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☆ As Gaza conflict rages, online maps from Chinese companies are missing Israel’s name
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing has clarified that Israel remains marked on official maps issued by Chinese authorities after questions emerged over why the country’s name was not visible on online maps provided by two major Chinese companies. The maps also don’t include a country name marker for “Palestine,” which China recognized as a state in 1988 and is listed on its official maps alongside Israel. It’s not clear whether the missing country names are a new development. In a response to CNN, a Baidu Maps spokesperson said: “Where space is limited, our maps may not display the names or flags of some territories. Users can find corresponding countries or areas on Baidu Maps by simply using the map’s search function.”CNN has also reached out to Alibaba for comment.

Persons: Israel ”, Wang Wenbin, —, Zhai Jun, Zhai, Jordan, It’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Baidu, Israel, Foreign, Hamas, CNN, Palestine, United Nations, United Arab Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Beijing, Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon, Kuwait, Palestine, ”, Taiwan, Beijing, — Israel, Gaza, Qatar, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, United States

☆ Opinion | The Memories That Feed Distrust in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Zeynep Tufekci | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

His pained voice turned to anger when he recounted encountering disbelief that Hamas committed terrible atrocities when it attacked Israel. Indeed, since Hamas did murder children and take others as hostages, should it get credit if it didn’t also behead them? But if the U.S. response after Sept. 11 is a model, it is as a model of what not to do. After the attacks, the United States received deep global sympathy. In the Middle East, the devastating aftermath of that war — justified by false claims — has never ended.

Persons: Moshe Lavi, Lavi, there’s, Biden, didn’t, that’s, ”, Bush, —, Peter Lerner, Saddam Hussein, Saddam, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Hamas, New York Times, United Nations, Britain’s Sky, United, Iraqi Army, The New York Times, Guardian, Israeli Defense Forces, Hamas’s Naval Police, Naval Force, Amnesty International, Kuwaiti, American, Rights, Amnesty, West Bank Locations: Israel, Gaza, Iraq, U.S, United States, Abu Ghraib, People, Israeli, Kuwait, Vietnam, Kuwaiti

☆ Why Hasn’t Israel Invaded Gaza?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +9 min

While Israel has performed raids in Gaza, the larger ground invasion hasn’t happened, and the delay could expose further challenges for Israel’s operations. Additionally, the Biden administration has raised concerns that Israel lacks achievable military goals in Gaza, and the delay could help the country refine its objectives. So far, outside interests have remained mostly on the sidelines of the conflict, but a ground invasion could change that. There has also been some speculation that the ground invasion could be more limited in scope than what has been imagined so far. But waiting any longer for a ground invasion could create a dilemma for Israel: waning international support.

Persons: It’s, ” Natan Sachs, Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kirby, Israel, We’re, we’re, ” Kirby, Joe Biden, “, ”, Biden, doesn't, Ian Hurd, it's, ” Biden, ” Dan Byman, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Jonathan Conricus, Byman, Kirby, We’ve Organizations: Hamas, Brookings Institution, Pentagon, United, United Arab Emirates, White, National Security, Israeli Defense Forces, Northwestern University, Street, Iran’s Quds Force, Quds Force, Center for Strategic, International Studies, ” Iran's, United Nations, General, Israel Defense Forces, ABC Radio Melbourne, Israel, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Iran, The U.S, Tehran, Iran’s Quds, Beirut, Palestine, United States

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops and tanks briefly raided northern Gaza overnight, the military said Thursday, engaging with Hamas fighters and targeting anti-tank weapons in order to “prepare the battlefield” before an expected ground invasion. Israel has imposed a suffocating siege on Gaza since Hamas’ bloody rampage and hostage-taking across southern Israel ignited the war. The Israeli military says it only strikes militant targets and accuses Hamas of operating among civilians in an attempt to protect its fighters. That is more than three times the number of Palestinians killed in the six-week-long Gaza war in 2014. On Wednesday, the wife, son, daughter and grandson of Wael Dahdouh, a veteran Al-Jazeera correspondent in Gaza, were killed in an Israeli strike.

Persons: Khan Younis, Israel, Benny Gantz, ”, Daniel Hagari, ” Israel, Wael Dahdouh, William Schomburg, “, ___ Chehayeb, Wafaa, Jack Jeffery, Brian Melley Organizations: Health Ministry, Hamas, ’, West Bank, The United, Gaza Health Ministry, Al, UNRWA, International Committee, World Health Organization, Shifa, United Nations, United Locations: RAFAH, Gaza, Israel, Petah Tikva, Iranian, Lebanon, Syria, The United States, Jazeera, Palestinian, Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, Beirut, Teibel, Jerusalem, Deir al, Cairo, London

☆ Jake Sullivan’s ‘Quieter’ Middle East Comments Did Not Age Well
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Katie Rogers | More About Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

In a 7,000-word essay for Foreign Affairs magazine published this week, Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser, tried to sum up the state of the Middle East. Before the article was posted online, Foreign Affairs asked Mr. Sullivan to update it to reflect the Hamas attack. The online version scrubbed Mr. Sullivan’s “quieter” sentence, as well as his assertion that the Biden administration had “de-escalated” crises in Gaza. A fund-raising email sent to supporters by the Trump campaign on Wednesday chastised “Biden’s Delusional National Security Adviser” with a link to a story about Mr. Sullivan’s comments. Not all of Mr. Sullivan’s critics are on the right.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, ”, “, Mr, Sullivan, Biden, ” Mr, Trump, “ Biden’s, Sullivan’s, Brett Bruen, Obama, he’s, Bruen, Hillary Clinton, Jake doesn’t disabuse, Adrienne Watson, Ron Dermer, Ms, Watson, ” Edward Wong Organizations: Foreign Affairs, “, ”, Hamas, Gaza, Foreign, The, National Security Council, West Bank, Soviet, Cuban Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait

☆ Premarket stocks: Big Tech earnings can make or break this market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —In an unstable economic climate marked by geopolitical unrest, concerns about the Federal Reserve and soaring Treasury yields, investors are closely watching this week’s Big Tech earnings for clues about where the volatile stock market may head next. That means investors are watching their earnings particularly closely for prognostications about where the market is headed next. Big tech controls the market: Excluding Big Tech, the average earnings for S&P 500 companies would drop by 5% this quarter, according to Bloomberg Intelligence data. “Big Tech valuations pose risks for the broader markets, as Big Tech has contributed to almost all of the stock market’s year-to-date gains,” said David Bahnsen, chief investment officer of the Bahnsen Group. “This lack of market breadth suggests that investors are still highly prone to chasing momentum and getting overly excited about different market themes and stories, such as artificial intelligence.”It also suggests that there’s not a lot of room for any Big Tech earnings missteps.

Persons: —, ”, David Bahnsen, there’s, Louis Navellier, Matt Egan, ” Brian Nelson, Samantha Murphy Kelly Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, Apple, Bloomberg Intelligence, Bahnsen, Navellier, Associates, Treasury Department, Gulf Cooperation, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, GCC, Treasury, Hamas, United Arab, Mac, IDC Locations: New York, States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab, Israel, US, Riyadh, United States, Sudan, Algeria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Treasury’s

☆ Even Before the Israel-Hamas War, Being Palestinian Was Controversial - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Hala Alyan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

I’d had the privilege of a youth — adolescence and young adulthood — in countries where being Palestinian was fairly common. The task of the Palestinian, we’ve seen in the past two weeks, is to audition for empathy and compassion. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve watched Palestinian activists, lawyers, professors get baited and interrupted on air, if not silenced altogether. What is the word of a Palestinian against a machinery that investigates itself, that absolves itself of accused crimes? Diasporically or not, being Palestinian is the quintessential disrupter: It messes with a curated, modified tape.

Persons: I’ve, I’d, hadn’t, we’ve, they’ve, dehumanized, You’ve, I’d humanized, Al Jazeera, “ It’s, it’s, infographics, I’m Organizations: NBC Locations: United States, Kuwait, Palestine, Manhattan, Gaza, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, I’m, Palestinian

☆ Israel agrees to U.S. request to delay Gaza invasion- WSJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Oct 25 (Reuters) - Israel has agreed to delay an expected invasion of Gaza for now so that the United States can rush missile defences to the region to protect U.S. troops there, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. and Israeli officials. U.S. officials have so far persuaded Israel to hold off until U.S. air-defence systems can be placed in the region, as early as later this week, the WSJ said. Israel is also taking into account in its planning the effort to supply humanitarian aid inside Gaza, as well as diplomatic efforts to free hostages held by Hamas militants, the news report said. The U.S. military and other officials believe their forces will be targeted by militant groups once Israel launches its ground invasion of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory, according to the report. Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams and Howard GollerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Washington, Shubham, Alison Williams, Howard Goller Organizations: Wall Street, Hamas, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Reuters, Palestinian, Pentagon, Area Defense, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, United States, Washington, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, U.S, Qatar, Bengaluru

According to the United Nations, there are now some 5.9 million Palestinian refugees worldwide, most of them descendants of that 1948 generation of exiles. The struggle of the Palestinians is felt especially keenly in Jordan, where more than half of the population is either Palestinian or of Palestinian descent – including more than two million Palestinian refugees. But that passion for the Palestinian cause resonates across the Arab world that is home to more than 450 million people. Young people from across the Arab world have chanted the very same rallying cries their parents and grandparents chanted before them. Leon Neal/Getty Images“For much of the Arab world, the question of Palestine represents the last colonized Arab people trying to gain their freedom,” said H.A.

Persons: Hussein, Abdel, Munim Dababsheh, Israel, Hatem Moussa, Gazans, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, ”, Dababsheh, won’t, “, Mustafa Hamarneh, ” Hamarneh, CNN’s Clarissa Ward, Rahma Zein, Leon Neal, Ahmed El, Saied, Alya, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Meir Kahane, Ben Gvir’s, Ayala Nimrodi, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Hellyer, Hanya, ” CNN’s Claudia Otto, Aqeel Najim Organizations: Jordan CNN —, United Nations, Camp, West Bank, Israel, European Union, Israel Defense Forces, Press, UNRWA, Tel Aviv University, Sunday, Getty, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Royal United Services Institute, Hamas, Finance, National, CNN Locations: Amman, Jordan, Jabal Al, Jordanian, Palestine, America, ”, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Deir al, Palestinian, reoccupying Gaza, Rafah, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait, Iran, Young, Tel Aviv, London, Baghdad, Huwara

☆ Donor revolt at Harvard and UPenn over Israel shows big checks often have strings attached
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —Big money donations are booming at America’s colleges, helping fund higher education for millions of students. The biggest donors often sit on universities’ board of trustees, which governs the university and selects university leadership, priorities and direction. The donor backlash at the University of Pennsylvania and uproar at Harvard University over Israel and Palestine highlight how big donations often come with demands for changes to university policy and politics. The backlash has raised questions about the influence big donors wield and pressure donors may exert over leadership, hiring decisions and academic affairs. Restricted giftsMore donations are coming with strings attached, rather than letting schools spend their donations however they want.

Persons: ’, ”, Cliff Asness, James Finkelstein, David Callahan, George Mason, Nikole Hannah, Jones, Rob Reich, “, Ann Marcus Organizations: New, New York CNN, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Harvard, George Mason University, Faculty Senate Tri, Council, Advancement, “, ”, Aid, Education, Critics, Indiana University, George, Koch Foundation, Yale University, University of North, Chapel, Michigan State, Stanford University, Universities, New York University, NYU’s Steinhardt, of Higher Locations: New York, Israel, Palestine, University of North Carolina, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait

☆ China's quiet campaign to win over Middle Eastern countries has run into a problem Beijing isn't really ready to deal with
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Until recently, 2023 looked to be a major year for Chinese outreach in the Middle East. Until this month, 2023 looked to be a landmark year for China's outreach to the Middle East. Zhai, China's Middle East envoy, began a tour of the region last week, stopping in Qatar first on October 19. "It's the kind of role we've played for the last half-century in the Middle East. Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping, Bashar Assad, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kim Kyung, Yoav Gallant, Ariel Hermoni, Zhai Jun, Wang Yi, Chuck Schumer, Xi, Nicholas Burns, Burns, Michael Singh, Abraham, Singh, Mahmud Abbas, Jade Gao, Alexus Grynkewich, Grynkewich, Abu Dhabi, ATTA KENARE, it's, Zhai, we've, Paul Iddon Organizations: Service, Initiative, Israeli, REUTERS, Saudi, UAE, Israeli Defense Ministry, Getty Images, Washington, The Washington Institute, White House, Israel, US Air Forces, Defense Writers, Huawei, Getty Locations: East, Beijing, Israel, China, Iran, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, Anadolu, Getty Images Beijing, Saudi, Egypt, UAE, Jordan, Iraq, Abu, AFP, Qatar, Palestine

☆ US teams with Middle Eastern nations to target 'secret' Hamas investment portfolio as Israeli forces prepare for operation in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The United States along with some Middle Eastern nations are stepping up efforts to target a “secret” Hamas investment portfolio government officials believe to be worth up to $1 billion. To target the Hamas investment portfolio, a US official said Tuesday the Treasury Department is working with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The official added that the portfolio is generating significant amounts of revenue for Hamas. Hamas' armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades destroy an Israeli forces' tank near Gaza City, Gaza on October 07. Hani Alshaer/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesNelson urged the Gulf nations to share more information on the parts of the Hamas financial ecosystem “vulnerable to disruption” and called on member countries to take action.

Persons: ” Brian Nelson, Hani Alshaer, Nelson, ” Nelson, ”, Wally Adeyemo, Adeyemo, FinCEN Organizations: New, New York CNN, Treasury Department, Gulf Cooperation, United, United Arab Emirates, Saudi, GCC, Treasury, Hamas, United Arab, Anadolu Agency, Getty, ”, Network Locations: New York, United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab, Israel, US, Riyadh, Sudan, Algeria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Treasury’s, Gaza City, Gaza, Europe

☆ How McDonald’s Middle East franchises got into a public feud over Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Many McDonald’s operators in the region quickly distanced themselves from the Israeli operator’s actions. “It’s less control.”As the public feud plays out in the Middle East, McDonald’s corporate hasn’t said much about the war. What’s going on with McDonald’s in the Middle EastOnline, McDonald’s operators have made clear that they are independent of each other. “McDonald’s Pakistan is a wholly Pakistani entity owned and managed by SIZA foods,” reads a statement posted by McDonald’s Pakistan on X, formerly Twitter. Nierman suspects that many McDonald’s customers might not be paying too much attention either way.

Persons: McDonald’s, Artur Widak, ”, Andrew Gilman, hasn’t, Michael Seid, ’, Seid, Al Maousherji, ” Gilman, Evan Nierman, ” Nierman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Hamas, CNN, Food Program, MSA, ‘, McDonald’s, Al, Al Maousherji Catering, Kuwait Red Crescent Society, Universities Locations: New York, Israel, McDonald’s Israel, Kuwait, Pakistan, Gaza, United States, “, McDonald’s Pakistan, McDonald’s Kuwait, Kuwaiti, Palestine, ”

☆ Analysis: The US is dangerously close to being pulled into a Middle East war as it supports Israel's campaign against Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ben Wedeman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Gaza may be where the war is happening now, but across the Middle East the warning lights of more trouble to come are blinking red. All the while the US is airlifting massive amounts of ammunition and equipment to help the Israeli war effort. Protests against Israel and USAs the war in Gaza rages, the Middle East is seething with anger. The American carrier groups just over the horizon are there to deter Iran, Hezbollah and others from going too far.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Miriam Alster, Antony Blinken, –, Saddam Hussein’s, Bashar al, Qasem Soleimani, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, Israel, Israel’s, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, Sisi, King Abdullah, ” I’ve Organizations: Southern Lebanon CNN, Houthi, US, Israel, Gaza, White, Israeli, Hamas, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Islamic, Iranian, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Palestinian Locations: Southern Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Gaza, Iran, Israel, Tel Aviv, United States, Kuwait, Russia, Turkey, Islamic State, Aleppo, Damascus, Baghdad, it’s, Beirut, Vietnam, Afghanistan, East, Doha, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Egypt, Amman, Ahli, Al, Cairo

☆ Protests across Mideast as US’ Arab allies warn against pushing Palestinians out
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Protests erupted around the Arab world on Friday as the Gaza war raged and an Israeli ground operation with the potential to displace millions of Palestinians loomed. In a sign of the growing anger over the Israeli operation in Gaza, Egypt sanctioned its first major nationwide protest in a decade. Amman and Cairo have sounded alarms over what they perceive as a plan to transfer Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank to Egypt and Jordan. The West Bank, however, remains occupied and the previous right-wing government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would advance plans to extend its jurisdiction to the West Bank. The Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.

Persons: Annie Sakkab, Antony Blinken, Azhar, Omar Zoheiry, Amal, Young, Joe Biden, ”, Israel, Abdel Fattah el, Ayman Mohsab, Sisi, ” Sisi, Ayman Safadi, Al Jazeera, ” Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Benny Gantz, Jordan, Olaf Scholz Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Bloomberg, Getty, Louk, AP, United, Reuters, Israel, Arab Affairs Committee, Al, Israeli, National Unity Party, Palestinian Authority, Cairo Peace, United Arab, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israeli, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Israel, Amman , Jordan, Rafah, Cairo’s, Cairo, Bab el, Tahrir, al, Old Cairo, Beirut, Lebanese, Iran, Iraq’s, Baghdad, United States, Amman, ‘, Jordanian, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Italy, Greece

CVC targets an IPO that would value the company at more than 10 billion euros, the people said, with the company placing around 10% of its share capital, one of the people said. The private equity firm's partners are not expected to sell stock through the IPO, the people said. Blue Owl, CVC, GIC and HKMA declined to comment. On-road payments provider DKV Mobility, in which CVC has a minority holding, decided to defer its IPO plans because of volatile markets, Reuters reported earlier this month. London-headquartered CVC, which oversees more than 160 billion euros in assets, is striving to transform itself into a diversified asset manager.

Persons: de, Singapore's GIC, Renk, DIF, Glendower, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Elisa Martinuzzi, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Partners, Reuters, CVC, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Kuwait Investment Authority, DKV Mobility, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, Kuwait, London

☆ Egypt agrees to allow first aid trucks into Gaza as it reels from hospital blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +26 min

A woman mourns over a dead man at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza City on Wednesday, October 18. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images A view shows the aftermath of a deadly blast that struck Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on October 18. Abed Khaled/AP Bodies of Palestinians killed in the blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital lie in front of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 17. Samar Abu Elouf/The New York Times/Redux Palestinians wait to cross into Egypt at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza on October 16. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12.

Persons: Joe Biden, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, Biden, “ We’re, We’re, Farhan Haq, It’s, Richard Brennan, ”, Belal Khaled, Abed Rahim Khatib, Leon Neal, Hod, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Ayal Margolin, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Brendan Smialowski, Ali Jadallah, Netanyahu, Kenny Holston, Abed Khaled, Ariel Schalit, Mohammed Abed, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Khan, Mustafa Hassona, Mahmoud Khaled, Samar Abu, Fatima Shbair, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Shir Torem, Wahaj Bani Moufleh, Antonio Macías, Macías, Francisco Seco, Mohammed Saber, Eli Albag, Liri, Mohammed Talatene, Sergey Ponomarev, Hatem Ali, Dor Kedmi, Mahmud Hams, Saher, Hatem Moussa, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Yuri Cortez, Yousef Masoud, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Jack Guez, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Abed Zagout, Tamir Kalifa, Agha, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, Mohammed Salem, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Atef Safadi, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Oren Ziv, Ronen Zvulun, Majdi, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ahmad Gharabli, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, “, –, Israel, Egypt’s, wouldn’t, Jonathan Conricus, ” Conricus, Xi Jinping, Mostafa Madbouly, ” Xi, Madbouly Organizations: CNN, UN, World Health Organization, WHO, –, Al, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Getty, Israel's, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli, Ben Gurion International, New York Times, Shifa, Palestinian, AP, Reuters, West Bank, Aris Messinis, Haim, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, Rockets, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, Hamas, Israel, Islamic Jihad, National Security Council, White House, Egyptian Locations: Egypt, Gaza, Israel, United States, Aqsa, Gaza City, Rafah, Tel Aviv, Hod HaSharon, Kiryat Shmona, AFP, Al, Ahli, Anadolu, Sderot, Gan, Kfar, Khan Younis, North Sinai, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Beit Kama, Haifa, Cyprus, Nablus, West, Lebanon, Kfar Saba, Israeli, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, Kibbutz Be'eri, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Ashkelon, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Tunisia, United, Iran, Beijing

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq issued statements condemning Israel and accusing its military of bombing the hospital. People gather in Tahrir Square to protest the Gaza hospital blast in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 17. One group made an attempt to “reach it,” but a security source told CNN that security forces dealt with them and pushed them away. Jordanian security forces also used tear gas to disperse the protesters, according to two activists and videos posted to social media. TAP said “mass protests were held on Tuesday night,” in several areas “in solidarity with the Palestinian people” and against Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

Persons: Israel, Jihad, Murtadha, CNN’s Ben Wedeman, Protesters, Zohra Bensemra, Tayyip Erdogan, Joe Biden, Ayman Safadi, Safadi, “ can’t Organizations: CNN, Al, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israel Defense Forces, Palestinian Islamic, United Arab, West, Anadolu Agency, US State Department, Security, Reuters, TAP, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Jordan’s Foreign Affairs, IDF, UN, Episcopal, Al Ahli Baptist Hospital Locations: Israel, East, North Africa, Gaza City, Ahli, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, West Bank, Ramallah, Gaza, Tahrir, Baghdad, Amman , Jordan, Jordanian, Beirut, Iran, Tehran, France, England, America, Esfahan, Qom ., Tunis, Istanbul, Turkish, ”, Jerusalem, Al Ahli, Al

☆ What the Israel-Hamas war means for defense stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —When war breaks out, defense companies tend to make money. That means aerospace and defense stocks tend to rise during geopolitical unrest. Defense stocks typically rise after military conflicts but soon lose those gains. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the iShares defense ETF surged by 5%, with Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman’s shares jumping about 20%. Goldman Sachs announced third-quarter results on Tuesday morning, reporting earnings of $5.47 per share, which beat the $5.31 expected by analysts.

Persons: Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, ”, Jim Taiclet, “ That’s, JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, “, ” Sam Stovall, Joe Biden’s, Northrop Grumman’s, Raffi Boyadjian, Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, “ David, Goldman, Tony Fratto, Solomon, DJ, ” Solomon, it’s, Lloyd Blankfein, they’re, Elon Musk’s, Elon Musk, X, Clare Duffy Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, U.S . Aerospace & Defense ETF, Raytheon, Lockheed, Boeing, General Dynamics, Northrop, “, Lockheed Martin Corporation, titans, Hamas, JPMorgan, Defense, XM, Treasury, CNN, Revenue, Twitter Locations: New York, Israel, U.S, Ukraine, Kippur, Kuwait, South Beach, New Zealand, Philippines

☆ The devastating Gaza hospital blast is shrouded in uncertainty. Here’s what we know, and what we don’t
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A day after a deadly blast tore through Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, sparking protests across the region, the United States has released its own assessment of what caused the devastation. Islamic Jihad – a rival group to Hamas – has denied responsibility. Here’s a look at what we know – and don’t know – so far. Dr. Fadel Na’eem, head of the orthopedic department, said he was performing surgery when a deafening blast sounded through the hospital. Israel has provided the US with intelligence it has gathered related to the deadly Gaza hospital explosion, according to an Israeli official and another source familiar with the matter.

Persons: Joe Biden, “, Israel, –, Ali Jadallah, Fadel Na’eem, Gaza City's, Mohammed Al, Masri, Abed Khaled, Na’eem, ”, Jonathan Conricus, ” Israel, Lior Haiat, Al, Israel “, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, we’ve, ” Biden, Adrienne Watson Organizations: CNN, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Wednesday, National Security Council, Health Ministry, Getty, Alhi Baptist, geolocated, Shifa, Reuters, Health, Israel Defense Forces, Islamic, IDF, Israel Foreign Ministry, ”, Israel, US National Security Council, Israeli, Intelligence, Palestinian, United Nations, United Arab, West Locations: Al, Ahli, Gaza, United States, Israel, Anadolu, Gaza City's Al, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, West Bank, Ramallah

☆ Free meals for Israeli soldiers divide McDonald's franchises over Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Pesha Magid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RIYADH, Oct 17 (Reuters) - McDonald's (MCD.N) franchises in some Muslim countries disavowed a move by the company's Israeli restaurants to give free meals to the Israeli military, highlighting the polarized regional politics that global corporations navigate during war. McDonald's Israel said on its social media accounts last week that it has given thousands of free meals to Israel Defense Forces personnel. McDonald's Israel is owned by Alonyal Ltd, according to a company statement. We affirm that it was an individual decision on their part," McDonald's franchise in Saudi Arabia said in a statement. "Neither global McDonald's nor us nor any other country had a role or relationship with that decision, neither directly nor indirectly."

Persons: McDonald's Israel, Hadeel Al Sayegh, Rod Nickel Organizations: Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Alonyal Ltd, United Arab, McDonald's Corp, U.S ., Thomson Locations: RIYADH, Gaza, McDonald's Israel, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Turkey, Israel

☆ Premarket stocks: What the Israel-Hamas war means for US markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Growing unrest in the Middle East has cast a shadow on global financial markets. Israeli stocks listed in New York and Tel Aviv have sunk to recent lows, underscoring the growing economic uncertainties in the war-torn region and leaving investors unsure of where markets go from here. Funds in the US hold more than $43 billion in Israeli stocks and bonds, according to a Bloomberg tracker. Big names, big exposure: As the war continues, businesses with headquarters, factories and inventory in Israel appear increasingly at risk to geopolitical turmoil. “If the war remains confined between Israel and Palestinians, it’s likely that the markets will forget about it after a few days,” he wrote.

Persons: ”, Steven Schoenfeld, Jamie Dimon, “, Benjamin Netanyahu, Raffi Boyadjian, Sam Stovall, Nathaniel Meyersohn, drugstores, David Silverman, Bill Ford, Vanessa Yurkevich, Ford, Jim Farley, Shawn Fain Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nasdaq, Funds, Bloomberg, Hamas, Bank of Israel, JPMorgan, Israel Innovative Technology, Mobileye, Tower Semiconductor, Teva Pharmaceutical, XM, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Fitch, Ford Motor Company, United Auto Workers, Big Three, UAW, Monday, Ford Locations: New York, Tel Aviv, New Jersey, Israel, United States, Canada, China, Ukraine, Kippur, Kuwait, Kansas City, drugstores, Rouge, Dearborn , Michigan

Having seen several previous Israeli strikes, Shawa told CNN they were certain it would be targeted. Born in Seattle to an American mother and Palestinian father, Shawa is one of an estimated 500-600 Palestinian-Americans in Gaza. It’s an impossible situation to be in.”Trapped with no way outEven if Shawa decided to leave Gaza, he can’t right now. “We anticipate that the situation at the Rafah crossing will remain fluid and unpredictable,” the US State Department advised US citizens. Despite the dire situation the Palestinian-Americans face, they at least have some hope of being able to leave Gaza soon – a remote prospect for those without alternative passports.

Persons: Jason Shawa, Shawa, Zainab, Malak, Najla, we’re, Abdulla Okal, Haneen, –, Nabil Alshurafa, Naela Elshorafa, Nabil Alshurafa “, ” Alshurafa, “, haven’t, ”, Ahmad Hasaballah, I’ve, Lena Beseiso, Beseiso –, Haneen Okal, Abdulla, ” Shawa, aren’t, Shawa’s, Jason Shawa's, Jason Shawa “, Alshurafa Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, US Embassy, US State Department, Palestinian Ministry of Interior, US, Department’s, State Department Locations: Gaza City, Palestinian, Gaza, Seattle, American, Rafah, United States, New Jersey, Kuwait, Camarillo , California, Egypt, Jerusalem, Salt Lake City, Israel, U.S

☆ Echoes of the 1973 Oil Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Arthur Herman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Pushing a car to a Boston gas station in 1973. Photo: Spencer Grant/Getty ImagesThe attack on Israel on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War should remind us of another anniversary: the 1973 Arab oil embargo. The war began on Oct. 6, and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cut production and raised prices on Oct. 17. By the end of the embargo in March 1974, the global cost of oil had climbed nearly 300%. The White House had ration cards printed in secret (fortunately never used), and President Richard Nixon contemplated military action to seize oil fields in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi.

Persons: Spencer Grant, Richard Nixon Organizations: Organization of, Petroleum, Service, White Locations: Boston, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi

CNN —A US Marine rapid response force is headed to the waters off the coast of Israel and the Pentagon is preparing American troops for a potential deployment to the country, escalating the US’ show of force in the region as it works to prevent the conflict between Israel and Hamas from widening any further. A defense official familiar with the planning said the rapid response force, consisting of 2,000 Marines and sailors, is being sent. That could be particularly valuable if Israel launches a ground invasion of Gaza, which could be complicated and bloody, experts have warned. Officials would not specify where exactly the Marine unit will now go, other than to say it is headed toward Israel. The Wall Street Journal was first to report about the potential deployment of troops to Israel.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, Biden, Capt, Angelica White, Sabrina Singh, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, Hezbollah, Defense, Israel, USS Ford, Air Force, Troops, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine Corps Locations: Israel, Iran, Lebanese, Gaza, Middle East, Kuwait, “, Red, Bataan, Gulf of Oman, of Oman, Hormuz

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