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The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Palestinians are facing joint attack by Israel and the United States: Palestinian Ambassador to India
Palestinians in Gaza are facing a joint assault by Israel and the United States, Abdullah M. Abu Shawesh, Ambassador of Palestine to India, said in New Delhi on Friday (July 11, 2025). At a press conference, Mr. Abu Shawesh accused Israel of committing genocide and said that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had destroyed two schools and a university library that were built with funding from India. 'Israel is not fighting alone. It is a joint Israel-U.S. war that we are facing in Gaza. Israel is not just killing, it's committing genocide. Israel also has the support of many other Western countries, including the United Kingdom, which is also supporting Israel in its killing of innocent people,' said Mr. Abu Shawesh. Also Read: Stop the slaughter | On Trump, Israel and the Gaza war The remarks from the Palestinian envoy came against the backdrop of growing international concern about the ongoing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip that began after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israeli targets. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington D.C. earlier this week to discuss a ceasefire plan with U.S. President Donald Trump, where he also discussed the possibility of transferring the Palestinians from Gaza to other countries in the region. Mr. Netanyahu said that Israel was working with the U.S. to get a 'better future' for the Palestinians. Responding to the Israeli plan to transfer Palestinians from Gaza, Mr. Abu Shawesh said, 'We had a better future in Palestine before Israel was born. We had our homes, we had our Palestinian passports. I still have the keys to my original house that we lost after the creation of Israel. I think the only way to ensure a better future for the Palestinians is to ensure that Israel obeys international law.' The Palestinian envoy further said that Israelis are targeting the people who are the original inhabitants of Palestine. 'Our people have been living in Palestine even before Prophet Abraham's arrival,' said Mr. Abu Shawesh, making a presentation about the rights of the Palestinian people to the historic land of Palestine. He also said the Palestinians had agreed to a two-state solution despite the fact that it was unfair to them as it required them to surrender their right to return to their original homes. 'The two-state solution was unfair. But we agreed as we wanted to live in peace,' said the Palestinian envoy. 'Nothing is left in Gaza. The Israelis have destroyed everything. Two schools built with India's assistance have also been destroyed by the IDF,' he said, adding that the Jawaharlal Nehru library in the Al Azhar University - Gaza has also been destroyed.
UPI
01-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Aid, human rights groups call for Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's closure
Palestinian children eat a hot meal of beans provided by a charity-run food kitchen at a refugee camp in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. File photo by Anas Deeb/UPI | License Photo July 1 (UPI) -- A group of more than 100 human rights groups and international aid charities called for an Israel-U.S.-backed mechanism for distributing humanitarian aid in Gaza to be scrapped after at least 500 Palestinians were killed and 4,000 injured in its first month of operation. Oxfam, Save the Children, Medecins Sans Frontieres, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Amnesty International and other NGOs operating in Gaza in a joint statement Monday called for immediate action to end the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation operation and revert to the U.N.-led distribution system that existed prior to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid. The groups said under the GHF scheme, four military-run distribution hubs had replaced 400 aid distribution points across Gaza that operated during the January to March cease-fire, forcing two million people into "overcrowded, militarized zones where they face daily gunfire and mass casualties while trying to access food and are denied other life-saving supplies." The weeks since the first two centers run by the GHF, which uses armed private contractors to provide security, opened May 27 in Rafah have been some of the deadliest and most violent since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the statement. "Today, Palestinians in Gaza face an impossible choice: starve or risk being shot while trying desperately to reach food to feed their families. The humanitarian system is being deliberately and systematically dismantled by the Government of Israel's blockade and restrictions, a blockade now being used to justify shutting down nearly all other aid operations in favour of a deadly, military-controlled alternative that neither protects civilians nor meets basic needs. "Experienced humanitarian actors remain ready to deliver life-saving assistance at scale. Yet more than 100 days since Israeli authorities reimposed a near-total blockade on aid and commercial goods, Gaza's humanitarian conditions are collapsing faster than at any point in the past 20 months," the statement said. The groups painted a picture where malnourished civilians were compelled to undertake hours-long journeys on foot through active conflict zones to reach aid hubs, where scenes of chaos ensue as thousands scramble to enter via a single point of access and once inside are left to fight it out for the supplies on offer. Areas around the centers had become killing zones where international humanitarian law was ignored and children were killed or hurt in half of the incidents, with little prospect of receiving emergency medical treatment because Gaza's health care system was "in ruins" and ambulances were unable to reach casualties. GHF denied its centers were killing zones and said it was the victim of an orchestrated "misinformation campaign" aimed at driving it out of Gaza. The casualty figures come from Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, but there have been eyewitness reports of people injured and killed after being fired on by Israel Defense Forces, as well as medics treating casualties. Last week, the U.N. Human Rights Office said it had documented at least 410 Palestinians killed by IDF gunfire or shelling while attempting to collect food boxes from food hubs, with the agency saying "a likely war crime" had been committed. It said it was looking into separate reports of a further 93 people killed after approaching the small number of food convoys of the United Nations and other aid providers still operating in Gaza. Israeli media reported Monday that the Israel Defense Forces, which has previously acknowledged firing warning shots in the direction of -- but not at -- crowds gathering near aid distribution centers, had admitted cases of "inaccurate" artillery fire that resulted in casualties and some fatalities. The IDF told the BBC on Monday it was investigating the reports and that "any allegation of a deviation from the law or IDF directives will be thoroughly examined and further action will be taken as necessary." Separately, in a post on X, the IDF said it had "learned lessons," implementing many changes around the aid hubs designed to "ensure safe civilian passage, orderly aid distribution and the continuity of IDF operations." "Troops reorganized the access routes and center -- marking them, installing signs, opening new routes and setting up barriers and checkpoints. Layouts were adjusted to allow visual tracking of remaining aid. "Following previous lessons, the Tel al-Sultan distribution center [in Rafah] was temporarily closed and a new center was established nearby to reduce civilian friction and ensure the safety of IDF soldiers." Israel has said it imposed the original blockade and sought an alternate aid delivery mechanism to prevent Hamas from stealing or misappropriating supplies for its own ends.
Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
What Iran's defeat just taught Venezuela, Cuba — and why they should worry
Iran's crushing defeat on the battlefield has surely set off alarm bells within the regimes of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. It showed them that when the chips are down, Moscow and Beijing may offer words of support but little real help. Indeed, the most interesting side-story of what may be remembered as 'the 12-day war' between Israel and Iran — if the fragile cease-fire holds — is that Iran's most powerful allies, Russia and China, did not come to the Iranian regime's rescue. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, flew to Moscow immediately after the June 22 U.S. strike, seeking military support as Iran mounted its counterattack by firing missiles against Israel and Qatar. But he returned to Iran empty-handed. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had gladly received Iran's military drones in his war against Ukraine, told the Iranian foreign minister in televised remarks that the strikes against Iran were an 'absolutely unprovoked aggression' and 'unjustified.' But Putin did not announce any concrete support for Iran. China, too, failed to go beyond rhetorical condemnation of Israel and the United States. These tepid responses may have pushed the Iranian regime to accept the ceasefire days later, as its military found itself too weakened to maintain an effective counterattack — at least for now. Ironically, Russia and Iran had signed a 20-year 'comprehensive strategic partnership' agreement in January. One of its main items was 'defense and military cooperation.' In U.S. diplomatic circles, there is a widespread view that Iran's humiliating military loss will have global repercussions, including in Latin America, at least in the short run. Elliott Abrams, a former diplomat who served as U.S. special representative for Iran and Venezuela during Trump's first administration, told me that the Israel-U.S. victory over Iran showed that the world balance of power has shifted in favor of the United States. 'What did China and Russia do to help Iran? Nothing,' Abrams told me. 'They issued a statement that says, 'Oh, this is terrible.'' Abrams added, 'People like Maduro have to realize that if they ever get in real trouble, no one is going to come to their aid.' David Shenker, a former diplomat who served as assistant secretary of state for near eastern affairs during Trump's first term, told me that the image of Iran rushing for a ceasefire fire after sustaining a major military defeat at the hands of Israel 'shouldn't be entirely reassuring' for Venezuela and other Iranian allies in Latin America. Abbas Milani, director of Iranian studies at Stanford University, says the conflict has also left Iran with little capacity to help allies such as Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia. 'A weakened Iran makes it less likely to be able to help the Venezuelan government to stay in power,' Milani told me. 'There was a time when Iran could lend hundreds of millions to a beleaguered Venezuelan government. The possibility of that kind of help is diminishing every day.' Brazil, South America's giant, was also left in an awkward position after it condemned Israel and the United States for their attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, without making demands on Iran. Brazil's statements failed to demand that Iran's regime stop seeking the 'elimination' of Israel or end its support for terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Comparatively, the G-7 group of major Western democracies issued a statement at its June 17 summit in Alberta, Canada, stating that, 'We have been consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.' The statement, signed by Trump and the leaders of Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan and Canada, added that 'Israel has a right to defend itself.' Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is scheduled to chair the upcoming July 6 summit of the BRICS bloc of emerging powers — led by Russia, China, India, South Africa and Brazil, with Iran as a recent addition— in Rio de Janeiro. He may be trying to draw world attention as a leader of the 'global south.' But most diplomatic analysts doubt the BRICS summit will do anything more than offer moral support for Iran. 'There have been years in which people said, 'Oh, the BRICS, they're the coming world power,' Abrams told me. 'But what we have just seen on display in Iran, and in the show of unity at NATO, is that the BRICS is just for talk. It doesn't really do anything.' I'm not convinced that the recent events in Iran mark a definitive resurgence of America's global might. On the contrary, the Trump administration's near-abandonment of U.S. foreign aid, its trade wars with historic allies, its indifference to defending democracy and human rights, and the mounting perception of corruption in the White House are likely to weaken America's standing as a world leader. But in the short term, Iran's humiliating setback has bolstered Washington's influence on the global stage. That has left Maduro and his allies increasingly isolated in the losing camp. Don't miss the 'Oppenheimer Presenta' TV show on Sundays at 9 pm E.T. on CNN en Español. Blog:
The Hindu
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Iran Parliament passes resolution to suspend cooperation with IAEA
Iran's Parliament (Majles) passed a resolution on Wednesday (June 25, 2025) to suspend the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The development was shared on social media by the Embassy of Iran. The announcement came soon after the Embassy of Iran expressed 'heartfelt gratitude' to the people of India for extending support to Iran during the 12-day war with Israel. Iran's Ambassador to India Iraj Elahi also took to social media and criticised the U.S. for its June 22 attack on three nuclear sites reminding that Iran faced the attacks despite being a member of the IAEA and NPT (Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty). Sepah News, the official media wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced the passage of the resolution on the IAEA in the Majles and said, 'By a resolution of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency has been suspended. The leadership of international organizations is not a responsibility that can be entrusted to a spy.' Earlier, in a statement, the Embassy of Iran described the Israel-U.S. military campaign as a 'blatant aggression' that violated the UN Charter, and 'foundational norms of international law', saying the Iranian mission in India 'extends its heartfelt gratitude to all noble and freedom-loving people of India — including the esteemed citizens, political parties, honorable members of Parliament, non-governmental organizations, religious and spiritual leaders, university professors, members of the media, social activists, and all individuals and institutions who in recent days and in various forms stood firmly and vocally…' 'The messages of solidarity, moral support, public statements, and active participation in peace-oriented gatherings and initiatives, during a time when the Iranian people were under brutal military assault by the occupying Zionist regime, have been a source of deep encouragement,' said the Embassy of Iran in the public statement. The statement came as Tehran announced funeral for the generals and nuclear scientists to be held on June 28. Ambassador Elahi in his denunciation of the U.S. attack on nuclear sites in Fordow, Esfahan and Natanz said, the date 'must be recorded in history' as the U.S. 'as a member of the NPT and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, attacked the peaceful nuclear facilities of a non-nuclear weapon state that is also a member of the NPT and IAEA.' The ambassador's remarks are significant as they indicate evolving position of Tehran regarding IAEA and NPT.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The U.S. dollar's decline has room to run, but the AI boom could stop it
Many on Wall Street believe the greenback's decline has been a long time coming, and shorting the dollar has become one of the world's most popular trades. Foreign equities tend to outperform U.S. stocks when the dollar is weaker, but the AI trade may continue to fuel demand for American assets. Betting against 'American exceptionalism' hasn't paid well for over a decade. The dollar's big drop this year might change that. Many on Wall Street—and in the White House—believe the greenback's decline has been a long time coming. Heading into 2025, American currency had appreciated more than 50% from its lows during the Great Financial Crisis, according to JPMorgan Private Bank, and dollar strength helped U.S. stocks become the envy of the world. A weaker greenback now appears to be giving foreign equities a chance to catch up. But with America still the primary hub of the AI revolution, at least for now, U.S. assets could be primed to buck historical trends and snatch the lead right back. Still, President Donald Trump's chaotic tariff rollout may have ushered in a new era for the dollar. Earlier this month, it was down 10% year to date against the basket of currencies in the famous DXY index. That's the steepest loss for the greenback in the first half of the year, per Reuters, since 1986, shortly after the U.S. and several allies had reached an agreement, known as the Plaza Accord, to devalue a wildly overpriced dollar. And while there has been a slight recovery amid the conflict between Iran and the Israel-U.S. alliance, investors haven't come close to making up for the exodus since 'Liberation Day' in early April. That suggests the so-called 'Sell America' trade still has legs, Bill Sterling, global strategist at GW&K Management, told Fortune last week. 'In the scheme of things, there's ample room for the dollar to decline further,' said Sterling, formerly the chief international economist at Merrill Lynch. If tariffs continue to weigh on America's growth outlook, U.S. assets become less appealing. And while it doesn't seem the dollar will be replaced as the world's reserve currency anytime soon, it may no longer command the same amount of confidence. Over the last few decades, Sterling noted, foreigners have funded America's exploding deficit by purchasing U.S. assets, whether that be stocks, Treasury bonds, dollars, and the like. While the GOP's 'Big, Beautiful' spending bill doesn't seem poised to change the national debt's trajectory, it does include provisions set to hike taxes on foreign capital from several key trading partners. 'At a time when we have a deficit-to-GDP ratio of 7% and need foreign capital to help fund that deficit,' Sterling said, 'to be actively considering measures to discourage capital inflows is almost a recipe for a weak dollar.' In his view, rapid policy shifts in Washington have prompted a long-awaited correction to an overvalued dollar. He and many others point to purchasing power parity, a framework that assumes exchange rates, in the long run, should allow a given amount of money to purchase the same amount of goods and services in any country. Popularized by The Economist's Big Mac Index, there are plenty of reasons why this concept often doesn't play out in the real world. Data from the International Monetary Fund showed the dollar was 105% overvalued on a purchasing power basis last year, topping previous peaks in 1985 and 2002, Sterling wrote in a recent research note. However, such an imbalance can't exist forever, he said, and the ball may now be rolling. According to Bank of America's monthly fund manager survey, shorting the U.S. dollar has become one of the world's most popular trades—but over 60% of respondents still said the greenback is overvalued. 'And once a trend gets established,' Sterling said of currency markets, 'it can sometimes feed on itself.' If the dollar's decline persists, it will have major implications for economies around the world—and Americans' stock portfolios. Since the Global Financial Crisis, U.S. equities have far outperformed the rest of the world. Foreigners have responded by pumping money into America and now own 18% of the U.S. stock market, according to Apollo chief economist Torsten Sløk. Those trends could reverse, however, if dollar weakness pushes investors to allocate more money elsewhere. When Americans purchase foreign stocks and see the greenback decline, Sterling noted, their returns can get a significant boost. Meanwhile, Trump-fueled trade tensions seem to be forcing both developed countries (like Germany) and emerging economies (such as China) to focus on stimulating domestic demand, he said, something equity markets tend to reward. He pointed out how Japanese markets responded to the Plaza Accord, which caused the yen to surge dramatically against the dollar. 'That was considered kind of a hammer blow to its export industries,' he said. 'But the Japanese stock market was one of the strongest markets in the world in the entire second half of the [1980s] because they brought interest rates down very aggressively.' The comparison may be timely with several voices in the Trump administration, including Vice President JD Vance and key economic advisor Stephen Miran, previously making the case for a weaker dollar to boost the competitiveness of U.S. exports. Miran has even talked about a potential 'Mar-a-Lago Accord' to orchestrate another devaluation of the greenback. That type of deal might be unrealistic, but currency markets look like they are doing the work themselves. In the meantime, many foreign stock markets are more than weathering tariff uncertainty. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index, for example, is up over 20% this year, compared to the nearly 3% gain for the S&P 500 year-to-date as of Monday's close. The S&P Latin America 40, meanwhile, has quietly surged by 20%. Sterling acknowledges a massive caveat to his argument about a weakening dollar, however. There's plenty of optimism—perhaps well placed, he added—about the AI trade, which many believe is still in its early stages. It would be shocking if American leadership in that space disappears anytime soon, regardless of what happens with U.S. trade and economic policy. That means investors will need plenty of dollars, preventing the greenback from falling precipitously. 'Maybe U.S. exceptionalism is still the main story in the global economy for the next five years,' he said, 'even though the tariffs and all the related sort of policy measures that have diminished U.S. standing have taken us from being hyper exceptional to merely exceptional.' But tech leadership hasn't always guaranteed superior equity returns, especially when the dollar is relatively weak. From February 2002 to July 2011, the MSCI EAFE index, covering large and mid-cap companies in developed markets outside North America, nearly doubled in value, Sterling noted. The S&P trailed significantly, gaining just over 40% in that span. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
