100k

Birmingham City have signed France youth international Chancelle Effa Effa from Le Havre.

It is understood the Blues, who won the WSL 2 title last season, paid just over £100,000 for the 19-year-old striker.

She progressed from Le Havre’s academy and made her debut for the senior team at the age of 15.

Effa Effa helped the club secure promotion back to the French top flight in her breakthrough season and signed a professional contract in December 2022.

The striker, who has represented France at every age group from the U16s through to the U23s, had a year remaining on her contract at Le Havre.

“I am very happy to be joining Birmingham City – such a historic club – and experience the Women’s Super League,” said Effa Effa.

“From my very first conversations with the club, I was won over by the project. I sensed a genuine desire to build something strong, with great ambition.

“I can’t wait to start this new adventure.”

Effa Effa helped France lift the Women’s U17s European title in 2023 before reaching the Women’s U19s European final two years later.

In total, she has scored 17 goals in 28 appearances for France’s age groups.

“Chancelle is a player we’ve been tracking for some time and we’re delighted to bring her to Birmingham City,” said manager Amy Merricks.

“She’s an exciting young forward with huge potential, who has already gained valuable experience in the French top flight and has consistently performed for France at youth international level.

“We’re looking forward to helping her continue her development and seeing the impact she can make in a Blues shirt.”

U.S. President Donald Trump discusses renovations to the Lincoln Reflecting Pool and makes an announcement on “Beautiful, Clean Coal” on Thursday in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. A federal judge on Monday ruled that a H-1B visa fee imposed by Trump is illegal. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo

June 8 (UPI) — A federal judge ruled Monday that a $100,000 visa fee for U.S.companies seeking highly skilled workers from other countries is illegal. This voids the requirement set by President Donald Trump by a presidential proclamation in September.

Judge Leo Sorokin said the policy violated the U.S. Constitution and the federal Administrative Procedure Act and that only Congress has the authority to change federal immigration policy to require the fee. The Trump administration says it will appeal the ruling.

“The president lacked the power or delegated authority to impose a tax on H-1B petitions,” Sorokin said in his decision, CNN reported.

A group of Democratic state attorneys brought the case in December. Letitia James, New York attorney general, was among them.

“Every day, thousands of people with H-1B visas serve New Yorkers as doctors, teachers and other skilled workers,” James said Monday, CNBC reported. “Today, a court put an end to this administration’s illegal attempt to destroy this critical program and the many jobs it makes possible.”

Before Trump’s proclamation, H-1B visa fees ranged from $2,000 to $5,000 per application, CNBC reported. These visas are meant for foreign professionals who hold at least a bachelor’s degree to work in more specialized fields. They’re valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years after that. The New York Times reported that about 85,000 of such visas are available annually, and that they are often used by universities and companies in the fields of technology, finance and medicine.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to CNBC after the ruling that “President Trump has clear legal authority to restrict entry of any class of aliens he determines is not in America’s best interests, and that is exactly what he did.” She said the visa program “has been abused for decades.”