Donald Trump is set to sanction the International Criminal Court in an executive order tonight, according to an official. He will also move to tackle what he describes as “anti-Christian bias” in the US. Listen to the latest episode of The World podcast below.
Thursday 6 February 2025 18:32, UK
Elon Musk and the Trump administration have agreed to shut down USAID, the world’s largest single donor to international aid programs, with thousands of staff being withdrawn as Musk says it is “beyond repair”.
The decision follows a wave of government cuts since Trump’s return to office last month.
On the Sky News Daily, our data and forensics correspondent Tom Cheshire speaks to Sky’s Africa correspondent Yousra Elbagir – reporting from Johannesburg – where the effects are already being felt, as sexual health clinics are closing and life-saving HIV drugs are no longer available.
You can also follow the podcast here, so you never miss an episode.
A Republican congressman has claimed the US should be added to a list of places to relocate Palestinians if Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza is to go ahead.
Tim Burchett told CNN he had no problem if Palestinians want to “assimilate and become Americans”.
“We have a pretty good record with Palestinians, at least in Tennessee, so I welcome them,” he said.
The congressman added there should be a “litmus test” for those wanting to enter the US.
For context: When announcing his plan for the US to “take over” Gaza, Trump reiterated his suggestion that Palestinians could be relocated to Egypt and Jordan.
It’s something that has been rejected by both countries and other Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia.
The US Department of Justice has sued Illinois and the city of Chicago, accusing them of impeding the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
The department is seeking to block state and local laws that “interfere with and discriminate against” the federal government’s enforcement of immigration law.
It comes as Donald Trump vowed to deport millions who he claimed are in the country illegally after declaring a national border emergency.
He will likely have to rely on cooperation with local law enforcement to aid that effort.
Pam Bondi, the newly-installed US attorney general, has issued a memo restricting sanctuary cities from accessing Justice Department funds.
Panama’s president says he will speak with Donald Trump tomorrow amid a continuing stand-off over the Panama Canal.
Jose Raul Mulino said the two leaders would speak tomorrow at 3.30pm local time (8.30pm UK time).
Trump has previously threatened to retake control of the canal, accusing Panama of charging excessive rates to use the trade passage and of handing control of it to China.
The US State Department claimed yesterday that Panama had agreed to stop charging fees for US government ships, though Mulino today criticised this as an “intolerable” falsehood (see 16.43 post).
The Panamanian president has already met with US secretary of state Marco Rubio and held a call with defence secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss the issue.
The US Treasury has announced it is imposing new sanctions on individuals and tankers helping to ship millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil to China each year.
It comes days after Donald Trump moved to restart the “maximum pressure” campaign against the country, with the White House specifically noting the treasury will move to “implement a campaign aimed at driving Iran’s oil exports to zero”.
In a statement, the treasury said oil was being shipped on behalf of the Iranian Armed Forces and through two front companies.
Individuals in China, India and the UAE are also targeted by the sanctions, as well as several ships.
The sanctions block access of the individuals and entities to any of their assets in America and prohibit US foreign assistance.
Treasury secretary Scott Bessent said Iran is “focused on leveraging its oil revenues to fund the development of its nuclear program” and support terrorist proxy groups in the region.
“The US is committed to aggressively targeting any attempt by Iran to secure funding for these malign activities.”
Donald Trump will sign an executive order today sanctioning the International Criminal Court, accusing it of improperly targeting the US and Israel, according to a copy of a fact sheet supporting the order seen by our US partner network NBC.
The order will place financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who assist in ICC investigations of US citizens or US allies.
Last November, the ICC sparked backlash in Washington by issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister and several Hamas leaders simultaneously.
The Trump administration order claims this created a “shameful moral equivalency”.
The authority in charge of the Panama Canal has denied a claim by the US that American ships would be able to cross the canal without paying fees.
The US State Department previously claimed the Panamanian government had agreed to halt crossing fees for American government vessels, in a move that would save millions of dollars a year.
But the autonomous canal authority has since hit back, saying it had not made any such adjustments to its tolls.
Panamanian President Raul Mulino criticised America’s claim as an “intolerable” falsehood at a news conference today.
Trump has previously accused Panama of charging excessive rates to use its trade passage and threatened to take back control of the crossing.
Donald Trump’s Gaza takeover plan has “pretty much united the global community” against the US president, our international correspondent Diana Magnay says.
Speaking to presenter Jayne Secker, Magnay describes Trump’s move as an “extraordinary way to be conducting policy”, adding it is something Trump has been laying the groundwork for.
“When USAID, the international development agency which Elon Musk seems to be closing down, Egypt and Israel were the exception,” she explained.
Despite the fact Egypt has publicly said it will not take Palestinian refugees, Magnay says Trump could be trying to twist its arm with military provisions in exchange.
Turning to the ceasefire in Gaza, Magnay says Hamas will “presumably double down”.
“The third stage is meant to see the removal of Israeli troops,” she adds.
“I cannot see that happening. If the Palestinians are going to be asked or perhaps forced to leave, then you have the same situation back on the ground.
“That is not the stability Trump was calling for in the region.”
Benjamin Netanyahu is still in Washington for meetings with US officials.
The Israeli prime minister became the first foreign leader to meet with Donald Trump during his second term when he arrived in the US capital this week.
He’s also had meetings with Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and defence secretary Pete Hegseth during his visit.
The image below shows Netanyahu after his meeting with congressional leaders today, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer.
Hamas has called for a summit of Arab countries after Donald Trump doubled down on his Gaza “takeover” proposal (see our 12.07pm post).
Spokesman Hazem Qassem called the plan “totally unacceptable” and insisted “Gaza is for its people and they will not leave”.
Qassem said Trump’s remarks “amount to an open declaration of intent to occupy the territory”.
“We call on the Arab people and international organisations to take strong action to reject the Trump project.”
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