Democrats press Trump officials for large-scale effort on Gaza starvation
Their letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff says the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation created with backing from the Trump administration has 'failed to address the deepening humanitarian crisis and contributed to an unacceptable and mounting civilian death toll around the organisation's sites".
Trump on Monday expressed concern about the worsening humanitarian situation and broke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that people are not starving in the Gaza Strip. But it is unclear how Trump will proceed. (AP) SCY
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
8 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Pak, Iran agree to increase bilateral trade volume to $10 billion annually
Pakistan and Iran on Sunday agreed to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion from the current $3 billion annually as they signed 12 agreements and MoUs after talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Prime Minister Sharif announced the new bilateral trade target while addressing a joint press meeting with President Pezeshkian after their talks during which they also agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). The agreement to enhance bilateral trade volume to $10 billion was reached earlier in the morning during a meeting between Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Iranian Minister for Industry, Mines and Trade Mohammad Atabak. Sharif also said that Iran has the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy, which had been at the heart of the current conflict with Israel. Pakistan stands with Iran for the acquisition of peaceful nuclear power, Sharif said as he condemned recent Israeli attacks against Iran and appreciated Tehran for its forceful defence of the country. Pakistan and Iran exchanged 12 agreements and MoUs in the presence of Sharif and Pezeshkian. These included cooperation in trade, agriculture, science, technology and innovation, information and communications, and maritime safety, among other issues, the APP said. Prime Minister Sharif on Sunday said that the leadership of Pakistan and Iran were keen to enhance the bilateral trade volume to the target of $10 billion as soon as possible, the APP said. The two leaders also discussed issues related to terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation to combat militancy along their shared border, it said. On his part, Pezeshkian said that the MoUs signed included one about finalisation of the free trade agreement at the earliest between the two sides. President Pezeshkian expressed satisfaction that serious and sincere efforts were being initiated by both sides for cooperation in diverse fields, and to take their current trade volume of $3 billion to the projected target of $10 billion, the APP said. President Pezeshkian landed in Lahore on Saturday afternoon and flew to the capital later in the evening. Meanwhile, after Khan's meeting with Atabak, a statement by Pakistan's Commerce Ministry said the high-level discussion between the two leaders marked a renewed commitment from both sides to accelerate trade, remove border bottlenecks, and build trust-based partnerships across priority sectors. The meeting emphasised maximising the potential of neighbourhood trade, with Khan highlighting how ASEAN countries have benefited enormously by trading within their region. Geography is an advantage. Pakistan and Iran must utilise this discount of distance. If we don't, we lose both time and cost benefits, he stated. The Pakistani minister suggested organising targetted trade delegations that include representatives from federal and provincial chambers of commerce, enabling focused discussions on market access and regulatory facilitation, according to the statement. The ministers also expressed a shared commitment to increasing the use of existing trade corridors and border facilities. Atabak also highlighted ongoing discussions about increasing Pakistani exports to Iran and encouraged swift follow-up on newly signed agreements. Khan said that beyond bilateral gains, such connectivity could expand to Turkey, Central Asia, Russia, and even parts of West Asia, creating an economic bloc of substantial power and resilience. Atabak supported the idea of holding a dedicated B2B day during every high-level visit and offered to bring Iranian business groups to Pakistan for in-depth meetings, the statement said. Both ministers agreed on the importance of identifying specific sectors such as agriculture, livestock, services, energy, and cross-border logistics for future collaboration, the statement said. With high-level political alignment and mutual trust, Pakistan and Iran appear poised to enter a new phase of strategic economic partnership that could reshape regional trade dynamics, it added. Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research, a policy think tank in Islamabad, said the total volume of formal bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran reached around $2.3 billion in 2022, with the trade balance largely tilted towards Iran. Iranian exports to Pakistan stood at $1.488 billion, mainly petroleum gas, electricity and petroleum coke. Pakistan's exports to Iran amounted to $842.8 million, primarily comprising Iron pipes, medical instruments and utility meters, it said in a September 2024 brief titled 'Pakistan and Iran's Struggle for Economic Cooperation'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Economic Times
8 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Students rally in Dhaka, pledge to build a 'new Bangladesh' amid political uncertainty
AP Women supporters of National Citizen Party (NCP) wear headbands in the colors of the Bangladeshi national flag during a political rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) A new political party formed by the students who spearheaded an anti-government movement ousting former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday rallied in Bangladesh's capital and pledged to build a new Bangladesh amid political uncertainty over the next election. Separately, supporters of the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, also held a rally in the capital, Dhaka, where party leaders also vowed to work to establish democracy following the fall of Hasina. The rallies took place two days before the country's interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is marking the anniversary of Hasina's fall. Hasina fled the country to India last Aug. 5 amid a mass uprising, ending her 15-year rule. Yunus took over three days later and pledged to restore order following weeks of violence that left hundreds killed and thousands injured. The rallies reflect the shifting power dynamics in Bangladesh following Hasina's dramatic ouster. With her Awami League banned and the political landscape fractured, the country is at a crossroads. The emergence of new political actors and unresolved tensions over the timing of the next election raise concerns about whether Bangladesh will move toward a stable, democratic transition - or slide into deeper political turmoil. On Sunday, some 1,000 supporters of the student-led National Citizen Party rallied in front of the Shaheed Minar national monument in Dhaka, the capital, where its top leader Nahid Islam announced a 24-point agenda for a "new Bangladesh." "Exactly one year ago, at this Shaheed Minar (memorial), we vowed to free this country from the hands of dictatorship. By responding to that call, we together defeated the fascist rule and regained control of our country," he said. He said his party wanted a new constitution that would replace one adopted in 1972 after Bangladesh was born under the leadership of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina's father. Bangladesh had just fought a nine-month war to gain its independence from Pakistan. "Let us all unite and transform this historic 24-point agenda into reality to build a new Bangladesh - a Bangladesh that fulfills the dreams of all citizens, as we move toward the formation of our second republic," he said. Also on Sunday, thousands of supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's student wing rallied elsewhere in the city. Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the party, asked his supporters to seek support from young voters in the next election. Rahman has been in exile in London since 2008 and joined Sunday's rally online. He is expected to return to the country before the next elections. Bangladesh has been at a crossroads since Hasina's ouster and the interim government has been struggling to restore order with allegations of failure in controlling mob violence and maintaining human rights.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
8 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump, Carney expected to hold talks amid US-Canada tariff tensions
US President Trump and Canada's PM Carney are expected to speak in the coming days, a Canadian official said, as both nations navigate rising tensions over newly imposed US tariffs read more US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney would most likely speak 'over the next number of days' after the US put a 35% tax on products not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal, a Canadian official said on Sunday. Dominic LeBlanc, the Canadian cabinet minister in charge of US-Canada trade, told CBS News' 'Face the Nation' that recent negotiations had 'encouraged' him and that an agreement to reduce tariffs was still possible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We're encouraged by the conversations with Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Greer, but we're not yet where we need to go to get the deal that's in the best interest of the two economies,' LeBlanc said, referring to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. The trade minister said he expected Carney and Trump to speak 'over the next number of days.' 'We think there is an option of striking a deal that will bring down some of these tariffs provide greater certainty to investment,' LeBlanc said. Washington attributed Friday's tariff announcement in part to Canada's inability to combat fentanyl smuggling. It was the latest blow in Trump's months-long tariff war, which began shortly after he returned to office this year. According to Carney, Canada accounts for under 1% of US fentanyl imports and is working hard to cut numbers even more.
