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Biden OKs $680m Israel arms sale despite new Gaza ceasefire push: Reports

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Biden OKs 0m Israel arms sale despite new Gaza ceasefire push: Reports

The administration of United States President Joe Biden is reported to have provisionally approved a $680m arms package to Israel, even as it asserts that it is pushing for peace in the Middle East.

Reports of the arms deal on Wednesday come a day after Biden announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and promised to renew efforts to reach a similar agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza – one he has repeatedly promised but failed to deliver.

The arms package had been in the works for months and had been previewed by congressional committees in September and submitted for wider review in October, an unnamed US official told the Reuters news agency, which confirmed an earlier report by the Financial Times on Biden’s provisional approval.

The latest delivery will include hundreds of small-diameter bombs and thousands of joint direct attack munition kits (JDAMs), both news organisations reported. JDAMs convert “dumb” bombs into precision-guided weapons.

The Biden administration has not confirmed the reports, the timing of which highlights the juxtaposition of the US position on the Middle East conflict – on the one hand facilitating ceasefire negotiations while on the other hand selling billions of dollars of munitions to Israel as it kills tens of thousands of Palestinians and Lebanese.

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On Tuesday, Biden – who has consistently supported Israel and portrays US arms sales to Israel as essential support for an ally – held an address at the White House announcing that a US-brokered ceasefire that would see Israel withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days had been reached. That deal went into effect early on Wednesday.

During the address, Biden promised to again seek an end to the fighting that has raged in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

For months, previous attempts by Washington to broker a deal have come up short with critics accusing Washington of failing to exert its most meaningful leverage – withholding some of the billions of dollars in arms it provides to Israel.

To date, Israel has killed at least 44,282 Palestinians in Gaza since the war began when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed at least 1,139 people. Israeli forces have killed more than 3,800 people in Lebanon in the past 13 months.

“Over the coming days, the United States will make another push with Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and others to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza with the hostages released and the end to the war without Hamas in power – that it becomes possible,” Biden said.

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Questions over weapons

The latest weapons package would have been blocked as part of legislation introduced by several Democratic senators to stop about $20bn in arms sales to Israel, the Financial Times reported. However the effort, led by Senator Bernie Sanders, fell short of votes this month.

For their part, US officials have repeatedly denied that delays in some arms transfers have been related to Israel’s actions beyond a pause this year of a shipment of 900kg (2,000lb) bombs in a fruitless effort to prevent Israel from launching a major ground operation in Rafah.

Speaking to reporters after Biden’s speech, a US official denied that either withholding or promising more weapons to Israel was part of negotiations that eventually led to the Israel-Hezbollah agreement.

The official said: “No part of this negotiation involved weapons on either side.”

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday appeared to offer a contradictory account, saying the ceasefire with Hezbollah was needed to “replenish stocks”, among other reasons.

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“And I say it openly: It is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon,” Netanyahu said during a national address without specifically naming the US.

“We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission.”

Continued support before Trump’s return

Advocates said the latest approval from the Biden administration indicates there will be little change in the president’s policy before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20.

In a post on X, the Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project said the move shows “President Biden is spending the final days of his presidency going against the will of most Americans, US law, and international law.”

It noted that the small-diameter bombs and JDAMs reportedly provided in the package have been linked to Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza.

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The Biden administration has also been one of the most vocal critics of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) decision last week to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza. The ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, who Israel said it has killed.

In a statement, Biden called the warrants against the Israeli officials “outrageous” and promised to “always stand with Israel against threats to its security”. Netanyahu’s office on Tuesday said it would appeal the court’s ruling.

Trump is expected to take a more provocative stance against the ICC – and in his overall support for Israel – after he takes office with his Republican Party in control of both the US House of Representatives and Senate after the November 5 elections.

Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Representative Mike Walz, has already promised a “strong response” to the ICC and the United Nations “come January”.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham went further, promising during a trip to Israel on Wednesday to introduce legislation that “would sanction any country that tried to enforce the arrest warrant against Israel”.

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“You could be a close ally – Canada, Britain, France, you name it – [but] if you buy into this arrest warrant as legitimate, then you’re going to meet stiff, bipartisan resistance in America,” Graham said. “So, to the world, if you empower this folly at the ICC, then you will have a hard time doing business in America and coming to America.”

Netanyahu’s office confirmed that Graham had met with the Israeli leader during the trip.

The prime minister’s office said Graham “updated him on the efforts that he is advancing in the US Congress against the ICC and countries that have cooperated with it”.

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The deadly car explosion in New Delhi is being investigated under an anti-terrorism law

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The deadly car explosion in New Delhi is being investigated under an anti-terrorism law

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian police were investigating the deadly car explosion in New Delhi under an anti-terrorism law, officials said Tuesday, as forensic experts worked to determine the cause of the blast.

The explosion occurred near the historic Red Fort late Monday, killing at least eight people and injuring several others.

Senior police officials told The Associated Press that a case was registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, India’s main anti-terrorism law, which allows broader powers to investigating agencies to detain suspects. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a scheduled visit to Bhutan on Tuesday, said investigators would “get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

“The conspirators won’t be spared and all those responsible will be brought to justice,” Modi said.

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Police said the explosion was believed to have originated from a Hyundai i20 car that had stopped at a traffic signal. Nearby vehicles were badly damaged, and photos showed shattered windows, twisted metal and flames engulfing several cars.

Police were trying to trace the car’s owner. There was no immediate information about the occupants, who were believed to have been killed.

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Home Minister Amit Shah said Monday that “all angles” were being investigated and that security agencies would reach a conclusion soon. He said footage from cameras in the area would play a key role in the investigation.

Major train stations, including in Mumbai and in Uttar Pradesh state, which borders New Delhi, were put on security alert. The security force responsible for guarding key installations in the capital, including New Delhi’s international airport, metro system and major government buildings, said its personnel had also been placed on security alert.

A former imperial palace, the Red Fort is a sprawling Mughal-era complex and a major tourist attraction in the Old Delhi section of the city. Located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from Parliament, the 17th-century monument is a symbolic location where Indian prime ministers deliver their Independence Day speeches on Aug. 15 each year.

The area around Red Fort is typically crowded, serving as a main route to the bustling bazaars of the old city.

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Government shutdown reaches overseas bases as many feel the strain

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Government shutdown reaches overseas bases as many feel the strain

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Thousands of miles from the stalemate in Washington D.C., the effects of the government shutdown are being felt around the world. While President Donald Trump found a way to temporarily pay U.S. troops — others on base aren’t so lucky, including teachers and support staff.

Donna Irwin, a substitute teacher at a naval base in Italy, says the impact is deeply felt. “It has been absolutely terrible to watch and the morale at the school, I mean it’s low,” Irwin said.

LAWMAKER WARNS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS POTENTIALLY LEADING TO BIG WASTE IN THE MILITARY, IMPACTING READINESS

Some American educators abroad are not allowed to take second jobs while the government shutdown leaves military school staff unpaid overseas.

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The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) operates 161 schools in 11 countries, seven states and two territories across 10 time zones. Nearly 900,000 military-connected children live worldwide, 67,000 of whom are enrolled in DoDEA schools and served by more than 14,000 employees.

In a statement, DoDEA’s communications operations chief Jessica Tackaberry told Fox News that they remain “committed to providing a world-class education” and that they “understand the difficulties this situation may create for our dedicated educators and staff who are working without pay. DoDEA is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide guidance and support to employees as needed.”

Athletics and co-curricular activities are also considered excepted activities at this time.

The Department of Defense Education Activity acknowledges the challenges faced by educators and staff working without pay during the government shutdown.

Irwin considers herself lucky that her husband is still getting a paycheck as a sailor, but with half their income on hold, they’re cutting back. She says that even when the government reopens, repayment can still take a while.

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HOUSE CONSERVATIVE LEADER GIVES BLESSING TO SENATE SHUTDOWN DEAL, WITH ‘ONE CAVEAT’

“Especially out here, you feel forgotten because we are here to support that mission — as DoD contractors, as spouses and family members of the service members,. You know, these bases, these installations — they really don’t function without us, without our vital jobs and our support,” she said.

It’s a unique situation for Americans living abroad. For many, taking a second job off base isn’t allowed under their contract agreements. Living an ocean away from family who could help adds to the stress. Some are simply trying to explain to European landlords that their employer isn’t sending a paycheck, and they can’t afford rent or utility bills.

Some teachers at military bases abroad pay out of pocket for snacks and school supplies for their students as they work without compensation during the government shutdown. (John Moore/Getty Images)

“We oftentimes forget about all those little auto-pay things we have — everything from streaming services to healthcare needs — and they’re having to do these deep dives into their bank accounts and cancel all of these, you know, car insurance, your vehicle,” Irwin said.

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Despite the shutdown, educators say their students still come first and that the mission continues — even if it means footing the bill themselves for snacks and school supplies. Irwin works in a special education classroom, teaching essential life skills such as cooking and cleaning.

“I have no budget for any of that in my current classroom, so I’ve been having to go to the commissary myself and make do, trying to buy things that I can’t afford right now for these students who desperately need those life skills,” Irwin said. “I think the saddest thing for me is watching my students come in, and they don’t fully understand everything that’s happening with the government and with politics and to see them worried, to see them worry about, ‘Am I going to have a meal tomorrow, am I going to have a meal today?’”

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US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown

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US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown

The measure still needs to be approved by the House and signed by US President Donald Trump.

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The United States is moving closer to ending its record-breaking government shutdown after the Senate took a critical step forward to end its five-week impasse.

The Senate on Monday night approved a spending package by a vote of 60 to 40 to fund the US government through January 30, and reinstate pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

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The spending bill next moves to the House of Representatives for approval and then on to President Donald Trump for a sign-off before the shutdown can finally end.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he would like to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it on to Trump to sign into law.

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The vote in the Senate follows negotiations this weekend that saw seven Democrats and one Independent agree to vote in favour of the updated spending package to end the shutdown, which enters its 42nd day on Tuesday.

Also included in the deal are three-year funding appropriations for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, veterans affairs and congressional operations.

The bill does not, however, resolve one of the most central issues in the shutdown – extending healthcare subsidies. Senate Republicans have agreed to vote on the issue as a separate measure in December.

US legislators have been under growing pressure to end the government shutdown, which enters its forty-second day on Tuesday, as their constituents feel the impact of funding lapses for programmes like food stamps.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or required to work without pay since the shutdown began on October 1, while Trump has separately threatened to use the shutdown as a pretext to slash the federal workforce.

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Voters have also felt the impact of the shutdown at airports across the US after the Federal Aviation Administration last week announced a 10 percent cut in air traffic due to absences from air traffic controllers.

The cuts have created chaos for US air travel just as the country is heading into its busiest travel season of the year.

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