Trump signs order to cut US drug prices

An executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on Monday mandates that pharmaceutical companies match the prices of prescription drugs in the US with those in other industrialized nations, according to Xinhua.

The directive instructs Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of health and human services, to establish a system that would enable Americans to buy drugs directly from producers at the best price available abroad, avoiding intermediaries.

 “We are going to pay the lowest price there is in the world,” Trump said. “Whoever is paying the lowest price, that’s the price that we’re going to get ”, Xinhua reported.

Targeting the significant pricing differential between the United States and other members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of primarily wealthy countries, is the goal of the action. Brand-name medications cost more than three times as much in the US as in those other nations.

 

Explosion of expired munitions in Indonesia kills 13

Thirteen people were killed in a blast during the disposal of expired military ammunition in West Java on Monday, according to army officials. The victims included nine civilians and four military personnel, Reuters reported.

According to military spokespersons, the explosion occurred when the disposal was being completed, and an investigation is ongoing. Officials are also investigating why civilians were permitted near the site, which is frequently used for such operations.

Locals regularly assemble nearby to gather scrap materials left over from detonations. To reduce future risk, the area has been evacuated, according to Reuters.

This is the second such occurrence in less than a year; a similar explosion occurred in March 2024 at a military depot outside Jakarta.

 

White South Africans land in US under Trump’s refugee push

A group of 59 white South Africans, mostly Afrikaners, landed in the United States after granted refugee status. The Trump administration accelerated their applications, citing fears about racial discrimination and violence, according to BBC.

The South African government responded, claiming that there was no evidence of such persecution. Human rights organizations also condemned the move, pointing out that refugee admissions for many other groups, including those from crisis zones, had been halted under current US immigration policy.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated that it was not involved in the vetting process, which is common in such circumstances, BBC reported.

The action has strained US-South African relations, with President Cyril Ramaphosa allegedly denying the assessment  in a call with President Trump.

Gaza health crisis worsens amid blockade, officials warn

Palestinian and UN officials warned Sunday of a worsening health crisis in Gaza as Israel's blockade continues. The Gaza health ministry claimed that 64 percent of medical supplies are depleted, with 43 percent of key medicines completely unavailable, according to Xinhua.

Hospitals are straining to manage an increasing number of critically ill individuals, while thousands of children await urgent surgery. Severe shortages of assistive devices and the inability to access treatment outside Gaza are worsening conditions for the disabled.

The Eye Hospital in Gaza warned of an imminent halt to surgeries due to lack of equipment. The UN said the ongoing blockade is causing irreversible harm, with thousands of aid trucks unable to enter, Xinhua reported.

Since March, over 2,700 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,500 injured. Food shortages forced the World Central Kitchen to cease operations, raising the risk of starvation, particularly among children.