Diplomacy

The Jerusalem Post reports: The United States will change its policy toward Gaza unless Israel takes immediate steps to better protect Palestinian civilians there, US President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a terse brief call on Thursday night. “With regard to our policy in the Gaza Strip… if we don’t see the changes that we need to …

Axios reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to send two top Israeli officials to Washington as early as next week for talks about a possible military operation in Rafah, four U.S. and Israeli officials told Axios. It’s a sharp reversal by Netanyahu who on Monday canceled the same trip by the same people in protest over the U.S. …

“The Embassy of Japan in the United States is aware of recent media reports concerning the steps Taylor Swift will need to take to travel from Tokyo after her concert on February 10th to Las Vegas in time to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play in Super Bowl LVIII. “Despite the 12-hour flight and 17-hour time difference, the Embassy can …

Reuters reports: Eight European diplomats interviewed by Reuters said there were doubts about whether Trump would honor Washington’s commitment to defend NATO allies and acute fears he would cut off aid to Ukraine amid its war with Russia. One diplomat, whose country is a NATO member, and one other diplomat in Washington said their missions have outlined in diplomatic cables …

NBC News reports: The White House has been working urgently in the past 24 hours to get a Senate confirmation process in motion for President Joe Biden’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to Israel, according to two White House officials. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is now expected to hold a confirmation hearing for Jack Lew, a former Treasury secretary …

CNN reports: The White House is shrugging off concerns the United Nations General Assembly won’t pack a policy punch this year, with President Joe Biden set to deliver an address Tuesday to an audience missing several key heads of state. In remarks to the 78th UN General Assembly, Biden, a senior administration official told reporters, “will lay out for the …

Bloomberg News reports: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he wants US President Joe Biden to be re-elected because the Democrat is better for America, adding that former President Donald Trump stands for a “great division” in his country which would also be bad for Germany. In unusually blunt words about an election in an allied nation, Scholz on Monday made …

Gothamist reports: New York City plans to offer free abortion pills at four sexual health clinics as early as Wednesday, a city-funded expansion that seeks to break down barriers to abortion in low-income communities, Mayor Eric Adams announced Tuesday. “New York City has always been a beacon of leadership in this nation, and we’re going to continue to lead,” said …

The Associated Press reports: The State Department said Thursday it has adopted Turkey’s preferred spelling for the name of the country, Turkiye, acceding to a request from the NATO ally after several months of hesitation. The department has instructed that new official documents refer to Turkiye instead of Turkey, although the pronunciation will not change, officials said. The move comes …

The Wall Street Journal reports: In April, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked the international community to recognize his nation by its traditional name, spelled “Türkiye” and pronounced Tour-key-yeh. His government promoted the shift as an effort to instill national pride—and silence associations with the Thanksgiving bird and pejorative uses of the word “turkey.” An article published by the website …

Politico Europe reports: The Kremlin has banned most, if not all, of Ireland’s leaders from visiting Russia — a punishment being met with official indifference and unofficial mockery in Dublin. The Foreign Ministry in Moscow defended Wednesday’s action as necessary to counteract what it called Ireland’s “aggressive anti-Russian propaganda campaign” and “Russophobic hysteria in Irish society.” Outside the chamber, politicians …

Politico Europe reports: Foreign heads of state and their spouses heading to London for the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II have been asked to arrive in the U.K. on commercial flights and banned from using helicopters to get around. World leaders have also been told they cannot use their own state cars to attend the funeral at Westminster Abbey …

Politico Europe reports: The preparations for the funeral represent a colossal logistical, security and diplomatic task, with tens of thousands of people expected to travel to London over the coming days. Foreign embassies are already handling hundreds of calls from private citizens enquiring whether it would be possible to land in the capital on the same day of the funeral, …

Axios reports: Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) arrived in Taiwan Sunday as part of a U.S. delegation on a four-day trade trip, officials in Taipei announced. A U.S. congressional trip to Taiwan led by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) last week further angered China’s government, which earlier this month conducted military drills near the self-governing island to protest House Nancy Pelosi’s …

The New York Times reports: Mr. Biden emerged from the plane and made his way down the stairs for his first visit to Saudi Arabia as president, wearing his aviator shades, waving and looking serious. He was greeted by Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, the Saudi ambassador to Washington, and Prince Khalid Al Faisal. The president climbed into his …

The Hill reports: President Biden ordered flags at the White House and other federal buildings and military installations to be flown at half-staff through Sunday as a mark of respect for former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe after he was assassinated at a campaign event. “The longest serving Prime Minister in Japan’s history, Abe Shinzo was a proud servant of …

The Week reports: The U.S. has reopened its embassy in Kyiv after having closed it three months ago, just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday. “Today we are officially resuming operations at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. The Ukrainian people, with our security assistance, have defended their homeland in the face of …

Politico Europe reports: Italy is to expel 30 Russian diplomats, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio announced on Tuesday during a visit to Berlin. He said the move was “for national security reasons.” Also Tuesday, Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod tweeted: “Denmark will expel 15 Russian intelligence officers working at the Russian embassy in Copenhagen. They pose a threat to our …

The Washington Post reports: An external energy source may explain disorienting and sometimes debilitating symptoms suffered by U.S. government personnel, a panel of experts has found, reaching a conclusion that, while not definitive, suggests that a foreign power could have mounted attacks on U.S. diplomats, intelligence officers and military personnel serving overseas. The findings by the expert panel, which was …

The Hill reports: President Biden will nominate Jane Hartley to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, the president announced on Wednesday. Hartley was the ambassador to France and Monaco during the Obama administration and the White House said in a statement that she strengthened the U.S. relationship with France while focusing on counterterrorism cooperation. The prestigious …