DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Israel and Hamas at war: Latest News
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Scores of Israeli and foreign hostages were taken back to Gaza; Israel says it has identified 97 of them. [1/6]Israeli soldiers patrol following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, in southern Israel, October 11, 2023. * The war falls under a complex international system of justice that has emerged since World War Two. * International airlines have suspended hundreds of flights to and from Tel Aviv following the attack by Hamas militants on Israel. * Israel has raised $200 million in diaspora bonds since the war with Hamas began, Israel Bonds said.

Persons: Israel, Antony Blinken, Kan, Mahmoud Abbas, Wafa, Donald Trump, Netanyahu, Tayyip Erdogan, Violeta Santos Moura, Wang Yi, Mohammed Deif, upends, Kazuo Ueda, Frida, Israel Bonds, Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva, Stephen Farrell Organizations: United Nations, Food, Palestinian, El Al Airlines, Britain, Royal Navy, U.S, REUTERS, Bank of Japan, * Airlines, Carriers, Dutch KLM, Air France, U.S . State Department, Cyprus Airways, Hamas, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Washington, Israel, Egypt, Sinai, United States, Asia, Israeli, Palestinian, Sderot, Paris, Jerusalem, Saudi, Europe, Larnaca, Tel Aviv

The third-quarter earnings season unofficially kicks off this week, and the Street is expecting a modest return to growth after the disappointing first half of 2023. Energy prices are a major watch item across all industries, after crude prices surged 29% in third quarter. We will provide additional thoughts on the coming earnings season during our October Monthly Meeting on Wednesday at noon ET. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. A pedestrian passes a Wall Street subway station near the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., on Monday, June 27, 2022.

Persons: Wells Fargo, Jamie Dimon, Morgan Stanley, CNBC's Robert Hum, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Michael Nagle Organizations: Communication, Staples, Hamas, U.S ., JPMorgan Chase, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Bloomberg, Getty Images Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Israel's, New York, U.S

☆ Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Mideast and US leaders tried to sweep the issue under the rug. That may not work anymore
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Abbas Al Lawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Palestinian issue, he said, is brought up “a lot less than you think” in negotiations with Arab states. “The international community no longer seems to care, and the Palestinians’ Arab allies are embracing the most right-wing government in Israeli history. (Netanyahu told CNN last month he believes that making peace with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to peace with the Palestinians.) The plan was widely perceived as challenging China’s trade ambitions and would presumably have been activated after Saudi Arabia and Israel normalized ties. In the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, around three-quarters of their populations were opposed to normalizing with Israel, the poll found.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Netanyahu, Omar Rahman, Biden, Israel, Trump, “, Khaled Elgindy, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Elham, Donald, Joe, John Kirby, Mahmoud Abbas, Mohammed Al Yahya Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Saudi, Middle East Council, Global Affairs, United Arab, Abraham Accords, United, Israel, West Bank, Middle East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, Haaretz, London’s, House, National Security, Muslim Brotherhood, MBS, Palestinian, Washington Post, Washington Institute . Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, ”, Saudi, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, United States, UAE, Palestine, New York, Saudi Arabia, India, Europe, Riyadh, Washington

Israeli assets and the shekel remain under pressure and oil and gold prices are marginally higher than last week. World Markets Impact From MidEast Attacks WanesBlackRock chart on its Geopolitical Risk IndicatorNOWHERE TO RUN TO... Last updated shortly before the weekend events in Israel, BlackRock's Geopolitical Risk Indicator - which attempts to capture market attention to political risks - had indeed crept up to six month highs. Releasing its World Economic Outlook on Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund warned that more volatile commodity prices were a possible reflection of both greater climate and geopolitical risk. And yet hand wringing about geopolitical risk in different corners of the globe can also deflect from rising political risks in core economies - not the least in the United States.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Vincent Mortier, Anna Rosenberg, Kristina Hooper reckons, Hooper, that's, It's, Amundi's Rosenberg, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Gourinchas, Josie Kao Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, West Bank, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Treasury, Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Gaza, Iran, United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, Taiwan, Ukraine

Bostic was partly responding to the outburst of violence in Israel and Gaza, said Joseph Trevisani, senior analyst at FXStreet in New York. "You can pretty much count on the Fed taking that into its world view and that's only going to be lower rates." U.S. Treasuries rallied, pushing two-year yields to their lowest in a month, as safe-haven demand was driven by the ongoing Mideast bloodshed and dovish Fed comments. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury , which moves inversely to the price, was down 12.5 basis points at 4.6571%. The Swiss franc , a traditional safe-haven currency, was at 0.9045 to the dollar, which weakened about 0.21%.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Raphael Bostic, Bostic, Joseph Trevisani, Treasuries, Shaun Osborne, Israel's shekel, They're, Chris Turner, Herbert Lash, Harry Robertson, Tom Westbrook, Simon Cameron, Moore, Susan Fenton, Sharon Singleton, Jonathan Oatis, Mark Heinrich, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Atlanta Fed, Fed, American Bankers Association, U.S, Scotiabank, Traders, Bloomberg, Analysts, Columbus, Kyodo, Bank of Japan, . Treasury, ING, Swiss, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Israel, Gaza, New York, Toronto, Palestinian, London, Singapore

☆ China funds look to Mideast cash as US investments wane
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Summer Zhen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Seven China equity funds, including hedge funds and mutual funds, running more than $500 billion in combined assets, told Reuters they visited the Middle East this year to raise money, three of them for the first time. The search for new capital could affect Asia's hedge fund scene, where China firms account for more than half the market. "In the past perhaps the holy grail of capital raising was the U.S.," said Effie Vasilopoulos, co-Leader of law firm Sidley Austin's Asia-Pacific investment funds group. So that dynamic is leading many of our clients to the Middle East." However, sovereign funds in the Middle East have been large buyers.

Persons: Aly, Effie Vasilopoulos, Sidley, Steven Luk, Erin Wu, Wong Kok Hoi, Wong, Summer Zhen, Tom Westbrook, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, Seven, Reuters, FountainCap Research & Investment, OP Investment Management, POLITICO, Big U.S, ' Pension, California State Teachers, APS, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, HONG KONG, Seven China, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, Texas, Singapore, Middle Eastern

The surprise Hamas attack has dealt a blow to U.S. efforts to broker a landmark normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia and complicated Washington's approach toward Iran, Hamas' longtime benefactor. “Quite simply, all efforts at normalization are on hold for the foreseeable future,” said Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, contradicting the official U.S. government line. Khaled Elgindy, a former Palestinian negotiations adviser, accused the Biden administration of leading an Israeli-Saudi normalization process that mostly bypassed the Palestinians and their hopes of ending Israeli occupation. “That sort of neglect is part of why we're seeing what we're seeing,” said Elgindy, now at the Middle East Institute. The immediate challenge is preventing the war from spiraling into a broader conflict, administration officials say, especially preventing the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from opening a second front on Israel's northern border.

Persons: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Israel, ”, Jon Alterman, John Kirby, “, ” Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Khaled Elgindy, Elgindy, Panikoff, –, Netanyahu, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland, Alexander Cornwell, Parisa, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Heather Timmons, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Center for Strategic, International, White House National Security Council, Middle East Institute, Saudi, The Atlantic, Hezbollah, West Bank, Reuters, Atlantic Council, Thomson Locations: Israel, Washington , U.S, Saudi, Gaza, Ukraine, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas, Tehran, Israeli, Riyadh, Washington, Lebanese, IRAN, Dubai

Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, said the country would continue to play a constructive role in handling global "hotspot issues". But after the killings of more than 900 Israelis in coordinated assaults by the Islamic group Hamas, China's response was muted. China is willing to maintain communication with all parties and make unremitting efforts for peace and stability in the Middle East," Wang Wenbin, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday. "The achievement of peace in the Middle East region and the just settlement of the question of Palestine are inseparable." "China is very successful in a stable environment in the Middle East when it's possible to broker reconciliation agreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran," said Jean-Loup Samaan, Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore.

Persons: Washington . Wang Yi, Xi Jinping, Bill Figueroa, Wang Wenbin, COVID lockdowns, Xi, Steve Tsang, Zhai Jun, Liu Zhongmin, Yun Sun, Tuvia Gering, Jean, Loup Samaan, Samaan, Michael Martina, Don Durfee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Hamas, University of Groningen, Palestinian, Western, SOAS China Institute, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Arab League, EU, Palestine, United Nations, Abraham Accords, Institute for Middle East Studies of Shanghai International Studies University, China Program, Stimson, Institute for National Security Studies, Initiative, Middle East Institute of, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: China, Middle East HONG KONG, BEIJING, SINGAPORE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Saudi, Washington, Palestine, Netherlands, United States, PALESTINE, China's, Beijing, Russia, Ukraine, London, U.S

The IMF said it expects global economic growth to slow to 2.9% in 2024 from an expected 3% this year. “The global economy is limping along, not sprinting," IMF chief economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas said at a news conference during the organization's annual meeting in Marrakech, Morocco. If sustained, a 10% increase in oil prices would reduce global economic growth by 0.15% and increase global inflation by 0.4%, Gourinchas said. So far, the increase in oil prices has been “fairly muted,” said Commerzbank commodities analyst Carsten Fritsch. The United States is a standout in the IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook, which was completed before the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, “, Gourinchas, “ We’ve, ”, Carsten Fritsch Organizations: Hamas, International Monetary Fund, IMF, United Arab, U.S . Federal Reserve, Saudi Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Marrakech, Morocco, Palestinian, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, United States, U.S, Europe, Russia, Beijing

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 28, 2023. But late in the afternoon, a senior Hamas official said the group is open to discussions over a possible truce with Israel. A recent surge in U.S. Treasury yields had pressured equities. Shares of the airlines, also hurt by rising oil prices, putting pressure on the S&P 500 Passenger Airlines index (.SPLRCALI). Exchange-traded funds exposed to Israel were selling off, with iShares MSCI Israel ETF falling along with the ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF .

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Joe Biden, John Augustine, Augustine, Big advancers, iShares, Sinéad Carew, Shashwat Chauhan, Ankika Biswas, Arun Koyyur, Shounak Dasgupta, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Hamas, U.S, Federal, Huntington National Bank, Columbus, Peoples, Treasury, Fund, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Airlines, Defense, Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris Technologies, Exchange, ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Columbus , Ohio, Tel Aviv, New York, Bengaluru

"The most serious outcome for crude is that the conflict escalates into a more devastating proxy war which could affect crude supply," said Rebecca Babin, senior energy trader at CIBC Private Wealth US. Israel's port of Ashkelon and its oil terminal have been shut in the wake of the conflict, sources said. Goldman Sachs said the conflict reduced the likelihood of normalization of Israel's relations with Saudi Arabia, and the associated boost to Saudi production over time. The conflict is likely to lead to higher volatility and speculation in oil markets, the CEO of Brazil's Petrobras (PETR4.SA) said. High oil price due to the conflict could bolster inflation, analysts said, forcing rate hikes that could dampen demand.

Persons: recouping, Brent, WTI, Israel, Rebecca Babin, Agustin Marcarian, Goldman Sachs, Caroline Bain, Saxo Bank's Ole Hansen, Nicolas Maduro, Arathy Somasekhar, Natalie Grover, Andrew Hayley, Emily Chow, Kirsten Donovan, Lisa Shumaker, David Gregorio Our Organizations: HOUSTON, . West Texas, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Hamas, CIBC Private Wealth, Israel, REUTERS, Saudi, Analysts, Capital Economics, U.S, Petrobras, PETR4, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Israel, Ashkelon, Israel US, Venezuela, Palestinian, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Washington, Riyadh, Vaca, Patagonian, Neuquen, Argentina, Moscow, U.S, Iran, Russia, Caracas, Mexico, Tel Aviv, Houston, London, Beijing, Singapore

☆ Morning Bid: Oil up but restrained on Mideast jolt
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas U.S. August 22, 2018. U.S. crude oil prices rose about 3% higher on Monday as Israel retaliated for Saturday's shock attack by the Islamist group Hamas. With concern about a spillover over the long-running conflict to the wider stage, oil and other traditional global 'safety' plays caught a bid. What's more, any direct connection to Iran's possible involvement would scupper any easing of sanctions there and affect an estimated 3% of world oil supply. A sustained oil price rise from here could aggravate the inflation picture the Fed is negotiating - but could also drag on growth too.

Persons: Nick Oxford, Mike Dolan, Israel, What's, Friday's, Jaime Gilinski, Michael Barr, Philip Jefferson, Lorie Logan, Bank of England policymaker Catherine Mann, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Midland , Texas U.S, REUTERS, Hamas, Saudi, White, Street, Tehran, Treasury, U.S, Columbus Day, New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, Stock, Tel, Bank of Israel, Federal Reserve, Metro Bank, Metro, Columbus, Federal, NYSE, World Bank, IMF, Dallas Fed, Bank of England, United, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Midland , Texas, U.S, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Saudi, Russia, Tel Aviv, Europe, Marrakesh, Morocco, United States

☆ The market doesn't know how to gauge the Mideast war — what investors should consider
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The fighting caused an expected rise in U.S. and global oil prices. Reaction in the U.S. bond market, which was closed Monday for Columbus Day, will have to wait another day. The market does not know how to factor in what's happening in the Mideast, Jim Cramer said Monday afternoon. Concern about wider fallout from the Hamas-Israeli conflict is likely to put a floor under oil prices for the time being. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

Persons: Brent, Jim Cramer, Jim, Stocks, Jim Cramer's, Yahel Gazit Organizations: Hamas, West Texas, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Columbus, Ukraine, U.S, Wells, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, AFP, Getty Locations: Israel, U.S, Saudi, United States, Gaza, Iran, Wells Fargo, Tel Aviv

☆ Jim Cramer explains why the Israel-Hamas war may not steer Monday's market action
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer told investors that the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas may not be driving Monday's market action. "Let me put it this way: The market is about stocks, stocks are about companies, companies are about prospects, and there's nothing here that impacts those prospects, save the possibility of this blowing up into a war between Israel and Iran," Cramer said. Cramer wondered whether the reason could be possible investor desensitivity to Mideast conflict after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, or perhaps that investors saw no direct consequences to the U.S. economy. Jefferson said the central bank needed to "proceed carefully" when deciding whether to further hike up interest rates. "This is a situation where sadness begets more sadness, but no selling on its own," Cramer said, adding that Wall Street is currently focused on Jefferson's comments and corporate profits on the eve of earnings season.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, Cramer, desensitivity, Philip Jefferson's, Jefferson Organizations: Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Israel, Iran, Ukraine, U.S

Netanyahu’s vow to unleash the full force of the Israeli military on Hamas has raised fears for the safety of Israeli civilians spread in undisclosed locations across the densely populated Gaza Strip. “It will make things much more complicated.”Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesLocating Israeli hostages in Gaza — something Israeli intelligence agencies failed to do in the case of Shalit — poses further challenges. “So the army would have to bomb everything.”Hamas already has said it seeks the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails — some 4,500 detainees, according to Israeli rights group B’Tselem — in exchange for the Israeli captives. There is “absolutely no chance” that the current government would agree to the release of Palestinian prisoners, said Gayil Talshir, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This included the Schalit deal in 2011, and Israel’s release of 1,150 jailed Palestinians in exchange for three Israeli prisoners in 1985.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Gilad Shalit, Israel, Netanyahu, ” Michael Milstein, Shalit, ”, Yaakov Amidror, “, Khalil Shikaki, —, Gayil Talshir, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Bezalel Smotrich, ” “, Ehud Yaari, Tali Levy, Adva Adar Organizations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Hamas, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Center, Policy, Survey Research, Palestinian, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Saturday Locations: Jihad, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, ”, Ashdod

☆ 'Knee-jerk surge': Oil experts predict market impact of Israel-Hamas conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / TOPSHOT - A plume of smoke rises above buildings in Gaza City on October 7, 2023 during an Israeli air strike. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)Crude oil prices could see a spike on Monday but the overall impact of the attack on Israel by Palestinian militants Hamas will likely be limited, energy experts told CNBC. "We may see a knee-jerk surge in crude prices when markets open on Monday," Vandana Hari, CEO of Vanda Insights, told CNBC via email. The incursion came hours after the Islamist militants fired thousands of rockets into Israel from Gaza. Civilians including women, children and the elderly have been abducted, and others killed in their homes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Persons: MAHMUD HAMS, That's, Vandana Hari, Hari, —, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Getty, CNBC, Vanda Insights, — Locations: Gaza City, Israel, Gaza, AFP, U.S, Union

The Hamas attack left at least 250 dead and 1,500 wounded in Israel. The attack only adds new complications as the Biden administration and Iran are locked in disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program. Biden administration officials have also been working on brokering a normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the most powerful and wealthy Arab state. Biden administration officials pushed back against the argument. Administration officials roundly rejected this, saying their efforts to help Palestinian civilians in Gaza and elsewhere do not involve money that Hamas can use or divert.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, “ unconscionable ”, ”, ” Biden, Obama, —, won’t, ” Netanyahu, Israel, Jonathan Schanzer, “, Netanyahu, Schanzer, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Carolina Sen, Tim Scott, Matthew Miller, State Victoria Nuland, Barbara Leaf, Seung Min Kim, Jill Colvin, Thomas Beaumont Organizations: WASHINGTON, GOP, Hamas, Hezbollah, Biden, European, Middle East, White, Trump White, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Republican, Israel ., Israel . Florida Gov, Department, Foreign Relations, Islamic, State Victoria, Republicans, Administration, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Jerusalem, Gaza, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Egypt, Syria, Washington, Israel . Florida, Carolina, U.S, Islamic Republic, Lebanon, New York, Waterloo , Iowa

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors Sunday, with the United States demanding all 15 members strongly condemn “these heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas,” but it took no immediate action. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood said afterward that “a good number of countries” did condemn the Hamas attack but not all council members. He said Beijing condemns all attacks on civilians, though he did not mention Hamas. Malta’s U.N. ambassador, Vanessa Frazier, who called for the meeting, said she didn't know if the council would adopt a statement, but added that any condemnation must be mostly against Hamas. Council members were briefed virtually by U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland.

Persons: Robert Wood, Russia’s U.N, Vassily Nebenzia, ”, “, ” Nebenzia, Zhang Jun, ” Zhang, “ What’s, ” Wood, impportant, we’ve, Russia’s Nebenzia, Malta’s U.N, Vanessa Frazier, Tor Wennesland, Nebenzia, Wennesland, Lana Nusseibeh, Wood, Biden, Gilad Erdan, ” Riyad Mansour Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, . Security, Associated Press, Security Council, U.N, United Arab Emirates, Hamas, Israel Locations: United States, Russia, Beijing, Palestinian, Gaza, Israel

He added that it took eight hours for the Israeli military to arrive to his kibbutz and start fending off the Hamas fighters. The last time he heard from his mother-in-law was at 10:30 a.m., he said, when she called him, panicked and distraught, to say that Hamas militants had shot and killed her husband. A fortified border fence, equipped with sophisticated sensors, proved no match for the heavy explosives unleashed by Hamas militants as they burst into Israel. Other footage captured moments of terror and desperation: Hamas fighters paraded a disoriented-looking elderly woman in a golf cart down a dusty Gaza street while Palestinian crowds cheered. Witnesses told Israeli media that Hamas militants sprayed bullets into the crowd of revelers, who just moments earlier had been drinking, laughing and dancing.

Persons: ”, Jehan Berman, ” Berman —, —, Adele Raemer, Nir Am, Janet Cwaigenbaum, Nir Yitzhak, “ I’ve, Moshe, Berman, “ Organizations: JERUSALEM, Hamas, Gaza, Israel's, Palestinian Locations: Gaza, Israel, Avshalom, Israeli, Kfar Azza, Palestine

JERUSALEM (AP) — Without warning on Saturday, Gaza's militant Hamas rulers attacked Israel by air, land and sea. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies were scrambling to respond to the rapidly changing events. Here are some key takeaways from the multi-pronged attack that has suddenly plunged Israel into war. In a dramatic escalation unseen in decades, Hamas also sent paragliders flying into Israel, the Israeli military said. Some political analysts have linked Hamas' attack to ongoing U.S.-brokered talks on normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Persons: strode, Benjamin Netanyahu, ISRAEL, —, Golda Meir, Netanyahu's, Netanyahu, Itamar Ben, Gvir, lambast Netanyahu, Gilad Shalit, Shalit, Ben, ” Bassem Naim Organizations: JERUSALEM, Israeli, Labor Party, National, National Security, United Nations, Hamas, West Bank, AP, Palestinian Authority Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Gaza, Lebanon, Aqsa, Ben, Qatar, Egypt, U.S, Saudi Arabia, ISRAEL

Al-Sudairi was appointed last month and is on his first visit to Ramallah, the seat of President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. During his two-day trip, the Saudi diplomat planned to meet with Abbas and other senior Palestinian officials. Political Cartoons View All 1179 ImagesAl-Sudairi told senior Palestinian officials Tuesday that Saudi Arabia supported the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, according to a statement from Palestinian officials. He praised efforts to bring about peace in the region in accordance with the Arab Peace Initiative. The Palestinian Authority also has not specified what it is willing to accept from the Israeli government.

Persons: Nayef al, Biden, Sudairi, Mahmoud Abbas, Abbas, Riyad al, Maliki, —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel Organizations: Saudi, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Peace Initiative, U.S, Initiative, Palestinian Foreign Affairs, Palestinian, United Nations General Assembly, United Arab, Saudi Arabia —, West Locations: RAMALLAH, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Saudi, Jordan, Palestinian, Riyadh, Gaza, Israel's, Ramallah, Mahmoud Abbas ’, East Jerusalem, New York, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Persian, West Bank

Loved ones, some holding small American flags, enveloped them in hugs and exchanged greetings in English and Farsi, the main language of Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said two of the Iranian prisoners will stay in the U.S. Meanwhile, Nour News, a website believed to be close to Iran’s security apparatus, said two of the Iranian prisoners were in Doha for the swap. In his statement, Biden demanded more information on what happened to Bob Levinson, an American who went missing years ago. The Biden administration also announced fresh sanctions on former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence.

Persons: Joe Biden, Siamak Namazi, ”, Babak, Baquer, “, Biden, Iran’s, Ebrahim Raisi, ” Raisi, — Siamak, Emad, Tahbaz —, Timmy Davis, Namazi, Effie Namazi, Vida Tahbaz, Nasser Kanaani, Nour, Mehrdad Ansari, Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, ” Biden, Bob Levinson, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Neda, ___ Gambrell, Jo, Nasser Karimi, Amir Vahdat, Matthew Lee, Paul Haven, Aamer Madhani, Michelle Phillips, Eric Tucker, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Democratic, United Nations General Assembly, U.S, South, Iranian Foreign Ministry, Nour News, Mideast, Social, Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: Iran, Fort Belvoir , Virginia, Tehran, Doha, Qatar, New York, America, Persian, U.S, Strait, Hormuz, United States, South Korea, Iranian, Korea, Islamic Republic, American, British, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Washington

[1/4] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Biden would also score a foreign policy win as he seeks re-election in November 2024. The focus is on Biden’s fellow Democrats who have condemned Saudi Arabia over human rights but whose support would be needed if any agreement requires congressional approval. Though foreign policy rarely sways U.S. elections, Biden, facing a re-election fight against Republican former president Donald Trump, may be thinking of his legacy. Murphy, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he favors Israeli-Saudi normalization and is open to reviewing any broader agreement but would not be easily convinced.

Persons: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Biden, Joe Biden’s, Israel, “, ”, Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Biden’s, Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Aaron David Miller, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Chris Murphy, Murphy, Jared Kushner, Trump, Abraham, Netanyahu, Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Dan Williams, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Saudi Crown, Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, Atlantic Council, Saudi, Israel, Republicans, Israeli, Republican, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, SAUDI, MbS, NATO, Reuters, Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, Abraham Accords, Middle, General, Trump, Biden, Thomson Locations: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Israel, U.S, Riyadh, Iran, Gulf, East, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi, Yemen, “, United States, Washington, Jerusalem

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the Biden administration heralds the forthcoming release of five U.S. citizens detained by Iran, President Joe Biden is also confronting questions about the price being paid to bring them — and other detainees — home. But each time, officials have said bringing home Americans held by foreign adversaries is a core administration priority that necessarily comes at a heavy cost. Increasingly, the Biden White House has appeared willing to pay it. The Biden administration is, of course, hardly unique in prisoner swaps. The Obama administration in a 2016 deal that drew consternation granted clemency to seven Iranians charged in the U.S. in exchange for the release by Iran of four Americans.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, Matthew Miller, “, Michael Waltz, they’ll, Trump, Donald Trump, who'd, Obama, there's, Siamak Namazi, James W, Danielle Gilbert, ”, It's, There's, Mark Frerichs, Bashir Noorzai, Nicolás Maduro’s, Antony Blinken, Iran wouldn’t, Ebrahim Raisi, Gilbert Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S, WNBA, Biden White, Mideast, ”, Republican National Convention, Foley Foundation, Northwestern University, Justice Department, U.S ., U.S . U.S, NBC Locations: Iran, America, Russia, ”, U.S, Florida, Iranian, Washington, Venezuela, South Korea, Qatar, Northwestern

VIENNA (AP) — Britain, France and Germany announced Thursday they will keep their sanctions on Iran related to the Mideast country's atomic program and development of ballistic missiles. The measures were to expire in October under a timetable spelled out in the now defunct nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. The measures ban Iran from developing ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons and bar anyone from buying, selling or transferring drones and missiles to and from Iran. Iran has violated the sanctions by developing and testing ballistic missiles and sending drones to Russia for its war on Ukraine. Political Cartoons View All 1160 ImagesThe 2015 nuclear deal meant to ensure that Iran could not develop atomic weapons.

Persons: Donald Trump, Josep Borrell, Borrell, Matthew Miller, Washington, ”, Rafael Mariano Grossi, ” Henry Rome, Matthew Lee Organizations: United Nations, . State Department, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Associated Press, U.S, Washington Institute for Near East Locations: VIENNA, Britain, France, Germany, Iran, Tehran, Russia, Ukraine, Tehran “, United States, China, South, Washington

Search resuls for: "MidEast"

25 mentions found