Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
U.S. Approves Over $6.5 Billion in Military Sales to Israel Across Three Defense Contracts 
Trump Orders DHS to Avoid Protests in Democratic Cities Unless Federal Assets Are Threatened 
Trump’s Iraq Envoy Mark Savaya Ousted Amid U.S.-Iraq Tensions Over Iran Influence 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Venezuela Proposes Amnesty Law and Plans to Transform Helicoide Prison 
Pierre Poilievre Retains Conservative Leadership After Election Defeat in Canada 
Keir Starmer Urges Prince Andrew to Testify in U.S. Epstein Investigation 
Zelenskiy Awaits U.S. Details as Ukraine Prepares for Possible Peace Talks Next Week 
Putin Envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Visit Miami for Talks With Trump Administration Officials 
Panama Supreme Court Voids CK Hutchison Port Concessions, Raising Geopolitical and Trade Concerns 
Israel Intensifies Gaza Airstrikes Amid Ceasefire Tensions 
Trump Says Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Could Win Democratic Support in Senate Confirmation 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Peter Mandelson Resigns from Labour Party Amid Renewed Jeffrey Epstein Links 
Rafah Border Crossing to Reopen for Palestinians as Israel Coordinates with Egypt and EU 
Syria-Kurdish Ceasefire Marks Historic Step Toward National Unity 
US President Joe Biden faced criticism when it was announced that he would be traveling to Saudi Arabia. Biden recently defended the decision to visit, stressing that human rights are on his agenda in his upcoming overseas engagement.
Reuters reports Biden said Saturday that human rights were on his agenda when he defended the decision to travel to Saudi Arabia. The US leader made the comments when he gave a preview of his upcoming trip in the hopes of resetting ties with Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, whom he previously described as a “pariah.”
The criticism came as US intelligence previously reported that the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was responsible for the murder of his political opponent, Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi back in 2018.
In his visit, Biden would be speaking with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz as well as meeting with the crown prince, who is also the country’s de facto leader.
In his piece for the Washington Post, Biden said his goal was to reorient rather than rupture relations with Saudi Arabia, a longtime US strategic partner.
“I know that many who disagree with my decision to travel to Saudi Arabia. My views on human rights are clear and long-standing, and fundamental freedoms are always on the agenda when I travel abroad,” Biden wrote.
“I will be the first president to visit the Middle East since 9/11 without US troops engaged in a combat mission there. It’s my aim to keep it that way,” said Biden, who will be visiting Israel first during his trip.
Biden needs the help of Saudi Arabia at a time when the world is facing increasing gas prices that were worsened by the war in Ukraine.
In other related news, Biden spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Friday last week, expressing outrage over the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election.
The US leader also extended his condolences following the assassination.
“I am stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed while campaigning. This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him,” said Biden in a statement. “Even at the moment he was attacked, he was engaged in the work of democracy.”
