By Nancy Cook and Justin Sink, Bloomberg News (TNS) Donald Trump promised to lower the corporate tax rate to 20%, further reducing the income levy on the largest U.S. companies that he already slashed while president, according to people familiar with the remarks. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee pitched his support for cutting the business … Read more
Israeli tanks continued to raid Rafah for a second day, defying the World Court’s order to end attacks on the city. The United States did not believe a major ground operation was underway, despite Israel’s incursion into Rafah. Residents reported Israeli tanks entering various areas before retreating towards the border with Egypt. The Palestinian health ministry called for immediate healthcare assistance in Rafah and northern Gaza, where hospitals had stopped functioning. UNRWA reported that around a million Palestinians had fled after Israeli evacuation orders. The Red Crescent Society evacuated medical teams due to ongoing bombardments. The World Court criticized Israel for not ensuring the safety and well-being of the evacuees from Rafah. Israel proposed a ceasefire and hostage release to Qatar, but Hamas insisted talks were pointless unless Israel ended its offensive on Rafah. Over 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s Gaza offensive.
The United States and Europe are taking steps to acquire or manufacture H5N1 bird flu vaccines to protect at-risk poultry and dairy workers, veterinarians, and lab technicians.
The United Nations has not received any aid from a U.S.-built pier in Gaza for the past two days after an incident on Saturday in which food was taken from 11 out of 16 trucks before they reached a U.N. warehouse.
The United States has anchored a temporary floating pier to a beach in Gaza to boost aid deliveries, facing challenges in distributing assistance due to a dire shortage of fuel for aid trucks and security concerns. Trucks carrying humanitarian aid are expected to begin moving ashore soon, but there are still unresolved challenges. The pier project, costing 0 million, aims to combat the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by opening a sea route for aid delivery. Israel and Hamas have been engaged in a seven-month-long war, with the U.N. losing staff members in the conflict. Aid access in Gaza has dwindled, and a severe fuel shortage may impact aid operations. The U.S.-delivered aid will follow a complex path, involving inspections by Israel, third-party collection and distribution by the U.N. officials, and security concerns in the region. Discussions between the U.S. and the U.N. on aid delivery from the pier are ongoing.
The U.S. military is moving a pier towards the Gaza coast to launch a maritime port for humanitarian aid promised by President Joe Biden. The pier was pre-assembled at the Israeli port of Ashdod due to weather conditions. A British aid shipment is on its way to the temporary pier in Gaza. Israel’s assault on Gaza has led to global protests and strained relations with the U.S. Israel has been urged to address concerns about aid worker deaths in Gaza.
The United States is working on establishing a floating pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip to improve aid deliveries, facing challenges such as fuel shortages and security concerns. The project has been slow and expensive, with the U.N. emphasizing that land routes remain crucial for aid operations. Aid deliveries via the maritime corridor have begun, with plans for U.S.-delivered aid to be collected by third parties and distributed by the U.N. Israel has been accused of impeding aid deliveries, but denies any constraints on operations.
The United States suspended a shipment of heavy, bunker-busting bombs to Israel amid concerns about their impact in dense urban settings like Rafah. Germany increased defense export approvals for Israel after an attack by Hamas, but has since approved fewer exports due to international criticism. Italy halted new export approvals to Israel since the start of the Gaza war, with the last orders delivered in November. Britain grants export licenses for defense equipment to Israel, while Canada stopped licensing arms exports to Israel to ensure compliance with humanitarian law. The Netherlands halted shipments of parts for F-35 jets to Israel due to concerns about violations of humanitarian law.
Israeli forces massed tanks near Rafah in response to U.S. President Biden’s threat to withhold weapons if a major invasion occurred. Ceasefire talks in Cairo continued as Palestinian militant groups engaged in battles with Israeli forces on the outskirts of Rafah. The U.S. paused delivery of bombs to Israel due to civilian risks, causing concern for Israel’s ability to neutralize Hamas. Thousands of Palestinians fled to Deir Al-Balah, fearing a humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah. Israel’s assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, with the U.N. warning of a looming humanitarian crisis.
Putin was honored like a Russian tsar at his swearing-in for a new six-year presidential term. He indicated that Russia is prepared for victory in Ukraine and is willing to engage in dialogue with the West, but only if there is no arrogance from the United States and its allies. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has strained relations between Russia and the West, with the West viewing Putin as an autocrat and war criminal. Despite criticism of the election process, Putin remains popular in Russia, winning 88% of the vote in the March election. The West boycotted his swearing-in ceremony, but Russian officials dismissed this as insignificant. Putin’s allies praise him for bringing stability to Russia, and there is no clear successor to him.