A tale of two indictments: Top Dems say ‘no one is above the law’ on Trump, but decry Comey case
Top Democrats are striking two very different notes on accountability: cheering President Donald Trump‘s felony conviction as proof that “no one is above the law,” while blasting the recent indictment of former FBI Director James Comey as pure political payback. COMEY INDICTMENT SPARKS FIERCE POLITICAL REACTIONS NATIONWIDE In 2019, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said during a discussion at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco that Democrats believe “no one is above the law,” including the commander-in-chief. “Everybody wants the president to be held accountable in the most serious way. And everybody believes, now I’m talking on the Democratic side, that no one is above the law, especially the President of the United States,” Pelosi said. Former President Joe Biden reiterated the “no one is above the law” mantra before his White House remarks on the Middle East on May 31, 2024. He said the New York case against Trump was “a state case, not a federal case,” decided by “a jury of 12 citizens” after five weeks of evidence and deliberation. COMEY DENIES CHARGES, DECLARES ‘I AM NOT AFRAID’ The jury, Biden noted, “reached a unanimous verdict” finding Trump guilty on 34 felony counts, while emphasizing that Trump has the right to appeal. “That’s how the American system of justice works,” Biden said, calling it “reckless, dangerous, and irresponsible” to claim the trial was rigged simply because of an unfavorable outcome. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., addressed Trump’s conviction in a June 3, 2024, floor speech saying that “former President Donald Trump is now a convicted felon.” “The most important takeaway from this case is that nobody’s above the law, including Donald Trump,” he added. On the heels of Comey’s indictment, Schumer said Sunday that he has “no faith in Trump’s judicial system.” Schumer said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that Trump “has turned this judicial system to be his own political fighter.” “He tells them to go after people he doesn’t like. He tells them to exonerate people that he likes,” Schumer said. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., denounced what he called a “malicious prosecution,” reminding reporters that Trump previously fired a prosecutor who refused to bring “frivolous charges.” TRUMP ANSWERS WHETHER COMEY INDICTMENT IS ABOUT JUSTICE OR REVENGE Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued an even sharper rebuke. “This kind of interference is a dangerous abuse of power,” he warned. “By ousting a respected, independent prosecutor and replacing him with a partisan loyalist, Trump is undermining one of the most important U.S. attorney’s offices in the country and eroding the rule of law itself.” As Democrats leaned on the “no one is above the law” refrain, Trump struck back — telling reporters Friday at the White House that the indictment against the former FBI chief was about rooting out corruption, not political payback. “It’s about justice really, it’s not revenge,” Trump said. “It’s also about the fact that you can’t let this go on. They are sick, radical left people, and they can’t get away with it, and Comey was one of the people.” “He wasn’t the biggest, but he’s a dirty cop,” Trump said, adding, “He’s always been a dirty cop. Everybody knew it.” Trump’s comments came after Comey was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. He was indicted on two counts: alleged false statements within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch and obstruction of a congressional proceeding. Comey’s arraignment is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 9 before District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff. If convicted, Comey faces up to five years in prison. Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Shutdown explained: Who works, who doesn’t and how much it costs
The clock is ticking to fund government, and so far, lawmakers do not have a path forward to avert a partial shutdown. The Senate returned to Washington, D.C., on Monday, and congressional leaders are slated to meet with President Donald Trump to negotiate a deal on funding the government. But the last week has seen both sides point the finger at who would own closing the government. Lawmakers have until midnight Wednesday to pass a short-term funding extension, or else the government will close. And if it does, it would be the third shutdown under Trump. A government shutdown happens when Congress can neither pass all 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the government, nor pass a continuing resolution (CR), which typically keeps funding levels static while lawmakers hustle to finish their work on spending bills. SCHUMER, DEMOCRATS FACE HEAT FOR SHIFTING STANCE ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREAT Since 1980, there have been 10 government shutdowns. Only three have happened since the turn of the century. All shutdowns are different, and the impending shutdown is no exception. However, it could have more devastating effects on the federal workforce than previous shutdowns given the administration’s orders to undertake mass firings. Programs like Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid will continue, along with the Postal Service, Veterans’ Affairs hospitals and clinics, and Immigration and Border Patrol security activities, among others. Federal employees will likely go without pay, however, and a string of agencies will see their services hampered by furloughs, like the IRS and Small Business Administration. Housing programs may also see a delay in rental assistance and loans. Typically, shutdowns see thousands of federal workers deemed “nonessential” furloughed, but the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a memo last week that directed agencies to “use this opportunity to consider reduction in force (RIF) notices for all employees” in programs that have no other available funding source and that don’t comport with Trump’s priorities if lawmakers couldn’t fund the government. SPEAKER JOHNSON FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM LEADERS WITH STAUNCH WARNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “RIF notices will be in addition to any furlough notices provided due to the lapse in appropriation,” the memo read, and they will be issued “regardless of whether the employee is excepted or furloughed during the lapse in appropriations.” Then there is the cost of a shutdown. While the cost of a partial closure this year is unknown, the Congressional Budget Office did an analysis of the cost of the last time the government shuttered in 2019. The report, published in January 2019, found that the shutdown saw roughly $18 billion in federal spending delayed, which led to a dip in that year’s first quarter gross domestic product of $8 billion. The report noted roughly $3 billion of that would not be recovered. It also found that federal workers who received delayed payments and private businesses were the hardest hit. “Some of those private-sector entities will never recoup that lost income,” the report stated. Congressional Republicans and Democrats are at a stalemate on the current CR, not so much because of what’s in the bill — it would keep the government open until Nov. 21 and includes tens of millions in new spending for lawmakers’ security — but because of what it lacks. Democratic lawmakers demanded that the short-term extension at least include an extension to expiring Obamacare premium subsidies and have warned that if Congress doesn’t act, millions of Americans will see their health care costs increase. TRUMP CANCELS MEETING WITH SCHUMER, JEFFRIES OVER ‘RIDICULOUS DEMANDS’ AS FUNDING DEADLINE LOOMS While the subsidies don’t expire until the end of the year, congressional Democrats have noted that insurers are gearing up to send out new rates on Oct. 1. But Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have said that conversations about the subsidies can happen after the government is funded, but that has so far not been enough for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Senate Democrats. “Fundamentally, nothing has changed, though, and the choice remains the same: Democrats can either vote for a clean, short-term, nonpartisan CR that prioritizes the American people, or they can choose a completely avoidable shutdown that prioritizes politics above all else,” Thune told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Both Thune and Schumer, along with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., will meet with Trump Monday afternoon. The confab comes after Trump canceled a meeting with the Democratic leaders earlier this week. Schumer and Jeffries said in a joint statement after a new meeting was set that “Democrats will meet anywhere, at any time and with anyone to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that meets the needs of the American people.” “We are resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown and address the Republican health care crisis,” they said. “Time is running out.”
Reporter’s Notebook: Trump holds bipartisan meeting with congressional leaders as Wednesday shutdown looms
President Donald Trump meets Monday at 2 p.m. ET with top bipartisan, bicameral congressional leaders as the clock ticks down toward a potential government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. But there is little optimism for the meeting. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have not met with Trump since he returned to office. Democrats are insisting on subsidies to make Obamacare coverage cheaper and a reinstatement of money cut for public radio and television. Previous meetings between Trump and top Democrats have ended badly. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stormed out of one such session. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHANCES ASTRONOMICAL AS CONGRESS BARRELS TOWARD DEADLINE The prospects of a shutdown are extremely high. There have been no talks or trading of offers for weeks. The House approved a stopgap bill to simply renew all existing funding at present levels, and then they left town. Only the Senate is in session today. The Senate likely re-votes a procedural vote which failed just to start debate on the House-approved bill tomorrow, hours before the deadline. That needs 60 yeas to break a filibuster. Otherwise, the government is on cruise control for a shutdown. GARBAGE COLLECTION, TOURS TO BE SUSPENDED ON CAPITOL HILL IF THERE’S A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN House Republicans may not be in Washington, but House Democrats will descend on the Capitol late this afternoon for a caucus meeting.
Harris reveals crude hypotheticals on abortion, Viagra rehearsed before Trump debate
Former Vice President Kamala Harris revealed her debate preparation against Donald Trump during the 2024 election cycle included how to handle a handful of crude hypothetical attacks on abortion and Viagra use, according to her new book, “107 Days.” Bolstered by a team of advisers and a veteran trial attorney Harris compared to a “wartime consigliere,” the then-vice president traveled to the basement of Howard University, her undergraduate alma mater, to prepare for her debate against Trump. Harris had prepped to debate JD Vance in a vice presidential debate ahead of then-President Joe Biden dropping out of the race in July 2024. Amid typical debate prep focused on providing Harris with intimate knowledge of topics so she could effectively present her argument on stage, she also was trained for the “the painful matter of imagining what kinds of personal attacks Trump might mount against me.” “‘He might ask you if you’ve ever had an abortion,’ one adviser said,” Harris wrote of her time devising her debate strategies. NEW BOOK REVEALS WHAT KAMALA HARRIS ‘MOANED’ TO HER HUSBAND DURING WALZ’S DISASTROUS VP DEBATE “If he did, the response would be: That’s none of your business and that’s not what we’re here for,” she continued. Harris continued that another individual in the debate prep room floated “a dark joke that if he got that personal, I should ask if he took Viagra.” “Another: Had he ever paid for an abortion?” she continued. The pair were asked about abortion during the debate, but it never culminated into personal attacks on hypothetical abortions or Viagra use. KAMALA HARRIS BREAKS SILENCE ON BIDEN DROPOUT, ADMITS SHE HAS REGRETS ABOUT HER HANDLING OF SITUATION “In the end, he didn’t go down that track. He probably knew a question like that would be exceedingly thin ice for him—and would infuriate just about every woman in America,” Harris wrote. Harris added that her team wrote a debate card “for every nuance of every subject, and once I memorized what was on that card, I’d draw a big, loopy X across it.” KAMALA HARRIS REVEALS WHAT BIDEN TOLD HER JUST BEFORE CRUCIAL DEBATE WITH TRUMP THAT LEFT HER ‘ANGRY’ “I am not a trained seal; I’m not going to memorize lines and spout them. I have to understand the logic and building blocks of every argument so I can present it clearly and defend it persuasively,” she wrote. Harris’ book, “107 Days,” hit shelves Tuesday and reflects on the 107 days she had on the presidential campaign trail after Biden dropped out of the race amid mounting concern over his mental acuity. Harris failed to rally enough support to defeat Trump, losing each of the seven battleground states Nov. 4, 2024.
Top US military brass to hold secretive meeting with Hegseth as Trump ramps up Russia criticism
The Pentagon is gathering hundreds of top U.S. military leaders for an unusual meeting — one that comes as President Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of Russia and as the Pentagon gears up a new national defense strategy prioritizing homeland defense. Several War Department officials confirmed to Fox News that the Pentagon requested top military commanders to convene in Virginia for the meeting this week. However, the topic of the discussion remains unclear. The Pentagon confirmed the meeting but did not offer details. HEGSETH ORDERS HUNDREDS OF MILITARY COMMANDERS TO VIRGINIA FOR UNPRECEDENTED MEETING “The Secretary of War will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement last week. The unusual meeting would involve approximately 800 generals and admirals who are based all throughout the U.S. and stationed in various parts of the world. Those invited to the meeting say they’ve been told little, sources told Fox News Digital. Generals on Thursday exchanged messages from across the globe speculating on why the secretary might want to see them face-to-face. The Washington Post first reported War Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plans for the Thursday meeting. The Post also reported on Friday that Hegseth plans to discuss “warrior ethos” with the officers. Meanwhile, the meeting comes amid several key global and national security developments, including Trump leveling criticism and ire toward Russia amid its ongoing war with Ukraine. NATO DEFENSE CHIEFS STRESS COMMITMENT TO UKRAINE, DISCUSS SECURITY GUARANTEES DURING VIRTUAL SUMMIT For example, Trump voiced his frustration with Russia Tuesday and accused Moscow of “fighting aimlessly” and compared Russia to a “paper tiger,” after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York at the United Nations General Assembly. Additionally, he said that he believes Ukraine, with the backing of the European Union, could secure back all of its territory as the war between Russia and Ukraine persists. “I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form. With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option,” Trump said in a Tuesday social media post. “Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.” In recent weeks, Russia has been testing the boundaries of NATO, seemingly daring members of the defensive alliance to respond. Russian drones have been found in Polish and Romanian airspace and three Russian jets carrying missiles flew over Estonia recently. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz promised the U.S. would defend “every inch” of NATO in his U.N. address and Trump mused that nations should shoot down Russian aircraft that traverse into their territory. Behind closed doors, U.S. officials worry the situation may escalate. “Almost all wars, if you look at them, they don’t necessarily start with a big bang,” one senior State Department official told Fox News Digital. “They start with an escalation, and then somebody feels they need to respond to this, and then you just get in a toxic spiral.” “The last thing we want is to have NATO get drawn into a war with Russia.” JOINT CHIEFS, NATO COUNTERPARTS TO DISCUSS UKRAINE SECURITY GUARANTEES AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS US AIR SUPPORT The meeting also comes as administration officials are assembling a new National Defense Strategy that identifies homeland defense as the top priority — in alignment with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Previously, the National Defense Strategy has identified countering threats from China as its top focus. Likewise, the meeting comes as the Pentagon has eyes on slimming down its top officers. Hegseth previously unveiled plans in May to trim down 20% of four-star generals and admirals, along with an additional 10% reduction in general and flag officers across the military. Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Hegseth chairs first-ever Gold Star Advisory Council meeting, giving families direct line to Pentagon
The Department of War’s Gold Star Advisory Council (GSAC) convenes for the first time Monday, providing an unprecedented, direct channel for families of fallen service members to meet and engage with senior military leadership and have their voices heard at the decision-making level. “Today marks the first time a Gold Star Advisory Council convened at the Secretary of War level,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth exclusively told Fox News Digital. “This council is long overdue for Gold Star families to elevate their voices directly to Department leadership, tackle real concerns, and transform the casualty process for good. It has my full backing to call out the failures, shake up the bureaucratic status quo, and drive the changes that will stick.” Gold Star families are relatives of U.S. military members who lost their lives in service. The GSAC was established in May, through a memorandum signed by Hegseth. Its mission is rooted in honoring the ultimate sacrifice of America’s warfighters and ensuring that the families left behind are never forgotten. HEGSETH DELIVERS STERN WARNING TO CHINA IN FIRST CALL AFTER XI’S MILITARY PARADE Meeting at least twice each year, the council will be charged with offering policy recommendations, holding the department accountable and providing a permanent forum for Gold Star families to share concerns and propose solutions. Co-vice chairs include Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, alongside Jane Horton, a Gold Star wife and senior advisor to the Secretary of War. Together, they are to bring senior-level expertise and the deeply personal perspective of those who have borne loss firsthand. FEMALE MILITARY RECRUITS SURGE ACROSS ALL SERVICE BRANCHES “Gold Star Families are vital to our military community and our mission,” Tata said to Fox News Digital. “Their strength and resilience are truly inspiring and emblematic of the warrior ethos that we strive to promote throughout the Total Force. The Gold Star Advisory Council is a testament to their enduring service to our nation.” He added that the council represents an enduring commitment: “The Gold Star Advisory Council will enable the Department to continue remembering our fallen Service members and delivering on our promise to take care of the families they left behind.” Tata also praised his co-vice-chair’s “extraordinary efforts” to elevate Gold Star families by “telling their stories, and keeping the memories of our fallen heroes alive.” He expressed his appreciation for Horton’s “advocacy, representation, and leadership.” Horton echoed both Hegseth and Tata’s charge and highlighted the council’s mission-driven purpose. “The Secretary’s charge is clear: every warrior must know that if the worst should happen, their family will never be forgotten, and their sacrifice will never be overlooked,” she said to Fox News Digital. “The Gold Star Advisory Council exists to create real, lasting change. We are not symbolic. We are a mission-driven body of Gold Star Families and senior leaders focused on reforming the systems that shape casualty assistance, long-term care, and how our nation honors the fallen. “The strength of this council lies in those who have borne unimaginable loss and still choose to lead. We are here to serve our warriors.”
Trump says ‘real chance for greatness’ as Netanyahu White House meeting looms for Gaza talks
President Donald Trump is slated to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday in an attempt to broker a ceasefire agreement and an end the war in Gaza. Previewing the talks on Sunday, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “We have a real chance for greatness in the Middle East. All are on board for something special, first time ever. We will get it done.” TRUMP SAYS ‘I THINK WE HAVE A DEAL’ ON GAZA WAR Trump did not elaborate on the precise terms of a ceasefire, exit or demilitarization plans for Gaza, or hostage-prisoner swap arrangements. He has previously said that both Israel and Hamas have agreed to indirect talks later this week in Qatar. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance told “Fox News Sunday” that top U.S. officials are immersed in “very complicated” negotiations with both Israeli and Arab counterparts. “I feel more optimistic about where we are right now than where we have been at any point in the last few months, but let’s be realistic, these things can get derailed at the very last minute,” Vance said. TRUMP STAKES GAZA PEACE HOPES ON 21-POINT PLAN AS ISRAEL, HOUTHIS CONTINUE DEADLY FIGHTING He added that the Trump administration’s proposal centers on three main points: securing the release of all hostages, eliminating the Hamas threat to Israel, and expanding humanitarian aid to Gaza. “So I think we’re close to accomplishing all three of those objectives,” Vance said. In an exclusive interview on Fox News Channel’s “The Sunday Briefing,” Netanyahu said his team is working with U.S. officials to secure the release of hostages, a top priority for the Israeli leader. “I hope we can make it a go because we want to free our hostages. We want to get rid of Hamas rule and have them disarmed, Gaza demilitarized, and a new future set up for Gazans and Israelis alike and for the whole region,” he told co-host Jacqui Heinrich. NETANYAHU BROADCASTS UNITED NATIONS MESSAGE INTO GAZA ACCUSING WORLD LEADERS OF APPEASING ‘EVIL’ The meeting, the fourth one between Trump and Netanyahu since January, comes on the heels of the United Nations General Assembly. Dozens of U.N. delegates left the General Assembly hall during the prime minister’s address, leaving rows of empty seats behind. Later, member states voted to permit Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to deliver his remarks remotely on Thursday. In his speech, Abbas accused Israel of “genocide” and called for full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state — drawing about 30 seconds of applause.
Supreme Court showdown: Trump’s strategy to test limits of his power could spell doom for administrative state
The Supreme Court is set to reexamine a landmark decision about the president’s ability to fire members of independent agencies, and the outcome could expand executive power and have far-reaching implications. The high court revealed in an order last week it would revisit Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, a 1935 decision that Hans von Spakovsky, a legal fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said is now on “life support.” Contrary to the decision in Humphrey’s, von Spakovsky said agencies like the Federal Trade Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission and various labor boards ought not to be insulated from presidential firings. “The Constitution says the president is the head of the executive branch,” von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital. “That means, just like the CEO of a big corporation, they get to supervise and run the entire corporation, or in this case, the entire executive branch, and you can’t have Congress taking parts of that away from him and saying, ‘Well, they’re going to keep doing executive branch things, including law enforcement, but you won’t have any control over them.’” SCOTUS ALLOWS TRUMP TO FIRE BIDEN-APPOINTED FTC COMMISSIONER The Supreme Court’s decision came in response to a challenge from a Biden-appointed FTC commissioner whom President Donald Trump fired at will after taking office. The high court said in a 6-3 emergency decision Trump’s termination of the commissioner, Rebecca Slaughter, could remain in place for now while it uses her case to take on Humphrey’s Executor, which centered on an FTC firing under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The high court found Roosevelt could not fire a commissioner without cause. Slaughter has called her firing illegal, pointing to Humphrey’s and the FTC Act, which says commissioners cannot be fired from their seven-year terms without cause such as malfeasance or negligence. Joshua Blackman, a professor at South Texas College of Law, told Fox News Digital that if Humphrey’s is overturned or narrowed, it will likely also apply to other agencies that have statutory protections against firings designed to preserve their independence. “I think this ruling will necessarily reach beyond the FTC,” Blackman said. “The only question is whether they maintain that the Federal Reserve is different.” SUPREME COURT SAYS TRUMP CAN PROCEED WITH FIRING DEMOCRAT-APPOINTED CPSC MEMBERS The high court indicated in an earlier shadow docket decision about labor board firings this year that it views the Federal Reserve as unique, a ‘quasi-private’ structure rooted in the traditions of the first central banks. A separate case involving Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook’s firing is testing that position. Von Spakovsky said the Supreme Court has been inching toward addressing Humphrey’s. The 2010 decision to narrow the Sarbanes-Oxley Act by stripping independence from an accounting oversight board and the decision five years ago finding the president could fire the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director at will were hints of this. In the latter case, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the president’s power “to remove — and thus supervise — those who wield executive power on his behalf follows from the text of Article II.” The CFPB’s “novel” structure defied that presidential power because a single director oversees an agency that “wield[s] significant executive power.” TRUMP ADMIN URGES SUPREME COURT TO ALLOW PRESIDENT TO FIRE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION MEMBER Ruling in Trump’s favor would help the president and his conservative allies realize their stated goal of achieving a unitary executive, a theory that says the president should have sole control over the executive branch. As part of this vision, Trump abruptly sidestepped numerous statutes to pluck out protected appointees at independent agencies when he took office, moves the Supreme Court is now poised to weigh in on in Slaughter’s case. Boston University School of Law professor Jed Shugerman said in a statement online that Trump has done “more to establish a unitary executive than all the judges and legal scholars in the world could ever do.” However, Shugerman criticized the president, saying his tests of authority have also “done more to discredit and expose the unitary executive theory as lawless authoritarianism than any judge or legal scholar could ever do.” John Shu, a constitutional law expert who served in both Bush administrations, recently told Fox News Digital he believed the Supreme Court would narrow Humphrey’s Executor because the FTC’s powers have greatly expanded since its inception. “The Federal Trade Commission of 1935 is a lot different than the Federal Trade Commission today,” Shu said. Shu said today’s FTC can open investigations, issue subpoenas, bring lawsuits, impose financial penalties and more. The FTC now has executive, quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial functions, he said.
China and North Korea agree to resist ‘hegemony’, Foreign Ministry says
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi holds talks with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, in Beijing. Published On 29 Sep 202529 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share China and North Korea have pledged to work together to counter “hegemonism” and “unilateralism” in international affairs, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said, in a veiled reference to the countries’ confrontations with the United States. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, in Beijing on Sunday, weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled to China to join an event marking the anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “China is willing to strengthen coordination and collaboration with North Korea on international and regional affairs, oppose all forms of hegemonism, and protect their shared interests and international fairness and justice,” Wang told Choe, according to a readout by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Choe, in turn, told Wang that North Korea viewed China’s concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind”, and its Global Governance Initiative, as important contributions to the “promotion of a multipolar world”, according to the ministry. “North Korea strongly supports these initiatives and is willing to work closely with China in multilateral collaboration to jointly resist unilateralism and power politics and promote the establishment of a more equitable and just world order,” Choe said, according to the readout. “North Korea also wishes the Chinese people greater achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of China through unity and struggle.” Choe cited Kim as saying that the “bonds of friendship” between Pyongyang and Beijing “cannot be altered,” and that their relations should be developed “in line with the demands of the times”, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said. Advertisement Beijing is embroiled in a fierce rivalry with Washington, which spans sectors ranging from trade to artificial intelligence. Pyongyang has been at odds with Washington for decades over its illicit nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Wang and Choe’s talks came after Chinese President Xi Jinping, North Korea’s Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared together earlier this month at a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Many observers saw this gathering as a challenge to US dominance in international affairs. Adblock test (Why?)
Gaza and Palestine were dominant themes at UN. Will it make a difference?
New York City – Gaza and Palestine have been the dominant topics at the United Nations as world leaders convened at the 80th General Assembly (UNGA) in New York over the past week. In their speeches, UN Security Council (UNSC) meetings, sideline events and media briefings, many countries – from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to France to Malaysia – called for an end to Israeli atrocities in Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list But as most of the world rallied around Palestine in the first week of the UNGA, Israel killed at least 661 Palestinians in Gaza and pushed on unabated with its ground assault on Gaza City. Diplomats and analysts say rhetoric and diplomatic moves alone, including the recognition of a Palestinian state, are not enough to move the needle on the ground, or improve the situation of Palestinians under bombardment and occupation. Rights advocates are seeking an arms embargo and sanctions against Israel to force it to end its abuses. Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, executive secretary of the Hague Group – a coalition of countries pushing for such measures against Israel – said the “situation keeps getting worse” because Israel continues to have access to weapons and resources. “The economic might of the genocidal machine is still not weakened. Israel continues to receive arms,” Gandikota-Nellutla told Al Jazeera. Palestine recognition During the UNGA, dozens of countries convened for a summit to push for the two-state solution, while several Western states, including Australia, France and the United Kingdom, formally recognised Palestine. Advertisement As that meeting was under way, protesters outside the UN complex banged on pots to decry the deadly hunger in Gaza. Maamoun Hussein, one of the demonstrators, said the growing international recognition of the state of Palestine is a positive development, but it must be followed by a meaningful push to hold Israel accountable. “It’s a testament to the perseverance of the Palestinian people for over 78 years of genocide and ethnic cleansing,” Hussein told Al Jazeera, referring to the growing number of countries now recognising Palestinian statehood. “But these countries have the power to do an arms embargo. They have the power to put pressure on Israel. Instead, all the Arab countries now are at risk. The entire world is at risk because they’re changing the entire legal system to suit Israel, which is a terrorist, genocidal state.” While ravaging Gaza and intensifying attacks and annexation efforts in the occupied West Bank, Israel has also carried out attacks against Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Qatar in recent months. The Israeli military is also widely believed to have struck a Gaza-bound humanitarian boat in a Tunisian port. Gandikota-Nellutla also said that while recognising Palestinians’ right to self-determination is an important step, more must be done. “The risk is that countries stop here – that countries pat themselves in the back and say, ‘We’ve done our bit’, and move on without cutting off the material arteries of the genocide at this moment,” she told Al Jazeera. ‘The economic might of the genocidal machine is still not weakened,’ says Varsha Gandikota-Nellutla, executive secretary of the Hague Group [Ali Harb/Al Jazeera] At a UNSC meeting to discuss the crisis, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Attaf warned on Tuesday that global stability will depend on whether the international community can rein in Israel and ensure the establishment of a Palestinian state based on borders as they stood before the 1967 war. “There is no space for denial that what Gaza has been enduring is a comprehensive war of annihilation,” Attaf said, citing the recent UN Commission of Inquiry’s report that accused Israel of genocide. ‘We are not yet there’ A day later, diplomats representing countries from across the world met to renew calls for protecting Palestinian children, about 20,000 of whom have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023. “This suffering is not inevitable. It is a result of choices, of actions, and of inaction – and choices can change,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said at the event. Advertisement On the sidelines of the UNGA, Brazil, Jordan and Spain, along with UN chief Antonio Guterres, also led a push to rally political and financial support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which Israel has unilaterally banned. Al Jazeera asked Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, whether the diplomatic efforts in support of Palestine in New York are making a tangible difference in the condition of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. “There have been a lot of acknowledgement-outrage combination, but it hasn’t gone far beyond that,” Lazzarini said. “The real question is: How will this be translated into necessary influence impacting the situation on the ground? We are not yet there,” he added. Lazzarini said the crisis in Gaza has reached the dire state it is in today because of “impunity” for Israel’s actions, suggesting that Palestinian lives have been “devalued” in the eyes of the world. On Friday, delegates of more than 50 countries walked out of the UNGA hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crime charges, took the podium. Nearby, representatives of 34 countries met as part of the Hague Group, and discussed possible policies to stop the atrocities in Gaza, including imposing an energy embargo on Israel and blocking Israeli weapons shipments from their ports. The meeting included countries spanning four continents, such as Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Iceland, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, Spain and Qatar. For Gandikota-Nellutla, the Hague Group’s chief, international collective action is the way towards ending Israeli impunity. “We want to grow country by country, until we engulf the whole world – until every supply chain that brings any weapons of death to Israel becomes inaccessible to Netanyahu and his government,” she told Al Jazeera. Adblock test (Why?)