Drones fly over Handala aid convoy as crew brace for possible Israeli raid
Jacob Berger, an American actor and activist, says they are "confident" in their mission despite what they may potentially face.
"It is our duty to break this siege and this holocaust that is happening right before our eyes," he adds.
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Dubai Eye
3 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
US Senate rejects bids to block arms sales to Israel over Gaza
Two resolutions that would have blocked arms sales to Israel in response to civilian casualties in Gaza were blocked in the US Senate on Wednesday, although they garnered more support than similar measures earlier this year. The two resolutions were introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent aligned with Democrats. They failed by 73 to 24 and 70 to 27 in the 100-member chamber in voting late on Wednesday night. Similar measures, also introduced by Sanders, failed by 82-15 and 83-15 in April. A decades-long tradition of strong bipartisan support for Israel in the US Congress means resolutions to stop weapons sales are unlikely to pass, but backers hope raising the issue will encourage Israel's government and the US administration to do more to protect civilians. All of the votes for the resolutions came from Democrats, with all of President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans opposed. Sanders said in a statement he was pleased that a majority of the Democratic caucus had backed the effort. "The tide is turning. The American people do not want to spend billions to starve children in Gaza," Sanders said. "The Democrats are moving forward on this issue, and I look forward to Republican support in the near future." Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was one of the Democrats who opposed the Sanders-backed resolutions in April but voted for them this time. Shaheen said in a statement that Israel has a right to defend its citizens, but added: "It is clear that the Government of Israel has not conducted its military operations in Gaza with the necessary care required by international humanitarian law. It is also clear that the Government of Israel has failed to allow adequate humanitarian assistance into Gaza, resulting in unbelievable suffering." The resolutions would have blocked the sale of $675 million in bombs and shipments of 20,000 assault rifles. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, the Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a speech opposing the resolutions that the militant group Hamas was to blame for the situation in Gaza. "It is in the interest of America and the world to see this terrorist group destroyed," he said. Israel has consistently said its actions in Gaza are justified as self-defence and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, a charge Hamas denies. The US Senate vote came as France and Canada have indicated they plan to recognize a Palestinian state amid growing international outrage over the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Britain has also said it would recognise the state at September's UN General Assembly meeting if the fighting in Gaza had not stopped by then. Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, destroyed much of the enclave and led to widespread hunger. A global hunger monitor has warned that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in the enclave. The war began after Gaza's dominant Palestinian armed group Hamas carried out a cross-border attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel's subsequent air and ground campaign has leveled entire neighbourhoods in Gaza and displaced most of the population of 2.3 million. Israel says its operations are aimed at dismantling Hamas' military capabilities and securing the release of hostages.
Sharjah 24
5 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
Trump says US to impose 15% tariff on South Korean goods
"South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, adding that the country would buy $100 billion in liquefied natural gas or other energy products. The 15 percent rate is below a 25 percent tariff that Trump had threatened earlier, and was equivalent to deals with Japan and the European Union. Trump added that an additional unspecified "large sum of money" will be invested by Seoul. "This sum will be announced within the next two weeks when the President of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung, comes to the White House for a Bilateral Meeting," Trump said, offering congratulations to his South Korean counterpart for his "electoral success." South Korea's Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said Seoul's commitment to help the United States revive its shipbuilding industry was instrumental in reaching the deal. "I believe MASGA made the greatest contribution to reaching today's agreement," Koo said at a news conference in Washington, referring to the "Make American Shipbuilding Great Again" proposal. "Our world-class shipbuilding companies, equipped with the highest level of ship design and construction capabilities, are expected to help revive the US shipbuilding industry," he said. Shares in South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, which owns a shipyard in Philadelphia, soared more than 15 percent Thursday. The leaders' White House meeting will be their first since Lee assumed the presidency in June. In a statement on Facebook, Lee called the deal "the first major trade challenge" since his administration took power, adding: "We have overcome a major hurdle." "Through this deal, the government has eliminated uncertainty surrounding export conditions and ensured that US tariffs on our exports are either lower than or equal to those imposed on our major trade competitors." Mixed reaction Lee was elected in a snap vote last month following the impeachment of predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol over his disastrous martial law declaration in December. The deal marks an early victory for Lee's tenure as head of the export-reliant economy, Asia's fourth biggest. "This agreement represents the convergence of US interests in revitalizing its manufacturing sector and our determination to strengthen Korean companies' competitiveness in the American market," Lee's statement continued. But there were mixed reactions in South Korea. Its six major business associations, including the Korea Chamber of Commerce, said in a joint statement: "We view this agreement as a critical milestone that will not only ease trade-related uncertainties but also pave the way for a significant strengthening of economic cooperation between the two countries. "With much of the external uncertainty now resolved, the Korean business community will redouble efforts to boost domestic investment and job creation." But a handful of civic groups, including farmers and labour organisations, protested at the US Embassy in central Seoul, opposing "Trump's madman strategy." Demonstrators held signs reading "No Trump! No King!" and pointed out that there may be additional negotiations when Lee meets Trump. "Trump's actions amount to excessive interference in our domestic affairs," said Park Sung-hoon, head of the Korean Apple Growers Association. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has imposed a sweeping 10 percent tariff on trading partners -- with extra rates for dozens of economies set for August 1 -- alongside steeper tolls on steel, aluminium and autos. News of the deal with South Korea came as Trump on Wednesday imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods and 50 percent on those from Brazil.
ARN News Center
6 hours ago
- ARN News Center
Trump says US to impose 25% tariff on India from August 1
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States will impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from India starting on August 1. He said India, which has the world's fifth largest economy, will also face an unspecified penalty on August 1, but did not elaborate on the amount or what it was for. "While India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. "They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia's largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD!" India's commerce ministry, which is leading the trade negotiations with the United States, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump's decision dashes hopes of a limited trade agreement between the two countries, which had been under negotiation for several months. US and Indian trade negotiators had held multiple rounds of discussions to resolve contentious issues, particularly over market access for American agricultural and dairy products. Despite progress in some areas, Indian officials resisted opening the domestic market to imports of wheat, corn, rice and genetically modified soybeans, citing risks to the livelihood of millions of Indian farmers. The new tariffs are expected to impact India's goods exports to the US, estimated at around $87 billion in 2024, including labour-intensive products such as garments, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, and petrochemicals. The United States currently has a $45.7 billion trade deficit with India. India now joins a growing list of countries facing higher tariffs under Trump's "Liberation Day" trade policy, aimed at reshaping US trade relations by demanding greater reciprocity. The White House had previously warned India about its high average applied tariffs — nearly 39 per cent on agricultural products, with rates climbing to 45 per cent on vegetable oils and around 50 per cent on apples and corn. The setback comes despite earlier commitments by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Trump to conclude the first phase of a trade deal by autumn 2025 and expand bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, up from $191 billion in 2024. US manufacturing exports to India, valued at around $42 billion in 2024, as well as energy exports such as liquefied natural gas, crude oil, and coal, could also face retaliatory action if India chooses to respond in kind. Indian officials have previously indicated that they view the US as a key strategic partner, particularly in counterbalancing China. But they have emphasised the need to preserve policy space on agriculture, data governance and state subsidies.
