The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened nationwide action against telecommunications companies over a recent 50% tariff increase, setting up a major confrontation between labor unions and telecom operators.

The dispute centers on the telecommunications companies' implementation of a 50% price hike on February 11, despite ongoing negotiations with the government. The NLC claims this increase violates a previous agreement with the Federal Government and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Planned Labor Actions

The NLC has announced a two-phase response:

1. Immediate Action (February 13-28, 2025):

   - Daily service boycott of MTN, AIRTEL, and GLO between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM

   - Call for suspension of data purchases from these providers

2. Escalation (March 1, 2025):

   - Threatened complete shutdown of telecom operations nationwide if companies don't revert to previous tariffs

The labor organization's Central Working Committee, meeting in Lokoja, has directed state councils and affiliated unions to begin mobilizing members and the public for these actions.

Telecom Industry Response

Telecommunications operators have pushed back against the NLC's threats, warning that any attempt to shut down their operations would constitute a treasonable felony due to potential national security implications. The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria (ALTON) defended the price adjustment as necessary, citing:

- Rising operational costs

- Unsustainable current pricing

- Need for infrastructure investment

- Economic factors including currency flotation

ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo emphasized that "telecommunications cannot be used as a subsidy for economic hardship in other sectors" and warned that maintaining artificially low prices could lead to service deterioration and industry collapse.

Regulatory Oversight

The National Association of Telecom Subscribers in Nigeria (NATCOMS) has criticized the NCC's handling of the situation. NATCOMS President Deolu Ogubanjo called for immediate sanctions against operators who implemented the price increase while stakeholder discussions were still pending.

Background

The dispute emerged from a recent meeting between the Federal Government and NLC, where a 10-member committee was formed to evaluate the proposed tariff increase. The committee's two-week deliberation period had not concluded when telecommunications companies implemented the price hike.

The confrontation highlights broader tensions in Nigeria's telecommunications sector as operators attempt to balance service sustainability with affordability amid challenging economic conditions.

Nigeria’s national power grid suffered a system collapse on Wednesday morning, plunging many parts of the country into darkness.

Reports indicate that the grid lost power shortly after 11 a.m., leading to widespread outages. Sources within power generation companies confirmed a general disturbance in the grid, causing a major drop in electricity supply.

According to data reviewed by our correspondent, the grid’s power generation stood at 4,064 megawatts at 11 a.m. but dropped sharply to 1,203MW by noon before completely shutting down to 0.00MW at 1 p.m. Most power plants connected to the grid lost generation capacity during the incident.

This marks the first nationwide grid collapse of 2025, following a line tripping incident in January. In 2024, the grid collapsed 12 times, and over the past decade, it has failed more than 100 times.

Confirming the outage, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) addressed customers via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

“Dear Valued Customer, we regret to inform you that a system disturbance occurred on the national grid at 11:34 a.m. today, causing a power outage across our franchise areas. While gradual restoration of power supply has commenced, please be assured that we are working closely with relevant stakeholders to fully restore electricity as soon as the grid is stabilized. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to serve you better,” the statement read.

Oil prices settled down more than 2% on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump took the first big step toward diplomacy over the war in Ukraine he has promised to end, a war that has supported oil prices on concerns about global supplies.

Brent futures settled down $1.82, or 2.36%, at $75.18 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled down $1.95, or 2.66%, to $71.37.

U.S. crude futures fell more than $2 at their session low. The declines follow three days of gains, during which Brent climbed 3.6% and WTI rose 3.7%.

U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war in Ukraine in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

"Trump doing peace talks, I think that has taken some of the risk premium out of oil prices right now," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with Price Futures Group.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump said he and Putin had "agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskiy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now."

Zelenskiy's office said Trump and Zelenskiy had spoken by phone for about an hour.

Investors also tried to gauge the Federal Reserve's next moves on cutting interest rates following comments on Tuesday by Fed Chair Jerome Powell and after data on Wednesday showed U.S. consumer prices increased more than expected in January.

"The combination of higher inflation and the possibility of peace (in Ukraine) is causing a bit of a sell off in the market at the moment," said Price Futures Group's Flynn.

Powell said the economy is in a good place and the Fed is not rushing to cut rates further, but is prepared to do so if inflation drops or the job market weakens.

Consumer price data released by the U.S. Labor Department showed surprisingly strong U.S. inflation in January, stoking fears that a heating economy and looming tariffs could undercut hopes for rate cuts. Higher rates can slow economic activity and dampen demand for oil.

"The inflation numbers came in hot, reducing the chances of the Fed cutting rates from September to December," said Price Futures Group's Flynn.

U.S. crude oil stocks posted a larger-than-expected build last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday. Gasoline inventories meanwhile posted a surprise draw while distillate stocks posted a surprise build. Elsewhere, Russia may be forced to throttle back its oil output in the coming months as U.S. sanctions hamper its access to tankers to sail to Asia and Ukrainian drone attacks hobble its refineries.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in a monthly report that global oil demand will rise by 1.45 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025 and by 1.43 million bpd in 2026. Both forecasts were unchanged from last month.

The EIA increased its estimate for U.S. crude production while leaving its demand forecast unchanged. It now expects U.S. crude oil output to average 13.59 million bpd in 2025, up from its previous estimate of 13.55 million bpd.

The Trump administration named Kathleen Sgamma, a vocal oil and gas advocate for Western states, to head up the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management, which manages the use of the country's nearly 250 million acres of public lands.

Reuters

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that approximately 14 million Nigerians are estimated to be involved in the abuse of harmful substances. This alarming statistic was shared by Yetunde Joyifous, Deputy Commander of the NDLEA, during an awareness program organized by the Oijefon Youth Council for secondary school students in Ile Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Wednesday.

Joyifous emphasized that tackling the issue of drug abuse requires a collective effort from all members of the community. She highlighted that the most commonly abused substances are chemical drugs, which have detrimental effects on the mental health of users.

“The only way to address this growing problem is to involve all stakeholders in the community and encourage them to collaborate with authorities in the fight against this dangerous trend,” she stated.

She also pointed out that secondary school students are particularly vulnerable to drug abuse and called for increased efforts to safeguard them from its harmful effects.

Adedokun Adeyonu, President of the Oijefon Youth Council, explained that the program was designed to educate and discourage young people from engaging in drug abuse. He defined drug abuse as the use of harmful substances, such as alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs, in ways that damage both physical and mental health.

Adeyonu identified curiosity, peer pressure, and the desire to escape life’s challenges as key factors driving drug use among young people. He also noted that exposure to certain movies and music could contribute to the normalization of drug abuse.

The event was attended by secondary school students from Ile Oluji and representatives from the National Orientation Agency (NOA), underscoring the importance of community-wide initiatives to combat this pressing issue.

Israel calls up reservists as fears for fragile Gaza ceasefire rise

Israel has called up military reservists to brace for a possible re-eruption of war in Gaza if Hamas fails to meet a Saturday deadline to free further Israeli hostages and a nearly month-old ceasefire unravels.

Concern that the truce will collapse is growing as fury mounts in the Arab world over President Donald Trump's plan for the United States to take over Gaza, resettle its Palestinian inhabitants and build an international beach resort.

Hamas said Egypt and Qatar, which with U.S. support mediated the ceasefire deal that took effect on January 19, had stepped up efforts to break the impasse and the Palestinian militant group's Gaza chief, Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo for talks.

Hamas agreed under the deal to free three more hostages on Saturday but said this week that it was suspending the handover over what it said were Israeli violations of the terms.

Trump responded by saying all hostages must be freed by noon on Saturday or he would "let hell break out".

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the truce was meant to bring about a swift release of hostages held in harsh conditions in Gaza. "If Hamas stops the hostage releases then there is no ceasefire and there is war," he said in remarks at Israeli defence headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Katz added that "the new Gaza war" will be of another intensity altogether and "allow the realisation of Trump's vision for Gaza".

"Hamas ... will not accept the language of American and Israeli threats," Hamas spokesperson Hazaem Qassem said in a statement. "Contacts are underway with mediator countries to conclude the implementation of the ceasefire deal."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday Israel would resume "intense fighting" if Hamas did not meet the deadline, but did not say how many hostages should be freed.

Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to gather forces in and around Gaza, and the military announced it was deploying additional forces to Israel's south, near Gaza, including mobilising reservists.

Trump, in a White House meeting with Jordan's King Abdullah on Tuesday, asked him to ensure Hamas understood the "severity of the situation" if hostages were not freed by Saturday, the White House said on Wednesday.

SHATTERING WAR

The standoff threatens to reignite a conflict that has devastated the Gaza Strip, internally displaced most of its people, caused shortages of food and running water, and driven the Middle East to the brink of a wider regional war.

Gazans expressed alarm that the ceasefire might collapse and urged Hamas and Israeli leaders to agree on an extension.

"We had barely started believing that a truce would happen and that a solution was on the way, God willing," said Lotfy Abu Taha, a resident of Rafah in southern Gaza. "The people are suffering. The people are the victims."

The armed wing of Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, which is also holding Israeli hostages, warned that their fate was tied to Netanyahu's actions.

"The only way to retrieve hostages and for stability to come back is through a (hostage-prisoner) swap deal," its spokesperson said on Telegram.

In a further sign of Arab anger over Trump's vision of Gaza, two Egyptian security sources said President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi would not go to Washington for talks if the agenda included Trump's plan to displace Palestinians.

The date for such a visit has not been announced, and the Egyptian presidency and foreign ministry did not comment.

SOME HOSTAGES ALREADY FREED

The Gaza war was triggered by the lightning Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which at least 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken as hostages into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.

In response, Israel began an air and ground war against Hamas which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in small, densely populated Gaza, according to Gaza health officials.

Hamas has freed 16 Israeli hostages from an initial group of 33 children, women and older men to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in the first stage of the ceasefire deal. It also returned five Thai hostages.

Negotiators hope a second phase of ceasefire talks will secure agreement on releasing the remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza.

Palestinians fear a repeat of the "Nakba", or catastrophe, when nearly 800,000 people fled or were driven out of Palestine during the 1948 war that led to Israel's creation. Israel denies the account that they were forced out. Trump has said they would have no right to return under his plan for Gaza.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Trump says Putin and Zelenskiy want peace; phone calls kick off talks to end Ukraine war

Donald Trump said both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed a desire for peace in separate phone calls with him on Wednesday, and Trump ordered top U.S. officials to begin talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

The conversations came after Trump's defense secretary earlier said Kyiv would have to give up its long-held goals of joining the NATO military alliance and regaining all of its territory seized by Russia, signaling a dramatic shift in Washington's approach to the conflict.

After speaking with Putin for more than an hour, Trump said the Russian leader, who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, wants the war to end and they discussed "getting a ceasefire in the not-too-distant future."

"He wants it to end. He doesn't want to end it and then go back to fighting six months later," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

"I think we're on the way to getting peace. I think President Putin wants peace, President Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace. I just want to see people stop getting killed," he added.

Trump has long said he would quickly end the war in Ukraine, without spelling out exactly how he would accomplish this.

The Kremlin earlier said Putin and Trump had agreed to meet, and Putin had invited Trump to visit Moscow. Trump said their first meeting would "probably" take place soon in Saudi Arabia.

In a post on his social media platform, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations on ending the war.

Trump and Zelenskiy spoke after Trump's call with Putin, and Zelenskiy's office said the conversation lasted for about an hour.

"I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and Ukraine's technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced industries," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

No Ukraine peace talks have been held since the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary. Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, oversaw billions of dollars of military and other aid to Kyiv and had no direct contact with Putin after Russia's invasion.

Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine and has demanded Kyiv cede more territory and be rendered permanently neutral under any peace deal.

Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and says it must receive NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again.

European powers, including Britain, France and Germany, said on Wednesday they had to be part of any future negotiations on the fate of Ukraine, underscoring that only a fair accord with security guarantees would ensure lasting peace. They said they were ready to enhance support for Ukraine and put it in a position of strength.

'ILLUSIONARY GOAL'

Earlier on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered the new administration's bluntest statement so far on its approach to the war, saying Kyiv could not realistically hope to return to previous borders or join NATO.

"We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," Hegseth told a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. "Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering."

Russia in 2014 annexed Crimea, which Ukraine and many Western countries consider to be occupied Ukrainian territory.

Hegseth said any durable peace must include "robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again". But he said U.S. troops would not be deployed to Ukraine as part of such guarantees.

Zelenskiy, hoping to keep Trump interested in continuing to support his country, has lately proposed a deal under which the United States would invest in minerals in Ukraine.

Trump's Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in Kyiv on Wednesday on the first visit by a member of Trump's cabinet, said such a mineral deal could serve as a "security shield" for Ukraine after the war.

Trump also said Rubio and Vice President JD Vance will hold talks about the war on Friday in Munich, where Ukrainian officials were expected to attend an annual security conference.

The new diplomacy followed a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap that got under way on Tuesday, which the Kremlin said could help build trust between the two countries.

Russia on Tuesday freed American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who was serving a 14-year sentence in a Russian prison, in exchange for a Russian cybercrime boss imprisoned in the U.S., according to a official.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Moscow confirms massive strike on Ukrainian military plants

Russia has launched a major missile strike on Ukrainian military drone production plants, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

In a statement on Wednesday, the ministry confirmed that Russian forces had carried out a “group missile strike on workshops of Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises producing unmanned aerial vehicles and FPV drones.”

“The goals of the strikes have been accomplished, all designated facilities have been hit,” officials added.

According to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, the wave of strikes resulted in one death, four injuries and infrastructure damage.

Ukraine’s air force said that Kiev, Sumy, Poltava, and Chernigov regions, as well as the city of Krivoy Rog, were affected by the strikes. It noted that the attack involved Iskander-M ballistic missiles and more than 120 drones, and claimed that Ukrainian forces shot down six Iskanders and 71 UAVs.

According to media reports, Kiev was one of the hardest-hit cities. Russian Telegram channels cited eyewitnesses reporting a 16 explosions across the city. Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko reported fires in several districts, including one in the industrial zone in the northern part of the capital.

Officials in Chernigov Region reported a drone strike on critical infrastructure, resulting in two injuries and a fire.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Security Council, also weighed in on the strikes, mocking Zelensky’s claim that Kiev’s large-scale incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region sought to achieve “peace through strength.”

“Peace through strength, you say? Sometimes this concept really works. For example, when it showcases the real, not the imaginary balance of power. Like today in Kiev, after our missile and UAV strikes,” he said.

However, Medvedev voiced doubts that the latest attack would be able to “clear the minds of those illegitimate buffoons” who he said “talk nonsense on camera about exchanging territories. For such people, the only way to heal is to feel Russian again.”

Earlier this week, Zelensky signaled that he intends to use the areas Ukraine has occupied in Russia’s Kursk Region as leverage in possible negotiations with Moscow to return some of the territory claimed by Kiev.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has dismissed the idea out of hand, saying that “Neonazis rampaging in Kursk Region will receive land without any swap, measured a meter wide, two long, and roughly a meter and a half deep.” 

Reuters/RT

Aditi Shrikant

Jim Guinn has gotten out of 38 speeding tickets. What’s his trick? He can get along with anyone.

At least that’s the central claim of his upcoming book, “How to Get Along with Anyone: The Playbook for Predicting and Preventing Conflict at Work and at Home,” which he co-authored with John Eliot.

Guinn is the president of the Resolution Resource Group, a company that coaches other companies on how to solve conflict, and Eliot mentors professional sports teams and athletes on how to improve performance.

A common mistake people make when trying to solve a problem with a co-worker or family member is “they try to fix what they believe to be the root issue without assessing what that person’s conflict personality style is,” Guinn told CNBC Make It.

“We try to jump in and we try to fix it to get if off our plate, but we are resolving superficial issues that aren’t really the true trigger [of the conflict],” he says.

There are five conflict personality styles the two outline in their book: avoider, competitor, analyzer, collaborator, accommodator.

Here’s how to best negotiate with each one, according to Guinn and Eliot.

Avoider

This person is uninterested in minor details and does best working alone. “They view most conflict as an extraneous distraction to their goals, smarter passed than getting caught up in,” Guinn and Eliot write in their book.

To negotiate with an avoider you should:

• Be time efficient. They hate pointless meetings and small talk
• Be persistent. They will probably ignore you at first
• Focus on the issue at hand and don’t bring in other details

Competitor

A competitor is always pushing the envelope and prone to taking risks. They often have the reputation of being aggressive, but their urgency comes from a place of wanting to solve problems completely and quickly.

To negotiate with a competitor you should:

• Adhere to deadlines
• Give them an early win during the interaction
• Follow through on what you say you’ll do

Analyzer

This person is evidence-based and methodical. They will patiently gather information before acting. They are usually OK with compromise and expect you to be the same.

“Once they feel that they’ve exhaustively considered all viewpoints and have arrived at a decision, they can get attached to it,” Guinn and Eliot write.

To negotiate with an analyzer you should:

• Show them you are willing to be flexible
• Not flake on meetings
• Not rush their thinking process, but try to be part of it

Collaborator

A collaborator prides themselves on being a relationship manager. They are observant, emotionally astute, and empathetic. But they often aren’t direct about what they want.

“Their desire to dig into others’ thoughts, feelings, and perspectives can be off-putting or prompt others to put up defenses,” Guinn and Eliot write. “Collaborators will work hard to make things personal to get you to let your guard down.”

To negotiate with a collaborator you should:

• Validate their need to be part of the group
• Steer the conversation back to them, as they often try to redirect discussions to other people’s desires.
• Don’t be “all business.” They gravitate toward solving “people” problems

Accommodator

An accommodator prioritizes the achievements and well-being of those they care about over their own. They are great at empowering their teammates but are triggered when they feel underappreciated.

“Accommodators are talented at sustaining their rationality when disgruntled, frustrated, tired, and so forth,” Guinn and Eliot write.

To negotiate with an accommodator you should:

• Demonstrate that you’re reliable
• Stick to the plan they are anticipating
• Don’t take them for granted

Figuring out which conflict style your boss, colleague or partner has can help you predict their behavior.

Guinn says his quick read of a cop has saved him hundreds of dollars.

“If the cop gets out [of their car] very quickly and walks up to your window, we know we’re dealing with a competitor or a collaborator,” he says.

If the former, be direct. Apologize, but don’t make small talk. If you sense the cop is a collaborator, take the opposite approach. Ask how their day has been and chit chat.

“If they sit in their car for a long time and they’re checking your registration, license and making you wait, they are probably either an avoider or they are an analyzer,” he says. “Most likely you won’t have a traffic cop who is an accommodator.”

An avoider you treat the same as a competitor — just get to the point. And you’ll want to give as much information as possible to an analyzer.

Guinn stresses these strategies aren’t foolproof and work best with people you see more often.

Getting out of a speeding ticket, though, is a “fun little bonus,” he says.

CNBC

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has temporarily suspended its recently announced 4% levy on import values, seeking more time for stakeholder consultation.

The suspension, announced Tuesday by Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwasa, comes just days after the initial February 5 announcement of the Free-on-Board (FOB) value charge. The decision follows discussions with Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

According to Maiwasa, the timing coincides with the expiration of contracts with service providers, including Webb Fontaine, which were previously funded through the 1% Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS). "This presents an opportunity to review our revenue framework holistically," he explained.

The new charge structure stems from the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023, which aims to streamline previous funding arrangements. The Act consolidates funding streams to address operational inefficiencies and modernization needs, establishing a minimum 4% FOB value charge on imports.

Maiwasa highlighted the Act's focus on technological advancement, noting several digital initiatives already underway. These include the recently launched B'Odogwu clearance system, which has improved processing times and transparency. The legislation also authorizes various technological improvements such as:

- Single Window implementation

- Enhanced risk management systems

- Non-intrusive inspection equipment

- Electronic data exchange facilities

The suspension period will allow Customs to refine implementation strategies and engage more thoroughly with stakeholders before proceeding with the new levy structure.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the elimination of the three free monthly ATM withdrawals that customers previously enjoyed when using other banks' machines. The new policy takes effect March 1, 2025, as outlined in a circular dated February 10, 2025, signed by John S. Onojah, Acting Director of Financial Policy and Regulation Department.

Under the new guidelines, customers will pay fees for every withdrawal at other banks' ATMs. While transactions at your own bank's ATM remain free, withdrawals at other banks will incur the following charges:

- On-site ATMs (within bank premises): N100 per N20,000 withdrawal

- Off-site ATMs (outside bank premises): N100 per N20,000 withdrawal plus N500 surcharge

The CBN mandates that ATM operators must disclose any surcharges to customers before withdrawal. For international ATM transactions, fees will reflect the exact amount charged by international acquirers.

This policy change comes amid shifting trends in Nigerian banking. ATM usage has declined, with active machines dropping 3.82 percent from 17,377 in late 2023 to 16,714 in mid-2024. Meanwhile, Point of Sale (PoS) terminals have seen explosive growth, increasing 127.07 percent to reach 5.56 million terminals by the end of 2024.

The CBN cited rising operational costs and the need to improve ATM efficiency as key factors behind the policy change. The bank expects these new charges to encourage financial institutions to deploy more ATMs and implement appropriate fee structures for their services.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A new report from the Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank, alleges that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided millions of dollars in funding to organizations with ties to extremist groups.

According to the report published February 4, the think tank's multi-year study identified $164 million in approved grants to what it describes as radical organizations, with at least $122 million allegedly going to groups aligned with designated terrorist organizations and their supporters.

The report specifically highlights several cases, including:

- A reported $900,000 grant to Bayader Association for Environment and Development, a Gaza-based organization that the report claims operates in coordination with Hamas authorities.

- A $12.5 million grant approval to the American Near East Refugee Agency, which the report describes as a "long-standing partner" of Bayader.

- A $125,000 payment that allegedly reached the Islamic Relief Agency (ISRA) in 2015, despite ISRA being designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury in 2004.

The funds to ISRA were reportedly channeled through World Vision, an evangelical charity working on water access in Sudan. When contacted about the allegations, a World Vision representative stated that they suspended the grant upon learning of ISRA's potential banned status and emphasized their commitment to compliance with U.S. regulations.

Sam Westrop, director of the Middle East Forum's counter-extremism project, Islamist Watch, described the findings as "horrifying" in a social media post highlighting various examples from the report.

USAID, established in 1961 under President Kennedy, operates as an independent agency working closely with the State Department to manage civilian foreign aid. The agency's oversight of grant recipients and vetting procedures are likely to face increased scrutiny following these allegations.