Latest news with #Blinken
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Antony Blinken: US, partners 85% done on Gaza ceasefire before Trump
Blinken noted that while he understood people's frustration and emotions after October 7, he believed more pressure should have been put on Hamas. Former secretary of state Antony Blinken stated that America and its partners in the Middle East were "85% of the way" to being done before the Trump administration took over. In an episode of "The Ex Files" with journalist Christiane Amanpour and Jamie Rubin, published on Wednesday, Blinken dove into talks for a ceasefire in Gaza, the Trump administration's handling of the war, and the Biden administration's plan for the "day after." Rubin went on to note that the Biden administration, in tandem with senior Israeli and Arab officials, came up with 'the only game in town' to replace Hamas with an Arab force that the Israeli government could trust in Gaza. Blinken claimed that for 'many, many months' Israeli representatives resisted speaking about the 'day after' plan for Gaza, but that the Biden administration had made it '85% of the way there.' 'The 'there' is having transitional arrangements with Arabs and others playing a full part in security and administration in reconstruction in partnership with Palestinians, and then ultimately handing over to Palestinians.' What did the Biden Administration plan for the day after? Blinken noted that there were differences as to which Palestinian faction it would be, and named the Palestinian Authority as an option. 'The Israelis, of course, were extremely reluctant, not to say opposed to anything that would hand off to the PA, because for years, of course, they've been trying to keep the PA down so that they wouldn't have anyone to negotiate with toward the realization of a Palestinian state.' However, Blinken said that he was confident that the previous administration was close to getting a deal completed. 'I believe that ultimately we could get over the finish line.' The former secretary of state noted that while eventually, a deal with a six-week period for further negotiations was reached, it fizzled out. 'It's not at all clear to me that the six weeks that we had were used in a way to really push the parties together to say, 'Okay, we agree. Here's what each of us is going to do. Here's how we're going to make the ceasefire enduring.'' 'I think we're actually back to that point right now. And now, six months later, so much suffering." When asked by Amanpour if he believed that Israel was committing war crimes in Gaza, Blinken noted that there was extreme trauma on every side of the equation, but that Hamas had embedded itself under civilian infrastructure in Gaza. 'The Israelis said that their objectives in Gaza were to make sure, first and foremost, that October 7 could never happen again. To do that, they wanted to dismantle the military organization of Hamas because that's what it was,' Blinken noted. 'It achieved that objective many, many months ago. 'The question now is if the Israelis are going to pull out, which they should, and I believe they must ultimately pull out of Gaza, what fills the vacuum? Because it's also understandable that they can't and won't simply leave a vacuum that Hamas could refill.' Blinken finally noted that while he understood people's frustration and emotions after October 7, he believed more pressure should have been put on Hamas. 'I wish that those who, understandably, have been moved and motivated by everything that's happened since October 7, if they'd spent maybe just 10% of their time, calling on Hamas, demanding Hamas put down its arms, give up the hostages, stop what it's doing, maybe if the world had done that, we'd be in a different place.'
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
McDonald's opens more outlets in Ukraine amidst war against Russia. Here's how American fast-food chain making profits in wartime economy
McDonald's had finally reached Ukraine's remote, alpine region of Transcarpathia, and the locals could not be happier. The much-acclaimed arrival of McDonald's in Transcarpathia signals an unexpected trend for the iconic American fast-food chain: In wartime Ukraine, business is booming. McDonald's stated it plans to open about 10 new outposts in Ukraine this year, pushing its total of operational restaurants to nearly 120, more than before Russia's invasion over three years ago. Across the country, city councils are vying to secure a McDonald's restaurant, knowing the chain will bring jobs and increase local tax revenues, as per a report. McDonald's in Ukraine It is also a testament to Ukraine's rebounding wartime economy. Having secured dozens of billions in financial aid from allies and having avoided runaway inflation, Ukraine is now drawing back Western companies that fled early in the war, including Swedish furniture giant Ikea and Spanish fashion brand Zara. Ukraine's economy is projected to grow by 2 per cent to 3 per cent this year, the third consecutive year of growth, although economic output remains below prewar levels, NYT News Service reported. This success builds on a long-running love affair between a post-Soviet country and an American brand, a reflection of Ukraine's growing embrace of Western lifestyle, as per the NYT News Service report. McDonald's in Kyiv Live Events McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in 1997. The company's arrival was a major attraction in a country that had gained independence from the Soviet Union just six years earlier and was only beginning to open to the West. Crowds lined up for days to get a taste of the chain's storied burgers. As the company expanded its footprint, Ukrainians' enthusiasm only grew. In 2011, the McDonald's restaurant at Kyiv's central train station ranked as the second-busiest in the world. Ukrainian children love celebrating their birthdays at McDonald's, while students often grab Big Macs after late-night parties. McDonald's during Russia-Ukraine After Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine in early 2022, McDonald's closed all of its restaurants. Some establishments, in cities such as Kherson and Melitopol, were destroyed or fell under Russian occupation. Meanwhile, the brand exited the Russian market, joining a wave of departing Western companies. As Russia's initial invasion foundered and its troops pulled back to eastern Ukraine, life cautiously returned to Kyiv. Kuleba urged Blinken to encourage McDonald's to resume operations. "Life is coming back," he recalled telling him during a call. "I think it would send a powerful message if McDonald's came back, too." When the chain reopened in Kyiv in September 2022, people lined for hours -- a scene reminiscent of its post-Soviet debut. The reopenings have not come without risk. The same Kyiv outpost that first opened in 1997 has been damaged several times in Russian attacks, most recently during a January drone and missile strike that shattered its storefront, blowing out its windows. It has since reopened. FAQs Q1. What is capital of Ukraine? A1. The capital of Ukraine is Kyiv. Q2. When did McDonald's open first restaurant? A2. McDonald's opened its first restaurant in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, in 1997.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Antony Blinken speaks in Utah about Ukraine, Trump's cuts to foreign aid and tariffs
Antony Blinken's stepfather was held in a Nazi death camp for two years during World War II. He escaped with a friend during a forced march in Bavaria, and as they ran for their lives they came upon a tank, Blinken said. The tank had a five-pointed star on it, and as the men approached an American G.I. poked his head out of the top. Blinken's stepfather then said the three English words he knew, 'God bless America.' Blinken, the first Jewish U.S. secretary of state, told the story during a conversation in Salt Lake City on Thursday with former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake, who is now chairman of the board at World Trade Center Utah. After serving for four years during the Biden administration, Blinken said he is now 'retired,' which means he's primarily spending time with his two young children, who are 6 and 5 years old. During his remarks to Utah's political and business leaders at the Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit, a two-day, invitation-only event sponsored by Zions Bank and World Trade Center Utah, Blinken called for the U.S. to remain the 'last, best hope' of the world by continuing to assert global leadership. He also spoke about why he felt it was important for the U.S. to back Ukraine after Russia invaded in 2022, and the war in Gaza, following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. Blinken was among the many global leaders who were in Salt Lake City on Wednesday and Thursday to speak at the summit. Earlier on Thursday, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke with Harris Simmons, chairman and CEO of Zions Bancorporation. Her remarks were off the record. Simmons told the Deseret News that tariffs and supply chain issues are top of mind for people at the summit. 'Secretary Rice made the observation that we're not going back to a China where we have the kind of supply chain that has existed for the last two to three decades — that's a thing of the past," he said. That's different, he said, than what was expected after China joined the World Trade Organization, and will lead businesses to review their supply chains. 'We all hope that President (Donald) Trump is successful in negotiating trade deals that are in the mutual interest of the U.S. and our trading partners,' Simmons said. 'It is going to cause some disruption.' In addition to Blinken and Rice, Thursday's summit attendees also heard from former U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. At the beginning of their conversation, Flake joked about getting to question a 'tough boss.' As secretary of state, Blinken oversaw Flake during his time as ambassador to Turkey. Flake served during a tenuous time in the region, including during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — which did not come up during his conversation with Blinken — and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, which they did discuss. Blinken had high praise for Flake and his service as ambassador. He called Flake 'the right person in the right place at the right time.' President Trump is taking a very different approach to foreign policy than the Biden administration did, asserting an 'America first' policy on the global stage that includes tariffs, a reduction in foreign aid and criticism of even close allies. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also attempting to negotiate a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, and he and special envoy Steven Witkoff are also trying to stop the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Blinken said he hopes the U.S. will maintain its position as a leader in the world. 'The world doesn't organize itself,' he said. The lack of American leadership could lead to a vacuum that is filled by others looking to take its place. His second concern is related to the Trump administration's decision to cut funds for USAID and other foreign aid organizations. 'The return on that investment is extraordinary,' he said. Without those tools of soft power, the U.S. will need to find other ways to communicate and cooperate with others, he said. In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine for the second time in a decade, Blinken said the Biden administration believed strongly they had to help them. 'This was an aggression not just against Ukraine, but against the very principles that had been at the heart of the international system since the end of World War II,' he said. Blinken said if they had let that aggression go forward, others would think they could also get away with it, pointing specifically to China's ambitions with Taiwan. He said he believes if the ceasefire and peace deal the Trump administration is trying to negotiate moves forward, it will just give Russian President Vladimir Putin time to retrench and rebuild his forces. To stop that, he said, the U.S. should support Europe's aims to put troops along the demarcation line, or the U.S. should welcome Ukraine into NATO. The Trump administration says they want to stop the killing of troops and civilians on both sides of the border. While its tough to be sure, estimates are that more than half a million soldiers and civilians have been killed in the war. Trump is also staunchly opposed to inviting Ukraine to join NATO, and instead has signed a critical minerals agreement with Kyiv to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. Flake asked Blinken whether Trump's decisions to put additional tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from China was a good decision. Blinken said he agreed with the tariffs Trump levied during his first four years in office, which were continued during the Biden administration, but said instead of additional tariffs President Joe Biden took a different approach with China. In order to counter some of China's trade practices, Biden wanted to 'invest in ourselves,' by spending money on infrastructure and to boost chip manufacturing. The administration also tried to align with European and other allies to counter China's dominance in manufacturing. China manufactures one-third of the goods consumed across the world, he said. Blinken said decoupling U.S. and Chinese markets is a 'fantasy,' and said instead the U.S. should engage in 'derisking.' On Trump's decision to levy 10% across the board tariffs, Blinken said the industrial tax increase will be a 'sea change' for the global economy. He said he hopes the tariffs will eventually be much more narrowly focused. Blinken called the Hamas attacks 'one of the most horrific events in my lifetime. The worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust.' The 'deepest poison' in the world is dehumanization, Blinken said. When that sets in, everything bad is so much easier, and everything good is so much harder, he said. 'Nowhere is that more clear, evident, powerful than in the Middle East,' he said. Blinken said the Biden administration felt strongly they had to defend Israel after Hamas attacked, while also trying to contain the fighting so it didn't become a regional conflict. He also expressed concerns about the Palestinians and how they have suffered because of Hamas. A final agreement, Blinken said, should include a state for Palestinians — something Trump has said he doesn't support. At the end of his remarks, Blinken circled back to the anecdote he told about his stepfather at the beginning. He said he hopes the U.S. will maintain the trust of its allies so it can remain the world's 'last, best hope.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tensions are high between India and Pakistan, two nuclear powers
India and Pakistan both say their military sites were targeted with attacks, leading to an escalation between the two countries late Thursday. Both of the nuclear powers deployed drones, missiles, air defense systems and fighter jets against each other in what is a rare aerial clash. Tanks haven't moved yet in this war-like conflict, expected to continue for at least the next few days. India hasn't faced such airborne attacks since the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Border villages and towns in both countries were evacuated ahead of the exchange of gunfire, according to reports. The India-Pakistan border ranked as one of the most dangerous international boundaries in the world, according to a Foreign Policy article in 2011. But tensions are especially high right now, following the deadly militia attack on tourists in Kashmir, India, in late April. New Delhi held Islamabad accountable for the act of terrorism in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir, as the Deseret News reported. At least two dozen people were killed by terrorists in Kashmir, India. Pakistan authorities denied the country's involvement. Kashmir has long been the scene of frequent unrest between India and Pakistan, which both control portions of the land there, as does China. India launched a retaliatory attack against Pakistan on May 7, killing more than 30 people. But New Delhi's 'measured' response led to a dangerous crossfire between the two countries Thursday night. At the second annual Crossroads of the World International Trade Summit Thursday in Salt Lake City, former United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he hopes the conflict won't continue to escalate. He acknowledged the horrific attack on India but added, 'It's not in Pakistan's interest to continue this.' Pakistan is making strides with their economy, under the International Monetary Fund's direction, he said. 'And fundamentally, I don't think India wants this,' Blinken added. Although verified information is sparse, many credible reports indicate continued shelling on the ground. Several videos online show India's Air Force Defense System deployed to the maximum effect for the second time in two days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not addressed the nation since the strikes. During a cabinet meeting, he called for 'continued alertness' and 'clear communication.' Pakistan closed airports for four hours and India suspended all its flights departing from near the 2,000-miles-long India-Pakistan border. X, formerly known as Twitter, received an order from the Indian government to suspend 'accounts belonging to international news organizations and prominent X users' amid the conflict, when misinformation is rampant on social media. In New Delhi, public spaces, like the areas near India Gate, were closed and evacuated while other parts of the country, especially Srinagar in Kashmir, experienced blackouts. Schools in Punjab, an Indian state that shares a border with Pakistan, will be closed for the rest of the week. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif separately on Thursday but fell short of playing the mediator. He 'emphasized the need for immediate deescalation' and encouraged a direct dialogue between the two parties in both conversations. He also expressed his condolences for the losses on the Indian and Pakistani sides. The vice president called on 'Pakistan to take concrete steps to end any support for terrorist groups' and 'reaffirmed the United States' commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.' New Delhi's Wednesday strikes were intended as a response to the tourist massacre in Kashmir in April and they only targeted alleged terrorist infrastructure, Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra told CNN. 'When we did this the day before yesterday, our assumption was that we have completed what we set out to do ourselves vis a vis the terrorists,' he said. 'We, from our perspective, had brought a certain finality to it.' 'Pakistan chose to escalate it further,' he added. Following the terrorist attack on India in April, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who was visiting India that same week, told Fox News that he hoped New Delhi 'responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict.' 'And we hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they're responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with,' Vance added. President Donald Trump also condemned the 'terror' attack and expressed his support for India at the time. Former presidential candidate Nikki Haley, an Indian American, defended India's recent attacks in a post on X. 'Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself,' she wrote. 'Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity.' Weeks after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India responded through 'Operation Sindoor," a 'measured and non-escalatory' plan. New Delhi directed 24 missiles at nine alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan, killing 30 people over the course of half an hour on Wednesday night. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said their Chinese-made aircraft shot down two Indian aircraft and 25 drones, according to CNN. The next morning, Pakistan shot down 25 Indian air defense system drones. According to the Indian defense minister, 16 people, including some children, died during this attack. This led to an ongoing flurry of drone attacks on Thursday night. Reports out of India also indicate the possibility of a naval operation underway against Pakistan.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden admin held private talks with Beijing on Chinese spy balloon ahead of notifying public, officials say
EXCLUSIVE: Biden administration State Department officials held private talks with Beijing counterparts about the Chinese spy balloon that intercepted U.S. airspace in 2023, and discussed the implications the balloon's publicity would have on the relationship between the U.S. and China, according to Trump administration officials. U.S. officials identified the spy balloon infiltrating U.S. airspace on Jan. 28, 2023, and an Air Force fighter jet shot down the Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina Feb. 4, 2023, two days after the Pentagon issued a statement on the matter. Biden officials held discussions with Beijing Feb. 1, 2023, about the balloon, and discussed the impact disclosing the balloon to the public could have on the relationship with China, internal State Department documents show, two Trump administration officials told Fox News Digital. Chinese Spy Balloon Equipped With Tech From At Least 5 Us Firms: Report An internal State Department readout of the talks between Blinken and a top Chinese diplomat said Blinken stated that if the presence of the balloon were revealed publicly, it could have "profound implications for our relationship" with China, particularly amid efforts to stabilize the bilateral relationship with Beijing, two Trump administration officials familiar with the documents told Fox News Digital. The readout said that the incident could also have complicated Blinken's travel plans to China in early February 2023, if not quickly resolved. Blinken ultimately postponed the trip until June 2023. Read On The Fox News App A former Biden administration official told Fox News Digital that the State Department summoned senior Chinese diplomat Zhu Haiquan Feb. 1, 2023, so that the U.S. could notify China to remove the balloon, and issue a warning that the U.S. could take action to eliminate the balloon. "Former Secretary Blinken advocated strongly to tell the American people about China's rogue balloon, which is exactly what happened," a spokesperson for the former secretary of state said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. "He has a long history of being tough on China while actually delivering results." Likewise, another senior State Department official also held private talks on Feb. 1, 2023, with Chinese counterparts. A readout from that discussion says that the official claimed the longer it took to mitigate the issue would only increase the likelihood that news of the balloon would become public, posing greater challenges managing the situation, the Trump administration officials said. Whatever Happened To … The Investigations Into The Chinese Spy Balloon Ultimately, the Pentagon issued a statement Feb. 2, 2023, claiming that the U.S. government had detected a "high-altitude surveillance balloon." While then-White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden received a briefing on the balloon on Jan. 31, 2023, she did not provide details regarding why his administration didn't issue a statement on the matter until Feb. 2, 2023. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a U.S. senator from Florida, repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for how it handled disclosing information to the public about the balloon — and how long it took the administration to shoot it down. Biden's failure to address the situation sooner was the "beginning of dereliction of duty," Rubio said during an appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper. "Why didn't the president go on television?" Rubio told Tapper. "He has the ability to convene the country in cameras and basically explain what we're dealing with here." Click To Get The Fox News App On Feb. 4, 2023, an Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet from Virginia's Langley Air Force Base shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. At the time, the Pentagon said that while the balloon was not a military or physical threat, its presence in U.S. airspace did violate U.S. sovereignty. The Pentagon also shut down China's initial claims that the balloon was a weather balloon blown off course and labeled such statements false. "This was a PRC surveillance balloon," a senior defense official told reporters at the time. "This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites." The Pentagon also said after shooting down the balloon that similar balloons from China transited continental U.S. airspace in at least three instances during Trump's first administration. Additionally, Biden "gave his authorization to take down the Chinese surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to us civilians under the balloon's path," the senior defense official said, noting that there was concern debris could harm civilians. The Pentagon later said in June 2023 that it did not believe that the balloon gathered information as it traveled across the U.S. Blinken is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities. A spokesperson for Biden did not immediately provide comment to Fox News article source: Biden admin held private talks with Beijing on Chinese spy balloon ahead of notifying public, officials say
