Trump promises to revive Muslim ban, gets slammed by White House
Washington (PTI): Former US President Donald Trump has vowed to revive a controversial travel ban on people from some Muslim-majority countries if he is elected to a second White House term.
While speaking at the annual summit of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Saturday, Trump, 77, said: "You remember the travel ban?"
"On day one, I will restore our travel ban. We had a travel ban because we didn't want people coming into our country who really love the idea of blowing our country up."
He said the travel ban imposed during his administration was an amazing success.
"We didn't have one incident in four years because we kept bad people the hell out of our country. We kept them out. We didn't have one, not one instance," Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, said.
In 2017, at the start of Trump's presidency, he imposed sweeping restrictions on the entry of travellers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and, initially, Iraq and Sudan.
The White House immediately slammed the former president.
"In 2020, President (Joe) Biden decried the unconscionable' rise in Islamophobia which he called a pernicious disease' and was proud to overturn the vile, un-American Muslim ban enacted by his predecessor," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said.
"The need to come together against rancid hate is more pressing now than ever, as American Muslims and Arab Americans increasingly find themselves the targets of appalling smears and heartbreaking violence including the barbaric killing of a 6-year-old child," he said.
In office, President Biden has taken unprecedented action against Islamophobia, and more will follow, Bates said.
"These disgraceful attacks against Arab Americans and the Muslim community are the opposite of what we stand for as a country, and they must be forcefully condemned by all Americans who, like President Biden, believe in human dignity. The spike in Islamophobic incidents is a direct attack on the character of our nation. It's critical that we give hate no safe harbour," he said.
Before hundreds of cheering supporters, Trump also vowed to stand alongside Israel's mission to destroy Hamas, defend America and Israel from barbaric terrorists, and reverse the Biden administration's appeasement of Iran.
"To every Israeli and every American touched by these barbaric activities: We love you, we're with you, we grieve with you, we share your anger and we stand with you 100 per cent...110 per cent," he said.
"To every American who is terrified that Joe Biden's weakness will bring our country to ruin, I make you this promise: As your president, I will restore peace through strength and yes, I will prevent World War III," he said.
He said during four years of his presidency, he kept America, Israel and the world safe.
"Today, the world is blowing up all around, no matter where you look. If I were president, the attack on Israel would never, ever have happened," Trump said.
"We eliminated the world's top terrorist the most brutal terrorist of them all the Iranian Butcher, (Qasem) Soleimani. We ELIMINATED him," he asserted.
"Instead of cuddling up to the killers in Iran as Biden has done, I will once again sanction them until their ability to fund terror is ABSOLUTELY GONE. And I will unleash the most powerful economic weapon there is on Earth DRILL BABY DRILL!" he said.
"After decades of broken promises by past leaders, I kept my promise, recognised Israel's eternal capital, and opened the American embassy in Jerusalem," he said.
"When I am back in the White House, America's enemies will know once again that if you try to kill our citizens, we will kill you. If you spill a drop of American blood, we spill a gallon of yours," Trump said.
Trump said he will also terminate every open border policy of the Biden administration.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
