The president of Serbia on Monday batted away any suggestion that he might have intentionally tried to steer a valuable real estate project in Serbia’s capital to Jared Kushner, Donald J. Trump’s son-in-law, in an effort to influence Mr. Trump should he return to the White House. “I died laughing,” the Serbian leader, Aleksandar Vucic, […]
Read MoreTag: United States International Relations
New Havana Syndrome Studies Find No Evidence of Brain Injuries
New studies by the National Institutes of Health failed to find evidence of brain injury in scans or blood markers of the diplomats and spies who suffered symptoms of Havana syndrome, bolstering the conclusions of U.S. intelligence agencies about the strange health incidents. Spy agencies have concluded that the debilitating symptoms associated with Havana syndrome, […]
Read MoreIn Seoul, Blinken Warns of Disinformation Threat to Democracies
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken warned on Monday that a malicious “flood” of disinformation was threatening the world’s democracies, fueled in part by the swift rise of artificial intelligence, which he says sows “suspicion, cynicism and instability” around the globe. Mr. Blinken spoke in Seoul at the Summit for Democracy, a global gathering organized […]
Read MoreMike Pence Rues the Day
Gail Collins: Bret, I feel obligated to start out by asking you — TikTok? Potential foreign agent? Bret Stephens: I think of TikTok in two ways. First, as a gigantic vacuum cleaner of personal data — possibly including your location — that goes directly from the unsuspecting eyes, thumbs and minds of its 170 million […]
Read MoreBiden and Irish Leader Use St. Patrick’s Day Visit to Address Gaza
President Biden on Sunday used what is normally a festive St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the White House to acknowledge the growing international concern, including among the Irish, over the humanitarian situation of Palestinians amid Israel’s military action in Gaza. “The taoiseach and I agree about the urgent need to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza […]
Read MoreNetanyahu Rejects Schumer Call for Israeli Election
The rift over the war in Gaza between Israel and the United States, its closest ally, broadened on Sunday when Israel’s prime minister accused a top-ranking American lawmaker of treating his country like a “banana republic.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing increasing pressure to negotiate a cease-fire, lashed out at Senator Chuck Schumer […]
Read MoreKushner Deal in Serbia Follows Earlier Interest by Trump
The plan by Jared Kushner and his business partners to redevelop a prized location in Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, echoes interest from Donald J. Trump a decade ago in pursuing a deal for the site and a similar proposal pushed during his White House term by a top aide now working with Mr. Kushner, a review […]
Read MoreWhat Trump’s TikTok Flip-Flop Tells America
When the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly last Wednesday to pass a bill that would require TikTok to divest its Chinese ownership or face an American ban, it provided a glimmer of hope in a dreary political time. This is exactly what a nation should do when it’s getting serious about the national security threat […]
Read MorePresident Biden, You Have Leverage That Can Save Lives in Gaza. Please Use It.
President Biden is sounding tougher toward Israel these days and showing more compassion for people starving in Gaza. “There are a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying,” Biden said. “And it’s got to stop.” But it’s not going to stop on its own — indeed, it may get worse if Israel […]
Read MoreBiden’s Next Crisis Might Be North Korea
How do you solve a problem like North Korea? Since the end of the Cold War, it seems that every formula, from threatening war to promising peace, has been tried. And yet, despite being under more sanctions than just about any other country, North Korea developed a nuclear arsenal estimated at 50 warheads and sophisticated […]
Read MoreTikTok Bill’s Progress Slows in the Senate
After a bill that would force TikTok’s Chinese parent company to sell the app or face a nationwide ban sailed through the House at breakneck speed this week, its progress has slowed in the Senate. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader who determines what legislation gets a vote, has not decided whether […]
Read MoreA Watershed Moment for the Politics of Israel, Courtesy of Chuck Schumer
Over 44 painstakingly scripted minutes on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, the majority leader, Chuck Schumer, spoke of his Jewish identity, his love for the State of Israel, his horror at the wanton slaughter of Israelis on Oct. 7 and his views on the apportionment of blame for the carnage in Gaza, saying […]
Read MoreIran and U.S. Held Secret Talks on Proxy Attacks and Cease-Fire
Iran and the United States held secret, indirect talks in Oman in January, addressing the escalating threat posed to Red Sea shipping by the Houthis in Yemen, as well as the attacks on American bases by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, according to Iranian and U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. The secret talks were held […]
Read MoreBiden Embraces Schumer’s Speech Castigating Netanyahu
President Biden on Friday praised Senator Chuck Schumer’s address lashing out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, calling it “a good speech” that raised concerns “shared not only by him but by many Americans.” Even though Mr. Biden did not explicitly endorse any of the specific criticisms in the speech, or Mr. Schumer’s call […]
Read MoreJared Kushner Pursuing Development Deals in Albania and Serbia
Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of Donald J. Trump, confirmed on Friday that he was closing in on major real estate deals in Albania and Serbia, the latest example of the former president’s family doing business abroad even as Mr. Trump seeks to return to the White House. Mr. Kushner’s plans in the Balkans appear to […]
Read MoreBiden Embraces Schumer’s ‘Good Speech’ Castigating Netanyahu
President Biden on Friday praised Senator Chuck Schumer’s call on Israel to hold new elections to replace the prime minister, calling it “a good speech” without endorsing specifics in it. Mr. Biden said that Mr. Schumer, a Democrat from New York and the Senate majority leader, had informed his White House staff in advance of […]
Read MoreSchumer’s Critique Reveals Widening U.S.-Israel Divisions, Analysts Say
Senator Chuck Schumer’s harsh critique of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government revealed the widening gap between Israel and its most important ally, the United States, analysts said on Friday. But even some of Mr. Netanyahu’s rivals appeared reluctant to seize on the comments while the country is focused on the war in Gaza. […]
Read MoreLittle Expected of New Palestinian Prime Minister, Muhammad Mustafa
The appointment on Thursday of Muhammad Mustafa as the new prime minister of the Palestinian Authority was supposed to be a nod to international demands for a more technocratic and less corrupt administration. But Mr. Mustafa, 69, who was appointed by Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the authority, seems destined to fall short of producing […]
Read MoreOrban Endangers Hungary’s Status as an Ally, U.S. Diplomat Says
Prime Minister Viktor Orban is jeopardizing Hungary’s position as a trusted NATO ally, the U.S. ambassador to Budapest warned on Thursday, with “its close and expanding relationship with Russia,” and with “dangerously unhinged anti-American messaging” in state-controlled media. The ambassador, David Pressman, has for months criticized Mr. Orban for effectively siding with President Vladimir V. […]
Read MoreSchumer Urges New Leadership in Israel, Calling Netanyahu an Obstacle to Peace
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, on Thursday delivered a pointed speech on the Senate floor excoriating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel as a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East and calling for new leadership in Israel, five months into the war. While many Democratic lawmakers have […]
Read MoreTikTok’s Security Threats Go Beyond the Scope of House Legislation
In a capital where Republicans and Democrats agree on virtually nothing, it was notable when the House overwhelmingly declared on Wednesday that TikTok poses such a grave risk to national security that it must be forced to sell its U.S. operations to a non-Chinese owner. But that glosses over the deeper TikTok security problem, which […]
Read MoreHow Biden Can Out-Populist the Populist
As Democrats puzzle over how President Biden can be so unpopular, it’s worth looking at the global context — because he’s actually doing better than most Western leaders. In the Morning Consult approval ratings for global leaders, Biden polls better than leaders in Canada, Britain, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Sweden, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, France […]
Read MoreHouse Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App
The House on Wednesday passed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the hugely popular video app or be banned in the United States. The move escalates a showdown between Beijing and Washington over the control of technologies that could affect national security, free speech and the social […]
Read MorePro-Israel Lobby Faces Challenges Amid Gaza War and Shifting Politics
AIPAC, the pro-Israel group that has long been among Washington’s most powerful lobbying forces, is facing intense challenges as it seeks to maintain bipartisan support for Israel amid the war in Gaza — even as it alienates some Democrats with its increasingly aggressive political tactics. While AIPAC has traditionally been able to count on strong […]
Read MorePutin Plays Down Threat of Nuclear War in Pre-Election State TV Interview
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia tried to play down fears of nuclear war in an interview released on Wednesday and denied having considered using weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, aiming to bolster his domestic image as a guarantor of stability before the Russian presidential election this weekend. In a lengthy interview released by […]
Read MoreWhat to Know About the TikTok Ban Legislation
House lawmakers are expected to vote starting at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday on legislation meant to force ByteDance, the Chinese internet company, to sell its wildly popular social media app TikTok. The vote would be the latest development in a yearslong cold war between the United States and China over who controls valuable technology […]
Read MoreRussia Fires Top Naval Commander After Ukrainian Strikes
The Kremlin has fired its top naval commander, the biggest fallout yet from a series of devastating attacks by Ukraine on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, according to a Ukrainian and a Western official. Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, the head of the Russian Navy for the past five years, was removed from command and replaced by the […]
Read MoreU.S. to Send $300 Million in Weapons to Ukraine Under Makeshift Plan
The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it was sending up to $300 million in weapons to Ukraine, the first new aid package for the country since funding ran out in late December. The package, pulled together from money that Army accountants cobbled from savings from contracts that came in under bid, includes air defense […]
Read MorePolish Leader to Press for Surge in NATO Spending to Counter Russia
The president of Poland plans to use a White House meeting with President Biden on Tuesday to propose that most NATO countries increase their military spending by at least half to meet what he sees as the growing threat of Russian aggression against Europe and the United States. The Polish president, Andrzej Duda, said that […]
Read MoreOn the Tripwire of a ‘Red Line,’ It’s Often Presidents Who Trip
When President Biden declared over the weekend that he was drawing a “red line” for Israel’s military action in Gaza, he appeared to be trying to raise the potential cost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as their relationship plummets to new depths. But he never said what would happen, exactly, if Mr. Netanyahu ignored him […]
Read MoreSenators Urge Biden to Stop Arming Israel, Citing Violation of U.S. Aid Law
A group of Democratic senators urged President Biden on Monday to stop providing offensive weapons to Israel for the war against Hamas until it lifts restrictions on U.S.-backed humanitarian aid going into Gaza. In a letter to Mr. Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont, and seven Democrats argued that by continuing to arm Israel, […]
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