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☆ 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

Hamas-affiliated media reported early on Tuesday that Israel freed 30 Palestinian children and three women, in the truce's fourth swap. Waving Palestinian, Hamas and Islamic Jihad flags, dozens of Palestinians gathered outside Israel's Ofer prison near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank to await the release of additional Palestinians. Each day since the four-day truce began on Friday, Hamas has released some of the hostages while Israel has freed some of the Palestinians it holds. Under the terms of existing four-day truce agreement, Hamas was due to release in total 50 Israeli women and children held hostage in Gaza. It was not clear how many hostages would be released under the extended truce agreement, but earlier the head of Egypt's State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan, said the deal being negotiated would include the release of 20 Israeli hostages and 60 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Persons: Israel, Israel's Ofer, Gaza's, Alya Ahmed Saif Al, Thani, Antony Blinken, Diaa Rashwan, Arshad Mohammed, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: International Committee, West Bank, Gaza's Hamas, Security, Hamas, U.S, United, Egypt's, Information Service, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, CAIRO, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Ramallah, Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates

☆ More Israeli Hostages, Palestinians Expected to Be Freed With Extended Truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Nidal, Emily Rose CAIRO, Israel, Israel's Ofer, Gaza's, Alya Ahmed Saif Al, Thani, Antony Blinken, Diaa Rashwan, Arshad Mohammed, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: West Bank, Gaza's Hamas, Security, Hamas, U.S, United, Egypt's, Information Service, Reuters Locations: JERUSALEM, Israel, Gaza, Ramallah, Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates

"The released hostages are on their way to hospitals in Israel, where they will re-unite with their families," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. Israel released 39 Palestinians - six women and 33 minors - from two prisons, the Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Saturday's swap follows the previous day's initial release of 13 Israeli hostages, including children and the elderly, by Hamas in return for the release of 39 Palestinian women and young people from Israeli prisons. On Friday Hamas also released a Philippine national and 10 Thai farm workers. Israel has said the ceasefire could be extended if Hamas continued to release at least 10 hostages a day.

Persons: Israel, WAFA, Srettha Thavisin, Thais, Thongkoon Onkaew, Natthaporn Onkaew, Joe Biden, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al, Osama Hamdan, Majed Al, Ansari, Maya Regev, Emily Hand, Hila Rotem, Emily, Raya Rotem, Shorouk Dwayyat, Emily Rose, Bassam Masoud, James Mackenzie, Maayan Lubell, Emma Farge, Aidan Lewis, Adam Makary, Nidal, Moaz Abd, Ali Sawafta, Sybille de La Hamaide, Jeff Mason, Humeyra Pamuk, Leslie Adler, Clarence Fernandez, William Mallard Organizations: Sunday, International Committee, Israel Defense Forces, West Bank, Hamas, Reuters, Brigades, IDF, United Nations, CNN, Al, Thomson Locations: Israel Egypt, Qatar, West Bank GAZA, JERUSALEM, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Palestinian, Rafah, Al, Bireh, Ramallah, Philippine, U.S, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Al Jazeera, Nantucket , Massachusetts

☆ Opinion: The big question about the Israel-Hamas truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. And then it was back to war — a conflict in which some 8.5 million soldiers from all sides would ultimately die. The timing of the Israel-Hamas truce that took effect Friday had nothing to do with a holiday. But there is also the possibility that this truce won’t last much longer than the one in 1914. “The deal arguably strengthens Hamas, allowing it to claim credit, catch its breath and regroup,” wrote Frida Ghitis.

Persons: Israel joyously, “, ”, Frida Ghitis, —, Aaron David Miller, Israel —, Joe, Biden, Christopher McCallion, ” Sheryl Sandberg, ” “, Amy Klein, I’d, Sam Altman, Clay Jones, OpenAI, Jill Filipovic, ” Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn Carter, Charles Tasnadi, Kate Andersen Brower, “ Jimmy Carter, Rosalynn, Brower, it’s, Bill Perkins, Sara Stewart, Maria Bamford, ’, “ Bamford, It’s heartening, ” Nick Anderson, Donald Trump, Trump, Julian Zelizer, “ Trump, …, It’s, Dean Obeidallah, Dana Summers, Martin Zwick, Catharine Fulton, Don’t, Scott Stantis, Agency Nima Elbagir, Joseph, Danielle Campoamor, Uvalde, ‘, Joaquin Phoenix, Napoleon, Ridley Scott, “ Napoleon, Noah Berlatsky, Scott deplores, he’s, ’ ”, ” Berlatsky Organizations: CNN, Front, Museum, “, Democratic, Republican, Democratic Party …, Department of State, Defense, Israel, Mental Health, White, Peanut Brigade, Federal, Twitter, Tribune Content Agency, Heritage Foundation, Agency, Apple, Hollywood Locations: Israel, Egypt, Qatar, Gaza, Iran, Iranian, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, East Asia, China, Taiwan, today’s America, Georgia, Washington, Reykjanes, Europe, Northern Europe, Iceland, Grindavik, Canadian, Reykjavik, Fimmvörðuháls, balaclava, Sudan

☆ As second hostage-for-prisoners release looms, Egypt sees 'positive signals' on Gaza truce extension
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

International Red Cross vehicles, carrying Israeli prisoners released from Gaza, are on their way to Rafah crossing under the 4 day deal in Gaza on November 24, 2023. Egypt, which controls the Rafah border crossing through which vital aid has resumed passing into the Gaza Strip under the truce accord, also said it had received "positive signals" from all parties over a possible extension of that deal. Since then, Israel has rained bombs on Gaza, killing about 14,000 people, roughly 40% of them children, Palestinian health authorities say. Fifty trucks carrying food, water, shelter equipment, and medical supplies, have been deployed to the northern Gaza Strip and to shelters in non-evacuated areas of the Palestinian enclave, Israel said. Since then, Israel has rained bombs on Gaza, killing about 14,000 people, roughly 40% of them children, Palestinian health authorities say.

Persons: Mustafa Hassona, Diaa Rashwan, Biden, Munder, Gilat Livni, Paediatrics, Raz Asher, Yoni, Ronen Zvulun, Joe Biden, Ayman Nofal, Khan Younis, Thomas Samson, Haitham Ahmed, Mohammed Ghandour, I'm Organizations: Cross, Anadolu, Getty, Egypt's, Information Service, Gaza, Schneider Children's Medical, Reuters, Airbus, Arish International Airport, Afp, Israeli Defence Ministry, Reuters Tv Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Egypt, Israeli, Cairo, Israel, London, Gaza Gaza, Palestinian, Petah Tikva, U.S, Khan, El

☆ Egypt says it received 'positive signals' over possible extension of Gaza truce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Israeli soldiers sit in Merkava tanks near the Israel-Gaza border, during a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel, in southern Israel, November 25, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsNov 25 (Reuters) - Egypt said on Saturday it had received positive signals from all parties over a possible extension of the Gaza truce for one or two days. Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS), said in a statement that the country was holding extensive talks with all parties to reach an agreement over extending the four-day truce, which "means the release of more detainees in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails." Reporting by Aidan Lewis Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Diaa Rashwan, Aidan Lewis, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Egypt's, Information Service, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Egypt

☆ 'I'm not dead,' Thai hostage says after 'miracle' release in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Chayut Setboonsarng | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"He told me not to cry, to tell mother I’m coming back," Roongarun Wichagern told Reuters of her younger brother after an emotional reunion on a video call. "He said, ‘I’m not dead, I’m not dead,’" Roongarun said, calling his survival a "miracle". The freed Thai hostages will return home after 48 hours in hospital, Thailand’s foreign ministry said in a statement. He called for the release of the remaining "innocent Thai hostages as soon as possible". Photographs from the Thai foreign ministry showed them meeting doctors at a medical centre in Israel.

Persons: I’m, Roongarun Wichagern, ‘ I’m, Roongarun, Srettha Thavisin, Vetoon, Thais, Thongkoon Onkaew, Natthaporn, Chayut Setboonsarng, Napat Wesshasartar, Poppy McPherson, William Mallard Organizations: Hamas, Foreign Affairs, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Shamir Medical, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thai, International Committee, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, Foreign Affairs Thailand, Rights BANGKOK, Thai, Gaza, Thailand, Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Malaysia

Hamas freed two dozen hostages held in Gaza and Israel released nearly 40 imprisoned Palestinians on Friday, completing the first exchange in a tense, temporary truce that halted the fighting after seven weeks of war. All the hostages freed by Hamas were expected to be swiftly moved to Israel to receive urgent medical care. Israel has said that it would extend the cease-fire by a day for every 10 additional hostages that Hamas releases. Hamas has not commented directly on the offer but its top political official, Ismail Haniyeh, said his group was committed to making the truce work. But it would also allow both Israel and Hamas to try to better their positions for battles to come.

Persons: Thais, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, President Biden Organizations: International Committee, Ministry, Hamas, Gaza, West Bank Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, United States

☆ Gaza’s economy is in ruins as Israel-Hamas war sets development back decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Mahmud Hams | Afp | Getty ImagesWar-battered Gaza's already fragile economy lies in ruins, much like its buildings, following more than a month of bombings by Israel after Hamas militants attacked the country in October. "Gaza's economy is 100% dependent on two sources of revenue: foreign aid and access to Israel's labor market. According to the United Nations, during the 1970s and 1980s, the Palestinian economy saw relatively strong capital inflows, largely due to remittances from Palestinian workers in Israel and the Gulf countries. Things changed after Hamas gained power in Gaza in 2006 when Israel relinquished its control of the enclave. The U.N. classifies Israel as an occupier state over the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mahmud Hams, Gazans, Marko Papic, Kevin Klowden Milken, Kevin Klowden, Israel, Raja Khalidi, Klowden, Khalidi Organizations: Afp, Getty, United Nations, Food, Clocktower, CNBC, West Bank, Economic Policy Research, International Labor Organization, United Nations Development, Milken Institute, Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute, Hamas, Palestinian Authority Locations: Gaza, Mahmud, Israel, Ramallah, West, Santa Monica , California, Egypt, Palestine, Saudi, Palestinian

☆ Israel-Hamas believed to have come into effect, with hostage release expected in coming hours
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A truce between Israel and Hamas is believed to have come into effect at 7 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET) on Friday, with civilian hostages held captive by militants expected to be released in the coming hours as part of a breakthrough diplomatic deal following an uneasy day-long delay. An initial group of 13 women and children held in Gaza are expected to be freed later Friday, mediators in Qatar said the previous day. Thirty-nine Palestinian prisoners would also be released by Israel Friday as part of the deal, according to an Israeli official. Most of the prisoners concerned are male teenagers, along with some women, according to an Israeli government list of those who could be released.

Persons: Diaa Rashwan, Israel, –, Benjamin Netanyahu, “ Organizations: CNN, Israel, Egypt’s, Service, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Sderot, Qatar

Agriculture has suffered losses of over $25 billion since the war began, Ukrainian grain trader association UGA estimates. Ukraine's grain exports so far in the 2023/24 season that started in July are running 28% below the year-earlier volume, according to agriculture ministry data. A new Black Sea shipping channel may offer a lifeline, like for Ukraine's depleted steel industry. An additional 943,000 tons should leave from Black Sea ports and 464,000 tons from the Danube by the month-end. A Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa on Nov. 21 added to a series of attacks on Ukraine's Black Sea and Danube grain ports.

Persons: Stringer, Jean, Francois Lepy, Dmitry Skornyakov, Denys Marchuk, Skornyakov, Yuriy Stelmakh, Roman Gorobets, Soliman, Scott Wellcome, Pavel Polityuk, Gus Trompiz, Nigel Hunt, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Agriculture, UGA, Spike, Agrarian Council, FE ASTRA, Kremlin, Mediterranean, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Zaporizhzhia region, PARIS, Russia, UN, Geneva, Black, Russian, Odesa, Romania's Constanta, Brazil, Egypt, GoodMills, Kyiv, Paris, London

☆ Napoleon Didn’t Really Shoot Cannons at Egypt’s Pyramids
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Becky Ferreira | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” opens for Thanksgiving holiday viewing, scenes from the film’s trailers are making waves. That was especially true of a sensational depiction of French troops led by Joaquin Phoenix as the French emperor firing cannons at the pyramids of Giza. “I don’t know if he did that,” Mr. Scott told The Times of London. “From what we know, Napoleon held the Sphinx and the pyramids in high esteem and used them as a means of urging his troops to greater glory,” said Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo. “He definitely did not take pot shots at them.”

Persons: Ridley Scott’s “ Napoleon ”, Joaquin Phoenix, Mr, Scott, Napoleon, ”, Salima Ikram Organizations: Times, American University Locations: London, Egypt, Cairo, “

☆ Baby Anas, rescued from Gaza's Al Shifa Hospital, feels warmth of mother's embrace
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Ibraheem Abu Mustafa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"I was losing hope to see my baby alive," said Warda Sbeta in an interview with Reuters TV on Tuesday. Anas was one of only three out of the 31 premature babies rescued from Al Shifa who stayed behind in Gaza. Of the other two, one was unidentified, according to doctors at the Rafah hospital. "They called us from Al Shifa to come and take the baby but it was hard for us to return. The parents rushed to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, but were told they had to go to the maternity hospital in Rafah, where they were finally reunited with Anas.

Persons: Anas, Mother, couldn't, Gaza City's, hadn't, Warda, Sbeta, Khan Younis, Al Shifa, Gaza's Al Shifa, James Elder, Elder, Israel, Emma Farge, Estelle Shirbon, Nick Macfie Organizations: Al Shifa, Reuters, Health Organization, Hamas, REUTERS, Monday, UNICEF, Nasser Hospital, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Egypt, RAFAH, Al, Rafah, Gaza City, Gaza's Al, Israel, Palestinian, Khan, Geneva

☆ Mohamed Salah targeted by pitch invaders during Egypt match; escorted off by men in military uniforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Mohamed Salah was escorted off the pitch by men in military uniforms at the end of Egypt’s World Cup qualifier against Sierra Leone after pitch invaders targeted the Liverpool star on Sunday. In the 89th minute of the match, with Egypt 2-0 up, footage on social media shows stewards in high-vis yellow jackets running onto the pitch and tackling a pitch invader close to where Salah was standing. In another video on social media, a shirtless Salah could be seen being escorted off the pitch by men in military uniform, while some people tried to take selfies with the star. The match was also eventful, with Sierra Leone finishing the game with nine men after two red cards. Salah will now return to Liverpool ahead of a much-anticipated match against Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Persons: CNN — Mohamed Salah, Salah, Samuel Kanyon, Salah hasn’t, Trézéguet Organizations: CNN, Sierra, Liverpool, of African Football, FIFA, FA, Sierra Leone, Manchester City, Premier League, Saturday Locations: Sierra Leone, Egypt, Paynesville, Liberia, Djibouti, Liverpool

☆ Was Peace Ever Possible?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Moderated Emily Bazelon | A Discussion Moderated Emily Bazelon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +45 min

This was known as the Oslo peace process, named for the city where the secret talks took place. Micha Bar-Am/Magnum Photos Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir of Israel during the the Middle East peace conference in Madrid, 1991. Margalit: All the Israeli leaders who negotiated for peace, starting with Rabin, were in a weak political position. Dajani: With the First Intifada, and then subsequently Madrid and Oslo, Palestinians suddenly see the possibility of agency. But what’s important to understand is that the notion of peace for Rabin, and for most Israelis, is that peace is a lack of violence from the other side.

Persons: Jordan, Israel, Yasir Arafat, Bernard Frye, Arafat, Larry Towell, Abbas, Micha, Yitzhak Shamir, Jerome Delay, Saddam, Hussein, George H.W, Bush, James A, Baker III, Baker, Shamir, Yitzhak Rabin, Rabin, Shimon Peres, —, Margalit, Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak of, King Hussein of Jordan, Bill Clinton, Gary Hershon, Abu Alaa, “, ” Rabin, ” Arafat, ”, Ashrawi, Yehuda, Efraim, Susan Meiselas, Baruch Goldstein, Patrick Baz, Daoud Mizrahi, Gilles Peress, Goldstein, Matti Steinberg, Netanyahu, Bazelon, Clinton, Shikaki, Manal Jamal, didn’t, Dennis Ross, Omar, Camp David, Ehud Barak, Md, Ralph Alswang, Christopher Anderson, Motasm Amir, Barak didn’t, Barak, David, Dajani, Emily, Arafat —, Ross, Mary, Nobody, Arafat didn’t, Hosni Mubarak, Mubarak, El, there’s, There’s, Robert Malley, Hussein Agha, ” Barak, Sharon, It’s, Yarden Romann, Peter van Agtmael, Khan Younis, Yousef Masoud, Khan, Ahmad Hasaballah, Ziv Koren, they’re, Dan, Avishai, Omar Dajani, Taba, Dana El Kurd, Efraim Inbar, ‘ ‘ Rabin, ’ ’, Daniel Kurtzer, Avishai Margalit, George Kennan, Van, Khalil Shikaki, Limor Yehuda, Emily Bazelon, Nabil Ismail, Pascal, Said, Ulf Andersen, Getty, Menahem Kahana, Abdel, Shafi, Maggie Ohayon, Yigal Amir, Yoav Lemmer, Jack Guez, Olmert, Moshe Milner, Ami, Dani Cardona, Awad Awad, Obama, Ben Gershom Organizations: United Nations, West Bank, Associated, Palestine Liberation Organization, U.S, Soviet Union, Palestinian, Madrid didn’t, Bank, White, Agence France, Presse, Getty Images, Oslo Accord, White House, Reuters, Israel’s Labor Party government, Bazelon, Oslo Palestinian, Getty, West, Shin, Gross, . Security, Camp, Camp David Summit, Labor Party, NPR, American, New York Times, Polaris, Labor, United, McGeorge School of Law, University of the, Israel, Camp David, University of Richmond, Arab Center Washington, Jerusalem Institute for Strategy, Security, Shalem College, Bar, Ilan University, Sadat Center, Strategic Studies, Israel’s National Security, Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Institute for, Princeton, Israel Academy of Sciences, Humanities, Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Palestinian Center, Policy, Research, Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University, Gaza, Hebrew University, Haifa University, Human, The New York Times Magazine, Mount Locations: Israel, Jordan, Gaza, Egypt, Jerusalem, Zion, Munich, Tunisia, Oslo, American, Oslo Gaza, Palestine, Madrid, Kuwait, United States, Soviet, Lebanon, Syria, Jordanian, America, Washington, U.S, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, U.N, Independence, Palestinian, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Rafah, Hebron, Ibrahimi, West Bank, Judea, Samaria, Yehuda, Camp David, Jenin, Haram, Al Aqsa, Khan, Kfar Aza, Khan Younis, Ahmad, Old, Ireland, Bosnia, Tel Aviv, Iran, Athens, El, Camp, Israeli, Van Leer, Ramallah

☆ A top Democrat's indictment could be a game-changer for 2 troublesome allies seeking US fighter jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Menendez's removal could be a game-changer for two countries who have long sought US fighter jets. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . His removal could be a game-changer for Egypt and Turkey — two important but vexing US allies — when it comes to buying modern US-made fighter jets to upgrade their air forces. Turkey's F-16 prospectsA Turkish F-16 during a NATO Air Policing mission out of Poland in August 2021. It has ordered 54 French-made Rafale multirole jets in a bid to, at least partially, diversify its overwhelmingly American-made fighter arsenal.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, —, Bob Menendez's, Turkey's, Cuneyt, Getty Images Menendez, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Ben Cardin, Getty Images Cardin, Cardin, Ryan Bohl, RANE, Bohl, Frank McKenzie, Derek Seifert Cairo, Su, Paul Iddon Organizations: Foreign, Service, New, New Jersey Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, NATO Air Policing, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Turkish, NATO, Turkish Air Force, East, Business, US Air Force KC, 135R, US Air Force, Getty, US Central Command, State Department, Air Force Locations: New Jersey, Egypt, Turkey, Turkish, Poland, NATO, coziness, Russia, Malbork, North Africa, Israel, Cairo, China, Dubai, United States, France

☆ Most Gulf markets gain on rising oil prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Ateeq Shariff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Christopher Pike Acquire Licensing RightsNov 19 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf ended higher on Sunday in response to Friday's rise in oil prices, with the Saudi index rising for a fourth consecutive session. Oil prices - often a catalyst for the Gulf's financial market - jumped more than 4% on Friday, rebounding from a 4-month low, with U.S. sanctions on some Russian oil shippers lending support. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index (.TASI) gained 0.5%, with oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) gaining 0.3% and the country's biggest lender Saudi National Bank (1180.SE) advancing 1.5%. In Qatar, the index (.QSI) closed 0.2% higher, helped by a 1% rise in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank (QNBK.QA). Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index (.EGX30) advanced 2.1%, buoyed by a 3.8% jump in Commercial International Bank (CIB) (COMI.CA).

Persons: Joe Biden, Christopher Pike, Kristalina Georgieva, Ateeq, Alex Richardson Organizations: Dubai Financial, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Saudi, Saudi Aramco, Saudi National Bank, Qatar National Bank, Gulf Cooperation Council, U.S . Federal Reserve, International Bank, CIB, Egypt's, European Bank for Reconstruction, Monetary Fund, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Saudi, Qatar, Israel, Ateeq Shariff, Bengaluru

☆ Why Do Evil and Suffering Exist? Religion Has One Answer, Literature Another.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Ayana Mathis | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

After a few months in fly-infested stables converted to bunkhouses, they are herded onto trains that take them to a remote part of Utah. The America the family sees from the window — their country — is exceedingly beautiful, a counterpoint to their grim situation. Late at night, the woman in the family recites the Lord’s Prayer. In Genesis, after Ham sees Noah naked, Noah curses Ham’s son Canaan — falsely identified by later interpreters as a progenitor of Egyptians and other dark-skinned people: “Cursed be Canaan! Today, we are once again witness to mothers wailing over their children’s dead bodies, bombed hospitals — violence and suffering so vast it is unfathomable.

Persons: Shawn Copeland, Ham, Noah, Ham’s, Canaan —, Copeland, ” Organizations: ” Locations: ”, Utah, America

☆ Exclusive: IMF chief says Biden-Xi engagement an important signal for world to cooperate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( David Lawder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden-Xi meeting is "important at a time when geo-economic fragmentation has indeed deepened with negative consequences for the prospects for accelerating growth," Georgieva said. U.S.-China engagement also will be an important factor on negotiations over World Trade Organization reform, including restoration of its dispute settlement system. "We are already seeing the impact of antisemitism and Islamophobia, raising their ugly heads all over the world. IMF SHAREHOLDING REFORMSU.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during meetings last week with her Chinese counterpart that a key outcome of U.S.-China economic engagement was Beijing's support for a 50% increase in IMF quota-based resources, without an immediate rise in shareholding for China. Georgieva said it was important for the IMF to start quickly on revamping its shareholding formula to boost the representation of fast-growing developing economies: "The world needs an IMF that is financially strong, and that is also legitimate."

Persons: Joe Biden, Kristalina, Dina Boluarte, Loren Elliott, Kristalina Georgieva, Xi Jinping, Georgieva, Biden, Xi, Janet Yellen, David Lawder, Chris Reese, Tom Hogue Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Monetary Fund, Reuters, Biden, U.S ., APEC, U.S, World Trade Organization, United, Hamas, IMF, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, China, United Arab Emirates, GAZA, Gaza, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel

☆ IMF may need to augment Egypt program amid Gaza war impacts, Georgieva says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, addresses the media on the fourth day of the annual meeting of the IMF and the World Bank, following September's deadly earthquake, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told Reuters on Friday the Fund was "seriously considering" a possible augmentation of Egypt's $3 billion loan program due to economic difficulties posed by the Israel-Hamas war. Georgieva told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit that the conflict is "devastating" Gaza's population and economy and has "severe impacts" on the West Bank's economy and is also posing difficulties for neighboring countries Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan through the loss of tourism and higher energy costs. Reporting by David Lawder Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kristalina, Susana Vera, Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, David Lawder, Chris Reese Organizations: International Monetary Fund, IMF, World Bank, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Monetary Fund, Reuters, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey first lady Tammy Murphy on Wednesday launched a bid for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in next year's contest. A Virginia native, and University of Virginia graduate, Tammy Murphy worked in finance at Goldman Sachs alongside Phil Murphy before the couple settled in New Jersey. A former Republican, Tammy Murphy has spoken about growing up in a GOP-leaning area of Virginia and has previously donated to that party. The suit alleges that Tammy Murphy denied a trooper the use of a carriage house on Murphy's property to pump breast milk. Menendez's indictment led to a collapse of Democratic support in the state for him.

Persons: Tammy Murphy, Andy Kim, Democratic U.S . Sen, Bob Menendez, ”, Murphy, Phil Murphy, Goldman Sachs, ” Menendez, Nadine Menendez, He's, hasn't, he'll, he's, Jon Corzine's, Menendez, Kim Organizations: —, Wednesday, Democratic, U.S, Senate, Democratic U.S ., Democratic Gov, University of Virginia, Goldman, New, New Jersey Council, Republican, Prosecutors Locations: TRENTON, N.J, — New Jersey, New Jersey, Virginia, Jersey, Egypt

☆ The Man Who Blazed a Trail for Dictatorship in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ben Hubbard | More About Ben Hubbard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

And help he did. He sent arms, military experts and advice on how to talk to the West. He encouraged the officers to assure the United States, Britain and France that the coup posed no risk to their people or interests. His long reign is but one strand of Nasser’s disastrous legacy, according to “We Are Your Soldiers,” by the Lebanon-based journalist Alex Rowell. Rowell takes the reader on a historical tour of the Middle East to illuminate how Nasser contributed to the region’s “shared curse of political repression mixed with economic misery.”

Persons: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Alex Rowell, King Idris I, Muammar el, el, ” Nasser, “, Colonel el, Qaddafi, brutalizing, kook, Rowell, Nasser, ” Organizations: Libyan Army, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Egypt, United States, Britain, France, Libya, Lebanon

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar got a prominent Democratic primary challenger Sunday when former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels announced he'll try once again to unseat her after coming close in 2022. But Omar — a Somali American and Muslim — has come under renewed fire for condemning the Israeli government’s handling of its war against Hamas. Jeremy Slevin, a spokesman for Omar, did not immediately return a phone message left Sunday seeking comment on Samuels' announcement. Omar has been critical of Hamas for attacking Israel and taking hostages — but even more so of Israel’s military response. That drew pushback from a strong supporter of Israel, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who issued a public show of support for Omar this summer.

Persons: Ilhan Omar, Don Samuels, he'll, Omar, Omar —, —, “, Samuels, beatable, George Floyd, Barack Obama, ” Samuels, Jeremy Slevin, Israel, Louis Park, Isaac Herzog’s, " Samuels, ”, Hakeem Jeffries, didn't, Sarah Gad, Tim Peterson, Dalia Al Organizations: — U.S . Rep, Democratic, Sunday, Minneapolis City Council, House Democrats, Hamas, Associated Press, WCCO Radio, Twitter, Israel, Israel Public Affairs Committee, House Democratic, AIPAC, Republican Locations: MINNEAPOLIS, Minneapolis, Somali American, Minnesota, Gaza, U.S, Somali, Russia, Ukraine, Iraqi American

☆ Al Shifa: Gaza's largest hospital in the headlines
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Stephen Farrell | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Smoke rises as displaced Palestinians take shelter at Al Shifa hospital, amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Gaza City, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Doaa Rouqa/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Al Shifa Hospital, hit by missiles on Friday, is the largest in the 360-sq-km Gaza Strip. In recent weeks Israel has said Hamas militants have hidden command centres and tunnels beneath it and other hospitals. REDESIGN AND ENLARGEMENTDuring the 1980s, the hospital complex was revamped and redesigned by Israeli architects, according to Israeli news reports. Zvi Elhyani, founder of the Israel Architecture Archive, wrote on Ynet on Nov. 9: "With the aid of American support, Israel embarked on a project to revamp and enlarge the hospital complex.

Persons: Doaa, Israel, Shifa, Zvi Elhyani, Yasser Arafat’s Fatah, Fatah, Stephen Farrell, Nidal Al, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Al Shifa Hospital, Britain, New York Times, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Fatah, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Al Shifa, Israel, Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine, London, Shifa, Oslo, Mughrabi

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