Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street
The Prime Minister hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Chequers this afternoon.
The Prime Minister hosted German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at Chequers this afternoon.
The leaders began by reflecting on the progress made between the UK and Germany in recent months, including through the signing of the Trinity House Agreement on defence, and Joint Action Plan on irregular migration. They agreed on the importance of maintaining the momentum towards an even stronger bilateral partnership.
Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the Prime Minister updated on his recent visit and reiterated that it was important to ensure the country was in the strongest possible position in the coming months, so that peace could be achieved through strength.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine had underscored the importance of scaling up and coordinating defence production across Europe, the leaders agreed.
Updating on the government’s Strategic Defence Review, which would be published later this year, the Prime Minister said it would encompass the lessons learned in Ukraine, and the need to out-manoeuvre Putin’s ongoing aggression and hostile activity across Europe.
Reflecting on the ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, the leaders welcomed the ongoing release of hostages and underscored the importance of seeing through all phases of the deal through.
A two-state solution that ensured a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestine was key, the Prime Minister added.
The leaders also discussed the Prime Minister’s visit to the EU Council tomorrow, and the reset between the UK and the European Union.
The Prime Minister said he was committed to strengthening the UK’s relationship with the EU to drive greater growth and closer security ties, which he believed would benefit all sides.
The leaders looked forward to speaking again tomorrow.
Governor Shapiro Unveils “Lightning Plan” to Strengthen Commonwealth’s Energy Leadership, Create Jobs, and Lower Costs for Consumers
Governor Josh Shapiro visited Pittsburgh International Airport to announce the “Lightning Plan” – a comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy plan to secure Pennsylvania’s energy future. Supported by labor and industry leaders, environmental advocates, and consumer groups, Governor Shapiro‘s commonsense energy plan will create jobs, lower costs for consumers, protect Pennsylvania from global instability by building next generation power, and position the Commonwealth to continue to be a national energy leader for decades to come.
The Governor made this announcement at Pittsburgh International Airport, the site of a groundbreaking $1.5 billion proposed partnership between KeyState Energy and CNX Resources. This type of project, aimed at accelerating hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, could position the region as a hub for next-generation energy solutions while supporting 3,000 construction jobs. This project is a prime example of the type of innovation the Lightning Plan will drive all across the Commonwealth.
“Pennsylvania has long been a national energy leader, from Ben Franklin to today, but right now, we’re letting other states outcompete us and we’re losing out on jobs, new investment, and innovation – that has to change,” said Governor Shapiro. “My energy plan will power Pennsylvania forward by incentivizing the building of next generation energy projects in the Commonwealth. We have to meet this moment – and this plan builds on the work my Administration did last year to bring together leaders from the energy industry, organized labor and environmental groups, and consumer advocates to develop a plan for the future. I look forward to working with the General Assembly to get this commonsense plan to my desk so that we can lower costs for consumers, create more jobs, and position the Commonwealth to continue to be a national energy leader for decades to come.”
Speaker list: Christina Cassotis, CEO, Allegheny County Airport Authority Governor Josh Shapiro Congressman Chris Deluzio Gregory Bernarding, Business Manager, Pittsburgh Regional Building and Construction Trades Council Lt. Governor Austin Davis Stefani Pashman, CEO, Allegheny Conference on Community Development David Dardis, Executive Vice President, Constellation Energy Representative Rob Matzie Jackson Morris, Director of State Power Sector Policy, Climate & Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
G7 Foreign Ministers have issued the following statement strongly condemning the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the the capture of Minova, Saké and Goma.
We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, strongly condemn the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in particular, the capture of Minova, Saké and Goma. We urge M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to cease their offensive in all directions. We call for the urgent protection of civilians.
We also call for an end to all direct and indirect support to the M23 and all non-state armed groups in the DRC. This offensive constitutes a flagrant disregard for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC. We also condemn M23’s intention to continue expansion into South Kivu.
This latest M23 offensive has led to a dramatic increase in displaced civilians in Goma and across eastern DRC, on top of the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people since the start of the M23 offensive in January. We deplore the devastating consequences of the renewed M23 and RDF offensive, worsening already difficult humanitarian conditions.
G7 Foreign Ministers call for the rapid, safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians and reiterate that humanitarian personnel must be provided assurances of safety.
We urge all parties to return to the negotiating table and honour their commitments under the Luanda Process. We urge the M23 to withdraw from all controlled areas. We also urge all parties to fully commit to a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the conflict.
We reiterate our full support to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to protect civilians and stabilize the region and call on all parties to respect its mandate.
Attacks against peacekeeping personnel are entirely unacceptable. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the fallen peacekeepers of MONUSCO and the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (SAMIDRC).
We strongly condemn all attacks against diplomatic missions in Kinshasa. We urge the Congolese authorities to take all appropriate steps to protect diplomats and the premises of diplomatic missions, as is their responsibility in accordance with international law.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jan Pospisil, Associate Professor at the Centre for Peace and Security, Coventry University
Sudan’s civil war has devastated the country and strained relations with neighbouring South Sudan. Events in January 2025 have stirred up xenophobic feelings in Sudan and outrage in its southern neighbour, heightening the risk of regional instability.
In the days following the army’s takeover of Wad Madani, various images and videos surfaced online. They showed brutal reprisals from the soldiers, including systemic killings and torture. Some of these acts were ethnically targeted against South Sudanese workers employed in the region’s agricultural schemes.
The Sudanese army formed a committee to investigate the attacks in Wad Madani. The credibility of these investigation is questionable, however, given that the committee is composed of army loyalists.
Further hurting the investigation’s credibility was a statement a few days later from the army’s second-in-command, Mohamed al-Atta, alleging that South Sudanese fighters constitute 65% of the Rapid Support Forces.
These events have strained relations between Sudan and South Sudan, compounding an already volatile association.
They also highlight a war strategy the Sudanese army is pursuing to gain domestic support: that the Rapid Support Forces is primarily composed of foreigners, in this case, South Sudanese fighters.
Further, the narrative that the Rapid Support Forces largely comprises foreign fighters – helpfully for the army – feeds and taps into nationalistic and xenophobic sentiments in Sudan. These sentiments date back to the post-independence efforts of the ruling elite to establish an Islamic and Arab state. This marginalised smaller ethnic groups.
The army’s rhetoric is further supported by the overlap of tribal and ethnic affiliations across Sudan’s borders, including South Sudan and Chad. There are also the numerous reports of the paramilitary group receiving support from foreign players like the United Arab Emirates.
I have studied transition processes and conflict dynamics in Sudan and South Sudan for more than 15 years. In my view, the army has used the narrative that the Rapid Support Forces is a foreign one to rally domestic support – and distract attention from its own actions and failures.
The strategy
The leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces has frequently emphasised the Rizeigat origins of the paramilitary forces’ leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or Hemedti.
The Rizeigat tribe spans both the Darfur and Chad border. This has supported claims that the Rapid Support Forces includes Chadians. Reports of the paramilitary group recruiting in Chad and the presence of Chadian militants in Khartoum have further reinforced this portrayal.
When it comes to South Sudanese involvement, there is documented evidence of South Sudanese fighters participating in the Sudan conflict. However, the scale of their involvement is grossly overstated. Even the highest estimates from my research contacts suggest fewer than 5,000 South Sudanese fighters have been involved. This is a mere fraction of the Rapid Support Forces’ estimated 100,000-strong militia.
Since the onset of the war, I have learned in the course of my work that some South Sudan People’s Movement/Army troops have aligned with the Rapid Support Forces and participated in battles across Khartoum. Others have used their time in Sudan to acquire weapons and supplies for operations in South Sudan.
However, these opposition fighters are primarily motivated by pragmatic considerations. These include access to resources and political leverage, rather than any ideological alignment with the paramilitary group’s broader goals. These goals include reshaping the power dynamics in Sudan.
The South Sudanese group’s leader Stephen Buay has formally denied any links with the Rapid Support Forces. However, he has occasionally praised the paramilitary troops’ push against the Sudanese army.
Against this background, al-Atta’s claim that South Sudanese fighters make up most of the Rapid Support Forces is best understood as part of a broader strategy to justify the army’s actions and rally nationalist sentiment.
This strategy, however, worsens ethnic and regional tensions. It scapegoats South Sudanese fighters and further entrenches divisions between the two nations.
This approach risks perpetuating the cycle of violence, mistrust and regional instability.
– Sudan war: ethnic divisions are being used to cover up army failures – peace scholar – https://theconversation.com/sudan-war-ethnic-divisions-are-being-used-to-cover-up-army-failures-peace-scholar-248325
Sudan’s civil war has devastated the country and strained relations with neighbouring South Sudan. Events in January 2025 have stirred up xenophobic feelings in Sudan and outrage in its southern neighbour, heightening the risk of regional instability.
In the days following the army’s takeover of Wad Madani, various images and videos surfaced online. They showed brutal reprisals from the soldiers, including systemic killings and torture. Some of these acts were ethnically targeted against South Sudanese workers employed in the region’s agricultural schemes.
The Sudanese army formed a committee to investigate the attacks in Wad Madani. The credibility of these investigation is questionable, however, given that the committee is composed of army loyalists.
Further hurting the investigation’s credibility was a statement a few days later from the army’s second-in-command, Mohamed al-Atta, alleging that South Sudanese fighters constitute 65% of the Rapid Support Forces.
These events have strained relations between Sudan and South Sudan, compounding an already volatile association.
They also highlight a war strategy the Sudanese army is pursuing to gain domestic support: that the Rapid Support Forces is primarily composed of foreigners, in this case, South Sudanese fighters.
Further, the narrative that the Rapid Support Forces largely comprises foreign fighters – helpfully for the army – feeds and taps into nationalistic and xenophobic sentiments in Sudan. These sentiments date back to the post-independence efforts of the ruling elite to establish an Islamic and Arab state. This marginalised smaller ethnic groups.
The army’s rhetoric is further supported by the overlap of tribal and ethnic affiliations across Sudan’s borders, including South Sudan and Chad. There are also the numerous reports of the paramilitary group receiving support from foreign players like the United Arab Emirates.
I have studied transition processes and conflict dynamics in Sudan and South Sudan for more than 15 years. In my view, the army has used the narrative that the Rapid Support Forces is a foreign one to rally domestic support – and distract attention from its own actions and failures.
The strategy
The leadership of the Sudanese Armed Forces has frequently emphasised the Rizeigat origins of the paramilitary forces’ leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or Hemedti.
The Rizeigat tribe spans both the Darfur and Chad border. This has supported claims that the Rapid Support Forces includes Chadians. Reports of the paramilitary group recruiting in Chad and the presence of Chadian militants in Khartoum have further reinforced this portrayal.
When it comes to South Sudanese involvement, there is documented evidence of South Sudanese fighters participating in the Sudan conflict. However, the scale of their involvement is grossly overstated. Even the highest estimates from my research contacts suggest fewer than 5,000 South Sudanese fighters have been involved. This is a mere fraction of the Rapid Support Forces’ estimated 100,000-strong militia.
Since the onset of the war, I have learned in the course of my work that some South Sudan People’s Movement/Army troops have aligned with the Rapid Support Forces and participated in battles across Khartoum. Others have used their time in Sudan to acquire weapons and supplies for operations in South Sudan.
However, these opposition fighters are primarily motivated by pragmatic considerations. These include access to resources and political leverage, rather than any ideological alignment with the paramilitary group’s broader goals. These goals include reshaping the power dynamics in Sudan.
The South Sudanese group’s leader Stephen Buay has formally denied any links with the Rapid Support Forces. However, he has occasionally praised the paramilitary troops’ push against the Sudanese army.
Against this background, al-Atta’s claim that South Sudanese fighters make up most of the Rapid Support Forces is best understood as part of a broader strategy to justify the army’s actions and rally nationalist sentiment.
This strategy, however, worsens ethnic and regional tensions. It scapegoats South Sudanese fighters and further entrenches divisions between the two nations.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
February 2nd is celebrated in Russia as the Day of the defeat of the Nazi troops by the Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad (1943). This was the largest land battle of the Second World War, which had a decisive strategic significance and became a turning point in the Great Patriotic War.
Stalingrad, in its very name, carried great ideological significance for the USSR, but there were also economic reasons to hold the city at any cost – it opened access to oil sources in the Caucasus and the rich arable lands of the Don, Kuban and Lower Volga region.
The Battle of Stalingrad was divided into two stages: defensive (from July 17 to November 19, 1943) and offensive (from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943). The Red Army was forced to enter the battle with an acute shortage of equipment, on unprepared lines and with recently formed units that were not battle-tested. At the initial stage of the battle, the Germans fought actively and skillfully, surrounded the Russians with entire divisions, took one of the two Soviet armies in pincers, and eventually quickly pushed the defenders back beyond the Don. On July 28, Stalin issued the famous order No. 227 (“Not one step back!”). The stubborn resistance of the Russians, even in encirclement, and the extended front slowed the Wehrmacht’s advance so much that our troops managed to launch a number of counterattacks. Nevertheless, by August 23, the battle had already begun within the city limits.
The fighting in the city is the most famous part of the Battle of Stalingrad. It was particularly brutal and was fought literally for every house, some of which changed hands so often that they even received their own names on military maps. Both sides suffered huge losses and were short of food. This battle eventually became one of the bloodiest in the history of mankind in terms of the number of irreparable losses: in the Red Army they amounted to just under 480 thousand people, in the Wehrmacht and allied forces – about half a million. The number of civilians killed is still difficult to establish even approximately.
Realizing that the German troops were bogged down in heavy fighting, the Red Army command began to hatch a plan for a large-scale counterattack in mid-September, which eventually evolved into Operation Uranus. It began on November 19. As a result, General Friedrich Pauls’ 6th Army was surrounded. As is well known, even the promotion of its commander to the rank of Field Marshal did not save it. Another Field Marshal, Erich Manstein, tried to save the situation by developing Operation Winter Storm, and he almost managed to break through the encirclement, but this was thwarted by fresh reinforcements of Soviet troops and his own completely demoralized allies – the Italians, Hungarians and Romanians. “Dumitrescu was powerless to fight the demoralization of his troops alone. “There was nothing left to do but remove them and send them to the rear, to their homeland,” Manstein wrote in his post-war memoirs, “Lost Victories,” about the 3rd Romanian Army and its commander.
The German group at Stalingrad was completely liquidated as a result of Operation Ring. But it cannot be said that it was easy. The operation was interrupted and adjusted in view of the desperate resistance of the enemy. Nevertheless, the outcome is known. The Germans lost about a quarter of all personnel fighting on the Eastern Front. Germany, for the first time since the beginning of World War II, declared national mourning. Its European allies began to look for ways to leave the war, and Turkey and Japan abandoned their plans to invade the USSR.
In memory of this battle, one of the largest and most famous memorials in honor of the participants of the Great Patriotic War, “To the Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad,” was erected on Mamayev Kurgan, the height where the most fierce fighting took place, with the main monument “The Motherland Calls!” The ashes of more than 35,000 defenders of the city rest there in individual and mass graves. The monument-ensemble is an object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia and a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The State University of Management congratulates on this day of military glory and recalls our #scientific regiment near Stalingrad – university employees who took part in this grand battle:
-Hero of the Soviet Union, Alexander Davydov, Guard Lieutenant Colonel, Deputy Head of the Nile MIE-MIU department from 1962 to 1985;
-Gennady Belykh, Colonel, Head of the educational and methodological department of the MIU;
– George Bryansky, assistant to the division commander for political units, dean of the faculty of organizers of industrial production and construction of MIEI;
-Peter Burov, Major Engineer, Vice-Rector for the Academic Affairs of MIEI from 1952 to 1962;
– Vasily Svetlov, assistant to the platoon commander, associate professor of the Department of Political Economy of MEII, chairman of the University Council of Veterans from 1993 to 1997.
We also remind you that in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, on the initiative of the State University of Management, together with the Association “I am proud” and the “People’s Front” of the DPR, the All-Russian competition “Family history. Immortal memory” is being held.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02.02.2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The Chinese military on Friday conducted combat readiness patrols in territorial waters and the airspace of China’s Huangyan Dao and its surrounding areas. According to a statement issued by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, since January, it has organized naval and air forces to continuously enhance patrols in waters and airspace surrounding the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao, while also strengthening relevant maritime and airspace control and management. These efforts are aimed at resolutely safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and security, and maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, the statement said.
Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
On January 31, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had constructive introductory calls with Mexico’s Secretary of National Defense, General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, and Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Raymundo Morales Angeles, to discuss U.S. national security interests and our countries’ defense cooperation. Secretary Hegseth underscored that his top priority is to safeguard the United States and its citizens, to include securing the southern border. The Secretary highlighted the importance of Mexico’s armed forces continuing to disrupt cartel activities that threaten the United States, and for Mexico to continue taking steps to curb illegal migration into the United States. In both calls, the Secretary and his Mexican counterparts reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation between our militaries. They also agreed that they and their staffs will maintain close communication and coordination with each other to protect the citizens and territories of both nations.
The Indonesian government’s proposal to grant amnesty to pro-independence rebels in West Papua has stirred scepticism as the administration of new President Prabowo Subianto seeks to deal with the country’s most protracted armed conflict.
Without broader dialogue and accountability, critics argue, the initiative could fail to resolve the decades-long unrest in the resource-rich region.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, announced the amnesty proposal last week.
On January 21, he met with a British government delegation and discussed human rights issues and the West Papua conflict.
“Essentially, President Prabowo has agreed to grant amnesty . . . to those involved in the Papua conflict,” Yusril told reporters last week.
On Thursday, he told BenarNews that the proposal was being studied and reviewed.
“It should be viewed within a broader perspective as part of efforts to resolve the conflict in Papua by prioritising law and human rights,” Yusril said.
‘Willing to die for this cause’ Sebby Sambom, a spokesman for the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) rebels, dismissed the proposal as insufficient.
“The issue isn’t about granting amnesty and expecting the conflict to end,” Sambom told BenarNews. “Those fighting in the forests have chosen to abandon normal lives to fight for Papua’s independence.
“They are willing to die for this cause.”
Despite the government offer, those still engaged in guerrilla warfare would not stop, Sambon said.
Papua, Indonesia’s easternmost region that makes up the western half of New Guinea island, has been a flashpoint of tension since its controversial incorporation into the archipelago nation in 1969.
Papua, referred to as “West Papua” by Pacific academics and advocates, is home to a distinct Melanesian culture and vast natural resources and has seen a low-level indpendence insurgency in the years since.
The Indonesian government has consistently rejected calls for Papua’s independence. The region is home to the Grasberg mine, one of the world’s largest gold and copper reserves, and its forests are a critical part of Indonesia’s climate commitments.
Papua among poorest regions Even with its abundant resources, Papua remains one of Indonesia’s poorest regions with high rates of poverty, illiteracy and infant mortality.
Critics argue that Jakarta’s heavy-handed approach, including the deployment of thousands of troops, has only deepened resentment.
President Prabowo Subianto . . . “agreed to grant amnesty . . . to those involved in the Papua conflict.” Image: Kompas
Yusril, the minister, said the new proposal was separate from a plan announced in November 2024 to grant amnesty to 44,000 convicts, and noted that the amnesty would be granted only to those who pledged loyalty to the Indonesian state.
He added that the government was finalising the details of the amnesty scheme, which would require approval from the House of Representatives (DPR).
Prabowo’s amnesty proposal follows a similar, albeit smaller, move by his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who granted clemency to several Papuan political prisoners in 2015.
While Jokowi’s gesture was initially seen as a step toward reconciliation, it did little to quell violence. Armed clashes between Indonesian security forces and pro-independence fighters have intensified in recent years, with civilians often caught in the crossfire.
Cahyo Pamungkas, a Papua researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), argued that amnesty, without prior dialogue and mutual agreements, would be ineffective.
“In almost every country, amnesty is given to resistance groups or government opposition groups only after a peace agreement is reached to end armed conflict,” he told BenarNews.
No unilateral declaration Yan Warinussy, a human rights lawyer in Papua, agreed.
“Amnesty, abolition or clemency should not be declared unilaterally by one side without a multi-party understanding from the start,” he told BenarNews.
Warinussy warned that without such an approach, the prospect of a Papua peace dialogue could remain an unfulfilled promise and the conflict could escalate.
Usman Hamid, director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said that while amnesty was a constitutional legal instrument, it should not apply to those who have committed serious human rights violations.
“The government must ensure that perpetrators of gross human rights violations in Papua and elsewhere are prosecuted through fair and transparent legal mechanisms,” he said.
Papuans Behind Bars, a website tracking political prisoners in Papua, reported 531 political arrests in 2023, with 96 political prisoners still detained by the end of the year.
Only 11 linked to armed struggle Most were affiliated with non-armed groups such as the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) and the Papua People’s Petition (PRP), while only 11 were linked to the armed West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB).
The website did not list 2024 figures.
Anum Siregar, a lawyer who has represented Papuan political prisoners, said that the amnesty proposal has sparked interest.
“Some of those detained outside Papua are requesting to be transferred to prisons in Papua,” she said.
Meanwhile, Agus Kossay, leader of the National Committee for West Papua, which campaigns for a referendum on self-determination, said Papuans would not compromise on “their God-given right to determine their own destiny”.
In September 2019, Kossay was arrested for orchestrating a riot and was sentenced to 11 months in jail. More recently, in 2023, he was arrested in connection with an internal dispute within the KNPB and was released in September 2024 after serving a sentence for incitement.
“The right to self-determination is non-negotiable and cannot be challenged by anyone. As long as it remains unfulfilled, we will continue to speak out,” Kossay told BenarNews.
Victor Mambor and Tria Dianti are BenarNews correspondents. Republished with permission.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth statement on U.S. Africa Command strikes in Somalia.
At President Trump’s direction and in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, I authorized U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains.
Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed. This action further degrades ISIS’s ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies, even as we conduct robust border-protection and many other operations under President Trump’s leadership.
Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Amman, 1 February 2025 — During her visit to Jordan today, IOM Director General Amy Pope met with Prince Rashid bin Hassan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), Jordan’s Minister of Interior, Mazen Al-Faraya, the director of the Border Security Directorate, and representatives of the Jordanian Armed Forces to highlight IOM’s critical humanitarian work in Syria and Gaza.
“With vital and continued funding from the United States, IOM is able to work in close partnership with various stakeholders and partners, including the Jordanian government and JHCO, to deliver life-saving assistance to those in urgent need in Gaza and to support displaced Syrians,” she said.
Through close collaboration with the Jordanian government, as well as the support of the United States government and other humanitarian partners, IOM is delivering life-saving assistance to those most in need while facilitating safe voluntary returns for populations displaced by conflict in the region.
The visit began at the Jaber-Nassib border crossing, a key gateway between Jordan and Syria, where the Minister of Interior accompanied DG Pope. They discussed ongoing efforts to support returning Syrians and manage the border effectively.
Minister Al-Faraya stressed the importance of continued international cooperation, stating, “Jordan has demonstrated long-standing solidarity by hosting large numbers of refugees. We remain committed to our humanitarian responsibilities, but stronger international support is essential to sustain these efforts. Jordan has been a meeting point for Syrians and their families coming from all over the world.”
At the Border Security Directorate, DG Pope received a briefing on the Civil-Military Coordination Center’s role in facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid through the Jordanian corridor, commending the coordination efforts to ensure timely delivery to those in need.
DG Pope also visited IOM’s warehouse operations, which are crucial for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. The warehouse contains nearly four million life-saving supplies, including tents, tarps, hygiene kits, and latrines, all ready for immediate dispatch to support displaced communities in Gaza.
In her meeting with HRH Prince Rashid bin Hassan, DG Pope reaffirmed the importance of continued collaboration between IOM and the JHCO in regional humanitarian efforts.
IOM has been active in Jordan since 1994, working with the government, international partners, and local communities to support migrants, refugees, and host populations. Since October 2023, IOM has utilized its global expertise in emergency response to internal displacement, drawing on its experience from major humanitarian crises in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ukraine to deliver life-saving aid and shelter to displaced people in Gaza, in collaboration with UN and humanitarian partners.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
February 01, 2025
Musk Repeatedly Attacked FAA Head after Agency Fined SpaceX
“[T]he fact that FAA has no Senate-confirmed Administrator in place to lead the response provides a concrete example of how your self-interest may not be consistent with the public interest.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Elon Musk, Administrator of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), regarding his role in the resignation of the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Michael Whitaker, in the wake of the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C.
“This resignation—which you called for after the FAA fined your company for safety issues —has left this critical agency without leadership while facing significant challenges, including the tragic midair crash of American Eagle Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 individuals—including at least six from Massachusetts —on the approach to Washington Reagan National Airport,” wrote Senator Warren.
Despite having a term set to run through 2028, Mr. Whitaker resigned from the agency on January 20, 2025, in the aftermath of a series of public attacks by Musk including calls for, “[Mr. Whitaker] … to resign.”
“You got what you wanted after President Trump was elected,” wrote Senator Warren.
Immediately after inauguration day, the Trump Administration took aim at the FAA and at airline safety, announcing a federal hiring freeze that included air traffic controllers, and disbanding the Aviation Safety Advisory Committee.
“It is not clear what direct or indirect role you played in any of these decisions, but at a moment of crisis, with 67 dead, the FAA is understaffed and was without a Senate-confirmed leader,” continued the senator. “[T]he fact that FAA has no Senate-confirmed Administrator in place to lead the response provides a concrete example of how your self-interest may not be consistent with the public interest.”
Senator Warren pushed Elon Musk for answers regarding his role in decisions made during the Trump transition or after January 20 about the FAA and airline safety, his current role in the Administration, and the ethics rules governing his actions.
Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed in Aotearoa New Zealand?
ANALYSIS:By Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa national chair John Minto’s campaign to identify Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers in New Zealand and then call a PSNA number hotline has come under intense criticism from the likes of Winston Peters, Stephen Rainbow, the Jewish Council and NZ media outlets. Accusations of antisemitism have been made.
Despite making it clear that holding IDF soldiers accountable for potential war crimes is his goal, not banning all Israelis or targeting Jewish people, there are many just concerns regarding Minto’s campaign. He is clear that his focus remains on justice, not on creating divisions or fostering discrimination, but he has failed to provide strict criteria to distinguish between individuals directly involved in human rights violations and those who are innocent, or to ground the campaign in legal frameworks and due process.
Any allegations of participation in war crimes should be submitted through proper legal channels, not through the PSNA. Broader advocacy could have been used to address concerns of accountability and to minimise any risk that the campaign could lead to profiling based on religion, ethnicity, or language.
While there are many concerns that need to be addressed with PSNA’s campaign, why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue of this campaign been ignored? Namely, that IDF soldiers who have committed war crimes in Gaza have been allowed into New Zealand?
PSNA’s controversial Gaza “genocide hotline” . . . why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue about war crimes been ignored? Image: PSNA screenshot APR
Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed? Why is criticism of Israel being conflated with racism, even though many Jewish people oppose Israel’s war crimes, and what about Palestinians, what does this mean for a people experiencing genocide?
Concerns should be discussed but they must not be used to protect possible war criminals and shield Israel’s crimes.
It is true that PSNA’s campaign may possibly target individuals, including targeting individuals solely based on their nationality, religion, or language. This is not acceptable. But it has also uncovered the exceptionally biased, racist, and unjust views towards Palestinians.
Racism against Palestinians ignored Palestinians have been dehumanised by Israel for decades, but real racism against Palestinians is being ignored. As a Christian Palestinian I know all too well what it is like to be targeted.
In fact, it was only recently at a New Zealand First State of the Nation gathering last year that Winston Peter’s followers called me a terrorist for being Palestinian and told me that all Muslims were Hamas lovers and were criminals.
The question that has been ignored in this very public debate is simple: are Israeli soldiers who have participated in war crimes in Aotearoa, if so, why, and what does this mean for the New Zealand Palestinian population and the upholding of international law?
By refusing to address concerns of IDF soldiers the focus is deliberately shifted away from the actual genocide happening in Gaza. If IDF soldiers have engaged in rape, extrajudicial executions, torture, destruction of homes, or killing of civilians, they should be investigated and held accountable.
Countries have a legal and moral duty to prevent war criminals from using their nations as safe havens.
Since 1948, Palestinians have been subjected to systematic oppression, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, violence and now, genocide. From its creation and currently with Israel’s illegal occupation, Palestinian massacres have been frequent and unrelenting.
This includes the execution of my great grandmother on the steps of our Katamon home in Jerusalem. Land has been stolen from Palestinians over the decades, including well over 42 percent of the West Bank. Palestinians have been denied the right to return to their country, the right to justice, accountability, and self-determination.
Living under illegal military law We are still forced to live under illegal military law, face mass arrests and torture, and our history, identity, culture and heritage are targeted.
Almost 10 children lose one or both of their legs every day in Gaza according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA). 2.2 million people are starving because Israel refuses them access to food. 95 percent of Gaza’s population have been forced onto the streets, with only 25 percent of Gaza’s shelters needs being met, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
One out of 20 people in Gaza have been injured and 18,000 children have been murdered. 6500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were taken hostage by Israel who also stole 2300 bodies from numerous cemeteries. 87,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on all regions in the Gaza Strip.
Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon who worked in Al Shifa and Al Ahly Baptist hospital and who is part of Medicine Sans Frontiers, estimates as many as 300,000 Palestinian civilians, most of them children, have been murdered by Israel.
This is because official numbers do not include those bodies that cannot be recognised or are blown to a pulp, those buried under the rubble and those expected to die and have died of disease, starvation and lack of medicine — denied by Israel to those with chronic illnesses.
‘A Genocidal Project’: real death toll closer to 300,000. Video: Democracy Now!
As a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and UN resolutions, New Zealand is expected to investigate, prosecute and deport any individual accused of these serious crimes. This government has an obligation to deny entry to any individual suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
IDF has turned war crimes into entertainment Israel has violated all of these, its IDF soldiers filming themselves committing such atrocities and de-humanising Palestinians over the last 15 months on social media.
IDF soldiers have posted TikTok videos mocking their Palestinian victims, celebrating destruction, and making jokes about killing civilians, displaying a disturbing level of dehumanisation and cruelty. They have filmed themselves looting Palestinian homes, vandalising property, humiliating detainees, and posing with dead bodies.
They have turned war crimes into entertainment while Palestinian families suffer and mourn. Israel has deliberately targeted civilians, bombing schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and even designated safe zones, then lied about their operations, showing complete disregard for human life.
Israel and the IDF’s global reputation among ordinary people are not positive. Out on the streets over 15 months, millions have been demonstrating against Israel. They do not like what its army has done, and rightly so. Many want to see justice and Israel and its army held accountable, something this government has ignored.
Israel’s state forced conscription or imprisonment, enforced military service that contributes to the occupation, ethnic cleansing, systematic oppression of a people, war crimes and genocide is fascism on display. Israel is a totalitarian, apartheid, military state, but this government sees no problems with that.
The UN and human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned Israeli military operations, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians, the use of white phosphorus, and sexual violence by Israeli forces.
While not all IDF soldiers may have committed direct atrocities, those serving in occupied Palestinian territories are complicit in enforcing illegal occupation, which itself is a violation of international law.
Following orders not an excuse The precedent set by international tribunals, such as Nuremberg, establishes that following orders is not an excuse for war crimes — meaning IDF soldiers who have participated in military actions in occupied areas should be subject to scrutiny.
This government has a duty to protect Palestinian communities from further harm, this includes preventing known perpetrators of ethnic cleansing from entering New Zealand. The presence of IDF soldiers in New Zealand is a direct threat to the safety, dignity, and well-being of our communities.
Many Palestinian New Zealanders have lost family members, homes, and entire communities due to the IDF’s actions. Seeing known war criminals walking freely in New Zealand re-traumatises those who have suffered from Israel’s illegal military brutality.
Survivors of ethnic cleansing should not have to live in fear of encountering the very people responsible for their suffering. This was not acceptable after the Second World War, throughout modern history, and is not acceptable now.
IDF soldiers are also trained in brutal tactics, including arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, and the assassination of Palestinian civilians. The presence of war criminals in any society creates a climate of fear and intimidation.
Given their history, there is a concern within New Zealand that these soldiers will engage in racist abuse, Islamophobia, or Zionist hate crimes not only against Palestinians and Arabs, but other communities of colour.
New Zealand society should be scrutinising not just this government’s response to the genocide against Palestinians, but also our political parties.
Moral bankruptcy and xenophobia This moral bankruptcy and neutral stance in the face of genocide and racism has been clearly demonstrated this week in Parliament with both Shane Jones and Peter’s xenophobic remarks, and responses to the PSNA’s campaign.
Winston Peter’s tepid response to Israel’s behaviour and its violations is a staggering display of double standards and hypocrisy. Racism it seems, is clearly selective.
His comments about Mexicans in Parliament this week were xenophobic and violate the principles of responsible governance by promoting discrimination. Peters’ comments that immigrants should be grateful creates a hierarchy of worthiness.
Similarly, Shane Jones calling for Mexicans to go home does not uphold diplomatic and professional standards, reinforces harmful racial stereotypes and discriminates based on one’s nationality. Mexicans, Māori, and Palestinians are not on equal standing as others when it comes to human rights.
Why is there a defence of foreign soldiers who may have participated in genocide or war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, but then migrants and refugees are attacked?
“John Minto’s call to identify people from Israel . . . is an outrageous show of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism. New Zealand should never accept this kind of extreme totalitarian behaviour in our country”. Why has Winston Peter’s never condemned the actual racism Palestinians are facing — including ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and apartheid?
Why has he never used such strong language and outrage to condemn Israel’s actions despite evidence of violations of international law? Instead, he directs outrage at a human rights activist who is pointing out the shortcomings of the government’s response to Israels violations.
IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities ignored Peters has completely ignored IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities and distorted the campaign’s purpose for legal accountability to that of violence.
There has been no mention of Palestinian suffering associated with the IDF and Israel, nor has the government been transparent in admitting that there are no security measures in place when it comes to Israel.
For Peters, killing Palestinians in their thousands is not racist but an activist wanting to prevent war criminals from entering New Zealand is?
Recently, Simon Court of the ACT party in response to Minto wrote: “Undisguised antisemitic behaviour is not acceptable . . . military service is compulsory for Israeli citizens . . . any Israeli holidaying, visiting family or doing business in New Zealand could be targeted . . . it is intimidation towards Jewish visitors . . . and should be condemned by parties across Parliament.”
This comment is misleading, and hypocritical.
PSNA’s campaign is not targeting Jewish people, something the Jewish Council has also misrepresented. It is about identifying Israeli soldiers who have actively participated in human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
It intentionally blurs the lines between Israeli soldiers and Jewish civilians, as the lines between Palestinian civilians and Hamas have been blurred.
Erases distinction between civilians and a militant group Even MFAT cannot use the word “Palestinian” but identifies us all as “Hamas” on its website. This erases the distinction between civilians and a militant group, and conflates Israeli military personnel with Jewish civilians, which is both deceptive and dangerous.
The MFAT website states the genocide in Gaza is an “Israel-Hamas” conflict, denying the intentional targeting of Palestinian civilians and erasing our humanity.
Israel’s assault has purposely killed thousands of children, women and men, all innocent civilians. Israel has not provided any evidence of any of its claims that it is targeting “Hamas” and has even been caught out lying about the “mass rapes and burned babies”, the tunnels under the hospitals and militants hiding behind Palestinian toddlers and whole generations of families.
Despite this, MFAT had not condemned Israeli war crimes. This is not a just war. It is a genocide against Palestinians which is also being perpetrated in the West Bank. There is no Hamas in the West Bank.
The ACT Party has been silent or outright supportive of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes. If they were truly concerned about targeting individuals as they are with Minto’s campaign, then they would have called for an end to Israel’s assaults against Palestinians, sanctioned Israel for its war crimes, and called for investigations into Israeli soldiers for mass killings, sexual violence and starving the Palestinian people.
What is clear from Court and Seymour (who has also openly supported Israel alongside members of the Zionist Federation), is that Palestinian lives are irrelevant, we should silently accept our genocide, and that we do not deserve justice. That Israeli IDF soldiers should be given impunity and should be able to spend time in New Zealand with no consequences for their crimes.
This is simply xenophobic, dangerous and “not acceptable in a liberal democracy like New Zealand”.
New Zealand cartoonist Malcolm Evans with two of his anti-Zionism placards at yesterday’s “march for the martyrs” in Auckland . . . politicians’ silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Erased the voice of Jewish critics ACT, alongside Peters, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins, and the Jewish council have erased the voice of Jewish people who oppose Israel and its crimes and who do not associate being Jewish with being Israeli.
There is a clear distinction, something Alternative Jewish Voices, Jewish Voices for Peace, Holocaust survivors and Dayenu have clearly reiterated. Equating Zionism with Judaism, and identifying Israeli military actions with Jewish identity, is dangerously antisemitic.
By failing to distinguish Judaism from Zionism, politicians and the Jewish Council are in danger of fuelling the false narrative that all Jewish people support Israel’s actions, which ultimately harms Jewish communities by increasing resentment and misunderstanding.
Antisemitism should never be weaponised or used to silence criticism of Israel or justify Israel’s impunity. This is harmful to both Palestinians and Jews.
Seymour’s upcoming tenure as deputy prime minister should also be questioned due to his unwavering support and active defence of a regime committing mass atrocities. This directly contradicts New Zealand’s values of justice and accountability demonstrating a complete disregard for human rights and international law.
His silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. He has positioned himself away from representing all New Zealanders.
While we focus on Minto, let’s be fair and ensure Palestinians are also being protected from discrimination and targeting in New Zealand. Are the Zionist Federation, the New Zealand Jewish Council, and the Holocaust Centre supporting Israel economically or culturally, aiding and abetting its illegal occupation, and do they support the genocide?
Canada investigated funds linked to illegal settlements Canada recently investigated the Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Canada for potentially violating charitable tax laws by funding projects linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which are illegal under international law.
In August 2024, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the Jewish National Fund of Canada’s (JNF Canada) charitable status after a comprehensive audit revealed significant non-compliance with Canadian tax laws.
On the 31 January 2025, Haaretz reported that Israel had recruited the Jewish National Fund to illegally secretly buy Palestinian land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. What does that mean for the New Zealand branch of the Jewish National Fund?
None of these organisations should be funnelling resources to illegal settlements or supporting Israel’s war machine. A full investigation into their financial and political activities is necessary to ensure any money coming from New Zealand is not supporting genocide, land theft or apartheid.
The government has already investigated Palestinians sending money to relatives in Gaza, the same needs to be done to organisations supporting Israel. Are any of these groups supporting war crimes under the guise of charity?
While Jewish communities and Palestinians have rallied together and supported each other these last 15 months, we have received no support from the Jewish Council or the Holocaust Centre, who have remained silent or have supported Israel’s actions. Dayenu, and Alternative Jewish voices have vocally opposed Israel’s genocide in Gaza and reached out to us. As Jews dedicated to human rights, justice, and the prevention of genocide because of their own history, they unequivocally condemn Israel’s actions.
Given the Holocaust, you would expect the Holocaust Centre and the Jewish Council to oppose any acts of violence, especially that on such an industrial scale. You would expect them to oppose apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and the dehumanisation of Palestinians as the other Jewish organisations are doing.
Genocide, war crimes must not be normalised War crimes and genocide must never be normalised. Israel must not be shielded and the suffering and dehumanisation of Palestinians supported.
We must ensure that all New Zealanders, whether Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian are not targeted, and are protected from discrimination, racism, violence and dehumanisation. All organisations are subject to scrutiny, but only some have been.
Instead of just focusing on John Minto, the ACT Party, NZ First, National, and Labour should be answering why Israeli soldiers who may have committed atrocities, are allowed into New Zealand in the first place.
Israel and its war criminals should not be treated any differently to any other country.
We must shift the focus back to Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and impunity, while exposing the hypocrisy of those who defend Israel but attack Palestinian solidarity.
Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) released the following statement after North Carolina native Keith Siegel was released from Gaza:
“We are overjoyed for Keith Siegel and his loved ones that the long nightmare that began on October 7, 2023 is finally over. Keith is now reunited with his wife and family, fulfilling the prayers of millions across the United States and around the world. Thank you to President Trump for delivering the decisive pressure that brought us to this day. I would also like to thank the U.S. State Department and Intelligence community, as well as the governments of Israel, Egypt, and Qatar for their efforts.
“I remain committed to securing the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, especially the six Americans. They must not–and will not–be forgotten. I will continue to work to bring the terrorists who committed these acts to justice for their heinous crimes.”
Senator Budd has been working for the release of American hostages since October 2023:
On October 25, 2023, Senator Budd first spoke about the hostage situation in Gaza on the Senate floor, where he announced his intention “to hold all humanitarian aid to Gaza until each and every American hostage is home and is safe.”
On November 6, 2023, Senator Budd met with Qatari Ambassador Meshal Al Thani in Senator Budd’s Washington, D.C. office. In that meeting, he strongly urged the Qatari government to use their leverage on Hamas leaders currently residing in Doha to immediately release all hostages, and hold those same Hamas leaders accountable once the hostage situation is fully resolved.
On November 26, 2023, Senator Budd reacted to the release of Keith Siegel’s wife, Aviva, saying, “While we are encouraged by the government of Qatar’s efforts to mediate the release of some of the hostages, we renew our call to their government to exert pressure on Hamas leadership to release each and every hostage immediately and unconditionally.”
On November 28, 2023, Senator Budd spoke on the Senate floor and called out Qatar for its continued hosting of Hamas terrorist leaders, saying, “We need to tell our friends in Doha loudly and clearly: Qatar is accepting a significant liability with its pro-Hamas policy.”
On December 13, 2023, Senator Budd sent a holiday message of support to the hostages and their families in a speech on the Senate floor, saying, “I want every one of these family members to know that our country is behind them, we support them, and we are praying for them.”
On January 10, 2024, Senator Budd returned from a congressional delegation (CODEL) to the Middle East, which included stops in Israel, Egypt, Qatar, and Bahrain. The focus of the delegation’s meetings across the region was on securing the release of hostages.
On the trip, Senator Budd and his colleagues toured one of the communities devastated by the October 7th massacre by Hamas terrorists. He personally spoke with former hostage Aviva Siegel, and met with top Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Mossad Director David Barnea.
Senator Budd then met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Prime Minister of Qatar, to whom Senator Budd sent a strong message that Qatar must do more to secure the immediate and safe release of all of the hostages.
On January 15, 2024, Senators Budd and Joni Ernst (R-IA) published an op-ed marking the 100th day of captivity for the hostages, writing, “As long as Americans remain captive to these barbaric thugs, the latter is the victor. Allowing Americans to suffer under the yoke of terrorists is a win for evil around the world and a boon for Iran’s proxies.”
On January 25, 2024, Senator Budd spoke on the Senate floor and delivered a sharp message to the government of Qatar: “Our patience has run out. Time is up. Either pressure Hamas leaders to release the hostages now, or expel them from your land. It’s that simple. The United States of America will be watching.”
On March 7, 2024, Senators Budd and Tillis invited the family of Keith Siegel to be their guests at the president’s State of the Union Address. Keith’s sister Lucy and niece Hanna accepted the Senators’ invitation.
On March 15, 2024, Senator Budd joined a joint statement from Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as well as five other Senators stating, “If Hamas refuses reasonable negotiations, there is no reason for Qatar to continue hosting Hamas’ political office or any of its members in Doha.”
On March 26, 2024, Senator Budd and Senator Ernst issued a joint statement calling on the State of Qatar to immediately expel all members of Hamas’ political office currently residing in Doha.
On April 9, 2024, Senator Budd introduced the ‘Reviewing Qatar’s Major Non- NATO Ally Status Act’, which would require the Secretary of State to formally certify that Qatar has expelled or agreed to extradite to the United States any individuals bearing responsibility for the terror attack on October 7, 2023. If the Secretary of State cannot make this certification in good faith, then the President is required to immediately terminate the designation of the State of Qatar as a major non-NATO ally.
On April 10, 2024, Senator Budd attempted to invoke unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass the ‘Reviewing Qatar’s Major Non- NATO Ally Status Act’, but was blocked. He said, “The time for talking is over, and the time for action is now. If we don’t see action, then Qatar must face consequences. At the end of the day, this bill represents another step towards securing the freedom of our fellow Americans.”
On May 7, 2024, Senators Budd and Ernst returned from a congressional delegation (CODEL) to the Middle East, which included stops in Israel, Iraq, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On the trip, Senators Budd and Ernst received first-hand updates on the state of the hostage negotiations from top U.S. and Israeli officials including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They also hosted the families of American hostages, including the family of North Carolina native, Keith Siegel.
On July 31, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after Hamas’s political leader was killed, saying that it “sends a clear and resounding message to terrorists that those who kill and kidnap Americans will ultimately face justice.”
On September 1, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement condemning the Hamas murder of American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin along with five other Israeli hostages, saying, “This is yet another act of cold-blooded barbarism from Hamas terrorists. It must not be excused or downplayed. The U.S. government must leave no stone unturned until all those responsible for Hersh’s kidnapping and murder are brought to justice, and until we bring every American hostage home.”
On October 7, 2024, Senator Budd disclosed that the Biden administration had ignored a bipartisan request from Senator Budd and 11 other Senators to authorize a reward of up to $25 million for information that brings Hamas leaders to justice.
On October 17, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after Israeli Defense Forces killed Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas and the mastermind behind the October 7, 2023 attacks, saying, “[Sinwar] was a terrorist leader who had American blood on his hands. To the remaining Hamas leaders: release the hostages, renounce terrorism, and recognize Israel’s right to exist. There is no future for Hamas or its ideology.”
On November 8, 2024, Senator Budd joined a letter to the Department of Justice and Department of State requesting an immediate freeze on the assets of Hamas officials living in Qatar, the extradition of several senior Hamas officials currently residing in Qatar, and that Qatar end its hospitality of Hamas’ senior leadership.
On November 8, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after the State of Qatar decided to expel the remaining Hamas terrorist leadership from Doha, calling the move, “welcome, but long overdue.”
On November 22, 2024, Senator Budd, along with Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Roger Wicker and Senator Joni Ernst, released a statement calling on Turkey to extradite the Hamas terrorist leaders who fled there after being expelled from Qatar.
On December 2, 2024, Senator Budd released a statement after the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that U.S.-Israeli citizen Omer Neutra was killed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023 attacks. His body remains in Gaza, saying in-part, “this news is further proof of the true evil of Hamas terrorists. The U.S. government must not relent until all those responsible for Omer’s murder are brought to justice, and until we bring every American hostage home.”
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and 17 of their Senate colleagues on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense—U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)—in releasing the following statement on the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) rescission of policy that allowed service members to get reimbursed for travel and transportation for non-covered reproductive care. Earlier this week, DoD updated its Joint Travel Regulations to rescind this policy.
“This decision strips away service members’ ability to access the reproductive care they need, which is nothing short of abhorrent. It runs contrary to a core goal of the Department of Defense – to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our service members so that our force remains ready at all times to protect Americans and keep this nation safe.
“U.S. service members have no control over where they are stationed and what state laws may govern their bodies. The policy that the Department of Defense took away from our servicewomen and military families provided them the ability to travel to another state to seek out the care they need. Rescinding that does nothing to enhance military readiness.
“At a time when we are already facing military recruitment and retention challenges, we should do all we can to assure those who answer the call to serve America that we will do everything in our power to support them and their families. Instead, this extreme action does the opposite and sends a message to servicewomen—who make up more than 17 percent of our military’s active duty—that they are not as valuable as their male counterparts.
“We will do everything in our power to mitigate the impact that this extreme decision will have on members of our military and ensure their health and safety comes first.”
Last Congress, Murray, Shaheen, and others introduced the Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act—legislation that would codify the DoD’s February 16, 2023 policy to ensure service members and their families can access non-covered reproductive health care, including abortion services, regardless of the state in which they are stationed.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla Demands Answers from Trump Administration After Army Corps Orders Central Valley Dams Open to Dangerous Flood Levels
Administration ordered two dams in Tulare County open without adequate notification to local officials, threatening Central Valley communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after the United States Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) directed unscheduled water releases from Lake Kaweah and Success Lake in Tulare County, purportedly to assist in fighting Los Angeles County fires that are already almost fully contained.
Local officials warned the Corps that releasing water at the levels the Corps planned to would have flooded both the Kaweah and Tule rivers, posing a flood risk to communities and farms down river and wasting water that could have been used for irrigation over the summer. The decision followed President Trump’s Executive Order directing federal agencies to maximize water deliveries in the state, falsely claiming that statewide water policy was to blame for the devastating Los Angeles County fires.
“Unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms. Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream,” wrote Senator Padilla.
Padilla asked Secretary Hegseth the following four clarifying questions in response to Trump’s post:
1. Who directed that these releases be made?
2. If the purpose of these releases is to help fight wildfires in Los Angeles County (which are already almost fully contained), what is the plan to transport this water to Los Angeles rather than let the water simply be discharged into Tulare Lake where it will evaporate?
3. What type of notification, and how much advanced notice, was given to irrigation districts and public safety personnel to prepare for these increased flows?
4. What impact will these releases have on Tulare Lake communities, including private landowners?
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Hegseth,
I write regarding the troubling unscheduled release of water from two dams in California’s Central Valley by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers following President Trump’s Executive Order falsely linking statewide water policies to the wildfires in Los Angeles. As I’m sure the Administration is aware, the rivers into which this water was released do not actually flow into Los Angeles.
Unscheduled water releases require close coordination with local officials and safety personnel, as well as downstream agricultural water users, in order to reduce flood risks to communities and farms. Based on the urgent concerns I have heard from my constituents, as well as recent reporting, it appears that gravely insufficient notification was given, recklessly endangering residents downstream. Therefore, I ask that you respond in writing to the following questions:
1. Who directed that these releases be made?
2. If the purpose of these releases is to help fight wildfires in Los Angeles County (which are already almost fully contained), what is the plan to transport this water to Los Angeles rather than let the water simply be discharged into Tulare Lake where it will evaporate?
3. What type of notification, and how much advanced notice, was given to irrigation districts and public safety personnel to prepare for these increased flows?
4. What impact will these releases have on Tulare Lake communities, including private landowners?
Clarity and transparency on these matters are crucial to ensure that the public is properly informed, that proper procedures are followed, and that any actions taken in the name of protecting against natural disasters will have the intended impact.
I look forward to your prompt response to these questions.
China expresses deep condolences to the victims and profound sympathy to their families following a mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the United States Wednesday night, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday.
The foreign ministry and the Chinese embassy in the U.S. launched the emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident. Unfortunately, two Chinese nationals lost their lives in the incident, according to preliminary verification of the victims, the spokesperson said.
China has asked the U.S. to provide timely updates on the search and rescue efforts, identify the cause of the accident as soon as possible, and handle the ensuing matters properly, according to the spokesperson.
“We will provide necessary assistance to the families of the Chinese victims as they deal with the incident,” the spokesperson added.
The mid-air collision that happened in Washington, D.C. involved an American Airlines regional jet with 60 passengers and four crew members on board and a military Blackhawk helicopter with three U.S. Army soldiers.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed no survivors in the collision at a Thursday press conference in the White House.
Canada has sent a team of investigators following a midair collision accident in Washington, D.C. involving American Airlines flight 5342, a Bombardier aircraft.
In a statement on Friday, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) said it had deployed two investigators to support the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in their investigation into the crash involving Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft.
Information on the progress and the findings of the investigation cannot be publicly released without the express consent of the NTSB. In keeping with this convention, the TSB will not be able to comment on the investigation, according to the statement.
Transport Canada confirmed Thursday that given that Canada is the State of Design of the airplane involved, the TSB had deployed two investigators and Transport Canada had appointed an advisor from its Minister’s Observer/Technical Advisor Program to support the TSB investigators.
Bombardier is a Canadian business jet manufacturer, headquartered in Montreal.
The Wednesday midair collision involved an American Airlines regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, and a military Black Hawk helicopter with three U.S. Army soldiers. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed there are no survivors in the collision.
Search efforts are underway at the wreckage site of a fatal midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Jan. 31, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was “flying too high” when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that the Black Hawk helicopter was “flying too high” when it collided with a passenger jet that was approaching the runway at the Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.
“The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot (roughly 61 meters) limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The allowed maximum altitude for flights over the Potomac River near the Reagan National Airport is 200 feet.
However, the helicopter was last recorded at an approximate altitude of 400 feet before the crash occurred, according to data from Flightradar24.
At a White House press conference on Thursday, Trump said that there were some warnings prior to the midair collision, “but the warnings were given very, very late.” Trump also noted that there was “a pilot problem” from the standpoint of the helicopter.
Just a few hours after the collision, Trump reacted to the accident on Truth Social: “Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.”
The American Airlines plane operating as American Eagle Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members, while three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard the Black Hawk helicopter. Authorities said Thursday that there were no survivors.
As of Thursday evening, over 40 bodies had been recovered from the wreckage, U.S. media reported.
An Israeli female soldier was freed by Gaza militants on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
A live broadcast showed Agam Berger, 20, entering a Red Cross vehicle in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, surrounded by Islamic Jihad and Hamas militants.
“The returning hostage is currently being accompanied by IDF special forces and Shin Bet forces on her return to Israeli territory, where she will undergo an initial medical assessment,” the military said.
Later on Thursday, Hamas is expected to release two more Israeli hostages, as well as five Thai hostages, while Israel would release another 110 Palestinian prisoners in the third exchange since a ceasefire in Gaza took effect last week.
Washington D.C. fire chief said on Thursday that there are likely no survivors in the midair collision of a passenger plane and helicopter near Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.
Emergency vehicles are seen at Washington’s Reagan National Airport, the United States, on Jan. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
“We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” John Donnelly, chief of the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, told a press conference at the airport Thursday morning.
The American Airlines plane had 60 passengers and four crew members, while three U.S. Army soldiers were onboard the Black Hawk helicopter.
Donnelly said that at 8:48 p.m. local time (0148 GMT Thursday) last night, the control tower sounded an alert, notifying responders about a reported aircraft crash on or near the airport, noting that about 300 rescuers responded to the accident.
“These responders found extremely frigid conditions. They found heavy wind. They found ice on the water, and they operated all night in those conditions,” Donnelly said.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Potomac River was 36 degrees Fahrenheit, roughly 2 degrees Celsius Wednesday night.
“We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter,” said the fire chief. “The crash area is a little spread out, so we’ve got some work to do.”
At the press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the helicopter was following a “standard” flight pattern last night and the passenger plane was also on a “standard” approach as it was coming into D.C., without specifying what went wrong before the deadly collision.
Duffy noted that the National Transportation Safety Board will begin analyzing the aircraft in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration.
When asked about President Donald Trump’s statement Wednesday night that looks like the accident should have been prevented, Duffy told reporters that “Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday night: “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.”
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” said Trump.
At the press conference, American Airlines (AA) CEO Robert Isom said American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, traveling from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan National Airport, was involved in the accident just before 9 p.m. local time (0200 GMT Thursday) on its final approach into the airport.
“They collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach, and at this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” he said.
The transportation secretary stated that there was no breakdown in communication. When asked whether the plane was aware of the helicopter, Duffy did not answer directly but mentioned that the helicopter was aware of the plane’s presence in the area.
Jack Carter, chief executive of Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the authority that manages the airport, reaffirmed that the airport will reopen at 11 a.m. local time (1600 GMT).
The AA passenger jet carrying 64 on board collided Wednesday night with the army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a massive search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River.
U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement that a group of figure skaters, along with their coaches and family members, were on the passenger jet returning to Washington, D.C., after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.
An investigation into the accident is underway, led by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
This is the deadliest air travel accident in Washington, D.C. since 1982, when a jet crashed into the 14th Street Bridge shortly after takeoff from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 74 people onboard and four in cars on the bridge. Only five survived.
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined Senate colleagues from both sides of the aisle in a bipartisan letter urging Speaker Mike Johnson to authorize a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony to commemorate the Women’s Army Corps unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. In 2022, Senator Rosen helped introduce and pass into law a bipartisan bill to award this Battalion, composed of Black women serving during World War II, with the Congressional Gold Medal.
“The Six Triple Eight was the only all-Black, all-female unit of the United States Army serving overseas during World War II,” wrote the Senators. “Their momentous task was to clear out a three-year, 17-million-piece backlog of mail sent to American servicemembers on the battlefield. Their motto, ‘no mail, low morale,’ encouraged them as they faced these insurmountable odds.”
“Today, only two members of the Six Triple Eight are known to be alive,” they continued. “Those still surviving ought to not wait any longer to receive this long-awaited recognition they rightfully deserve. The design and production of the Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal is complete. Therefore, we ask that you swiftly schedule a ceremony to recognize the service these women gave to our nation.”
The full letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for women servicemembers and women veterans. Last year, she helped introduce a bipartisan resolution commemorating Women Veterans Appreciation Day. She also led a bipartisan group of senators in introducing legislation and urging the administration to properly document female veterans’ combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan, to expand their access to service-connected benefits. Senator Rosen also held a roundtable discussion in Reno on efforts to support women veterans.
It’s official. On February 1, US President Donald Trump will introduce a sweeping set of new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. China will also face new tariffs of 10%.
During the presidential campaign, Trump threatened tariffs against all three countries, claiming they weren’t doing enough to prevent an influx of “drugs, in particular fentanyl” into the US, while also accusing Canada and Mexico of not doing enough to stop “illegal aliens”.
There will be some nuance. On Friday, Trump said tariffs on oil and gas would come into effect later, on February 18, and that Canadian oil would likely face a lower tariff of 10%.
This may only be the first move against China. Trump has previously threatened the country with 60% tariffs, asserting this will bring jobs back to America.
But the US’ move against its neighbours will have an almost immediate impact on the three countries involved and the landscape of North American trade. It marks the beginning of what could be a radical reshaping of international trade and political governance around the world.
What Trump wants from Canada and Mexico
While border security and drug trade concerns are the official rationale for this move, Trump’s tariffs have broader motivations.
The first one is protectionist. In all his presidential campaigning, Trump portrayed himself as a champion of US workers. Back in October, he said tariff was “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”.
Trump hasn’t hidden his fondness for protectionist trade measures.
This reflects the ongoing scepticism toward international trade that Trump – and politicians more generally on both ends of the political spectrum in the US – have held for some time.
It’s a significant shift in the close trade links between these neighbours. The US, Mexico and Canada are parties to the successor of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trump has not hidden his willingness to use tariffs as a weapon to pressure other countries to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals. This is the epitome of what a research project team I co-lead calls “Weaponised Trade”.
This was on full display in late January. When the president of Colombia prohibited US military airplanes carrying Colombian nationals deported from the US to land, Trump successfully used the threat of tariffs to force Colombia to reverse course.
The volume of trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico is enormous, encompassing a wide range of goods and services. Some of the biggest sectors are automotive manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and consumer goods.
In 2022, the value of all goods and services traded between the US and Canada came to about US$909 billion (A$1.46 trillion). Between the US and Mexico that same year, it came to more than US$855 billion (A$1.37 trillion).
One of the hardest hit industries will be the automotive industry, which depends on cross-border trade. A car assembled in Canada, Mexico or the US relies heavily on a supply of parts from throughout North America.
Tariffs will raise costs throughout this supply chain, which could lead to higher prices for consumers and make US-based manufacturers less competitive.
There could also be ripple effects for agriculture. The US exports billions of dollars in corn, soybeans, and meat to Canada and Mexico, while importing fresh produce such as avocados and tomatoes from Mexico.
Tariffs may provoke retaliatory measures, putting farmers and food suppliers in all three countries at risk.
Trump’s decision to delay and reduce tariffs on oil was somewhat predictable. US imports of Canadian oil have increased steadily over recent decades, meaning tariffs would immediately bite US consumers at the fuel pump.
We’ve been here before
This isn’t the first time the world has dealt with Trump’s tariff-heavy approach to trade policy. Looking back to his first term may provide some clues about what we might expect.
In his first term, Trump imposed major tariffs on US steel imports. ABCDstock/Shutterstock
Canada and Mexico imposed retaliatory tariffs. Ultimately, all countries removed tariffs on steel and aluminium in the process of finalising the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
This signalled a bipartisan scepticism of unfettered trade and a shift toward on-shoring or re-shoring in US policy circles.
The options for Canada and Mexico
This time, Canada and Mexico’s have again responded with threats of retaliatorytariffs.
But they’ve also made attempts to mollify Trump – such as Canada launching a “crackdown” on fentanyl trade.
Generally speaking, responses to these tariffs could range from measured diplomacy to aggressive retaliation. Canada and Mexico may target politically sensitive industries such as agriculture or gasoline, where Trump’s base could feel the pinch.
There are legal options, too. Canada and Mexico could pursue legal action through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s dispute resolution mechanisms or the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Both venues provide pathways for challenging unfair trade practices. But these practices can be slow-moving, uncertain in their outcomes and are susceptible to being ignored.
A more long-term option for businesses in Canada and Mexico is to diversify their trade relationships to reduce reliance on the US market. However, the facts of geography, and the large base of consumers in the US mean that’s easier said than done.
The looming threat of a global trade war
Trump’s latest tariffs underscore a broader trend: the widening of the so-called “Overton window” to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals.
The Overton Window refers to the range of policy options politicians have because they are accepted among the general public.
Arguments for bringing critical industries back to the US, protecting domestic jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains gained traction after the ascent of China as a geopolitical and geoeconomic rival.
These arguments picked up steam during the COVID-19 pandemic and have increasingly been turned into actual policy.
The potential for a broader trade war looms large. Trump’s short-term goal may be to leverage tariffs as a tool to secure concessions from other jurisdictions.
Trump’s threats against Denmark – in his quest to obtain control over Greenland – are a prime example. The European Union (EU), a far more potent economic player, has pledged its support for Denmark.
A North American trade war – foreshadowed by the Canadian and Mexican governments – might then only be harbinger of things to come: significant economic harm, the erosion of trust among trading partners, and increased volatility in global markets.
Markus Wagner receives funding from the Department of Defence, Australia as a Chief Investigator on a project titled Weaponised Trade.
One of the key early leaders of a national Palestinian solidarity network in Aotearoa New Zealand today praised the “heroic” resilience and sacrifice of the people of Gaza in the face of Israel’s ruthless attempt to destroy the besieged enclave of more than 2 million people.
Speaking at the first solidarity rally in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau since the fragile ceasefire came into force last Sunday, Janfrie Wakim of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) also paid tribute to New Zealand protesters who have supported the Palestine cause for the 68th week.
“Thank you all for coming to this rally — the first since 7 October 2023 when no bombs are dropping on Gaza,” she declared.
“The ceasefire in Gaza is fragile but let’s celebrate the success of the resistance, the resilience, and the fortitude — the sumud [steadfastness] — of the heroic Palestinian people.”
Wakim was formerly a member of Palestine Human Rights Campaign (PHRC) in Auckland which began in the 1970s. This was later absorbed into the nationwide movement PSNA at a conference in 2013.
“Israel has failed,” she continued. “It has not achieved its aims — in the longest war [15 weeks] in its history — even with $40 billion in aid from the United States.
“It has failed to depopulate the north of Gaza, it has a crumbling economy, and 1 million Israelis [out if 9 million] have left already.”
Wakim said that the resistance and success in defeating Israel’s “deadly objectives” had come at a “terrible cost”.
“We mourn those with families here and in Gaza and now in the West Bank who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives — 47,000 people killed, 18,000 of them children, thousands unaccounted for in the rubble and over 100,000 injured.
Grieving for journalists, humanitarian workers “We grieve for but salute the journalists and the humanitarian workers who have been murdered serving humanity.”
Janfrie Wakim speaking at today’s Palestine rally in Tamaki Makaurau. Video: APR
She said the genocide had been enabled by the wealthiest countries in the world and the Western media — “including our own with few exceptions”.
“Without its lies, its deflections, its failure to report the agonising reality of Palestinians suffering, Israel would not have been able to commit its atrocities,” Wakim said.
“And now while we celebrate the ceasefire there’s been an escalation on the West Bank — air strikes, drones, snipers, ethnic cleansing in Jenin with homes and infrastructure being demolished.
“Checkpoints have doubled to over 900 — sealing off communities. And still the Palestinians resist.
“And we must too. Solidarity. Unity of purpose is all important. Bury egos. Let humanity triumph.”
Palestinian liberation advocate Janfrie Wakim . . . “Without its lies, its deflections, its failure to report the agonising reality of Palestinians suffering, Israel could not have been able to commit its atrocities.” Image: David Robie/APR
90-year-old supporter During her short speech, Wakim introduced to the crowd the first Palestinian she had met in New Zealand, Ghazi Dassouki, who is now aged 90.
She met him at a Continuing Education seminar at the University of Auckland in 1986 that addressed the topic of “The Palestine Question”. It shocked the establishment of the time with Zionist complaints and intimidation of staff which prevented any similar academic event until 2006.
Wakim called for justice for the Palestinians.
“Freedom from occupation. Liberation from apartheid. And peace at last after 76 years of subjugation and oppression by Israel and its allies,” she said
She called on supporters to listen to what was being suggested for local action — “do what suits your situation and energy. Our task is to persist, as Howard Zinn put it”.
“When we organise with one another, when we get involved, when we stand up and speak out together, we can create a power no government can suppress,” she said.
“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”
Introduced to the Auckland protest crowd today . . . Ghazi Dassouki, who is now aged 90.
As a symbol for peace and justice in Palestine, slices of water melon and dates were handed out to the crowd.
Calls to block NZ visits by IDF soldiers Among many nationwide rallies across Aotearoa New Zealand this weekend, were many calls for the government to suspend entry to the country from soldiers in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
“New Zealand should not be providing rest and recreation for Israeli soldiers fresh from the genocide in Gaza,” said PSNA national chair John Minto.
“We wouldn’t allow Russian soldiers to come here for rest and recreation from the invasion of Ukraine so why would we accept soldiers from the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel?”
As well as the working holiday visa, since 2019 Israelis have been able to enter New Zealand for three months without needing a visa at all.
This visa-waiver is used by Israeli soldiers for “rest and recreation” from the genocide in Gaza.
Minto stressed that IDF soldiers had killed at least 47,000 Palestinians — 70 percent of them women and children.
“All these red flags for genocide have been visible for months but the government is still giving the green light to those involved in war crimes to enter New Zealand,” Minto said.
Last month, PSNA again wrote to the government asking for the suspension of travel to New Zealand for all Israeli soldiers and reservists.
Meanwhile, 200 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails have been set free under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Seventy of them will be deported to countries in the region, reports Al Jazeera.
Masses of people have congregated in Ramallah, celebrating the return of the released Palestinian prisoners.
A huge crowd waved Palestinian flags, shouted slogans and captured the joyful scene with their phones and live footage shows.
The release came after Palestinian fighters earlier handed over four female Israeli soldiers who had been held in Gaza to the International Red Cross in Palestine Square.
The smiling and waving soldiers appeared to be in good health and were in high spirits.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Markus Wagner, Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong
It’s official. On February 1, US President Donald Trump will introduce a sweeping set of new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. China will also face new tariffs of 10%.
During the presidential campaign, Trump threatened tariffs against all three countries, claiming they weren’t doing enough to prevent an influx of “drugs, in particular fentanyl” into the US, while also accusing Canada and Mexico of not doing enough to stop “illegal aliens”.
There will be some nuance. On Friday, Trump said tariffs on oil and gas would come into effect later, on February 18, and that Canadian oil would likely face a lower tariff of 10%.
This may only be the first move against China. Trump has previously threatened the country with 60% tariffs, asserting this will bring jobs back to America.
But the US’ move against its neighbours will have an almost immediate impact on the three countries involved and the landscape of North American trade. It marks the beginning of what could be a radical reshaping of international trade and political governance around the world.
What Trump wants from Canada and Mexico
While border security and drug trade concerns are the official rationale for this move, Trump’s tariffs have broader motivations.
The first one is protectionist. In all his presidential campaigning, Trump portrayed himself as a champion of US workers. Back in October, he said tariff was “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”.
Trump hasn’t hidden his fondness for protectionist trade measures.
This reflects the ongoing scepticism toward international trade that Trump – and politicians more generally on both ends of the political spectrum in the US – have held for some time.
It’s a significant shift in the close trade links between these neighbours. The US, Mexico and Canada are parties to the successor of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trump has not hidden his willingness to use tariffs as a weapon to pressure other countries to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals. This is the epitome of what a research project team I co-lead calls “Weaponised Trade”.
This was on full display in late January. When the president of Colombia prohibited US military airplanes carrying Colombian nationals deported from the US to land, Trump successfully used the threat of tariffs to force Colombia to reverse course.
The volume of trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico is enormous, encompassing a wide range of goods and services. Some of the biggest sectors are automotive manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and consumer goods.
In 2022, the value of all goods and services traded between the US and Canada came to about US$909 billion (A$1.46 trillion). Between the US and Mexico that same year, it came to more than US$855 billion (A$1.37 trillion).
One of the hardest hit industries will be the automotive industry, which depends on cross-border trade. A car assembled in Canada, Mexico or the US relies heavily on a supply of parts from throughout North America.
Tariffs will raise costs throughout this supply chain, which could lead to higher prices for consumers and make US-based manufacturers less competitive.
There could also be ripple effects for agriculture. The US exports billions of dollars in corn, soybeans, and meat to Canada and Mexico, while importing fresh produce such as avocados and tomatoes from Mexico.
Tariffs may provoke retaliatory measures, putting farmers and food suppliers in all three countries at risk.
Trump’s decision to delay and reduce tariffs on oil was somewhat predictable. US imports of Canadian oil have increased steadily over recent decades, meaning tariffs would immediately bite US consumers at the fuel pump.
We’ve been here before
This isn’t the first time the world has dealt with Trump’s tariff-heavy approach to trade policy. Looking back to his first term may provide some clues about what we might expect.
In his first term, Trump imposed major tariffs on US steel imports. ABCDstock/Shutterstock
Canada and Mexico imposed retaliatory tariffs. Ultimately, all countries removed tariffs on steel and aluminium in the process of finalising the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
This signalled a bipartisan scepticism of unfettered trade and a shift toward on-shoring or re-shoring in US policy circles.
The options for Canada and Mexico
This time, Canada and Mexico’s have again responded with threats of retaliatorytariffs.
But they’ve also made attempts to mollify Trump – such as Canada launching a “crackdown” on fentanyl trade.
Generally speaking, responses to these tariffs could range from measured diplomacy to aggressive retaliation. Canada and Mexico may target politically sensitive industries such as agriculture or gasoline, where Trump’s base could feel the pinch.
There are legal options, too. Canada and Mexico could pursue legal action through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s dispute resolution mechanisms or the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Both venues provide pathways for challenging unfair trade practices. But these practices can be slow-moving, uncertain in their outcomes and are susceptible to being ignored.
A more long-term option for businesses in Canada and Mexico is to diversify their trade relationships to reduce reliance on the US market. However, the facts of geography, and the large base of consumers in the US mean that’s easier said than done.
The looming threat of a global trade war
Trump’s latest tariffs underscore a broader trend: the widening of the so-called “Overton window” to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals.
The Overton Window refers to the range of policy options politicians have because they are accepted among the general public.
Arguments for bringing critical industries back to the US, protecting domestic jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains gained traction after the ascent of China as a geopolitical and geoeconomic rival.
These arguments picked up steam during the COVID-19 pandemic and have increasingly been turned into actual policy.
The potential for a broader trade war looms large. Trump’s short-term goal may be to leverage tariffs as a tool to secure concessions from other jurisdictions.
Trump’s threats against Denmark – in his quest to obtain control over Greenland – are a prime example. The European Union (EU), a far more potent economic player, has pledged its support for Denmark.
A North American trade war – foreshadowed by the Canadian and Mexican governments – might then only be harbinger of things to come: significant economic harm, the erosion of trust among trading partners, and increased volatility in global markets.
Markus Wagner receives funding from the Department of Defence, Australia as a Chief Investigator on a project titled Weaponised Trade.
Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:
On January 30, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held an introductory call with the Republic of Korea (ROK)’s Acting Minister of National Defense Kim Seon-ho. The Acting Minister congratulated the Secretary on his appointment and the two leaders discussed the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and the strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. Secretary Hegseth reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defending the ROK under President Trump’s leadership and both leaders also reiterated their shared focus on maintaining a strong combined U.S.-ROK defense posture. Both the Secretary and the Minister agreed to remain in close contact moving forward.
Guidance from the Secretary of Defense: “Identity Months Dead at DoD”
Our unity and purpose are instrumental to meeting the Department’s warfighting mission. Efforts to divide the force – to put one group ahead of another – erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution.
Going forward, DoD Components and Military Departments will not use official resources, to include man-hours, to host celebrations or events related to cultural awareness months, including National African American/Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and National American Indian Heritage Month. Service members and civilians remain permitted to attend these events in an unofficial capacity outside of duty hours.
Installations, units, and offices are encouraged to celebrate the valor and success of military heroes of all races, genders, and backgrounds as we restore our warrior culture and ethos. We are proud of our warriors and their history, but we will focus on the character of their service instead of their immutable characteristics.
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded a contract of $10,097,097 to BCSS, LLC to fund the excavation, replacement and repaving of the existing Highway 75 intersection in support of the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project.
These funds were provided by the fully-paid-for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) helped craft and shepherd through Congress. The USACE received $437 million in funding under the BIL to complete all remaining federal work for the diversion project.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Joint statement by Australia, Canada, the European Union, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States
Today marks four years since the Myanmar military regime overthrew the democratically elected government in Myanmar, creating one of the largest crises in the Indo-Pacific. Since the coup, the people of Myanmar remain subject to military rule that has deprived many of their rights, democratic aspirations and, for thousands, their liberty and their lives.
We condemn in the strongest terms the Myanmar military regime’s escalating violence harming civilians, including human rights violations, sexual and gender-based violence, and systematic persecution and discrimination against all religious and ethnic minorities. The military’s airstrikes are killing civilians, destroying schools, markets, places of worship and medical facilities; with almost a 25-fold increase since 2021 this represents an average of three airstrikes per day. The rise in airstrikes in areas with no active conflict has marked a clear escalation by the military.
We call on the Myanmar military regime to immediately de-escalate violence, ensure unhindered and safe humanitarian access across the country, and we urge all parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and fully adhere to International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law.
As of 2025, humanitarian needs have increased twenty-fold since the coup. Over one-third of the population,19.9 million people, are now in need of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. An estimated 15.2 million people are in need of food assistance and cases of preventable diseases are on the rise.
Increasing needs and ongoing conflict have displaced up to 3.5 million people internally – an increase of nearly one million in the last year. Many more people are forced to flee across Myanmar’s borders. Rising transnational crime, including narcotics production and trafficking, scam centres and human trafficking, harm the people of Myanmar and affect neighbouring countries, risking instability in the broader region.
The current trajectory is not sustainable for Myanmar or the region. Now is the time for the Myanmar military regime to immediately change course. We strongly urge the Myanmar military regime to cease violence, including harming civilians and civilian infrastructure, release all political prisoners, and engage in genuine and inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders. These are essential first steps towards any peaceful, democratic transition, reflecting the will of Myanmar’s people.
We reiterate our support for the central role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Five Point Consensus, including the ASEAN Chair’s Special Envoy, in addressing the Myanmar and resultant refugee crisis. We strongly welcome collaboration between the ASEAN and United Nations (UN) Special Envoys. We call on the international community to continue to support the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2669 (2022). We underline the need for accountability for all atrocities committed in Myanmar, human rights must be safeguarded, violations and abuses must be prevented.
We will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar and support their vision for an inclusive, peaceful and prosperous future.
LOS ANGELES – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to a felony drug offense for his actions surrounding a 2020 fentanyl transaction that resulted in the death of a U.S. Marine.
Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to the use of a communication facility – a cellphone – in committing a felony drug offense.
United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee is scheduled to sentence Whisenant on May 7, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison.
“Fentanyl continues to claim the lives of too many in our community,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Our office remains committed to holding accountable those responsible for circulating fentanyl and other dangerous substances in our district and threatening the health and safety of our residents.”
According to court documents, in May 2020, Whisenant was an active-duty lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps stationed aboard Camp Pendleton in Oceanside when he ordered pills marketed as oxycodone – but which actually contained fentanyl – for a fellow U.S. Marine, identified in court papers as “L.M.”
Whisenant contacted the drug dealer, Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 28, based on an advertisement Solis shared via his Snapchat account, according to court documents. L.M. drove Whisenant and another U.S. Marine, Ryan Douglas White, 27, from Camp Pendleton to collect the drugs from Solis later that same day. The three Marines then drove to a party in Compton where L.M. ingested some of the pills purchased from Solis and died shortly after. At the direction of Whisenant, White flushed the remaining pills down a toilet before first responders arrived.
Solis was charged in 2020, along with Whisenant and two other civilian co-conspirators, with being part of a drug ring that distributed narcotics to civilians and members of the Marine Corps, and White was charged as an accessory after the fact.
Solis was arrested in July 2020, at which time investigators seized narcotics and several firearms – including a 9mm “ghost gun” – from his residence. Solis pleaded guilty in April 2022 to two federal drug trafficking offenses: participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and distributing fentanyl resulting in death. His sentencing is pending, and he faces a maximum sentence of life.
White pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of misprision of a felony for his knowledge of the fatal drug transaction and his attempts to hinder law enforcement’s investigation. His sentencing is scheduled for June 6, at which time he will face a maximum sentence of 3 years.
A superseding indictment filed in September 2020 named two other defendants: Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 29, of Palmdale, and Jessica Sarah Perez, 25, of Pacoima.
McCormick allegedly supplied provided LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to co-conspirators. McCormick has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial on April 22.
Perez distributed narcotics including fentanyl and cocaine to the conspiracy’s civilian customers. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and was sentenced in September 2022 to pay a $100 fine and placed on probation for two years.
This matter was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.