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Newsweek
6 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
U.S. Responds to Gaza Aid Mission's Chaotic Start
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. government has defended the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) after the aid operation came under intense criticism from aid agencies following chaotic scenes of thousands of Palestinians scrambling for food, amid reports of Israeli gunfire and multiple casualties. The GHF, a U.S.-backed organization operating independently of the United Nations, has faced criticism from aid groups for its approach to aid distribution, which is designed to bypass Hamas in its war with Israel. "As President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Marco] Rubio have clearly said — we support bold, out-of-the-box efforts to make life better for Gazans. GHF is doing exactly that. And we're proud to back their incredible mission," a senior U.S. administration official told Newsweek. "The UN and other aid agencies were wrong to criticize. Aid is getting to the people in need, and through their secure distribution system, Israel is kept safe and Hamas empty handed." Why It Matters The incident at the debut of the operation underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and has intensified scrutiny over the methods and management of aid distribution months after Israel imposed a blockade on the strip in the absence of a ceasefire with Hamas. Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S.-backed organization approved by Israel, in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo What To Know The U.S. State Department accused Hamas of attempting to "stop the aid movement through Gaza to these distribution centers," spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a Tuesday press briefing. One video circulated on X captured hundreds of Palestinians surging through narrow, wired corridors toward the U.S.-backed aid distribution center in Gaza, reportedly after enduring prolonged waits under the scorching sun. لحظة انفجار جوع حقيقي تحت الحصار والنار .. اقتحم مئات الفلسطينيين مركز توزيع المساعدات التابع لمؤسسة "غزة الإنسانية " الأميركية، في مشهد لا يمكن فصله عن واقع الإبادة والجوع الذي ينهش القطاع منذ أكثر من 18 شهراً الناس لم تذهب مدفوعة بالفوضى، بل بدافع البقاء. لم تعد المساعدات… — الحـكـيم (@Hakeam_ps) May 27, 2025 The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Colonel Nadav Shoshani wrote on X that IDF troops "fired warning shots in the area outside the compound" to control the situation. A new area was built by the IDF in Gaza to ensure civilians receive aid, without Hamas' interference. The IDF continues to facilitate the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza because our goal is clear: to defeat Hamas, not harm civilians. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 27, 2025 Three Palestinians were wounded by gunshots, according to The Associated Press. According to the Gaza-run health ministry later, three people were killed, 46 were injured and seven were missing. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations on Monday. Recently launched with U.S. and Israeli backing, it has drawn criticism from the U.N. and Palestinians on the grounds of its ties to Israeli security and fears it could aid in displacing Gazans to the south. المساعدات الانسانيه تصل مستحقيها دون سرقه او جمركه من حماس الارهابيه. — 𝐊𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐚⚜️🌴 (@AD_GQ) May 27, 2025 Israel says U.N. agencies enable Hamas, while the U.N. accuses Israel of blocking life-saving assistance. What People Are Saying Senior U.S. administration official to Newsweek: "GHF is a threat to Hamas' longstanding system of looting the assistance intended for the people of Gaza. The UN and other aid agencies were wrong to criticize. Aid is getting to the people in need, and through their secure distribution system, Israel is kept safe and Hamas empty handed. Approximately 8,000 food boxes have been distributed so far. Each box feeds 5.5 people for 3.5 days, totaling 462,000 meals. The media should take a moment to reflect why the UN and certain aid groups spent the weekend trying to undermine such an important effort. These organizations echoed Hamas talking points rather than praising those who are delivering results." Mustafa Barghouti, General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative told Al-Jazeera Mubasher Channel, in Arabic: "The Palestinian people thwarted an attempt to humiliate them in this brutal manner, which violates human dignity and the dignity of Palestinians. What happened today is a complete failure for the Israelis and for the United States, which stands with Israel in this matter." Hamas in Arabic statement, via Telegram: "The scenes of thousands of our people rushing into the center designated for implementing the occupation's mechanism for aid distribution, and the accompanying live fire directed at citizens who had gathered at the distribution center under the pressure of hunger and siege, leave no room for doubt that this suspicious mechanism has failed. It has turned into a trap that endangers civilian lives and is being exploited to impose security control over the Gaza Strip under the guise of aid." Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA: "It is a distraction from what is actually needed, which is a reopening of all the crossings into Gaza, a secure environment within Gaza and faster facilitation of permissions and final approvals of all the emergency supplies that we have just outside the border; [aid] needs to get in." What Happens Next As uncertainty on the ground looms over humanitarian assistance operations, Israel said hundreds of air trucks have been permission to enter and distribute food in Gaza.
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
U.S. Interior Department expedites oil and gas production on public lands
May 13 (UPI) -- Oil and gas producers can accelerate their efforts to make the United States energy independent thanks to streamlined federal oil and gas leasing rules on public lands. An updated Bureau of Land Management policy expedites the leasing process on public lands to increase the amount available for onshore oil and gas leases, decrease the leasing timeframes and ensure oil and gas lease sales follow federal laws. "Under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, we are ending the unnecessary delays and bureaucratic roadblocks that have held back American energy production for too long," Adam Suess, acting assistant secretary for land and minerals management, said Tuesday in a news release. "This policy puts us on a fast track to energy dominance" and sends a "clear message that the United States is serious about job creation, low energy costs and putting American energy first," Suess added. He said the revised policy nearly cuts in half the time it takes to review lease sales, which makes more federal land available for responsible oil and gas development. The BLM will complete reviews of parcels designated for oil and gas lease sales within six months from the start of scoping. BLM reviews previously took between eight and 15 months to complete. The updated policy "reflects the Interior's commitment to responsible resource development, transparency and compliance with environmental laws," according to the Department of Interior. The policy change also ensures "American energy producers can operate with greater certainty and efficiency," the DOI says. Establishing a "predictable and streamlined leasing process" enables the DOI to "fulfill statutory requirements [and] strengthen public trust through continued participation opportunities. It also helps to "advance the Trump administration's broader goals of energy security, economic growth and reduced reliance on foreign sources of energy," according to the DOI. The Biden administration in April 2022 resumed oil and gas leases on federal lands but also increased the royalty rate that leaseholders would have to pay to the federal government. Shortly before leaving office, President Joe Biden in January announced plans to prohibit offshore drilling along the East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean's waters near the shores of California, Oregon and Washington. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. Interior Department expedites oil and gas production on public lands
May 13 (UPI) -- Oil and gas producers can accelerate their efforts to make the United States energy independent thanks to streamlined federal oil and gas leasing rules on public lands. An updated Bureau of Land Management policy expedites the leasing process on public lands to increase the amount available for onshore oil and gas leases, decrease the leasing timeframes and ensure oil and gas lease sales follow federal laws. "Under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, we are ending the unnecessary delays and bureaucratic roadblocks that have held back American energy production for too long," Adam Suess, acting assistant secretary for land and minerals management, said Tuesday in a news release. "This policy puts us on a fast track to energy dominance" and sends a "clear message that the United States is serious about job creation, low energy costs and putting American energy first," Suess added. He said the revised policy nearly cuts in half the time it takes to review lease sales, which makes more federal land available for responsible oil and gas development. The BLM will complete reviews of parcels designated for oil and gas lease sales within six months from the start of scoping. BLM reviews previously took between eight and 15 months to complete. The updated policy "reflects the Interior's commitment to responsible resource development, transparency and compliance with environmental laws," according to the Department of Interior. The policy change also ensures "American energy producers can operate with greater certainty and efficiency," the DOI says. Establishing a "predictable and streamlined leasing process" enables the DOI to "fulfill statutory requirements [and] strengthen public trust through continued participation opportunities. It also helps to "advance the Trump administration's broader goals of energy security, economic growth and reduced reliance on foreign sources of energy," according to the DOI. The Biden administration in April 2022 resumed oil and gas leases on federal lands but also increased the royalty rate that leaseholders would have to pay to the federal government. Shortly before leaving office, President Joe Biden in January announced plans to prohibit offshore drilling along the East Coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean's waters near the shores of California, Oregon and Washington.
Epoch Times
30-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
US Trade Agency Keeps China on Priority Watch List Over Intellectual Property
China remains on the priority watch list of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the agency announced on April 29, saying that the country's pace of addressing IP protection and enforcement 'remained slow' in 2024. USTR's annual 'Americans take great pride as the world's leading innovators and creators,' U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer 'Our trading partners must address the concerns identified in the Special 301 Report and stop those stealing the intellectual property of hard-working businesses and individuals. 'President [Donald] Trump has a track record of empowering our innovators and workers, and this comprehensive report is a basis for the United States to take trade enforcement action against those not playing fairly.' Communist China has been on the priority watch list for most years since the Special 301 Report was first issued in 1989. This year, the USTR said there are 'serious concerns' about several longstanding issues, including technology transfer, trade secrets, counterfeiting, online piracy, copyright law, patent and related policies, bad-faith trademarks, and geographical indications. Related Story 4/29/2025 'China should provide a level playing field for IP protection and enforcement, refrain from requiring or pressuring technology transfer to Chinese companies at all levels of government, open China's market to foreign investment, and embrace open, market-oriented policies,' the report reads. USTR said the phase-one trade agreement, signed in January 2020 during the previous Trump administration, included several Chinese commitments, such as trademarks, copyrights, and pharmaceutical-related IP. 'China has failed to implement or only partially implemented a number of these commitments,' the report reads. 'The United States continues to closely monitor China's progress in implementing its commitments under the Phase One Agreement.' In the report, USTR noted that China continues to be the 'world's leading source of counterfeit and pirated goods,' citing data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In fiscal year 2024, CBP USTR said that counterfeiting activities in China have increased as the country's economy declines. 'The production, distribution, and sale of counterfeit medicines, fertilizers, and pesticides, as well as under-regulated pharmaceutical ingredients, remain widespread in China,' the report reads. The report highlights a new development in March, when China's State Council issued the 'Provisions on the Handling of Foreign-Related Intellectual Property Disputes.' USTR called the latest Chinese measure 'troubling' because it 'seemingly legitimizes political intervention in IP disputes.' 'This new measure authorizes Chinese government agencies to take countermeasures against and impose restrictions on foreign entities that 'use intellectual property disputes as an excuse to contain and suppress China' and also to 'take discriminatory restrictive measures against Chinese citizens or organizations,'' the report reads. Aside from China and Mexico, the USTR's priority watch list also includes Argentina, Chile, India, Indonesia, Russia, and Venezuela. The watch list includes Algeria, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, and Vietnam. Last month, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, took to social media platform X to mark World Intellectual Property Day, which is 'This World IP Day, remember: China doesn't innovate—it steals. From semiconductors to biotech, they're looting American ideas to build their military. I'll keep fighting to stop it,' Cotton In January, Cotton and his Senate colleagues
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CDC advisory committees not mandated by law at risk of being terminated
The Department of Health and Human Services is 'recommending termination' of CDC's discretionary advisory committees, according to an email seen by POLITICO. The email, sent to CDC leaders today, said the agency would need to justify keeping the advisory committees by 10 tonight. However, a second, follow-up email said that 'no response is required at this time.' The advisory committees offer the CDC guidance from outside experts on an array of subjects — including HIV prevention and mitigating emerging infectious diseases, like the avian flu — on which the agency makes recommendations. 'Absent an adequate response, these FACAs are scheduled to be terminated,' the first email reads, using the acronym for the committees. It's unclear whether the second email means HHS is no longer planning to terminate the committees right away, or whether HHS will terminate them regardless of the CDC's response. A spokesperson for the CDC declined to comment. An HHS spokesperson told POLITICO 'HHS is complying with President [Donald] Trump's EO on the reduction of the federal bureaucracy.' The first email said the move is pursuant to Trump's executive order 'Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.' The email also said CDC must explain why the committees are essential to the conduct of agency business and in the public interest, state why the committees functions can't be performed by other means, and confirm that the agency head has approved the creation or continuation of the committees. The email lists nine CDC committees at risk: — The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee — CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment — Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health — Board of Scientific Counselors Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases — Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee — Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel — The Board of Scientific Counselors, National Center for Health Statistics — Safety and Occupational Health Study Section — The Board of Scientific Counselors, Center for Preparedness and Response.
