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Palestinians condemn Trump’s proposal to ‘clean out’ Gaza

Palestinians condemn Trump’s proposal to ‘clean out’ Gaza

Palestinians have roundly condemned United States President Donald Trump’s proposal for them to be displaced from the Gaza Strip and sent to Egypt and Jordan – a suggestion that has raised concerns of ethnic cleansing. Trump on Saturday told reporters that it was time to “clean out” the besieged Gaza Strip, urging the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to take in Palestinians from Gaza, either temporarily or permanently. The proposal was roundly rejected by Palestinians on Sunday, with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) saying the proposal would violate its “red lines”, while Gaza residents insisted they would remain in the coastal enclave. “It’s impossible for people to accept this,” Palestinian citizen Nafiz Halawa told Al Jazeera from Nuseirat in central Gaza. “The weak might leave because of the suffering they have endured, but the idea of us leaving our country … it’s absolutely impossible.” Elham al-Shabli also rejected the idea. “If we wanted to leave, we would have done that a long time ago. The genocidal war they are waging will achieve nothing against the Palestinians and we will remain despite what happens,” she said. Advertisement The PA said in a statement that the plan “constitutes a blatant violation of the red lines we have consistently warned against”. “We emphasise that the Palestinian people will never abandon their land or their holy sites, and we will not allow the repetition of the catastrophes (Nakba) of 1948 and 1967. Our people will remain steadfast and will not leave their homeland,” it said. It urged Trump to sustain the Gaza ceasefire agreement, ensure full withdrawal of Israeli forces, establish the PA as the governing body in the enclave, and advance efforts towards the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state. Hamas, the Palestinian group that governs Gaza, said the US administration must abandon such proposals that align with Israeli “schemes” and conflict with the rights of the Palestinian people, who have already been resisting “the most heinous acts of genocide” and displacement since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which has been fighting alongside Hamas in Gaza for over 15 months, called Trump’s comments an encouragement of “war crimes”. Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said the country’s “rejection of displacement is fixed and unchangeable” and that Amman will look forward to working with the Trump administration in advancing efforts toward recognition of a sovereign Palestinian state. Trump’s comments also appeared to catch senior Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said during an interview with US outlet CNN that he does not view the idea “as being overly practical” and believes that Arab countries in the region would reject it. Advertisement Israel prevents return to northern Gaza Trump’s comments come a week after a truce deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza took effect, with two rounds of captives-for-prisoners exchanges completed. But thousands of Palestinians waited at roadblocks on Sunday to return to their homes in northern Gaza as Israel refused to open crossing points after it accused Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement. Israel said it would open the crossing points after Israeli civilian captive Arbel Yehud, who is held by the PIJ in Gaza, is released. It says that under the truce deal, civilian captives were to be freed before soldiers. The PIJ told Al Jazeera on Sunday that Yehud will be released before Saturday in exchange for 30 Palestinian prisoners. PIJ Deputy Secretary-General Mohammed al-Hindi also said his group is “waiting for a practical response” from the mediators on how Palestinians will be allowed to go back to their homes in north Gaza. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from a crossing point on Gaza’s al-Rasheed Street, said there were “no tents” to provide shelter for the displaced people. “There is no place for them here; there are no tents. Most people are staying here because they dismantled their tents, as they thought after the four Israeli captives were released, they would be able to cross into the northern part of the Strip, as agreed,” he said. “But it looks like they’ll have to sleep here again tonight.” Adblock test (Why?)

What can keep the Gaza ceasefire deal on track?

What can keep the Gaza ceasefire deal on track?

Israeli army blocks northern Gaza crossing points after prisoner-captive exchanges. Rare scenes of joy among Palestinians and Israelis after 15 months of genocide in Gaza. Prisoners are exchanged for captives – but Israeli soldiers stop Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza. What lies ahead? Presenter: Adrian Finighan Guests: Diana Buttu – Palestinian lawyer Ori Goldberg – Israeli political commentator Tahani Mustafa – senior analyst on Palestine at the International Crisis Group Adblock test (Why?)

CIA says ‘more likely’ COVID-19 escaped from a lab

CIA says ‘more likely’ COVID-19 escaped from a lab

The intelligence agency says it has ‘low confidence’ in the assessment and will continue to evaluate credible information. The CIA has announced that it believes the COVID-19 pandemic “more likely” originated from a laboratory leak than a natural event. The CIA’s “low confidence” assessment comes after John Ratcliffe was on Thursday sworn in as director of the top intelligence agency under United States President Donald Trump. The “CIA continues to assess that both research-related and natural origin scenarios of the COVID-19 pandemic remain plausible”, a spokesperson said on Saturday. “We have low confidence in this judgement and will continue to evaluate any available credible new intelligence reporting or open-source information that could change CIA’s assessment.” US media reported that the assessment had been ordered under the administration of former US President Joe Biden and was completed before Ratcliffe took up his post. The assessment was also based on existing intelligence, not new information, according to the reports. Following the CIA’s announcement, three US agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Energy, have now publicly backed the theory that COVID-19 most likely escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China. Advertisement China’s embassy in Washington, DC, rejected the CIA assessment, which it said “concocts misleading conclusions, throws dirty water on China, and engages in framing”. “It is still an old routine of political manipulation of tracing the source and has no credibility. The source of the virus is a complex scientific issue, and scientists and experts should find the answer through rigorous and meticulous scientific research, rather than being judged by politicians,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. “We firmly oppose the politicization and stigmatization of the source of the virus, and once again call on everyone to respect science and stay away from conspiracy theories.” Liu added that China “has always adhered to the spirit of science, openness and transparency” and pointed to a 2021 World Health Organization-China joint study that concluded a lab leak was “extremely unlikely”. Four other US intelligence agencies and the National Intelligence Council have stated that they believe the virus most likely emerged via natural transmission. In an interview with Breitbart News on Friday, Ratcliffe had said that COVID’s origins would be a “day-one” priority. “I’ve been on record as you know in saying I think our intelligence, our science, and our common sense all really dictates that the origins of COVID was a leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. But the CIA has not made that assessment or at least not made that assessment publicly,” Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence during Trump’s first term, told the outlet. Advertisement “So I’m going to focus on that and look at the intelligence and make sure that the public is aware that the agency is going to get off the sidelines.” Adblock test (Why?)

Rubio pauses foreign aid from State Department and USAID to ensure it puts ‘America First’

Rubio pauses foreign aid from State Department and USAID to ensure it puts ‘America First’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to allow the Trump administration to review if the money puts “America First.” On Sunday, the State Department released a statement about falling in step with President Donald Trump’s executive order to reevaluate and realign foreign aid from the U.S. “Consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary [Marco] Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for review,” the statement read. “He is initiating a review of all foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda. President Trump stated clearly that the United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.” The statement continued, saying the review and alignment of foreign assistance on behalf of taxpayers is a “moral imperative,” adding that Rubio is proud to protect America’s investment “with a deliberate and judicious review” of how the money is spent on aiding foreign countries overseas. AFTER RAUCOUS FIRST WEEK IN OFFICE, DONALD TRUMP TO KEEP HIS FOOT ON THE GAS “The implementation of this Executive Order and the Secretary’s direction furthers that mission,” the statement read. “As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, ‘Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?’” The announcement comes after the Trump administration ordered staffers with USAID to stop providing foreign aid worldwide or face “disciplinary action” for not complying. Reuters reported that the Trump administration sent a sharply-worded memo to more than 10,000 staff members at USAID on Saturday, offering a “stop-work” directive from Friday that put a freeze on U.S. foreign aid around the world. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEEDS MORE PLANES TO CARRY OUT DEPORTATIONS: REPORT The wire service reviewed the memo and said it laid out expectations for the workforce on how to achieve Trump’s goals to put “America First.” “We have a responsibility to support the President in achieving his vision,” Ken Jackson, assistant to the administrator for management and resources wrote in the internal memo, titled “Message and Expectation to the Workforce.” “The President has given us a tremendous opportunity to transform the way we approach foreign assistance for decades to come,” the memo added. Reuters reported that it confirmed the authenticity of the memo with several sources. SPEAKER JOHNSON INVITES TRUMP TO ADDRESS CONGRESS AMID BUSY FIRST 100-DAY SPRINT Trump ordered a 90-day pause in foreign aid just hours after taking office, to review if the funding was in line with his foreign policy priorities. On Friday, the State Department issued a pause on aid worldwide. The U.S. is the largest donor of aid globally. During fiscal year 2023, the U.S. dispersed $72 billion in assistance. It also provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024. Fox News Digital has reached out to USAID for comment. Reuters contributed to this report.

Trump signs executive order aimed at ‘drastically’ improving FEMA efficacy, priorities, competence

Trump signs executive order aimed at ‘drastically’ improving FEMA efficacy, priorities, competence

President Donald Trump put the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under review on Sunday after signing an executive order aimed at “drastically” improving the agency’s efficacy, priorities and competence. Trump’s executive order establishes the FEMA Review Council, which will be composed of no more than 20 members and co-chaired by the secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense. The council is being formed after FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters showed the need to improve “efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA’s bureaucracy in disaster response” hinders its ability to respond successfully. “Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most,” the executive order reads. “There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.” ‘FEMA IS NOT GOOD:’ TRUMP ANNOUNCES AGENCY OVERHAUL DURING VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA Trump also said FEMA has lost mission focus, diverting limited resources and staff to support missions outside its scope and authority. The president particularly highlighted that FEMA has spent over a billion dollars welcoming illegal immigrants. “Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters,” the order continued. “FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.” TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES Trump announced Friday that he plans to overhaul FEMA as North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene more than 120 days after the storm devastated the state. “I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA,” Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Friday morning. “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.” FAST-MOVING HUGHES FIRE ERUPTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS ORDER EVACUATIONS Trump promised his administration would step in and assist North Carolina to fix the damage quickly, vowing to “do a good job” for the state.  The president also said he would like to see the states assume more responsibility when disaster strikes, arguing those familiar with the state are better equipped to provide disaster response and relief.  So far, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claim that only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete. Additionally, thousands of families in North Carolina remain in hotels that FEMA is footing the bill for through its Transitional Housing Assistance program.  Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.

AOC roasted over post about Colombia tariffs and coffee prices that ‘aged like hot milk’

AOC roasted over post about Colombia tariffs and coffee prices that ‘aged like hot milk’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., weighed in on President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff feud with Colombian President Gustavo Petro – but not every social media user bought her comments. The spat between Trump and Petro began when the Colombian leader refused to accept two deportation flights over the weekend, prompting Trump to unleash retaliatory measures. Both world leaders threatening to raise tariffs on imported products by 25% to 50%, and Trump ordered a travel ban and visa revocations for all Colombian government officials. “I was just informed that two repatriation flights from the United States, with a large number of Illegal Criminals, were not allowed to land in Colombia,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This order was given by Colombia’s Socialist President Gustavo Petro, who is already very unpopular amongst his people.” “Petro’s denial of these flights has jeopardized the National Security and Public Safety of the United States, so I have directed my Administration to immediately take the following urgent and decisive retaliatory measures.” COLOMBIAN LEADER QUICKLY CAVES AFTER TRUMP THREATS, OFFERS PRESIDENTIAL PLANE FOR DEPORTATION FLIGHTS In an X post on Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez insisted that American consumers are the only party that pay tariffs. “To ‘punish’ Colombia, Trump is about to make every American pay even more for coffee,” the New York congresswoman said in a post. “Remember: WE pay the tariffs, not Colombia.” “Trump is all about making inflation WORSE for working class Americans, not better,” she added. “He’s lining the pockets of himself and the billionaire class.” Petro appeared to be a fan of AOC’s post, reposting it on his own X account. While tariffs do have the potential to inflate prices, the importer, which is the company or entity bringing the goods into the U.S., will pay the actual tariff to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). But inflated prices are not guaranteed – sometimes, tariffs can reduce the world price of an object as suppliers rush to retain access to the large U.S. market. It is possible that coffee suppliers in different countries, such as Vietnam and Brazil – which produce more coffee than Colombia – would lower or maintain their prices. BILLIONAIRES COZY UP TO TRUMP WITH SEVEN FIGURE INAUGURAL DONATIONS AFTER PAST FEUDS WITH PRESIDENT Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet racked up over 47,000 likes from supporters as of 8 p.m., but received scorn from Trump supporters and tariff advocates. “World record. 35 minutes and the tweet already aged like hot milk,” the social media account Catturd wrote, referencing Petro’s immediate offer to transport Colombian migrants on his presidential plane. “Who wants to tell her that there are other countries that export coffee, not just Columbia,” California State Assembly Bill Essayli wrote.  Conservative commentator John Cardillo echoed Essayli’s sentiment, suggesting that the South American country “should take their illegal aliens back.” “Plenty of other nations grow coffee beans,” Cardillo wrote on X. “We can buy the coffee from them.” Activist Adam Lowisz responded to Ocasio-Cortez by insisting that the Democratic politician “doesn’t understand how tariffs work.” “Coffee from Colombia will increase in price, so we will purchase coffee from suppliers in other countries who do take back their illegals,” the conservative X user wrote. “Businesses will hesitate to invest in Colombia any further if they continue to be bad actors.” Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for additional comment. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.