US rejects WHO pandemic reforms under Trump administration
'We will put Americans first in all our actions and we will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans' speech, privacy or personal liberties,' Rubio and Kennedy said in a joint statement. The rejected amendments, agreed upon at the 2024 World Health Assembly, aimed to strengthen global disease response mechanisms, including provisions for equity in health emergencies.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed disappointment, stating the amendments 'are clear about member states sovereignty' and do not mandate lockdowns. The reforms included a commitment to study developing nations' needs during health crises.
Conservative groups in Britain and Australia have also opposed the changes, fearing overreach. The US had already begun withdrawing from the WHO earlier this year, following Trump's return to office. The Biden administration had participated in 2024 negotiations but refused consensus over intellectual property concerns.
Rubio and Kennedy criticized the WHO for alleged susceptibility to political influence, particularly from China. Tedros defended the organization as impartial, working 'with all countries to improve people's health.' - AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Epstein furor undermining public trust, Republican election hopes, two US lawmakers say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The uproar over disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could undermine public trust in the Trump administration, as well as Republican hopes of retaining control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections, two U.S. lawmakers said on Sunday. Republican Representative Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna, who want the House of Representatives to vote on their bipartisan resolution requiring full release of the government's Epstein files, said the lack of transparency is reinforcing public perceptions that the rich and powerful live beyond the reach of the judicial system. "This is going to hurt Republicans in the midterms. The voters will be apathetic if we don't hold the rich and powerful accountable," Massie, a hardline conservative from Kentucky, told NBC's "Meet the Press" program. Republicans hope to add to their current 219-212 House majority -- with four seats currently vacant -- and 53-47 Senate majority in November 2026, although the U.S. political cycle traditionally punishes the party of the sitting president during midterm elections. Khanna said Attorney General Pam Bondi triggered "a crisis of trust" by saying there was no list of Epstein clients after previously implying that one existed. The change in position unleashed a tsunami of calls for her resignation from Trump's MAGA base. "This is about trust in government," the California Democrat told "Meet the Press." "This is about being a reform agent of transparency." President Donald Trump, who is playing golf and holding bilateral trade talks in Scotland, has been frustrated by continued questions about his administration's handling of investigative files related to Epstein's criminal charges and 2019 death by suicide in prison. Massie and Khanna believe they can win enough support from fellow lawmakers to force a vote on their resolution when Congress returns from its summer recess in September. But they face opposition from Republican leaders including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who sent lawmakers home a day early to stymie Democratic efforts to force a vote before the break. Johnson, who also appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press," said he favors a non-binding alternative resolution that calls for release of "credible" evidence, but which he said would better protect victims including minors. "The Massie and Khanna discharge petition is reckless in the way that it is drafted and presented," Johnson said. "It does not adequately include those protections." Massie dismissed Johnson's claim as "a straw man" excuse. "Ro and I carefully crafted this legislation so that the victims' names will be redacted," he said. "They're hiding behind that." Trump, who weathered two impeachments and a federal probe into contacts between his 2016 campaign and Russia during his first presidential term, has tried and failed so far to distract attention from the Epstein controversy six months into his second term. On Saturday, Trump repeated his claims without evidence that 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and other Democrats should be prosecuted over payment for endorsements from celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce and the Reverend Al Sharpton. "Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!" Trump said on social media. Last week he accused former President Barack Obama of "treason" over how the Obama administration treated intelligence about Russian interference in U.S. elections nine years ago, drawing a rebuke from an Obama spokesperson. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally, said on Sunday that Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence, had found new information that investigators initially discovered no evidence of Russian election interference but changed their position after Obama told them to keep looking. "I'm not alleging he committed treason, but I am saying it bothers me," Graham told "Meet the Press." "The best way to handle this is if there is evidence of a crime being committed, or suspected evidence of a crime being committed, create a special counsel to look at it," Graham added. Democratic Representative Jason Crow dismissed Gabbard's claims, telling the "Fox News Sunday" program that the national intelligence director had turned herself into "a weapon of mass distraction." The Department of Justice has said it is forming a strike force to assess Gabbard's claims. (Reporting by David MorganEditing by Colleen Jenkins and Leslie Adler)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Trump says US will work with Thailand and Cambodia, adds both 'want to settle'
A view of broken windows at a damaged hospital, caused by Cambodia's shelling in Sisaket province, as Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire, Thailand, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believed both Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle their differences after he told the leaders of both countries that he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended their fighting. "I spoke to both of the prime ministers, and I think by the time I got off, I think they want to settle now," Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Turnbery, Scotland. Trump said he believed Thai and Cambodian officials were due to meet in coming days. (Reporting by Andrew Gray; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Will Dunham)
Barnama
4 hours ago
- Barnama
US Urges Ceasefire as Thai, Cambodian Leaders Head to Malaysia for Peace Talks
KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged both Cambodia and Thailand to de-escalate tensions and agree to a ceasefire over their ongoing border dispute. According to the US Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio spoke with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn to stress the importance of an immediate ceasefire. "Secretary Rubio reiterated President Trump's desire for peace and the importance of an immediate ceasefire. The US is prepared to facilitate future discussions to ensure peace and stability between Thailand and Cambodia," Bruce said in a statement that was made available on the department's official website. bootstrap slideshow Bruce said Rubio conveyed a similar message to Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, reaffirming Washington's readiness to facilitate dialogue and peace efforts between both countries. In the latest development, Bernama reported that the Thai government has confirmed it will attend a regional peace consultation in Malaysia on Monday to discuss the escalating border conflict with Cambodia. Government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in his capacity as the current ASEAN Chair, has invited the Thai leadership to discuss the Thai-Cambodian conflict. He added that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will also attend the consultation at the invitation of the ASEAN Chair. The Thai delegation is scheduled to depart from the Royal Thai Air Force base at approximately 10.30 am, with the meeting set for 3 pm (Malaysian time). The border dispute between the two nations escalated on July 25, leading to armed clashes along Cambodia's northern border region.
