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Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. Since US President Donald Trump's whirlwind visit to the Jewish state on Monday of last week, Israel has welcomed a revolving roster of high-level officials visiting the country. This week saw the arrival of Trump’s senior Middle East advisors Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance — and his wife Usha — and also US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. As their visits spur accusations that Israel is becoming a "client" or vassal state of the US, controversial MK Avi Maoz brought a bill that passed in a preliminary reading in the Knesset on Wednesday. The bill would apply Israeli sovereignty to all West Bank settlements despite opposition from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and most, but not all, of his Likud party. US officials quickly rebuked the annexation efforts in the Knesset, calling them "counterproductive" even as the Trump administration attempts to cement the recent ceasefire into a lasting peace deal. If the US succeeds, it wouldn't be the first time that an Israeli war was ended through US efforts. This week, Berman takes a historical look at other examples and examines the question of whether Israel is, indeed, relying on its "partner" the US to wind down its wars. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy)/ From left: Steve Witkoff, US Special Envoy to the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance sit before President Donald Trump holds a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the State Dining Room of the White House, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When President Trump agreed to meet Vladimir Putin in Budapest, it looked like a potential breakthrough. Instead, it became a masterclass in manipulation. Within 24 hours, the Kremlin pulled the plug — and the world saw how quickly leverage can shift. In this episode, Ambassador Kurt Volker, former US Special Envoy to Ukraine and current Distinguished Fellow at the Center for European Policy analysis unpacks how Putin's “summit offer” was never about peace talks, but about power, humiliation, and control — and what it reveals about the fragile state of U.S.–Russia diplomacy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As US Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff and fellow advisor Jared Kushner arrive in Israel, Berman discusses that Israel has fulfilled its first steps in the ceasefire involving Palestinian prisoners and the 'Yellow Line' to which the IDF has withdrawn in the Gaza Strip, but that Hamas has not kept its part of the bargain, with the remaining 16 hostages' bodies still held in Gaza, and the Hamas attack in Gaza Sunday that killed two soldiers. Witkoff and Kushner will meet with Israel's high-ranking officials and cabinet, says Berman, as two US advisors aim to safeguard the tenuous ceasefire that is one week old. The two US advisors appeared on "60 Minutes" on Sunday night, discusses Frieberg, unveiling details of the process and the steps that led to the announcement of the first stage of the ceasefire deal, and aspects of the more personal conversations with Hamas officials that helped push things forward. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas isn’t acting like a defeated force, which puts the entire Gaza ceasefire at risk Netanyahu denies Trump forced truce on him, says war ends ‘for good’ when Hamas disarmed Hamas says it returned 2 more bodies of hostages; remains taken to forensic lab for ID Israel says resuming Gaza ceasefire after deadly attack on troops led to massive strikes Kushner: Israel must improve Palestinians’ lives if it wants ‘integration’ into region Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: A billboard shows images of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US President Donald Trump, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Tel Aviv on October 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Hannah McKay)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On CNN's State of the Union, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff joins Jake to discuss what he says was “substantial progress” in the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Then, Trump's former vice president Mike Pence joins Jake to react to Trump rolling out the red carpet for Putin. Next, CNN Political Commentators Bakari Sellers, Brad Todd, Kristen Soltis Anderson, and former State Department Senior Adviser Nayyera Haq join Jake to discuss Trump's summit, as well as his escalating redistricting push. Finally, Jake reflects on Trump's summit and wonders whether his willingness to accommodate Putin may have made peace less likely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, nominated by President Trump to become the next US special envoy for combatting antisemitism, calls into the show to express frustration with Senate delays, noting that over 150 qualified nominees—including himself—are being held up due to political gridlock. The conversation shifts to the alarming global rise in anti-Semitism, including violent acts, misleading media portrayals, and widespread ignorance about Jewish history. Both men criticize the New York City education system and Mayor Eric Adams for failing to educate students about the Holocaust and American history, while allowing questionable curriculum like jihad studies. They condemn the growing popularity of anti-Israel figures like Zohran Mamdani and lament that many American Jews are disconnected from Israel. Kaploun praises the Trump administration for taking serious steps to protect religious freedom and Jewish students, urging a bipartisan effort to fight hate and promote dignity for all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

AP correspondent Naeun Kim reports on US special envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Israel where he met with the families of hostages remaining in Gaza.

On Thursday, the eve of the Aug. 1 deadline for trading partners to reach trade agreements with the United States, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a new wave of tariffs on dozens of countries. Global trading partners responded on Friday, with some welcoming the move after securing favorable terms, while others expressed disappointment as their tariff rates increased.U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee traveled to Gaza on Friday to inspect the U.S.- and Israel-backed aid distribution system. The visit took place as Witkoff works on a final plan to speed up aid deliveries to Gaza, the White House said on Thursday.

Orly Halpern, freelance journalist in Jerusalem, brings the latest as the US Special Envoy for the Middle East prepares to visit an aid distribution site in Gaza

Sally Lockwood, Sky News Correspondent, joins us from Jerusalem, to discuss the visit of the US Special Envoy to the region

The US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is meeting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to try to revive ceasefire talks and address desperate humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Correspondent Nick Harper spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Stephen Grootes speaks to Sandile Swana, Political Analyst, and Chrispin Phiri, Spokesperson for DIRCO, about Special Envoy Mcebisi Jonas allegedly being denied US visa, which it's claimed hindered South Africa's efforts to negotiate with the US government ahead of the August 1 tariff deadline, potentially costing the country billions in lost exports. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa Follow us on social media 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalkCapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ukraine's President Zelensky has thanked the United States for its support, ahead of Donald Trump's expected announcement of more military hardware, to be paid for by the European Union.Also in the programme: Taiwan doubles the length of its annual military drills; and "Crypto Week" in the US as Congress begins five days of debate aimed at overhauling American legislation around the entire crypto currency industry.(Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and US Special Envoy for Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg (R), shaking hands during a meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, 14 July 2025. Kellogg arrived in Ukraine to meet with senior Ukrainian officials amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Credit: Presidential Press Service of Ukraine/Handout/EPA/Shutterstock)

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and US bureau chief Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, DC, but mediators in the ongoing negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal have been notified by the Trump administration that the president expects them to secure an agreement this week. US Special Envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff will travel to Doha today to advance the deal. We hear from Magid and Berman what the atmosphere is like in DC: Are officials still hopeful a deal could occur according to Trump's timeline? Ahead of a White House dinner, both US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu took American media's questions, including a query about the viability of the two-state solution. We learn what Netanyahu said at the dinner, as well as remarks following the meal from a senior Israeli official who intimated that Israel is ready to temporarily govern the Gaza Strip: “There has to be a system there that manages life,” the official said. “Maybe for a certain amount of time, it is us." Yesterday, the US announced that it was revoking its “foreign terrorist organization” designation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group once linked to Al-Qaeda that took control of Syria in December 2024. This comes after last week, Trump formally dismantled US sanctions against Syria. We learn what was said during the Trump-Netanyahu dinner and the US's hopes to reintegrate Syria into the global economy. Part of the reason that Netanyahu is in DC is to celebrate the success of the 12-day Israel-Iran war. In a briefing with a senior Israeli official following the dinner, it was also noted that Israel anticipates the US will permit it to launch new strikes on Iran, in the event that the Islamic Republic attempts to restart its nuclear program. There was no ceasefire deal announcement, but there was drama of a different sort: Following Trump’s opening remarks to reporters before their White House dinner, Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for the American leader on behalf of Israelis as well as Jews around the world and presented Trump with a letter he sent to the Nobel Prize committee nominating the US president for the peace prize. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: 5 IDF soldiers killed, 14 injured by roadside bomb in northern Gaza Witkoff to join hostage talks in Doha Tuesday as sides told Trump wants deal by week’s end Katz calls for confining all Gazans in ‘humanitarian city’ built over Rafah’s ruins US revokes terror label for Syria’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which toppled Assad Proposal outlines massive camps for Gazans in bid to advance Trump’s ‘vision’ – report Israel said to expect US backing for future strikes on Iran if it revives nuclear program Netanyahu surprises Trump with Nobel recommendation, as leaders stress coordination Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: A Palestinian tent city in the Al-Mawasi area in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, July 6, 2025. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US military reporter Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says he has “some very good feelings” about the chances for reaching a temporary ceasefire that leads to a long-term resolution to the conflict in Gaza. Magid explains what could be on the table and why Witkoff is expressing optimism despite long-time Israeli and Hamas intransigence. The Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said Wednesday it had successfully opened its second aid distribution center in southern Gaza, after the launch of its first site a day earlier descended into chaos when crowds stormed the facility. International media is reporting shootings and deaths at the first aid center this week. Magid attempts to make order of the chaos. The United Arab Emirates rebuked Israel over this week’s Jerusalem Flag March, characterizing it as an “annual spectacle of unchecked violence and extremist provocation” and issuing a rare warning against Israel if Jerusalem doesn’t take “decisive steps” against the phenomenon. Magid explains why summoning of Israel's envoy -- only the second time the UAE has taken this measure -- is so significant even as several of Israel's allies are openly condemning the Jewish state. US President Donald Trump confirms that he asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call last week not to take military action against Iran that could disrupt Washington’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic. Magid describes the differing accounts of the phone call. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Witkoff says US to issue new Gaza terms, has ‘very good feelings’ on reaching hostage deal Gaza aid group opens 2nd distribution center, day after first site swarmed by crowds UAE issues rare warning to Israel after summoning envoy over Jerusalem Flag March Trump: I told Netanyahu striking Iran would be ‘very inappropriate,’ as deal is close Report: Netanyahu-Trump phone call on Iran was marked by heated disagreements Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and video edited by Thomas Girsch. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump invites US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff to respond to a question in the Oval Office of the White House on May 28, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rita Cosby features an in-depth discussion with various officials from the Trump administration. Dr. Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Trump, highlights significant counterterrorism accomplishments, including the quick capture of a key terrorist. Discussions cover Trump's Iran strategy, MS-13, border security, and economic policies aimed at revitalizing American jobs and reducing inflation. Steve Woff, US Special Envoy, speaks about international diplomacy with leaders from Russia and Iran, while Secretary of Education Linda McMahon addresses educational reforms and student loans. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discusses public health issues such as the autism epidemic, diabetes, and the impact of chemicals in food, along with plans for FDA reform. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

Tshidi Madia, in for Clement Manyathela speaks to Ryan Smith, who is the DA Deputy Spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation; Professor Christopher Isike, who is Director of the African Centre for the study of the United States at the University of Pretoria and Tebogo Khaas, who is the Chairperson of Public Interest South Africa to get their opinions on the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas as the country’s special envoy to the US. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

Israel strikes dozens of Hezbollah rocket launcher sites after a rocket launch from southern Lebanon; Israel expands military assault against Hamas on the ground; US Special Envoy blames Hamas for collapse of hostage negotiations; US again warns ...

AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson sits down with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, for a live discussion in Washington, D.C., to introduce AJC's Center for a New Middle East. They cover plans for rebuilding Gaza, the future of Israeli-Arab relations, and the evolving geopolitical landscape, including the impact of the Abraham Accords and shifting regional alliances. Tune in for insights on diplomacy, security, and what's next for the Middle East. The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC. Resources: AJC Center for a New Middle East Initiatives and Policy Recommendations Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: with Hen Mazzig, Einat Admony, and more. People of the Pod:  Why Germany's Antisemitic Far-Right Party is Thriving Instead of Disappearing Spat On and Silenced: 2 Jewish Students on Fighting Campus Hate University of Michigan Regent Jordan Acker: When Antisemitism Hits Home Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. __ Transcript of Conversation with Jason Isaacson and Steve Witkoff: Manya Brachear Pashman: This week, AJC's Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer, Jason Isaacson, sat down for a live conversation with Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoy to the Middle East. They discussed plans to rebuild Gaza, political upheaval in Syria and Lebanon and expansion of the Abraham Accords. For this week's episode, we bring you that live conversation to you. Jason Isaacson:   Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here, and thank you Special Envoy Witkoff for participating in this evening's program, introducing AJC Center for New Middle East, and extension and refocusing of the work that we've been doing for decades to advance Arab Israeli understanding, cooperation and peace. Your presence here means a great deal to us.  As you've heard from my colleagues, AJC looks forward to working with you and your team in any way that we can to help ensure the success of a secure Israel, fully integrated in the Middle East. Now let me begin by thanking you again, renewing our thanks and thanking President Trump for your relentless efforts, which began even before the President took office, to assure the liberation of the hostages still held by Hamas and Gaza now for 508 days, we know how dedicated you are and the President is, to gaining the release of Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage, and the remains of the four other Americans, Itai Chen, Gadi and Judy Weinstein-Haggai, and Omer Neutra, and all of the hostages living and dead, still held captive by the terrorists.  So I want to point out that leaders of the Hostage Families Forum are with us here this evening. As is Emmet Tsurkov, whose sister Elizabeth Tsurkov was kidnapped by terrorists in Iraq two years ago. We are all counting on your and your colleagues' continued efforts to free them all. Thank you again, Steve.  Now my first question to you, how does a successful real estate developer make the transition to Middle East diplomacy, as you certainly have. Clearly, there are profound territorial issues at play here, but there are also powerful and tangible factors, perhaps less easily negotiated, factors of historical narrative, of religion, of nationalism. How do you cut through all that? How do you achieve success given the very different career that you've pursued up to this point? Steve Witkoff:   Well, first of all, Jason, thank you for having me, and welcome everybody and to the hostage families, I just want to welcome you here. Some of the people I probably have talked to already, and just know that my heart is always with you. You know, President, I'm a very close friend of President Trump's, and I think he felt that, hopefully, that I could do a good job here. And so I think the job had a lot to do with miscommunication and correcting that. It had a lot to do with getting over to the region and understand what was happening, and maybe most importantly, it had a lot to do with his election and peace through strength and the perception that he was not he was going to take a different path, that the old policy prescriptions that that had not worked in the Middle East were not going to be tolerated by him anymore. And I think that's in large part what allowed us to get a positive result.  Adding to that, of course, was all of the good work that Prime Minister Netanyahu in his administration had achieved with Nasrallah Hezbollah in Lebanon, he had basically gutted Hamas. So many good things that happened. And you know, on top of that, the raids in Iran, and it created this perception that a lot of the a lot of what emanated out of October 7 was never going to be tolerated again. And that began the, you know, that began the pathway to achieving the result we achieved in the first phase. But that's just half of the problem. So we've got a lot more to go. Jason Isaacson:   I've got some questions about that, as well as you can imagine. Help us understand the President's priorities and therefore your focus in this very complicated region. There's the continued trauma of October 7, 2023 dozens of Israeli and other hostages still held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, and the deep wounds inflicted on Israeli society in that attack. There's the need to rebuild Gaza and to assure it is no longer governed by Hamas.  There's the prospect of advancing normalization between Israel and Arab states building on the Abraham Accords of the first Trump administration. There are also political upheavals and some hopeful signs, although the jury is still out in Lebanon and in Syria, and there's the ongoing threat to peace and stability posed by the Iranian regime. How do you prioritize? What are your expectations for success on these many tracks. It's an awful lot to deal with. Steve Witkoff:   That was, I think I counted like 14 questions. Jason Isaacson:   This is my specialty, by the way. Steve Witkoff:   I can see. I have to, now you're testing my memory on all of this. Jason Isaacson:   Priorities.  Steve Witkoff:   Yeah, I would say, How does the President think about it? Well, first and foremost, he wants something different for the region, yeah, and different in the sense that the old way of thinking we've they've rebuilt Gaza three or four times already. Like that's just an unacceptable use of resources. We need to do it in a much more in a much better way, a. B, we need to get rid of this crazy, ideological, psychopathic way of thinking that Hamas thinks. What they did, it can never be tolerated. I saw a film that many in this in this room did not see, made by Southern Command when I was in Gaza, and it's horrific. I mean, it is a horrific film. What happened in this film and what they did to people.  So this is not, this is not the act of people who are going to war. This is the act of barbarians, and it can never be tolerated. Normalization is critical for the region. Saudi Arabia embraces it because they can't finance in their own markets today. And why? Because there's so much war risk. I actually saw Jamie Diamond today, and I discussed it with him, and I said to him, you know, think about an area like Saudi Arabia. They have tons of money, but they can't leverage their money. And they can't because the underwriting risk on war, it can't be underwritten. So you're not going to see typical senior financing. Go into those marketplaces they can finance if they do a deal in New York and they can't finance in their own country. Makes no sense. And that's going to lead to a lot of stability.  In terms of the Iranian crescent, it's basically been decimated. Look at what's happened with Syria. No one ever thought that that was going to happen. We've got an epic election in Lebanon. And so tons of things happening. Lebanon, by the way, could actually normalize and come into the Abraham Peace Accords, as could even potentially Syria. So so many profound changes are happening there, and yet it's been a flash point of conflict, and I think that there's a possibility that we end it. Now, do we have to make sure that Egypt is stabilized? Yes, they've got some issues, economic and financial issues, and also on their streets. Same thing with Saudi Arabia, and we have to be cognizant about that. But all in all, I think there are some really good, good things that are happening.  Jason Isaacson:   Yeah, and I hope with your intervention and the president's power, more good things will happen in the coming months.  Steve Witkoff:   We're hopeful.  Jason Isaacson: So you've recently returned from your latest trip to the region with meetings at the highest levels in Israel, in Saudi Arabia, in the United Arab Emirates, next Tuesday in Cairo, will be a meeting of the Arab League to discuss the future of Gaza. What is your sense of, drills down on your last answer, what is your sense of the region's readiness to advance to the next phase of negotiations, to free the Israeli hostages, to shift to a new Israeli force posture in and around Gaza, and put a governing structure in place that excludes terrorists. Can we assure that Hamas no longer rules, no longer poses a threat, that its missiles, tunnels and other infrastructure in Gaza are destroyed? Steve Witkoff:   Well, you know, central to the May 27 protocol that was signed with the Biden administration and the Israelis. Central to that is that Hamas cannot have any part of  a governor governing structure in Gaza. And that's from that's a red line for the Israelis, but it's a red line for us, too. You see the film. And we have to thread that needle in phase two of the negotiations.  Jason Isaacson: How do we get there?  Steve Witkoff:   We're not entirely sure yet, but we are working. You know, we're making a lot of progress. There is, Israel is sending a team right now as we speak, it's either going to be to Doha or to Cairo, where negotiations will begin again with the Egyptians and with the Qataris, and I may if that negotiation goes positively enough. This is the initial phase of the negotiation where we've set, we've set some boundaries, some contours about what we want to talk about and what the outcomes we expect to happen. This is from the United States at the direction of President Trump. If it goes well, maybe I would be able to go on Sunday to execute and finish an arrangement. That's what we're hoping for. Jason Isaacson: Put phase two on track.  Steve Witkoff:   Put phase two on track and have some additional hostage release, and we think that that's a real possibility. We had a lot of conversation this morning about that, and with all of the parties I'm talking about, and people are responsive. Doesn't mean it's going to happen. That's a very chaotic place the Middle East. Jason Isaacson:   But you've got cooperation from the Quint, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar.  Steve Witkoff:   Yes. All of those countries in that region, they want to see, they want to see stability. There's new young leadership there. Everybody understands that it's untenable to be at war all the time. It just doesn't work, and it's setting everybody back. Look at Israel, by the way, they're drafting, they're conscripting people at 50 years old to go to go to the fight. That's, uh… Jason Isaacson:   And reservists are being called back to duty again and again. Steve Witkoff:   Correct. People can't work, by the way, economies are suffering throughout there. But on the other hand, Hamas can't be tolerated either, and yet, we need to get the hostages back to their families. Pardon me? Jason Isaacson:   Israel is still resilient. Steve Witkoff:   Of course it is. Of course it is. But we, you know, look, I don't want to talk about all these things and not acknowledge that the most that the primary objective has got to be to bring those hostages home. It has to be. Jason Isaacson:   I mentioned the Quint before: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar. Egypt and Jordan, longtime peace partners with Israel, were proposed by the president as the possible place in which Palestinians evacuated from Gaza could be housed temporarily, or perhaps more than temporarily. What is your sense of the possibility of the dislocation of Palestinians from Gaza? Is that essential to the idea of rebuilding Gaza, or not essential? Steve Witkoff:   Well, first of all, let me acknowledge King Abdullah, and also the Egyptians, General Hassan, who runs their intelligence unit. President Sisi, their ambassador. They're dug in. They're focused on solutions. It's a complicated situation right now, but they've done a great job, and they've been available, and whenever I call them, they're responsive.  The Jordanians have had a tough trip here, but, you know, they've managed through it. But let's just talk sort of about what the President talks about. Why is he talking about Gaza in the way he's talking about it? Because all the for the last four decades, the other ways of thinking have not worked. We sort of always get back to this place.  First of all, it's a giant slum. It really is, by the way, and it's a slum that's been decimated. On top of that, I was the first American official to go there in 22 years. I was literally there in the tunnels, on the battlefield. It is completely destroyed. There's 30,000 shells that are laying all over that battlefield, in large part because the Biden administration held up munitions shipments to the Israelis, and they were firing 1973 vintage ammunition that didn't explode. Who would let their children wander around these places?  In New York, there would be yellow tape around it. Nobody would be allowed to come in the they were digging tunnels. So everything underneath subterranean is swiss cheese, and then it got hit by 2000 pound bunker bombs. So you could have dust down there. It's so devastated. I just think that President Trump, is much more focused on, how do we make a better life for people? How do we change the educational frameworks? Right now, people are growing up there, in textbooks, in the first grade, they're seeing AK47's, and how you fire them. That's, that's, this is just insanity. What's going on out there.  So we have to directionally change how people are thinking there, how they're going to live together. People talk about two state we at the Trump administration, talk about, how do you get to a better life if you have a home in Gaza in the middle of a slum that hasn't been fixed up correctly, is that as good as aspirationally having a great job and being able to know that you can send your kids to college and they can become lawyers and doctors and so forth? That to me, is what we want to achieve. And when, when we began talking about Gaza, we were not talking about a giant eviction plan.  What we were talking about was the fact, unlike the Biden administration, and this is not a knock on them, it's that they didn't do their work correctly, the Biden administration, that May 27 protocol is based on a five year redevelopment plan. You can't demolish everything there and clean it up in five years, let alone x-ray it on a subterranean level and figure out what foundations exist, or what, what conditions exist to hold foundations, and then what we should build. It's easily a 15 year plan, and it might be 20 or 25 years.  And the Wall Street Journal, one of the most mainstream publications, two days ago, finally came out with a major article talking about that and basically validating what we've been talking about. Once you understand it from that perspective, you understand it's not about an eviction plan. It's about creating an environment there for whoever's going to live there that's better than it's ever been in the last 40 years. Jason Isaacson:   Steve, thank you. Before October 7, 2023 the betting in many foreign policy circles, as you know, was that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Israel were closing in on a deal to normalize relations, coupled with an enhanced security agreement between the US and Saudi governments and Saudi access to the full nuclear fuel cycle under US safeguards. Where would you say that formula stands today? Is that still the framework that you're expecting will describe the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and between Saudi Arabia and Israel? Steve Witkoff:   Well, that's why I keep on going back to the May 27 protocol, because it's chock full of misinformation. And so the Saudis were operating, as were the Israelis, as if you could redevelop and reconstruct Gaza in five years. You can't. You can finish demolition, you can finish refuse removal, you can do all of that in five years. But for that, there's nothing else is going to get accomplished.  So when the Saudis talked normalization with the Israelis and defense treaty, they were thinking about it on a five year time frame. Once you begin to think about it as a 15 or a 20 year deal, it almost begs the question, are Gazans going to wait? Do they even want to wait?  I mean, if you're a mother and a father and you've got three kids, do you want to wait 20 years to maybe have a nice, safe home there? And this has nothing to do with relocation. Maybe we should be talking about relocation, or, excuse me, the ability to come back and, you know, later on. But right now, right here, right now, Gaza is a long term redevelopment plan, and I think once the Saudis begin to incorporate that into their thinking, and the Egyptians and UAE and everybody who has a vested interest in Gaza, I think you're going to see development plans that more mirror the way the President is thinking than what the May 27 protocol contemplated. Jason Isaacson:   Are you suggesting that the possibility of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia will come after there is a fully formed Gaza redevelopment plan?  Steve Witkoff:   I think so. Because I believe that. I believe it's just sequentially logical, because that's when you begin to think about how Gazans are going to think about it. Right now, we're talking about it in the abstract. And there are many countries, by the way, out there, that from a humanitarian standpoint, we've talked to many of them, are actually extending themselves and saying, Hey, look, we'd, we'd love to be a part of some sort of permanent solution for the Gazan people.  No one wants to see the Gazan people in some sort of diaspora, they're sort of disengaged, and that doesn't work. That only is going to fester and lead to more radicalism in the region. So we've got to get a solution for it, but we need to levelset the facts first. And the facts have not been levelset. They've been thinking about this from a perspective of facts that are inaccurate. Now we've level set those facts. We're going to conduct a summit pretty soon with probably the biggest developers in the Mideast region, many of the Arab developers, lots of master planners. I think when people see some of the ideas that come from this, they're going to be amazed. Jason Isaacson:   Steve, thank you. Final question, from AJC's many contacts and visits over many years across the Arab world, including regular exchanges over three decades in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, we've come to believe in the inevitability of Israel's full integration in the region, that the more the region's leaders and elites focus on the potential advantages to their societies, including their security of normal relations with Israel, the more likely it is that we'll achieve that goal. Is that the sense that you have as well, from where you sit? Steve Witkoff:   I do. I think, look, I think that the people of Israel want to live in peace with with the people of the Middle East. And it could be incredible. Jason Isaacson:   And vice versa.  Steve Witkoff:   And vice versa. I had a discussion with His Royal Highness, His MBs, his brother yesterday, the defense minister, an exceptional man, by the way, and we talked about how Saudi could become one of the best investable markets out there, when it can be financed. Think about this. The United States today has the greatest capital market system that the world knows. And when you have a great capital market system, when. You can borrow, when you can lease a car, when you can buy a home and mortgage it all those different things. It drives an economy. It propels it.  Right now in the Middle East, it's very difficult to finance. The banks don't want to operate it. Why? Because tomorrow a Hootie missile could come in if you're building a data center, and puff it's gone. We don't have to. Banks don't have to underwrite that risk in New York City or Washington, DC or American cities. So I think as you get more stabilization there, I think the real estate values are going to go through the moon. And we talk about this, Israel is a bedrock of great technological innovation. I think you know, all of the Arab countries, UAE, Saudi, Qatar, they're into blockchain robotics. They're into hyperscale data centers. These are the things that interest Israel, and yet they're driving so much of the tech surge out there. Imagine all of them working together. It could be an incredible region, so we're hopeful for that prospect. That's that's the way the President thinks about it. We've we talk at length about this, and he gives us the direction, and we follow it, and that's his direction. Jason Isaacson:   I thought I heard applause about to begin, but I will, I will ask you to hold for a second, because I just want to thank you, Steve whitco, for sharing your vision and the President's vision for how to move forward to build a more stable and prosperous and peaceful Middle East and and you've laid it out for us, and we very much appreciate your Thank you.  Steve Witkoff:   Thank you.  Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in for my conversation with AJC Berlin director Remko Leemhuis about the victory of a centrist right government in Germany's recent election and its plans to build a coalition excluding the far-right, antisemitic political party, Alternative for Germany. Remko and I discussed why that party's unprecedented post war election returns are a cause for concern.

Your daily news in under three minutes. At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes! Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube

US and Russian negotiators are planning to meet for discussions in Saudi Arabia next week about the war in Ukraine. The US envoy to Russia-Ukraine suggested yesterday that Europe would not be involved in peace talks. We speak to a European foreign minister who met with the envoy earlier today. Also in the programme: the city of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo is confirmed to have fallen to M23 rebels; and we reflect on the winners at Britain's annual film awards, the BAFTAs.(Photo: Steve Wikoff, US Special Envoy to the Middle East and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House in Washington DC, USA, 11th February 2025. Credit: Aaron Schwartz/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Tuesday, February 11, 2025  Hoover Institution, Stanford University The Hoover Institution Applied History Working Group (HAHWG), chaired by Milbank Family Senior Fellow Niall Ferguson, and vice-chaired by Hoover Fellow Joseph Ledford, held its annual History Symposium on February 11, 2025. The Hoover Institution Applied History Working Group (HAHWG), chaired by Milbank Family Senior Fellow Niall Ferguson, and vice-chaired by Hoover Fellow Joseph Ledford, held its annual History Symposium on February 11, 2025. The 2025 History Symposium has the theme of “Anti-Semitism: Past and Present.” World-renowned historians will reviewed recent developments in the historiography of this subject and related them to contemporary aspects of anti-Semitism, not least those exposed by the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and their aftermath. The Symposium featured a series of papers and panels focused on both new historical research and contemporary developments. Presenters include Mark Brilliant (University of California, Berkeley), Rosa Freedman (University of Reading), Jeffrey Herf (University of Maryland, College Park), Ethan Katz (University of California, Berkeley), Jonathan Karp (Binghamton University), Rebecca Kobrin (Columbia University), Olga Litvack (Cornell University), Daniel Sargent (University of California, Berkeley), Jeffrey Veidlinger (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), and Steven Zipperstein (Stanford University). In addition, the Symposium held a special session featuring Deborah Lipstadt, the US Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism and University Distinguished Professor at Emory University, in conversation with Niall Ferguson. Participation is by invitation only. For further information, contact jledford@stanford.edu

For review:1.  IDF Warplanes Strike Hezbollah Weapon Depots in Lebanon.2. Three Israeli Hostages set for release on Saturday morning from Gaza Strip. Israel will release 183 Palestinian prisoners in return.3. In a speech from Tehran, the Iranian Supreme Leader vows Iran will respond to any threat or violation of the country's security by the US.4. Iran Unveils IRGC Navy Drone Carrier. According to an IRGC Navy Commander- the drone carrier is capable of carrying several squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles, launching and landing unmanned fighter jets, deploying various reconnaissance and combat drones, launching and recovering various light and fast combat vessels, as well as carrying and deploying various combat and support helicopters.5. US Special Envoy to Ukraine & Russia- Keith Kellogg- will participate in the Munich Security Conference from 14-16 February. Though he will speak at the event, Mr. Kellogg denied that he will release the US Peace Proposal to stop the fighting between Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Kellogg: "The person that's going to present the peace plan is the President of the United States, not Keith Kellogg."6. Russian Army receives first batch of BMP-3 Fighting Vehicles. The BMP-3 is armed with a 100-millimeter gun launcher, a 30-millimeter autocannon, a grenade launcher, machine guns, and an optional remote weapon station with a 57-millimeter autocannon.7. France Sends Mirage Fighters to Ukraine. Sébastien Lecornu, France's Armed Forces Minister, said last year that the Mirage 2000 Fighters would be equipped with air-to-ground weapons and new electronic warfare equipment.8. UK to Chair Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels. United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defense John Healey will chair the event as it gathers for its 26th time next week in Brussels, marking the first time an American defense secretary has not convened the meeting in its three-year history.9. Dutch military renews focus on the strategic importance of rail transport for heavy military equipment and supplies.10. Panama declines to renew Panama Canal infrastructure agreement with China after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit.

President Trump is putting America's economy front and center, threatening sweeping tariffs on goods from America's three biggest trade partners. Trump has since reached a temporary agreement with Mexico to pause tariffs for one month in exchange for ten thousand Mexican troops being sent to the border. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Trump today and is expected to keep negotiating. Canada's former Foreign Minister John Baird joins the show from Toronto.  Also on today's show: Adam Boehler, US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs; Tom Malinowski, Former US House Democrat; Peter Beinart, Author, "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza"  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Christiana has a fascinating window into the Biodiversity COP negotiations underway in Colombia. From Cali, she's joined by Freya Newman and Irene Suarez Perez from the Global Optimism team who give us the lowdown into what's going on inside and outside the negotiating rooms. They tell what's unique about Colombia hosting, how it's given a platform to indigenous and local community voices; and why business is talking about love as well as finance. Also joining Christiana from Cali is Monica Medina, a fellow with Conservation International and the US' first Special Envoy for Biodiversity. They have an animated chat about the essential interdependence of climate and biodiversity, and Medina shares her optimism about a new oceans fund. And they take a deep (and refreshingly nerdy!) dive into DSI - digital sequencing information - and how we can ensure lucrative genetic codes, often found in the Global South, are fairly compensated and reimbursed.   NOTES AND RESOURCES   GUESTS Monica Medina, Arnhold Distinguished Fellow at Conservation International, former Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science and the first US Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter (X)   Irene Suarez Perez, Senior Advisor - Nature & Food System Transformation - Groundswell at Global Optimism LinkedIn   Freya Newman, Advisor, Groundswell at Global Optimism LinkedIn   Please fill out our Annual Listener Survey!   Learn more about the Paris Agreement.   It's official, we're a TED Audio Collective Podcast - Proof! Check out more podcasts from The TED Audio Collective   Please follow us on social media! Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

After a year of turmoil in the Middle East, Mishal Husain is joined by a panel of guests to ask ‘What Is the Path to Peace?'Joining Mishal are Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's International Editor; Lord Ricketts, who served as a British diplomat for many years including being on the Foreign office Middle East desk during Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982; Afif Safieh, former Palestinian Head of Mission in London, Washington, D.C. and Moscow; Ehud Olmert, who was Israeli Prime Minister from 2006 to 2009; Ambassador David Satterfield, who until earlier this year was US Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues and Dr. Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.The Today Debate was produced by Sinead Heekin and Louisa Lewis. The editor is Owenna Griffiths. Studio direction by Ben Andrews.

At a special event in Belfast last night, Joe Kennedy III, US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, announced that applications are now open for Connect to Success (C2S) a programme powered and implemented by Ulster University. This initiative aims to empower women entrepreneurs, bolster the regional economy, and advance gender equality in Northern Ireland. C2S sets itself apart from other women's entrepreneurial programmes in Northern Ireland by offering selected WOBs unparalleled access to global corporations and their international networks, a comprehensive team-based mentoring approach, and a targeted focus on women-owned businesses (WOBs) in the scale-up phase. C2S pairs 10-15 WOBS with teams of executives from some of the world's top multinational corporations. These mentoring teams will provide expert guidance to help shape and implement the long-term business and leadership strategies of the participating WOBs. The year-long mentoring program is scheduled to commence in January 2025. C2S's mentoring champions include industry giants such as Aflac, AIG, Coca-Cola, Goldman Sachs, Google, Irish Life Group, Kainos, KPMG, PwC, Seagate, and Stripe, Inc. Additional supporters of the C2S initiative include AwakenAngels, Catalyst, Cliste Hospitality, Endeavor Ireland, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, Ormeau Labs, and Ulster Bank. Joe Kennedy III, US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, said: "Empowering women in business isn't just a local effort; it's a global game-changer. Whether it's in Belfast or in Boston, we need more women-led enterprises and more female investors. By championing women entrepreneurs, Connect To Success, Ulster University, and their partner companies are igniting economic growth, driving social progress, and paving the way for a more inclusive and prosperous Northern Ireland." Kim Sawyer, Executive Director of Connect to Success, said: "This initiative goes beyond business growth; it's about empowering women, fostering cross-community collaboration, and breaking down barriers that have traditionally limited women's access to capital, markets, and networking. By connecting women entrepreneurs with mentors from some of the world's most successful companies, we aim to equip them with the skills, connections, and confidence needed to elevate their businesses and pay forward the opportunities they've received. "Moreover, the program offers C2S mentors from global corporations a unique perspective on the entrepreneurial mindset of SMEs, enriching their understanding of agility, innovation, and risk-taking. This experience not only sharpens their leadership abilities but also sparks creative thinking and opens doors to new partnerships and ventures." Ulster University Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew added: "Connect to Success will play a key role in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, in a specific area critical to both economic growth and gender equality - supporting female entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses. At Ulster University, we are active and vocal champions of the development of female entrepreneurship and are deeply committed to helping women build and scale successful businesses. In partnership with Connect to Success, we can create a future where women-owned businesses are at the forefront of innovation, corporate success and regional economic prosperity. Highly rewarding and life changing experience New to Northern Ireland, C2SNI follows C2SPortugal, which supported over 1,100 women-owned businesses via 128 corporate mentoring teams from leading global companies, with mentoring from companies including L'Oréal, McDonalds, Microsoft and Nestlé. Ana Margarida Matos, Corporate Mentee, C2S Portugal, said: "For any woman who owns a business, Connect to Success combines the best of both worlds: flexibility and opportunity to run my own business with the resources and community usually found in large companies. Being a part of Connect to...

Tommy and Ben discuss the discovery of six Israeli hostages killed by Hamas, protests in Israel demanding Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agree to a ceasefire and hostage release deal, how Biden's rhetoric about Gaza gives Netanyahu political cover, and the challenges of the UN's Polio vaccination rollout in Gaza. They also talk about what an election win for Germany's far-right AfD party means for the country's political future, why a former aide to NY Governor Kathy Hochul is being charged with working as a foreign agent for China, why X (Twitter) was blocked in Brazil, a controversial effort to reform Mexico's judicial system, the shooting of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, and the Taliban's ban on women speaking in public in Afghanistan. Then, Ben speaks to Tom Periello, the US Special Envoy to Sudan about the negotiations he led to address the world's worst hunger crisis. 

*) Palestinians risk lives for survival as hunger crisis deepens in Gaza In Gaza, Palestinians brave ongoing bombings to gather mulberry leaves for food, highlighting the severe hunger crisis. On July 9th, UN human rights experts reported that famine has spread throughout Gaza. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) noted last month that over 495,000 people face "catastrophic" levels of food insecurity. *) Erdogan urges NATO to convince Netanyahu for Gaza truce Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged NATO allies to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire and uninterrupted humanitarian aid to Gaza. At the NATO summit, Erdogan said “until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Türkiye." Erdogan also accused Netanyahu of endangering Israelis and the region with his expansionist policies. *) US announces new $225M weapons package for Ukraine, including Patriots US President Joe Biden has announced a new $225 million aid package for Ukraine, including a Patriot missile system. Biden made the announcement during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also pressed for US permission to fire long-range missiles deeper inside Russia. The aid package includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and other munitions. *) Sudan's warring parties meet in Geneva for UN-brokered ceasefire talks Sudan's warring parties have arrived in Geneva for UN-brokered talks on "possible local ceasefires" to facilitate humanitarian aid. This is according to a UN spokesperson. US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello is involved, focusing on humanitarian aid and a political solution, according to US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Thomas-Greenfield said the Sudanese army and RSF will negotiate via mediators in "proximity talks." *) China building more wind, solar capacity than entire world combined: report China is building nearly twice as much wind and solar energy capacity as the rest of the world combined, according to new research. The world's largest greenhouse gas emitter has 339 gigawatts (GW) under construction, including 159 GW of wind and 180 GW of solar. That is "nearly twice as much as the rest of the world combined", according to the new study by Global Energy Monitor.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with: Bloomberg congressional reporter Billy House discusses the House advancing the long-stalled $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan teeing up a big vote over the weekend Mick Mulroy, co-founder of the Lobo Institute and former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East to provide analysis of last night's strikes on a military base in Iran and whether it could signal further escalation Bloomberg politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanne Sheehan Zaino to recap the week on Capitol Hill heading into a key vote on foreign aid this weekend, plus break down the latest in former President Donald Trump's hush money trial Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Executive Vice President, An Economy that Works for People joins to talk about the state of global economic ripple effects of tension and conflict in the Middle East and in Ukraine Mick Mulvaney, former OMB Director, former US Special Envoy for North Ireland, former-Acting White House Chief of Staff and co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus joins to discuss the likelihood of Congress passing critical foreign aid this weekend, Trump's trial in New York and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arizona has become a flash point for America's abortion-rights battle, as the Supreme Court there votes to uphold a Civil War-era law banning nearly all abortions. To discuss what happens now and how will this development impact people in Arizona and across America, law professor and author Mary Ziegler ("Abortion and the Law in America") joins the show.   Also on today's show: US Special Envoy to Sudan Tom Perriello; author Percival Everett  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The head of the European Commission has said a new maritime corridor for delivering humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Gaza will begin operating very soon. On a visit to Cyprus, Ursula von der Leyen said she hoped the initiative would start by Sunday. A pilot project will begin today. The project is also being backed by the United States, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.Also on the programme: We hear from the new US Special Envoy for Sudan; and the death of "Dragon Ball" creator, Akira Toriyama.(Picture: The UN says a quarter of Gaza's population is on the brink of famine and children are starving to death. Credit: Getty Images)

At the Munich Security Conference in February a senior UN official described the war in Sudan as “not a forgotten crisis, but a wholly ignored crisis”. And yet the impact of 10 months of fighting is huge - nearly eight million people have had to leave their homes, more than in any other current conflict.Just last week the UN pointed to multiple indiscriminate attacks by both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in densely-populated areas. So who is keeping the war going and why? Is it a conflict that will be fought to exhaustion or is there any hope of a negotiated settlement? And does the appointment of a new US Special Envoy for Sudan this week suggest that the world is ready to stop ignoring Sudan? Shaun Ley is joined by a panel of experts: Azza Aziz, a Sudanese anthropologist who was in Khartoum at the outbreak of the war and returned to London in January; Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation and a research professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University in Massachusetts; Kholood Khair, a Sudanese political analyst and the founding director of Confluence Advisory, a "think-and-do" tank based in Khartoum. She left Sudan soon after the outbreak of the war and is now based in the UK.(Photo: A Sudanese woman, who fled the conflict in Sudan's Darfur region, walks beside carts carrying her family belongings, 2 August, 2023. Credit: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)

Tommy and Ben discuss the latest news out of Gaza, including a potential ceasefire deal that would include a two month stop in fighting in exchange for hostages, a look back at Bibi's rejection of a two-state solution throughout his political career, and the news that the Biden administration is preparing for a sustained military campaign in Yemen. They also talk about the UAE funneling weapons to Sudan, mass protests in Germany against the far-right ADF party, British conservative's continuing attempts to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, Elon Musk's visit to Auschwitz, and an odd auction item belonging to Winston Churchill. Then Ben speaks with Ricardo Zuniga, the former US Special Envoy to the Northern Triangle and Senior Advisor at the US Institute of Peace about the spiraling gang violence in Ecuador. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

The Pentagon has confirmed that 14 Houthi missiles, which may have been intended for attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, were targeted by American forces. We ask US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking how effective these strikes are. Meanwhile, Pakistan has launched missile strikes into Iran, killing nine people, after Iran carried out strikes in Pakistan late on Tuesday.Also on the programme: we hear from a Spanish MP with Down's syndrome who is thought to be the first person with the genetic disorder to join a European regional or national parliament; and we also hear from Lesley Lokko, a Ghanaian-Scottish architect and academic, who is the first African woman to win one of the world's top prizes in architecture.(Picture: Honor guards march during a military funeral procession of Houthi fighters killed in recent U.S.-led strikes on Houthi targets, in Sanaa, Yemen. Credit: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah)

Israel Defense Forces troops have carried out local raids in Gaza in search for hostages. The news comes after the Israeli military warned people in northern Gaza to move south immediately, and the United Nations saying that only 24 hours' notice was given to evacuate. For the latest on the unfolding story, Becky Anderson joins the show live from Jerusalem.  Also on today's show: Jan Egeland, Secretary General, Norwegian Refugee Council; Ayelet Gundar-Goshen, Clinical Psychologist / Author, “The Wolf Hunt”; Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State; Ambassador Dennis Ross, former US Special Envoy for Middle East Talks / Distinguished Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy