Saudi Arabia rejects Israel’s push for ties without Palestinian state
By Agence France-Presse
Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it would not formalise ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established, after the Israeli prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was “going to happen”.
“Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations. Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued.
In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Trump said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip after Palestinians were resettled elsewhere and develop it economically. He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wednesday’s statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had affirmed the kingdom’s position in “a clear and explicit manner” that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.
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By Agence France-Presse
Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it would not formalise ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state was established, after the Israeli prime minister remarked that he thought normalisation with the Gulf kingdom was “going to happen”.
“Saudi Arabia will continue its relentless efforts to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations. Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued.
In a shock announcement on Tuesday, Trump said the US would take over the war-ravaged Gaza Strip after Palestinians were resettled elsewhere and develop it economically. He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Wednesday’s statement from the Saudi foreign ministry said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had affirmed the kingdom’s position in “a clear and explicit manner” that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.
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AI-assisted scam costs Thai beauty queen US$118,000, 2 arrested
By SCMP’s Asia desk
Two men in Thailand have been arrested for allegedly running an AI-assisted scam call centre that cost Thai-British beauty queen Charlotte Austin 4 million baht (US$118,000), raising fears about the growing threat of technologically sophisticated fraud in the region.
Police identified the suspects as 31-year-old Ramil Pantawong, who was apprehended in the Wang Nam Yen district of Sa Kaeo on Sunday, and 28-year-old Thanawut Kanyaphanthe, who was detained in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Monday.
They are accused of belonging to a 50-strong gang operating from a building in Poipet, a city in northern Cambodia near the Thai border.
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the group had targeted at least 163 people by impersonating Thai officers with the goal of deceiving them into transferring large sums of money, with AI technology being used to alter the scammers’ faces during video calls.
He said the fraudsters used scripts provided by Chinese gang leaders and posed as investigators of narcotics and money-laundering cases, instructing victims to transfer funds for supposed verification.
Austin’s ordeal reportedly began on December 7, when she received a call from someone purporting to be a member of the Department of Special Investigation. The caller insisted she had been linked to money laundering involving the scandal-plagued Stark Corporation and then told her to wire 4 million baht so her innocence could be proven. She did so and the money was never returned.
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By SCMP’s Asia desk
Two men in Thailand have been arrested for allegedly running an AI-assisted scam call centre that cost Thai-British beauty queen Charlotte Austin 4 million baht (US$118,000), raising fears about the growing threat of technologically sophisticated fraud in the region.
Police identified the suspects as 31-year-old Ramil Pantawong, who was apprehended in the Wang Nam Yen district of Sa Kaeo on Sunday, and 28-year-old Thanawut Kanyaphanthe, who was detained in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri on Monday.
They are accused of belonging to a 50-strong gang operating from a building in Poipet, a city in northern Cambodia near the Thai border.
Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the group had targeted at least 163 people by impersonating Thai officers with the goal of deceiving them into transferring large sums of money, with AI technology being used to alter the scammers’ faces during video calls.
He said the fraudsters used scripts provided by Chinese gang leaders and posed as investigators of narcotics and money-laundering cases, instructing victims to transfer funds for supposed verification.
Austin’s ordeal reportedly began on December 7, when she received a call from someone purporting to be a member of the Department of Special Investigation. The caller insisted she had been linked to money laundering involving the scandal-plagued Stark Corporation and then told her to wire 4 million baht so her innocence could be proven. She did so and the money was never returned.
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US Postal Service suspends inbound parcels from Hong Kong, mainland China
By Natalie Wong
The United States Postal Service has announced it has temporarily suspended inbound parcels from Hong Kong and mainland China until further notice.
The flow of letters and large envelopes was not affected, it said.
The suspension notice was put up on the postal service’s website on Tuesday, with no explanation given.
It was not immediately clear if the move was related to China’s counter-tariffs in response to those imposed on Chinese products earlier announced by the Trump administration.
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By Natalie Wong
The United States Postal Service has announced it has temporarily suspended inbound parcels from Hong Kong and mainland China until further notice.
The flow of letters and large envelopes was not affected, it said.
The suspension notice was put up on the postal service’s website on Tuesday, with no explanation given.
It was not immediately clear if the move was related to China’s counter-tariffs in response to those imposed on Chinese products earlier announced by the Trump administration.
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Poll shows transgender Singaporeans still face work bias; complaints are ‘nuclear option’
By Jean Iau
When Sarah (not her real name) told her supervisor at a security company that she was transitioning to become a woman, his immediate response was to use an expletive and ask if she had cut off her genitalia.
Sarah, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was then asked to wear a company shirt and track pants to work, remove her manicured nails and cut her hair, while there was no such dress code for her colleagues.
While she initially reported the incident to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), she decided not to pursue the matter after she was informed that her complaint would not be anonymous. She left the job in December.
“No LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] person in their right mind will make known their cases. If they do, it’s like a nuclear option. You need your job, but the company only gets a slap on the wrist,” Sarah said.
Sarah, who declined to have her real name published out of fear of repercussion, is one of around 65 per cent of transgender people who took part in a recent survey and said they had negative experiences in the workplace in Singapore, including harassment and verbal abuse.
Over a third, or 36 per cent, had received unwelcome comments and questions on their “lifestyle”, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex life.
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By Jean Iau
When Sarah (not her real name) told her supervisor at a security company that she was transitioning to become a woman, his immediate response was to use an expletive and ask if she had cut off her genitalia.
Sarah, a 29-year-old Singaporean, was then asked to wear a company shirt and track pants to work, remove her manicured nails and cut her hair, while there was no such dress code for her colleagues.
While she initially reported the incident to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), she decided not to pursue the matter after she was informed that her complaint would not be anonymous. She left the job in December.
“No LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] person in their right mind will make known their cases. If they do, it’s like a nuclear option. You need your job, but the company only gets a slap on the wrist,” Sarah said.
Sarah, who declined to have her real name published out of fear of repercussion, is one of around 65 per cent of transgender people who took part in a recent survey and said they had negative experiences in the workplace in Singapore, including harassment and verbal abuse.
Over a third, or 36 per cent, had received unwelcome comments and questions on their “lifestyle”, sexual orientation, gender identity or sex life.
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Zhao Lusi shines needed light on China’s treatment of mental health
By Lijia Zhang
Actress Zhao Lusi embodies youth and beauty, her dazzling smile and smooth complexion giving no hint of life’s hardships. Yet, last month Zhao shared a deeply personal revelation on social media: she has been battling mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
In her heartfelt post, she recounted how she began experiencing symptoms several years ago but initially ignored them, fearing she would disappoint her family, friends and fans. The relentless demands of her career took a toll on her well-being, affecting both her mental and neurological health. After undergoing treatment, Zhao’s condition has significantly improved.
Her openness has sparked widespread public discussion, shedding light on the immense pressures faced by those in the entertainment industry and, more importantly, on the urgent need for greater mental health awareness. Many people online praised her courage, seeing it as a step towards ending the stigma around mental illness in Chinese society.
I must add my voice to those applauding her. We need to talk about mental health in China.
According to a 2017 World Health Organization report, an estimated 54 million people in China suffer from depression while 41 million struggle with anxiety disorders. Further estimates suggest that around 173 million Chinese people have a diagnosable psychiatric condition.
Although China does not rank as highly in terms of prevalence compared to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the sheer number of affected individuals presents an immense challenge. Mental health services remain severely limited: the US has about 12 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, while in China the ratio is just 1.7 per 100,000.
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By Lijia Zhang
Actress Zhao Lusi embodies youth and beauty, her dazzling smile and smooth complexion giving no hint of life’s hardships. Yet, last month Zhao shared a deeply personal revelation on social media: she has been battling mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
In her heartfelt post, she recounted how she began experiencing symptoms several years ago but initially ignored them, fearing she would disappoint her family, friends and fans. The relentless demands of her career took a toll on her well-being, affecting both her mental and neurological health. After undergoing treatment, Zhao’s condition has significantly improved.
Her openness has sparked widespread public discussion, shedding light on the immense pressures faced by those in the entertainment industry and, more importantly, on the urgent need for greater mental health awareness. Many people online praised her courage, seeing it as a step towards ending the stigma around mental illness in Chinese society.
I must add my voice to those applauding her. We need to talk about mental health in China.
According to a 2017 World Health Organization report, an estimated 54 million people in China suffer from depression while 41 million struggle with anxiety disorders. Further estimates suggest that around 173 million Chinese people have a diagnosable psychiatric condition.
Although China does not rank as highly in terms of prevalence compared to high-income countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, the sheer number of affected individuals presents an immense challenge. Mental health services remain severely limited: the US has about 12 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, while in China the ratio is just 1.7 per 100,000.
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Australia bans Chinese AI DeepSeek from government devices
By Bloomberg
Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country’s intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said.
Founded in Hangzhou only 20 months ago, DeepSeek’s technology made waves in January with a new mobile app featuring its reasoning AI chatbot – which articulates its approximation of thought process and research before delivering a response – that seemed to suggest top-tier AI could be developed without huge investments in hardware. Its appeal took it to the top of worldwide download charts. However, doubts quickly arose about the security of the service.
“AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk,” Burke said in the statement on Tuesday.
Forestalling any criticisms about Australia acting against the app simply because of its Chinese origin, he added that the government’s approach was “country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian government and our assets”.
The action does not extend to personal devices of private citizens, but Burke in his statement encouraged all Australians to consider how their data was used online and to take steps to “understand their online presence and protect their privacy”.
Australia is not the first country to take action against DeepSeek. Italy’s privacy regulator has ordered for it to be blocked to protect consumers’ data, while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has asked for more information from the company. Hundreds of private companies have also taken the precautionary measure of blocking access to DeepSeek, it was reported last week.
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By Bloomberg
Australia has banned DeepSeek AI services from all government systems and devices, becoming one of the first countries to take direct action against a Chinese artificial intelligence start-up that shook Silicon Valley and global markets this year.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement that all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be removed from government systems on national security grounds effective immediately. A threat assessment by the country’s intelligence agencies found the technology posed an unacceptable risk, he said.
Founded in Hangzhou only 20 months ago, DeepSeek’s technology made waves in January with a new mobile app featuring its reasoning AI chatbot – which articulates its approximation of thought process and research before delivering a response – that seemed to suggest top-tier AI could be developed without huge investments in hardware. Its appeal took it to the top of worldwide download charts. However, doubts quickly arose about the security of the service.
“AI is a technology full of potential and opportunity but the government will not hesitate to act when our agencies identify a national security risk,” Burke said in the statement on Tuesday.
Forestalling any criticisms about Australia acting against the app simply because of its Chinese origin, he added that the government’s approach was “country-agnostic and focused on the risk to the Australian government and our assets”.
The action does not extend to personal devices of private citizens, but Burke in his statement encouraged all Australians to consider how their data was used online and to take steps to “understand their online presence and protect their privacy”.
Australia is not the first country to take action against DeepSeek. Italy’s privacy regulator has ordered for it to be blocked to protect consumers’ data, while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission has asked for more information from the company. Hundreds of private companies have also taken the precautionary measure of blocking access to DeepSeek, it was reported last week.
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More rice, less gas: Chinese and Swedish scientists create hybrid to cut methane emissions
By Victoria Bela
Chinese and Swedish researchers have developed a high-yield rice variety that emits up to 70 per cent less methane than normal rice after uncovering how chemicals released by rice roots influence emissions.
The scientists said their new low-methane hybrid rice offered a promising strategy to address a future rise in rice-related emissions because of global warming and an increasing global population.
“We discovered that fumarate and ethanol are two major rice-orchestrated secretions and play a key role in regulating methane emissions,” the team wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Plant on Monday.
In particular, the team found that rice that produced less fumarate and more ethanol helped reduce methane emissions. Breeding a new rice variety with these characteristics resulted in “70 per cent reductions in methane production”, they said.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide, although it has a shorter atmospheric lifespan. Emissions originate from various sources, including agriculture and livestock farming, waste decomposition and the energy sector.
The cultivation of rice – a staple food for half the world’s population – alone is responsible for around 12 per cent of man-made global methane emissions, according to a press release by the journal’s publisher Cell Press.
As the global population grows and demand for rice increases, total methane emissions are only expected to rise.
Scientists have known that methane emissions from rice paddies occur when microbes break down organic compounds released by rice roots, although it was not clear which compounds were responsible.
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By Victoria Bela
Chinese and Swedish researchers have developed a high-yield rice variety that emits up to 70 per cent less methane than normal rice after uncovering how chemicals released by rice roots influence emissions.
The scientists said their new low-methane hybrid rice offered a promising strategy to address a future rise in rice-related emissions because of global warming and an increasing global population.
“We discovered that fumarate and ethanol are two major rice-orchestrated secretions and play a key role in regulating methane emissions,” the team wrote in a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Plant on Monday.
In particular, the team found that rice that produced less fumarate and more ethanol helped reduce methane emissions. Breeding a new rice variety with these characteristics resulted in “70 per cent reductions in methane production”, they said.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a significantly higher heat-trapping capacity than carbon dioxide, although it has a shorter atmospheric lifespan. Emissions originate from various sources, including agriculture and livestock farming, waste decomposition and the energy sector.
The cultivation of rice – a staple food for half the world’s population – alone is responsible for around 12 per cent of man-made global methane emissions, according to a press release by the journal’s publisher Cell Press.
As the global population grows and demand for rice increases, total methane emissions are only expected to rise.
Scientists have known that methane emissions from rice paddies occur when microbes break down organic compounds released by rice roots, although it was not clear which compounds were responsible.
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By Fran Lu
A philanthropic man in China who has never married nor had his own kids, has emerged as a “father” to more than 700 of the country’s children.
Wang Wanlin, 80, from Hangzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province has been providing shelter to wandering children he found on the street since 1979.
Wang met his first “son” on the street one evening when he was 34.
The 15-year-old child was shivering in the cold weather, and told Wang he just escaped from an exploitative coal mine in another Zhejiang city.
He said he was tricked into going there from his hometown in Jiangsu province north of Shanghai. Wang took him home and bought him a train ticket a week later.
For Wang, the child’s rescue was also a salvation for himself.80-year-old Wang Wanlin has helped hundreds of young men over the last four decades. Photo: Douyin
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Equipment fault causes disruptions on East Rail Line of Hong Kong’s MTR
By Natalie Wong
An equipment fault on an engineer’s train near Hong Kong’s Tai Wo MTR station has caused disruptions on the East Rail Line service, with delays leading to intervals of up to 24 minutes at certain stops.
The MTR Corporation urged passengers on Wednesday at 8.02am to consider using other transport as longer waiting times on its platforms were expected.
Services between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau stations were adjusted to 24-minute intervals, between Tai Po Market and Lo Wu stations to 16-minute intervals, and between Fo Tan and Tai Po Market stations to 8-minute intervals.
The MTR Corp said its staff were carrying out the necessary repair work and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Crowd management measures were in place at certain stations on the East Rail Line, according to the company.
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By Natalie Wong
An equipment fault on an engineer’s train near Hong Kong’s Tai Wo MTR station has caused disruptions on the East Rail Line service, with delays leading to intervals of up to 24 minutes at certain stops.
The MTR Corporation urged passengers on Wednesday at 8.02am to consider using other transport as longer waiting times on its platforms were expected.
Services between Sheung Shui and Lok Ma Chau stations were adjusted to 24-minute intervals, between Tai Po Market and Lo Wu stations to 16-minute intervals, and between Fo Tan and Tai Po Market stations to 8-minute intervals.
The MTR Corp said its staff were carrying out the necessary repair work and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Crowd management measures were in place at certain stations on the East Rail Line, according to the company.
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Hong Kong’s 8 public universities amass nearly HK$140 billion in reserves
By William Yiu
The financial reserves of Hong Kong’s eight public universities rose to nearly HK$140 billion (US$18 billion) in the last academic year, an 11 per cent increase from 2022-23, according to funding authorities.
The Post obtained the figures from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on Tuesday, two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said higher education institutions could make better use of their reserves. Chan is expected to announce public spending cuts in his budget later this month.
Total reserves were about HK$139.3 billion, according to the UGC, which allocates funding to the public universities.
The combined reserves equal six academic years of recurrent funding for the eight universities, given the allocation for those institutions stood at around HK$63.2 billion from 2022 to 2025.
The latest reserves figure marked an 11 per cent jump from the HK$125.9 billion recorded during the 2022-23 academic year.
“According to the universities’ financial reports, HK$17.6 billion was UGC-funded reserves and HK$121.7 billion was non-UGC-funded reserves,” the committee said.
Universities were allowed to use their reserves for long-term development or other designated purposes, and some used the funds for enhancing campus facilities and new projects, according to a Legislative Council document.
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By William Yiu
The financial reserves of Hong Kong’s eight public universities rose to nearly HK$140 billion (US$18 billion) in the last academic year, an 11 per cent increase from 2022-23, according to funding authorities.
The Post obtained the figures from the University Grants Committee (UGC) on Tuesday, two days after Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said higher education institutions could make better use of their reserves. Chan is expected to announce public spending cuts in his budget later this month.
Total reserves were about HK$139.3 billion, according to the UGC, which allocates funding to the public universities.
The combined reserves equal six academic years of recurrent funding for the eight universities, given the allocation for those institutions stood at around HK$63.2 billion from 2022 to 2025.
The latest reserves figure marked an 11 per cent jump from the HK$125.9 billion recorded during the 2022-23 academic year.
“According to the universities’ financial reports, HK$17.6 billion was UGC-funded reserves and HK$121.7 billion was non-UGC-funded reserves,” the committee said.
Universities were allowed to use their reserves for long-term development or other designated purposes, and some used the funds for enhancing campus facilities and new projects, according to a Legislative Council document.
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DeepSeek vs Trump tariffs: how will China’s markets react in the Year of the Snake?
By Daniel RenZhang Shidong
Investors returning to mainland China’s markets on Wednesday after an eight-day Lunar New Year holiday have plenty to chew on – from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek taking the world by storm to the US slapping tariffs on Chinese goods.
While the market outlook remains cloudy because of the strained US-China ties, tech companies with a focus on AI are expected to jump on the back of developments from DeepSeek, according to analysts. Companies in export-oriented sectors such as textiles, home appliances, electronics and chemicals could take a beating, they added.
Investors may prefer to sit on the sidelines as they wait for the outcome of a call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as the world’s two largest economies seek to avert a full-blown trade war.
“Technology firms will be greeted with fanfare by investors because of the emergence of DeepSeek, but a rally in tech stocks will not be enough to ensure a roaring start for the overall market after the holiday,” said Ivan Li, a fund manager at Loyal Wealth Management in Shanghai, on Tuesday.
Last month, the Hangzhou-based DeepSeek released two powerful new large language models built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by American firms. Its performance proved to be on par with ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot developed by global leader OpenAI.
After the Trump administration unveiled a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese exports over the weekend, Beijing retaliated on Tuesday, imposing tariffs of 15 per cent on US coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as 10 per cent on crude oil, agricultural machinery, high-emission cars and pickup trucks.
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By Daniel RenZhang Shidong
Investors returning to mainland China’s markets on Wednesday after an eight-day Lunar New Year holiday have plenty to chew on – from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up DeepSeek taking the world by storm to the US slapping tariffs on Chinese goods.
While the market outlook remains cloudy because of the strained US-China ties, tech companies with a focus on AI are expected to jump on the back of developments from DeepSeek, according to analysts. Companies in export-oriented sectors such as textiles, home appliances, electronics and chemicals could take a beating, they added.
Investors may prefer to sit on the sidelines as they wait for the outcome of a call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as the world’s two largest economies seek to avert a full-blown trade war.
“Technology firms will be greeted with fanfare by investors because of the emergence of DeepSeek, but a rally in tech stocks will not be enough to ensure a roaring start for the overall market after the holiday,” said Ivan Li, a fund manager at Loyal Wealth Management in Shanghai, on Tuesday.
Last month, the Hangzhou-based DeepSeek released two powerful new large language models built at a fraction of the cost and computing power used by American firms. Its performance proved to be on par with ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbot developed by global leader OpenAI.
After the Trump administration unveiled a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese exports over the weekend, Beijing retaliated on Tuesday, imposing tariffs of 15 per cent on US coal and liquefied natural gas, as well as 10 per cent on crude oil, agricultural machinery, high-emission cars and pickup trucks.
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Trump says he’s given instructions for Iran to be ‘obliterated’ if it assassinates him
By Associated Press
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.
“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing a memorandum to restore his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
If Trump were assassinated, US Vice-President J.D. Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.
Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.
Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
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By Associated Press
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has given his advisers instructions to obliterate Iran if it assassinates him.
“If they did that they would be obliterated,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters while signing a memorandum to restore his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“I’ve left instructions if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
If Trump were assassinated, US Vice-President J.D. Vance would become president and would not necessarily be bound by any instructions left by his predecessor.
Federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years.
Trump ordered the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, who led the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force.
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Trump calls Gaza a demolition site, wants to permanently displace Palestinians
By Reuters
US President Donald Trump proposed the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from war-shattered Gaza to neighbouring countries, calling the enclave a “demolition site” on Tuesday as he held pivotal talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to leave the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas militants.
But this time Trump said he would support resettling Palestinians “permanently”, going beyond his previous suggestions that Arab leaders had already steadfastly rejected.
Just two weeks into his second term, Trump was hosting Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the future of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, strategies to counter Iran and hopes for a renewed push for an Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal.
“It’s a pure demolition site,” Trump, speaking shortly before Netanyahu arrived, said of Gaza.
“If we could find the right piece of land, or numerous pieces of land, and build them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area, that’s for sure. I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
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By Reuters
US President Donald Trump proposed the permanent resettlement of Palestinians from war-shattered Gaza to neighbouring countries, calling the enclave a “demolition site” on Tuesday as he held pivotal talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump repeated his call for Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states to take in Gazans, saying Palestinians there had no alternative but to leave the coastal strip, which must be rebuilt after nearly 16 months of a devastating war between Israel and Hamas militants.
But this time Trump said he would support resettling Palestinians “permanently”, going beyond his previous suggestions that Arab leaders had already steadfastly rejected.
Just two weeks into his second term, Trump was hosting Netanyahu at the White House to discuss the future of the fragile Gaza ceasefire, strategies to counter Iran and hopes for a renewed push for an Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal.
“It’s a pure demolition site,” Trump, speaking shortly before Netanyahu arrived, said of Gaza.
“If we could find the right piece of land, or numerous pieces of land, and build them some really nice places with plenty of money in the area, that’s for sure. I think that would be a lot better than going back to Gaza.”
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