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☆ Trump loses hush-money 'presidential immunity' bid after claiming statements about Stormy Daniels were 'official acts'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA Manhattan judge on Wednesday rejected a "presidential immunity" bid by Donald Trump, saying the effort was too little and too late. Advertisement"He was also well aware that the defense of presidential immunity, even if unsuccessful, might be available to him," the judge wrote. A tweet Donald Trump had hoped to exclude from his hush money trial on grounds of "presidential immunity." Business InsiderTweets Donald Trump hoped to exclude from his hush money trial on grounds of "presidential immunity." The hush money trial remains on track for jury selection on April 15.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Michael Cohen, Michael, Susan Necheles, Todd Blanche, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Daniels, Bragg Organizations: Service, Business, GOP, US, Air Force, Manhattan, Attorney Locations: Manhattan

☆ Opinion: The dangers in leaving TikTok at Beijing’s disposal
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For many of the 170 million TikTok users in the United States, Wednesday’s vote in the House of Representatives to effectively ban the social media platform is worrisome. That’s just one reason why it’s laughable to hear China’s foreign ministry claim that the TikTok bill would disrupt market operations and undermine investor confidence. Most of the world’s most popular social media apps, incidentally, are banned in China unless they — or their user data — are locally based and thus easily overseen by the government. She has had multiple meetings with legislators and has spoken with Trump about protecting TikTok, according to the Washington Post. The government needs to develop oversight rules for all social media.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Donald Trump, TikTok, Shou Chew, “, Jack Ma —, Xiao Jianhua, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Trump, ” Trump, ”, Jeff Yass, Kellyanne Conway, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, ByteDance, Frida Ghitis CNN, Pew Research, Facebook, Oracle, National Intelligence, Rutgers University, Air Force One, Microsoft, Trump, Citizens United Locations: United States, Washington, Russia, TikTok, Beijing, That’s, China, Israel, Tibet, Hong Kong, USSR

☆ Trump clutches 'immunity' blanket again, seeks delay of NY hush money trial by claiming 'official acts' as president
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump wants a delay in his NY hush money trial until SCOTUS determines if he has blanket immunity. AdvertisementIn a remarkable, eleventh-hour request, lawyers for Donald Trump on Monday asked a judge to delay his New York hush money trial on presidential blanket-immunity grounds. A tweet Donald Trump hopes to exclude from his hush money trial on grounds of "presidential immunity." Business InsiderThree tweets Donald Trump hopes to exclude from his hush money trial on grounds of "presidential immunity." Trump is accused of falsifying 34 checks, invoices, and ledger entries to disguise the hush money payment as legal expenses.

Persons: Trump, SCOTUS, he's, Stormy Daniels, —, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan, Daniels, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Michael Cohen, Michael, Susan Necheles, Todd Blanche Organizations: Service, Monday, New, Trump v ., Manhattan, Attorney, Air Force, nation's, Trump Locations: York, Manhattan, Trump v, Trump v . United States, Washington

☆ Trump says without TikTok, 'Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Trump spoke out against a bipartisan bill that would ban TikTok. The former president said "Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business" without the app. While in office, Trump pushed TikTok to find a US buyer or face a ban. "If you get rid of TikTok, Facebook and Zuckerschmuck will double their business," Trump posted on his social platform Truth Social. Trump funded his own social platform in the meantime after being barred from both of Meta's platforms along with Twitter.

Persons: Trump, Zuckerschmuck, TikTok, —, Donald Trump, Zuckerberg Trump, Zuckerberg, Z's, Biden, Musk, Elon Musk Organizations: Facebook, Service, White House, Air Force, Trump, Meta, Twitter, Republican, TikTok, SpaceX, Cambridge, Tesla Facebook Locations: TikTok, United States, Palm Beach , Florida

☆ A State Court Ruling on I.V.F. Echoes Far Beyond Alabama
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Roni Caryn Rabin | Azeen Ghorayshi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos in test tubes should be considered children has sent shock waves through the world of reproductive medicine, casting doubt over fertility care for would-be parents in the state and raising complex legal questions with implications extending far beyond Alabama. On Tuesday, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said the ruling would cause “exactly the type of chaos that we expected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and paved the way for politicians to dictate some of the most personal decisions families can make.”Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as President Biden traveled to California, Ms. Jean-Pierre reiterated the Biden administration’s call for Congress to codify the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law. “As a reminder, this is the same state whose attorney general threatened to prosecute people who help women travel out of state to seek the care they need,” she said, referring to Alabama, which began enforcing a total abortion ban in June 2022.

Persons: Karine Jean, Pierre, Roe, Biden, Jean, Wade Organizations: White House, Air Force Locations: Alabama, California

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden told reporters Tuesday he has made a decision about the US response to the drone strike that killed three US service members and injured dozens in Jordan. Asked by CNN’s Arlette Saenz whether he has decided how to respond, Biden said, “Yes,” but declined to provide further details. Along with the three US Army soldiers who were killed, more than 40 other service members were injured in the drone attack. Biden had warned in a statement shortly after the drone attack that the US will respond in a “time and manner of our choosing” as he weighs how to deter future attacks without escalating the conflict. Biden said he holds Iran responsible for the attack, which CNN has reported was carried out by suspected Iranian proxy forces.

Persons: Joe Biden, CNN’s Arlette Saenz, Biden, “, ” Biden, ” John Kirby, Biden “, ” Kirby, Kirby, Sen, Lindsey Graham, ” Organizations: Washington CNN, Administration, Dover Air Force Base, National Security Council, Air Force One, US Army, US, CNN, Navy Locations: Jordan, Gaza, Israel, Florida, American, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Tehran

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan Senate deal to pair border enforcement measures and Ukraine aid faced potential collapse on Thursday as Senate Republicans grew increasingly wary of an election-year compromise that Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, seems likely to oppose. At stake is a plan that both President Joe Biden and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have worked for months to broker in hopes of cajoling Congress to approve wartime aid for Ukraine. “We’re at a critical moment, and we’ve got to drive hard to get this done," said South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the second-ranked Senate Republican. With Republicans continuously raise the issue on the campaign trail, the border will likely remain central to elections this year. They have argued that presidents already have enough authority to implement hardline border measures and Trump should have his say.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, “ We're, ” McConnell, Ukraine's, McConnell's, Oklahoma Sen, James Lankford, he’s, ” Lankford, “ That’s, haggling, Olivia Dalton, Biden, ” Dalton, “, we’ve, Dakota Sen, John Thune, we’ll, Trump, Connecticut Sen, Chris Murphy, didn’t, ” Murphy, ”, Sen, John Cornyn, Rick Scott, ” Sen, J.D, Vance, unquote ‘ MAGA, unquote ‘ MAGA Republicans ’, Mike Rounds, Kevin Freking, Seung Min Kim Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republicans, Republican, Trump, Senate, White, Air Force, Democratic, Senate Republicans, Texas Republican, Florida Republican, Ohio Republican, unquote ‘ MAGA Republicans, South Dakota Republican, Associated Press Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Mexico, The U.S, Israel, Oklahoma, Dakota, Europe, Congress, Connecticut, Trump, Texas, Florida, Ohio

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a state visit on April 10, with the goal of strengthening a critical alliance as the United States has sought to counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific region. John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, told reporters aboard Air Force One that the visit will include a formal state dinner. As president, Biden has visited Japan twice, most recently going to the city of Hiroshima last May for the Group of 7 summit among major industrialized nations. Kirby declined to say whether the government's review of that potential merger would be a subject at the state visit. He said that Biden and Kishida will likely discuss a range of issues in Asia, including how to improve cooperation with South Korea.

Persons: Joe Biden, Fumio Kishida, John Kirby, Biden, Kirby, Kishida Organizations: WASHINGTON, Japan's, White House, Air Force, Group, Japan's Nippon Steel, U.S . Steel Locations: United States, Japan, Hiroshima, Pittsburgh, Asia, South Korea

Washington CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday appeared to reject the idea of creating a Palestinian state, a statement that could contribute to growing tensions between Washington and Jerusalem. “This conflict is not about the absence of a (Palestinian) state but about the existence of a state, the Jewish state,” Netanyahu also said. American officials said Thursday they would not allow Netanyahu’s apparent rejection of an eventual Palestinian state to stop them from pressing the matter with their Israeli counterparts. “But they underscored that this can only come through a regional approach that includes a pathway to a Palestinian state,” Blinken said. And this is this is not a new comment by Prime Minister Netanyahu,” he said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Joe Biden, Biden, Netanyahu, ”, he’s, Israel, ” Biden, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, John Kirby, “ We’re Organizations: Washington CNN, Israeli, American, Israel, Biden, US National Security Council, Air Force Locations: Washington, Jerusalem, “, Israel, Jordan, Tel Aviv, Palestinian, Gaza

☆ Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released from hospital
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Oren Liebermann | Haley Britzky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday, according to the Pentagon, two weeks after he was admitted for complications following prostate cancer surgery. Austin will work remotely “for a period of time” before returning to the Pentagon, the Pentagon statement said. His discharge comes after Austin was hospitalized on January 1 for complications from a prostate cancer procedure in December. But a little over a week later on January 1, Austin began experiencing severe pain and was taken back to the hospital in an ambulance. “The Department of Defense is the most vital element of the United States government,” Reed and Wicker said.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Austin, ”, John Maddox, Gregory Chesnut, ” Austin, Biden, Joe Biden, “, John Kirby, Pat Ryder, Jake Sullivan, CQ Brown, Erik Kurilla, ” Ryder, Austin’s, Walter Reed, Dr, Oliver Sartor, Otis Brawley, Sen, Jack Reed, Member Sen, Roger Wicker, ” Reed, Wicker Organizations: CNN, US, Walter Reed National Military Medical, Pentagon, Trauma, Center, Prostate Disease, Murtha Cancer, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, House, Defense, National Security, Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff, US Central Command, Central Command, Cancer Disease, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Senate Armed Services, Member, Department of Defense, United, Department Locations: Iraq, Syria, Yemen, United States

☆ U.S. has failed the Palestinian people, officials say after vetoed UN vote for Gaza Strip cease-fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-11 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

(Photo by Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesPalestinian officials expressed resounding disappointment after the United States vetoed a United Nations resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza. Yuki Iwamura | AFP | Getty ImagesThe U.S. on Friday vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution that was backed by 13 Security Council members, while the United Kingdom abstained. The vote came about after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked Article 99 of the U.N. charter to coalesce the 15-nation council to address the crisis in the Gaza Strip. Mohammad Shtayyeh, prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, echoed the disappointment on Sunday, describing the result as "sad" and a "shame." The internationally recognized Palestinian Authority administered the Gaza enclave before the shock win of Hamas in the elections of 2006.

Persons: Majdi Fathi, United Kingdom Husam Zomlot, CNBC's Dan Murphy, White, John Kirby, Israel, Kirby, Antonio Guterres, Yuki Iwamura, Mohammad Shtayyeh, it's, that's, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Brendan Smialowski, Israel —, Robert Wood Organizations: Hamas, Getty, Nurphoto, United, Doha Forum, CNBC, Air Force, Reuters, UN, United Nations Security, AFP, Security, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Chatham House's, U.S ., Gaza, Palestinian, U.S, Afp, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Jaffa, Deir el, Gaza, Israel, United Nations, U.S, United Kingdom, Qatar, Lebanon, Washington, Lebanese, New York City, United, Vakil, Chatham, East North Africa, Doha, liaise, Tel Aviv, Palestine

☆ White House puts corporate 'price gouging' front and center: 'We see American families hurting'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Companies should pass those savings on to consumers," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One, en route to Colorado. "That's why taking on price gouging has been part of the President's economic agenda." But drawing a direct line from corporate pricing practices to how voters feel about the economy could prove challenging for the Biden White House. "Whether it's junk fees, whether it's price gouging, whether it's calling out big pharma, whether it's calling out big oil, we're going to continue to do that," Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. "Because of the price gouging, we see American families hurting," she said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Joe Biden's, Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden, Jean Organizations: Warehouse Union, Pacific Maritime Association, White, Companies, House Press, Air Force, Black, Biden White, Consumers Locations: Washington ,, Colorado

☆ Biden, Xi meet as US-China military, economic tensions grind on
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Biden and Xi arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday, where they were set to hold their meeting on the sidelines the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Xi and Biden are expected to meet far from the conference location at a vast estate miles outside of San Francisco carefully chosen for its security, serenity and remoteness. [1/2]U.S. President Joe Biden disembarks from Air Force One at San Francisco International Airport, as he arrives to attend the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 14, 2023. Xi, a decade Biden's junior, has tightened control over policy, state leaders, the media and military and changing the constitution. Biden is expected to tell Xi that U.S. commitments in the Indo-Pacific are unchanged.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Xi, Biden, China's, Mao, San Francisco, John Kirby, Joe Biden disembarks, Brittany Hosea, Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland, Michael Martina, Jeff Mason, Heather Timmons, Stephen Coates Organizations: FRANCISCO, Biden, Economic Cooperation, Communist Party, Air Force, San Francisco International Airport, APEC, REUTERS, Rights, Washington, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, South China, Israel, Ukraine, North Korea, San Francisco, Asia, United States, Northern California, San, San Francisco , California, U.S, Rights IRAN, Iran, Washington, China . U.S, China, Europe, Russia, Beijing, Taiwan Strait, East China, Philippines

☆ White House Says Militant Groups Operating Out of Gaza’s Hospitals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ken Thomas | William Mauldin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

President Biden was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon arrival on a visit to Israel in October. Photo: Avi Ohayon/Israel Gpo/Zuma PressThe White House said Tuesday that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad are using hospitals in Gaza, including Al-Shifa, for their operations but the U.S. remains opposed to Israel conducting airstrikes against the besieged hospital. John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One that Hamas and Islamic Jihad “use some hospitals in the Gaza Strip, including Al-Shifa and tunnels underneath them, to conceal and to support their military operations and to hold hostages.” Kirby’s comments represented the first time the U.S. has said that Hamas is operating out of the hospitals.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Avi Ohayon, John Kirby, ” Organizations: Israeli, Israel Gpo, Zuma, White, Al, National Security Council, Air Force One, Islamic, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S

☆ White House says it has evidence Hamas using Al Shifa hospital to run military actions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Trevor Hunnicutt | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke rises as displaced Palestinians take shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Doaa Rouqa Acquire Licensing RightsABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - The White House on Tuesday said it had its own intelligence that Hamas was using Gaza's largest hospital Al Shifa to run its military operations, and probably to store weapons, saying those actions constituted a war crime. He said those groups were also prepared to respond to Israeli military operations against that facility. Israeli forces have surrounded Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital, the biggest in the enclave, which they say sits atop an underground headquarters of Hamas militants. The fate of Al Shifa in particular has become a focus of international alarm, including from Israel's closest ally, the United States.

Persons: Doaa, Al Shifa, John Kirby, Biden, Kirby, Gaza's, Trevor Hunnicutt, Steve Holland, Andrea Shalal, Chris Reese, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, AIR FORCE, Air Force, Hamas, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Al Shifa, Israel, Gaza City, United States, Gaza, Beirut, Israel's

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Nov 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden said on Tuesday his goal during talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping this week is to resume normal communications between the two superpowers, including military-to-military contacts. Speaking to reporters at the White House before departing for San Francisco, Biden said he is trying to alter the U.S. relationship with China for the better, after a period of strained ties. Biden and Xi are to meet on Wednesday in the San Francisco area during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. It will be only the second in-person meeting between the two leaders since Biden took office in January 2021. But top Biden administration officials have since visited Beijing and met with their counterparts to rebuild communications and trust.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, John Kirby, Kirby, Gavin Newsom, Brittany Hosea, I'm, Nancy Pelosi, Andrea Shalal, Steve Holland, Trevor Hunnicutt, Grant McCool Organizations: AIR FORCE, White, San Francisco, Economic Cooperation, Air Force, White House, San Francisco International Airport, APEC, REUTERS, Biden, Thomson Locations: China, San Francisco, Asia, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, San Francisco , California, U.S, United States, Taiwan, Beijing

☆ White House says US sending smaller military packages to Ukraine due to Congress inaction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Joe Biden shake hands during the G7 leaders' summit in Hiroshima, Japan May 21, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The United States has begun sending smaller military aid packages to Ukraine in order to stretch out support given a stalemate in Congress over providing funding for Ukraine, the White House said on Friday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters the U.S. intention is to extend the ability to support Ukraine for as long as possible while Congress debates new aid. Reporting by Nandita Bose and Steve Holland Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Nandita Bose, Steve Holland, Chris Reese Organizations: Presidential Press Service, REUTERS, AIR FORCE, United, White, Thomson Locations: Hiroshima, Japan, United States, Ukraine

☆ Biden Administration Tries to Soften Blowback From Muslim Leaders in U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Sabrina Siddiqui | Tarini Parti | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

President Biden speaking with reporters during his return from Israel aboard Air Force One last week. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—The Biden administration is making public and private efforts to address concern from some Democrats, including Arab and Muslim leaders, over its staunch support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. President Biden met with Muslim-American leaders at the White House on Thursday, as his administration expressed more openness to backing a temporary pause in the conflict to get humanitarian aid into Gaza and renewed calls for a two-state solution.

Persons: Biden, Brendan Smialowski, WASHINGTON — Organizations: Air Force, Getty, WASHINGTON, Muslim, White Locations: Israel, AFP, Gaza

☆ Biden Arrives Back in U.S. After Visiting Israel, Reaching Gaza Aid Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

President Joe Biden landed in Washington early Thursday following a visit to Israel where he reaffirmed his support for the U.S. ally and spoke to leaders about delivering aid to the Gaza Strip. Biden secured agreements during the trip from Israel and Egypt to allow 20 truckloads of humanitarian aid through the southern Rafah crossing into Gaza, although it’s unclear when it will be delivered. He spent several hours in Israel, but aid talks in Jordan with regional leaders were canceled following the Gaza hospital explosion. “Israel has been badly victimized, but the truth is they have an opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go … it’s what they should do,” Biden told reporters aboard Air Force One as he was traveling back to Washington, D.C. Biden said his argument about humanitarian assistance for Gaza was, “If you have an opportunity to alleviate the pain, you should do it.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, ” Organizations: Air Force, Washington , D.C Locations: Washington, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Jordan, Washington ,

Israel and the U.S. said the cause was a failed rocket launch by anti-Israeli Palestinian militants in Gaza who denied responsibility. Amid fears the conflict could spread beyond Gaza, Biden had planned to meet Arab leaders. But Jordan called off his planned summit there with Egypt and the Palestinian Authority after the hospital blast. During Biden's visit, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel would let food, water and medicines reach southern Gaza via Egypt. En route to Washington, Biden told reporters he was blunt with Israel about the need to facilitate aid to Gaza.

Persons: Dilara, Lior Haiat, Joe Biden, Abdel Fattah El, Biden, Sisi, John Kirby, Jordan, Martin Griffiths, Rishi Sunak, Benjamin Netanyahu's, Israel, West Bank . Mark Negev, Netanyahu, that's, Nidal, Steve Holland, Cynthia Osterman, Howard Goller Organizations: Consulate, Hamas, REUTERS, Biden, Gaza UN, TEL, U.S ., Palestinian, Israel's Foreign Ministry, Palestinian West Bank, West Bank, Wednesday, Palestinian Authority, Security, House, British, United Nations, West Bank . Mark, CNN, Aboard Air Force, Thomson Locations: Israel, Istanbul, Turkey, Egypt, Gaza, TEL AVIV, GAZA, U.S, Ahli, Arabi, Israeli, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Ukraine, Rafah, Washington, United States, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem

☆ Middle East still in turmoil after Biden's Israel visit with Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —President Joe Biden left for home after seven hours in the Israeli war zone with an increasingly tense Middle East in worse shape than when he arrived. Still, given the huge political investment of American prestige and leverage involved in a sudden presidential trip, it’s fair to raise the question of what exactly Biden’s trip delivered. Biden’s speech to the Israeli people, however, was an eloquent statement of support to an ally traumatized by a terror attack. Ivo Daalder, a former US ambassador to NATO, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Biden’s visit had been worthwhile in demonstrating that Israel was not alone. Biden’s presence bolstered the message sent by two aircraft carrier battle groups he has deployed to the area.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, movingly, ”, Israel –, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, ’, Israel’s, Israel “, ” Biden, “, “ they’ll, Sisi, ” Mark Regev, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ivo Daalder, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Israel, Daalder, Netanyahu, ” Daalder Organizations: CNN, Air Force, Israel, Palestinian, West Bank, US State Department, United, Islamic Jihad, US Defense Department, National Security Council, Jihad, White, NATO, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza, Israel, Gaza City, Amman, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, United States, Washington, Egypt, “ Israel, America

Now Biden's only stop will be Israel, where he's expected to huddle with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has been preparing for a potential ground invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, which killed 1,400 Israelis. Outrage over the hospital explosion scuttled Biden's plans to visit Jordan, where King Abdullah II had planned to host meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. He said Biden would have an opportunity to speak to the Arab leaders by phone as he returned to Washington. The visit to Israel coincides with rising humanitarian concerns in Gaza, where Israel has cut off the flow of food, fuel and water.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, John Kirby, Biden “, ” Kirby, ”, “, King Abdullah II, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah el, Abbas, Kirby, Ayman Safadi, It's, Antony Blinken, Blinken's, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, White House, Air Force, Al, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry, Bank, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Ahli, Al Ahli, Ramallah, Beirut, Lebanon, Amman, Jordan, Iran, Ukraine, Tel Aviv, —

Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denied responsibility. Palestinian officials said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, with the Palestinian Authority's health minister accusing Israel of causing a "massacre". A Gaza civil defence chief gave a death toll of 300, while health ministry sources put it at 500. [1/5]An Injured child is taken into a hospital after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a blast at Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, in this screen grab obtained from video, October 17, 2023. Iran, which supports Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, has warned Israel of escalation if it failed to end aggressions against Palestinians.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Israel, Ashraf Al, Qudra, Al Jazeera, Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah al, Abbas, John Kirby, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kirby, he'll, Sisi, Richard Gowan, U.N, Nidal Mughrabi, Steve Holland, Costas Pitas, Rami Ayyub, Jeff Mason, Arshad Mohammed, Miral Fahmy, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, Hamas, Islamic, Reuters, West, REUTERS, White House, Crisis Group, State Department, Air Force, Thomson Locations: GAZA, Gaza, Israel, Al, Ahli, Israeli, West Bank, Ramallah, Turkey, Jordan, U.S, Lebanon, Gaza City, Israel's, Tel Aviv, White, Washington, United States, Lebanon's, Iran

President Joe Biden weighed in – cautiously – on a high-stakes question of who was responsible for the deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it appears "the other team" was to blame. Israel quickly denied responsibility, saying the lack of structural damage at the hospital means it could not have been an air attack. Israel pointed to video taken by Al Jazeera that it said revealed a "failed rocket launch" by Islamic Jihad militants. Gaza has been awaiting a counterattack by Israel, which is determined to eradicate Hamas. As for the hospital explosion, Kirby said Biden had directed his national security staff "to gather as much information and context as possible so that we can learn more about how this happened."

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, we’ve, ” Biden, Netanyahu, Israel, Jordan, Al Jazeera, Biden –, Israel –, Biden, John Kirby, Kirby, Netanyahu –, –, ” Netanyahu, ”, you’re Organizations: United Arab, West Bank, Biden, Air Force, Palestinian Authority, Islamic, National Security Council, Hamas Locations: –, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ramallah, United States, Iran

☆ Biden Officials Seeking to Determine Cause of Hospital Blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The White House said the Biden administration is trying to determine the cause of the blast at a Gaza hospital that left hundreds dead. “We're all shocked by the horrific loss of life. The numbers are staggering for a single event,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We all want to know how this could have happened.”

Persons: Biden, “ We're, John Kirby, ” Organizations: National Security, Air Force Locations: Gaza

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