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☆ Biden and Xi meeting set for next week as US hopes to halt downward spiral in relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —President Biden’s highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping is set for next Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area, senior US administration officials said, setting up a test of whether the two men can slow a downward spiral in relations at a moment of heavy global turbulence. It includes restoring military-to-military communication between the two countries, a chief objective for Biden, who plans to press Xi on the issue. Despite a deep and apparently warm personal relationship cultivated during their time as vice presidents, Biden and Xi have overseen a deterioration in US-China relations to the lowest level in decades. That meeting was intended to establish a baseline for the relationship amid heightened economic and military tension. Ahead of next week’s meeting, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen invited Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, known as the country’s “economic tsar,” for a two-day meeting starting Thursday.

Persons: Biden’s, Xi Jinping, aren’t, Biden, Xi, ”, Bonny Lin, “ Rather, Nancy Pelosi, Antony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Han Zheng, ” Han Organizations: CNN, San Francisco Bay Area, White, Communist Party, Biden, China Power Project, Center for Strategic, International Studies, US National, Washington, Bloomberg Locations: San Francisco Bay, Ukraine, Washington, Beijing, Israel, South, Taiwan, California, China, Russia, United States, Bali, Singapore

☆ Biden's opaque new weapons deal with Israel violates his own directive on arms transfers, critics say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration is transferring weapons to Israel. The Biden administration last week approved a $320 million arms transfer deal for Israel, according to multiple news organizations. Critics say that Biden is violating an order he signed in February tightening rules prohibiting weapons transfers to governments or regimes that violate human rights. The White House has previously insisted that its arms transfers comply with human rights rules. AdvertisementAdvertisement"All of our arms transfers, including arms transfers to Israel, are rooted in the basic proposition that they will be used consistent with law of armed conflict," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on October 20.

Persons: Biden, —, Joe Biden, Critics, Seth Binder, Lever, Leahy, Andre Carson of Indiana, Israel, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Progressives, Service, The Washington, Gaza's Ministry of Health, West Bank, East Democracy, Democrats, Guardian, CNN, National Locations: Israel, Gaza

Residents of northern Gaza have used Salah al-Din Road as an escape route to southern Gaza this week during pauses in fighting by the Israeli military. Israel has agreed to put in place regular daily four-hour pauses in its relentless assault on Hamas in selected areas of northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee, the White House announced on Thursday, culminating days of pressure from President Biden as the casualty toll mounts. The White House said a second corridor for evacuations would be opened along a coastal road and that the daily pauses would be institutionalized to include advance notice of at least three hours. Image White House officials announced on Thursday the opening of a second corridor for people to evacuate northern Gaza under humanitarian pauses by the Israeli army. “There is no cease-fire,” the Israel Defense Forces wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Persons: Salah, Biden, John F, Kirby, White, Mr, ”, Samar Abu Elouf, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, Antony J, Blinken, Lloyd J, Austin III, Jake Sullivan, “ I’ve, ” Mr, “ It’s, “ We’re, Israel, “ Organizations: White, White House, The New York Times, Israel Defense Forces, Defense Locations: Gaza, Israel, Samar, Illinois

And tensions between the countries heightened earlier this year when a Chinese surveillance balloon was spotted traveling over sensitive U.S. airspace. The U.S. military shot down the balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. With all of the tensions, the two nations have worked to smooth economic ties. Xi similarly met with Blinken in June when the secretary of state traveled to Beijing for talks with Wang. In January, she had her first face-to-face meeting with former Vice Premier Liu He in Zurich.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Nicholas Szechenyi, ”, Biden, Shou Zi Chew, Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Xi, Wang, Yellen, Liu, “, Colleen Long, Aamer Madhani Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Economic Cooperation, Center for Strategic, International Studies, APEC, Chinese Foreign, White, U.S, White House, Blinken, U.S . Treasury Department, China’s Ministry of Finance, Associated Press Locations: San Francisco, Asia, United States, China, U.S, Carolina, North America, Washington, Beijing, Zurich

☆ Beijing is ready to improve ties with US, says Chinese vice-president
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing is ready to improve ties with Washington, a senior Chinese official said Wednesday, days before a highly anticipated potential meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in San Francisco. Ahead of that potential meeting, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has invited Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, known as the country’s “economic tsar,” for a two-day meeting starting Thursday. Washington has sent four cabinet officials to Beijing since June, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Climate Envoy John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “The foundation of Sino-US relations lies in the people, and the source of strength lies in people-to-people friendship,” Xi added. Biden and Xi last met face-to-face in November 2022 for a three-hour talk in Bali, Indonesia, at a G20 summit.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, ”, Han Zheng, ” Han, Biden, Xi, Janet Yellen, Antony Blinken, John Kerry, Gina Raimondo, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Xi Han’s, ” Xi, Yellen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Washington, Bloomberg, Economy, Economic Cooperation, US National, Getty, Sister Cities Conference, Relations, China, Treasury Department Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Beijing, San Francisco, Singapore, United States, Asia, . Washington, Beijing, Washington, Bali , Indonesia, Ukraine, Israel

(AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen will host Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng for two days of talks this week, the latest in a series of high-level talks between U.S. and Chinese officials as the world's two largest economies aim to ease tensions, the Treasury Department announced Monday. The Yellen-He talks set for Thursday and Friday come ahead of the start of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco which starts November 11. Xi similarly met with Blinken in June when the secretary of State traveled to Beijing for talks with Wang. Yellen is expected to amplify the message on climate during her talks with He in San Francisco. Critics, including the Biden administration, say China’s projects often create massive debt and expose nations to undue influence by Beijing.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, ” Yellen, Biden, Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Xi, Wang, Yellen, “, Ralph Johnson, Ken Moritsugu Organizations: —, Treasury, U.S, Treasury Department, Economic Cooperation, Chinese Foreign, White, White House, Blinken, Ministry, San Francisco . Treasury, Initiative, Pentagon, Associated Press Locations: REHOBOTH BEACH, Del, Asia, San Francisco, Washington, Beijing, China, San Francisco ., U.S, Africa, Yellen, East, South China, American, Philippines, Philippine

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden and his top national security officials are increasingly confronting questions about Israel’s commitment to minimizing civilian deaths and how scenes from Gaza could affect his domestic political standing. Already, Biden had been walking a tightrope in his support for Israel following the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. Biden has resisted calls for a ceasefire, including at the United Nations, and insists Israel has a “responsibility” to defend its citizens from terrorism. It also included attempts by US officials to interrogate Israel’s war plans, which appeared not fully developed to some. And I think everyone understands that,” Biden told reporters as he returned home from his brief trip to Israel on October 18.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, “ They’ve, “, John Kirby, Kirby, ”, Richard Hecht, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Hecht, Blitzer, ” Jeremy Konyndyk, Obama, ” Konyndyk, Netanyahu, Biden’s, Israel, Jake Sullivan, Israel’s, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, ” Biden, CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez Organizations: Washington CNN, White, Israeli, National Security, Israel Defense Forces, Refugees International, USAID, IDF, ”, CNN, Democratic Party, United Nations, Hamas, Capitol Hill Locations: Gaza, Israel, –, Hamas, Egypt, United States, ”, Qatar, Europe, Tel Aviv

☆ Horror and Grief: Inside Gaza’s Hospitals
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( U.S. News Staff | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

Israel has argued that Gaza’s biggest hospital, al-Shifa, conceals underground command centers for Hamas – a claim the group denies – stoking concerns the facility could be targeted. (Ali Mohmoud/AP)Oct. 23, 2023 | People injured after Israeli attacks are treated at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. (Belal Khaled/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)Oct. 23, 2023 | People injured after Israeli attacks wait for treatment at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. (Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)Oct. 17, 2023 | Wounded Palestinians wait for treatment at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City following the al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. (Fatima Shbair/AP)Oct. 11, 2023 | A wounded Palestinian girl lies on a hospital bed waiting for treatment at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Persons: Dr, Nidal Abed, Hamas –, Joe Biden, Jake Sullivan, ” Lynn Hastings, Yasser Qudih, Khan Yunis, Fatima Shbair, Israel, Ali Jadallah, Ali Mohmoud, Belal Khaled, Mustafa Hassona, Abed Khaled, Abed Zagout, Adel Hana, Hatem Moussa, MOHAMMED ABED, Khan Younis, MOHAMMED ZAANOUN, Ali Mahmoud, Hani, BASHAR TALEB, Nasser Hospital’s Organizations: Gaza Health Ministry, Associated Press, AP, Ministry of Health, United Nations, Hamas, Medical, Xinhua, Shifa, Ahli Arab Hospital, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Israeli Defense Forces, Nasser Hospital, Najjar Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Palestinian Territory, Gaza City, Khan, al, Ahli, Aqsa, Deir al, Rafah, AFP, Palestinian

☆ China agrees to nuclear arms-control talks with US -WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The flags of the United States and China fly from a lamppost in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 1, 2021. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 1 (Reuters) - China and the United States will discuss nuclear arms control next week, the first such talks since the Obama administration, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Those arms talks would be led on Monday by Mallory Stewart, a senior State Department official, and Sun Xiaobo, the head of the arms-control department at China's Foreign Ministry, the Wall Street Journal report said. Since then, U.S. officials had expressed frustration that China showed little interest in discussing steps to reduce nuclear weapons risks. Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said the overdue arms talks would likely focus on promoting greater transparency of each countries' nuclear doctrines and more effective crisis-communication channels.

Persons: Brian Snyder, Obama, Wang Yi, Mallory Stewart, Sun Xiaobo, Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Daryl Kimball, Kimball, Jasper Ward, Dan Whitcomb, Michael Martina, David Brunnstrom, Sandra Maler, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, Wall Street, China's, State Department, China's Foreign Ministry, Wall, U.S . State Department, Reuters, U.S . National, Pentagon, Biden, Control, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Chinatown, Boston , Massachusetts, U.S, Washington, Russia, Beijing, San Francisco

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, crisis in Gaza, Netanyahu rejects ceasefire calls
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Officials with US President Joe Biden's administration have been calling on Israel to consider so-called “humanitarian pauses” that can allow for civilians in Gaza, including hostages, to exit and for aid to get in. One source familiar with the discussions said the talks have centered on freeing hostages in exchange for prisoners being held by Israel. Al-Ansari, the Qatari spokesperson, also said there have been active discussions about a “prisoner exchange” for the hostages. The source added the negotiations also include getting Hamas to open the Rafah gates for dual nationals to leave Gaza. “We are optimistic that the talks are headed more towards all civilian hostages,” al-Ansari said.

Persons: Joe Biden's, ”, —, Majed Al, Ansari, Israel, Jake Sullivan, we’ve, ” Sullivan, Al, ” al, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatari, US Locations: Gaza, Israel, Qatar, Egypt, Doha

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader John Lee will not attend an upcoming economic conference in the U.S. due to “scheduling issues” despite an earlier appeal to be invited as per convention, following reports that he would be barred from the gathering due to U.S. sanctions. Instead, Hong Kong’s financial minister Paul Chan will attend as a representative of Hong Kong on Lee's behalf. Lee himself had appealed to the U.S. to act in accordance with convention and send invitations to all member economies, including Hong Kong. Political Cartoons View All 1227 ImagesHe was sanctioned in 2020 together with 10 other Hong Kong officials, including previous chief executive Carrie Lam, for undermining the city's autonomy. Lee was previously Hong Kong’s security minister and oversaw the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in the city following the 2019 anti-government protests.

Persons: Hong, John Lee, Lee, Paul Chan, Carrie Lam, Wang Yi, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Hong, Economic, APEC, The Washington Post, British, U.S, White Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, U.S, Asia, San Francisco, China, United States, The, Beijing, “ Hong Kong

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

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

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

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza death toll mounts, IDF on the ground
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Experts say that while Iran is wary of being dragged into the Israel-Hamas war, it may not be in full control if the militias it backs in the region — like the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah — independently intervene as Hamas suffers heavy blows and the death toll in Gaza continues to mount. Raisi's comments were not the first warning from an Iranian official of the potential for a broader conflict. Last Monday, Abdollahian said the US has sent Iran two messages regarding escalation in the region. He added that while the US says it wants to de-escalate, it has contradicted itself by continuing to support Israel. Read more on Iran's role in the region.

Persons: Israel, Ebrahim Raisi, Jake Sullivan, Hezbollah —, ”, Sima Shine, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Al Jazeera, ” Abdollahian, Trita Parsi Organizations: US, Lebanese, Hezbollah, Institute for National Security, Iranian, Quincy Institute Locations: Gaza, Iran, Israel, Tel Aviv, United States, Tehran, Washington ,

☆ Israel war tests US appeal to global swing states
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

FOURNI, Greece, Oct 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Joe Biden has sought to portray the United States as a superpower that cares about the rule of law. What’s more, swing states – which back neither the United States nor China – have more power than they did during the old Cold War between the West and the Soviet Union. Such pressure may convince some countries that the United States is pursuing a principles-based foreign policy in the Gaza conflict. The Israeli war may last a long time and its aftermath may be tortuous. But it could also have an important impact on the United States’ influence with swing states and its struggle with China.

Persons: Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin’s, Xi Jinping’s, Barack Obama, Republic –, Biden, Queen Rania, Jordan, Israel, Jake Sullivan, Israel –, Tayyip Erdogan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mustafa Kamal Kazi, Netanyahu, What’s, Jonathan Cohen, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Russian, U.S, Israel, United Nations General, Washington, UN Security Council, Security Council, Soviet Union, Members, United, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S . National Security, U.S ., West Bank, Thomson Locations: FOURNI, Greece, United States, Russia, China, Ukraine, Taiwan, Gaza, Israel, Republic, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, U.S, Moscow, Soviet, India, Brazil, wean, Turkey, NATO, South Africa, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistani, Egypt, Israeli

Here’s the latest:‘Impossible’ hospital evacuationIsraeli airstrikes have “caused extensive damage to hospital departments and exposed residents and patients to suffocation” at the Al-Quds Hospital, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Sunday. The medical organization accused Israel of “deliberately” launching airstrikes “directly next to” the facility in order to force an evacuation of the hospital, the second-largest in Gaza City. An Israeli soldier stands on artillery near the border with Gaza during Israeli bombardment in Sderot, Israel on October 28, 2023. The video, taken Saturday and published by an Israeli media outlet, is one of the first glimpses into where Israeli ground forces have been since expanding ground operations in Gaza overnight Friday. People are seen inside Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, in this still image from a video released October 29, 2023.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Israel, “, CNN ‘, Antonio Guterres, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Abdel Fattah Al, Ilia Yefimovich, Ebrahim Raisi, Jake Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Israeli, United Nations, Al, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, World Health, Services, The United Nations, UN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, ., Palestine Red Crescent Society, Reuters UN, UN Security, United, UNSC Locations: Gaza, Israel, Quds, Gaza City, Wadi Gaza, Ramallah, Russia’s, Dagestan, Israeli, Sderot, Al, Palestine, Iran, East, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

☆ Oil prices are falling even as Israel steps up its war on Hamas. A spike could still happen
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, fell 1.1% to $89 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude, the US benchmark, dropped 1.3% to trade at $84 a barrel by 7.51 a.m. The World Bank said Monday that a ratcheting up in the fighting in Gaza could push global commodity markets, including oil markets, into “uncharted waters,” and laid out three scenarios under which oil prices could surge. In that instance, the level of disruption would be comparable to that caused by the Arab oil embargo in 1973. The World Bank said a smaller disruption, equivalent to that resulting from the Libyan civil war in 2011, could send oil prices to $103 a barrel. Prices for Brent have risen 5.7% since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians.

Persons: Brent, Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, ”, Germany —, ” Indermit Gill, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Israel, Daniel Hagari, Jake Sullivan, Ebrahim Raisi, — Rob North Organizations: London CNN, West Texas, Hargreaves, Bank, Hamas, Sunday, CBS Locations: Gaza, Germany, Ukraine, Iraq, Israel, Israeli, Iran, Lebanese, Tehran

As Israel’s assault on Gaza unfolds, global pressure is mounting for a pause in the fighting, including Monday at the United Nations. Instead, they describe occasionally difficult behind-the-scenes conversations about the importance of humanitarian aid and protecting civilian lives. “We have conversations, like friends do, on the hard questions … on issues associated with humanitarian aid,” US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday on CBS. Saudi Arabia has cautioned against a broad-scale Israeli invasion of Gaza, in part due to the potential of a spiraling regional war. The blackout – which left civilians, aid groups and journalists without any means of communicating with the outside world – came amid heavy Israeli bombardment of the enclave.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Joe Biden’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Khalid bin Salman, Israel, United States Michael Herzog, ” Herzog, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Herzog, John Kirby, CNN’s Poppy Harlow, Harlow, Kirby, ”, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, –, ” Sullivan, Biden, ” Kirby, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, United Nations, Israel, CBS, Saudi Arabia’s Defense, White, National Security, Reuters CNN, US, Service, MSNBC, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, ”, United States, Iran, Washington, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Rafah, Ukraine

☆ US says Israel must protect civilians in Gaza, stop Jewish settler violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Doina Chiacu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In a round of television interviews, Sullivan said Washington was asking hard questions of Israel, including on issues surrounding humanitarian aid, distinguishing between terrorists and innocent civilians and on how Israel is thinking through its military operation. Sullivan also said Netanyahu has a responsibility to "rein in" extremist Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. "It is totally unacceptable to have extremist settler violence against innocent people in the West Bank," he said. The militants also took more than 200 hostages from Israel, who are believed to be in Gaza. Medical authorities in the Gaza Strip, which has a population of 2.3 million people, say 8,005 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's campaign to obliterate the Iran-backed militants.

Persons: Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden's, Sullivan, Washington, Israel, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Doina Chiacu, Jasper Ward, Mary Milliken, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, White House, IDF, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, Israeli, West Bank, CBS, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, White, U.S, Iran, United States

☆ US communicating with Israel at ‘the highest levels’ about protecting Gaza civilians but quiet on expanding war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The assault on Gaza has left thousands of Palestinian civilians dead and worsened the humanitarian crisis in the enclave. Aid has been slow to enter and civilians, including hundreds of Americans, have been unable to leave. Sullivan said Israel was solely responsible for its military operations. The US remains in “hourly contact” with its partners in the region to try securing the release of hostages, Sullivan said. CNN has previously reported on intensifying efforts brokered by the government of Qatar to secure a large number of hostages held by Hamas.

Persons: Jake Tapper, ” Jake Sullivan, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu –, Sullivan, Israel, “, ”, “ I’m, Biden, Netanyahu —, “ We’ve, We’ve, ” Sullivan, we’ve, Netanyahu Organizations: CNN, Union, Israeli, West Bank Locations: United States, Gaza, Israel, “ State, Egypt, Qatar

It's one, he argues, where finally finding agreement on a long-sought two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict should be a priority. The White House says Biden conveyed the same message directly to Netanyahu during a telephone call this past week. “It also means that when this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next, and in our view it has to be a two-state solution,” Biden said. In an updated version of the Foreign Affairs essay posted online, Sullivan wrote that the administration was “committed to a two-state solution." One presidential hopeful, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, said Israel should feel free to abandon “the myth of a two-state solution."

Persons: ” Biden, Biden, Netanyahu, —, It's, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, “, Israel’s, Aaron David Miller, ”, “ It’s, Biden's, Vivek Ramaswamy, Dennis Ross, George H, Bush, Bill Clinton, Ross, it’s, John Kirby, Israel, Rami Nashashibi, ” Nashashibi, Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton, he’s, Bernie, Michelle L, Price Organizations: Middle, West Bank, Authority, Democratic, Republican, Republican Jewish Coalition, White House, Hamas, Israel, White, National Security, Gaza, Ministry, Inner, Muslim Action Network, Democratic Party, Arab, Michigan Democratic Party, Michigan, Democrat, Associated Locations: Israel, American, Gaza, Las Vegas, Biden's Israel, United States, Palestinian, U.S, Chicago, Eastern, Michigan

☆ Saudi defense minister expected to visit White House on Monday, Axios reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Saudi's new Defence Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman chairs his first meeting with military officials in the Ministry of Defence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 28, 2022. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabian Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman is expected to visit Washington on Monday for meetings with senior Biden administration officials, Axios reported on Saturday, citing three sources with knowledge of the trip. Khalid bin Salman is expected to meet with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and several senators, according to the Axios report. The White House National Security Council told Reuters it had nothing to confirm when asked about the possible visit. U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman on a call on Tuesday discussed efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict widening.

Persons: Prince Khalid bin Salman, Axios, Khalid bin Salman, Jake Sullivan, Defense Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Mohamed bin Salman, Biden, Michael Martina, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Defence Minister, Ministry of Defence, Saudi Press Agency, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi Arabian Defense, Washington, Biden, Saturday, Hamas, White House, Defense, White House National Security Council, Reuters, Saudi Arabian, Palestinian, Thomson Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Gaza

U.S. President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on Nov. 14, 2022. President Joe Biden and Chinese president Xi Jinping are expected to meet next month on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the planning. The two leaders haven't spoken since they last met on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of 20 economies in Bali, Indonesia, in November. One of the sources said there was an "agreement in principle" for Biden and Xi to meet in San Francisco. Biden also met with China's top diplomat for about an hour.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Economic Cooperation, State, White House Locations: Nusa Dua, Bali, Asia, San Francisco, Bali , Indonesia, Washington, Beijing, Ukraine

☆ Biden Hosts China’s Top Diplomat Ahead of Expected Xi Meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Michael Crowley | More About Michael Crowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden met with China’s top diplomat on Friday to prepare for Mr. Biden’s planned meeting with President Xi Jinping next month as relations remain strained between Washington and Beijing. Amid cordial talk of cooperation between the United States and China, the official, Wang Yi, wrapped up a visit to Washington. During the three-day trip, the diplomat also met twice with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and with Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. Those relations have recently been defined by tensions over matters like Chinese espionage and American restrictions on technology exports to China. And they were severely tested in February when a Chinese spy balloon crossed over the United States before a U.S. fighter jet downed it off the coast of North Carolina.

Persons: Biden, Biden’s, Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Antony J, Jake Sullivan, scrambles Locations: Washington, Beijing, United States, China, U.S, North Carolina

Since the war began, Saudi officials have returned to specific calls for a substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace process and for the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Despite the escalating violence, it appears that American and Saudi officials are holding on to hopes of a normalization deal with Israel. Senators said they left Riyadh with the impression that Saudi leaders would still like to recognize Israel when the right moment arrives. Prince Mohammed launched a disastrous Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen in 2015 aiming to oust the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who nonetheless remain firmly in power there. It merely said that, although tensions persisted between Israel and the Palestinians, the Biden administration had “de-escalated crises in Gaza.”

Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Jordan —, Prince Mohammed, Houthi, Blumenthal, Israel “, Mr, Biden “, Jake Sullivan, “, Sullivan, Biden, ” Organizations: Saudi, Israel, Senators, State Department, U.S ., U.S, Foreign Affairs Locations: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Jerusalem, Saudi, Riyadh, Yemen, East, Washington, U.S, United States, Gaza

There were also "frank exchanges" between Blinken and Wang over the erupting conflict in the Middle East. The key area that appeared to show some positive momentum was toward an expected meeting between Biden and Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit next month in San Francisco. "We are making preparations for such a meeting," said one of the senior administration officials briefing reporters on condition of anonymity. "China attaches importance to the U.S. side's hopes of stabilizing and improving U.S. ties with China," Wang was quoted as saying in his meeting with Biden. On Thursday, Wang told Blinken that the two countries have disagreements and need "in-depth" and "comprehensive" dialogue to reduce misunderstandings and stabilize ties.

Persons: Wang Yi, Antony Blinken, Elizabeth Frantz, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Jake Sullivan, Wang, Xi, Blinken, Sullivan, side's, Janet Yellen, Gina Raimondo, Yellen, Raimondo, Thomas Shoal, Humeyra Pamuk, Michael Martina, Steve Holland, Jonathan Oatis, Navaratnam, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Foreign, U.S, State Department, REUTERS, Rights, Economic Cooperation, Blinken, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, China, Washington, East, South China Sea, Taiwan, Asia, San Francisco, Francisco, Beijing, China . U.S, Israel, Iran, South, East China, Philippine

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