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☆ US determines 5 Israeli security units committed human rights violations before outbreak of Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US State Department has determined that five Israeli security units committed gross violations of human rights prior to the outbreak of the war with Hamas in Gaza, but is still deciding whether to restrict military assistance to one of the units under US law. The other four “have effectively remediated these violations,” deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said Monday. The US is still deciding whether to restrict assistance to the remaining unit – reported to be the ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion. They have submitted additional information as it pertains to that unit, and we’re continuing to have those conversations,” Patel said. Patel also declined to detail the units or speak about specifics of the remediation process.

Persons: Vedant Patel, Netzah Yehuda, ” Patel, they’ve, ”, Antony Blinken, Leahy, Patel, Israel, “, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Government, Leahy Law, State Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States

☆ UN demands investigation after mass graves found at Gaza hospitals raided by Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Irene Nasser | Duarte Mendonca | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The United Nations has called for an “independent, effective and transparent investigation” into the discovery of mass graves at two Gaza hospitals that were besieged and raided by Israeli troops this year. A mass grave with 324 bodies was uncovered this week at the Nasser Medical Complex in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis by Gaza Civil Defense workers following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area. When they returned this month after the Israeli military withdrew, they discovered the bodies had been dug up and placed in at least one collective grave, the stringer said. CNN reached out to the Israeli military on Wednesday for comment regarding Türk’s remarks, to which it said it had nothing more to add beyond previous comments. The US State Department on Tuesday expressed concern over the discovery of mass graves.

Persons: Volker Türk, ”, Nasser, Al, ” Türk, Khan Younis, Yamen Abu Suleiman, Khan, Raed Saqr, It’s, Mahmoud Basal, Vedant Patel, ” “ I’m Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Human, “, Nasser, Gaza Civil, Civil Defense, Nasser Hospital, Getty, Hamas, US State Department, ”, Government Locations: Gaza, Khan, AFP, Nasser, Israel, Al

☆ US vetoes Palestinian attempt to gain statehood at the United Nations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Richard Roth | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The United States on Thursday blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have recognised a Palestinian state. Twelve members of the Security Council had voted in favor of the resolution, the United States vetoed it, and two countries abstained. “The most expeditious path towards statehood for the Palestinian people is through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority with the support of the United States and other partners who share this goal,” Patel said. Palestinian attempts for recognition as a full member state began in 2011. It will be a Palestine-Nazi state, an entity that achieved statehood despite being committed to terror and Israel’s annihilation,” Erdan added.

Persons: Vedant Patel, ” Patel, Mahmoud Abbas, ”, Israel Katz, Katz, Palestinian Territories Riyad Mansour, “, ” Israel’s, Gilad Erdan, Erdan Organizations: CNN, United Nations Security, Security, United, US State Department, United Nations, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, State, ” Israel’s, UN Locations: United States, Palestinian, New York, Israel, Palestinian Authority, Palestine, United, Palestinian Territories, Nazi

☆ U.S. Vetoes Palestinian Bid for Recognition as Full U.N. Member State
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Yonette Joseph | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The United States blocked the U.N. Security Council on Thursday from moving forward on a Palestinian bid to be recognized as a full member state at the United Nations, quashing an effort by Palestinian allies to get the world body to back the effort. The vote was 12 in favor of the resolution and one — the United States — opposed, with abstentions from Britain and Switzerland. The United States, along with the four other permanent members of the Council, can veto any action before it. Full Palestinian membership in the U.N. would be an important if largely symbolic victory for the Palestinian Authority, which has long sought a nation-state. In 2007, the militant group Hamas drove the Palestinian Authority, which President Mahmoud Abbas leads and which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, from power in the Gaza Strip.

Persons: United States —, Riyad Mansour, Mr, Mansour, ”, Israel Katz, Vedant Patel, ” Mr, Patel, Israel’s, U.N, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas Organizations: . Security, United Nations, Terrorism, Security, State Department, Palestinian, General Assembly, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Hamas Locations: States, United States, Britain, Switzerland, Palestine, Washington, U.S, Israel, Palestinian Authority, France, Russia, China, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Oslo Accords, Lebanon, Iran

☆ Exclusive: State Department officials told House investigators they created Afghanistan withdrawal plans from scratch
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Kylie Atwood | Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The State Department has continued to publicly defend its decision making around the NEO as well as the ending of the war. Milley and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who were in charge of the US military during the withdrawal, blamed the State Department for not ordering a NEO sooner. The State Department officials did not weigh in on whether calling a NEO sooner would have had a substantial impact, as this would have preceded their arrival in Afghanistan. Although the State Department has faced sharp criticism from the Defense Department – most recently in a congressional hearing with retired Gens. Coordination with the militaryAnd on the ground, as they grappled with the frenzied and fluid situation, State Department officials and service members at Hamid Karzai International Airport were regularly coordinating.

Persons: John Bass, Jim DeHart, Jayne Howell, Michael McCaul’s, McCaul, Biden, ”, Mark Milley, ” Howell, DeHart, ” Bass, Hamid, Bass, Wendy Sherman, Washington . Howell, I’m, Howell, “, Trump, Anna Moneymaker, Milley, Kenneth McKenzie, McKenzie, Vedant Patel, “ It’s, Defense Department –, Gens, Kenneth McKenzie –, ” DeHart, didn’t Organizations: CNN, State Department, House Foreign Affairs, Republican, Department, Foreign Affairs, Chiefs, House Foreign, ”, DC, State, Department of Defense, Airport, Foreign Service Institute, Pentagon, Biden, Joint Chiefs, Staff, US, US Central Command, ” State Department, Defense Department, Hamid Locations: Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghan, Ukraine, Kabul Afghanistan, Washington ., Turkey, Rayburn, Washington , DC, extremis

New York CNN —A plane carrying 21 Americans fleeing Haiti arrived in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday night, the latest in a series of US-chartered flights from the embattled Caribbean nation, which has descended into chaos amid rampant gang violence and political instability. Hundreds of US citizens remain in Haiti and nearly 1,000 had filled out crisis intake forms as of March 19, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel previously told CNN. On March 17, the State Department said it flew dozens of Americans from Cap-Haitien, a city on Haiti’s north coast, to Miami. On Wednesday, the State Department said it expects more than 30 Americans will be able to board the US government flights each day they are chartered. DeSantis said people traveling on the plane that landed in Florida would not be charged.

Persons: Kevin Guthrie, Ron, DeSantis, ” DeSantis, Floridians, Vedant Patel, Orlando, Guthrie, Ariel Henry, Santo Organizations: New, New York CNN, Emergency Management, ”, “, State, CNN, Orlando Sanford International, Federal, State Department, Haiti’s National Police, United Nations Locations: New York, Haiti, Orlando , Florida, Caribbean, Orlando, Florida, Haiti’s, Miami, Port, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

☆ 'Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong': Beijing hits back at U.S. for 'slandering' city's new security law
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The flags of China and Hong Kong displayed in rows. China's embassy hit back against U.S. criticism of Hong Kong's new national security law on Thursday, saying the U.S. should "respect China's sovereignty." Hong Kong lawmakers passed a new national security law on Tuesday which critics say grants the government more power to quash dissent. "Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong. Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, which no country is in the position to point fingers at or interfere in," a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Persons: Hong, Hong Kong's, Vedant Patel, John Lee, Wang Yi, — CNBC's Evelyn Cheng, Clement Tan Organizations: U.S . State Department, Kong's Legislative, China's, Beijing, China - Locations: China, Hong Kong, U.S, China's, Hong Kong . Hong Kong, Kong's, China - U.S

☆ China slams the U.S. for interfering in Arunachal Pradesh border dispute with India
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A tableau of Arunachal Pradesh state during the Republic Day parade along Kartavya Path in New Delhi, India, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. China slammed the United States for interfering in its border dispute with India, after Washington said it recognized the disputed Arunachal Pradesh as a part of Indian territory. China, which refers to the territory as Zangnan, claims Arunachal Pradesh is part of southern Tibet. India rejects those claims, stating Arunachal Pradesh has always been a part of India. Kugelman pointed out that the U.S. typically refrains from commenting on some Indian border disputes, such as the one with Pakistan over Kashmir.

Persons: Washington, Lin Jian, China's, Narendra Modi, Vedant Patel, Zangnan, Lin, Michael Kugelman, Kugelman Organizations: India's, Foreign Ministry, U.S . State Department, United, LAC, South Asia Institute, Wilson Center, CNBC Locations: Arunachal Pradesh, New Delhi, India, China, United States, Beijing, Indian, Tibet, U.S, Pakistan, Kashmir, Washington

☆ Live updates: The latest on the Israel-Hamas news
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Chris Lau | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A woman and children sit outside tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, on February 8. Satellite images showed this week how a tent city has swelled in size in just a few weeks. Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns about the expansion into Rafah during meetings with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials this week, two Israeli officials told CNN on Wednesday. Non-governmental organizations issue warnings: Several non-governmental organizations have warned about the humanitarian consequences of Israeli operations in Rafah. Half of UNRWA requests to deliver aid in Gaza denied: The UN's main relief agency in Gaza said Friday that half of its aid mission requests to deliver aid in Gaza since the beginning of the year have been denied.

Persons: Mohammed Abed, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Vedant Patel, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, won’t, Philippe Lazzarini Organizations: Getty, United Nations, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, Wednesday, Norwegian Refugee Council, Hamas, The United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Locations: Rafah, Gaza, AFP, ”, Israel, United States, Egypt

☆ Netanyahu directs Israeli military to draw up plan to evacuate more than one million people from Rafah as offensive looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Amir Tal | Mick Krever | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the country’s military to plan for the “evacuation of the population” from Rafah, his office said in a statement on Friday, ahead of an anticipated ground assault on the southern Gaza city. More than 1.3 million people are believed to be in Rafah, the majority displaced from other parts of Gaza, according to the United Nations. But it is unclear where next they could go; the city borders Egypt to the south, but the border into the country has been closed for months. The top commander in charge of Israel’s military operation in southern Gaza told CNN on Sunday that there was no plan in place yet for how to minimize civilian deaths in the city. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) meanwhile said in a press release Thursday that Rafah could soon turn “into a zone of bloodshed and destruction that people won’t be able to escape.”

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “, Dan Goldfuss, ”, Vedant Patel, Biden, ” Biden, “ I’ve, it’s, won’t Organizations: CNN, Israeli, United Nations, Israel Defense Forces, Prime Minister’s, IDF, United States State Department, White, Norwegian Refugee Council Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Hamas’s, Egypt, ”, Brig, Israeli

CNN —Two American citizens were detained by the Israel Defense Forces during a raid of a home in Gaza early Thursday morning local time, according to a family member in the United States. Hashem Alagha, 20, and Borak Alagha, 18, were among a group of roughly 20 men detained by IDF soldiers during the incident, according to Yasmeen Elagha, who identified herself as their cousin. She said both men are American citizens, born in the suburbs of Chicago and raised there in their early childhood. The US is aware of reports that the Israeli military has detained two American citizens in Gaza, according to a State Department spokesperson. Patel said they believe “the vast majority” of US citizens seeking to leave Gaza have reached out to the State Department.

Persons: Hashem Alagha, Borak Alagha, Yasmeen Elagha, Elagha, –, “, ”, Vedant Patel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Patel Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, State Department, Israel Locations: Gaza, United States, Chicago, Canadian, Rafah, Egypt

Airstrikes hit a southern Gaza border city crowded with civilians on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced a cease-fire proposal by Hamas and signaled that the Israeli military was preparing to move into the area. “There is no place for the people to run to,” said Fathi Abu Snema, a 45-year-old father of five who has been living in a United Nations-run school in Rafah for nearly four months. “Everyone from all other parts of Gaza ended up in Rafah. Mr. Netanyahu said that Hamas’s demands were “ludicrous” and that accepting them would only invite further attacks on Israel. “We have yet to see any evidence of serious planning for such an operation,” he said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Fathi Abu Snema, Netanyahu, “ Hamas’s, Vedant Patel Organizations: United Nations, State Department Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Israel, Egypt’s, Washington, “

CNN —US officials said Monday that Iraq was not notified ahead of a series of strikes on Iran-linked targets in the country, contradicting earlier statements that the Iraqi government was notified before the strikes occurred. We informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a briefing on Monday. “Iraq, like every country in the region, understood that there would be a response after the deaths of our soldiers,” he noted. In a statement to CNN, Kirby said he “responded with information that I had been provided at the time” after the strikes on Friday. “For operational security reasons, we did not provide any kind of official pre-notification with specific details on these strikes,” the spokesperson said.

Persons: Vedant Patel, ”, John Kirby, Kirby, “, Pat Ryder, ” Ryder, we’ll Organizations: CNN, ” State Department, National Security, State Department, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, United, Pentagon Locations: Iraq, Iran, “ Iraq, Syria, Jordan, United States, Anbar Governorate, Iranian

☆ Exclusive-US Sets up Channel With Israel Seeking Answers on Civilian Casualties
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

The existence of this initiative has not been previously reported and the U.S. officials requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive details around it. The United States set up the process to drive accountability for Israel, one of the officials said. It was not clear what action, if any, Washington would take against Israel as a result of what it learns. The United States provides Israel $3.8 billion in annual military assistance. Israel unleashed its war to eradicate Hamas after militants from Gaza launched a shock incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and seizing around 240 hostages.

Persons: Humeyra Pamuk, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz, Washington, Biden, Joe Biden's, David Satterfield, Israel, Vedant Patel, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis Organizations: United, Reuters, Israeli, U.S, Hamas, Israel, State Department, State Department's, United Nations, Washington, . State Department, Urgent Locations: Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, United States, Israel, Gaza, Washington, U.S, Jerusalem, Ukraine, Sudan, American

The Israeli military said it had “currently ruled out” that its aerial or artillery fire had been responsible for the strike on the shelter in Khan Younis, where the U.N. was housing about 800 people. In addition to the nine dead, 75 other people were injured, according to Thomas White, who helps oversee U.N. aid operations in Gaza. U.N. officials did not directly blame Israel, but said the shelter, in a vocational training center, had been hit by two tank rounds. “Once again a blatant disregard of basic rules of war,” Mr. Lazzarini wrote on social media. The Israeli military said that it was conducting a review of its operations in the area of the shelter.

Persons: “, Khan Younis, Thomas White, Israel, Philippe Lazzarini, Mr, Lazzarini, Vedant Patel, ” Organizations: United, State Department Locations: Gaza’s, United Nations, Khan, Gaza, U.N, Israel, Washington

☆ US Says It Is Looking Forward to Turkey Finalizing Sweden's NATO Process
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Humeyra PamukWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Wednesday welcomed the Turkish parliament's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid this week and urged Ankara to formally finalize the process. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told a briefing that Washington was looking forward to Hungary, which has yet to approve Sweden's NATO bid, moving along in the process. Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO bid and the U.S. sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey have become linked over the past years. The Biden administration has said it supports the sale but kept urging Ankara to approve Sweden's NATO bid saying Congress might be connecting the two issues. When asked on Wednesday if the State Department would send the formal notification for the jets once Sweden's NATO process is fully formalized, Patel did not commit to a timeline.

Persons: Humeyra Pamuk, Vedant Patel, Washington, Tayyip, Erdogan, Patel, Biden, Blinken, I'm, Jasper Ward, Simon Lewis, Daphne Psaledakis, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wednesday, NATO, State Department, Finland's Locations: Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, United States, Ankara, Hungary, Washington, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, U.S, NATO, Turkey's, Jasper

☆ US Seeks Probe Into West Bank Death of US Teenager
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Monday called for an investigation and for accountability "as appropriate" following the West Bank death of a 17-year-old Palestinian American, who Palestinian health officials say was killed by Israeli security forces. Speaking at a regular briefing, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the United States had called for an urgent investigation in to the death of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar on Friday. Palestinian health officials said the American-born youth was killed by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank. "We are devastated about the killing of 17-year-old U.S. citizen Tawfic Abdel Jabbar in the West Bank," Patel told reporters, saying the United States was working with Israel to get information about his death. "We have called for an urgent investigation to determine the circumstances of his death and accountability ... as appropriate," he added.

Persons: Vedant Patel, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Patel, Simon Lewis, Ismail Shakil, Arshad Mohammed, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: WASHINGTON, Bank, State Department, West Bank Locations: United States, American, Israel, Gaza

Palestinians fleeing north Gaza move southward as Israeli tanks roll deeper into the enclave, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in the central Gaza Strip November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - More than 1,000 officials in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have signed an open letter urging the Biden administration to call for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to a copy of the letter seen by Reuters. The letter, published on Nov. 2, had now garnered 1,029 signatures from staff of the U.S. aid agency. Signatories names are hidden but the letter shows it was signed by officials in many of the agency's bureaus in Washington as well as officials posted around the world. The State Department does not confirm the existence of dissent cables.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, Biden, Joe Biden's, Antony Blinken, Vedant Patel, Patel, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Agency for International Development, USAID, Reuters, Israel, Department, State, The State Department, Deputy State, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Washington, United States, U.S

The Israeli military said it had not agreed to a ceasefire and would continue its operations outside of localized humanitarian pauses. Patel said those fleeing their homes should have the ability to return, but said Washington does not have control or jurisdiction over the areas in question. "Those now in the south must have every ability to return to the north when that is safe to do." Hamas gunmen from Gaza burst through the border to Israel on Oct. 7 and killed 1,400 people, Israel says. Since then, more than 10,000 Palestinians have been killed in a relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip - home to 2.3 million - by Israeli forces, say Palestinian health officials in Gaza.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Vedant Patel, Patel, David Satterfield, Antony Blinken, Satterfield, Simon Lewis, Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne Psaledakis, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United, State Department, Middle East, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, U.S, Washington, Gaza . U.S

A satellite image shows humanitarian-associated trucks queueing to enter the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, November 7, 2023. Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The Rafah border crossing into Gaza was closed on Wednesday due to an unspecified "security circumstance" but U.S. officials were working with Egypt and Israel to get it reopened, U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said. "Our understanding is that given a security circumstance the Rafah border crossing remains closed today," Patel said during a regular press briefing. The United States expects the Egypt-controlled crossing will be reopened at "regular intervals" so that aid can enter the Gaza Strip and foreign nationals can continue to depart, Patel said. The border crossing has opened on many instances and allowed for the safe ... exit for foreign nationals who have sought it," he said.

Persons: Vedant Patel, Patel, Israel, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Hamas, Maxar Technologies, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S . State Department, Israel, United, Gaza, Thomson Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Egypt, Israel, Palestinian, U.S, Washington

☆ More than 400 US citizens, residents have left Gaza -spokesperson
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"We continue to work in partnership with ... Egypt and Israel towards safe passage for more US citizens, their immediate family members and US lawful permanent residents," State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said. The number of U.S. citizens who will be able to leave is expected to increase, he said. Patel said that as of Tuesday, 526 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies had entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing. The U.S. is working with Israel to develop inspection mechanisms that would allow trucks to move into Gaza quickly, he said. Hamas says it will not free them or stop fighting while Gaza is under attack.

Persons: Abu Mustafa, Israel, Vedant Patel, Antony Blinken, Patel, Humeyra Pamuk, Daphne Psaledakis, Paul Grant, Grant McCool Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, United, State Department, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Rafah, Egypt, United States, U.S, Washington

☆ Jamshid Sharmahd: US envoy meets family of German-Iranian sentenced to death in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Alex Stambaugh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A US envoy for Iran met on Friday with the family of Iranian-German national Jamshid Sharmahd, who has been imprisoned and sentenced to death in Iran. He was sentenced to death last February for “corruption on Earth”, which sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and Western governments. Iranian-German national and US resident Jamshid Sharmahd attends his trial at the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on Feb. 6, 2022. Koosha Mahshid Falahi/Mizan News Agency/APIn a statement following the decision, the European Union said Iranian authorities denied consular access to Sharmahd, despite his German nationality. In response to Paley’s statement, Gazelle Sharmahd urged the US government to help free her father.

Persons: Jamshid Sharmahd, “, Jamshid Sharmahd’s, Abram Paley, Sharmahd’s, Shayan, Gazelle, ”, Koosha Mahshid, Vedant Patel, Gazelle Sharmahd Organizations: CNN, Amnesty International, Iranian, European Union, Revolutionary, Mizan News Agency, AP, US State Department, State, Biden Administration Locations: Iran, German, Shiraz, Western, United States, Tehran

☆ US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon arrives in Niger
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon arrived in Niger on Saturday, the State Department announced, taking up her post as the United States and partners continue to grapple with the military takeover in that country. “Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon has traveled to Niamey to lead our diplomatic mission in Niger and bolster efforts to help resolve the political crisis at this critical time. A source told CNN that one of the first things FitzGibbon intends to do is call Bazoum. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with the detained president numerous times, but Nuland was not permitted to visit him during her trip to Niamey. Nuland was also not granted a meeting with the self-proclaimed new leader of Niger, General Abdourahmane Tiani, and instead met with the self-proclaimed chief of defense, Gen. Moussa Salaou Barmou, and three colonels supporting him.

Persons: Kathleen FitzGibbon, Matthew Miller, FitzGibbon, Mohamed Bazoum, State Victoria Nuland –, Vedant Patel, ”, Bazoum, ” Patel, “, Antony Blinken, Nuland, Abdourahmane Tiani, Moussa Salaou Barmou Organizations: CNN, State Department, ”, State Victoria, Economic, West African, Senate Locations: Niger, United States, Niamey, West Africa, West African, West African States, ”, Nuland

The rioters were demanding that the two accused men, who had fled their homes, be handed over to them. The troops have cordoned off the Christian colony, blocking all entry and exit points with barbed wire, according to a Reuters TV cameraman. Hundreds of Christians took refuge in a nearby district, a community leader Akmal Bhatti told Reuters, adding that four pastors had returned to the churches, which were still smouldering. "It is the government's responsibility to compensate for the loss of property of the Christian community," he told reporters, adding the government was estimating the losses. The United States was "deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Wednesday.

Persons: Christian, Akmal Bhatti, Bhatti, Mohsi Naqvi, Vedant Patel, Asif Shahzad, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Simon Cameron, Moore, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Police, Reuters, Amnesty, State Department, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: LAHORE, Pakistan, Jaranwala, Faisalabad, United States, Islamabad

☆ Troops deployed to guard Pakistani Christians after mob torches churches
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Mubasher Bukhari | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The rioters were demanding that the two accused, who had fled their homes, be handed over to them. The residents said thousands of Muslims led by local clerics were carrying iron rods, sticks, knives and daggers during the rioting. A provincial government statement said paramilitary troops were deployed to aid the police to control the situation. The troops have cordoned off the Christian colony, blocking all entry and exit points with barbed wire, according to a Reuters TV cameraman. The United States was "deeply concerned that churches and homes were targeted," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Wednesday.

Persons: Vedant Patel, Asif Shahzad, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Police, Reuters, State Department, Thomson Locations: LAHORE, Pakistan, desecrating, Jaranwala, Faisalabad, United States

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