Latest news with #Krause
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Experts Break Down Israel-Hamas Cease-Fire Roadblocks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House Monday comes amid renewed efforts for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. The first round of indirect talks ended without any progress on Sunday night, but it is understood that Qatari and Egyptian mediators will regroup to try again. Netanyahu's in-person meeting with President Donald Trump will be the third this year. Trump said last week that Israel had agreed to conditions for a 60-day cease-fire. He urged Hamas to take the deal for 'the good of the Middle East', warning that 'things will only get worse' if they do not. Before boarding his flight to Washington, D.C., Netanyahu, who recently achieved a cease-fire between Israel and Iran, said he had a 'clear commitment' in mind for his U.S. visit. 'To bring back all the hostages, to eliminate Hamas' rule and capabilities, and to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to the State of Israel,' he said, repeating the stance he's shared many times before. TIME asked experts about the difficulty in procuring a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Here are the main roadblocks they identified: The 'antithetical objectives' of all parties The war was triggered after the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. Since then, Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel has been clear in its objective to bring the hostages home and prevent further attacks by 'eliminating Hamas.' There have been some successful hostage-prisoner swaps, but as of June 22, it is understood that 50 hostages are still in captivity. Israel believes 27 of those are dead. Hamas, meanwhile, has vowed not to disband and is demanding a full withdrawal of the Israel Defense Force (IDF) from Gaza. Peter Krause, associate professor of political science at Boston College, says that the opposing desired outcomes from Israel and Hamas make a successful, lasting cease-fire incredibly difficult to achieve. 'From Hamas' perspective, their only remaining bargaining chips are these hostages, and so if they give some or all of them back, they'll want to have assurances that the conflict is going to end,' Krause said. 'From the Netanyahu Administration's perspective, they're very happy to have a pause [in combat] if it gets some of the hostages back, so long as they can then return to trying to degrade or destroy Hamas.' 'An end to the conflict at the moment is not very likely because of those antithetical objectives and the lack of trust between the two sides,' Krause argues. The Netanyahu government's prolonging of the war Netanyahu continues to battle with approval ratings amid an ongoing corruption trial back home. He is facing charges of bribery centered around donations worth up to $300,000 from 2006 to 2017. Netanyahu is also accused of fraud and breach of trust. He has denied the allegations. In a recent poll by the Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv, 49% of Israelis surveyed said they believe Netanyahu is continuing the war in Gaza for his own political considerations. Former Israeli Prime Minister and current Leader of the Opposition Yair Lapid has been consistently critical of Netanyahu since his re-election in 2022. 'From 2015 onward, there has been a decline. I see a man desperately clinging to the position out of fear of his trial and mostly out of fear that the only thing people will remember him for is October 7,' Lapid said. Netanyahu has even faced criticism from within his own cabinet, with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich scorning his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. '[Netanyahu] has failed to implement the decisions of the political echelon and enforce them on the senior IDF command regarding this critical issue for victory—destroying Hamas and returning the hostages,' Smotrich said on Sunday. 'Netanyahu personally has significant incentive to prolong this conflict to avoid prosecution,' Krause argues, adding that leading up to Oct. 7th, 'the Israeli leader was seen by many as being partially responsible for propping up Hamas.' TIME spoke to Israel's Prime Minister in August 2024, when he said that Israel is 'not merely fighting Hamas,' but is instead 'facing a full-fledged Iranian axis, and we understand that we have to organize ourselves for broader defense.'Krause says that far-right members of Netanyahu's government coalition have also threatened to leave, should he sign certain cease-fire deals. Itamar Ben Gvir, threatened to resign from his position as Security Minister in January as Netanyahu considered cease-fire plans. Dana Stroul, director of research at the Washington Institute, says that Netanyahu has 'boxed himself in' by setting the IDF objective in Gaza as absolute victory, without 'identifying achievable political outcomes on the other side.' Netanyahu's cabinet has failed to articulate its exact intentions post-combat, Stroul says, arguing that matters are complicated further by the fact Netanyahu's government has 'the most extremist right-wing' coalition in Israel's recent history 'The political structure inside Israel, and that coalition, has limited his maneuverability to start the process for what happens on the other side of military operations,' Stroul says, highlighting a lack of a clear vision for a prosperous Gaza. Notably, it was Netanyahu and his administration that pulled away from the second phase of the plan last year, which aimed to establish a permanent cease-fire, secure further Israeli hostage and Palestinian prisoner exchanges, and enact the withdrawal of the IDF from Gaza. 'We are committed to continuing the war after a pause, in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I'm not willing to give up on that,' Netanyahu said in a television interview. A continued lack of cooperation from Hamas Experts agree that Hamas has played a significant role in restricting the progress of negotiations. Stroul says that the framework of the current cease-fire proposal is very similar to that seen in January during the last cease-fire. But when it comes to mapping out long-term security for Israel, Hamas appears uncooperative. 'Paving the way for a non-Hamas future in Gaza, meaning the leaders of Hamas [would] have to leave Gaza and turn in their weapons, is not something that Hamas appears willing to do right now,' Stroul says. IDF presence in Gaza and aid distribution Another key issue that keeps Hamas and Israel divided is how the IDF will operate in the future within Gaza, as well as its relationship with aid distribution. There has been concern from international organizations about hundreds of Palestinians killed while collecting aid from distribution sites set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The United Nations has reported that over 600 Palestinians have been killed at these centers since GHF began operations at the end of May. Read More: What to Know About the Deaths at Controversial Gaza Aid Distribution Sites 'I think they [the IDF] would want the same sort of deployment that they had on Jan. 19, when they had the last cease-fire, where Israel [only] gets out of [certain] key areas,' says David Makovsky, a Ziegler distinguished fellow at the Washington Institute. He adds that Israel is focused on the 'Morag Corridor,' a line that runs through southern Gaza. 'Israel's strategy is basically to create a Hamas-free zone in southern Gaza,' he says, noting that this is important to continue Israel's strategy for aid distribution under the U.S. organization, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel. Cutting off Hamas' access to southern Gaza, where three of GHF's four distribution centers are located, would disable the group from accessing and hijacking aid meant for civilians, Makovsky says. Meanwhile, Hamas is now calling for a revert in aid distribution, requesting it be handed over to a U.N.-led initiative.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Forsyth County leaders approve $225 million development in hopes of attracting the NHL
Forsyth County leaders voted unanimously to approve a major development, all in hopes of bringing a pro hockey team to north Georgia. This was the final vote on the $225 million project and a critical step in efforts to attract a hockey team. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Developer Vernon Krouse was at the meeting that included the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, the Forsyth County Board of Education and the Development Authority. Members of all three boards met, and all voted unanimously to approve the final, official documents for the project. It's a milestone. 'Without this vote, we could not go to the NHL. This was a prerequisite,' Krouse told Channel 2's Bryan Mims. TRENDING STORIES: Officer hit by car in Carrollton while directing traffic 'Senseless': Brothers, ages 13 and 14, accused of Clayton party shooting, posting it to social media Sheriffs' Assoc. sues Judge Hatchett after sheriff's guilty plea for groping her It was April 2023 when Krause publicly announced his plans to build a mixed-use development centered around an 18,000-seat hockey arena in Forsyth County. It's named 'The Gathering at South Forsyth' and would be located along Georgia 400 between Alpharetta and Cumming. The National Hockey League has not said it plans to expand and bring a franchise to the Atlanta market. However, Krause says the demand is here and his development can accommodate a team. 'A lot of people in this state believe we should have a hockey team. I believe we're gonna have one,' Krause said. Forsyth County commissioners agreed to provide $225 million in bond financing, but only if The Gathering lands a pro hockey team. With county officials approving these final, critical documents, Krause plans to meet with the NHL commissioner after the Stanley Cup playoffs. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Krause said to see three governing bodies in Forsyth County unanimously approve the project brings him to tears. 'It's emotional. It's been a lot of hard work by a lot of people. It's nice to see when your hard work, our team has worked hard, it has paid off,' Krause explained. Krause says he talked with Commissioner Gary Bettman this week. He says if this final approval from the county came today, Bettman would meet with him after the NHL finals. Krause says he expects a decision from the NHL about expansion at the latest by the end of this year.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Impact of Trumps travel ban in the Tri-State
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — President Donald Trump's complete travel ban of 12 countries and a partial ban of 7 others certainly has implications on an international level, but a University of Evansville professor says even locally some impacts can be felt. Dr. Amanda Krause is the dean of the college of arts and sciences with her phd in political science. She says that message comes with ripple effects. 'It kind of sends a message to the international community that the United States as a country wants to limit the influx of people into the country,' Krause said. 'The way you would see that in a community like Evansville is that you might see a decrease in some economic activity.' This policy from the Trump administration is similar to the one that went into effect during the president's first term in 2016. Since the first travel ban UE leaders say the university has seen a decline in international students. Dr. Krause says a number of factors can contribute to that decline but these bans play a role. 'This particular travel ban and more broadly speaking this administrations' policies in the last 100 days are probably sending a message internationally that will result in lower international student enrollment across the country, likely I can't say 100 percent,' Krause said. Away from campus some in the community say they were shocked by the decision. Haiti was one of the 12 countries completely banned from travel into the U.S. The Haitian Group of Evansville provided a statement. Below is their full statement: 'Like many, we were surprised by the President's announcement of a travel ban last night. Weare actively researching the details of this policy to ensure we can provide clear, accurateinformation to our Haitian neighbors in Evansville and across Southwest Haitian Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that empowers the Haitian communityby offering vital resources, opportunities, and support. Our top priority at this time is to ensureour community is informed and prepared, and we remain committed to standing with themthrough this uncertainty.' Director, Haitian Center of Evansville Gelina Mascoe Dr. Krause says she doesn't expect the bans and restrictions to be as contentious as it was in 2016 because the administration gave a more detailed list as to why countries were banned. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Some global LGBTQ travelers are skipping America this Pride season
For many European gays, the festive Eurovision Song Contest each May marks the unofficial kickoff to the global Pride season. As usual, there were soaring highlights and scandalous lowlights among the competing Eurovision nations at the 2025 edition of the contest in Basel, Switzerland, this month. But another country was on the lips of many queer jet-setters this year: the United States, with its spate of new anti-trans and anti-immigrant policies that are causing some LGBTQ travelers to reconsider their upcoming American itineraries. Several European countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, have issued official cautions for LGBTQ travelers visiting the U.S., particularly those with an 'X' gender listed on their passport. Meanwhile, out of concerns for participant safety, Canada's leading LGBTQ rights group, Egale Canada, pulled out of participation in WorldPride DC, and the African Human Rights Coalition has called for a boycott of this edition of the international Pride event, coordinated by InterPride and usually held every two years. 'It doesn't feel right to at the moment,' Karl Krause told NBC News at Eurovision in Basel, referring to travel to the U.S. Krause, who is German by birth, lives in Amsterdam with his Dutch partner, Daan Colijn, and together they are travel-focused content creators known to their followers as Couple of Men. In 2021, Lonely Planet awarded them its first Best in Travel LGBTIQ Storyteller Award, a nod to their work for the LGBTQ community. 'As gay men traveling to the U.S., we are probably still the more privileged part of the community,' Krause said. 'But we had some interesting conversations recently in Bilbao with a trans person who was like, 'I cannot, I literally cannot travel to the U.S., because I have no idea how they would receive my diverse passport, if I would be put in detention or whatever. I have my little daughter — I'm not going to risk any of this.'' Krause said that was the moment he realized that while he and Colijn as gay men may not yet be feeling the full effects of the Trump administration's policies, they were already having an impact on other travelers within the LGBTQ community. 'So how can we in good feeling promote this destination?' he asked. 'How can I send a trans friend or nonbinary friend and try to inspire them to go to the U.S. when they are in what's supposed to be the best time of their year, to spend in a country where they don't feel safe?' Colijn added that he and Krause want to send their followers 'somewhere where they are safe, where they feel welcome.' 'At the moment, of course a lot of people will still feel very, very welcome in the majority of America — a lot of places are still the same, or maybe even trying to do better. But we just want to be careful in what we are supporting,' Colijn said. John Tanzella, president and CEO of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, or IGLTA, told NBC News that such concerns are commonplace this year. 'We've heard from travelers feeling uncertain about visiting the U.S., especially trans and gender-diverse individuals,' he said. 'These decisions are often driven by concerns about safety, treatment at the border and access to affirming health care. Some have canceled their trips. Many others are still coming, but they're being more selective about where they go.' Nicoló Manfredini, an Italian trans man living in Valencia, Spain, said he was recently able to enter the U.S. without incident thanks to having an 'M' marker on his passport, but the government's anti-trans policies currently make America a place he would rather not visit again. 'Originally I had planned to go to WorldPride, but not now,' he said. Given the current environment in the U.S., Manfredini added, he said he would only travel to the U.S. if he had to do so for work. Even American gender-diverse people are adjusting their travel plans because of Trump administration policies, according to a study released earlier this month by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. Of the more than 300 transgender, nonbinary and other gender-diverse people surveyed, 70% said they are less likely to go on vacation to U.S. states they view as less trans-affirming. Krause said that despite usually attending at least one and sometimes several U.S. Pride events every year, this year will be different. 'We were actually planning to go to Washington, D.C., for WorldPride, but this is off the table for us … How safe can we be in Washington? Just saying that scares me a little bit,' he said, noting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was particularly concerning. 'I don't know what is going on there now and who is coming, and I don't feel safe with the idea that I'm going there and I'm walking and maybe there is a mob [coming] from whatever direction.' Capital Pride Alliance, the organizers behind WorldPride DC, which started earlier this month and continues through June 8, did not respond to requests for comment from NBC News, but the event's website details security protocols and includes a passport advisory for transgender and nonbinary travelers. Sahand Miraminy, director of operations for Capital Pride Alliance, told The Washington Post this week that security measures at WorldPride DC will include weapons screening at the entrance to the street festival June 7 and 8, which will also be fenced in. In addition to the local and federal "agency support that we have, we also hire private security and have many forms of safety measures and surveillance that we may not share at all times with the public,' he said, 'but there are certainly conversations that we're having with those agencies on a weekly basis.' Organizers at NYC Pride, arguably the most globally popular of U.S. Pride events each year and held like most big cities during Pride Month in June, are also stepping up security plans for 2025. 'NYC Pride has contracted a private firm with vast experience managing LGBTQIA+ events to lead on-site security,' spokesperson Kevin Kilbride said. 'Given the size and visibility of our events, NYC Pride is monitored and secured by municipal agencies at every level of government to protect our freedom of expression and ensure a safe space for our community.' Tanzella said that since safety is unfortunately never guaranteed for the LGBTQ community, careful planning is more essential than ever for LGBTQ travelers coming to the U.S. this year. 'Research destinations with strong reputations for inclusion and visible LGBTQ+ support,' he advised. 'Connect with local LGBTQ+ organizations for on-the-ground insights, stay informed about local laws and current events, and have a plan for accessing affirming health care if needed. Most importantly, prioritize places where you feel respected and supported.' Cities and states with long-standing reputations for LGBTQ inclusivity are getting more attention, Tanzella added. 'In this climate, a destination's visible commitment to inclusion through its policies, community engagement, and public support truly matters,' he said. In October, the IGLTA will host its annual global convention in Palm Springs, California, a destination Colijn said he and Krause can and will enthusiastically visit. 'We were there just last year, and we felt how amazing and welcome and how much old queer culture is there,' he said. 'So of course we want to go there, and we can fully tell people to go there. Unless of course we might get in trouble at the border.' Krause, however, noted that he and Colijn still haven't booked their Palm Springs trip just yet, because they fear that under the Trump administration 'everything can change overnight.' 'There is no long-term planning,' he said. Kilbride said he understands the need global queer travelers feel to exhibit caution this year, but he said he believes Pride remains one of the most powerful tools in the collective struggle for equality. 'We stand with the international LGBTIA+ community, particularly our trans and nonbinary siblings,' he said. 'But we also believe the fight for our community is more important now than ever. We need to show up big to make it clear: We're here, we're queer, and we're not going anywhere.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Some global LGBTQ travelers are skipping America this Pride season
For many European gays, the festive Eurovision Song Contest each May marks the unofficial kickoff to the global Pride season. As usual, there were soaring highlights and scandalous lowlights among the competing Eurovision nations at the 2025 edition of the contest in Basel, Switzerland, this month. But another country was on the lips of many queer jet-setters this year: the United States, with its spate of new anti-trans and anti-immigrant policies that are causing some LGBTQ travelers to reconsider their upcoming American itineraries. Several European countries, including Denmark, Finland and Germany, have issued official cautions for LGBTQ travelers visiting the U.S., particularly those with an 'X' gender listed on their passport. Meanwhile, out of concerns for participant safety, Canada's leading LGBTQ rights group, Egale Canada, pulled out of participation in WorldPride DC, and the African Human Rights Coalition has called for a boycott of this edition of the international Pride event, coordinated by InterPride and usually held every two years. 'It doesn't feel right to at the moment,' Karl Krause told NBC News at Eurovision in Basel, referring to travel to the U.S. Krause, who is German by birth, lives in Amsterdam with his Dutch partner, Daan Colijn, and together they are travel-focused content creators known to their followers as Couple of Men. In 2021, Lonely Planet awarded them its first Best in Travel LGBTIQ Storyteller Award, a nod to their work for the LGBTQ community. 'As gay men traveling to the U.S., we are probably still the more privileged part of the community,' Krause said. 'But we had some interesting conversations recently in Bilbao with a trans person who was like, 'I cannot, I literally cannot travel to the U.S., because I have no idea how they would receive my diverse passport, if I would be put in detention or whatever. I have my little daughter — I'm not going to risk any of this.'' Krause said that was the moment he realized that while he and Colijn as gay men may not yet be feeling the full effects of the Trump administration's policies, they were already having an impact on other travelers within the LGBTQ community. 'So how can we in good feeling promote this destination?' he asked. 'How can I send a trans friend or nonbinary friend and try to inspire them to go to the U.S. when they are in what's supposed to be the best time of their year, to spend in a country where they don't feel safe?' Colijn added that he and Krause want to send their followers 'somewhere where they are safe, where they feel welcome.' 'At the moment, of course a lot of people will still feel very, very welcome in the majority of America — a lot of places are still the same, or maybe even trying to do better. But we just want to be careful in what we are supporting,' Colijn said. John Tanzella, president and CEO of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association, or IGLTA, told NBC News that such concerns are commonplace this year. 'We've heard from travelers feeling uncertain about visiting the U.S., especially trans and gender-diverse individuals,' he said. 'These decisions are often driven by concerns about safety, treatment at the border and access to affirming health care. Some have canceled their trips. Many others are still coming, but they're being more selective about where they go.' Nicoló Manfredini, an Italian trans man living in Valencia, Spain, said he was recently able to enter the U.S. without incident thanks to having an 'M' marker on his passport, but the government's anti-trans policies currently make America a place he would rather not visit again. 'Originally I had planned to go to WorldPride, but not now,' he said. Given the current environment in the U.S., Manfredini added, he said he would only travel to the U.S. if he had to do so for work. Even American gender-diverse people are adjusting their travel plans because of Trump administration policies, according to a study released earlier this month by the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. Of the more than 300 transgender, nonbinary and other gender-diverse people surveyed, 70% said they are less likely to go on vacation to U.S. states they view as less trans-affirming. Krause said that despite usually attending at least one and sometimes several U.S. Pride events every year, this year will be different. 'We were actually planning to go to Washington, D.C., for WorldPride, but this is off the table for us … How safe can we be in Washington? Just saying that scares me a little bit,' he said, noting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was particularly concerning. 'I don't know what is going on there now and who is coming, and I don't feel safe with the idea that I'm going there and I'm walking and maybe there is a mob [coming] from whatever direction.' Capital Pride Alliance, the organizers behind WorldPride DC, which started earlier this month and continues through June 8, did not respond to requests for comment from NBC News, but the event's website details security protocols and includes a passport advisory for transgender and nonbinary travelers. Sahand Miraminy, director of operations for Capital Pride Alliance, told The Washington Post this week that security measures at WorldPride DC will include weapons screening at the entrance to the street festival June 7 and 8, which will also be fenced in. In addition to the local and federal "agency support that we have, we also hire private security and have many forms of safety measures and surveillance that we may not share at all times with the public,' he said, 'but there are certainly conversations that we're having with those agencies on a weekly basis.' Organizers at NYC Pride, arguably the most globally popular of U.S. Pride events each year and held like most big cities during Pride Month in June, are also stepping up security plans for 2025. 'NYC Pride has contracted a private firm with vast experience managing LGBTQIA+ events to lead on-site security,' spokesperson Kevin Kilbride said. 'Given the size and visibility of our events, NYC Pride is monitored and secured by municipal agencies at every level of government to protect our freedom of expression and ensure a safe space for our community.'
