UNHCR urgently appeals for increase funding to support Afghan returnees
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) calls on the international community to urgently increase funding to protect more than 1.4 million people wh...
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged Elon Musk to steer clear of politics and prioritise his companies, after the Tesla CEO announced the formation of a new political party in defiance of President Donald Trump.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, Bessent said the boards of Tesla and SpaceX were likely concerned about Musk’s decision to launch the 'America Party,' which he unveiled a day earlier in response to Trump’s newly signed tax-and-spending bill.
“I imagine that those boards of directors did not like this announcement… and will be encouraging him to focus on his business activities, not his political activities,” Bessent said.
Musk, who was once a prominent Trump supporter and served briefly as a government adviser, broke with the president over the so-called 'big, beautiful bill,' which cuts taxes and increases defence and border spending. He warned that the bill could bankrupt the country and vowed to challenge Republican incumbents who supported it in next year’s midterm elections.
Trump has dismissed Musk’s criticism, suggesting his opposition stems from the bill’s removal of green-energy tax credits that benefit Tesla. The president has also threatened to cut government contracts and subsidies to Tesla and SpaceX in retaliation.
The feud marks a dramatic turn in the relationship between Trump and Musk, who previously contributed millions to Trump’s 2024 re-election campaign and was a frequent visitor to The White House.
Musk’s political ambitions have already drawn investor backlash. Azoria Partners, which was set to launch a Tesla-focused exchange-traded fund this week, announced it would postpone the launch, citing conflict with Musk’s “full-time responsibilities” as Tesla CEO. Azoria CEO James Fishback publicly urged the Tesla board to review Musk’s political involvement.
“Elon left us with no other choice,” Fishback wrote on X, the social media platform owned by Musk.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields praised the tax bill’s passage and played down Musk’s opposition.
“President Trump has unified and grown the party in a way we’ve never seen,” he said.
Stephen Miran, chair of Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, defended the legislation on ABC’s This Week, calling it a growth driver: “The one, big, beautiful bill is going to create growth on turbo charge.”
Democrats, meanwhile, welcomed the Republican rift. Abhi Rahman of the Democratic National Committee said the conflict revealed fractures in the Trump coalition. “Republicans are waking up and facing the reality that they just signed their own pink slips,” he said.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) calls on the international community to urgently increase funding to protect more than 1.4 million people who have returned or been forced to return to Afghanistan so far this year, including more than 1 million from Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington to begin a high-level visit focused on strengthening U.S.-Israel ties.
President Donald Trump said his administration will notify countries by 9 July of new U.S. tariff rates, as trade talks with key partners enter their final days ahead of a 1 August implementation deadline.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 7th July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree relieving Roman Starovoit of his duties as Russia’s Minister of Transport, according to an official announcement published on 7 July.
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