Washington, DC – Protests from advocates and aid organizations erupted after the United States confirmed reports that it will destroy reproductive health supplies that had previously been designated as assistance.
The US Department of State stated on Friday that the decision was influenced by US laws that restrict aid to organizations that perform abortions or support them.
“Only a select few commodities have received disposal approval.” No condoms or HIV medications are being destroyed, according to a statement from the State Department.
Reproductive health advocates decried the US’s decision on Friday, accusing it of setting up “life-saving contraceptives” rather than giving them to aid organizations to distribute them in less developed nations.
The US decision was described as “cruel and ideologically driven,” according to a statement released by several advocacy groups, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Sensoa, and Countdown 2030 Europe.
The US government has rejected all options, according to the statement, which includes requests from international humanitarian organizations, governments, and global health organizations to purchase or redistribute these supplies.
They are instead choosing waste and extremist ideology over human rights, safety, and health, according to the report.
The organizations claimed they would provide “no cost to the US government” by transporting, repackaging, storing, and dispersing the supplies, but their proposal was rejected.
The supplies, which are expected to be destroyed in France, are worth $10 million, according to a report from the Reuters news agency.
The commodities, which were purchased under former President Joe Biden’s control, will cost $ 167, 000, according to a State Department spokesperson.
According to the US statement, President Donald Trump’s administration was able to cancel previously placed $34.1 million orders.
Trump has severely weakened US humanitarian aid efforts, cutting aid to various nations and groups around the world, and all but abolishing the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Trump has publicly stated that he is a staunch pro-choice since running for office in 2015 for the first time. The Republican president appointed three conservative justices to the US Supreme Court, who assisted in 2022’s overturning of the country’s constitutional right to abortion during his first term.
Critics around the world have criticized the decision to destroy reproductive health supplies rather than donate or even sell them.
The move, according to Micah Grzywkowski, the IPPF European Network’s regional director, demonstrates a “complete lack of basic empathy.”
When a government professes efficiency and reduces waste, only to turn around and recklessly destroy life-saving supplies when the need has never been greater. This is unconscionable, according to Grzywkowski in a statement. “This isn’t just inefficient.
“This action seriously undermines global efforts for public health and restricts access to essential care, particularly for communities that are already facing significant barriers.”
Democratic Congresswoman Judy Chu expressed her disgust with the Trump administration’s decision earlier this week.
Despite having years to go before it expires and having the UN ready to give birth control to women in need, Chu wrote in a social media post.
Cezar Martinez, 45, works full-time in Buenos Aires as a butcher, but has since had to take other positions to make it to the end of the month. Something didn’t quite add up when President Javier Milei’s government publicly celebrated a new drop in the inflation rate as a sign of a recovering economy.
According to Martinez, “the amount of money never suffices to buy everything, not even the most basic things.”
Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, shares a similar sentiment.
Milei’s campaign promise, which was to drastically reduce inflation, which had reached a record monthly rate of 25% in December 2023, has come almost a year and a half since taking office. The monthly rate, which is currently at 1.6 percent, is among the lowest since April 2020.
High inflation in Argentina’s population put strain on it in 2023, with wages stagnant and prices of basic goods like food, services, and rent rising month after month.
According to Mariana Heredia, a researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), Argentina has a history of high inflation dating back to the 1940s, with the most recent example being in the late 1980s.
“Inflation is a global phenomenon, but Argentina has been such a constant that people have a tendency to believe that all of their problems are related to it. Stability is very important to the people of this country, Heredia told Al Jazeera.
One of the reasons Milei’s campaign promise to combat inflation helped him win significant support as president is a result of this. He now claims that the government’s efforts to achieve a fiscal surplus, which included drastic reductions in public spending, including those made in healthcare, education, social services, and public infrastructure projects, are evidence of the success of his economic program.
Argentina continues to be one of the continent’s most expensive nations despite a dramatic decrease in inflation [Patricio A Cabezas/Al Jazeera].
However, his program also involved a steep nominal devaluation that caused the Argentian peso to rise, increasing the country’s currency. This has severely impacted the purchasing power of large segments of the population, combined with a sharp decline in real wages.
Argentina currently has some of the highest salaries among Latin America’s most expensive nations.
Although tackling inflation was necessary to begin repairing Argentina’s troubled economy, experts claim that it isn’t enough.
According to Guido Zack, economic director at Fundar, a national think tank, “inflation isn’t everything.” Although having a low inflation rate is important, Argentina’s economy’s recovery has been very uneven across both the economy and the population. The rate of informal employment has increased, and the poverty rate is still very high, but the majority of the population still has a low purchasing power. There is still a great deal of work to do.
Other analysts have criticized some aspects of Argentina’s inflation calculation process. They claim that the current consumption patterns are not accurately reflected in the basket of goods and services created in 2004 and updated in 2016. This includes the portion of income that goes toward housing, which increased by 4.5 percent in the renter-dense greater Buenos Aires area in June alone. Renters spend an average of 44.5 percent of their income on rent, according to an Inquilinos Agrupados (Organized Renters) poll conducted in September that found that tenants spend it twice annually.
Economic Stress:
The imbalance between some economic indicators and what people go through on a daily basis is what the Catholic University of Argentina’s Observatory of Social Debt calls “economic stress,” the increased perception or reality that the majority of salaries are insufficient to pay for basic living expenses.
[Patricio A. Cabezas/Al Jazeera] Argentinians are using loans to pay for food.
The country’s rising personal borrowing rate is a prime example of this. In Argentina, 58 percent of the loans were used to purchase food in 2024, according to a recent report from the Social and Economic Statistics and Tendencies Institute (Instituto de Estados y Tendencias Sociales y Economicas).
The butcher says that sales have slowed down significantly in recent months. It’s difficult to find anyone paying in cash because people are always looking for discounts, purchase smaller quantities, perhaps for the day, and typically use credit cards.
On the streets of Buenos Aires, where protests against inflation and cuts to public funds are more common, with protests primarily led by pensioners, also becoming more common.
Renters in Buenos Aires protest a raise in their state pensions every Wednesday in front of the country’s Congress. Five million people currently receive a $300 monthly pension, which is below the minimum wage. In order to increase pensions, Milei has pledged to veto a bill that has been approved by Congress.
Raul Maldonado, 68, retired in 2020 after 35 years of service as a factory lathe operator. He now only receives the minimum pension, which is currently paid.
“I make 15 days of money.” I wouldn’t be able to survive without the support of my family, he claims.
Pensioners in Argentina’s Buenos Aires protesting [Josefina Salomon]
The game is long
The question is whether Milei can keep inflation low while adopting measures to improve other indicators as his current economic plan promises to continue to advance.
Heredia claims that the anti-inflationary program’s focus on reducing public spending and creating a preferred currency is similar to those that were put in place in Argentina in the past but ultimately failed.
These kinds of programs can initially relieve people; they also cause some high-earning sectors to experience some economic recovery and, in some cases, an increase in income. However, the costs start to show up in the middle of the year as a result of the government spending cuts, the importation of local products, and the impact of the job market.
The adoption of measures designed to address some of the structural issues Argentina faces, which have a negative effect on the economy, is Zack believes the key to a long-term economic recovery is.
He cites the country’s complex tax system, high bureaucracy, the country’s current lack of investment in public infrastructure, such as roads connecting it, as well as the low exchange rate and import openness.
The Israeli military is accused of engaging in a “campaign of incitement,” according to Al Jazeera Media Network, which includes Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent Anas al-Sharif.
Al Jazeera said in a statement on Friday that it “strongly condemns and denounces these relentless efforts” that have consistently sparked animosity toward its staff since the start of its coverage of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Gaza.
The Network sees this as a risky defense of the organization’s journalists’ field-to-field targeting.
The statement comes just days after Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee re-shared a video that claimed al-Sharif belongs to Hamas’s military wing, which has been forcefully refuted as false.
Since Israel began its occupation of the Gaza region in October 2023 as part of an effort to discredit their reporting on Israeli abuses, Palestinian journalists in Gaza have been frequently accused of being members of Hamas.
Since its initial bombardment, the Israeli military has killed more than 200 journalists and media professionals, including several Al Jazeera journalists and their families.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the international community to protect him on Thursday and stated that it was “deeply alarmed” by Adraee’s threats against al-Sharif.
The Israeli military has targeted Al-Sharif before, but the danger to his life is now serious, according to CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah in a statement.
In Gaza, Israel has since murdered at least six Al Jazeera journalists. These most recent, unsubstantiated accusations are part of an effort to get Al-Sharif’s permission to murder.
Al Jazeera Media Network claimed in a statement that it was “fully responsible” for the security of its staff in Israel. Additionally, it demanded that all journalists in Gaza be protected by international organizations and governments.
The network claimed that Al Jazeera’s journalists are now even more burdened by Israel’s continued obstructing international journalists’ access to Gaza.
After scoring a stunning 38th century as England fought off India to claim the series-clinching victory, Joe Root moved up to second place on the all-time list of Test run-scorers.
On Friday, the third day of the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Ben Stokes’ team, who were 2-1 up in the five-game series, were 544-7 at stumps, 186 runs ahead of the toiling visitors in the first innings.
Root scored an incredible 150, with only Sachin Tendulkar, a veteran of the Indian Test series, who has made more than the 13-year-old Englishman’s record of 409 in the last 30 years.
Before being dismissed by Washington Sundar, who also removed Harry Brook cheaply, gave India another chance, Ollie Pope (71) put on 144 for the third wicket with Root.
However, England regained the initiative after skipper Stokes, who ended the day 77 not out after briefly retiring hurt and cramping.
And it was Stokes who had the biggest celebration at the other end when Root, his previous England captain, defeated Australian Ricky Ponting by one run to lead the field in runs.
As the Manchester crowd chanted and applauded the Yorkshireman’s name on Sky Sports, Ponting, the former Australia captain, declared, “Magnificent from Root, this is a great moment in history.”
There is no reason for him to leave Tendulkar, according to the statement made by the man.
Root ranks fourth on the list of the Test century’s most scorers alongside Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara in the 38th test century.
Former England captain Michael Atherton described him as having the honor of watching him achieve those milestones on Sky. It’s also been a pleasure to watch his career grow.
Joe Root of England at Old Trafford [Ed Sykes/Reuters]
Because he was undergoing cramp treatment, Root did not attend the post-play press conference.
Instead, England vice-captain Pope responded, “Just his hunger and his drive, you look at all the batters here, and everyone has picked up something from Joe,” when asked what he admired most about his fellow top-order batsman.
The 27-year-old added, “His hunger for it is awesome. He’s a terrible example of a bad bloke, and his interactions with fans and role models for the next generation are awesome.
There is a lot to learn from him, he says.
Root’s most recent century was a failure for India’s attack, with Morne Morkel, a former South Africa quick, saying: “There aren’t many weaknesses in his game. That’s why he’s scored 13, 000 plus runs. “
Following a blistering opening partnership of 166 in 32 overs between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett on day two, with Pope 20 not out and Root on 11, England returned to the match with a 225-2 lead.
Mohammed Siraj missed an intended glance as the former England captain walked a long distance across his stumps on 21.
After Ahsan Raza decided in Root’s favor, India was given a lbw rating, which indicated the ball would have missed the leg stump despite replays supporting the Pakistani umpire’s decision.
Another terrifying occurred when Root, age 22, was about to run out but Ravindra Jadeja’s shy at the stumps missed.
Root, who finished fifth in the Test match’s list of leading run-scorers, then surpassed Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid in third place.
However, Spin eventually paid off for India when pace had plateaued, with both Jasprit Bumrah and Siraj appearing worn out in the absence of Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was also hurt.
When Pope’s off-spinner Sundar’s drifted front-foot drive to KL Rahul at slip was beaten to add one more run to his lunchtime score of 70.
When Dhruv Jurel, who was playing for injured India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, stumped off Sundar and made it 349-4, England were soon leading by 349-4.
However, Stokes’ first fifty of the series kept the left-handed batsman in good touch until he gave in to cramp in his left leg.
Root threw a four-run ball to debutant paceman Anshul Kamboj, who was ineffective in 178 balls.
He calmly climbed to 150 before being crushed by a sharp stumping from left-arm spinner Jadeja, who bounced sharply.
England were still in good position at 528-7 when Chris Woakes was bowled by a Siraj ball that kept low, which was a worrying sign for India’s batsmen.
Stokes, who is undoubtedly England’s best bowler this series, was given the opportunity to re-examine his innings after he had already done so with a well-timed cover drive off Bumrah.
As the Republican leader attempts to put his state at the forefront of President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has revealed that deportation flights have started to leave from a far-off place known as Alligator Alcatraz.
DeSantis cited his efforts as a model for other states attempting to collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as he addressed the site’s south Florida audience on Friday.
DeSantis informed reporters, “I’m pleased to report that DHS has begun those flights out of Alligator Alcatraz.”
“The reality is that this enables the mission to grow, boosting the deportations’ frequency and number. And so the work done here has been truly remarkable.
Garrett Ripa, a representative for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), confirmed that additional removal flights had already been conducted from the Alligator Alcatraz facility and that additional ones were planned.
According to him, “up to 100 people who were illegally present in the state of Florida” were on those flights.
On July 12, Rana Mourer waves a US flag in the style of the migrant detention facility known as Alligator Alcatraz.
distributing resources
Last November, President Trump campaigned for re-election with the assurance that his deportation operation would be the largest in American history.
However, critics have suggested that his ambitions may outweigh the government’s available detention space and resources given that there are more than 11 million undocumented people believed to reside in the country.
The Trump administration has since requested assistance from foreign governments as well as additional resources from state and local authorities.
He has also deployed the military to assist with immigration enforcement operations, which have traditionally been outside his purview.
Deputizing state and local leaders through Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act has been a part of Trump’s toolkit.
Section 287(g) opens a gap that allows ICE to enter written agreements with state and local authorities to carry out specific immigration-related tasks despite the fact that the federal government is solely in charge of enforcement.
Larry Keefe, the head of Florida’s newly established State Board of Immigration Enforcement, claimed his team had already profited from these arrangements when he spoke with DeSantis on Friday.
More than 1,200 Florida sheriff’s deputies, over 650 FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] agents, and other state and local law enforcement agencies have been given credentials by the federal government, according to Keefe.
“Our ability and capability to carry out arrests has more than doubled.”
Florida is in the lead.
However, Florida has been experimenting with its own abilities to stop illegal immigration within its state lines.
For instance, earlier this year, Florida’s Republican-led administration passed a law known as SB 4-C (PDF), which imposes severe criminal penalties on adult undocumented immigrants who knowingly enter the state.
However, federal courts issued an injunction to stop the law from being implemented on the grounds that it violates the federal government’s legal authority in all matters relating to immigration.
President Trump has welcomed the aggressive immigration policies in Florida, his adopted state, where he maintains his Mar-a-Lago residence and golf courses.
He visited Alligator Alcatraz earlier this month, applauding its quick construction, and took a tour. Trump once said, “This is what you need.” “Many bodyguards and many cops acting like alligators”
With reports of poor conditions inside Alligator Alcatraz, critics have labeled the facility as a cruel exercise. Some immigrants claim to have been kept in fenced-in units with no lights and had to deal with floodwater, poor sanitation, clogged toilets, and mosquito-eating clouds.
The facility’s location in the middle of the Everglades wetlands, a delicate ecosystem prone to seasonal flooding, has drawn criticism from environmental groups and indigenous Seminole and Miccosukee tribe residents.
using an outdated airport
Alligator Alcatraz, which was constructed over the course of eight days in June, is situated in Ochopee, Florida, near the site of the former Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.
Plans to use the facility for deportation flights have benefited from that arrangement, DeSantis said on Friday. He compared the ease with which immigrants were transferring from their detention cells to airplanes.
Because you have this runway right here, DeSantis explained, one of the reasons this was a sensible location.
You are not required to travel to an airport for an hour. They can be on a plane and leave from here if you fly a few thousand feet.
He added that the site already has runway lighting and 18, 927 gallons of jet fuel, or 5, 000 gallons, of course. He anticipates that will encourage an increase in deportation flights in the upcoming weeks.
DeSantis claimed that “the cadence is growing.” In the past few days, we’ve already had a number of flights.
According to Florida officials, Alligator Alcatraz has a capacity of up to 3, 000 people and is named for a forbidding island prison that closed in the San Francisco Bay in the 1960s.
DeSantis has long envisioned Florida as the “blueprint” for Republican leadership in the US, and he launched a run-in with Trump in 2023.
Increasing the flow
DeSantis briefly criticized Trump’s mass-deportation plans in his remarks on Friday, blaming the Alligator Alcatraz system’s effectiveness.
He claimed that “ICE has been understaffed and is not even scratching the surface of what would need to be done” to bring about the largest mass deportation in history.
You must therefore speed up that tempo. You have only a short amount of time to complete it. To truly accomplish the job, I believe we must assume that the Trump administration has four years to complete the task.
DeSantis also brushed aside concerns that the isolated facility prevents immigrants from seeking legal counsel and hearing their legal arguments in court.
He mentioned his intention to install immigration judges there. He questioned whether undocumented people should enjoy the same level of legal protection as US citizens and immigrants.
DeSantis remarked, “To me, it’s like there’s a whole lot of due process that goes into that” compared to a traditional criminal procedure.
After deadly cross-border clashes with Cambodia forced over 130 000 civilians to flee, Thailand has declared martial law in eight districts. Since Thursday’s clashes involving a territorial dispute erupted, at least 16 people have died. Tony Cheng of Al Jazeera reports from northeast Thailand.
