Latest news with #American-led
Nahar Net
3 days ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Trump administration authorizes $30 million for Israeli-backed group distributing food in Gaza
by Naharnet Newsdesk 25 June 2025, 17:12 The Trump administration has authorized providing $30 million to a U.S.- and Israeli-backed group that is distributing food in Gaza, a U.S. official said Tuesday, an operation that has drawn criticism from other humanitarian organizations. The request is the first known U.S. government funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution efforts amid the Israel-Hamas war. The American-led group had applied for the money to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been dismantled and will soon be absorbed into the State Department as part of the Trump administration's deep cuts of foreign aid. The application is part of a controversial development: private contracting firms led by former U.S. intelligence officers and military veterans delivering aid to some of the world's deadliest conflict zones in operations organized with governments that are combatants in the conflicts. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue involving a controversial aid program, said the decision to directly fund GHF was made "to provide effective and accessible humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza." The announcement comes as violence and chaos have plagued areas near the new food distribution sites since opening last month. In a statement, GHF refuted AP's reporting about any killings near its sites. The group says it has delivered some 44 million meals to Palestinians in need. Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds heading toward desperately needed food, killing hundreds in recent weeks. The Israeli military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as crowds tried to reach a GHF site on Tuesday in southern Gaza. At least 19 were killed and 50 others wounded, according to Nasser hospital and Gaza's Health Ministry. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Israel wants the GHF to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Along with the United States, it accuses Hamas of stealing aid, without offering evidence. The United Nations, its affiliated aid agencies and private humanitarian groups that work in Gaza have denied that there has been any significant theft of their supplies by Hamas. U.N. agencies, humanitarian groups and crisis experts have warned for months that many of Gaza's more than 2 million people are on the brink of famine. Israel recently eased a blockade on food and other humanitarian supplies to the territory, but the U.N. humanitarian aid office says deliveries into Gaza remain severely restricted, describing the current flow of food as a trickle into an area facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The Oxfam America aid organization condemned the Trump administration's funding decision Tuesday, calling the U.S. and Israeli-supported aid operation "a multimillion-dollar distraction from the actual causes — and solutions — of Gaza's humanitarian crisis that also carries fatal risks for its intended beneficiaries." The Associated Press reported Saturday that the American-led group had asked the Trump administration for the initial funding so it can continue its aid operation, which has been criticized by the U.N., humanitarian groups and others. They accuse the foundation of cooperating with Israel's objectives in the 21-month-old war against Hamas in a way that violates humanitarian principles. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters earlier Tuesday that she had no information to provide on funding for the foundation.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Multilateralism will need to evolve to become more ‘flexible', says PM Wong at WEF
PM Lawrence Wong (left) and WEF President Borge Brende attending a session of the WEF Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China on June 25. PHOTO: AFP Multilateralism will need to evolve to become more 'flexible', says PM Wong at WEF TIANJIN – With global rules weakening and economic nationalism on the rise, Singapore is proposing a workaround of getting like-minded countries to cooperate on specific issues, while leaving the door open for others to join in future. 'This is what we would call a flexible multilateralism,' Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during the question-and-answer segment of a World Economic Forum (WEF) event on June 25 in Tianjin. 'It is not about an ad-hoc array of different rules but starting first laying the building blocks, and eventually others can join, and we can steer progress in the right direction.' PM Wong added: 'Whatever we do, it is open, it is inclusive. Others may not be ready to join, but in time to come, they can join and we can multilateralise these efforts.' He called for countries to find ways to evolve the multilateralism system, rather than abandon it altogether. The American-led post-war global order which had allowed for free trade and prosperity for countries big and small has come under threat with the US imposition of high tariffs on goods from much of the world, especially from China. The United States has imposed a 10 per cent tariff on Singapore, even though it has a Free Trade Agreement and a trade surplus with the Republic. 'For small countries like Singapore, we are worried because we have limited options, we have limited bargaining power, and we risk being marginalised,' said Mr Wong in his opening remarks during the dialogue. He said bigger countries will also find it hard to deal and operate in the new environment, because it will be harder for the world to address common threats, such as pandemics, climate change or financial shocks. In response, Singapore will still strive to bring people together, promote integration, bring down barriers and strengthen multilateralism, he said. Mr Wong said he hoped to see a kind of 'multilateralism that is more resilient, more inclusive and better suited to the realities of our time', adding that Singapore will do its part in this endeavour. 'The efforts may seem small and incremental, but if like-minded countries everywhere were to do our part, then collectively, I think we can make a difference, and then step by step, hopefully we can lay the groundwork for a new and more stable global order in time to come,' he said. During the question-and-answer segment with WEF president Borge Brende, Mr Wong cited an example of what Singapore has done to this end. During the question-and-answer segment with WEF president Borge Brende, Mr Wong cited an example of what Singapore has done to this end. PHOTO: AFP Singapore, together with Japan and Australia, had pushed for a joint initiative at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on e-commerce. After five years of negotiations, more than 70 countries have joined this initiative, which serves as the building block for the first set of global rules on digital trade. 'It is painstaking work, but there is no alternative. A new system does not just appear by magic. You have to work at it and with creative, pragmatic solutions, bringing along like-minded countries,' he said. When asked to comment on how Singapore balances its ties between the US and China, Mr Wong said Singapore has 'broad and substantial' ties with both of them. 'I know everyone monitors and tracks what we say and what we do very closely. Trying to parse every hidden meaning behind every word, behind every action, whether we are moving closer to one or the other. But that is not how we look at things,' he said. Singapore's starting point, Mr Wong explained, is to look at how it advances its own national interest. 'Our interests are to have close, good relations on substance with both America and China, and we will continue to do whatever we need to do to promote and advance Singapore's interest ,' Mr Wong said. 'It is not about balancing between the two superpowers, but it is about being consistent and principled in advancing and promoting Singapore's interests, and that is what we will continue to do.' Yew Lun Tian is a senior foreign correspondent who covers China for The Straits Times. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Behind the Curtain: An AI Marshall Plan
If politics and public debate were a rational, fact-based exercise, the government, business and the media would be obsessed with preparation for the unfolding AI revolution — rather than ephemeral outrage eruptions. Why it matters: That's not how Washington works. So while CEOs, Silicon Valley and a few experts inside government see AI as an opportunity, and threat, worthy of a modern Marshall Plan, most of America — and Congress — shrugs. One common question: What can we actually do, anyway? A lot. We've talked to scores of CEOs, government officials and AI executives over the past few months. Based on those conversations, we pieced together specific steps the White House, Congress, businesses and workers could take now to get ahead of the high-velocity change that's unspooling. None requires regulation or dramatic shifts. All require vastly more political and public awareness, and high-level AI sophistication. 1. A global American-led AI super-alliance: President Trump, like President Biden before him, sees beating China to superhuman AI as an existential battle. Trump opposes regulations that would risk America's early lead in the AI race. Congress agrees. So lots of CEOs and AI experts are mystified about why Trump has alienated allies, including Canada and Europe, who could help form a super-alliance of like-minded countries that play by America's AI rules and strengthen our supply chain for vital AI ingredients like rare earth minerals. Imagine America, Canada, all of Europe, Australia, much of the Middle East, parts of Africa and South America — and key Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and India — all aligned against China in this AI battle. The combination of AI rules, supply-chain ingredients, and economic activity would form a formidable pro-American AI bloc. 2. A domestic Marshall Plan: The Marshall Plan was America's commitment to rebuild Europe from the ruins of World War II. Now, the U.S. needs unfathomable amounts of data, chips, energy and infrastructure to produce AI. Trump has cut deals with companies and foreign countries — and cleared away some regulations — to expedite a lot of this. But there's been little sustained public discussion about what this means for the economy and U.S. jobs. It's very improvisational. Trump himself barely mentions AI or talks about it in any specificity in private. The country really needs "a combination of the Marshall Plan, the GI Bill, the New Deal — the social programs and international aid efforts needed to make AI work for the U.S. domestically and globally," as Scott Rosenberg, Axios managing editor for tech, puts it. One smart idea: Get the federal government better aligned with states and even schools to prepare the country and workforce in advance. Some states — including Texas — are eagerly working with AI companies to meet rising demand in these new areas. Yet many others are sitting it out. Imagine all states exploiting this moment and refashioning post-high-school education and job training programs. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro — a possible Democratic presidential candidate in '28 — sees the opening. He hailed "the largest private sector investment in Pennsylvania history" earlier this month when he personally announced that Amazon Web Services plans to spend $20 billion on data center complexes in his state. 3. A congressional kill switch: There's no appetite in Washington to regulate artificial intelligence, mainly out of fear China would then beat the U.S. to the most important technological advance in history. But that doesn't mean Congress needs to ignore or downplay AI's potential and risks. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, got rich as an early investor in an earlier tech boom — cell phones — and has been one of Capitol Hill's few urgent voices on AI. "If we're serious about outcompeting China," Warner told us, "we need clear controls on advanced AI chips and strong investments in workforce training, research and development." Several lawmakers and AI experts envision a preemptive move: Create a bipartisan, bicameral special committee, much like one stood up from the 1940s through the 1970s to monitor nuclear weapons. This committee, in theory, could do four things, all vital to advancing public (and congressional) awareness: Monitor, under top-secret clearance, the various large language models (LLMs) before they're released to fully understand their capabilities. Prepare Congress and the public, ahead of time, for looming effects on specific jobs or industries. Gain absolute expertise and fluency in the latest LLMs and AI technologies, and educate other members of Congress on a regular basis. Provide extra sets of eyes and scrutiny on models that pose risks of operating outside of human control in coming years. This basically creates another break-in-case-of-emergency lever beyond the companies themselves, and White House and defense officials with special top-secret clearance. 4. A CEO AI surge: Anthropic's Dario Amodei told Axios that half of entry-level, white-collar jobs could be gone in a few years because of AI. Almost every CEO tells us they're slowing or freezing hiring across many departments, where AI is expected to displace humans. CEOs, better educated on AI, could help workers in two big ways: Provide deep instruction, free access and additional training to help each person use AI to vastly increase proficiency and productivity. This retraining/upskilling effort would be expensive, but a meaningful way for well-off people and organizations to show leadership. Get more clever leaders thinking now about new business lines AI might open up, creating jobs in new areas to make up for losses elsewhere. A few CEOs suggested they see a social obligation to ease the transition, especially if government fails to act.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Health
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Trump administration authorizes $30 million for Israeli-backed aid group in Gaza - War on Gaza
The US Trump administration has authorized providing $30 million to a U.S.- and Israeli-backed group that is distributing food in Gaza, a U.S. official said Tuesday, an operation that has drawn criticism from other humanitarian organisations. The request is the first known U.S. government funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution efforts amid the Israeli war. The American-led group had applied for the money to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has been dismantled and will soon be absorbed into the State Department as part of the Trump administration's deep cuts of foreign aid. The application is part of a controversial development: private contracting firms led by former U.S. intelligence officers and military veterans delivering aid to some of the world's deadliest conflict zones in operations organized with governments that are combatants in the conflicts. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue involving a controversial aid program, said the decision to directly fund GHF was made 'to provide effective and accessible humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.' The announcement comes as violence and chaos have plagued areas near the new food distribution sites since opening last month. In a statement, GHF refuted AP's reporting about any killings near its sites. The group says it has delivered some 44 million meals to Palestinians in need. Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds heading toward desperately needed food, killing hundreds in recent weeks. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as crowds tried to reach a GHF site on Tuesday in southern Gaza. At least 19 were killed and 50 others wounded, according to Nasser hospital and Gaza's Health Ministry. Israel wants the GHF to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Along with the United States, it accuses Hamas of stealing aid, without offering evidence. The United Nations, its affiliated aid agencies and private humanitarian groups that work in Gaza have denied that there has been any significant theft of their supplies by Hamas. U.N. agencies, humanitarian groups and crisis experts have warned for months that many of Gaza's more than 2 million people are on the brink of famine. Israel recently eased a blockade on food and other humanitarian supplies to the territory, but the U.N. humanitarian aid office says deliveries into Gaza remain severely restricted, describing the current flow of food as a trickle into an area facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The Oxfam America aid organization condemned the Trump administration's funding decision Tuesday, calling the U.S. and Israeli-supported aid operation 'a multimillion-dollar distraction from the actual causes — and solutions — of Gaza's humanitarian crisis that also carries fatal risks for its intended beneficiaries.' The Associated Press reported Saturday that the American-led group had asked the Trump administration for the initial funding so it can continue its aid operation, which has been criticized by the U.N., humanitarian groups and others. They accuse the foundation of cooperating with Israel's objectives in the 21-month-old war in a way that violates humanitarian principles. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters earlier Tuesday that she had no information to provide on funding for the foundation. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump administration authorizes $30 million for Israeli-backed group distributing food in Gaza
Trump administration authorizes $30 million for Israeli-backed group distributing food in Gaza (Image: AP) WASHINGTON: The Trump administration has authorized providing $30 million to a US- and Israeli-backed group that is distributing food in Gaza, a US official said Tuesday, an operation that has drawn criticism from other humanitarian organizations. The request is the first known US government funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid distribution efforts amid the Israel-Hamas war. The American-led group had applied for the money to the US Agency for International Development, which has been dismantled and will soon be absorbed into the State Department as part of the Trump administration's deep cuts of foreign aid. The application is part of a controversial development: private contracting firms led by former US intelligence officers and military veterans delivering aid to some of the world's deadliest conflict zones in operations organized with governments that are combatants in the conflicts. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive diplomatic issue involving a controversial aid program, said the decision to directly fund GHF was made "to provide effective and accessible humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza." The announcement comes as violence and chaos have plagued areas near the new food distribution sites since opening last month. In a statement, GHF refuted AP's reporting about any killings near its sites. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Diese Testsieger-Wärmepumpe stellt den Heizungsmarkt auf den Kopf thermondo Undo The group says it has delivered some 44 million meals to Palestinians in need. Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds heading toward desperately needed food, killing hundreds in recent weeks. The Israeli military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner. Witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as crowds tried to reach a GHF site on Tuesday in southern Gaza. At least 19 were killed and 50 others wounded, according to Nasser hospital and Gaza's Health Ministry. The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Israel wants the GHF to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Along with the United States, it accuses Hamas of stealing aid, without offering evidence. The United Nations, its affiliated aid agencies and private humanitarian groups that work in Gaza have denied that there has been any significant theft of their supplies by Hamas. UN agencies, humanitarian groups and crisis experts have warned for months that many of Gaza's more than 2 million people are on the brink of famine. Israel recently eased a blockade on food and other humanitarian supplies to the territory, but the UN humanitarian aid office says deliveries into Gaza remain severely restricted, describing the current flow of food as a trickle into an area facing catastrophic levels of hunger. The Oxfam America aid organization condemned the Trump administration's funding decision Tuesday, calling the US and Israeli-supported aid operation "a multimillion-dollar distraction from the actual causes - and solutions - of Gaza's humanitarian crisis that also carries fatal risks for its intended beneficiaries." The Associated Press reported Saturday that the American-led group had asked the Trump administration for the initial funding so it can continue its aid operation, which has been criticized by the UN, humanitarian groups and others. They accuse the foundation of cooperating with Israel's objectives in the 21-month-old war against Hamas in a way that violates humanitarian principles. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters earlier Tuesday that she had no information to provide on funding for the foundation.
