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Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump orders UNESCO exit, dismantling decades of US leadership in global education
(AP Photo/Thomas Padilla) America's relationship with global education just took another step backward. The United States has announced its decision to withdraw from UNESCO , the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, for the third time in history, setting a December 2026 departure that underscores a renewed turn toward isolation under Donald Trump's second-term foreign policy. This move strikes at the heart of international collaboration in education, culture, and science. For decades, UNESCO has been a hub for setting global learning goals, protecting cultural heritage, and fostering inclusive classrooms in regions affected by war, poverty, and inequality. Withdrawing now sends a clear message: the US no longer wishes to shape or share the educational agenda of the global community. Education left in the crossfire UNESCO's influence in global education is vast. From coordinating curriculum frameworks and teacher development to leading international responses on learning equity, digital access, and media literacy, the agency plays a crucial role in strengthening systems worldwide. The US, until recently a key funder and policy voice—will now lose critical ground in a domain where global cooperation is not a luxury, but a necessity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Big Tummy? Do It Before Bedtime And Lose Weight While You Sleep Beauty Ideas Read More Undo Beyond symbolic politics, the decision could stall joint education projects, limit academic exchange, and reduce US input in shaping the direction of initiatives like Education for Sustainable Development, Futures of Education, and global citizenship programmes. An unsteady partnership repeats history This latest exit follows a familiar script. The US first withdrew from UNESCO in 1983 under President Reagan, citing anti-Western bias. It rejoined in 2003 under President George W. Bush, only to exit again in 2017 during Trump's first term. The Biden administration reversed that decision in 2023, citing the need to counter China's rising influence, clear unpaid dues, and re-engage in projects on Holocaust remembrance and education in vulnerable regions. Now, with Trump doubling down on a nationalist agenda, UNESCO has again become a casualty of ideological conflict. Global education, local consequences While the administration frames the exit as a defense of national interest, the fallout will be felt by educators, researchers, and students, both in the US and abroad. Programmes fostering intercultural dialogue, training teachers in conflict zones, and supporting inclusive education models will move forward without American partnership. UNESCO has stated that it has diversified its funding sources and prepared for such a scenario. But the absence of the US, once among its largest financial backers and policy contributors, diminishes the collective strength of international efforts to build equitable learning environments in a divided world. The bigger question As global education faces challenges ranging from digital inequality to disinformation, this decision raises a critical question: Can the US afford to isolate itself from the very networks that shape how future generations learn, think, and connect? By choosing exit over engagement, America may not just be retreating from UNESCO, it may be retreating from the future of education itself. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Paris shuts Seine swim spots day after reopening
A woman dives in the water as people swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river in Paris, France, Saturday, July 5, 2025, during the opening of the three Seine swimming pools, as part of the 'Paris Plages' event. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla) Rainfall on Sunday temporarily shut down three Seine swimming sites in Paris according to the city hall website, just one day after the river reopened to bathers for the first time in a century. Red flags flew over the three designated swimming zones in the French capital on Sunday, warning would-be bathers that the Seine was off-limits due to water quality concerns caused by the wet weather. The closures came just a day after the river's triumphant reopening, which capped a years-long effort to clean up the Seine, with bathers of all ages diving in for the first time since the practice was banned in 1923. But on rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. To mitigate the risk, city officials said that the Seine would be assessed daily for the the presence of the faecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. Flags inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was set to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which 'compromises water quality', according to the local town hall on X. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event. Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately 1.4 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) in improving the Seine's water quality. Record rainfall during the Games led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal, around 65 years after the practice was banned.
The Hill
03-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
What Canada's tech tax scrap means for US trade talks
The Big Story Canada's decision to rescind its digital services tax (DST) to restart trade negotiations with the U.S. represents a boon for major tech firms and could be a harbinger of what's to come for similar measures in other countries, experts told The Hill. © AP Photo/Thomas Padilla The Canadian government announced late Sunday that it would scrap the tax on U.S. tech firms that was set to take effect Monday in a bid to bring the Trump administration back to the table and avoid heightened tariffs in the coming weeks. The move was successful for Ottawa, with the White House saying that trade talks would resume immediately. It was also cheered by the tech industry, which has lambasted digital services taxes as 'unfair' and 'discriminatory.' But experts say Canada's move could put pressure on other nations to follow suit and rescind their tech taxes. 'Going forward, I think the fact that Trump managed to bully or cajole Canada into dropping its [digital services tax] means that this will be a big item that he insists on in talks with Europe and any countries in all these trade negotiations,' said Gary Hufbauer, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. 'I see this as a harbinger of a more general repeal of digital services taxes,' he added, calling it a 'pretty big deal and a real victory for Trump.' Since taking office for a second time, Trump has repeatedly criticized taxes and fines on U.S. tech firms. He slammed the European Union (EU) in January, alleging that the bloc's hefty fines against American companies amount to a 'form of taxation.' The EU's top court ruled in September that Apple owed more than $14 billion in back taxes to Ireland, while upholding a $2.7 billion fine against Google by European antitrust regulators. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was also fined about $840 million for antitrust violations in November. The social media giant was hit with another $228 million fine in April, alongside Apple, which faced a $570 million penalty. Trump railed against the EU during a meeting with the NATO secretary-general in March, calling the European bloc 'nasty' over the tech fines, as well as a tariff on U.S.-made cars. 'They're suing Google, they're suing Facebook, they're suing all of these companies, and they're taking billions of dollars out of American companies,' he said at the time. The president has also taken aim at digital services taxes in particular, signing an executive order in February slamming the taxes as 'designed to plunder American companies' and declaring that the U.S. would respond to such measures with tariffs or other actions. Check out the full report at first thing Monday. Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, I'm Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Programming note: The Hill's Technology newsletter will be off tomorrow for the July 4 holiday. See you Monday! Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: YouTube in 'productive discussions' with Trump over Jan. 6 ban lawsuit YouTube is 'engaged in productive discussions' with President Trump's lawyers in his case against the social media platform for banning his account in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, court documents show. In a court filing from late May, the two sides asked the judge to delay a June court hearing. The document was first reported Thursday by The Atlantic. 'The parties have engaged in productive discussions regarding … Managers are using AI to determine raises, promotions, layoffs (NewsNation) — Artificial intelligence (AI) isn't just changing workflows, it's deciding who moves up and who gets the boot. According to a new Resume Builder survey of 1,342 U.S. managers, 6 in 10 said they use AI tools to make decisions about their direct reports. Even more striking is that most managers who use AI said they've turned to it for high-stakes calls, such as determining raises, promotions and … Space Shuttle Discovery would move to Texas under GOP megabill The Space Shuttle Discovery would move to Texas under President Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill, according to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Cornyn's office said in a statement on his website that Trump's megabill 'would authorize' Discovery's shipment to 'an entity' close to Houston's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. It is currently on display at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia. 'Houston … The Refresh News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: Crypto Corner Lummis unveils crypto tax package © Greg Nash Welcome to Crypto Corner, a daily feature focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) unveiled new legislation Thursday updating tax rules for cryptocurrencies, as Congress continues to move toward establishing a comprehensive regulatory regime for digital assets. 'In order to maintain our competitive edge, we must change our tax code to embrace our digital economy, not burden digital asset users,' Lummis said in a statement. The crypto tax package would establish a de minimis rule for digital assets, exempting small transactions of less than $300 from taxes, in addition to exempting crypto lending from taxes and deferring taxes on income generated from crypto mining and staking until tokens are sold. It would also apply the typical 30-day wash rule to digital assets, removing a loophole that has allowed crypto investors to sell tokens at a loss and then quickly buy them up again while still claiming a tax deduction. Crypto dealers and traders would also be eligible for mark-to-market treatment under the rules. This means that crypto holdings, like securities holdings, could be considered as if they were sold at market price at the end of the year for tax purposes, allowing individuals to claim losses that can then be deducted from their taxes. Lummis underscored Thursday that the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the bill would generate about $600 million through 2034. 'This groundbreaking legislation is fully paid for, cuts through the bureaucratic red tape and establishes common-sense rules that reflect how digital technologies function in the real world,' she said. The Wyoming Republican indicated earlier this week that she hoped to get crypto tax provisions into President Trump's sweeping tax and spending bill. However, the legislation ultimately passed out of the Senate on Tuesday without the measures. What Others are Reading Two key stories on The Hill right now: House sends GOP's 'big, beautiful bill' to Trump's desk in major win for Republicans The 'big, beautiful bill' is heading to President Trump's desk. House Republicans passed the core of Trump's domestic policy agenda Thursday afternoon … Read more Supreme Court enables Trump to resume South Sudan deportation flight The Supreme Court in an apparent 7-2 decision Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to restart plans to deport a group of convicted … Read more You're all caught up. See you next week! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here
South Wales Argus
06-06-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Veterans attend Normandy commemorations on 81st anniversary of D-Day
Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades and historical re-enactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth lays a wreath of flowers during the ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer (Thomas Padilla/AP/PA) The June 6 1944 invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler's defences in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle – and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities – killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. The exact German casualties are unknown but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. 'The heroism, honour and sacrifice of the Allied forces on D-Day will always resonate with the US armed forces and our allies and partners across Europe,' said Lieutenant General Jason T Hinds, deputy commander of US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. Guests attend the ceremony at the US cemetery (Thomas Padilla/AP/PA) 'Let us remember those who flew and fell. Let us honour those who survived and came home to build a better world. 'Let us ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain by meeting today's challenges with the same resolve, the same clarity of purpose and the same commitment to freedom.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than two million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
Glasgow Times
06-06-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Veterans attend Normandy commemorations on 81st anniversary of D-Day
Along the coastline and near the D-Day landing beaches, tens of thousands of onlookers attended the commemorations, which included parachute jumps, flyovers, remembrance ceremonies, parades and historical re-enactments. Many were there to cheer the ever-dwindling number of surviving veterans in their late 90s and older. All remembered the thousands who died. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth commemorated the anniversary of the D-Day landings, in which American soldiers played a leading role, with veterans at the American cemetery overlooking the shore in the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth lays a wreath of flowers during the ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer (Thomas Padilla/AP/PA) The June 6 1944 invasion of Nazi-occupied France used the largest-ever armada of ships, troops, planes and vehicles to breach Hitler's defences in western Europe. A total of 4,414 Allied troops were killed on D-Day itself. In the ensuing Battle of Normandy, 73,000 Allied forces were killed and 153,000 wounded. The battle – and especially Allied bombings of French villages and cities – killed around 20,000 French civilians between June and August 1944. The exact German casualties are unknown but historians estimate between 4,000 and 9,000 men were killed, wounded or missing during the D-Day invasion alone. 'The heroism, honour and sacrifice of the Allied forces on D-Day will always resonate with the US armed forces and our allies and partners across Europe,' said Lieutenant General Jason T Hinds, deputy commander of US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa. Guests attend the ceremony at the US cemetery (Thomas Padilla/AP/PA) 'Let us remember those who flew and fell. Let us honour those who survived and came home to build a better world. 'Let us ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain by meeting today's challenges with the same resolve, the same clarity of purpose and the same commitment to freedom.' Nearly 160,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Of those, 73,000 were from the United States and 83,000 from Britain and Canada. Forces from several other countries were also involved, including French troops fighting with General Charles de Gaulle. The Allies faced around 50,000 German forces. More than two million Allied soldiers, sailors, pilots, medics and other people from a dozen countries were involved in the overall Operation Overlord, the battle to wrest western France from Nazi control that started on D-Day.
