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☆ Protesters in Mideast vent fury at Gaza blast as Europe ups security
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Israel said the blast was caused by a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, which denied blame. In Tunis, protesters burned Israeli and American flags and demanded the expulsion of the U.S. and French ambassadors for what they termed their unconditional support for Israel. In Amman, deployed riot police pushed back thousands of Jordanian protesters planning to march on the heavily fortified Israeli embassy. 'REVENGE, REVENGE'The protesters voiced slogans backing Hamas, including "Revenge ... revenge ... O Hamas, bomb Tel Aviv." In Lebanon, security forces fired tear gas and water canon at protesters who were throwing projectiles as a protest near the U.S. embassy north of Beirut turned violent, footage broadcast by footage broadcast by Lebanese broadcaster al-Jadeed.

Persons: Jihed, Israel, “, ”, Ines Laswed, Nadia Sweilam, It's, Hesham Safieddine, Matteo Piantedosi, Tarek Amara, Suleiman al, Tom Perry, Benoit Van Overstraeten, William Maclean, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Wednesday, Islamic Jihad, Israel, West Bank, Hamas, Hezbollah, French Foreign, Islamic State, Thomson Locations: Al, Ahli, Gaza, Tunis, Tunisia, Israel France, Lebanon, Europe, France, Israel, Jordan, Iran, Turkey, Amman, Rabia, Jordanian, Tel Aviv, U.S, Beirut, Lebanese, Palestinian, America, Hamas's, Versailles, Italy, Italian, Milan, Khalidi, Paris

The vote follows the council’s rejection Monday evening of a Russian-drafted resolution that condemned violence and terrorism against civilians and called for a “humanitarian cease-fire” but made no mention of Hamas. One calls for a “humanitarian cease-fire.” The other would condemn indiscriminate attacks on civilians and assaults on “civilian objects” in Gaza like hospitals and schools that deprive people of the means to survive. To be adopted, a resolution needs at least nine of the 15 council members to vote “yes” and no veto by a permanent member. The council vote was taking place amid frantic diplomatic efforts to prevent the Israeli-Hamas conflict from spreading. The five permanent Security Council nations are also invited, he said.

Persons: “, ”, Rosemary DiCarlo, Tor Wennesland, Islamic Jihad, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, Abdel Fattah el, King Abdullah II of Jordan, U.N, Osama Mahmoud, Antonio Guterres, Mahmoud Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, . Security, Hamas, United Arab, Islamic, Arab, United Nations, Security Council Locations: Israel, Gaza, Brazil, Russian, Russia, United Arab Emirates, China, U.N, Palestinian, Ukraine, United States, Britain, France, U.S, Cairo

☆ Morning Bid: China data beat overshadowed by Mideast foreboding
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsA look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Wayne Cole. The latest batch of economic data from China surprised by beating forecasts, but was unfortunately overshadowed by fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East following the Gaza hospital blast. Perhaps more importantly retail sales and industrial output for September topped estimates, which might mean Beijing's stimulus steps were finally bearing fruit after months of disappointment. The implications for inflation were another headache for bonds, which were still smarting from Tuesday's red-hot U.S. retail sales report. JPMorgan responded by ramping up its forecast for U.S. third quarter GDP growth to an annualised 4.3%, implying nominal growth of more than 7%.

Persons: Lisi Niesner, Wayne Cole, Joe Biden's, Brent, ramping, Fed's Waller, Williams, Bowman, Harker, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan, U.S, Bank of Japan, Netflix, Norges Bank, EU, Fed, Thomson Locations: Israeli, Lebanon, Israel, Wayne, China, Gaza, millstone, Iran, Hormuz, Asia, Cook

☆ Asia stocks rise on earnings hopes; keep wary eye on Mideast tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man looks at an electric board displaying the Nikkei stock average outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan June 14, 2023. Overnight the S&P 500 (.SPX) had climbed 1%, while oil prices and the U.S. dollar had fallen. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields are about 15 basis points off 16-year highs, though they crept higher in Asia trade Tuesday to 4.7331%. The euro traded at $1.0549 and the yen hovered just short of the 150-per-dollar mark at 149.53. If investors don't receive the coupon payment, all of Country Garden's offshore debts will be deemed in default.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Kerry Craig, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Johnson, Craig, Joe Biden, Israel, Israel's shekel, Bitcoin, Selena Li, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Tokyo's Nikkei, U.S ., Morgan Asset Management, Bank of America, Johnson, Netflix, Federal Reserve, Israel, Hamas, Iran's, HK, Brent, BlackRock, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, HONG KONG, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Gaza, Iran, Zealand, Brent

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A massive blast rocked a Gaza City hospital packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter Tuesday, killing hundreds of people, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said. Hamas blamed an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military said the hospital was hit by a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants. Hamas' Oct. 7, attack in southern Israel killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and took some 200 captive into Gaza. In Gaza City, Israeli airstrikes also hit the house of Hamas’ top political official, Ismail Haniyeh, killing at least 14 people. Haniyeh is based in Doha, Qatar, but his family lives in Gaza City.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, Joe Biden, Mohammed Abu Selmia, ” Abu Selmia, “, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Abbas, Richard Hecht, haven’t, Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, Witnesses, Ayman Nofal, Netanyahu, ”, Ismail Haniyeh, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Tzahi Hanegbi, —, Israel's Karam, Israel, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Israel's, ” Khamenei, ___ Kullab, Nessman, Lee, Amy Teibel, Abby Sewell, Samy Magdy, Jack Jeffrey, Ashraf Sweilam Organizations: Ministry, Palestinian, Associated Press, Israel, “ Intelligence, Alhi, Gaza, Gaza Health Ministry, Abbas ’ Palestinian, West, Bank, Palestinian Authority, Embassy, Nasser Hospital, United Nations Palestinian, Israeli, Israel’s National Security Council, Food Program, Hamas, Iran’s, Amman . Associated Press Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, al, Ahli, Gaza City, Hamas, Amman, Jordan, Abbas ’, West Bank, Ramallah, Beirut, Khan, Deir al, Doha, Qatar, Rafah, Egypt, Lebanon, Iranian, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Amman ., Cairo, el, Arish

☆ EU Responds to Hospital Strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Union leaders were discussing the Mideast crisis in a videoconference Tuesday when Palestinian officials reported the deaths of more than 500 people in an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza hospital. The strike shows “the dramatic situation on the ground of the people” of Gaza, senior EU official Charles Michel said, adding that “an attack against a civilian infrastructure is not in line with international law.”

Persons: Charles Michel, ” Organizations: Union, EU Locations: Gaza

☆ Biden calls off Jordan leg of Mideast trip after leader summit canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) hold a joint press conference in Bethlehem, West Bank on July 15, 2022. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will no longer visit Jordan as part of his Middle East trip this week, after a leaders summit on humanitarian aid for Palestinians was abruptly canceled Tuesday. The decision was made as unrest across the region swelled, in response to the deadly bombing of a hospital in Gaza. Biden had been scheduled to meet in with Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority president Mahmound Abbas after first visiting Israel. In deciding not to travel to Jordan, the White House also considered "the days of mourning announced by President Abbas," for victims of the hospital attack, the official said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah El, Mahmound Abbas, Ayman Safadi, Abbas Organizations: West Bank, WASHINGTON, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Hamas, White, CNBC, IDF, Israeli Defense, NBC News Locations: Bethlehem, West, Jordan, Gaza, Jordanian, Ahli, Gaza City, Israel

☆ Blinken: Mideast Allies Don’t Want Israel-Hamas Conflict Spillover
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New AI Tools Offer Path to Early Alzheimer's DiagnosisIs the eye the window to Alzheimer’s? WSJ reporter Vipal Monga joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss some of the AI tools that are in the works to help detect signs of the disease and why they are giving researchers new hope for early detection. Photo: Getty Images

Persons: Vipal Monga, Zoe Thomas

☆ Morning Bid: MidEast tension keeps markets on edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAlthough price moves remain contained in the absence of a dramatic weekend escalation, world markets are still on edge as Middle East tension builds without obvious resolution. Disputed reports of a temporary ceasefire in southern Gaza partly stabilised jittery macro prices first thing on Monday. Yet the extent to which the backup in oil prices over recent months can impact wider economic sentiment was clear from the University of Michigan's household survey on Friday. That appeared to be the case last week as oil prices, gold, the dollar and Treasuries gained into the close while stocks fell back.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Israel, Treasuries, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Jerome Powell, Poland's, Patrick Harker, Christine Lagarde, Fabio Panetta, Mike Dolan, Ed Osmond Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, University of Michigan's, U.S, Treasury, Wall, JPMorgan, Citigroup, Bank of America, Netflix, Federal Reserve, European Union ., York Fed, Bank of Canada, Philadelphia Federal, European Central Bank, ECB, Global, Thomson, Reuters Locations: New York City, U.S, Gaza, Wells Fargo, Luxembourg, LSEG, CHINA

With two wars, a rising price of oil and a shaky bond market, there is plenty of worry for the markets and economists this week, including a slew of corporate earnings reports and data on the state of the housing market and retail spending. Meanwhile, Russia has been pressing its invasion of Ukraine that is now a year and a half old. Last week ended with a surprise increase in consumer’s expectations of inflation in the University of Michigan’s sentiment survey. Where new home construction a few months ago was holding up the housing market, now it has slumped amid mortgage rates that have brushed 8%. The firm published its monthly economic outlook last week and did not include any more Fed rate hikes in the current cycle.

Persons: “, Jerome Powell, Powell, ” Sam Bullard Organizations: Hamas, University of, “, BCA Research, ”, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, National Association of Realtors, Economic, of New, Wells Locations: East, Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, U.S, Iran, Lebanon, Russia, of New York

BEIJING (AP) — China's Belt and Road Initiative looks to become smaller and greener after a decade of big projects that boosted trade but left big debts and raised environmental concerns. Called “One Belt, One Road” in Chinese, the Belt and Road Initiative started as a program for Chinese companies to build transportation, energy and other infrastructure overseas funded by Chinese development bank loans. China became a major financer of development projects under BRI, on par with the World Bank. Chinese development banks provided money for the BRI projects as loans, and some governments have been unable to pay them back. Now, having learned the hard way through defaults, China development banks are pulling back.

Persons: Xi Jinping's, Xi, “, Alessia Amighini, Kevin Gallagher, Sri Lanka, Christoph Nedopil, Nedopil, Colleen Barry Organizations: BEIJING, Initiative, Silk, Italy, World Bank, Boston University Global Development Policy Center, U.S, Export, Import Bank of, Asia Institute, Griffith University, Associated Press Locations: Beijing, Africa, Asia, Latin America, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Pakistan, Italy, “ Italy, Sri Lankan, Zambia, Sri, Import Bank of China, Australia, BRI, Hungary, Milan

Then came the Hamas attack against Israel, which has made Netanyahu’s late October trip uncertain and put Beijing's Middle East approach to the test. China’s stated neutrality on the war has upset Israel, but Beijing may gain in the long run by forging closer ties with Arab countries, experts said. “For a while at least, Beijing’s Middle East policy is paralyzed by the war,” said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Beijing-based Renmin University of China. “China’s engagement in the Middle East is set to increase during this conflict. Because we need to be the bridge.”But China's proposals to end the war have been seen as benefiting Russia.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Benjamin Netanyahu, China’s, Israel, ”, Shi Yinhong, hasn't, Zhai Jun, Zhai, ” Wang Yi, ” Wang, Antony Blinken, Wang, Maria Papageorgiou, Mohammad Eslami, “, Tuvia, ” Gering, Wang Yiwei, Dale Aluf, China's, Aluf, Yaqiu Wang, Ken Moritsugu, Wanqing Chen, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Renmin University of China, State Department, Hezbollah, University of Exeter, University Minho, Israel, China Policy Center, Institute for National Security, Kremlin, Renmin University, Israel Global Network, Freedom, Associated Press, AP Locations: Beijing, China, Israel, U.S, Iran, Tel Aviv, Palestine, Ukraine, Xinjiang, Xi, Saudi Arabia, United States, Russia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Communist, Riyadh

☆ Stock futures rise slightly to kick off a busy earnings week: Live updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Stock futures inched higher in overnight trading Sunday ahead of a busy week for corporate earnings. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.12% and 0.16%, respectively. The S&P 500 advanced 0.45% for its second consecutive positive week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.79%. Meanwhile, Wall Street assessed a slew reports from major financial firms, with JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo gaining 1.5% and 3%, respectively. On the economic front, Wall Street awaits the Empire State Index for October due out Monday.

Persons: Stocks, Eric Johnston, Cantor Fitzgerald's, CNBC's, Chuck Schumer, Johnson, Charles Schwab Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Stock, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial, Dow, Wall, JPMorgan Chase, Wells, Johnson, Bank of America, Netflix, Tesla, Index Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S

☆ Listen Now Part 2: Hamas' calculus and the fracturing of Mideast politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Follow on Apple, Google or Spotify. Listen on the Reuters app. On Part two of our weekend special, our journalists examine Hamas' planning and what it sees as its endgame. And what that means for internal Israeli politics and the West's need for an interlocutor as the Palestinian leadership is weakened. Plus, words matter - navigating the facts in this conflict.

Persons: Netanyahu, Gazans Organizations: Apple, Google, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Middle East, Iran, Israel

Israel said it has already struck dozens of military targets, including command centers and rocket launchers, and also killed Hamas commanders. The Israeli military also reported shooting at one of its border posts. Gaza was already in a humanitarian crisis due to a growing shortage of water and medical supplies caused by the Israeli siege. Israel’s minister of energy and water, Israel Katz, said in a statement that water had been restored at one “specific point” in Gaza. Hamas urged people to stay in their homes, and the Israeli military released photos it said showed a Hamas roadblock preventing traffic from moving south.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, Israel, It's, Juliette Touma, ’, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Biden, Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah, David Satterfield, Jake Sullivan, Khan Younis, Mohammed Qandeel, ”, Hussam Abu Safiya, Kamal Adwan, ” Ahmed Al, Philippe Lazzarini, Sullivan, Israel Katz, Daniel Hagari, ___ Kullab, Nessman, Julia Frankel, Amy Teibel, Abby Sewell, Samy Magdy Organizations: Gaza Health Ministry, United Nations, U.S . State Department, Israel, Gaza, National News Agency, Reuters, Nasser Hospital, Kamal, World Health Organization, CNN, Hamas, Associated Press Locations: Gaza, Israel, U.S, Egypt, Syria, United, Lebanon, Israeli, Kfar Kila, Lebanese, Shtula, Turkey, Middle East, Hospitals, Khan, “, Gaza City, Rafah, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Beirut, Cairo

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell attends EU-China High-Level Strategic Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, China, on October 13, 2023. "Cooperation is very much important," Borrell told a press conference ending a three-day visit that had twice been postponed. During talks in Beijing last month, China's economy tsar, He Lifeng, asked EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis to "exercise restraint in the use of trade remedy measures". The EU plans to open an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese steelmakers this month, the Financial Times has reported. The EU and China plan a summit by the end of the year, with Borrell's visit and those of a number of other top EU officials in recent months having paved the way.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Pedro Pardo, Borrell, Enrique Mora, Wang Yi, Lifeng, Valdis Dombrovskis, Laurie Chen, Joe Cash, William Mallard Organizations: EU, Representative, Foreign Affairs, House, REUTERS Acquire, EV, Financial Times, Thomson Locations: EU, China, Beijing, BEIJING, Brussels, Europe, United States, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Russia

☆ Oil, Treasuries, gold prices jump amid Mideast fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 26, 2023. Spot gold added 3.2% on the day to $1,928.99 an ounce, and had its biggest weekly percentage gain since March. "Everything that's going on in the Middle East is getting more and more unfortunately depressing and seems to have the potential to get worse," he said. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) lost 0.98% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) shed 0.81%. The dollar was also helped by safe-haven buying driven by the escalating Middle East conflict.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Treasuries, Brent, Marvin Loh, Herbert Lash, Ankur Banerjee, Naomi Rovnick, Marguerita Choy, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Companies, Treasury, JPMorgan, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Gaza, Boston, New York

☆ Treasuries, gold prices rise, stocks fall on Mideast fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Caroline Valetkevitch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., September 26, 2023. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 was lower despite upbeat results from big U.S. banks on Friday, which marked the unofficial start of the third-quarter reporting period for S&P 500 companies. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) lost 0.97% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe (.MIWD00000PUS) shed 0.67%. The index, which jumped 0.8% on Thursday, its biggest one-day rise since March 15, is on pace to finish the week higher. U.S. crude recently rose 4.19% to $86.38 per barrel and Brent was at $89.48, up 4.05% on the day.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Tom di Galoma, Brent, Herbert Lash, Ankur Banerjee, Naomi Rovnick, Susan Fenton, Kim Coghill, Chizu Nomiyama, Richard Chang Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, JPMorgan, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Israel, Gaza, BTIG, New York

☆ Watch: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Rally in Cities Across Mideast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Protesters in cities across the Middle East rallied Friday in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as Israeli forces prepared for a ground invasion against Hamas. The group launched a coordinated attack on Israel last weekend. (Photo: Yahya Arhab/Shutterstock)

Persons: Yahya Arhab Organizations: East, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Israel

[1/4] Members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Counterterrorism unit patrol in Times Square, as the city takes security precautions ahead of planned demonstrations, in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. Adams said extra police patrols were being deployed in Jewish and Muslim communities alike. Former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called for protests across the Muslim world on Friday in support of Palestinians. TIMES SQUARE PROTEST EXPECTEDNew York City officials said they were bracing for at least one major demonstration planned for Times Square on Friday. He said the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other federal authorities had held online security sessions with Jewish institutions around the country.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Khaled Meshaal, John Chell, Hochul, Montgomery, Abed Ayoub, Rabbi Yoni Fein, Fein, Biden, John Kirby, Kirby, Dan Whitcomb, Steve Gorman, Kanishka Singh, Patricia Zengerle, Brendan O'Brien, Lincoln, Jonathan Oatis, Alistair Bell Organizations: New York City Police Department, NYPD, Counterterrorism, REUTERS, Police, New, . New, . New York City, Hamas, Times, New York Police Department, National Guard, Los Angeles Police Department, Tourists, Facebook, Jewish Community Relations, Greater, The Jewish Federation of, U.S . Park Police, Montgomery Blair High, FBI, Palestinian, ICE, Maimonides Academy, Department of Homeland Security, CNN, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Los Angeles, . New York, Jewish, Gaza, Israel, Washington, American, Greater Washington, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Four Corners , Maryland, United States, Fort Lauderdale , Florida

[1/4] Members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Counterterrorism unit patrol in Times Square, as the city takes security precautions ahead of planned demonstrations, in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement agencies have escalated security measures to safeguard Jewish and Muslim communities ahead of global pro-Palestinian protests expected on Friday but urged members of the public to go about their daily routines. Adams said extra police patrols were being deployed in Jewish and Muslim communities alike. TIMES SQUARE PROTEST EXPECTEDNew York City officials said they were bracing for at least one major demonstration planned for Times Square on Friday. He said the FBI, U.S. homeland security officials and other federal authorities had held online security "webinars" with Jewish institutions around the country.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Khaled Meshaal, John Chell, Hochul, Abed Ayoub, Rabbi Yoni Fein, Fein, Dan Whitcomb, Steve Gorman, Kanishka Singh, Lincoln Organizations: New York City Police Department, NYPD, Counterterrorism, REUTERS, Police, New, . New, . New York City, Hamas, Times, New York Police Department, New York National Guard, Los Angeles Police Department, FBI, Palestinian, ICE, Twitter, Maimonides Academy, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Los Angeles, . New York, Jewish, Gaza, Israel, United States, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Washington

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in Israel on Friday for meetings with senior government leaders and to see firsthand some of the U.S. weapons and security assistance that Washington rapidly delivered to Israel in the first week of its war with the militant Hamas group. Austin is the second high-level U.S. official sent by President Joe Biden to visit Israel in two days. His quick trip from Brussels, where he was attending a NATO defense ministers meeting, came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the region. Gaza's Hamas rulers responded by calling on Palestinians to “remain steadfast in your homes and to stand firm" against Israel. Within hours after the brutal Hamas attack across the border into Israel, the U.S. moved warships and aircraft to the region.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Washington, Austin, Joe Biden, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, “, ”, Gallant, Gerald R, Blinken, King Abdullah II, Mahmoud Abbas, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Abbas, Abdullah, Matthew Lee, Omar Akour Organizations: —, . Defense, Hamas, Israel, NATO, Ford, Biden, Qatar, ”, U.S, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, United Nations, United Arab, Associated Press Locations: TEL AVIV, Israel, U.S, Brussels, Gaza City, “, Virginia, Austin, Jordan, Amman, Jordanian, Gaza, Doha, Qatar's, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt

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. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took his first phone call from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as Riyadh tries to prevent a broader surge in violence across the region. "Normalisation was already considered taboo (in the Arab world) ... this war only amplifies that," Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said. Asked about Raisi's call with the crown prince, a senior U.S. State Department official said Washington was in "constant contact with Saudi leaders". "The Saudis are still convinced the region, and Saudi Arabia itself, needs to shift toward regional cooperation and economic development.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, Normalisation, Aziz Alghashian, Abraham, Jake Sullivan, Washington, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Antony Blinken, Alex Vatanka, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, Edmund Blair Organizations: Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, U.S, Hamas, normalisation, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, U.S . National Security, White, Saudi Foreign, Reuters, U.S . State Department, Middle East Institute, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Iran RIYADH, Israel, Palestinian, Iran, Riyadh, U.S, East, Gaza, Gulf, Iranian, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanese, Tehran, Washington

☆ Israel and Hamas at war: Latest news
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The United Nations World Food Programme said crucial supplies were running dangerously low in Gaza after Israel imposed a total blockade. * When Israel called up its reservists and declared war this week, the response was swift and overwhelming. [1/6]Israeli soldiers patrol following a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in Sderot, in southern Israel, October 11, 2023. * What are global firms with a presence in Israel doing after the Hamas attack? * Israel has raised $200 million in diaspora bonds since the war with Hamas began, Israel Bonds said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Kan, East Jerusalem's, Israel, Mahmoud Abbas, Violeta Santos Moura, Donald Trump, Netanyahu, Tayyip Erdogan, Wang Yi, Mohammed Deif, upends, Kazuo Ueda, Israel Bonds, Kristalina Georgieva, Stephen Farrell, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Hamas, United Nations, Food Programme, West Bank, Rights Watch, Britain, Royal Navy, REUTERS, White, Republican, Bank of Japan, * Airlines, Monetary Fund, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Washington, Israel, East, East Jerusalem's Al, Aqsa, Lebanon, Egypt, Sinai, Sderot, Palestinian, Paris, Israeli, Jerusalem, Saudi, Lincoln

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the organization was closely monitoring the economic impact of the war, especially on oil markets, where prices have fluctuated. The IMF expects economic growth to slow to 2% this year in the Middle East and North Africa, from 5.6% last year, as countries keep interest rates higher and contend with rising oil prices and local challenges. That's below the IMF's forecast for global economic growth of 3% this year but above next year's expected 2.9%. Political Cartoons View All 1207 ImagesWealthy countries in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere will benefit from higher oil prices, while Egypt and Lebanon are still contending with soaring inflation, the IMF said. Egypt secured a $3 billion IMF bailout last year that requires a raft of economic reforms, including a shift to a flexible exchange rate and a higher borrowing costs.

Persons: Kristalina Georgieva, Jihad Azour, ”, “, Azour, ” Azour, Jordan Organizations: United Arab Emirates, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Central Asia Department Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Ukraine, Israel, Marrakech, Morocco, East, North Africa, That's, Persian, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan

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