Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference last month. AP
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference last month. AP
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference last month. AP
Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference last month. AP

Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and West Bank in latest push


Willy Lowry
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest from Israel-Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head back to the Middle East on Sunday, embarking on yet another round of shuttle diplomacy as he tries to keep the war in Gaza from spiralling into a broader conflict.

Mr Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Israel and the West Bank for four days of diplomatic efforts.

He will focus on securing the “release of all remaining hostages” from Gaza as well as push for a “humanitarian pause” that will allow more aid to reach Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.

In addition, Mr Blinken will work to “prevent the spread of the conflict”, which is threatening to turn into a broader regional war, with tension raging along the Israel-Lebanon border, in the Red Sea and in Syria, Iraq and Jordan, where three US soldiers were killed on Sunday.

“The secretary will also continue discussions with partners on how to establish a more integrated, peaceful region that includes lasting security for Israelis and Palestinians alike,” Mr Miller said.

Mr Blinken was most recently in the region at the beginning of January when he travelled to Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Antony Blinken says scenes from Gaza are 'gut-wrenching' – video

Since October 7, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack, Mr Blinken has made repeated trips to the region trying to keep the conflict contained and to get more aid into Gaza amid while supporting Israel's right to defend itself.

Gaza officials say Israel has killed close to 27,000 people in the densely populated enclave since October 7.

Washington has been Israel's biggest ally throughout the war, twice vetoing UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire and sending weapons and ammunition to the Israeli military.

But as the military campaign in Gaza drags on, pressure on President Joe Biden's administration to prevent further bloodshed has increased.

On Friday, more than 800 civil servants in the US, UK and EU signed a letter demanding their respective governments halt unconditional support for Israel and take the necessary steps to help ensure a ceasefire.

The Israel-Gaza war – in pictures

The biog

Name: Maitha Qambar

Age: 24

Emirate: Abu Dhabi

Education: Master’s Degree

Favourite hobby: Reading

She says: “Everyone has a purpose in life and everyone learns from their experiences”

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel

Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power: 1877bhp

Torque: 2300Nm

Price: Dh7,500,00

On sale: Now

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
​​​​​​​Penguin Press

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

About Okadoc

Date started: Okadoc, 2018

Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Healthcare

Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth

Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February

Investors: Undisclosed

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Why are you, you?

Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
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A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
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Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
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The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full

1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion

'Skin'

Dir: Guy Nattiv

Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Zayed%20Centre%20for%20Research
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The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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Williams at Wimbledon

Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)

Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)

Updated: February 04, 2024, 6:50 PM