US leadership holds the world together: Biden

 

 

 

 

DECLARING that US leadership “holds the world together,” President Joe Biden told Americans that the country must deepen its support of Ukraine and Israel in the middle of two vastly different, unpredictable and bloody wars. Acknowledging that “these conflicts can seem far away,” Biden insisted in a rare Oval Office address on Thursday that they remain “vital for America”s national security” as he prepared to ask Congress for billions of dollars in military assistance for both countries. “History has taught us when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,” Biden said. “They keep going. And the cost and the threat to America and the world keep rising.” Biden’s speech reflected an expansive view of US obligations overseas at a time when he faces political resistance at home to additional funding.

 

He’s expected to ask for $105 billion on Friday, including $60 billion for Ukraine, much of which would replenish US weapons stockpiles provided earlier. There’s also $14 billion for Israel, $10 billion for unspecified humanitarian efforts, $14 billion for managing the US-Mexico border and fighting fentanyl trafficking and $7 billion for the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan. The proposal was described by three people familiar with the details who insisted on anonymity before the official announcement. Israelis can travel to US without visa for 90 days: THE US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that eligible Israeli citizens and nationals can now travel to the United States for up to 90 days without requiring a visa, ‘CNN’ reported. This update accelerates the implementation of the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) for Israeli travellers, which was initially scheduled to begin on November 30.

 

All children our children: 29 Nobel Laureates: AMID ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, with other nobel laureates has appealed for compassion for all children in the war reminding the world that all the children in Israel and Gaza are “our children”. In a rare initiative, 29 Nobel Laureates joined Satyarthi in signing a statement reminding that all the children in Israel and Gaza are “our children” and need protection and immediate humanitarian aid. The Nobel Laureates from all the six Nobel fields called for urgent release of the kidnapped children and a safe passage for all the children away from the conflict.