Which countries have cut funding to UNRWA, and why?
The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), considered a lifeline for two million people in the besieged enclave, has suffered funding cuts after several of its staff were accused by Israel of involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack. The UN on Saturday said that it had terminated nine out of 12 staff over the allegations and vowed to hold its employees accountable, but expressed its shock at the swift funding cut by several Western countries amid a humanitarian disaster in Gaza, which has been devastated by nearly four months of Israel’s aerial and ground war. “It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region,” Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA chief, said in a statement on Saturday. The UN and Palestinian officials have called for continued funding for the agency’s “crucial work” since the announcement of the claims on Friday. Here is what you need to know about the controversy. What is UNRWA and who funds it? The acronym stands for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. It was established in 1949 to cater to tens of thousands of Palestinians ethnically cleansed from their homes by Jewish militias from areas that currently form part of Israel. The UN agency operates in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria – the neighbouring countries where the Palestinian refugees took shelter after their violent expulsion known as the Nakba or catastrophe. According to its website, the UN agency supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees, working in a number of areas. Examples of these fields are primary and vocational education, primary healthcare, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement, microfinance, and emergency response. The agency is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions apart from a limited subsidy from the UN, which is used exclusively for administrative costs, according to UNRWA. The work of UNRWA could not be carried out without sustained contributions from countries worldwide and the European Union, which represented 94.9 percent of all contributions in 2022, the agency says. In 2022, 44.3 percent of the agency’s total pledges, or $1.17bn, came from the EU member states, who contributed $520.3m, including funds allocated by the institution via the European Commission. The United States, Germany, the EU and Sweden were the largest individual donors in the year in question, contributing 61.4 percent of the agency’s overall funding in total. Chris Gunness, a former UNRWA spokesman, said the UN agency has weeks only before it runs out of money for its crucial aid work to save Palestinian lives in Gaza. More than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive on October 7. “My message to the Arab world, particularly to the Gulf, is where are you? Because they’re making billions each day on oil revenues. A tiny fraction of those oil revenues would see UNRWA’s financial problems disappear overnight. This unconscionable gap inflicted by these Western countries would be filled very quickly,” Gunness told Al Jazeera. “Some of the most desperate people in the Middle East are now facing starvation, they’re facing famine, and the Arab states need to step up to the plate.” What are Israel’s allegations against UNRWA staff? The UNRWA said on Friday that the Israeli authorities have provided the agency with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the October 7 attack. Lazzarini, the head of the UNRWA, said that he immediately terminated the contracts of these staff members and launched an investigation to establish the truth without delay. The US Department of State said it was extremely troubled by the allegations, which it said pertained to 12 UNRWA employees. The UN agency has long been under attack from Israel. On Saturday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on Lazzarini to quit his post. “Mr Lazzarini please resign,” Katz wrote on social media platform X in response to the UNRWA chief’s warning over the consequences of funding cuts. Gunness, the former UNRWA spokesman, said there is a “coordinated political attack” on the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees. “The Israelis have said they cannot win the war on Gaza unless UNRWA is disbanded. So what clearer signal do you want?” he told Al Jazeera on Sunday. (Al Jazeera) How crucial is UNRWA and what did UN officials say? The UNRWA is the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza and some 3,000 of its core staff out of 13,000 in Gaza continue to report to work despite the war, according to the agency. UNRWA’s Lazzarini said two million people out of about 2.3 million population in Gaza depend on the agency’s humanitarian operation. “I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a few individuals and as the war continues, needs are deepening & famine looms,” the UNRWA chief posted on X. “Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment. This stains all of us.” The UN official added that the agency runs shelters for over one million people and provides food and primary healthcare even at the height of the hostilities. Meanwhile, UN chief Antonio Guterres said that the tens of thousands of people who work for the UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations, should not be penalised because of the recent allegations. “The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met,” he said. UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end following countries decisions to cut their funding to the Agency. Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a… — Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 27, 2024 Which nations have cut funding for UNRWA? Which have not? The wave of suspensions of funding started with the US
Trump ally Moreno picks up Noem endorsement, rises to top Ohio Republican vying to boot Democrat Sherrod Brown
Ohio U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno has risen to be the top Republican primary candidate vying to boot Democrat Sherrod Brown. Moreno recently picked up a key endorsement from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who encouraged Republicans to unite in support of the entrepreneur and “America-first conservative” in the GOP primary race that still also includes Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan. “I am pleased to announce my endorsement of Bernie Moreno for the United States Senate. Bernie is a winner and the kind of candidate that we need to win this November to take back the Senate,” Noem said in a statement on Thursday. “I’ve known Bernie for over 10 years, and I’ve always been impressed by his conservative values and by his ability to get things done. Those are two qualities that we desperately need in the U.S. Senate.” “Ohio deserves better than the radical liberal views of career politician Sherrod Brown. He’ll be tough to beat, so it’s crucial that we unite behind Bernie now,” she added. OHIO REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES CLASH OVER BORDER SECURITY, DRONE STRIKES IN MEXICO Early voting starts on Feb. 2 in the Ohio Republican primary scheduled for March 19. A nod to Moreno’s growing strength in the primary contest, Brown has begun targeting Moreno, deeming him “Trump’s hand-picked candidate.” Brown, one of two Democratic incumbents up for reelection this year in the state Trump won in 2016 and 2020, is considered a key target for Republicans hoping to reclaim the Senate majority in November, The Hill noted. Moreno – who was endorsed by former President Trump in December – clashed with LaRose and Dolan on the border issue during last week’s Republican primary debate, and the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm notably has not yet prioritized funding for one of the three primary candidates as the strongest to go up against Brown. VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR PROMOTES TIKTOK ACCOUNT AFTER SAYING HE HAD ‘SERIOUS CONCERNS’ ABOUT CCP TIES At an event for the conservative-leaning think tank The Ripon Society last week, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said a GOP victory against Brown cannot be taken for granted because the incumbent Democrat has demonstrated he knows “how to win” in a red-leaning state. “But we think that Matt Dolan, Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose are all capable of beating Sherrod Brown,” Daines said. “We will have a primary … in March, and we’ll be off to the general election.” After Trump threw his support behind him, Moreno has picked up other key endorsements from Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., yet GOP strategists who spoke with The Hill said Moreno should not consider the nomination yet in the bag and must spend some of his own money to effectively communicate those endorsements to Ohio voters. His competitors have enjoyed more name recognition, given LaRose holds statewide office and Dolan, who has served in the state Senate since 2017, unsuccessfully ran in the primary for Sen. JD Vance’s seat in 2022 and was the first to enter the race to challenge Brown.
Who are Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, Nitish Kumar’s likely deputy CMs in Bihar?
Samrat Choudhary was elected the leader of the BJP legislative party in Bihar, while Vijay Kumar Sinha was elected its deputy leader on Sunday.
“First step to justice…”: Rahul Gandhi reaffirms push for caste census after Telangana rolls out exercise
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday reiterated the party’s push for a caste-based census across the country.
$83M verdict in E. Jean Carroll case against Trump ignites firestorm: ‘Democrats are using the system’
A firestorm ignited Friday after a federal jury ordered former President Donald Trump to pay E. Jean Carroll more than $83 million in damages after he denied allegations he raped her in the 1990s. The jury decided Trump must pay $18.3 million in compensatory damages and $65 million in punitive damages. The jury’s verdict was announced Friday evening by federal Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. A federal jury in New York City decided last year Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. The former president was ordered to pay $5 million in that trial. “Absolutely ridiculous! I fully disagree with both verdicts, and will be appealing this whole Biden Directed Witch Hunt focused on me and the Republican Party,” Trump posted on his Truth Social shortly after the verdict was read. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon. They have taken away all First Amendment Rights.” TRUMP ORDERED TO PAY MORE THAN $80 MILLION IN E. JEAN CARROLL DEFAMATION TRIAL Trump added, “THIS IS NOT AMERICA!” Carroll, who alleged Trump raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996, was seeking $12 million. Taking aim at Democrats who are “using the system” to target the former president, Rev. Franklin Graham, head of Samaritan’s Purse and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, took to social media to show his support for Trump. “Simply put, Democrats are using the system & changing the law to go after Pres. @realDonaldTrump. They hate this man so much & will try ANYTHING to get to keep him out of office,” Graham wrote Saturday. “President Trump is right about the trial when he said, “This is not America.” Similar to that of Graham, Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, said the move by the jury was “part of the Democrats’ lawfare and election interference against Trump.” “Another Democrat plaintiff, with more Democrat-funded attorneys, another Democrat judge, and another Democrat jury in another Democrat hellhole just awarded a legally flawed and an unconstitutionally punitive award against Trump,” Davis said in a statement. “No sane person on the planet actually believes Jean Carroll, who named her cat Vagina and fantasized about rape being sexy. Nor would any sane person believe her reputation is worth anywhere close to $6 — let alone $65 million. “This is part of the Democrats’ lawfare and election interference against Trump,” he added. “Democrats know they can’t beat Trump on November 5, 2024. So they just want to impeach him twice, throw him in prison for life, bankrupt him, illegally gag him, and simply take him off the ballot. Unless judges want the courts to lose all legitimacy, this must stop.” Conservative commentator and podcast host Benny Johnson also weighed in on the verdict. “Another example of how the government has been weaponized against Donald Trump in [an] attempt to ruin the man,’ Johnson wrote on X. OutKick founder Clay Travis also spoke out against the jury’s decision ordering Trump to pay Carroll. “A left-wing NYC jury just awarded E. Jean Carroll $83 million dollars because they said Trump defamed her by denying he sexually assaulted her,” Travis stated. “So, now it’s defamation to claim you didn’t commit a crime? Banana republic we live in, y’all. Total banana republic.” TRUMP DEFENDS HIMSELF ON THE STAND, BLASTS E JEAN CARROLL TRIAL: ‘THIS IS NOT AMERICA’ “Legit question, as a matter of law, how can you defend yourself against an accusation that you committed a crime if saying you didn’t commit the crime and the other person is lying about it is defamation? Under this judgement, Trump isn’t legally permitted to defend himself,” Travis added in a separate post. Though several people took issue with the jury’s findings, others celebrated the verdict, including Republican presidential candidate and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. “Donald Trump wants to be the presumptive Republican nominee and we’re talking about $83.3 million in damages,” Haley wrote on X. “We’re not talking about fixing the border. We’re not talking about tackling inflation. America can do better than Donald Trump and Joe Biden.” Responding to Haley, Texas GOP Rep. Lance Gooden wrote on X, “It’s important to remember that Nikki Haley mega donor, Reid Hoffman, funded E Jean Carroll’s frivolous lawsuit against President Trump. Nikki should return his money and drop out of the race!” Carroll also celebrated the ruling, saying in a statement that the jury’s verdict was a “great victory” for women who decide to come forward with claims. “This is a great victory for every woman who stands up when she’s been knocked down and a huge defeat for every bully who has tried to keep a woman down,” she said. “This win is because of Robbie Kaplan and her dazzling team at Kaplan Hecker & Fink.” Despite concerns from Trump’s legal team about how the court process played out, Kaplan noted in a statement that the verdict proves the “law applies to everyone.” “Today’s verdict proves that the law applies to everyone in our country, even the rich, even the famous, even former presidents,” Kaplan said. “There is a way to stand up to someone like Donald Trump who cares more about wealth, fame and power than respecting the law. Standing up to a bully takes courage and bravery; it takes someone like E. Jean Carroll. We thank the jury for standing up for E. Jean and the rule of law.” Trump, the 2024 GOP frontrunner, has repeatedly and vehemently denied the allegation. His denial resulted in Carroll slapping Trump with a defamation lawsuit, claiming that his response caused harm to her reputation. The jury found Carroll was injured as a result of statements Trump made while in the White House in June 2019. The jury awarded Carroll $18.3 million in compensatory damages. The jury found Trump’s statements were made to harm Carroll and awarded her $65 million in punitive damages. In total,
George Soros pours millions into Texas in hopes of shifting power to Dems
Liberal billionaire George Soros is pouring extensive amounts of cash into Texas in an attempt to flip the state to Democrats, state campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital show. Soros has contributed over $3 million to at least five left-wing groups in the Lone Star State over the last year to beef up infrastructure and help Democrats make gains in the overwhelmingly Republican stronghold. The financier is single-handedly propelling one of the progressive groups working to accomplish those goals. Fox News Digital reported in August that Texas Majority PAC, a mysterious under-the-radar group positioning itself to turn the state blue, had received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Soros’ Democracy PAC II. SOROS PUSHED $15M TO NONPROFIT LINKED TO BIDEN SUPER PAC TO TEST ‘CRITICAL’ POLICY ISSUES, TAX DOCS REVEAL Texas Majority PAC had not been publicly launched, nor were there any news reports about it at the time. However, it has since come out of the shadows and into the spotlight. A recent report by The Texas Tribune said former staffers from Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s failed gubernatorial campaign operate the group, and it raised nearly $2.25 million last year. BIDEN’S RE-ELECTION EFFORTS BOLSTERED BY MASSIVE DONATIONS FROM GEORGE SOROS AND OTHER BILLIONAIRES “We need millions of more dollars and hundreds of more full-time staff to do this,” the group’s executive director, Katherine Fischer, told The Texas Tribune last week regarding its fundraising. “Texas Majority PAC works with partners across the state to create the conditions that will make flipping the state possible.” Recently released Texas campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Soros has provided all its donations to date. His Democracy PAC II has given the group $850,000 in contributions, while he has personally provided $1.4 million. They account for the PAC’s entire $2.25 million in donations. Mayra Flores, a former Republican congresswoman and the first Mexican-born woman to serve in the House of Representatives, believes Soros is pouring money into the Texas Majority PAC to boost Democrat turnout in 2024 because he doesn’t want Republican Hispanic leaders like her to win over other Hispanics who have traditionally voted blue. “They’re seeing that Hispanics are shifting towards the Republican Party because they’re realizing that we are the party of prosperity, that we want to build a strong economy, that we want to secure the border, that we want to prioritize the people of this country and not prioritize people from outside this country. And I believe that it’s our policies that are winning people over, and the struggle is real,” Flores recently said. ALEX SOROS’ ACCESS TO BIDEN’S WHITE HOUSE CONTINUES AS HE’S NOW VISITED AT LEAST 20 TIMES, RECORDS SHOW “George Soros and the Democratic Party are seeing people like myself that resonate with the Hispanic community,” she added. “They resonate with me. I resonate with them. We have similar stories. I’m bilingual. I speak Spanish and English. We have similar stories, and we share that bond.” The bulk of Soros’ Texas cash has gone to the Texas Majority PAC, but he has also given hundreds of thousands of dollars to other groups working to elect Democrats statewide. Campaign finance records show Soros has donated at least $300,000 in the second half of 2023 to CTX Votes, which doesn’t appear to have an online footprint. In December, he gave $250,000 to the Texas Organizing Project, which caught flak last month for previously bailing out an individual charged with killing several people in Texas, including his parents. Additionally, he gave $200,000 to the Dallas County Democratic PAC and $100,000 to a group called First Tuesday, which also does not appear to have an online presence, in the second part of 2023. Michael Vachon, Soros’ spokesperson who also runs his Democracy PACs, did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
AOC raising money by using pro-Israel group’s attack on her ‘Squad’ ally
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is raising money by using political attacks against a top pro-Israel lobbying group in Washington. In an email sent to supporters Thursday evening, Ocasio-Cortez sounded off about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) endorsing challenger George Latimer against Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., a fellow member of the leftist House group known as the “Squad.” “When right-wing megadonors attack one of us, they’re trying to silence our whole movement. And in this moment, standing strongly beside leaders calling for peace and humanity has never been more important,” Ocasio-Cortez’s email says. “My friend Jamaal Bowman just officially announced his campaign for re-election. Help us show that we have the people power to beat his AIPAC-backed opponent by splitting a grassroots donation between our campaigns.” UN’S TOP COURT ALLOWS ISRAEL TO KEEP FIGHTING IN GAZA, ORDERS IT TO ‘ADHERE TO THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION’ AIPAC works with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and is known for helping facilitate bipartisan trips to Israel, including a trip in August led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. That group has recently clashed with hardliners in the Democratic Party who have been critical of Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, as well as the Biden administration’s support for Israel. “Jamaal’s opponent is an establishment, career politician — who yesterday was officially endorsed by AIPAC. The path to victory won’t be easy. AIPAC will launch millions of dollars of nasty attack ads,” Ocasio-Cortez’s email states. EDUCATORS URGE LARGEST TEACHERS UNION IN US TO RESCIND SUPPORT FOR BIDEN UNTIL ‘PERMANENT CEASE-FIRE’ IN GAZA “This is about justice. This is about community. This is about what we want the Democratic Party — and our democracy — to look like.” When asked for comment about Ocasio-Cortez’s ad, an AIPAC spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We proudly have endorsed George Latimer, who is aligned with President Biden’s pro-Israel stand, in clear contrast to his opponent in this race. An extremist anti-Israel fringe will not deter us from engaging in the democratic process to help elect candidates who support the Jewish state in its fight against Hamas barbarism.” SOUTH AFRICA’S GENOCIDE CASE AGAINST ISRAEL SETS UP A HIGH-STAKES LEGAL BATTLE AT THE UN’S TOP COURT Westchester County executive George Latimer became the first non-incumbent AIPAC has endorsed this 2024 cycle. The group gave a statement to Jewish Insider on Thursday, saying, “We are proud to endorse George Latimer who — in clear contrast to his opponent — is strongly committed to strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship and standing by our ally as it fights Hamas terrorism.” Ocasio-Cortez called AIPAC an “extremist organization” last November after the group criticized her and the nine other House lawmakers who voted against a resolution affirming support for Israel’s response to Hamas. “AIPAC endorsed scores of Jan 6th insurrectionists. They are no friend to American democracy. They are one of the more racist and bigoted PACs in Congress as well, who disproportionately target members of color,” Ocasio-Cortez said on X at the time. “They are an extremist organization that destabilizes US democracy.”
Trump energy secretary, Republicans blast Biden for bowing to ‘elite environmental lobby’
A wide range of Republicans, including former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, excoriated President Biden for his decision to pause proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects over its economic impacts and potential to boost U.S. enemies. Perry and Republican lawmakers like House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., and House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., argued LNG exports were critical for maintaining low energy prices in the U.S., supporting American allies are able to wean off Russian gas and decrease global carbon emissions. “It is an act of economic hostility to withhold U.S. LNG supply from the allies we have promised it to, particularly in the midst of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe,” Perry said in a statement. “The Biden moratorium on LNG permits will empower Putin while killing jobs in Pennsylvania. It will hamstring American national security by forcing our allies back to Russia and Qatar for their energy supply.” “It will also result in an increase in emissions by withholding the most effective tool we have to improve the climate,” he continued. “It is a grave mistake for President Biden to reverse course and bow to the elite environmental lobby who do not represent the best interests of the American people and our allies overseas.” DOZENS OF SENATE REPUBLICANS WARN BIDEN’S LATEST WAR ON ENERGY EMPOWERS AMERICA’S ENEMIES Perry — who led the Department of Energy (DOE) under the Trump administration between March 2017 and December 2019 — added that, while serving as secretary of energy, he met with dozens of European leaders who were “hungry to diversify their energy suppliers.” On Friday morning, Biden ordered the DOE to pause pending permits for LNG export facilities while federal officials conduct a rigorous environmental review assessing the projects’ carbon emissions, which could take more than a year to complete. The move represents a major victory for climate activists who have loudly called for such a move, even threatening to hold large protests in Washington, D.C., over the issue. BIDEN ADMIN APPEARS TO FABRICATE PAPER TRAIL IN PURSUIT OF MAJOR CHEMICAL PLANT SHUTDOWN: COURT DOCS In a statement Friday, the president said the pause on LNG permitting was a part of his sweeping climate agenda, saying the action “sees the climate crisis for what it is: the existential threat of our time.” He also took aim at “MAGA Republicans” for willfully denying the “urgency of the climate crisis.” “President Biden’s decision to indefinitely pause LNG export permits prioritizes the wishes of radical activists over U.S. energy security and the security of our allies,” said McMorris Rodgers. “This is another gift to Putin. Everyday Americans want our energy unleashed to strengthen the economy, safeguard jobs, and keep us secure. That’s what Republicans will continue to fight for.” “It is outrageous that this administration is asking American taxpayers to spend billions to defeat Russia while knowingly forcing allies to rely on Russian energy, giving Putin an advantage,” added Johnson. “This policy change also flies in the face of the commitments made when the White House announced the joint US-EU Task Force less than two years ago to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russia and strengthen energy security.” ENVIRONMENTALISTS CALL ON BIDEN ADMIN TO TANK NATURAL GAS PROJECT AMID NATIONWIDE ARCTIC BLAST While it is unclear which proposed projects the action will affect, a senior administration official said at least two have a larger capacity and two have a smaller capacity. Another official added that the pause implemented Friday will only impact projects that have gone through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) lengthy approval process and are ripe for DOE approval. According to federal data updated this week, there are 11 projects that have been green-lit by FERC but are not yet under construction. An additional four projects are pending before FERC and two are in the pre-filing stage. Those six projects wouldn’t be impacted by the pause since they are not before DOE yet, but they would be impacted if approved by FERC. “Stopping the export of American natural gas is a win for our adversaries, like China and Russia, and a direct blow to the environment, American energy workers and communities as well as our allies overseas,” Westerman said on Friday. “It’s a policy that is shortsighted political pandering and will do nothing but drive the cost of energy even higher,” the Natural Resources Committee chair said. “American natural gas is the cleanest and safest on earth, and bending the knee to foreign producers only serves to jeopardize our national security and punish hardworking American families who are already struggling under the failing policies of this administration.” BIDEN ADMIN ABRUPTLY REVERSES PROPOSAL OPENING PUBLIC LANDS TO FOREIGN OWNERSHIP AFTER GOP OPPOSITION Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., said the pause on LNG export terminal permits is “yet another assault on American energy production that jeopardizes our national security and global energy markets.” “President Biden’s move to stall LNG exports is only a win for our adversaries and dirty global polluters like China and Russia,” GOP House Energy Action Team Chair Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, and Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., added in a joint statement. “U.S. LNG helped Europe through a potential energy catastrophe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and we must not underestimate the important role US LNG cargoes played in handicapping Putin’s efforts.” Biden’s action comes weeks after European and Asian energy suppliers called for him to expedite LNG exports. They also called for the president to keep his promise to ensure a steady supply of natural gas in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine. HOUSE REPUBLICANS UNVEIL EFFORT TO BLOCK BIDEN ADMIN FROM TEARING DOWN KEY HYDRO DAMS In the weeks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Biden traveled to Europe and struck a deal with the European Union, vowing to send more U.S. LNG to the bloc. At the time, the White House pledged to “maintain its
Lone House Republican supporting Nikki Haley after NH and Iowa losses makes her case for 2024
EXCLUSIVE: The lone House Republican endorsing former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley for president is insisting he’s with the White House hopeful until the end, however the contentious race concludes. “I’ve had a lot of calls to abandon her — switch. Look, I’ll be with her as long as she stays there,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital Friday. “I don’t care that I’m just one. … I don’t care if the whole caucus says we ought to end it right now and get out. I’m just not gonna do that.” Norman, a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, came out for Haley early in the race and has remained her only supporter in Congress. A handful of lawmakers had supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis before he dropped out, but the vast majority — more than 120 House Republicans — have so far backed former President Donald Trump. Speaking with Fox News Digital days after Trump’s victory in the New Hampshire primary, Norman insisted the race was far from over. He noted it started with a field of more than a dozen candidates and is now down to two. HALEY CAMPAIGN LASHES OUT AT RNC, RONNA MCDANIEL OVER RESOLUTION TO DECLARE TRUMP PRESUMPTIVE GOP NOMINEE “Look what she’s done. Name me one candidate in this race that started out with 2%, no money, and look at where she is now. She’s taken every challenge,” Norman said. “And I will say this, being 25 years younger than President Trump, it’s gonna take work night and day to unwind the devastation this president has done.” He criticized fellow Republicans who have pressured Haley to drop out, including Republican National Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. He said McDaniel was “out of line” calling for unity behind Trump. HALEY FACES GROWING CALLS TO LEAVE 2024 RACE AS RNC NEARLY CONSIDERS DECLARING TRUMP THE PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE “That’s not her role,” Norman said. “How is competition bad? What’s the rush?” He also took a veiled shot at a fellow member of the South Carolina congressional delegation, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who dropped out of the running for president and endorsed Trump. “It surprised me with Tim Scott, particularly with not even calling her. But it is what it is,” Norman said. But unlike other Republicans who have been attacked by Trump and his allies for not falling in line fast enough — including fellow Freedom Caucus members — Norman has stayed out of the line of fire. HOUSE VOTES TO AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AFTER SPEAKER JOHNSON BUCKS GOP REBELS Norman pointed out he’s never criticized Trump and supported his actions in office. He also revealed that he called the ex-president before making his endorsement last February. “When I supported Nikki Haley, I had the respect of Donald Trump to call him, and I told him what I was gonna do, and I decided I was going to do it,” he said. He added that Haley is eligible for eight years, versus Trump, who could only serve one more term. “I know what she did South Carolina,” Norman said. “I know what she can do to the country, and she can give us eight years.” Norman did, however, push back on Trump declaring that Haley’s donors are “permanently barred from the MAGA camp.” “I think he’s making a mistake, saying that anybody that gives to Nikki is gonna be excluded from MAGA,” Norman said. “I think he’s gonna need all the votes that it takes, as well as Nikki, any candidate. It’s gonna take a lot to beat whoever the Democratic nominee is, so I find it interesting that he’s doing that. But he’s smart. He can do his own campaign.” Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub
Swearing-in at 5 pm today, Nitish Kumar to take oath as CM along with deputies Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha
Accepting his resignation letter, the Governor requested him to discharge his administrative duties as the caretaker CM till the new government takes shape.