Belgium summoned U.S. Ambassador Bill White for consultations on Tuesday after he accused the country of antisemitism, while also, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were set to lead American negotiators in Geneva for talks on Ukraine and Iran. Additionally, Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security's top spokeswoman, is leaving her post next week, and Gisèle Pelicot's memoir was released Tuesday, sharing details of her experience and sending a message of hope to victims of sexual abuse.
According to CBS News, the Belgian government took issue with Ambassador White's allegations, which stemmed from a case involving three Jewish religious figures suspected of performing circumcisions without the required medical training. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot called White's claims "dangerous disinformation" and demanded he respect Belgian institutions and the independence of the country's courts. Prévot added that personal attacks and interference broke diplomatic norms. Local authorities had conducted searches of the three men in Antwerp, as reported by VRT.
In Geneva, Witkoff and Kushner were scheduled to lead American negotiators in high-stakes talks starting Tuesday regarding Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. standoff with Iran over its nuclear energy program, according to ABC News. The talks on Ukraine were set to be in a trilateral format, including American, Ukrainian, and Russian representatives. These talks followed two rounds of recent negotiations in the United Arab Emirates, which participants described as constructive.
Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security's top spokeswoman, was set to depart next week, CBS News reported. McLaughlin, the chief spokesperson for the federal agency spearheading President Trump's mass deportation campaign, had been prolific on social media and in the press defending the administration's immigration policies. A source familiar with McLaughlin's plans said her departure was planned in December and that she delayed it following the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis by federal immigration officers.
Also on Tuesday, Gisèle Pelicot's memoir was released in 22 languages worldwide, ABC News reported. The memoir recounts her drugging and mass rape case and aims to send a powerful message of hope and support to victims of sexual abuse. "I wanted my story to help others," Pelicot told French national channel France 5 last week ahead of the release of her book, "A Hymn to Life, Shame has to Change Sides."
Finally, according to Fox News, progressive panelists clashed over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's viral foreign policy comments on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" on Monday. The panelists discussed Ocasio-Cortez's struggle to answer whether the U.S. should commit to sending troops to defend Taiwan.
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment