told reporters that the eight arrived at Juba International Airport on Saturday following 'standard deportation procedures undertaken' by the U.S. government.
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Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Iranian mother released from ICE detention after Republican House Majority Leader intervenes
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An Iranian mother detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers has been released this week following advocacy from Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Mandonna 'Donna' Kashanian, 64, was detained by ICE officers last month as she gardened in the yard of her New Orleans home. She had been living in the United States for 47 years and her husband and daughter are both U.S. citizens.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iranian mother released from ICE detention after Republican House Majority Leader intervenes
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An Iranian mother detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers has been released this week following advocacy from Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Mandonna 'Donna' Kashanian, 64, was detained by ICE officers last month as she gardened in the yard of her New Orleans home. She had been living in the United States for 47 years and her husband and daughter are both U.S. citizens. Kashanian had been allowed to stay in the U.S. as long as she checked in regularly with immigration authorities, as she had done without fail, her family and attorney said. After a surge of community support for Kashanian, Scalise, who represents Louisiana's First Congressional District, including the New Orleans suburbs, told media outlet WDSU that he asked the Department of Homeland Security to give Kashanian 'a fair shake.' Scalise said Kashanian should be judged on 'her life's work' and role in her community. 'When she was picked up, we looked at it and said, 'Are they really looking at it the right way, objectively?'' Scalise told WDSU. 'And so they took a second look at it.' Scalise's intervention was 'absolutely crucial' to behind-the-scenes advocacy to secure Kashanian's release, her attorney Ken Mayeaux told The Associated Press. What happens next for Kashanian's legal status is still being worked out, he added. Scalise's office did not respond to a request for comment from The AP. Kashanian had been a 'devoted mother and wife, a caretaker, neighbor and dedicated volunteer' with Habitat for Humanity, her local school district and other organizations, said Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, a Republican who represents Kashanian's community. More than 100 of Kashanian's neighbors wrote letters of support for her, which Hilferty told AP she and Scalise had shared with President Donald Trump's administration. 'She's just been an incredible volunteer and servant to our Lakeview community, everybody knows her because of all she gives and does,' said Connie Uddo, a neighbor of Kashanian's who leads the NOLA Tree Project where Kashanian and husband have volunteered for years. Some neighbors wrote letters addressed to Trump expressing support for his immigration policies but saying that some people like Kashanian were being detained improperly and urging him to reconsider her case. Kashanian had arrived in the U.S. in 1978 on a student visa and unsuccessfully applied for asylum based on her father's support of the U.S.-backed shah. ICE New Orleans said in a June post on X that Kashanian had failed to depart the U.S. after the Board of Immigration Appeals upheld a deportation order in 1992. 'She was ordered by a judge to depart the U.S. and didn't,' the agency said. 'Shouldn't be a surprise we came knocking.' But Kashanian was allowed to remain with her husband and child as long as she checked in regularly with immigration authorities, her family said. For decades, she had 'faithfully and fully complied with those terms,' said Mayeaux, her attorney. She even managed to check in with authorities while displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Russell Milne, Kashanian's husband, told AP his family was 'extremely grateful' for all the support from their community and elected officials. Kashanian met her husband while bartending as a student in the late 1980s. She volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, filmed Persian cooking tutorials on YouTube and doted on the neighboring children. 'She's meeting her obligations,' Milne told AP following her detention. 'She's retirement age. She's not a threat. Who picks up a grandmother?' The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately provide comment on Kashanian's release. Other Iranians living in the U.S. for decades have also been picked up by immigration authorities, and U.S. military strikes on Iran have raised concerns that more may be taken into custody and deported. Iran was one of 12 countries subject to a U.S. travel ban that took effect this month. Immigration authorities are seeking to arrest 3,000 people a day under directives from the Trump administration. Kashanian's attorney Mayeaux said he represents other clients who had built lives in the U.S. over decades and are now being detained and deported. 'There is still a tremendous amount of heartache that is happening for people,' Mayeaux said. 'The difference is they lived quiet lives and didn't have access to political power to change the outcomes in their cases.' ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Canada News.Net
2 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
China targeted Rafale jet's reputation, say French intelligence officials
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation of the Rafale fighter jet, a key export of France's defense industry. According to findings reviewed by the Associated Press, French intelligence services believe China used its diplomatic network to spread doubts about the aircraft's performance following recent combat engagements between India and Pakistan. The campaign reportedly began after a major flare-up in May between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, during which both sides deployed numerous aircraft in one of their most serious military confrontations in years. India used French-made Rafales in the clashes, while Pakistan relied heavily on Chinese-made jets and missiles. Soon after, questions began circulating online and in diplomatic circles about the effectiveness of the Rafales in the conflict, particularly after Pakistani claims that its air force had shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. Although India confirmed some aircraft losses, it did not specify numbers. French officials said they had information confirming the loss of only three Indian aircraft: a Rafale, a Russian-made Sukhoi, and a Mirage 2000, another French-made plane. This marked the first known combat loss of a Rafale, a jet France has sold to eight countries. French authorities say an aggressive disinformation campaign stoked the resulting wave of skepticism about Rafale's performance. According to military and intelligence findings, Chinese defense attachés stationed in foreign embassies actively worked to discredit the Rafale in meetings with defense officials from other countries. These efforts targeted both nations that had already purchased Rafales—such as Indonesia—and prospective buyers, urging them to reconsider and opt for Chinese-made alternatives. French officials believe this was part of a broader Chinese strategy to erode France's credibility in international defense markets, especially in Asia, where Beijing seeks to expand its influence. Although they have not directly linked the online portion of the campaign to the Chinese government, researchers documented more than 1,000 new social media accounts created around the time of the India-Pakistan clashes. These accounts pushed narratives praising Chinese technological superiority, using manipulated images, AI-generated videos, and even video game content to depict supposed Rafale failures. In a statement to the AP, China's Ministry of National Defense denied the allegations, calling them "groundless rumors and slander," and reiterated that China adheres to a "prudent and responsible" policy on military exports. France's Defense Ministry described the campaign as a targeted attempt to undermine not just a weapons system but the image of French strategic autonomy, industrial reliability, and diplomatic partnerships. "The Rafale was not randomly targeted," the ministry stated, noting that it is a high-profile aircraft deployed in sensitive theaters and integral to France's international defense strategy. To date, Dassault Aviation has sold 533 Rafales, with 323 destined for export markets. Indonesia, which has ordered 42 of the jets, is reportedly reconsidering additional purchases — a move that French officials fear may have been influenced by the disinformation campaign. Experts suggest that Beijing's efforts reflect a strategic intent to weaken France's defense ties in Asia and position Chinese technology as the more reliable alternative. "They certainly saw an opportunity to damage French sales prospects in the region," an official said.
