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Tag: Washington

  • Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead in Washington

    Two Israeli embassy staff shot dead in Washington

    Two Israeli embassy staffers were shot dead late Wednesday outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted “free Palestine,” authorities said, with US and Israeli leaders expressing shock and outrage over the killings.

    President Donald Trump quickly condemned the attack, saying “These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!”

    “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA,” he added on social media.

    Gunfire broke out on the sidewalk outside the Capital Jewish Museum in the center of Washington as the venue held a social event for young professionals and diplomatic staff.

    The victims were a young couple who planned to get married, the Israeli ambassador said.

    A video clip circulating on social media showed a young bearded man in a jacket and white shirt shouting “free, free Palestine” as he was led away by police.

    Police confirmed the suspected shooter walked into the museum after the shooting and had been detained.

    “We believe the shooting was committed by a single suspect who is now in custody,” Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith told reporters.

    “Prior to the shooting the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire.

    “After the shooting, the suspect then entered the museum and was detained by event security.”

    She said the handcuffed suspect identified where he had discarded the weapon and chanted “Free, free Palestine.”

    Police identified him as Elias Rodriguez, 30, from Chicago.

    “I am devastated by the scenes in Washington,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement. “This is a despicable act of hatred, of anti-Semitism, which has claimed the lives of two young employees of the Israeli embassy.

    “America and Israel will stand united in defense of our people and our shared values. Terror and hate will not break us.”

    ‘Unspeakable act of violence’

    Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, said “harming diplomats and the Jewish community is crossing a red line.

    “Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives — everywhere in the world.”

    The targeted event appeared to be a reception hosted by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) for Jewish young professionals and the Washington diplomatic community.

    The evening was “dedicated to fostering unity and celebrating Jewish heritage,” with an invitation to the event saying  the location would be “shared upon registration.”

    “American Jewish Committee (AJC) can confirm that we hosted an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC this evening,” AJC CEO Ted Deutch said in a statement.

    “We are devastated that an unspeakable act of violence took place outside the venue… Our attention and our hearts are solely with those who were harmed and their families.”

    The museum is in downtown Washington, close to the US Capitol and just over one mile (1.6 kilometers) from the White House.

    Police Chief Smith said  officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting near the museum at around 9:00 pm on Wednesday evening (0100 GMT Thursday).

    First responders found a man and a woman unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.

    Engagement

    Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told reporters the young staffers were a couple “about to be engaged.”

    “The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter said.

    He added that he spoke to Trump by telephone, with the president assuring that the United States will “do everything it can possibly do to fight and end anti-Semitism.”

    “We’ll stand together tall and firm, and we will confront this moral depravity without fear and with determination,” Leiter said.

    Emergency vehicles remained at the scene Thursday morning after police taped off the area.

    “We’re going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send the clear message that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters.

    “The horrific incident is going to frighten a lot of people in our city, and in our country. I want to be clear that we will not tolerate this violence or hate.”

  • Bella Hadid’s sweet birthday message for sister Gigi

    Bella Hadid’s sweet birthday message for sister Gigi

    Supermodel Bella Hadid has a strong presence on social media, where she shares glimpses of her glamorous life and personal interests.
    Earlier this week, on April 23, Bella Hadid took to Instagram to share birthday wishes for her sister Gigi Hadid on her 29th birthday, accompanied by childhood photos of the two together.


    “Happy birthday, princess of Genovia! I love you so much,” Bella wrote. “Life without you would be nothing; I would be nothing! You inspire me and make me feel strong. Watching you give birth and then raise the most perfect angel is the most magical gift a sister could ask for. I feel so lucky. You are the best & coolest mama, best sister, best daughter, and best friend.”


    She continued “Anyone who has the privilege to be in your orbit is lucky, indeed! I love you sissy, you make me feel proud to be your sister. I’m obsessed with you in every single way! @gigihadid my jelly, giggles, sissy pantelones for life,”
    In this collection of nostalgic snapshots from their childhood and teenage years, Bella lovingly describes Gigi as her ‘built-in best friend’.

  • ’Four salary bonus’, PM Shehbaz is reportedly rewarding his staff

    ’Four salary bonus’, PM Shehbaz is reportedly rewarding his staff

    A few days before leaving for Washington to ask the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new bailout package to avoid a default, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a proposal to give up to four salaries in bonuses to his staff. He also asked his finance minister to concur with it.

    The PM is being faced with criticism that the policy to hand out such big awards to bureaucrats amidst such deeply serious economic conditions is against an austerity drive.

    Also, analysts are asking whether this move would bode well for the new IMF bailout package as the IMF discourages bloated government expenditures.

    The rewards were approved for staff officers because of ‘their extraordinary efforts in the completion of tasks’, according to the Express Tribune.

    More importantly, the cost for these bonuses will be paid to these government servants by taking loans from banks at a 23 per cent interest rate.

  • ‘Genocide’: Susan Sarandon, Macklemore address thousands at March For Palestine in Washington

    ‘Genocide’: Susan Sarandon, Macklemore address thousands at March For Palestine in Washington

    On Sunday, more than 300,000 people marched in Washington to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza as well as for a ceasefire to be declared. Among these marchers were Hollywood celebrities Susan Sarandon and rapper Macklemore.

    Sarandon shared a picture where she was seen on stage wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh. She shared the picture on her X (formerly Twitter) account and wrote:

    “You don’t have to be Palestinian to care about what’s happening in Gaza. I stand with Palestine. No one is free until everyone is free.”

    Macklemore gave a speech where he out rightly called what is going on in Gaza a ‘genocide’:

    “We’ve been taught to just be complicit to protect our careers, to protect our interests and I’m not gonna do it anymore. I’m not afraid to speak the truth.”

    Several prominent singers have come out to voice their support for Palestine along with posting links to foundations collecting donations for Gaza. Phoebe Bridgers shared links on her Instagram stories to the organisations that were collecting aid to provide medical relief for injured Gazans.

    Rapper Kid Cudi released a statement on his Instagram account, expressing his solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, pointing out the movement was not anti-Semitic.

    “Supporting Palestinian liberation is not antisemitic, it’s human. Palestinians deserve their freedom. This isn’t poltiics, these are real lives. And I’m just a dude who gives a f*** about humanity. I stand with the people of Palestine as they demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the ongoing genocide. My heart goes out to all my brothers and sisters of all faiths and backgrounds who are suffering. Free Palestine!”

  • Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference

    Trump indicted for racketeering over 2020 election interference

    By Christian Monterrosa with Frankie Taggart in Washington

    Donald Trump was indicted Monday on charges of racketeering and a string of election crimes afer a sprawling, two-year probe into his eforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Joe Biden in the US state of Georgia.


    The case — relying on laws typically used to bring down mobsters — is the fourth targeting the 77-year-old Republican this year and could lead to a watershed moment, the first televised trial of a former president in US history.

    Prosecutors in Atlanta charged Trump with 13 felony counts — compounding the legal threats he is facing in multiple jurisdictions as a firestorm of investigations imperils his bid for a second White House term.

    Eighteen co-defendants were indicted in the probe, including Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who pressured local legislators over the result afer the election, and Trump’s White House chief of staf, Mark Meadows.

    With Trump already due to go on trial in New York, south Florida and Washington, the latest charges herald the unprecedented scenario of the 2024 presidential election being litigated as much from the courtroom as the ballot box.

    “Rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County prosecutor Fani Willis told reporters.

    Willis said Trump and his co-defendants had until noon on August 25 to “voluntarily surrender” to authorities, adding that she would like to go to trial within six months.


    “So, the Witch Hunt continues!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.


    “Sounds Rigged to me! Why didn’t they Indict 2.5 years ago? Because they wanted to do itright in the middle of my political campaign. Witch Hunt!”


    His lawyers’ statement took issue with the “leak of a presumed and premature indictment before the witnesses had testified or the grand jurors had deliberated”, in what they say has been a “flawed and unconstitutional” process.


    In response to similar allegations by the Trump campaign, Willis said: “I make decisions in this ofice based on the facts and the law. The law is completely nonpartisan.” The twice-impeached Trump was charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, as well as six conspiracy counts over alleged eforts to commit forgery, impersonate a public oficial and submit false statements and documents.
    He is also accused of lying in statements and filing fake documents, as well as soliciting public oficials to break their oaths.

    -Most serious threat –


    Georgia, which Biden won by fewer than 12,000 votes, presents perhaps the most serious threat to Trump’s liberty as he leads the field comfortably for his party’s nomination to bid for reelection.


    Even if he is returned to the Oval Ofice, he would have none of the powers that presidents arguably enjoy in the federal system to pardon themselves or have prosecutors drop cases. The harsh penalties associated with RICO cases can be an incentive for co-defendants to seek cooperation deals, and the statutes are usually used to target organized crime. Thirty unindicted co-conspirators were mentioned in the indictment.

    Under federal law, anyone who can be connected to a criminal “enterprise” through which offenses were committed can be convicted under RICO. The broader Georgia law doesn’t even require the existence of the enterprise.


    Atlanta-area authorities launched the probe afer Trump called Georgia officials weeks before he was due to leave the White House, pressuring them to “find” the 11,780 votes that would reverse Biden’s victory in the Peach State.


    Meadows, who is accused of trying to get a public oficial to violate his oath, was on the call.

    Secret report –

    Willis empaneled a special grand jury that heard from around 75 witnesses before recommending a raf of felony counts in a secret report in February.


    She alleges that Trump’s team worked with local Republicans on a scheme to replace legitimate slates of “electors” — the oficials who certify a state’s results and send them to the US Congress — with fake pro-Trump stand-ins.


    The indictment lists a litany of telephone calls made by Trump, Giuliani and others to various state oficials for the purpose of unlawfully appointing fake electors to swing the Electoral College in Trump’s favor.


    Giuliani faces 13 felony counts, including over accusations of harassment of two Fulton County poll workers.


    Other Trump allies were charged over the accessing of sensitive data from an election office in a rural county south of Atlanta one day afer the 2021 Capitol riot.


    Trump is already facing dozens of felony charges afer being federally indicted over the alleged plot to subvert the election, and further prosecutions over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and keeping allegedly fraudulent business records.


    Authorities in Atlanta installed security barricades outside the downtown courthouse in anticipation of a potential influx of Trump supporters and counter-protesters in the latest case.


    Lawmakers investigating Trump’s eforts to cling to power heard evidence in a series of congressional hearings last summer that would challenge his potential defense that he genuinely believed he had been cheated of the election.

  • Beijing: US Secretary of State & Chinese officials hold ‘candid and constructive’ talks

    Beijing: US Secretary of State & Chinese officials hold ‘candid and constructive’ talks

    US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken met with Chinese officials during a rare trip to Beijing, as relations between the two superpowers continue to deteriorate. Blinken is the first man of his post to meet Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, since 2018. Both Blinken and Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang described the talks, held on Sunday, as “candid and constructive”.  

    Representatives of the two states ‘seemed to agree on little beyond keeping the conversation [of diplomacy] going’ as reported by Reuters. They did not appear to make concrete progress on disputes that include Taiwan, trade, human rights and fentanyl. 

    According to the State Department, Blinken stressed the “need to reduce the risk of misperception and miscalculation,” thereby underscoring the importance of open communication channels to manage their competition.

    Describing the US-China relationship as being at its lowest point since diplomatic relations began, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi said the root cause was the United States’ incorrect perception of China.

    “We must take a responsible attitude toward the people, history and the world, and reverse the downward spiral of US-China relations,” Wang was reported to have said during the meeting, as released in a statement by China’s foreign ministry. 

    Xi Jinping hails ‘progress’

    On Monday, Blinken met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Their meeting could be instrumental in facilitating a summit between Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden later this year.

    The visit reflects attempts from both states in ensuring disputes between the economic superpowers do not develop into outright conflict. 

    Xi praised the talks as “progress” between the two superpowers. Biden said he hoped to meet the Chinese leader again after their lengthy meeting in November, during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. 

    “I’m hoping that, over the next several months, I’ll be meeting with Xi again and talking about legitimate differences we have but also how there’s areas we can get along,” Biden said, as reported by The Guardian.  

    It is likely that the two leaders will be in attendance at the next G20 summit, which is to be held in New Delhi in September. Xi is also invited to travel to San Francisco in November, to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

  • IMF seeks further assurances from Pakistan despite Saudi Arabia and UAE confirmation

    IMF seeks further assurances from Pakistan despite Saudi Arabia and UAE confirmation

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is seeking further assurances from Pakistan, despite confirmation of financial assistance from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to ensure that Pakistan has met the condition of arranging $6 billion financing in order to reach a staff-level agreement.

    Nathan Porter, the IMF’s Mission Chief to Pakistan, welcomed the announcement of financial assistance from the two “key” friendly countries, stating that the IMF supports the efforts of the Pakistani authorities. A Pakistani delegation is currently in Washington attending the Spring meetings of the IMF to discuss the revival of the loan programme. Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was unable to attend due to domestic issues.

    Pakistan had been asked to arrange $6 billion in external financing, which it needed from now until June to avoid default. Saudi Arabia has pledged $2 billion, while the UAE has committed $1 billion, thus reducing the now-required amount to $3 billion. Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have fallen to cover barely a month of imports after the IMF funding stalled in November, hit by snags over fiscal policy adjustments after officials of the lender visited Islamabad in February for talks. The IMF programme will disburse another tranche of over $1 billion to Pakistan before it concludes in June.

    IMF’s Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department, Jihad Azour, during a press conference, briefed the media about the current status of the $6.5 billion programme with Pakistan, saying that Pakistan is at a critical juncture and decisive actions are required to stabilise the economy. Azour emphasized the need for Pakistan to address inflation, reduce the constraints on trade and export, and maintain macroeconomic stability. He also stated that financing is required, and the financing needs are about what is currently in the programme, and the IMF is working with the authorities and bilateral supporters of Pakistan to ensure that the financing needs for the programme and beyond are assured.

    Central bank governor Jameel Ahmad told investors in Washington at the spring meetings of the lender and the World Bank that programme loans from other multilateral agencies await completion of the IMF review. Pakistan is at a critical juncture, and decisive actions are required to stabilise the economy.

  • Ishaq Dar cancels trip to the US for IMF and World Bank spring meetings

    Ishaq Dar cancels trip to the US for IMF and World Bank spring meetings

    Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, has cancelled his scheduled trip to the United States next week to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. The reason cited for the pull-out is the “domestic state of affairs” in the country, as the deepening political uncertainty has made it difficult for Dar to attend the World Bank-IMF spring meetings that were supposed to take place in Washington from April 10 to 16.

    Dar’s original plan was to address concerns about the government’s continuity, future economic plans, and bridging the trust deficit with multilateral lenders. However, with his withdrawal, the Minister of Economic Affairs, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, will also not travel to the United States. The government will now be represented by Finance Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh and Economic Affairs Secretary Kazim Niaz at the WB-IMF spring meetings.

    The decision by the finance minister to withdraw may also result in the cancellation of meetings with his Saudi Arabian counterpart and the UK state minister for development. Dar was supposed to begin his trip on Monday with a meeting with Nathan Porter, the IMF’s Mission Chief in Pakistan, which was critical as Pakistan and the IMF were no longer actively negotiating following the government’s decision to announce petrol subsidies.

    Besides the IMF and WB, Dar was scheduled to meet with representatives from the three international credit rating agencies that had downgraded Pakistan. The finance ministry had also scheduled meetings with foreign commercial banks to persuade them to release loans.

    However, the Pakistan delegation may still get to meet with IMF’s deputy managing director Antoinette Sayeh, who follows Pakistan closely. It is uncertain whether a meeting with Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva would take place or not. Some reports have cited diplomatic protocol issues that prevent low-ranking dignitaries from meeting presidents/directors/leaders of various multilateral institutions and finance ministers from various countries.

  • US Ambassador assures Pakistan of continued assistance for IMF bailout programme

    On Thursday, US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome reassured Finance Minister Ishaq Dar that Washington would continue to assist Islamabad in unlocking a long-stalled International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout. This bailout is intended to help the liquidity-challenged country’s economy avoid imminent default. The assurance was given during a meeting between the finance minister and the ambassador in the federal capital.

    According to details, the envoy was briefed on the progress of the Washington-based lender’s programme. During the meeting, FinMin Dar requested the US ambassador’s assistance in unlocking the bailout programme. He also informed him about a $2 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia and ongoing talks with the United Arab Emirates for financing $1 billion. The minister expressed the need for additional resources and financing, to which Blome promised cooperation from the United States.

    According to an official statement from the Ministry of Finance, Dar briefed the envoy on the country’s economic outlook and the challenges faced by the nation. He also shared the government’s pragmatic policy decisions aimed at stabilising and growing the economy.

    The statement noted that Blome expressed confidence in the government’s policies and programmes, supporting them for the economic sustainability of the country and the socio-economic upliftment of the masses. He extended his support to promote bilateral economic, investment, and trade relations between both countries.

    The two sides discussed matters of common interest and showed an interest in enhancing the existing bilateral relations between both countries. They also talked about various economic avenues through which both countries can strengthen their ties. This meeting with Blome took place days after FinMin Dar met with UAE’s ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salim Al-Zaabi, to discuss economic relations.

    Since early February, Islamabad has been hosting an IMF mission to negotiate a series of policy measures aimed at securing $1.1 billion in funding for the cash-strapped economy, which is on the verge of collapse.

    The IMF has requested Pakistan to secure assurances on external financing from friendly countries and multilateral partners to fund its balance of payment gap for this fiscal year, ending in June. The funds are part of a $6.5 billion bailout package the IMF approved in 2019, which analysts say is critical for Pakistan to avert defaulting on external payment obligations.

  • Donald Blome assures Pakistan of US cooperation on IMF deal

    The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, expressed hope for a deal between Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stating that Washington was prepared to support the country’s efforts to resume its stalled $6.5 billion bailout program.

    Speaking at an event on Tuesday, Blome assured journalists that the IMF bailout package for Islamabad would take its final shape in a couple of days. He added that the United States was ready to cooperate with Pakistan to help address the issue and expressed a willingness to help Islamabad with its ongoing terrorism challenges.

    Blome recently visited important cities in Pakistan to meet with groups from different walks of life and noted that there had been significant progress in diplomatic relations between the two countries.

    Pakistan and the IMF have been in discussions regarding a stalled bailout package since late last year, with the country seeking a $1.1bn tranche to address its worsening balance of payments crisis and to enable friendly affluent capitals to provide assistance to overcome ongoing financial complexities.

    Both sides are engaged in negotiations to reach a mutually agreeable package that would help the cash-strapped nation come out of its ongoing economic turmoil.

    Interestingly, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had previously stated that Pakistan would strike a staff-level agreement (SLA) with the IMF in a few days, as the government remained committed to completing the loan program signed in 2019.

    However, after failing to convince the lender, Dar had reportedly contacted the US envoy earlier this week to get “lenient treatment” from the Fund, which has been persistent with its demands.