Diplomacy

The Associated Press reports: Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to the Middle East to press the Israelis, Palestinians and regional players to build on last week’s Gaza cease-fire by laying the groundwork for an eventual resumption in long-stalled peace talks. President Joe Biden announced Blinken would depart on Monday for a short visit to Israel, the West Bank, …

Politico reports: Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday affirmed President Joe Biden’s commitment to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, arguing that without solutions that afforded Palestinians more dignity, the cycle of violence was likely to continue. “Ultimately, it is the only way to ensure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, and of course the only …

Axios reports: President Biden will travel to the U.K. on June 11-13 for the G7 summit, followed by a trip to Brussels on June 14 for the NATO summit, the White House announced Friday. Why it matters: Biden’s first overseas trip — which has been delayed due to the pandemic — will be used to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to …

NBC News reports: Russia has recalled its ambassador to the United States after President Joe Biden made comments criticizing Russian leader Vladimir Putin that were “very bad” and without precedent, the Kremlin said Thursday. “I won’t be wordy in reaction to this,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “I will only say that these are very bad statements by the …

The Associated Press reports: In North Korea’s first comments directed at the Biden administration, Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister [photo] on Tuesday warned the United States to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years. Kim Yo Jong’s statement was issued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary …

Axios reports: Former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner praised the Biden administration for its Iran strategy, writing in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Biden’s refusal to remove sanctions before Iran returns to compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal is a “smart diplomatic move.” Kushner led Middle East peace talks on behalf of the Trump administration. Former President Trump …

The Washington Post reports: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greeted Biden like an old friend, took a tacit swipe at former president Donald Trump and said he was glad to have a partner on climate change again during the leaders’ first virtual bilateral meeting. “U.S. leadership has been sorely missed over the past years,” Trudeau said, referring to his strained …

The New York Times reports: Ms. Thomas-Greenfield’s confirmation, by a vote of 78 to 20, comes as Mr. Biden’s administration seeks to become a more active force in the United Nations after American retreat during the Trump administration. Her new position is the latest chapter in a rise that started in her birthplace of Louisiana, where she attended segregated schools …

NPR reports: President Biden on Friday gave his first speech since taking office aimed at an international audience. Making the case for his plans to turn the page on former President Donald Trump’s “America First” ethos, Biden declared: “America is back” to the virtual crowd at the Munich Security Conference — a who’s who of global national security officials. “The …

Via press release from Lambda Legal: Today, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) announced the introduction of the Equality Act, bipartisan federal legislation that will update existing federal nondiscrimination laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act, to confirm that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is unlawful …

Reuters reports: U.S. President Joe Biden made a long-awaited first phone call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after a delay that had seen Washington deny it was snubbing Israel’s leader. There had been speculation that the Democratic president was signaling displeasure over Netanyahu’s close ties with former President Donald Trump, who called the right-wing leader two days …

The Washington Post reports: It is a sweepstakes that comes along every four or eight years — intense jockeying in public and private as the well-heeled and well-connected seek coveted positions that come with lavish housing, a staff of chefs and an expectation that the U.S. envoy will put the digs to use for parties. With its mix of famous …

Reuters reports: U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held their first telephone call as leaders, with Biden saying a free and open Indo-Pacific was a priority and Xi warning confrontation would be a ‘disaster’ for both nations. Biden also underscored his “fundamental concerns about Beijing’s coercive and unfair practices, its crackdown in Hong Kong, reported human …

TIME Magazine reports: The Biden administration is set to announce this week that it will reengage with the much-maligned U.N. Human Rights Council that former President Donald Trump withdrew from almost three years ago, U.S. officials said Sunday. The decision reverses another Trump-era move away from multilateral organizations and agreements. U..S. officials say Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a …

NPR reports: With bipartisan support, the Senate confirmed Antony Blinken as the new secretary of state on Tuesday. The final vote was 78 to 22. Blinken, 58, was earlier approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As the top U.S. diplomat, Blinken will face a number of national security challenges, including how to deal with China, Russia and Iran. …

The Scotsman reports: With reports that Donald Trump may fly to Scotland after he leaves office, BrewDog have started a petition to rename Prestwick Airport ‘Joe Biden International’. The Scottish brewers BrewDog are known for their tongue in cheek antics, and have previously trolled Donald Trump by asking fans to name a beer inspired by him. But now, co-founder of …

The New York Daily News reports: Chinese officials believe that President-elect Joe Biden will “restore normalcy” in US-China relations — claiming that “a new window of hope” is opening with the exit of the uncompromising Trump administration. “China-US relations have come to a new crossroads, and a new window of hope is opening,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi [photo] said …

Reuters reports: Tony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, attended meetings and briefings at the State Department on Thursday, according to Biden transition spokesman Ned Price. The briefings, standard practice for nominees for the job of nation’s top diplomat, happened despite the lack of an acknowledgment by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and President Trump that Biden won the …

NPR reports: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday said he had begun the process of reaching out formally to U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, making the far-right South American leader one of the last world leaders to do so. In an interview with Brazil’s TV Band, Bolsonaro said that with the vote now confirmed by the U.S. Electoral College, he would …

The Associated Press reports: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday he sent a letter of congratulations to U.S. President-elect Jose Biden, becoming one of the last world leaders to do so. The tardy and somewhat chilly letter López Obrador sent late Monday contrasted with the cordial and friendly relationship he had with President Donald Trump. The move by …