Category: North America

WASHINGTON, D.C. (NPA) — U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a new executive order aimed at preventing banks and financial institutions from being used to facilitate illegal immigration, human smuggling, drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

Trump disclosed this in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, saying illegal immigrants and foreign fraudsters were costing American taxpayers billions of dollars annually.

According to the President, the executive order will be implemented by the U.S. Treasury Department as part of his administration’s broader efforts to combat fraud and reverse illegal immigration.

“Illegal immigrants and foreign fraudsters steal billions every year from the American taxpayer,” Trump said, adding that the measure is designed to disrupt financial channels allegedly used by criminal cartels, human smugglers and traffickers.

He stated that access to the U.S. financial system should be limited to individuals who are legally resident in the country and engaged in lawful commercial activities.

Trump warned that bank accounts allegedly used to facilitate illegal immigration or receive welfare benefits unlawfully could be shut down, with affected funds subject to seizure and recovery.

The President also criticised policies in some states that allow undocumented migrants to obtain driver’s licences, arguing that such documents have enabled broader access to the U.S. financial system.

He described the executive order as a key component of his administration’s immigration enforcement strategy and said it would strengthen efforts to combat organised crime, secure the nation’s borders and protect taxpayers.

Trump further maintained that the measure sends a strong message to those seeking to undermine immigration enforcement and expressed confidence that it would significantly curb criminal financial activities linked to illegal immigration.

The executive order forms part of a wider package of immigration and border security measures being pursued by the Trump administration.

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has disclosed that American forces recently eliminated a top ISIS commander in Nigeria, allegedly responsible for attacks against Christians and threats targeting the United States homeland.

Hegseth made the remarks during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump at the White House, where he outlined efforts undertaken by the U.S. government to combat terrorism and protect vulnerable Christian communities in Nigeria.

According to the U.S. defence chief, President Trump had directed the Department of Defence about a year ago to intensify efforts aimed at countering ISIS-linked violence against Christians in Nigeria.

“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria,” Hegseth said during the meeting.

“He said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything possible to protect those Christians,’” he added.

The secretary noted that the operation required extensive intelligence gathering and strategic partnerships, which he said took time to develop behind the scenes.

According to him, U.S. forces eventually deployed critical assets that led to the successful targeting of ISIS operatives in Nigeria.

“Over the last month, there hasn’t been much coverage of this: we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who was most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” Hegseth stated.

He further disclosed that intelligence obtained during the operation led to subsequent strikes against other ISIS fighters operating within Nigeria, noting that the US will eliminate the killers of Nigerian Christians.

“Because of the intelligence we gathered, we have since killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria, creating a whole new opportunity there,” he said.

The high-ranking U.S. official argued that several national security operations carried out under President Trump’s leadership often receive little public attention despite their strategic significance.

“There is a lot that the President is doing to protect the American people that the President deserves credit for,” Hegseth stated.

Nigeria has continued to battle insurgency and terrorist activities in parts of the country, particularly in the North-East, where extremist groups linked to the Islamic State and Boko Haram have carried out deadly attacks on communities, security personnel, and religious groups over the years.

WASHINGTON, United States (NPA) — President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest response to ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending tensions between Washington and Tehran, describing the position as “totally unacceptable.”

In a post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the response submitted by Iranian representatives.

“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” he wrote.

The U.S. president’s remarks came shortly after another statement in which he accused Iran of deceiving the United States and the international community for nearly five decades through what he described as delay tactics designed to advance its military ambitions.

Trump also criticised former President Barack Obama over his administration’s policy toward Iran, alleging that Obama favoured Tehran while sidelining key American allies, including Israel.

“He was not only good to them, he was great, actually going to their side, jettisoning Israel and all other allies, and giving Iran a major and very powerful new lease on life,” Trump said.

The president referenced the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran and the release of funds to Tehran, alleging that hundreds of billions of dollars, including $1.7 billion in cash, were handed over to the Iranian government.

He also described Obama as a weak leader and accused Iran of exploiting successive American administrations for decades.

“For 47 years the Iranians have been tapping us along, keeping us waiting, killing our people with roadside bombs, destroying protests, and recently wiping out 42,000 innocent, unarmed protestors,” he said.

Trump maintained that Iran would no longer take advantage of the United States under his leadership.

The latest comments come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over regional security, military activities and ongoing nuclear negotiations.

WASHINGTON, United States (NPA) — President Donald Trump has accused Iran of deceiving the United States and the international community for nearly five decades through what he described as delay tactics aimed at advancing its military interests.

Trump, in a blistering post on his Truth Social handles, also criticised former President Barack Obama over his administration’s policy toward Iran, alleging that Obama favoured Tehran while sidelining key U.S. allies, including Israel.

“He was not only good to them, he was great, actually going to their side, jettisoning Israel and all other allies, and giving Iran a major and very powerful new lease on life,” Trump said.

The U.S. president referenced the Obama administration’s nuclear deal with Iran and the release of funds to Tehran, claiming that hundreds of billions of dollars and $1.7 billion in cash were handed over to the Iranian government.

According to Trump, the funds were transported to Tehran in cash deliveries.

“It was so much money that when it arrived, the Iranian thugs had no idea what to do with it,” he alleged.

Trump further claimed that banks in Washington D.C., Virginia and Maryland were emptied to facilitate the cash transfer, although he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.

He also described Obama as a weak leader, “a sucker,” and a “disaster”, and accused Iran of exploiting successive American administrations for decades.

“For 47 years the Iranians have been tapping us along, keeping us waiting, killing our people with roadside bombs, destroying protests, and recently wiping out 42,000 innocent, unarmed protestors,” he said.

Trump, however, argued that Iran would no longer take advantage of the United States under his leadership.

The comments come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over regional security, military activities and nuclear negotiations.

WASHINGTON, U.S. (NPA) — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the release of previously classified government files relating to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), commonly referred to as UFOs, as part of what officials described as an unprecedented transparency initiative.

In a statement issued Friday, the U.S. Department of War said the initial batch of files was released under a new interagency programme known as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE).

According to the department, the initiative involves coordination among the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Department of Energy, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other intelligence agencies.

The newly declassified materials, including videos, photographs and original source documents, are expected to be published on a dedicated government portal, with additional releases planned on a rolling basis.

The administration said the move followed directives from Trump to begin identifying and declassifying files related to UAPs “in the interest of total transparency.”

The statement described the release as the most extensive disclosure effort by any U.S. administration on the issue.

“The American people can now access the federal government’s declassified UAP files instantly,” the department stated, adding that the materials had undergone security reviews, although some had not yet been fully analysed.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the release was intended to address longstanding public speculation surrounding classified UAP investigations.

“These files, hidden behind classifications, have long fueled justified speculation — and it’s time the American people see it for themselves,” Hegseth said.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the intelligence community was coordinating a comprehensive review of government holdings related to UAPs.

“Today’s release is the first in what will be an ongoing joint declassification and release effort,” she stated.

FBI Director Kash Patel described the move as a “landmark release,” saying the American public now has “unfettered access” to declassified government records on anomalous phenomena.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also welcomed the initiative, saying the agency would continue to apply scientific research and data analysis in studying unexplained aerial phenomena.

“We will remain candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered,” Isaacman said.

The release is expected to intensify global interest in UAP investigations, an issue that has increasingly attracted attention from governments, researchers and intelligence agencies in recent years.