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Exclusive: In letter seen by the Guardian, 30 members of Congress warn US president’s Cuba military operation would worsen ‘mass suffering’US politics live – latest updatesMore than 30 members of Congress have urged Donald Trump’s top officials to end the use of the Guantánamo Bay naval base for immigrant detention and rule out any plans for military action on Cuba.In the letter to the secretaries of defense, state and homeland security on Wednesday morning, reviewed by the Guardian, Democratic lawmakers led by Delia Ramirez, a representative from Illinois, linked a rise in migration from the island nation to the heightening US aggression on Cuba. Continue reading...

• A federal appeals court ruling overturned a district judge’s injunction, allowing the administration to withhold certain grants previously directed for restoration. • Decision impacts funding for multiple programs, affecting states and nonprofits reliant on federal support. • Ruling reinforces executive authority on spending, potentially setting precedent for future policy disputes.

Rightwing extremist Ivan Jennings had earlier pleaded guilty to dissemination of a terrorism publicationA rightwing extremist who called for “killing migrants when they arrive on their boats” has pleaded guilty to terrorism offences.Ivan Jennings, 46, from Stafford, admitted encouraging terrorism between 15 August and 14 November 2024 at Leicester crown court on Monday. Continue reading...

• Israel's Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved bills giving the government sole discretion over senior civil service appointments, reducing oversight mechanisms. • The committee deferred decisions on more radical proposals, including bills to cancel the Oslo Accords and restrict immigration and citizenship for non-Orthodox converts. • These moves signal a push toward greater executive control, amid ongoing debates on judicial and administrative reforms.

US judge says halt of $100m in funds allotted by Congress for scholars, writers and research illegal and discriminatoryA federal judge ruled on Thursday that the terminations of hundreds of humanities grants last year by the Trump administration’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) were unconstitutional and involved “blatant” discrimination. In April last year, Donald Trump’s administration terminated more than 1,400 grants, representing more than $100m in congressionally appropriated funds awarded to scholars, writers, research institutions and other humanities organizations.The terminations were part of a cost-cutting drive that billionaire Elon Musk was leading at Doge. Continue reading...

• A federal trade court overturned an administration ruling that had blocked grant restoration, overturning a previous district judge's injunction regarding federal aid programs. • The decision requires the administration to restore the flow of contested grants, marking a judicial victory for grant recipients and advocacy groups challenging the policy. • The ruling impacts federal funding distribution and suggests courts are actively reviewing Trump administration decisions affecting federal spending programs.

Almost two-thirds of respondents said US used to be a great place for immigrants but no longer isSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump’s aggressive and wide-reaching immigration-enforcement agenda has convinced increasing numbers of adults that the US is no longer a welcoming country for outsiders, a new poll has found.About six in 10 respondents to the Associated Press-NORC poll, conducted last month, say the country used to be a great place for immigrants, but no longer is. Continue reading...