INTERNACIONAL
State Department reveals plan to deliver ‘life-saving’ meals to 1.4M starving children
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FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. State Department and Secretary Marco Rubio punched back at claims that contracts providing Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs) have been halted and affirmed the agency will continue its commitment to «delivering critical humanitarian aid.»
«As USAID transitions under the State Department, our commitment to delivering critical humanitarian aid remains steadfast and aligned with America’s foreign policy priorities,» a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.
«We are proud to continue working with our local partners to deliver life-saving ready-to-use therapeutic food. Most recently, an additional $50 million in RUTFs was approved. This is enough to nourish over one million of the world’s most vulnerable children.»
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RUFTs’ contracts and operations were previously overseen by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). However, oversight now lies with the State Department after USAID merged into the agency in February, largely influenced by then-Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing to examine the president’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of State on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
RUTFs are pre-packaged, nutrient-rich, ready-to-eat meals that help prevent malnutrition, mainly in children. Some countries even refer to RUTFs as a form of medicine.
The State Department’s comments come after Secretary Rubio faced questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill in a May hearing, when Democratic Rep. Gabe Amo of Rhode Island confronted Rubio in a heated exchange, saying the agency was intentionally «freezing» RUTF aid to countries in need.
«You need to figure out why they’re not moving, because it isn’t an impediment for us,» Rubio fired back.
RUBIO SPEARHEADS MASSIVE STATE DEPT REORGANIZATION SET TO ELIMINATE, MERGE MORE THAN 300 OFFICES
Susan Schorr holds an anti-Elon Musk sign and an American flag in protest in front of the headquarters of the United States Agency for International Development on Feb. 3, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Amo responded, «No, you need to figure [that] out, sir,» and said that the secretary «refused to make» a commitment to ensuring effective RUTF distribution.
«We’re going to continue to do food aid,» Rubio answered. «We’re going to do more food aid than any other country on the planet, times 10.»
A source at the State Department revealed to Fox News Digital that key partnerships with non-profit RUTF producers, MANA and Edesia, have been active since March 2. Additionally, 1.4 million boxes of RUTFs were approved on May 26.
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Fox also obtained an internal document and action memorandum for Jeremy Lewin, a former DOGE employee now overseeing the transition of merging USAID with the State Department, from USAID’s Dianna Darney de Salcedo. The document called for urgent approval to move food commodities and RUFTs that were stored in warehouses to be shipped for use.
A worker removes the U.S. Agency for International Development sign from their headquarters on Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
The sensitive but unclassified document also revealed a request to approve a new Title II award, valued at $35 million, which sources say was several times less than initially estimated, to cover the costs of warehouses, shipping overseas, transporting inland, programming and distribution.
Fox News Digital spoke to MANA CEO Mark Moore, who outlined a detailed timeline of RUTF federal contract negotiations and the challenges the non-profit faced as USAID merged into the State Department at the beginning of 2025.
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At one point, before the State Department and the Trump administration proposed contracts in May, Moore told Fox News, «We’re all looking at June and July running out of these old contracts and saying we’re just going to have to close the doors.» He noted that «if this new order didn’t come out, we’d really be screwed going into the summer.»
«It is trending the right way, and we’re thrilled,» Moore added.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Gabe Amo and Edesia but did not receive a response.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News Digital covering breaking news. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston
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The U.S. military has completed its withdrawal of American forces from al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday.
The departure, finalized Feb. 11, was carried out as part of a broader shift in U.S. posture in the region under Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition mission launched in 2014 to combat ISIS.
American troops have maintained a limited presence in the country to support partner forces and prevent the terrorist group from resurging after it was territorially defeated in 2019.
Syria’s Defense Ministry said government forces took control of the al-Tanf base following the U.S. withdrawal and have begun deploying along the country’s borders with Iraq and Jordan, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency, the country’s state-run news outlet.
US MILITARY LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISIS TARGETS IN SYRIA, OFFICIALS SAY
U.S. military vehicles escort passenger buses transporting Islamic State detainees from northeastern Syria into Iraq, Feb. 8, 2026. (Str/Xinhua via Getty Images)
The ministry said the handover was coordinated with U.S. officials and that Syrian Arab Army units moved in to secure the base and surrounding areas in the tri-border desert region.
The development follows a Pentagon decision in April 2025 to scale back and consolidate U.S. forces in Syria.
Caroline Rose, director of the Crime-Conflict Nexus and Military Withdrawals portfolios at the New Lines Institute, told Fox News Digital that al-Tanf was one of the most strategically important U.S. garrisons in Syria, if not the broader Middle East, as it offered access, insight and intelligence collection along Syria’s borders with Jordan and Iraq.
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A satellite image shows the al-Tanf Base in Syria, July 20, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC/Reuters)
«This was not only pivotal during the U.S.-led Coalition to defeat the Islamic State, where there was a threat of cross-border offensives and violence, but also proved key to U.S. deterrence efforts against Iran-backed militia networks that operated in Iraq and Syria,» she said. «The U.S. pullout from Al-Tanf is a signal that Washington is now comfortable with where the counter-ISIS fight is and the defeat of Iran-aligned proxy networks in the region, along with Syrian security integration efforts with the [Syrian Democratic Forces].»
Rose added that the departure could be viewed as a setback for Jordan, which has long depended on the U.S. position at al-Tanf to deter adversarial actors in the region.
Despite the withdrawal, U.S. forces remain prepared to counter ISIS threats, CENTCOM said, noting that in the past two months, American forces have struck more than 100 targets in the region and captured or killed more than four dozen ISIS fighters.
Soldiers from the U.S.-led coalition walk with members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the countryside of Qamishli, northeastern Syria, Feb. 8, 2024. (Orhan Qereman/Reuters)
The change in posture comes just weeks after U.S. forces transferred 150 ISIS fighters from a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq.
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Officials indicated in late January that thousands more detainees could also be moved as part of the broader effort to maintain long-term security in the region.
A view of al-Hol camp, where families linked to the Islamic State group are being held, in Hasakah province, Syria, Jan. 21, 2026. (Izz Aldien Alqasem/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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Syria became the 90th member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, a U.S.-led alliance formed to coordinate international efforts against the extremist group, in November.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said Damascus — under interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa — is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps, following the 2024 ouster of Bashar al-Assad.
syria,military,isis,counter terrorism
El Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen se prepara para uno de los periodos de mayor movilidad aérea del año con motivo del Carnaval 2026. Entre el 13 y el 22 de febrero, la terminal proyecta movilizar más de 154 mil pasajeros adicionales, entre llegadas y salidas internacionales, en un contexto marcado por un crecimiento sostenido del tráfico aéreo.
Como referencia, durante 2025 Tocumen movilizó cerca de 21 millones de pasajeros, lo que equivale a un promedio estimado de más de 57 mil viajeros diarios. Para los días de Carnaval, las autoridades prevén picos que superarán ampliamente esa media, debido a la concentración de viajes en un periodo corto.
De acuerdo con las proyecciones oficiales, entre el viernes 13 y el domingo 15 de febrero se espera el ingreso de 84,061 personas al país, mientras que el miércoles 18 será el día de mayor retorno, con unas 10,920 llegadas. En paralelo, se calcula que 69,959 pasajeros saldrán del país durante estas fechas.
Las salidas tendrán su mayor presión operativa el viernes 13 y el sábado 14, con más de 9,000 viajeros diarios, reflejando la alta demanda hacia destinos como Miami, Bogotá, Orlando, Medellín y San José, entre los más solicitados durante el periodo festivo.
Ante este escenario, Tocumen activó un plan especial que contempla refuerzo de personal en migración, aduanas y seguridad, optimización de procesos operativos y coordinación permanente con aerolíneas y autoridades. Las compañías aéreas recomiendan a los pasajeros llegar con al menos tres horas de anticipación.
Además del movimiento internacional, se espera un incremento relevante en la terminal doméstica, especialmente en los vuelos hacia Chiriquí, operados por Copa Airlines.
En los últimos años, esta ruta ha registrado un auge durante Carnaval, impulsado por viajes familiares hacia las tierras altas y Boquete, que se han consolidado como destinos preferidos en estas fechas.
El crecimiento del tráfico interno refleja un cambio en los patrones de movilidad, con más panameños optando por vuelos cortos para aprovechar los días festivos fuera de la capital, lo que añade presión adicional a la operación aeroportuaria.
Las autoridades aeroportuarias recordaron a los usuarios la importancia de verificar su documentación, cumplir con las normas de equipaje y evitar objetos prohibidos, con el fin de reducir retrasos y contratiempos en los controles.
Con este volumen proyectado, Tocumen enfrenta una de sus mayores pruebas operativas del año, en un contexto donde el aeropuerto continúa consolidándose como uno de los principales hubs de conexión aérea de la región.
En paralelo al aumento del flujo de viajeros por Carnaval, el Ministerio de Obras Públicas (MOP) informó la suspensión temporal de trabajos viales en distintos puntos del país, con el objetivo de mantener las carreteras despejadas y reforzar la seguridad vial ante el incremento del tránsito.
La medida regirá desde las 6:00 p.m. del jueves 12 de febrero de 2026 hasta las 12:00 a.m. del jueves 19 de febrero de 2026, periodo en el que no se realizarán labores constructivas que impliquen ocupación de carriles en los tramos señalados por la entidad.
Entre las zonas comprendidas figura la Carretera Panamericana, desde La Espiga de La Chorrera hasta la frontera en Paso Canoas, y desde la intersección con el Corredor Sur hasta Las Garzas de Pacora. También se incluyen principales vías metropolitanas como la Vía Transístmica, Avenida Balboa, avenida José Agustín Arango, avenida José María Torrijos, avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro (Tumba Muerto) y avenida Israel.
El MOP indicó que supervisará que los proyectos mantengan la señalización correspondiente y las condiciones adecuadas de seguridad, conforme a la normativa vigente, para proteger a conductores y peatones durante estas fechas, y agradeció la comprensión y colaboración de la ciudadanía.
corresponsal:Desde Panamá
INTERNACIONAL
Obama-era greenhouse gas rules gone as EPA’s Zeldin signs ‘single largest deregulatory action’ in history
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FIRST ON FOX: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin on Thursday will eliminate the «2009 Obama EPA Endangerment Finding,» which set in motion most federal greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles, saving Americans billions.
The 2009 development was an EPA finding that carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and three other greenhouse gases «endanger the public health and welfare of current and future generations» under the Clean Air Act — leading to a slew of new restrictions and regulations.
An ensuing Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA found greenhouse gases qualify as air pollutants and that if the EPA determines they endanger public health or welfare it can regulate them.
«As I traveled across all 50 states this past year, I heard from countless Americans who not only dislike the (motor-vehicle) start-stop feature but passionately advocated for this mechanism to be a thing of the past,» Zeldin said of the major recission made Thursday.
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Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, House Speaker Mike Johnson and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin watch as President Donald Trump sign an executive order directing the military to purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants during a «Champion of Coal» event at the White House in Washington, Feb. 11, 2026. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
«Not only do many people find start-stop annoying, but it kills the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment. The Trump EPA is proudly fixing this stupid feature at Trump Speed.»
Zeldin said automakers shouldn’t be forced to adopt or be rewarded for using technologies that represent a «climate participation trophy» with no meaningful reduction in actual pollution.
The former New York lawmaker said consumer choice is a priority for his agency, and that his office will continue to advocate for «commonsense rules.»
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US Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added in a statement that resetting of mileage standards and removal of auto-starts and other greenhouse-gas-regulation-precipitated regulations are part of President Donald Trump’s vision to lower costs and revitalize manufacturing.
Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin visit an auto plant. (Dustin Franz/Getty Images)
All federal greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicles and engines subsequent to the 2009 declaration will be rescinded, a source familiar with the situation said.
When it comes to the start-stop off-cycle technology, a credit for it was created by the EPA in 2012 and quickly infuriated motorists who hear their engine click off then on again at a stoplight or in the teller line at the bank.
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The start-stop became a regulatory loophole allowing automakers to claim greenhouse gas credits without actually delivering empirical emission-reduction or human health benefits.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move to rescind the 2009 finding will «be the largest deregulatory action in American history, and it will save the American people $1.3 trillion in crushing regulations,» according to multiple reports.
However, the climate change field appears eager to litigate the new rule, as the nonprofit green-focused law firm Earthjustice signaled as much to PBS.
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«The Trump administration is abandoning its core responsibility to keep us safe from extreme weather and accelerating climate change,» Earthjustic president Abigail Dillen told the outlet.
«There is no way to reconcile EPA’s decision with the law, the science and the reality of disasters that are hitting us harder every year. Earthjustice and our partners will see the Trump administration in court.»
Some states, however, were not supportive of the news including Colorado, where Gov. Jared Polis said he «stands by (the) science» of the former EPA guidance.
«Protecting people’s health and making our air cleaner should never be a partisan issue,» Polis said in a statement.
«The science is clear that pollution from cars and trucks harms our air quality and puts families — especially kids, seniors, and those with health conditions — at greater risk. Rolling back long-standing protections creates uncertainty for consumers and businesses at a time when we should be investing in cleaner air, innovation, and energy diversity.»
«These investments aren’t just the right thing for our climate, it’s good business,» the Democrat concluded. «Clear, science-based standards give companies the certainty they need to invest and create jobs. Colorado will continue to stand behind science and protect the health and well-being of Coloradans.»
climate change environment,white house,environment regulation,carbon emissions,environment
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