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JERUSALEM (AP) — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel or contribute to Gaza's reconstruction without a credible pathway to a Palestinian state. Prince Faisal bin Farhan's remarks in an interview with CNN broadcast late Sunday were some of the most direct yet from Saudi officials. It puts them at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has rejected Palestinian statehood and described plans for open-ended military control over Gaza. In September, Netanyahu had said Israel was “at the cusp” of such a deal, which he said would transform the Middle East. Israel has only successfully rescued one hostage, while Hamas says several have been killed in Israeli airstrikes or during failed rescue operations.

Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, “ CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, ”, ” Prince Faisal, “, Prince Faisal, we’re, NETANYAHU, —, ___ Shurafa Organizations: JERUSALEM, CNN, Israeli, Palestinian, West Bank, Hamas, Health Ministry Locations: Saudi, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, United States, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem, GAZA, U.N, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Deir, israel

The alleged strike targeted the Mazzeh neighborhood in Syria’s capital, home to several diplomatic missions including the Iranian embassy, according to Syrian authorities. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) identified the four others killed as military advisors Ali Aghazadeh, Hossein Mohammadi, Saeed Karimi and Mohammad Amin Samadi. Their presence in Syria had been “at the official invitation of the Syrian government,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, noted in a statement on social media. Louai Beshara/AFP/Getty ImagesRegional spillover fearsThe attack in Damascus comes amid concerns that Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza is spiraling into a regional war. Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi on Saturday vowed to “punish” Israel for the Damascus missile strike.

Persons: Israel “, “, Hojjatollah Omidvar, Iran’s, Ali Aghazadeh, Hossein Mohammadi, Saeed Karimi, Mohammad Amin Samadi, Nasser Kanaani, Louai Beshara, Tehran’s, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Matt Miller, ” Miller, Ebrahim Raisi, ” Israel, ”, CNN’s Kareem Khadder Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Syrian Ministry of Defense, Israel Defense Forces, Network, Quds Force, Revolutionary Guards, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Security, Getty, Economic, Israel, Palestinian Ministry of Health, State Locations: Damascus, Syria’s, Iranian, Mazzeh, Syria, AFP, Gaza, Iraq, Tehran, Lebanon, Yemen, Red, Davos, Palestinian, Ramallah, The, Israel

☆ Iran says attacks by its allies won’t stop until Israel’s war in Gaza ends
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Tamara Qiblawi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Attacks by Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East won’t stop until Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza ends, Tehran’s top diplomat warned on Wednesday, as tensions across the region threaten to spiral into wider conflict. Since Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel and the Israeli offensive in Gaza that followed, the militant group Hezbollah has engaged in daily confrontations with Israeli forces on the Lebanon-Israel border. Houthi rebels have launched a series of attacks on commercial ships and Western military vessels in the Red Sea, a major artery for international trade. Iran also launched missile strikes in Syria and Pakistan against what it described as terrorist groups who it blamed for deadly attacks inside Iran in recent weeks. Meanwhile, there are fears that the ripple effects of the tensions have begun to extend beyond the Middle East.

Persons: Tehran’s, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Hassan Nasrallah, “, Hizam al, Assad, Matt Miller, ” Miller, Israel, Herzi Halevi, ” Halevi, Chris Liakos, Adam Pourahmadi, Jennifer Hansler, Wayne Chang Organizations: CNN, Economic, Sunday, Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Iraq, US, State, Israel’s, Staff, Israel Defence Forces Locations: Gaza, Iranian, Davos, Israel, Lebanon, Red, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Erbil, Pakistan, Yemen, “, East, China, ”

☆ Bill Gates explains how AI will change our lives in 5 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The rise of AI has elicited fear that the technology will eliminate millions of jobs around the world. The International Monetary Fund this week reported that about 40% of jobs around the world could be affected by the rise of AI. Gates doesn’t necessarily disagree with that notion, but he believes history shows with every new technology comes fear and then new opportunity. “I have more than enough money for my own consumption,” Gates said when Zakaria asked how philanthropic efforts are going. At a rate of $9 billion a year, Gates anticipates he’ll have given away all of his money in about 20 years.

Persons: New York CNN —, Bill Gates, Gates, ” Gates, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, OpenAI’s, ”, Zakaria, hadn’t, “ I’m, I’ll, Melinda French Gates, he’s, Warren Buffett, CNN’s “ Fareed Zakaria Organizations: New, New York CNN, Monetary Fund, Microsoft, OpenAI, Gates, World Economic, CNN Locations: New York, Davos, Africa

☆ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talks AI at Davos
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland on Tuesday he was “hopeful” and “optimistic” about the future of artificial intelligence. In a conversation with Klaus Schwab, chairperson of the World Economic Forum, Nadella discussed where he believes the AI industry is headed and the safety guardrails needed in place. “As a digital technology industry, the biggest lesson learned perhaps for us is that we have to take the unintended consequences of any new technology along with all the benefits,” Nadella said. At the same time, AI companies and lawmakers continue to call for sweeping regulations of the technology. Nadella said this is a fundamental change seen the industry over the last 10 years.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Klaus Schwab, Nadella, ” Nadella, it’s, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Bill Gates, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Economic, “, Microsoft Locations: Switzerland, Silicon

☆ Trump’s avalanche of dishonesty: Fact-checking 102 of his false claims from this fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +111 min

Below is a fact check of 102 of Trump’s false claims from the 12 speeches. But contrary to Trump’s claim, it’s not true that people had been attempting for decades to create such an initiative. Trump’s aid to farmersIn speech after speech, Trump claimed that he had given US farmers $28 billion from China. Even if the poll result is off, it’s clear that Trump’s claim that “nobody wants them” is not true. He said he was an airline pilot.”Facts First: Trump made a false claim while mocking Biden for making false claims.

Persons: Donald Trump, –, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, “, ”, Mexico’s, ‘ Trump, Defense Department –, ” Theresa Cardinal Brown, CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez, ” Trump, I’ve, Todd Harrison, Harrison, It’s, Trump’s, ” Ben Cahill, Nobody, Jimmy Carter’s, Barack Obama, isn’t, El Salvador –, Obama, we’d, Obama’s, Webster, Covid, Wuhan ”, They’d, they’d, you’d, Scott Gottlieb, ” Gottlieb, Trump Trump, it’s, Abraham, Aaron David Miller, Miller, Dana El Kurd, Qasem Soleimani, they’ve, we’re, We’re, ’, Iran haven’t, ” Matt Smith, Biden’s, Smith, Ali Vaez, Kpler, Biden Trump, Iran “, Democrats ”, that’s, Jimmy Carter, Carter “, Carter, ‘, Hillary Clinton, Kari Lake, Bill Gates, Gates, ” Chris Wallace, Chris Wallace, Hunter Biden, “ Chris Wallace, ‘ He’s, ‘ ” Trump, Wallace, “ you’re, “ Biden, ‘ You’re, Wallace interjected, Rather, you’ve, ’ ” Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James &, ” Molchanov, Tim Woody, Woody, autoworkers, CNN’s Ella Nilsen, Joe Biden’s, Erin Mellon, Gavin Newsom, Mellon, ” Vonette Fontaine, Biden “, CNN’s Matt Egan, Egan, ” Biden, Europe Trump, United Kingdom “, Brent, Pavel Molchanov, Raymond James, Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy, De Haan, Matt Smith, Matt Egan, Afghanistan Trump, we’ve, Krista Wiegand, Wiegand, ” Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Qasem, Bibi, Netanyahu, Soleimani, Asad, Mark Milley, Hezbollah Trump, Steven Cheung, John Kirby, Cheung, Kirby, Iran’s, ” Ali Vaez, Joseph Amon, Washington –, Faiq Zidan, Zidan’s, Zidan, Abu Mahdi al, China Trump, Ukraine Trump, Letitia James, James, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Matthew Colangelo, You’re, Bragg, Colangelo, Tanya Chutkan, I’m, Jack Smith, Bill Clinton, That’s, everybody’s, Letitia James –, Al Capone’s, Al Capone, Capone, Brad Schwartz, CNN couldn’t, Schwartz, Eliot Ness, MAGA, “ MAGA, …, White, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Inflation Trump, Bacon, Joe, PolitiFact, Trump . Howard Gleckman Organizations: Washington CNN —, CNN, Republican, Trump Trump, Republican Jewish Coalition, Department, ISIS, Trump’s, Democratic, Congress, Defense Department, former Defense Department, Center, US Customs, Trump, American Enterprise Institute, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Energy Security, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US, IHS, Islamic, The State Department, Customs Enforcement, Policy Institute, ICE, El Salvador, ”, Merriam, The New York Times, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, West Bank, Hezbollah, State Department, Carnegie Endowment, International, Arab Center Washington DC, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force, Obama, US International Trade Commission, Washington Post, U.S . International Trade Commission, New England lobstermen, England lobstermen, Americas, Crisis, government’s Energy, Administration, Washington Free Beacon, Energy Information Administration, Democrats, Biden, Electoral, Georgia, Michigan, Carter, Democrats can’t, Republicans, Alabama, Arizona, Fox News, ” Energy, Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, Wildlife, Alaska Industrial Development, Export Authority, Raymond James & Associates, Wilderness Society, Cox Automotive, Pew Research Center, New York Times, National Oceanic, California Gov, California, American Petroleum Institute, Union, West, Energy, American Automobile Association, AAA, GasBuddy, New Hampshire, Houston, Keystone XL, Obama administration’s State Department, –, Foreign, Military, DoD, Afghan, Defense, Policy, Taiwan News, “, University of Tennessee’s Center for National Security, Foreign Affairs, Israeli, NBC, Jerusalem Post, Yahoo, Pentagon, ” CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Post, National Security, Group, US government’s Defense Intelligence Agency, Narcotics Bureau, Global Health, Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health, Justice Department, Washington, Judicial, Popular Mobilization Forces, Customs and, Middle East, Customs, Protection, CBP, Border Protection, Kiel Institute, European Union, New York, New, ExxonMobil, Trump University, Trump Foundation, Manhattan, Attorney, federal Justice Department, Department of Justice, Washington DC, Presidential Records, Presidential, Mar, Biden White, MAGA Republicans, Inflation, Heritage Foundation, Trump ., Brookings Tax, Urban Institute Locations: New Hampshire, New York City, Saudi, Florida, al Qaeda, New York, Texas, Iowa, Mexico, “, U.S, Houston, Iraq, Israel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Nord, Germany, Russian, Trump’s, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, El, Washington, ”, ” In Texas, Covid, China, Wuhan, Italy, France, Abraham, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Palestine, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, New England, England, Kpler, Malaysia, Oregon, Alabama, Maricopa County, Arizona, Arizona’s, Moscow, Alaska, East, South Carolina, California, “ California, West Virginia, Virginia, United Kingdom, West Texas, “ U.S, Los Angeles, Venezuela, Mississippi , Louisiana, Canada, United States, Paris, Taiwan, “ China, Iranian, that’s, –, Singapore, Iraqi, San Diego, Kiel, York, Manhattan, York’s, Chicago, Philadelphia, Georgia, Qaeda

☆ Henry Kissinger, a dominating and polarizing force in US foreign policy, dies at 100
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Paul Leblanc | Kristin Wilson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Alfred Eisenstaedt/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images Kissinger takes a call in his office in the early 1970s. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Kissinger talks with journalists on his way to meet with NATO foreign ministers. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Kissinger, second from left, walks with Leonid Brezhnev, secretary-general of the Soviet Communist Party, in 1973. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Kissinger looks out a window at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in 1975. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Kissinger is greeted by US Sen. John McCain after a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in 2015.

Persons: CNN — Henry Kissinger, Kissinger, Henry Kissinger, Stephen Voss, Walter, Heinz Alfred Kissinger, Henry, William P, Rogers, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Tom Blau, Richard Nixon, Nixon, Warren Burger, Alamy Kissinger, Le Duc Tho, Tho, Wally McNamee, Corbis, Zhou Enlai, Leonid Brezhnev, Dirck Halstead, Gerald Ford, Nancy, pats, King David Hotel, David Hume Kennerly, Kirk Douglas, David, Elizabeth, Mikki Ansin, Diana Walker, Peter Southwock, Princess Diana, Colin Powell, Barbara Walters, Diana, David McNew, George W, Bush, Charles Dharapak, Christian Wulff, Stephan Schraps, Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, John Kerry, Chip Somodevilla, US Sen, John McCain, Tom Williams, Ash Carter, Yin Bogu, Cui Tiankai, Zhang Chaoqun, Donald Trump, Jim Watson, Andrew Harnik, Maximilian, Daniel Vogl, Xi Jinping, Nixon’s, Reagan, ” Kissinger, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, ”, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, “, Lincoln, Bernie Sanders, Count, ” Sanders, Clinton, “ I’ve, Zakaria Organizations: CNN, Kissinger Associates, Bettmann, Getty, Harvard University, Harvard's Center for International Affairs, National Security Council, US Arms Control, Disarmament Agency, State Department, Camera, State, Chief, Everett, Inc, Paris Peace Accords, MPI, NATO, Soviet Communist Party, Hulton, King, Times Newspapers, Concord Academy, Senate Energy, Richard, US Diplomacy Center, US, Armed Services, Nixon Library, Museum, Capitol, Science, Arts, New York’s, Nazis, United States Army, Jewish, Pentagon, CBS News, Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Republican Party Locations: Nazi Germany, Connecticut, Washington , DC, Fürth, Germany, United States, Paris, Beijing, ITAR, Washington ,, Japan, Egypt, Israel, Jerusalem, Massachusetts, Boston, New York, Yorba Linda , California, Berlin, Xinhua, AFP, Bavarian, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Chile, Soviet, Saigon, Laos, New, Furth, Nazi, Soviet Union, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Fuerth

☆ The world needs cheap electric cars. That spells trouble for Big Auto
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The world needs affordable EVs more than ever as electric cars will play a big role in hcelping countries cut planet-heating pollution. “When legacy [carmakers] talk about catching up to Tesla or catching up to the leading Chinese automakers, it’s difficult. It is by far the world’s biggest EV battery manufacturer and dominant in the supply and processing of many critical components needed to make the batteries. Global automakers have had little choice but to enter into joint ventures with Chinese EV and battery manufacturers. EU lawmakers have voiced concerns that government subsidies allow Chinese EV makers to keep prices artificially low, creating unfair competition for European rivals.

Persons: Henry Ford’s, carmaking, Jeff Kowalsky, ”, Gene Munster, Tesla, — Tesla, —, Patrick Hummel, Krisztian Bocsi, Ford, “ It’s, ” Dan Ives, Bill Pugliano, Daniel Röska, Bernstein, China …, Marco Rubio, “ They’re, Bill Ford, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria Organizations: London CNN —, Ford Motor Company, Toyota, Volkswagen, United, Getty, Deepwater Asset Management, Volkswagen Group, Audi, Porsche, Chrysler, Jeep, Ford, General Motors, International Energy Agency, Honda, Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Kia, Benz, BMW —, Investment, UBS, EV, Atlas Public, VW, Bloomberg, Reuters, Twitter, Stellantis, Wedbush Securities, CNN, United Auto Workers, Refining, Global, Republican, European Union, EU, Jato Dynamics Locations: Europe, United States, Dearborn , Michigan, AFP, China, Japan, South Korea, Asia, US, Germany, ” Munster, Munster, Lansing , Michigan, Michigan, Beijing, America

☆ Iran’s president defends uranium enrichment after Europeans ‘trampled on their commitments’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

They (European states) trampled upon their commitments,” Raisi told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week. Nuclear power, which Iran says is the purpose of its nuclear program, requires uranium to be enriched to 3% to 5%. There is also concern that if Iran’s nuclear program is not kept in check, it could lead to further nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. The agreement capped Iranian uranium enrichment at 3.67% in exchange for sanctions relief. “Now, you see that the Iranians and the Americans have reached an understanding that has toned down Iran’s nuclear program, in which Europe played no role,” Vaez said.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, ” Raisi, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Donald Trump, Ali Vaez, ” Vaez, Iran hasn’t, “, ” Organizations: CNN, “, UN, Assembly, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Reuters, Saudi Arabia’s Crown, European Union, US, Group, Tehran, ”, Iran’s, Agency, Crisis Locations: New York, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran, Natanz, Tehran, Israel, East, United States, Washington, …, “, Islamic Republic, ” Tehran, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Europe, Qatar

☆ Milley disputes Trump's claim he recommended an attack on Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“I can assure you that not one time have I ever recommended to attack Iran,” Milley said. In his book, “The Chief’s Chief,” Meadows references the meeting and the Iran document, claiming Milley urged Trump to attack Iran more than once during Trump’s presidency, but that Trump would not do so. “It contained the general’s own plan to attack Iran, deploying massive numbers of troops, something he urged President Trump to do more than once during his presidency. President Trump denied those requests every time.”Milley told Zakaria he did not know what Meadows had written but reiterated he had never recommended an attack on Iran. “I can tell you with certainty that this chairman never recommended a wholesale attack on Iran,” Milley said.

Persons: Mark Milley, “ Fareed Zakaria, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Trump, Donald Trump, Mark Meadows, ” Milley, Milley, Jack Smith’s, Meadows, ” Trump, Zakaria, I’ve, that’s, ”, ” Meadows Organizations: CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff, White, Army, Milley, Trump, Yorker Locations: Iran, “, Bedminster , New Jersey, ” Meadows

CNN —President Joe Biden is expected to make a final decision soon on sending long-range missiles to Ukraine for the first time, a major step recommended by the State and Defense departments after months of Ukrainian requests, people familiar with the discussions told CNN. Discussions about sending the long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems, also known as ATACMS, picked up substantially in recent weeks, the sources said. Currently, the maximum range of US weapons committed to Ukraine is around 93 miles with the ground-launched small diameter bomb. ATACMS missiles are fired from HIMARS rocket launchers, the same type of vehicle that launches the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles that Ukraine already employs. “When we talk about long-range missiles for Ukraine, it is not just a whim, but a real need,” the head of Zelensky’s office, Andriy Yermak, said on Telegram on Monday.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” Zelensky, Antony Blinken, Lockheed Martin, Andriy Yermak, Abrams, “ I’m, Republican Sen, James Risch of, “, Putin, they’ve, ” Organizations: CNN, State and Defense, Tactical Missile Systems, State Department, Pentagon, Lockheed, Army, Ukrainian, Republican, Aspen Security Forum Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Kyiv, Crimea, France, James Risch of Idaho

☆ Zelensky dismisses compromise with Putin, pointing to Prigozhin’s death
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Andrew Carey | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Kyiv CNN —Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin – the Russian mercenary leader whose plane crashed weeks after he led a mutiny against Moscow’s military leadership – shows what happens when people make deals with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. “When you want to have a compromise or a dialogue with somebody, you cannot do it with a liar,” Volodymyr Zelensky said. The Wagner leader’s dramatic death, which followed a short-lived rebellion that threatened the authority of the Russian president, was a warning to be heeded, Zelensky suggested. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Friday. Ukraine has made incremental gains in the south amid fierce fighting with Russian troops, accounts from the front lines suggest.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Yevgeny Prigozhin –, Vladimir Putin, Zelensky, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, ” Volodymyr Zelensky, Wagner, CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Lula Da Silva, Putin, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN —, Kremlin, CNN Locations: Russian, United States, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Robotyne

☆ AI fears overblown? Theoretical physicist calls chatbots ‘glorified tape recorders’
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The public’s anxiety over new AI technology is misguided, according to theoretical physicist Michio Kaku. “Mother Nature computes on electrons, electron waves, waves that create molecules. Quantum computing is an emerging technology utilizing the various states of particles like electrons to vastly increase a computer’s processing power. Instead of using computer chips with two states, quantum computers use various states of vibrating waves. We’re powerless to cure these diseases because we have to learn the language of nature, which is the language of molecules and quantum electrons.”

Persons: Michio Kaku, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, ”, ’, chatbots, ChatGPT, Gabby Jones, ” Kaku, we’re, Kaku Organizations: New, New York CNN, Darktrace Plc, Bloomberg, – IBM, IBM, Microsoft, Google Locations: New York, Brooklyn, British

☆ Fitch US credit downgrade: Former Treasury secretaries react
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The US economy is resilient, but policymakers need to take the long view on the country’s fiscal challenges, three former Treasury secretaries told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Sunday. “But it’s in some ways a very important wake-up call.”The downgrade came after a last-minute bipartisan deal in June that suspended the US debt ceiling until early 2025. I strongly disagree with Fitch’s decision, and I believe it is entirely unwarranted,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is preparing new rules that could restrict investment in certain sectors in China, according to reports. When asked about US-imposed tariffs on China, Paulson said “we are working to close markets at the same time that China is doing business with more and more of the world.”“China is a major, major competitor,” he added.

Persons: CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, ” “, ”, Henry Paulson, George W, Bush, Janet Yellen, Paulson, “, ” Timothy Geithner, Geithner, ’, ” Robert Rubin, Bill Clinton, Zakaria, Biden, –, Jennifer Hansler, Gan, Juliana Liu Organizations: CNN, Fitch, AAA, Treasury Department, Capitol, Poor’s Locations: United States, China

☆ Secretary of State Antony Blinken says US is 'working to put some stability' into relationship with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Kaanita Iyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN that the US is attempting to strengthen “lines of communication” with China to avoid conflict between the two superpowers. “We are working to put some stability into the relationship, to put a floor under the relationship, to make sure that the competition that we’re in doesn’t veer into conflict,” Blinken told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in an interview that aired Sunday. His visit was followed by similar trips by other high-level Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and US climate envoy John Kerry. “I was very clear with my Chinese counterparts,” Blinken told Zakaria, referring to his trip last month. CNN previously reported that one of the key issues that did not get resolved during Blinken’s trip was the restoration of military-to-military communications between US and China.

Persons: Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Janet Yellen, John Kerry, ”, Blinken, Zakaria, Li Shangfu, Li, Lloyd Austin, “ We’ve, Vladimir, Putin Organizations: CNN, Aspen Security, US, Chinese Defense, China’s Equipment Development Department Locations: China, doesn’t, Colorado, Beijing, Moscow, American, Singapore, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Biden to welcome Israel’s Herzog to White House
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In a step that could ease some of the strain, the White House said on Monday that Biden and Netanyahu would meet in the coming months in the United States. The White House said the two men would “probably” meet before the end of the year. That left open the prospect of a meeting taking place away from the White House, potentially on the sidelines of the annual United Nations meetings in New York. The president didn’t answer directly when asked when Netanyahu would get a White House invitation. The lack of a White House invite has angered Netanyahu, who returned to office in December after previously serving as prime minister for more than a decade.

Persons: Isaac Herzog’s, Joe Biden, hasn’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Herzog, Chaim Herzog, Pramila Jayapal, Kamala Harris, John Kirby, Kirby, ”, “ Bibi, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria Organizations: CNN, White, West Bank, Democratic, Labor Party, National Security Council, United Nations Locations: Israel, Washington, United States, New York

☆ What Zelensky wanted from NATO – and what he got
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Christian Edwards | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —At last year’s NATO summit in Madrid, the alliance formally invited Sweden and Finland to join its ranks. But NATO membership is far more significant than military hardware, and it may be some time before Kyiv’s final wish is granted. “This means that a window of opportunity is being left to bargain Ukraine’s membership in NATO in negotiations with Russia. However, the ultimate goal of NATO membership looks likely to elude Zelensky for some time. Wallace reminded reporters Wednesday that before the summit the question of Ukraine’s NATO membership was still an “if.” Now, it’s a “when.”

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, Zaporizhzhia –, Putin’s, ” Zelensky, Pavel Golovkin, Joe Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, ” “ We’re, We’re, ”, Ben Wallace, Wallace, ” Biden, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Dmytro Kuleba, “, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, NATO, Kyiv, Ukraine, Sweden’s, AP, Sunday, UK, Getty, Foreign, Twitter Locations: Madrid, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Vilnius ’, Lithuania’s, United States, Russia, NATO, Zelensky, AFP, Kyiv, Vilnius –, Germany, France

☆ Opinion: As NATO shows unity, Putin has himself to thank
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

One was taking control of Ukraine, which he claimed has no right to exist; the other was weakening NATO. Russia’s unprovoked invasion of its neighbor strengthened Ukrainians’ sense of nationhood and led to the expansion of NATO on Russia’s border. Putin can still take some solace in the intense disagreements inside NATO prior to the summit over whether or not Ukraine should be granted membership. There’s a strong case to be made that if Ukraine joins while Russia’s invasion continues, NATO allies could be required to enter the war. The argument that Ukraine should not be allowed into NATO because it would provoke Putin holds little sway.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, Ukraine “, Volodymyr Zelensky’s, “ We’re, Joe Biden, ”, Zelensky, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Biden, That’s, outlast Putin, “ Putin, Erdogan’s, Erdogan, Turkey’s, Yevgeny Prigozhin Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, NATO, Frida Ghitis CNN, Nordic, European, Kremlin, Kyiv, US, Zelensky, Twitter, Azov Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Turkish, Sweden, Ukraine, Finland, Russia, Russia’s, Ukrainian, Russian, Kyiv, Moscow, Central Europe, Kremlin, Istanbul, Turkey, Mariupol

☆ NATO Summit 2023: Biden and alliance leaders enter summit with a show of force
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Vilnius, Lithuania CNN —President Joe Biden and alliance leaders enter the first day of the high-stakes NATO Summit Tuesday with a reinvigorated sense of unity after a major win on Monday evening when Turkey agreed to Sweden’s bid to join the alliance. Biden and other members have touted unprecedented unity among the alliance in the face of Russia’s war, and the move also provides leaders a significant show of force going into the summit. “We’re coming into this consequential summit with a full head of steam,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Vilnius Tuesday morning. “When the NATO summit gets underway, our alliance will not only be bigger and stronger than ever, it will be more united, more purposeful, and more energized than at any point in modern memory. He pointed to questions about unity in the past week as he warned that the Vilnius summit will “very much disappoint” Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin’s, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s, ”, Sullivan, Ulf Kristersson, Antony Blinken, Vladimir Putin, ” Sullivan, “, ’ Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Dmytro Kuleba, Kuleba, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Zakaria, Rishi Sunak, Gitanas Nausėda, Jens Stoltenberg, Erdoğan, Sunak, King Charles III Organizations: Lithuania CNN, NATO, Biden, Swedish, White, Transatlantic Alliance, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Ukraine, US, United, Prime, Oslo Convention, Lithuania, Windsor Castle Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, Lithuanian, Turkish, Hungary, Ukraine, Oslo, United States, Windsor

☆ Opinion | The U.S. Reassessment of Netanyahu’s Government Has Begun
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Thomas L. Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Whenever people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them that I’m a translator from English to English. Why did President Biden tell CNN that “this is one of the most extreme” Israeli cabinets he’d ever seen? And why did the U.S. ambassador to Israel just say that America is working to prevent Israel from “going off the rails”? According to a 2020 Congressional Research Service report, Israel has received the most U.S. foreign assistance of any country in the world since World War II, at $146 billion, not adjusted for inflation. That’s quite an allowance and one that might have merited a little more respect for the U.S. president from Ben-Gvir, who in his youth was convicted of inciting racism against Arabs.

Persons: —, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Israel Organizations: CNN, Biden, West Bank, U.S, Service, Ben Locations: U.S, Israel, “

☆ Analysis: Why Ukraine's plea for NATO membership is such a profound dilemma for the West
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The president said that the alliance needed to lay out a “rational path” for Ukraine’s membership but that it was still short of some requirements for joining, including over democratization. NATO membership would also boost Ukraine’s bid to cement a democracy that was vulnerable before the war and fulfill the desire of many of its people to join the West. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, and Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, last week introduced a resolution calling for a roadmap to Ukraine’s NATO membership as soon as it is practicable. “Guaranteeing Ukraine’s security would erode US security by increasingly the risk, obviously, of war with Russia,” he said. Even if Biden were to amend his position on accelerating NATO membership for Ukraine, he cannot ensure a successor would honor treaty obligations.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Volodymyr Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, ”, –, Putin, stiffen, Lindsey Graham, Richard Blumenthal, “, We’re, Michael McCaul, Ben Friedman, ” Friedman, Donald Trump, Zelensky Organizations: CNN, NATO, Ukrainian, ABC News, Kremlin, Warsaw, South Carolina Republican, Connecticut Democrat, Ukraine, GOP Rep, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Texas Republican, Defense, American, Soviet, Russia Locations: Europe, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Lithuania, Eastern Europe, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Baltic, Latvia, Estonia, Soviet Union, Bucharest, Sens, Connecticut, Russian, United Kingdom, “ State, Western Europe, Israel, Taiwan, United States, Eastern

☆ Biden to meet with Zelensky during NATO summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Vilnius, Lithuania CNN —President Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit on Wednesday, an official familiar with the meeting has confirmed. “I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war,” Biden told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria last week. Biden and Zelensky have had multiple high-profile meetings over the last several months. During this NATO summit, Biden could face some scolding from allies over his decision to provide cluster munitions to Ukraine for the first time. Zelensky said Friday that Ukraine was grateful for a ‘timely, broad and much-needed’ defense aid package from the United States.

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Biden, “, ” Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Zakaria, Joseph Biden, ” Organizations: Lithuania CNN, NATO, Politico, Ukraine, ABC Locations: Vilnius, Lithuania, Ukraine, Zelensky, Russia, Ukrainian, Washington, Kyiv, St, Michael’s, Hiroshima, Japan, Bakhmut, United States

CNN —NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance. Erdoğan has stood in the path of Sweden joining NATO for more than a year over a multitude of concerns. Turkey had resisted Sweden’s bid to join NATO for a long time, giving multiple reasons – including accusations that Swedish officials have been complicit in Islamophobic demonstrations, such as the burning of the Quran. More importantly, Turkey claims that Sweden allows members of recognized Kurdish terror groups to operate, most notably the militant Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). But Erdoğan had faced pressure to step out of the way of Sweden’s NATO bid from his European and American allies.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Erdoğan, Erdogan, ” Stoltenberg, Sweden’s, Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden, Biden “, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Kyriakos, ” Biden, It’s Organizations: CNN, NATO, European Union, Grand, Assembly, Kurdistan Workers ’ Party, Air Force, White, Biden Locations: Turkey, Vilnius, Lithuania, Sweden, Lithuanian, Greece, “ Turkey, Mitsotakis

☆ Ukraine cluster munitions: A top House Republican supports Biden's decision while a prominent Democrat disagrees
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Shawna Mizelle | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Over 100 countries, including the UK, France and Germany, have outlawed the munitions under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but the US and Ukraine are not signatories to the ban – a point that McCaul emphasized on Sunday. CNN previously reported that President Joe Biden mulled over the decision before approving the weapons transfer on Friday. “The president’s been doing a good job managing this war, this Putin aggressive war against Ukraine. 3 Republican in the Senate, welcomed the sending of cluster munitions to Ukraine but said the US was taking “too long” to supply weapons to the country. “I don’t believe the (Biden) administration deserves any blame for this,” Lee said.

Persons: “, ”, Michael McCaul, Barbara Lee, CNN’s Jake Tapper, ” McCaul, Volodymyr, Zelensky, McCaul, Joe Biden mulled, Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, John Kirby, ” Lee, Putin, Tapper, Lee, Virginia Sen, Tim Kaine, ” Kaine, Wyoming Sen, John Barrasso, ” Barrasso, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Biden, ” “, we’d Organizations: Washington CNN, Republican, Sunday, Biden, Democrat, House Foreign, Texas Republican, California Democrat, Union, CNN, Cluster Munitions, US National Security, ABC, Ukraine, US, Fox News, State Department, Trump, White, United Nations Locations: Ukraine, Texas, California, “ State, Russia, France, Germany, Wyoming, Afghanistan, United States, Qaeda

☆ CNN Exclusive: Biden says war with Russia must end before NATO can consider membership for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —President Joe Biden told CNN in an exclusive interview that Ukraine is not yet ready for NATO membership, saying that Russia’s war in Ukraine needs to end before the alliance can consider adding Kyiv to its ranks. “I don’t think there is unanimity in NATO about whether or not to bring Ukraine into the NATO family now, at this moment, in the middle of a war,” Biden said. Biden told Zakaria that it was a “difficult decision” to give Ukraine the controversial ammunition, but that he was convinced it was necessary because Ukraine was running out of ammunition. Biden told Zakaria he was optimistic that Sweden would eventually be admitted to NATO, noting the key holdout, Turkey, is seeking to modernize its F-16 fleet, along with Greece, which has voted to admit Sweden. It’s an observation.’ I said, ‘Since Russia went into Ukraine, 600 American corporations have pulled out of Russia.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zakaria, ” Biden, We’re, he’s, Vladimir Putin’s, Tom Brenner, Kyriakos, It’s, Xi Jinping, “, ’, you’ve, ’ ” Biden, Xi didn’t, CNN “, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu, “ It’s, Bibi Organizations: CNN, NATO, White House, Russia, White, West Bank Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Europe, Lithuania, NATO, Ukrainian, Israel, Russian, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Greece, “ Turkey, Mitsotakis, China, Saudi Arabia, Beijing, ‘, United States, Riyadh

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