Blinken holds high-stakes meetings in Israel as he ramps up pressure on Hamas to accept ceasefire deal
CNN
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is poised for another round of high-stakes talks in Israel on Wednesday as the US seeks to ratchet up the pressure on Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal, while also seeking to forestall an Israeli military offensive in Rafah and further address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is poised for another round of high-stakes talks in Israel on Wednesday as the US seeks to ratchet up the pressure on Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal, while also seeking to forestall an Israeli military offensive in Rafah and further address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The top US diplomat arrived in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, following stops in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, capping off his seventh round of shuttle diplomacy in the region since Hamas’ October 7 attack. He is expected to meet with senior Israeli government officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. US officials have signaled some optimism about the potential of reaching an agreement to secure a ceasefire and release of the hostages held by Hamas after Israel put forward what Blinken described Monday as an “extraordinarily generous” proposal. Blinken reiterated Tuesday that he believes a deal is “achievable because the Israelis put a strong proposal on the table” and that the US wants to see such an agreement come together “in the coming days.” Israel “demonstrated that they’re willing to compromise, and now it’s on Hamas,” he said. “No more delays. No more excuses. The time to act is now.” Blinken said the proposed agreement “is the best way, the most effective way, to really deal with the suffering of people and also to create an environment in which we can hopefully move forward to something that’s really sustainable.”
The man accused of killing 22-year-old college student Laken Riley in February while she was jogging on the University of Georgia campus was convicted of murder this week and sentenced to life in prison.
A common thread weaves through many of Donald Trump’s picks for his incoming administration, a quality the president-elect values as highly as loyalty and perhaps even more than conventional qualifications: a flair for television.
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced his picks for critical remaining public health roles in his incoming administration.
The defense has rested its case in the trial of Daniel Penny, the former Marine who held Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold on the New York City subway last year, after four days of witness testimony.
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named former NFL player and White House official Scott Turner to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
President-elect Donald Trump named billionaire Scott Bessent as his pick to serve as the next secretary of the Department of the Treasury.
Venezuelan authorities are investigating opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for alleged treason after she expressed support for a US bipartisan bill that seeks to block Washington from doing business with any entity that has commercial ties with the government of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.
President-elect Donald Trump has selected Russell Vought as his pick to lead the Office of Management and Budget, he said in a Truth Social post.
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday announced Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon as his pick to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Labor.
Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the intelligence community, was briefly placed on a Transportation Security Administration list that prompts additional security screening before flights after her overseas travel patterns and foreign connections triggered a government algorithm earlier this year, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
The Supreme Court agreed Friday to wade into a fight over Congress’ ability to delegate power to federal agencies — opening the next chapter in a decadeslong effort by conservatives and business interests to reduce the power of the federal government.