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Days of Palestine
5 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
IOF Intensifies Genocidal War in Gaza, Kills 18 Civilians
DaysofPal- The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) killed 18 Palestinians on Thursday morning after intensifying the ongoing bombardment and targeting of starving civilians waiting to receive humanitarian aid at the US-controlled distribution centers. Israeli forces continue to target hungry crowds in a clear policy of starvation and deliberate killing, which has been a key part of the ongoing genocide for 657 consecutive days, committing more massacres against besieged civilians amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis marked by starvation and systematic destruction. The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday evening that the death toll since March 18, 2025, has reached 8,363 martyrs and 31,004 injuries, bringing the total toll of the Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023, to 59,219 martyrs and 143,045 injuries, most of them women and children. Moreover, the IOF continued its assault on Palestinian journalists, killing the journalist Walaa Al-Jaabari on Wednesday, along with her children and husband, after Israeli forces bombed their home. Meanwhile, the tent of journalist Ahmad Wael Hamdan was bombed in Gaza City, injuring several family members. Furthermore, 2 Palestinians were also killed and others wounded in an airstrike targeting a displaced persons' tent near the Legislative Council in Gaza's Al-Rimal neighborhood. In Al-Bureij refugee camp, Kareem Hassan Al-Sarraj was martyred, and several of his family members were injured when their home was bombed. Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat received three martyrs, including a child and an infant, following a strike on a home in the Al-Ahli Club area. Several civilians, including a young girl, were wounded when Israeli forces bombed the home of the Al-Ghoul family in Block 3 of Al-Bureij camp. Meanwhile, two more people were killed and others wounded in a strike on displaced persons' tents in Mawasi, Khan Younis. Medical sources confirmed the killing of a man and a woman and reported ten others injured following an Israeli strike on civilians waiting for aid in northwestern Gaza. As Israeli atrocities continue against civilians amid international silence, human rights groups warn of a worsening humanitarian disaster in Gaza, with starvation, the collapse of the healthcare system, and daily massacres pushing the population to the brink. Shortlink for this post:
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Government must stand firm on Israel's illegal occupation and genocide in Gaza Strip
There are moments in history when silence is complicity. There are moments when the scale of violence, suffering, brutality, and horror is so immense that our very humanity is questioned. What we are witnessing in Gaza today is one such horrific moment, a genocide that has resulted in the greatest humanitarian catastrophe witnessed since the Second World War. The haunting images emerging daily from Gaza remind us of stark horrors from the 20th century, horrors that once shocked the world into pledging 'never again'. However, here we are once more. Close to 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023, including more than 17,000 innocent children. More than 139,000 have been wounded. Thousands of children have been left orphaned. Israel has made Gaza a graveyard for children, women, men, medical staff, humanitarian workers, and journalists. An entire population is being starved. Famine is occurring directly as a result of Israel's brutal, illegal, and cruel blocking of aid. The UN has described Gaza as the hungriest place on Earth, the only territory on Earth where the whole population is at risk of famine. Israel has obstructed aid to such a degree that only a drip feed gets into the starving and malnourished population. On May 19, the Israeli cabinet approved a decision to allow 'basic' food into Gaza. A drop in an ocean and the conditions imposed by the Israeli authorities continue to prevent the delivery of large-scale humanitarian aid. The near total collapse of Gaza's healthcare system is severely impacting pregnant women, new mothers, and newborns, depriving them of their rights to maternity healthcare Israel is weaponising water, continuing to destroy water facilities, and cutting electricity needed to pump water and power desalination plants. Each day, we get to a point of horror we thought unimaginable. Children bear the brunt of Israel's genocidal actions. Child malnutrition is surging, doubling since March. Just as Israel has ensured the almost collapse of the healthcare system, 90,000 women and children desperately need access to care for acute malnutrition. Some 10 children a day are losing one or both limbs. Israel is maiming a generation. Weaponising humanitarian aid The shameful Israeli and US-controlled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution point are putting a terrorised population at further risk. It is, it seems, just another way of killing Palestinians, with nearly 900 desperate and hungry Gazans killed trying to access aid. UN entities and humanitarian organisations, including ActionAid, have unanimously rejected the scheme. It violates core humanitarian principles and forces Palestinians into militarised zones to access life-saving assistance. The plan as outlined effectively weaponises humanitarian aid, turning it into a tool of oppression, further entrenching Israeli government control over Gaza, and continuing its long-term displacement and collective punishment of Palestinians there. Now, another dark and horrifying layer may be added to this devastating humanitarian crisis. The Israeli government has reportedly proposed setting up an internment camp in the Gaza Strip, a fenced-in zone under military control where thousands of Palestinians would be corralled under surveillance, stripped of freedom, and essentially imprisoned without trial or rights. This would effectively be a concentration camp, and it rightly has provoked widespread outrage with accusations of ethnic cleansing and violations of international law. Meanwhile in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the situation has reached a breaking point. Palestinian families are being displaced, denied access to essential services, and left unprotected. One year after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territory to be unlawful and ordered its unconditional and rapid withdrawal, Israeli authorities have escalated annexation, settlement expansion, land seizures, and violence, with devastating consequences for Palestinians. From January to June 2025, Israeli settlers carried out an average of four attacks per day, injuring 340 Palestinians, against 148 during the same period in 2024 — a rise of 130%. Over 90% of settler violence complaints are closed without indictment This is the backdrop for the crucial debates that just concluded on the Occupied Territories Bill by the Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs and trade. The proposed bill would be a hugely important, but modest, step in accountability for egregious violations of international law, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. It must include both goods and services. Those opposing the bill say it will violate US federal law, will damage our standing with the US, and will be bad for Irish business. All arguments that have been eloquently debunked in the committee debates. The overwhelming majority of companies here have no involvement at all in the illegal Israeli settlements, just as they're not doing business with Russian entities destroying Ukraine. Economic impact The bill is a modest pressure with no evidence to show that it will have a negative economic impact. Nor does it amount to a boycott of Israel, or a breach of US law, as it only relates to illegal settlements that Israel has taken from Palestinians. The argument that the bill would violate EU law also fell to pieces this week. In the context of a shamefully weak overall response by the EU to its review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, one measure it did put forward was the ability of states to legislate nationally to ban trade with illegal settlements. Regardless of the above, we must take a stand and hold onto humanity for dear life. Ireland must hold its nerve, even in the face of opposition from the US We have obligations under international law. Just like with apartheid South Africa, we must stand against apartheid Israel. Ireland is not isolated in its action. The emergency summit hosted last week by Colombia and South Africa under the Hague Group framework, which was aimed at co-ordinating multilateral legal, diplomatic, and economic measures to halt Israel's military offensive in Gaza, was hugely significant. Delegations from more than 30 countries, as well as UN officials such as special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, attended the summit. A suite of actions on holding Israel to account are now on the table. Ireland — please stay strong. To kill, starve, cage, and erase an entire population is genocide. This is so much more than politics. This is about international law. This is about humanity. Karol Balfe is CEO of ActionAid Ireland and supports the humanitarian response in Gaza through ActionAid Palestine and partners Read More Pope Leo renews call for immediate Gaza ceasefire
Mint
06-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
TikTok races to launch new US app as sale deadline approaches
TikTok is secretly building a brand-new app for American users because its Chinese owner, ByteDance, must sell the US version by law. According to insider reports, this replacement app will hit Apple and Google stores on September 5. President Trump claims the US "pretty much" has a deal ready, but he'll start talks with China this week to finalize it. The clock is ticking: Trump extended ByteDance's deadline to September 17 to hand over TikTok's US operations. If the sale happens, a group of American investors will own and run the new app. Here's what 170 million US TikTok users need to know: Your current app will keep working until March 2026, but you'll eventually need to switch to the new version. The change won't be instant; TikTok plans a six-month transition where both apps might work side-by-side. But by next spring, the original TikTok will stop functioning in America. The company hasn't confirmed if your followers, videos, or messages will transfer automatically. This scramble comes after years of US worries that China could spy through TikTok, a claim the company denies. Lawmakers say the sale will protect national security. Deal roadblocks remain. Earlier this year, China blocked a similar sale after Trump hit Chinese goods with steep new tariffs. Beijing could again stall the deal since Chinese tech export rules require approval for TikTok's algorithm transfer. Trump admitted: 'We'll probably have to get China's okay'. Meanwhile, TikTok staff are working overtime to 'clone' the app with identical features like For You feeds and LIVE gifts, but under US-controlled servers and software. Workers worry the rushed timeline might cause glitches or data loss during the switch. What's next? If China greenlights the deal, TikTok's sale could finish by late September. If not, the app faces a US ban.
Business Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
US may target Samsung, Hynix, TSMC operations in China: sources
[BENGALURU] The US Department of Commerce is considering revoking authorisations granted in recent years to global chipmakers Samsung, SK Hynix and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), making it more difficult for them to receive US goods and technology at their plants in China, according to sources familiar with the matter. The chances of the United States withdrawing the authorisations are unclear. But with such a move, it would be harder for foreign chipmakers to operate in China, where they produce semiconductors used in a wide range of industries. A White House official said the United States was 'just laying the groundwork' in case the truce reached between the two countries fell apart. But the official expressed confidence that the trade agreement would go forward and that rare earths would flow from China, as agreed. 'There is currently no intention of deploying this tactic,' the official said. 'It's another tool we want in our toolbox in case either this agreement falls through or any other catalyst throws a wrench in bilateral relations.' Shares of US chip equipment makers that supply plants in China fell when The Wall Street Journal first reported the news earlier on Friday (Jun 20). KLA dropped 2.4 per cent, Lam Research fell 1.9 per cent and Applied Materials sank 2 per cent. Shares of Micron, a major competitor to Samsung and SK Hynix in the memory chip sector, rose 1.5 per cent. A TSMC spokesperson declined to comment. Samsung and Hynix did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lam Research, KLA and Applied Materials did not immediately respond, either. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up In October 2022, after the United States placed sweeping restrictions on US chipmaking equipment to China, it gave foreign manufacturers such as Samsung and Hynix letters authorising them to receive goods. In 2023 and 2024, the companies received what is known as Validated End User (VEU) status in order to continue the trade. A company with VEU status is able to receive designated goods from a US company without the supplier obtaining multiple export licenses to ship to them. VEU status enables entities to receive US-controlled products and technologies 'more easily, quickly and reliably', as the Commerce Department website puts it. The VEU authorisations come with conditions, a source familiar with the matter said, including prohibitions on certain equipment and reporting requirements. 'Chipmakers will still be able to operate in China,' a Commerce Department spokesperson said in a statement when asked about the possible revocations. 'The new enforcement mechanisms on chips mirror licensing requirements that apply to other semiconductor companies that export to China and ensure the United States has an equal and reciprocal process.' Industry sources said that if it became more difficult for US semiconductor equipment companies to ship to foreign multinationals, it would only help domestic Chinese competitors. 'It's a gift,' one said. REUTERS
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
US may target Samsung, Hynix, TSMC operations in China, sources say
In 2023 and 2024, the companies received what is known as Validated End User status in order to continue the trade. PHOTOS: AFP, REUTERS SAN FRANCISCO - The US Department of Commerce is considering revoking authorisations granted in recent years to global chipmakers Samsung, SK Hynix and TSMC, making it more difficult for them to receive US goods and technology at their plants in China, according to people familiar with the matter. The chances of the United States withdrawing the authorisations are unclear. But with such a move, it would be harder for foreign chipmakers to operate in China, where they produce semiconductors used in a wide range of industries. A White House official said the United States was 'just laying the groundwork' in case the truce reached between the two countries fell apart. But the official expressed confidence that the trade agreement would go forward and that rare earths would flow from China, as agreed. 'There is currently no intention of deploying this tactic,' the official said. 'It's another tool we want in our toolbox in case either this agreement falls through or any other catalyst throws a wrench in bilateral relations.' Shares of US chip equipment makers that supply plants in China fell when the Wall Street Journal first reported the news earlier on June 20. KLA Corp dropped 2.4 per cent, Lam Research fell 1.9 per cent and Applied Materials sank 2 per cent. Shares of Micron, a major competitor to Samsung and SK Hynix in the memory chip sector, rose 1.5 per cent. A TSMC spokesman declined comment. Samsung and Hynix did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lam Research, KLA and Applied Materials did not immediately respond, either. In October 2022, after the United States placed sweeping restrictions on US chipmaking equipment to China, it gave foreign manufacturers like Samsung and Hynix letters authorising them to receive goods. In 2023 and 2024, the companies received what is known as Validated End User status in order to continue the trade. A company with VEU status is able to receive designated goods from a US company without the supplier obtaining multiple export licenses to ship to them. VEU status enables entities to receive US-controlled products and technologies 'more easily, quickly and reliably,' as the Commerce Department website puts it. The VEU authorisations come with conditions, a person familiar with the matter said, including prohibitions on certain equipment and reporting requirements. 'Chipmakers will still be able to operate in China,' a Commerce Department spokesperson said in a statement when asked about the possible revocations. 'The new enforcement mechanisms on chips mirror licensing requirements that apply to other semiconductor companies that export to China and ensure the United States has an equal and reciprocal process.' Industry sources said that if it became more difficult for US semiconductor equipment companies to ship to foreign multinationals, it would only help domestic Chinese competitors. 'It's a gift,' one said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
