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☆ Families of American hostages captured by Hamas turn to Donald Trump for new hope
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Mj Lee | Arlette Saenz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —The families of US hostages captured by Hamas on October 7, 2023, remain in agony, waiting for any sign that their loved ones might finally come home to them. Now, more than a year into the Israel-Hamas conflict and on the heels of last week’s US presidential election, some of those families are turning to one man with renewed hope: President-elect Donald Trump. Speaking at the Republican National Convention over the summer, Trump said: “To the entire world, I tell you this: We want our hostages back. And they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price.”The Biden administration has been pushing for months for a ceasefire and hostages release deal in the Israel-Hamas war. Those families have yet to meet with Trump or his running mate, JD Vance, according to Chen.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ruby Chen, Itay, Chen, –, Joe Biden’s, Jake Sullivan, Biden, “ He’s, ’ ” Chen, ” Chen, Trump, “, ”, JD Vance, Sullivan, Hamas – Organizations: Washington CNN, White, CNN, Trump, America, Republican National Convention, Democrat, Republican, Hamas, Democratic Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Qatar

☆ US has not assessed Israel is violating law on Gaza aid, will not change policy despite humanitarian groups’ findings
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The US statement comes in sharp contrast to the findings of humanitarian aid organizations, who say that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated to its worst point since the war began in October 2023.” The situation in northern Gaza in particular has been described as “apocalyptic,” with areas at “imminent” risk of famine. Section 620I of the US Foreign Assistance Act requires the US to halt security assistance to governments who restrict US humanitarian aid. “We, at this time, have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of US law,” State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said Tuesday. “Israeli forces repeatedly attacked humanitarian sites and frontline responders during the 30-day period,” the scorecard said. “There is no provision in US or international law that allows extra time to starve people,” said former top State Department official Stacy Gilbert.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, “, ” Blinken, Vedant Patel, Patel, “ We’ve, ”, they’ve, Kate Phillips, you’re, ” Phillips, Barrasso, Stacy Gilbert, CNN’s Michael Conte, Mick Krever, MJ Lee, Kylie Atwood, Abeer Salman, Kareem Khadder, Irene Nasser Organizations: Washington CNN, Israel, State Department, Defense, Biden, US Foreign, ” State Department, CNN, Anera, CARE International, Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam, Refugees International, UNRWA, UN, The State Locations: Gaza, ”, U.S, Austin, Gaza’s Beit, Israel, America, United States

CNN —Qatar announced Saturday that it has paused its role as a mediator for a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas due to a lack of willingness by the sides to reach an agreement. After months of stop-and-go negotiations, efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage release deal – a top priority for President Joe Biden – remain stalled. Officials in Doha have also decided to close Hamas’ political office in the Qatari capital, a diplomat familiar with the decision told CNN. In April, Doha made a similar move in temporarily closing the Hamas office. As talks faltered, the Biden administration and Israel asked Doha to bring them back, the diplomat told CNN.

Persons: Majed Al, Ansari, Joe Biden –, “⁠, “, ”, ’, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Biden, CNN’s Ibrahim Dahman, Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler Organizations: CNN — Qatar, Qatari Foreign Ministry, Officials, CNN, ⁠ Doha, Qatar, White House National Security Council, “ Qatar, Qatari, Al, Israel Locations: Gaza, Israel, The State, Qatar, Doha, Cairo, Turkey

“Hamas is a terrorist group that has killed Americans and continues to hold Americans hostage,” a senior administration official told CNN. The final impetus for Qatar agreeing to kick Hamas out came recently after the death of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Hamas’ rejection of yet another ceasefire proposal. Exactly when Hamas operatives would be exiled out of Qatar – and where they would go – are unclear. One US official told CNN the group has not been given an extended amount of time to leave the country. Earlier this year, the Justice Department charged several senior Hamas leaders over the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden –, ”, “, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Khaled Meshaal, Antony Blinken Organizations: CNN, Qatar, Doha –, Qatari, Qatar –, Justice Department Locations: Qatari, Doha, Israel, Qatar, Turkey, Gaza

“She has been pretty resistant to having those conversations,” said one senior Democrat familiar with the pre-election discussions with the vice president. While Harris’ transition team has been operating out of government-provided offices in Washington, Trump’s transition team is working from Manhattan and the Willard Hotel in Washington. A Harris victory would trigger the first same-party transition since 1989, when President Ronald Reagan handed off the presidency to his vice president, George H.W. Yet the extent to which Harris would retain members of the Biden administration is largely unknown. While Harris has maintained relationships with individual Cabinet and administration officials, some believe she will prefer to start anew with her own team.

Persons: CNN — Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Harris, ”, “, I’ve, he’s, Joe Biden, Biden, Harris –, Harris ’, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, “ They’re, Yohannes Abraham, Josh Hsu, Dana Remus Organizations: CNN, Harris Cabinet, Trump, White, Democratic, GOP, West Wing, White House, Biden, Republican, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Locations: Washington, Manhattan, Washington ., California, George H.W .

☆ American Battleground: How ‘brat summer’ set up Kamala Harris’ remarkable run
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Tom Foreman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

Chief among them, the person the outgoing president tapped to replace him on the ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris. “People understood that if you didn’t choose Kamala Harris, you’d have a big problem with your base voters,” Etienne says. He’s had plenty of women who worked for him over the years, but there was no one who looked like Kamala Harris and there was no one in a position of authority. Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Elijah Nouvelage/AFP/Getty ImagesComing Thursday: How cat people are still haunting Trump’s campaign

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Read, ” Joe Biden, CNN’s MJ Lee, Nancy Pelosi, Biden, Lee, “, ”, Pelosi, “ America’s, Evan Vucci, Trump’s, Team Trump, “ Trump, unpleasantly, Tim Alberta, NPR’s Michel Martin, Kamala Harris, “ Joe Biden’s, California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, J.B, Pritzker, Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, Maryland’s Wes Moore, Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, Sens, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Manchin, Pete Buttigieg, Harris, ” Lee, Ashley Etienne, Barack Obama, you’d, ” Etienne, Trump, Harris ’, ‘, “ Kamala, I’ve, Ron Bieber, cheaters, Donald Trump’s, “ We’re, Kevin Mohatt, CNN’s Kristen Holmes, CNN’s Phil Mattingly, Van Jones, he’s, Rachel Scott, Vincent Alban, Obama, Hillary Clinton, Lyin, Kamala ”, Etienne, Treene, Jeff Zeleny, detests Biden, viscerally detests, He’s, Tim Walz, Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Walz, ” Vance, Vance, Brendan Smialowski, CNN’s Edward, Isaac Dovere, Beyoncé’s, Roe, Wade, smirking, Elijah Nouvelage Organizations: CNN, Guardian, White, Republican National Convention, Team, Trump, Governors, Democratic National Convention, Naval, Democratic Party, Harris, Biden, Democratic, AFL, National Association of Black Journalists, ABC, Howard University, Minnesota Gov, Marine, Army National Guard, United States Marine Corps, Ohio Republican, Arlington National Cemetery, Pentagon, Getty, Republicans, “, Fox News, ABC News Locations: Wilmington, Delaware, Atlantic, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer , Illinois, Minnesota, West Virginia, Michigan, Wisconsin, West Allis , Wisconsin, Trump, Jamaica, India, United States, Iraq, United States of America, Afghanistan, Philadelphia, AFP, Roe, Alabama, Atlanta

☆ Biden may have handed Trump a big assist with his ‘garbage’ gaffe
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Biden mentioned Puerto Rico, slandered as a “floating island of garbage” by a comedian at Trump’s event on Sunday night. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden said, pausing for a moment before continuing. She’s now almost certain to be asked whether she also regards Trump’s backers as “garbage.” Her answer will only prolong the story. In a neck-and-neck race that may be decided by mere thousands of votes in swing states, neither Harris nor Trump can afford mistakes. And as CNN reported on Tuesday, his gaffes have caused responses – from eyerolls to outright anger – from some Harris campaign aides.

Persons: CNN — Joe Biden, he’d, Donald Trump, Biden, Kamala President Harris ’, I’m, ” Biden, Harris, “, Andrew Bates, Hillary’s Clinton’s, ”, Karoline Leavitt, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris don’t, Trump, ” Harris, Harris ’, She’s, Hillary, Adolf Hitler, Tony Hinchcliffe, ” Trump, Fox News ’ Sean Hannity, president’s, I’ll, Gretchen Carlson, CNN Clinton, Obama, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, ” Clinton, Arnold Palmer, isn’t, Hillary Clinton’s “, Biden’s, he’s, Gabby Giffords, CNN’s Kayla Tausche, MJ Lee, Kevin Liptak Organizations: CNN, Madison, slandered, White House, Puerto Rico spewed, Democratic, Trump, East, East Coast Democratic, “, New, Fox News, Biden, Republicans, Capitol, Democratic National Convention, Republican, Puerto, Justice Department, GOP Locations: Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican, Delaware, New York, Puerto, Madison, East Coast, Washington, admonishments, Pennsylvania, Lancaster, Lehigh County, eyerolls, Trump, New Hampshire, Arizona, misspeak, ‘

☆ Harris distances herself from Biden’s ‘garbage’ comment as Democrats are privately exasperated by the president
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Mj Lee | Samantha Waldenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday distanced herself from President Joe Biden’s comments that seemingly referred to Donald Trump’s supporters as “garbage,” setting off a political firestorm a week before Election Day. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden said, pausing for a moment before continuing. Harris’ campaign was quick to try to publicly defend or explain those remarks publicly. As CNN has reported, there had been growing wariness among Harris campaign aides about Biden’s propensity for gaffes, at a moment when the campaign does not want to take any unnecessary political risks. Tuesday night’s “garbage” comments from Biden only ended up confirming those existing concerns for many Democrats.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump’s, Harris, Biden, “ didn’t, ”, ” Harris, Base Andrews, “, Trump’s, I’m, ” Biden, ” “, Andrew Bates, Harris ’, –, “ Nobody, ” Biden’s, Trump, Tim Walz, ” Walz, Walz, ’ ”, she’s Organizations: Washington CNN —, Base, Madison, Garden, Puerto Rico spewed, CNN, Biden, Minnesota Gov, CBS News, ABC News, Democratic Locations: United States, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican, Delaware, Puerto, Madison, Washington ,

☆ American Battleground: Christianity and chokeholds, the powerful forces propelling Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Tom Foreman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +22 min

“Hey hey, ho ho, thank you, Joe, it’s time to go!”The success of former President Donald Trump’s campaign is becoming a catastrophe for sitting President Joe Biden. A fundraising appeal from the Biden campaign says, “How does a guy who used to say that Donald Trump and his policies were ‘reprehensible,’ become Donald Trump’s running mate? Through years of being a rubber-stamp for Donald Trump’s extreme, MAGA agenda. Women voters, whom the Trump campaign desperately needs, start posting cat memes sharply critical of Vance’s views. But even though Trump is casting himself as the martyr, within days it will seem he was playing the prophet.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Read, Joe, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Roe, Wade, ”, “, Shadi Hamid, Trump nodded, White Trump, Biden, CNN’s MJ Lee, ‘, ’ ” Biden, David, Jill, granddaughters Finnegan, Natalie, Haiyun Jiang, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, ” Biden, NBC’s Lester Holt, Hakeem Jeffries, “ Joe Biden, ” Sen, Chris Coons, vise, Wade –, Ben Carson, Ken Cuccinelli, Mark Meadows, Stephen Miller, Peter Navarro, CNN’s Phil Mattingly, they’ve, ” Mattingly, ” Trump, J.D, Vance, ” Ohio Sen, JD Vance, Rebecca Wright, “ America’s Hitler, MAGA, “ Vance, Mike Pence wouldn’t, Jen O’Malley Dillon, ’, ” Vance, —, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, we’ve, sociopaths ”, Alayna Treene, George Clooney, Volodymyr Zelensky “, Putin, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Samuel Corum, Hillary Clinton, Trump’s, ” CNN’s John King, Hulk Hogan, Let Trump, Sean O’Brien, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, “ Donald Trump, thrall, Hogan, Will Lanzoni, luxuriating, Ozzy Osbourne, Andy Kaufman, Chauncey DeVega, weathers, Bernadette Tuazon, CNN “ I’m, I’m, Kamala Harris ’ Organizations: CNN, White, Pew Research, National Religious Broadcasters, The Washington Post, Trump, New York Times, Democratic Party, ”, New York Democrat, Heritage Foundation, Justice Department, Republican National Convention, Senate, Fox News, GOP, Women, Biden, NATO, Democrats, Democratic, Getty, Democrat, Republican, RNC, Florida Gov, South Carolina Gov, Grand Old Party, Atlantic City, World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame, Salon, Republican Party, Resolute, “ Locations: The, Delaware, ”, Detroit, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, United States, Great State of Ohio, ” Ohio, Idaho, Milwaukee, Ohio, Las Vegas, AFP, American, Carolina, Florida, Milwaukee’s, America

☆ Biden seeks to clean up ‘garbage’ comment about Trump supporters denigrating Latinos
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Sam Fossum | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage.”Trump said, “Wow. Garbage I think is worse, right?”Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance also seized on Biden’s comments. The president also criticized Trump’s character when trying to make the case for Harris on the call. In the days since his New York City rally, Trump’s campaign has tried to distance itself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who who made the remark about Puerto Rico. “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement Sunday.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, —, I’m, ”, ” Biden, “, It’s, we’ve, Hillary Clinton’s, ” Biden’s, Kamala Harris, ” “, Andrew Bates, Trump, Biden’s, Florida Sen, Marco Rubio, ” Trump, Hillary, irredeemable, Vance, Harris, “ Donald Trump, Kamala, Tim Walz, Tony Hinchcliffe, Danielle Alvarez, CNN’s Gregory Krieg, Steve Contorno, Kristen Holmes Organizations: CNN, Madison, Republicans, Puerto Rico spewed, Republican Locations: Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican, Delaware, Washington ,, Puerto, Madison, Allentown , Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, eyerolls, He’s, York City

But during that time, Netanyahu was soliciting input from Trump, the Republican nominee. Trump claimed during a rally in Georgia that Netanyahu had called him at least twice in recent days. Trump’s allies also privately played up the Netanyahu-Trump phone calls as demonstrating that Netanyahu is seriously eyeing the possibility of a Trump victory. Still, the Biden administration is publicly signaling it hopes to advance efforts to bring the hostages home and to end a war that is threatening to tarnish Biden’s foreign policy legacy. Both Qatar and Egypt have reengaged with the group, which has not publicly named a new leader.

Persons: Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar, Netanyahu –, Biden, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, Trump, “ Bibi, ” Trump, “ We’re, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, “, Bibi, ”, Harris, stoke, Trump’s, Netanyahu didn’t, Biden demurred, ’, ” Biden, ” Blinken, Bill Burns, David Barnea, Sinwar, Khalil al, Khaled Mashal, Mousa Abu Marzook, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Trump, Republican, Democrat, White House, Netanyahu, East, Arab, CIA, Qatari Locations: Gaza, United States, Israel, Qatar, Doha, Washington , DC, Georgia, American, Washington, Michigan, Egypt

“We assess that between early- to mid-October, North Korea moved at least 3,000 soldiers into eastern Russia,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. “We assess that these soldiers traveled by ship from the Wonsan area in North Korea to Vladivostok, Russia. “We are seeing evidence that that there are North Korean troops that have gone to Russia,” Austin told reporters traveling with him in Rome on Wednesday. A senior administration official said earlier Wednesday that the training of North Korean soldiers and possible preparation to send them to find to Ukraine is a sign of serious desperation on Russia’s part. Meanwhile, South Korea’s spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, said Friday that North Korea has shipped 1,500 soldiers, including special forces fighters, to Russia for training.

Persons: “, John Kirby, …, Defense Lloyd Austin, ” Austin, Austin, Kirby, Putin, ” Kirby, Volodymyr Zelensky, Kevin Liptak, MJ Lee Organizations: CNN, Ukraine, ” National Security, Defense, US, Korean, Kremlin, UN, United, NATO, National Intelligence Service Locations: Russia, North Korea, Wonsan, Vladivostok, Ukrainian, Korea, Ukraine, Rome, Europe, Pacific, Moscow, Pyongyang, United States, Kyiv, Washington, Koreans, South

Israeli and US officials often had some sense of the general area where Sinwar was hiding over the long months. The only way in is with an Israeli military escort, which means reporters are only allowed to see what Israel wants them to see. In the moments before his death — which Israeli officials have said was caused by a bullet to the head — Israeli troops flew a drone into the heavily damaged building where he had fled. A video from the drone, released by the Israeli military, offers a silent account of his final moments. To the end, US intelligence officials believed that Sinwar was unconcerned with his own mortality, and determined to continue the fight.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, United States —, Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Israel, Khan Younis, Khan Yunis, Said Khatib, Ibrahim Sinwar, Tal Al Sultan, Tal, — Organizations: CNN, United, Brigade, CIA, IDF, Israeli Defense Forces, Getty, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Washington ,, Israel, United States, Gaza, Doha, Lebanese, Iran, Khan, AFP, Rafah, Tal Al, Washington

How to strike a hostage and ceasefire deal, and with whom, is now a matter of uncertainty for American officials, who spent the hours after Sinwar’s death trying to determine if he had a successor. But US officials stopped short of saying Thursday that his death will result in a deal overnight. For long stretches, American officials couldn’t even say definitively whether he was alive or dead. “By all accounts, Sinwar has been the biggest obstacle within Hamas to a ceasefire-hostage release deal in Gaza. Depending on who would take his place, Sinwar’s death could revive hope for an agreement to end the war.

Persons: Yahya Sinwar, Antony Blinken, Hamas —, ”, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Kamala Harris ’, Harris, Netanyahu, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sinwar, “, Jonathan Panikoff, ” Panikoff, Aaron David Miller, Miller, ’ ” Sinwar, couldn’t, Andrew Miller, ” Biden, Lloyd Austin Organizations: CNN, Hamas, US, Sinwar, State Department, “, Michigan Locations: Gaza, Israel, Sinwar, fatalistic, Palestinian, Lebanon

☆ US officials expect Israel’s counterattack on Iran will come before US Election Day
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Mj Lee | Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The timeline and parameters of Israel’s retaliation against Iran have been subject to intense debate inside Israel’s government and are not directly related to the timing of the US election, the sources said. President Joe Biden, and by extension Vice President Kamala Harris, have faced pressure from progressives for their handling of the situation. In a telephone conversation last week, Biden and Netanyahu held a “direct” conversation about the plans for responding to Iran, according to the White House. American officials were extraordinarily tight-tipped about the two leaders’ conversation. Some American officials have privately speculated the Israeli leader is looking to boost Trump in the weeks ahead of November’s election.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu —, —, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Israel, Harris, Netanyahu, Biden, John Kirby, “, ” Kirby, Austin, wasn’t, ” Organizations: Washington CNN —, CNN, Michigan, Biden, White, US, Trump Locations: Israel, Iran, Gaza, United States

Harris advisers often publicly dismiss the polls, acknowledging that the race is close and will remain so leading up to Election Day. Others want to focus on mobilizing men and men of color to turn out – a demographic that remains a point of concern among Harris campaign officials. And I am running like the underdog because I am the underdog in this race,” Harris told donors at a fundraiser in late September. “When Black voters are getting inundated by anti-Harris mail, anti-Harris ads, the face-to-face conversations matter even more,” the operative said. Harris campaign surrogates have told CNN that there is also still a lot to do to shore up support among Latinos in the final weeks before Election Day.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Harris, Donald Trump, Trump, Harris ’, “, Hillary Clinton, Biden, Clinton, ” Brendan McPhillips, John Murtha Johnstown, Andrew Harnik, ” Harris, Dan Kanninen, ”, we’ve, ” Kanninen, –, ” Patrick Murray, Murray, would’ve, ” Murray, Evelyn Hockstein, don’t, outpacing Harris, Anthony West, ” West, Cedric Richmond, ” Richmond, surrogates, “ There’s, Adriano Espaillat, Chuck Rocha, it’s Organizations: CNN, Democratic, “, Democrats, Trump, Pennsylvania, Cambria, Biden, Electoral, Monmouth University Polling Institute, Dort Financial, Reuters, Black, NAACP, White, Department of Justice, Collective PAC, ”, Black Colleges, Universities, Georgia, Former Louisiana Rep, Social Security, ” New York Democratic Locations: Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Johnstown , Pennsylvania, Cambria, Monmouth, Dort, Flint , Michigan, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Black, Georgia

☆ Biden and Harris step up public engagement about the dangers of Hurricane Milton
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Michael Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Later Wednesday, the White House said Biden had spoken by phone with officials in Florida in advance of Hurricane Milton making landfall. Harris’ visible role on the storm response comes as Hurricane Helene and now Milton have become part of the 2024 campaign, with less than four weeks to go before Election Day. She’s been making statements on issues that don’t typically fall under the purview of her official role as vice president. Her campaign has been consumed in recent days by the latest hurricane as it is working to evacuate staff, pause voter outreach across Florida and keep an eye on potential early voting ramifications following Hurricane Helene in a battleground state like North Carolina. It’s looking like the storm of the century,” Biden said during the briefing.

Persons: Milton, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, “, we’ve, ” Biden, “ We’ve, Kamala, Harris ’, Hurricane Helene, Federal Emergency Management Agency — Biden, Harris, CNN’s Dana, ”, Biden —, Roosevelt, Biden, Hurricane Milton, She’s, ” Harris, Bash, Donald Trump, I’m, –, ABC’s, Trump, – Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, That’s, Helene, MJ Lee, Donald Judd Organizations: CNN, National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, White, Weather Channel, Angola —, White House, Trump Locations: Florida, New York, Germany, Angola, Hurricane, “, North Carolina, ”, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden will no longer travel abroad this week as a major hurricane speeds toward Florida. The statement comes ahead of Biden’s expected remarks this morning on Hurricane Milton’s anticipated impact and ongoing recovery efforts for Helene. There have not yet been any discussions in earnest about when the postponed trip would be rescheduled, another White House official said. The White House had appeared aware of the optics of the president potentially being abroad after a catastrophic storm. “He’s gotten updates about the hurricane and (is) obviously continuing to get updates on what is happening on the ground as after the horrible hurricane, Hurricane Helene, and so that will continue.”There is little time remaining in his presidency to reschedule.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, Hurricane Milton, Biden, Hurricane Helene, Karine Jean, Pierre, Biden’s, Helene, Helene –, Trump, Hurricane Dorian, Berlin –, –, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Donald Trump ., Kamala Harris, Milton, ” Jean, ”, “ He’s, That’s, Pierre said Organizations: Washington CNN, Republicans, Biden, White, Ukraine, British, NATO, Ukraine Defense Contract, White House, reschedule Locations: Florida, Germany, Angola, Hurricane, Poland, Berlin, Saharan Africa, France, United Kingdom, Ukraine

As with Gaza, US officials say Israel was initially planning for a much larger ground incursion into Lebanon before the US convinced it to scale back. ‘The right moment’ for diplomacyThe US still wants to see Lebanon ceasefire talks resume, officials said, and US officials continue to believe that the conflict can only be resolved diplomatically. Nasrallah and other members of Hezbollah’s senior leadership are now dead as a result of Israel’s operations in Lebanon. Earlier in the day, a reluctant Biden told reporters he’d be “comfortable with [Israel] stopping” the campaign in Lebanon that risked further inflaming the region. Behind closed doors, sources say, Biden offered reluctant support for eliminating Hezbollah infrastructure along Israel’s border and in southern Lebanon, as long as Israel’s operations remained limited in nature.

Persons: Israel upended, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Biden, Israel, Matthew Miller, that’s, Joe Biden, ” Alon Pinkas, Yoav Gallant, Lloyd Austin, Gallant, Pinkas, ” Pinkas, Netanyahu, Hassan Nasrallah, ” Gallant, ‘, “ We’re, Karine Jean, Pierre, ”, Nasrallah, Austin, “, “ What’s, Antony Blinken, CQ Brown, National Intelligence Avril Haines –, he’d, hasn’t, ” Maj, Patrick Ryder, ” Israel, Ryder, Miller, CNN’s MJ Lee, Alex Marquardt Organizations: CNN, Biden, White House, Hamas, ”, ” Senior, US, Israeli, Israel, Iran, Joint Chiefs, National Intelligence, Pentagon, State Department Locations: Lebanon, Iran, Gaza, Israel, France, ”, Washington, Israeli, New York, Beirut, Lebanese, “, Austin, Beirut’s

It should be a proportional response,” Biden told reporters Wednesday following a virtual call with leaders from the Group of 7 industrialized nations. The administration currently assesses it’s unlikely Israel would target Iran’s nuclear sites, though one senior official said Israel still hasn’t decided on where it might strike. Biden said Wednesday he does not support an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. “The answer is no,” he responded when questioned about the prospect of Israel launching a retaliatory strike on sites related to Iran’s nuclear program. “Iran is a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East, and today’s attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact.”

Persons: Joe Biden, Israel, Biden, “, ‘, ’, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Netanyahu “, Kurt Campbell, ” Campbell, ” Biden, hasn’t, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Hashanah, Kamala Harris —, —, Harris Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Hamas, West Bank, Hezbollah, Democratic Locations: Israel, retaliating, Iran, Lebanon, “ Iran, Gaza, United States, Isfahan

Israel has launched a ground operation southern Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. Israeli officials said there would be “no long-term occupation” of Lebanon but declined to provide a timeline. Here’s what you need to know:• Mass casualties: At least 95 people were killed in Israeli strikes yesterday, adding to a death toll of more than 1,000 since last Monday. • UN opposes ground incursion: “We all know the devastation that an all-out war, a ground war in Lebanon would bring to the people of Israel and the people of Lebanon,” the UN chief’s spokesperson said Monday. • Strikes on Damascus: An Israeli strike has killed a well-know television anchor and two others, state news agency SANA reported.

Persons: •, Joe Biden, SANA Organizations: Lebanese, CNN, UN, UN chief’s, Pentagon, •, Hamas Locations: Israel, Lebanon, • Israel, Damascus, Syria, Germany, •, Gaza, Yemen

CNN —The White House on Tuesday said the US believes Iran is preparing an imminent ballistic missile attack against Israel. “The United States has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel. A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” a senior White House official said in a statement. In that attack, Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles towards Israel – the vast majority were successfully intercepted. “As of this moment, Israel does not perceive imminent threat from Iran,” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.

Persons: “, ”, Daniel Hagari, Hagari, ” Hagari, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, ” Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, Blinken Organizations: CNN, Israel, White House, Israel Defense Forces, Monday, Israeli, ”, Moroccan Locations: Iran, United States, Israel, Lebanon, States

☆ Why America is looking increasingly powerless as Israel’s war expands
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

And the US has incessantly pushed for a Gaza ceasefire that neither Netanyahu nor Hamas seems to want. For instance, the US and its allies helped repel a massive Iranian missile and drone attack against Israel in April. It has also killed other senior members of the two groups in strikes in Syria, Lebanon, Iran and in Gaza. And pro-Trump Republicans are goading him to go further — at least partly to weaken Biden and his chosen successor, Harris. This is just one of many reasons why Netanyahu is incentivized to expand his war no matter how powerless it makes America look.

Persons: CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Joe Biden, “, Netanyahu, Kamala Harris, Hassan Nasrallah, Biden, Antony Blinken, Nasrallah, dissed, CNN’s MJ Lee, Kylie Atwood, Jennifer Hansler, Cedric Leighton, Leighton, Israel, it’s, Ismail Haniyeh, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, shuttler James Baker, —, Donald Trump, Harris, –, Trump Organizations: CNN, Monday, Israel Defense Forces, Democratic, Israel, Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US, Washington, ”, Hamas, Republicans, Trump Republicans, Democratic Party, Arab American Locations: Lebanon, ”, Washington, East Israel, Israel, Gaza, Iranian, Damascus, United States, Hezbollah, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Africa, Tehran . Israel, Israeli, China, Michigan

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gives a televised address, Lebanon, September 19, 2024, in this screenshot taken from a video. “I don’t see how this doesn’t go much wider soon,” said one senior Western official. Hezbollah will almost certainly respond, according to Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence official specializing in the region, and Iran is likely to play a role. A senior US official said the US believes Iran will intervene in the conflict if they judge that they are about to “lose” Hezbollah. US officials have long assessed that senior Hezbollah leadership has wanted to avoid all-out war with Israel, even as fighting has intensified in recent months.

Persons: Hassan Nasrallah, Joe Biden’s, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, ” Panikoff, Nasrallah, Mick Mulroy Organizations: Reuters, Western, US, Hezbollah, Israel, Middle, Defense Department Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, Iran, Tehran, Israel

☆ Hezbollah leader’s killing creates another balancing act for Biden
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-28 | by ( Kevin Liptak | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 27, 2024. “It’s welcome,” one senior administration official told CNN after both the Israel Defense Forces and Hezbollah confirmed Nasrallah’s death. But Hezbollah has been “decimated,” and Iran — which backs the militant group — has also been “much weakened,” the official said. Angry senior US officials were convinced that Netanyahu was reacting to backlash at home from far-right members of his government. Israeli officials, meanwhile, attributed the confusion to a “miscommunication.”Whatever the case, by Friday any talk of an imminent ceasefire had quieted as Israeli warplanes dropped bombs on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut.

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