Donald Trump's Nobel Peace prize dream crumbles as nomination is abruptly withdrawn amid global uproar
Remove Ads
Trump tried to be friends with Russia
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
U.S. focus shifts to Middle East
FAQs
Donald Trump's shot at winning the Nobel Peace prize is gone. At least for this year. The person who nominated him took back the nomination because Trump did not help stop the war between Ukraine and Russia.Oleksandr Merezhko, a top Ukrainian lawmaker, nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last November. On Monday, Merezhko withdrew Trump's nomination. He said he lost faith in Trump's ability to stop the war between Ukraine and Russia, as stated by a Newsweek report.Trump promised in January to end the war in just 24 hours after he returned to the White House. But the peace talks did not go anywhere, and Trump got frustrated with how slow the progress was. Ukraine agreed to a U.S. plan to make peace in March, but Russia has not agreed yet.Ukraine and others saw Trump trying to get closer to Russia, and he avoided punishing Russia with sanctions. Merezhko said Trump was "dodging" the need to punish Russia. In late May, Trump said he would take two weeks to see if Russia was tricking him. That deadline passed without results, as per the report by Newsweek.John Foreman, a former British defense officer, said Putin probably ignored Trump's two-week deadline. Merezhko said Trump did not react much to big attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, and that Trump chose to "appease" Russia.Trump went to The Hague, Netherlands, for a big NATO meeting on Tuesday after announcing a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Trump posted online, "PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!" about the Iran-Israel ceasefire. Iran denied breaking the ceasefire, but Israel's defense minister said Israel would fight back hard if Iran breaks it, according to the report by Newsweek.Ukrainian officials worry that the U.S. is focusing more on the Middle East and sending fewer weapons to Ukraine. Fighting in the Middle East could make oil prices go up, which would help Russia's economy. Ukraine wants to avoid that. The European Union paused plans to limit the price of Russian oil because of fears about rising oil prices, according to the report by Politico.Trump said online, "EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING." Ukraine said it attacked an oil depot in Russia's Rostov region on Monday night. Pakistan's government said on Friday it will recommend Trump for next year's Nobel Peace Prize for his work in helping stop violence between Pakistan and India, as per the report by Newsweek.Pakistan called Trump a "genuine peacemaker" and praised his "commitment to conflict resolution through dialogue." India, however, said Trump's role in the ceasefire talks was not very important.A senior Ukrainian lawmaker who nominated Trump lost faith in him and took back the nomination because Trump did not help stop the war between Ukraine and Russia.Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine's parliamentary foreign committee, nominated Trump for the prize last November.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Did Hamas steal Gaza aid? USAID finds no evidence of massive theft
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -An internal U.S. government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian militant group Hamas of U.S.-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the main rationale that Israel and the U.S. give for backing a new armed private aid operation. The analysis, which has not been previously reported, was conducted by a bureau within the U.S. Agency for International Development and completed in late June. It examined 156 incidents of theft or loss of U.S.-funded supplies reported by U.S. aid partner organizations between October 2023 and this May. It found 'no reports alleging Hamas' benefited from U.S.-funded supplies, according to a slide presentation of the findings seen by Reuters. A State Department spokesperson disputed the findings, saying there is video evidence of Hamas looting aid, but provided no such videos. The spokesperson also accused traditional humanitarian groups of covering up "aid corruption." The findings were shared with the USAID's inspector general's office and State Department officials involved in Middle East policy, said two sources familiar with the matter, and come as dire food shortages deepen in the devastated enclave. Israel says it is committed to allowing in aid but must control it to prevent it from being stolen by Hamas, which it blames for the crisis. The U.N. World Food Program says nearly a quarter of Gaza's 2.1 million Palestinians face famine-like conditions, thousands are suffering acute malnutrition, and the World Health Organization and doctors in the enclave report starvation deaths of children and others. The U.N. also estimates that Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the new private aid group that uses a for-profit U.S. logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed U.S. military veterans. The study was conducted by the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of USAID, which was the largest funder of assistance to Gaza before the Trump administration froze all U.S. foreign aid in January, terminating thousands of programs. It has also begun dismantling USAID, whose functions have been folded into the State Department. The analysis found that at least 44 of the 156 incidents where aid supplies were reported stolen or lost were 'either directly or indirectly' due to Israeli military actions, according to the briefing slides. Israel's military did not respond to questions about those findings. The study noted a limitation: because Palestinians who receive aid cannot be vetted, it was possible that U.S.-funded supplies went to administrative officials of Hamas, the Islamist rulers of Gaza. One source familiar with the study also cautioned that the absence of reports of widespread aid diversion by Hamas 'does not mean that diversion has not occurred.' The war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli assault began, according to Palestinian health officials. ISRAEL SAYS HAMAS DIVERTS HUMANITARIAN AID Israel, which controls access to Gaza, has said that Hamas steals food supplies from U.N. and other organizations to use to control the civilian population and boost its finances, including by jacking up the prices of the goods and reselling them to civilians. Asked about the USAID report, the Israeli military told Reuters that its allegations are based on intelligence reports that Hamas militants seized cargoes by "both covertly and overtly" embedding themselves on aid trucks. Those reports also show that Hamas has diverted up to 25% of aid supplies to its fighters or sold them to civilians, the Israeli military said, adding that GHF has ended the militants' control of aid by distributing it directly to civilians. Hamas denies the allegations. A Hamas security official said that Israel has killed more than 800 Hamas-affiliated police and security guards trying to protect aid vehicles and convoy routes. Their missions were coordinated with the U.N. Reuters could not independently verify the claims by Hamas and Israel, which has not made public proof that the militants have systematically stolen aid. GHF also accuses Hamas of massive aid theft in defending its distribution model. The U.N. and other groups have rejected calls by GHF, Israel and the U.S. to cooperate with the foundation, saying it violates international humanitarian principles of neutrality. In response to a request for comment, GHF referred Reuters to a July 2 Washington Post article that quoted an unidentified Gazan and anonymous Israeli officials as saying Hamas profited from the sales and taxing of pilfered humanitarian aid. AID GROUPS REQUIRED TO REPORT LOSSES The 156 reports of theft or losses of supplies reviewed by BHA were filed by U.N. agencies and other humanitarian groups working in Gaza as a condition of receiving U.S. aid funds. The second source familiar with the matter said that after receiving reports of U.S.-funded aid thefts or losses, USAID staff followed up with partner organizations to try to determine if there was Hamas involvement. Those organizations also would "redirect or pause" aid distributions if they learned that Hamas was in the vicinity, the source said. Aid organizations working in Gaza also are required to vet their personnel, sub-contractors and suppliers for ties to extremist groups before receiving U.S. funds, a condition that the State Department waived in approving $30 million for GHF last month. The slide presentation noted that USAID partners tended to over-report aid diversion and theft by groups sanctioned or designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations - such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad - because they want to avoid losing U.S. funding. Of the 156 incidents of loss or theft reported, 63 were attributed to unknown perpetrators, 35 to armed actors, 25 to unarmed people, 11 directly to Israeli military action, 11 to corrupt subcontractors, five to aid group personnel 'engaging in corrupt activities,' and six to 'others," a category that accounted for 'commodities stolen in unknown circumstances,' according to the slide presentation. The armed actors 'included gangs and other miscellaneous individuals who may have had weapons,' said a slide. Another slide said "a review of all 156 incidents found no affiliations with" U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations, of which Hamas is one. 'The majority of incidents could not be definitively attributed to a specific actor,' said another slide. 'Partners often largely discovered the commodities had been stolen in transit without identifying the perpetrator.' It is possible there were classified intelligence reports on Hamas aid thefts, but BHA staff lost access to classified systems in the dismantlement of USAID, said a slide. However, a source familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments told Reuters that they knew of no U.S. intelligence reports detailing Hamas aid diversions and that Washington was relying on Israeli reports. The BHA analysis found that the Israeli military 'directly or indirectly caused' a total of 44 incidents in which U.S.-funded aid was lost or stolen. Those included the 11 attributed to direct Israeli military actions, such as airstrikes or orders to Palestinians to evacuate areas of the war-torn enclave. Losses indirectly attributed to Israeli military included cases where they compelled aid groups to use delivery routes with high risks of theft or looting, ignoring requests for alternative routes, the analysis said. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Don Durfee and Claudia Parsons)
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
23 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Obviously unlikely': Russia shoots down Ukraine's proposal for Putin-Zelenskyy meet by Aug-end
Days after talks between the two countries, the Kremlin has said that a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin is 'obviously unlikely' before the end of August. read more In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on April 26, 2025. AP Photo Days after negotiators of the two countries held talks in Turkey, the Kremlin has dismissed the possibility of talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin anytime soon. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday said that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin was 'obviously unlikely' before the end of August. For weeks, Zelenskyy has pushed for a leader-level meeting between the two countries in order to reach a ceasefire as a first step towards ending the war. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'A high-level meeting can and must put a definitive end to the settlement … Is it possible to go through such a complex process in 30 days? Well, that is obviously unlikely,' Peskov told the media, as per AFP. With the rejection of Zelenskyy's call for a leader-level meeting, the Kremlin made it clear again how far the two sides stood in their positions on the war. Instead of seeking a middle ground to end the war, the Kremlin has doubled down on its maximalise demands. Russia rejects Ukraine's main demand After talks on Wednesday, Rustem Umerov, who led the Ukrainian delegation, said that the direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin was the 'priority number one'. He said that Ukraine sought such a meeting by the end of August with Presidents Donald Trump of the United States and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Even before the Kremlin's dismissal earlier in the day, Vladimir Medinsky, who lead the Russian delegation in talks in Turkey, said on Wednesday that 'the positions [of the two sides] are quite distant'. Medinsky said that both the countries on Wednesday agreed to exchange 1,200 prisoners each and that Russia offered to hand Ukraine the bodies of 3,000 of its soldiers. 'We once again proposed to the Ukrainian side… to establish short 24- to 48-hour ceasefires on the line of contact, so that medical teams are able to collect the wounded and so that commanders can come take the bodies of their soldiers,' said Medinsky. In previous rounds of talks, Ukraine and Russia had exchanged terms for the end of the war. While Ukraine offered concessions in a bid to end the war, Russia made no such attempt. Russia not just doubled down on its maximalist demands but expanded them such that any acceptance would lead to Ukraine's cessation as a sovereign nation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Time of India
23 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump claims he's not after Musk's companies as EV subsidies disappear
US President Donald Trump has rejected growing speculation that he's targeting Elon Musk 's companies out of political spite, denying any intention to strip them of government support. 'Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon's companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the US Government ,' Trump said on Truth Social. 'This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before!' He continued, 'The better they do, the better the USA does, and that's good for all of us. We are setting records every day, and I want to keep it that way!' His comments followed renewed media attention on the growing rift between the two, sparked by Musk 's opposition to a key White House economic bill. Fallout from the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' Tensions escalated after Musk publicly criticised Trump's flagship tax and spending legislation, formally known as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' (OBBBA). The bill, which came into effect on 4 July, scaled back several clean energy incentives and lifted penalties on carmakers that failed to meet fuel efficiency standards. Musk, who had once chaired Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, openly broke ranks. In response, Trump reportedly considered reviewing and potentially cutting government contracts with Musk's companies. This shift marked a dramatic change in tone. Musk had previously donated heavily to Trump's re-election effort and played a key advisory role within his administration. Tesla stock dips after grim forecast Tesla's financial outlook has added fuel to the fire. On Wednesday 24 July, the company warned of difficult months ahead. Speaking during the second-quarter earnings call, Musk said, 'We probably could have a few rough quarters.' The warning came as Tesla posted disappointing revenue numbers. Its stock dropped by 8.2 percent in New York trading that day, continuing a broader 24 percent decline for the year. Tesla Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja added more detail on the company's earnings call. He said the OBBBA has 'certain adverse impacts' on Tesla's energy business, especially in residential storage. He warned of a dip in both demand and profit as consumer tax credits expired early. Taneja also revealed that new tariffs had already raised costs by around 300 million dollars in the second quarter alone, with further increases expected later this year. In a regulatory filing, Tesla directly referenced the impact of the new law, stating, 'The loss of previously available tax credits and carbon offset mechanisms may further negatively impact our financial results.' It also warned that OBBBA provisions 'could affect battery cell expenses and impact costs for our consumers, negatively impacting demand.' Musk rejects claims of relying on subsidies Responding to Trump's remarks, Musk pushed back strongly. On Thursday, he wrote on X, 'The 'subsidies' he's talking about simply do not exist. DJT has already removed or put an expiry date on all sustainable energy support while leaving massive oil & gas subsidies untouched.' Musk's frustration reflects a broader shift in US federal support for clean energy. Since 2015, Tesla has made over 12 billion dollars from regulatory credit sales, according to FedScout. In the most recent quarter alone, it earned 439 million dollars from these credits, which are part of a system that allows automakers to buy environmental offsets. These incentives have been a key source of revenue, especially as Tesla ramps up investments in autonomous vehicles and next-generation battery tech. Strained ties beyond policy The breakdown between Trump and Musk isn't just about legislation. It turned personal. At the height of the feud, Musk posted and later deleted a claim that Trump's name appeared in files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender. The post sparked outrage within Trump's circle and among his supporters. The situation escalated further after The Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi had told the president his name was among those in the Epstein files, alongside 'many other high-profile figures.' A Republican-led House committee has now subpoenaed Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's convicted accomplice, to testify next month. Trump's team has dismissed the Epstein allegations outright. 'This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media,' White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said. SpaceX, xAI also under scrutiny While Tesla grabs headlines, Musk's other ventures haven't been spared. SpaceX, his aerospace firm, has secured more than 22 billion dollars in US government contracts since 2008. These include key deals with NASA, the Air Force, and Space Force. Following the fallout, the Trump administration ordered a review of SpaceX's contracts. Most were deemed essential and allowed to continue. Despite a brief threat from Musk to pull the Dragon spacecraft used by NASA for space station missions, operations resumed. Musk later clarified, 'SpaceX won the NASA contracts by doing a better job for less money.' Meanwhile, his AI startup xAI is also drawing government attention. Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced that xAI and three other firms had been awarded contracts worth up to 200 million dollars each. But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the administration is hesitant about federal agencies collaborating further with Musk's AI projects. Trump and Musk made some effort to dial down hostilities after their public clashes, but the damage is done. Musk's businesses are now navigating policy shifts, rising costs, and political risk, all while investors grow nervous. The relationship between the billionaire entrepreneur and the president he once backed now appears beyond repair. And with both eyeing future influence — one in the tech sphere, the other in the political arena — this uneasy standoff may still have more chapters to come.
