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Hi, I'm VOA's Alexis Strope with your worldwide news update.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Friday he would think about alternatives to striking Iranian oil fields if he were in Israel's shoes. "The Israelis have not concluded how they're -- what they are gonna do in terms of a strike. That's under discussion. I think there are ... If, if I were in their shoes, I'd be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields." Biden made his remarks to reporters in a White House press briefing on Friday. He was also asked whether the U.S. is considering imposing sanctions on Iran, including oil sanctions. "That's som- -- that's be- -- that's under consideration right now, the whole thing. I'm not going to discuss that out loud." President Biden also had terse words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the briefing. AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports. The president says no American administration has helped Israel more than his. "Bibi should remember that." Asked if he thinks Benjamin Netanyahu's trying to influence next month's election outcome by holding up a Mideast peace deal, "I don't know, but I'm not counting on that." That came after Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said he worries Netanyahu has little interest in a deal, in part because of U.S. politics. Sagar Meghani Washington. As Israeli strikes continue in Lebanon, the U.S. has announced humanitarian assistance for Lebanon. In a statement released by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he says the United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian assistance to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region. This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them. The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria. This is VOA News. NATO chief Mark Rutte, who took up the role this week, visited Ukraine Thursday and pledged to prioritize the alliance's support for Kyiv. VOA's Henry Ridgwell reports. Ukraine wants to use Western long-range missiles on targets inside Russia. Rutte made his position clear. "... targeting Russian fighter jets and missiles before they can be used against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure can help save lives." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was asked whether he feared the world was forgetting about his country amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. "The best option to not forget about Ukraine is to respond with weapons to give the appropriate permission." Henry Ridgwell, VOA News. A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her has decided to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes. Friday's decision by Judge Roger Arata to allow journalists and members of the public attending the trial to see the recordings marks a stunning reversal in the case that has shaken France. Journalists following the case and lawyers of Giséle Pelicot, who was allegedly raped over the course of a decade, argued that the videos were crucial to the full understanding of the extraordinary trial. The U.S. state of North Carolina is distributing Benadryl and epinephrine as stinging insects swarm from Hurricane Helene flooding. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports. Deadly flooding from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina has also disrupted the underground nests of yellow jackets, bees and other insects. It's caused such a surge in requests for medication to protect people allergic to stings that the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is buying Benadryl and epinephrine injections to help fill requests through hospitals, emergency medical personnel and doctors. And the humanitarian aid group Direct Relief says it has sent more than 2,000 EpiPen injections to community health centers, clinics and pharmacies across western North Carolina. I'm Norman Hall Hundreds of demonstrators marching in Tunis against Tunisian President Kais Saied clashed with security forces on Friday, two days before the presidential election. The protest took place after Tunisia's parliament approved a law stripping the administrative court of its authority to adjudicate electoral disputes, fueling opposition fears of a rigged result aimed at keeping Saied in power. Saied refutes these allegations, asserting he's fighting against traitors and corruption while denying any dictatorial intentions. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Alexis Strope, VOA News. |