Latest news with #hinder
Politico
an hour ago
- Health
- Politico
14 Republican senators urge White House to release delayed NIH funds
It's the latest example of Republican pushback against the Trump administration's pattern of withholding money for any variety of programs that lawmakers have previously approved for a specific purpose. The Republican senators stressed in their letter they shared Vought's 'commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs.' They also expressed their confidence in Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH director Jay Bhattacharya, writing, 'Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact.' But, they added, 'Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation. Ultimately, this is about finding cures and seeing them through to fruition.' The NIH is the top funder of biomedical research in the country. The University of Alabama is also major recipient of NIH funding and is the top employer in Britt's home state. Among the signers of the letter is Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine and several other appropriations subcommittee chairs: Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Other signatures are Sens. John Boozman or Arkansas, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Todd Young of Indiana.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'No Secret Police': Blue States Open Fresh Front Against Masked Unmarked ICE Agents I Details
Democratic-led states in the U.S. are proposing bans on ICE agents wearing masks and mandating visible ID cards during operations. California, New York, Massachusetts, and cities like Chicago and Albuquerque are considering such laws, citing public fear of masked agents kidnapping or assaulting immigrants. Supporters argue these measures prevent impersonation crimes, while DHS warns bans will endanger ICE agents and hinder enforcement. The DOJ maintains states cannot regulate federal law enforcement uniforms. Latino communities remain deeply worried about masked raids. Democrats in Congress now push for a national ban on ICE masks, escalating state-federal clashes. Read More
Malaysian Reserve
17-07-2025
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Armizan: Comprehensive e-commerce bill expected to be tabled early next year
PUTRAJAYA — A bill to strengthen the legal framework for e-commerce is expected to be tabled in Parliament during its first session next year, said Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali. He said the ongoing review of e-commerce legislation commenced in April 2024 and is expected to conclude by August, involving engagement with stakeholders across the industry, among others. 'The review is necessary as the current legal framework lacks clear regulatory powers over electronic transactions, with the existing Electronic Commerce Act serving mainly as an enabling act. 'Enforcement currently depends on the Consumer Protection Act and related regulations, which were meant to be temporary. We need a comprehensive and fair framework accepted by all stakeholders to support e-commerce growth,' he told reporters after an engagement session today. Armizan said Malaysia's e-commerce sector recorded steady growth, with revenue rising from RM1.13 trillion in 2022 to RM1.22 trillion last year. He emphasised that new regulations must not hinder the sector's development, noting that once a mechanism is in place for local platforms, a similar approach will be considered for foreign-based operators. He added that, at present, the ministry has no authority to regulate or monitor foreign platforms without a physical presence in Malaysia, raising concerns over the influx of foreign products and tax inequality. Armizan also said that discussions are underway with countries such as China and Turkiye on a government-to-government (G2G) mechanism, particularly on regulating cross-border e-commerce and direct selling. Meanwhile, Armizan said consumer protection is a key focus in the ongoing review of the e-commerce legal framework, particularly on the use of automated decision-making (ADM) systems or algorithms that may contain manipulative elements. He said the ministry is also looking into growing concerns over recent increases in platform fees imposed by several e-commerce operators, noting that such fee hikes are business decisions made by the platforms themselves. 'In my view, the timing of their fee adjustments is not appropriate, especially since some had already revised their commission fees as recently as August last year,' he said. He added that while blocking such decisions entirely may not be realistic, the ministry is exploring a mechanism requiring platforms to consult with them or relevant agencies before making fee changes that affect users or sellers. To date, the review process has involved 23 engagement sessions, six roundtable discussions, four benchmarking visits abroad and over 300 respondents, with sessions in Sabah and Sarawak to follow. — BERNAMA
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Xander Schauffele sent strong message from dad over £148m LIV Golf offer
Xander Schauffele was offered up to £148m ($200m) to join the LIV Golf breakaway league, but his father Stefan urged him to remain loyal to the PGA Tour Xander Schauffele notably valued silverware over a staggering £148million enticement from LIV Golf, a decision backed by his father. Despite the lure of an enormous payday and new opportunities, his choice to forgo the breakaway tour was steered by sage advice from his father and former coach, Stefan Schauffele. The American golfer is set to tee off at The Open Championship this week, with the aim of retaining the Claret Jug for his trophy cabinet. Schauffele was made an offer that ranged between an approximate £111m and £148m to defect from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf series, illustrating just how lucrative the Saudi-backed golf circuit has become. But it wasn't purely paternal counsel that influenced the 31-year-old's decision to stay put; concerns over the restriction on world-ranking points available on the rival circuit could hinder participation in major tournaments played a part. The world-ranking tally was crucial for up-and-coming stars like Schauffele, who wanted to etch their names in sporting history rather than the richest athletes list. In an unequivocal stance, Stefan made it clear that even a fortune worth double their original offer would not tempt them away from the integrity of traditional competition. He told The Times: "They could've doubled the money and we still wouldn't do it." That firm stance seemed to pay dividends when Schauffele secured back-to-back majors: the PGA Championship followed by The Open, notching almost £5m in winnings from those high-profile victories alone. His bank balance increased greatly with £2.3m from The Open win and £2.5m from his PGA Championship glory. Schauffele and his father Stefan, who has served as his swing coach and agent, have shared the emotional highs of their incredible journey together, including Xander's gold medal win at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Recounting the triumph, Xander said: "That was a seriously emotional moment." The success also deeply touched Stefan, who added: "You're going to make me cry just thinking about it. He understood how huge the Olympics was for me. We got in the car and he gave me the medal and said, 'This is for you.'" With The Open Championship on the horizon, Schauffele is eyeing yet another addition to his already impressive accolades, while aiming to make his dad proud once more. But winning won't be easy, as golf sensations like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are also vying for their second major win of the year, promising a riveting challenge for the Claret Jug.
Business Insider
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Ukraine is trying to get answers amid worries that the Pentagon's ammo hold could impact its much-needed Patriots and more
The US is halting the delivery of ammunition to Ukraine, and reports indicate that some of the most effective and necessary American weapons the country has received could be affected. Ukraine says it is working to get answers. Hits to air defense interceptor capacity, for instance, could hinder its strained batteries at a moment when Russia is ramping up its attacks. Over the weekend, it struck Ukraine with one of the largest bombardments of the war. The decision to cancel a shipment of weapons and ammo that had been promised by the Biden administration was confirmed on Wednesday. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Business Insider that "this decision was made to put America's interests first following a DoD [Department of Defense] review of our nation's military support and assistance to other countries across the globe." She added that "the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran." News on the decision was first reported by Politico, which said that it came after the Pentagon reviewed its stockpiles and expressed concern that some critical munitions were in dwindling supply, raising questions about US readiness. The Pentagon has made threats like China a priority, and readying to meet that threat would require a significant amount of weaponry. A US defense official told BI that DoD continues to provide President Donald Trump with "robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine, consistent with his goal of bringing this tragic war to an end." At the same time, they said, the department is also "rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces' readiness for Administration defense priorities." Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a later briefing that the pause comes amid an ongoing capabilities review for the department. He characterized it as a common-sense approach to determine what weapons are going where and for what purpose. Freeze on critical munitions Neither the White House nor the Department of Defense specified the type of weapons being withheld, but a number of reports indicate that key US systems could be impacted, including howitzers, Patriots, and HIMARS, systems that have been critical in this war. The air defenses, in particular, have been critical in shielding Ukraine's cities from Russian missile strikes. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that officials are clarifying the changes with their US counterparts, and stressed the importance of air defenses. Trump acknowledged at the annual NATO summit last week that Ukraine wanted more Patriot interceptors and said the US would "see if we can make some available," but he cautioned that "they're very hard to get. We need them, too." The US-made M1M-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile system, manufactured primarily by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, has been key to protecting Ukraine from Russian missile strikes since Kyiv first received it two years ago. Ukraine now reportedly operates six Patriots across the country. Other countries, like Germany and the Netherlands, have also provided Patriots and could potentially provide interceptors. Ukraine has said it's running low on the interceptors, meaning the delay of further supplies from the US could be detrimental. "Patriot systems are vital to Ukraine's ability to defend against Russian ballistic missile strikes," the DC-based think tank Institute for the Study of War said recently. This is especially true "as Russia is reportedly increasing its production and stockpile of ballistic missile production capacity to enable larger and more frequent ballistic missile strikes against Ukraine," it said. Reports indicate that interceptor missiles used by other systems could also be on hold. The US and Qatar fired Patriots to defend a US base there from Iranian missiles, in what a top general called the largest Patriot air battle in history. And a top admiral warned last year that the shipments to Ukraine were using Patriots that could be utilized elsewhere. The delay of other systems, like rocket artillery for HIMARS, could hurt Ukraine's ability to conduct deep strikes against targets behind enemy lines. HIMARS, made by Lockheed Martin, launch GPS-guided rockets with a range of 50 miles. Ukraine made waves with high-profile strikes using HIMARS on columns of Russian troops, command centers, and ammunition depots, constraining Moscow's logistics network early in the war. HIMARS can fire a six-pack of precision-guided Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems or one Army Tactical Missile System, a long-range guided missile. Under Biden, the US provided only a limited number of ATACMS missiles due in part to the size of its own stockpile. While Russian electronic warfare countermeasures and ammunition shortages have reduced the overall combat effectiveness of HIMARS, the weapons have given Ukraine a key capability. In artillery battles, M777 howitzers have also been beneficial, but 155mm ammunition, said to be part of the hold, can be fired by many artillery systems. Holds could strain those capabilities, as the 155mm shells are in high demand. What the US decision means for Ukraine At the moment, Russia is intensifying its offensives across eastern and northeastern Ukraine, targeting cities like Pokrovsk and expanding into the Sumy region. Ukraine faces mounting pressure amid uncertainty with regard to US support, forcing it to rely more on European partners. Ukraine continues to hit deep into Russia, but with weaponry and ammunition shortages and unclear diplomatic prospects, its position is increasingly precarious. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in a televised interview on Fox News that "Ukraine cannot do without all the support it can get," and that includes ammunition and air defense. After the Trump administration's decision was announced, Ukraine's defense ministry said it hadn't received any official notification regarding the suspension of previously agreed-upon aid. It added in a Telegram post that it had requested a call with US counterparts to further clarify details. Speaking on Ukrainian television on Wednesday, Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Ukraine's presidential office who previously told BI that losing access to Patriots is a concern, said he didn't expect the US would end its air defense support. "America will not abandon its support for Ukraine in protecting civilians from Russian strikes," he said, adding that "there are enough anti-missile systems and missiles for them in US warehouses." Ukraine has found itself short on US support previously when roadblocks in Congress jammed up support, and Trump has at times put pressure on Ukraine to push it toward his administration's vision for peace, which hasn't always been consistent with Kyiv's. This decision is "not likely to bring about President Trump's desired ceasefire," George Barros, a Russian military expert at ISW, said. Trump previously paused aid to Ukraine after his contentious meeting in March with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, seeing it as a needed step toward securing a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia.
