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☆ Biden risks deepening Middle East conflict with pressure to respond to deadly troop attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

How each party proceeds in the coming days could significantly alter the trajectory of the Israel-Hamas war and the broader tensions it has sparked in the Middle East. The issues have been the subject of hours of intense Situation Room discussions and high-level talks between the leaders. Already, Biden was coming under pressure to ratchet up the scale of American counterattack. American officials have said they have used backchannels to convey to Iran and its proxies that the attacks on US troops must stop. American officials said they were cautiously optimistic that the talks were moving in the right direction, and that an agreement could soon be in reach.

Persons: Jordan —, ’, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, We’ve, Adam Smith, ” Smith, ”, Smith, Biden, Sen, Lindsey Graham of, ” Sen, John Cornyn of, Lloyd Austin, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Sunday’s, Burns, Elissa Slotkin Organizations: CNN, Hamas, United, ”, House Armed Services Committee, Iran, Sunday, “ Target, Defense, CIA, Michigan Democrat Locations: States, Gaza, Israel, France, Washington, Tehran, United States, Iran, Jordan, South Carolina, Iraq, Syria, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, “, “ Target Tehran, Paris, Qatar, Egypt, Michigan

In the first phase, fighting would stop to allow for the remaining women, elderly and wounded hostages to be released by Hamas. Netanyahu has faced increasing pressure from the families of many hostages who are demanding a deal to win their loved ones’ release. The Oct. 7 attack killed some 1,200 people in Israel, and Hamas and other militants abducted around 250 people. Around 100 hostages were freed under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Hamas has said it will free more captives only in exchange for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

Persons: Bill Burns, David Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Abbas Kamel, Joe Biden, Abdel Fattah el, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al, “, ” Burns, Brett McGurk, Burns, Biden, McGurk, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ___ Miller Organizations: WASHINGTON, — U.S, New York Times, Qatari, White, Israel Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S, France, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Thani, Columbia , South Carolina

U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The meeting will focus on the release of hostages in exchange for a pause in hostilities. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe CIA and the White House National Security Council declined to comment on the meeting. Some 1,200 people were killed and Hamas and other militants abducted around 250 people during their Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel. Around 100 hostages were freed under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden, John Kirby, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al, ” Kirby, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Abbas Kamel, Burns, Brett McGurk, McGurk, Antony Blinken Organizations: WASHINGTON, Qatari, Gaza . U.S . National Security, CIA, U.S, White House National Security, White House Locations: Israel, Gaza . U.S, Thani, Europe, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Gaza

CNN —Efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and broker a prolonged pause in fighting are at an important juncture as President Joe Biden deploys his point person on hostage talks to Europe for multiparty talks on the contours of a possible agreement. He said on Friday, Biden had spoken to Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi as well as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss ongoing hostage talks. “We continue to do everything we can to facilitate another hostage deal just like we did back in November,” Kirby said. Each stage would come with a pause in fighting and the delivery of aid to the North and South of Gaza. The White House on Thursday reiterated its gratitude for Qatar — which has acted as a key mediator in hostage talks — in response to the leaked recording.

Persons: Joe Biden, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Abbas Kamel, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Burns, Barnea, John Kirby, “, ” Kirby, Biden, Abdel Fatah al, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Thani, Kirby, Brett McGurk, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Betsy Klein, Katie Bo Lillis Organizations: CNN, CIA, White House, Qatari, White, National Security, Hamas, Biden, Qatar Locations: Gaza, Europe, Israel, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al, France, Washington, Qatar, Egypt, South, Palestinian, Gulf

☆ Israel’s spy chief proposed letting Hamas leaders leave Gaza as part of broader ceasefire talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Israel has proposed that Hamas senior leaders could leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire agreement, two officials familiar with the ongoing international discussions told CNN. Senior Hamas officials are known to live in Doha, Qatar, and the Lebanese capital Beirut, among other places outside the Palestinian territories. That, combined with the “enormous pressure” on Netanyahu and his government to bring hostages home, Miller said, has created a situation where Israel would be willing to propose having Hamas leaders leave Gaza. While it’s unclear whether in private discussions Israel has named which Hamas leaders they would hope to leave Gaza, there is no bigger target than Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ top official in Gaza. Israel vows to hunt Hamas globallyIsrael has made no secret of its intention to continue hunting Hamas leaders long after the war is over.

Persons: CNN —, —, David Barnea, Antony Blinken, Brett McGurk, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ”, Aaron David Miller, Netanyahu, Miller, Jack Guez, Biden, Barnea, Bill Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, Blinken, David Barnea Gil Cohen, al, Yahya Sinwar, ” Netanyahu, Sinwar, Khan Younis, Mohammed Deif, Deif’s, Marwan Issa, Sinwar’s, Mohammed, Yahya Sinwar Mahmud Hams, Ofer Shelah, ” Shelah, we’ve, Shin Bet, ” Bar, Kan, ” Miller, “ Weeks Organizations: CNN, Hamas, US, Carnegie Endowment, International, Getty, Gaza Health Ministry, US CIA, Qatari, Magen, US State Department, CIA, Prime Minister’s, Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies Locations: CNN — Israel, Gaza, Israel, Doha, Qatar, Beirut, Palestinian, Warsaw, Egypt, Israeli, AFP, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, al Thani, Sinwar, Hamas, Lebanon, Turkey

[1/3] File photo: The flags of the United States and India are displayed on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2023. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department alleged that an Indian government official directed an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on U.S. soil, while it announced charges against a man accused of orchestrating the attempted murder. U.S. officials have named the target of the attempted murder as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual citizen of the United States and Canada. The Indian government has long complained about the presence of Sikh separatist groups outside India. They also discussed developments in the Middle East, including the Israel-Hamas war, plans for a post-war Gaza and recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the White House said on Monday.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Jon, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Joe Biden, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Antony Blinken, Biden, Ajit Doval, Kanishka Singh, Leslie Adler, Lincoln Organizations: Eisenhower, White, REUTERS, Rights, White House, U.S . Justice Department, Indian, U.S, National, Thomson Locations: United States, India, Washington , U.S, U.S, New Delhi, Canada, Vancouver, China, Israel, Gaza, Red, Washington

JAKE SULLIVAN - THE LAST GUY IN THE ROOMBiden often turns to Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, when he is considering final options and looking for advice and counsel. "He develops and puts forward the policy options before the president for him to decide," said one U.S. official. Sullivan, 47, was national security adviser for Biden when he was vice president and deputy chief of staff to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He gathers policy options from across government agencies and prepares them for Biden to consider, the traditional role of the national security adviser. JON FINER - ASKING QUESTIONSSullivan relies heavily on his deputy national security adviser, Jon Finer.

Persons: Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Evelyn Hockstein, ANTONY BLINKEN, Biden, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, JAKE SULLIVAN, Sullivan, Jake, Hillary Clinton, BRETT MCGURK, Brett McGurk, McGurk, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, BILL BURNS, spymaster, Bill Burns, It's, Burns, LLOYD AUSTIN, STARK, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Israel, KAMALA HARRIS, Kamala Harris, Harris, ”, JON, Jon, John Kerry's, Kerry, Arshad Mohammed, Nandita Bose, Don Durfee, Heather Timmons, Deepa Babington Organizations: U.S, Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Israeli, Biden, White House, National Security, U.S ., CIA, . Defense, Pentagon, Islamic State, U.S . Army, ISIS, Palestinian, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, Gaza, East, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, United States, Qatar, Doha, Iran, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Ankara, U.S, Austin, Dubai, West

Prosecutors did not name the Indian official or the target, although they did describe the latter as a U.S. citizen of Indian origin. The Indian official is described in the related indictment as a "senior field officer" with responsibilities in "security management" and "intelligence" employed by the Indian government who "directed the plot from India." It was a "matter of concern" that an Indian government official was linked to the plot, foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday, adding, "This is also contrary to government policy." 'WE HAVE SO MANY TARGETS'According to U.S. prosecutors, the Indian official recruited Gupta in May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination. The groups have kept alive the movement for Khalistan, or the demand for an independent Sikh state to be carved out of India.

Persons: Nikhil Gupta, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Gupta, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Damian Williams, Biden, Bill Burns, Narendra Modi, Jake Sullivan, Antony Blinken, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Arindam Bagchi, Bagchi, Adrienne Watson, credibly, Pannun, Nijjar, Luc Cohen, Krishn Kaushik, Shivam Patel, Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom, Heather Timmons, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: U.S . Department of Justice, Indian, U.S . Justice, New, New York City, Prosecutors, Biden, National, National Intelligence, White House National Security Council, Reuters, Administration, Air, Air India Boeing, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, New York, India, United States, Canada, Czech, Vancouver, New Delhi, China, Air India, Washington

☆ CIA director returns to Qatar for hostage talks with Israeli and Egyptian counterparts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —CIA Director Bill Burns visited Qatar on Tuesday for meetings with Qatari officials as well as his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, according to multiple sources. “Director Burns traveled to Doha for meetings about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, including continued discussions on the hostages,” a US official said. Another person familiar with the trip said the CIA director would be joined in Doha by the director of Israel’s intelligence service Mossad, David Barnea, and the Director of Egyptian General Intelligence, Abbas Kamel. Burns’ trip to Qatar comes after the truce was extended by two days, and with Americans still missing in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack. The agreement was brokered by Qatar, which served as an intermediary between Hamas and Israel in negotiations with the close involvement of the US.

Persons: Bill Burns, Burns, ”, David Barnea, Abbas Kamel, Abigail Edan, Biden, Barnea, Brett McGurk Organizations: CNN, CIA, Doha, General Intelligence, Qatari, Qatar Locations: Qatar, Doha, Israel

☆ The secret negotiations that led to the Gaza hostages deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Steve Holland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Pictures of hostages held in Gaza, who were seized from southern Israel on October 7 by Hamas gunmen during a deadly attack, are displayed in Tel Aviv, Israel, November 15, 2023. Demands were made that Hamas produce the lists of hostages it was holding, their identifying information, and guarantees of release. Biden held a previously undisclosed phone call with the Qatari prime minister when the phasing of releases began to take shape, the official said. Shortly after Biden's call, Hamas produced details for the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal. Biden in a Nov. 14 call urged Netanyahu to take the deal - Netanyahu agreed.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk, Sullivan, McGurk, Josh Geltzer, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Burns, David Barnea, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ”, Abbas Kamil, Word, Steve Holland, Don Durfee Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, White, U.S, Israeli, CIA, U.S . Middle East, National Security Council, Hamas, Qatari, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Tel Aviv, Qatar, Egypt, United States, U.S, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sullivan’s, Doha, Cairo, San Francisco, Asia, Lincoln

Biden vowed that he would not relent until all American hostages in Gaza were released. Biden had his own demand throughout the talks: Humanitarian assistance had to reach Gaza, regardless of a deal. Israel’s ground invasion plans were revised so fighting could be paused if a hostage deal came together. Talks resumed last Friday, and in another conversation with the Qatari emir, Biden told him it was the last shot at a hostage deal and he had to close it now. Officials also crafted a way to try to entice Hamas to release more hostages than the 50 already agreed to.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden, Brett McGurk, Joshua Geltzer, McGurk, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Israel —, “, ”, Netanyahu, – Natalie, Judith Raanan –, Natalie’s, wouldn’t, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Israel, Al Thani, ” Netanyahu, — — Kim, Magdy, Frankel Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S ., White House, U.S, Israeli, White, National Security, CIA, Hamas, ., Israeli Defense Forces, Shifa Hospital, Qatari Locations: Qatar, United States, U.S, Egypt, Gaza, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Israel, Doha, Cairo, Nantucket , Massachusetts, Jerusalem

☆ The Secret Negotiations That Led to the Gaza Hostages Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +8 min

Five days later, on Oct. 23, the White House team's work helped yield the release of two American hostages, Natalie and Judith Raanan. Demands were made that Hamas produce the lists of hostages it was holding, their identifying information, and guarantees of release. Biden held a previously undisclosed phone call with the Qatari prime minister when the phasing of releases began to take shape, the official said. Shortly after Biden's call, Hamas produced details for the 50 hostages it said would be released in the first phase of any deal. Biden in a Nov. 14 call urged Netanyahu to take the deal - Netanyahu agreed.

Persons: Steve Holland WASHINGTON, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Brett McGurk, Sullivan, McGurk, Josh Geltzer, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim, Biden, Netanyahu, Judith Raanan, Burns, David Barnea, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ”, Abbas Kamil, Word, Steve Holland, Don Durfee Organizations: White, U.S, Israeli, CIA, U.S . Middle East, National Security Council, Hamas, Qatari Locations: Israel, Qatar, Egypt, United States, U.S, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Tel Aviv, Sullivan’s, Gaza, Doha, Cairo, San Francisco, Asia

Washington CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu grabbed Brett McGurk’s arm as he walked out of a tense meeting of the Israeli Cabinet over securing the release of hostages Hamas was holding in Gaza. Hamas – after refusing for days – had relented in offering identifying information about several dozen hostages, such as their age, gender and nationalities. It laid out how women and children would leave in the first phase, as well as incentives for Hamas to release more hostages beyond that. On October 24, Hamas appeared to agree to the parameters of a deal to release women and children hostages. Hamas would only guarantee 50 and refused to produce identifying information about the hostages.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Brett McGurk’s, ” Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Hamas –, –, – couldn’t, Biden –, Xi Jinping –, Biden, McGurk, Bill Burns, Natalie, Judith Raanan, Jake Sullivan, Jon, Stephanie Hallett, Natalie Raanan’s, Burns, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel wasn’t, Israel, Blinken, David Barnea, ”, Matt Miller, John Kirby, Kirby, CNN’s Alex Marquardt Organizations: Washington CNN, Israeli, White, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Al, CIA, Qatari, White House, State Department, CNN, State, National Security, US State Department Locations: Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, San Francisco, Qatar, Doha, Cairo, Hamas

CNN —Hamas has demanded that Israel stop flying surveillance drones over Gaza as part of its request that Israel pause its military operations in exchange for freeing hostages held by the terrorist group, according to two Israeli officials and a third source familiar with the ongoing negotiations. The Israeli military has been flying drones in the skies over Gaza for hours on end virtually every day during their military operation, using them as a primary means of surveillance to monitor the battlefield. The Pentagon has also been flying American surveillance drones over Gaza in its support of Israel’s efforts to find the hostages, which includes an estimated 10 Americans. The negotiating parties – Israel, Hamas and the US, with Qatar mediating between them – continue to grind away, as they try to reach an agreement on a number of sticking points. Other demands made by Hamas during the negotiations are more aid and fuel into Gaza, sources say, as well as allowing Palestinians who have fled south for safety to return to northern Gaza, where Israel now has control.

Persons: Israel, – Israel, Joe Biden, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al, “ It’s, –, Tzachi Hanegbi, ”, —, ” Hanegbi, Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk, Bill Burns, McGurk, ” Biden, CNN’s Tamar Michaelis Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Pentagon, Israel’s National Security, Senior Biden, National, CIA Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Qatar, Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani

☆ Opinion | The Road Back From Hell
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Daniel Levy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

The nations opposing a cease-fire — Israel, the United States, some European countries and a few others — might acknowledge the perils looming. The United States would need to push for such an outcome, working alongside Qatar and regional states that have Israel’s ear. Revived Palestinian national political structures will be a critical component in advancing broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict resolution after this war. The road back from the hell of a zero-sum “us or them” begins with the humanizing of the other. Maybe it’s a road that eventually leads us back to a two-state dispensation.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel nixed, Bill Burns, Netanyahu, Israel, Israel’s overreach, ” Organizations: Gaza Health Ministry, West Bank, Qatar, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, Nations Locations: Israel, Gaza, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, United States, U.S, Qatar, Oslo

☆ Biden will meet with China's Xi Jinping next month, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

China's President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden at the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian island of Bali on Nov. 14, 2022. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month, the White House announced on Tuesday. "Intense competition means intense diplomacy," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press briefing. Read more: White House restricts U.S. investment in some Chinese tech, citing national security concernsThe meeting comes as the White House works to rush security assistance and humanitarian aid to Israel amid an intensifying conflict with Hamas. Earlier this month, Xi and Putin met in Beijing to discuss additional ways to deepen their relationship.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Jean, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, Gina Raimondo, Bill Burns, Jake Sullivan, John Kerry, Read, Trump, Xi, Vladimir Putin's, Biden, Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, Economic Cooperation, National, Hamas, . Locations: Nusa Dua, Indonesian, Bali, Asia, San Francisco, China, Israel, U.S, Ukraine, Russian, Beijing, Russia, United States, Iran, North Korea

☆ Zebra Technologies beats quarterly profit expectations, sees soft demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 31 (Reuters) - Barcode scanner maker Zebra Technologies Corp (ZBRA.O) beat third-quarter profit and revenue estimates on Tuesday but forecast a bigger-than-expected drop in the fourth-quarter net sales due to slowing tech spending in a tough economy. With inflation and weak consumer spending still weighing on the company's operations, it expects free cash flow to remain negative this year. Zebra Technologies initiated several cost-cutting measures in the second quarter, such as slowing hiring and downsizing its offices, to combat the impact of soft demand across its end-markets. Its third-quarter revenue of $956 million beat expectations of $926.3 million, while adjusted earnings of 87 cents per share came above estimates of 81 cents per share. The company said it now expects annual cost savings to be about $100 million, up from $85 million, from its cost initiatives.

Persons: Bill Burns, Yamini, Saumyadeb Organizations: Zebra Technologies, . Postal Service, Walgreens Boots Alliance, The Lincolnshire ,, Thomson Locations: The Lincolnshire, The Lincolnshire , Illinois, Bengaluru

☆ US military advisers invoke lessons of Iraq in urging Israelis to avoid all-out ground assault in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Oren Liebermann Mj Lee Katie Bo Lillis | Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

“I don’t think Israel has a strategy for what they do next” in terms of executing a full-blown ground invasion, one source familiar with concerns within the Biden administration said. President Joe Biden greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion International Airport, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. “We stand before the next stage, it is coming,” Netanyahu told the Israel Defence Forces’ Yahalom unit on Tuesday, according to a press release from Netanyahu’s office. “We will not stop until we complete it, with your help.”Military to military channelsIn 2014, Netanyahu set out to debilitate Hamas with the last ground invasion into Gaza. Despite numerous rounds of escalation and conflict with Gaza, Israel hasn’t attempted another incursion since.

Persons: Biden, James Glynn, Israel, Joe Biden, Bill Burns, Benjamin Netanyahu, Evan Vucci, Netanyahu, enflamed, ” Netanyahu, “, ”, Israel hasn’t, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Matthew Miller, “ We’ve, Defense Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, ” Gallant, Emmanuel Macron, ” Macron, Obama, Gilad Erdan Organizations: Washington CNN — American, CNN, Israel Defense Forces, ISIS, Marine Corps, Marine Forces Special Operations Command, CIA, NATO, Israeli, Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel Defence Forces ’, ”, Pentagon, Defense, International Coalition Locations: Iraq, Gaza, Israel, Fallujah, US, Mosul, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, United Kingdom, Tel Aviv, United States, Western, Palestinian

He had been scheduled to take a tour of CS Wind, the world’s largest facility for wind tower manufacturing. The official, who was not authorized to comment about the president's potential visit, said a final decision to visit Israel hasn't been made. Blinken was in Israel on Monday for his second visit in less than a week for talks with Israeli leaders. He has been crisscrossing the Middle East with stops in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It’s the deadliest war for Israel since the 1973 conflict with Egypt and Syria.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, Mohammed Shia, Olaf Scholz, Harris, Jeff Zients, Jake Sullivan, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Bill Burns, Israel hasn't, idled, Sissi, Antony Blinken, Blinken, ”, Benjamin Netanyahu, Matthew Miller, Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Chuck Schumer, “, ” Schumer, Schumer, Kevin McCarthy, Jacob Lew, — Lee, Jon Gambrell, Mary Clare Jalonick Organizations: WASHINGTON, National, National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, CS, U.S, Union, United, United Arab Emirates, Israeli, ”, “, Israel, Air, Hamas, Israeli Ministry of Defense, United States Senate, Foreign, AP Locations: Gaza, Israel, Iraqi, Pueblo , Colorado, Egypt’s, Cairo, Europe, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, Lebanon, U.S, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Washington

One update from September 28 warned, based on multiple streams of intelligence, that the terror group Hamas was poised to escalate rocket-attacks across the border. An October 5 wire from the CIA warned generally of the increasing possibility of violence by Hamas. Intelligence assessments are written by the intelligence community to inform policy makers and enable them to make decisions. For example, Israeli officials failed to recognize routine Hamas training exercises as a sign that the group was preparing an imminent attack. It’s also possible that the Hamas operation was more successful than the group anticipated, one former intelligence official and another source familiar with current intelligence said.

Persons: Biden, ”, Mostafa Alkharouf, Bill Burns, William Burns, Amanda Andrade, Rhoades, —, Defense Lloyd Austin, Valentin, Eli, Ghnassia, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, “ Israel, Joe Biden, Israel, Jake Sullivan, Susan Walsh, ” Sullivan, ” Tzachi, It’s, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Palestinian, Hamas, CIA, CNN, West Bank, Getty, White House, Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Intelligence, intel, Defense, Biden, Kibbutz, Shin, New York Times, National Intelligence, White, The, Festival Locations: Israel, CNN Israel, Gaza, Anadolu, Eastern, Washington ,, Kibbutz Be'eeri, Jerusalem, Shin Bet, Israel’s, Washington, Israeli

☆ Russia wanted to conquer Ukraine in just 2 days — it now says the war will last at least 3 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's defense minister said its invasion of Ukraine could last until at least 2025. Sergei Shoigu said Russia is continuing to "build up the combat power" of its armed forces. AdvertisementAdvertisementAt the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, US intelligence assessed that Russia could conquer Kyiv in just three days. Now 18 months into the war, Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu seemingly admitted Russia's offensives in Ukraine could last until at least 2025. But, 18 months into the conflict, Russia only occupies parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which it annexed in 2014.

Persons: Putin's, Sergei Shoigu, —, Bill Burns, Anton Gerashchenko, Shoigu, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, CIA, Russia's, Institute for Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Russian, Crimean, Ukrainian, Oblast

☆ Blinken highlights the human toll of Ukraine war as Biden admin seeks to maintain support for Kyiv in Washington
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Children, parents, husbands, and wives were forced to spend hours next to the corpses of their loved ones,” he continued. Last month, the Biden administration asked Congress to approve an additional $24 billion in emergency spending for Ukraine and other international needs. Zelensky, in his remarks, criticized the UN body – in which Russia has veto power – for failing to do enough to stop the war. “Ukrainian soldiers now are doing at the expense of their blood what the UN Security Council should do by its voting. They’re stopping aggression and upholding the principles of the UN Charter,” he said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, “, ” Blinken, Sergei Lavrov, …, Blinken, ”, Biden, National Intelligence Avril Haines, Bill Burns, Joint Chiefs Mark Milley, Defense Lloyd Austin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Kevin McCarthy, Zelenskyy Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Nations Security, Russian, National Intelligence, CIA, Joint Chiefs, Defense, UN, CNN, Republican, ABC News, UN Security Council, United Nations Locations: New York, Kyiv, ”, “, Ukraine, Washington, Russia, Moscow, Iran, North Korea

☆ Newly surfaced video of Wagner boss Prigozhin shows him joking about his own death days before his fatal plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A new video has surfaced of Yevgeny Prigozhin, where he claims to be in Africa in mid-August. In it, the Wagner Group leader says he's doing "fine" amid speculation over his wellbeing. The footage appears to be from just days before Prigozhin died in a plash crash near Moscow. Prigozhin's reference to a weekend in the second half of August indicates that the newly surfaced video was likely filmed around August 19 or 20, just days before he died in a plane crash. After initial reports of the plane crash surfaced, US officials said it wasn't surprising.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, he's, Prigozhin, Wagner, Anton Gerashchenko, Dmitry Utkin, Valery Chekalov, Vladimir Putin, Moscow —, Putin, Bill Burns, Joe Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre Organizations: Group, Service, Wagner Group, Wagner, Telegram, REUTERS, Pentagon, Ostorozhno, CIA, House Press Locations: Africa, Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Russia, St . Petersburg, Belarus, Kuzhenkino, Tver region, Ostorozhno Novosti

☆ Did Putin kill Prigozhin? It's one of 3 possible explanations Russia watchers came up with for the deadly plane crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead after his plane crashed on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if Prigozhin was on the downed plane, though his name was on the flight manifest. Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin in happier times — a 2010 tour of a school lunch factory outside Saint Petersburg. Following the Wednesday plane crash, US President Joe Biden suggested Putin could be behind the crash in comments to reporters. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn the early hours following the plane crash, some on social media considered the possibility that Prigozhin had somehow faked his death, perhaps sending a double in his place.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, Prigozhin, Dmitry Utkin, Vladimir Putin, Simon Miles, Robert English, Bill Burns, Alexey Druzhinin, Burns, Miles, Alexander Lukashenko, ”, lelXsOcPSV, Julia Ioffe, Joe Biden, —, flaunting, Sergei Surovikin, Matthew Schmidt, Schmidt Organizations: Security, Service, Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, Wagner, Duke University's Sanford School of Public, Soviet Union, University of Southern, CIA, Sputnik, Getty, Reuters, Press, Prigozhin, New York Times, University of New, Pentagon, Kremlin Locations: Russian, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russia, Soviet, Ukraine, University of Southern California, Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Saint Petersburg, Aspen, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Africa, Belarusian, Concord, University of New Haven

☆ War experts suspect Prigozhin's plane crash could be the Kremlin's 'final step' in eliminating Wagner's independence
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

War experts suspect Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane crash could be the Kremlin's "final step" in ridding Wagner's independence. Prigozhin was presumed dead Wednesday after a Wagner-affiliated plane plummeted to the ground outside Moscow. The Wagner Group founder recently staged a short-lived mutiny against Russia's military. Russian state media reported that all 10 people on board the plane — three pilots and seven passengers, including Prigozhin's right-hand man Dmitry Utkin — died in the crash. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe think tank referred to the plane crash as the "assassination of Wagner's top leadership" and said it was "likely the final step to eliminate Wagner as an independent organization."

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Prigozhin, Wagner, Dmitry Utkin —, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Bill Burns, Putin, Burns Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Russian, Prigozhin Press Service, Prigozhin Press, Associated Press, Kremlin, CIA Locations: Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Russia's Tver, Washington, DC, Rostov, Don, Russia, Russian, Africa, East, Aspen, States

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