News

Biden has come through his first foreign policy crisis | TICKER VIEWS

Published

5 years ago

May 24, 2021

Bruce Wolpe

By Bruce Wolpe. Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre and Ticker News US political contributor

Biden has officially handled his first foreign policy crisis – but what does this tell us?

President Biden successfully brought the war in Gaza to an end – at least for now. How did he do it? What does it mean for his foreign policy going forward?

First and foremost, the past two weeks showed us how much Bide’s deep expertise – decades of it in the Senate as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, and eight years as vice president under Barack Obama – and he brought it fully to bear on Gaza. He has seen war in Gaza before. He knew what to do. He knows the players. He knew how he wanted to get there.

Biden operates more inside than outside. He worked the phones – and not the UN. His language with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu was very measured – in public. It was much harder in private. And he ratcheted it up each day — from “Israel has a right to defend itself” to “De-escalate” to “Ceasefire” – to the point where, when the moment was ripe late last week, he said: “Ceasefire. Now”.

He will do more for Palestine but in the context of a press for a two-state solution to the conflict.

Biden stands with allies. In the Gaza crisis, He supported Israel. He worked with Egypt’s al-Sisi, and the Palestinian’ Authority’s Mahmoud Abbas. And those alliances paid off.

In his broader foreign policy agenda, Biden is going forward with a “New Realism”: the projection of American values — democracy, human rights — together with the US engaging with anyone in good faith to get done what can be achieved by reaching the best working relationship without compromising US values. So this will guide what happens with Russia and China and North Korea and Iran.

With Biden, Asia is at parity with US attention to Europe and the Middle East. The first two White House visitors were the leaders of Japan and South Korea.

Incidents of hate against Asian Americans have seen a shocking spike over the last year. It’s wrong — and it’s un-American.

To all those who are hurting: we see you and we are committed to stopping the hatred and bias.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 20, 2021

The top priorities are clear: Rebuild US alliances.

China: re-engage and demand clear rules for conduct in Asia. In fact, push back as needed – US allies alongside pushing with Biden.

Climate: make decisive progress possible.

Iran: a deal if it can be done.

Russia: Ukraine; cyber security; the fate of dissident Navalney.

North Korea: a deep effort to get Kim to roll back his nuclear arsenal.

What Biden accomplished last week showed us how he wants to advance US interests through his presidency.

News

Coalition cracks deepen as Nationals break ranks over Labor reforms

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

Published

23 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

A rift has emerged in the Coalition after three Nationals senators crossed the floor to vote against Labor’s post-Bondi hate group reforms, defying party lines and raising questions about their future in the shadow cabinet.

Their proposed amendment calling for greater scrutiny was rejected, and Labor’s legislation passed the Senate 38 votes to 22, cementing the reforms into law despite opposition pushback.

Coalition leadership will meet Wednesday to assess the political fallout, though some MPs consider the issue minor in terms of potential resignations. The incident highlights growing tensions within the party as internal discipline comes under pressure.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Ticker – https://www.youtube.com/@weareticker

#AustralianPolitics #Coalition #Nationals #Labor #Senate #PoliticalDrama #TickerNews #BreakingPolitics

News

Trump escalates Greenland rhetoric as Davos leaders push back on sovereignty

Trump claims U.S. alone can ensure Arctic peace, sparking backlash as Greenland’s sovereignty faces geopolitical tensions at Davos.

Published

23 hours ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Trump claims U.S. alone can ensure Arctic peace, sparking backlash as Greenland’s sovereignty faces geopolitical tensions at Davos.

President Trump has intensified his remarks over Greenland, claiming the U.S. is the only nation capable of ensuring peace in the Arctic, sparking sharp pushback from European leaders. His rhetoric, including hints at potential tariffs, comes as international attention turns to the strategic territory.

The debate has dominated discussions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Trump confirmed plans to meet regarding Greenland following a positive conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Meanwhile, Greenland’s leadership has warned that the territory must be ready for potential military scenarios.

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also weighed in from Davos, drawing a firm line on sovereignty, declaring Greenland’s independence non-negotiable. The unfolding standoff highlights rising geopolitical tensions in the Arctic, with global powers increasingly staking their claims.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Ticker – https://www.youtube.com/@UCiMroZIXuwlSh1r5wZdeU6Q
#Trump #Greenland #Geopolitics #Davos #WorldEconomicForum #NATO #GlobalPolitics #TickerNews

News

OpenAI prepares first consumer device amid revenue boom

OpenAI plans to launch a screenless smart speaker by late 2026, shifting focus to hardware amid significant revenue growth.

Published

2 days ago

January 20, 2026

Harvey Vargas

OpenAI plans to launch a screenless smart speaker by late 2026, shifting focus to hardware amid significant revenue growth.

OpenAI is gearing up to launch its first-ever consumer hardware device in late 2026. The product is expected to be a screenless smart speaker, signalling the tech giant’s move beyond software and into the world of physical devices.

The device comes after OpenAI acquired a promising hardware startup to accelerate development.

The company is also pushing a strategy to strengthen domestic manufacturing, working closely with U.S. manufacturers to secure efficient production of essential components.

Despite the progress, technical hurdles remain, especially around the device’s listening capabilities, which could delay the rollout.

This development comes on the heels of OpenAI reporting an annualised revenue of over $20 billion in 2025, representing a staggering 233% increase from the previous year. The combination of massive revenue growth and expansion into hardware marks a new era for the AI pioneer.

Subscribe to never miss an episode of Ticker – https://www.youtube.com/@weareticker

#OpenAI #SmartSpeaker #AIHardware #TechNews #Innovation #Manufacturing #AIRevenue #FutureTech