Trump administration weighs fate of $9M stockpile of contraceptives feared earmarked for destruction
Concerns that the Trump administration plans to incinerate the stockpile have angered family planning advocates on both sides of the Atlantic. Campaigners say the supplies stored in a U.S.-funded warehouse in Geel, Belgium, include contraceptive pills, contraceptive implants and IUDs that could spare women in war zones and elsewhere the hardship of unwanted pregnancies.
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Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Where Trump and Putin could meet as presidents expected to reunite for Ukraine ceasefire summit
Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are set to meet next week, the Kremlin has confirmed. In what would be the first summit between leaders of the two countries since 2021, Trump and Putin will meet in search of a breakthrough to end the Ukraine war. The announcement comes a day after US special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with Putin in an attempt to convince the Russian president to sign a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. "At the suggestion of the American side, an agreement was essentially reached to hold a bilateral meeting at the highest level in the coming days, that is, a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump," Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said. He said a summit venue had been agreed, but would be announced later. Here, The Independent looks at the countries that could set the stage for the momentous occasion. Reykjavik, Iceland - an echo of the Cold War Iceland's capital Reykjavik is one option, as it is symbolic of past US–Russia diplomatic relations. Reykjavik hosted the 1986 summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, which was seen as a turning point in the Cold War. Although that meeting ended without a formal agreement, it laid the groundwork for future nuclear arms reduction treaties and helped ease tensions between the two warring nations. Trump has often compared himself to Reagan, as a self-proclaimed 'deal-maker'. Reykjavik would, therefore, carry significant symbolism for the US president. Doha, Qatar - the world's new neutral peace broker Qatar, once known as a small petrostate, has emerged as one of the world's most trusted mediators in recent years. It has hosted negotiations between the US and Taliban, brokered ceasefire talks in Gaza, and positioned itself as a diplomatic bridge between Western powers and its adversaries. Doha has strong relationships with both Moscow and Washington, and it has a preference for discreet diplomacy. This makes it an attractive location for both Putin and Trump. Earlier this year, during his trip to the Middle East, the US president marvelled at the wealth of his Arab hosts, admiring the marble in the Qatari palace as 'perfecto' and 'very hard to buy.' His admiration for the country and its leaders could mean Trump suggests it as the meeting place. Russia is also deepening its ties with countries in the Middle East, and if Putin were to suggest Qatar, it would signify a move away from traditional Western capitals and towards more flexible, non-aligned powers. Geneva, Switzerland - the traditional choice Geneva has long existed as a staple for global summits. It was the site of the most recent US–Russia presidential meeting, when Joe Biden met Vladimir Putin there in 2021. Switzerland, famous for its neutrality, has also hosted numerous historic encounters, from Cold War arms talks to Iran nuclear negotiations. Due to its experience in high-stakes diplomacy, Switzerland is a practical choice. However, for Moscow, Geneva may now feel too Western-aligned particularly after Switzerland adopted EU sanctions over the Ukraine war. Nevertheless, Geneva remains a strong meeting ground for traditional diplomacy. Belgrade, Serbia - Moscow friendly location Serbia is seen by many as a geopolitical in-between – it has maintained warm relations with Moscow while also seeking closer ties with the West. It has also refused to join Western sanctions against Russia, and has hosted various informal meetings between Russia and Western officials since the beginning of the war. For Putin, Belgrade is a welcoming environment that is not too overtly pro-Russian. Similarly, for Trump, it may suggest neutrality, which could avoid the backlash he faced after his 2018 summit with the Russian president in Helsinki. Abu Dhabi or Dubai, UAE - Quick and convenient Putin met with the president of the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, which reports have previously suggested as a possible venue. The UAE has quietly become a key broker for diplomacy, particularly between Russia and Ukraine, hosting negotiations over prisoner exchanges. For Trump, a summit in Abu Dhabi or Dubai would provide the grandeur he often opts for, whilst also avoiding the bureaucracy of more traditional Western venues. The UAE also has a strong working relationship with Putin, and has resisted Western sanctions against Russia. Where did Putin and Trump last meet? The last meeting between the two presidents took place in Helsinki, Finland, in July 2018, during Trump's first term as president. Following the meeting, Trump publicly contradicted US intelligence agencies and appeared to take Putin's word over their findings regarding Russian election interference. The remarks caused bipartisan outrage in Washington, with many accusing Trump of having 'sided with the enemy.' At the time, Finland was known for its military neutrality, however, it has since joined Nato and taken a firm stance against Moscow. This means it is almost certainly ruled out as the grounds for their meeting next week. Historic meetings that have shaped world affairs Reagan and Gorbachev - Reykjavik, 1986 The Reykjavik summit between US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was one of the most important moments during the Cold War. Although the talks collapsed at the last moment over Reagan's refusal to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative, the two sides came closer than ever to agreeing on sweeping nuclear disarmament. The meeting helped pave the way for the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed the following year. It is often referred to as a turning point in Cold War diplomacy. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - Yalta, 1945 The Yalta Conference brought together the 'Big Three' Allied leaders: US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, British prime minister Winston Churchill and Soviet premier Joseph Stalin. Held in February 1945, with Nazi Germany on the brink of defeat, the leaders met to decide the shape of the postwar world. They agreed on the division of Germany into occupation zones, the formation of the United Nations, and the political future of Eastern Europe. However, the legacy of the meeting is mixed. Although it ended the war as a unified front, many historians argue it also led to the inception of the Cold War by legitimising Soviet control over Eastern Europe. Trump and Kim Jong-un - Singapore and Hanoi, 2018-19 Trump became the first sitting US president to meet a North Korean leader when he sat down with Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June 2018. The summit was choreographed as a historic breakthrough, complete with gestures such as handshakes, flags and sweeping promises of denuclearisation. A follow-up meeting in Hanoi in February 2019 ended abruptly without agreement, after talks broke down over US demands for full denuclearisation and North Korea's call for sanctions relief. The meetings produced few results, but they were framed as bold and unprecedented diplomacy. However, they also drew criticism for giving legitimacy to a repressive regime without securing substantive concessions.
News24
31 minutes ago
- News24
All hands on deck: SA scrambles for lifeline in Trump's tariff assault
EDITORIAL: All hands on deck: SA scrambles for lifeline in Trump's tariff assault While US President Donald Trump was not averse to imposing tariffs during his first term, they have become a defining pillar of his second stint as leader of the world's most powerful economy. In his January inauguration speech, Trump declared: 'Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.' On Thursday, higher tariffs came into effect for numerous economies around the world, including South Africa, which has been hit with a steep 30% import tariff. The previous day, Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa had a brief conversation during which they pledged to maintain dialogue amid trade negotiations. Relations between South Africa and the US have long been strained. Trump has voiced his frustration with South Africa's policies, including its transformation laws such as the Expropriation Act. He previously made controversial allegations about a so-called 'white genocide' in South Africa and criticised the country's International Court of Justice case against Israel. In response to these new tariffs, the South African government has announced relief packages aimed at mitigating the economic impact. However, it remains unclear whether these measures will be sufficient. Concerns are mounting that key sectors, such as manufacturing and agriculture - particularly in the Eastern Cape - will bear the brunt of these trade barriers. This is unlikely to be the end of trade tensions. Trump has previously floated the idea of a 10% tariff targeting nations aligned with BRICS. On Wednesday, he escalated matters further by doubling India's tariffs on certain imports to 50%, citing its continued oil imports from Russia. In this week's Friday Briefing, we explore whether South Africa can navigate these turbulent trade waters over the next three-and-a-half years. Contributions include insights from Professor Nhlanhla Cyril Mbatha of Rhodes University, political analyst Mpumelelo Mkhabela, News24's in-depth writer, Muhammad Hussain, and ICT consultant Thembelani Maphanga. You can read the submissions below. Beyond BRICS: Why South Africa Must Court the EU to Survive Trump's Trade Assault In recent weeks, Donald Trump has been able to create even more uncertainty and then confusion on how to respond by postponing, several times, the dates on which some tariffs would be effective, writes Nhlanhla Cyril Mbatha. Read the rest of the submission here. News24 False allies: Trump's economic arsenal serves only US If there is one thing that US President Donald Trump has taught us with his 30% is that running to Washington to fight domestic squabbles is futile and embarrassing, writes Mpumelelo Mkhabela. Read the rest of the submission here. From boats to grapes: What SA's US tariff-affected industries want Eight months after Trump called tariffs his 'most beautiful word,' South African exporters are living the ugly reality of 30% trade barriers, writes Muhammad Hussain. Read the rest of the submission here. Double blow: US-EU policy hit could devastate SA's motor industry The near-simultaneous implementation of two international policies – one from the US and one from the EU – presents a perfect storm for South Africa's vulnerable industrial base, writes Thembelani Maphanga. Show Comments ()
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hegseth Puts Up Confederate Memorial That Whitewashes Slavery
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that Arlington National Cemetery will be restoring a Confederate monument criticized for misrepresenting the history of slavery. As part of President Donald Trump's efforts to reintroduce Confederate symbols and monuments, Moses Ezekiel's 'beautiful and historic sculpture,' the Confederate Memorial, 'will be rightfully be returned to Arlington National Cemetery near his burial site,' Hegseth said in a social media post. 'It never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don't believe in erasing American history—we honor it,' Hegseth said. Ezekiel was a Confederate soldier who spent much of his artistic career promoting the 'Lost Cause' myth that the Civil War was just and heroic, and not a treasonous war fought to uphold slavery. After the Confederacy was defeated, Ezekiel moved to Europe and eventually settled in Rome, where he hung the Confederate battle flag in his studio for 40 years. His 32-foot bronze memorial includes an inscription in Latin that frames the Civil War as a 'lost cause' that was nevertheless admirable for its noble principles and resistance to tyranny, according to an archived version of the Arlington Cemetery website. It also sanitizes the violent reality of slavery with figures such as an enslaved woman depicted as a 'Mammy' figure holding a white officer's child, and an enslaved man following his owner to war, according to the website. Ezekiel purposefully included the 'faithful Black servants' to combat what he believed were 'lies' about slavery in Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, according to Hilary A. Herbert, an Alabama lawmaker who pushed for the creation of the Confederates' section at Arlington Cemetery. The artist believed his statue 'correctly' showed Black slaves' support for the Confederate cause, according to Herbert. Hegseth's decision to restore the monument and 'honor' its history, therefore, means the Trump administration is 'honoring' the myth that Black people supported their own enslavement. The Department of Defense declined to respond to criticisms about the monument, pointing only to Hegseth's statement on social media. The administration is also 'honoring' the federal government's decision to abandon Reconstruction and greenlight racial segregation and violence in the South after the Civil War. After the Confederates surrendered in November 1865, the federal government spent more than a decade pursuing a policy of Reconstruction to reunify the nation and transform the South's slave-based society into something more equitable. Arlington National Cemetery was itself founded in 1864 on land seized in from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's plantation estate, according to the National Park Service. The decision to bury Union soldiers on the property was widely viewed as a way to restore honor to the property, which had been disgraced by Lee's decision to lead the Confederate forces, according to the NPS. The Reconstruction effort, however, ended in 1877 and was replaced by a policy called 'Reconciliation.' The federal government withdrew troops from the South, allowing the former Confederate states to impose racial segregation, deny Black people the right to vote, and terrorize Black communities. Ezekiel's Confederate Memorial, which is also known as 'The Reconciliation Monument,' was created as part of that movement, according to the archived Arlington Cemetery website. As part of 'Reconciliation,' the government created a section for Confederate troops at Arlington National Cemetery, even though Black Union soldiers were denied burial there. In 1906, the government authorized the monument, which was erected in 1914. It was finally removed in 2023 as part of the Biden administration's push to replace Confederate symbols, and even when the monument was standing, some presidents declined to have funeral wreaths laid there on Memorial Day. The move to reinstall the statue is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to bring those Confederate monuments back from the dead. The National Park Service announced on Monday that it is resurrecting a statue of the Confederate Army Gen. Albert Pike, who once wrote that the 'white race, and that race alone, shall govern this country. It is the only one that is fit to govern, and it is the only one that shall.' The 11-foot statue stood outside the Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1898 to 2020, when it was toppled during the Black Lives Matter protests. Pike's monument was reviled from the beginning but was apparently pushed through by the Freemasons—Pike was a prominent leader of the Freemasons and a rumored member of the Ku Klux Klan, according to The New York Times. The National Park Service said in a statement that it was restoring and reinstalling the statue in line with Trump's Executive Order on Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History, which directs federal agencies to 'present a full and accurate picture of the American past,' according to the NPS. Historically, though, it makes little sense to erect a statue of a Confederate general outside the police department of Washington, D.C., which was the center of the Union war effort and was never invaded by the Confederates. The city has opposed the statue for decades and first called on Congress to remove it in early 1992. The NPS stressed that the statue honored Pike's leadership in Freemasonry, not his Civil War activity. It depicts him in civilian clothes, not battle attire. Regarding Freemason membership, Pike said in 1875, 'I took my obligations from white men, not from negroes. When I have to accept negroes as brothers or leave masonry, I shall leave it. Better let the thing drift.' Solve the daily Crossword
