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REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents including violent assaults and online harassment have spiked in the U.S. since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted on Oct. 7, two advocacy groups said Wednesday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it received 774 complaints of incidents motivated by Islamophobia and bias against Palestinians and Arabs from Oct. 7 to Tuesday. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said its preliminary data showed a 388% rise in antisemitic incidents in the U.S. from Oct. 7 to Monday over the prior year. About 190 of those were directly linked to the war between Israel and Hamas, ADL said. Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' Oct. 7 attack killed over 1,400 people, Israel has said.

Persons: Joe Skipper, Joe Biden, Kanishka Singh, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Israel, REUTERS, Rights, Islamic Relations, Defamation League, ADL, CAIR, U.S, Palestinian, Hamas, U.S . Justice, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Florida, Lady Lake , Florida, U.S, Israel, Brooklyn, Illinois, Palestinian American, Palestinian, Gaza, Washington

☆ FedEx says U.S. Express service disrupted, blames FAA IT outage overnight
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Bing Guan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Oct 25 (Reuters) - FedEx Corp (FDX.N) on Wednesday said its U.S. Express deliveries could be delayed due to an overnight Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) information technology system outage. FedEx's signature Express service uses planes to provide overnight deliveries. The company said shipments delayed due to the outage are not eligible for a refund or credit. "Potential delays are possible for package deliveries across the U.S. with a delivery commitment of October 25, 2023," FedEx said in a service alert. In an email to Reuters, FedEx said the IT outage at its Memphis, Tennessee, air hub was an "FAA issue."

Persons: Bing Guan, Lisa Baertlein, David Shepardson, Alexander Smith Organizations: FedEx, REUTERS, FedEx Corp, U.S ., Federal Aviation Administration, Reuters, FAA, United Parcel Service, Washington DC, Thomson Locations: Carson , California, U.S, Memphis , Tennessee, Louisville , Kentucky, Los Angeles, Washington

The bill to deratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was approved by 156 votes to zero in the upper house after the lower house also passed it unanimously. Putin had requested the change to "mirror" the position of the United States, which signed the CTBT in 1996 but never ratified it. Though it has never formally come into force, the CTBT has made nuclear testing a taboo - no country except North Korea has conducted a test involving a nuclear explosion this century. CNN published satellite images last month showing that Russia, the United States and China have all expanded their nuclear test sites in recent years. Russia suspended the treaty this year and it is due to expire in 2026, leaving the two countries without any remaining bilateral nuclear weapons agreement.

Persons: Sergei Ryabkov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Ryabkov, Washington, Filipp Lebedev, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Russia's, Duma, Russian, Handout, REUTERS, Washington, CNN, U.S . Energy Department, U.S, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, United States, Ukraine, North Korea, China, Nevada, U.S, Kyiv, Washington

☆ US antisemitic incidents up about 400% since Israel-Hamas war began, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

THE NUMBERSThe ADL Center on Extremism said preliminary data showed 312 reported U.S. antisemitic incidents from Oct. 7 to Oct. 23, including harassment, vandalism and assault. In the same period of 2022, ADL recorded 64 U.S. antisemitic incidents, of which four were linked to Israel. Nearly 3,700 antisemitic incidents were recorded in 2022, more than in any year since ADL began tracking the issue in 1979. KEY QUOTE"When conflict erupts in Israel, antisemitic incidents soon follow in the U.S. and globally," said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, urging authorities to provide security and support to Jewish communities. Hamas' Oct. 7 attack killed over 1,400 people and Israel's air strikes on Gaza have since killed over 5,700 Palestinians as of Tuesday, according to Gaza officials.

Persons: Joe Skipper, Jonathan Greenblatt, Joe Biden, Kanishka Singh, Kieran Murray, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S, Israel, Hamas, REUTERS, Palestinian, Defamation League, ADL, Extremism, U.S . Justice, Thomson Locations: Florida, Israel, Lady Lake , Florida, U.S, United States, Gaza, Washington

MOSCOW (AP) — The upper house of the Russian parliament on Wednesday revoked the ratification of a global nuclear test ban in what Moscow has describes as a move to establish parity with the United States. The Federation Council voted to endorse a bill rescinding the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, also known as the CTBT. There are widespread concerns that Russia could move to resume nuclear tests to try to discourage the West from continuing to offer military support to Ukraine. Political Cartoons View All 1218 ImagesPutin has noted that while some experts have argued that it's necessary to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn’t yet formed an opinion on the issue. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier this month that Moscow will continue to respect the ban and will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Sergei Ryabkov, Ryabkov, ” Ryabkov Organizations: MOSCOW, The Federation Council, Comprehensive, Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: Moscow, United States, U.S, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, Egypt, Russia, Ukraine, Washington

☆ Hamas operatives used phone lines installed in tunnels under Gaza to plan Israel attack over 2 years, sources familiar with intelligence say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Pamela Brown Zachary Cohen | Pamela Brown | Zachary Cohen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The phone lines in the tunnels allowed the operatives to communicate with one another in secret and meant they could not be tracked by Israeli intelligence officials, the sources told CNN. They avoided using computers or cell phones during the two-year period to evade detection by Israeli or US intelligence, the sources said. CNN has not seen the specific intelligence but spoke to sources familiar with it. CNN previously reported that a series of strategic warnings from US and Israeli intelligence agencies did not lead officials from either country to anticipate the events of October 7. Israel was aware that Palestinian militants had been using hardwired communication systems prior to the October attack.

Persons: Yocheved, ” Organizations: CNN — Intelligence, CNN, National Intelligence, Israel Defense Forces, IDF Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Washington, Iran, Jenin, West Bank

Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. Almost all teens ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center. Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit. “They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”In May, U.S.

Persons: Meta, ”, Letitia James, “ Meta, ” “ We’re, Instagram, Frances Haugen, Rob Bonta, TikTok, Brian Schwalb, they’re, “, Vivek Murthy, Press Writers Michael Casey, Michael Goldberg, Susan Haigh, Maysoon Khan, Ashraf Khalil Organizations: Meta Platforms Inc, Facebook, Meta, D.C, “, New, The Wall Street, Associated Press, Pew Research Center, Washington D.C, U.S, Press Writers Locations: California, New York, Washington, California , Florida , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Nebraska , New Jersey , Tennessee, Vermont, British, U.S

☆ Danaher Beats Profit Estimates on Respiratory Testing Demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Danaher on Tuesday beat Wall Street estimates for third-quarter profit as strong demand for its diagnostic tests for respiratory diseases helped soften the blow from weaker sales at the healthcare conglomerate's life-sciences unit. "Revenue in the third quarter came in ahead of our expectations, with Biotechnology performing as anticipated, and higher respiratory testing revenue more than offsetting slightly softer-than-anticipated demand in Life Sciences," Danaher CEO Rainer Blair said in a statement. Rising interest rates squeezed funding needed for drug development programs, weighing on demand for contract research services offered by Danaher and rival Thermo Fisher. On an adjusted basis, Danaher reported a profit per share of $2.02, beating analysts' expectations of $1.87. Third-quarter sales of $6.87 billion also topped estimates of $6.63 billion.

Persons: Rainer Blair, Danaher, Christy Santhosh, Krishna Chandra Eluri Organizations: Reuters, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Washington D.C, Danaher, Fisher, Applied Solutions

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Officials from the United States and China on Monday held a two-hour long virtual meeting to discuss domestic and global macroeconomic developments, the U.S. Treasury Department said, calling the meeting "productive and substantive". U.S. and Chinese officials also raised "areas of concern," statements from the two sides said, without elaborating. The meeting was led by senior officials from the U.S. Treasury Department and China's finance ministry. The EWG was launched last month following U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's trip to Beijing in July. China's top diplomat will travel to the United States later this week to meet Blinken.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen's, Antony Blinken, Gina Raimondo, Blinken, Han Zheng, Jake Sullivan, Wang Yi, Kanishka Singh, Liz Lee, Ethan Wang, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Treasury Department, Economic, Treasury Department, Treasury, U.S . National, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Taiwan, San Francisco, People's Republic of China, U.S, Beijing, Yellen, New York, Malta, China's, Washington

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. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 24 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman on Tuesday discussed efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from widening, the White House said. Biden and the Saudi crown prince welcomed the delivery of humanitarian assistance from Egypt into Gaza and recognized that "much more is needed for civilians" to have sustained access to food, water and medical assistance, according to the White House. They both welcomed ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and called for their immediate release, the White House added. Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken have said they thought Hamas' Oct. 7 assault on Israel that left over 1,400 people dead was in part motivated to disrupt a potential normalization of ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Mohamed bin Salman, Biden, Antony Blinken, Donald Trump, John Kirby, Kanishka Singh, Ismail Shakil, Chris Reese, Chizu Nomiyama, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi Arabian, White, Hamas, U.S, United, White House, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Israel, Egypt, Gaza, United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Riyadh, Gulf

☆ Attorney generals around the country file lawsuit against Meta alleging addictive features
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAttorney generals around the country file lawsuit against Meta alleging addictive featuresBrian Schwalb, attorney general for Washington DC, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the lawsuit against Meta for deceptive practices, the harm that Meta's platform poses to children, and the evidence to support the attorney general's case against Meta.

Persons: Brian Schwalb Organizations: Meta, Washington DC

☆ China has stolen more personal and corporate information than every other country in the world combined, FBI director says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He told 60 Minutes that China has stolen more US data "than every nation, big or small, combined." Stolen more of our personal and corporate data than every nation, big or small, combined," Wray told 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley in an interview that aired on Sunday. Wray told Pelley China's intelligence work poses a significant threat to the US. "You seem to be saying that the Chinese government is running a criminal enterprise," Pelley told Wray during the interview. In a statement to 60 Minutes, China said it "firmly oppose the groundless allegations and smears" by the news program's interviewees.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, —, Scott Pelley, Pelley, that's, Wang Wenbin, Wang, Richard Moore, Moore, Politico's Anne McElvoy . Organizations: Service, Street Journal, China's, Journal, Embassy, Foreign Ministry, China's Foreign Locations: China, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Cuba, Washington

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at a press conference on the sidelines of the Third Belt and Road Forum (BRF), at the media centre in Beijing, China October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat Wang Yi will travel to the United States later this week, senior Biden administration officials said on Monday, in a long-anticipated visit that comes amid soaring tensions in the Middle East, which U.S. officials hope Beijing can help contain. It is also the long-awaited reciprocal visit after several top U.S. officials including Blinken visited Beijing this summer. The visit also comes as Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks and Israel's response dominate global headlines, even as Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on. Washington is sending military aid to Israel and Ukraine, while Beijing has grown closer to Russia since the Ukraine war began and has called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Wang Yi, Tingshu Wang, Wang, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Blinken, ” Washington, Israel, Li Shangfu, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Biden, U.S, Hamas, East China Seas, Defense, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, United States, Washington, San Francisco, Taiwan, South, Ukraine, Israel, Russia, U.S, Iran, Gaza, East, South China, Philippines

Deni Avdija has agreed to a $55 million, four-year extension with the Washington Wizards, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced the agreement. The 22-year-old Avdija started a career-high 40 games last season and averaged 9.2 points and 6.4 rebounds. The agreement ahead of Monday's deadline for rookie scale extensions keeps Avdija in Washington, where he is somewhat remarkably the longest-tenured player on the Wizards. Avdija, a 6-foot-9 forward from Israel, has averaged 8.1 points in 212 career games.

Persons: Deni Avdija, hadn't, Avdija, Washington, Bradley Beal, Zach Collins Organizations: Washington Wizards, Associated Press, Wizards, San Antonio Spurs Locations: Washington, Phoenix, Israel

After Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and killed some 1,400 people, the United States stood by its ally and stressed that Israel has the right to defend itself. The priority is on working to get the hostages out step-by-step," said a source briefed on the hostage negotiations. The first U.S. official said that along with the hostage negotiations, advising Israel to hold off on its invasion could also give more time for humanitarian aid to be delivered to Gaza. U.S. officials have urged Israel to follow the laws of war in any invasion of Gaza, which is home to 2.3 million people. Israel would have a difficult time fighting a war on two fronts simultaneously if Hezbollah launches a full-scale fight in the north, U.S. officials say.

Persons: Israel, Joe Biden, John Kirby, Lloyd Austin, Washington Eliav Benjamin, Lebanon's, Antony Blinken, Yoav Gallant, Washington, Matt Spetalnick Steve Holland, Humeyra Pamuk, Dan Williams, Andrew Mills, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Trevor Hunnicutt, Simon Lewis, Michelle Nichols, Grant McCool Organizations: United, Palestinian, Washington, House, Pentagon, State Department, Friday, U.S, United Nations, White House, Israel's Army, Hamas, NBC, Sunday, Sunday . Washington, Hezbollah, Thomson Locations: United States, Gaza, Qatar, Israel, U.S, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Egypt, White, Washington, Iran, Sunday ., Jerusalem, Doha

Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during the Sandy Hook Promise Benefit in New York City, U.S., December 6, 2022. In rare comments on an active foreign policy crisis, Obama said any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs of the war "could ultimately backfire." Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza with air strikes since Hamas' Oct. 7 assault on Israel left over 1,400 people dead. Obama condemned Hamas' attack and reiterated his support for Israel's right to defend itself, while cautioning about risks to civilians in such wars. Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a testy relationship when Obama was in office, including when Obama's administration was negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran.

Persons: Barack Obama, Sandy, David, Dee, Delgado, Obama, Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kanishka Singh, Matt Spetalnick, Arshad Mohammed, Jeff Mason, Kieran Murray, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Israel, Palestinian, Israeli, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Gaza, Israel, Iran, Washington

ST. LOUIS (AP) — An off-duty St. Louis County officer accused of displaying his badge and firing into the air at a trick-or-treating event no longer is employed at the agency, a police spokesperson confirmed Monday. Matthew McCulloch was no longer working at the department as of Thursday, St. Louis County Police officer Adrian Washington said in an email. Washington declined to comment on whether McCulloch was fired or quit, describing it as a personnel matter. Police said McCulloch told multiple attendees that “you are all going to die,” according to the probable cause statement. McCulloch then shot into the air at least a dozen times “while shouting that all attendees would die,” police alleged.

Persons: Matthew McCulloch, Adrian Washington, McCulloch, treaters Organizations: LOUIS, Police, Kirkwood . Police Locations: Louis, St, Washington, Kirkwood

Biden administration officials insisted that the United States had not told Israel what to do and still supported the ground invasion. General Glynn, the official said, would not be on the ground in Israel if an incursion into Gaza begins. But on Sunday, a diplomat from the Israeli Embassy denied that the U.S. government was advising the Israelis to delay the ground invasion. In conversations with Israeli officials since the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, American officials said they have not yet seen an achievable plan of action. Like U.S. officials, Mr. Reed said he also still supports the ground invasion to destroy Hamas.

Persons: Biden, Yoav Gallant, Lloyd J, Austin III, James Glynn, General Glynn, Axios, Gallant, Austin, “, Mr, ” Mr, Patrick S, Ryder, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, we’ve, Michael Knights, Knights, Jack Reed, Reed, ”, Michael Crowley Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Biden, Pentagon, Israel, Embassy, Islamic, United States Central Command, ABC, American Marines, Associated Press, Islamic State, State, The Washington Institute, Hamas, Rhode Island Democrat, Armed Services Committee Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Washington, U.S, Mosul, Iraqi, Tel Aviv, Kurdish, Mosul —, British, Falluja, Iraq, Raqqa, Cairo, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, “, State

☆ Mitch McConnell refuses to say whether he is fit to serve in Congress, but claims he has 'recovered' after freezing up in public
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mitch McConnell sparked health concerns after a series of public freeze-ups this summer. However, he did not answer a question on whether he is fit to continue serving in Congress. AdvertisementAdvertisementSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to answer whether or not he is fit to continue serving in Congress. "I'm in good shape — completely recovered and back on the job," McConnell told CBS moderator Margaret Brennan. Over the summer, McConnell sparked health concerns after appearing startled and disoriented at press conferences in Kentucky and Washington.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, —, McConnell, Margaret Brennan, Brennan, Brian Monahan Organizations: CBS, Service Locations: Kentucky, Washington

☆ Kremlin, asked about damaged Baltic pipeline, says threats to Russia 'unacceptable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Estonian Navy conducts an undersea communications cable survey after a subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea was damaged, in the Gulf of Finland, October 10, 2023. Estonian Navy Handout/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMOSCOW, Oct 23 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that any threats made against Russia were "unacceptable" after Latvia's president said NATO should shut the Baltic Sea to shipping if Moscow were found responsible for damage to a gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also repeated Moscow's denial of any involvement in the damage inflicted on the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecoms cable on Oct. 8. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said in a TV interview last week that NATO should close the Baltic Sea to ships if Russia were proven responsible for the damage to the Balticconnector. Asked about Rinkevics' remarks, Peskov told a regular news briefing: "Any threats must be taken seriously, no matter who they come from.

Persons: Dmitry Peskov, Edgars Rinkevics, Peskov, Rinkevics, Gareth Jones, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Estonian Navy, REUTERS, Rights, Russia, NATO, Kremlin, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Finland, Estonia, Baltic, Gulf of Finland, Handout, Moscow, Latvian, Russia, Latvia, United States, Nord

The Biden administration has advised Israel to delay a ground invasion of Gaza, hoping to buy time for hostage negotiations and to allow more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians in the sealed-off enclave, according to several U.S. officials. American officials also want more time to prepare for attacks on U.S. interests in the region from Iran-backed groups, which officials said are likely to intensify once Israel moves its forces fully into Gaza. Mr. Biden also spoke to the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Britain. When Mr. Biden met with the Israeli war cabinet during his trip to Tel Aviv last week, he avoided making requests of Mr. Netanyahu, officials said. Instead, the president offered a series of questions that should be answered before a ground invasion starts.

Persons: Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Lloyd J, Austin III, Austin, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, ”, Antony J, Blinken, “, Mr, Netanyahu Organizations: Sunday, U.S, Defense, Pentagon, Embassy, Hamas, CBS, Biden, Press, State Department, Consulate Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iran, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, U.S, Washington, Qatar, United States, Baghdad, Erbil, Iraq, ”, Tel Aviv

[1/2] Iraqi students gather during a protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Baghdad, Iraq, October 18, 2023. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Sunday U.S. citizens should not travel to Iraq after recent attacks on American troops and personnel in the region. The travel advisory says, "Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. There has been a spike in attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza broke out. "Because of security concerns, U.S. government personnel in Baghdad are instructed not to use Baghdad International Airport," the State Department said on Sunday.

Persons: Ahmed Saad, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Kanishka Singh, Josie Kao Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . State Department, Sunday U.S, U.S, Embassy, Consulate, State Department, United, Area Defense, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Baghdad, Iraq, U.S, Syria, Iranian, Yemen, Embassy Baghdad, Erbil, Iran, Washington, United States

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from his window at the Vatican, October 22, 2023. In his call with Pope Francis, Biden, who is a Catholic, condemned the attack by Hamas and affirmed the need to protect civilians in Gaza, the White House said. They also discussed Biden's recent visit to Israel and efforts for delivery of food, medicine, and other humanitarian assistance in Gaza, according to the White House. The pope has several times called for the release of hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack. "Brothers, stop," Pope Francis said.

Persons: Pope Francis, Joe Biden, Biden, Antony Blinken, Francis, Peter's, Pope Francis said, Kanishka Singh, Crispian Balmer, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, WASHINGTON, VATICAN CITY, Sunday, Hamas, White, United, Food Program, Thomson Locations: VATICAN, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, St, Washington, Vatican City

The White House reported Biden's separate calls with the Western leaders, Netanyahu and Pope Francis amid growing fears that the Israel-Hamas war could mushroom into a wider Middle East conflict as Israel pounded Gaza and clashes on its border with Lebanon intensified. It was not immediately clear why Biden's call with the Western leaders did not include Japan. U.S. President Joe Biden has demonstrated unwavering support for Israel's security over a half century in public life. Biden and the Catholic leader discussed "the need to prevent escalation in the region and to work toward a durable peace in the Middle East," the White House said. Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Nick Zieminski and Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, Pope Francis, Biden, Read, Andrea Shalal, Kanishka Singh, Nick Zieminski, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Sunday, Hamas, White, Israeli, Thomson Locations: REHOBOTH BEACH , Delaware, Israel, Palestinian, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Gaza, Lebanon, Japan, Morocco, Tel Aviv, Ukraine, Washington

REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. will send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and additional Patriot air defense missile system battalions to the Middle East, the Pentagon said on Saturday, in response to recent attacks on U.S. troops in the region. The United States has sent a significant amount of naval power to the Middle East in recent weeks, including two aircraft carriers, their support ships and about 2,000 Marines. "Following detailed discussions with President (Joe) Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. The deployments come two years after Biden's administration withdrew air defense systems from the Middle East, citing a reduction in tensions with Iran. The Patriot, considered one of the most advanced U.S. air defense systems, is usually in short supply, with allies around the world vying for it.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Joe, Biden, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Israel, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Area Defense, Pentagon, United, Defense, U.S, Gaza's Health, Thomson Locations: Gaza, U.S, United States, Washington, Iran, Israel, East, South Korea, China, Iraq, Syria, Iranian, Yemen

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