Biden to meet Israel's prime minister, Kabul airport warning: 5 things to know Thursday

Editors
·4 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Biden, Israeli leader Bennett to meet at White House

Israel’s new prime minister heads to the White House on Thursday for an introductory meeting with President Joe Biden and the promise of a “new era of cooperation” in U.S.-Israeli relations. The face-to-face meeting between Biden and Naftali Bennett will be their first since Bennett became prime minister in June. In an interview with the New York Times, Bennett said he would emphasize his opposition to U.S. efforts to reinstate a nuclear agreement with Iran and stress that he intends to proceed with efforts to expand West Bank settlements that Biden opposes. Bennett ruled out the possibility of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians on his watch and declined to support Biden’s plans to reopen a consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem.

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast:

State Department tells Americans at Kabul airport gates to 'leave immediately'

The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs tweeted out a warning last night for U.S. citizens at Kabul airport gates, advising people to "leave immediately." The warning comes the same day that Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as many as 1,500 Americans may still be in Afghanistan, as the deadline for U.S. withdrawal looms. To meet the Aug. 31 deadline, U.S. military forces will need to stop evacuating people out of the airport days before their final troop withdrawal, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Tuesday. That means the window for evacuating refugees and others is even closer than the official end of American presence on the ground.

What will the final US days in Afghanistan will look like?

In six days or less, the last American service member who boards the last flight out will mark an end to the costly 20-year U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Under an Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline, the retreat of U.S. forces is entering its final, dangerous phase. Afghans who aided the American war effort will engage in a life-or-death struggle as they and their families try to secure seats on one of the last flights out. The American withdrawal is likely to conclude with U.S. warplanes blowing up weaponry used to safeguard the evacuation, U.S. officials told USA TODAY. Though thousands of Afghans have left, many will not make it out because there won't be enough time or space on planes, they said.

Vice President Harris to hold news conference before returning to US

Vice President Kamala Harris will speak at a news conference Thursday, as part of the final leg of her trip to Southeast Asia. Over the course of this week, Harris has made stops in Singapore and Vietnam in an effort to bolster the relationships between the two nations and the United States — with emphases on the economy and defenses. The vice president has also revealed agreements with Singapore to combat cyberthreats and tackle climate change, and to do the same for Vietnam in regards to COVID-19. Although Harris has maintained focus on her meetings with officials and Biden administration talking points on China this week, she will likely face questions on U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan during her Thursday news conference.

Kanye West to hold third listening event for 'Donda' album in Chicago

Rapper Kanye West will hold a third listening event Thursday for his next album, "Donda," which is named after his late mother Donda West, who died in 2007. Unlike the previous listening events for the album Thursday's will take place in West's hometown of Chicago, moving from the Mercedes Benz Dome in Atlanta. West's latest appearance also comes as he works to change his legal name to Ye, with no middle name or last name. The artist formally filed a petition for the name change earlier this week, according to Los Angeles Superior Court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kanye West, Kamala Harris, Biden and Naftali Bennett: 5 things to know Thursday